Final Chapter: Peace of Mind

Ripping through the rift out of the Mayohiga, Tenshi tumbled on the grounds of the Myouren Temple, making sure to cuddle Kokoro tightly for protection. "Ugh, ack!" Tenshi grunted until after three rolls she stopped at the foot of the gate. She then opened her eyes and was greeted by both the night sky and the voice of the tanuki.

"…Well how about that, the fool made it back in one piece after all." Mamizou, Byakuren and Miko approached the Celestial as she slowly stood up and held Kokoro out to the priest. Byakuren caressed Kokoro's chest and felt her heart beating as her own was going at a much faster pace. The confirmation she was alive, however, brought relief to her for the first time in a while.

"It was a team effort, but we did it…" Tenshi said with a sly smirk, rubbing the front of her nose after Byakuren took Kokoro in her arms. Mamizou blinked a couple times, an air of surprise around her body as she gave nice grin and a complimenting "So high-ho, the wicked witch is dead. Congrats are in order then."

Miko, leaving Byakuren to hug the menreiki gently as she cried, spoke for her "So Yukari is dead, eh? …Tanuki, since by some miracle of faith we managed to survive, I wanted to ask…"

"How did I acquire that spear?" Mamizou perked her head up, her lens turning white in the moonlight. Miko nodded, and the tanuki kindly replied "Through a combination of records from Akyuu and a little sneakery into the back of the Hakurei's Shrine. To be quite honest, I am surprised the witch knew nothing of this spear."

"She DID seem surprised by it's existence, and judging by her former haughtiness…"

"We need not linger on that now. It did it's job, so I can safely say that for once, a Hakurei did their job correctly." Mamizou let out a sigh and then pulled out her pipe for a quick smoke. Yet before it reached her lips, she hovered it there and after consideration shook the tobacco out and said "I'll have my celebratory smoke later. This old body doesn't have the energy for it now." Her eyes focused on Kokoro as she spoke.

"So how is Kokoro holding up? Celestial, if you wouldn't mind…" Mamizou closed her eyes with a smirk, Tenshi quickly stating "Meh, Kokoro's just too stubborn. She was just knocked out for a bit. She'll probably be up in a minute or so…"

"Well then…I think I'll take my leave. T-There are some things I have to think about going forward…" Mamizou swiveled around yet couldn't take a single step away before Miko said "This is about what the witch said, isn't it?"

"…" Mamizou silently folded her arms until this time, Byakuren spoke up "I think we should discuss this before Kokoro awakens. Do we ACTUALLY believe what the witch said about that 'Phoenix of Destruction'?"

"I personally think she was just full of shit. All she wanted to do was manipulate us with paranoia." Tenshi brushed her arm out without a care, but the others only took minor consideration of her opinion as they moved onward. When there was hesitance to continue the conversation, Tenshi looked at them with widened eyes.

"Wait, you guys can't seriously be considering this?!"

"…You know, ultimately I feel like the witch jumped through way too many hoops to get Kokoro if it was only to keep making her attempts at paranoia become more believable." Mamizou finally remarked.

Byakuren raised her brows with a concerned expression and said "S-So that being could come and destroy us all…" As the priest bit her lower lip, Miko laid a hand on her shoulder for comfort and explained "Just because Yukari said that being is coming, doesn't necessarily mean we'll be destroyed. Think about one thing…"

"What proof do we have that this being is truly evil? What if, ultimately, Yukari was wanting us to deal with someone who would've been a threat to her?" When Miko was done Mamizou picked up the topic by asking "Wouldn't you say be optimistic about things is just as bad as succumbing to paranoia?"

"Perhaps, tanuki, but that's not what I'm getting at. Ultimately, I think we should still keep a cautious eye out should this being come…But if we instantly treat him as an enemy, we might just be facilitating our own demise."

"Hmmm…I think that's a fair point. What say you Celestial…Hijiri?" Mamizou looked to them for answers, and Tenshi was the first to respond "If that person happens to come here and cause trouble, then we'll just kick his ass."

"I-I want to be fair to the person, on the off-chance you ARE right that he isn't a bad guy. But we all need to promise to keep Kokoro out of whatever fighting that might happen. I can't imagine how painful this whole thing was for her." Byakuren then let out a gasp as Kokoro started fidgeting a little.

"Well, I suppose you'll hear it from her mouth soon enough. I'll be off then…I think I ought to find the vampire and 'persuade' her to hear the points of conversation we just had." Mamizou then leapt over the wall and vanished into the moonlit forest. Kokoro mumbled as her eyes creaked open, and Byakuren let her stand on solid ground while keeping a hand to her back for stability.

It didn't take long for Kokoro to look around and see those she was familiar with standing around her, and the comfort of home was directly to the right of her. She didn't know whether it was relief or confusion that was nipping at her heels the most, but the fact that there was not even a hair of Yukari to be found filled the menreiki with comfort.

