"Settle down ~ze? I never thought I would hear that from you," she says.

"W-well, if i-its with you, I don't mind..." he whispers.

Marisa smiles at him brightly.

"I love you too ~ze!" she says.

Marisa pushes her lips forcefully on his. She energetically massages his lips with her tongue as she tries to pry them open. For a moment, his eyes widen in surprise at her sudden aggressiveness. She manages to probe her soft tongue between his lips. He closes his eyes as he moves his own tongue along with hers. Slowly, he manages to keep up with her tempo as they continue this passionate exchange. They part lips to catch their breath.

"That was amazing," he says. "Did you practice with other men?"

She winks at him.

"I can honestly say that you are the first man I have kissed ~ze..."

They lock their lips again. This time, he returns her gestures blow for blow. They twirl around the room in an entrancing dance. Somehow, they manage to find themselves beside the bed, despite having their tongues entwined together.

Marisa sits herself down on the bed. She looks nervously up at him. Her deep golden eyes are filled with hesitation. He doesn't remember seeing the confident Marisa look at him like this before. He gives her a gentle smile.

"I-if you aren't sure about this, then -"

"No." she says. She puts a hand on his cheek. "I've been waiting for this for a long time ~ze."

She lowers her gaze slightly as she blushes.

"J-just be gentle," she whispers. "This is my first time ~ze."

He nods as he feels himself blush. She looks so vulnerable like this. He lowers his head and kisses her slowly and gently on the lips. He parts his lips and takes a breath. Her aroma is like fresh flowers and herbs; he is intoxicated by her scent. He nibbles gently at her ear. She utters a cute little moan.

He starts kissing her neck and slowly undoing the top of her dress. She gives no resistance. She even goes out of her way to position herself so that he can remove it more easily. As he slowly peels off her clothing, he gently starts rubbing her chest through her dress with his free hand. She starts breathing faster and heavier. She bites her lips to prevent her moans from escaping.

He manages to remove her top completely, exposing her delicate white breasts. For a moment, he pauses to savor this moment. Her cute little nipples are erect in anticipation. She looks up at him with puzzlement before hiding her breasts with her hands.

"D-don't stare like that," she whispers. She quickly turns her head and looks away.

He interrupts her with a kiss. She responds eagerly to the gesture, stimulating his tongue and lips. He gently holds her hands as they continue. Slowly, he parts her hands from his chest as their tongues dance in ecstasy. He slowly starts stroking her breasts with one hand, while he holds her other hand tightly. At first, her body quivers at every stroke, but gradually she starts to enjoy the motions. Soon, she starts pushing her chest forward into his hands.

"..."

Something is wrong. He raises his head and looks around. An unwelcome sight is sitting in a chair beside them.

"Don't mind me," Yukari says. She covers her mouth with her fan to hide a malevolent smile.

[ ] "W-w-what the hell?"
[ ] "G-get out of here!"
[ ] "S-s-shit!"
[ ] Custom

Marisa falls heavily into his open arms.

"Where are we ~ze?" she asks as she stands up on her own.

"My castle," he replies. "After defeating the shrine maiden, I asked if I could build my home in the Hakurei Boundary. She said that she didn't mind as long as I didn't cause any trouble."

"E-eh? I never heard of that before ~ze" she says, frowning.

He smiles gently at the golden-haired magician.

"That is because the only ones who know of this place are Reimu, Wriggle, myself, and the students."

"A secret hideout, eh? This really is like you ~ze" she says as she looks out the window. "You really tend to overdo it."

The castle is hovering over a thick miasma of light and color. There are four towers at each of the cardinal directions. At the top of each tower lies a giant gemstone that seems to be powering the barrier around the castle. The castle grounds themselves are full of beautiful statues and well-kept gardens. There are several fairies in apprentice uniforms walking around the different areas.

"Your students?" she asks.

"They are under Wriggle's tutelage now," he says. "I think it is about time for me to settle down a bit."

Loading User Commands:
[X] Embrace her tightly.
[X] Your castle in the Hakurei Boundary.

