"Ah..."

...

/Operator revival successful/

...

Dutch opened his eyes. He was lying on the bed.

Vale? He thought.

Nothing.

Sitting up, he tried again.

Access Vault. He thought.

...

/Unable to comply/

...

/Vault systems inaccessible/

...

/Reason:Unknown/

...

"Damn." Dutch cursed.

Sitting there thinking about it, he remembers a sentence he once said.

"Right now we got to carry on. No point standing here and doing nothing." He repeated.

Standing up, he leaves the room and heads for the front porch.

Yukari sat on the front porch, looking out. She turned around and smiled when she saw Dutch.

"I felt the changes. I thank you for your effort." She said.

Dutch nodded.

"Is there anything you want from the outside world? As thanks." She said.

Dutch sat down and thought about it for a couple of minutes. He rattled off a couple items.

Yukari smiled. "That I can do. But why the last one?"

"I am pretty sure that I will need it here." Dutch answered.

Yukari nodded. She opened a gap and reached inside.

"Found them. Do you want them now?" Yukari asked.

Hopefully this still works. He thought.

Dutch phased in his glove and called out tendrils of energy. The tendrils reached into the gap, glowed bright and retreated back to Dutch's glove.

Yukari smiled. "I see that you been practicing."

He phased out a sheath.

Taking out the knife inside, he looked at the 9-inch grey blade.

He swung it around and smiled.

"What's this? This doesn't feel like a normal knife. It's too light."

"That, Dutch, is a 9-inch single-edge steel-coated artificial black diamond blade. And it's yours."

"You're shitting me."

"My finances wish i was but no."

Putting the knife back into the sheath, he sighed.

Vale? He tried again.

Nothing.

Yukari smiled. "I think it's time for you to learn how to fight the Gensokyian style. You fellow companions will be joining us during breakfast. They will also be joining you for combat training as well."

She left the front porch.

Dutch stared at his glove.

Human village

On route to hakurei shrine

"Remind me why we have to do this?" Maribel asked.

"Anyone living in Gensokyo should learn how to defend themselves. In the human villages you are safe but outside, prepare to be eaten if you don't know how to fight off the youkai." Yukari explained.

"Also, learning danmaku is very helpful in developing your magical talents. It teaches you to tap into your magical reserves and harness it quicker and is easier than actually having a magic user do it for you."

Maribel sighed. "But all my magic can do right now is help me see boundaries."

Yukari chuckled. "What you experienced in the outside is just a small portion of your power. With training, you will be able to draw out far more. Where we are going, the training will be very efficient."

Dutch watched the two. "So why am I joining them? If I recall correctly, I'm using a gun to fire danmaku, not any magical reserves."

Yukari smiled. "That's why you will be trying the next level. Spell cards duels. And what better way to do that than the person that created them."

Dutch gave Yukari a strange look.

The I don't know what you are doing but I'll play along look.

Renko just walked along, silent.

After climbing a set of stairs, the four reached a shrine. It was, for the lack of a better word, a bit run down. The shrine looked structurely sound but the paint has the hue of neglect on it. The charms were slightly frayed and the donation box had several chips like it was attacked. Altogether, it gave the shrine a rather drab look.

Yukari called out. "Reimu!"

No answer.

Yukari sighed. "She always needs a bit of encouragement."

She gapped in a 1 yen coin and threw into the donation box. The coin bounced off the edge, rattled over the grating and hit the bottom.

Still nothing.

Yukari frowned. "That's strange. Normally she would be rushing here by now."

"What do you think I am, a rent-a-shrine-maiden?" A voice from behind.

The four jumped.

Yukari turned around. "Reimu~!"

Reimu dodged her hug. "Mind telling me why there are three outsiders here?"

Yukari picked herself up from the ground. "Awww~. Not even a hi to you best companion?"

Reimu cocked her eyebrow. "I shall repeat my question."

Yukari sighed then went all business. "Oh, I bought them here for you to teach them danmaku."

Reimu glared suspiciously at Yukari. "And why should I help?"

Yukari pulled the biggest smile in her life. "Because it is the duty of a hakurei shine maiden to help anyone in need."

Reimu sighed. "Alright but you owe me."

A 'SCORE' popped up behind Yukari. "Okay."

Reimu turned to the three fellow humans. "Follow me."

Hakurei shrine

Inside

The three sat down in front of Reimu.

"Alright. Let's get started. Danmaku is the primary form of combat in this lands. You will be learning how to use it efficiently. But first, you will need to tap into your magic reserves." Reimu explained.

She turned to Yukari. "They do have magic, right?"

Yukari smiled. "The two females have but the male is a special case~."

Reimu sighed again. "Alright, I focus on the ones with magic first."

She turned back to the three in front of her. "Right now, I need you to visualize. Close your eyes. Think you are in a dark room."

Renko and Maribel nod.

"Now call up your magic in your mind." Reimu instructored.

In both women view, their dark room now had their magic in front of them. Renko's was a bright blue geyser while Maribel's one was a ball with a rainbow of colors.

"Now, using your mind, visualize a bolt."

