Chapter 2: Return to the Former Hell

Reimu and the Yakumo Clan departed to the Underground, when the hell was some time ago. Ran has Chen over her head like a Cat giving some love to her master.

Yukari: "Probably Satori-Sama will receive us better than the last time."

The shrine maiden sighs heavily, squinting her ruby eyes.

Reimu: "Fighting her and her pets was a true pain back in the day. Since that day I started to hate heavy summer days."

Ran: "Miss Yukari, we should consider recruiting Rin Kaenbyou for us. I can manage two Shikigami, she has an insane potential with her Necromancy and can be a nice game partner for Chen."

Chen: "Please, nya! I want to be her friend!"

Yukari: "There's no doubt, we'll have to discuss it with her rightful owner. Orin is not just a snack to steal. For now, let's focus on win her contribution to our mission, the Yata-Garasu is another being that we want with us."

Reimu: "Hey, I'm hearing you. And that damned bird again. It was so annoying when she started to dodge my needles flying like if she was Aya and using gravity to burn me out. It's perfect to make that bastard suffer."

Ran: "In fact, we need to have many ex-incident culprit with us. The Scarlet Vampire is already up to help us but isn't enough."

They entered the hole to the Underground and started going down. Everything was dark, with the time some creepy ectoplasm ascends from the walls. No one attacks them since they were considered allies now.

Reimu: "Why them specifically?"

Yukari: "They are the youkai that Zan Hakurei wanted the most to see dead, that's why their spells should be more effective. I should contact all the sages as well and call Eiki Shiki and Hecatia Lapislazuli. Is to perform a complex ancient ritual, it could be the only way to stop him. You friend, the History Teacher probably knows what I'm talking about. This time you'll have to reach you true inner power, Reimu. The Fantasy Nature Spell is vastly powerful but not enough with this opponent."

Ran: "If Miss Yukari is serious, you can imagine what that does mean."

Reimu: "I see. But that won't stop me, now I'm seeing what the Hakurei Administrator really is, and how my role was nothing more than an egoistic whim because of an old conflict."

Chen: "Sanae is the Maiden that has the Human Faith. Reimu has Faith from us, meow!"

Yukari: "Exactly, your temple has become a Youkai Sanctuary, that's why they pay a visit to you so often. Maybe you are destined to free us from him. You did see, thanks to you, Youkai aren't so hostile anymore and they start to befriend Humanity and other species."

Ran: "Your role with us was for that since the very beginning. Miss Yukari wanted you to help us and serve as a bridge to make a better Gensokyo, you have been trained for that. And to be honest, you are very important to her."

Reimu blushes and just avoids to look anyone with an embarrased expresion. The Sage giggles.

Yukari: "Ow~ how cute you are like that! Oh-hohoho~."

Reimu: "Stop teasing me already. Is not the moment."

Some tickles were recorring the Maiden's stomach, she liked to be teased by the elder Youkai. But she wasn't feeling ready to say anything because she thought that Yukari was just joking and Reimu is just a human, without any doubt she would be outlived by her mentor and doesn't want sad goodbyes. Part of her frustrations were associated with that. Her role as a maiden was another barrier to overcome but a faint smile was drawn on the priest's face. At least that wasn't a problem anymore now that her true labor and the true enemy were revealed.

Reimu: "You just did use me for your own purpose too... but I like more your plan, I can't live without you or Suika. She's like my little sister. That's why she's not here. I mean... she's very strong but I don't want her to be in danger."

Ran: "You have grown, Reimu. You aren't the same overconfident, rude and inmature girl from our first meeting."

Reimu: "I suppose I should feel accomplished."

Yukari: "You should, Ran doesn't tend to accomplish anyone so easily."

They reach the bridge until the surface and the Underground. A green-eyed cute but envious youkai with blonde wavy short hair wearing a nomad dress guards it. The top is brown with purple borders, with a white criss-cross pattern and a pink sash. The bottom is blue and purple with again the white criss-cross pattern and black with criss-crossed red strings hanging on the bottom edge. She has a pink scarf tied around her neck and pink puffy arm socks. Her ears are pointy.

Parsee: "Friends that are welcome... tch, why have they to be so pretty... If I had that blonde youkai's figure Yuugi would notice me... grrr..."

