Tangled Strings (Touhou SI)
- Thread starter Ylamona
- Start date
Ylamona
Konlulu~
There should be some, Alice's thorough but not that much.
For the door, just think of it as a SAN/Insight check. All the world's a stage but looking too much beyond it might caused you to slip and fall off.
Scarlet Mist 2
New
Ylamona
Konlulu~
'How slow..' Rina thought as she flew across the sky following Reimu while carrying a very bored looking Rumia 'Maybe I should try draft the start of my article for the incident?' Rina mused before she took out her smartphone to write on it.
'Red mist...no, scarlet mist covers the sky. Gensokyo, land of illusion, is blanketed in a thick scarlet fog that blocks the sun from shining through. The residents of this mysterious land, humans and youkai, are left in the dark, wondering about the cause and its implications. What does it all mean?'
Rina paused, frowning at her writing 'Yeah, no. Maybe start from the headline first? Or maybe I should just record my thoughts and everything first then draft later the article. It's the first time I am not alone in an investigation after all. Maybe I should also ask for Alice's opinion on it too later'
"Waa~" Rina just noticed that Rumia, whom she carried under the armpits, looked at her phone with sparkling eyes "So pretty and so shiny~" the childlike youkai said in wonder, almost made Rina forgot at how eerie the girl was for a bit when not bantering with Reimu.
"It is, right?" Rina said, putting away the phone in her pocket "Miss Alice gave me this, just the day after I made my first new steps in the newspaper industry"
"Alice did?" Reimu said from above, glancing down at them. Rina could see the curiosity in her eyes despite her neutral expression and wondered if Reimu knew Alice. Now that she thought about it, she never said Alice live beside being inside the Forest of Magic yet Reimu seemed confidently leading them there. Not to mention, Reimu didn't seem react much when she brought up Alice too. Is the miko has some sort of relationship with Alice? Are they friends? Or something else? Rina wondered if she made a mistake bringing up Alice now...
"Y-yes!" Rina said, feeling a bit nervous all of a sudden for some reason "Miss Alice gave me this and showed me how it worked. It can do many things"
"Waaa~" Rumia clapped her talisman-bound hands and looked at the smartphone with sparkling eyes "Can it make food? I am hungry~" the blonde said, drooling a bit
"Uhh, no, it can't make food" Rina said, feeling relieved "But it can take pictures better than what I can do with my camera, keep my writings and even records voices or events in some sort of moving image thing called video!"
"That's really something then" Reimu nodded, seemingly thinking to herself "I don't have to write things down and can record incidents and youkais, and maybe use that as evidence to solve the case faster or even blackmailing them" Reimu mumbled to herself, seemingly unaware or uncaring that both Rina and Rumia could hear her.
Rina will just...pretends that she didn't hear that last part. =
As the trio continued toward their destination, they flew over a massive lake. Its surface still like a mirror, regular mist covered the lake even when red mist mixed in. The Misty Lake, one of the notable location of Gensokyo as when people talked about the lake, they most likely talked about Misty Lake. One of the largest lake in Gensokyo, with water so fresh and cold. Rina sighed that she couldn't stop for a bit to look around for fairies, though she knew this is not the time to slack off. Not that the miko would allow it anyway.
Speaking of the miko, it seemed she suddenly slowed down. Rina wondered what happened, the miko seemed to looked somewhere into the distance, deep into the mist. It reminded Rina of a stray cat looking at something far away and trying to decide to chase after it or not, though she would never tell the miko that. Rumia seemed to suddenly giggled, as if knowing something she didn't.
Before she could ask, Reimu resumed her speed and flew past the lake. Rina just shrugged and followed behind, hoping that the lake still be there when the incident is solved. As they reached the end of the lake, something flew out from the mist. It was a small group of fairies, the kind that usually played around the lake. Though, Rina never saw this many of them in one place before, so many greater fairies too. One of them, a blue haired ice fairy that Rina recognise as Cirno, the self-proclaimed strongest fairy, was leading the group.
"Hold it right there!!!" the blue-haired fairy shouted at the three of them.
The hakurei miko who was leading them, stopped with a frown. Rina also stopped, wondering what happened and if the miko wanted her to interview the fairy or not too, probably not. Rumia looked at the group of fairies with interest, like looking at an interesting bug.
"What is it, fairies? I am already busy as it is, so make it quick" the miko, Hakurei Reimu, said impatiently.
"Quick!? I won't! Not after what you have done to us!" Cirno shouted back, "Do you know how much trouble you gave us!?"
Reimu frowned, trying to remember anything that warranted such accusation "What are you even talking about?"
"This red mist!" Cirno pointed to the mist around them "It's your doing, isn't it!? It's red and you just flew over here, so it must've been your fault!" Cirno accused, "You must've done something to the lake!"
"That...that is the most ridiculous accusation I've ever heard" Reimu rubbed her forehead, trying to make sense of the accusation "This is...a youkai's doing, and I am on my way to fix this problem. I have no time to deal with fairies"
"It's her then!" Cirno said, pointing at Rumia, "She looks like a youkai to me!" Cirno's face looked like she just solved a mystery, while the other fairies just cheered and agreed with her.
Rumia just laughed at the accusation while Reimu looked at Cirno as if the fairy just lost her mind. Rina, however, too busy recording everything on her phone to say anything. This might be a good material for her new article, even if not, there are fairies here!
"Are you kidding me?" Reimu scoffed, "Look, just get out of my way. I really have no time to play or dance with you" the miko said, starting to lose her patience, while Rina slowly stepped back with Rumia. She didn't want to get involved in whatever happened here and just record it all for later.
"You can't just run away! You might be a perpetrator and even if you might not, we'll still beat you just in case!" Cirno shouted, "We challenge you to a spellcard battle! If you win, we'll leave you alone! But if you lose, you have to take responsibility for the red mist!"
"Ehehehe, Reimu~ Being on the other side of your incident solving method is really interesting~" Rumia said, laughing and amused at the turn of event, while Reimu just gave her an annoyed glare before looking at the fairies in front of her.
"Fine, if this will make you shut up and get out of my way, I'll just beat you up here and now" Reimu said, floating a bit forward, "I will go easy on you, though, so don't cry when I beat you, okay?"
The fairies just laughed in response, "We'll see who will be the one crying! Two spellcards will be enough!" Cirno shouted as she and the fairies moved into a formation, "Let's go! We'll teach her a lesson!"
Rina stepped back and held her smartphone up, making sure to record this battle, while also prepared to dodge any stray shots. Another fairy, a green haired one with a side ponytail, also seemed to do the same. The two girls looked at each others before giving a nod of understanding and turned back into the ongoing fight.
"[Dream Sign Fantasy Seal]!"
"Predictable! [Ice Legion Sign Unstoppable Charge]!"
With awe, Rina watched as both spellcards crashed into each others. The miko's charms and rainbow-coloured bullets met with ice-armoured fairies and frozen bullets. Even if she could do a spellcard battle, she couldn't even compare with this one! The beauty, the power, and the complexity of both sides were just...amazing! The fairy's side was truly something, for a group of greater fairies to work together to create such beautiful formations. Rina knew recently the fairies started to become much more orderly in their own chaotic ways, but this might rival even tengus in term of coordination! The miko was also amazing. Each charms and bullets were carefully aimed and positioned to counter and defeat the fairies in front of her. While the miko herself easily dodged the ice bullets, it was as if she was simply float through them.
"...How beautiful" Rina said to herself as she recorded the battle, compared to her own pitiful showing against the miko, this is a real spellcard battle. She tried to find the right words to describe everything but came short, instead, she let her phone record the battle as she tried her best to find the right words to write the battle later. She didn't want to miss anything from this battle! Not only a rare opportunity to see the miko fight safely, but also seeing fairies fight like this!
"...zzz..." Rina then noticed the blonde youkai in her arms seemed to have fallen asleep, snoring softly. She could see the girl's face, peaceful and content as she slept, or perhaps she was just bored? Despite this was happening? Rina didn't understand how someone could just sleep through this, but she just shrugged, not wanting to wake her up.
In the end, most of the fairies defeated as both spellcards broken at the same time. While technically it was a draw, now there was only the ice fairy left, with others either just popped and reappeared somewhere else or too exhausted to continue
"No, it can not be! I alone is enough! Take this! [Icicle Sign Sword Fall]!" Cirno shouted as dozens of swords made of ice began to fall upon Reimu. While it was very beautiful as the swords seemingly danced in the air, the gentle glint of the blade looked as if snow falling to the ground, it was also very flawed even for Rina. The miko naturally saw it too as she simply had to float in one spot while attacking the ice fairy since for some reason, the spellcard had too obvious of a safe spot. It was flashy, cool, but also horribly ineffective due to this.
"H-hey! Stop staying in the safe spot and fight me properly!" Cirno demanded.
"You should've fixed your spellcard first" Reimu said with a sigh, not even bothering to move out of the safe spot "Look, the sun is already setting. I really don't have the time or patience to play with a stupid fairy anymore"
Without even using her second spellcard, Reimu broke Cirno's and won the fight...also caused an explosion that caused Cirno to be blown back down dramatically into the lake, which Rina noted that not even the miko herself expected to happen. Everyone just watched as Cirno slowly sink into the water, with her hand giving a thumbs up went last.
"Whoa, that's so cool!" "As expected of the shrine maiden!" "We'll have to try harder next times" "Did you get it, please tell me you got it!" "I am writing, I am writing!" "You're playing tic-tac-toe!"
The fairies cheered all of a sudden, both the audience who appeared midfight any of them them noticing or the ones fought Reimu. The miko just looked at them all with utter confusion. Rina, of course, didn't let the chance to observe the new sight of fairies that she never seen, the fact that it involved Hakurei miko was only the cherry on top. Even Rumia woke up and cheered at the fairies for no apparent reason other than it looked fun to cheer, though Rina could barely heard she muttered something.
"...a literal army...fairy with actual brain..-ice you crazy woman.."
"Reimu!" "Hakurei miko!" "You're so cool, can I have your autograph?" "Teach us how to do that please!" "That was a great fight!"
"What?" the miko said, looking at the fairies around her as she tried to keep her face neutral. Rina thought that the miko's face was kind of cute when she was being overwhelmed like this, she would never say that to her face though. Rumia, however, didn't have that fear, laughing at the sight of Reimu's predicament. Reimu turned toward the two, looking at the tengu reporter with a pleading and confused look on her face, before turning toward Rumia with a glare on her face.
Reimu's predicament lasted for only few moments before the green-haired fairy that Rina saw also watching the fight broke the fairies off Reimu with ease and led them away with apologetic looks at Reimu. A rare mature individual amongst fairy, Rina noted, though she was sure that the fairy seemed familiar, perhaps she observed that one before. Still, that left a still dazed Reimu who now hold a basket full of fruits courtesy from the fairies, most likely.
"Ehehehe, Reimu is populer~" Rumia said, giggling like a small child.
"..." the miko just stared at the youkai with an unamused expression
Rina, on the other hand, took out her smartphone and started to write down everything she had seen and recorded. A fascinating insight into a fairy society, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see the miko in action and her relationship with fairies. Whether this was a new or old thing, it was remains to be seen. Truly, Rina already felt that her trip was worth it with this encounter and revelations with the fairies alone. And to think it's still the start of her investigation...
"...still, to see such a large gathering of fairies, and so cooperative at that, I've never seen anything like it before" Rina said, looking back at the spot where the fairies once gathered. It's a rare event, even for her, a tengu that specialised in reporting on the fairy. Despite the fact that she had seen them many times, this was the first time that she saw such a large group of fairies, not to mention with such an orderly fashion. She wondered what changed amongst fairies that made them so much more orderly, well, not that orderly but still more orderly than usual.
"Well, let's get moving again" Reimu, who looked like she's still in a daze from her experience, said with a serious look on her face. She held the basket full of food that the fairies gave to her, "You, tengu. Hold this"
"...e-eh!?" Rina almost dropped her smartphone, looking at the basket full of food and then back at Reimu "Why me?" she asked.
"Because I said so" Reimu replied, looking at the tengu reporter intimidatingly, "Hurry up, We don't have all day"
"I am not a pack mule!" Rina complained, but still, she took the baske while Rumia just giggled at the tengu's plight. Rumia, who was still being carried under her armpits, looked at her with amusement in her eyes, clearly enjoying herself. The tengu, on the other hand, was not amused at all. She was a reporter, not a pack mule! Though Rina of course didn't dare to voice that, she's still intimidated by the miko.
"...how unlucky.." Rina sighed as she followed after Reimu
"Is that all you got!? Don't make me laugh! Your spells are weak and your bullets are even weaker!" Marisa taunted loudly, grinning madly as she dodged the barrage of rainbow-coloured bullets that came from a certain red and white dressed miko, "Come on, Reimu! Is that really all you got!?"
The blonde witch flew through the sky, weaving through the bullets like a dancer, her broom in her hand and a grin on her face. The red mist around them didn't seem to affect her mood, and in fact, it only seemed to make her more excited with how it made the bullets seemed to be even more colourful. Her eyes were locked on her opponent, it was unusual for Reimu to just suddenly challenge her like this, but Marisa wasn't going to complain. In fact, she was quite enjoying herself, she never seen these variation of spellcards Reimu used and her best friend-rival seemed to be quite serious today.
Marisa saw as Reimu preparing to use her next spellcard, something Marisa only noticed because she knew Reimu for a long time, it was so obvious.
"Too late! [Constellation Sign MASTER SPAAAAARKKKK-]" Flying above the miko, Marisa unleashed her trademark spellcard. Her palm-sized artefact, hakkero, glowed as a huge laser of pure energy was unleashed toward the red-white miko.
In response, Reimu unleashed her own spellcard to counter Marisa's spellcard as countless huge rainbow bullets came out, colliding with the huge beam and weakening it just enough to allow Reimu to slip out of the way while more charms shot at Marisa. The witch simply grinned as she saw this.
[-Big Dipper!]" Marisa shouted as she pushed more energy into her hakkero. The beam pierced through the mist and hit the surface of the lake. Instead of simply went into the lake, it seemingly absorbed by the lake and shot as seven smaller but still powerful beams in the shape of big dipper constellation, one of which would collide with Reimu.
"Hah, I knew this spellcard worked! Hours listening to Alice ramble about magic sure worth it!" Marisa said with a grin, feeling proud of herself "I win, Reimu! Better luck next ti-"
Marisa stopped as she looked around and saw that the miko was nowhere to be seen. She looked at the surface of the lake, expecting to see Reimu floating there or something so she can rub her victory in the miko's face. But instead, she was gone. There was no trace of her, as if she just disappeared.
"What the hell?" the blonde witch said to herself, confused, as she looked around the lake. Surely, Reimu wouldn't just run away like that, would she? It's not like she lost or anything. And she's too prideful to do that anyway, right?
After a while Marisa just shrugged, deciding that it wasn't worth the trouble to worry about. Reimu could take care of herself, and probably be busy with this red mist incident too. If she decided to just go somewhere, it wasn't Marisa's problem after all, and might be good since it would mean she might be the first to go toward the most likely culprit of this incident.
"Whatever, that was fun but time to get going, to the totally not spooky mansion!" Marisa said to herself, flying off toward the direction of the Scarlet Devil Mansion.
'Red mist...no, scarlet mist covers the sky. Gensokyo, land of illusion, is blanketed in a thick scarlet fog that blocks the sun from shining through. The residents of this mysterious land, humans and youkai, are left in the dark, wondering about the cause and its implications. What does it all mean?'
Rina paused, frowning at her writing 'Yeah, no. Maybe start from the headline first? Or maybe I should just record my thoughts and everything first then draft later the article. It's the first time I am not alone in an investigation after all. Maybe I should also ask for Alice's opinion on it too later'
"Waa~" Rina just noticed that Rumia, whom she carried under the armpits, looked at her phone with sparkling eyes "So pretty and so shiny~" the childlike youkai said in wonder, almost made Rina forgot at how eerie the girl was for a bit when not bantering with Reimu.
"It is, right?" Rina said, putting away the phone in her pocket "Miss Alice gave me this, just the day after I made my first new steps in the newspaper industry"
"Alice did?" Reimu said from above, glancing down at them. Rina could see the curiosity in her eyes despite her neutral expression and wondered if Reimu knew Alice. Now that she thought about it, she never said Alice live beside being inside the Forest of Magic yet Reimu seemed confidently leading them there. Not to mention, Reimu didn't seem react much when she brought up Alice too. Is the miko has some sort of relationship with Alice? Are they friends? Or something else? Rina wondered if she made a mistake bringing up Alice now...
"Y-yes!" Rina said, feeling a bit nervous all of a sudden for some reason "Miss Alice gave me this and showed me how it worked. It can do many things"
"Waaa~" Rumia clapped her talisman-bound hands and looked at the smartphone with sparkling eyes "Can it make food? I am hungry~" the blonde said, drooling a bit
"Uhh, no, it can't make food" Rina said, feeling relieved "But it can take pictures better than what I can do with my camera, keep my writings and even records voices or events in some sort of moving image thing called video!"
"That's really something then" Reimu nodded, seemingly thinking to herself "I don't have to write things down and can record incidents and youkais, and maybe use that as evidence to solve the case faster or even blackmailing them" Reimu mumbled to herself, seemingly unaware or uncaring that both Rina and Rumia could hear her.
Rina will just...pretends that she didn't hear that last part. =
As the trio continued toward their destination, they flew over a massive lake. Its surface still like a mirror, regular mist covered the lake even when red mist mixed in. The Misty Lake, one of the notable location of Gensokyo as when people talked about the lake, they most likely talked about Misty Lake. One of the largest lake in Gensokyo, with water so fresh and cold. Rina sighed that she couldn't stop for a bit to look around for fairies, though she knew this is not the time to slack off. Not that the miko would allow it anyway.
Speaking of the miko, it seemed she suddenly slowed down. Rina wondered what happened, the miko seemed to looked somewhere into the distance, deep into the mist. It reminded Rina of a stray cat looking at something far away and trying to decide to chase after it or not, though she would never tell the miko that. Rumia seemed to suddenly giggled, as if knowing something she didn't.
Before she could ask, Reimu resumed her speed and flew past the lake. Rina just shrugged and followed behind, hoping that the lake still be there when the incident is solved. As they reached the end of the lake, something flew out from the mist. It was a small group of fairies, the kind that usually played around the lake. Though, Rina never saw this many of them in one place before, so many greater fairies too. One of them, a blue haired ice fairy that Rina recognise as Cirno, the self-proclaimed strongest fairy, was leading the group.
"Hold it right there!!!" the blue-haired fairy shouted at the three of them.
The hakurei miko who was leading them, stopped with a frown. Rina also stopped, wondering what happened and if the miko wanted her to interview the fairy or not too, probably not. Rumia looked at the group of fairies with interest, like looking at an interesting bug.
"What is it, fairies? I am already busy as it is, so make it quick" the miko, Hakurei Reimu, said impatiently.
"Quick!? I won't! Not after what you have done to us!" Cirno shouted back, "Do you know how much trouble you gave us!?"
Reimu frowned, trying to remember anything that warranted such accusation "What are you even talking about?"
"This red mist!" Cirno pointed to the mist around them "It's your doing, isn't it!? It's red and you just flew over here, so it must've been your fault!" Cirno accused, "You must've done something to the lake!"
"That...that is the most ridiculous accusation I've ever heard" Reimu rubbed her forehead, trying to make sense of the accusation "This is...a youkai's doing, and I am on my way to fix this problem. I have no time to deal with fairies"
"It's her then!" Cirno said, pointing at Rumia, "She looks like a youkai to me!" Cirno's face looked like she just solved a mystery, while the other fairies just cheered and agreed with her.
Rumia just laughed at the accusation while Reimu looked at Cirno as if the fairy just lost her mind. Rina, however, too busy recording everything on her phone to say anything. This might be a good material for her new article, even if not, there are fairies here!
"Are you kidding me?" Reimu scoffed, "Look, just get out of my way. I really have no time to play or dance with you" the miko said, starting to lose her patience, while Rina slowly stepped back with Rumia. She didn't want to get involved in whatever happened here and just record it all for later.
"You can't just run away! You might be a perpetrator and even if you might not, we'll still beat you just in case!" Cirno shouted, "We challenge you to a spellcard battle! If you win, we'll leave you alone! But if you lose, you have to take responsibility for the red mist!"
"Ehehehe, Reimu~ Being on the other side of your incident solving method is really interesting~" Rumia said, laughing and amused at the turn of event, while Reimu just gave her an annoyed glare before looking at the fairies in front of her.
"Fine, if this will make you shut up and get out of my way, I'll just beat you up here and now" Reimu said, floating a bit forward, "I will go easy on you, though, so don't cry when I beat you, okay?"
The fairies just laughed in response, "We'll see who will be the one crying! Two spellcards will be enough!" Cirno shouted as she and the fairies moved into a formation, "Let's go! We'll teach her a lesson!"
Rina stepped back and held her smartphone up, making sure to record this battle, while also prepared to dodge any stray shots. Another fairy, a green haired one with a side ponytail, also seemed to do the same. The two girls looked at each others before giving a nod of understanding and turned back into the ongoing fight.
"[Dream Sign Fantasy Seal]!"
"Predictable! [Ice Legion Sign Unstoppable Charge]!"
With awe, Rina watched as both spellcards crashed into each others. The miko's charms and rainbow-coloured bullets met with ice-armoured fairies and frozen bullets. Even if she could do a spellcard battle, she couldn't even compare with this one! The beauty, the power, and the complexity of both sides were just...amazing! The fairy's side was truly something, for a group of greater fairies to work together to create such beautiful formations. Rina knew recently the fairies started to become much more orderly in their own chaotic ways, but this might rival even tengus in term of coordination! The miko was also amazing. Each charms and bullets were carefully aimed and positioned to counter and defeat the fairies in front of her. While the miko herself easily dodged the ice bullets, it was as if she was simply float through them.
"...How beautiful" Rina said to herself as she recorded the battle, compared to her own pitiful showing against the miko, this is a real spellcard battle. She tried to find the right words to describe everything but came short, instead, she let her phone record the battle as she tried her best to find the right words to write the battle later. She didn't want to miss anything from this battle! Not only a rare opportunity to see the miko fight safely, but also seeing fairies fight like this!
"...zzz..." Rina then noticed the blonde youkai in her arms seemed to have fallen asleep, snoring softly. She could see the girl's face, peaceful and content as she slept, or perhaps she was just bored? Despite this was happening? Rina didn't understand how someone could just sleep through this, but she just shrugged, not wanting to wake her up.
In the end, most of the fairies defeated as both spellcards broken at the same time. While technically it was a draw, now there was only the ice fairy left, with others either just popped and reappeared somewhere else or too exhausted to continue
"No, it can not be! I alone is enough! Take this! [Icicle Sign Sword Fall]!" Cirno shouted as dozens of swords made of ice began to fall upon Reimu. While it was very beautiful as the swords seemingly danced in the air, the gentle glint of the blade looked as if snow falling to the ground, it was also very flawed even for Rina. The miko naturally saw it too as she simply had to float in one spot while attacking the ice fairy since for some reason, the spellcard had too obvious of a safe spot. It was flashy, cool, but also horribly ineffective due to this.
"H-hey! Stop staying in the safe spot and fight me properly!" Cirno demanded.
"You should've fixed your spellcard first" Reimu said with a sigh, not even bothering to move out of the safe spot "Look, the sun is already setting. I really don't have the time or patience to play with a stupid fairy anymore"
Without even using her second spellcard, Reimu broke Cirno's and won the fight...also caused an explosion that caused Cirno to be blown back down dramatically into the lake, which Rina noted that not even the miko herself expected to happen. Everyone just watched as Cirno slowly sink into the water, with her hand giving a thumbs up went last.
"Whoa, that's so cool!" "As expected of the shrine maiden!" "We'll have to try harder next times" "Did you get it, please tell me you got it!" "I am writing, I am writing!" "You're playing tic-tac-toe!"
The fairies cheered all of a sudden, both the audience who appeared midfight any of them them noticing or the ones fought Reimu. The miko just looked at them all with utter confusion. Rina, of course, didn't let the chance to observe the new sight of fairies that she never seen, the fact that it involved Hakurei miko was only the cherry on top. Even Rumia woke up and cheered at the fairies for no apparent reason other than it looked fun to cheer, though Rina could barely heard she muttered something.
"...a literal army...fairy with actual brain..-ice you crazy woman.."
"Reimu!" "Hakurei miko!" "You're so cool, can I have your autograph?" "Teach us how to do that please!" "That was a great fight!"
"What?" the miko said, looking at the fairies around her as she tried to keep her face neutral. Rina thought that the miko's face was kind of cute when she was being overwhelmed like this, she would never say that to her face though. Rumia, however, didn't have that fear, laughing at the sight of Reimu's predicament. Reimu turned toward the two, looking at the tengu reporter with a pleading and confused look on her face, before turning toward Rumia with a glare on her face.
Reimu's predicament lasted for only few moments before the green-haired fairy that Rina saw also watching the fight broke the fairies off Reimu with ease and led them away with apologetic looks at Reimu. A rare mature individual amongst fairy, Rina noted, though she was sure that the fairy seemed familiar, perhaps she observed that one before. Still, that left a still dazed Reimu who now hold a basket full of fruits courtesy from the fairies, most likely.
"Ehehehe, Reimu is populer~" Rumia said, giggling like a small child.
"..." the miko just stared at the youkai with an unamused expression
Rina, on the other hand, took out her smartphone and started to write down everything she had seen and recorded. A fascinating insight into a fairy society, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see the miko in action and her relationship with fairies. Whether this was a new or old thing, it was remains to be seen. Truly, Rina already felt that her trip was worth it with this encounter and revelations with the fairies alone. And to think it's still the start of her investigation...
"...still, to see such a large gathering of fairies, and so cooperative at that, I've never seen anything like it before" Rina said, looking back at the spot where the fairies once gathered. It's a rare event, even for her, a tengu that specialised in reporting on the fairy. Despite the fact that she had seen them many times, this was the first time that she saw such a large group of fairies, not to mention with such an orderly fashion. She wondered what changed amongst fairies that made them so much more orderly, well, not that orderly but still more orderly than usual.
"Well, let's get moving again" Reimu, who looked like she's still in a daze from her experience, said with a serious look on her face. She held the basket full of food that the fairies gave to her, "You, tengu. Hold this"
"...e-eh!?" Rina almost dropped her smartphone, looking at the basket full of food and then back at Reimu "Why me?" she asked.
"Because I said so" Reimu replied, looking at the tengu reporter intimidatingly, "Hurry up, We don't have all day"
"I am not a pack mule!" Rina complained, but still, she took the baske while Rumia just giggled at the tengu's plight. Rumia, who was still being carried under her armpits, looked at her with amusement in her eyes, clearly enjoying herself. The tengu, on the other hand, was not amused at all. She was a reporter, not a pack mule! Though Rina of course didn't dare to voice that, she's still intimidated by the miko.
"...how unlucky.." Rina sighed as she followed after Reimu
"Is that all you got!? Don't make me laugh! Your spells are weak and your bullets are even weaker!" Marisa taunted loudly, grinning madly as she dodged the barrage of rainbow-coloured bullets that came from a certain red and white dressed miko, "Come on, Reimu! Is that really all you got!?"
