Fool Bloom (A Magical Woman Quest)

[X] Embler write-in: Play nice. Ask what he wants to do about the cult, and compare notes. Keep an open mind to his concerns.


"Er, ahem," Miyako coughed on realising she may've started on too aggressive a foot with Ryoichi, as aggressive as he'd been himself. "I'm guessing you've got plans for what to do about the cult, since you came all the way down to Nagoya?" she asked, somewhat straining to be more polite.

"Tracking down their donation accounts, of course, to show everyone they've been swindling the Kai family," Ryoichi said, then grumbled, "Naturally most of their earnings are undisclosed, helps them to keep up their ridiculous 'poor and humble' facade. So I thought the only thing for it was to break right into their base and find the real accounts myself."

"Yeah right. I don't exactly see you packing a grappling hook, disguises, lockpicks, decryption USB, y'know, anything that'd actually be useful in infiltration," Reiji said, having not picked up Miyako's polite approach at all.

"Well of course that's how some theatre urchin would think an infiltration would go," Ryoichi chuckled at him, "but here in the real world, I have a sounder plan. The cult won't lay a finger on me, I am no less than the Kai family scion after all, giving me ample time to find the accounts once their backs are turned. And if they do attack me, they'll fall right into my trap, for how will anyone maintain faith in them when they attack the son of one of their own donors? My parents won't give them a single yen more."

At first Miyako nodded, but she had to ask, "And what happens if they, y'know, kill you when they attack?"

Ryoichi tensed up at that question, but insisted, "Again, Kai scion, they'd never dare," tugging his collar as he did.

"Think you're giving a crazed cult a bit too much credit," Reiji said.

"Thing is, Sakata-san told us they had a bunch more big-name donors than just the Kai. So it's possible they'll just hush up your family ever having donated," Miyako said. If there was one positive, at least she was staring to think like a journalist. "If longtime cultists remember, well they're a cult, they could just tell them they didn't over and over again, or declare you Bad Seeds, right?"

"Again with the fantasy thinking. First off, they've only ever deemed Hanazakari to be Bad Seeds in the past, and second-" Ryoichi said, but then stopped on realising he didn't really have a second. Or a third. So he went for the old, "Well, what are you planning to do about them, hmm?"

"Er, well, nothing," Miyako said and drooped down, "Arisugawa-sama said she'll handle it and that non-Hanazakari shouldn't get involved. She was gonna have this talk with their leader, who offered her one apparently, and then find Mirova-san, this cosmonaut a cult Slayer's holding hostage. She brought other Hanazakari with her so she'll have protection, even if the leader's supposed to be pretty strong."

"And that's the other ace up my sleeve," Ryoichi suddenly said. Rather than just tell Miyako and Reiji, he quizzed them, "What do you know about this Kamizono Mariya's Cultivar?"

"That it can trick people into thinking she can pull off the Resurrection?" Miyako stated.

"My my, you're on the right track," Ryoichi actually smiled, "Its true nature is..."

---

Per Freesia's words, they really couldn't miss the Earthly Purified's Nagoya headquarters. A vine-strewn cathedral with twisting spires, it sure stood out against the city's grey blocks.

As Koyomi approached the carved oaken doors, she said to those following her, "Okay, I'll see what Dear Leader wants with me, and Izumi, you can track down Daimon. No idea how you're gonna convince her to leave though. Palmira and Sfira, you stick to the shadows, then jump out if Freesia or anyone else tries anything. We'll especially need you for any fast escapes, Sfira."

"I shall perform to the best of my abilities."

"You got it, Boss Lady."

Sfira however had something else to bring up. "<Sorry, it's just on Pathragada, the Rafflesia Clan is said to be who comes for us when we die. I would think that's different for other castes, but my point is... be careful.>"

"Look Sfira, I don't want to force you along. If you'd feel better back with Miyako and Reiji-" Koyomi began.

"<No no, I'm going in. Her being dangerous means you need all the help you can get. And also,>" Sfira said, "<It's been on my mind whether the fight with the Freesia would've worked out better if I'd stayed with you.>"

Koyomi just nodded, ashamed to admit she had no idea as to an answer.


