Disclaimer: All characters belong to their respective owners.

Max laid on a bed of grass and groaned as his body ached all over. He looked around him as he sat up while rubbing his eyes. His pained expression disappeared as he realized his escape from The Void. "Yes! Fucking right! I don't know where we're at, but it ain't in that fucked up place!" He shouted happily. "I cannot believe we made it out of there alive. And we managed to beat back that powerful horror. Maybe beating the yellow bastard isn't so farfetched after all?" He thought.

"It is nice to see you excited, but could you please get off of me? The ground is cold." Remilia said.

Max looked down at the ground to realize that he was sitting on top of Remilia. He also noticed that she was now stripped of her dress for she was covering her breasts with one of her arms. "Oh… sorry…" He said as his face reddened. His eyes then started to wonder down from her chest down to her stomach then was suddenly smacked across the face, knocking him off of her. "Ow! The hell was that…err… never mind. I totally deserved that." He said. "The hell am I getting all excited for? She looks like a kid for fuck sake…"

"Of course you did. Taking advantage of a girl while she's down." Remilia said while looking mildly upset.

"I didn't do anything!" Max protested.

"You did enough…" Remilia said as she blushed and averted her eyes away from Max.

Max stood up and took his shirt off then, while not looking at Remilia, handed it to her. "Here. I'll freeze since it's my fault your dress got burned up."

"About time you offered." Remilia said as she snatched the shirt away.

"Be happy I did."

"I am happier that you finally managed to get us back to Gensokyo."

"You better be… Wait a minute…" Max quickly scanned the area, noticing the earthly flora that grew around them and the misty lake not too far away. "Yes! Oh hell yes!" He exclaimed as he started to dance around, but suddenly fell to his knees. "Ah shit… Body is still a little messed up."

"Then let us return to my mansion. I will treat you to some food and clean clothes for a job well done." Remilia said.

Max and Remilia made their way across Misty Lake. They both looked up to see the unnatural blackness hanging in the sky.

"Why is the sky still like that?" Max asked.

"Looks like we still have work to do." Remilia said.

They both landed at the front gate of the Scarlet Devil Mansion where Meiling stood awake.

"Miss Remilia!" Meiling shouted in surprise when she noticed Max and Remilia. "Eh? Where is your dress?" She asked as she noticed Remilia had no dress and the shirtless Max.

"It is nice to see that you are awake, Meiling." Remilia said while ignoring the question.

"Miss Sakuya, Marisa and I just returned from searching for you again. We were so worried after Marisa and Alice said you had been sucked into some strange hole." Meiling said.

"I am quite alright. I had Max here to help me in my return." Remilia said. "Come in, Max. I will have Sakuya prepare you a healthy meal while you wash. She will get you better clothe as well."

"Just clean these ones. It's nice to have a shirt that doesn't get destroyed after a fight." Max said.

"No. You will wear the clothes I give you. They will be just as durable if not more." Remilia said.

"Ah fine…" Max said, not bothering to argue then entered the mansion with Remilia and Meiling.

Max tried to quickly take his bath, but had to shoo any mischievous fairy maids who thought to bathe at that time.

"Come back when you've aged physically!" Max shouted as he chased some fairy maids out of the large bath.

"Kya!" The fairies yelled as they ran off giggling.

Max sighed. "Damn girls…" He said as he wrapped a towel around him. "My as well get out now." He walked into the changing room to see Sakuya laying out some clothe. "Now why couldn't she try to sneak into the bath instead of those fairies?" He thought.

"By milady's orders, these are for you." Sakuya said.

"Yeah… thanks." Max said.

Sakuya turned around to leave, but quickly turned back around then gazed at Max. "These are one of milady's most sacred treasures. Please do not destroy them." She said.

"She does know that I will probably end up fighting in these, right?" Max asked.

"These were made to be fought in, but still, try and take care of them." Sakuya said while looking a little upset.

"Alright… Jeez…" Max said. Sakuya then turned to leave. "You know there is something you could do for me to make me a little more careful with these clothes." He said with a smug look.

Sakuya stopped without turning around to face Max. "You should be honored to even be able to wear those. That alone should be enough motivation to take care of them."

"Did I forget to mention I was the one that brought your master home safely?"

"You brought her home in just her panties and in your shirt…"

"I still brought her home."

"Hurry and change. The mistress awaits you in the dining hall." Sakuya said before vanishing.

"Damn… Was worth trying." Max said before dressing.

After finishing getting dressed, Max made his way to the dining hall where Remilia, Patchouli and Flandre sat at a table. Remilia's face lit up when she saw him enter the room.

"I knew it. You look great in those." Remilia said happily.

"Wow! He looks just like umph!" Flandre tried to speak, but Remilia suddenly covered her mouth before she could finish her sentence.

