Tangled Strings (Touhou SI)
- Thread starter Ylamona
- Start date
In the End, Someone Remember
Ylamona
Konlulu~
"...How are you feeling today?"
A woman in a nurse outfit entered the room. She held a tray with a steaming bowl of risotto. The room was dim, the curtains were closed, and the only source of light came from the bedside lamp. Yet her white uniform and brown hair stood out in the gloom. She walked silently across the floor and set the tray on the table next to the bed. A man lay on the bed, his wrinkled face drawn and his eyes sunken. His mouth was open, and his breathing was laboured.
The nurse smiled at him as she put her hand on his forehead. "I have your medicine, Mr. Anderson. I also brought some dinner if you're up for it."
"...Where's...where's my... daughter...?" The old man asked in a raspy voice.
"She's out right now, but she'll be back soon." The nurse said soothingly. "She went to get some things. Don't worry."
The nurse sat down on the edge of the bed. She took a spoonful of risotto from the bowl and blew on it gently to cool it before feeding it to the old man. He ate slowly and painfully.
"...How are you feeling today?" She asked him.
"...I'm fine..." the old man murmured weakly. "...Just tired..."
"I'm glad to hear that." She said. "You need to rest, Mr. Anderson."
"Who... who are you...?" The old man asked, looking at her in confusion. "I've never seen you before..."
"Don't worry about that," the nurse said. "I'm here to take care of you."
"You look like an angel." The old man said, staring at her in wonder.
"I get that a lot." The nurse laughed. "But I assure you I am not an angel."
"You sure?" The old man asked. "Because you look just like one. Are you here to take me away?"
"Maybe." The nurse smiled, patting his hand. "But I think that's a little premature, don't you?"
"Maybe..." The old man said quietly.
The nurse continued to feed him until the bowl was empty. She then wiped his mouth with a napkin and placed the tray on the bedside table. As she stood up, she saw that the old man was watching her, his eyes fixed on hers.
"Is there anything else you need?" she asked.
"...Can you... can you sit with me for a bit?" The old man asked. "Just talk to me... tell me what's going on in the world... anything... I'm lonely..."
"Of course," she said. She pulled a chair over and sat down next to him. "I can sit here as long as you want."
"...I'm sorry..." The old man muttered. "I must be a burden for you..."
"You are not a burden," she said, taking his hand. "You are a wonderful man. At age nine, you already know how to fix a bike. You are a hard worker. When you were in high school, you worked three jobs to pay for your tuition. When you saw a student you didn't know being bullied, you helped him, even though it meant you would get beaten yourself. After that, you became friends. A good one, too. You went to the same college and rented a flat together. Even though you were very busy with your part-time jobs, you still managed to get good grades. Your professor praised your work, and you got a good internship. Your friend didn't do so well. He couldn't find an internship, and he began doing poorly in school. You stayed up late to help him with his studies, even paid his rent when he was short on cash. You helped him get a job at a company, though it wasn't as good as yours".
"...A-ah..Andrew...that idiot..." The old man chuckled. "He was always... a handful... so careless and lazy... but... a good friend..."
The woman smiled and continued. "The he did, he would say you were a great friend and a good person too."
The old man nodded, smiling faintly. "...I'm glad... he's happy..."
The nurse smiled again as she helped him up so he could drink some water from a glass. She set him back down and wiped his lips with a napkin. Then she cleaned the mess on the table, putting everything on a tray and setting it aside. She pulled the blanket over the old man, tucking him in gently. He looked at her gratefully.
"...Thank you..." He said. "You... are an angel..."
"I'm not," she said, shaking her head. "But you can call me that if it makes you happy. I will check on you again tomorrow."
The old man closed his eyes, smiling, and fell asleep. The nurse left the room, closing the door behind her.
"...How are you feeling today, Mr. Anderson?"
A woman in a nurse outfit entered the room. She held a tray with a steaming bowl of porridge. The room was dim, the curtains were closed, and the only source of light came from the bedside lamp. Yet her white uniform and brown hair stood out in the gloom. She walked silently across the floor and set the tray on the table next to the bed.
"...Better..." The old man said. "A lot better... thank you..."
"I'm glad to hear that." She smiled at the old man. "I have your medicine, Mr. Anderson. And some breakfast."
The nurse sat down on the edge of the bed. The old man smiled weakly at the sight of the bowl of porridge she was carrying. She took a spoonful of porridge from the bowl and blew on it gently to cool it before feeding it to the old man. He ate slowly and painfully.
"You know... my daughter is getting married." The old man said. "In a few months. I hope I can last that long..."
"It was last year." The nurse shook her head. "It's been a year."
"Huh? Really?" The old man blinked. "I... don't remember..."
The nurse continued feeding him. She didn't reply to his question, instead continuing to spoon him porridge. When he finished, she wiped his mouth with a napkin and placed the tray on the bedside table.
"What was I saying?" The old man asked, his brow furrowed. "Oh, yes. My daughter is getting married in a few months. She's been seeing this boy for a few years now, and they're finally getting married. They're going to have a big wedding in the city."
"It was a small ceremony, but they looked happy." The nurse smiled. "She said to wish you well. They're living in an apartment downtown. It's not far from here."
"I wish I could see them." The old man sighed. "But I'm glad they're happy."
"You will." The nurse smiled. "They're coming to visit you soon."
"Are they?" The old man asked, smiling faintly. "That would be nice."
The nurse stood up and took the tray. As she walked towards the door, the old man called out to her.
"Miss... please... stay with me a bit longer..." The old man said. "Please..."
"All right," she said, setting the tray on the table again and sitting in the chair next to his bed. "What would you like to talk about?"
"I've been thinking..." The old man said. "About my life. I'm old now, and I've done a lot of things. I've had a good life, but I regret not doing more. There were so many things I wanted to do, but I was always too busy with work or family."
"That is a common feeling," she said. "Most people have the same regrets. You did well for yourself, though. You have a good family and a good job. What more do you want?"
"I don't know." The old man sighed. "It's just that... I feel like I could have done more. Maybe I should have travelled more when I was younger. Maybe I should have spent more time with my children. I just need more time... there's so much I want to do..."
"There's no such thing as having enough time," the nurse said. "Everyone has their own time. You've had a good, long life, Mr. Anderson. You should be proud of what you've done with it. Don't worry about the things you didn't do. Just be happy with the things you did."
"Maybe you're right." The old man sighed. "I'm just being greedy. I should be happy with what I've had."
"That's a good way to look at it." She smiled, "But also, you should never give up if you can"
The nurse stood up and picked up the tray. As she left the room, she heard him calling out.
"Miss... thank you..." The old man said. "I'll see you tomorrow..."
"...How are you feeling today, Mr. Anderson?"
A woman in a nurse outfit entered the room. She held a tray with a steaming bowl of chicken soup. The room was dim, the curtains were closed, and the only source of light came from the bedside lamp. Yet her white uniform and brown hair stood out in the gloom. She walked silently across the floor and set the tray on the table next to the bed.
"...Fine... thank you..." The old man said. "But... I don't think I'm going to make it much longer... my body... it's getting weaker..."
"Nonsense." The nurse smiled at the old man. "You're still strong. You can still talk, you can still eat. You can even walk if you want to. You're not that old yet."
"I'm an old man." The old man laughed. "Of course, I'm old. I've lived a long, full life"
The woman sat down on the edge of the bed. "Did you? You told me you wanted to do more."
"I did. But I've made peace with my regrets." The old man said. "I'm ready to die."
"Are you?" The nurse asked. "Are you really ready to die? Do you have no more unfinished business? Do you have no more things you want to do?"