Renko had a yellow bolt shooting out from the geyser and heading to her. It floated to a stop in front of her. Maribel's ball stretched out a small portion until the bolt was formed.

"Now will it to become real."

"Now open your eyes."

Maribel let out a surprised gasp when she saw the bolt. Renko simply stared at hers with wonder.

"You have now have your danmaku." Reimu said.

Renko reached out to touch it but stopped a centimeter away.

"Don't worry, danmaku cannot hurt its own creator." Reimu chuckled.

Renko touched her bolt. "It feels warm."

"Danmaku is basically shooting your magic reserves. It feels warm because it is part of you. But anyone shot by it will have a very unpleasant feeling. Trust me, I know from experience."

Reimu smiled. "Now that you know how to create danmaku, you have to learn to fight with it."

The two women nodded.

5 minutes later...

The danmaku bolts struck the two seals. They gave a small corresponding boom.

Reimu nodded. "Good. Accuracy with your danmaku is important. In a actual fight, random shooting will not grant you victory."

Renko and Maribel both grin.

"Now do that with while shooting faster."

The grins died.

"In a fight, one shot can be easily dodged. Even the lowest level youkai will not lose due to a single shot. You have to shoot faster then that. And this is only basic level." Reimu explained.

Groan.

At the back, Dutch and Yukari watch the training.

"What's your opinion?" Yukari asked.

"She's right. From my one duel experience,I could tell that fights here don't end with a single shot." Dutch answered.

"You're adapting fast." Yukari smiled.

"It's a human trait."

"Oh really? I usually spark anything that is new. No need to change what is tried and true daze." A voice behind them said.

Dutch jumped. Yukari simply smiled.

"Oh but you have always been known for brute force, not finesse, right Marisa?" Yukari answered.

The black white magician, balancing on her broomstick, chuckled.

"Well its worked, didn't it? Besides, it's not magic if it's not flashy ze."

In a certain house in the forest and another certain mansion, a puppeteer and a magician gritted their teeth.

"So who's the dude ze?" Marisa asked.

"Oh, some outsider that landed on my front porch. The other two women joined him as well. There's nothing special about him except he survived a spell card duel." Yukari said.

Marisa eyes widened. "That's him? I expected someone less...average ze."

Burn.

"I'm right here." Dutch answered.

Yukari laughed.

Breaktime

Reimu crossed her arms.

"So how is the guy a special case?" She asked.

"Oh, nothing special, just that he uses a outsider weapon to shoot danmaku since he does not have any magic~." She said.

Reimu nodded. "That takes care of his danmaku. So what do you want to do with him?"

Yukari smiled. "Oh, nothing hard. Just spell card training."

"You never ask for the simple things, do you?"

SMILE.

Reimu turned to Dutch. "You survived a lethal duel."

Nod.

"May I ask what were the cards?"

Dutch searched his memory. "I believe they were Leaf sign Falling leaves of madness and Conjuring Misdirection."

Marisa whistled. "The first card was pretty easy but the second? That's takes a bit of skill. And you did this without flying?"

Nod again.

Marisa grinned. She gave a thumbs up to Yukari.

Reimu paused. "Wait. If he does not have any magic, how do I teach him spell cards."

Yukari laughed. "He may not have magic but he 'has' magic. Dutch?"

Dutch phased in his glove.

"So what, it's a glove that can go invisible." Reimu said.

Yukari grinned evilly. "It's a glove attached to a magical artifact that connected to a a pocket universe and has the ability to store anything and everything it comes across. I think our magician knows what I am talking about."

Marisa's eyes widened. "The soul link. A magical artifact that fell from the sky ages past. It remembers everything the soul goes through."

Yukari chuckled. "That's what's it's called now? I remember when it used to be simply be called the vault."

Marisa grinned BIG. The prospects of knowledge from the glove were massive. Oh, the opportunity of learning about something that Patchouli has not met before. The possibilities for profit are endless.

"Can you let me keep him?" She said to Yukari.

Yukari smiled. "No. But you could fight him. It will be helping him to experience spell cards more."

Dutch jaw-dropped. "You can't be serious."

"On the contrary, I am. Experiencing a spell card duel in its full glory will be very helpful." Yukari answered.

Dutch held up his hand. "I already did."

Yukari laughed. "That's small fry compared to Marisa. She is one of the second most powerful human in Gensokyo. And don't worry, it's non-lethal."

Marisa grinned. "Get ready!"

Dutch turned to Yukari. "I hate you so much right now."

Magic sign "Milky way"

Star of different shapes and sizes started to fly towards Dutch.

Ohmyfreakinggodarethosestars? He thought as he dodged the danmaku.

"Spell cards are pattern of danmaku imprinted on pieces of paper." Reimu said.

"What is this? A practical and theory lesson rolled into one?" Ditch yelled as he tried dodged a line of large stars but failed.

Ow. He thought as he tumbled across the floor. Quickly picking up him self, he successfully rolled out of the way of another line.

Feels like getting tasered and paint-balled at the same time. He noted.

"Each spell card shall be given a beautiful and meaningful name." Reimu continued.

Does Help sign stop the match count? He thought as again, he dodged another lines of stars.

"The number of named spell cards are to be announced before hand in a formal duel."

