Touhou Duel Masters Café
Chapter 32: Dimensional Drift
Reimu raised the white mug to her lips and took a sip of the freshly brewed hot chocolate, the warm liquid moistening her throat and insides. Letting out a relaxed and satisfied sigh, she licked the remaining cream off her lips and set the mug down.
The café was closed today, but as per Reimu's request, Michael and Jonathan came to open the shop and make some desserts and drinks for the girls. Even Alice was invited when Jonathan and Marisa met her own the way, and the puppeteer now sat beside Marisa, holding a cup of iced Mocha. There wasn't an actual need for true magicians like her to eat, but the savory of food and drinks reminded Alice of being alive and gave her a sense of safety. Even Patchouli demanded drinks all the time from her familiar, Koakuma.
"Nothing better than to just lay around and having food." Marisa remarked as she munched on a freshly baked chocolate cookie. "It's times like these that I feel alive."
"You're sounding like the princess." Jonathan shook his head.
"Hey, don't compare me to Kaguya. At least I do my magic experiments all the time as a magician." Marisa protested.
"Which end up causing trouble for your neighbors all the time." Alice quipped. "The moon princess has been acting as a advisor lately for various matters, so she's doing some good unlike you."
"Che." Marisa pouted.
"The princess isn't an expert in all matters, but she's willing to listen to people. I suppose being shut-off from the world has raised her curiosity to the mortal world." Michael added as he poured another cup of iced Mocha for Alice. "Mah…it's hard to tell what the immortals are thinking exactly."
Reimu drummed her fingers on the table as she listened on in mild interest, taking sips from her mug from time to time, and requested another refill once it was empty. Thus the café was filled with the banter of the few occupants inside for the next hour or so, and a relaxing and playful atmosphere filled the shop.
The sudden ringing of the bell on the door caught their attention, as it signaled that someone had opened it.
"Sorry, we're closed today…" Michael started, but stopped midway as he took notice of the two figures coming in.
"Fufu. I suppose I'm welcome here, no?" The shorter of the two smiled, while the taller maid behind shut the door behind them and gave a light bow.
"Remilia." Reimu called out the vampire's name. "How'd you know we're here?"
"I have my sources." Remilia Scarlet flicked her hair, and plopped herself on a chair on the same table as the other girls. "Sakuya." She clicked her fingers, and the maid instantly produced a small paper bag, which she handed to Jonathan.
"It's high grade tea, the one that I treated you to before." Remilia explained.
"Ha, hah… Thank you for your generosity." Jonathan proceeded to store the tea away in a closet after thanking Remilia. "What brings you here, Lady Remilia?"
"I just wanted to take a stroll and enjoy some leisurely time outside." Remilia answered, as her wings expressed her excitement at her title of Lady. "Don't worry, I had Sakuya stop time and bring me here, so we weren't noticed by humans when we arrived."
"Hu-n." Marisa grabbed another cookie. "It's rare you spend time outside in the day. What about Flan? You didn't bring her?"
Remilia shrugged. "There's always exceptions. Flandre is currently asleep, so I'd rather not wake her up. Plus, it's probably not a good idea to bring her into the human village so carelessly."
Jonathan rubbed his chin as he listened and jogged his memory. Flandre was supposed to be Remilia's sibling, who possessed the powerful ability to destroy anything she sees, and was less mentally stable than her older sister, but had calmed down significantly after meeting Reimu and Marisa apparently. At least, that's what he had heard from he girls, as he had yet to encounter the younger vampire despite his visits to the Scarlet Devil Mansion.
"...Ah, well, Lady Remilia. Would you like anything to drink?" Michael inquired, conveniently forgetting that they were closed today.
"I'll have hot chocolate too, the one Reimu is drinking." Remilia answered, to which Reimu raised her eyebrows.
"I didn't know you had a sweet tooth too."
"I just drink whatever I like at the moment."
Michael obliged as he started to brew a new pot of hot chocolate, and Sakuya sat the same table too with the permission of Remilia, and initiated a small chat with Alice. A few moments later, Remilia was presented with a mug of hot chocolate, topped with whip cream, which she gladly started to drink.
It was some moments before yet another visitor opened the door.
"Satori. What brings you here?" Jonathan asked, mildly surprised. It was not very often that underground youkai would come to the surface, especially one like Satori who was feared by many. As a result friendship wasn't something they shared with the ordinary human or youkai.
"I was trying to find Koishi, but she wasn't in Myourenji." The purple-haired youkai explained, her third eye blinking as it fixated its gaze on the cafe occupants, inducing uneasy shuffles from some. "...Anyways, I was just passing by and heard people talking despite the cafe being closed, so I decided to take a peek."