"I've had a good life." The old man said. "I have no complaints."
"Everyone has unfinished business," she said. "No one is ever truly ready to die. Everyone wants to live a little longer, do a little more. It's human nature."
The old man didn't say anything for a while.
"I know I'm dying. I've lived a long, full life. But I'm afraid of what's next. What happens after death?" The old man asked.
The nurse smiled. "No one knows. Some believe in an afterlife, while others believe that it's the end. You'll find out when you get there."
"Maybe you're right." The old man smiled. "I'm afraid, but also a little excited. I've always wanted to know what happens when you die."
The nurse continued. "There are many things you can do before you die. You can go on a vacation. You can learn a new skill. You can write a book. You can travel to distant lands. You can try new things. You can fall in love. You can make new friends. You can have new experiences. You can live your life to the fullest, and then, when you're ready, you can die happy, knowing that you've lived a good life. There are still time. Time is not a problem, it's your willingness to take a chance and do it."
"You make it sound so easy," he said. "It's not that simple. I'm too old. I'm too sick. I don't have the energy or the will to do any of those things."
"Is that so?" The nurse smiled. "You seem to have plenty of energy to talk. If you can talk, you can do other things. You're not that sick. You can still move your hands, your arms, your legs, and your feet. You're not that weak. You can still eat, drink, and go to the toilet by yourself. You're not that old. You've lived a good life. There are still things you can do. You just need to have the courage to do it. All you need is a simple magic called willingness. As long you're willing, there's always a way."
"...Maybe you're right." The old man smiled. "...Thank you."
"...How are you feeling today, Mr. Anderson?"
A woman in a nurse outfit entered the room. She held a tray with a steaming bowl of porridge. The room was dim, the curtains were closed, and the only source of light came from the bedside lamp. Yet her white uniform and brown hair stood out in the gloom. She walked silently across the floor and set the tray on the table next to the bed.
"...Never better..." The old man said. "How... how is my daughter...? She's coming soon, right...? I want to see her..."
"She is." The nurse smiled at the old man. "She's coming tomorrow."
"Good... good..." The old man smiled weakly. "I want to see her... I miss her so much..."
The nurse smiled and helped the old man up so he could drink some water from a glass. She wiped his mouth with a napkin and helped him lay back down. "She misses you too."
The nurse stood up and began cleaning the room. She opened the windows to let fresh air in, dusted the furniture, and straightened the sheets on the bed. The old man watched her with tired eyes.
"...You know..." The old man said. "I've been thinking... about what happens after death... I don't think I'm ready to die just yet... there's so much I still want to do... so much I've never done..."
"You're not going to die yet, Mr. Anderson." The nurse smiled. "You're still strong."
"No, no, I know I'm dying." The old man shook his head. "I can feel it in my bones. I don't have long to live. But... I'm not ready to go just yet. There are still things I want to do."
The nurse finished cleaning the room and sat down next to him. "What do you want to do, Mr. Anderson?"
"I want to see the world. I've never traveled much. I want to visit Paris, Rome, and other places. I want to see the Eiffel Tower and the Coliseum. I want to go to the beach and swim in the ocean. I want to climb a mountain and see the sunrise. I want to try exotic food and meet new people. I want to learn new things. I want to fall in love again. I want to have an adventure. I want to live my life to the fullest."
The old man coughed, his voice growing weaker. "But I'm too old and sick to do any of those things now. I'm going to die without ever doing them. It's a shame. I've lived a good life. I should be content with what I've done. But I'm not. I'm still greedy. I still want more."
The nurse simply smiled. "It's normal to want more. To desire is to be human. But we both know those aren't what you truly desire. What you truly want is to see your family, to tell them you love them. But you can't. They're too far away, and you're too weak. You can't even get out of bed anymore. You're helpless, dependent, a burden to everyone around you. You want to die. You're ready to die. But you're also afraid to die. You don't want to die alone. You want to see your daughter. You want to tell her you love her. You want to hold her hand one last time. You want to say goodbye."
The old man didn't reply, his breathing was heavy. The nurse continued. "You can still do all those things, Mr. Anderson. You can still see your daughter, you can still tell her you love her, and you can still say goodbye. You can do it right now. You don't have to wait for tomorrow. You can do it right now. All you have to do is ask for it. Just ask and I'll grant you your wish."
The old man remained silent for a while, his face scrunched up as if he was concentrating on something. The nurse waited patiently for him to speak.
"...Please..." The old man finally said. "...I want to see her..."
The nurse smiled. "As you wish."
She reached into her pocket and pulled out an envelope. She handed it to the old man. He looked at it in confusion, then back at her. "What's this?"
"Your daughter wrote you a letter." The nurse said. "She wanted to give it to you in person, but she couldn't make it today. She asked me to deliver it to you instead."
"Oh." The old man said. "Thank you."
He opened the letter and began to read. As he did, tears started flowing down his cheeks. He finished reading the letter and folded it up, tucking it under his pillow.
"Thank you." He said, his voice choked up with emotion. "I'm so happy I could read it."
"You're welcome, Mr. Anderson." The nurse smiled. "Now, please close your eyes and rest. You've had a long day."
"...All right..." The old man smiled weakly. "I'll see her tomorrow..."
"Yes, you will." The nurse smiled. "Goodbye, Mr. Anderson."
She turned to leave, but stopped when she heard the old man's voice. "...Miss... please... stay with me a little longer... I don't want to die alone..."
"Of course, Mr. Anderson." The nurse smiled. "I'll stay with you until the end."
She sat back down on the chair next to his bed. The old man closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep. As he slept, his breathing became slower and more shallow. The nurse watched him quietly. After a few minutes, she reached out and touched his neck, feeling for a pulse. When she found none, she sighed, stood up, and left the room, leaving behind the old man's lifeless body.
It was raining. A woman in a black dress stood in a graveyard. A funeral was being held for a man named John Anderson. The coffin was being lowered into the grave. The woman was standing at the edge of the hole, looking down at the coffin. She had long blonde hair, and was wearing a black dress and a black hat. Her eyes were closed, and her hands were clasped in front of her. She was crying.
"Mr. Anderson was a great man," the priest said. "He was a loving father, a loyal friend, and a hard worker. He will be missed by all who knew him. Let us pray."
Everyone bowed their heads and closed their eyes. After a moment, they opened them again and began to walk away. The woman was the last to leave. She looked at the coffin one last time before turning and walking away. As she left, the rain started to pour down harder, soaking her clothes and washing away her tears.
As she walked out of the graveyard, she noticed that she wasn't alone. There was a woman in a nurse outfit holding an umbrella. The nurse had long brown hair and was wearing a white uniform. Her face was expressionless, and her eyes were cold.
They looked at each other for a moment. Then, the woman in black walked past the nurse. As she passed, she felt a chill run down her spine. She turned around and saw that the nurse was no longer standing there. It was as if she had never existed. The woman in black shuddered and continued walking to her car.
As the woman got inside the car, she noticed a letter on the dashboard. A letter she was sure wasn't there before. She picked up the letter and saw that it was addressed to her. The woman opened the letter and began to read. The handwriting was messy and the paper was stained with tears. The woman's eyes filled with tears as she finished reading the letter. It was from her father, and it was a beautiful message of love.
"I'm sorry for not being there for you." He wrote. "I'm sorry for not being a better father. I love you so much. I want you to know that. I'm proud of you. I'm glad you're my daughter."
The woman in black wept as she clutched the letter to her chest. She was grateful to have this last message from her father. She was happy to know that he loved her. But she was also sad that she didn't get to say goodbye to him. That she didn't get a chance to tell him she loved him too.