The blonde witch flew through the sky, weaving through the bullets like a dancer, her broom in her hand and a grin on her face. The red mist around them didn't seem to affect her mood, and in fact, it only seemed to make her more excited with how it made the bullets seemed to be even more colourful. Her eyes were locked on her opponent, it was unusual for Reimu to just suddenly challenge her like this, but Marisa wasn't going to complain. In fact, she was quite enjoying herself, she never seen these variation of spellcards Reimu used and her best friend-rival seemed to be quite serious today.
Marisa saw as Reimu preparing to use her next spellcard, something Marisa only noticed because she knew Reimu for a long time, it was so obvious.
"Too late! [Constellation Sign MASTER SPAAAAARKKKK-]" Flying above the miko, Marisa unleashed her trademark spellcard. Her palm-sized artefact, hakkero, glowed as a huge laser of pure energy was unleashed toward the red-white miko.
In response, Reimu unleashed her own spellcard to counter Marisa's spellcard as countless huge rainbow bullets came out, colliding with the huge beam and weakening it just enough to allow Reimu to slip out of the way while more charms shot at Marisa. The witch simply grinned as she saw this.
[-Big Dipper!]" Marisa shouted as she pushed more energy into her hakkero. The beam pierced through the mist and hit the surface of the lake. Instead of simply went into the lake, it seemingly absorbed by the lake and shot as seven smaller but still powerful beams in the shape of big dipper constellation, one of which would collide with Reimu.
"Hah, I knew this spellcard worked! Hours listening to Alice ramble about magic sure worth it!" Marisa said with a grin, feeling proud of herself "I win, Reimu! Better luck next ti-"
Marisa stopped as she looked around and saw that the miko was nowhere to be seen. She looked at the surface of the lake, expecting to see Reimu floating there or something so she can rub her victory in the miko's face. But instead, she was gone. There was no trace of her, as if she just disappeared.
"What the hell?" the blonde witch said to herself, confused, as she looked around the lake. Surely, Reimu wouldn't just run away like that, would she? It's not like she lost or anything. And she's too prideful to do that anyway, right?
After a while Marisa just shrugged, deciding that it wasn't worth the trouble to worry about. Reimu could take care of herself, and probably be busy with this red mist incident too. If she decided to just go somewhere, it wasn't Marisa's problem after all, and might be good since it would mean she might be the first to go toward the most likely culprit of this incident.
"Whatever, that was fun but time to get going, to the totally not spooky mansion!" Marisa said to herself, flying off toward the direction of the Scarlet Devil Mansion.
A bit shorter and different than planned but I think I am fine with it. My writing seemed degrading a bit but eh here's stage 2 done. Critiques and corrections welcome as usual
- Pronouns
- He
That probably wasn't Reimu then.
Wonder if Alice just has dolls of her friends lying around.
Ylamona
Konlulu~
Next update might be a bit weird, not fun again, which I am really sorry since I knew some people dislike that. My muse simply uncooperative and set this way. Currently debating whether I should rewrite it so it return to fun touhou stuff or not
Alice: "Yes, but this one is not my doing"
Scarlet Mist 3
New
Ylamona
Konlulu~
"Whoever behind these barriers, they're good." Marisa observed while circling the mansion.
It was the third time she had circled the perimeter of the building. She could tell it was covered with many magical barriers and wards, ones of the best she ever seen. Which admittedly not exactly a long list, but still. What little did she know about barriers and wards from Alice showed her just how complicated the whole things are. Overlapping many barriers and wards into one cohesive defence, yet at the same time making them work individually should the need arise, quite the work of art if Marisa had to say. Not as weird as Alice's house but definitely the best she remembered so far.
"That one is for detection, that one is... anti teleportation? So people can't just sneak in? and that one is for... detection too? No, that one is for detection on the left side of the building. This one... is for detection too? Oh, that one is to prevent people from looking inside. Man, there are so many layers of this thing." Marisa observed the mansion, narrowly avoiding the almost undetectable wards and barriers.
"I can't even get to the mansion without tripping at least one of them, brute force probably useless too." Marisa grumbles at how hard it is to infiltrate the building. Even without the magic, the whole mansion seemed like a fortress. Unlike buildings back in human village, the whole place was made from solid stone and sturdy-looking wood, with barely any window and any windows would have sturdy steel bars in them. The tall walls and gate also meant that it was hard to enter without magic. And with magic, this thing probably could withstand even dozens of youkais assaulting it at once.
Though Marisa did see an obvious weak spot, too obvious in fact. The main gate into the mansion area. It was big and sturdy, probably enchanted too but compared to everything else it was an obvious weak spot, the most obvious one. Which is what makes Marisa suspicious, it was too obvious, and the person who put these barriers and wards must surely be aware of that. It was almost as if Marisa missing something, and that made her feel uncomfortable.
'Whoever made this definitely not an idiot, the barrier is not just strong, it was made to be efficient, to last long. There's also no stupidly obvious hole in the barrier, no obvious weak spots to be exploited except for this part. Yet the main gate left open, unguarded.' Marisa observed and contemplated her findings, 'too easy to be true.'
After some more time circling the mansion, trying and failing to find more information, Marisa decided to just risk it. She went through the gate and nothing happened. Then she went inside the garden, still nothing happened. Then she entered the mansion. Nothing happened. Marisa didn't know whether to be glad or suspicious. On one hand, the easy infiltration, on another hand, it was way too easy. Even with the barrier and wards, Marisa expected something to happen, yet there is nothing.
'Whatever, maybe I was lucky and everyone's busy with something else. Let's just explore and find who is responsible for the red mist. And maybe grab a few cool-looking things along the way.' Marisa decided, shrugging it off 'I could always escape anyway, what's the worse that could happen?'
"W-what happened here?" Rina asked, surprised by the devastation before her. "It's like a tornado passed through here, no, a giant monster rampaging through here."
Reimu looked at the scene and agreed with the description, the damage was extensive, the main gate was broken, many of the trees were uprooted and thrown quite a distance, the ground itself looked as if it had been gouged out and there were a couple of craters. It looked like there was also some sort of flood here too. She definitely didn't expect this after she went to Alice's place and got her information. It was as if the place had been hit by a natural disaster, though the mansion itself seemed fine.
'I don't think it's a coincidence this happened at the same time as the red mist incident, but I don't think the same person is responsible for both.' Reimu thought as she slowly floated down seeing many fairies in strange western dresses that she remembered Alice called maid dress trying to fix the mess. 'Did someone else already get here?'
"Reimu, be careful" Rumia suddenly said, breaking her thoughts with a tone Reimu never heard the small youkai used before.
"Stop right there! Who are you, and what are your intentions!?" a voice suddenly called out, surprising the three.
They turned around to the source of the voice and saw a red-haired girl in what looked like Chinese clothes, the girls looked exhausted and wounded, Reimu might even say the girl just barely clinging to life as several fairies tried to tend to her. There was a sense of power from the girl, though Reimu couldn't really tell how strong it was since the girl was so wounded, it was like looking at a wounded tiger, very pitiful yet still dangerous. Especially with how she glared at Reimu, it was like the woman was both scared of and angry at her.
"Wait, wait, we are not the bad guys here!" Rina suddenly said "I, we are just here investigating this incident! We mean no harm!"
"As I thought, you are a threat to the mistress' plan! So long I, Hong Meiling, the great gatekeeper of this mansion lives, I shall not allow anymore trespassers to enter!" The red-haired woman, Meiling, shouted before pointing at Reimu "Especially you, dishonourable scoundrel! Your trick might work once but no longer! I shall not hesitate to use lethal force if you resist!"
"Wait, wait, what did I do!?" Reimu shouted in confusion, the red-haired woman was clearly angry at her but she didn't know what she did to deserve it.
"Liar, you dare pretend to be innocent after what you did! You dare pretend to be oblivious of your transgression, your heinous crime!" Meiling shouted again, then coughed out blood, clearly weakened from her injury. "I, the great gatekeeper, Hong Meiling, shall not be swayed by lies and deceptions! You shall pay for action!"
"Stop, stop, stop!" Rina suddenly shouted "Can we talk about this first? I'm sure there is a misunderstanding somewhere!"
"Talk is over, you already proved to be hostile! Leave or die, I shall not be swayed!" Meiling shouted back, then coughed out more blood, "even if I have to die here, I shall not let you through, you have already caused too much chaos."
Rumia turned to Reimu and whispered to her while Rina trying to calm Meiling down. "Reimu, you have to beat her if you want to enter. But at her state, if you do then she might.."
Reimu frowned at the implication, this situation was too strange. Even if the woman all but admitted the mistress of the mansion was behind the red mist, it wasn't serious enough thing for now as far as Reimu was concerned so she didn't have any reason to resort to such drastic action. However something happened to this woman that badly injured her and she thought it was Reimu, which meant someone was impersonating her and she didn't like that. Pacifying this Meiling would be easy, but Reimu would still hesitate even with spellcard rule as permanent injuries or worse still possible.
'What a pain.' Reimu thought, it was like everything was going against her since that night.
"-then I will fight you in a Spellcard duel!" Rina shouted, surprising both Meiling and Reimu, "I, Akagi Rina, challenge you, Hong Meiling to a spellcard duel with our honour on the line!"
"What?" both Reimu and Meiling asked, confused by the sudden declaration.
"You are challenging me, to a spellcard duel?" Meiling asked, surprised "I don't have time to play games with you, leave or die."
"I am not playing around. I, Akagi Rina, challenge you, Hong Meiling, to a spellcard duel, one where we can also fight with our fists. Our honour and pride on the line." Rina repeated "If I win, you have to believe us that miss Hakurei that with us didn't do this and let us investigate further. I swear upon my pride as a tengu, as a journalist and as a youkai that miss Hakurei did beat up before!"
Meiling frowned looking at Rina as if searching for a lie or trick, while keeping an eye on reimu.
Reimu herself also looked at Rina, surprised by the sudden challenge as she whispered to the girl. "Hey, what are you doing? Are you insane?"
"I-I I think I have a plan, maybe. I can't..I can't let whatever it was kept going, I don't know!" Rina stuttered before calming herself, "I just have a feeling, I must do this. Don't worry, I can handle it, I have to do this, trust me!"
"..." Reimu sighed, she knew it was a bad idea, her intuition screamed it was a good one instead. "Fine, do as you want."
"Then I, Hong Meiling, accept your challenge. I shall not show mercy so I expect you to not show any either." Meiling declared, getting up with a slight stagger. "But I warn you, if I see any sign of trickery or deception, I shall not hesitate to strike you down with full force."
"I, Akagi Rina, accept the your terms." Rina answered with a nod as she took out her sole spellcard "Then, shall we begin?"
The fight began without much fanfare, both of them got into a distance. Meiling was the first to attack, she charged headfirst at Rina and threw a flurry of punches as many danmakus shot from the punches. Reimu watched as Rina's barely able to dodge the danmakus, mostly through luck rather than any real skill in her opinion. The tengu then tried to retaliate by shooting her own danmakus which missed. Meiling then threw more punches and kicks, the tengu's clothes getting torn by the danmaku projectiles as she tried to dodge the barrage, at least she didn't get hurt.
Reimu sighed at RIna's pathetic attempts to fight back. She knew the girl wasn't good in a fight, but she didn't think the girl was that pathetic at it. Meiling was decent but also not particularly notable, just well-rounded so the woman basically outclassed Rina by a lot with the exception of speed as the tengu had the advantage in that. It was almost sad to watch, but Reimu hoped the tengu had a plan to turn the fight around. With only one spellcard, Rina basically at a disadvantage as if used it and it broke, she automatically lost. And she doubted Rina's single spellcard could break Meiling's spellcard.
"...Oh~ Is that so?~" Rumia suddenly said, surprising the miko.
"What?" Reimu asked, confused.
"The tengu is quite a kind girl, isn't she?~" Rumia said, giggling a little "I guess she's not that bad of a person after all~"
"What do you mean by that? What do you know?" Reimu asked, a bit annoyed. "You are not making sense!"
Rumia just giggled again and didn't answer, she just looked at the fight between Rina and Meiling.
'Damn you and your crypticness.' Reimu thought as she too watched the fight and saw Rina for some reason got closer to Meiling, instead of staying far away to exploit her superior speed. 'What are you doing?'
As she watched, Meiling seemed to get more aggressive and her attacks sharper, Reimu could see Rina was getting a lot of grazes and minor hits. As a martial artist, close quarter was definitely Meiling's forte which only made Reimu even more confused why the tengu would go close. If Rina wanted to go close combat, she might as well just forfeited since she would get her ass kicked.
"I have enough! I shall not show you any more mercy!" Meiling shouted as she used her spellcard "[Colorful Sign Fury Dance]!"
Reimu watched as Meiling's spellcard went off and the girl unleashed a storm of danmaku, forcing Rina to constantly be on the move, still trying to get closer. Despite the hits she received, the tengu persisted until she was close enough it was basically touching distance.
Rina barely able to threw a vial of green liquid at Meiling before she got punched by Meiling. Not fast enough to react to the vial of green liquid being thrown at her, Meiling was hit by the vial, and was soaked in the green liquid. Meiling stopped her assault, expecting it to be something bad but as moments passed, nothing happened. Then she felt a warm sensation throughout her body. To her surprise, her injuries started to heal at visible rate, quickly closed up and her muscles felt relaxed.
"What... What did you do?" Meiling asked, shocked at the sudden turn of events.
"I healed your injuries." Rina answered with a smile, as she quickly recovered and dodging Meiling's ongoing spellcard even if the pain on her face was obvious. "I noticed you're severely wounded, and that is a serious handicap. While I am a proud tengu, I refuse to win due to a handicap. I want a fair and square match."
"A-and..I want to show that we're not bad people who attacked you and that Miss Hakurei is innocent! The fairies liked her after all, that elixir even given by a fairy in case miss Reimu injured!" Rina exclaimed, "She can't be bad person if fairies like her, right!? So let's continue our fight, fair and square!"
Reimu could only look at the scene, baffled. The tengu was seriously fighting to heal the opponent? Trying to convince a youkai that she's not an enemy by healing them and appeal to emotion? She never would have imagined someone would be stupid enough to do that, but here there is one. A kind and foolishly brave one but still an idiot nonetheless in her eyes. She could see Rumia was smiling at the scene, probably thinking the same thing as her but was quite amused about it. Meiling, on the other hand, was obviously baffled by the sudden turn of events before the gatekeeper started to laugh.
"Ahahaha, this is the first time I met a person so brazenly challenged me just to heal my injuries. I shall honour your bravery, and your kindness, if not your idiocy." Meiling said, her posture relaxed as the spellcard ended "You win this match, I admit defeat. I'll at least hear you all out."
"E-ehh?! B-but I still have a spellcard, I can still fight." Rina exclaimed, looking very confused.
"A battle is more than spellcards. You have bested my heart, my resolve, with your act. It's my defeat." Meiling answered "Besides, you're in no shape to keep fighting, I already injured you badly even if I did not use lethal force. I have pride in my abilities, and I don't want to win due to such obvious handicap despite how ironic that statement is. And we already knew the result from the start anyway"
"T-thank you?" Rina said, unsure if that was a compliment or not.
"Wait, so does that mean you trust us now?" Reimu asked, confused.
"No, I am still suspicious of you, especially of you miss Hakurei." Meiling said, glaring at Reimu "But I trust miss Rina here, and her courage and determination to make things right. I maintained that I was attacked by you, or at least someone that looked like you. Not only you bested me in a spellcard duel, you then attacked me with lethal force"
"Hey! I didn't do anything! I swear on the gods!" Reimu shouted, annoyed at the accusation. "That was probably just someone pretending to be me, I have no reason to attack you!"
"That is something I cannot believe, at least not yet. Your doppleganger was clearly not an illusion, she had your skill and power. If it is a copy, it is a near-perfect copy." Meiling said, ignoring Reimu's shouts of protest "Though miss Rina here showed me that at least the fairies trusted you. They might be childish and playful, but they are not stupid...okay, they are but they can be a good judge of character sometimes"
"Hey! We are not stupid!" "We definitely are" "YOU are" "I don't think this miss Reimu is bad" "This one looked clean, not like the one before" "This one talks!"
A few fairies around them protested, though half of them were agreeing with the gatekeeper. Meiling just looked at them with a smile before turning to Reimu. "I still don't trust you but I trust them"
Meiling frowned and think for a while, looking at Reimu then Rina before sighing "Go ahead, technically you did win and mistress did say to let anyone who won through. Just...just know I am watching you and won't hesitate if you try anything funny, miss Hakurei."
Things have been weird but Reimu will just roll with it, she just wanted to solve the incident yet things seemed to not want to make it easy for her. What was this doppleganger thing about? Who would pretend to be her and attacked Meiling? Could it be the real culprit, trying to sabotage her investigation? If so, that was quite a d- despicable move. Well, no matter, she will find whoever it was and beat them black and blue, and get her answer from them but for now, she'll solve the red mist first.
It was the third time she had circled the perimeter of the building. She could tell it was covered with many magical barriers and wards, ones of the best she ever seen. Which admittedly not exactly a long list, but still. What little did she know about barriers and wards from Alice showed her just how complicated the whole things are. Overlapping many barriers and wards into one cohesive defence, yet at the same time making them work individually should the need arise, quite the work of art if Marisa had to say. Not as weird as Alice's house but definitely the best she remembered so far.
"That one is for detection, that one is... anti teleportation? So people can't just sneak in? and that one is for... detection too? No, that one is for detection on the left side of the building. This one... is for detection too? Oh, that one is to prevent people from looking inside. Man, there are so many layers of this thing." Marisa observed the mansion, narrowly avoiding the almost undetectable wards and barriers.
"I can't even get to the mansion without tripping at least one of them, brute force probably useless too." Marisa grumbles at how hard it is to infiltrate the building. Even without the magic, the whole mansion seemed like a fortress. Unlike buildings back in human village, the whole place was made from solid stone and sturdy-looking wood, with barely any window and any windows would have sturdy steel bars in them. The tall walls and gate also meant that it was hard to enter without magic. And with magic, this thing probably could withstand even dozens of youkais assaulting it at once.
Though Marisa did see an obvious weak spot, too obvious in fact. The main gate into the mansion area. It was big and sturdy, probably enchanted too but compared to everything else it was an obvious weak spot, the most obvious one. Which is what makes Marisa suspicious, it was too obvious, and the person who put these barriers and wards must surely be aware of that. It was almost as if Marisa missing something, and that made her feel uncomfortable.
'Whoever made this definitely not an idiot, the barrier is not just strong, it was made to be efficient, to last long. There's also no stupidly obvious hole in the barrier, no obvious weak spots to be exploited except for this part. Yet the main gate left open, unguarded.' Marisa observed and contemplated her findings, 'too easy to be true.'
After some more time circling the mansion, trying and failing to find more information, Marisa decided to just risk it. She went through the gate and nothing happened. Then she went inside the garden, still nothing happened. Then she entered the mansion. Nothing happened. Marisa didn't know whether to be glad or suspicious. On one hand, the easy infiltration, on another hand, it was way too easy. Even with the barrier and wards, Marisa expected something to happen, yet there is nothing.
'Whatever, maybe I was lucky and everyone's busy with something else. Let's just explore and find who is responsible for the red mist. And maybe grab a few cool-looking things along the way.' Marisa decided, shrugging it off 'I could always escape anyway, what's the worse that could happen?'
"W-what happened here?" Rina asked, surprised by the devastation before her. "It's like a tornado passed through here, no, a giant monster rampaging through here."
Reimu looked at the scene and agreed with the description, the damage was extensive, the main gate was broken, many of the trees were uprooted and thrown quite a distance, the ground itself looked as if it had been gouged out and there were a couple of craters. It looked like there was also some sort of flood here too. She definitely didn't expect this after she went to Alice's place and got her information. It was as if the place had been hit by a natural disaster, though the mansion itself seemed fine.
'I don't think it's a coincidence this happened at the same time as the red mist incident, but I don't think the same person is responsible for both.' Reimu thought as she slowly floated down seeing many fairies in strange western dresses that she remembered Alice called maid dress trying to fix the mess. 'Did someone else already get here?'
"Reimu, be careful" Rumia suddenly said, breaking her thoughts with a tone Reimu never heard the small youkai used before.
"Stop right there! Who are you, and what are your intentions!?" a voice suddenly called out, surprising the three.
They turned around to the source of the voice and saw a red-haired girl in what looked like Chinese clothes, the girls looked exhausted and wounded, Reimu might even say the girl just barely clinging to life as several fairies tried to tend to her. There was a sense of power from the girl, though Reimu couldn't really tell how strong it was since the girl was so wounded, it was like looking at a wounded tiger, very pitiful yet still dangerous. Especially with how she glared at Reimu, it was like the woman was both scared of and angry at her.
"Wait, wait, we are not the bad guys here!" Rina suddenly said "I, we are just here investigating this incident! We mean no harm!"
"As I thought, you are a threat to the mistress' plan! So long I, Hong Meiling, the great gatekeeper of this mansion lives, I shall not allow anymore trespassers to enter!" The red-haired woman, Meiling, shouted before pointing at Reimu "Especially you, dishonourable scoundrel! Your trick might work once but no longer! I shall not hesitate to use lethal force if you resist!"
"Wait, wait, what did I do!?" Reimu shouted in confusion, the red-haired woman was clearly angry at her but she didn't know what she did to deserve it.
"Liar, you dare pretend to be innocent after what you did! You dare pretend to be oblivious of your transgression, your heinous crime!" Meiling shouted again, then coughed out blood, clearly weakened from her injury. "I, the great gatekeeper, Hong Meiling, shall not be swayed by lies and deceptions! You shall pay for action!"
"Stop, stop, stop!" Rina suddenly shouted "Can we talk about this first? I'm sure there is a misunderstanding somewhere!"
"Talk is over, you already proved to be hostile! Leave or die, I shall not be swayed!" Meiling shouted back, then coughed out more blood, "even if I have to die here, I shall not let you through, you have already caused too much chaos."
Rumia turned to Reimu and whispered to her while Rina trying to calm Meiling down. "Reimu, you have to beat her if you want to enter. But at her state, if you do then she might.."
Reimu frowned at the implication, this situation was too strange. Even if the woman all but admitted the mistress of the mansion was behind the red mist, it wasn't serious enough thing for now as far as Reimu was concerned so she didn't have any reason to resort to such drastic action. However something happened to this woman that badly injured her and she thought it was Reimu, which meant someone was impersonating her and she didn't like that. Pacifying this Meiling would be easy, but Reimu would still hesitate even with spellcard rule as permanent injuries or worse still possible.
'What a pain.' Reimu thought, it was like everything was going against her since that night.
"-then I will fight you in a Spellcard duel!" Rina shouted, surprising both Meiling and Reimu, "I, Akagi Rina, challenge you, Hong Meiling to a spellcard duel with our honour on the line!"
"What?" both Reimu and Meiling asked, confused by the sudden declaration.
"You are challenging me, to a spellcard duel?" Meiling asked, surprised "I don't have time to play games with you, leave or die."
"I am not playing around. I, Akagi Rina, challenge you, Hong Meiling, to a spellcard duel, one where we can also fight with our fists. Our honour and pride on the line." Rina repeated "If I win, you have to believe us that miss Hakurei that with us didn't do this and let us investigate further. I swear upon my pride as a tengu, as a journalist and as a youkai that miss Hakurei did beat up before!"
Meiling frowned looking at Rina as if searching for a lie or trick, while keeping an eye on reimu.
Reimu herself also looked at Rina, surprised by the sudden challenge as she whispered to the girl. "Hey, what are you doing? Are you insane?"
"I-I I think I have a plan, maybe. I can't..I can't let whatever it was kept going, I don't know!" Rina stuttered before calming herself, "I just have a feeling, I must do this. Don't worry, I can handle it, I have to do this, trust me!"
"..." Reimu sighed, she knew it was a bad idea, her intuition screamed it was a good one instead. "Fine, do as you want."
"Then I, Hong Meiling, accept your challenge. I shall not show mercy so I expect you to not show any either." Meiling declared, getting up with a slight stagger. "But I warn you, if I see any sign of trickery or deception, I shall not hesitate to strike you down with full force."
"I, Akagi Rina, accept the your terms." Rina answered with a nod as she took out her sole spellcard "Then, shall we begin?"
The fight began without much fanfare, both of them got into a distance. Meiling was the first to attack, she charged headfirst at Rina and threw a flurry of punches as many danmakus shot from the punches. Reimu watched as Rina's barely able to dodge the danmakus, mostly through luck rather than any real skill in her opinion. The tengu then tried to retaliate by shooting her own danmakus which missed. Meiling then threw more punches and kicks, the tengu's clothes getting torn by the danmaku projectiles as she tried to dodge the barrage, at least she didn't get hurt.
Reimu sighed at RIna's pathetic attempts to fight back. She knew the girl wasn't good in a fight, but she didn't think the girl was that pathetic at it. Meiling was decent but also not particularly notable, just well-rounded so the woman basically outclassed Rina by a lot with the exception of speed as the tengu had the advantage in that. It was almost sad to watch, but Reimu hoped the tengu had a plan to turn the fight around. With only one spellcard, Rina basically at a disadvantage as if used it and it broke, she automatically lost. And she doubted Rina's single spellcard could break Meiling's spellcard.
"...Oh~ Is that so?~" Rumia suddenly said, surprising the miko.
"What?" Reimu asked, confused.
"The tengu is quite a kind girl, isn't she?~" Rumia said, giggling a little "I guess she's not that bad of a person after all~"
"What do you mean by that? What do you know?" Reimu asked, a bit annoyed. "You are not making sense!"
Rumia just giggled again and didn't answer, she just looked at the fight between Rina and Meiling.
'Damn you and your crypticness.' Reimu thought as she too watched the fight and saw Rina for some reason got closer to Meiling, instead of staying far away to exploit her superior speed. 'What are you doing?'
As she watched, Meiling seemed to get more aggressive and her attacks sharper, Reimu could see Rina was getting a lot of grazes and minor hits. As a martial artist, close quarter was definitely Meiling's forte which only made Reimu even more confused why the tengu would go close. If Rina wanted to go close combat, she might as well just forfeited since she would get her ass kicked.
"I have enough! I shall not show you any more mercy!" Meiling shouted as she used her spellcard "[Colorful Sign Fury Dance]!"
Reimu watched as Meiling's spellcard went off and the girl unleashed a storm of danmaku, forcing Rina to constantly be on the move, still trying to get closer. Despite the hits she received, the tengu persisted until she was close enough it was basically touching distance.
Rina barely able to threw a vial of green liquid at Meiling before she got punched by Meiling. Not fast enough to react to the vial of green liquid being thrown at her, Meiling was hit by the vial, and was soaked in the green liquid. Meiling stopped her assault, expecting it to be something bad but as moments passed, nothing happened. Then she felt a warm sensation throughout her body. To her surprise, her injuries started to heal at visible rate, quickly closed up and her muscles felt relaxed.
"What... What did you do?" Meiling asked, shocked at the sudden turn of events.
"I healed your injuries." Rina answered with a smile, as she quickly recovered and dodging Meiling's ongoing spellcard even if the pain on her face was obvious. "I noticed you're severely wounded, and that is a serious handicap. While I am a proud tengu, I refuse to win due to a handicap. I want a fair and square match."
"A-and..I want to show that we're not bad people who attacked you and that Miss Hakurei is innocent! The fairies liked her after all, that elixir even given by a fairy in case miss Reimu injured!" Rina exclaimed, "She can't be bad person if fairies like her, right!? So let's continue our fight, fair and square!"
