(Yakumo Residence, 2 hours before the initial distortion)
Within a location that technically didn’t exist, a lone home rested on the threads of reality like a spider at the center of it’s web. If it had existed within the viewing eyes of the average human, then it’d be seen as nothing more than an ordinary single-story home that any average family would own. It’s not like there was anyone around to judge the location choice of it’s residents, as only three beings are capable of accessing this elusive home.

Resting on a plush couch within the home, Yukari Yakumo opens her eyes. Being a boundary sage was more taxing than most people would give her credit for. In the eyes of the Hakurei Shrine Maiden, she is seen as nothing more than a lazy pest who often visited just to bother her. And while that is true, she merely teased the miko out of boredom. Her actual purpose was much more important. It was her job to ensure that everything within Gensokyo remained peaceful, and that everyone followed the spell card rules.

Yet as she sat there with her flowing golden hair pooling around her lap like sunlight through a window, she felt something unusual. Something she hadn't felt since the Urban Legend Incident. The barrier was fluctuating, but it wasn’t doing so aggressively. It was less of someone attempting to rip paper and more like someone gently applying water to the paper in an attempt to slowly corrode it. Regardless of severity, one does not pull the strings without hearing the puppeteer sing, so Yukari was aware of every push and pull that this interloper attempted. “Is everything okay, Lady Yukari?”

The voice belonged to the only other beings in the house: Ran Yakumo, Yukari ‘s loyal nine-tailed fox shikigami. Despite using her for manual labor, Yukari always valued the companionship Ran and her shikigami, Chen, provided to her. For even the great boundary sage needed an occasional second opinion.

“Hm… I’m not entirely sure, Ran. Have you noticed anything… odd with the barrier these past few days?”

“I believe I have? I can’t say for certain, but Chen has been acting on-edge lately. She claims that nothing is bothering her, but she keeps pacing and trying to hide in my tails.”

Yukari created a small slice in the air in which she retrieved her iconic fan. She fanned herself with an air of nonchalance. The circumstances were unusual, but she had seen all kinds of dangerous, borderline apocalyptic incidents. So she had faith that everything would be fine in the end. Despite wanted to simply hibernate the whole time, she retrieved her fluffy pink parasol and rose to her feet.

“In that case, it looks like I’m paying our shrine maiden a quick visit. Do keep the house tidy for me, alright?”

“Of course, Lady Yukari.” Ran said with a dutiful nod. “Please stay safe.”

A graceful flick of her fan sent cherry blossom petals fluttering through the air like floral butterflies, and a pair of ribbons materialized to rip the air open, giving the youkai of boundaries a quick and efficient passage to her favorite miko. Naturally, when she emerged from her interdimensional highway, Reimu was less-thanthrilled to see her.

* * *

Hakurei Shrine – 1 hour before initial distortion
The broom whispered across the weathered stone, gathering fallen leaves into a tidy mound beneath the torii gate. It was a thankless, endless task created from the constant shedding of the trees that surrounded the shrine whenever the winds of autumn began to sweep through the area. Despite the annoyance it brings, Reimu felt a certain peace in it. The sun had fully risen, but the constant breeze made the temperatures manageable. For a few peaceful minutes, the world actually felt manageable.

“Oi, Hakurei!” It didn’t take long for trouble to make itself known in the form of a “small” oni wobbling her way over while smelling like she just swam in alcohol.

“Shouldn’t you be passed out drunk by now?”

“Ha! That’s rich.” Suika said while bursting out laughing. “I’m not that drunk yet!” Despite her words, she’s almost fallen over several times now and is currently swaying back and forth like a tree in a hurricane.

“Sure. Anyway, what do you want? Can’t you see I’m busy?”

“Bah! You're always busy! How about you drink with me instead?”

“Not now, Suika. I’m busy dealing with the morning leaves, and I’d like to deal with them alone.”

“Leaves?”

Suika finally notices the leaf pile, and her eyes light up like fireworks. She immediately sprints over like a kid on christmas morning, presumably ready to jump into the pile. Or rather, that’s what she attempted to do, as she immediately stumbled over her own feet and faceplanted into the ground. For a few moments, it was like she was dead, then loud snoring noises started emanating from her.

Having been fed up with her antics at this point, Reimu used her broom to push the drunk oni into the leaf pile, where she soon disappeared. Unfortunately, Reimu couldn’t even let out as much as a sigh of relief before two twirling ribbons split the air open next to her ear. She didn’t even have to turn towards the direction of the sound to realize that the gap hag was there.

“My, my, still using manual labor when you could easily hire a few lesser youkai to do it for you. You’ll wear yourself out before the next incident even begins.”

Reimu wanted to ignore her and go back to sweeping, but she knew deep down that’d only encourage her. Instead, she gently nudged the last leaf to complete the pile, and turned to face the gapathat had materialized above the path and the boundary youkai that was lounging within the sea of violet and golden eyes. Her fan covered up her smirk while her parasol provided a soft blanket of shade.

“Good morning to you too.” Reimu said flatly. “Did you come to donate? I already know the answer, but it doesn’t cost me anything to ask.”

Yukari’s fan snapped shut. “Tragic. Perhaps you should invest in a more charismatic donation solicitation strategy.” She said with a teasing chuckle. “But no, that’s not why I'm here.”

She stepped out of the gap, her fancy dress rustling against the shrine path while the gap behind her closed with a soft “pop.”

“Tell me, have you noticed anything… odd, about the boundary lately?”

“Odd? What do you mean?”

“I mean that I’ve been sensing abnormalities with the boundary that separates our world: microscopic tremors, and inconsistencies with the membrane. I thought you might have noticed, or has your laziness finally made you oblivious?”

“What are you talking about? Reimu leaned on her broom. “The boundary’s been quiet. No incidents, no invasions, even those three fairies haven’t tried to prank me in awhile. I was starting to enjoy the boredom.”

“Boredom is a luxury we may soon lose.” Yukari’s tone had shifted, shedding it’s teasing tone for something closer to genuine concern. “The tremors are widespread across the boundary instead of being in one place. It’s quickly reached a point that even I cannot fully track the disturbance on my own. The Hakurei Barrier is resilient, but it’s not invincible. If the barrier is starting to fracture, then I fear all of Gensokyo be on a collision course with the Outside World.”

Reimu groaned and pinched the bridge of her nose out of frustration. “Is it that psychic girl again? I thought we already taught her a lesson the last time we encountered her.”

“I don’t believe this is her doing.” Yukari began. “In fact, I haven’t seen her in at least a weak now. She was also much more enthusiastic with her approach during the urban legend incident. This is much more subtle, which leads me to believe this is coming from someone more calculated with their motives.”

Reimu’s grip tightened on the broom. She was right, Sumireko was way too arrogant to be stealthy about her endeavors. But she was the only one who would be capable of causing such widespread destruction, right…?

“Then it looks like another incident is forming.” Reimu said with a tired sigh. “What do you think I should do? I don’t have leads for who could be capable of something like this.”

“Keep your senses open. The shrine is the boundary’s anchor point; if anything tries to force it’s way in or out through, then you’ll be the first to notice it.” Yukari’s fan flipped open, a gesture of thought rather than jest. “I’m going to inspect the border directly to see if I can locate a pattern. I’ll be back within an hour.”

“And if you find something?”

“Then we’ll deal with it. We always do.” The youkai sage smiled, but it didn’t reach her eyes. “Stay safe and keep your eyes peeled, Reimu. I’d hate for something to happen to my precious shrine maiden.”

Before Reimu could muster a retort, Yukari stepped backwards into a new gap that swallowed her up and vanished. The shrine grounds fell silent after her departure, save for the distant rustle of leaves. Reimu stared at the empty space for a moment before shaking her head and walking towards the shrine.

“Mysterious boundary tremors.” She muttered. “Great. Why can’t these incidents ever be something simple?”

Reimu’s footwear was barely audible on the stone path. She was planning to relax at the shrine with a cup of green tea while waiting for Yukari’s arrival, but her plans were interrupted when she felt a deep sense of dread pooling in her stomach. Something was seriously wrong.

She looked around the empty shrine grounds, but nothing looked abnormal. She wanted to believe she was just being paranoid, and that this whole thing was just Yukari messing with her. But then the shockwave hit.

It wasn’t sound or wind, yet it had properties of both. It was a fundamental wrenching of space itself, a wave of distorted reality that radiated out from the boundary with a sound like tearing silk. The donation box rattled, and the paper charms nailed above the shrine’s entrance flared with desperate spiritual light before going dark. Reimu seemed to take the shockwave head-on, and was hurled backwards as the world seemed to fracture around her.

She had a brief, sickening feeling of falling. Not down, but sideways. Her vision bent and warped like her vision was replaced by that of an insect. Then she was falling normally, the chilly autumn air rushing past her as she landed on the rough, moss-covered stairs of an abandoned shrine with a audible “CRACK.”

As soon as the impact connected, pain flared throughout her head like a lit match being dropped on a puddle of gasoline, and her vision swam. She tried to push herself up, but her arms wouldn’t cooperate. All she could do was lie there, staring up at a sky she recognized but a shrine she didn’t, while the world blurred and spun at the edges. The only thing she could think about was the issues Yukari had mentioned. They seemed small, but in reality, were essentially the fuse to a bomb.

As her vision began to fade, she could hear the muffled sounds of frantic footsteps approaching her. She was barely able to turn her head enough to see two blurry figures rapidly getting closer.

“Oh my goodness… A-Are you okay?! Can you hear me?”

“Renko, she’s bleeding from the head! T-There’s so much blood…”

Reimu tried to speak. She tried to tell them that she was fine, and that they needed to get back to the village before the boundary could do anything worse. But her tongue felt like lead, and the darkness was closing in.

The last thing she saw was a hat-wearing girl kneeling beside her and resting her head in her hands. Then everything faded to black.

Meanwhile, back at the shrine, a certain vengeful spirit finally broke free of her seal. The diversion worked a bit better than she had expected, and the shrine maiden was nowhere in sight. When she caught eye of the gleaming spaceship in the distance, she perched herself atop the donation box and waited patiently for the academic vagrant duo she once fought before to make their appearance. She had not planned for such widespread disaster, but now that the gears were in motion, it was time to enjoy the show.

* * *

Youkai Mountain – 1 Hour Before The Initial Distortion
The morning on Youkai Mountain was crisp and bright, the kind of clear autumn day that made Sanae glad she had left behind the light-polluted outside world. The air smelled of pine and fresh grass, and the waterfall nearby the shrine burbled in the distance. She had already finished her morning prayers; Lady Kanako was in a pleasant mood, and Lady Suwako was already vibing with her frogs. For once, neither of them had a new scheme to pitch.

She descended the mountain path with a basket of cucumbers in her hand, her green hair bouncing with each step. The Genbu Ravine was her destination in mind, because Nitori had sent her a message the night before claiming she had “revolutionized the concept of household maintenance.” Which could mean just about anything coming from a kappa who tried her best to invent literally anything that came to mind.

The ravine was bustling with it’s usual organized chaos. Kappa engineers tested robotic frogs in a nearby pond. Somewhere in the distance, a controlled explosion went off, followed by excited cheering. Sanae navigated the winding paths around the river with ease until she reached Nitori’s workshop, a building which was covered in pipes, antennas, generators, and a single windmill for some reason.

“Nitori? Are you in there?” Sanae asks while knocking on the door. “I brought cucumbers!”

The door flew open, revealing Nitori who was standing there in her usual blue mechanic outfit which was covered in stains of various colors and her blue hair tied into it’s two twin tails. She cradled a cantaloupe-sized metal sphere in her hands. The bottom of the object was made of glass, allowing Sanae to see that it was full of a foamy pink liquid.

“Sanae! Perfect timing! Come in, come in! You can leave the cucumbers on the table, and behold!” Nitori thrust the sphere into her hands. “I call it the Extreme Singular Cleansing Catalyst! Or E1CC, if you prefer.”

Sanae set down the basket and examined the device warily. “It looks like a bath bomb.”

“It’s a laundry bomb. Completely different.” Nitori beamed. “You shake it up-“ Nitori demonstrated, rattling her own sphere vigorously, making the pink liquid froth up inside with an ominous bubbling noise that made Sanae instinctively back up. “-and then you throw it at any fabric surface. On impact, it releases a burst of hyper-concentrated soap foam that gets absorbed by the fabric and dissolves stains in an instant. Watch!”

Before Sanae could respond, Nitori hurled the sphere at a pile of grease-stained rugs in the corner. It struck with a soft paff and exploded into a cloud of pink foam that had a potent lavender scent. When the foam subsided several seconds later, the rags were pristine, and so was the floor, and wall, and Nitori’s outfit.

“Hmm,” Nitori said, examining her now-spotless mechanic uniform. “Wider dispersal radius than expected, but I’m sure that won’t cause any issues. So I'm marking that as a feature and not a bug.”

Sanae picked up one of the rags and inspected both sides. It was immaculate. She could practically see her reflection in the fabric. “Woah… this is really cool! How’d you manage to make the foam disappear so quickly?”

“Enzymatic breakdown triggered by atmospheric exposure. The soap rapidly self degrades after being exposed to fabric. As for the release mechanism, it’s simply a matter of the internal pressure reaching it’s breaking point.” Nitori pointed at the sphere in Sanae’s hands. “You should keep that one! It might be helpful for cleaning up after a festival.

Sanae was a little uneasy about using such volatile tech, but she didn’t want to disappoint her friend, so she tucked it into her pocket. “Thanks. I’ll… probably use it on the porch, just to be safe.”

“That’s the spirit! Now, about those cucumbers…”

They spent the next half-hour chatting over tea and snacks. Nitori expounded on her latest projects: A self-heating kettle that was only sometimes prone to explosions, and a pair of boots that sometimes let it’s wearer walk on water. Meanwhile, Sanae listened with the enthusiasm of someone who has known for years that kappa technology was equal parts genius and hazardous. Eventually, the conversation drifted to the outside world, a topic that always made Sanae feel wistful, even if she had her problems with her old home.

“Do you ever miss it?” Nitori asked. “You know, your old life before you moved here?”

Sanae pondered this question, it was a surprisingly difficult one to answer. “Sometimes. Life was much simpler when I didn’t have to worry about a powerful figure stealing an entire season just for their own selfish desires.”

“Didn’t your gods do exactly that when creating that nuclear bird?”