Still not very helpful. Dutch thought as he rolled.

With a sound like energy dissipating,the spell card finally broke.

Marisa grinned. "Only one hit? That's nice daze."

And then she whipped out another card. "Let's try this ze."

GODDAMNITYUKARI. Mentally screamed Dutch.

Love sign "Non-directional laser"

Oh, now there is laser beams. Dutch internal complains continued.

As the laser spun around Marisa, Dutch followed the holes in between the energy beams.

This is pretty okay. Dutch thought.

Then came the stars.

"In a formal duel, if all your named spells are defeated, you are defeated, regardless of your remaining strength."

"Oh that's nice and all BUT WE AREN'T IN A FORMAL DUEL!" Dutch yelled as he gave up dodging and decided to smash through the stars than get hit by any lasers.

Ow Ow Ow Pain. He thought as he ran into the first star.

It continued that way, Dutch dodging the lines of laser beams and stars and sometimes running through the stars to avoid the laser beams.

Finally the spell card broke.

Marisa whistled. "Runinng through the stars? What, you can't dodge them?"

"I can't fly." Dutch answered, panting.

"Marisa, hit him with a master spark. It will be a good example for him." Yukari said.

"Wait. What is a master spark? Why do I get the feeling I should run?" Dutch asked.

Marisa smiled, reached into her hat and took out her prized mini-hakkero.

She aimed it at Dutch.

"Before I fire, I want to say one thing. No hard feelings ze." Marisa spoke.

"THEN WHY ARE YOU SHOOTING ME?" Dutch yelled.

"It's the fastest way to learn."

The hakkero glowed.

Love sign "Master spark"

A large beam of energy blasted out of the mini-hakkero at Dutch.

Dutch yelled and raised his arms to try and stop the beam of love.

And then the glove gave out its own glow.

Tendrils of energy shot out of the glove and reached out for the master spark.

The two met each other with a burst of energy. The master spark suddenly split into different lines, each meeting the tendrils and getting absorbed by them.

Everybody simply jaw-dropped at the sight.

The spectacle continued for the duration of the master spark. It finally ended and the tendrils returned back to the glove.

"Well that was unexpected." Dutch noted as he look at it.

Marisa snapped out of her own trance.

"That was really awesome ze. Now let's see you try one bigger."

Dutch sweat dropped. "Hey now, I'm not sure how it happened. Let's not try to be hasty."

Marisa grinned and aimed her hakkero again at Dutch.

Magicannon "Final spark"

A BIG beam of energy burst out of the hakkero. It blasted through the air, shooting out stars along its length.

Oh come on! Dutch thought as he raised his arms. However, this time, something different happened.

...

/Vault systems activated/

...

What? Dutch thought.

And then a massive wave of sleepiness enveloped him.

It was a fight to stay awake and he was already losing.

Even as the beam flew towards him, Dutch started to close his eyes.

Aw hell. He thought. At least I won't feel anything.

And his world turned black.

To the people watching, it looked like Dutch collapsed In front of the beam and was consumed by it.

It blasted pass him and continued before stopping at a set distance and disappearing. Unconscious and unable to feel anything, Dutch was sent flying in the forest, a loud crack indicating where he stopped.

"Dutch!" Renko yelled. She and Maribel ran to the forest. Marisa flew along with them while Reimu watched and Yukari covered her face with her trademark fan.

The trio ran up to the impact spot. Where Dutch were, you could see the trail of destruction that he left behind. Grass, leaves and branches were removed, showing a clear path to where Dutch had broke a sapling in half.

Following the path, the trio were stopped by a noise they did not expect to hear.

A light snore.

With incredulous faces, the trio found Dutch lying on the forest floor, sleeping.

"He fell asleep?" Marisa asked.

Maribel checked his pulse. "It seems so." She answered.

Marisa, for the lack of a better term, shut down.

"He fell asleep. In front of the final spark." She whispered.

Maribel motioned for Renko to help her and the two carried Dutch back to the shrine.

"Is he okay?" She asked.

Maribel answered with a sheepish voice. "He is completely fine. Just sleeping."

Reimu took a sip then after a couple of second spit it out in a surprised jet.

"Sleeping? You mean he fell asleep in front of the spark?" Reimu asked.

To fall asleep in front of a spark was simply insane. Every being who has met with Marisa knows the massive firepower that a spark holds.

So hear that it actually happened...is well, mind boggling.

Yukari laughed out loud. Calming down, she said "He is really an interesting one." And collapsed into another fit of laughter.

"Insane is more like it. It simply has never been done before." Reimu answered.

She motioned to the room behind her.

"Put him inside. Where is Marisa?" Reimu asked.

"She's in the forest. Comprehending." Maribel answered.

Reimu sighed and stood up. "I go get her.

Yukari was still laughing.

DERP.

There ends our first actual training. Crash courses are not awesome.

No thanks to sweebation this time. Seriously, two days and no answer?

I'll let it slide. You probably had a good reason.(it could be a problem on my side as well. happened before.)

RNR is an ingredient in this story. It is a integral part. Seriously.

REUPDATE. NOT SWEETBATION FAULT. IT ALL MINE!