Reimu could only look at the scene, baffled. The tengu was seriously fighting to heal the opponent? Trying to convince a youkai that she's not an enemy by healing them and appeal to emotion? She never would have imagined someone would be stupid enough to do that, but here there is one. A kind and foolishly brave one but still an idiot nonetheless in her eyes. She could see Rumia was smiling at the scene, probably thinking the same thing as her but was quite amused about it. Meiling, on the other hand, was obviously baffled by the sudden turn of events before the gatekeeper started to laugh.
"Ahahaha, this is the first time I met a person so brazenly challenged me just to heal my injuries. I shall honour your bravery, and your kindness, if not your idiocy." Meiling said, her posture relaxed as the spellcard ended "You win this match, I admit defeat. I'll at least hear you all out."
"E-ehh?! B-but I still have a spellcard, I can still fight." Rina exclaimed, looking very confused.
"A battle is more than spellcards. You have bested my heart, my resolve, with your act. It's my defeat." Meiling answered "Besides, you're in no shape to keep fighting, I already injured you badly even if I did not use lethal force. I have pride in my abilities, and I don't want to win due to such obvious handicap despite how ironic that statement is. And we already knew the result from the start anyway"
"T-thank you?" Rina said, unsure if that was a compliment or not.
"Wait, so does that mean you trust us now?" Reimu asked, confused.
"No, I am still suspicious of you, especially of you miss Hakurei." Meiling said, glaring at Reimu "But I trust miss Rina here, and her courage and determination to make things right. I maintained that I was attacked by you, or at least someone that looked like you. Not only you bested me in a spellcard duel, you then attacked me with lethal force"
"Hey! I didn't do anything! I swear on the gods!" Reimu shouted, annoyed at the accusation. "That was probably just someone pretending to be me, I have no reason to attack you!"
"That is something I cannot believe, at least not yet. Your doppleganger was clearly not an illusion, she had your skill and power. If it is a copy, it is a near-perfect copy." Meiling said, ignoring Reimu's shouts of protest "Though miss Rina here showed me that at least the fairies trusted you. They might be childish and playful, but they are not stupid...okay, they are but they can be a good judge of character sometimes"
"Hey! We are not stupid!" "We definitely are" "YOU are" "I don't think this miss Reimu is bad" "This one looked clean, not like the one before" "This one talks!"
A few fairies around them protested, though half of them were agreeing with the gatekeeper. Meiling just looked at them with a smile before turning to Reimu. "I still don't trust you but I trust them"
Meiling frowned and think for a while, looking at Reimu then Rina before sighing "Go ahead, technically you did win and mistress did say to let anyone who won through. Just...just know I am watching you and won't hesitate if you try anything funny, miss Hakurei."
Things have been weird but Reimu will just roll with it, she just wanted to solve the incident yet things seemed to not want to make it easy for her. What was this doppleganger thing about? Who would pretend to be her and attacked Meiling? Could it be the real culprit, trying to sabotage her investigation? If so, that was quite a d- despicable move. Well, no matter, she will find whoever it was and beat them black and blue, and get her answer from them but for now, she'll solve the red mist first.
Alice: "..Should I or should I not change to another route? Decision, decision"
A bit harsher and chaotic than I thought, sometimes I hate my muse, but here it is. Honestly the rough outline the same but things just go out of hands? If some people wanting a more orthodox Meiling encounter, just comment so I'll post that one instead as canon later
A bit harsher and chaotic than I thought, sometimes I hate my muse, but here it is. Honestly the rough outline the same but things just go out of hands? If some people wanting a more orthodox Meiling encounter, just comment so I'll post that one instead as canon later
Scarlet Mist 4
New
Ylamona
Konlulu~
"Whoa..." Marisa gasped in amazement at the sheer amount of books on the shelves around her. She'd never seen anything like it before. "This is incredible!"
The fairy maids didn't seem to share her enthusiasm. They were trying their best to drive her out of the library, shooting magic bullets at her, but Marisa was having none of it. She dodged and weaved her way through the barrage of projectiles, firing blasts of energy from her Mini-Hakkero to take down any fairy maid that got in her way. Marisa made sure to aim well, however, not to damage any of the books. After the experience she had with Alice's, she was quite scared to do something like that.
'I should've brought a bag to stuff some books into.' She thought, regretfully, as she flew down another aisle of shelves, taking a turn to the right as she saw a group of fairy maids approaching from the left. 'They probably won't miss a couple, right?'
Marisa glanced at the books on the shelves as she flew past them, hoping to catch a glimpse of a title that might be useful to her. She'd never seen so many books before; the library must have had thousands of them, perhaps even millions. The sheer size of the library itself was mind-boggling, too; Marisa had never seen such a large room in her entire life.
'It'd probably take me years to even read a fraction of these.' She mused, as she flew up and over the heads of a group of fairy maids, taking them out from behind before they'd even had the chance to realise what happened. She smiled, feeling a little pleased with herself. 'But it's probably worth a shot, right?'
Of course, she didn't forgot why she was here in the first place, to find the culprits of the red mist that enveloped Gensokyo. But as Marisa's eyes wandered over the books on the shelf, it was easy for her to forget about that. She was in a library, after all. What else could she do but look at the books?
As Marisa flew down the aisles of the library, she noticed that some parts of it were in a bit of disarray. It was as if there was some kind of battle, and the place was just fixed. Perhaps, a conflict between whoever the Scarlet Mansion's denizens against some invaders? It was weird to see the fairy maids actually fixing things up, however. Marisa was under the impression that fairy were nothing more than troublemakers.
'Who would hire fairies as maids anyway?' Marisa thought to herself, as she took a sharp turn to the right, firing a blast of energy at a group of fairy maids that were advancing on her.
Marisa flew, following the sound of rustling books and the sight of a few fairy maids running around, until she came to a stop in front of a girl, deep in studying a stack of books with her familiar, the demon girl, dutifully assisting her. She was dressed in a nightgown, with a nightcap atop her head. Thegirl had long purple hair and violet eyes, which were staring at Marisa with a look of annoyance.
"Who are you? What are you doing here?" The girl demanded, with flat voice that hid nothing of her anger and annoyance. "I have no time to deal with a rat like you."
"Kirisame Marisa, ordinary magician ze. Here to stop the red mist" Marisa grinned, uncared of the other girl's attitude
"You broke into this mansion, into this library, and disturbed my reading, just to ask that?" The woman's eyes narrowed. "Leave. Now. I have no time to deal with an idiot."
"And this idiot knows you are the one behind the scarlet mist ze" Marisa shrugged, as she took out her spellcards "So, are we going to do this or not? I rather not mess up this library."
"An idiot and a fool." The purple-haired girl sighed. She waved her hand, and a red, glowing rectangle appeared in the air, hovering in front of her. She then snapped her fingers, and a number of books floated from their respective shelves, flying over to the rectangle. As each book came near the rectangle, it vanished into thin air. Within moments, there was no trace that the books had ever existed, and the rectangle had disappeared as well. The woman then snapped her fingers again, and the books reappeared, floating back to their shelves. "You're trespassing, and yet you have the gall to act tough. I have better things to do than taking care of black-white rat but so be it"
"Patchouli Knowledge, magician of seven elements. Prepare yourself" With a snap of her fingers, four spellcards materialised in her hands
"Four cards? Aren't you a bit too confident?" Marisa taunted, drawing out her own cards. "You sure you don't want to use more, ze?"
"I'm sure." Patchouli said, flatly as she waved the devil and fairies away "I'll beat you with only these cards, and not waste any more time on you."
Marisa was about to make a snappy retort, but before she could, the purple-haired woman held out one of her cards and rapidly chanted an incantation, causing the card to light up with a white glow. Quickly getting on her broom, Marisa took to the air, ready to dodge whatever was about to come her way. As soon as Patchouli finished the chant, the card in her hand burst into flames, and a swarm of purple orbs came rushing at Marisa. She smirked, and quickly dodged around them, weaving through the swarm of projectiles and making a beeline for the purple-haired girl.
"[Light Blast "Shoot the Moon"]!" Marisa shouted as she shot a straight laser at her opposing magician, which when hit something turned into vertical blast into the air. Internally, Marisa lamented that she couldn't use her stronger attacks like Master Spark because she didn't want to damage any of the books. But Patchouli didn't need to know that.
The two magicians clashed in the middle of the library, the air filled with the sounds of their magic and the smell of ozone. Patchouli launched a barrage of colourful orbs at Marisa, who in turn deflected them and fired a barrage of coloured stars at her opponent. The girl in the nightgown then retaliated by summoning a ring of elemental orbs around her, which she launched at Marisa. Marisa avoided the orbs, and then countered with a blast of magic from her Mini-Hakkero.
The battle between Patchouli and Marisa was fierce and evenly matched, both sides were unable to get an advantage over the other. Marisa was more skilled with spellcards and had the stamina to keep going, but was limited in power due to her unwillingness to damage the books. She was forced to rely on her agility and dodging to avoid Patchouli's attacks, while trying to get her own hits in. But, Patchouli has the advantage of using the library's built-in prepared magic, making it hard for Marisa to land a blow on her. Though Marisa noted that she didn't seem to be moving much, and her complexion worsened.
'No wonder Alice was strict about healthy lifestyle.' Marisa thought to herself as she dodged a fiery bullet 'This girl looks like she'd be knocked over by a stiff breeze. Even though her magic is strong, her body can't handle it for long.'
Marisa's eyes narrowed as she saw Patchouli's breathing become more laboured, and her movements more sluggish. She was clearly running out of steam, and it wouldn't be long before she was out of the fight. Marisa decided to press her advantage, and she launched a barrage of coloured stars at Patchouli. The purple-haired girl tried to dodge, but she was too slow, and she was hit by a few of the stars, knocking her off-balance.
Marisa smirked at the fallen magician "So, you give up, ze?"
"I'm not done yet..." Patchouli panted, trying to get up, but her body wouldn't cooperate. Her asthma was kicking in, making it difficult for her to breathe. "I can still...keep fighting..."
"You look like you're about to collapse. I think it's time for you to call it quits, ze."
Patchouli gritted her teeth, as she showed her last spellcard glowed and her chants finished "If you think this is over, then you're a fool. I still have a spellcard left. This one is my best and I won't hold anything back. [Five Elements "Philosopher Stone"]"
Five books, each with a different color, appeared in the air above the purple-haired girl, and began shooting a barrage of multicolored crystals at Marisa in different manners. Marisa quickly recognise Patchouli basically used five magics at once in this one. Each one basic but powerful, especially since she used five at once. Marisa would've been impressed, but she was too busy dodging and trying to find an opening in Patchouli's barrage of crystals
'Totally different compared to Alice or Narumi's magic' Marisa thought as she continued to weave through the storm of crystals. 'Magic is definitely wonderful, ze!'
Marisa was able to dodge most of Patchouli's attacks, but the girl was relentless, and her attacks were slowly taking their toll on the black-white witch. Marisa was starting to tire, and she could feel her stamina starting to wane. She was going to have to end this soon, or she was going to be in trouble. Everything set up, time to try the spellcard Alice helped her develop.
"You're great, Patchouli Knowledge, but I'm better! I have a spellcard that's sure to take you down!" Marisa declared, taking out her Hakkero. "Hear the rumble of my triumph! [Magicannon "Path of Dawn"]!"
A small and slow purple beam shot toward Patchouli who, with her laboured breathing, barely dodged the beam. It grazed her shoulder, leaving a painful, burning sensation. Patchouli frowned at the attack, but smirked at the black-white witch "You missed. What was the point of that?"
Marisa just grinned and said nothing. The beam continued to travel through the library, slowly and steadily, until it hit one of the reflective surfaces that Marisa had placed around the library earlier in the battle. It bounced off the surface, and continued to travel, hitting more and more of the surfaces, splitting into multiple beams, creating a net that slowly expanded.
"W-what?" Patchouli exclaimed, her eyes widening in shock as the beams of energy slowly approached her, cutting off her escape routes. She tried to dodge, but her exhaustion made her slow and clumsy. Marisa watched, smirking, as the purple-haired girl was hit by the beams of energy, knocking her to the ground.
"And that's that," Marisa said, landing her broom in front of Patchouli. "I win."
"You...cheater..." Patchouli gasped, her breathing laboured. "How...did you...do that?"
"Easy. I set up reflectors around the room before I approached you. It was a pain in the ass to do, but it was worth it." Marisa explained, shrugging. "It's all about setting up your traps and tricks beforehand, and using your environment to your advantage. Now, you gonna tell me what's up with the mist or not?"
Patchouli coughed, her breathing still laboured and the red-haired devil rushed to her side "I'm just a librarian. You're looking for the mistress of the mansion." She answered, before the devil shushed her and helped her stand up.
"Alright, where can I find her?"
"Upstairs, now leave miss Patchouli alone." The devil said, glaring at the intruder.
Marisa just held her hands up "Alright, alright. I'll go. And uh, good fight, Patchouli. You're pretty strong, ze."
Patchouli just stared at Marisa blankly, her breathing still laboured. The black-white witch just shrugged and left the library, leaving the purple-haired girl and the red-haired devil behind. Secretly pocketing a book that she thought was interesting on her way.
'That was fun,' She thought to herself, as she flew out of the library and up to the upper floors of the mansion. 'Now, let's see if I can find this mistress of the mansion. I hope she's as strong as Patchouli was, that was a good fight, ze!'
Meanwhile, in another part of the mansion, Rina watched as the head maid of the mansion, Izayoi Sakuya, clashed with the shrine maiden. The two girls fought with a flurry of bullets, the maid firing blades of energy and the shrine maiden countering with ofuda and needles. Both girls moved with grace and speed, their movements almost a blur. Despite the impressive display, however, Rima couldn't help but feel a bit out of place. After all, she was just a reporter, not a fighter.
The tengu was more interested in the various fairy maids that cheered for the silver haired maid. It's quite surreal to see so many fairies in one place under the employment of someone. Even if she was happy someone clearly recognised how great fairies are like her, she couldn't help but wonder what kind of person the owner of the mansion is to employ so many fairy. Not just to employ them, but also to train them so well it seemed. The fairies are still quite rowdy but definitely far more disciplined than she knew fairies are.
Rina turned her attention to the fight again, and watched as the maid seemingly disappeared and reappeared in a blur. 'Not even Aya-senpai can move that fast.' The tengu girl thought, amazed at the sight before her eyes. 'That maid... she's something else.'
As she watched the two girls clash, Rina couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy. She was a tengu, after all, and she was supposed to be the fastest of all the youkai. But here was a human maid who could move faster than any tengu she had ever seen. She had never heard of a human being able to move that quickly before. It was amazing, and a little bit intimidating.
Still, Rina couldn't deny that the fight was exciting to watch. The two girls moved with grace and agility, and their attacks were fast and powerful. Even compared to the wonderful displayed with the ice fairies, clearly here both sides showed their masterful danmaku techniques. It was clear that they were both skilled fighters, and it was hard to tell who would come out on top. Rima couldn't help but cheer for the shrine maiden, mostly because of the fairies cheered for the good battle too. She completely ignoring Rumia who looked at her like she lost her mind.
"Go, miko-san! Go! Beat that maid!" Rina cheered, her voice lost in the sea of voices.
The tengu reporter couldn't help but smile a little. She had come to the mansion for a scoop, but she hadn't expected to find a fight like this. It was exciting, and it was giving her a lot to write about. She couldn't wait to get back to Youkai Mountain and write her article about the fight too. So many things happened, she could make a series of articles from this.
"Yo, you girls here too?" Suddenly, a voice came from behind Rina, making her jump in surprise. She turned to see a grinning blonde human dressed in western attires with wide-brimmed hat.
Rumia grinned and smiled at the newcomer "Marisa~ Trying to solve the incident?"
"Of course, ze. Well, Alice made me, but it's been fun! Just need to beat the culprit now!" The human, Marisa grinned, then looked at the tengu with a puzzled expression. "And you are? Reimu's new friend?"
"Ahahaha..." The tengu girl laughed nervously, waving her hand dismissively. "No, no. I'm just a... passerby miss Hakurei met. Akagi Rina, at your service!"
"Kirisame Marisa, ordinary magician, at your service too, ze!" Marisa grinned, offering her hand to the tengu girl with friendly grin, who took it and shook it. "Nice to meet ya!"
"Y-you too, Kirisame-san!" Rina stammered, taken aback by the human's friendliness and straighforwardness. She had never met a human who was so friendly and open with youkai, especially one that she had just met except for Alice. It was a nice change, though.
While the fight still ongoing, the group swapped stories about what happened so far, mostly Marisa. How she went investigating about the incident, how she deduced the culprit, how she broke in to the mansion, and the battle with the magician named Patchouli. It was fascinating to hear, and Rina quietly sighed at not being able seen those herself. Though Rina wondered how much of those were embelished by the human.
"-then I came here heard about the ruckus and meet you girls" Marisa grinned before looked at Rumia, or more accurately the talismans that covered the small youkai's body. "So, why you're wrapped like a mummy, ze?"
"Reimu~ She was worried about something~ Sooo protection!~" Rumia answered, with a giggle and sigh "Can't fly with them on though, soooo annoying~"
"Reimu is worried?" Marisa frowned, before shrugged "Eh, she probably worried about something silly."
Rina couldn't help but frown at that. She didn't know the shrine maiden that well, but she could tell that the girl was very serious. Her instinct as a tengu and reporter told her that it was something serious. Rumia herself seemed evasive too beneath her childish tone. The tengu wanted to ask more questions, but she was interrupted by a cheer from the fairies, as the miko finally managed to defeat the head maid.
"Alright, the way up opens so let's go- oh, Marisa" The miko said, surprised to see the human magician.
"Hey, Reimu! Nice to see you again, and investigating too. Finally not being a lazy bum?" Marisa grinned, giving the miko a quick hug. "Great fight as usual, ze. I heard you were worried about something."
"I... yeah. I'll explain later. Let's go, we should hurry." The miko said, a little hesitantly. "The culprit should be upstairs, let's finish this."
Marisa smirkd and pat the miko's shoulder "Relax~ With both of us here, there's nothing to worry about, ze! What's the worse that can happen?"
Suddenly, Rina felt that she want to sigh and facepalm. While she might not know the human that much, she knew from her experience as a reporter that these kind of words were bad omens. Marisa's declaration just now was a jinx, and she could only hope that the jinx didn't come true.
The fairy maids didn't seem to share her enthusiasm. They were trying their best to drive her out of the library, shooting magic bullets at her, but Marisa was having none of it. She dodged and weaved her way through the barrage of projectiles, firing blasts of energy from her Mini-Hakkero to take down any fairy maid that got in her way. Marisa made sure to aim well, however, not to damage any of the books. After the experience she had with Alice's, she was quite scared to do something like that.
'I should've brought a bag to stuff some books into.' She thought, regretfully, as she flew down another aisle of shelves, taking a turn to the right as she saw a group of fairy maids approaching from the left. 'They probably won't miss a couple, right?'
Marisa glanced at the books on the shelves as she flew past them, hoping to catch a glimpse of a title that might be useful to her. She'd never seen so many books before; the library must have had thousands of them, perhaps even millions. The sheer size of the library itself was mind-boggling, too; Marisa had never seen such a large room in her entire life.
'It'd probably take me years to even read a fraction of these.' She mused, as she flew up and over the heads of a group of fairy maids, taking them out from behind before they'd even had the chance to realise what happened. She smiled, feeling a little pleased with herself. 'But it's probably worth a shot, right?'
Of course, she didn't forgot why she was here in the first place, to find the culprits of the red mist that enveloped Gensokyo. But as Marisa's eyes wandered over the books on the shelf, it was easy for her to forget about that. She was in a library, after all. What else could she do but look at the books?
As Marisa flew down the aisles of the library, she noticed that some parts of it were in a bit of disarray. It was as if there was some kind of battle, and the place was just fixed. Perhaps, a conflict between whoever the Scarlet Mansion's denizens against some invaders? It was weird to see the fairy maids actually fixing things up, however. Marisa was under the impression that fairy were nothing more than troublemakers.
'Who would hire fairies as maids anyway?' Marisa thought to herself, as she took a sharp turn to the right, firing a blast of energy at a group of fairy maids that were advancing on her.
Marisa flew, following the sound of rustling books and the sight of a few fairy maids running around, until she came to a stop in front of a girl, deep in studying a stack of books with her familiar, the demon girl, dutifully assisting her. She was dressed in a nightgown, with a nightcap atop her head. Thegirl had long purple hair and violet eyes, which were staring at Marisa with a look of annoyance.
"Who are you? What are you doing here?" The girl demanded, with flat voice that hid nothing of her anger and annoyance. "I have no time to deal with a rat like you."
"Kirisame Marisa, ordinary magician ze. Here to stop the red mist" Marisa grinned, uncared of the other girl's attitude
"You broke into this mansion, into this library, and disturbed my reading, just to ask that?" The woman's eyes narrowed. "Leave. Now. I have no time to deal with an idiot."
"And this idiot knows you are the one behind the scarlet mist ze" Marisa shrugged, as she took out her spellcards "So, are we going to do this or not? I rather not mess up this library."
"An idiot and a fool." The purple-haired girl sighed. She waved her hand, and a red, glowing rectangle appeared in the air, hovering in front of her. She then snapped her fingers, and a number of books floated from their respective shelves, flying over to the rectangle. As each book came near the rectangle, it vanished into thin air. Within moments, there was no trace that the books had ever existed, and the rectangle had disappeared as well. The woman then snapped her fingers again, and the books reappeared, floating back to their shelves. "You're trespassing, and yet you have the gall to act tough. I have better things to do than taking care of black-white rat but so be it"
"Patchouli Knowledge, magician of seven elements. Prepare yourself" With a snap of her fingers, four spellcards materialised in her hands
"Four cards? Aren't you a bit too confident?" Marisa taunted, drawing out her own cards. "You sure you don't want to use more, ze?"
"I'm sure." Patchouli said, flatly as she waved the devil and fairies away "I'll beat you with only these cards, and not waste any more time on you."
Marisa was about to make a snappy retort, but before she could, the purple-haired woman held out one of her cards and rapidly chanted an incantation, causing the card to light up with a white glow. Quickly getting on her broom, Marisa took to the air, ready to dodge whatever was about to come her way. As soon as Patchouli finished the chant, the card in her hand burst into flames, and a swarm of purple orbs came rushing at Marisa. She smirked, and quickly dodged around them, weaving through the swarm of projectiles and making a beeline for the purple-haired girl.
"[Light Blast "Shoot the Moon"]!" Marisa shouted as she shot a straight laser at her opposing magician, which when hit something turned into vertical blast into the air. Internally, Marisa lamented that she couldn't use her stronger attacks like Master Spark because she didn't want to damage any of the books. But Patchouli didn't need to know that.
The two magicians clashed in the middle of the library, the air filled with the sounds of their magic and the smell of ozone. Patchouli launched a barrage of colourful orbs at Marisa, who in turn deflected them and fired a barrage of coloured stars at her opponent. The girl in the nightgown then retaliated by summoning a ring of elemental orbs around her, which she launched at Marisa. Marisa avoided the orbs, and then countered with a blast of magic from her Mini-Hakkero.
The battle between Patchouli and Marisa was fierce and evenly matched, both sides were unable to get an advantage over the other. Marisa was more skilled with spellcards and had the stamina to keep going, but was limited in power due to her unwillingness to damage the books. She was forced to rely on her agility and dodging to avoid Patchouli's attacks, while trying to get her own hits in. But, Patchouli has the advantage of using the library's built-in prepared magic, making it hard for Marisa to land a blow on her. Though Marisa noted that she didn't seem to be moving much, and her complexion worsened.
'No wonder Alice was strict about healthy lifestyle.' Marisa thought to herself as she dodged a fiery bullet 'This girl looks like she'd be knocked over by a stiff breeze. Even though her magic is strong, her body can't handle it for long.'
Marisa's eyes narrowed as she saw Patchouli's breathing become more laboured, and her movements more sluggish. She was clearly running out of steam, and it wouldn't be long before she was out of the fight. Marisa decided to press her advantage, and she launched a barrage of coloured stars at Patchouli. The purple-haired girl tried to dodge, but she was too slow, and she was hit by a few of the stars, knocking her off-balance.
Marisa smirked at the fallen magician "So, you give up, ze?"
"I'm not done yet..." Patchouli panted, trying to get up, but her body wouldn't cooperate. Her asthma was kicking in, making it difficult for her to breathe. "I can still...keep fighting..."
"You look like you're about to collapse. I think it's time for you to call it quits, ze."
Patchouli gritted her teeth, as she showed her last spellcard glowed and her chants finished "If you think this is over, then you're a fool. I still have a spellcard left. This one is my best and I won't hold anything back. [Five Elements "Philosopher Stone"]"
Five books, each with a different color, appeared in the air above the purple-haired girl, and began shooting a barrage of multicolored crystals at Marisa in different manners. Marisa quickly recognise Patchouli basically used five magics at once in this one. Each one basic but powerful, especially since she used five at once. Marisa would've been impressed, but she was too busy dodging and trying to find an opening in Patchouli's barrage of crystals
'Totally different compared to Alice or Narumi's magic' Marisa thought as she continued to weave through the storm of crystals. 'Magic is definitely wonderful, ze!'
Marisa was able to dodge most of Patchouli's attacks, but the girl was relentless, and her attacks were slowly taking their toll on the black-white witch. Marisa was starting to tire, and she could feel her stamina starting to wane. She was going to have to end this soon, or she was going to be in trouble. Everything set up, time to try the spellcard Alice helped her develop.
"You're great, Patchouli Knowledge, but I'm better! I have a spellcard that's sure to take you down!" Marisa declared, taking out her Hakkero. "Hear the rumble of my triumph! [Magicannon "Path of Dawn"]!"
A small and slow purple beam shot toward Patchouli who, with her laboured breathing, barely dodged the beam. It grazed her shoulder, leaving a painful, burning sensation. Patchouli frowned at the attack, but smirked at the black-white witch "You missed. What was the point of that?"
Marisa just grinned and said nothing. The beam continued to travel through the library, slowly and steadily, until it hit one of the reflective surfaces that Marisa had placed around the library earlier in the battle. It bounced off the surface, and continued to travel, hitting more and more of the surfaces, splitting into multiple beams, creating a net that slowly expanded.
"W-what?" Patchouli exclaimed, her eyes widening in shock as the beams of energy slowly approached her, cutting off her escape routes. She tried to dodge, but her exhaustion made her slow and clumsy. Marisa watched, smirking, as the purple-haired girl was hit by the beams of energy, knocking her to the ground.
"And that's that," Marisa said, landing her broom in front of Patchouli. "I win."
"You...cheater..." Patchouli gasped, her breathing laboured. "How...did you...do that?"
"Easy. I set up reflectors around the room before I approached you. It was a pain in the ass to do, but it was worth it." Marisa explained, shrugging. "It's all about setting up your traps and tricks beforehand, and using your environment to your advantage. Now, you gonna tell me what's up with the mist or not?"
Patchouli coughed, her breathing still laboured and the red-haired devil rushed to her side "I'm just a librarian. You're looking for the mistress of the mansion." She answered, before the devil shushed her and helped her stand up.
"Alright, where can I find her?"
"Upstairs, now leave miss Patchouli alone." The devil said, glaring at the intruder.