"I see. Well, you're very welcome as a guest." Jonathan motioned to an empty seat, and Michael nodded in agreement. "We're friends, after all."
"..." A small smile crossed her Satori's lips, and she welcomed herself to an empty seat beside Reimu. "A cup of whatever's good today."
"You got it."
The café became a little busier with the addition of 3 more visitors, and more conversation was made until evening, where the vampire mistress and her maid departed back to their mansion, and the rest went back to their homes to rest for the day. When the curtain of stars pulled over Gensokyo, a lone hooded figure retreated into the shadows as the last light disappeared from the cafe.
"This is...Gensokyo..."
"Fuaa..." Michael yawned and mumbled, shaking his head as he cleaned a dish the next day in the cafe. It was noon, and customers were beginning to increase for lunch breaks, as well as a few children having casual duels on the tables provided.
"You get tired too easily. A workout might be good for you." Jonathan advised his best friend.
"Eh. I'll pass."
The door slid open and the bell rung, signaling the arrival of another customer.
"Welcome." Jonathan gave a brief nod towards the new visitor, noticing her long black hair tied back in a ponytail, and a blue yukata adorned with flowers, along with a bag apparently filled with multiple items. Most of all, he noticed her inhuman presence, but that wasn't an issue. The human village does have its share of youkai occupants, and they're allowed to live there provided they don't stir up trouble. "I see you're a new face around here."
The girl nodded in response, taking a seat secluded from most of the crowd. "I've just arrived here. Still trying to fit in to a new environment."
"Well, take your time." Jonathan told the girl. "It's Gensokyo... so you'd probably fit right in. There's not much place outside for youkai anymore, after all."
"..." The girl's eyes widened a little. "How did you know?"
Jonathan shrugged. "You get to sense and know stuff when you've been around them for sometime. Don't sorry. As long as there's no trouble going on people won't be picking on you."
"...I understand. My name is Sayo." The girl introduced herself, to which Jonathan returned likewise.
"I'm Jonathan. That's Michael over there." The other duelist gave a half-hearted wave before pouring a cup of coffee for another customer. "Would you like something to eat or drink then?"
"A cup of lemon tea would do fine, thank you." Jonathan nodded and went to prepare the drink.
"..." Sayo surveyed the cafe, her brown eyes watching as people consumed their food and chatted, and the children that were having fun dueling. She reached into her bag and took out a wooden flute, delicately crafted and decorated with flower etchings. Putting it to her lips, she started to play a soothing tune as the cafe gradually shushed and turned to her to listen.
The song was smooth and entrancing, pleasing to the ear, almost bewitching to those hearing it. It calmed the spirits and soothed the senses.
Michael snapped himself back to reality, shaking his head. That was dangerous... A little more and he might've fallen asleep. This youkai...she's more than just an ordinary one. Looking to his colleague, he was relieved to see him back to his senses too.
As the song ended, applause erupted from the audience all around, praising Sayo for her performance, and she blushed a little, thanking the applause as she put the flute away. She was then surrounded by a crowd of children, eager to hear more and asking about who she was, to which she answered, "I'm just a traveler and wound up in this place suddenly, and I'm trying to adjust to life here."
"So you're from the outside world huh? Guess you're the kind who don't want to end up outside again." A visitor commented. "That said, you do have some unique skills compared to the ordinary outsider."
"You could say that." Sayo nodded. "I picked my skills up during my travels, and I can say I'm quite confident in them."
The questioning continued for another period of time, and Jonathan set Sayo's drink on her table.
"...It's not often you hear a bewitching tune like that. It's something else...not like the Prismrivers and the other instrumental Tsukumogami." Michael murmured.
"...As long as it's not too harmful..." Jonathan replied. "But it's indeed dangerous if you listen to it for too long."
Thus the hours passed, and by evening the cafe was empty, except for Sayo and the two cafe masters.
"...Nya~" Sayo stood up and stretched her limbs after sitting for a long period of time, and placed a coin on the counter to pay for her tea. "Thank you for the drinks."
"Ah. That was a nice performance there." Michael put the coin away. "The visitors would probably be happy to see you again."
"Hehe..." Sayo scratched her cheek, but then her tone turned serious. "...There's something I'd like to ask you."
"...Sure."
"Has there been any unusual murders around here? Very gruesome ones." Sayo asked solemnly.
"There may be the unfortunate outsider eaten by youkai...but I don't think there were any murders within the Human Village. It's a protected area, after all. There aren't many who are foolish enough to attack the humans in the village when they know they'd face the wrath of the Hakurei shrine maiden."