Gnashes her teeth, she was a very particular youkai that shows envious even to say nice things about others.

Yukari: "Aww thank you for the compliment. Your envious words are very kind."

Parsee: "You... you are so sweet with me, tch. I wish I could be more like that. Reimu and friends may pass."

Meanwhile, at the Earth Spirits's Palace, the temperature was warm as usual because of having the Geyser's core from the Deserted Hell beneath. A faint light enters through the windows, and Orin returns with her cart filled with Corpses. The cute purple Zombie Fairies were starting to carry them by pairs and one with some sort of construction helm on was directing the rest with some gestures. The scene was worth of seeing.

Orin: "Mission accomplished, nyahaha! We avoided Gensokyo's global freezing another day! Nyuuh, this is a bit tiring but I'm happy because the dead people's souls can rest now. Their stories are too sad and they deserve to pass away peacefully."

Suddenly, an enormous crow with some sort of red eye on the chest was flying. When she transformed into her humanoid form, a stunning dark brown haired woman appeared in front of the cat, she was wearing and white and green dress with a miniskirt enough to emphasize her incredible figure. Her hair was in a beautiful big half ponytail made in a green ribbon. On the chest her core was shining with red light and some sort of control rod was on her right arm. With a smile waves to her companion.

Utsuho: "Welcome home, Orin~. I have something important to tell and-"

The bird brain was something very characterisric in a Yata-Garasu. Stays hilariously blank for some seconds with a priceless exaggerated shock expression.

Orin: "Did you forget again, Okuu? Don't worry, you can do it! I believe in you, nya!"

Utsuho reacted with her dark eyes glowing, she loves to have Orin at her side. And normally she's spontaneous about the feelings for her. Okuu was a nickname for the crow.

Utsuho: "I think I have it again, Rin-Chan! The core is getting unstable! It is going to explode like my radioactive suns! But bigger, waay bigger!"

Exclaims moving her wings dramatically to emphasize on her phrase.

Orin: "Oh, that's no good. A nuke explosion would..."

The Zombie Fairies start looking at each other with their fringe even more blue due to the fear.

Utsuho: "It would be critical for us and the rest of Gensokyo. And I don't understand why it's happening."

Orin: "I did see the Surface being more shadowy than usual, nya. Even the sky is getting transparent. And something revolves menacing to go down! How much time do we have, I need to call Reimu!"

Okuu shakes her head.

Utsuho: "We are alone on this, Rin-Chan. There's not enough time until the Ultimate Nuclear Fussion."

The Zombie Fairies, feeling frightened and pressured started to fly all over the place until the Fairy Chief (the one with the helmet) whistled loudly. Then all of them grouped shaking on their wings.

Orin: "I'm a bit scares too, but we can't fail here!"

Utsuho: "If we fail, it will be the end. We have to find the cause until it's too late!"

At the entrance there was a sign on the door. A chibi draw of Satori Komeiji was on it.

Reimu: "Sorry, I'm on vacation with Koishi. Return next month. Well, and now what?"

After saying that, the ground started to shake in a violent earthquake. Yukari shakes her head.

Yukari: "I feel something at the Underground Core. Is time to enter without asking for the sake of us all!"

Ran: "Miss Yukari, there's violent magma eruptions. At this path, the Former Hell city will be under the Lava!"

Chen: "I don't like the lava! It burns too much!"

Yukari: "Not only the Underground. Gensokyo will be a Wasteland at this path."

Reimu: "Stop talking then!"

Fires some red sealing needles to destroy the door and goes inside.

Reimu: "I remember where the Core is, follow me!"

They start flying at full speed, dodging the fearsome magma pillars that violently emerge from below breaking the ground and making the Palace to crumble.

Yukari: "Ran, Chen, you know what to do."

They nod and start spinning fast to tackle against any wall or obstacle that may slow Reimu and Yukari, breaking it in a powerful blow. The Maiden sees a hole filled with lava.

Reimu: "Damn it! That's the only entrance!"

Yukari makes a gap in response. The entire palace is going down due to the fire, the explosions and the earthquakes.

Ran: "Miss Yukari, when you were assisting Reimu that time you couldn't see anything. We don't know where your cap can lead!"