Marisa just held her hands up "Alright, alright. I'll go. And uh, good fight, Patchouli. You're pretty strong, ze."
Patchouli just stared at Marisa blankly, her breathing still laboured. The black-white witch just shrugged and left the library, leaving the purple-haired girl and the red-haired devil behind. Secretly pocketing a book that she thought was interesting on her way.
'That was fun,' She thought to herself, as she flew out of the library and up to the upper floors of the mansion. 'Now, let's see if I can find this mistress of the mansion. I hope she's as strong as Patchouli was, that was a good fight, ze!'
Meanwhile, in another part of the mansion, Rina watched as the head maid of the mansion, Izayoi Sakuya, clashed with the shrine maiden. The two girls fought with a flurry of bullets, the maid firing blades of energy and the shrine maiden countering with ofuda and needles. Both girls moved with grace and speed, their movements almost a blur. Despite the impressive display, however, Rima couldn't help but feel a bit out of place. After all, she was just a reporter, not a fighter.
The tengu was more interested in the various fairy maids that cheered for the silver haired maid. It's quite surreal to see so many fairies in one place under the employment of someone. Even if she was happy someone clearly recognised how great fairies are like her, she couldn't help but wonder what kind of person the owner of the mansion is to employ so many fairy. Not just to employ them, but also to train them so well it seemed. The fairies are still quite rowdy but definitely far more disciplined than she knew fairies are.
Rina turned her attention to the fight again, and watched as the maid seemingly disappeared and reappeared in a blur. 'Not even Aya-senpai can move that fast.' The tengu girl thought, amazed at the sight before her eyes. 'That maid... she's something else.'
As she watched the two girls clash, Rina couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy. She was a tengu, after all, and she was supposed to be the fastest of all the youkai. But here was a human maid who could move faster than any tengu she had ever seen. She had never heard of a human being able to move that quickly before. It was amazing, and a little bit intimidating.
Still, Rina couldn't deny that the fight was exciting to watch. The two girls moved with grace and agility, and their attacks were fast and powerful. Even compared to the wonderful displayed with the ice fairies, clearly here both sides showed their masterful danmaku techniques. It was clear that they were both skilled fighters, and it was hard to tell who would come out on top. Rima couldn't help but cheer for the shrine maiden, mostly because of the fairies cheered for the good battle too. She completely ignoring Rumia who looked at her like she lost her mind.
"Go, miko-san! Go! Beat that maid!" Rina cheered, her voice lost in the sea of voices.
The tengu reporter couldn't help but smile a little. She had come to the mansion for a scoop, but she hadn't expected to find a fight like this. It was exciting, and it was giving her a lot to write about. She couldn't wait to get back to Youkai Mountain and write her article about the fight too. So many things happened, she could make a series of articles from this.
"Yo, you girls here too?" Suddenly, a voice came from behind Rina, making her jump in surprise. She turned to see a grinning blonde human dressed in western attires with wide-brimmed hat.
Rumia grinned and smiled at the newcomer "Marisa~ Trying to solve the incident?"
"Of course, ze. Well, Alice made me, but it's been fun! Just need to beat the culprit now!" The human, Marisa grinned, then looked at the tengu with a puzzled expression. "And you are? Reimu's new friend?"
"Ahahaha..." The tengu girl laughed nervously, waving her hand dismissively. "No, no. I'm just a... passerby miss Hakurei met. Akagi Rina, at your service!"
"Kirisame Marisa, ordinary magician, at your service too, ze!" Marisa grinned, offering her hand to the tengu girl with friendly grin, who took it and shook it. "Nice to meet ya!"
"Y-you too, Kirisame-san!" Rina stammered, taken aback by the human's friendliness and straighforwardness. She had never met a human who was so friendly and open with youkai, especially one that she had just met except for Alice. It was a nice change, though.
While the fight still ongoing, the group swapped stories about what happened so far, mostly Marisa. How she went investigating about the incident, how she deduced the culprit, how she broke in to the mansion, and the battle with the magician named Patchouli. It was fascinating to hear, and Rina quietly sighed at not being able seen those herself. Though Rina wondered how much of those were embelished by the human.
"-then I came here heard about the ruckus and meet you girls" Marisa grinned before looked at Rumia, or more accurately the talismans that covered the small youkai's body. "So, why you're wrapped like a mummy, ze?"
"Reimu~ She was worried about something~ Sooo protection!~" Rumia answered, with a giggle and sigh "Can't fly with them on though, soooo annoying~"
"Reimu is worried?" Marisa frowned, before shrugged "Eh, she probably worried about something silly."
Rina couldn't help but frown at that. She didn't know the shrine maiden that well, but she could tell that the girl was very serious. Her instinct as a tengu and reporter told her that it was something serious. Rumia herself seemed evasive too beneath her childish tone. The tengu wanted to ask more questions, but she was interrupted by a cheer from the fairies, as the miko finally managed to defeat the head maid.
"Alright, the way up opens so let's go- oh, Marisa" The miko said, surprised to see the human magician.
"Hey, Reimu! Nice to see you again, and investigating too. Finally not being a lazy bum?" Marisa grinned, giving the miko a quick hug. "Great fight as usual, ze. I heard you were worried about something."
"I... yeah. I'll explain later. Let's go, we should hurry." The miko said, a little hesitantly. "The culprit should be upstairs, let's finish this."
Marisa smirkd and pat the miko's shoulder "Relax~ With both of us here, there's nothing to worry about, ze! What's the worse that can happen?"
Suddenly, Rina felt that she want to sigh and facepalm. While she might not know the human that much, she knew from her experience as a reporter that these kind of words were bad omens. Marisa's declaration just now was a jinx, and she could only hope that the jinx didn't come true.
Alternative route for stage 3 still opens if anyone didn't like it, but anyway Stage 4 done! After reading how much Sakuya could actually do with her ability, I sadly had to go with this for the latter part. I am not very confident at writing Sakuya either but yeah, just some easy one this chapter is
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- Pronouns
- He
Height Chart (temp)
New
Ylamona
Konlulu~
Height Chart (temp)
Average 10 years old/greater fairies= 133-140 (basically the standard) "Fairies can change their sizes from palm-sized to their max though"
Akagi Rina: 161 cm "I wasn't sure about this one"
Alice (Real): 133 cm/??? "Last I checked, my hair could reach at least four and a half metres. Currently it's barely two and half now though"
Alice Margatroid: 171 cm "No Rumia, I am not compensating"
Bree Sunkiller: 181 cm "She's tall, and classically looked like a cool woman. Inside is still fairy though"
Cirno: 142 cm "She's been growing, on average Deepwood-touched fairies around her height"
Daiyousei: 146 cm "She hasn't grown in comparison, maybe that's why Cirno called her dai?"
Eternity Larva: 145 cm/168 cm "Not as tall as Yuuka, definitely more heavy though in her big form"
Hakurei Reimu: 156 cm "She's on the 'fairly tall side'"
Hong Meiling: 170 cm "She's on the 'tall' side, also quite muscular"
Izayoi Sakuya: 167 cm "She's on the 'tall' side"
Kamishirasawa Keine: 170 cm "Slightly taller when full moon, no horn"
Kazami Yuuka: 148 cm/171-174 cm "She's..tricky to measure, might actually changes depend on season"
Kitashirakawa Chiyuri: 156 cm "Just slightly above Reimu"
Kirisame Marisa: 152 cm "She's on the 'fairly short' side?"
Koakuma: 157 cm "Probably"
Morichika Rinnosuke: 183 cm "The only right choice, definitely. Totally not me bullshitting, also he definitely ripped"
Patchouli Knowledge: 155 cm "Probably could be taller if she's healthier"
Rumia: 146 cm/163 cm "Unfortunately, she's not blessed with height"
Scarlet Sisters: 145 cm "How they are supposed to be five years different is beyond me"
Temporary height chart for most chars I think? Any input or suggestion welcome, it's far from final, not even in my own notes.
Average 10 years old/greater fairies= 133-140 (basically the standard) "Fairies can change their sizes from palm-sized to their max though"
Akagi Rina: 161 cm "I wasn't sure about this one"
Alice (Real): 133 cm/??? "Last I checked, my hair could reach at least four and a half metres. Currently it's barely two and half now though"
Alice Margatroid: 171 cm "No Rumia, I am not compensating"
Bree Sunkiller: 181 cm "She's tall, and classically looked like a cool woman. Inside is still fairy though"
Cirno: 142 cm "She's been growing, on average Deepwood-touched fairies around her height"
Daiyousei: 146 cm "She hasn't grown in comparison, maybe that's why Cirno called her dai?"
Eternity Larva: 145 cm/168 cm "Not as tall as Yuuka, definitely more heavy though in her big form"
Hakurei Reimu: 156 cm "She's on the 'fairly tall side'"
Hong Meiling: 170 cm "She's on the 'tall' side, also quite muscular"
Izayoi Sakuya: 167 cm "She's on the 'tall' side"
Kamishirasawa Keine: 170 cm "Slightly taller when full moon, no horn"
Kazami Yuuka: 148 cm/171-174 cm "She's..tricky to measure, might actually changes depend on season"
Kitashirakawa Chiyuri: 156 cm "Just slightly above Reimu"
Kirisame Marisa: 152 cm "She's on the 'fairly short' side?"
Koakuma: 157 cm "Probably"
Morichika Rinnosuke: 183 cm "The only right choice, definitely. Totally not me bullshitting, also he definitely ripped"
Patchouli Knowledge: 155 cm "Probably could be taller if she's healthier"
Rumia: 146 cm/163 cm "Unfortunately, she's not blessed with height"
Scarlet Sisters: 145 cm "How they are supposed to be five years different is beyond me"
Temporary height chart for most chars I think? Any input or suggestion welcome, it's far from final, not even in my own notes.
Scarlet Mist 4.5 Girls are Talking
New
Ylamona
Konlulu~
Bree Sunkiller was in the kitchen of the Scarlet Devil Mansion, her mission to work undercover there still ongoing until the Scarlet Mist Incident resolved. The mission so far had been going well though blending in with the maids technically a failure as Bree simply too competent compared to the initial average fairy maids, or tall. It had been a personal joy to train others in the way of housekeeping, and to put her skills in that field to use. Slight challenge here and there but they succeeded in their first mission. All that was left would be today, the day of scarlet mist and things have been quite chaotic.
She was just preparing some snacks to take out for the fairies on duty when she heard someone coming. Turning around she was not surprised to see Mei Mindhaze entering the room and gave her fellow compatriot a curt nod "Mei."
Mei was a poppy fairy, shorter than Bree and more petite in frame. She normally wore a yellow sundress with a pair of large red poppy flowers embroidered on it, and her red hair was done up in a twinpair of tails that went down to her shoulders. Though naturally today, she wore the maid dress of the Scarlet Devil Mansion, the white apron tied neatly behind her back, and her tails were tied with blue ribbons. The shorter fairy sighed dramatically and flopped down on a seat near the table. "It's been done, Bree. The thing with Meiling was covered up, good thing I was quick"
"Everyone? Including Marisa?"
"Yep. Got her too. Marisa should wander around the mansion for a while head maid, the vampire, and the magician shouldn't notice Meiling disappeared for a bit too" Mei said, smiling smugly. She was very proud of her own work, though she sighed and frowned "Though it's mostly everyone was distracted by little vampire sister tantrums, so it was easy. And Today's sudden work was hard though so it's a bit sloppy"
Bree nodded, she understood her compatriot's feeling. The two should've gone from the mansion the moment project Argleton succeed with Meiling, but neither of them nor lady Alice expected the gatekeeper to be attacked and disappeared from her post for a some time. If she was alone, Bree most likely unable to keep things on track so she was glad for her compatriot's help. Bree might be the better maid and warrior between the two but for these subtle touches and manipulation, Mei Mindhaze was unrivalled amongst the fairies employed by lady Alice and perhaps even youkais at large
"How about yours, Bree?" asked Mei. She knew what the brunette's job would be today, they had talked about it before but she was not sure if the brownie would be able to pull it off or not, especially if something went wrong. The bigger fairy normally didn't really care much about being subtle, and the fact that it was about smuggling a lot of fairies inside the mansion too, gave the smarter of the two no small amount of concern. She would've done it herself if not for the fact the others respected Bree more, and she herself too busy making sure the mansion residents didn't realise anything.
"It is going well. I should be finished within an hour" replied Bree, turning back to the task of finishing up the food. It was a simple snack "The hardest part would be to keep everyone in check but since it's lady Alice's order, the others should listen"
Mei chuckled at that, "Heh, yeah. Still bit scary if we will have to fight that scary fake Reimu though. That one just...feel sad, also really brutal, poor Meiling. Though she should be fine soon enough, I guess"
"If it's our order, then nothing to be afraid of. Trust in lady Alice's plan, Mei. It should go well," Bree said simply. The tall fairy trusted her mistress's plans and had no fear of what would happen in the future. After all, she would always bet on lady Alice succeeding, something Bree learned over the years. Bree trusted lady Alice's planning and intellect, the same way Bree trusted her own spear and strength.
"Right, right, of course you are" Mei said, waving a hand at Bree. The poppy fairy sighed and closed her eyes, resting her head on the table, "Still didn't reassure me much though"
"You're thinking too much"
"It's my nature. I'm a thinker, not a fighter like you, Bree. You know how I think"
"Still, you're thinking too much, Mei"
The two fell into silence, and Bree continued to work as Mei rested. A few moments later, Mei broke the silence, "You know, I wonder why lady Alice didn't try to save Meiling or something"
Bree turned from her work, to look at Mei with narrowed eyes. The smaller fairy was still resting her head on the table. Her face showed a thoughtful expression, "I mean, I know it's hard to think about but she must know the gatekeeper is going to get attacked, right? I don't know, maybe she could've warned the gatekeeper and just tell her to pretend to be unconscious? That might work, right?"
"To open the gate, one need to defeat the gatekeeper. She'll be attacked regardless, especially since this attacked already showed how ruthless they are" Bree said, defeat the boss to open the door is simple logic anyone knew.
"Yeah, I get that. I just wonder if there is a way to make it, uh, more painless. You know what I'm saying, Bree?"
For few moments Bree didn't answer as she continued to work "Perhaps, perhaps it was a surprise"
Mei frowned and looked up, "Huh? Surprise?"
"Perhaps the attack on the gatekeeper while expected, happened not in the way lady Alice expected. Meiling did disappear for a time" Bree thought to what she heard other fairies said, how all of sudden the gatekeeper simply disappeared to thin air. Though she and Mei knew Meiling and the fake Reimu still there, alongside some trapped fairies. Just in like a world behind the mirror as lady Alice described in one of her story, there but not exactly there.
Mei nodded, "Yeah, that's true, that's true. Miss Yuuka was milling around when Meiling was attacked, maybe she supposed to help but the disappearance of both Meiling and the fake Reimu stopped that"
"Perhaps. I don't know" Bree truly didn't, she left those sort of things to Mei for a reason.
"Yeah. this thing just got too complicated too quickly. I wish we know why this happening and what that fake Reimu was. I mean it's a shapeshifter, right? It's definitely not Reimu" Mei sighed, closing her eyes again, frustration plainly visible on her face.
"You are thinking too much again. Just do the mission" Bree said, her tone gentle despite her words. Mei tended to think too much and get caught in her own thoughts. Bree preferred not to think so hard, and just follow lady Alice's plan instead, it worked better that way. After all, it was better to let the people who are better at those things handle it, the same way she trusted her spear and strength to the other fairy to plan on how to use them. Besides, Mei herself was smart, she would figure out the best plan in a moment's notice, a talent she was known for, so she would be fine
"I know, I know" sighed the poppy fairy, "Just don't like this unknown fireable" "variable" "unknown variable. Just what even is this fake Reimu?"
"...a god. At least similar to them" Bree answered after some thought, she was unsure about it but she figured that was probably the case. It was the closest thing she could compare it to based on her limited knowledge. She might've seen a lot, remembered a lot compared to average fairies but the fake Reimu certainly new to say the least.
Mei coughed in surprise and looked up, "A god? What makes you say that, Bree?"
Bree turned to Mei, looking at her compatriot in the eyes, "I've met one like this fake Reimu, once in the Deepwood. Not exactly the similar but the fake Reimu really reminds me of it. And not like the gods Gensokyo worshipped like honoured Aki sisters, they are far too humane and a person each. It was less of an entity than a force of nature, and it was...like a role, a concept or a character. It was more of an idea, a symbol than a living being, like us who are spirit of nature but they are far more intertwined with their role?" Bree paused, letting Mei process that information "I think this fake Reimu is something similar. A force, an idea or symbol or character, not a living creature like us"
"...That's one heck of a theory, Bree. If it was any other fairy, they would just say that sounds so cool, which it is. But I'm smarter than that, and that would be a lot of implications" Mei said after some thought. Bree was not surprised Mei understood the implications, the poppy fairy was the smartest one amongst lady Alice's fairies after all, though the taller fairy didn't understand herself what the implications Mei mentioned, "So what, a god spirit thing just decide to be Reimu and act like her for fun?"
"Perhaps, perhaps not. It is only a theory" Bree shrugged. It was only a theory, and it could be wrong. After all, Bree is just a fairy, not some great thinker. Mei was the one to go for that kind of thing
"...What would be the alternative beside this god thing, because I very much don't want to deal with one" The shorter girl said in whiny tone that Bree was not sure if Mei was joking or not, it is hard to tell with the poppy fairy sometimes.
"Too similar for regular youkai, those ofudas and powers the fake exhibited are too similar to the original. So a shapeshifter youkai would be improbable, so perhaps a doppelgänger of some sort" "Aren't those youkai" "Phenomenon, maybe. Alternatively, it is Reimu, just not ours" Bree mused. Mei nodded at that, agreeing with her. It would make sense
"Alternate Reimu...heh, I remember that time with the alternate Marisa" Mei chuckled. The poppy fairy grinned and looked up "Though I guess that makes more sense than a god. Still don't know why this Reimu decided to be all evil, but hey, maybe this one just is"
"Perhaps. As said, only a theory"
"I know, I know. Just, this is too much to think about. How does lady Alice do this all the time, it's hard to think. You really don't have to think about this, Bree?" Mei asked
"I don't think about it. It's a waste of time to think of things like this" Bree said, shrugging "Though it is good to think about these things, just don't overthink"
Mei sighed, nodding in agreement, "Yeah, yeah. Thanks, Bree" The poppy fairy closed her eyes and rested her head on the table again. She was quiet, and Bree went back to work, leaving the other to her thoughts. They had a job to do, and Bree was not going to fail at it. After a while, the brownie finished making the food, and Mei got up, stretching. Bree looked at her and nodded, "I'm going back to work. See you later, Mei"
Mei grinned, "Yeah. Try to stay out of trouble, Bree"
"Will do" Bree replied before she took the plate of food and tried to left the kitchen before Mei suddenly asked
"Say...if it's a god or spirit or whatever you call it..what god do you think it is" the red hair fairy asked curiously. Bree did not turn her back, she did not even hesitate as she left.
"Hero who stand against the darkness and monsters inside"
Mei, who watched the brunette fairy leave just shrugged "Must just be from of the animey story lady Alice told her, it's probably just a doppelgänger"
She was just preparing some snacks to take out for the fairies on duty when she heard someone coming. Turning around she was not surprised to see Mei Mindhaze entering the room and gave her fellow compatriot a curt nod "Mei."
Mei was a poppy fairy, shorter than Bree and more petite in frame. She normally wore a yellow sundress with a pair of large red poppy flowers embroidered on it, and her red hair was done up in a twinpair of tails that went down to her shoulders. Though naturally today, she wore the maid dress of the Scarlet Devil Mansion, the white apron tied neatly behind her back, and her tails were tied with blue ribbons. The shorter fairy sighed dramatically and flopped down on a seat near the table. "It's been done, Bree. The thing with Meiling was covered up, good thing I was quick"
"Everyone? Including Marisa?"
"Yep. Got her too. Marisa should wander around the mansion for a while head maid, the vampire, and the magician shouldn't notice Meiling disappeared for a bit too" Mei said, smiling smugly. She was very proud of her own work, though she sighed and frowned "Though it's mostly everyone was distracted by little vampire sister tantrums, so it was easy. And Today's sudden work was hard though so it's a bit sloppy"
Bree nodded, she understood her compatriot's feeling. The two should've gone from the mansion the moment project Argleton succeed with Meiling, but neither of them nor lady Alice expected the gatekeeper to be attacked and disappeared from her post for a some time. If she was alone, Bree most likely unable to keep things on track so she was glad for her compatriot's help. Bree might be the better maid and warrior between the two but for these subtle touches and manipulation, Mei Mindhaze was unrivalled amongst the fairies employed by lady Alice and perhaps even youkais at large
"How about yours, Bree?" asked Mei. She knew what the brunette's job would be today, they had talked about it before but she was not sure if the brownie would be able to pull it off or not, especially if something went wrong. The bigger fairy normally didn't really care much about being subtle, and the fact that it was about smuggling a lot of fairies inside the mansion too, gave the smarter of the two no small amount of concern. She would've done it herself if not for the fact the others respected Bree more, and she herself too busy making sure the mansion residents didn't realise anything.
"It is going well. I should be finished within an hour" replied Bree, turning back to the task of finishing up the food. It was a simple snack "The hardest part would be to keep everyone in check but since it's lady Alice's order, the others should listen"
Mei chuckled at that, "Heh, yeah. Still bit scary if we will have to fight that scary fake Reimu though. That one just...feel sad, also really brutal, poor Meiling. Though she should be fine soon enough, I guess"
"If it's our order, then nothing to be afraid of. Trust in lady Alice's plan, Mei. It should go well," Bree said simply. The tall fairy trusted her mistress's plans and had no fear of what would happen in the future. After all, she would always bet on lady Alice succeeding, something Bree learned over the years. Bree trusted lady Alice's planning and intellect, the same way Bree trusted her own spear and strength.
"Right, right, of course you are" Mei said, waving a hand at Bree. The poppy fairy sighed and closed her eyes, resting her head on the table, "Still didn't reassure me much though"
"You're thinking too much"
"It's my nature. I'm a thinker, not a fighter like you, Bree. You know how I think"
"Still, you're thinking too much, Mei"
The two fell into silence, and Bree continued to work as Mei rested. A few moments later, Mei broke the silence, "You know, I wonder why lady Alice didn't try to save Meiling or something"
Bree turned from her work, to look at Mei with narrowed eyes. The smaller fairy was still resting her head on the table. Her face showed a thoughtful expression, "I mean, I know it's hard to think about but she must know the gatekeeper is going to get attacked, right? I don't know, maybe she could've warned the gatekeeper and just tell her to pretend to be unconscious? That might work, right?"
"To open the gate, one need to defeat the gatekeeper. She'll be attacked regardless, especially since this attacked already showed how ruthless they are" Bree said, defeat the boss to open the door is simple logic anyone knew.
"Yeah, I get that. I just wonder if there is a way to make it, uh, more painless. You know what I'm saying, Bree?"
For few moments Bree didn't answer as she continued to work "Perhaps, perhaps it was a surprise"
Mei frowned and looked up, "Huh? Surprise?"
"Perhaps the attack on the gatekeeper while expected, happened not in the way lady Alice expected. Meiling did disappear for a time" Bree thought to what she heard other fairies said, how all of sudden the gatekeeper simply disappeared to thin air. Though she and Mei knew Meiling and the fake Reimu still there, alongside some trapped fairies. Just in like a world behind the mirror as lady Alice described in one of her story, there but not exactly there.
Mei nodded, "Yeah, that's true, that's true. Miss Yuuka was milling around when Meiling was attacked, maybe she supposed to help but the disappearance of both Meiling and the fake Reimu stopped that"
"Perhaps. I don't know" Bree truly didn't, she left those sort of things to Mei for a reason.
"Yeah. this thing just got too complicated too quickly. I wish we know why this happening and what that fake Reimu was. I mean it's a shapeshifter, right? It's definitely not Reimu" Mei sighed, closing her eyes again, frustration plainly visible on her face.
"You are thinking too much again. Just do the mission" Bree said, her tone gentle despite her words. Mei tended to think too much and get caught in her own thoughts. Bree preferred not to think so hard, and just follow lady Alice's plan instead, it worked better that way. After all, it was better to let the people who are better at those things handle it, the same way she trusted her spear and strength to the other fairy to plan on how to use them. Besides, Mei herself was smart, she would figure out the best plan in a moment's notice, a talent she was known for, so she would be fine
"I know, I know" sighed the poppy fairy, "Just don't like this unknown fireable" "variable" "unknown variable. Just what even is this fake Reimu?"
"...a god. At least similar to them" Bree answered after some thought, she was unsure about it but she figured that was probably the case. It was the closest thing she could compare it to based on her limited knowledge. She might've seen a lot, remembered a lot compared to average fairies but the fake Reimu certainly new to say the least.
Mei coughed in surprise and looked up, "A god? What makes you say that, Bree?"
Bree turned to Mei, looking at her compatriot in the eyes, "I've met one like this fake Reimu, once in the Deepwood. Not exactly the similar but the fake Reimu really reminds me of it. And not like the gods Gensokyo worshipped like honoured Aki sisters, they are far too humane and a person each. It was less of an entity than a force of nature, and it was...like a role, a concept or a character. It was more of an idea, a symbol than a living being, like us who are spirit of nature but they are far more intertwined with their role?" Bree paused, letting Mei process that information "I think this fake Reimu is something similar. A force, an idea or symbol or character, not a living creature like us"
"...That's one heck of a theory, Bree. If it was any other fairy, they would just say that sounds so cool, which it is. But I'm smarter than that, and that would be a lot of implications" Mei said after some thought. Bree was not surprised Mei understood the implications, the poppy fairy was the smartest one amongst lady Alice's fairies after all, though the taller fairy didn't understand herself what the implications Mei mentioned, "So what, a god spirit thing just decide to be Reimu and act like her for fun?"
"Perhaps, perhaps not. It is only a theory" Bree shrugged. It was only a theory, and it could be wrong. After all, Bree is just a fairy, not some great thinker. Mei was the one to go for that kind of thing
"...What would be the alternative beside this god thing, because I very much don't want to deal with one" The shorter girl said in whiny tone that Bree was not sure if Mei was joking or not, it is hard to tell with the poppy fairy sometimes.
"Too similar for regular youkai, those ofudas and powers the fake exhibited are too similar to the original. So a shapeshifter youkai would be improbable, so perhaps a doppelgänger of some sort" "Aren't those youkai" "Phenomenon, maybe. Alternatively, it is Reimu, just not ours" Bree mused. Mei nodded at that, agreeing with her. It would make sense
"Alternate Reimu...heh, I remember that time with the alternate Marisa" Mei chuckled. The poppy fairy grinned and looked up "Though I guess that makes more sense than a god. Still don't know why this Reimu decided to be all evil, but hey, maybe this one just is"
"Perhaps. As said, only a theory"
"I know, I know. Just, this is too much to think about. How does lady Alice do this all the time, it's hard to think. You really don't have to think about this, Bree?" Mei asked
"I don't think about it. It's a waste of time to think of things like this" Bree said, shrugging "Though it is good to think about these things, just don't overthink"
Mei sighed, nodding in agreement, "Yeah, yeah. Thanks, Bree" The poppy fairy closed her eyes and rested her head on the table again. She was quiet, and Bree went back to work, leaving the other to her thoughts. They had a job to do, and Bree was not going to fail at it. After a while, the brownie finished making the food, and Mei got up, stretching. Bree looked at her and nodded, "I'm going back to work. See you later, Mei"
Mei grinned, "Yeah. Try to stay out of trouble, Bree"
"Will do" Bree replied before she took the plate of food and tried to left the kitchen before Mei suddenly asked
"Say...if it's a god or spirit or whatever you call it..what god do you think it is" the red hair fairy asked curiously. Bree did not turn her back, she did not even hesitate as she left.