She looked up at the sky, and saw that the rain had stopped.
A woman in a nurse outfit entered the room. She held a tray with a steaming bowl of risotto. The room was dim, the curtains were closed, and the only source of light came from the bedside lamp. Yet her white uniform and brown hair stood out in the gloom. She walked silently across the floor and set the tray on the table next to the bed. A man lay on the bed, his wrinkled face drawn and his eyes sunken. His mouth was open, and his breathing was laboured.
The nurse smiled at him as she put her hand on his forehead. "I have your medicine, Mr. Anderson. I also brought some dinner if you're up for it."
"...Where's...where's my... daughter...?" The old man asked in a raspy voice.
"She's out right now, but she'll be back soon." The nurse said soothingly. "She went to get some things. Don't worry."
The nurse sat down on the edge of the bed. She took a spoonful of risotto from the bowl and blew on it gently to cool it before feeding it to the old man. He ate slowly and painfully.
"...How are you feeling today?" She asked him.
"...I'm fine..." the old man murmured weakly. "...Just tired..."
"I'm glad to hear that." She said. "You need to rest, Mr. Anderson."
"Who... who are you...?" The old man asked, looking at her in confusion. "I've never seen you before..."
"Don't worry about that," the nurse said. "I'm here to take care of you."
"You look like an angel." The old man said, staring at her in wonder.
"I get that a lot." The nurse laughed. "But I assure you I am not an angel."
"You sure?" The old man asked. "Because you look just like one. Are you here to take me away?"
"Maybe." The nurse smiled, patting his hand. "But I think that's a little premature, don't you?"
"Maybe..." The old man said quietly.
The nurse continued to feed him until the bowl was empty. She then wiped his mouth with a napkin and placed the tray on the bedside table. As she stood up, she saw that the old man was watching her, his eyes fixed on hers.
"Is there anything else you need?" she asked.
"...Can you... can you sit with me for a bit?" The old man asked. "Just talk to me... tell me what's going on in the world... anything... I'm lonely..."
"Of course," she said. She pulled a chair over and sat down next to him. "I can sit here as long as you want."
"...I'm sorry..." The old man muttered. "I must be a burden for you..."
"You are not a burden," she said, taking his hand. "You are a wonderful man. At age nine, you already know how to fix a bike. You are a hard worker. When you were in high school, you worked three jobs to pay for your tuition. When you saw a student you didn't know being bullied, you helped him, even though it meant you would get beaten yourself. After that, you became friends. A good one, too. You went to the same college and rented a flat together. Even though you were very busy with your part-time jobs, you still managed to get good grades. Your professor praised your work, and you got a good internship. Your friend didn't do so well. He couldn't find an internship, and he began doing poorly in school. You stayed up late to help him with his studies, even paid his rent when he was short on cash. You helped him get a job at a company, though it wasn't as good as yours".
"...A-ah..Andrew...that idiot..." The old man chuckled. "He was always... a handful... so careless and lazy... but... a good friend..."
The woman smiled and continued. "The he did, he would say you were a great friend and a good person too."
The old man nodded, smiling faintly. "...I'm glad... he's happy..."
The nurse smiled again as she helped him up so he could drink some water from a glass. She set him back down and wiped his lips with a napkin. Then she cleaned the mess on the table, putting everything on a tray and setting it aside. She pulled the blanket over the old man, tucking him in gently. He looked at her gratefully.
"...Thank you..." He said. "You... are an angel..."
"I'm not," she said, shaking her head. "But you can call me that if it makes you happy. I will check on you again tomorrow."
The old man closed his eyes, smiling, and fell asleep. The nurse left the room, closing the door behind her.
"...How are you feeling today, Mr. Anderson?"
A woman in a nurse outfit entered the room. She held a tray with a steaming bowl of porridge. The room was dim, the curtains were closed, and the only source of light came from the bedside lamp. Yet her white uniform and brown hair stood out in the gloom. She walked silently across the floor and set the tray on the table next to the bed.
"...Better..." The old man said. "A lot better... thank you..."
"I'm glad to hear that." She smiled at the old man. "I have your medicine, Mr. Anderson. And some breakfast."
The nurse sat down on the edge of the bed. The old man smiled weakly at the sight of the bowl of porridge she was carrying. She took a spoonful of porridge from the bowl and blew on it gently to cool it before feeding it to the old man. He ate slowly and painfully.
"You know... my daughter is getting married." The old man said. "In a few months. I hope I can last that long..."
"It was last year." The nurse shook her head. "It's been a year."
"Huh? Really?" The old man blinked. "I... don't remember..."
The nurse continued feeding him. She didn't reply to his question, instead continuing to spoon him porridge. When he finished, she wiped his mouth with a napkin and placed the tray on the bedside table.
"What was I saying?" The old man asked, his brow furrowed. "Oh, yes. My daughter is getting married in a few months. She's been seeing this boy for a few years now, and they're finally getting married. They're going to have a big wedding in the city."
"It was a small ceremony, but they looked happy." The nurse smiled. "She said to wish you well. They're living in an apartment downtown. It's not far from here."
"I wish I could see them." The old man sighed. "But I'm glad they're happy."
"You will." The nurse smiled. "They're coming to visit you soon."
"Are they?" The old man asked, smiling faintly. "That would be nice."
The nurse stood up and took the tray. As she walked towards the door, the old man called out to her.
"Miss... please... stay with me a bit longer..." The old man said. "Please..."
"All right," she said, setting the tray on the table again and sitting in the chair next to his bed. "What would you like to talk about?"
"I've been thinking..." The old man said. "About my life. I'm old now, and I've done a lot of things. I've had a good life, but I regret not doing more. There were so many things I wanted to do, but I was always too busy with work or family."
"That is a common feeling," she said. "Most people have the same regrets. You did well for yourself, though. You have a good family and a good job. What more do you want?"
"I don't know." The old man sighed. "It's just that... I feel like I could have done more. Maybe I should have travelled more when I was younger. Maybe I should have spent more time with my children. I just need more time... there's so much I want to do..."
"There's no such thing as having enough time," the nurse said. "Everyone has their own time. You've had a good, long life, Mr. Anderson. You should be proud of what you've done with it. Don't worry about the things you didn't do. Just be happy with the things you did."
"Maybe you're right." The old man sighed. "I'm just being greedy. I should be happy with what I've had."
"That's a good way to look at it." She smiled, "But also, you should never give up if you can"
The nurse stood up and picked up the tray. As she left the room, she heard him calling out.
"Miss... thank you..." The old man said. "I'll see you tomorrow..."
"...How are you feeling today, Mr. Anderson?"
A woman in a nurse outfit entered the room. She held a tray with a steaming bowl of chicken soup. The room was dim, the curtains were closed, and the only source of light came from the bedside lamp. Yet her white uniform and brown hair stood out in the gloom. She walked silently across the floor and set the tray on the table next to the bed.
"...Fine... thank you..." The old man said. "But... I don't think I'm going to make it much longer... my body... it's getting weaker..."
"Nonsense." The nurse smiled at the old man. "You're still strong. You can still talk, you can still eat. You can even walk if you want to. You're not that old yet."
"I'm an old man." The old man laughed. "Of course, I'm old. I've lived a long, full life"
The woman sat down on the edge of the bed. "Did you? You told me you wanted to do more."
"I did. But I've made peace with my regrets." The old man said. "I'm ready to die."
"Are you?" The nurse asked. "Are you really ready to die? Do you have no more unfinished business? Do you have no more things you want to do?"
"I've had a good life." The old man said. "I have no complaints."
