Foreword: Hey, sorry guys, SAE here. it's been quite long since I updated. I decided to rewrite these few chapters to make the story more smooth, and to make it actually relevant to the title. Made a few changes here and there, such as the decks, and the coming plot. Thank for coming, and please give some feedback if you can.

See you next chapter!


Touhou Duel Masters Café

Chapter 0 - Beginning of new Legend

Cancer:

"Hey, Michael, go make me something to eat."

I turned my head backwards from watching the empty morning sky to properly address the person calling me.

Hakurei Reimu, 7 years of age, the thirteenth of the Hakurei shrine maidens. She was sprawled on the table, with a look of complete boredom on her face, shoulder-length brown hair covering her eyes, and clutching a teacup, apparently emptied of its contents a while ago. Her red-and-white miko garments were clean and tidy. Of course. I washed them.

"Shouldn't you be more polite when asking someone a favor, Reimu-chan?" I said as I got up from the porch.

"Muu…" The little girl pouted, not looking entirely pleased with my response.

"…Please?"

"Good girl." I patted Reimu on her head as I went into the kitchen, leaving a tint of red on her cheeks.

I sighed as I started cutting up the carrots. It has been a year since my friend Jonathan and I stumbled into Gensokyo. We had no desire to return to our original world, and I ended up taking residence in this shrine, despite being Christian, while Jonathan stayed with a little girl named Marisa, who was aspiring to become a magician, in the Forest of Magic. We dueled each other from time to time, enjoying this relaxed lifestyle and enjoying each other's company.

Gensokyo. The paradise for youkai and the forgotten. A place secluded from the outside world, with less developed technology, where no external forces can interrupt them, where they roam free and do whatever they please. Does not apply to humans, on the other hand. People are still being devoured by youkai, and this has created tensions between the two factions. And to protect the balance between human and youkai is the Hakurei shrine maiden's - Reimu's- ...this defies almost everything that I have been taught.

Yes, a paradise. A haven. Eden. A place that people like us would want to stay in forever.

But only if it stays that way.

Why we have fought on for so long. It all needs to end, once and for all.

Our mortal enemy. He is coming. Searching, finding for the past year.

And he is here.

Today is the day that we settle the matter.

I perked up my ears as I heard something flying towards the shrine at a leisurely pace.

Oh, it seems they are here.

"Hey~ Reimu! I've come to play~ brew me some tea~" A high-pitched voice clearly belonging to a little girl.

"Marisa-chan, please be more lady-like and refine your manners." Another voice, male, scolded the girl.

"Don't wanna~" The girl protested.

The male apparently gave up and asked, "Reimu-chan, where's Michael?"

"Kitchen."

Shortly after Jonathan, wearing his usual kimono and glasses, stepped into the kitchen and greeted me.

"Making lunch? I'll help." He offered,as his tidied his slightly messed up white hair.

"Sure, thanks." I appreciated his assistance, as I stepped aside to make room for two.

We cooked enough food for four in silence.

"…Today's the day huh?" He broke the uncomfortable atmosphere.

I stopped stirring for a brief moment, pushed my glasses upwards and continued my task at hand.

"Yeah…"

"Keine-sensei…she refused to help?"

"Yeah…she promised not to tell them though."

"Right…"

We said nothing after that.

Reimu and Marisa gleefully swallowed the curry we cooked, clearing their dishes in a matter of minutes.

"You two really are hungry, aren't you?" Jonathan said as he stared at the empty dishes, cleaned of their contents.

"Eating is important to help us grow!" Marisa proclaimed, and thumped her chest. Maybe she wants them to grow bigger?

"Good grief…" Jonathan tidied up the table and headed back into the kitchen, preparing to wash them.

"Hey hey, Reimu, I heard about this place, and apparently there's lots of strong people to duel there!" Marisa jumped up and down excitedly after she rested long enough. It was only 30 minutes. Kids these days are so energetic... "Let's go check it out!"

"Muu…but I'm so tired…" The shrine maiden moaned.

"It's only noon!" Marisa put her hands on her hips and clicked her tongue.

"Fine, fine…Michael, watch the shrine while I'm gone, okay?"Reimu gave in with an exhausted face.

Heh, she has that look, but I'm sure she's itching for someone to duel. It's just that she doesn't like to show her expressions on her face, but I know her well enough. She doesn't hide her emotions very well too. See, her mouth's twitching. Resisting a smile, I see.

"Hmm, will you two be okay alone?"