“Well… yes.” Sanae fidgeted with her sleeve. “But they had good intentions! It was just… poor judgement on their part. Regardless, we’ve moved past that now. And although my life was much easier in the Outside World, I don’t miss being invisible and watching all my friends and worshippers leave us behind in the pursuit of scientific gain. Ever since I moved to Gensokyo, I’ve solved incidents, made friends, and found a home I could truly belong in.”

“I’m glad to hear that.” Nitori said with a fond smile. “Really, I am. I sometimes wonder what the outside world is like, but if I ever were to visit, then I think I’d probably just run away out of fear and hide in a lake or something.”

The two shares a hearty laugh, and for a moment, the two felt at peace.

Then the shockwave hit.

It rolled through the mountain like thunder through the valley, a wave of distorted reality that Sanae felt in her bones before her mind could properly name it. The teacup rattled in her hands, and the windows of the workshop rattled and cracked.

When the initial shock wore off, Sanae immediately jumped to her feet. The air felt wrong, like it was stretched thin. Her connection to the Moriya gods, always a steady warmth at the back of her mind, was now flickering like a candle being blown out.

“What was that?!” Nitori wailed, already scrambling towards a nearby monitor which was blaring red warnings.

“I… I don’t know! I’ve never felt a shockwave like this before!” Sanae said, her voice wavering slightly as she tried to keep calm. “I-I’m not sure what I should do…”

“Try visiting Reimu.” Nitori said in a reassuring voice. “She’s been an incident resolver longer than anyone else I know. If anyone knows something about this, it’s going to be her.”

Nitori didn’t have to tell her twice, as she had already launched herself out of the workshop and into the sky, the wind answering her call and carrying her towards the shrine with all the speed she could muster. The mountain blurred beneath her, and the sky looked… off, lole someone had painted over a crack on a porcelain vase.

“Please be okay, Reimu. Please, please-“

Then the world twisted. It was different from the shockwave; instead of being a violent blow heard throughout Gensokyo, it was a nauseating lurch that felt like she had been yanked forward by an invisible hand. Her vision blurred to the point of blinding her, and when it cleared, she realized she was in a city. Towers of glass and steel surrounded her, and the sky was filled with the suffocating smell of smog. Sanae barely had time to register the impossible transition before she realized that she was still flying at top speed directly towards a building that was in her path.

She attempted to slow down, but it was in vain. There was an absence in faith that buoyed her miracles, making her feel weaker than usual. As a result, she could only watch in horror as she hurdled towards the building like a missile.

The window she hit was on the fourth floor of an apartment building. It shattered on impact, and Sanae tumbled through in a cascade of glass and torn curtains that made the woman who was occupying the apartment nearly jump a foot in the air out of shock. She struck a low table with her shoulder, slid across the carpeted floor, and came to rest against a nearby bookshelf. The laundry bomb in her pocket popped out, rolled across the floor, and detonated when it bumped into a stack of research journals, engulfing them in pink foam.

The last thing Sanae saw before her consciousness faded was a woman in a black cloak staring at her with an expression of absolute, uncomprehending shock.

Outside World – One Hour Before Initial Distortion
The café was a small, quiet place tucked in between a bookstore and a convenience store in a part of the city that Renko had specifically picked for it’s lack of excessive “personality.” No gimmick or overly-obnoxious pop music. Just coffee that was good enough and chairs that were comfortable enough. It was the perfect place for their unusual conversations.

Maribel sat across from her, stirring a cup of tea that had gone cold

20 minutes ago. She had been quieter than usual today, which Renko had learned is often times when she’s thinking about something she might not be comfortable sharing.

“You’re doing it again.” Renko said.

Maribel blinked. “Doing what?”

“Staring at something I can’t see. Your eyes have been tracking movement rhat isn’t there for the past ten minutes.”

Maribel’s spoon stilled in her cup. For a moment, she looked like she might deny it. Then her shoulders sagged, and she set the spoon aside with a soft, defeated clink.

“I was thinking about the hospital again.” She said, her voice more vulnurable than usual.

Renko didn’t need to ask which one. There had only been one hospital. The one with pale green walls and the fluorescent lights that hummed at a low and eerie frequency. Which was also where Maribel spent six months when she was sixteen, all because her parents had decided that a gifted girl with the ability to enter alternate dimensions in her dreams was a psychotic daughter that needed professional help.

“What brought that up?” Renko asked, keeping her voice as neutral and cautious as possible.

“I… had a terrible nightmare last night.” Maribel’s hands tightened around the cup. “I was back in that padded room with the doctor telling me it wasn’t real, and that I was making it up.” She paused for a moment and swallowed. “I started to believe them, Renko, and towards the end, I almost did.”

“But you didn’t.”

“No, but I learned to stop talking about it. I learned that seeing things other people couldn’t was a problem to be solved, and not a gift to be explored. “Ever since then, I’ve been…” She gestures vaguely to herself and the world around them. “Half here, half somewhere else. But never fully in either place.”

Renko reached across the table and covered Maribel’s hand with her own. The gesture was simple and grounding, the kind of thing that didn’t need words to say “I’m here, you’re here, all of this is real.”

“Your parents were wrong.” Renko said. “The doctors were also wrong. You’re not crazy, Merry. You never were. You can see things the rest of us can’t, and that makes you extraordinary, not broken.” Maribel’s smile was small, but genuine. “You always say that.”

“Because it’s true.” Renko squeezed her hand once, then released it and leaned back in her chair. “Alright. New plan. Wallowing is officially over, and I know a place we can go.”

“A place?” Maribel asked with a curious tilt of her head.

“There’s a nature trail about twenty minutes from here, out past the old industrial district. It’s not on most tourist maps, and it’s primarily used by locals. But there’s a shrine at the end of the trail.

Abandoned, I think. No one’s maintained it for years.” Renko’s eyes, sharp and curious as always, held Maribel’s gaze. “I thought you might want to see it. The walk can help clear your mind, and the shrine might help you feel connected to the other world that you dream about.”

Maribel was quiet for a moment, then she nodded. “Okay, let’s go.”

The trail was a narrow dirt path that wound through a stretch of neglected woodland, the kind of place that was slowly being killed by the city’s expansion and was never quite reclaimed. The trees were old, their branches tangled overhead in a canopy that filtered the morning sunlight into shifting patterns of yellows and shadows. The air smelled of damp earth and wildflowers, and the only sounds were the singing of birds and the crunching of their footsteps on the path. It was a lovely morning, and a peaceful outing between friends.

“How did you find this place?” Maribel asked, ducking under a lowhanging branch.

“Personal research project.” Renko began. “I was mapping Kyoto’s ley lines, and one of the intersections led me here.” Renko pushed her fedora back into place and grinned. “The shrine’s not on any official register, and from the little I’ve seen, it’s been abandoned for decades.”

“And you’re bringing me to a place full of mold and disease to cheer me up?”

“Well, uh…” Renko began, but then stopped and pointed at a bush. “Look!” She picked one of the berries and showed it to Maribel.

“…It’s a berry?”

“It’s a Merry Berry! Big difference.”

Maribel immediately grabs and eats it.

“Nooooooo!!”

The two shared a giggle and continued on their way through the forest.

“But to answer your question, I didn’t say we had to go in.” Renko reassured her. “In fact, I’d advise that we don’t interact with it directly. I just thought it’d be something interesting to show you.”

“Renko, please. The café was enough to cheer me up.” Maribel laughed. They walked in companionable silence for a while longer, the path gradually sloping upward until the trees began to thin and the sky opened up above them.

The shrine came into view all at once, as if the forest had been hiding it until the last possible moment.

It was small and weather-beaten, it’s wooden pillars gray with age, it’s roof shingles cracked and missing in places. A single torii gate stood above the entrance to the clearing, it's red paint faded into a pale, ghostly pink. The stone pathway leading to the main hall was overgrown with moss, and the offering box at the base of the steps had long since rotted away to nothing.

But the shrine was not empty.

There was a girl lying in the middle of the stone pathway, her shrine maiden outfit splattered with mud and something darker, something red that was slowly spreading across the collar of her outfit, turning the colors from red to maroon. Her face looked pale, and she wasn’t making any attempt to stand up.

The two girls looked horrified by the sight, and Renko was already sprinting over as fast as she could. Maribel followed close behind, her heart hammering in her chest.

“S-She’s bleeding!” Renko said, dropping to her knees beside the girl. Her hands moving to apply slight pressure to her forehead. “Head wound… there’s a large gash on her forehead. She’s likely concussed. Merry, do you have your phone? We need to call an ambulance!”

“R-Renko, we’re in the middle of the forest! An ambulance wouldn’t be able to reach us! A-And look what she’s wearing!”

“Merry, we don’t have time to judge outfits! She could be-“ Renko paused when she realized Maribel was correct. The girl’s clothes were not the stylized, simplified attire often worn by cosplayers. They were authentic shrine maiden clothes worn from an era that should’ve ended decades ago. Clutched in her hand was her goehi, a type of purification rod used in prayers.

“Renko…” Maribel whispered. “I don’t think she’s from out world.”

Everything around them looked completely normal, no portals, cracks, or disturbances of any kind. But the woman Renko was carrying while they moved swiftly through the forest was proof that something had gone terribly wrong.

Renko’s fingers pressed gently against the girl’s neck, allowing her to breathe a sigh of relief when she finds a pulse. It was quickened, likely from the adrenaline of what happened before, but she was likely going to be okay.

“Then we’ll help her anyway. If she’s truly from Gensokyo, then she’ll need someone with a connection to it when she wakes up.”

“In that case, don’t bring her to a hospital.” Maribel warned. “That might cause unwanted complications with the police. Bring her to our apartment instead, her wound doesn’t look terminal, and we have plenty of medical supplies.”

The two nodded in agreement, and carefully brought the unconscious miko back to their home, where she would rest for the next several hours. In the meantime, the Hifuu Club would disinfect her wound and bandage it, ensuring that more damage could be done.

* * *

The Apartment Complex – Shortly after the initial distortion, but a few moments before impact.

Yumemi stared out at the smoldering crater where her life’s work had crash landed. Years of self-training and honing her engineering skills, all turned into a smoldering crater. For once, she was at a loss for words. Who was that ghost woman at the shrine? Surely that couldn’t have been the Hakurei Shrine Maiden. But something about her felt… almost familiar?

Her mind raced with questions nobody could give answers to. Everything was quickly going downhill after what she assumed was going to be a brief, 15-minute adventure had almost turned into a tragedy. She hadn’t realized she was pacing until she stopped to stare at the unconscious sailor sleeping on her couch. To think that had Yumemi been knocked unconscious, she and her best friend would’ve met their end…

No. She mentally slapped herself. There was no time to cry over her actions. All that mattered no was that her best friend was alive and feeling okay. She just needed a few moments to rest, and everything would turn out fine.

When Chiyuri’s eyes opened up like curtains and she sat up while rubbing her head, Yumemi had never felt more relieved in that moment. While the hardcore gamer simply looked dumbfounded by the scene.

“Ow… what happened last night? The last thing I remember was that ship turning us into a pinball game.”

“The ship is… gone.”

“Yeah, right. Like you’d let that thing blow up. You’d sooner wear anything other than red.”

“Look out the window.”

Chiyuri took one glance out the window, and the color immediately drained from her face when she saw the charred remain of the trees that once surrounded her university, and the smoldering crater where the decaying wreckage can be seen.

“Holy shit…”

“A bit crude, but I share the same sentiment. It would appear that whatever happened to the barrier violently ejected us into the soil, where the reactor would sustain critical damage.” “So does this mean no more surprise experiments.”

“Yes, Chiyuri.” Yumemi said with a sigh. “I won't bother you about that anymore. But this has more serious implications than you

losing free time. If there’s an issue with the barrier itself, then who knows what…” Yumemi’s face went pale as she considered the implications. “Could happen…”

Chiyuri, however, was much less worried about the whole ordeal. “Would you relax already? What’s the worst that could possibly-“

She was interrupted by the unmistakable sound of shattering glass, followed by the percussive sound of something heavy hitting the floor. It sounded like it came from the apartment next door with how loud the sound was.

She exchanged a look with Yumemi. “Was that…?”

“Adjacent unit, let’s go.” Yumemi commanded, leaving her tablet behind as she ran out of the apartment.

“Wha- Y-You can’t just… ah, whatever.” Chiyuri knew trying to reason with Yumemi was pointless once she set her mind to something, so she reluctantly followed in her footsteps towards a door with the word “Usami” printed on the nameplate. Chiyuri recognized the name as Sumireko, a freshmen who moved in a few months ago who mostly kept to herself. Chiyuri had maybe spoken to her once, and assumed she was just another Yumemi, way too passionate about what they were doing.

The door was unlocked, and Yumemi was already starting to push it open.

“Yumemi! Are you kidding me right now?!” Chiyuri hissed. “We can’t just break into someone’s apartment just because the door is unlocked!”

“Quiet, Chiyuri.” Yumemi retorted. “They might have someone wounded.”

The door opened to a scene of complete chaos. The apartment's main room looked like a hurricane had swept through it. Books were scattered across the floor, papers fluttering in the breeze from the shattered window. Shards of glass listened on the carpeted floor, which was now covered in a rapidly dissolving pink foam that made the entire room smell like lavender. At the center of the wreckage, sprawled out on the floor, was someone who had very clearly not come through the door.

She was a young adult who was dressed in a traditional shrine maiden’s robes but with design elements Chiyuri didn’t recognize. Her striking green hair was matted with that same pink substance that was currently dissolving on the floor. She was unconscious, and was clutching a gohei in her hand.

Standing over, phone in hand and expression caught between terror and bewildered recognition, was Sumireko Usami.

“I-I know her.” Sumireko said before either of them could finish processing what they were seeing. Her voice was wavering slightly despite her attempts to seem unbothered by what had happened. “That’s Sanae, but… she’s from the Moriya Shrine in Gebsokyo. How is she in my apartment?”

Yumemi stepped forward, her mind already racing to calculate details. “You… recognize her? You know about Gensokyo?”

“I’m a talented psychic prodigy.” Sumireko boasted, as if that explained anything. “I’ve visited Gensokyo before in my dreams. It’s a complicated process, but I know that’s her. She’s a living god, or shrine maiden, or both, and she’s in my apartment.”

“Okay, since nobody is going to actually check on the poor girl, I’ll do it myself.” Chiyuri said, kneeling down beside the unconscious shrine maiden and checking her pulse. “She’s alive, but likely concussed. We need to call an ambulance.”

“And tell them what?” Sumireko demanded. “That a shrine maiden from another dimension fell through a hole in reality and landed in my apartment? They’ll think we’re insane!”