"Everyone has unfinished business," she said. "No one is ever truly ready to die. Everyone wants to live a little longer, do a little more. It's human nature."
The old man didn't say anything for a while.
"I know I'm dying. I've lived a long, full life. But I'm afraid of what's next. What happens after death?" The old man asked.
The nurse smiled. "No one knows. Some believe in an afterlife, while others believe that it's the end. You'll find out when you get there."
"Maybe you're right." The old man smiled. "I'm afraid, but also a little excited. I've always wanted to know what happens when you die."
The nurse continued. "There are many things you can do before you die. You can go on a vacation. You can learn a new skill. You can write a book. You can travel to distant lands. You can try new things. You can fall in love. You can make new friends. You can have new experiences. You can live your life to the fullest, and then, when you're ready, you can die happy, knowing that you've lived a good life. There are still time. Time is not a problem, it's your willingness to take a chance and do it."
"You make it sound so easy," he said. "It's not that simple. I'm too old. I'm too sick. I don't have the energy or the will to do any of those things."
"Is that so?" The nurse smiled. "You seem to have plenty of energy to talk. If you can talk, you can do other things. You're not that sick. You can still move your hands, your arms, your legs, and your feet. You're not that weak. You can still eat, drink, and go to the toilet by yourself. You're not that old. You've lived a good life. There are still things you can do. You just need to have the courage to do it. All you need is a simple magic called willingness. As long you're willing, there's always a way."
"...Maybe you're right." The old man smiled. "...Thank you."
"...How are you feeling today, Mr. Anderson?"
A woman in a nurse outfit entered the room. She held a tray with a steaming bowl of porridge. The room was dim, the curtains were closed, and the only source of light came from the bedside lamp. Yet her white uniform and brown hair stood out in the gloom. She walked silently across the floor and set the tray on the table next to the bed.
"...Never better..." The old man said. "How... how is my daughter...? She's coming soon, right...? I want to see her..."
"She is." The nurse smiled at the old man. "She's coming tomorrow."
"Good... good..." The old man smiled weakly. "I want to see her... I miss her so much..."
The nurse smiled and helped the old man up so he could drink some water from a glass. She wiped his mouth with a napkin and helped him lay back down. "She misses you too."
The nurse stood up and began cleaning the room. She opened the windows to let fresh air in, dusted the furniture, and straightened the sheets on the bed. The old man watched her with tired eyes.
"...You know..." The old man said. "I've been thinking... about what happens after death... I don't think I'm ready to die just yet... there's so much I still want to do... so much I've never done..."
"You're not going to die yet, Mr. Anderson." The nurse smiled. "You're still strong."
"No, no, I know I'm dying." The old man shook his head. "I can feel it in my bones. I don't have long to live. But... I'm not ready to go just yet. There are still things I want to do."
The nurse finished cleaning the room and sat down next to him. "What do you want to do, Mr. Anderson?"
"I want to see the world. I've never traveled much. I want to visit Paris, Rome, and other places. I want to see the Eiffel Tower and the Coliseum. I want to go to the beach and swim in the ocean. I want to climb a mountain and see the sunrise. I want to try exotic food and meet new people. I want to learn new things. I want to fall in love again. I want to have an adventure. I want to live my life to the fullest."
The old man coughed, his voice growing weaker. "But I'm too old and sick to do any of those things now. I'm going to die without ever doing them. It's a shame. I've lived a good life. I should be content with what I've done. But I'm not. I'm still greedy. I still want more."
The nurse simply smiled. "It's normal to want more. To desire is to be human. But we both know those aren't what you truly desire. What you truly want is to see your family, to tell them you love them. But you can't. They're too far away, and you're too weak. You can't even get out of bed anymore. You're helpless, dependent, a burden to everyone around you. You want to die. You're ready to die. But you're also afraid to die. You don't want to die alone. You want to see your daughter. You want to tell her you love her. You want to hold her hand one last time. You want to say goodbye."
The old man didn't reply, his breathing was heavy. The nurse continued. "You can still do all those things, Mr. Anderson. You can still see your daughter, you can still tell her you love her, and you can still say goodbye. You can do it right now. You don't have to wait for tomorrow. You can do it right now. All you have to do is ask for it. Just ask and I'll grant you your wish."
The old man remained silent for a while, his face scrunched up as if he was concentrating on something. The nurse waited patiently for him to speak.
"...Please..." The old man finally said. "...I want to see her..."
The nurse smiled. "As you wish."
She reached into her pocket and pulled out an envelope. She handed it to the old man. He looked at it in confusion, then back at her. "What's this?"
"Your daughter wrote you a letter." The nurse said. "She wanted to give it to you in person, but she couldn't make it today. She asked me to deliver it to you instead."
"Oh." The old man said. "Thank you."
He opened the letter and began to read. As he did, tears started flowing down his cheeks. He finished reading the letter and folded it up, tucking it under his pillow.
"Thank you." He said, his voice choked up with emotion. "I'm so happy I could read it."
"You're welcome, Mr. Anderson." The nurse smiled. "Now, please close your eyes and rest. You've had a long day."
"...All right..." The old man smiled weakly. "I'll see her tomorrow..."
"Yes, you will." The nurse smiled. "Goodbye, Mr. Anderson."
She turned to leave, but stopped when she heard the old man's voice. "...Miss... please... stay with me a little longer... I don't want to die alone..."
"Of course, Mr. Anderson." The nurse smiled. "I'll stay with you until the end."
She sat back down on the chair next to his bed. The old man closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep. As he slept, his breathing became slower and more shallow. The nurse watched him quietly. After a few minutes, she reached out and touched his neck, feeling for a pulse. When she found none, she sighed, stood up, and left the room, leaving behind the old man's lifeless body.
It was raining. A woman in a black dress stood in a graveyard. A funeral was being held for a man named John Anderson. The coffin was being lowered into the grave. The woman was standing at the edge of the hole, looking down at the coffin. She had long blonde hair, and was wearing a black dress and a black hat. Her eyes were closed, and her hands were clasped in front of her. She was crying.
"Mr. Anderson was a great man," the priest said. "He was a loving father, a loyal friend, and a hard worker. He will be missed by all who knew him. Let us pray."
Everyone bowed their heads and closed their eyes. After a moment, they opened them again and began to walk away. The woman was the last to leave. She looked at the coffin one last time before turning and walking away. As she left, the rain started to pour down harder, soaking her clothes and washing away her tears.
As she walked out of the graveyard, she noticed that she wasn't alone. There was a woman in a nurse outfit holding an umbrella. The nurse had long brown hair and was wearing a white uniform. Her face was expressionless, and her eyes were cold.
They looked at each other for a moment. Then, the woman in black walked past the nurse. As she passed, she felt a chill run down her spine. She turned around and saw that the nurse was no longer standing there. It was as if she had never existed. The woman in black shuddered and continued walking to her car.
As the woman got inside the car, she noticed a letter on the dashboard. A letter she was sure wasn't there before. She picked up the letter and saw that it was addressed to her. The woman opened the letter and began to read. The handwriting was messy and the paper was stained with tears. The woman's eyes filled with tears as she finished reading the letter. It was from her father, and it was a beautiful message of love.
"I'm sorry for not being there for you." He wrote. "I'm sorry for not being a better father. I love you so much. I want you to know that. I'm proud of you. I'm glad you're my daughter."
The woman in black wept as she clutched the letter to her chest. She was grateful to have this last message from her father. She was happy to know that he loved her. But she was also sad that she didn't get to say goodbye to him. That she didn't get a chance to tell him she loved him too.
She looked up at the sky, and saw that the rain had stopped.
Just something quick while I resting from drafting other ones. I don't know if should be sidestory or apocrypha but enjoy?