It was a needless question, but Jonathan, having just finished washing the dishes, asked anyway.

"Who do you think I am? I've got my Forever Danmaku with me, there'll be no problem!" Marisa smiled and held out her deck case. Containing it was the deck that Jonathan made for her, a deck that fitted her duelling style. Barrage and power, infinite loop that cleared fields with relative ease.

"And I've got my Acid, New Century…" Reimu said as she gently stroked the deck she received from me.

Both Jonathan and I shook our heads.

"Well, go, but be careful."

"Okay, see you later~"

Reimu and Marisa rose off the ground and took off, heading to the place Marisa had said.

"Have a safe trip!" Jonathan shouted as we waved them off.

We watched as the two girls gradually became small dots in the blue sky, and eventually disappear completely from sight.

…Good. Now we won't need to make an excuse to leave.

"Let's prepare for this."

"Yeah."

Jonathan started to reorganize his decks while I approached the small pond at the back of the shrine.

"Genji ojii-chan." I called quietly.

The water rippled, and a few moments later an aged turtle rose his head above the water. He squinted at me before sighing.

"It is time, isn't it?" He asked, straining his neck to get a better look at me.

"…Yes. Yes it is." I sighed too.

There is no point in hiding the truth from him. He knows who we are, and what we were to do today from the very start.

"I see…" Genji closed his eyes.

"So please, ojii-chan, take care of Reimu. And don't tell her the truth. You are the only one I can count on."

"I understand… How I wish it didn't end like this…"

"Me too…"

How I wish that it didn't end like this. To come so suddenly, and to leave in the same manner.

But this isn't Reimu's matter. I can't drag her into this. This is our work. And she is so young, with much responsibilities like we once did. She has a long life ahead of her. I hope she can put it to good use.

"Well, good bye jii-chan. I'll tell Jonathan that you're awake."

I returned to the living room, while Jonathan went to say farewell to Genji too.

I sat on the floor, and took out my decks to inspect them.

"You guys think we'll be able to win?" I asked.

"…Believe in yourself, believe in us, believe in Jonathan, and believe in your God." A voice replied.

"…Is that so…" I whispered.

Lord... I'm sure He has given a path for me...

I gazed at the delftware sky, the white, irregular clouds, wondering if I was ever going to see them again…

I let this scene burn into my memory.

It might be my last memory of this paradise.


Leo:

Heh... To think that we might be finally meeting our friends again... It's an interesting thought.

I shut my eyelids as the sky gradually transformed into a dark carpet.

He's here.

Shangri-La, Climax of Cruelty.

The first of the Zeniths, an absolute power.

Our home, our friends, all sacrificed their lives to defeat him in vain.

And now. It is our turn, out responsibility.

Not only to avenge our old friends, but also to protect the new ones that we have found and came to trust.

We cannot drag them into this turmoil. This is our problem.

And as he descended from the portal that connected the two worlds, we took out our decks, illuminating the darkness with a strong light.

"Let's settle this. You're ready?" I asked my companion.

"Heh, of course." Michael answered with a light laugh.

The duel field expanded, engulfing us, Shangri-La and his underling.

"Duema, Start."


Cancer:

BGM: Placido

My hands trembled, my chest ached, my breath intensified, and my vision blurred.

To think my weak body would fail me at this time... I cursed silently as I tried to ignore the pain. The attacks of Utopia Ever's creatures are literally reaching me, although they are not killing me.

They're just robbing me of my strength, my endurance, my mind.

Drawing a card, I charged it into the mana zone.

"I summon Romanesk, Dragon Wizard!"

The Armored Dragon, Earth Dragon and Appolonia Dragon hybrid materialized as the top fours cards of my deck was sent into my mana zone.

"I cast Sanctuary of the Mother!" Picking another card from my hand, I immediately put int to use. "I send Prometheus, Splash Axe from my battle zone to my mana, and from my mana, I evolve Romanesk into Uberdragon Valkyrias!"

The Outrage disappeared into light, as the Dragon I summoned now was encased in white light, growing into the large evolution Armored Dragon as the light died away.

"With Valkyrias' effect, I put Codeking Wilhelm into the battle zone from my mana!" I declared, and the King Command Dragon appeared, instantly spearing through Honenbe, Skeletal Guardian and blasting away one card from the Guardian Zenith's mana zone.

"...Valkyrias, Triple Break!" With that order, the dragon fired his chest cannon, splintering three shields.

"How foolish...!" Utopia Ever remarked. "Shield Trigger! Primal Scream! I put the top four cards from my deck into my graveyard and return Dokuronbe, Regiment Guardian into my hand!"