“Then it looks like we’ll have to improvise.” Yumemi replied.

“Medically, I mean. Do you have a first aid kit, Sumireko?”

Immediately after she asked, a first aid kit magically floated out of the bathroom and into her hands, where she then handed it to Yumemi, who got to work patching up the shrine maiden’s head. Meanwhile, Chiyuri kneeled down and felt the lingering foam on the carpet.

“What is this stuff? It’s like a giant tide pod exploded in here.” “Because that’s essentially what happened.” Sumireko replied. “When she crashed, this metal thing popped out of her pocket and exploded in a cloud of foam. I’ve done a lot of research on Gensokyo, but I don’t recall seeing anything about the residents fighting with laundry detergent.”

Sanae stirred slightly in the couch where Yumemi had moved her, but she remained unconscious. Yumemi straightened up and turned to the duo.

“We need to keep an eye on her and pool together what we know.

Sumireko, you said you have knowledge of Gensokyo, correct?” When Sumireko nodded, Yumemi continued. “We possess knowledge as well. Our method of entry to Gensokyo is… compromised, but we still have leftover equipment. So, I’m proposing that we work together. If anyone can figure out what’s happening, it’s us.”

Yumemi extends her hand. “What do you say?”

Sumireko looked between the two women, and ultimately decided to shake Yumemi’s hand.

“Alright, let’s do this. But we’re gonna need some help.” “Help from who?” Yumemi asked.

“You’ll see. I’m the president of a club for this kind of stuff, but the other two members are currently off doing something else. Give me a moment to text them, though.”

While Sumireko was messaging her friends, Yumemi and Chiyuri gazed out the window to the sight of a barely visible crack in the sky.

They had dodged the shockwave, but they were on a direct collision course. The boundary was still tearing, and somewhere, the observer was silently laughing.

The apartment Renko and Maribel shared was small and cluttered in the way of people who collected books faster than they collected bookshelves. Stacks of academic textbooks covered the tables, star charts were pinned all over the walls, and the couch was almost pristine with how little it was used. But it was soft and wide enough to accommodate the unconscious shrine maiden who had been placed on top of it.

She should be in a hospital getting care from proper medical professionals, but Maribel had decided against it. They would have questions that the Hifuu Club couldn’t answer. No ID, no record, clothes that shouldn’t exist in this time period. If she started talking about youkai and barriers when she woke up, then she’d end up in the same place Maribel did.

All they could do was sit and the kitchen table and keep an eye on Reimu, who was breathing in a slow, but steady rhythm. Renko had already cleaned and bandaged the wound, which luckily wasn’t very deep. It was more blood than damage. Maribel had also covered her up with a cheap blanket she had bought at a store a few days ago. It wasn’t anything special, but it was enough to provide comfort for Reimu when she woke up.

“How is this possible?” Renko asked with a worried tone. She had taken off her fedora and was turning it over in her hands. A nervous habit Maribel noticed. “You said you visited Gensokyo in your dreams, but you never said anyone could fall out of it.”

“They couldn’t.” Maribel’s gaze was hyperfixated on the sleeping shrine maiden, as if she was trying to analyze her through only her eyes. “The boundary was always there. I could feel it, and I could see it. There were always gaps present, but the boundary was stable. As someone was always there to maintain them. Someone powerful who I could always feel the presence of.”

“So what’s happening now?”

Maribel was silent for a long moment. Then she said, very quietly, “I think somethings wrong with the barrier. I’ve seen more gaps today than I've seen in years. Small flickers in the boundary that aren’t closing the way they should. It’s like the whole boundary is… falling apart.

Renko processed this in the methodical way she approached all problems: breaking it down, examining the pieces, and looking for a pattern. “The shrine we found her at… did anything seem unusual to you? I didn’t notice anything myself.”

“I didn’t say anything at the time, but the air felt thinner around the shrine. The boundary point must’ve led directly to a shrine on the other side. So if something happened to Gensokyo, then the impact launched the shrine maiden into our world.”

Right after she said that, the girl on the couch stirred, and the two Hifuu Club members turned to her with a mix of unease and concern.

It was a small movement, starting off as slight hand and eye twitches, but then she woke up with a sharp gasp, her hand flying to her head as consciousness restored. Her fingers found bandages instead of hair, and she winced, a hiss of pain escaping through her clenched teeth. She tried to sit up, and the blanket slid from her shoulders.

“Easy now,” Renko said, rising from her chair with her hands raised in a placating gesture. “You hit your head pretty hard, so you should stay on the couch for a bit longer.”

Reimu’s eyes–sharp and assessing, despite the pain–tracked from Renko to Maribel and back again. They lingered on their modern clothing and the unfamiliar furniture that surrounded her. Her expression quickly changed from confusion to alarm.

“Where am I?” Her voice was weak and hoarse. “This isn’t

Gensokyo…”

“No,” Maribel said gently. “It isn’t.”

Despite Renko’s advice, Reimu swung her legs off the couch and stood up, swaying only slightly. Her hand never left her bandaged head. “The barrier… there was a shockwave. I think something

terrible is happening. I-I think I felt it snap, that must’ve been what happened. So where am I now…?”

Maribel and Renko exchanged a glance.

“You’re in the Outside World.” Renko said, keeping her voice calm and even. “Kyoto, specifically. We found you lying unconscious at an abandoned shrine on a nature trail about an hour ago.”

“The… Outside World…?” Reimu said, her face quickly losing its color. She had only visited this place once, and it was when… oh. She clenched her fists, threatening to split her gohei in half. There was only one person capable of such an event, and she was now trapped in the same world that annoying psychic resides in.

“So.” Renko said with a dangerous smirk, slapping her gohei in her free hand with a distinct cracking sound that made both Renko and Maribel shudder. “Guess Sumireko’s got some new people working with her, huh?”

Maribel frantically waved her hands in front of her. “W-Wait! This isn’t Sumireko’s doing! Why would she attempt to breach the barrier again when she now has a safe method of transit to Gensokyo?”

“Also,” Renko began. “She lost the occult balls after the urban legend incident. So even if she wanted to, she doesn’t have the capabilities to cause such destruction.”

Reimu was quiet for a moment, processing this information. Then she let out a tired sigh, but her eyes still blazed with determination. “I need to get back. If the barrier is starting to fracture, then the entire Hakurei Barrier could collapse, Gensokyo will be exposed, and everything we’ve protected for hundreds of years-“ She took a step towards the door, but had to catch herself on the armchair of the sofa to prevent herself from immediately falling over.

“Wait!” Maribel rushed over to support her. “Please, you need rest!

Even if there’s a way back right now, you’re in no condition to travel.”

“You don’t understand. This isn’t the time to rest. The gap hag warned me this morning. She said the barrier was tearing, and that even she couldn’t properly pinpoint the source. Now that I’m gone, who’s going to ensure that she actually fixes this mess…?” Reimu’s voice trailed off, and Renko recognized the deep, genuine fear in her voice.

“We understand more than you might think.” Maribel said quietly. “My name is Maribel Hearn, and this is Renko Usami. We’re part of a group called the Hifuu Club. I’ve been dreaming of Gensokyo since I was a child, and Renko has always had a deep connection to the stars.”

Reimu stared at Maribel with a slightly shocked expression. “You’re boundary sensitive, just like Yukari.”

“Technically, yes. Although I lack the ability to create gaps, I can see the seams between worlds. Lately, I’ve been seeing many more gaps than usual.” Maribel’s gaze met Reimu’s. “Whatever happening on the other side of the barrier, it seems to be affected us too. And I fear you may not be the last entity to fall through the gaps.”

Before Reimu could respond, a shrill electronic tone cut through the apartment. All three of them flinched. It took Renko a moment to realize the sound was coming from her pocket. She pulled out her phone, and saw Sumireko’s caller ID on her phone screen. The two were sisters, but they were mostly separated by their own projects.

So a call out of the blue was somewhat surprising.

“One second.” Renko said, and she answered the call. “Sumireko? What’s-“

“Renko.” Sumireko’s voice was panicked and almost breathless, which was completely out of character for someone so confident in their abilities. “Please tell me you’re at your apartment right now, or at least somewhere safe. Something is happening and I need to know if it’s just me or if the entire world is falling apart.”

“Sumireko, slow down. What’s going on?”

“A girl crashed through my window. From GENSOKYO. It’s Sanae, the Moriya Shrine Maiden. She just… she crashed through my window like a missile, literally! Now there’s two weirdo scientists in my home-“

“Hey, I heard that!” Chiyuri’s distant voice could be heard.

“-who are saying the entire barrier is falling apart. I think that might be the reason why I haven’t been able to enter Gensokyo lately, and I don’t know what to do!”

Renko felt the blood drain from her facr, and she turned to Maribel and Reimu, who were both watching her with growing concern. Although Reimu is more confused by the sight of Renko’s phone.

“Sumireko.” She said, cutting through her sister’s spiraling monologue. “You said there’s two others with you? Scientists?”

“Yes. Professor Yumemi and her assistant Chiyuri. Apparently they have dimensional monitoring equipment that can hopefully decipher whatever’s going on.”

Renko covered her phone’s microphone and looked at Reimu. “Do you know someone named Sanae?”

Reimu’s eyes widened. “Sanae? She’s a friend of mine who lives on Youkai Mountain. Don’t tell me she’s here to…”

“It seems that way. She crashed through a window in my sister’s apartment.” She uncovered the microphone. “Sumireko, listen to me. We have one too, a shrine maiden. She crashed at an abandoned shrine at the edge of a nature trail.”

“Then this is much worse than I thought.” Sumireko said. “Are you three available to come over? We’re gonna need all hands on deck if we’re gonna figure out this incident.”

Renko covered the microphone again. “Reimu, do you think you’re okay to walk?” Reimu took a few wobbly steps forward, but seemed healthy enough to walk, despite her injuries. Renko uncovered the microphone again afterward. “Alright, hang tight. We’re on our way.”

Sumireko’s apartment had never felt smaller.

What had once been a comfortable one-bedroom apartment with a modest collection of occult novels was now crammed with 4 people, which was about to become 7. Yumemi’s heavily modified tablet was resting in her hands and displaying incomprehensible diagrams that only Yumemi could somehow decipher, and the broken window was hastily covered up with a plastic sheet and duct tape, which was Chiyuri’s handiwork. Sanae rested on Sumireko’s futon, still unconscious while her green hair fanned out across the pillow.

“She’s stable.” Yumemi announced, looking up from her tablet for what felt like the hundredth time. “Vitals are strong, and the head trauma is minor. She’ll likely have a headache when she wakes up, but she isn’t showing signs of a concussion. I must say, however.” She reached down and grabbed a bit of the foam. “This cleaning product is absolutely remarkable. I’ve never seen anything like it! I’d love to meet the person who invented it.”

“Priorities, professor.” Chiyuri said as she leaned against the wall and stared out the plastic-covered window to the sight of a small crack in the sky. It had stopped growing, but it was still there. A thin purple scar against the pale afternoon, pulsing faintly like a slow heartbeat.

“Science is always a priority! But fine, I suppose I can worry about advanced cleaning products later.”

Sumireko sat cross-legged on the floor beside Sanae’s futon, her phone clutched in both hands. “Renko said they'd be here soon. I… still can’t believe this is happening. I once tried bringing Gensokyo residents to the outside world, but that was much more controlled than… whatever this is. An actual living god who can create miracles on a whim just… crash landed in my apartment!”

“So, psychic girl.” Chiyuri began. “What’s your deal? How’d you get those psychic powers?”

Sumireko seemed slightly offended by the comment, but she brushed it off. “I… don’t remember, actually. I think I kinda just… developed them over time? Ever since then, I’ve been getting stronger. Eventually, I reached a point where I could create a doppelganger of myself to enter Gensokyo.”

Yumemi seemed particularly interested by this concept. “You’ve made physical transitions across the barrier? Without technological assistance? That’s extraordinary! The energy requirements alone would be-“

“Professor,” Chyuri interrupted. “We can geek out about the physics later. For now, we should be worrying about the fact that the world might by ending.”

“Calm down, Chiyuri.” Yumemi said with an amused sigh. “I don’t think this situation has reached apocalyptic levels of severity… yet. We should instead continue to monitor the status of both Sanae and the barrier to ensure that no further damage can be done.” She pulled up a map of Kyoto on her tablet, which had multiple blinking red circles on various locations. My equipment is limited right now, but it’s still picking up small fractures all over the city. It seems that whatever is happening is confined to our city for the time being. But that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t expect to see any more potential leakage.”

The weight of those words settled over the room like a shroud. Sumireko opened her mouth to respond, but before she could speak, Sanae let out a soft groan.

It was a small, pained sound, but it drew every eye in the room. Sanae’s eyelids fluttered, her fingers twitched against the futon, and then, with a gas that was half-sob, she bolted upright.

“Reimu!” She cried, her eyes wild and unfocused. “T-The barrier! It’s collapsing! I have to-“ She tried to scramble to her feet, only to immediately run into Sumireko, who let out a startled yelp as the two fell to the floor in a clumsy heap.

“Ack! Hey, don’t run over people if you’re going to panic!”

She helped Sanae sit back down on the futon, who’s vision took a moment to come into focus. She saw the peculiar scene of colorful characters in front of her, and it caused more questions than answers. She looked at the broken window, which was the last thing she remembered seeing before she woke up here.

“Where…” Sanae’s voice was small. “Where am I? This isn’t the Moriya Shrine. This isn’t even Gensokyo. I-I can’t feel the presence of my goddesses!”

“You’re in the Outside world.” Yumemi said, her voice gentler than her usual clinical tone. “Kyoto, to be precise. You seem to have experienced a boundary transition event approximately an hour ago. You crashed through the window and experienced a minor head trauma. You’ve been unconscious since then.”

“The outside world.” Sanae began, her face went pale. “No. No, that’s not possible. W-We left it behind. Lady Yasaka and Lady Moriya brought me to Gensokyo for a reason. I can’t be back here, I can’t…” Her breathing was quickening, her chest heaving. Causing Chiyuri to put a comforting hand on her shoulder.

“Hey, chill out! You’re gonna give yourself an aneurysm at this rate!

You’re fine, we’re all gonna be fine. That shrine maiden friend of yours was picked up by Sumireko’s sister. So she’s doing okay as well.”

“Wait, Reimu?” Sanae’s eyes widened. “She’s here too?! Oh, thank the gods she’s alright! I was so worried…”

Sumireko nodded in agreement, attempting to give her a reassuring smile. “She’s going to be here soon, and then we’re going to figure out what’s happening and how to fix it. I promise.”

