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

[Entropy Judge]

[ ] Skip to Candeloro.
- [ ] Bring Ilya if she wants to come.


"Are you sure you want to come?" Ilya nods as she studies the Grief Seed embedded in the pavilion's column.

"This is what kept you busy that last night, right? I'm very curious about what made it so interesting." You grin and shrug, looking around once again to make sure that Kyouko isn't snooping.

"Well, it's part of it. Some questions on the nature of Witches, and meeting one - sort of helped, I guess. And Sakuya said she'll be back tonight, with someone important, so I thought I'd check in and make sure everything's going well." After all, if Yuyuko is going to bring one of her superiors here, you should make sure Candeloro isn't sulking and knows she should be presentable. Ilya gives you a suspicious look and your grin widens. "Ah, this one is Candeloro, even if she looks like someone else. Don't agree to being her friend, she means something very specific by it." You ignore her piercing gaze and study the Grief Seed. So, how to activate it so you can get inside …? Homura did something with her Soul Gem - will you need her? But as you reach a finger to the Grief Seed to poke it, you feel the world warping and reach a hand back to Ilya. She takes it and you touch the Grief Seed.

The interior is much the same as the last time; white sky and grass, with jet black clouds. Orchards of apple trees flank the gravel pathway you find yourself on, tended by maids, and Ilya shudders and leans against you. "I'm fine, Flan, just …." You frown and look around, making sure none of the maid familiars get any stupid ideas, but they don't even seem to have noticed you yet. "I think you just don't notice it, because of how you are, but the … the amount of power here is almost as much as you use when you're serious. It's just spread out so much - and when I entered, I was still receptive to the mansion. I had to close that off, but ... it tried to push into me, all that weight of power, and I wasn't expecting it." Your shoulders rise and your eyes narrow as you start to look toward the center of Candeloro's labyrinth, but Ilya shakes her head. "It's just the way it is here, I think."

"... We'll still have Patchouli check you over when she gets out of Time Out," you say, and Ilya nods, smiling. You relax and let out a breath. "Well, then, let's go see Candeloro." You lead Ilya down the path, and a bell sounds in the distance. You explain a bit about the familiars and Candeloro's peculiarities to Ilya as you walk, and then a small horde of familiars bound toward you from the surrounding orchards. Rather than try to annoy you, however, they line the path you're following - an honor guard. You grin and Ilya smiles, and you continue down the path until you reach the rainbow bridge, where a set of new familiars greet you: they're still the same old pink- and red-haired familiars, arms and legs bound, but instead of maid outfits, the red ones are dressed in an approximation of Youmu's outfit, and the pink ones resemble Yuyuko's. They bow as gracefully as they're able and lead you to the cottage doors, opening them for you. Inside -

"Flandre! You came back! You are my friend!" Candeloro, wearing an outfit that resembles Mami's school uniform, hops down from her chair and claps her hands excitedly. "Ah, but where are Yuyuko and Youmu?" You nod to the excited-looking Witch.

"Good afternoon, Candeloro. Yuyuko will be here tonight, with the guest she said she wanted to talk to. I wanted to warn you, to make sure you were well enough to meet them." She nods and smiles happily, then finally turns a curious look toward Ilya. "This is my friend, Illyasviel von Einzbern. She was curious about you, since my coming here meant I wasn't able to spend as much time with her." Ilya curtsies as Candeloro claps, and then the Witch turns and bounds into a pile of presents, tossing some aside and gracefully stepping around others. Finally she finds one that she likes and picks it up, and a familiar hops very carefully through the presents to take it from her, then returns to present it to Ilya. It is, in fact, another black tea set like the one you received, and Ilya bows after she finishes examining it.

"Thank you for the gift, Candeloro. It is very beautiful." The Witch beams happily and claps her hands, then makes a single graceful hop back to the table.

"Come, come, take your seats! Let's have a small party, right now!" Ilya smiles and, with the assistance of several familiars that allow themselves to be used as steps, sits across from Candeloro. You fly up and sit next to Ilya, and more familiars pour tea and set small slices of cake before the three of you. Naturally, you first speak of inconsequential things - the weather, and Candeloro's clothes, and your and Ilya's clothes, and the familiars' new clothes, and what flavors of cake go with different kinds of tea. "... And Homura is still alive, isn't she?" You sigh at the explicit menace in Candeloro's voice and nod.

