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Blossom of Bodhisattva (Touhou)

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[X] [Sariel]

Considering that Sariel has to my knowledge no dialogue or profile within Touhou canon (though fanon may differ) I am very curious to see the direction the quest is going with a possible angel of death. Or a demon. Maybe a fallen angel? The Budha knows but I sure as hell don't.
 
An interesting option here. It'd make for a 'tighter' narrative, if that makes sense, for it to be Nue... but Sariel is so rarely seen, I feel, to make it worth consideration...
 
[X] [Sariel]

The moon scheming something is normal enough. The moon scheming enough of something that Buddha is asking the devil to counterscheme is a little concerning. Koakuma apparently being some kind of secret artificial super-devil(?) is much more intriguing.
 
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2.3 - Modernity
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    • View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_AFqPNV9yM8

    [Sariel]
    Sariel desperately wanted to talk to you. She may be useful soon, in fact… you knew she would be.

    Thanks to @Armoury for the beta!

    —

    "How very… opulent."

    "Yeah?" a new voice speaks up, female, close. You turn around to find yourself facing Sariel, the angel. You knew next to nothing of her, except that she was here and that the Buddha instructed you to seek her out. She was meant to aid you on your quest, how… you weren't sure precisely.

    She was sitting on what looked to be one of the more comfortable chairs in the room, and as you turn to face her, you catch her hiding away the same device she was playing with earlier.

    "Indeed, I have been surrounded by opulence and wealth since I came to this land. The only person I have met who lived seemingly adequately was Reimu Hakurei." You then smile, "what can I do to aid you?"

    She raises a finger, then pauses for a moment, clearly carefully considering how to phrase what she's about to say. And then she gives up. "What the actual fuck do you think you're doing." It's not a question - it comes out flat and toneless, with a deep frustration hidden behind it.

    You open your mouth, to respond, but she continues talking over you. "You wish to enlist the forces of evil to protect the world? Foolish and pointless - they lack the will to succeed, and their word is as worthless as their strength. All you'll accomplish is betrayal and failure - I thought the Buddha wiser than this, this… noobishness."

    She crosses her arms, frowning up at you.

    "I would assume by that you mean Koakuma? As Alice is quite innocent."

    She scoffs, rolling her eyes. "Obviously."

    "The Buddha is wise, but he does not interfere. I am wise, but I cannot. There are those here who can, and the alternative would be the utter destruction of the Lunarians and their home." You reply. "Is there naught use that evil can be put towards?"

    She leans forward. "To attempt to use evil means for good ends is to succumb to temptation. So says the Lord, and so I have seen."

    "And it is man's own mind, not his enemy or foe that leads to evil ways. So says the Buddha." You reply with a smile. "But I have not come to discuss theology. This shall be done, and I feel your opinions on the matter was why the Buddha bade me to seek you out in any case."

    She sighs. "My duty is to observe this realm - and if Makai marches to war, then I must observe that as well. But if you want my opinion - then I protest, in the most strenuous way. This is a bad idea."

    "Why? We are not freeing her from her bonds, merely requesting she take action to defend her new home."

    Her head thunks back against the chair, as she closes her eyes, before pinning you with a glare. "There are others that could fulfill that role just as well - better, even. Why party up with her, of all people?"

    You sigh, you move across the room, setting the staff gently against the bed, then you fully focus on the angel one more. "Because she is powerful, in ways those others in Gensokyo aren't. She can do things others cannot, she can fight beings others cannot. Gensokyo is far above most of the world, but, what is threatening them now… isn't of the world."

    "So seek help from outside! There are options - Olympus, Avalon - there's no need to cooperate with the fallen!"

    "And yet… there are," you reply. "For they keep to their kingdoms and do not care about what goes on in Gensokyo. And, beyond that, they are fading away." You shake your head. "In any case, it is Gensokyo, it is always Gensokyo. There are no other incidents except that which happen in Gensokyo. It must be here."

    Sariel opens her mouth, raising a hand, then… pauses. Begrudgingly, her hand lowers. "... Fuck. You're right. They would invade Gensokyo first, wouldn't they."

    "They already have, even if only in small groups. One was dealt with by Eirin and the earth rabbits. Another was… not fought off by Reimu and her friends, however they left shortly afterwards. Without further assistance, Gensokyo will cease to be. If that occurs." You go quiet for a moment. "There will be no Lunarians, and there will be no moon. The destruction will be total. All of it shall be gone."

    Sariel stares at the table in front of her. "Probing attacks, they've been doing probing strikes while they set up their econ. Examine the wards, see who the defenders are. Probably a backstab on Gensokyo's leadership and key people, while they send in a deathball to mop up the rest. GG."

    You stare at her for several seconds. "I'm… sorry?"

    She refocuses on you. "Right. I think I see where you're coming from. You want to turn this into a 3v1, maybe even a 4v1, right? Turn the whole thing into a stomp."

    "... Yes?" you answer. Was this some part of Christianity you didn't understand? You knew little of it beyond the barest details. But she seemed to be speaking in some form of code.

    Sariel nods. "Right. I can tolerate that reasoning, then. I'll still be keeping a close eye on her to make sure she doesn't try any cheese, though."

    "That's… good, thank you. Are you… alright?" you ask.

    She blinks. "Yeah, I'm fine. Why?"

    "No reason, is that all you wished to discuss then?"