"Hero who stand against the darkness and monsters inside"
Mei, who watched the brunette fairy leave just shrugged "Must just be from of the animey story lady Alice told her, it's probably just a doppelgänger"
Just two smarter-than-average fairies talking. It's really hard to balance the 'experienced fairy', 'Alice's cultural influence', and 'fairies being fairy', not sure if I am even succeed of two gals just talking way past out of their depth with dubious accuracy. Anyway here, two of Alice's most competent fairies deep inside another group's place while Incident still ongoing. I need a bit more time for Stage 5 since there would be more characters involved there while also setting up for the next one, things not coming coherent enough so I might need a bit more time to essentially write two chapters at once. Hopefully it won't come to that.
Also again, these two despite everything, still fairies exposed to too many anime. Take what they said with a grain of salt
Also again, these two despite everything, still fairies exposed to too many anime. Take what they said with a grain of salt
Scarlet Mist 5
New
Ylamona
Konlulu~
As the group made their way up, RIna couldn't help but notice the destruction that littered their path. It was clear that a significant battle had taken place within the mansion, with various items and structures being destroyed or in need of repair. The fairy maids were hard at work, diligently repairing the damage that had been inflicted on the mansion. Or at least appeared to try, as much as Rina likes fairies, she had to admit they seemed to barely understand what they are doing beyond 'bring the broken stuffs together in a pile' and just sweeping away the dust.
Marisa whistled, "Wow, something really went down here ze. Do you think someone else beat us to the punch?"
"Seems likely," Reimu remarked, her gaze fixed on the devastation surrounding them with disinterest, "Or maybe whoever behind this fought each others, would've save me some troubles."
"You just want to go back and nap," Marisa retorted, earning a scowl from the miko.
"And you just want to steal something, don't you?" Reimu shot back.
"Well, I do want to get my hand on that library, ze," Marisa admitted with a mischievous grin, "But this is incident important too, ya know."
"Sure, sure," Reimu replied dismissively, rolling her eyes at her companion's predictable response.
After some twists and turns, alongside some grumblings from Reimu and teasing to said Miko by Marisa about being lost, the group found itself inside a large room in state of disrepair with a hole on the ceiling straight to the roof. It was most likely an impressive room for the owner though the group didn't care much about such and followed Reimu as she flew out of the hole, and the group found themselves in the roof.
"Welcome, dear guests. It seemed you all took quite the detour to reach us." Up in the air, a pair of girls greeted them. The one spoke was a girl with blue hair, wearing a white mob cap with red ribbon and a pink dress, her wings were like those of a bat and her eyes were red. Her voice is somewhat haughty and sounded like a noble trying to be formal, but also playful and a bit mocking. "But no matter, I am Remilia Scarlet, the Scarlet Devil herself, the Mistress of this Mansion, the one behind this scarlet mist. Beauitful, isn't it?"
"And I am her little sister, Flandre! Nice to meet you!" the second girl said cheerily, she has similar wing to her sister, though she has blond hair tied into single ponytail with a red ribbon to the side. Her eyes were also red, her dress was red instead of pink like Remilia and she hold a twisted black wand on her hand. Her wings aren't bat-like like Remilia but instead a pair of black limb with eight crystals of rainbow colors attached to the end of them. "Are you my new toys? You better not broke easy, okay!"
Curiously, the pair seemed to be slightly messy and their clothes in tatters, Rina noted. Their hair were messy and they looked tired, their skin slightly dirty. It was as if the sisters had just finished a long battle, yet their eyes were still alert and their demeanor still imposing. Rina couldn't help but wonder what kind of fight these two had been in before they arrived.
"Now, now, Flan~ Remember what I told you," Remilia chided, her tone playful but with a hint of seriousness, "Don't play too roughly with your new friends, got it? They are important, so make sure you treat them gently, okay?"
"I know, I know~" Flandre replied, her voice still filled with cheer, "We can have fun and play together, and then we can all be happy! Right?"
"Right!" Remilia agreed with a smile, her eyes filled with mischief yet hiding something else, similar to Rumia if Rina had to guess.
Marisa smirked at Remilia's words, her eyes full of challenge, "Oh yeah? Well, I'll be sure to give you both a good beating then ze"
"Please," Reimu said, her tone deadpan, "I can't believe I have to deal with two bratty vampires. Can you please stop talking and just fight already? I want to go home and nap."
Remilia chuckled, seemingly amused by the exchange. "My, my, how feisty. Very well then, let's begin this little game. But be warned, we won't hold back, so don't expect this to be easy, okay?"
"Bring it on!" Marisa said, grinning wildly, her grip on her broom tightening as she readied herself for the upcoming battle, her magic gathering on her palm, ready to be released at a moment's notice, before she paused "Wait, are we doing this one by one or together?"
"Oooh! Oooh! Can we fight together?! I want to play with two friends at once!" Flandre exclaimed, her eyes sparkling with excitement and childish glee, "It would be fun!"
Remilia simply looked at Reimu with questioning and playful gaze, letting her decide.
Reimu sighed and rubbed her temple, "I don't care, just get it over with already. I have things to do and places to be. Tag team or whatever, I don't care."
Remilia smirked and nodded, "Well, well, then. Since our dear Miko seems to be in a hurry, we shall oblige. Flan, are you ready to play with our guests?"
Flandre clapped her hands gleefully, her expression one of pure excitement. "Yay! Let's play!"
Meanwhile, Marisa and Reimu shared a look, determination and readiness in their eyes as they prepared for the upcoming fight. Rina couldn't help but feel a sense of anticipation and nervousness as she watched the two teams get ready to clash. She knew this wasn't going to be an easy battle, but she had faith in her friends' abilities.
"Let's do this, ze!" Marisa yelled, charging forward with her broom in hand, her eyes narrowed with determination.
The sound of a bell echoed throughout the roof, seemingly signalling the beginning of their battle. Remilia and Flandre stood at the ready, their eyes focused on their opponents, as Marisa and Reimu rushed towards them, their movements in sync. As the four combatants clashed, the air filled with the sounds of explosions, and magic being thrown around with the moon shining behind the scarlet mist as a backdrop.
Pulling out her smartphone, after setting down Rumia in safe but good spot to watch, Rina started recording everything. This incident truly gave her many great things for her, and she wasn't going to let this chance slip by too. She even saw many fairy maids and regular fairies started to gather around the rooftops, watching the fight and cheering for anyone they liked really. It was less of a serious incident solving and more like a festival at this point, she noted. Though some things still bother her, like the mysterious Reimu that apparently attacked the gatekeeper, but she'll just focus on the battle for now.
"It seemed that we garnered quite the audience, shrine maiden," Remilia remarked, her voice full of amusement as she dodged another one of Reimu's attacks, "Are you sure you want to embarrass yourself in front of all these people? It might not be good for your reputation."
"Please," Reimu scoffed, her expression unimpressed, "I don't care about what these fairies think of me. Besides, I'm not the one who's going to be embarrassed here, vampire."
"Ooh, you're so cool, Reimu~" Rumia called out from her spot, her voice full of admiration, "Show them what you're made of!"
From Rina's observation, it seemed that this Remilia Scarlet is the more skilled of the two Scarlet sisters, but weaker overall. Not that it made the vampire any less scary in Rina's opinion. While not as fast as Aya-senpai, the vampire's speed matched that of a tengu, her speed no less than an oni, while her magical power probably ranked high in Gensokyo overall. Rina couldn't help but feel slight envy at the sheer power the vampires seemed to possess. She was a nobody compared to these monsters.
"Wow, you're pretty strong, human! I like that!" Flandre exclaimed, her voice full of excitement as she dodged Marisa's latest attack, her movements agile and graceful despite her apparent carelessness, as she split into four "It's been a while since I've had someone to play with like this!"
"Ha, you're pretty strong yourself, ze!" Marisa replied, her grin wide and her eyes sparkling with adrenaline, "But I've still got a few tricks up my sleeve!"
Flandre giggled, her eyes dancing with amusement, "Oh, I can't wait to see what you've got! Let's have some fun, shall we?"
Marisa nodded, her expression determined, "Oh, we will, vampire. We'll have a blast, I promise you that!"
Meanwhile, Flandre the sister was simply a brute, her power definitely stronger than her sister but also much less skilled or controlled. Rina watched as the vampire just conjured a large flaming sword and swung it randomly without any care for finesse or tactics or skills. It was truly like a kid swinging a stick. Yet, Rina had to admit that such simple tactic worked in its own way when backed by the vampire's considerable amount of power and magic. Marisa had to give her all just to dodge and avoid the attacks, only occasionally able to return one herself.
The four's battle was intense, their movements swift and their attacks powerful, as Rina recorded the entire thing with her smartphone. The fairies around them cheered and hollered, their excitement palpable as they watched the fight unfold. Both sides easily switched opponents at will and even occasionally partnered up again to unleash a combined spellcard. The night was truly a spectacle to behold, and Rina couldn't help but be amazed at the sheer power and skill displayed before her. She wondered what kind of power would be needed to reach such level.
"Hey, Rina~ Can you get these things off me?" Rumia called out to Rina, her voice a mix of boredom and annoyance as she gestured to the talismans that bound her in place, "I'm getting tired of being tied up like this."
Rina hesitated, her gaze flicking between the ongoing battle and the immobilized youkai of darkness, fear of the Hakurei maiden's wrath making her indecisive. On one hand, even if occasionally creep her out, Rumia had been cooperative and harmless, and she felt bad for her current situation. But on the other hand...
"I-I can't," Rina stammered, her voice trembling slightly, "Miss shrine maiden asked me to make sure you stay put, and I don't want to get on her bad side. She's already angry enough with the whole incident and all."
"Aw, come on, Rina~ I promise I won't do anything bad," Rumia pouted, her expression pleading as she tried to sway the tengu girl, "I'll be a good girl, I swear!"
"I-I'm sorry, Rumia," Rina apologized, her tone apologetic but firm, "I can't risk it. The shrine maiden is already on edge, and I don't want to make things worse for either of us."
Left unsaid was despite her became somewhat more comfortable around the shrine maiden, she was still afraid of the Hakurei maiden. Not as much as they first met, especially after knowing Reimu being Alice's friend too, but still the Hakurei maiden was a very intimidating figure. Not to mention how caring or afraid she was for Rumia. If anything happened to Rumia, Rina wasn't sure she could survive the shrine maiden's wrath. It was just too much to risk, she thought to herself.
"Fine, be that way," Rumia huffed, her expression turning sullen and pouting, "See if I care. I'll just sit here and be bored out of my mind while everyone else has fun."
Rina sighed and turned her attention back to the battle. She couldn't afford to get distracted, especially when recording the event. She had to focus and make sure she captured everything that was happening. Though she couldn't help but feel bad for Rumia.
The battle raged on between the four combatants, their movements swift and their attacks powerful. But, as time went on, they started to show signs of fatigue, their breathing heavy and their movements slowing down. Eventually, they came to a halt, taking a moment to catch their breath and assess the situation. They stood across from each other, the distance between them not too far or close, ready for another round of intense fighting. The audience of fairies and fairy maids continued to cheer, their excitement and enthusiasm undiminished.
"You've got some skills, shrine maiden," Remilia remarked, her eyes shining with admiration, "I'm impressed. You're not like the other humans I've faced before."
"Thanks," Reimu replied, her voice nonchalant, "But I'm not here to impress you. I'm here to solve an incident and protect Gensokyo from whatever danger you pose."
Remilia chuckled, her expression amused, "Oh, so confident. But you'll find that I'm not your average vampire. I'm the Mistress of this Mansion, and I won't be defeated so easily."
"Yeah, yeah," Marisa interjected, her tone lighthearted, "Enough with the chit-chat, ze. Let's get back to the action! I'm ready to kick some vampire butt!"
"Agreed," Reimu said, her eyes narrowing in determination, "Let's end this, once and for all."
"Yay, let's play more~" Flandre cheered, her eyes sparkling with excitement.
The four combatants prepared themselves, their eyes focused and their bodies tensed. The air was thick with tension as they readied themselves for another intense round of fighting. Rina watched with anticipation, her fingers poised to capture every moment of the upcoming clash. The crowd of fairies continued to cheer, their excitement and enthusiasm reaching a fever pitch. The blood red moon shone brightly overhead on clear sky, casting a pale red light over the land, and the night sky filled with stars twinkled with an eerie beauty. The wind rustled through the trees, creating a soft melody that seemed to echo the tension in the air.
"Flan, let's do that~" "Okay!" "[Scarlet Devil Sign "Scarlet Sisters"]!"
"Can't believe this would be useful.." "Let's go, Reimu!" "["Exorcism Master Spark"]!"
Two pairs unleashed their spellcard at the same time, their combined magic creating a spectacle of light and energy. The audience of fairies gasped in awe as they watched the two pairs clash, their attacks colliding in a dazzling display of power. Flaming scarlet crosses clashing against golden coloured beam and ofudas, the sheer force of their combined magic shook the very air around them. The battle was intense, with both sides giving it their all, determined to emerge victorious.
Meanwhile, Rina couldn't help but feel overwhelmed by the sheer power and intensity of the battle. Her phone shook in her hands as she tried to capture every moment of the clash. She wondered how she could possibly describe the awe-inspiring display before her. She knew that words alone would not be enough to convey the sheer magnitude of the spectacle she was witnessing. But she had to try, for the sake of her readers and her own pride as a journalist, to do justice to the epic battle that unfolded before her. She watched as the two sides clashed, their magic colliding in a dazzling display of light and energy, the air crackling with the intensity of their power. The fairies surrounding them continued to cheer, their voices rising in a cacophony of excitement and awe, as Rina continued to watch.
Both sides seemed equal at first, before the golden beam slowly overpowered the cross. "What?!" The Scarlet Sisters exclaimed in unison, their expressions a mix of surprise and alarm as they watched their attack being pushed back.
Marisa smirked, her eyes narrowed in determination, "Not so tough now, are you, vampires?"
Reimu remained silent, her face focused and her gaze fixed on her opponents, as the combined spellcards pushed back the Scarlet Sister. The audience of fairies continued to cheer, their excitement reaching a fever pitch as they watched the two sides clash. The night sky was ablaze with the colors of magic and spellcards, as Rina continued to capture every moment of the intense battle on her phone. The air was thick with tension and the sound of the fairies' cheers echoed through the air. The battle was reaching its climax, and everyone could feel the intensity of the moment. The blood red moon shone brightly overhead, casting a pale red light over the land, adding an eerie beauty to the already intense spectacle. The wind rustled through the trees, creating a soft melody that seemed to echo the tension in the air.
"N-no way~" Flandre exclaimed, her eyes wide with shock as she watched their spellcard being pushed back before it completely broke and she saw the golden beam heading straight towards her and Remilia.
Remilia was silent, smiling in defiance as the spellcard approached her, a look of determination in her eyes. In a flash of movement, she reached out and grabbed Flandre, pulling her close and shielding her with her own body. The beam hit them, sending a wave of magic and energy rippling through the air. The impact was immense, sending both sisters flying backwards. The crowd of fairies watched in awe and concern as the vampires were sent hurtling through the air.
"Ha! I won, ze!" Marisa exclaimed, grinning widely as she and Reimu floated down back to the rooftop.
Reimu scoffed, "You mean we won. Don't take all the credit, Marisa."
As they walked to where the vampires fell, the fairies surrounding them cheered and applauded, their excitement and admiration clear, causing Marisa to grin even wider, waving to the cheering fairies. Reimu just sighed, rubbing her temple and feeling exasperated at the witch's behavior. Rina followed behind the two girls, her phone still in hand, ready to capture any further developments in the aftermath of the intense battle. Despite their exhaustion, both Marisa and Reimu couldn't help but feel a sense of satisfaction at their victory, though it was clear they were drained and in pain from the fight.
"Ow, ow, ow," Remilia groaned, her body aching as she slowly sat up, her clothes were scorched and her hair disheveled. A mess, but not really injured as per spellcard rules of non-lethal. "That was...quite something. I must admit, I underestimated you, humans."
Flandre giggled beside her, "That was fun! We should play like that again sometime!"
Remilia gave a weak chuckle, shaking her head in disbelief at her sister's enthusiasm, "I think I'll pass, Flan. Once was enough for me." She stood up, her legs shaky from exhaustion as she turned to face the victors. "Well done, humans. You've bested the Scarlet Devil, and for that, I commend you."
Reimu nodded, her expression neutral as she accepted the vampire's congratulations, while Marisa grinned and gave a thumbs-up. "Thanks, ze! So uhh...the Incident's done right? We can go back and relax now?"
"Ah, so eager to leave, Marisa?" Remilia teased, her eyes gleaming with mischief, "But yes, you are correct. With our defeat, I shall cease spreading the scarlet mist. Your little adventure is over."
"Yes! Finally! Alice gonna cooked some good meal to celebrate this!" Marisa exclaimed excitedly, her eyes shining with anticipation.
"Ugh, you and your stomach," Reimu grumbled, her expression one of annoyance mixed with amusement, "Can't you think of anything else for once?"
Marisa grinned cheekily, "Hey, a girl's gotta eat, ya know? And Alice's food is the best!"
"Hmph, I'll have you know Sakuya's meals are just as delicious, if not more," Remilia huffed, her expression smug, "She is the best maid in all of Gensokyo, after all."
Marisa snorted, "Yeah, right. As if anyone can beat Alice's cooking."
The two girls glared at each other, their competitive spirits ignited once more. Reimu sighed, rolling her eyes at their childishness, "Can we just get on with it? I want to go home and rest. My head hurts from this nonsense."
Meanwhile to the side, Rina watched with a smile as the two sides bantered and bickered. Despite the tension of the battle, it was clear that there was no real animosity between them now as if the battle itself was a game they played. It was a relief to see that the incident had been resolved without any serious harm, though her senpais might be slightly disappointed at the rather underwhelming end post-fight. Rina herself preferred this outcome than a true life or death situation. This way, everyone could walk away relatively unscathed and with a newfound respect for their opponents.
"...Today's not so bad after all" Rina sighed with a smile as she looked up at the blood red moon on the clear sky before she felt something was slight off. Maybe she was just exhausted from today?
Then she noticed all of a sudden, the fairies were gone, leaving the roof empty except for the six of them. No, not gone, she saw them in the corners and edges of the mansion, seemingly hiding and watching from distance. Suddenly nervous, she noticed that it seemed something was happening with the group too,
"Sakuya!" Remilia shouted, her voice echoing through the night air, yet no response came from the head maid. Frowning, Remilia tried again, her voice louder and more insistent than before, yet still no response came. A flicker of panic crossed her face as she glanced at Marisa, who shrugged in response.
"Hey, don't worry about it, ze. Maybe she's just busy cleaning up or something. Ya know, maid stuff."
Remilia huffed, her irritation clear in her voice, "Sakuya is the perfect and most loyal maid, she would never fail to respond to my call. Something is wrong here."
Reimu, who had been quietly observing the situation, suddenly spoke up, her voice tense and wary, "Something is definitely off here. We need to be careful."
Marisa raised an eyebrow, her expression skeptical, "What do you mean, ze? We won, didn't we? The incident's over, right?"
"I'm not so sure about that," Reimu replied, her gaze sweeping over the mansion, "Something feels wrong. Like we're being watched. And where are all the fairies?"
As the group made their way up, RIna couldn't help but notice the destruction that littered their path. It was clear that a significant battle had taken place within the mansion, with various items and structures being destroyed or in need of repair. The fairy maids were hard at work, diligently repairing the damage that had been inflicted on the mansion. Or at least appeared to try, as much as Rina likes fairies, she had to admit they seemed to barely understand what they are doing beyond 'bring the broken stuffs together in a pile' and just sweeping away the dust.
Marisa whistled, "Wow, something really went down here ze. Do you think someone else beat us to the punch?"
"Seems likely," Reimu remarked, her gaze fixed on the devastation surrounding them with disinterest, "Or maybe whoever behind this fought each others, would've save me some troubles."
"You just want to go back and nap," Marisa retorted, earning a scowl from the miko.
"And you just want to steal something, don't you?" Reimu shot back.
"Well, I do want to get my hand on that library, ze," Marisa admitted with a mischievous grin, "But this is incident important too, ya know."
"Sure, sure," Reimu replied dismissively, rolling her eyes at her companion's predictable response.
After some twists and turns, alongside some grumblings from Reimu and teasing to said Miko by Marisa about being lost, the group found itself inside a large room in state of disrepair with a hole on the ceiling straight to the roof. It was most likely an impressive room for the owner though the group didn't care much about such and followed Reimu as she flew out of the hole, and the group found themselves in the roof.
"Welcome, dear guests. It seemed you all took quite the detour to reach us." Up in the air, a pair of girls greeted them. The one spoke was a girl with blue hair, wearing a white mob cap with red ribbon and a pink dress, her wings were like those of a bat and her eyes were red. Her voice is somewhat haughty and sounded like a noble trying to be formal, but also playful and a bit mocking. "But no matter, I am Remilia Scarlet, the Scarlet Devil herself, the Mistress of this Mansion, the one behind this scarlet mist. Beauitful, isn't it?"
"And I am her little sister, Flandre! Nice to meet you!" the second girl said cheerily, she has similar wing to her sister, though she has blond hair tied into single ponytail with a red ribbon to the side. Her eyes were also red, her dress was red instead of pink like Remilia and she hold a twisted black wand on her hand. Her wings aren't bat-like like Remilia but instead a pair of black limb with eight crystals of rainbow colors attached to the end of them. "Are you my new toys? You better not broke easy, okay!"
Curiously, the pair seemed to be slightly messy and their clothes in tatters, Rina noted. Their hair were messy and they looked tired, their skin slightly dirty. It was as if the sisters had just finished a long battle, yet their eyes were still alert and their demeanor still imposing. Rina couldn't help but wonder what kind of fight these two had been in before they arrived.
"Now, now, Flan~ Remember what I told you," Remilia chided, her tone playful but with a hint of seriousness, "Don't play too roughly with your new friends, got it? They are important, so make sure you treat them gently, okay?"
"I know, I know~" Flandre replied, her voice still filled with cheer, "We can have fun and play together, and then we can all be happy! Right?"
"Right!" Remilia agreed with a smile, her eyes filled with mischief yet hiding something else, similar to Rumia if Rina had to guess.
Marisa smirked at Remilia's words, her eyes full of challenge, "Oh yeah? Well, I'll be sure to give you both a good beating then ze"
"Please," Reimu said, her tone deadpan, "I can't believe I have to deal with two bratty vampires. Can you please stop talking and just fight already? I want to go home and nap."
Remilia chuckled, seemingly amused by the exchange. "My, my, how feisty. Very well then, let's begin this little game. But be warned, we won't hold back, so don't expect this to be easy, okay?"
"Bring it on!" Marisa said, grinning wildly, her grip on her broom tightening as she readied herself for the upcoming battle, her magic gathering on her palm, ready to be released at a moment's notice, before she paused "Wait, are we doing this one by one or together?"
"Oooh! Oooh! Can we fight together?! I want to play with two friends at once!" Flandre exclaimed, her eyes sparkling with excitement and childish glee, "It would be fun!"
Remilia simply looked at Reimu with questioning and playful gaze, letting her decide.
Reimu sighed and rubbed her temple, "I don't care, just get it over with already. I have things to do and places to be. Tag team or whatever, I don't care."
Remilia smirked and nodded, "Well, well, then. Since our dear Miko seems to be in a hurry, we shall oblige. Flan, are you ready to play with our guests?"
Flandre clapped her hands gleefully, her expression one of pure excitement. "Yay! Let's play!"
Meanwhile, Marisa and Reimu shared a look, determination and readiness in their eyes as they prepared for the upcoming fight. Rina couldn't help but feel a sense of anticipation and nervousness as she watched the two teams get ready to clash. She knew this wasn't going to be an easy battle, but she had faith in her friends' abilities.
"Let's do this, ze!" Marisa yelled, charging forward with her broom in hand, her eyes narrowed with determination.
The sound of a bell echoed throughout the roof, seemingly signalling the beginning of their battle. Remilia and Flandre stood at the ready, their eyes focused on their opponents, as Marisa and Reimu rushed towards them, their movements in sync. As the four combatants clashed, the air filled with the sounds of explosions, and magic being thrown around with the moon shining behind the scarlet mist as a backdrop.
Pulling out her smartphone, after setting down Rumia in safe but good spot to watch, Rina started recording everything. This incident truly gave her many great things for her, and she wasn't going to let this chance slip by too. She even saw many fairy maids and regular fairies started to gather around the rooftops, watching the fight and cheering for anyone they liked really. It was less of a serious incident solving and more like a festival at this point, she noted. Though some things still bother her, like the mysterious Reimu that apparently attacked the gatekeeper, but she'll just focus on the battle for now.
"It seemed that we garnered quite the audience, shrine maiden," Remilia remarked, her voice full of amusement as she dodged another one of Reimu's attacks, "Are you sure you want to embarrass yourself in front of all these people? It might not be good for your reputation."
"Please," Reimu scoffed, her expression unimpressed, "I don't care about what these fairies think of me. Besides, I'm not the one who's going to be embarrassed here, vampire."
"Ooh, you're so cool, Reimu~" Rumia called out from her spot, her voice full of admiration, "Show them what you're made of!"
From Rina's observation, it seemed that this Remilia Scarlet is the more skilled of the two Scarlet sisters, but weaker overall. Not that it made the vampire any less scary in Rina's opinion. While not as fast as Aya-senpai, the vampire's speed matched that of a tengu, her speed no less than an oni, while her magical power probably ranked high in Gensokyo overall. Rina couldn't help but feel slight envy at the sheer power the vampires seemed to possess. She was a nobody compared to these monsters.
"Wow, you're pretty strong, human! I like that!" Flandre exclaimed, her voice full of excitement as she dodged Marisa's latest attack, her movements agile and graceful despite her apparent carelessness, as she split into four "It's been a while since I've had someone to play with like this!"
"Ha, you're pretty strong yourself, ze!" Marisa replied, her grin wide and her eyes sparkling with adrenaline, "But I've still got a few tricks up my sleeve!"
Flandre giggled, her eyes dancing with amusement, "Oh, I can't wait to see what you've got! Let's have some fun, shall we?"
Marisa nodded, her expression determined, "Oh, we will, vampire. We'll have a blast, I promise you that!"
Meanwhile, Flandre the sister was simply a brute, her power definitely stronger than her sister but also much less skilled or controlled. Rina watched as the vampire just conjured a large flaming sword and swung it randomly without any care for finesse or tactics or skills. It was truly like a kid swinging a stick. Yet, Rina had to admit that such simple tactic worked in its own way when backed by the vampire's considerable amount of power and magic. Marisa had to give her all just to dodge and avoid the attacks, only occasionally able to return one herself.