Woven Synchronicity ~ Scarlet Rising
Ylamona
Konlulu~
"Brothers and sisters! The time has come for a change of guard!" The voice rang out through the hall, echoing around the marble pillars that held up the roof. "The old ways have failed us and our leader is too weak to admit it. It's time to take a new path, one that will bring us back to the glory we used to have."
The hall was dimly lit, the flickering light of hundreds of candles illuminating the crowd of people. They were dressed in various fancy or revealing clothes, and they held goblets filled with blood. Smells of incense, and other drugs filled the air, along with the sound of their breathing. Even as they enjoyed the hedonism of their gathering, their attention was fixed on the speaker.
The speaker stood on a platform, dressed in a long black coat, which he opened with a flourish revealing his pale chest. His black hair was slicked back, and a pair of sunglasses covered his red eyes. He smiled, revealing a pair of fangs. "For too long we have allowed the mortals to dictate the rules of engagement, to force us to hide in the shadows, to skulk about in the night like rats. No more! I say it is time for us to take our rightful place as the rulers of this world!"
The crowd roared with approval, their voices echoing around the hall. It was a motley collection of people. Some were vampires, dressed in extravagant clothing. Others were human servants or thralls, dressed in less expensive clothing. Some were barely dressed at all, wearing nothing more than lingerie. As the applause died down, he continued. "But first, we must deal with the old order. We must destroy those who stand in our way and take their place. Only then can we truly be free to rule as we were meant to!"
The crowd cheered once more, their voices louder than before. "Now, let the ceremony begin!" He turned to the centre of the platform, where a large pentagram was painted on the floor. At each point of the star stood a human, bound and gagged. They struggled against their bonds, but they were helpless. In the centre of the circle, there was a large stone altar, upon which lay a young woman. She was dressed in a simple white gown, her blonde hair spread out beneath her. Her hands and feet were tied to the altar with ropes.
The speaker stepped forward, drawing a dagger from his belt. He raised it high above his head, and then plunged it into the girl's heart. She screamed as the blade pierced her flesh, her body convulsing violently. The crowd watched in silence, their faces lit by the glow of the candles. After a moment, the girl fell still, her eyes staring sightlessly up at the ceiling.
"Now we call upon the ancient ones, the lords of darkness and shadow," the speaker intoned. "Hear our plea, oh mighty ones. Hear our call, and answer us."
The crowd murmured in unison, chanting in an ancient language. "We summon thee, oh great ones. Come to us, and grant us your power."
The speaker raised his hands to the sky, and the pentagram began to glow with an unearthly light. The light grew brighter and brighter until it was almost blinding. Then, suddenly, it vanished. Standing in the centre of the circle, where the girl had been, were two figures.
One was a young woman, with the quiet confidence of someone who commands attention without effort, someone accustomed to others bending to her will. Her hair, a silvery shade of blue, is cut short, framing her face. Her eyes, a piercing red, hold a steady, commanding gaze that makes it difficult to look away. She wore a frilly pink mob cap and a pink dress with a red ribbon and a small red gemstone sits on the dress' collar, catching the light and adding a regal touch. The entire ensemble hints at both refinement and the power despite its deceptively simple style. A pair of bat-like wings sprouting from her back. She looked at the speaker with disdain. "So you've the fools that have been bothering us?"
The other figure was a child, no more than ten years old. Her blonde hair falls around her shoulders in gentle waves, adorned with a single red ribbon tied on one side. She wears a simple but elegant dress, mostly red with white accents that contrast against her pale skin, giving her an almost doll-like appearance. The dress flares slightly at her knees, playful and childlike, with a hint of lace along the hem. But perhaps her most striking feature is behind her—her wings. Unlike the bat-like wings of the other girl, hers are skeletal and unusual, with multi-coloured crystals hanging like prisms along each wing's frame, catching the light and casting small rainbows around her. They're fragile-looking yet strangely beautiful, like stained glass.. She had a bent black metallic staff in her hand. She looked around the room with wide eyes, taking in the crowd of people. "Wow, sis. You never said we'd get to meet this many people. Can I play with them now?"
The vampires in the crowd fell silent, their expressions ranging from shock and ignorant amusement as they began to laugh. While some rare few quickly tried to hide or resigned and simply sat down or kneeled. Meanwhile the speaker's face twisted in outrage. "You- You! How dare you speak to me like that, you insolent little-"
"Flan" the young woman spoke simply.
The child looked at the speaker, and suddenly his head exploded, sending bits of brain and bone flying everywhere. The rest of the crowd recoiled in horror, their laughter turning to screams of terror. The young woman sighed, looking around at the crowd. "Honestly, you people are so easily startled. I thought you were supposed to be vampires. Leave the ones smart enough to recognise their situation, Flan"
"And how about the rest, Remilia?" the child asked.
"Do as you wish. Try not to make too much mess" the young woman as she took out a fan and started to fanned herself.
"Yay!" the child shouted. With that, she leapt into the air, her wings beating rapidly. She flew around the hall, laughing gleefully as she killed vampires and thralls alike with her staff. She was a blur of motion, moving from one victim to the next. Some of the braver or more foolish members of the crowd tried to fight back, but they were no match for her.
Remilia watched with a bored expression as Flandre tore through the crowd, before turning to the few vampires who had the sense to sit down. "I believe you either know of me or at least recognise your betters. Good. Now I want you to tell me everything you know about this little party of yours. And don't leave out any details." she said, snapping her fan shut with a sharp crack.
Flandre continued her rampage as Remilia listened to the slightly-less-foolish vampires' attempts at self-preservation and grovelling. Even for someone of her nature, it was tiring parsing through the sycophancy to get to the information. But she knew how this song and dance went, even after so long since she had to deal with this. Though Remilia must admit, she didn't expect vampires to be so prolific in recent years as she listened to their explanation of how and why they gathered here.
It had been decades since Remilia had last encountered such a gathering, and even then Remilia never was one to care about anyone outside her mansion. To think vampires arrived and spread all around the American continent, hidden among the humans. Even as Remilia knew the vampires in front of her are the weaker, most pathetic dregs of her kind, the fact that they were so numerous and well-entrenched in human society was surprising to say the least. It was amusing to hear they divided by 'lineage' for the type of vampires they were, such as one for the more classical vampire or one for the more bestial vampires, on top of having their own little clans and houses that ruled some cities and territories.
She was also surprised that the humans had managed to stay largely ignorant of the vampires' existence. But then again, humans were always good at denying the things they didn't want to see or believe. That was why Gensokyo was made, after all, Remilia mused.
Remilia had been content to ignore them, content to continue her life in Gensokyo. However, ever since the rise of restless spirit in Gensokyo just a week before All Hallows' Eve, her mansion had been besieged by some sort of magic that sent much more sinister, tortured souls and spirits to her mansion, something that seemed to affect only them. While harmless for the two vampires and stronger residents, they couldn't enjoy Hallowed day at all with the moans and presence of the tortured dead. Not to mention it caused harm to some of the maid, to one of the people under her protection. And as she arrived here using a counter ritual Patchouli devised alongside those curious magicians in black, Remilia found out the fools didn't even realise what they were doing. They thought they were summoning a powerful demon or devil to increase their power, and they did it on a period of time when the boundaries between the world of the dead and the living are at their weakest. And of course they just used a summoning circle and ritual that was flawed enough that Patchouli would no doubt berate them for their incompetence. Remilia was somewhat impressed that they managed to conjure up a ritual that messed up this much, if she wasn't so annoyed.
"So pray tell, what did you even think of accomplishing?" Remilia finally asked.
