Flandre's Quest (Touhou) World - (Madness Quest)

[X] Stay with Remilia; you're curious about her 'business.'


You look away from Satsuki as the door opens, interrupting your explanation on the proper ways to wait for people to get around to noticing you. Vita, now wearing the usual brown uniform instead of her red dress, walks in and scowls at you. "Alright, they're going to be here in a few minutes. Expected or not, you're causing a lot of trouble for people, so be on your best behavior, got it?" Satsuki mumbles an affirmative, but you simply cross your arms and pout at Vita.

"When have I ever not been on my best behavior?" She growls at you as she takes a seat near the foot of the table, away from you and Remilia.

"When you attacked Schach? When you got into a fight with us? Every other time people filed a report about you being a snarly little brat?" You sniff dismissively and tip your head back.

"Hmph. Those were all my best behaviors. Or are you so narrow-minded that you think only one best behavior exists for a range of occasions?" You smile confidently, and her blue eyes flash before she twitches her head around, refusing to look at you and crossing her arms. You glance at your sister, but she's much the same as she's been since you started waiting: full-sized wings half-furled as she stares at nothing in particular. Finally, however, she blinks and takes a breath. She glances at the door and then seems to sharpen - instead of looking like a young girl with wings, she looks like a thing that looks like a young girl with wings. She's always said that it's something you can do, too, but you don't seem to be able to do it unless you're really furious, even if Headless is helping you. Vita sighs, shakes her head, and turns to look at you - and flinches back when she sees your sister. It would be funny, if you hadn't seen that she went for her Device when she recoiled. Remilia grins at Vita, but before either can say anything the door opens again. Still unnerved by Remilia's transformation, Vita lurches to her feet; all three newcomers react to her appearance as well - Hayate, Fate, and a familiar-looking man wearing a black coat and white trousers. He steps up to the table but seems hesitant about sitting down.

"Admiral Harlaown, welcome. Please, do be seated - you came all this way, you might as well rest a little." He frowns but takes a seat, as do Fate and Hayate.

"There are others who are better for you to talk with, if you're willing to wait a little longer. From what Verossa said, it seemed you were going to be here sooner." Remilia shrugs.

"Something more important came up," she says simply … but the only thing that 'came up' that would have delayed her arrival would be your desire to go with Ilya …. "Regardless, I am here now, and I find that you are rather suitable for my purposes." Fate leans forward when Remilia doesn't immediately continue, looking tired.

"And what do you want?" Remilia grins at her.

"Why, power, of course." Fate and Vita have very similar reactions, although Fate arrests her movement on her own, while Hayate has to stop Vita from activating her Device. Remilia laughs merrily at the array of glares facing her. "Oh, that was rude of me, wasn't it? Very well, let me rephrase - I wish to put forth a proposition that could aid you, should cost you little - if anything - and I would gain some measure of political capital in Gensokyo." You can't help but look askance at your sister - is she actually planning on dethroning Yukari as the most important youkai in Gensokyo? The admiral shares a frown with Fate.

"You know I need more than that, Miss Scarlet." Remilia laughs demurely.

"Oh, don't call me that - it makes me feel old!" Her expression doesn't match the playful tone of her voice, however - no doubt intentional on her part, of course. "But - as you wish. With the situation as it stands, the foundation of the tower of law riven, you find yourself in need of warriors as often as you do police and diplomats, do you not? And those warriors you have need rest that they all-too-frequently are denied, are they not?" You aren't quite sure what she's talking about, but from the way Hayate, Fate, and the admiral went still, it's probably something very important. Apart from the obvious, anyway, about their organization needing more people who can fight, which doesn't make it sound like good things have been happening to it. "Gensokyo … can provide assistance with both. While small, those with power do remain within, and I'm sure that some will be quite willing - eager, even - to go to an outside world. Similarly, it can provide - in small amounts - a location of reprieve where bad news is simply unavailable to them." You don't even bother hiding your surprise - your shock. It maybe won't start a war, but …. Hayate clears her throat.

"You said … you said you gain political capital from this. Can you really follow through with it?" Your sister shrugs.

"I believe that, at the least, I can interest some youkai enough that they will want to see this world. It is probable that I can make it open, a regular transmission of youkai to and from Mid-Childa. It is … less likely that I will be able to attain a similar standing with foreigners, which means that any reprieve granted would take place in my mansion and on my grounds, with severely restricted access to the rest of Gensokyo and other humans. And, given my own nature and the nature of my home, such rest as they achieved there would be … minimal, for most." The admiral nods slowly, after a long moment digesting the information.

