Marisa could hear the music all around her now. She recognized the instruments as a trumpet, piano and violin but she couldn't figure out where it was coming from. Turning her broom in a full circle, she saw nothing. Marisa scratched her forehead in confusion.
"Where the heck is that music coming from?"
Before she could think about it any further, Lily went rushing by her again, this time downwards, towards a small break in the woods below. Marisa grinned and dashed after the illusive fairy. Below them, the small break revealed a worn-down mansion, it's windows were old and shattered and no lights could be seen coming from the inside. Suddenly, Lily turned around and stared at Marisa, her eyes turning red. She smiled and giggled, then disappeared right in front of Marisa as she came to a screech only seconds away from hitting the ground.
"That was a close one! What the heck was that about?" Marisa said as she hopped off her broom, her small black shoes hitting the mossy ground below with a soft thud. Then, Marisa realized that something was different. She couldn't put her finger on it.
"Wait a minute!" she exclaimed, as it came to her, "The music is gone!" Marisa was correct, the music has stopped. Marisa looked around her for any danger and then looked up at the mansion.
"I guess...this is where the music came from..."
Marisa then walked towards the front door of the mansion and gripped the handle with her hands. Pulling it open, a gust of musty air came out from the inside and filled her nostrils.
"Ugh!" She said, coughing at the sudden musky scent, "Disgusting!"
Marisa wiped at her nose in disgust and then continued opening the door. It creaked under it's own weight but wielded itself to her pulls. Letting go of the handle, Marisa sneakily waltzed into the mansion, with no idea where she was heading or who she would meet inside.
Reimu began walking through the garden. Her path was laid out before her quite neatly by a stone walkway. The flowers around her ranged from huge sunflowers to small roses. Everything was tidy and well-managed.
"I give my props to whoever the Gardener is...this is unmistakably beautiful." Reimu said aloud.
"She gives her thanks."
Reimu turned her head swiftly at this reply, turning her head to see where the voice had come from. Standing in front of Reimu, the moon reflecting off her silver hair, was a young girl. She had two swords sheathed on her back, small cherry petals delicately painted on the sheaths and her eyes were a crystal blue. Her mouth was drawn in a small smile, but her eyes spoke of deadly intent.
"So, considering what you've said, you must be the Gardener around here." Reimu said, turning to face the girl.
"That would be correct. I am Youmu, Youmu Konpaku." As she said this, a small ball of see-through gas appeared around her. What could be called a tail appeared behind it and it twisted around the girl's legs cautiously. Reimu recognized this as a spirit. "Who's spirit is that? Why is it attached to you so much?"
"You ask a lot of questions for a guest. This is my ghost. I am half-ghost, half-human."
Reimu eyed the ghost for a minute, her eyebrow raised in curiosity, but then she drew her focus back to the girl. "Why are you stealing spring from Gensokyo? Don't you know that I am in charge of protecting the border there? You have breached that law."
"I don't really care about your world. My job is to serve my Mistress. I suggest you leave now, before I have to cut you down." The gardener then turned on her heels, giving a small hmph of annoyance like a disapproving princess. Reimu wasn't about to let this girl get away with stealing spring. She drew a spell card, but Youmu was already ready.
"You don't want me to draw these swords, Shrine Maiden." Youmu said. Reimu wasn't scared, however, and she threw the spell card at the back of Youmu's head. Before Reimu even knew what had happened, Youmu had caught the card between her fingers. She threw the spell card flying back at Reimu and she was sent flying backwards. Reimu picked herself up off the ground only to get a fist to the chin from Youmu. Reimu was sent flying into the air and came crashing back down, her back making a small snapping noise. Reimu felt blood gurgle up from her throat. "Ugh..."
"I told you. Don't mess with me." Youmu then turned around and began walking away.
Reimu began remembering past memories. She remembered Makai, and Shinki, and the way that she had sealed Gensokyo all those years ago, so that outside forces could never again make their way into Gensokyo. Now, somehow, someone had broken that border. Someone had entered Gensokyo without her permission and stolen something valuable. Was Reimu just going to give up?
"No! I won't give up!" Reimu pulled herself up with her arm, her back in terrible pain, and she pulled out a spell card. "This isn't going to end without one of us on the ground!"
Youmu's eyes narrowed and she turned to see Reimu fighting to get up. "In that case, I will make sure that you are not the one left standing." Reimu healed herself quickly, pulling herself up to her feet. She pulled out two spell cards, casting one after the other.
The first card caused two Yin-Yang orbs to appear beside Reimu. They spun in their eagerness for battle. The second card made Reimu become bathed in a red aura. Reimu was ready for battle. Youmu just stared with a smile across her lips.
"Bring it on, Shrine Maiden. Let's see what you've got."
Reimu glared and then shot her first bullet. Just before it got to Youmu, she drew her sword. Reimu took a little bit to register what was going on. The danmaku was cut in half sending sparks flying into the garden causing it to catch on fire. Youmu darted at Reimu, her sword drawn back for a frontal attack. Reimu dodged to the side, the sword cutting across her ribs as fast as lightning. She bit back her screams, and aimed a laser at Youmu. The laser cut across the garden floor, slicing at Youmu, but Youmu reflected the beam with the blade of her Katana. The laser came straight back to the orb, blowing it up and throwing Reimu a few feet away. As she lay on the ground, Youmu jumped and sliced down at Reimu's head. Reimu rolled to the side, just as the blade came crushing down on her. Reimu shot a row of danmaku at Youmu but Youmu did a back flip away from them. In the air, she unsheathed her second sword and landed on her feet gracefully.
"You are well trained in the art of fighting, Reimu Hakurei." The gardener remarked. "but, you are no match for the Kanpaku double sword style." She darted forwards, slicing at Reimu with both swords, but Reimu did a backflip, sending showers of danmaku at Youmu's head. Youmu barely moved, but she dodged each bullet like it was nothing.
"Is that all you've got?" She said, as the last bullet came down. She lazily sliced at the bullet, cutting it into sparks that rained down around her. Reimu peered down, her small form floating above the garden which was now completely on fire. Flowers wilted around them as they began to slowly melt down to ashes. Youmu was terrifying in battle. Her small blue dress had been slightly burnt, showing her shoulders. Muscles could be seen and Reimu could tell this girl trained for battles like these on a constant basis. The girl's silver hair reflected the dark flames and the ghost companion she had floated above her, surveying the area for attacks coming her way. She was most definitely a formidable opponent. Reimu took one last look over the area, then readied her next spell.
"I've got a lot of attacks hidden up my sleeves, Gardener." Then she cast her spell.
"Dream Battle."