One of the vampires, a man with a scar across his face, spoke up. "We thought we could use it to summon a demon, one powerful enough to help us take over the city. We thought it would give us an edge against the other clans and the slayer."
Remilia laughed. It was a cold, cruel sound that sent shivers down the spines of everyone in the room. "You thought you could control a being like that? You really are fools, aren't you? Did you truly think a being of such power could be controlled by such a pathetic ritual? Even if you were successful, you'd be torn apart before you could even blink." She shook her head. "No, I think you're all better off without that kind of power. It would have destroyed you, but I suppose you all are too young and ignorant to understand that."
One of the vampires, an old man that was the quickest to sit down and the one that seemed the most sensible, spoke up with a respectful tone. "Pardon our foolishness, most of us are too young and ignorant of the world to know better. I have lived for two hundred and twenty years, but I was one of the rare few that didn't live in the old world. I only heard tales of the great vampire lords and ladies that ruled in the old days, but it seems I have been blessed with the chance to meet one of the true lords of darkness. Please, be merciful. I can promise you that I and my family would be willing to serve you in exchange for protection."
"I have no need for more servants," Remilia said dismissively. "But you do amuse me, and I am not without mercy. Very well, I will spare your lives. The rest of you too, so long as you remember your place. I have no interest in ruling over the likes of you. Simply leave us be."
"Of course, my lady." the old vampire said, bowing deeply before pausing as Remilia held her hand up.
"Repeat once more about these other clans and their supposed plans for the hallowed day. Your prattling earlier is too incoherent." Remilia ordered, the vampires looked at each other before the scarred man not-so-subtly pushed a glasses-wearing woman to the front.
The woman stumbled a little before bowing and spoke up. "W-well, my lady. There's a lot of different groups and they all have their own goals, but I supposed you weren't interested in the uh, smaller ones. There are a few that plan to make a big move tomorrow or the night after, to increase their standing and rule in the city or state. I believe the closest ones are the Redwater Clan, they planned to take over a nearby town by turning the populace to thralls or vampires en masse under cover of Halloween parties and festivities. They always did have a fascination with the old world's methods."
"They are a bunch of traditionalists with too much free time and not enough ambition. No offence to you, of course, my lady." The old man interrupted before he was silenced with a glare from Remilia.
"A-and then there's the Darkwind clan, who plan to use some sort of drugs or plague, they call it the 'red plague', to control a good chunk of the city's populace by infecting them. Then they can turn them to thralls or zombie-like things to cause chaos so they could easily come out on top, supposedly." the woman continued with a quickened pace.
"They're a bunch of cowards, my lady. They're too scared to do anything themselves, so they use others to fight for them." one of the younger vampires interjected before he was also silenced by a glare from Remilia.
"Our own, well I am just here for my own purpose, I have no clan. But the leader of the clan who gathered us here, the Nightseekers, plans to summon a demon or something of the like, and use it to take on the other clans and houses before the others can carry out their plans. I'm sure they have some other plans to deal with the other clans in the city, if they don't just use their main plan to take over the entire city of Blackmoore" the woman finished her explanation with a bow.
Remilia nodded, satisfied. "So I see. Anything else?"
"There's the biggest House that ruled over this state practically, House Dracon. I-I've heard of their plan but they were..." the glasses-wearing woman trailed off.
"Idiotic" A younger, probably teenage vampire piped up.
"Insane" The older man continued.
"Sacrilege" The scarred man growled, earning him a raised eyebrow from Remilia.
"They want to do two things, first is to cause an eternal eclipse that would make the world plunge into eternal night, which would make the vampires more powerful than ever." The younger one said with a scoff.
"You mean plunging the entire world into catastrophe? The moment they force a moon to stay still the earth would shake and the tides would go wild. Do they not teach you science and astronomy in your fancy human schools?" Remilia asked incredulously. "And even if they do, that would just mean every creature, not just vampires, would be more active in the night. Do you know how much that would backfire?"
"W-well, we thought the same but we're just a bunch of small clans compared to House Dracon and their allies. They are like the nobles in the old world." The scarred man said.
Remilia scoffed, "That's not even counting the other supernatural beings, who are most likely to be unhappy with you changing the nature of the world so much. Fading they might be, the Gods and great spirits would surely be displeased by such audacity. And I don't have to remind you the last time that happened to our kind"
"O-oh" the glasses-wearing woman said, gulping as she remembered her history lessons.
Remilia shook her head, dismissing their foolishness. "And the second plan?"
"They want to revive Lord Dracula, the greatest lord of darkness that ever existed. Supposedly they have found a way to bring him back from the dead." The glasses-wearing woman said.
All at once, the air in the hall changed. The candles flickered and the shadows grew darker. Pressure seemed to weigh down on the assembled vampires, pressing them to their knees. No, it wasn't just their imagination as even the floor and pillars start to creak as if being pressed by a giant invisible weight. Only the old man was able to remain standing, if only barely as he visibly trembled. The vampires began to whimper and moan, their eyes wide with terror. Even Flandre paused her 'playtime', the only thing in the room undisturbed by Remilia's wrath.
"You dare to mention his name in my presence?" Remilia's voice was a low hiss, and her eyes were red with fury. "You dare to speak of him as if you knew him, as if you understood him?" Her voice rose in volume until it was a roar, shaking the walls of the hall and making the very foundations of the building tremble. "You dare to speak of him as if he were some mere creature to be summoned and bound to your will? You dare to speak of him as if he were some... some thing to be used and then discarded?"
Remilia's eyes burned with a dark fire, and her fangs gleamed in the candlelight. She took a step forward, and the floor beneath her feet cracked and buckled. She took another step, and the pillars of the hall began to crumbled under the strain of her power. "You dare to speak of him as if he were some puppet to be played with? You dare to speak of him as if he were some mere toy for your amusement?"
Remilia raised her hands, and the air around her crackled with dark energy as she looked upward. "You dare?!" She bellowed again, and the ceiling of the hall shattered, the stones flying away and into the night sky, leaving a gaping hole that revealed the starry night sky above and the full moon that illuminated the hall with a soft silver light. Slowly the silver light turned to blood red, the moon bathed in a crimson glow.
The vampires cowered and whimpered as they felt Remilia's power grow. The pressure was almost unbearable now, and many of them were unable to even lift their heads. Some of them were even driven mad by the power, their minds unable to cope with the force of Remilia's anger. Those few that could still look at her saw Remilia's hair and dress flutter despite the lack of wind, her eyes still burning with dark fire.
"You would dare to sully his name, to use it for your own ends? You would dare to try and bring him back, to bind him to your will?" Remilia laughed, but there was no humour in it. It was a cold, cruel sound that sent shivers down the spines of all present. "Fools. You younglings are all fools. You know nothing of him, nothing of his greatness. I see now, the world indeed have changed far too much, that the once proud vampires are reduced to such a pathetic dregs, ignorant to our own glory and pride"
Just as suddenly as it came, the pressure vanished. The vampires who were still conscious gasped for breath, their bodies trembling as they tried to regain their composure. The moon too had gone back to its silver glow, though the destruction remained.
Remilia turned to look at Flandre. "Flan, I believe it is time for us to leave this place."
"Aw, already? But I was having so much fun!" Flandre pouted, but she knew better than to disobey her sister, especially when she was in such a foul mood. There is a reason why despite her power, Flandre never escaped or rebelled against her sister. She knew exactly what her sister was capable of. "Alright, fine. But can we come back later?"