"You aren't sure if you can provide, we can't know if we want to accept … this would need to go to Headquarters, take time to be discussed …." He looks questioningly at your sister.

"Oh, I rather suspect that I could have my end figured out in a day or two - but I think I'd rather wait on taking that time until an … opportune moment. Say, a few months from now?" She smiles with her teeth as Fate and the admiral look at you. You aren't sure how you feel about Remilia using your party as an excuse to hold potentially-war-inducing discussions … but considering that you won't be having a party without her assistance ….

"I see. And if we have questions that cannot wait?" You look over at your sister and she shrugs.

"I'm not sure that you could have any questions that cannot wait, but I suppose you could ask my sister. If it's actually important, Chrono Harlaown." They recoil again at the sudden fierceness in her voice, and after a moment she shrugs and stretches, relaxing the sharpness as she does so. "Well, that's what I came here for, so I'll be leaving now." She flops herself across the table and pulls you into a hug, wiggling and giggling. "Be good, Flandre." She kisses your cheek, and before you can return the favor she disperses into a cloud of bats that blow open the door and scatter away. You pout for a moment.

"… Well, that's … something. We'll need to …." The admiral shakes his head and rubs his face tiredly. "Fate, will you be alright? Then, Hayate, if you'll come with me?" Fate turns to you after nodding to the admiral, but waits for everyone to leave before saying anything. Vita shoots you a vicious glare before closing the door behind her. You didn't even get to do anything! Fate tries to smile at you.

"Well, that was …." She shakes her head and takes a few moments, and when she looks back up she's rather businesslike instead of attempting to be cheerful. "You know about the current situation?" You shake your head, earning a surprised look.

"I didn't think anything would really change after I left, and I never thought to ask Remilia if anything interesting had happened." She sighs and looks unhappily at the table.

"Well … I can have a longer version sent to you, or someone in your new assignment can explain it, but the short version is that after …. The Bureau has, apparently, been conducting illegal experiments, ordered from the top. General Gaiz left letters and memorandums explaining it all, and he started explaining everything after he turned himself in, but …." She shakes her head. "He died in a car accident while on the way to a hearing. After hearing about some of the things the Bureau has apparently done, and then for the general to die in such a manner …. The Bureau is fractured, many of the member worlds broke away, some are erupting into civil wars that the Bureau just can't handle, and the worlds that aren't members but that we watch over are suffering as well." She falls silent, looking down at the table. You let her have a few moments, then clear your throat. Startled, she looks over at you.

"So, you said something about a new assignment?" She blinks, momentarily confused, then does something to make several screens appear in the air over the table.

"Yes. Your old unit was disbanded, and you will likely be sent to places we need someone rather than left to your own devices. Starting with the least dangerous - overseeing new recruits. Ideally, you wouldn't need to do anything - they shouldn't even know you're watching them, if everything goes right - but what you would be doing is replacing the mage who is overseeing the operation. It's a relief operation for a world that was just raided; no expected enemy forces, but the possibility exists that it could be attacked again, especially if they realize that the Bureau is still trying to help." She takes a calming breath before continuing. "The next assignment is - bodyguarding, essentially. Negotiations are on-going between two groups that are fighting, and the Bureau is trying to get them to work together. But with internal conflicts on both sides, and neither group wholly trusting the Bureau, there's a possibility that the war could reignite. You would be making sure that our negotiating team stays safe." She starts to continue when one of the screens flashes red. She inhales sharply and two more screens appear; after reading them, her face pales and she looks down, all energy suddenly gone. "The third assignment … was an escort mission for members of the Saint Church that are providing relief in an active war zone. However, someone unleashed a horde of Gadget Drones that appear to have gone rogue and are targeting everyone. It … isn't believed that the Church members are still alive. The mission is now suppression of the Gadget Drones and, if possible, locating the remains." You try not to grin - after all, 'Gadget Drones' aren't flesh and blood, so any fight against them is going to be much less fun than one against humans! On the other hand, you could get Satsuki some more fighting experience … if it takes place during night, anyway.

On the third hand … you're not sure you like being tossed around from hot spot to hot spot. And if Ilya and Satsuki both said you're good at teaching … maybe you could be a combat instructor? It would probably be pretty boring, but you could probably get recruits more used to actual fighting than anyone else - you're much more willing to spill your own blood and get them used to killing, after all! You'll probably still have to do one of these three, though ….


What do you do?

[ ] Oversee the new recruits.

[ ] Watch over the negotiations.

[ ] War zone!

[ ] Other?