"Yes, and she is going to stay that way. She's a maid in the mansion, now." Candeloro's face twists in fury and her familiars tremble, but after a moment the Witch brings herself back under control.

"I see. That … I still think you should have let me kill her, but if you want to keep her, I - I suppose I should let you. You are my friend, after all." You maintain a carefully neutral expression as you nod blandly. Burying your anger really is the wiser move here, at least for now.

"Thank you, Candeloro. You have no idea how much that means to me." She smiles widely, happily and you sip from your teacup as Ilya uses her cake as a distraction to keep from laughing. You look at the familiars against the walls. Hmm ….


What do you do?

[ ] Keep talking with Candeloro.
- [ ] Ask how she feels about Kyouko.
- [ ] Ask her if she'd be willing to leave the labyrinth occasionally.

[ ] Stay with Candeloro until Yuyuko arrives.

[ ] Excuse yourself and Ilya once it's polite.

[ ] Other?

 

[Entropy Judge]

[ ] Stay with Candeloro until Yuyuko arrives.


Sakuya knows where to take Yuyuko when she gets here, so staying with Candeloro isn't a problem. And if it keeps her happier, well, maybe whoever Yuyuko's guest is will have a bit of an easier time. You continue talking with Candeloro, staying away from potentially problematic topics, like friends. Instead, you talk about birthdays and parties and presents, argue over the superiority of different kinds of tea, trade cake recipes (not that Candeloro knows many that you don't already know, but you don't let her know that), and discuss color palettes for each other. And then the tea party is - temporarily - adjourned, and Candeloro gushingly ushers you and Ilya to the side of the room and reveals part two of her entertainment plans: dressing up.

The Witch is not a superb tailor, but she does take your advice and suggestions to heart, and she works quickly to fix any major flaws you find. Her own wardrobe is modestly expansive, and she waits worriedly as Ilya tries on the first of her outfits. It doesn't fit particularly well, and Candeloro gnashes her teeth as the other garments she had planned for Ilya dance into the air, ribbons weaving into and around them relentlessly. Your own outfit isn't much better in terms of fitting, but that's mostly because of your wings, and Candeloro apologizes profusely when her mistake is revealed. As she refits your and Ilya's outfits, she shows off her own - nervously at first, and some of her combinations are either too drab or garish, but as she learns what you and Ilya find more appealing her confidence grows. And, of course, once your own outfits are ready and fit properly, she relaxes and seems to enjoy herself a bit more.

You're on the third round of tea parties - after the second, Candeloro not only presented you and Ilya with dolls of her, but also gifted some of her familiars with special outfits - when Candeloro stiffens and a bell rings out. Her familiars start to scatter, but then she relaxes again. Then she leaps back, abandoning her more human form to assume her stranger form as her familiars arm themselves or crowd around to shield her. You smile lightly and turn your head, and indeed you see Sakuya with Yuyuko and Youmu, along with two others. You vaguely recall the green-haired one from the party, one of the people who intervened with Yuuka, but her red-haired scythe-bearing companion is completely unfamiliar to you. "Lady Flandre, may I present Lady Yuyuko, her servant Youmu, and her guest: Shiki Eiki, supreme judge of Gensokyo, also with her attendant, Onozuka Komachi." Yuyuko curtsies gracefully, but Eiki - who resembles her portrait in the Chronicles only somewhat - merely looks around, studying Ilya intently before giving you only a brief glance, and finally turning her attention to Candeloro. You nod at Sakuya.

"Thank you, Sakuya. You may return to your duties." She bows and vanishes; curiously, you don't feel that strange sensation you do when she stops time near you elsewhere. Is she just being more careful, has she improved, or is it due to the nature of Candeloro's realm? … You'll probably have to ask Remi or Patchouli. You bow to Yuyuko before curtsying to Eiki. "Yuyuko, welcome. Grand Judge of Paradise, I humbly greet you." Her gaze twitches back to you and she quirks an eyebrow - score one for you! - then nods a greeting.

"Flandre Scarlet, good evening." Her voice is … pleasing, not at all what you'd expected it to be. Your eyes narrow as she turns her gaze back to Ilya, but she shakes her head and looks back at Candeloro. "Candeloro, Yuyuko has asked that I examine you to determine your place in Gensokyo." Her hands turn and a small mirror appears, and you shift sideways to stand in front of Ilya. Even if she isn't pointing it at her …. Candeloro shifts uncomfortably, and although her familiars continue to carry their weapons, they lower them and step aside. The Witch seems to look pleadingly, first at you and then at Yuyuko, and the ghost princess giggles.

