⑨ Souls (A Touhou Project Fanfiction)

Koakuma, The Mastermind

"So, tell me what's going on... Remilia?" I asked.

"I'll cut to the chase, fairy. That familiar of Patchouli had found a book which came from another world, I don't know how she obtained it... But she opened the book, and the next thing we knew is that everyone went ape crazy." Remilia answered.

"And interrupting with our hangout. Us 4 are still having fun, until it happened." Flandre said, pointing to herself, then Koishi, Nue and Seija.

"Wait, where's Meiling? Fairy, don't tell me she's--" Sakuya interrupted.

However I shook my head slowly, and Sakuya's entire body shook heavily. She tries her best to hide her tears, but failed to do so, and knelt down on the floor.

"What is it, Sakuya?" Remilia asked.

"I... I never got the chance to tell Meiling..."

"Tell her what?"

"That I..."

"Let's just cut the drama, and get that little devil, shall we?" Nue interrupted.

"But then again, facing her head on is maybe a bad idea. I needed something, a new element to be exact."

I took a glance at Sakuya's pocket watch, and I took it for a moment.

"May I?"

She nodded. I closed my eyes, as I emptied my thoughts and only reminiscing about my past. How I am reckless, always picking a fight. How I made many friends, starting from Daiyousei to the other fairies. However, I shall not let what I did to them hinder me.

With that, one of my wings glowed, and when the glow dissipated, it gained a new form. It's still ice, but if one is able to look carefully, they can see 12 numbers in roman numerals, forming a clock.

I gave the watch back to Sakuya, before I turned towards Daiyousei.

"Dai-Chan. Get everyone to the main hall of the Mansion, let me deal with the Devil herself.

"What? But Cirno-Chan--"

"I'm sorry. But this is the path I chose, Dai-Chan. And that I had to walk it alone. I'll see you after I win."

Nodding slowly, Daiyousei then led the others as Remilia pointed the direction to the escape route.

As for me, I got the library key which Sakuya had attached to her pocket watch before. Now that I have it, I have to end this once and for all. With one step, I walked towards the opposite direction where I see some steps leading to a double door.

I slid the key inside the keyhole, and turned it. The key worked, and I pushed the doors open as best as I could.

There is no going back now. I haven't frozen any bonfires at all, and I've got only one shot at this.

Conjuring a sword and shield, I marched inside, and I see the devil herself, backfacing me.

"So, the Ice Fairy has finally arrived."

She made a small chuckle, and continued her words.

"I see that you have braved every obstacle that you met. And that you've reached this far... Either way, Gensokyo, and the world will wither away."

"Why are you doing this?"

"Why? I am doing this, in order to create a new world, made by The Soul of Nature herself. And before you ask to what end? That's because Patchouli-Sama, my mistress only needed me and nobody else."

She turned around to face me.

"In that world, there shall be no dust, nothing that will suffocate her as she usually does in these times... Thanks to her asthma."