Meanwhile, in the grand tomb, Reimu, Marisa, Cassidy, Kaguya, and Sanae were locked in a fierce battle with a formidable foe: a fox girl with a radiant appearance, dressed in a bright purple dress adorned with light pink patterns, her golden Shaku staff gleaming under the light. She had a sword case similar to that of Prince Shoutoku resting on her black belt, and platinum sandals that seemed to shimmer with every step.
This was Miko, the spiritual being they were fighting against.
Miko, though filled with fierce determination, could tell that her strength was waning as the group pressed on. With a resigned sigh, she finally spoke. "Alright, you girls win. I'll bring the one person that you all desire."
Marisa grinned, raising an eyebrow. "Oh, finally. And don't forget the person who kidnapped him."
Miko's expression softened for a moment before she activated her powers. A soft, golden glow surrounded her as she raised her hands and spoke with clarity. "If that is what you desire, then here you go."
The light flared brightly around the group, and with a gentle rush of wind, Chris landed softly on the ground. His friends immediately ran to his side, their relief palpable. However, just as they celebrated his return, a sudden presence interrupted their moment of joy. Kasen, the mysterious woman who had kidnapped Chris earlier, descended from above with a graceful yet calculated motion.
The landing was far from ordinary; Kasen's presence was like an ethereal weight in the air. As she landed on Chris, their lips met in a kiss that seemed to last a moment too long. Everyone watched, momentarily frozen, as the unexpected act unfolded.
Chris, wide-eyed, pulled back in shock, blinking at Kasen as if trying to understand what just happened.
Kasen, not fazed in the slightest, looked down at him and smirked. "It was inevitable. It's part of the game."
Meanwhile, the rest of the group exchanged glances, unsure whether to laugh, cringe, or simply leave the two to whatever strange dynamics they had.
10 years later
Current Day, as a 18 year-old Chris woke up
Chris jolted awake, his mind still hazy from the strange dream he had just experienced. He blinked around, recognising the familiar surroundings in his house. The remnants of the dream lingered in his mind, the images of battles, spiritual beings, and that kiss from Kasen playing in his head.
"Huh, that was weird," he muttered to himself, rubbing his eyes.
From beside him, Cassidy, who had already woken up, raised an eyebrow. "What's weird?"
Chris stretched, letting out a long yawn. "Just remembered the event from Ten Desire. I had a dream about the past events."
Cassidy laughed as she spoke. "Yeah, when you got kidnapped By Kasen, after she got you back, she kissed you by Accident. Oh boy, Reimu and Marisa looked like they wanted to kill her".
Chris rolled his eyes as he spoke. "Then you gave Reimu, Marisa and Kaguya a look that said, Ew, you are figuring over a 9-year-old, even though you knew I knew, damm well, I was older than 9".
Cassidy chuckled, the memory of that moment still fresh in her mind. "Oh, they were so flustered! It was hilarious. You know, I can't believe Kasen got you into that mess in the first place. You were still a kid and now look at you. All grown up."
Chris groaned and rubbed his temples. "Yeah, yeah. Let's not talk about Kasen and her weird ways. That kiss... wasn't part of the plan."
Cassidy smirked, clearly enjoying teasing him. "Come on, it wasn't that bad. At least you didn't end up with a hex or something crazy like that."
Chris gave her a sideways glance. "You know, Cassidy, I've had my fill of weird stuff. First I'm a kid again in some bizarre world, then I get kidnapped by some spiritual lady, and now I'm here, waking up next to you in my own home."
Cassidy raised an eyebrow, but there was a playful glint in her eyes. "Well, you're lucky. You've got me around, after all."
Chris shook his head, laughing softly. "Yeah, I guess you're right. Can't imagine life without you causing trouble every day."
Cassidy gave him a mock glare. "Hey, I do not cause trouble! I just make things... interesting."
Before Chris could respond, there was a knock on the door. Kaguya's voice called from the other side. "Are you two awake yet, or should I come in with my... special tea?"
Chris sighed, rubbing his face. "Tell her we're up."
Cassidy smirked and went to open the door, only to be greeted by Kaguya holding a tray with an assortment of teacups. "Morning, sleepyheads. I brought you both something to drink. You'll need it if we're going to talk about the whole 'spiritual mess' later."