Sanae looked genuinely touched by the heartfelt sentiment. At least she did until Yumemi started speaking again. “By the way, I wanted to ask: what is this pink foam that you’re covered in?”

Sanae looked confused for a moment, then let out an embarrassed groan when she realized she was covered in laundry bomb soap. “It's a laundry bomb that my friend Nitori made me. It was supposed to be a fast and efficient cleaning method, but I guess it exploded when I crashed into this apartment. I’m so sorry about the mess!”

“Laundry bomb?” Yumemi’s eyes lit up with scientific interest. “That explains the unusual chemical composition. Your friend must be quite the engineer to create something like this!”

“Wait, you said you’re from the outside world, right?” Chiyuri asked, disregarding Yumemi’s scientific excitement. “Do you still have any connections here? Any friends or family?”

Sanae shook her head slowly. “I haven’t seen my family since I left for Gensokyo, and all of my friends are currently in Gensokyo. I once had a life here, but that all feels like a very distant dream now, a very distant dream.” She looked around the apartment, and a sense of dread creeped into her voice. “I don’t belong here anymore. I belong in Gensokyo, with my friends and whats left of my family.”

“We’re going to get you back.” Sumireko said with confidence she didn’t fully feel. “That’s what we do; solve incidents and figure out mysteries. If the barrier is breaking, then we’ll just find a way to fix it. Simple.”

“It’s not simple.” Yumemi corrected her. “My theory is that the boundary collapse is being caused by a malevolent force attempting to breach the barrier from within Gensokyo.”

“You’d know all about that, wouldn’t you?” Chiyuri said with a grin.

“Not the time, Chiyuri. At the rate this is progressing, we could be looking at a complete systematic collapse.”

“Then we address the systematic issue.” Said a voice from the doorway.

Everyone turned to the sight of Renko at the doorway. Her fedora was slightly askew, and her expression was grim, but determined. Behind her, Maribel supported a pale, but upright Reimu, who refused to be carried any further and insisted on walking up the last few flights of stairs.

“REIMU!!” Sane yelled out in excitement. She would’ve ran over and hugged her if there wasn’t currently a Sumireko in her path.

“Ah, Renko and Maribel. Perfect timing!” Yumemi said with a confident grin. “We were just-“

She couldn’t even properly welcome them before the ground heaved. A violent earthquake threatened to destroy the entire apartment complex. It only lasted a few seconds, but by the time it was done, everyone was in a clumsy heap on the floor, with the power having been cut.

“Ugh… what just happened…?” Chiyuri said with a groan.

Reimu, however, had a look of absolute tiredness. “I think… I know exactly who caused that. And I really wish I didn’t have to deal with her on top of all this…”

The sudden tremors had thrown everyone off balance. Both of the shrine maidens luckily fell on the couch, so they were more disoriented than injured. Sumireko was lying on the floor and looking up at the ceiling with an annoyed expression, wishing that this was all just a dream. It’s an ironic thing for her to say, but at least her antics in Gensokyo never had any real consequences.

“Ugh… ow.” Chiyuri said, clutching her head which had been slammed into the floor. “Can things stop exploding for five minutes?! What even happened this time?!”

Yumemi was staring a hole through her tablet, her face showing the intense concentration of a scientist attempting to do several calculations at once. “According to the data, the fault lines in the region are fully stabilized. An earthquake of such magnitude should be completely impossible at the moment!”

“Unless...” Renko said while helping up Maribel and Sumireko. “That earthquake wasn’t natural. Miss Reimu,” Renko turned to Reimu, who was clutching the side of her head and leaning on Sanae’s shoulder. “You seemed to recognize someone when the earthquake hit. Is there anyone you know who is capable of causing tectonic disturbances?”

“Tectonic… disturbances?” Reimu said with a raised eyebrow.

“Great, now you strange humans are speaking like the gap hag.”

“Strange humans?!” Yumemi’s eyes flared up and she pointed her finger at the injured miko like a teacher scolding a student. “I’ll have you know that I am Professor Yumemi! The strawberry-colored scholar who breaks every border! My apparitions go beyond anyone in this room, and- mmmph!”

“Shut up already!” Sumireko said with an annoyed huff, clamping her hand over the professor’s mouth. “This isn’t the time for our resumes, so drop the ego, or you can get out and solve this on your own.”

When she removes her hand, the professor deflates slightly. “Ah, I suppose that was a mistake on my part. It would appear I became a little overzealous. My apologies, Miss Hakurei.”

“Oh for the love of…” Chiyuri said with an eye roll. “Renko was talking about earthquakes! Can anyone cause earthquakes?!”

“Indeed there is.” Reimu said, her face carrying a grim expression. “She’s an annoying brat by the name of Tenshi. She always does the kind of thing whenever she’s bored. Which happens to be all the time.”

Maribel ponders this information, putting her hand to her chin. “So there’s a rebellious teenager who’s causing earthquakes for fun…? She doesn’t have any other motives?”

“Her motive is being a pain in the ass.” Reimu said bluntly, although she was speaking softer now that Sanae had dozed off, likely as a result of her lingering head injury.

“Then it’s settled.” Chiyuri said with a grin, already twirling her ray gun. “We’ll kick this bitches ass, save the day, and go home!”

“It’s not that simple, you idiot.” Sumireko said while pulling out her liberator. “Do you think this is a fanfiction or something? You can’t just march your goofy-ass over to a celestial and expect her to give up just because you have a gun.” She let out a reluctant sigh before gaining a cocky grin. “Although, it’s been awhile since I’ve

participated in a danmaku fight. So I’ll be joining you two. Renko and Maribel can handle the two shrine maidens while we’re gone.”

“Wait!” Renko’s eyes lit up with alarm. “You’re going to fight her?! What if that makes things worse?”

“It’s better than leaving her to roam the streets.” Chiyuri said with a shrug. “Besides, I wanna use this thing!” She waved the ray gun precariously. “I haven’t gotten a chance to fight since…”

There’s a brief pause where Chiyuri stands there with an awkward smile before Maribel breaks it. “Since what…?”

“Eh, if I forgot then it’s probably not important. Hey, professor, you know what I’m talking about, right?”

“Of course, it’s interesting because… I don’t remember…?” Yumemi looks uncharacteristically nervous as she glances down at her tablet, which shows no record of prior combat besides weapon testing. “I recall perfectly all of my successes, how suspicious…”

“That just means you haven’t fought anyone yet, idiot.” Reimu said with an annoyed groan. “It’s not some great mystery or whatever. Now are you two actually going to do something, or are you just gonna start a philosophical debate on whether or not you’ve fought before?”

“Right, it’s time for our next adventure! Onwards to victory, my fellow students!” Yumemi bursts out of the apartment and gestures for Chiyuri and Sumireko to follow her.

“Is she always like this?” Sumireko whispers to Chiyuri. “Yeah, pretty much. You don’t really get used to it, but you learn to tell her to shut up.”

The two share a lighthearted chuckle as the trail behind Yumemi. “Hey, professor, do you have any idea where we’re going?”

Yumemi stops in her tracks, which nearly causes Sumireko to run into her. Sweat begins to form on her face. “Well, uh, you see…” She checks her tablet, and her eyes light up. “Ah! There we go. I’ve located the epicenter of the most recent earthquake. That’s likely where Tenshi is currently located!”

Chiyuri gives her a deadpanned stare. “So… you think she created an earthquake and then just… stood there?”

“Do you have any better ideas?”

“Fair enough.”

The trio continue their walk through the darkened apartment complex. There’s no lights or air conditioning now that the power was cut from the initial earthquake, so the complex was now dark and eerily quiet. Right when they were about to exit the building, they were suddenly knocked off their feet by the ground heaving. Another violent earthquake shattered the windows and rattled the entire building they were residing in.

All three occupants were forced into a fetal position as dust and rubble crumbled down around them, filling their vision with a thick gray haze. When the rumbling stopped, their building was mostly destroyed, and the group was partially buried under the rubble. Luckily, Sumireko was able to use her telekinesis to prevent them from being crushed by the debris, but she looked horrified by the sight.

“RENKO!!!” Sumireko cleared the surrounding lobby in one psychic blast and was already flying towards whatever was left of her apartment. Leaving the professor and her student dazed by what transpired.

“WAIT!!” Chiyuri called after her. “WHERE ARE YOU GOING?!”

“TO THE APARTMENT, YOU IDIOT! I NEED TO MAKE SURE

EVERYONE’S OKAY. GO ON WITHOUT ME, I’LL CATCH UP!”

Sumireko was gone in a flash, while the academic duo looked around their crumbling apartment in horror. Chiyuri’s ears were ringing and her vision was blurred from the impact, but a firm grip on her arm snapped her out of her trance.

“Come on, let’s go.” Yumemi said with urgency, dragging along the frightened Chiyuri.

“W-Wait! What about-“

“Sumireko can handle them. Things are only going to get worse if we don’t put a stop to this.”

“Alright, let’s just hope the rest of the group is okay…” She took one last tear-filled glance at the apartment complex as the two of them emerged from the rubble, which was barely recognizable at this point.

“They’re a resourceful group, just like us. I have no doubt they will survive this incident. We will have to find a suitable location to reside in once this is all over, however.”

“And how do you plan to do that? We don’t have the money for a house, we barely had enough for an apartment!”

“I… I’m afraid I don’t know, Chiyuri. But… we’ve managed before, and we’ll manage again. All I ask is that you have faith. No matter what happens, we’ll always have eachother, alright?”

Chiyuri gives her a confident grin. “You know, you’re surprisingly good at making sense when things get serious.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment.” Yumemi said with a strained smile.

“Now lets-“

“Hey, peasants!”

The two looked up just in time to see a blue-haired girl slam into the ground with her floating rock, the impact causing an audible tremor that kicks up loose dirt that’s cakes their clothes. In her hand is a flaming gold sword which has streamers blowing in the wind. She points the sword at them with an arrogant smirk, scarlet-tinged storm clouds gathering above them, darkening the surrounding forest while Tenshi’s sword shines bright.

“Surprised? I was hoping more of these pathetic humans would appreciate the power of a celestial, might make their lives a little less boring, y’know? But they all scurry away like a bunch of startled insects! It’s so pathetic and boring.” She rolls her eyes with a bored huff before pointing her sword at the duo again. “So tell me, fruitcolored humans, are you just another peasant, or will you-“

Tenshi yelps and dives out of the way just in time to dodge a blast from Chiyuri’s ray gun.

“HEY! I’m in the middle of my epic speech! Stop tha-“

Yumemi had already channeled magic into her cross artifact, turning it into a sword made of glowing red energy. Two slashes formed an “X” of blazing-hot energy that singed the grass as it hurdled towards Tenshi, who blocked it with her sword just in time, but it still burned her hands.

“Oww! Hot hot hot! What even IS that?!”

Chiyuri let out a hearty laugh. “This? It may look small, but in my hands, it’s a deadly weapon.” She aimed her raygun at Tenshi with a devilish smirk.

“And this,” Yumemi began, her voice a cold, analytical tone. “Is the strawberry-colored blade of scientific magic. Your crisis ends here, Tenshi.”

Tenshi bursts out laughing, nearly toppling over in excitement. “Hah! Finally, a worthy opponent, our battle will be legendary!”

Tenshi charges towards Yumemi with her sword raised, and the two clashed in a flurry of sparks of tremors. As their blades slashed into eachother, Chiyuri constantly fired blasts from her ray gun at Tenshi. Who had to hastily block with her sword. She grit her teeth in frustration and leaped backwards, summoning several smaller keystones to launch towards the group in a barrage. Yumemi and Chiyuri banded together to slash and shoot each keystone until none remained.

“Ugh, no fair! There’s two of you and one of me!”

Tenshi stomped her feet in exaggerated anger, causing Chiyuri to laugh. “Wow, Maribel was right, she really is a rebellious teenager. Had enough already?”

“No, I WON’T lose to a couple of humans! That ghost lady promised me a plushie of myself if I defeated the two of you, and I’M GETTING THAT PLUSH!”

“Wait… ghost lady? What did she look like?” Yumemi tilted her head, puzzled by Tenshi’s words.

“Like I’m gonna tell you!” Tenshi cackled, slowly floating up into the air while her sword began to spin and heat up with energy. “By the power of the legendary Sword of Hisou… I’M GONNA TURN THIS FOREST INTO A CRATER! HAHAHAHA!!”

Tenshi laughs maniacally as she raises her sword into the air, red lighting wrapping around it’s golden blade from the above clouds.

Meanwhile, the academic duo can only watch in horror at what’s happening.

“W-What do we do, professor?! The ray gun's out of power!”

“I… uh… we… RUN!!!”

But before the two could start running, an arrow suddenly emerged from the trees and pricked Tenshi’s side, causing the lightning to fade from her sword. “Ow! There’s another one of you?! Show yourself! I demand… you… ugh, my head…”

Tenshi’s eyelids droop and she struggles to stay upright before going limp, her body falling to the ground like a puppet whose strings has been cut. The mysterious archer makes herself known when she emerges from the nearby trees, dressed in blue-red. “Ah, so the sedative does work on celestials. As for you two, I suggest you come along. Your friends are worried, and we have much to discuss.”

The two share a quick glance, Chiyuri shrugs, and they end up following the strange woman.

Beyond the dark crevices of a cave that had sealed decades ago, an ancient realm lurks in the shadows where not even the oldest of youkai residing in Gensokyo have seen. It is a depressing realm that once housed a brilliant city where demons and other unholy beings would reside. It was a haven, but then everything changed when that shrine maiden arrived.

The creator of Makai, Shinki, had always questioned her motives. Was hosting a tourist destination really that much of a crime? And even if it was, did it really warrant her dimension going up in flames?

No. It did not.

Shinki had to watch as all her friends break down and burn away, taken from her in the flames that consumed her dimension, leaving nothing but the forests and the fortress in which she resides. The aftermath of the inferno left Shinki alone. Well, almost alone; a few survivors had moved to pandemonium to help Shinki preserve whatever was left of her collapsing dimension.

This brings us to today, where Shinki had placed down a cup of tea after a long moment of reflection. She was in an almost meditative stance when the door suddenly opened, revealing her magician friend.

“Greetings, Lady Shinki.”

“Ah, Mima! It's a pleasure to see you. Did the celestial succeed in her endeavors?”