    She stands up from the chair, readjusting her dress. "Basically, yes. I'll follow to Gensokyo when Shinki transits, so see you then I suppose."

    There's a brief flash of light, and she's gone.

    …

    You did not understand the world anymore. Every passing hour saw fit to teach you that.

    —

    One did not exactly sleep when one was passed as you were, you simply… waited, your 'brain' such that it was, simply turned off when you required it to. To that end, you 'awoke' eight hours later, to… much the same scene as you left the world in. There were no mornings, not in Makai, the same purple landscape you bore witness to the previous day remained. The only thing you did immediately notice, was a large setting of food just off the end of the bed. Wines, cheeses, sandwiches, meats. Everything one could desire. And… did desire it seems, as Cirno was laying on the ground just next to it, hands on her stomach, crumbs around her mouth, snoring.

    Without a sound you moved yourself off the bed, made it, then made your way around the bed towards the fairy. You stare down at her for a moment, then tap her gently with your staff. "We must be off little one."

    She shifts in her sleep, a groan rising from her. "Mmmmmnnnngh… noooooooo…" A second tap is necessary before she properly awakes, sleepily frowning at you. She blinks once, slowly, before suddenly shooting up into the air.

    "That was SO COOOOL! The blue lady was like, whoosh, bam bam bambambam! And then Nue was like, pew pew pew, wapow! You saw it all, right! Can you do stuff like that? You totally can, you just don't wanna for some reason, I bet!"
    You smile. "Did you have a pleasant breakfast?"

    Her smile slips a bit. "They cheated! I tried to eat all of it but I couldn't. No matter how many sandwiches I ate, they kept coming back! And the juice tasted bleh."

    "That would be because it's wine, something a being such as yourself should not be drinking. It is meant for a more mature tongue."

    "Well it sucked. I tried to get rid of it down the sink but it kept coming back too."

    "It is no matter," you reply. "And thank you for partaking in their hospitality, for I shall not. I assume you shall be joining me on my travels today?"

    Cirno stares up at you, quizzically. "Huh?"

    "Will you be joining me as I visit various people within Gensokyo?" you state more simply.

    "Oh. Yeah, for sure I'll go with you! All the cool stuff happens near you." She nods sagely.

    "Then tell me, do you know of Alice, or Koakuma?" you ask, lowering yourself to a crouch so that you are eye-level with the fairy.

    "Uh-huh! Alice is the puppet lady in the forest. She's kinda mean, but she's fun if you mess with her puppets. And Koa is that lady who works for Patchy! She's like the fairy maids, but for just the lib-ra-ry." Cirno slowly sounds out the word. "When I got in the library that one time, she had to go put all the books I knocked over back and it was really funny how grumpy she was."

    "Please do not bully others, it only leads to strife later in life." You reply. "You wish to be strong, the strong do not harm others unless necessary."

    Cirno seems torn between her admiration of you and her past experiences. You can see the emotions chase each other across her face, before she finally responds with a subdued "Okay."

    "Thank you," you reply, then ruffle her hair a little. Then, turning your attention to the door. "If you are waiting for an opportune time, now would be sufficient."

    After a moment, the door opens, revealing both Sariel and Shinki outside. Shinki was glaring at Sariel, Sariel, for her part, was completely ignoring Shinki, once more engrossed in her small device.

    "Good morning," you say cheerfully. "Shall we be off then?"

    With one last look at the angel, Shinki turned to you. "Indeed - the logistics have been largely handled. I won't be deploying my forces in full until I've spoken with Gensokyo's overseer, so for now it should just be a smaller group. May I?"

    "Indeed, though we shall likely need to speak to the Dragon God as well. Though I am unsure of her dwelling at present."

    Shinki frowns. "The Dragon has been inactive for quite some time. I believe the last sighting had her crossing the night sky over Japan, but that was long enough ago that she could be anywhere. She has not been to Makai in over a decade. Gensokyo for five years, the rain continues and the crops grow. But she is not present."

    "Then she shall have to be located," you reply.

    Shinki nods. "I can see the logic, yes. A more potent defender could not be hoped for, to check the Lunarian advance."
    "Yes, a dragon," Sariel says. "Truly, the ally of all Christendom."

    Shinki turns to look at the angel, who appears to have temporarily set aside her amusement box. "Perhaps if Christendom was a more trusted and active ally, then there would be something to discuss. But given that you are simply going to sit back and observe, well… one makes do with what one has, no?"

    "Go fu-" Sariel starts.

    "Come on! Less talking more going!" Cirno interrupts. Then she pauses, looking at you. "Where are we going anyway?"

    Thank you Cirno, truly the voice of wisdom amidst madness.

    "We shall start with-"

    —

    [] [Alice's Home]
    Where she had a visitor, a quite… awkward one. Then the violence began.

    [] [The Scarlet Devil Mansion]
    It would appear the matron's bluster lasted until the exact moment she spotted who the guests were. Then the violence began.


    —

    Authors note.

    Erien: I didn't write the Sariel dialogue. You trust this man to be a mod.

    Redshirt: Sariel's brainrot from all of her social interactions for the last decade coming from online gaming is real.
     
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    • [X] [The Scarlet Devil Mansion]
    It would appear the matron's bluster lasted until the exact moment she spotted who the guests were. Then the violence began.

    Silly vampires, let's go!

    And it sounds like we don't have to worry about Cirno getting drunk at least, so that's one upside of her gorging herself!
     
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