Chen: "I have fear... meow..."

Ran: "Be brave, Chen! You can overcome this!"

Yukari: "Reimu, tell me where to put it. Describe me the place!"

Reimu: "It's a great abyss with some sort of giant sun inside of it!"

Yukari: "I did my calculations, now jump inside!"

At the last second, the four entered the Gap just when the roof was coming down to their heads. They appear at the Geyser's site, this time it was shining with a vivid red colour. Orin and Utsuho were fighting someone, it was some sort of masked taoist monk with a shining white tunic surrounded by yin-yang orbs. A nuclear alarm sound was announcing one of the Yata-Garasu powerful spells.

Utsuho: "You better are prepared to be melted into a mercurial pulp! Atomic Fire: Nuclear Fusion!"

Four giant red suns appeared from her control rod, releasing a great amount of blue explosive bullets directed to the mysterious target. Orin prepared her cart and the Zombie Fairies were all over the place holding the enemy and preventing him to move.

Orin: "You don't even deserve to pass away in peace, nya. It only will hurt only you die, let's make this a drifting hell! Youkai Infernal Wheel!"

Then she started to make a great source of extreme speed red and blue bullets to combine it with Utsuho's spell.

Yukari: "These two are very powerful but It won't be enough... However, It's Zan Hakurei but... only a fraction of his soul. We could match him if we do an effort. We need a plan."

The enemy's ying yang orb just absorbs all the bullets and fires them back.

Zan: "I'm like a mirror for Youkai. They have to look to the suffering they cause to Humanity before dying! Say your last words, say goodbye. Your plaguing existence ends here."

Orin and Okuu were trying to dodge everything as they could, the Zombie Fairies were crying in pain before reviving and return to the Cart. A Bullet was coming in the cat's direction and she was going to be hit. In the last second, Utsuho puts in front of her.

Utsuho: "You won't touch her!"

Yukari makes a gigantic gap getting all the bullets to another reality and sends an abandoned train from the outer world running at a great speed to charge against Zan. She giggles seeing how the enemy is hit by the spell.

Yukari: "Sorry~ I think I did interrupt something, oh-hohoho~."

Reimu: "Are you okay?"

Okuu's eyes sprout some tears of joy after seeing the Maiden and the Yakumo Clan. Orin and the Zombie fairies run to embrace her. Chen and Ran prepare to attack as well.

Ran & Chen: "Shikigami: Banquet of the 12 General Gods!"

They start creating place to spawn green and blue bullets. Chen spins all over the place colliding with Yukari's train wagons and sending them agains Zan before he manages to get up.

Orin: "Reimu! Our prayers have been heared, nya!"

Utsuho: "We did miss you, priestess! You never come here!"

Reimu: "Y-You are suffocating me! We need to fight, we can talk later!"

Zan: "Grrr... you old hag, ugh!"

His shining aura was weakened, the Yin-yang orbs couldn't absorb every shot and he was knocked-down. After getting up makes a mini Hakurei Barrier to defend against everything before raising his purifying wand.

Zan: "The Core will explode with all of you! Hakurei Sign: Holy Seal!"

Some rainbow colored orbs did appear surrounding him but they were bigger and their energy more concentrated than in a Fantasy Seal.

Zan: "Humans who don't obey the natural order of things are no different from Youkai! You must be purged, Reimu! You and all your wenchs!"

Reimu: "Gah... shut your mouth already! Don't be so cocky just because you can plagiarize the Fantasy Seal! Spirit Sign: Evil-Sealing Circle of Needles!"

When she releases the Spell, colossal white needles form circles and are fired at an impossible to see speed rate non-stop. They are pointed at the energy balls from the enemy and lastly ends firing to him. When they land on their target, the barrier is damaged and part of the energy balls are destroyed. The rest explode causing severe burnings to everyone. They were at the limit, gasping to continue alive.

Yukari: "Oh~... seems like you have us. Hohohoho~."

Winks to Reimu, she was just playing dumb. It was a sign to execute the plan.

Zan: "Don't play with me, witch. Your pathetic Maiden just could dominate the minor version of my spells. This is over, the core will explode in thirty seconds!"

A massive eathquake caused everything to shake. Some rocks from the roof fell to the lava.