"Be quiet and eat your food." Remilia said. She let go of Flandre, who puffed her cheeks at her, then turned to Max. "Please sit down. Sakuya will have your food for you shortly."

"I didn't think you vampires ate regular food." Max said as he sat down in one of the vacant seats.

"You wouldn't want what she is eating…" Patchouli said while not looking away from her open book.

"Uh huh…" Max said with a confused expression. "It also looks like you people almost got this place fixed up. Surprising considering the dump it was earlier."

"Sakuya always keeps herself busy." Remilia said.

Sakuya entered the room with a plate full of food then laid them out in front of Max.

"Thank you, Sakuya. That will be all." Remilia said. Sakuya bowed then left the room.

Max quickly dug into the food that was given to him. "I thought I was going to die of starvation more than anything. This is great." He said with food in his mouth.

"Do not speak with your mouth full." Remilia said while trying to hide her disgust.

"Yeah!" Flandre said with food in her mouth and then was bonked on the head by Remilia. "Ow!"

"The same goes for you." Remilia said. She then faced Max. "Patchy here was just telling me how she might be able to make a spell that will help conceal your power. That way you might be able to venture into the outside world without risk. Isn't that right, Patchy?"

Patchouli nodded. "With all the research I have done while looking for ways to protect against your powers effects, I should be able to use that new found knowledge to make a spell that will hide your power." Patchouli said without looking away from her book.

"I'll believe it when I see it." Max said before gulping down a glass of water. He sat down the empty glass then sighed in satisfaction. "That was damn good. Hate to ask, but do you got a spare bed? I'm tired as hell."

"Of course. I have already had Sakuya prepare one of the bedrooms for you." Remilia said.

"What? It's in the middle of the day!" Flandre complained. "Since Marisa is out, I need someone to play with."

"Last time we 'played' you went all loopy." Max said as he rested his head on the table.

"You did too from what I heard." Patchouli said.

"I don't remember last time!" Flandre shouted.

"Settle down, Flandre." Remilia commanded. Sakuya returned with a couple of cups of tea then sat them before Remilia and Patchouli. "Thank you, Sakuya. Could you take Max to his room?"

"Yes, milady." Sakuya said with a bow then turned to Max. "Please follow me."

"Yeah yeah." Max said while yawning at the same time then got up to follow Sakuya.

Sakuya led Max to one of the many empty bedrooms of the mansion, walking passed the many fairy maids who rushed to clean what remained of the debris from the last fight.

"This will be your room while you remain here in the Scarlet Mansion." Sakuya said as she opened the door to the bedroom then entered with Max close behind her.

"Thanks, babe." Max said, giving Sakuya a pat on the behind then letting himself fall face first into the bed.

Sakuya blushed a little while clenching her fists, opting to retaliate against Max but deciding against it. "Try not to destroy anything…" She said as she left Max alone in his room.

"Feels like it's been forever since the last time I slept." Max thought as he laid in his bed. "Alright… Let's consider what Remilia thinks is true. If the yellow prick could get into this world, what are the ways could he use? Calling his name three times only has the potential of calling him to this world, but it would probably just bust some ear drums and drive those who heard it insane. I doubt anyone is this world even knows his true name and even if they did they would have killed themselves in a fit of madness from knowing it. I don't even frikin know it. Summoning him in a conventional way requires far too many blood sacrifices to even be feasible. The black sky ain't no indication of his presence. The sky would be bleeding and people across the world would be going mad if he was even close. I just don't see him getting here anytime soon."

"Max…" A dark, twisted female voice echoed in his mind, causing him to jump to his feet.

"Name, now. Place, now." Max said angrily.

"Oh, Max… All the traits that make me love you so much… are the same traits that irritates me to no end." The voice said.

"Enough of this shit. Tell me who you are and where I can find you so I can kick your ass."

"If you really want to know everything, then come to the mountain, but only if you are sure you want to know…" The voice said as it slowly faded into silence.

"Mountain? What fucking mountain? Hello?" Max said as he poked the side of his head. "Hey! What mountain are you talking about? Damn it!" Max let out a long, drawn out sigh. "Shit… I need to piss now." He thought then looked around. "I should have asked where the bathroom was. I really don't want to go looking for the damn thing in this oversized house." Max looked behind him then stared at the window. "This place barely has enough windows, yet I got a room with one. I'm sure no one would care. Not that I'd care even if they did." He thought as he walked over to the window then opened it. He stood on the ledge of the window, pulled out his junk then proceeded to pee out the window. "Ah… Much better…" He said in relief. He surveyed the lake, trying to see passed the mist while he did his business.

"Hey! You!" A girl shouted.

"Shit. Come on. Come on." Max mumbled. "Longest piss ever…"

"Hey! I'm talking to you!" The girl shouted again.