"...I boost the top three cards into mana zone with Wilhelm's effect..." I said, the pain in my chest torturing my body. Too much boost would be detrimental now...

"Hmph. My turn." The Zenith of Destruction started his turn, and cast a spell. "I cast Savage Earth! First I put me into my battle zone from my mana, I drag Codename Snake out from your mana! Then I return that Honenbe and Codeking Wilhelm to our manas!"

The duplicate of the round looking Zero Guardian appeared along with the Unknown with tentacle-like arms, while the Darkness Guardian and my Wilhelm dispersed into particles.

"Kuh...I draw one card and boost one mana with Snake's effect..." I declared Snake's forced ability, looking at my thinning deck worriedly.

"Hmph...since there are eight Guardians in my mana zone, I summon Dokuronbe with just one mana!" The Unknown Guardian with a skull for his head materialized beside Utopia Ever.

"Then I cast Phantom Veil! All your creatures must attack next turn. Turn End." Utopia Ever said coldly.

"..." I bit my lip. Two Blocker creatures with more than 10000 power... and Utopia Ever, having 17000 power can redirect attacks to him... I have no creatures that surpass this power in my deck. "Shit..."

Looking at my deck, I silently prayed.

"My turn... Draw!"


Leo:

BGM: Justice (Shingetsutan Tsukihime OST 1)

I let a stifled scream escape my lips, and coughed out a mouthful of blood as my stomach was impacted by the shockwave the robbed me of my last shields. I clutched the bloody stump that was once my left arm. That attack just now did not kill me, but the next…

This duel…the attacks are so powerful that even non-direct attacks cost me my arm and damaged my inner organs.

"Jonathan!" Michael almost screamed and started towards me.

"Focus on your duel!" I stopped him with that sentence. "Don't worry…I haven't lost yet…!"

He wanted to say something, but reluctantly returned to his duel after I silenced him with my eyes.

"Jonathan…" Katsuking's voice was filled worry. He can do nothing to help in this situation.

"It's…okay…" I spat out yet another mouthful of blood.

Damn… damn this creature… Shangri-La, Climax of cruelty… This unimaginably fearsome power… My creatures aren't able to attack him as long as he is tapped…

"Hmph…it seems that your luck has run out." Shangri-La's voiced boomed over the swirling darkness around us. "You have no shields, and only Untouchable Powered and Bronze-arm Tribe… both unable to attack… On the other hand, I have 3 shields along with a battle zone filled with blockers. There is no way you can win this duel."

"Damn you!" I cursed. "The duel hasn't ended just yet!"

"Shield trigger! Spiral Gate! I send Shangri-La back to your hand!"

"Such futile actions…" Shangri-La smirked as his other self was sucked into a whirlpool of water and disappeared. "Now, let us see if you can turn the tides in this one last turn!"

Huh…yeah…this is obviously my last turn. If I don't end it now…

My vision blurred as I tried to focus on the cards floating in front of me.

"Untap, draw!"

All my cards were untapped while another card was added to my hand.

"…!"

If it's this, then…!

"I evolve Untouchable Powered to Bolshack Ulpheus, Holy Dragon!" I cried while tapping 7 cards in my mana zone.

"What…? Bolshack Ulpheus in this timing…!?" Shangri-La sounded shocked. "But I draw 1 card using Mist Rias' ability!"

"Not so fast! I'll still got Bolshack Ulpheus' effect to resolve!"

"I've waited for this moment, Master! Let's do this!" Bolshack Ulpheus turned to me and urged.

"Yeah! Using Bolshack Ulpheus's power, I cast Galaxy Shot-HELL from my hand for no cost!" I declared. "I destroy Mist Rias, La Ura Giga,Megagyoron and Regi Pael! For each creature I destroy, I choose one of your shields and put into your graveyard!"

"What…impossible! This is…!" Panic crept into Shangri-La's voice as all of his creatures and shields exploded and are sent to his graveyard, while one card was added to his hand from his deck.

"Heh…hehe! See, I've turned the tables!" I laughed weakly. "Bronze-arm Tribe! Direct attack!"

"Ni…Ninja Strike 4, Falconer!"

The yellow Guardian appeared and stopped Bronze-arm Tribe's attack, blasting the beast folk into ashes.

"It's useless! This is the final now! Bolshack Ulpheus! Final Attack!" I ordered. "Eat this!"