"The Hakurei shrine maiden...so she's the peace keeper of Gensokyo?"
"The main one, yes, but there are others who would come out and resolve incidents...including us."
"...Ho." Sayo's eyes shone. "So I guess you're quite powerful too then?"
"Ma... Less powerful than most incident solvers in terms of physical and special abilities, but we won't lose easily when it comes to duels." Jonathan explained.
"That would be quite favorable..." Sayo started. "Would you mind if I challenge you to a duel?"
Michael looked to Jonathan, who shrugged. "...Sure thing. I guess Jonathan will be your opponent."
"Perfect." Sayo reached into her bag, and this time pulled out a deck. "It's about time I got to have some exercise too."
"You'd probably want this too." Michael handed her a duel orb. "It's an extra one."
"What's this?" Sayo examined the small blue orb attached to a bracelet.
"It's a duel orb." Michael explained. "It's a handy item that expands duel pads, and communication, among other functions. Just focus on it and it'd be yours."
"Why, thank you." Doing as instructed, Sayo's duel orb glowed with a blue aura, and belonged to her.
"Let's take this outside. We don't want to break stuff inside the cafe." Jonathan suggested, and the others nodded and headed outside, hovering meters in the air, above the rather empty streets. The sun steadily faded down the horizon and the orange sky slightly dyed black, and light bulbs in homes were beginning to illuminate the darkened streets.
"Duel pad expand!" Jonathan's duel orb glowed, and the semi-transparent duel pad materialized in front of him, along with 5 crystalline shields.
"Uh...Duel pad expand!" Sayo did the same, and was surprised to see her deck automatically float onto the duel pad, and 5 cards from her deck becoming her shields that hovered in front of her.
"It's a combination of Kappa technology and magic. Impressive ain't it? They did quite the nice job in making our idea real." Michael beamed.
"This is indeed...quite fascinating." Sayo nodded in agreement.
"Now that everything's set..."
""Duel!""
BGM: Undying Red Soul (Touhou Project ~ Antimony of Common Flowers~ OST)
"I charge The Clock and fortify one my shields with Submarine Fortress Lair!" Jonathan declared as one of his shields shimmered with the symbol of the Water civilization, and transformed into the castle. "At the start of my turn, we can both draw a card. Turn End."
"My turn." Sayo drew a card. "I charge Beroringa into my mana and turn end."
"My turn." Both duelists drew a card with Submarine Fortress Lair's effect after Jonathan drew his turn card. "I charge Shortshot Magnum into my mana and summon Crimson Meow, and draw a card with his effect." The Flame Monster/Blue Monster hybrid materialized on Jonathan's field, snarling at Sayo.
"Red Blue beat huh?" Sayo charged a mana and tapped both of her mana, casting Scale of Bravery and Love to destroy Crimson Meow.
"My turn." They both drew again with Submarine Fortress Lair's effect. "Beroringa huh... If it's Rev change...then how about this? I summon Strange Flow Onikamas!" The Mutopia creature, modeled after a barracuda and wielding a trident and harpoon, appeared on Jonathan's side of the battle zone.
"...What's that card? I've never seen it before." Sayo squinted at Onikamas.
"You can check card effects with your duel orb." Michael informed. "Just tap on the information pad you beside you." It's strange to see someone not recognize Onikamas...
"Chi..." The girl clicked her tongue as she looked over Onikamas' effect. "Untouchable and cost trample bounce... I don't have a reliable way to take care of it right now. I charge Mad Dead Wood into my mana, and cast Scale of Bravery and Love again. I discard Rafululu and draw 2 cards. Turn End."
"Ore no turn. I charge a mana and summon Oboro Kagerou. With his effect I draw 2 cards, 1 for each color in my mana...and return the same number of cards to the bottom of my deck. Turn End."
"Watashi no turn." Charging another mana, Sayo tapped 3 of them, summoning her next creature. "I summon Tamagineil and discard Shortshot Magnum from my hand and destroy Oboro Kagerou. Turn End." The Team Acme creature lunged at the Great Mecha King, destroying it with ease.
"Ore no turn. I charge Steam Flyswatter and summon Crimson Meow. I draw a card, and with my remaining 3 mana I evolve Crimson Meow into Platina Walsura! Battle phase! Platina Walsura attacks, and with his attack trigger I draw 3 cards...and I discard Submarine Fortress Lair. Double Break!" The slime Magic Command splintered two of Sayo's shields and she cowered from the impact.
"Kuh..." She stared at Death Gate from her broken shields, rendered useless by Onikamas' untouchable ability.
