Author's Note: And here's the final stage! I will write a proper ending chapter later on. Without further ado, please enjoy the finale!
Sanae went inside the manor.
This was it, her final destination to resolve this incident...
There was no epic music or heartwarming dialogue from companions to keep her going like it would be typically in some anime or manga in a situation like this.
But it was fine, she wasn't here to have some kind of epic adventure. She was here to save people of Gensokyo from suffering because of selfishness of this ghost princess.
Even though this manor was enormous, it was also empty. It wasn't like Scarlet Devil Mansion where you could see fairy maids everywhere, there was no one here.
The interior design also reminded her of a shrine. Perhaps it used to be a shrine before it got renovated into a manor?
Youmu mentioned that her mistress was in the gardens, she didn't really know where that would be, but since there was no one disturbing her then she didn't really mind exploring for a bit.
Sanae checked many rooms in her search for the gardens, it took her a bit, but she finally came across a sliding door that lead outside.
She slid it open and went through it.
The wind priestess found herself in a very spacious area outside, there were various trees and flowers there.
In the center, there was a very big tree that resembled cherry blossom, strangely it didn't bloom like other trees that were there.
She wanted to approach the tree to inspect it, but she was stopped by a sudden voice.
-Oh? A guest? It is too early for the flower-viewing event, so you shouldn't be here yet.
Sanae looked in the direction of the voice. There was a woman sitting on the porch to the side.
She had maroon eyes, short wavy pink hair. She was wearing a light blue and white kimono with dark blue trim and white designs, a blue mob cap on the front of which is a hitaikakushi with a red ghost insignia, and a white veil behind her head. There also were small phantoms floating near her.
She had a warm smile on her face.
Even though the wind priestess could guess that it was the ghost princess, she strangely didn't act and look like anybody that would endanger Gensokyo.
-Are you Yuyuko Saigyouji?
She nodded.
-Why yes, that's me~, did you have any business with me?
-You need to stop what you're doing, it's making people of Gensokyo suffer.
Yuyuko had a surprised look on her face.
-Oh my, I am not allowed to observe the blossoming of the cherry trees? Ah, but when I take a good look at you, I don't remember inviting any human to the event.
-That's because I wasn't invited. I'm the wind priestess of the Moriya Shrine, I'm here to stop you from stealing spring from Gensokyo!
The demeanor of the ghost princess changed, she no longer had that pleasant aura from before. She dropped her smile and instead frowned.
So this is what she acts like normally. A predator that plays the prey, so she can strike unexpectedly at the unsuspecting target...
-That's not going to happen, dear. I'm that close to blossoming the Saigyou Ayakashi.
-Just what is special about this tree? Why are you willing to make people suffer for it?
-There is somebody sealed inside this tree, and by blooming it, I would revive them.
-Somebody sealed inside the tree? Do you even know who that is?
-Ah, I'm just doing it for the sheer curiosity. I don't know myself.
-But that's reckless! What if you revive somebody nasty?
-It also could be somebody good, dear. We can't know until we try.
That's the exactly reason why we shouldn't try it! Risking lifes in a coin toss isn't the way to go!
-I won't be willing to risk people of Gensokyo just so you can satisfy your curiosity. Give back the spring back right now!
Yuyuko shook her head.
-I see that there's not much point in discussing it with you. Let's settle this with spell card battle, if I win I will unseal the tree, if I lose I will give back all the spring.
That was it, the final battle in order to save the Gensokyo. She would give it her all!
The wind priestess nodded.
-I agree.
The both of them flied up above the gardens. They stared at each other and then finally said.
-I will bring back the spring, you selfish ghost!
-I will unseal the tree, you false god!
Yuyuko declared her spell card Losing Hometown "Village of Self-Loss -Past Sin-"
She fired danmaku in the shape of ghost butterflies at the wind priestess.
The spell card wasn't that challenging if you figured the way around its gimmick. The ghost princess fired lasers on the one side of the danmaku and left the other side alone, so as long as you kept dodging on the opposite direction of the lasers, there wouldn't be a problem.
Sanae declared Esoterica "Secretly Inherited Art of Danmaku"
Yuyuko wasn't hard-pressed by this spell card, she just gracefully dodged through it without any issues.
Obviously, the ghost princess was extremely skilled in danmaku. The wind priestess would have to rely on exploiting a weak point of hers to win this battle, but considering that she was a ghost that most likely couldn't feel fatigue or pain, would she even find something like a weak point?
Yuyuko declared Deadly Dance "Law of Mortality -Dead Butterfly-"
The ghost princess opened a portal in a shape of a fan behind her, and from it came danmaku from before, aimed at the wind priestess.
This spell card was much harder than the previous one, she was pressured by having to do very precise dodges because of the dense pattern of danmaku, but thankfully she got through it just fine.
Sanae declared Miracle "Night with Overly Bright Guest Stars"
Once again, the ghost princess dodged through it without any issues.
The wind priestess only hoped that with her later spell cards, the ghost princess would show signs of struggling, otherwise this might be it for her.
Yuyuko declared Flowery Soul "Swallowtail Butterfly"
At first the spell card didn't seem like anything difficult, but that was when she noticed a phantom charging at her, as soon it was close to her, it exploded, covering the area in danmaku, Sanae nimbly dodged the explosion. There were more phantoms that came at her during the spell card, but she knew what to expect, so she didn't get caught off-guard by them.
The wind priestess declared Sea Opening "Moses's Miracle"
The ghost princess gracefully dodged through this one too.