"Mom, dad…Tenshi?" The confusion came upon from the last memory Kokoro had of the Celestial. Tenshi smiled at her and said "In the flesh. Hey, good job battering that witch around, it weakened her enough for me to get her with that spear."

Kokoro didn't focus on that matter for now and swung her head around, noticing the grounds were pretty empty. "W-Where is everyone else…?!" She freaked a little until Byakuren laid hands on her shoulders and comfortably explained "Shou is tending to the others in the temple. The vampire and her friends went back home."

"And Mamizou…?" Kokoro asked with particular innocence in her voice. Miko replied "She went to take care of other affairs, now that the witch had been slain." The menreiki's saddened mumble could not be missed.

"T-Thank you though. I have to thank everyone for going through all that trouble to save me." Kokoro humbly gripped her skirt and blushed, but Tenshi proclaimed without thought "Ha, when you say everyone you better be referring to yourself as well Kokoro! You were showing that witch a thing or two, weren't ya?!"

"O-Oh…ummm…" Kokoro glanced aside, finding it impossible to describe the feelings and sights that occurred during that fight. How COULD she describe how that witch took her through time and space, showing her so much destruction and pain. It was not something that would be forced out of her though, as Byakuren gave the Celestial a glare that forced an apology of "O-Or you know…you don't have to say anything!"

Tenshi folded arms behind her head and smirked "It's just really nice to have you back Kokoro." For a moment, the menreiki leaped at the Celestial and hugged her tightly. The thanks shared between them did not need to be expressed in words beyond that. This affection brought a smile to Miko and Byakuren's faces, and they let them enjoy the moment for a good while.

When Kokoro let go, she immediately widened her eyes and muttered a name in a melancholic tone "Koishi…" Tenshi let out an "Eh…?" of confusion while Miko snappily mentioned "Didn't the vampire or the tanuki mention something about a green-haired girl telling them about what was going on?"

"That's the same person who I was trying to help for Kokoro…" Byakuren mentioned, and Tenshi commented "Oh yeah, that oddball that Kokoro wanted to help out back when I was uhh…manipulating her. I thought that Youkai didn't have the ability to do things on their own. That's what you told me anyways."

As Tenshi's gaze went on Kokoro, the menreiki could only wonder without answer as to how and why Koishi was able to go to the Scarlet Devil Mansion and ask for their help. The same logic applied to Mamizou. Only a rustle of bushes nearby lifted Kokoro's head up and broke her train of thoughts as a familiar hat and ruffled green hair wandered into the darkness of the forest.

With eyes widened, Kokoro rushed past the gates and went towards the forest. Byakuren stood up ready to run, but Miko said "Is that really necessary, Hijiri? …She's safe now, we'll deal with the rest of this aftermath later" and she stopped.

The Crown Prince had a smile on her face while Byakuren asked "I just don't get what the deal is with this Koishi person." Miko replied "Isn't it said that everyone has their own Guardian Angel?"

Kokoro leaves friends and family behind for the time being, pushing aside branches and leaves while panting tiredly. Her heart raced as she got closer and closer towards Koishi. "Huff…HUFF!" Her mind was a blender of words and feelings, she didn't know what to say, she couldn't peg down a single emotion to feel.

By the time she had cornered Koishi under a circle of focused moonlight, the menreiki had her hands on her knees and looked ready to collapse. The satori twirled around on one foot and giggled "Ohohoh, you caught up to me! I'm glad you made it back safely from your kidnapping!"

After calming down enough to lift her head up high, Kokoro stared at Koishi for a few seconds. Their emotions mended together in their stares. Not wanting things to be complex, Kokoro cracked a tiny smile and raised her hand out to the confused satori.

"I want to do it right this time…ok? Does that sound good to you, friend?"

PHANTASM MASQUERADE…THE END…..?

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"…Did you really think…it was over yet…?"

…Epilogue: Prelude to The Fall

In the realm of the Mayohiga, Ran Yakumo came upon the spot where Yukari had fallen. The ground had been ripped apart in a distortion and the air was volatile. Yet the kitsune braved the dangers to pluck a tattered parasol from the ground. Ran cuddled the parasol tightly, her fangs bared so tightly the enamel broke down. She lifted her bloodied face with pupils shrunk and irises glowing bright.

"I-I will make them all pay for this Lady Yukari…There will be nothing left to bury after I am done with them!" Her rage, powerful enough to shake the Mayohiga, was swiftly silenced by a chop to the back and a familiar voice teasing her "Come now Ran, don't do the job of the Phoenix of Destruction for him."

The kitsune's skin goes pale as she spun around, looking into the eyes of her master, supposedly returned to the world in her prime. Yukari smiled and held another parasol over her shoulder as Ran's voice wracked her with inquiries "H-How can this be?! That spear killed you…I saw that happened!"

"Are you questioning the miracle of rebirth when you should instead be celebrating it's splendor?" Yukari spun and whacked Ran on the head with the parasol, proving for certain this was not some mere illusion. Ran could only let out tired gasps up until the point her knees gave in and she dropped to bow. Yukari smiled and said "Though to say the spear was…ineffective is a grave misunderstanding. I for sure 'died', and that's very annoying honestly."