Max looked to his side, spotting a fairy flying towards him. The fairy had icicle-shaped wings and wore a blue dress and a blue ribbon in her light blue hair. Once she got closer he could see that she had aqua-colored eyes. "I'm pissing on her once she's in range. Annoying fairies…" He thought.

The girl stopped right beside Max, crossing her arms before speaking. "Why are you ignoring me?"

"Uh… Because I'm kinda busy. Mind not bothering me?" Max said.

The girl looked down at Max's exposed self. "Oh!" She exclaimed while looking astonished. "You're a boy! That means you're the one I'm looking for!" She said while looking rather proud of herself.

"Yes… I'm a boy… Too bad I had this out in plain view or I could have kept it a secret from you…" Max said as he fixed his pants after finishing his business.

"There is nothing you can hide from me!" The girl said confidently. She then saw that Max wasn't listening to her, instead about to close the window. "Hey wait! We need to fight! Umph!" She said while flying into the window that was suddenly shut on her. She pushed her self away from the window then rubbed her nose. "That hurt…" She puffed her cheeks then pushed the windows back open. "Why'd you do that for?" The girl yelled. Max laid back in bed as he continued to ignore her. "Don't go to sleep! We need to fight!" She jumped on Max's back then started to shake him. "Get up and fight me!"

"Isn't that gate guard girl supposed to keep intruders out?" Max thought.

"Cirno! Where did you go?" Another girl shouted.

"Daiyousei! In here! I found the bad guy!" Cirno called out.

Daiyousei poked her head through the window, spotting Cirno as she tried to get Max out of bed. She had short green hair with a yellow ribbon and wore a blue dress with white sleeves. Her wings were a golden color. "Cirno, you shouldn't fly off without at least warning me first. I almost lost you." She said as she entered the room.

"Not another stupid fairy…" Max thought as he was continuously shook.

"Please excuse my friend. She doesn't mean any harm." Daiyousei said.

Max turned his head to face Daiyousei. "This one is actually being polite…" He thought. Max then got up, with Cirno clinging to his back.

"Hey! Don't get up so suddenly!" Cirno shouted. Max got out of the bed then stared at Daiyousei's chest.

Daiyousei blushed and averted her eyes from Max's. "Um… Yes…?" She said shyly.

"You have the biggest boobs I have yet seen on a fairy." Max said bluntly.

"Eh?" Daiyousei said as her face redden even more.

"Hey! Mine are pretty big too!" Cirno said as she pushed her chest up against Max's back.

"Uh… No… They aren't." Max said with Cirno puffing her cheeks at him. "Now can you both leave? I would like to sleep."

"Yes. Sorry for troubling you." Daiyousei said with a bow.

"But he's the bad guy! He has a penis and everything! I saw it!" Cirno said.

"W-What? Why would you show her that?" Daiyousei asked.

"I didn't!" Max said.

"I need to beat him here and now, for only the strongest fairy can!" Cirno said.

" Um, sir? Are you really Max?" Daiyousei asked.

"Yup. That's my name." Max said as he reached behind him then pulled Cirno off of him, setting her down next to Daiyousei. "Now if you may. Leave."

"I'm not leaving until you lie frozen at my feet." Cirno said with a grin while pulling out a spell card, but before she could call out her attack, Max grabbed the card, wrinkled it up then ate it. "Hey!" She cried out. "That's not how you duel!"

"Fuck off. I fight to kill. Now get out of here before you really piss me off." Max said as he sat down on the bed.

"Come on, Cirno. If what the tengu said is true, then he isn't someone to mess with carelessly." Daiyousei said.

"Smart girl." Max said. "Wait… What's a tengu?"

"That would be the youkai on Youkai Mountain. Everyone knows that." Cirno said.

"Youkai Mountain?" Max asked.

"Yes. The one right near here." Daiyousei said.

Max smacked his forehead. "THAT mountain. I totally forgot about it." He said then got up and headed for the door.

"Hey! Don't run from me!" Cirno exclaimed then latched onto Max's back.

"W-Wait for me!" Daiyousei said.

Max ran down to the first floor and headed for the front doors with a fairy on his back and another trying to keep up with him. The fairy maids looked on with envy.

"Where are you going in such a rush?" Remilia asked as she entered the hallway from the dining room with Flandre and Patchouli by her sides.

"I'm going sightseeing." Max said without stopping. As he passed Remilia, she grabbed a hold of Cirno who held onto him, forcing him to a stop.

"With two fairies? I find that highly suspicious." Remilia said.

"What kind of guy do you take me fore?" Max asked.

"I am sorry to be the bringer of ill news but…" Sakuya said as she entered the mansion through the front doors.

"Ayayayaya." Aya said as she entered the mansion. "I came here looking for the shrine maiden, but instead I find the man of the month."

Max looked at Aya then spotted her wings. "Oh god… Tell me she isn't nuclear prone…" He said.

"Only when she's on her period." Patchouli said.