The four's battle was intense, their movements swift and their attacks powerful, as Rina recorded the entire thing with her smartphone. The fairies around them cheered and hollered, their excitement palpable as they watched the fight unfold. Both sides easily switched opponents at will and even occasionally partnered up again to unleash a combined spellcard. The night was truly a spectacle to behold, and Rina couldn't help but be amazed at the sheer power and skill displayed before her. She wondered what kind of power would be needed to reach such level.
"Hey, Rina~ Can you get these things off me?" Rumia called out to Rina, her voice a mix of boredom and annoyance as she gestured to the talismans that bound her in place, "I'm getting tired of being tied up like this."
Rina hesitated, her gaze flicking between the ongoing battle and the immobilized youkai of darkness, fear of the Hakurei maiden's wrath making her indecisive. On one hand, even if occasionally creep her out, Rumia had been cooperative and harmless, and she felt bad for her current situation. But on the other hand...
"I-I can't," Rina stammered, her voice trembling slightly, "Miss shrine maiden asked me to make sure you stay put, and I don't want to get on her bad side. She's already angry enough with the whole incident and all."
"Aw, come on, Rina~ I promise I won't do anything bad," Rumia pouted, her expression pleading as she tried to sway the tengu girl, "I'll be a good girl, I swear!"
"I-I'm sorry, Rumia," Rina apologized, her tone apologetic but firm, "I can't risk it. The shrine maiden is already on edge, and I don't want to make things worse for either of us."
Left unsaid was despite her became somewhat more comfortable around the shrine maiden, she was still afraid of the Hakurei maiden. Not as much as they first met, especially after knowing Reimu being Alice's friend too, but still the Hakurei maiden was a very intimidating figure. Not to mention how caring or afraid she was for Rumia. If anything happened to Rumia, Rina wasn't sure she could survive the shrine maiden's wrath. It was just too much to risk, she thought to herself.
"Fine, be that way," Rumia huffed, her expression turning sullen and pouting, "See if I care. I'll just sit here and be bored out of my mind while everyone else has fun."
Rina sighed and turned her attention back to the battle. She couldn't afford to get distracted, especially when recording the event. She had to focus and make sure she captured everything that was happening. Though she couldn't help but feel bad for Rumia.
The battle raged on between the four combatants, their movements swift and their attacks powerful. But, as time went on, they started to show signs of fatigue, their breathing heavy and their movements slowing down. Eventually, they came to a halt, taking a moment to catch their breath and assess the situation. They stood across from each other, the distance between them not too far or close, ready for another round of intense fighting. The audience of fairies and fairy maids continued to cheer, their excitement and enthusiasm undiminished.
"You've got some skills, shrine maiden," Remilia remarked, her eyes shining with admiration, "I'm impressed. You're not like the other humans I've faced before."
"Thanks," Reimu replied, her voice nonchalant, "But I'm not here to impress you. I'm here to solve an incident and protect Gensokyo from whatever danger you pose."
Remilia chuckled, her expression amused, "Oh, so confident. But you'll find that I'm not your average vampire. I'm the Mistress of this Mansion, and I won't be defeated so easily."
"Yeah, yeah," Marisa interjected, her tone lighthearted, "Enough with the chit-chat, ze. Let's get back to the action! I'm ready to kick some vampire butt!"
"Agreed," Reimu said, her eyes narrowing in determination, "Let's end this, once and for all."
"Yay, let's play more~" Flandre cheered, her eyes sparkling with excitement.
The four combatants prepared themselves, their eyes focused and their bodies tensed. The air was thick with tension as they readied themselves for another intense round of fighting. Rina watched with anticipation, her fingers poised to capture every moment of the upcoming clash. The crowd of fairies continued to cheer, their excitement and enthusiasm reaching a fever pitch. The blood red moon shone brightly overhead on clear sky, casting a pale red light over the land, and the night sky filled with stars twinkled with an eerie beauty. The wind rustled through the trees, creating a soft melody that seemed to echo the tension in the air.
"Flan, let's do that~" "Okay!" "[Scarlet Devil Sign "Scarlet Sisters"]!"
"Can't believe this would be useful.." "Let's go, Reimu!" "["Exorcism Master Spark"]!"
Two pairs unleashed their spellcard at the same time, their combined magic creating a spectacle of light and energy. The audience of fairies gasped in awe as they watched the two pairs clash, their attacks colliding in a dazzling display of power. Flaming scarlet crosses clashing against golden coloured beam and ofudas, the sheer force of their combined magic shook the very air around them. The battle was intense, with both sides giving it their all, determined to emerge victorious.
Meanwhile, Rina couldn't help but feel overwhelmed by the sheer power and intensity of the battle. Her phone shook in her hands as she tried to capture every moment of the clash. She wondered how she could possibly describe the awe-inspiring display before her. She knew that words alone would not be enough to convey the sheer magnitude of the spectacle she was witnessing. But she had to try, for the sake of her readers and her own pride as a journalist, to do justice to the epic battle that unfolded before her. She watched as the two sides clashed, their magic colliding in a dazzling display of light and energy, the air crackling with the intensity of their power. The fairies surrounding them continued to cheer, their voices rising in a cacophony of excitement and awe, as Rina continued to watch.
Both sides seemed equal at first, before the golden beam slowly overpowered the cross. "What?!" The Scarlet Sisters exclaimed in unison, their expressions a mix of surprise and alarm as they watched their attack being pushed back.
Marisa smirked, her eyes narrowed in determination, "Not so tough now, are you, vampires?"
Reimu remained silent, her face focused and her gaze fixed on her opponents, as the combined spellcards pushed back the Scarlet Sister. The audience of fairies continued to cheer, their excitement reaching a fever pitch as they watched the two sides clash. The night sky was ablaze with the colors of magic and spellcards, as Rina continued to capture every moment of the intense battle on her phone. The air was thick with tension and the sound of the fairies' cheers echoed through the air. The battle was reaching its climax, and everyone could feel the intensity of the moment. The blood red moon shone brightly overhead, casting a pale red light over the land, adding an eerie beauty to the already intense spectacle. The wind rustled through the trees, creating a soft melody that seemed to echo the tension in the air.
"N-no way~" Flandre exclaimed, her eyes wide with shock as she watched their spellcard being pushed back before it completely broke and she saw the golden beam heading straight towards her and Remilia.
Remilia was silent, smiling in defiance as the spellcard approached her, a look of determination in her eyes. In a flash of movement, she reached out and grabbed Flandre, pulling her close and shielding her with her own body. The beam hit them, sending a wave of magic and energy rippling through the air. The impact was immense, sending both sisters flying backwards. The crowd of fairies watched in awe and concern as the vampires were sent hurtling through the air.
"Ha! I won, ze!" Marisa exclaimed, grinning widely as she and Reimu floated down back to the rooftop.
Reimu scoffed, "You mean we won. Don't take all the credit, Marisa."
As they walked to where the vampires fell, the fairies surrounding them cheered and applauded, their excitement and admiration clear, causing Marisa to grin even wider, waving to the cheering fairies. Reimu just sighed, rubbing her temple and feeling exasperated at the witch's behavior. Rina followed behind the two girls, her phone still in hand, ready to capture any further developments in the aftermath of the intense battle. Despite their exhaustion, both Marisa and Reimu couldn't help but feel a sense of satisfaction at their victory, though it was clear they were drained and in pain from the fight.
"Ow, ow, ow," Remilia groaned, her body aching as she slowly sat up, her clothes were scorched and her hair disheveled. A mess, but not really injured as per spellcard rules of non-lethal. "That was...quite something. I must admit, I underestimated you, humans."
Flandre giggled beside her, "That was fun! We should play like that again sometime!"
Remilia gave a weak chuckle, shaking her head in disbelief at her sister's enthusiasm, "I think I'll pass, Flan. Once was enough for me." She stood up, her legs shaky from exhaustion as she turned to face the victors. "Well done, humans. You've bested the Scarlet Devil, and for that, I commend you."
Reimu nodded, her expression neutral as she accepted the vampire's congratulations, while Marisa grinned and gave a thumbs-up. "Thanks, ze! So uhh...the Incident's done right? We can go back and relax now?"
"Ah, so eager to leave, Marisa?" Remilia teased, her eyes gleaming with mischief, "But yes, you are correct. With our defeat, I shall cease spreading the scarlet mist. Your little adventure is over."
"Yes! Finally! Alice gonna cooked some good meal to celebrate this!" Marisa exclaimed excitedly, her eyes shining with anticipation.
"Ugh, you and your stomach," Reimu grumbled, her expression one of annoyance mixed with amusement, "Can't you think of anything else for once?"
Marisa grinned cheekily, "Hey, a girl's gotta eat, ya know? And Alice's food is the best!"
"Hmph, I'll have you know Sakuya's meals are just as delicious, if not more," Remilia huffed, her expression smug, "She is the best maid in all of Gensokyo, after all."
Marisa snorted, "Yeah, right. As if anyone can beat Alice's cooking."
The two girls glared at each other, their competitive spirits ignited once more. Reimu sighed, rolling her eyes at their childishness, "Can we just get on with it? I want to go home and rest. My head hurts from this nonsense."
Meanwhile to the side, Rina watched with a smile as the two sides bantered and bickered. Despite the tension of the battle, it was clear that there was no real animosity between them now as if the battle itself was a game they played. It was a relief to see that the incident had been resolved without any serious harm, though her senpais might be slightly disappointed at the rather underwhelming end post-fight. Rina herself preferred this outcome than a true life or death situation. This way, everyone could walk away relatively unscathed and with a newfound respect for their opponents.
"...Today's not so bad after all" Rina sighed with a smile as she looked up at the blood red moon on the clear sky before she felt something was slight off. Maybe she was just exhausted from today?
Then she noticed all of a sudden, the fairies were gone, leaving the roof empty except for the six of them. No, not gone, she saw them in the corners and edges of the mansion, seemingly hiding and watching from distance. Suddenly nervous, she noticed that it seemed something was happening with the group too,
"Sakuya!" Remilia shouted, her voice echoing through the night air, yet no response came from the head maid. Frowning, Remilia tried again, her voice louder and more insistent than before, yet still no response came. A flicker of panic crossed her face as she glanced at Marisa, who shrugged in response.
"Hey, don't worry about it, ze. Maybe she's just busy cleaning up or something. Ya know, maid stuff."
Remilia huffed, her irritation clear in her voice, "Sakuya is the perfect and most loyal maid, she would never fail to respond to my call. Something is wrong here."
Reimu, who had been quietly observing the situation, suddenly spoke up, her voice tense and wary, "Something is definitely off here. We need to be careful."
Marisa raised an eyebrow, her expression skeptical, "What do you mean, ze? We won, didn't we? The incident's over, right?"
"I'm not so sure about that," Reimu replied, her gaze sweeping over the mansion, "Something feels wrong. Like we're being watched. And where are all the fairies?"
As if to answer her question, the sound of a bell rang out, echoing ominously through the night air. All heads turned to the source of the sound, and what they saw sent a shiver down their spines. There, standing atop the clocktower, was a silver-haired figure, her cloak billowing in the wind revealing an outfit similar yet different to that of Reimu's, a full body leather red outfit seemingly dyed in blood. In her grasp was the limp form of Sakuya, the head maid's body battered and bruised, her dress torn and her head bowed in unconsciousness. The figure's eyes glowed with a fierce intensity, her gaze locked on the group below. Blood red moon shined ominously behind her, casting a sinister shadow over the mansion.
"Oh no," Remilia whispered, her voice barely audible as she stared up at the Hunter holding her precious Sakuya captive, "Oh, Sakuya..."
Reimu's eyes widened in recognition as she saw the figure, her heart racing with a mix of fear and anger. She knew this person, the one she fought before, the one that defeated her soundly, the hunter. Despite the difference in appearance, Reimu knew deep down it was the same person. "You... How dare you!" she hissed, her hands clenched into fists as she momentarily looked at Rumia in the back with concern before she glared back at the figure.
Marisa, sensing the tension in the air, stepped forward, her eyes narrowed and her grip on her broom tightening. She glanced at Remilia, then back at the figure, "Who the hell is that, ze?"
"An enemy, Marisa," Reimu replied, her tone grave, "And a dangerous one at that. We need to be careful."
Flandre watched in anger as the figure casually threw Sakuya's body away, which caught by some fairies nearby, her eyes blazing with fury. Her wings twitched, the crystals attached to them glowing with a faint light as she focused her power. With a scream of rage, she created a crushing motion with her hands to destroy the figure that dared harm Sakyuya, yet to her shock, her ability failed. The figure was still standing, unscathed and seemingly unaffected by her power. Her eyes widened in disbelief as she stared at the Reimu look-alike, her mind racing as she tried to comprehend what had just happened. "No way..." she whispered, her voice trembling with shock and confusion, "How..?!"
"...Vampires..." the figure spoke, her voice cold and devoid of emotion, yet the group felt the voice was familiar, a mix of Sakuya and Reimu "...Begone..monsters...your kinds...I'll kill...all of you"
"Y-you...! I won't let you do whatever you want again!" Reimu hissed, her anger and determination flaring but before she could, Reimu felt a hand on her shoulder, stopping her in her tracks. Turning her head, she was met with the sight of a familiar yet unknown figure, a woman with blonde hair and red eyes, her appearance similar to Rumia's yet different. The woman wore a black dress with red ribbon adorning her hair, her expression solemn and determined.
"You're..." Reimu trailed off, her eyes widening in recognition despite never seeing the woman, "You're ...Rumia? Why are you like that?"
"Reimu, please," Rumia, now in adult form and holding a sword of darkness covered in familiar talismans, spoke, her voice calm yet firm as she held the Miko back with her magic, "You're not ready to fight that thing yet. You need to stay back and let me handle this. I don't want you getting hurt again. Stay here, keep those vampires safe"
Before Reimu could even respond, Rumia quickly flew towards the Hunter who Marisa was currently fighting. Yet, it was clear that Marisa's attacks were ineffective as they simply phased through the figure.
"Why my attacks aren't working, ze?!" Marisa yelled, her frustration evident as she continued to unleash her magic on the unflinching Hunter, "This doesn't make sense! It's like Reimu's cheating with her phasing, but this is not Reimu!"
"Marisa! Get back! The hunter isn't someone you can handle!" Rumia shouted as she reached the witch, pushing her out of the way as the hunter finally moved and threw a familiar yin-yang orb at where the witch was moments ago. "Stay back and protect the others, this is not a fight for you"
"You?! Rum-" the witch didn't finish her words as Rumia glared at her, shutting the witch up. "Right. Whatever, ze. Just don't die or anything, ya hear!"
Meanwhile, Reimu was conflicted, torn between her desire to help and her fear of facing the Hunter again. She remembered the pain and humiliation of her previous defeat, the feeling of helplessness as the Hunter defeated her. Her instincts screamed at her to flee, to avoid another confrontation, but her heart ached at the thought of leaving her friend to face the danger alone and fulfilling her duty as Miko of Hakurei. "Rumia..."
"Oi, Reimu! What the heck, ze?!" Marisa exclaimed, her expression a mix of confusion and annoyance as she floated down beside the miko, "Since when did you have a copy that also looked like the maid?! And that girl, she has your ability to phase through attacks! This is cheating, ze!"
"I...I don't know," Reimu stammered, her voice trembling as she struggled to come to terms with the situation, "I don't understand either. She..they..was different when I fought with her before. She didn't even looked like me at all! Now I can see Sakuya's face and even her voice is mixed with Sakuya!"
"Well, whatever she is, we can't let her face that thing alone, ze!" Marisa declared, her resolve hardening as she stared up at the figure, "We need to help her! That hunter or whatever is dangerous, and we can't just stand by and do nothing."
Reimu hesitated, her fear and doubt warring within her, but finally, she nodded, her expression determined as she met Marisa's gaze. "You're right. We can't let Rumia fight alone. We need to help her, no matter what."
"That's the spirit, ze!" Marisa exclaimed, grinning as she brandished her broomstick, "Let's go show that hunter who's boss!"
The two girls flew up towards the battle, ready to join forces with Rumia but before they could do so, Rumia suddenly shouted "Run!"
Reimu and Marisa suddenly felt something was wrong and both quickly separated from each other, dodging an attack that aimed at where they once was. Looking around, they were surprised to see the hunter now stood right behind Remilia and Flandre. They didn't even see her move as she hold a silver sword up in the air. The vampires turned in shock, their expressions a mix of fear and disbelief as they saw the figure, the Hunter, behind them and ready to strike.
'That's just like the maid!' Reimu thought, her mind racing as she tried to turn and get to the vampire sisters, 'She's gonna use the time stop and kill the vampires! I can't reach them in time!'
Reimu watched in horror as the scene unfolded before her. She could see the hunter's blade descending upon Remilia and Flandre in slow motion, their expressions a mix of fear and determination as they tried to evade the deadly blow. But it was clear that one of them wouldn't be able to escape in time. The blade was poised to strike, its silver edge gleaming in the moonlight. Time seemed to slow down as the blade descended, inch by inch, closer to its target.
But then, just as all seemed lost, a blur of movement caught Reimu's eye, and a spear suddenly appeared, blocking the path of the blade and saving the vampire sisters from certain doom. A tall woman with brown hair done in a bun and blue eyes appeared, her lean yet curvy figure dressed in simple clothes and wielding the spear that had saved the vampires' lives.
"Hold it right there, you scum!" the newcomer exclaimed, her voice strong and commanding as she glared at the Hunter, her eyes filled with righetous determination. "You dare attack these innocent people in their own home? I, Bree Sunkiller, shall put a stop to your villainy!"
As the newcomer, Bree, confronted the Hunter away from the vampires, another voice rang out from behind the group, "Hey, hey! Don't forget about us!~" Turning around, Reimu and others saw a fairy girl with red hair in twin tails, dressed in a yellow sundress and wearing a mischievous grin. Beside her were a massive group of fairies, maids or otherwise, their expressions a mix of excitement and nervousness for the maids or simply excitement for the rest.
"Mei, Mei Mindhaze, at your service!" the red haired girl announced, her tone playful yet confident, "And we're here to help you girls out! Ain't that right, ladies?"
"R-right!" "Oh yes!" "Let's do it!" "It's time to beat the bad guy!" The fairy maids hesitantly agreed while other fairies cheered loudly, their enthusiasm unbridled. Some even had weapons, mostly from kitchen, but some had actual swords and spears and similar weapons.
Marisa, who now stood beside the vampire sisters, let out a low whistle, her eyes wide with amazement, "Wow, I didn't expect this, ze. It's like we have our own little army here."
"Where the heck did all of these fairies come from?" Reimu murmured, her brow furrowed in confusion as she surveyed the group before she shook her head and stared at Remilia, "Anyway, you two should get back and hide somewhere safe. For some reason, she targets you two specifically"
"Ah, yes, you're right," Remilia said, her expression solemn as she and Flandre began to move away from the battle, "We'll leave it to you girls to take care of this. Be careful, and don't do anything reckless."
"Yeah! Be careful, okay? Don't get hurt!" Flandre called out, her voice full of worry and concern as she waved to the group before she and her sister left to find a safe place.
"Right, let's do this then, ze!" Marisa exclaimed, her eyes shining with determination as she held her broomstick firmly in her hands, "We'll show this creep what happens when you mess with the best!"
"Be careful you two" Rumia said as she landed between the two, her eyes fixed on the hunter and her expression serious, "The hunter is not someone to underestimate"
"I know, Rumia" Reimu replied, her voice firm and steady as she stared at the figure, "But we can't let her harm anyone else. We need to stop her, no matter what."
"Well then, time to bring an end to this weird incident of a day, ze!" Marisa declared, her grin wide and confident as she brandished her broomstick, "Let's show this creep who's boss!"
Rumia and Reimu nodded in agreement, and together they turned to face the figure, the three girls ready to confront the unknown assailant and put an end to the chaos that had befallen the Scarlet Devil Mansion.
"...Vampires..." the figure spoke, her voice cold and devoid of emotion, yet the group felt the voice was familiar, a mix of Sakuya and Reimu "...Begone..monsters...your kinds...I'll kill...all of you"
"Y-you...! I won't let you do whatever you want again!" Reimu hissed, her anger and determination flaring but before she could, Reimu felt a hand on her shoulder, stopping her in her tracks. Turning her head, she was met with the sight of a familiar yet unknown figure, a woman with blonde hair and red eyes, her appearance similar to Rumia's yet different. The woman wore a black dress with red ribbon adorning her hair, her expression solemn and determined.
"You're..." Reimu trailed off, her eyes widening in recognition despite never seeing the woman, "You're ...Rumia? Why are you like that?"
"Reimu, please," Rumia, now in adult form and holding a sword of darkness covered in familiar talismans, spoke, her voice calm yet firm as she held the Miko back with her magic, "You're not ready to fight that thing yet. You need to stay back and let me handle this. I don't want you getting hurt again. Stay here, keep those vampires safe"
Before Reimu could even respond, Rumia quickly flew towards the Hunter who Marisa was currently fighting. Yet, it was clear that Marisa's attacks were ineffective as they simply phased through the figure.
"Why my attacks aren't working, ze?!" Marisa yelled, her frustration evident as she continued to unleash her magic on the unflinching Hunter, "This doesn't make sense! It's like Reimu's cheating with her phasing, but this is not Reimu!"
"Marisa! Get back! The hunter isn't someone you can handle!" Rumia shouted as she reached the witch, pushing her out of the way as the hunter finally moved and threw a familiar yin-yang orb at where the witch was moments ago. "Stay back and protect the others, this is not a fight for you"
"You?! Rum-" the witch didn't finish her words as Rumia glared at her, shutting the witch up. "Right. Whatever, ze. Just don't die or anything, ya hear!"
Meanwhile, Reimu was conflicted, torn between her desire to help and her fear of facing the Hunter again. She remembered the pain and humiliation of her previous defeat, the feeling of helplessness as the Hunter defeated her. Her instincts screamed at her to flee, to avoid another confrontation, but her heart ached at the thought of leaving her friend to face the danger alone and fulfilling her duty as Miko of Hakurei. "Rumia..."
"Oi, Reimu! What the heck, ze?!" Marisa exclaimed, her expression a mix of confusion and annoyance as she floated down beside the miko, "Since when did you have a copy that also looked like the maid?! And that girl, she has your ability to phase through attacks! This is cheating, ze!"
"I...I don't know," Reimu stammered, her voice trembling as she struggled to come to terms with the situation, "I don't understand either. She..they..was different when I fought with her before. She didn't even looked like me at all! Now I can see Sakuya's face and even her voice is mixed with Sakuya!"
"Well, whatever she is, we can't let her face that thing alone, ze!" Marisa declared, her resolve hardening as she stared up at the figure, "We need to help her! That hunter or whatever is dangerous, and we can't just stand by and do nothing."
Reimu hesitated, her fear and doubt warring within her, but finally, she nodded, her expression determined as she met Marisa's gaze. "You're right. We can't let Rumia fight alone. We need to help her, no matter what."
"That's the spirit, ze!" Marisa exclaimed, grinning as she brandished her broomstick, "Let's go show that hunter who's boss!"
The two girls flew up towards the battle, ready to join forces with Rumia but before they could do so, Rumia suddenly shouted "Run!"
Reimu and Marisa suddenly felt something was wrong and both quickly separated from each other, dodging an attack that aimed at where they once was. Looking around, they were surprised to see the hunter now stood right behind Remilia and Flandre. They didn't even see her move as she hold a silver sword up in the air. The vampires turned in shock, their expressions a mix of fear and disbelief as they saw the figure, the Hunter, behind them and ready to strike.
'That's just like the maid!' Reimu thought, her mind racing as she tried to turn and get to the vampire sisters, 'She's gonna use the time stop and kill the vampires! I can't reach them in time!'
Reimu watched in horror as the scene unfolded before her. She could see the hunter's blade descending upon Remilia and Flandre in slow motion, their expressions a mix of fear and determination as they tried to evade the deadly blow. But it was clear that one of them wouldn't be able to escape in time. The blade was poised to strike, its silver edge gleaming in the moonlight. Time seemed to slow down as the blade descended, inch by inch, closer to its target.
But then, just as all seemed lost, a blur of movement caught Reimu's eye, and a spear suddenly appeared, blocking the path of the blade and saving the vampire sisters from certain doom. A tall woman with brown hair done in a bun and blue eyes appeared, her lean yet curvy figure dressed in simple clothes and wielding the spear that had saved the vampires' lives.
"Hold it right there, you scum!" the newcomer exclaimed, her voice strong and commanding as she glared at the Hunter, her eyes filled with righetous determination. "You dare attack these innocent people in their own home? I, Bree Sunkiller, shall put a stop to your villainy!"
As the newcomer, Bree, confronted the Hunter away from the vampires, another voice rang out from behind the group, "Hey, hey! Don't forget about us!~" Turning around, Reimu and others saw a fairy girl with red hair in twin tails, dressed in a yellow sundress and wearing a mischievous grin. Beside her were a massive group of fairies, maids or otherwise, their expressions a mix of excitement and nervousness for the maids or simply excitement for the rest.
"Mei, Mei Mindhaze, at your service!" the red haired girl announced, her tone playful yet confident, "And we're here to help you girls out! Ain't that right, ladies?"
"R-right!" "Oh yes!" "Let's do it!" "It's time to beat the bad guy!" The fairy maids hesitantly agreed while other fairies cheered loudly, their enthusiasm unbridled. Some even had weapons, mostly from kitchen, but some had actual swords and spears and similar weapons.
Marisa, who now stood beside the vampire sisters, let out a low whistle, her eyes wide with amazement, "Wow, I didn't expect this, ze. It's like we have our own little army here."
"Where the heck did all of these fairies come from?" Reimu murmured, her brow furrowed in confusion as she surveyed the group before she shook her head and stared at Remilia, "Anyway, you two should get back and hide somewhere safe. For some reason, she targets you two specifically"
"Ah, yes, you're right," Remilia said, her expression solemn as she and Flandre began to move away from the battle, "We'll leave it to you girls to take care of this. Be careful, and don't do anything reckless."
"Yeah! Be careful, okay? Don't get hurt!" Flandre called out, her voice full of worry and concern as she waved to the group before she and her sister left to find a safe place.
"Right, let's do this then, ze!" Marisa exclaimed, her eyes shining with determination as she held her broomstick firmly in her hands, "We'll show this creep what happens when you mess with the best!"
"Be careful you two" Rumia said as she landed between the two, her eyes fixed on the hunter and her expression serious, "The hunter is not someone to underestimate"
"I know, Rumia" Reimu replied, her voice firm and steady as she stared at the figure, "But we can't let her harm anyone else. We need to stop her, no matter what."
"Well then, time to bring an end to this weird incident of a day, ze!" Marisa declared, her grin wide and confident as she brandished her broomstick, "Let's show this creep who's boss!"
Rumia and Reimu nodded in agreement, and together they turned to face the figure, the three girls ready to confront the unknown assailant and put an end to the chaos that had befallen the Scarlet Devil Mansion.
Marisa whistled, "Wow, something really went down here ze. Do you think someone else beat us to the punch?"
"Seems likely," Reimu remarked, her gaze fixed on the devastation surrounding them with disinterest, "Or maybe whoever behind this fought each others, would've save me some troubles."
"You just want to go back and nap," Marisa retorted, earning a scowl from the miko.
"And you just want to steal something, don't you?" Reimu shot back.
"Well, I do want to get my hand on that library, ze," Marisa admitted with a mischievous grin, "But this is incident important too, ya know."
"Sure, sure," Reimu replied dismissively, rolling her eyes at her companion's predictable response.