"Youmu, if you please?" Eiki frowns as Youmu draws her sword and hurries up to the Witch, and after a short apology, the gardener gently stabs Candeloro. A moment after the blade is withdrawn, Candeloro fidgetingly returns to her human form. Once she's comfortable, she shoos her familiars back to the sides of the room and scurries down to Eiki. You manage to turn your laugh into a hacking cough as the Witch holds the Yama's hands.

"Oh, I remember! Yuyuko said you'd be my friend!" Perhaps fortunately, you can't see Eiki's face, but you do see the mortified expression on Youmu's, and a grin on Yuyuko's. Komachi finds an empty spot against the wall and takes a seat, setting the scythe blade-down on the floor and leaning it against the wall.


What do you do?

[ ] Just hang back with Ilya for now.

[ ] Talk with Yuyuko.
- About?

[ ] Talk with Komachi.
- About?

[ ] Other?


DM Note: Leaving is not an option at this point.

 

[Entropy Judge]

[ ] Just hang back with Ilya for now.


As Candeloro starts chattering to Eiki and pulls her toward her familiars, you carefully lead Ilya in the other direction, toward a couple of boxes that are just the right height for chairs. Ilya smiles and leans against you. "You don't like Candeloro much, do you, Flan?" You keep your expression from twisting too much as you consider the highly-animated Witch.

"She is … immaturely selfish," you begin, ignoring Ilya's sardonic look. "She simply assumes that the world works according to her desires and whims, doesn't even consider that others might not consider her point of view valid. For example, take me -"

"Gladly," Ilya murmurs as she hugs you. You stick your tongue out at the interruption but wrap your wings around her.

"I'm incredibly selfish. I want certain things, and I want them a certain way. But - I don't just assume that that is enough to make it so. I'll work to make things go a certain way, and I fully recognize that sometimes things just don't work out. She, on the other hand … it's hard to tell how much is that she's young and stupid, and how much is - some other problem." Ilya frowns at you, but you just shake your head. "People who come into her labyrinth without the intent to kill her are her 'friends' - and her friends don't leave her labyrinth and instead stay with her their entire lives, having tea parties and opening presents and trying on clothes." You stop talking for a moment, not sure whether you're phrasing things correctly, and look around. In the brief amount of time you and Ilya have spoken, Komachi appears to have dozed off, and Youmu tucks a doubled-up sheet around her. Familiars stream in, bringing more presents and clothes, and clearing away the old dishes to replace them with new ones. Yuyuko sits at the table, smiling happily, and eats and drinks whatever snacks are placed before her.

"Hm. So the problem is deciding whether or not she is going to change, because what she wants to do right now isn't something you want to do as frequently as she wants it?" You nod and fall back, pulling Ilya so she's laying across you. Candeloro still seems to be chattering at Eiki, who does seem to be paying attention - but you also see that she now has a short wooden sword-like object as well as the mirror, and you reconsider what you remember from the Chronicle. A Rod of Remorse, then?

"And she expects that her friends won't leave her - she sulked when we said we had to leave last time. And if it's just that she's young and stupid, then she can be taught differently and I won't have as many problems with her. But if she's like some youkai, then she might not grow anymore - like fairies, who are extremely difficult to change and who only stay changed if you keep reinforcing that behavior. That's part of why we're so strict and fear-inducing with the fairy maids, you know. Sure, Sakuya tries to only take in the best applicants, but even then, they are fairies. Left on their own for a week, they'd go back to being just like any other fairy in Gensokyo." You stroke Ilya's hair as she contemplates your words.

"Hmm … I see your problem. This place is her territory, after all - either things go according to her will, or someone is intruding, with no middle ground. And she probably doesn't want to leave, either. So teaching her a proper lifestyle would be difficult unless you want to drag her out of here - can she leave this place?" You shrug.

"I think so; it should be possible, anyway. She did say that she didn't let her familiars leave on their own, and that they rarely got to leave, anyway." Ilya nods adjusts her position, cuddling against you drowsily.

"Hmm. Well, you keep thinking about that. I'm going to take a nap with my wonderful Flan." You smile and pat her head, and she giggles gently. Yes, you'll think about what to do. You have time, after all, and wonderful friends, a wonderful sister, and who knows how many worlds to, eventually, play with. But for now … for now, this is good.