“Unfortunately, no. The professor and her assistant proved to be an unexpectedly competent duo. The celestial was ultimately defeated when the lunar sage intervened with a sedative-laced arrow.”

Shinki’s face falls into a mock pout upon hearing that. “Hmph. Of course. Someone as arrogant as her would be easy to defeat.”

“The issue is not that she was easy to defeat.” Konngara’s voice echoed from the balcony, where she was gazing up at the stars. “The issue is her inability to send a message. It’s only a matter of time before our scheme is found out, especially since the magician decided to taunt the outsiders.”

“Oh my.” Mima said with a chuckle. “Pardon me for wanting to have a little fun with this incident. Besides, what do you think a group of youkai and humans could possibly do to us? The shrine maidens are injured, and they’re already spread out from the earthquakes.”

“That’s exactly your problem.” Konngara turned to Mima, her eyes narrowing. “You treat this as a game, and as such, you will meet the same fate as that celestial.”

A soft chuckle from Shinki interrupted their argument. “Now, now, children. Don’t make me separate you.”

Konngara turned to Shinki. “Lady Shinki, please-“

“Please what? This ‘incident’ is nothing more than entertainment to me. When, or if they manage to link this back to me, we’ll be ready to put on the greatest performance of their lives. Now, miss knight, would you be so kind as to give our outsiders a little… interference? I trust that you will do much better than that pitiful celestial.”

Konngara bowed and drew her sword. “Of course, Lady Shinki. I shall

return within the next day.” With a single slice of her sword, Konngara disappeared into a veil of stars.

“Wonderful.” Shinki began with a wide grin as she turned to a nearby portal, which showed Yumemi and Chiyuri walking with Eirin. “Now we wait and watch the chaos unfold.”

* * *

“So you’re saying that the boundary anomalies caused widespread disorder within Gensokyo?” Yumemi asked, her mind already racing with several different equations while the trio walked through the forest and kept an eye out for any other potential danger.

“Indeed.” Eirin said with a sigh, keeping her bow ready for any other potential “surprises” that might appear during their walk back to Eirin’s refuge. Meanwhile, Tenshi’s unconscious body was slumped over Eirin’s shoulder. “The initial boundary fracture occurred 2 days and 7 hours ago exactly, and it’s only gotten worse ever since. I deliberately chose to take advantage of the situation to set up a temporary outpost to aid any injured humans or youkai while we work to figure out what's going on. The princess is currently being entertained by Reisen back in Gensokyo.”

“Princess?” Chiyuri asked with a shocked expression. “There’s princesses now?”

“That’s correct.” Eirin confirmed with a nod. “Princess Kaguya, whom I am forever loyal to. Even if she acts a bit… immature, at times.”

Yumemi’s eyes lit up with recognition upon hearing that name.

“Wait, Princess Kaguya? Are you perhaps referring to the Tale of the Bamboo Cutter?”

Eirin’s eyes narrowed. “I was not aware the Outside World knew of such stories.”

“It’s a famous Japanese legend! And now that I know of her existence…” Yumemi tapped her fingers together. “This will prove to be extraordinarily helpful for my research!”

“Hey, lay off the poor woman.” Chiyuri interjects. “It’s been a rough couple days, so I doubt the Princess is gonna be in the mood for your bullshit.”

“It’s nice to know that one of you is not completely delusional. If you’re going to be a guest, please control yourselves.”

Right after she says that, the trees thin out enough to reveal a small, two story cabin. The patio on the side seems to have been covered up by tarp to turn into a makeshift tent, where two figures could be seen working on something.

“We’re here. Do either of you two require medical assistance?”

Both girls shake their heads in unison. But before Eirin could say anything, the door suddenly burst open, and a purple-haired scientist stepped outside with a worried expression.

“Lady Yagokoro! We-“

She stops in her tracks upon seeing Eirin’s companions and the unconscious Tenshi. “…What happened while you were gone? The earthquakes seemed to have stopped.”

Eirin stifles a chuckle. “Don’t worry about it. Just a troublesome delinquent.”

“Greetings! I’m Yumemi, a scientist and former professor who now researches Gensokyo alongside my assistant, Chiyuri!”

“…Right. Well I’m sure you're aware of this, but Gensokyo’s having a bit of a crisis right now?” “A strawberry crisis?”

“Shut up, Yumemi.”

“I have no idea what that means, but someone is messing with the boundary, and it’s causing ripple effects throughout all of Gensokyo. Come inside, we have much to discuss.”

The group makes their way inside, where Rikako would then bring the two to the outside tent while Eirin tends to the unconscious Tenshi. When the two step into the makeshifr workshop, they’re greeted by a brown-haired girl tinkering with some kind of device. When she sees her friend returning with two new arrivals, she gives them a shy wave.

“Heya! Name’s Rika. I’m an aspiring engineer around these parts, although I’m now working to try and prevent the end of the world.”

Rikako rolls her eyes. “It’s not that serious… yet, but it’s getting dangerously close. We’ve been analyzing energy signatures coming from the barrier, and what we’ve found is… interesting. Tell me, does the name ‘Mima’ ring any bells?”

Chiyuri’s eyes widen. “Actually, yes! She’s that ghost lady with the staff right? We saw her when we first attempted to enter Gensokyo. Are you saying she’s the one responsible for this?”

“Seems likely.” Rika replied. “The energy readings from the barrier are coming in significant spikes, presumably from magic circles. Mima is the only magician who would be capable of such destruction.”

“Then it looks like we’ve found our target.” Yumemi declared while adjusting her cape, a confident smile plastered on her face.

“Cool your jets, professor.” Chiyuri said with an awkward smile. “I doubt it’s that easy. Do we even know where Mima is?”

“That’s going to be the tricky part.” Rikako said with a sigh. “The scanners aren’t picking her up at all. It’s like she somehow doesn’t exist. Or she’s not currently located in Gensokyo. Which is unusual, because she should be sealed in the Hakurei Shrine.”

“Do we have any other ideas where she could be?” Chiyuri asked.

“Not unless you know someone from an alternate dimension.” Rika replied.

“We do not, but we may know someone who does.” Chiyuri explained while pulling out her phone, only to see that she has no service. “Damn, so much for this being easy. Any chance you two have a method of sending texts without service?”

Rikako shook her head. “Unfortunately, no. We haven’t had the time to build a communication device. Our best option right now is sending a signal flare. Who are you even trying to contact?”

“Sumireko Usami. She’s part of a group with two others alongside

Reimu and Sanae-“

Rika's eyes widen. “The shrine maidens? They’re here?!”

“Yeah, but we got separated from them when the earthquakes started. They were all caught in the collapsing apartment…”

Yumemi put her hand on her friend’s shoulder with a reassuring smile. “Hey, calm down. They’re a tough group, I have faith they’ll pull through.”

“In that case,” Rika began, pulling out a flare gun. “I’m deploying the signal flare. Wherever they are, I hope they see it.”

* * *

Within the mostly collapsed city, the rest of the Hifuu Club was wandering the streets, staying far away from any buildings that could collapse at any moment. The two shrine maidens had fully healed through the use of their magic, but Sumireko was still leading the group, as she knew the most about their city.

“Damn… still no service.” Sumireko muttered after taking a quick glance at her phone.

“Any idea where the others went?” Renko asked.

“They went to figure out a solution behind the earthquakes. Which worked, but I have no idea where they are now. And no way of communicating with them.”

Sanae looked around the ruins with a solemn expression. “Is… anyone still alive…?”

Reimu looks equally as grim, her hand clutching her gohei. “If anyone was still out there, surely they would’ve made themselves known by now.”

Maribel’s eyes darted around nervously, like she was searching for something that didn’t exist. “I… I don't think I can sense the boundary anymore… does that mean…?”

“No.” Reimu deconfirmed. “I can still feel it. It’s cracking, but the barrier is still there. What I don’t understand is what that gap hag is doing. Even she would have to realize that this requires her involvement, right?”

Their conversation was then interrupted by a brilliant red light illuminating the night sky like a beacon of hope.

“Follow that flare!” Sanae yelled. “There has to be people that way!”

The group start running through the forest, but where stopped by a blade rapidly approaching Maribel.

“MERRY!!” Renko wailed, but before her friend could be sliced, Sanae summoned a green hexagon-pattern barrier to block the strike, knocking the swords owner back when it shattered, where she would then glare at the group.

“Hakurei…”

“Sanae…” Reimu began. “Take the two humans and run towards the light. Make sure they’re safe. I’ll handle this.”

“But Reimu…”

“GO!”

Sanae was reluctant to leave her friend behind, but she grabbed Renko and Maribels hands and dashed into the forest with them.

“I’m staying with you, Reimu.” Sumireko declared. “I'm not letting you fight this thing alone. Who is this, anyway?”

“This does not concern you, Psychic.” The woman raised her sword at the duo. “Leave now, and let me put an end to the shrine maiden.”

Reimu clenched her fists. “And why is it you want me dead? That’s pretty bold for a youkai, you know.”

“That’s rich coming from you.” The woman spoke through clenched teeth. “You call yourself a protector, when you’re nothing but a genocidal monster.

“YOU JUST TRIED TO KILL MY BEST FRIEND!” Sumireko shrieked. “IF SHE’S A MONSTER, THEN WHAT DOES THAT MAKE YOU?!”

The woman raised her sword. “Retribution.”

She would then charge towards the shrine maiden, where a fire battle would ensue. The woman expertly parried all of Reimu’s needles, and even her ofuda had no effect on sealing her.

Eventually, Sumireko saw an opening, and attempted to throw her off balance with a barrage of high-velocity debris. Which didn’t seem to deter her. Whatever this woman was, she was unlike anything the two women have faced before.

“What… in the world are we fighting…?!” Sumireko managed to ask in-between winded breaths.

“I-I don't know, but I’m sure we- wait, LOOK OUT-“

Sumireko had accidentally flown too close to the woman, giving her the opening she needed. With a quiet, but deafening slice, a large slash formed across Sumireko’s chest and stomach. She let out a pained gasp as she was thrown against a nearby streetlight, blood soaking into her plaid outfit.

“SUMIREKO!!!” Reimu wailed with a mixture of sorrow and rage. Luckily, the woman’s attack lowered her guard for just a moment, allowing for a powerful amulet to strike her in the stomach and send her tumbling backward, her body visibly destabilizing, flickering in and out.

“You… YOU PIECE OF-“

The woman’s yelling was cut off by a bullet piercing the side of her head, shattering her into a bunch of stars that floated upwards, where they would then disappear into the night sky. Reimu rushed over to the barely conscious Sumireko, who was pointing her liberator where the woman once floated. She let out a faint chuckle before her breathing slowed.

“Hey, HEY! Stay with me, you idiot! We’ll… we’ll get you help!”

Reimu slumped Sumireko over her shoulder, and dashed into the forest. She might’ve lost the ability to fly, but adrenaline carried her body through the trees and eventually towards a small cabin where the flare originated. There was no time for being polite, and she instantly kicked the door open, her eyes lighting up with hope at the sight of the Lunar doctor.

“EIRIN! PLEASE! Y-You gotta… help her…”

Reimu collapsed against the nearby wall while the cabin erupted into chaos. Eirin had grabbed Sumireko and was attempting to heal her, Maribel and Renko were sobbing at the sight of their mortally wounded best friend, Chiyuri was visibly shaken, Yumemi was attempting to calm everyone down, and Rikako and Rika were both taking refuge outside in an attempt to shield themselves from the chaos within.

As Reimu’s body gave into the fatigue, all she could do was pray for Sumireko’s safety.

(Sorry for the short chapter, this is meant to be buildup for the finale).

The room was silent, but the silence spoke louder than words. Renko and Maribel were hovering over the unconscious Sumireko while Renko gave her hand a gentle squeeze. Sumireko’s torso had been bandaged up, but she still suffered traumatic injuries as a result of Konngara’s attack.

Meanwhile, the rest of the group was in a state of unease. Rika and

Rikako were both tending to devices outside, Eirin was ensuring that Sumireko healed properly, and everyone else was trying to maintain some form of order.

“Who… Who even was that?” Sanae asked, her voice wavering as she tried her best not to break down.

“I’m not sure…” Reimu said, receiving a cup of tea from Yumemi. “She didn’t say much, and she didn’t look familiar. Whoever she was, she seemed… angry. Even going so far as to accuse me of genocide…”

“Genocide?!” Chiyuri looked flabbergasted by this accusation. “Where’d she get THAT idea?!”

Reimu opened her mouth to speak, but then froze. Everything came flooding back at once, and she was suddenly crushed under the weight of her past sins. Before the proper formation of Gensokyo, and before the scarlet mist incident… there were no spell card rules. As a result, there was nothing holding Reimu back…

“Yo, I’m talking to you!” Chiyuri’s voice snapped Reimu out of her trance, leaving her gasping and panting. “What’s going on with you? You look like you’ve seen a ghost! …Which wouldn’t even be abnormal for Gensokyo.”

“No, no, it’s just…” Reimu took a deep breath. “I think I know what that woman was talking about.”

Chiyuri looked genuinely dumbfounded. “Wait, WHAT?! You… you actually…?”

“I did what I had to.” Reimu said bluntly. “The spell card rules weren’t a thing yet. It was either me or them. Makai is very different from Gensokyo, you see...”

“Makai…” Eirin spoke up. She had overheard the conversation, but the topic of Makai peaked her interest. “That’s the realm of demons, yes? Where Alice and Byakuren originated from?”

Reimu nodded with a solemn expression. “Indeed. Or rather, what’s left of it. After the final incident that took place there, the entire place went up in flames. For the longest time, I assumed that the place had completely collapsed, but now I’m not entirely sure…”

“WAIT! STOP THE PRESSES!”

The door had burst open, with Yumemi and Rikako rushing into the cabin.

“There’s another dimension besides Gensokyo?!”

“That’s correct.” Reimu said, wincing slightly at the volume of

Yumemi’s voice. “It’s also where I… did some things I’m not proud of, and I was hoping I would never have to worry about that place again.”

“Nevermind that.” Rikako brushed off Reimu’s admission of murder, much to the groups bewilderment. “Do you know of a method of entering Makai?”

“I do, but the route is sealed off.” Reimu said with a deadpan expression. “That place is too dangerous for anyone to enter, and I cannot risk anything bad happening. Especially after what happened yesterday.”

“That’s going to be an issue then.” Rika said, stepping into the cabin. “Because we believe the culprits of this incident are currently residing in Makai.”

“Reimu…” Sanae began, looking out the window with a concerned expression. “You can still feel the barrier, right?”