---

There is no need for words. He embraces her tightly in his arms. Her eyes widen in surprise at this sudden gesture, but she immediately returns his embrace. They stay like this for several minutes before letting go.

"I've waited years for you to say that," Grimnir says.

Marisa chuckles at him.

"My apprentice has become quite powerful ~ze," she says. "You even tamed that Nightbug girl, didn't you?"

He smiles lightly as he thinks about his own apprentice.

"She was quite a handful at the start, but she turned out to be quite reliable."

"I hear that the girl is smitten with you ~ze," Marisa says as she pouts. "Perhaps you are only interested in youkai girls?"

He sighs at the black and white magician.

"Don't listen to those unfounded rumors," he says. "She is like a sister to me."

"So that's how it is ~ze," she says as she pretends to cry. "I've been discarded in favor of a little sister. You're horrible ~ze!"

The two master magicians look at each other in silence for a minute. Then, they break out into laughter at the exact same moment. They make an oddly matched pair in this recently devastated wasteland.

He reaches out and takes her hand. She looks at him with a puzzled expression. He starts chanting a teleportation spell.

"H-hey! Where are we goi-"

"...nir ..kay?"

Grimnir can hear a voice. Is he still alive?

"...an.. ear me?"

He opens an eye.

"..."

He closes it and pretends to be asleep.

"Hey! How rude, ~ze!"

He opens both eyes wearily. Marisa is looking at him with concern.

"About time you woke up ~ze! You really worried me!"

He smiles weakly at the black and white magician.

"I guess this means that you win," he whispers.

Marisa pouts and folds her arms.

"O-of course not!" she says. "What the hell was that about anyway ~ze? I've never heard of a Masters duel where a person would risk himself to save his opponent!"

He takes a moment to recall what he did.

Near the end of his spell card trance, he managed to knock Marisa off her broom. Realizing that a fall from that height would mean death, he swooped down to catch her. He managed to carry her safely to the ground, but not without taking direct hits from several of her spark blasts. Her spell card effect didn't cancel itself when she fell. He lost consciousness soon after landing.

"Yeah, that was pretty stupid," he admits.

He manages to sit himself up.

"We will have to settle this some other day," she says.

Grimnir stands up and takes a few steps. Without warning, Marisa forces his neck to face her.

"T-that hurts! What the hell-"

"Y-you were awesome ~ze." she whispers.

Before he can react, she kisses him deeply. He fails to react until he feels her lips part from his.

"..."

Marisa seems to be waiting for a response.
[ ] Kiss her.
[ ] Embrace her tightly.
[ ] Confess your love.

Grimnir can still use some magic.
[ ] Your castle in the Hakurei Boundary.
[ ] Marisa's cottage in the Forest of Magic.
[ ] Custom

Grimnir pauses to catch his breath. The smell of fire and ash fills the air. He takes a glance at the ground. The grassy plains have been turned into a desolate wasteland with deep craters and cracks scattered on its surface. It will take decades before anything will grow again.

"Tired already, ~ze?" Marisa shouts. Despite her words, she is panting heavily.

"Just enjoying the moment," he says. "I haven't had this much fun since that fight with the shrine maiden."

Marisa takes a spell card from inside her dress.

"I only need this to beat you ~ze," she says.

"Preparing your last spell card?" he asks. "Though I admit that you have far exceeded my expectations."

"You only have one left as well ~ze," she says with a smile.

Grimnir chuckles. He pulls out his spell card.

"True," he says. "I never thought I would have to use this spell against an ordinary magician."

Marisa's smile widens.

"Heh," she says. "I made this just in case you got this far ~ze."

"Be honored that you can witness my best work, Marisa." he says as he prepares himself.

"This was a very fun battle ~ze." she says. "I am almost sorry that I have to end it now."

Grimnir gives her a mocking bow.

"Ladies first~"

Marisa is already chanting the spell under her breath. Lines made up of different colors of light begin drawing symbols in the air. A circle of power begins forming around her. Various magical crests are formed in an ornate design in all directions. The design looks familiar. Grimnir smiles.

"Isn't that spell a little old?" he asks.