The first thing they noticed inside the church was the heat, feeling like a greenhouse compared to the slight chill of the streets outside. Peering through the darkness, the reason for this slowly became clear when the saw the rows and columns of plants, flowers, and vines lining each wall. Perhaps a memorial to dead Hanazakari, or rather way of channeling their spirits, as Koyomi doubted Kamizono would be content with the former. By these vertical gardens were rivers of candles lined up along the floor, too dim right now to be where all the heat was coming from. Were they some sort of warning?

Further on they entered a corridor where, despite a similar low light, they first saw other people in this place. All wore white robes and carried bouquets, undaunted by the thorns on their flowers. The cultists all passed by the four newcomers like they weren't even there, until Hibiki took notice of one of their hands.

"Daimon-san!" Hibiki said, as she grabbed a cult member with prosthetics for hands. The hood then fell back, showing a woman with a mousy bob.

Taken out of the procession, this woman started to sweat and hyperventilate. "Y-you're Izumi Hibiki, aren't you? W-what are you doing here? Did someone send you?!" Emi Daimon gasped.

"I am here to save you," Hibiki said, giving a true if very rehearsed sounding answer.

"No, no you aren't," Emi Daimon said, "I'm not a person out there, I'm a, well, I'm a machine," she held up her hands. "Kamizono-sama is the only person who's ever wanted me for who I am, not what I can do for them."

"Really? Does making you wear the same face-hiding costume as everyone else and carry the same thorns count as 'wanting you for who you are'?" Koyomi spoke up. "And you're a known name out there, what you 'do' for her is bring publicity."
As Emi struggled to respond beyond a frantic shaking of her head, Koyomi then went around pulling down the hoods of the other cultists. "Well, aren't you going to attack me, go berserk in your leader's name?" she asked all of them, but instead they all shrunk back, gasped, and tried to get back in line. "No, because you're not mad," Koyomi remarked, "You're frightened. All of you."

"Who's frightened? Not me, I'm never scared," an all too familiar voice then said. Freesia then jumped at Koyomi from out of the darkness, a split-second transformation saving the Black Rose from becoming a toy on touch.

"Where are you keeping Vasilisa?!" Koyomi yelled at her.

"Right here, I would never lose one of my toys," Freesia smiled as she pulled the Vasilisa doll out of a pocket, with Koyomi staring at how much Vasilisa's legs had been contorted. "Although, I'm already kinda bored of her. Ooh, maybe if I modified her some more?"

"Don't you dare," Koyomi snarled as she swung her sword, only for Freesia to dart away as another figure stepped between them.

"That shall be enough, dear Minakata. We must not toss stray lambs aside," a woman said, with Freesia instantly backing off at her voice. She towered over everyone else, her hair a dark brown and her face painted bleach white, and as Palmira said she wore blue shawl over her own white robe, and atop her head a crown of twelve stars. "So, two Bad Seeds enter the Garden of the Gods, oh, and they bring along two guests. Let us be glad then, for as I saved Freesia from her sins, so can I save you."

This woman already spotting Palmira and Sfira caused Koyomi to twitch, but she didn't let any apprehension show as she asked, "Kamizono, right? Your hitwoman said you wanted to talk, so make it quick."

"Hitwoman, really? You may argue the term's technically true, but it's such a vulgar, defiled thing to call dear Minakata," Mariya Kamizono said as she then held Freesia close to her, "By my grace, she's now as pure as a Pevensie, sans Susan of course. I felt you'd appreciate the literary reference, Kuramazov."

A scowl from Koyomi said otherwise, though hearing that pen name made Emi go, "...Kuramazov?"

"Why don't I show you to our congregation hall? Ceremonies have ended for the day, so we may talk freely there," Kamizono then said as she walked to another door. "Your fellow Hanazakari are welcome to join, as is dear Daimon if she wishes. Oh, and how could I forget your Pathragadan guest? Dear Minakata told me all about them."