After some twists and turns, alongside some grumblings from Reimu and teasing to said Miko by Marisa about being lost, the group found itself inside a large room in state of disrepair with a hole on the ceiling straight to the roof. It was most likely an impressive room for the owner though the group didn't care much about such and followed Reimu as she flew out of the hole, and the group found themselves in the roof.
"Welcome, dear guests. It seemed you all took quite the detour to reach us." Up in the air, a pair of girls greeted them. The one spoke was a girl with blue hair, wearing a white mob cap with red ribbon and a pink dress, her wings were like those of a bat and her eyes were red. Her voice is somewhat haughty and sounded like a noble trying to be formal, but also playful and a bit mocking. "But no matter, I am Remilia Scarlet, the Scarlet Devil herself, the Mistress of this Mansion, the one behind this scarlet mist. Beauitful, isn't it?"
"And I am her little sister, Flandre! Nice to meet you!" the second girl said cheerily, she has similar wing to her sister, though she has blond hair tied into single ponytail with a red ribbon to the side. Her eyes were also red, her dress was red instead of pink like Remilia and she hold a twisted black wand on her hand. Her wings aren't bat-like like Remilia but instead a pair of black limb with eight crystals of rainbow colors attached to the end of them. "Are you my new toys? You better not broke easy, okay!"
Curiously, the pair seemed to be slightly messy and their clothes in tatters, Rina noted. Their hair were messy and they looked tired, their skin slightly dirty. It was as if the sisters had just finished a long battle, yet their eyes were still alert and their demeanor still imposing. Rina couldn't help but wonder what kind of fight these two had been in before they arrived.
"Now, now, Flan~ Remember what I told you," Remilia chided, her tone playful but with a hint of seriousness, "Don't play too roughly with your new friends, got it? They are important, so make sure you treat them gently, okay?"
"I know, I know~" Flandre replied, her voice still filled with cheer, "We can have fun and play together, and then we can all be happy! Right?"
"Right!" Remilia agreed with a smile, her eyes filled with mischief yet hiding something else, similar to Rumia if Rina had to guess.
Marisa smirked at Remilia's words, her eyes full of challenge, "Oh yeah? Well, I'll be sure to give you both a good beating then ze"
"Please," Reimu said, her tone deadpan, "I can't believe I have to deal with two bratty vampires. Can you please stop talking and just fight already? I want to go home and nap."
Remilia chuckled, seemingly amused by the exchange. "My, my, how feisty. Very well then, let's begin this little game. But be warned, we won't hold back, so don't expect this to be easy, okay?"
"Bring it on!" Marisa said, grinning wildly, her grip on her broom tightening as she readied herself for the upcoming battle, her magic gathering on her palm, ready to be released at a moment's notice, before she paused "Wait, are we doing this one by one or together?"
"Oooh! Oooh! Can we fight together?! I want to play with two friends at once!" Flandre exclaimed, her eyes sparkling with excitement and childish glee, "It would be fun!"
Remilia simply looked at Reimu with questioning and playful gaze, letting her decide.
Reimu sighed and rubbed her temple, "I don't care, just get it over with already. I have things to do and places to be. Tag team or whatever, I don't care."
Remilia smirked and nodded, "Well, well, then. Since our dear Miko seems to be in a hurry, we shall oblige. Flan, are you ready to play with our guests?"
Flandre clapped her hands gleefully, her expression one of pure excitement. "Yay! Let's play!"
Meanwhile, Marisa and Reimu shared a look, determination and readiness in their eyes as they prepared for the upcoming fight. Rina couldn't help but feel a sense of anticipation and nervousness as she watched the two teams get ready to clash. She knew this wasn't going to be an easy battle, but she had faith in her friends' abilities.
"Let's do this, ze!" Marisa yelled, charging forward with her broom in hand, her eyes narrowed with determination.
The sound of a bell echoed throughout the roof, seemingly signalling the beginning of their battle. Remilia and Flandre stood at the ready, their eyes focused on their opponents, as Marisa and Reimu rushed towards them, their movements in sync. As the four combatants clashed, the air filled with the sounds of explosions, and magic being thrown around with the moon shining behind the scarlet mist as a backdrop.
Pulling out her smartphone, after setting down Rumia in safe but good spot to watch, Rina started recording everything. This incident truly gave her many great things for her, and she wasn't going to let this chance slip by too. She even saw many fairy maids and regular fairies started to gather around the rooftops, watching the fight and cheering for anyone they liked really. It was less of a serious incident solving and more like a festival at this point, she noted. Though some things still bother her, like the mysterious Reimu that apparently attacked the gatekeeper, but she'll just focus on the battle for now.
"It seemed that we garnered quite the audience, shrine maiden," Remilia remarked, her voice full of amusement as she dodged another one of Reimu's attacks, "Are you sure you want to embarrass yourself in front of all these people? It might not be good for your reputation."
"Please," Reimu scoffed, her expression unimpressed, "I don't care about what these fairies think of me. Besides, I'm not the one who's going to be embarrassed here, vampire."
"Ooh, you're so cool, Reimu~" Rumia called out from her spot, her voice full of admiration, "Show them what you're made of!"
From Rina's observation, it seemed that this Remilia Scarlet is the more skilled of the two Scarlet sisters, but weaker overall. Not that it made the vampire any less scary in Rina's opinion. While not as fast as Aya-senpai, the vampire's speed matched that of a tengu, her speed no less than an oni, while her magical power probably ranked high in Gensokyo overall. Rina couldn't help but feel slight envy at the sheer power the vampires seemed to possess. She was a nobody compared to these monsters.
"Wow, you're pretty strong, human! I like that!" Flandre exclaimed, her voice full of excitement as she dodged Marisa's latest attack, her movements agile and graceful despite her apparent carelessness, as she split into four "It's been a while since I've had someone to play with like this!"
"Ha, you're pretty strong yourself, ze!" Marisa replied, her grin wide and her eyes sparkling with adrenaline, "But I've still got a few tricks up my sleeve!"
Flandre giggled, her eyes dancing with amusement, "Oh, I can't wait to see what you've got! Let's have some fun, shall we?"
Marisa nodded, her expression determined, "Oh, we will, vampire. We'll have a blast, I promise you that!"
Meanwhile, Flandre the sister was simply a brute, her power definitely stronger than her sister but also much less skilled or controlled. Rina watched as the vampire just conjured a large flaming sword and swung it randomly without any care for finesse or tactics or skills. It was truly like a kid swinging a stick. Yet, Rina had to admit that such simple tactic worked in its own way when backed by the vampire's considerable amount of power and magic. Marisa had to give her all just to dodge and avoid the attacks, only occasionally able to return one herself.
The four's battle was intense, their movements swift and their attacks powerful, as Rina recorded the entire thing with her smartphone. The fairies around them cheered and hollered, their excitement palpable as they watched the fight unfold. Both sides easily switched opponents at will and even occasionally partnered up again to unleash a combined spellcard. The night was truly a spectacle to behold, and Rina couldn't help but be amazed at the sheer power and skill displayed before her. She wondered what kind of power would be needed to reach such level.
"Hey, Rina~ Can you get these things off me?" Rumia called out to Rina, her voice a mix of boredom and annoyance as she gestured to the talismans that bound her in place, "I'm getting tired of being tied up like this."
Rina hesitated, her gaze flicking between the ongoing battle and the immobilized youkai of darkness, fear of the Hakurei maiden's wrath making her indecisive. On one hand, even if occasionally creep her out, Rumia had been cooperative and harmless, and she felt bad for her current situation. But on the other hand...
"I-I can't," Rina stammered, her voice trembling slightly, "Miss shrine maiden asked me to make sure you stay put, and I don't want to get on her bad side. She's already angry enough with the whole incident and all."
"Aw, come on, Rina~ I promise I won't do anything bad," Rumia pouted, her expression pleading as she tried to sway the tengu girl, "I'll be a good girl, I swear!"
"I-I'm sorry, Rumia," Rina apologized, her tone apologetic but firm, "I can't risk it. The shrine maiden is already on edge, and I don't want to make things worse for either of us."
Left unsaid was despite her became somewhat more comfortable around the shrine maiden, she was still afraid of the Hakurei maiden. Not as much as they first met, especially after knowing Reimu being Alice's friend too, but still the Hakurei maiden was a very intimidating figure. Not to mention how caring or afraid she was for Rumia. If anything happened to Rumia, Rina wasn't sure she could survive the shrine maiden's wrath. It was just too much to risk, she thought to herself.
"Fine, be that way," Rumia huffed, her expression turning sullen and pouting, "See if I care. I'll just sit here and be bored out of my mind while everyone else has fun."
Rina sighed and turned her attention back to the battle. She couldn't afford to get distracted, especially when recording the event. She had to focus and make sure she captured everything that was happening. Though she couldn't help but feel bad for Rumia.
The battle raged on between the four combatants, their movements swift and their attacks powerful. But, as time went on, they started to show signs of fatigue, their breathing heavy and their movements slowing down. Eventually, they came to a halt, taking a moment to catch their breath and assess the situation. They stood across from each other, the distance between them not too far or close, ready for another round of intense fighting. The audience of fairies and fairy maids continued to cheer, their excitement and enthusiasm undiminished.
"You've got some skills, shrine maiden," Remilia remarked, her eyes shining with admiration, "I'm impressed. You're not like the other humans I've faced before."
"Thanks," Reimu replied, her voice nonchalant, "But I'm not here to impress you. I'm here to solve an incident and protect Gensokyo from whatever danger you pose."
Remilia chuckled, her expression amused, "Oh, so confident. But you'll find that I'm not your average vampire. I'm the Mistress of this Mansion, and I won't be defeated so easily."
"Yeah, yeah," Marisa interjected, her tone lighthearted, "Enough with the chit-chat, ze. Let's get back to the action! I'm ready to kick some vampire butt!"
"Agreed," Reimu said, her eyes narrowing in determination, "Let's end this, once and for all."
"Yay, let's play more~" Flandre cheered, her eyes sparkling with excitement.
The four combatants prepared themselves, their eyes focused and their bodies tensed. The air was thick with tension as they readied themselves for another intense round of fighting. Rina watched with anticipation, her fingers poised to capture every moment of the upcoming clash. The crowd of fairies continued to cheer, their excitement and enthusiasm reaching a fever pitch. The blood red moon shone brightly overhead on clear sky, casting a pale red light over the land, and the night sky filled with stars twinkled with an eerie beauty. The wind rustled through the trees, creating a soft melody that seemed to echo the tension in the air.
"Flan, let's do that~" "Okay!" "[Scarlet Devil Sign "Scarlet Sisters"]!"
"Can't believe this would be useful.." "Let's go, Reimu!" "["Exorcism Master Spark"]!"
Two pairs unleashed their spellcard at the same time, their combined magic creating a spectacle of light and energy. The audience of fairies gasped in awe as they watched the two pairs clash, their attacks colliding in a dazzling display of power. Flaming scarlet crosses clashing against golden coloured beam and ofudas, the sheer force of their combined magic shook the very air around them. The battle was intense, with both sides giving it their all, determined to emerge victorious.
Meanwhile, Rina couldn't help but feel overwhelmed by the sheer power and intensity of the battle. Her phone shook in her hands as she tried to capture every moment of the clash. She wondered how she could possibly describe the awe-inspiring display before her. She knew that words alone would not be enough to convey the sheer magnitude of the spectacle she was witnessing. But she had to try, for the sake of her readers and her own pride as a journalist, to do justice to the epic battle that unfolded before her. She watched as the two sides clashed, their magic colliding in a dazzling display of light and energy, the air crackling with the intensity of their power. The fairies surrounding them continued to cheer, their voices rising in a cacophony of excitement and awe, as Rina continued to watch.
Both sides seemed equal at first, before the golden beam slowly overpowered the cross. "What?!" The Scarlet Sisters exclaimed in unison, their expressions a mix of surprise and alarm as they watched their attack being pushed back.
Marisa smirked, her eyes narrowed in determination, "Not so tough now, are you, vampires?"
Reimu remained silent, her face focused and her gaze fixed on her opponents, as the combined spellcards pushed back the Scarlet Sister. The audience of fairies continued to cheer, their excitement reaching a fever pitch as they watched the two sides clash. The night sky was ablaze with the colors of magic and spellcards, as Rina continued to capture every moment of the intense battle on her phone. The air was thick with tension and the sound of the fairies' cheers echoed through the air. The battle was reaching its climax, and everyone could feel the intensity of the moment. The blood red moon shone brightly overhead, casting a pale red light over the land, adding an eerie beauty to the already intense spectacle. The wind rustled through the trees, creating a soft melody that seemed to echo the tension in the air.
"N-no way~" Flandre exclaimed, her eyes wide with shock as she watched their spellcard being pushed back before it completely broke and she saw the golden beam heading straight towards her and Remilia.
Remilia was silent, smiling in defiance as the spellcard approached her, a look of determination in her eyes. In a flash of movement, she reached out and grabbed Flandre, pulling her close and shielding her with her own body. The beam hit them, sending a wave of magic and energy rippling through the air. The impact was immense, sending both sisters flying backwards. The crowd of fairies watched in awe and concern as the vampires were sent hurtling through the air.
"Ha! I won, ze!" Marisa exclaimed, grinning widely as she and Reimu floated down back to the rooftop.
Reimu scoffed, "You mean we won. Don't take all the credit, Marisa."
As they walked to where the vampires fell, the fairies surrounding them cheered and applauded, their excitement and admiration clear, causing Marisa to grin even wider, waving to the cheering fairies. Reimu just sighed, rubbing her temple and feeling exasperated at the witch's behavior. Rina followed behind the two girls, her phone still in hand, ready to capture any further developments in the aftermath of the intense battle. Despite their exhaustion, both Marisa and Reimu couldn't help but feel a sense of satisfaction at their victory, though it was clear they were drained and in pain from the fight.
"Ow, ow, ow," Remilia groaned, her body aching as she slowly sat up, her clothes were scorched and her hair disheveled. A mess, but not really injured as per spellcard rules of non-lethal. "That was...quite something. I must admit, I underestimated you, humans."
Flandre giggled beside her, "That was fun! We should play like that again sometime!"
Remilia gave a weak chuckle, shaking her head in disbelief at her sister's enthusiasm, "I think I'll pass, Flan. Once was enough for me." She stood up, her legs shaky from exhaustion as she turned to face the victors. "Well done, humans. You've bested the Scarlet Devil, and for that, I commend you."
Reimu nodded, her expression neutral as she accepted the vampire's congratulations, while Marisa grinned and gave a thumbs-up. "Thanks, ze! So uhh...the Incident's done right? We can go back and relax now?"
"Ah, so eager to leave, Marisa?" Remilia teased, her eyes gleaming with mischief, "But yes, you are correct. With our defeat, I shall cease spreading the scarlet mist. Your little adventure is over."
"Yes! Finally! Alice gonna cooked some good meal to celebrate this!" Marisa exclaimed excitedly, her eyes shining with anticipation.
"Ugh, you and your stomach," Reimu grumbled, her expression one of annoyance mixed with amusement, "Can't you think of anything else for once?"
Marisa grinned cheekily, "Hey, a girl's gotta eat, ya know? And Alice's food is the best!"
"Hmph, I'll have you know Sakuya's meals are just as delicious, if not more," Remilia huffed, her expression smug, "She is the best maid in all of Gensokyo, after all."
Marisa snorted, "Yeah, right. As if anyone can beat Alice's cooking."
The two girls glared at each other, their competitive spirits ignited once more. Reimu sighed, rolling her eyes at their childishness, "Can we just get on with it? I want to go home and rest. My head hurts from this nonsense."
Meanwhile to the side, Rina watched with a smile as the two sides bantered and bickered. Despite the tension of the battle, it was clear that there was no real animosity between them now as if the battle itself was a game they played. It was a relief to see that the incident had been resolved without any serious harm, though her senpais might be slightly disappointed at the rather underwhelming end post-fight. Rina herself preferred this outcome than a true life or death situation. This way, everyone could walk away relatively unscathed and with a newfound respect for their opponents.
"...Today's not so bad after all" Rina sighed with a smile as she looked up at the blood red moon on the clear sky before she felt something was slight off. Maybe she was just exhausted from today?
Then she noticed all of a sudden, the fairies were gone, leaving the roof empty except for the six of them. No, not gone, she saw them in the corners and edges of the mansion, seemingly hiding and watching from distance. Suddenly nervous, she noticed that it seemed something was happening with the group too,
"Sakuya!" Remilia shouted, her voice echoing through the night air, yet no response came from the head maid. Frowning, Remilia tried again, her voice louder and more insistent than before, yet still no response came. A flicker of panic crossed her face as she glanced at Marisa, who shrugged in response.
"Hey, don't worry about it, ze. Maybe she's just busy cleaning up or something. Ya know, maid stuff."
Remilia huffed, her irritation clear in her voice, "Sakuya is the perfect and most loyal maid, she would never fail to respond to my call. Something is wrong here."
Reimu, who had been quietly observing the situation, suddenly spoke up, her voice tense and wary, "Something is definitely off here. We need to be careful."
Marisa raised an eyebrow, her expression skeptical, "What do you mean, ze? We won, didn't we? The incident's over, right?"
"I'm not so sure about that," Reimu replied, her gaze sweeping over the mansion, "Something feels wrong. Like we're being watched. And where are all the fairies?"
As the group made their way up, RIna couldn't help but notice the destruction that littered their path. It was clear that a significant battle had taken place within the mansion, with various items and structures being destroyed or in need of repair. The fairy maids were hard at work, diligently repairing the damage that had been inflicted on the mansion. Or at least appeared to try, as much as Rina likes fairies, she had to admit they seemed to barely understand what they are doing beyond 'bring the broken stuffs together in a pile' and just sweeping away the dust.
Marisa whistled, "Wow, something really went down here ze. Do you think someone else beat us to the punch?"
"Seems likely," Reimu remarked, her gaze fixed on the devastation surrounding them with disinterest, "Or maybe whoever behind this fought each others, would've save me some troubles."
"You just want to go back and nap," Marisa retorted, earning a scowl from the miko.
"And you just want to steal something, don't you?" Reimu shot back.
"Well, I do want to get my hand on that library, ze," Marisa admitted with a mischievous grin, "But this is incident important too, ya know."
"Sure, sure," Reimu replied dismissively, rolling her eyes at her companion's predictable response.
After some twists and turns, alongside some grumblings from Reimu and teasing to said Miko by Marisa about being lost, the group found itself inside a large room in state of disrepair with a hole on the ceiling straight to the roof. It was most likely an impressive room for the owner though the group didn't care much about such and followed Reimu as she flew out of the hole, and the group found themselves in the roof.
"Welcome, dear guests. It seemed you all took quite the detour to reach us." Up in the air, a pair of girls greeted them. The one spoke was a girl with blue hair, wearing a white mob cap with red ribbon and a pink dress, her wings were like those of a bat and her eyes were red. Her voice is somewhat haughty and sounded like a noble trying to be formal, but also playful and a bit mocking. "But no matter, I am Remilia Scarlet, the Scarlet Devil herself, the Mistress of this Mansion, the one behind this scarlet mist. Beauitful, isn't it?"
"And I am her little sister, Flandre! Nice to meet you!" the second girl said cheerily, she has similar wing to her sister, though she has blond hair tied into single ponytail with a red ribbon to the side. Her eyes were also red, her dress was red instead of pink like Remilia and she hold a twisted black wand on her hand. Her wings aren't bat-like like Remilia but instead a pair of black limb with eight crystals of rainbow colors attached to the end of them. "Are you my new toys? You better not broke easy, okay!"
Curiously, the pair seemed to be slightly messy and their clothes in tatters, Rina noted. Their hair were messy and they looked tired, their skin slightly dirty. It was as if the sisters had just finished a long battle, yet their eyes were still alert and their demeanor still imposing. Rina couldn't help but wonder what kind of fight these two had been in before they arrived.
"Now, now, Flan~ Remember what I told you," Remilia chided, her tone playful but with a hint of seriousness, "Don't play too roughly with your new friends, got it? They are important, so make sure you treat them gently, okay?"
"I know, I know~" Flandre replied, her voice still filled with cheer, "We can have fun and play together, and then we can all be happy! Right?"
"Right!" Remilia agreed with a smile, her eyes filled with mischief yet hiding something else, similar to Rumia if Rina had to guess.
Marisa smirked at Remilia's words, her eyes full of challenge, "Oh yeah? Well, I'll be sure to give you both a good beating then ze"
"Please," Reimu said, her tone deadpan, "I can't believe I have to deal with two bratty vampires. Can you please stop talking and just fight already? I want to go home and nap."
Remilia chuckled, seemingly amused by the exchange. "My, my, how feisty. Very well then, let's begin this little game. But be warned, we won't hold back, so don't expect this to be easy, okay?"
"Bring it on!" Marisa said, grinning wildly, her grip on her broom tightening as she readied herself for the upcoming battle, her magic gathering on her palm, ready to be released at a moment's notice, before she paused "Wait, are we doing this one by one or together?"
"Oooh! Oooh! Can we fight together?! I want to play with two friends at once!" Flandre exclaimed, her eyes sparkling with excitement and childish glee, "It would be fun!"
Remilia simply looked at Reimu with questioning and playful gaze, letting her decide.
Reimu sighed and rubbed her temple, "I don't care, just get it over with already. I have things to do and places to be. Tag team or whatever, I don't care."
Remilia smirked and nodded, "Well, well, then. Since our dear Miko seems to be in a hurry, we shall oblige. Flan, are you ready to play with our guests?"
Flandre clapped her hands gleefully, her expression one of pure excitement. "Yay! Let's play!"
Meanwhile, Marisa and Reimu shared a look, determination and readiness in their eyes as they prepared for the upcoming fight. Rina couldn't help but feel a sense of anticipation and nervousness as she watched the two teams get ready to clash. She knew this wasn't going to be an easy battle, but she had faith in her friends' abilities.
"Let's do this, ze!" Marisa yelled, charging forward with her broom in hand, her eyes narrowed with determination.
The sound of a bell echoed throughout the roof, seemingly signalling the beginning of their battle. Remilia and Flandre stood at the ready, their eyes focused on their opponents, as Marisa and Reimu rushed towards them, their movements in sync. As the four combatants clashed, the air filled with the sounds of explosions, and magic being thrown around with the moon shining behind the scarlet mist as a backdrop.
Pulling out her smartphone, after setting down Rumia in safe but good spot to watch, Rina started recording everything. This incident truly gave her many great things for her, and she wasn't going to let this chance slip by too. She even saw many fairy maids and regular fairies started to gather around the rooftops, watching the fight and cheering for anyone they liked really. It was less of a serious incident solving and more like a festival at this point, she noted. Though some things still bother her, like the mysterious Reimu that apparently attacked the gatekeeper, but she'll just focus on the battle for now.
"It seemed that we garnered quite the audience, shrine maiden," Remilia remarked, her voice full of amusement as she dodged another one of Reimu's attacks, "Are you sure you want to embarrass yourself in front of all these people? It might not be good for your reputation."
"Please," Reimu scoffed, her expression unimpressed, "I don't care about what these fairies think of me. Besides, I'm not the one who's going to be embarrassed here, vampire."
"Ooh, you're so cool, Reimu~" Rumia called out from her spot, her voice full of admiration, "Show them what you're made of!"
From Rina's observation, it seemed that this Remilia Scarlet is the more skilled of the two Scarlet sisters, but weaker overall. Not that it made the vampire any less scary in Rina's opinion. While not as fast as Aya-senpai, the vampire's speed matched that of a tengu, her speed no less than an oni, while her magical power probably ranked high in Gensokyo overall. Rina couldn't help but feel slight envy at the sheer power the vampires seemed to possess. She was a nobody compared to these monsters.
"Wow, you're pretty strong, human! I like that!" Flandre exclaimed, her voice full of excitement as she dodged Marisa's latest attack, her movements agile and graceful despite her apparent carelessness, as she split into four "It's been a while since I've had someone to play with like this!"
"Ha, you're pretty strong yourself, ze!" Marisa replied, her grin wide and her eyes sparkling with adrenaline, "But I've still got a few tricks up my sleeve!"
Flandre giggled, her eyes dancing with amusement, "Oh, I can't wait to see what you've got! Let's have some fun, shall we?"
Marisa nodded, her expression determined, "Oh, we will, vampire. We'll have a blast, I promise you that!"
Meanwhile, Flandre the sister was simply a brute, her power definitely stronger than her sister but also much less skilled or controlled. Rina watched as the vampire just conjured a large flaming sword and swung it randomly without any care for finesse or tactics or skills. It was truly like a kid swinging a stick. Yet, Rina had to admit that such simple tactic worked in its own way when backed by the vampire's considerable amount of power and magic. Marisa had to give her all just to dodge and avoid the attacks, only occasionally able to return one herself.
The four's battle was intense, their movements swift and their attacks powerful, as Rina recorded the entire thing with her smartphone. The fairies around them cheered and hollered, their excitement palpable as they watched the fight unfold. Both sides easily switched opponents at will and even occasionally partnered up again to unleash a combined spellcard. The night was truly a spectacle to behold, and Rina couldn't help but be amazed at the sheer power and skill displayed before her. She wondered what kind of power would be needed to reach such level.
"Hey, Rina~ Can you get these things off me?" Rumia called out to Rina, her voice a mix of boredom and annoyance as she gestured to the talismans that bound her in place, "I'm getting tired of being tied up like this."
Rina hesitated, her gaze flicking between the ongoing battle and the immobilized youkai of darkness, fear of the Hakurei maiden's wrath making her indecisive. On one hand, even if occasionally creep her out, Rumia had been cooperative and harmless, and she felt bad for her current situation. But on the other hand...
"I-I can't," Rina stammered, her voice trembling slightly, "Miss shrine maiden asked me to make sure you stay put, and I don't want to get on her bad side. She's already angry enough with the whole incident and all."
"Aw, come on, Rina~ I promise I won't do anything bad," Rumia pouted, her expression pleading as she tried to sway the tengu girl, "I'll be a good girl, I swear!"
"I-I'm sorry, Rumia," Rina apologized, her tone apologetic but firm, "I can't risk it. The shrine maiden is already on edge, and I don't want to make things worse for either of us."
Left unsaid was despite her became somewhat more comfortable around the shrine maiden, she was still afraid of the Hakurei maiden. Not as much as they first met, especially after knowing Reimu being Alice's friend too, but still the Hakurei maiden was a very intimidating figure. Not to mention how caring or afraid she was for Rumia. If anything happened to Rumia, Rina wasn't sure she could survive the shrine maiden's wrath. It was just too much to risk, she thought to herself.
"Fine, be that way," Rumia huffed, her expression turning sullen and pouting, "See if I care. I'll just sit here and be bored out of my mind while everyone else has fun."
Rina sighed and turned her attention back to the battle. She couldn't afford to get distracted, especially when recording the event. She had to focus and make sure she captured everything that was happening. Though she couldn't help but feel bad for Rumia.
The battle raged on between the four combatants, their movements swift and their attacks powerful. But, as time went on, they started to show signs of fatigue, their breathing heavy and their movements slowing down. Eventually, they came to a halt, taking a moment to catch their breath and assess the situation. They stood across from each other, the distance between them not too far or close, ready for another round of intense fighting. The audience of fairies and fairy maids continued to cheer, their excitement and enthusiasm undiminished.