Shangri-La screamed as he was severed in half by the Holy Dragon Blade, and the two halves of him gradually dissipated into light, erasing his physical existence.

As the field around us disappeared, revealing the Hakurei shrine, I sat down, panting heavily. Michael rushed towards me, and using some simple healing magic, stopped the blood from flowing out of my severed arm. Not that it's going to do much for long anyway… Seems that Michael won against Utopia Ever, Zenith of Destruction. He isn't in a good state. In fact, he's not looking better than me. His clothes and body are riddled in scars and cuts, and he's got this puncture beneath his ribs. Shouldn't he be healing himself first? Oh wait, it's not going to do any good anyway.

The area around the shrine was suddenly filled with even greater darkness, as Shangri-La's voice once again boomed into our ears.

"Do you think…that merely defeating me in a duel would stop me!? This is only just the beginning!"

I can just feel his aura flowing out of his card. It's suffocating, and this pressure is immobilizing me.

"Of course…that's why we prepared this!" I shouted, and together with Michael we raised our hands, encasing ourselves in blinding light, and summoning a magic circle beneath the whole shrine.

"…! This sealing ritual… it's not like the others…!"

"You're right." Michael confirmed. "This magic is one of highest level and power. I'm sure you know what it does."

"Stop! Do you know what will happen to you if you do this! You will…!" His voice sounded panicked in the slightest sense.

"We know, that's for sure. But we will risk everything to make sure that you will never disrupt the peace in this paradise!" I cut him short as the light shone brighter than ever.

"Ku…! As long I am sealed, you too will…!"

"Yeah, we understand the consequences." Michael said quietly. "That is why we're doing this!"

"Now, be gone!" We shouted in unison.

"Gu….Raaaargh!" Shangri-La let out a final scream as his card was sucked into the circle, disappearing and returning the shrine to its usual state.

"Ha…ha…" It was only the we made sure that he was gone that we even dared to move our arms, and we collapsed out of fatigue when we did so.


We crawled back into the shrine, the last bit of strength drained from our very body and souls.

"Heh…sorry guys. Sorry with you having to put up with our selfishness…" I slumped my head on the table, and the cups and teapot clattered from the impact.

"Your wishes are our wishes." A voice resonated from Michael's deck."What you do, we will follow with question."

"However, the ones you should be apologizing to should be Reimu and Marisa." A second voice let out a helpless sigh.

A third voice sighed too, and said, "I wonder if they can cope with this. You two never told them anything, not even the fact that we're sentient beings and not just cards."

"Don't worry," Katsuking replied. "They are strong. They can certainly get over this, forget us and move on with their lives."

"They are the incident solvers, after all."

I lifted my head to see Michael pouring himself a cup of green tea.

"What the hell…?"

He smiled and poured me a cup too. "Isn't it better to enjoy our last moments with tea than doing nothing?"

"..."I took my cup and sipped the hot tea. The hot liquid moistened my parched lips, massaged my sore throat.

"They will grow up into fine women. I'm sure of it." Michael put down his half-empty cup. "The incident solvers of Gensokyo… I would love to watch them grow."

"Heh…too bad." I replied as our bodies started to be encased in light. I raised my half-transparent hand and stretched out to the sun.

How beautiful... I thought as my senses became number and number. I cannot even feel the sun's warmth now.

"Let's duel together if we meet again?" I asked Michael.

"…Someday, lets." He agreed. "If we do ever meet again..."

"Although, it would be bad if we actually do."

"Heh... True that."

We closed our eyes as our bodies fully dissipate into particles, and as our…consciousness slowly…fades…into…nothingness…


The two girls, having dueled everyone they could find, finally returned to the shrine, weary and exhausted.

"Hmm, where's Jonathan and Michael?" Marisa looked into the shrine, finding no one inside.

"No donations…" Reimu said mournfully as she peered into the empty donation box, devoid of any money, or even anything for that matter.

Marisa noticed the tea cups and pot on the table. "Maybe they just went out for a walk. We took such a long time anyway. Oh, see, they even forgot to bring some of their cards." She tidied them up, and packed them neatly into two stacks.

"Yeah, we should." Reimu nodded, and stepped into the shrine with Marisa. "Wonder when will they come back? I'm hungry."

A small gap, hidden from view, closed silently, as night fell and the stars littered the dark sky.


Decks:

Shangri-La: Nekura Shangri-La

Utopia Ever: Nekura Utopia Ever

Michael: 5C Big Mana

Jonathan: Theta Bolshack Ulpheus w/Katsuking