The circle continues expanding under Grimnir. He watches it closely as the crest reaches the ends of the battle area. He flies above and to the left of his opponent to prepare himself. Marisa completes the incantation before looking up.

"I developed this version just for you ~ze"

She declares her spell card.

"Love Sign, 「Unlimited Sparks Annihilation」"

The crest dims for a moment. Grimnir blinks. In the next second, countless beams of light are emitted from the circle.

Grimnir stays focused as he dodges the beams. Two, four, eight, sixteen, thirty-two... he loses count as the beams shoot out continuously from different directions. He shields his eyes from the brightness as he grazes the beams. The beams themselves are moving in straight, predictable paths. However, the beams are wide and he is running out of room to maneuver.

"I wonder how long you can last with this, ~ze" Marisa shouts from somewhere in the center of the barrage.

Grimnir cringes as one of the beams hits the side of his arm. He can smell his own flesh burning as he continues dodging.

"D-damn it!" he mutters as he declares his own spell card. This is far too early into her trance to use it, but he has no choice.

"Deus Sign, 「End of Eden」"

Everything goes white.

Loading User Commands:
[X] Marisa

---

"You look as beautiful as ever, Marisa," Grimnir says.

The black and white magician smiles.

"You don't look too bad yourself ~ze," she says. "Little apprentice has grown up."

"How is your training?" he asks. "I suppose you started taking it easy after your last victory against Yukari."

Marisa shakes her head in disagreement.

"Yukari was only a stepping stone ~ze," she says with a sly smile. "I have been developing something extra special for you..."

"As have I," he replies. "So, shall we begin then?"

Marisa grins.

"Always to the point, ~ze." she says. "What are our rules?"

"Hmm," he thinks. "Standard Masters Duel. Seven Spell Cards. Two kilometer diameter for the combat area. Battle ends when one side surrenders, falls unconscious, or is killed."

"You've always been strict about conventions ~ze," she says. Marisa takes to the air as she speaks.

"And you've always been breaking them," he says. Grimnir levitates upward casually.

The two masters face each other in the sky, several hundred meters above ground. He feels his legs quiver in anticipation. His fingers are already itching to draw a spell card. He can feel the wind in his hair as he surveys the battle area. Below them lie a wide, grassy plain. There are no places to hide.

"Shall we start?" Marisa asks. She is already holding a spell card in her hand.

Grimnir pulls out his spell card.

Loading User Commands:
[X] Go to sleep.

---

"Are you sure you want to go through with this?" Wriggle asks.

Grimnr gives her a gentle smile as he ruffles her hair. She relaxes a little bit, but she isn't smiling. Several years ago, he wouldn't even dream of doing this in fear of being blasted, burned, or bitten. Wriggle Nightbug was powerful among the forest youkai, and she was known for her strength long before he arrived in Gensokyo. He still remembers his surprise when she approached him and asked to be his apprentice.

"A wizard knows when it is time," he says. "Both you and I know that this can't be avoided."

"I-I understand," she says.

Grimnr turns to leave when he feels a tug at his sleeve. He turns around to see Wriggle struggling to say something. He waits patiently for the girl to find the words. She was always the type to have difficulty expressing her feelings.

"P-please take care of yourself," she manages.

He looks at Wriggle thoughtfully. She looks exactly the same as she was several years ago. Her hairstyle is the same; she says that long hair is too difficult to manage. She still wears the same boyish costume; she says it is more practical for the outdoors (though he suspects other reasons). However, this youkai girl has mastered hundreds of spells in only a few years. Right now, she is at a similar level as some of the most powerful beings in Gensokyo.

Without warning, he embraces the girl tightly. Wriggle's eyes widen at the gesture, but slowly she returns the embrace.

"Thank you Wriggle," Grimnr whispers. "You've been like family to me."

A tiny stream of tears trickles down along her cheek.

...

He arrives at the appointed place. Everything will be decided on this day.

The blonde one is already waiting for him. She smiles as he lands beside her.

This duel between Masters will be forever remembered in the history of Gensokyo.

He looks thoughtfully at his opponent as he remembers her name...

[ ] Alice
[ ] Marisa
[ ] Yukari