Them knowing about Sfira made Koyomi twitch, remembering how impulsively Vasilisa gave the fact away on the train. Still, she with Hibiki, Palmira, Sfira, and now Emi followed Kamizono into the congregation hall, a dramatic change from the rest of the cathedral in being painted stark white and lacking the slightest touch of greenhouse heat.

There were chairs for some to sit at first, but each row kept sinking into the floor until the floor became all there was to sit on. At the end of the room was a cross positioned upon a lotus, the sun's rays drawn shining from behind. "I know why you suffer," Kamizono said, her arms outstretched, "Arisugawa, you failed to save your Emet, the last Dandelionheart. Izumi, you were ordered to kill Oscar, your own Dandelionheart, then to kill the same Emet."

"What?!" Koyomi burst out at Hibiki, but then killed to Kamizono and said, "No, you're lying. A Frostfarer killed Emet."

"Really? Indirectly yes, but I was there at Shin Sekigahara, I saw with my own two eyes it was Izumi," Kamizono said. Hibiki made no response beyond shrinking back, which let Kamizono continue, "But it was at Shin Sekigahara I had a revelation, that it was I who was entrusted with the Resurrection, that all Hanazakari who joined with me would be saved.
Arisugawa, Izumi, the world shall drag you down into its defilement, your minds forever burdened by your sins, unless you accept the salvation of the Earthly Purified. You can be redeemed, you can be loved, you will be reunited with your fallen friends come the Resurrection." She then looked at Sfira, "And I believe the Resurrection is nigh, if none other than Pathragada wishes to reestablish contact."

"What would you even know of the world's 'defilement'?" Koyomi snarled back.

To that, Kamizono smiled and said, "All too well. The government refuses to use its power to save people, and when it does it knows only force," she looked at Koyomi. "Corporations will commit any crime as long as they can profit of it," she looked at Hibiki, then at Emi, "And don't value the humanity of their own creators, wanting only machines. And you already know this world, think our guest to land on the planet of the Hanazakari only be met with such callousness. Can you honestly disagree, Arisugawa Koyomi?"

"...I can't," Koyomi muttered, her breath slowing. But then she looked right at Kamizono and said, "What I can disagree with is that you'll do anything to actually help. RUNE's never come after you, and you can't say no to corporate donors. And why is Daimon-san such a wreck if you value her humanity? Why did you send a Slayer first thing after me?"

"Oh come on," Freesia piped up, "I was just gonna... compartmentalize and transport you here, that's all. You wouldn't be a very pretty doll though."

"<I'm no envoy,>" Sfira then said, "<I don't know what the higher castes' plans are for the Resurrection. I just wanted to see Earth.>"

"Look ya crazy broad, if you say you can do the Resurrection," Palmira then said, "Where's your proof?"

For a while Kamizono stood still, yet then she smiled again and said, "Alright. The defilement the Bad Seeds spread may keep me from performing the miracle I am meant to, but I can certainly give any doubters a glimpse. All Rise for the Day of Rebirth. Blossom, Rafflesia!"

A forest giant red petals opened out of Kamizono's back, as if she had countless arms, with veins on her face growing into vines. The whole floor started to quake, as from the icy depths below rose a congregation of walking corpses.

"Reanimation yeah, I'll give ya that, but it ain't no Resurrection," said Palmira, trying to stay tough as they stifled a shriek.

"I researched your history, Arisugawa, and recovered someone very special to you," Kamizono said as she ushered forth one specific corpse, the deathmask all too familiar to Koyomi. "Join me, or sacrifice your life, either way dear Hirasaka Namie will live again."

Article:

Koyomi's reaction was:
[ ] To just grab the Vasilisa doll and get everyone out of there.
[ ] To handle Freesia and grab Vasilisa while the others dealt with these corpses.
[ ] To tear right into all these other corpses, even if she couldn't touch Namie.
[ ] To ask Kamizono to prove this was Namie, and she didn't just forge the death mask.
[ ] To attack the cathedral's own foundations, bring everything down around them.
[] To slice Namie's corpse in two, show Kamiizono she had no power over her. [Koyomi lacks the strength of Heart and Mind to do this.]
[ ] Write-in
[ ] Write-in Ask Sfira if these corpses even have emotions. (by Wallflower)

Oh hey, write-ins won twice in a row

[X] WallFlower Write-in: Ask Sfira if these corpses even have emotions.