“Yes, but-“

“The barrier is crumbling, Reimu.” Yumemi said, her voice softer than usual. “Your friends are in danger, and so are we. There’s no time left for hesitation. If we don’t make our move, then our worlds may collide entirely, and who knows what might happen then.”

Reimu took a deep breath, and turned to Sumireko, who was fully awake and removing her bandages, to the delight of Renko and Maribel.

“…Okay, fine. But we’re going to need to formulate a proper plan. I still have access to a boundary charm Yukari gave me, and it should be enough to bring us to the sealed-off cave beside the shrine.” Rikako stepped forward and placed a diagram on the table. “Based on our research, we’ve come to the conclusion that our main target is a magician by the name of Mima. That sword woman is also presumed to be connected, considering her hostility towards the group. Is there anyone else who could be a contender for a culprit?”

Reimu’s fists clenched. “Shinki. She’s the goddess of Makai. She’s likely involved, which will drastically complicate things…”

“Wait, really?!” Chiyuri’s eyes widened. “We’re dealing with gods now?!”

“You’ve been next to one this whole time.” Eirin said with an amused glint in her eyes. “With that being said, I’m afraid I will be unable to join you in your journey, as I need to return to Eientei and ensure that the pharmacy is still doing okay.”

Merry fiddled with her hands awkwardly. “Can Renko and I assist you at Eientei, Miss Eirin? We… don’t really have anything left here, and we aren’t really capable of fighting.”

Eirin looked pleasantly surprised by the offer before nodding in agreement. “That would actually be quite helpful. Thank you, Maribel and Renko.” She then turned to Sumireko. “How about you? Are you feeling okay, Sumireko?”

Sumireko jumped up with a confident grin and marched over to Reimu. “Indeed I am! Thanks Eirin!”

“Absolutely not.” Reimu began. “You saw what happened last time. I cannot in good conscience let you-“

“Reimu you already know how persistent I am. If this ends up killing me, you can tell my corpse ‘I told you so.’” Sumireko interrupted with a cheeky grin.

“Ugh… fine.” Reimu said with a resigned sigh. “So that makes me and Sumireko. Who else is fighting?”

“I’m sorry, Reimu. But I’ll need to return to the Moriya shrine. Lady Kanako and Suwako must be worried sick about me…”

“I’m gonna need to move back to the human village.” Rika said with a frown. “I’m not really good at combat.”

“I’ll fight.” Rikako said, equipping some kind of futuristic armor that dual-wielded plasma swords. “I don’t have magic, but I do have technology.”

Yumemi turned to Chiyuri. “So… are we-“

“Hell YEAH we are! Let’s go kick some ass!”

“In that case…” Reimu began, taking one last look at her gohei, her vision flashing back to her purple outfit for a moment. “We’ll begin our journey in the morning. I hope you’re watching, gap hag. Because I doubt you plan on helping us.”

And with that, the group concluded their day by sleeping in various places, although an underlying tension remained in the air for whatever might happen next.

* * *

Within the depths of pandemonium, the trio had been watching the outside world groups plans while Yumeko served them tea. Konngara’s last battle was not fatal, as she had temporarily destabilized her body and flew away.

In the meantime, Shinki placed her teacup down with a soft “clink” before speaking. “Well, it would appear that we will have guests arriving momentarily.”

“Indeed.” Mima said with a grin. It’s been a while since I last had an opportunity to fight anyone directly.”

“You two are taking this remarkably calm.” Konngara said with an annoyed huff. “Do you not recognize that we’re in danger?”

“You worry too much, Konngara.” Shinki said with a grin. “Nothing can truly hurt us, and besides, this is all in good fun! What’s the worst that could happen?”

“Cliché much?” Mima said with a laugh, causing Shinki to pout.

“Hey! I’m just trying to sound intimidating! Regardless, are you three ready?”

“Indeed, Lady Shinki.” Yumeko said with a bow. “We will all move into our positions soon.”

“Very good.” Shinki declared, watching as the three woman filtered out of her room. She then turned to a nearby window and looked out at the decaying landscape she once called her home. As she stared out into the ruins, she let out an amused chuckle.

“Prepare yourselves, my beloved actors, for this will be our greatest performance yet. After all…”

“Life is a pandemonium!”

Prelude: "The Ones Who Witnessed It All"

Yumemi had always been a believer in the supernatural. Her passion shining through in the form of her brilliant mind and engineering skills. She had managed to create all kinds of different devices, gadgets, and weaponry. But most importantly of all, was her crown jewel: the Probability Space Hypervessel. It was a spaceship capable of traversing boundaries and finally exposing the truth to those she viewed as blind; which just so happened to be the very university in which she taught her students.

Despite obtaining undeniable evidence that proved the existence of Gensokyo, something always went wrong with the technology that fudged the results. Whether it be a blurry photograph or altered variables, the result was always the same: nobody could believe the evidence she presented. It almost felt like someone was intentionally sabotaging her, but she could never figure out the culprit. Regardless, her attempts eventually resulted in yhe university president firing her from her job as a professor, leaving her with nothing but her workshop, and with nobody but Chiyuri by her side.

Yet she remained determined. When she dragged Chiyuri along for her most recent Gensokyo expedition, she was confident she could finally acquire the evidence she needed to prove the others wrong, and have the greatest “I told you so” moment of her life. What she wasn’t expecting, however, was more questions than answers, and a disaster that almost resulted in the demise of her and her best friend.

Ever since the beginning of this incident, her views on the world around her have changed significantly. Almost witnessing the demise of her best friend in the inferno that claimed her prized possession taught her that there were some things even she couldn’t accomplish, and that her recklessness will cost her everything. As she’s formed new bonds with unlikely allies, she’s changed her objective entirely; proving Gensokyo’s existence no longer mattered. All that mattered was keeping her friends safe, and protecting what remained of the university she once worked at, even if it were only a few students.

As for Rikako, her backstory begins within the same forests the newly formed group was planning their assault. She was a standalone researcher investigating whatever anomalies she could in the modified cabin in which she resided in. While her interest in visiting Gensokyo was minimal, she took pleasure in researching it’s boundaries and residents. At least until the boundaries began to shatter…

Rikako was forced to carry a burden for several days before the initial fracture, as her machinery had first picked up on the energy spikes and fraying boundaries. She could’ve warned others, in fact, she should have warned others. But she knew that nobody would listen, and nobody would understand her ramblings. As a result, she was tortured by knowledge of a catastrophic event leading up to the early moments of the incident.

She was hoping that this incident would blow over quickly and that the shrine maiden would solve it like she usually did. But something was wrong, the barrier only got worse, and earthquakes were threatening to tear down Rikako’s cabin. It was during this time that the lunarian doctor arrived at her cabin with a woman slumped over her shoulders. She explained that she found the unconscious engineer in a nearby building, and that she was in dire need of shelter so she could tend to her wounds.

Of course, Rikako wasn’t heartless. She graciously let the doctor in, and watched in awe at her expertise. Within a few minutes, the woman she was carrying had been fully healed, her head injury bandaged and healing at an accelerated rate. When she regained consciousness, she was alarmed at first, but the lingering painkillers in her system helped her remain calm. She introduced herself as an engineer named Rika, and from there, the two joined forces to figure out a stop to this mess.

Despite remaining calm and composed, the sight of Sumireko almost being sliced in half broke something inside of her. The culprits behind the incident were clearly dangerous, and it almost led to the death of someone that was clearly close to others, even if she didn’t know her personally. She was now more determined than ever to solve this incident with the others, and had resorted to activating a combat mech suit that she promised she would never use, as she viewed it as overkill. It was heavily armored with a lightweight alloy, had a jetpack, rocket boots, and most importantly, had two plasma swords that she dual-wielded. Although she couldn’t fight with magic, she still had methods of giving it her all.

As for Sumireko, she didn’t need much to prepare. All she technically needed was her liberator and her psychic knowledge, yet a sense of unease still lingered in her mind. She was careless during that last fight, and it nearly led to her demise. Despite this, she couldn’t stand around and risk her sister’s safety, or the safety of the other’s in her group. She was going to put a stop to this incident, even if it killed her.

“Hey, you alright?” Reimu’s voice snapped her out of her trance. She was clearly concerned, though she tried to hide it. “Nobody’s forcing you to join us, you know. You can stay in Gensokyo with the rest of the group that aren’t fighting.”

Sumireko’s teeth formed a grimace, but one look at Renko’s worried face was enough to ignite a determined fire in her eyes. “Yes. I can’t back down now, not when other’s lives are at stake.”

A small smile formed on Reimu’s face. “Never thought I’d see the day where you were being selfless instead of selfish.” “Hey!” Sumireko yelled with a mock pout. “I’m not that bad!”

“Yeah, yeah, whatever.” Reimu shrugged and pulled out a boundary charm, handing it to Sanae while keeping one for herself. “Just open the boundary charm, and it’ll create a temporary gap for your group. As for the rest of us, it’s time to move out.”

Renko ran over and wrapped her arms around Sumireko for one last hug. “Promise me you’ll come back to us...” Renko’s voice was slightly choked up.

“I will, sister. I promise you I’ll be safe.”

With their final promises out of the way, the two groups gave their heartfelt goodbyes and wishes of good luck, and they went their separate ways. As they walked, a rainstorm loomed over them, and it didn’t take long for them to be drenched and their footwear to be caked in mud.

“Aw man, I liked this outfit!” Chiyuri whined.

“I’ve literally never seen you wear anything g else.” Yumemi said with a chuckle.

“Yeah, I like all my outfits!” Chiyuri’s grin nearly split her face in two.

The two share a hearty laugh before Reimu stops in her tracks, almost causing Chiyuri to run into her. “Hey, what gives?”

“It’s time.” Reimu opened up the boundary charm, and the group entered Gensokyo. What would normally be a paradise for the group, and a home for Reimu, now felt more like impending doomsday. Large, glowing cracks were visible in the sky, like permanent lightning strikes.

“Oh my goodness…” Sumireko said, her voice muffled slightly by the shock.

“The barrier…” Rikako gasped. “It's so much worse than I thought… are we too late…?”

“Hey, snap out of it!” Reimu yelled. “As long as we can see those cracks, we still have time. Now lets go! The cave is right behind the shrine!”

The group ran through the rain-soaked Gensokyo, splattering mud with each frantic step as they reached the sealed-off cave, where Reimu raised her gohei.

“Last call, is everyone ready?”

Sumireko twirled her liberator, Yumemi had her cross-sword ready, Chiyuri primed her raygun, and Rikako equipped her mech suit.

“Let’s kick some ass.” Chiyuri said with a confident smirk.

“We'll avenge the outsiders who have fallen.” Yumemi clutched her ruby necklace with a tear in her eye.

“We’ll fulfill our promises.” Sumireko clutched her liberator, swallowing any lingering unease.

“We’ll complete our destiny.” Rikako said, her determined face hidden behind the metal mask.

Reimu gave them a wide grin, which was rare for someone as grumpy as her. She extended her hand.

“For Gensokyo.”

“For Gensokyo!” The group cheered.

And with that, Reimu’s gohei tore open the entrance cave to makai like a knife through butter, and the group made their way into the dark, ominous cave. With nothing but a few lingering torches and their flashlights to light the way.

* * *

Section 1: "Let The Show Begin!"

The cave they slowly moved through was a dark and ominous location. Every shadow looked like it might jump out at them at any moment, and a foreboding feeling was present in the air, like the earth itself had its own twisted heartbeat. As they continued their journey through the maze-like caverns, a sense of dread continued to pool in their stomachs.

“So like…” Sumireko began with a slight waver in her voice. “This creepy place has been behind the shrine this entire time?”

“There’s a reason I sealed it off for everyone including me.” Reimu said, continuing to remain vigilant. “This is a very dangerous place, full of demons and other unholy creatures. Or rather, it used to be.”

“If you already killed everything here,” Chiyuri began. “Then we should be in the clear, right?”

“I wouldn’t be so sure, Chiyuri.” Yumemi said while checking her tablet. “I’m detecting several energy signatures, and the number is only increasing…”

“It’s the Makai atmosphere.” Rikako said, her voice carrying a slight robotic filter. “This place is inherently full of potent magical energy, which attracts the most powerful magicians, or those who are trying to become magicians.”

“That reminds me,” Sumireko began. “What’s left of Makai nowadays? Didn’t the entire thing burn down?”

“I can’t say I know for certain.” Reimu said. “It’s been decades since I sealed off this place, and even longer since I last visited.” “So it’s a demonic wasteland?” Chiyuri asked.

“Not entirely.” Reimu replied. “The forest should still be intact, alongside Shinki’s fortress, Pandemonium.”

“She has an entire fortress?!” Yumemi asked with a shocked expression.

“She’s a goddess, what were you expecting?” Chiyuri retorted with an eye roll.

“Well, most goddesses reside in shrines…”

“Yeah, well, Shinki clearly wanted to feel special.” Reimu responded with a shrug.

As they continued their journey, the labyrinth-like caverns opened up into a decaying landscape full of twisted vegetation and the only natural light being a permanent sunset over the horizon. However, their journey was suddenly cut short by an oppressive darkness closing around their group, much to everyone’s alarm.

“Hey, what the-?!”

“What’s going on?!”

“Chiyuri, don’t let go of my hand—”

All of the voices suddenly vanished at once, leaving Sumireko and Rikako alone in the forest clearing.

“What-?! Where did everybody go?!” Sumireko wailed, her eyes frantically scanning the horizon.

“I… I think they got teleported…? They’re still alive, but I can’t find-“

“Greetings.”

A calm and composed voice cuts through their unease like a knife. The two girls turn to the source of the voice and see a woman in a red-white maid outfit staring at them with a composed expression.

“S-Sakuya…?” Sumireko asked in confusion, to which the woman shook her head.

“Incorrect. I am Yumeko, faithful servant of Lady Shinki. As for your friends, they are unharmed at the moment, but they will have their own battles to fight. As for me, do not fret, for I am not here for trouble. This is simply my master’s will.”

The trio stared at eachother in silence for a moment, until Sumireko broke the silence.

“So are we all just standing around, or…”

“Incorrect. Lady Shinki wishes to put on one last performance, so…” Large knives suddenly appear in her hands.

“Let the first act begin.”

With an elegant leap into the air, Yumeko unleashed spiraling knife patterns that forced Sumireko and Rikako to react quickly in order to dodge, although Yumeko was treating the whole ordeal like a performance rather than a battle.