"We can enact vengeance on those who wronged you!" Ran exclaimed, but Yukari shook her head and commented "Unnecessary. This actually works in my favor, even if it does set me back a little. He played his hand quite well in trying to have me eliminated. Now he's starting to understand that his whole world is starting to crumble, and that will motivate him to send the Phoenix of Destruction after me. Though, as if I did not already have sufficient bait in line to lure them here in the first place."

Yukari swung her arm out and proclaimed "Ran!" "Yes Lady Yukari!" "…Let Yuyuko know that I am alright. Tell her I'd like to have a dinner with her tonight. For now though, I'm going to use this time to let my 'Plan B' finally know what's going on."

"Plan B…?" Ran was puzzled, but Yukari just opened a gap and slipped into it without an answer. As she traveled between the realms, Yukari grit her teeth and her body felt hollow.

"You certainly hurt this body a lot…[ ]…But I will not give up this fight. I have fought this against you for how many years now? You know just as well as anyone. You wish to break my home, slaughter the people I protect…Fine. I will simply retaliate by breaking your precious Blank. You CANNOT defeat me."

Meanwhile, at the Hakurei Shrine, after being absent for basically the entire story because they have their own lives to deal with, we find Reimu Hakurei and Marisa Kirisame on the porch lambasting about recent events.

"I don't get it Reimu…Those tengus and underground Youkai were so adamant about fighting and yet we go to deal with the matter and they're all just napping around the base of the mountain."

"They were probably just drunk off their asses." Reimu replied snappily, and Marisa tapped her chin while commenting "I don't know. Something ain't sitting right with me here."

"It's never wrong to have suspicions, Kirisame." Yukari suddenly poked out between the two, Marisa nearly jumping off the porch in surprise while Reimu gave the Youkai an aloof gaze and asked "Oh, look who decided to get out of her bed for once."

"Now Reimu, is that the right way to treat a guest? I would at least expect some sake or perhaps a ripe plum." Yukari leaned her arms atop another gap and smiled playfully. Reimu pointed back and said "You know where to find them, I'm not your maid. Now what do you want?"

"Oh, I just happened to die recently, so I was just thinking about the fragility of life." Yukari spoke with graceful nonchalance, the ordinary magician telling her with a wag of the finger "Now hold on a sec there…"

"Kirisame maybe you can voice your thoughts later. Lemme get to the point…As I was thinking about life, I was reminded of a particular event I witnessed a long time ago. Now I wish to share you this tale…"

Yukari closed her eyes as Reimu said "Whatever, not like we're doing anything else tonight." Then the Youkai's lips creased into a smile and she transitioned to a more storyteller tone "2000 years into the past, there was a battle between two forces. The Dark King…and the Elemental Overlord…"

Now…this has come to an end, hasn't it?

PHANTASM MASQUERADE. THE END.

To be continued in "Clash of the Elements Part 4 EX Story 8: The Mythical Land, Gensoko"…

Author's Note:

And thus, after a little over three years, we have reached the end of the journey for Hata no Kokoro and Tenshi Hinawani. That's not to say the story of Gensokyo is over with from my perspective, the "to be continued" should be enough of a hint on that end. Here's the deal though I want to bring up.

I'm not expecting all of you who have read the Masquerade Trilogy to go into my Clash of the Elements series. Ultimately, while Part 4 EX, where Touhou will come up again, is pretty self-contained all things considered, you're still going to have to go through 7 other stories for the main crux of the Touhou story to make sense. So ultimately, that's why I made sure to end the story of Kokoro and Tenshi on a conclusive note, so that way you who have read it will be satisfied and not have to trudge through more stuff in order to see their tale through.

That's not to say those two won't show up in the Touhou story for Clash of the Elements, but think of their appearance as a bonus to their development, not a necessary piece of it. In the end, the CotE stuff is to explore more of what's going on with the rest of Gensokyo. To further elaborate on what Yukari's talking about, why she's so adamant on stopping this Phoenix of Destruction instead of making sure he never comes around. So if that aspect intrigues you, then go check out Clash of the Elements Part 4 EX and soon enough I'll be at the Touhou story.

For now though, I'm pretty good with writing Touhou stuff. I'm not going to bother trying to say I'll revive the one-shots like I did at the end of Empathetic Masquerade. Clearly there's no spark there for me to go back to that. Maybe I'll come up with something, maybe not, but I'd rather focus my efforts on one story for now.

So while there might not have been as many reviews and such as there were in the beginning, I do appreciate each and every one of you who have stuck around from the beginning, or perhaps have come in at the end! I did ultimately enjoy writing about a series I really genuinely like, so sharing what I've written with others was pretty important to me.

So until whenever, enjoy yourselves, have a wonderful day...And perhaps on a joking note, don't get kidnapped by a gap Youkai.