"...Turn End."
"Watashi no turn..." Sayo peeked at her drawn card and smiled. "I charge Doguraeater into my mana. I cast Hell's Hot Spring and destroy all creatures with cost 3 or less!" A torrent of scathing of water poured on the creatures on the battle zone, destroying all as they all cost 3 or less. "Turn end."
Sayo looked at her hand. Evil Heat, Rinnevenus, Dogiragon Buster... If Jonathan doesn't have that Onikamas again, it will be her victory... She smiled at this prospect.
"...That was unexpected, I'll give you that. And judging by your expression, you already have the parts for a one kill..." Jonathan pushed his glasses into place. "However...you won't have the next turn to use them."
"Are you saying you can break all of my shields and win without fearing any triggers?" Sayo asked tauntingly. "I'm pretty sure Red Blue beat can't do that with an empty field."
"...De ha...Ore no turn!" Jonathan snatched the top card of his deck. "...I charge The Clock into my mana. I summon Shortshot Magnum. Then I summon Crimson Meow, and since I have an Outrage in the battle zone, I summon Nine with Gravity Zero!" The three creatures spread out on the battle zone, but Sayo just snickered.
"Your creatures have summoning sickness, so you won't be able to win right now."
"Is that so?"
"...Huh?"
"Master Bad Action Dynamite!" Jonathan brandished a card in his hand, tapping one mana. "Bad Brand!"
A fourth creature, a humanoid looking one clad in fiery crimson armor with blue parts etched here and there, materialized from a pillar of fire and gave a mighty roar,
"What...? But that creature costs 7!" Sayo frantically looked at the information pad, checking his effect, and paling as she did so. "It costs 2 less for evert red creature summoned this turn..."
"Now all my red creatures gain Speed Attacker. I have to destroy one of my creatures at the end of my turn...but that doesn't matter now." Jonathan explained, entering the battle phase immediately after doing so. "Battle!"
"Crimsom Meow, attack! Then... Revolution Change! Rafululu!" The red and blue cat turned back into a card and returned to Jonathan's hand, and the Angel Dragon that stops spells for his come into play effect appeared in his stead. "Rafululu! Break a shield!"
"Guh...!" Sayo grabbed the broken shield, shining with a black aura. " Shield Trigger! Mad Dead Wood!"
The D2 field triggered, turning their surroundings into a forest filled with malicious plants of deadly poison.
"It doesn't matter now. Brand, Double Break!" The Beat Jockey charged with full speed at Sayo, cracking the last of her shields with a swift punch, and they splintered after he stopped his charge behind her.
"No trigger..." Sayo sighed in defeat. "It seemed that I have a lot to learn in Gensokyo..."
"Mah...Souiu koto da. Magnum, direct attack." Jonathan ordered, and the Outrage concluded the duel with a fire from his swiftly drawn pistol.
As they landed on the ground, Sayo shook her head. "To think there were even newer cards... That was quite the surprise."
"Seems you're not just an ordinary traveler." Michael concluded as the two duelists approached her.
"..." Sayo gave no comment at this, and Michael just shrugged.
"I don't know why you're here and how'd you get here...but do keep in mind..." He fixated his sights on her, his irises glowing golden for a split second and sending a chill down Sayo's spine. "I will not forgive anyone who causes mayhem in Gensokyo. You understand?"
Sayo nodded, recovering from the threat, tho she could still feel cold sweat running down her back.
"...Mah. That's how it is. A small mischief or two wouldn't hurt, like the other youkai." The former cancer duelist reverted to his usual lazed expression. "But you do know when there's lives involved...then there's no holds barred."
"...Do forgive my friend." Jonathan apologized as Michael returned to the cafe to start closing it. "He doesn't take matters involving Gensokyo lightly...especially when it involves life and people he knows. The same could be said for me though...so do be careful. But if you have no ill intentions, then that's fine."
Sayo nodded again as she let the words sink in.
"Well, good night to you then, Sayo-san. You do have a place to stay in, right?"
"Yes. There's an abandoned house near the edge of the human village...so I'm staying there right now."
"Very well. We'll see you around." With that, Jonathan returned to the cafe to help his friend.
"..." A small breeze picked up as Sayo stared up at the night sky littered with infinite glittering stars, before she started towards the abanoned house she had spoke of.
"...Where is this...?"
"I just remember...Keh. I'll need to find a way back soon... and take back what's rightfully mine."
Decks:
Jonathan: Red Blue Brand（赤青ブランド）
Sayo: MDW Acme Dogiragon（MDWアクミドギラゴン）