"Perhaps, but not anytime soon." Remilia said before turning to look at the vampires, who were still cowering in fear. "You lot, the old man can follow me if he wants. As for the rest, I have no need of your services. But remember, you are not to speak of this to anyone. If I hear even a whisper of what has transpired here tonight, if I hear you caused anything that besmirch our pride as vampire, If I hear you caused any trouble for me...then I assure you"
Her wings unfurled and spread out behind her, casting a shadow over the room. "There will be no city or land left for you to rule or hide"
And with that, she vanished, disappearing into the shadows with her wings flapping, taking flight and leaving the hall and the terrified vampires behind. The old man was the only one not too shocked by what happened, and he quickly made his escape, following after Remilia. Flandre giggled as she followed after the old man, leaving the hall and the terrified vampires behind.
"...I can't believe I survived," the teenage vampire said, his voice trembling as he tried to regain his composure. The others nodded, their bodies still shaking from the fear they had felt.
"That was terrifying..." The glasses-wearing woman murmured, her voice barely audible as she tried to process what had just happened. The others nodded again, their eyes wide and their faces pale, "Who...or what is she?"
"...The Scarlet Devil.." A child-like vampire girl in the corner of the hall whispered, her voice trembling in fear as she recalled what she had been taught by the older vampires.
"The Scarlet Devil?" the scarred man repeated, looking at the girl in confusion and disbelief. "What do you mean?"
"I-I've only heard stories, but...there were once many powerful vampire lords and ladies that ruled over the land, and they fought and killed each other for power and territory." The girl said, her voice trembling as she recalled what she had learned. "But then came a powerful vampire, a creature of darkness and blood, a monster that destroyed many of the vampire lords and ladies that stood in her way. They called her the Scarlet Devil, the one who would bring doom to all who stood in her way. She was said to be a creature of immense power, a monster that could not be defeated by any mortal or even most immortal means."
"That...that can't be true. It's just a story." The teenage vampire said, trying to convince himself as much as the others.
"Y-yes, of course. It's just a story." The glasses-wearing woman agreed, though she did not sound convinced. "I am sure milady is strong but surely not that much...right?"
"...I think I'll leave this city, no, state. No, I'll move to Japan, for now at least. Even with the cults I heard about, it's probably safer there.." the scarred man murmured, earning a few nods from the other vampires as they began to leave the ruined hall, some more eager than others, leaving only the dead behind.
"...By the way, sis. Why are you big?" Flandre asked, as she smashed one of the weird vampires from some lesser clans she didn't care about, her childish voice contrasted the violence of her action. "Are you getting fat?" she added innocently, though her smile showed she knew what she was doing.
Remilia scoffed, as she took a seat nearby, reading the document she took from this place, "If you want to get spanked again, Flan, feel free to keep talking. But to answer your question, it's because I want to and I can. I know you know you can shapeshift too" She said as she waved her hand in dismissal, causing Flandre to giggle in response.
"Maybe later, for now I'll be fine" Flandre answered before she turned around and continued her rampage, laughing gleefully as she smashed and tore apart the remaining vampires. Remilia simply sat back and watched, her expression bored.
Suddenly, a large figure emerged from the shadows. It was a tall, muscular man with dark skin and hair, wearing a black combat clothes and sunglasses. He had a large sword strapped to his back and a number of guns holstered at his waist. "You know, when I heard about vampires gathering here, I expected an actual fight. Not..." The man gestured to the carnage around him. "This."
Remilia looked up from her documents, before going back to reading it, "I suppose with how many vampires there are, no matter how much of a dreg they are, vampire slayers would be in abundance. Well, what are you waiting for? Are you here to fight us, or not?"
The man looked around, before shrugging, "I suppose you two are a bit too much for me to handle. I'm not exactly the greatest hunter out there, so I'll just...can I take their fangs?" he asked, looking at the bodies scattered around the hall, and the broken furniture that had been used as weapons.
"...Do whatever you want" Remilia replied dismissively as she continued to read.
The man nodded and proceeded to start collecting fangs from the corpses, as well as a few other body parts, putting them into a bag he had brought with him. "Thanks. You're a lot nicer than most of the vampires I've met, even if you're a lot more dangerous."
"Don't compare me with this trash. I don't have any reason to act like the rest of them" Remilia replied, not looking up from her documents, "Though I am curious why a hunter is working solo"
"I was actually on vacation, but when I heard about this gathering nearby, I decided to check it out. Didn't expect to find a pair of vampires like you two" The man replied as he continued to collect fangs and other body parts, pausing as he saw an old man standing behind Remilia respectfully, "Who's the old guy?"
"Someone smart enough among the dregs" Remilia said, not elaborating as the man shrugged and continued his grisly task, "You're not exactly a hunter from the Church or a clan. You're a solo freelancer, aren't you? A rare breed nowadays surely,"
"Bingo, you're quite smart for a vampire" the man said as he finished up, standing up and slinging his bag of body parts over his shoulder, "And whatever pay the bill"
Remilia looked at the man, "You don't seem to be scared of us at all, or perhaps you simply have no sense of self-preservation?" She asked, her voice neutral.
"Neither really. I've fought vampires before, and I've seen what they can do. But I'm not afraid of you two." The man replied, his voice calm, "I know you're not like the others. You're not like the monsters I've fought. You're not like the beasts that hunt humans. You're not like the demons that feed on blood. You're not even like the ones that tried to kill my family and friends. You're not like them at all, actually. So no, I'm not afraid of you two."
"...How boring. I expected a more amusing answer" Remilia yawned, before she put away her documents and stood up, dusting off her dress, "Better than nothing, but I would've punish you for your insolence if this is two years ago"
"Sorry to disappoint" The man shrugged as he turned to leave, "And besides, with your power, does being scared even do anything? Well, have a nice night, you two. Try not to kill any humans, will you?"
Remilia simply waved her hand dismissively in response as the man left, disappearing into the darkness. Remilia then looked around, her eyes narrowing. "I suppose this will do for now."
"Hey sis, I'm done!" Flandre called out, skipping over to her sister, her dress and hands stained with blood. "Did you find anything interesting in those boring papers?"
Remilia sighed, "Flan, clean yourself first. You can't go out looking like that. And yes, I did. As much as impudent fools they are, it seemed that this House Dracon might actually have the capability to cause an eclipse, or at least most think so. They have a powerful witch or two in their service alongside an entire cabal of her followers, if I had to guess. I don't really know why they even think it's a good idea, considering the backlash from both mortals and supernatural beings. But I suppose they are too ignorant to realise that" She said, shaking her head.
"What about the second-" Flandre started to say, before stopping as she saw the expression on Remilia's face. "Never mind," she said quickly, changing the topic. "So what do we do now? Do we just go stomp them now?"
"Is there anything you want to see or do while we're here, Flan?" Remilia asked, looking at her sister.
"Um... I don't know." Flandre admitted, tilting her head. "I haven't really thought about it. I guess I want to see the city. It's so big and bright and loud! And there are so many people! It's so different from the mansion. And...I'm hungry" she added as an afterthought.
"Well, we can take care of that first. You, old man. I believe you know of a good place to eat?" Remilia asked, looking at the old man.
The old man nodded, "There is an upscale establishment nearby that serves blood-based dishes, if that is to your liking. They have a good selection of rare and vintage blood wines, as well as regular dishes and drinks. They are well known for quality and professionalism, and they are very discreet. I believe they would be able to accommodate your needs" He said with a bow.
"Very well, lead the way then" Remilia ordered, and the old man bowed again before leading the way out of the hall, through the ruins of the building, and out onto the street. As they walked, Remilia and Flandre looked around curiously, taking in the sights of the city. It was a bustling metropolis, filled with towering skyscrapers, bright neon lights, and a never-ending stream of people and vehicles.
