Kumuko winced as she saw her dad Cirno get pelted by danmaku; the ice fairy had once again challenged the red-and-white miko to a danmaku match and wasn't doing that well. Next to Kumuko was her mother Utsuho as well as family friend Daiyousei, both of whom were cheering Cirno on as Cirno shrugged off the attack and went on the offensive once again.
She pulled on Daiyousei's skirt, causing the green-haired fairy to look down. "What is it, Kumu-chan?" she asked.
"Is Dad really the strongest like she's always saying?" Kumuko asked.
Daiyousei gave a start. "Of course she is! Why would you doubt her?"
"But...but I've never seen her beat the red-and-white miko! If she's the strongest, shouldn't she always win?"
Daiyousei gave Kumuko a reassuring smile. "Kumu-chan, let me tell you something your dad once told me and the rest of our friends..."
It had seemed hopeless for Team 9, for the miko was too strong. Rumia was kneeling on the ground with exhaustion, Mystia was cowering after a hail of bullets just barely missed her, while Wriggle and Daiyousei were quite demoralized from the beating the miko had dished out.
"Cirno-chan, please stop!" Daiyousei begged as Cirno was knocked back by another wave of danmaku. "She's too strong, even for you! Let's just give up!"
Cirno was silent for a while, but picked herself up. She began speaking, not just to Daiyousei, but to all of her friends. "I know that my danmaku skills aren't as good as Reimu's and I know that I'm not that smart either. But do you know why I...why we are the strongest?"
She turned towards the rest of Team 9, her eyes burning as bright as Mokou's flames. "The strongest are not those who win every battle! The strongest are not those with the most broken powers! No, the strongest are those who never give up! If we are knocked down, we will get back up and push back ten times as hard! If we have only a 0.01% chance of winning, we will seize it no matter how far away it is! If we have no chance of winning, we will take the enemy down with us! We will never give up even if the enemy is too strong! That is true strength! We are Team 9! We are the strongest!"
To Daiyousei's amazement, Rumia picked herself up, newfound determination in her eyes. Mystia had gotten up shakily as well but there was no more fear in her body language. Wriggle hesitated for a while before nodding and facing the miko, ready for round two. As for Daiyousei, for a moment all she could do was stare in wonder. She smiled as she too picked herself up, ready to once again fight Hakurei Reimu.
"And? And? What happened afterwards?" Utsuho asked, her eyes wide with anticipation and childish glee. Kumuko too was as entranced with the tale, causing Daiyousei to giggle. ‘Like mother, like daughter,' she thought.
"We actually managed to win," she laughed. "It involved Rumia using her darkness on Reimu and an epic Wriggle Kick right into Cirno's Icicle Falls. I heard that the gap youkai laughed for several days after hearing that."
"Hooray!" Utusho cheered. "I knew it! I knew she wouldn't lose so easily!"
Daiyousei looked over at Kumuko and was heartened to see the young girl looking up at her father with newfound respect.
After all, there was a reason why the boisterous little ice fairy was the leader of Team 9.