Palmira's hard-boiled façade faded quick, muttering as they saw among the dead, "Those really are the suicide victims from the news. Did this Kamizono- oh no, oh please no."

Hibiki's own neutral expression also commenced cracking when she saw another horde of dead, "Those are Hanazakari, they fought that day at Shin Sekigahara."

"Do you dare imply I ordered them to commit suicide?" Kamizono asked, having somehow heard Palmira's muttering loud and clear. "No, these poor strays chose their own fate, yet through my grace they may serve their greatest good, atone for how they cast aside their own lives. And yes, you are also correct that the dead of Shin Sekigahara are gathered here, no less than RUNE entrusted me with them knowing of my Cultivar."

The idea that RUNE had anything to do with Kamizono made Koyomi seethe. She only had Kamizono's word for it, but she wouldn't put it past RUNE. "Sfira," she then asked, "can your roots pick up anything telepathically from Kamizono's dead, or are they just corpses?"

Stretching their roots across the floor, Sfira said in return, "<No, nothing. All I hear is silence.>"

"As I thought," Koyomi said, then while trying to avoid looking at Namie she stared right back at Kamizono. "What proof do you have that this isn't all your Cultivar is? Yeah, Cultivars change with time, but that's from our own emotions, not because of any other Hanazakari! So what makes you think I'll ever join you?"

"What proof do you have that Hanazakari cannot affect others' Cultivar?" Kamizono asked back, "And as for my own emotions, could you find in your own heart to Resurrect knowing just how defiled this world is, how even after the Frost Fair we continue to rot? I thought not, so why demand that I do the same?"

"Because I'm not the one offering salvation here," Koyomi hissed.

"And I'm not the one demanding proof," Kamizono said, then lowered her voice, "All scientific proof has left us with is certain doom, claiming there will be no Resurrection, that no true divinity cares for us, that suffering shall gnaw at us down the road to oblivion. We as humans are done with proof, the only way forward to the future we were promised is through faith, and I offer salvation because I realise that more than anyone else!"

For a second, Koyomi was lost for words in how to respond. "What you say…" she gasped, "sounds one step away from proclaiming yourself God."

That just made Kamizono smile and say, "Well, in the absence of any better candidate, who's to say I'm not?"

"Henshin!" Koyomi yelled back and transformed, that last straw finally breaking her. She called forth the darkness from the corridors around and threw it all forth to blind Kamizono, but that still left waves of corpses in between the two.

"Blossom, Hellebore!" Hibiki proclaimed.
"Pay your crimes' weight in gold! Blossom, Alstroemeria!" Palmira chimed in. A golden Andean robe sparkled bright as it wrapped around their trenchcoat, as gold itself then poured from a bowl now in her hands. Shaping this gold into coins, they flung whole piles of them like discuses upon the corpses.

Meanwhile, Hibiki elegantly if theatrically pirouetted her way backwards through the corpses, going out of her way to avoid any she recognised from Shin Sekigahara, till she reached Emi still standing there in the back row. "Daimon-san, I thought it'd be best to warn you before doing… what I'm about to do. Having studied your character, I'd trust you'd do the exact same."

"W-what? No, you don't mean-" Emi gasped.

"Found you!" Freesia called out as she called upon Vasilisa's gravity Cultivar to fling a bunch of corpses at the two. "The Nice Lady's zombies can't use their own Cultivars, but my toys can! They're still thinking and feeling right here with me."

"Yes. I know you don't want to use your own Cultivar," Hibiki said to Emi before Freesia's corpse cloud knocked her to the floor. Pushing all the dead off her, Hibiki suddenly emerged with her colour scheme changed to orange, her mask taken off and transformed into a clockwork sword whose cogs resembled strapped-open eyes. "Because it reminds you how you lost all your love for what you were once passionate about," she said like she hadn't missed a beat. "So please, through my own Cultivar, let me wield it for you."