Luckily for Sumireko, the significant amount of knives in the air proved useful for her telekinesis, which allowed her to retaliate with a barrage of Yumeko’s own knives, in which she dodged with elegant twirls and leaps like a graceful ballerina. Meanwhile, Rikako assisted with rocket barrages from above with her mechsuit, turning the battlefield into a chaotic landscape of fire and ash.

“I see.” Yumeko observed. “So you wish to win all your battles by sheer oppressive force, rather than grace and strategy.”

While the battle continued, Sumireko gained a cocky smirk. “Yeah, and what’s the issue with that?”

“Allow me to demonstrate.”

One of Yumeko’s knives suddenly took a sharp turn and slashed the air right in front of Sumireko's torso with enough force to make her feel a small gust of wind. When her mind registered what happened, Sumireko’s face went completely pale, and her stomach lurched.

“A-Ah!”

“Do you see the issue now? Your recklessness almost caused you to suffer the same fate that nearly led to your undoing. So heed my warning, I’ve already done what I’ve been asked: creating the first act of our grand play. Now all that’s left for me is to give what little advice I have left. Treat danmaku not as a game, but as a dance. If you are not elegant, you will suffer greatly.”

Rikako had paused her barrages, and had a (not visible) confused expression on her face. “Why are you telling us this? Surely the fight isn't over this soon, correct?”

A ghost of a smile formed on Yumeko’s lips. “As stated, I’ve already done what I was asked. I have no ill will towards any of you, yet I have no say in this matter. I am nothing more than a puppet to my ruler, but as I remain bound to these strings, I recognize your strength.”

She turns her gaze to Sumireko.

“Psychic… you’ve cut your own strings before, haven’t you?”

“Wha-“

“The ‘Outside World’ which you despise so much. You viewed yourself as a puppet, yet you possessed the strength to free yourself and enter a paradise for the occult. It’s too late for me, but I admire your strength.”

She takes a deep breath.

“You’ve earned my respect, that’s enough for me. But now, your battle will start anew. So heed my warning, and I wish you luck. This puppet bids you adieu.”

With a respectful bow, Yumeko disappears into the same suffocating darkness that separated Sumireko and Rikako from the rest of the group. But more importantly, they could see a large crystallized fortress up ahead.

“For once in my life, I don’t even know what’s happening anymore…”

Rikako put a metallic hand on Sumireko’s shoulder. “We can ask questions later. For now, let’s keep moving. We’re only going to get lost if we search for the others directly, so let’s wait outside the entrance to the fortress for the others.”

“Alright.”

And so, the two made their way past the twisted vegetation and towards the crystal fortress. While the two were waiting outside, Sumireko pondered the woman’s warning, and then her mind flashed back to the knife almost cutting her open in the same way Komngara did. Her body shuddered with the realization of what was happening in this place, alongside what Reimu said yesterday. This place didn’t know about the spell card rules, which only served to make Shinki more dangerous. If Sumireko was going to make it out alive, she was going to have to be more careful about her fighting. Psychic barrages clearly aren’t going to cut it anymore.

As Sumireko rested against the entrance doors, she took a look at the orange-painted night sky, and saw an unusual amount of stars decorating the atmosphere. Although, it probably wouldn’t be seen as abnormal in a place like this.

* * *

Section 2: "Confronting Your Past"

The sudden, suffocating darkness caught Reimu completely offguard. She normally had good intuition, but it was clear that anything could happen in Makai. By the time Reimu realized the darkness was the result of a powerful barrier distortion, it was too late to deflect it, and she was suddenly transported into an open field where the stars shone brightly above her.

“Damn it…” She grimaced. “Hey, where is everyone?! Sumireko? Red girl? Can anyone hear me?!”

“Hakurei.”

A familiar voice immediately distilled anger into the shrine maiden’s soul. Her hand tightened around her gohei as she turned to face the source of the voice: a black-haired woman surrounded by a veil of stars.

“You again?! Did you not learn your lesson the last time we met?”

The woman let out a chuckle. “I should be asking you the same thing. That psychic girl almost died by my hands, and you bring her to an even more dangerous place? Are you trying to get her killed?”

Reimu paused for a moment, pondering her words. “She… insisted. She’s proven her strength before, so I didn’t think…”

“For once, you’re correct.” Konngara interrupted. “You don’t think. You destroy everything in your path without a second thought, and you put others in danger without thinking of the consequences. You cannot protect everyone, Hakurei. Maybe someday you’ll learn.”

“I… I’m trying, okay?!” Reimu snapped. “I-I know I can’t protect everyone, but… I also can’t do this alone. If I entered Makai and confronted everyone here alone, then I’d likely be killed…”

“Is that so? Because you didn't seem to have an issue when you destroyed our home.” “I didn’t have a choice-“

“YES YOU DID!” Konngara roared, her eyes blazing with anger. “THE DEMONS HAD SURRENDERED, AND YOU STILL KILLED THEM!”

“I… I…” For once, Reimu was completely stunlocked, her vision flashing back to her original outfit, before Gensokyo was properly established. She always claimed that Makai was sealed to prevent others from being exposed to it’s atmosphere, but the truth was that she never wanted to confront her mistakes again. She would’ve rather this incident be caused by literally anyone else, even the lunarians. As long as it meant… she wouldn’t have to be reminded her crimes again.

“Nothing to say for yourself, huh?” Konngara’s voice snapped her out of her trance.

Reimu’s hands trembled as she struggled to maintain her composure. “I can’t excuse what I did, but…”

“Stop.” Konngara interrupted her. “It’s too late for apologies. If you truly wish to atone…” She raised her sword, stars swirling around it’s blade. “Then you will let me end you in the very place where your torment began.”

“No… I can’t. I can’t undo what I’ve done, but I still have people to go home to. So, astral knight…”

Her eyes narrowed, and she readied her spell cards. “Let’s do some stargazing.”

“In that case, it looks like I was right about you the whole time.”

The two would then take to the skies, where the would clash in a mostly melee encounter. Attempting to use needles and amulets were ineffective, as Konngara effectively slashed and parried each projectile. The battle raged on in silence, as it was clear that talking would be ineffective on both sides.

Despite this, the true battle was happening within Reimu herself.

She was forced to confront the consequences of her actions, and by fighting, she was only proving them correct. Was this truly her fate? Was she doomed to fulfill her destiny of destroying all that remained of Makai?

No. It wasn’t too late. It might’ve been too late for apologies, but it was not too late to change. Their group had promised to protect what remained, and now it was time to fulfill that promise. As a result, Reimu tool advantage of Konngara’s focus to drop a homing amulet that slammed into the side of her sword, knocking it out of her hands and sending it into a nearby tree. Afterwards, the two stared at eachother in silence, before Konngara spoke up.

“So… that’s it then? You’re just gonna cut me down?”

Reimu stared at her in silence, she then looked down at her gohei, flashing back to when her hands and her gohei were stained with the blood of demons. She then looked up at Konngara, who had crossed her arms with an expectant look.

“Go ahead. Fulfill your ‘destiny,’ and save the day by destroying what’s left of Makai.”

Her hands trembled, but then… she lowered her gohei. “No.” “…No?” Konngara looked genuinely surprised.

“Times have changed, Konngara. Danmaku isn’t lethal anymore.

So… I’m letting gou go. It’s clear that you cannot fight anymore.”

“You… You’re letting me go…?”

“That’s what I said.”

Konngara's expression goes from disbelief to melancholy when she sees that Reimu is indeed being genuine. She had spared her life. It wasn’t enough to extinguish her years of anger, but it was enough for her to let Reimu go… for now.

With a deep breath, Konngara had only one thing left to say: “…When you reach Shinki. Defeating her will result in Makai’s collapse. I have no energy left to stop you, so it will all be in your hands now.”

Right after she said that, she disappeared into the vast sea of stars above them, leaving Reimu alone on a path leading to the crystallized fortress of pandemonium. Feeling a deep sense of remorse in her heart, she continued towards the entrance of the palace, where Sumireko and Rikako were already waiting.

“Reimu! There you are!” Sumireko said with a wave. “We were starting to think we were all alone out here. Any idea what happened?”

“It… was a boundary distortion. I think Yumemi and Chiyuri are still making their way here.”

“Are you alright, Reimu?” Rikako asked. “You sound unwell.”

“I’m fine.” Reimu replied hastily. “I’m just feeling a bit remorseful of my past actions, is all.”

“You shouldn’t dwell too much on the past, y’know.” Sumireko said with a reassuring grin. “What matters now is that you’ve changed, and that we’re here together.”

For once, Reimu actually seemed to enjoy Sumireko’s presence. “Thank you, Sumireko. That means a lot to me.”

“Don't mention it. By the way, who did you end up fighting? We got some weird puppet girl who looked kinda like Sakuya. The weirdest part is that she actually helped us. She warned me about being careful with my movements. Not sure why she did that, but I almost got sliced again, so uh… yeah I think I’m gonna listen to her.”

“Wait, what?!” Reimu’s blood turned to ice in her veins. “Sumireko, are you okay?!”

“Relax, Reimu.” Rikako interjected. “Sumireko is completely unharmed. She’s just a bit shaken up.”

“Thank the gods… If anything happened to her, then…” She shook her head. “Nevermind, I’m just glad you’re safe. As for me, I ended up fighting that same knight we saw earlier.”

“You mean Konngara?” Sumireko asked while leaning forward with a smirk. “You kicked her ass, right?”

Reimu gave her a mischievous grin. “Not the wording I’d use, but yeah, she won’t be bothering us anymore.”

Sumireko cheered and raised her hand to hi-five Reimu. “Yeah! That’s what I’m talking about!”

The trio would then continue their peaceful conversation while awaiting Yumemi and Chiyuri. Meanwhile, Reimu shifted her gaze towards the sky, where she watched the stars twinkle above them. She couldn’t say for certain, but she had a feeling that Konngara was grateful for her actions. Even if she couldn’t say so directly.

Section 3: "Their Final Year of School"

Yumemi had prepared herself for a lot of potential scenarios Gensokyo would throw at her. She always knew there was an inherent danger inside of Gensokyo, but she never expected to find another dimension entirely. Especially one as dark and creepy as Makai.

Luckily, when the darkness arrived, Yumemi had grabbed Chiyuri’s arm. She had no idea it would work, but it resulted in the two being separated from the group together, even if the others were nowhere in sight.

“W-What the hell just happened?!” Chiyuri wailed, her expression containing a worried smile.

“I’m not sure…” Yumemi replied while attempting to check her tablet, only to be met with a black screen. “Whatever happened, it’s messing with my equipment. I can’t even turn my tablet on, let alone obtain a reading of our environment.”

“What readings do you need?! Just look around you!” Chiyuri gestured wildly. “We’re in the depths of what’s essentially hell, the rest of the group is gone, and we don’t even know what we’re looking for!”

“While I admit the situation is precarious, panicking won’t help.” She gestures towards the faint silhouette of a crystal fortress up ahead. “I suspect that the rest of the group is likely to regroup at the object that stands out the most.”

“A-Are you sure we should just start wandering around in a place like this…?” Chiyuri stared at the professor like she had lost her mind.

“Do you have a better idea?” Yumemi immediately retorted.

“I guess not…”

And so, the two would begin walking along the decaying, ashcovered pathway until a voice made them stop in their tracks.

“Leaving so soon?”

Mima was leaning against a nearby tree with an expectant smirk, her crescent staff resting beside her.

“You again?!” Yumemi asked, her eyes wide with surprise and a flicker of… recognition?

“What else were you expecting? Yuki? That failure of a magician never could’ve reached my level of education. As for you two… I must say that I’m impressed. Really, I am. When I first started this incident, I had created it as an experiment to solve Shinki’s boredom. Truth be told, I hold no allegiance towards anyone, and as such, I don’t really care about Shinki.”

Her expression becomes bored at the mention of Makai’s ruler.

“However, I’ve been watching your progress the whole time, alongside the others. You had proven yourself a worthy opponent for someone as powerful as a celestial, and you had proven yourself intelligent enough to figure out the source of this incident.”

“Technically Rikako found out it was you.” Chiyuri interrupted, only to be shushed by Yumemi.”

“You are correct, but she never would’ve been able to solve it alone. You two are arrogant, but you’re compassionate enough to help others in need, while also maintaining perseverance in pursuit of your goals.”

“So what’s your point, exactly?” Yumemi asked.

Mima grabbed her staff and let out a mysterious chuckle. “My point is that you remind me of my former student, and despite my age, people like you remind me… that I still have a few things left to teach!”

Mima raised her staff, already channeling an unbelievable amount of energy, while Yumemi and Chiyuri draw their weapons despite their worried expressions.

“W-What is she doing?!” Chiyuri exclaimed.

“I-I don’t know! I think she’s going to.”

“Haha… AHAHAHAHA! WITNESS THE POWER OF THE FORMER GREAT MAGE! WATCH AS I TURN THIS WORLD TO ASH!!”

Feeling crushed under the overwhelming weight of Mima’s power, the two can only watch in horror as Mima points her staff at the two women, and a bright rainbow sphere begins to form and build up power. Until… It stops, leaving the two girls on a state of shock and confusion.

“It… It stopped…?” Chiyuri asked with a quivering voice and a completely bewildered expression. “Scary, isn’t it?” Mima asked with a chuckle.

“W-What exactly is your plan here?!” Yumemi demanded answers from the spirit in a desperate attempt to maintain her confidence, although she was visibly shaking.

“My plan is that I’m not going to fight.” Mima said bluntly. “As I’ve stated, I have no obligation to serve Shinki, and as such, I have no obligation to ‘protect’ her.”

“Then WHY did you stop us?!” Chiyuri wailed.

“Because I have something to show you.”

Mima raised her staff again, and several screen-like projections appear, showing several different apocalyptic scenarios. One showed a flaming earth, another showed a red-eyed Yuyuko devouring everything inside of a restaurant. The academic duo watched in awe as Mima showed them all kinds of hypothetical(…?) Scenarios.

“What you’re seeing… is the consequences of a narrative obligation. So much torment, so much pain… all because I have been puppeteered by those even I cannot defeat to cause such devastation. I’ve always wished to break this script of always being the villain and never winning, so here we are, witnessing my chance to break free, and obtain my peaceful silence.”

“In fact… there’s an alternate scenario that took place in this very spot, where everything went much worse.”

She summoned a screen in front of the duo that showed Yumemi and Mima fighting. Yumemi would’ve then attempted to absorb Mima’s energy, which would kill her, but then result in Yumemi’s demise as her body would not be able to handle such power. When the screen closed, a visibly shaken Chiyuri hugged the frightened professor.