Reimu: "Okuu, I need you to perform the last spell you did when fighting against me. We need to combine our power!"

Yukari: "We will do our part, follow my instructions!"

The rest nods and then, the Sage forms some Gaps to surround Zan and prevent him to escape. Ran and Chen dash against the barrier to break it now that Reimu damaged it.

Zan: "Even if you reach to try, It's late for you. Youkai will always try to struggle even when it's clear that the extermination is inminent."

Laughs like if he was psychotic, showing all his hatred towards Youkai.

Orin: "I normally say nice words when letting someone pass away. But you don't deserve them, nya. Come on girls!"

When the barrier was broken, the zombie fairies started grabbing him and making funny comical expressions to laugh at Zan. Reimu gnashes teeth looking at her enemy with complete disrespect.

Reimu: "We will... see who is pathetic!"

Okuu starts making a giant sun with tremendous gravity. Many smaller suns with even smaller stars did appear. It was her Last Spell. Reimu then, makes a violent torrent of powerful sealing amulets. They fussion with the sun making it golden and bigger than ever. The magnetic force of gravity was draining the enemy with doubled strenght. A nuclear alarm siren sounds loudly announcing the spell.

Reimu & Utsuho: "Last Word: Fantasy Star of Nuclear Fusion!"

They launch the new giant star. Their allies weren't affected by gravity. The enemy sends his Yin-Yang orbs to try absorbing the spell but it fails.

Zan: "D-Damn! You... I'll seal you away! YOU WENCHES!"

Screams before being desintegrated because of the Explosion. When the Soul Fragment ceased to exist everything did calm, the Core didn't exploded.

Yukari: "We won this assault. Good job, Reimu and Utsuho. You two have learned how to combine a spell."

Orin: "Nyaah, If it werent for you, we would be dead..."

The Zombie Fairies sigh in relieve.

Utsuho: "I owe you one, protecting Rin-Chan means everything to me."

Orin: "N-Nyah!"

The cat blushes and her fairies start making playful faces to make sane fun of her. One of them even get a spectral wedding ring box. Yukari, Ran and Chen start laughing with the scene.

Ran: "You better take care of each other. We'll need you to face this incident"

Chen: "We could play anytime, meow!"

Reimu: "Will you come with us? We have like nine days left until it's too late to reunite all the Youkai we can."

Utsuho: "Sure, but we must rebuild the palace, Satori-Sama must return in two days and we don't want to leave all the trouble to her."

Orin: "That's it, nya. But at the last moment we'll pass by Hakurei Shrine. Please, prepare a cart parking place. Eiki Shiki is scolding me very much lately for parking in the Forest!"

Yukari: "I understand your duties with your Master. Is a pity that she's not at home. Ran wanted Orin as a second shikigami."

Orin: "Sorry, It can't be. I'm loyal to Satori-Sama but I can visit you any day, nya!"

Ran: "That will do. Your potential must be released."

Chen: "Yay! More game partners!"

Orin: "One more thing, I would like to bring Okuu with me, she's easily a bit jealous when I'm with another woman."

Utsuho: "Uhhh... but I didn't say anything..."

Answers, looking away with some shame while blushing. Orin answers licking her lips.

Orin: "Don't be afraid, nya."

Reimu: "Well is what ends well I guess..."

Yukari makes a Gap to go out and everyone returns to the Palace's entrance.

Utsuho: "We should ask Yuugi for help so we are going for now. See you!"

Orin: "Thanks for coming by, nya!"

Yukari: "Remember. In nine days at Hakurei Shrine."

Orin: "I will, Okuu can't remember things from five minutes ago!"

The Shrine Maiden laughs imagining the scene.

Reimu: "We are over here. Let's go to the current hell. I don't know what Hecatia will do with us, but she likes two things: Chaos and Junko."

Yukari: "Junko is another ex-incident culprit and we need the Hell goddess as well. This could be profitable for us but we should depart at once."

Ran: "We don't know what our enemy will do if he can divide his soul in multiple fragments. It's completely unpredictable."

Reimu: "I will silence that excuse of a person. To think that I was under his command and I didn't know it."

With no more words they fly to leave the Underground and proceed with their journey.

TO BE CONTINUED...