This isn't going too well... The wind priestess is slowly running out of the spell cards to use and if her next spell cards won't catch the ghost princess off-guard, she might lose this battle...
Yuyuko declared Subtle Melody "Repository of Hirokawa -Ghost-"
The spell card severely limited the mobility of the wind priestess causing for her to be absolutely focused on dodging, while this spell card seriously pressured Sanae, she still managed to get through it.
The wind priestess declared Preparation "Summon Takeminakata"
This was just getting ridiculous, the ghost princess moved through her spell cards like they were nothing, the only thing she could do was place her trust in her last spell card...
Yuyuko declared Cherry Blossom Sign "Perfect Ink-Black Cherry Blossom -Self-Loss-"
This spell card was like trying to dodge rain drops in the middle of a rainstorm. The amount of danmaku thrown out at her was staggering, she was focused so hard on dodging through it, that she couldn't think of anything else then, but miraculously she managed to get through it without getting hit.
Sanae declared Great Miracle "Yasaka's Divine Wind"
Her last hope in order to win this battle.
But her hope was quickly crushed when the ghost princess got through it without any issues too.
No... How could this be!? Even her strongest spell card didn't even have any effect on her!
Yuyuko then finally after staying silent for the whole battle said to the wind priestess.
-It appears that we are at stalemate here. I'm most impressed that you managed to keep up with me, but I'm afraid that even though I haven't won the battle, I have won the war, my dear shrine maiden.
Sanae was confused.
-What do you mean?
The ghost princess then pointed at the Saigyou Ayakashi, it was radiating with energy.
-You haven't noticed? I assumed for you to be sharper than this, but it seems I was mistaken, while you have been occupied with the battle, the tree has been absorbing the nearby spring into itself, and now it's ready to blossom.
This can't be... She has been careless throughout the entire encounter with the ghost princess, and now she's paying the price with failing to save Gensokyo.
Suddenly, Yuyuko clutched her chest in pain.
She then glanced at the cherry tree that was radiating with energy.
-Ah, I understand now. The one sealed deep below the Saigyou Ayakashi... It was me.
The ghost princess then suddenly fell down to the ground.
The wind priestess was confused what was happening, but she decided to land and check on her.
When she was getting closer to her, her body suddenly started raising up in a weird manner, like someone was pulling strings of a puppet.
Sanae then noticed that the ghost princess had a blank stare on her face. There were no expressions or emotions there.
-I have been finally released from my prison, after being sealed for so many decades now.
She then looked at the wind priestess.
-Since I'm in good mood now, I shall give you quick death, human!
Yuyuko then flied up, activated her fan shaped portal again and declared "Resurrection Butterfly -80% Reflowering-"
Sanae was even more confused than before, but she likewise flied up and got ready to dodge incoming danmaku.
There was something off about the ghost princess, like she wasn't in control of her body anymore. Was this connected to what she said about being sealed deep below the tree?
But her train of thought was quickly interrupted by a staggering amount of danmaku flying at her.
She should focus on dodging for now and think after the spell card ends.
Sanae was doing good at first, but then she quickly noticed that there was something off about this spell card.
There was no end to it, and it was getting increasingly more difficult with each passing second.
She will get hit at this rate if this continues!
-Embrace your death, human!
The wind priestess was then overwhelmed and was about to get hit, when suddenly danmaku stopped moving.
-What!?
It appears that even something controlling Yuyuko's body was bewildered by this sudden development.
Sanae then heard a new voice from somewhere.
-That's quite enough.
She looked around and then finally noticed a woman sticking out from some kind of portal?
She had golden eyes and long blonde hair. She was wearing a deep purple dress, a pale pink mob cap with a thin red ribbon and smaller ribbons tied on the tips of her hair. She was holding a paper fan next to her mouth.
-Hello there! It seems you're having fun with the body of my dear friend here. Do you remember me?
-You! You're the one that sealed me back then!
The woman then smiled and clapped her hands.
-Bravo! You guessed it right! I would have given you a cookie, but I'm afraid that naughty children such as you don't deserve treats. Go back where you came from, monster.
Suddenly all danmaku disappeared, then ghost princess once again started falling down, however, a portal appeared on the ground that procured a mattress on which she fell down safely.
The woman then came back into her portal and opened another one next to the body of the ghost princess.
-Silly Yuyuko. You thought you could hide this from me just because I'm having my winter sleep?
Of course, there was no reply to that.
The woman then finally faced the wind priestess.
-The youkai has been removed from her body, she will be unconscious for a bit, but she will be fine. You have done well, Sanae Kochiya. It appears that I have to go and talk to another shrine maiden after this about "neglecting her duties," but you have nothing to worry about. Forget that any of this happened and return to your shrine.
The wind priestess frowned.
-Just who are you?
The woman then smiled once again.
-That's something you don't need to know for now. Consider me as a friend.
Then another portal appeared next to Sanae.
-I'm feeling generous today, so I will give you quick transport back to your shrine, just enter the gap.
The wind priestess glanced at the portal.
There was an enormous space filled with horrifying eyes staring at her. She felt uneasy just looking at it.
-You don't have to worry about reporting back to that servant of hers, I will let her know myself.
Sanae then approached the portal and hesitated.
She looked behind her and saw the woman patiently waiting for her to get through the portal.
The wind priestess really didn't trust this woman and didn't like how she knew her name and who she was without even telling her before, but I guess she helped her out in a bad spot and seemed to know what she was doing, so she decided to leave it to her.
Sanae then walked into the portal, and it soon closed after she got through it.