“Do you see it now? I’ve caused so much devastation out of an obligation, although I do not wish to continue like this, as I’ve fallen into the abyss. So, as we speak, the incident is over. I’ve already healed the barrier, and everything is back to normal. But now that you’re here, Shinki won’t let you leave. So consider this my final lesson: there’s another way of ‘solving’ this incident, but I'm afraid I cannot help you. Good luck, for it will all be in your group’s hands now.

Mima then turned to Yumemi and looked her dead in the eyes. “As for you, professor…” She tossed her staff towards Yumemi, who grabbed it out of instinct. “There’s the ‘evidence’ you desire.” Mima then let out a confident laugh.

“So, how do you think this all ends?”

“No…”

“How do YOU want this to end?”

And with that, she flies away into the distant horizon, where she would never be seen again. Meanwhile, the academic duo was breathing heavily like they had just fought with Mima, despite no combat actually taking place.

“So uh… that was certainly something, huh?” Chiyuri said while letting out a nervous chuckle in an attempt to lighten the mood.

Meanwhile, Yumemi arms were trembling as she looked down at the crescent-tipped staff. This is it, she got what she always wanted: evidence that proved that all of her research wasn’t just mindless delusions. This alone would’ve made the scientific community go up in flames with the amount of revelations this would provide.

But… is this truly what she wanted? Her pursuit had already cost her so much, and she would likely be able to live in Gensokyo once this was all over...

Ultimately, she decided to keep the staff, but she wouldn’t use it as evidence, as she no longer desired her big “I told you so” moment. She then turned to Chiyuri. “Let’s move, Chiyuri. The fortress is up ahead.”

“Alright!”

The two would then make their way to the fortress uninterrupted, where the rest of the group was already waiting.

“Hey guys!” Sumireko called out with a wave while rushing over, only to stop in her tracks when she sees the staff attached to Yumemi’s back.

“Woah, you beat Mima?!” She exclaimed, her jaw dropping in surprise.

Yumemi and Chiyuri shared a look, before Yumemi let out a confident chuckle. “Heh, something like that.”

“Well, since we’re all here.” Reimu began. “It looks like this is it. Are we all ready to face the Makai god?”

Chiyuri took a quick look at the group before shrugging. “Ready as we’ll ever be, I guess.”

“In that case,” Rikako began. “Let’s not keep our ‘host’ waiting.”

The group turned to the large, crystalline door, which opened on it’s own. After sharing a confident nod with eachother, the group entered the fortress of Pandemonium, where Shinki would be waiting at it’s peak.

* * *

Section 4: "Lay Rest to Their Souls"

The interior of pandemonium was a strange and surprisingly empty location. Despite having an intimidating crystalline structure, the inside had barely any decoration or furniture. Leaving the group with a fairly straightforward, albeit confusing path.

“Hey uhh… are we sure this is the right place?” Chiyuri asked. “This is more of a liminal space than a fortress.”

“Shinki is an… odd person.” Reimu began. “She prefers to decorate her landscape rather than her own fortress.”

“The Makai goddess intrigues me.” Yumemi observed. “She seems to differentiate from all of the other gods that reside in Gensokyo. Instead of a shrine, she has an entire fortress that she barely even uses.”

“Don’t bother trying to decipher her motives.” Rikako interjected.

“Attempting to figure out Pandemonium will drive you to insanity.”

“You sure you aren’t being overdramatic?” Sumireko chuckled. “I’m not seeing any cognitohazards around here, just a very boring fortress.”

“Looks can be deceiving, Sumireko.” Yumemi began. “Perhaps Shinki assumes that people will get lost within these confusing pathways?”

“I don’t think she anticipated anyone making it this far.” Rikako explained. “This is a dangerous landscape that nobody should even have access to. If an average person managed to enter, then the Makai residents would’ve delt with them immediately.”

“Speaking of which,” Chiyuri began. “Does anyone know why we were suddenly separated like that? What was that darkness?”

“It was a boundary distortion.” Reimu began to explain. “If I had to guess, it was likely Mima or Shinki separating us so we could each have our own battles.”

During this conversation, Rikako had been making mental notes of everything they’ve encountered so far, and she had come to a realization.

“Hey, does anyone else feel like the people we’ve fought haven’t really been… trying?”

“They’re probably tired, honestly.” Sumireko replied. “This place is effectively dead, so Shinki is likely stringing us along for one last ‘game’ before they’re gone for good.”

“She sounds closer to a bored child than a god.” Chiyuri chuckled.

“Believe or not, she wouldn’t be the only one who’s like that.” Reimu explained. “Tenshi’s supposed to act ‘proper’ because she’s in heaven, but she’s more of a spoiled brat.”

“Speaking of Tenshi,” Yumemi began. “Did Eirin really keep her sedated the whole time…?”

“Most likely.” Reimu replied. “Trust me, you wouldn’t want her awake for something like this.”

Right after she says that, the group finally reach the top of pandemonium, where only one large room remains behind a closed door. The group approaches the door… and Chiyuri kicks it open.

“Yo, bitch! We’re here to stop ya!” Chiyuri had a wide grin on her face, while the rest of the group stood there with a stunned expression.

“Chiyuri, seriously?!” Yumemi exclaimed while smacking Chiyuri upside the head.

“My, my, what an entrance!” A calm, yet excited voice called out from deeper in the room. Looking up ahead, the group see’s a whitehaired woman with 6 wings protruding from her white-red dress as she gazed out a nearby balcony into the smoldering remains of Makai.

The woman would then turn and face them with an exoectant smile. “So… you’ve been busy, huh? I can see that my ‘loyal’ subjects weren’t able to stop you, or perhaps that’s to be expected?” She paused to give a melodic giggle before continuing. “I must say, it’s been far too many years since I’ve last had this opportunity. I’ve seen my entire empire decay, with nothing but me and a few survivors remain.”

Shinki had begun to levitate, her wings glowing with demonic energy as they stretched and latched into the walls like massive purple appendiges.

“I won't bore you with the details of my plan, as I’m sure you’re already well aware. So with that being said…”

"It's time for the last act to begin."

There wasn’t time for the group to prepare or respond, as Shinki had already unleashed a gigantic barrage of purple and red projectiles that made the entire room look like the night sky.

It was a struggle for each group member to individually dodge and weave, but more importantly, there was no room for a counterattack. The group could only sit there helplessly against a variety of danmaku patterns that Shinki used against them. When the spell card finally came to an end, Shinki began the next phase of her battle.

She used her powers to separate the group again, but this time, it was just Shinki and Rikako.

“Fighting all of you at once it rather tedious, is it not?” Shinki said with a smile. “So how about we do this my way? After all, I’m quite intrigued by your… unusual method of combat. As for your friends, they are merely in time-out. I will bring them in when the time comes.”

Shinki began creating explosive spheres that threatened to destroy Rikako’s armor in an instant, but she maintained pressure by using her own rockets to attack Shinki while deflecting projectiles with her swords.

“Who even are you?” Shinki managed to speak calmly despite the intense battle. “Why are you here? What do you seek?”

“Retribution.” Rikako said simply while maintaining her dodging, but her rockets seemed to have no effect on Shinki despite hitting her directly and causing large explosions. “Your actions have taken the lives of many, and have destroyed our home. It’s only natural that we avenge the innocent souls who have been forsaken by your idea of a ‘game.’”

“Is that so?” Shinki raised an eyebrow. “Then it would appear you and I aren’t so different. Surely you’ve seen the state of my home, correct?”

“That’s different.” Rikako retorted, although she did feel a slight twinge of guilt in her soul. “This is a place of unholy beings, they do not deserve sympathy.”

“Then why are vampires and oni allowed to live in Gensokyo? There’s no reason we should be divided, we’re only youkai, just misguided.”

“That’s not my decision to make.” Rikako grimaced. “I'm no judge, I’m merely a scientist who wishes to see the culprit behind an incident this severe face justice.”

“Quite unnecessary, is it not?” Shinki smirked while a white orb of light formed in her hands. “You challenge foes beyond your comprehension, while your body is weak and fragile. Without your armor, you are nothing.”

Shinki launched the white orb at Rikako, but when she instinctively parried it with her sword, the orb detonated in a blinding flash of light that threw Rikako against the wall, her mechsuit lay in pieces around her while bruises formed on her body.

“Ugh… A-Ah…”

“An imperfection after all. What a shame.” Shinki raised her right hand towards Rikako. “Time for our next performance. Farewell, scientist.”

Rikako disappears in a veil of shadows, and is replaced by a very angry Reimu, who immediately starts bombarding the goddess with needles and amulets.

“…Not even an introduction? Very well. I suppose I shouldn’t expect much from the Hakurei Shrine maiden who is blinding by her own greed and wrath.”

“I’m not greedy, I’m just trying not to starve!” Reimu exclaimed.

“Is that so? I’ve seen how demanding you are, Reimu. I’ve also seen how much of a sloth you are. The boundary youkai tried to warn you about what Mima was doing to the barrier, and you brushed her off, did you not?”

During their fight, Shinki had deployed a barrier that was reflecting Reimu’s amulets and needles in an attempt to show the consequences of her wrath and attempts to end this fight early.

“Do you not remember how you handled the knight? It was your quick thinking that allowed you to ‘defeat’ her. So what makes me any different?”

“I…” Reimu paused, her voice wavering. “I don’t know… I just… I’ve had the same strategy for years. Everyone’s counting on me, and I need to defeat you to put an end to an incident.”

“But do you really?”

The two stopped fighting for a moment.

“Huh?”

“This incident is over, Reimu. The barrier has already returned to normal.”

Reimu stared at Shinki with a dumbfounded expression. “Wha… huh?”

“You heard me, we have no reason to continue fighting. In fact, I had no intentions of fighting you directly. I merely wished to show you what your mindless wrath was capable of.”

She gestured towards the needles and amulets that littered the floor.

“I wonder… how would Gensokyo feel if it’s beloved shrine maiden was struck down by her own fury, as opposed to the supposed culprit of this incident?”

Reimu stood with a melancholic expression. Shinki was an unholy being, she deserved to be struck down where she stood. But… was this really what she wanted? Especially after Konngara…?

Senses the shift in atmosphere, Shinki raised her hand again. “I will give you a moment to ponder your decisions, Hakurei. For there are others still waiting.

Reimu was the next to vanish, and Sumireko was the next opponent to arrive.

“Well, isn’t this a sight! A psychic college girl in way over her head, who almost met her demise twice, both in the same way.”

“What can I say? Swords are a common weapon of choice, and it ain’t my fault these people are fast.” Sumirekk said with a smirk.

“Looks like we have something we agree on then. So how about we slow things down for a bit?”

Shinki then created a complex pattern of slow moving swords. Normally, Sumireko would just rush through and control them with her psychic abilities, but she had already learned her lesson after everything she’s been through. So instead, her eyes narrowed, and she focused on the pattern of the swords. Like Yumeko had taught her, Sumireko elegantly danced through the pattern, treating the entire scenario like a performance rather than a fight.

When the pattern comes to an end, Shinki gave her a round of applause. “Bravo! It would appear that my dear Yumeko has taught you well!”

Her grin turns devilish. “But she didn’t prepare you for this!”

A sword suddenly flies in from the left, ready to cut Sumireko is half, but she’s able to deflect it with her telekinesis just in time, sending it straight into Shinki’s stomach, which knocked her to the ground, bleeding and out of breath.

“Heh… heh…” Sumireko was gasping for air after the sudden exertion of her being forced to act on instinct. “Is that all you’ve got?”

Shinki rested on her knees, blood pooling around her body. Her barrier-distorting magic had faded, and the entire group was now present, and equally shocked at the sight of the wounded Shinki.

“…So that’s it, huh? Suppose I can’t say I didn’t deserve that after scaring you.” She pulled the sword out of her stomach and pulled herself to her feet, although she was leaning against a nearby pillar she then gives the group a weak smile while tears formed in her eyes. “If this is where it all ends, then at least I got to have…”

“NO!” Yumemi wailed while sprinting over to the dying goddess. She pulled out Mima’s staff in a desperate attempt to use some kind of healing spell, only for Shinki to knock it out of her hands with a blast of energy.

“Don’t… you have no idea what you’re doing. You’ll just make things worse.”

“I-I can’t just sit here and watch you die! Not after our encounter with Mima. This can’t be how this ends!” Yumemi was actively sobbing at this point, while Shinki reached up to brush her tears.

“Hey… don’t cry, it’ll all be okay. There was nothing left for me, this is the best finale I could’ve asked for, even if it kills me.”

She coughed up some blood, her skin and voice becoming pale.

“You already changed how this story ends by sparing Mima, Yumemi.”

Shinki closed her eyes, her face stained with tears.

“Now run along, and take good care of your student, okay? Gensokyo is safe, the Outside World will heal, and your friends are all okay. You’ve done your job, and I’ve done mine.” She managed to let out one last chuckle.

“Hope I was… a good part… of your story…”

With those final parting words, Shinki's body crumbles to dust in Yumemi's hands, who had crumpled to the floor while sobbing.

“Shinki… I’m so sorry…”

Sumireko looked genuinely horrified by her actions, she covered up her face with her cloak as she audibly cried.

Eventually, Reimu stepped forward and leaned down next to the crying Yumemi, who was already being comforted by Chiyuri.

“Hey, we can’t stay here, the place is going to collapse soon. But…” She turns her attention to Shinki’s ashes. “We’ll give her a proper burial, I promise.”

With heavy hearts, the group exited the quiet halls of pandemonium, and retraced their steps back to the cave in which they entered Makai. Once they were outside, the other half of the group was there to cheer on their arrival. Renko rushed over and crushed Sumireko in a bear hug, while the psychic could only sit there and hold back her tears.

“Renko, I… I need to tell you something.”

Renko immediately picked up on the sadness in Sumireko’s voice. “Sumireko? What’s wrong?”

Sumireko would then explain what happened in Makai, which led to various shocked and concerned expressions. Later that day, there was a funeral for Shinki, and afterwards, the newly formed group of outsiders took residence in a custom-made home, where Mima’s staff rested next to an indestructible urn containing Shinki’s ashes.

The group would forever be changed by this incident, but they had also grown stronger and forged their own bonds through these circumstances. The barrier might’ve healed, but this incident wouldn’t be forgotten anytime soon.

And in an afterlife where nobody could see, Shinki could finally be laid to rest, where she was proud of the group, and satisfied with her final performance.

Thanks for Reading!