"Talk about the spiritual mess?" Chris echoed, giving her a confused look.
Kaguya raised an eyebrow. "Oh, I don't know. You're the one who was the centre of that whole kidnapping plot. We should probably have a serious talk about it. The whole 'kiss incident' didn't help much either."
Cassidy stifled a laugh at Chris' reaction. "Don't worry, we'll handle it. No need for a 'serious talk' just yet."
Chris shot her a look. "I'm not sure how I'm supposed to feel about this."
Kaguya, unphased by the tension, placed the tray down on the table. "Fine, we'll leave it for later. But trust me, the situation's still ongoing. If you think you're done with that, think again."
Chris looked at the tea, then back at Kaguya, sensing the underlying seriousness in her words. "Alright, Kaguya. Let's talk."
Cassidy leaned back with a satisfied smirk. "Now that's the spirit."
As they sat down, the weight of their past adventures still loomed over them. The bizarre twists, unexpected enemies, and peculiar relationships were not easily forgotten. They were still haunted by the consequences of their battles, and though time had passed, it felt like it hadn't been long enough for them to fully move on.
But, despite all the chaos and confusion, Chris knew one thing for sure: he wasn't alone anymore. And no matter how strange the world got, that was the one constant he could rely on.
After all, he had friends by his side, and they would face whatever came next... together.
Chris, stretching his wings with a relaxed sigh, stepped out of his house, enjoying the cool breeze against his skin. As he walked down the path, his mind raced through the events of the past few days, trying to make sense of it all.
Suddenly, a blur of pink shot toward him at high speed. Before Chris could react, the blur collided with the wall, sending a puff of dust into the air. Chris raised an eyebrow, barely flinching.
"Yeah, not again Kasen," he muttered, shaking his head as he watched the figure slump to the ground, groaning.
Kasen appeared behind him with an amused smile, her eyes spinning with her usual playful, slightly mischievous look. "Aww, are you still mad at me for kidnapping you?" she asked, sounding almost too casual for someone who had caused so much chaos in his life. "Come on, just forgive me, I'm in your harem now."
Chris rolled his eyes going to her as he spoke. "Yes, if I hadn't forgiven Reimu for attacking me when I first came to Gensokyo, what makes you think I will forgive you? But I still love you".
Kasen looked at him as he spoke. "So can I kiss you?".
Chris blinked in surprise, his expression a mix of amusement and disbelief. "Wait, what?" He stepped back slightly, his wings stretching out a little as if to create some distance. "You think after everything that's happened, you can just—"
Kasen cut him off with a soft laugh, taking a playful step forward. "Oh, come on, you can't blame me for trying." Her voice was teasing, but there was a warmth behind her words that made it clear she wasn't entirely joking. "You know, I might've kidnapped you, but that's just part of the fun."
Chris crossed his arms, trying to hide the faintest smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "I swear, Kasen, you're something else. I don't know whether I should punch you or kiss you back for how you've messed with my head." He sighed dramatically as if the situation was the most frustrating thing in the world. "But, sure, you're in my harem now. That means you have at least a little bit of leeway."
Kasen's eyes sparkled with mischief as she leaned in slightly, her hand almost brushing his cheek. "So that means I'm allowed to kiss you, right?"
Chris sighed once more, stepping back and throwing his hands up in mock exasperation. "You're impossible, Kasen! Always messing with me, pushing boundaries..." He paused for a moment, his face softening. "But fine, go ahead. But if Reimu finds out, I'm blaming it all on you."
Kasen, looking completely satisfied with his response, stepped forward with a grin. "I'll take full responsibility, don't worry."
Just as she was about to lean in, there was a sudden loud bang as something crashed into the ground nearby. The moment was interrupted as both of them turned to see a familiar face—Marisa—on the ground, her broomstick by her side, looking utterly exasperated.
"What the heck is going on here?" Marisa yelled, her voice dripping with annoyance. "I leave for five minutes, and the two of you are already starting with the weirdness again!"
Chris blinked at Marisa, then glanced at Kasen, who just gave him an innocent shrug. "What? You never know when someone's gonna make a move."
"Not on my watch," Marisa muttered, rubbing the back of her head as she picked herself up. "You two are ridiculous. Anyway, Chris, we've got a problem."