"Hey hey! I am always my professional self even during my periods." Aya said proudly.

"Well I'm outta here." Max said then went to leave the mansion, only for Aya to grab his arm.

"Hold it there, big guy." Aya said. "A few pictures and some questions please, because you have become the enemy of the tengus and the gods of Youkai Mountains!" She happily announced. Max stared at her for a moment before pulling his arm away. He then quickly lifted Aya's skirt up then slapped her butt. "Ouch!" She cried out.

"Don't grab me like that." Max said as he went to leave.

"Hold it, Max." Remilia said then faced Aya. "Why do they see him as their enemy? Surely they aren't obeying the gap youkai's command?"

"Nope. Not at all. Just recently there was an attack on the shrine at the top of the mountain. The gods who live there were driven out, forcing them to flee to our village. A large group of humans fielding weapons from the outside world and… strange magic followed and attacked the village. Thankfully we were able to beat them back with no loses, but many were heavily injured. So now they simply assume tall, dark and handsome here is somehow involved."

"I see…" Remilia said as she started to think to herself.

"The gods of that shrine were beaten so easily? You think with those two and their shrine maiden they could of put up a better fight against a bunch of humans." Patchouli said.

"It wasn't just humans…" Aya said as her happy expression turned gloomy. "They also had these… things… I don't know what they were, but they were…" She said as she tried to figure out how to describe what she saw.

"We get what you are saying." Remilia said. "It looks like the time for rest has already ended. Sakuya, get Meiling. We are going to Youkai Mountain."

"Yes, mistress." Sakuya said then exited the mansion.

"Yay!" Flandre exclaimed.

"Not you." Remilia said.

"What? Why not?" Flandre pouted.

"I have already told you." Remilia said then turned to Patchouli. "You already know what I need of you."

Patchouli nodded. "Let's go, Flan." She said.

"This sucks…" Flandre moped as she and Patchouli left for the library.

"Ayayayaya. I came looking for Reimu for help, but I guess you guys will have to do." Aya said.

"Speaking of Reimu. Has anyone seen her or the gap youkai?" Remilia asked.

"Nope. I went to the gap youkai's house first. The only one there was her shikigami's shikigami and she said she hadn't seen them in a while." Aya said.

"Well let's just hope the gap youkai stays where ever she is just a bit longer." Remilia said.

"Why's that? Afraid she'll take your man here away?" Aya said mischievously.

"Would you like to continue being a reporter or would you like me to just end you now?" Remilia asked.

Aya faked a small laugh. "I think I'll stick with being a reporter."

"Ah, good." Remilia said upon seeing Sakuya and Meiling returning from outside. "Let us not waste any more time here."

"Better idea." Max said. "How about I just go and wrap things up. I'll be back before nightfall."

"No. Those humans might be in service of the one in yellow. We need to dispose of them as quickly as possible before they can do whatever it is they came here to do." Remilia said.

"Whatever." Max said.

"I'm going with you! You need the strongest fairy to watch your back!" Cirno said while still holding onto Max's back, but was then pulled down by Remilia.

"I have a more important job for you." Remilia said.

"You do? What is it?" Cirno asked then listened closely.

"Since Sakuya is going with us, I need someone who I can rely on to watch over and protect my little sister. Can you do that for me?" Remilia said with pleading eyes.

"O-Of course! You can count on me!" Cirno exclaimed while giving Remilia a thumbs up. "Let's go Daiyousei!" She said as she grabbed Daiyousei's hand then rushed to the library.

"W-W-Wait!" Daiyousei exclaimed as she was dragged off by Cirno.

Remilia sighed in relief. "Now that we got rid of the fairies we can leave now." She said. "Now Max. Don't say anything unnecessary when we get there. The tengu and I will explain that you had nothing to do with those other humans. We cannot afford to be fighting when the enemy is right at our door step."

"Whatever." Max said.

"Yeah, the Chief is an understanding guy. He would just like to hear your side of the story and you'll be fine." Aya said. She then wrapped one of her arms around Max. "I also have a friend who could really use some male help if you know what I mean." She whispered.

"Is she attractive?" Max whispered.

"She's almost as cute as me." Aya whispered.

"Is she grown up here?" Max whispered while patting his chest. Aya simply smiled and nodded.

Max grinned. "Sounds like a winner to me."

"You're a pig." Sakuya said.

"Excuse me for being a guy. You should get bent yourself." Max said.

Sakuya clenched her teeth as she resisted the urge to hurt Max while Meiling kept herself from laughing out loud.

"Alright. If you all are done, can we please leave?" Remilia said.

"Okay. Follow me!" Aya said.

Max, Remilia, Sakuya, Meiling and Aya left the mansion then took to the air. They flew towards Youkai Mountain just beyond the mist of the lake. The blackness in the sky seemed to originate outward from right above the mountain as it crawled across the sky.