"You've got some skills, shrine maiden," Remilia remarked, her eyes shining with admiration, "I'm impressed. You're not like the other humans I've faced before."
"Thanks," Reimu replied, her voice nonchalant, "But I'm not here to impress you. I'm here to solve an incident and protect Gensokyo from whatever danger you pose."
Remilia chuckled, her expression amused, "Oh, so confident. But you'll find that I'm not your average vampire. I'm the Mistress of this Mansion, and I won't be defeated so easily."
"Yeah, yeah," Marisa interjected, her tone lighthearted, "Enough with the chit-chat, ze. Let's get back to the action! I'm ready to kick some vampire butt!"
"Agreed," Reimu said, her eyes narrowing in determination, "Let's end this, once and for all."
"Yay, let's play more~" Flandre cheered, her eyes sparkling with excitement.
The four combatants prepared themselves, their eyes focused and their bodies tensed. The air was thick with tension as they readied themselves for another intense round of fighting. Rina watched with anticipation, her fingers poised to capture every moment of the upcoming clash. The crowd of fairies continued to cheer, their excitement and enthusiasm reaching a fever pitch. The blood red moon shone brightly overhead on clear sky, casting a pale red light over the land, and the night sky filled with stars twinkled with an eerie beauty. The wind rustled through the trees, creating a soft melody that seemed to echo the tension in the air.
"Flan, let's do that~" "Okay!" "[Scarlet Devil Sign "Scarlet Sisters"]!"
"Can't believe this would be useful.." "Let's go, Reimu!" "["Exorcism Master Spark"]!"
Two pairs unleashed their spellcard at the same time, their combined magic creating a spectacle of light and energy. The audience of fairies gasped in awe as they watched the two pairs clash, their attacks colliding in a dazzling display of power. Flaming scarlet crosses clashing against golden coloured beam and ofudas, the sheer force of their combined magic shook the very air around them. The battle was intense, with both sides giving it their all, determined to emerge victorious.
Meanwhile, Rina couldn't help but feel overwhelmed by the sheer power and intensity of the battle. Her phone shook in her hands as she tried to capture every moment of the clash. She wondered how she could possibly describe the awe-inspiring display before her. She knew that words alone would not be enough to convey the sheer magnitude of the spectacle she was witnessing. But she had to try, for the sake of her readers and her own pride as a journalist, to do justice to the epic battle that unfolded before her. She watched as the two sides clashed, their magic colliding in a dazzling display of light and energy, the air crackling with the intensity of their power. The fairies surrounding them continued to cheer, their voices rising in a cacophony of excitement and awe, as Rina continued to watch.
Both sides seemed equal at first, before the golden beam slowly overpowered the cross. "What?!" The Scarlet Sisters exclaimed in unison, their expressions a mix of surprise and alarm as they watched their attack being pushed back.
Marisa smirked, her eyes narrowed in determination, "Not so tough now, are you, vampires?"
Reimu remained silent, her face focused and her gaze fixed on her opponents, as the combined spellcards pushed back the Scarlet Sister. The audience of fairies continued to cheer, their excitement reaching a fever pitch as they watched the two sides clash. The night sky was ablaze with the colors of magic and spellcards, as Rina continued to capture every moment of the intense battle on her phone. The air was thick with tension and the sound of the fairies' cheers echoed through the air. The battle was reaching its climax, and everyone could feel the intensity of the moment. The blood red moon shone brightly overhead, casting a pale red light over the land, adding an eerie beauty to the already intense spectacle. The wind rustled through the trees, creating a soft melody that seemed to echo the tension in the air.
"N-no way~" Flandre exclaimed, her eyes wide with shock as she watched their spellcard being pushed back before it completely broke and she saw the golden beam heading straight towards her and Remilia.
Remilia was silent, smiling in defiance as the spellcard approached her, a look of determination in her eyes. In a flash of movement, she reached out and grabbed Flandre, pulling her close and shielding her with her own body. The beam hit them, sending a wave of magic and energy rippling through the air. The impact was immense, sending both sisters flying backwards. The crowd of fairies watched in awe and concern as the vampires were sent hurtling through the air.
"Ha! I won, ze!" Marisa exclaimed, grinning widely as she and Reimu floated down back to the rooftop.
Reimu scoffed, "You mean we won. Don't take all the credit, Marisa."
As they walked to where the vampires fell, the fairies surrounding them cheered and applauded, their excitement and admiration clear, causing Marisa to grin even wider, waving to the cheering fairies. Reimu just sighed, rubbing her temple and feeling exasperated at the witch's behavior. Rina followed behind the two girls, her phone still in hand, ready to capture any further developments in the aftermath of the intense battle. Despite their exhaustion, both Marisa and Reimu couldn't help but feel a sense of satisfaction at their victory, though it was clear they were drained and in pain from the fight.
"Ow, ow, ow," Remilia groaned, her body aching as she slowly sat up, her clothes were scorched and her hair disheveled. A mess, but not really injured as per spellcard rules of non-lethal. "That was...quite something. I must admit, I underestimated you, humans."
Flandre giggled beside her, "That was fun! We should play like that again sometime!"
Remilia gave a weak chuckle, shaking her head in disbelief at her sister's enthusiasm, "I think I'll pass, Flan. Once was enough for me." She stood up, her legs shaky from exhaustion as she turned to face the victors. "Well done, humans. You've bested the Scarlet Devil, and for that, I commend you."
Reimu nodded, her expression neutral as she accepted the vampire's congratulations, while Marisa grinned and gave a thumbs-up. "Thanks, ze! So uhh...the Incident's done right? We can go back and relax now?"
"Ah, so eager to leave, Marisa?" Remilia teased, her eyes gleaming with mischief, "But yes, you are correct. With our defeat, I shall cease spreading the scarlet mist. Your little adventure is over."
"Yes! Finally! Alice gonna cooked some good meal to celebrate this!" Marisa exclaimed excitedly, her eyes shining with anticipation.
"Ugh, you and your stomach," Reimu grumbled, her expression one of annoyance mixed with amusement, "Can't you think of anything else for once?"
Marisa grinned cheekily, "Hey, a girl's gotta eat, ya know? And Alice's food is the best!"
"Hmph, I'll have you know Sakuya's meals are just as delicious, if not more," Remilia huffed, her expression smug, "She is the best maid in all of Gensokyo, after all."
Marisa snorted, "Yeah, right. As if anyone can beat Alice's cooking."
The two girls glared at each other, their competitive spirits ignited once more. Reimu sighed, rolling her eyes at their childishness, "Can we just get on with it? I want to go home and rest. My head hurts from this nonsense."
Meanwhile to the side, Rina watched with a smile as the two sides bantered and bickered. Despite the tension of the battle, it was clear that there was no real animosity between them now as if the battle itself was a game they played. It was a relief to see that the incident had been resolved without any serious harm, though her senpais might be slightly disappointed at the rather underwhelming end post-fight. Rina herself preferred this outcome than a true life or death situation. This way, everyone could walk away relatively unscathed and with a newfound respect for their opponents.
"...Today's not so bad after all" Rina sighed with a smile as she looked up at the blood red moon on the clear sky before she felt something was slight off. Maybe she was just exhausted from today?
Then she noticed all of a sudden, the fairies were gone, leaving the roof empty except for the six of them. No, not gone, she saw them in the corners and edges of the mansion, seemingly hiding and watching from distance. Suddenly nervous, she noticed that it seemed something was happening with the group too,
"Sakuya!" Remilia shouted, her voice echoing through the night air, yet no response came from the head maid. Frowning, Remilia tried again, her voice louder and more insistent than before, yet still no response came. A flicker of panic crossed her face as she glanced at Marisa, who shrugged in response.
"Hey, don't worry about it, ze. Maybe she's just busy cleaning up or something. Ya know, maid stuff."
Remilia huffed, her irritation clear in her voice, "Sakuya is the perfect and most loyal maid, she would never fail to respond to my call. Something is wrong here."
Reimu, who had been quietly observing the situation, suddenly spoke up, her voice tense and wary, "Something is definitely off here. We need to be careful."
Marisa raised an eyebrow, her expression skeptical, "What do you mean, ze? We won, didn't we? The incident's over, right?"
"I'm not so sure about that," Reimu replied, her gaze sweeping over the mansion, "Something feels wrong. Like we're being watched. And where are all the fairies?"
As if to answer her question, the sound of a bell rang out, echoing ominously through the night air. All heads turned to the source of the sound, and what they saw sent a shiver down their spines. There, standing atop the clocktower, was a silver-haired figure, her cloak billowing in the wind revealing an outfit similar yet different to that of Reimu's, a full body leather red outfit seemingly dyed in blood. In her grasp was the limp form of Sakuya, the head maid's body battered and bruised, her dress torn and her head bowed in unconsciousness. The figure's eyes glowed with a fierce intensity, her gaze locked on the group below. Blood red moon shined ominously behind her, casting a sinister shadow over the mansion.
"Oh no," Remilia whispered, her voice barely audible as she stared up at the Hunter holding her precious Sakuya captive, "Oh, Sakuya..."
Reimu's eyes widened in recognition as she saw the figure, her heart racing with a mix of fear and anger. She knew this person, the one she fought before, the one that defeated her soundly, the hunter. Despite the difference in appearance, Reimu knew deep down it was the same person. "You... How dare you!" she hissed, her hands clenched into fists as she momentarily looked at Rumia in the back with concern before she glared back at the figure.
Marisa, sensing the tension in the air, stepped forward, her eyes narrowed and her grip on her broom tightening. She glanced at Remilia, then back at the figure, "Who the hell is that, ze?"
"An enemy, Marisa," Reimu replied, her tone grave, "And a dangerous one at that. We need to be careful."
Flandre watched in anger as the figure casually threw Sakuya's body away, which caught by some fairies nearby, her eyes blazing with fury. Her wings twitched, the crystals attached to them glowing with a faint light as she focused her power. With a scream of rage, she created a crushing motion with her hands to destroy the figure that dared harm Sakyuya, yet to her shock, her ability failed. The figure was still standing, unscathed and seemingly unaffected by her power. Her eyes widened in disbelief as she stared at the Reimu look-alike, her mind racing as she tried to comprehend what had just happened. "No way..." she whispered, her voice trembling with shock and confusion, "How..?!"
"...Vampires..." the figure spoke, her voice cold and devoid of emotion, yet the group felt the voice was familiar, a mix of Sakuya and Reimu "...Begone..monsters...your kinds...I'll kill...all of you"
"Y-you...! I won't let you do whatever you want again!" Reimu hissed, her anger and determination flaring but before she could, Reimu felt a hand on her shoulder, stopping her in her tracks. Turning her head, she was met with the sight of a familiar yet unknown figure, a woman with blonde hair and red eyes, her appearance similar to Rumia's yet different. The woman wore a black dress with red ribbon adorning her hair, her expression solemn and determined.
"You're..." Reimu trailed off, her eyes widening in recognition despite never seeing the woman, "You're ...Rumia? Why are you like that?"
"Reimu, please," Rumia, now in adult form and holding a sword of darkness covered in familiar talismans, spoke, her voice calm yet firm as she held the Miko back with her magic, "You're not ready to fight that thing yet. You need to stay back and let me handle this. I don't want you getting hurt again. Stay here, keep those vampires safe"
Before Reimu could even respond, Rumia quickly flew towards the Hunter who Marisa was currently fighting. Yet, it was clear that Marisa's attacks were ineffective as they simply phased through the figure.
"Why my attacks aren't working, ze?!" Marisa yelled, her frustration evident as she continued to unleash her magic on the unflinching Hunter, "This doesn't make sense! It's like Reimu's cheating with her phasing, but this is not Reimu!"
"Marisa! Get back! The hunter isn't someone you can handle!" Rumia shouted as she reached the witch, pushing her out of the way as the hunter finally moved and threw a familiar yin-yang orb at where the witch was moments ago. "Stay back and protect the others, this is not a fight for you"
"You?! Rum-" the witch didn't finish her words as Rumia glared at her, shutting the witch up. "Right. Whatever, ze. Just don't die or anything, ya hear!"
Meanwhile, Reimu was conflicted, torn between her desire to help and her fear of facing the Hunter again. She remembered the pain and humiliation of her previous defeat, the feeling of helplessness as the Hunter defeated her. Her instincts screamed at her to flee, to avoid another confrontation, but her heart ached at the thought of leaving her friend to face the danger alone and fulfilling her duty as Miko of Hakurei. "Rumia..."
"Oi, Reimu! What the heck, ze?!" Marisa exclaimed, her expression a mix of confusion and annoyance as she floated down beside the miko, "Since when did you have a copy that also looked like the maid?! And that girl, she has your ability to phase through attacks! This is cheating, ze!"
"I...I don't know," Reimu stammered, her voice trembling as she struggled to come to terms with the situation, "I don't understand either. She..they..was different when I fought with her before. She didn't even looked like me at all! Now I can see Sakuya's face and even her voice is mixed with Sakuya!"
"Well, whatever she is, we can't let her face that thing alone, ze!" Marisa declared, her resolve hardening as she stared up at the figure, "We need to help her! That hunter or whatever is dangerous, and we can't just stand by and do nothing."
Reimu hesitated, her fear and doubt warring within her, but finally, she nodded, her expression determined as she met Marisa's gaze. "You're right. We can't let Rumia fight alone. We need to help her, no matter what."
"That's the spirit, ze!" Marisa exclaimed, grinning as she brandished her broomstick, "Let's go show that hunter who's boss!"
The two girls flew up towards the battle, ready to join forces with Rumia but before they could do so, Rumia suddenly shouted "Run!"
Reimu and Marisa suddenly felt something was wrong and both quickly separated from each other, dodging an attack that aimed at where they once was. Looking around, they were surprised to see the hunter now stood right behind Remilia and Flandre. They didn't even see her move as she hold a silver sword up in the air. The vampires turned in shock, their expressions a mix of fear and disbelief as they saw the figure, the Hunter, behind them and ready to strike.
'That's just like the maid!' Reimu thought, her mind racing as she tried to turn and get to the vampire sisters, 'She's gonna use the time stop and kill the vampires! I can't reach them in time!'
Reimu watched in horror as the scene unfolded before her. She could see the hunter's blade descending upon Remilia and Flandre in slow motion, their expressions a mix of fear and determination as they tried to evade the deadly blow. But it was clear that one of them wouldn't be able to escape in time. The blade was poised to strike, its silver edge gleaming in the moonlight. Time seemed to slow down as the blade descended, inch by inch, closer to its target.
But then, just as all seemed lost, a blur of movement caught Reimu's eye, and a spear suddenly appeared, blocking the path of the blade and saving the vampire sisters from certain doom. A tall woman with brown hair done in a bun and blue eyes appeared, her lean yet curvy figure dressed in simple clothes and wielding the spear that had saved the vampires' lives.
"Hold it right there, you scum!" the newcomer exclaimed, her voice strong and commanding as she glared at the Hunter, her eyes filled with righetous determination. "You dare attack these innocent people in their own home? I, Bree Sunkiller, shall put a stop to your villainy!"
As the newcomer, Bree, confronted the Hunter away from the vampires, another voice rang out from behind the group, "Hey, hey! Don't forget about us!~" Turning around, Reimu and others saw a fairy girl with red hair in twin tails, dressed in a yellow sundress and wearing a mischievous grin. Beside her were a massive group of fairies, maids or otherwise, their expressions a mix of excitement and nervousness for the maids or simply excitement for the rest.
"Mei, Mei Mindhaze, at your service!" the red haired girl announced, her tone playful yet confident, "And we're here to help you girls out! Ain't that right, ladies?"
"R-right!" "Oh yes!" "Let's do it!" "It's time to beat the bad guy!" The fairy maids hesitantly agreed while other fairies cheered loudly, their enthusiasm unbridled. Some even had weapons, mostly from kitchen, but some had actual swords and spears and similar weapons.
Marisa, who now stood beside the vampire sisters, let out a low whistle, her eyes wide with amazement, "Wow, I didn't expect this, ze. It's like we have our own little army here."
"Where the heck did all of these fairies come from?" Reimu murmured, her brow furrowed in confusion as she surveyed the group before she shook her head and stared at Remilia, "Anyway, you two should get back and hide somewhere safe. For some reason, she targets you two specifically"
"Ah, yes, you're right," Remilia said, her expression solemn as she and Flandre began to move away from the battle, "We'll leave it to you girls to take care of this. Be careful, and don't do anything reckless."
"Yeah! Be careful, okay? Don't get hurt!" Flandre called out, her voice full of worry and concern as she waved to the group before she and her sister left to find a safe place.
"Right, let's do this then, ze!" Marisa exclaimed, her eyes shining with determination as she held her broomstick firmly in her hands, "We'll show this creep what happens when you mess with the best!"
"Be careful you two" Rumia said as she landed between the two, her eyes fixed on the hunter and her expression serious, "The hunter is not someone to underestimate"
"I know, Rumia" Reimu replied, her voice firm and steady as she stared at the figure, "But we can't let her harm anyone else. We need to stop her, no matter what."
"Well then, time to bring an end to this weird incident of a day, ze!" Marisa declared, her grin wide and confident as she brandished her broomstick, "Let's show this creep who's boss!"
Rumia and Reimu nodded in agreement, and together they turned to face the figure, the three girls ready to confront the unknown assailant and put an end to the chaos that had befallen the Scarlet Devil Mansion.
Not the most satisfied with, especially with the latter half but I've gone ten drafts at least and it hits most of the plot I wanted. Pacing a bit of mess, slight overload of things especially since there are so many chars but I guess this is the limit of my writing skill for now. Not to myself in the future to revamped this if possible. Anyway, Stage 5 cleared and Stage 6 began, a bit of a rush and put together again, but I pretty much putting this out now than being burned out trying to chase something I couldn't achieve so I do apologise for the quality.
Bree: "Smuggling all those fairies before this began was worth it, maybe"
Mei: "Not sure why we're all here but lady said just make sure the vibe stays positive so, I am sure it will work out"
Remilia: "Why there are so many fairies?! What the hell is happening?!"
Flandre: Both shocked, confused and excited that her ability fails
Reimu: Too focused on the hunter, and why Rumia is big, to care
Rumia: "Damn it Hunter, you stole my possible take over of the incident and hurt Reimu!"
Marisa: "....Alice's food will have to wait longer huh? Sucks"
Bree: "Smuggling all those fairies before this began was worth it, maybe"
Mei: "Not sure why we're all here but lady said just make sure the vibe stays positive so, I am sure it will work out"
Remilia: "Why there are so many fairies?! What the hell is happening?!"
Flandre: Both shocked, confused and excited that her ability fails
Reimu: Too focused on the hunter, and why Rumia is big, to care
Rumia: "Damn it Hunter, you stole my possible take over of the incident and hurt Reimu!"
Marisa: "....Alice's food will have to wait longer huh? Sucks"
"...Vampires..." the figure spoke, her voice cold and devoid of emotion, yet the group felt the voice was familiar, a mix of Sakuya and Reimu "...Begone..monsters...your kinds...I'll kill...all of you"
"Y-you...! I won't let you do whatever you want again!" Reimu hissed, her anger and determination flaring but before she could, Reimu felt a hand on her shoulder, stopping her in her tracks. Turning her head, she was met with the sight of a familiar yet unknown figure, a woman with blonde hair and red eyes, her appearance similar to Rumia's yet different. The woman wore a black dress with red ribbon adorning her hair, her expression solemn and determined.
"You're..." Reimu trailed off, her eyes widening in recognition despite never seeing the woman, "You're ...Rumia? Why are you like that?"
"Reimu, please," Rumia, now in adult form and holding a sword of darkness covered in familiar talismans, spoke, her voice calm yet firm as she held the Miko back with her magic, "You're not ready to fight that thing yet. You need to stay back and let me handle this. I don't want you getting hurt again. Stay here, keep those vampires safe"
Before Reimu could even respond, Rumia quickly flew towards the Hunter who Marisa was currently fighting. Yet, it was clear that Marisa's attacks were ineffective as they simply phased through the figure.
"Why my attacks aren't working, ze?!" Marisa yelled, her frustration evident as she continued to unleash her magic on the unflinching Hunter, "This doesn't make sense! It's like Reimu's cheating with her phasing, but this is not Reimu!"
"Marisa! Get back! The hunter isn't someone you can handle!" Rumia shouted as she reached the witch, pushing her out of the way as the hunter finally moved and threw a familiar yin-yang orb at where the witch was moments ago. "Stay back and protect the others, this is not a fight for you"
"You?! Rum-" the witch didn't finish her words as Rumia glared at her, shutting the witch up. "Right. Whatever, ze. Just don't die or anything, ya hear!"
Meanwhile, Reimu was conflicted, torn between her desire to help and her fear of facing the Hunter again. She remembered the pain and humiliation of her previous defeat, the feeling of helplessness as the Hunter defeated her. Her instincts screamed at her to flee, to avoid another confrontation, but her heart ached at the thought of leaving her friend to face the danger alone and fulfilling her duty as Miko of Hakurei. "Rumia..."
"Oi, Reimu! What the heck, ze?!" Marisa exclaimed, her expression a mix of confusion and annoyance as she floated down beside the miko, "Since when did you have a copy that also looked like the maid?! And that girl, she has your ability to phase through attacks! This is cheating, ze!"
"I...I don't know," Reimu stammered, her voice trembling as she struggled to come to terms with the situation, "I don't understand either. She..they..was different when I fought with her before. She didn't even looked like me at all! Now I can see Sakuya's face and even her voice is mixed with Sakuya!"
"Well, whatever she is, we can't let her face that thing alone, ze!" Marisa declared, her resolve hardening as she stared up at the figure, "We need to help her! That hunter or whatever is dangerous, and we can't just stand by and do nothing."
Reimu hesitated, her fear and doubt warring within her, but finally, she nodded, her expression determined as she met Marisa's gaze. "You're right. We can't let Rumia fight alone. We need to help her, no matter what."
"That's the spirit, ze!" Marisa exclaimed, grinning as she brandished her broomstick, "Let's go show that hunter who's boss!"
The two girls flew up towards the battle, ready to join forces with Rumia but before they could do so, Rumia suddenly shouted "Run!"
Reimu and Marisa suddenly felt something was wrong and both quickly separated from each other, dodging an attack that aimed at where they once was. Looking around, they were surprised to see the hunter now stood right behind Remilia and Flandre. They didn't even see her move as she hold a silver sword up in the air. The vampires turned in shock, their expressions a mix of fear and disbelief as they saw the figure, the Hunter, behind them and ready to strike.
'That's just like the maid!' Reimu thought, her mind racing as she tried to turn and get to the vampire sisters, 'She's gonna use the time stop and kill the vampires! I can't reach them in time!'
Reimu watched in horror as the scene unfolded before her. She could see the hunter's blade descending upon Remilia and Flandre in slow motion, their expressions a mix of fear and determination as they tried to evade the deadly blow. But it was clear that one of them wouldn't be able to escape in time. The blade was poised to strike, its silver edge gleaming in the moonlight. Time seemed to slow down as the blade descended, inch by inch, closer to its target.
But then, just as all seemed lost, a blur of movement caught Reimu's eye, and a spear suddenly appeared, blocking the path of the blade and saving the vampire sisters from certain doom. A tall woman with brown hair done in a bun and blue eyes appeared, her lean yet curvy figure dressed in simple clothes and wielding the spear that had saved the vampires' lives.
"Hold it right there, you scum!" the newcomer exclaimed, her voice strong and commanding as she glared at the Hunter, her eyes filled with righetous determination. "You dare attack these innocent people in their own home? I, Bree Sunkiller, shall put a stop to your villainy!"
As the newcomer, Bree, confronted the Hunter away from the vampires, another voice rang out from behind the group, "Hey, hey! Don't forget about us!~" Turning around, Reimu and others saw a fairy girl with red hair in twin tails, dressed in a yellow sundress and wearing a mischievous grin. Beside her were a massive group of fairies, maids or otherwise, their expressions a mix of excitement and nervousness for the maids or simply excitement for the rest.
"Mei, Mei Mindhaze, at your service!" the red haired girl announced, her tone playful yet confident, "And we're here to help you girls out! Ain't that right, ladies?"
"R-right!" "Oh yes!" "Let's do it!" "It's time to beat the bad guy!" The fairy maids hesitantly agreed while other fairies cheered loudly, their enthusiasm unbridled. Some even had weapons, mostly from kitchen, but some had actual swords and spears and similar weapons.
Marisa, who now stood beside the vampire sisters, let out a low whistle, her eyes wide with amazement, "Wow, I didn't expect this, ze. It's like we have our own little army here."
"Where the heck did all of these fairies come from?" Reimu murmured, her brow furrowed in confusion as she surveyed the group before she shook her head and stared at Remilia, "Anyway, you two should get back and hide somewhere safe. For some reason, she targets you two specifically"
"Ah, yes, you're right," Remilia said, her expression solemn as she and Flandre began to move away from the battle, "We'll leave it to you girls to take care of this. Be careful, and don't do anything reckless."
"Yeah! Be careful, okay? Don't get hurt!" Flandre called out, her voice full of worry and concern as she waved to the group before she and her sister left to find a safe place.
"Right, let's do this then, ze!" Marisa exclaimed, her eyes shining with determination as she held her broomstick firmly in her hands, "We'll show this creep what happens when you mess with the best!"
"Be careful you two" Rumia said as she landed between the two, her eyes fixed on the hunter and her expression serious, "The hunter is not someone to underestimate"
"I know, Rumia" Reimu replied, her voice firm and steady as she stared at the figure, "But we can't let her harm anyone else. We need to stop her, no matter what."
"Well then, time to bring an end to this weird incident of a day, ze!" Marisa declared, her grin wide and confident as she brandished her broomstick, "Let's show this creep who's boss!"
Rumia and Reimu nodded in agreement, and together they turned to face the figure, the three girls ready to confront the unknown assailant and put an end to the chaos that had befallen the Scarlet Devil Mansion.
Not the most satisfied with, especially with the latter half but I've gone ten drafts at least and it hits most of the plot I wanted. Pacing a bit of mess, slight overload of things especially since there are so many chars but I guess this is the limit of my writing skill for now. Not to myself in the future to revamped this if possible. Anyway, Stage 5 cleared and Stage 6 began, a bit of a rush and put together again, but I pretty much putting this out now than being burned out trying to chase something I couldn't achieve so I do apologise for the quality.
Bree: "Smuggling all those fairies before this began was worth it, maybe"
Mei: "Not sure why we're all here but lady said just make sure the vibe stays positive so, I am sure it will work out"
Remilia: "Why there are so many fairies?! What the hell is happening?!"
Flandre: Both shocked, confused and excited that her ability fails
Reimu: Too focused on the hunter, and why Rumia is big, to care
Rumia: "Damn it Hunter, you stole my possible take over of the incident and hurt Reimu!"
Marisa: "....Alice's food will have to wait longer huh? Sucks"
Bree: "Smuggling all those fairies before this began was worth it, maybe"
Mei: "Not sure why we're all here but lady said just make sure the vibe stays positive so, I am sure it will work out"
Remilia: "Why there are so many fairies?! What the hell is happening?!"
Flandre: Both shocked, confused and excited that her ability fails
Reimu: Too focused on the hunter, and why Rumia is big, to care
Rumia: "Damn it Hunter, you stole my possible take over of the incident and hurt Reimu!"
Marisa: "....Alice's food will have to wait longer huh? Sucks"
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