"Boo, I'm already bored hearing you talk. 'Sides, the Cultivar you got won't be near as much fun as what my new toy's got!" Freesia said as she sent Emi hurtling up to the ceiling with Vasilisa's gravity. "Or maybe it's lots of fun, so I'll make little misery guts Emi my brand-new toy and try her out too. All my other toys can beat her up," she added as she raised her own sword up at Emi as she then fell.

But Hibiki lunged forth and struck Freesia with her imitated Cultivar first, giving her room to catch Emi instead. "Daimon-san, through understanding your emotions, my Cultivar lets me copy others. I… see why you were so hesitant to ever use it," Hibiki said before she shuddered.

"Grr, you'll pay for trying to take my new toy," Freesia yelled as she ran to transmogrify Emi again. But the instant her sword got close to Emi, Freesia out of nowhere screamed and collapsed on the floor. "Aiiiee, it hurts! Why does it hurt? Stop it, stop it!" she howled in piercing agony.

"My Cultivar," Emi muttered, "it takes what you loved, and replaces with nothing but pain. I…" she then admitted, "would honestly be happier if she just turned me into a toy than watch… this."
All Hibiki could do was nod. Having 'played' Emi, she knew she'd react no other way.

Meanwhile, Koyomi with her quill-sword, Palmira with her coin tossing, and Sfira with their blinding speed mowed through all the corpses between them and the dark-blinded Kamizono. This gave Koyomi ample time to dart behind Kamizono and press her sword to the cult-leader's back. "Let Namie go," she told her.

"Hah, total cinch!" Palmira called out, even if Sfira's sheer speed had meant they'd ended up on the other end of the room.

"I wouldn't celebrate if I were you," Kamizono said, as she took what looked like a grail in her hand but then held it upside down and rang it like a bell. With that, any corpse that had been hacked apart reassembled itself and kept on lurching forward. "They are the dead. What did you expect you to do, kill them? No matter how much you strike them down, at my command they'll keep continuing to serve. Now do you see why the Resurrection is within my grasp?"
The dead grabbed Koyomi's throat from behind in return, as others then seized her arms. "Oh yes, and what is your darkness to the dead?" Kamizono added with a smile.

"Gonna need something nastier than coins, huh?" Palmira responded, before they switched to shoving gold right down the corpses' throats.

Koyomi however was pulled to the floor, and while it normally would've been simple for her to get back up, staring up into the rotting faces of both Hirasaka Namie and those who died at Shin Sekigahara left her powerless to move. Only Sfira speeding in to get her out of there kept the dead from tearing Koyomi to pieces.

"<Our Hellebore has got the Zinnia back,>" Sfira said to Koyomi, though had to keep darting as Kamizono sent a humanoid pile of ashes at them, "<and the Freesia is, er, immobilised. Perhaps it's best we get out of here?>"

"Oh yes, using dear Daimon's Cultivar against dear Minakata. As if I can simply let that go," Kamizono said as she rang her bell again.
At her command, the corpses began lumping and knotting themselves together, till they were Frankensteined together into human towers.

"Her power ain't just controlling corpses, but combining them?" Palmira gasped.

Article:

Not up against mere corpses but hybrid corpse colossi, Koyomi decided to:
[ ] See if Hibiki could 'act' in Kamizono's role to turn her own Cultivar against her.
[ ] Get Palmira to electrocute them. Some had swallowed her gold, a great conductor.
[ ] Order Freesia to deal with her own leader's corpses, saying they'll remove Emi's Cultivar from her.
- [ ] 'Saying' they will.
[ ] Just high-tail it out of there.
[ ] Have Hibiki act, Palmira electrify, and everyone else high-tail it.
[] Turn the darkness physical and crush the colossi from within. [Koyomi does not have the Technique to do this.]
[ ] Write-in