Chris sighed, rolling his eyes. "What now, Marisa? Can't you see I'm having a moment here?"
Marisa crossed her arms, a serious look on her face. "Yeah, well, your moment is gonna have to wait. We've got more trouble on the horizon. Something big is coming, and I'm pretty sure it's not just Kasen being extra weird."
Kasen's playful smile faded, her eyes narrowing as she turned toward Marisa. "What kind of trouble are we talking about?"
Marisa glanced around as if making sure no one else was listening. "We're not sure yet, but it's something that could threaten Gensokyo itself. It's... complicated. We need to go talk to Reimu and figure out the next steps."
Chris's earlier annoyance seemed to vanish in an instant as he looked at Marisa with a more serious expression. "Alright, let's get moving then. We're not letting whatever this is slip through the cracks."
Kasen, no longer interested in her teasing moment with Chris, also nodded, her usual playfulness replaced with a more focused demeanour. "Let's go. We've got work to do."
With that, the trio set off, their thoughts now more focused on the impending danger rather than the personal chaos that had surrounded them just moments ago. Whatever this new threat was, they would face it together—and hopefully, Chris wouldn't have to deal with too many awkward moments in the process.
Marisa rolled her eyes as she floated beside Chris, her broom hovering just a few inches off the ground. "It's like the undead can never stay down, huh? Guess it's one of those 'come back stronger' things."
Kasen, now in full combat mode, narrowed her eyes at the massive skeleton yokai that loomed over Reimu, its bony frame creaking as it swung a large weapon. "I don't get it. We've beaten this guy into the ground before, haven't we?"
Reimu, her shrine maiden attire fluttering in the wind, stood her ground, firing powerful amulets at the skeletal creature with remarkable precision. "This thing... it's persistent, I'll give it that," she called back without looking at them. "But it's not exactly stronger this time. It's just that it keeps coming back from wherever it's hiding. It's probably got some kind of resurrection trick we're missing."
Chris crossed his arms, observing the battle. "Yeah, well, we've fought this thing enough times to know that it's not unbeatable. It's just really annoying at this point." He took a step forward, his spellbook already in hand, ready to cast something that would end the fight for good.
Marisa grinned. "You just wanna show off your spells again, don't you?"
Chris gave her an exaggerated, mock-offended look. "What? No. I just want to make sure we don't have to deal with this idiot again for another century."
Kasen, sensing the urgency, stepped forward as well. "Then let's put it down permanently this time. We can't let it keep coming back like this."
Reimu, still busy dodging the skeleton yokai's attacks, shot a glance at them. "Well, if you've got a plan, now's the time to use it. I'm getting tired of this thing."
Chris didn't waste another second. With a swift motion, he opened his spellbook, and a burst of radiant energy began to form at the tips of his fingers. "Alright, let's finish this."
He raised his hand, casting Holy Light of Purification, a brilliant beam of light surging toward the skeleton yokai. The light hit the creature square in the chest, and the yokai reeled back, its bones sizzling and crackling as the energy began to burn through it.
"Enough with the resurrection crap," Chris muttered under his breath. "Time to send you to wherever the undead go after they're really, really dead."
As the energy continued to flood through the yokai's body, it let out a haunting, echoing screech, its skeletal form slowly disintegrating into ash. After a few moments, all that remained was a pile of dust and bone fragments on the ground.
Reimu, wiping sweat from her brow, looked over at Chris. "Nice. That should keep it down for a while... hopefully."
Marisa smirked. "About time. That thing's a real pain in the neck."
Kasen crossed her arms, a satisfied look on her face. "Looks like we're done here. For now."
Chris sighed, closing his spellbook with a snap. "Yeah, but I'm not holding my breath that it's gone for good."
Reimu shook her head with a chuckle. "The undead never stay dead. But we can at least enjoy the moment of peace until it comes back, right?"
Chris gave her a wry smile. "Yeah, well, let's make the most of it while it lasts. I'm not doing any more long-winded battles with a skeleton anytime soon."
As the group shared a brief moment of relief, the sound of distant laughter echoed through the air. The calm wouldn't last long.
To be continued
Hope people like this Ch and give me power stones and enjoy