"Wow! It's so big! And so noisy!" Flandre exclaimed, her eyes wide as she looked around.
Remilia chuckled, "Yes, it is. The city is quite different from the mansion, isn't it? It's so full of life, even if it's not always pleasant. But it's so vibrant, so alive. It's almost...exciting." She said, looking up at the towering buildings, "Humans truly fascinating, to change so fast"
The old man led them to a large, ornate building, with a sign that read 'The Crimson Moon'. He opened the door, and they stepped inside. It was a large, dimly lit room, with red velvet drapes on the walls and a chandelier hanging from the ceiling. There were a number of tables and booths, all filled with people, some of them human, some of them vampires, and some of them other creatures that Remilia and Flandre didn't recognize. There were also a few people who were obviously thralls, sitting at the tables and waiting on the other customers. The old man led them to a booth, and they sat down.
"So, this is the place?" Remilia asked, looking around.
"Yes, my lady. The Crimson Moon is one of the most exclusive and expensive establishments in the city. They are well known for their blood-based dishes, as well as their regular dishes and drinks. They are also very discreet, and they do not tolerate any trouble from their customers." The old man explained, as he pulled out a menu and handed it to Remilia, "Here is the menu, my lady. You can order whatever you like" He added, as he pulled out another menu and handed it to Flandre, "And you can order whatever you like as well, young mistress"
"Now, let's see what we have here." She said, looking at the menu. She frowned, "Hmm, there are no prices listed."
"Of course not, my lady. This is an exclusive establishment, and they do not list prices on the menu. You can order whatever you like, and they will bill you accordingly" The old man vampire said, as he looked at the menu. "May I suggest the 'Crimson Delight'? It is a rare and vintage wine made from a special kind of grapes that are said to be nourishing to our kind. I believe you will find it to your liking"
"Very well, I'll have that. And what about you, Flan?" Remilia asked, looking at her sister.
"Um... I don't know." Flandre admitted, tilting her head. "I don't know what to order."
"May I suggest the 'Moonlight Nectar', young mistress? It is admittedly not a popular dish due to being seen as childish and inelegant but it's a sweet and flavorful dish made with various fruits and honey, blended with a bit of blood. It is quite popular with the younger vampires" the old man said.
Flandre's eyes lit up, "Ooh! That sounds yummy! I want that!"
Remilia smiled, "Very well, that's what you'll have then. Now, for the main dish..." She looked at the menu again. "Ah, this 'Bloodlust Steak' sounds good, cooked rare, of course."
"And for me, the 'Vampire's Delight', please." Flandre said, looking at the old man vampire.
The old man vampire nodded, "Very well, I'll have your orders in a few minutes." He said, before walking away.
"So, sis, what are we going to do after this?" Flandre asked, looking at her sister.
"Well, I have a few ideas." Remilia said, "We could go sightseeing, or we could go shopping before we take care of those Dracon trash. There are a lot of stores and shops here, and I'm sure you'd like to see some of them"
"Ooh! Shopping! I want to go shopping! I want to see all the pretty dresses and clothes and shoes and jewellery and makeup and perfume and-" Flandre started to say, before she was interrupted by Remilia.
"Alright, alright, we'll go shopping. But first, we need to eat. Our orders are here" Remilia said, as the old man vampire returned with their drinks and dishes, and Remilia took a sip of her wine and smiled, "Ah, this is quite good. I can see why this place is so popular."
"Wow! This is yummy! Not as good as Alice's of course, or Bree's, or even Sakuya's but still yummy!" Flandre exclaimed, as she drank her drink.
Remilia chuckled, "You will make Sakuya cries if she hears that, you know. She's still trying to beat Bree's cooking at least, though I think she gave up on beating Alice's already."
"Really? I didn't know that! Oh, I'll have to tell her when we get back then!" Flandre said, as she finished her drink. "Sakuya's cooking is good, but I like Alice's better."
"...Don't be too mean, Flan. I know it's amusing but Sakuya would probably cry if she heard that from you. I do admit that Alice's cooking is simply sublime, though I wonder if she'll cook for us again after we get back." Remilia said, as she finished her drink, looking quite thoughtful, "This does seem to sate my thirst slightly, interesting. It's not enough to sate me fully but it does help with the thirst"
Remilia and Flandre ate their food, with Remilia eating her steak slowly and carefully, while Flandre ate her food with gusto, seemingly not caring about the taste. Once they finished their food, Remilia and Flandre left the restaurant, with Remilia paying the bill using the money she had taken from the various vampires they had defeated. Once outside, Remilia and Flandre began to walk down the street, looking around at the various shops and stores.
"So, where do you want to go first?" Remilia asked, looking at her sister.
"Um... I don't know." Flandre admitted, tilting her head. "I don't know what to get."
"Well, let's just start with something simple, like toys. Actual toys, not the ones you break. Or maybe clothes, or even books. We can even get you some new shoes, if you want. Sakuya would be pleased to see you dress up nicely and be a proper lady for a change." Remilia said, as she looked around. "Or maybe we could go to a movie, or a play. There are a lot of things to do here, and I'm sure you'll find something you like."
"Ooh! I want to see a movie! Alice told me a lot about them, and they sound really fun!" Flandre said, clapping her hands.
Remilia chuckled, "Very well, we'll go see a movie. But first, we need to find a theatre." She said, as she looked around. "Let's see, there's a cinema over there, and another one over here. Hmm, I'm not sure which one is better."
"I want to see the one over there! It looks really big and shiny!" Flandre said, pointing at the bigger of the two cinemas.
Remilia chuckled, "Alright, let's go see the movie then, but before that.." She paused as magic circle appeared on her hand, "I believe those Dracon fools should have arrived at their base by now" Remilia murmured, and suddenly a large lance materialised on her hands, a black-red spear with intricate pattern on it, and she threw it to the sky. The lance pierced the night sky, flying far away into the distance.
The lance flew through the air, piercing the night sky and flying far away into the distance. It flew over the city, over the skyscrapers and buildings, over the cars and trucks, over the people and animals. It flew over the houses and apartments, over the schools and hospitals, over the churches and mosques. It flew over the parks and playgrounds, over the mountains and forests, over the rivers and lakes. It flew over the entire city, before finally reaching its destination: the large fancy manor on top of the hill at the edge of the city. House Dracon, the supposedly strongest and richest vampire house in the country.
The spear pierced the wall and roof of the manor, embedding itself in the ground below. The spear glowed with a dark red light, and then exploded, obliterating the manor and everything inside it. The explosion was so powerful that it could be seen and heard from miles away, and the shockwave could be felt for miles around. The ground shook, and the trees swayed. The animals ran in terror, and the birds took flight as a towering scarlet red cross of explosion rising into the night sky. Despite that, beyond feeling the tremors, no mundane humans would notice anything strange, the explosion and the scarlet cross somehow being hidden from their perception, albeit barely.
"Wow! That was so cool!" Flandre exclaimed, clapping her hands as the scarlet cross vanished, the destruction it wrought on the house no longer visible to anyone. "I want to try that too!"
Remilia chuckled, "Maybe later, Flan. Let's go see the movie first, shall we?"
"So, what did you do last night?" A gruff voice asked, as Jackson sat at the bar, nursing a glass of whiskey. The voice belonged to a middle-aged man, with a scarred face and a muscular build. He was wearing a black leather jacket and jeans, and he had a number of guns holstered on his waist and back.
Jackson looked at the man, "Oh, just the usual. I heard about the vampire gathering, and went to take care of them"
The man chuckled, "The usual, huh? Well, you're one of the best in the business. No doubt you took care of them without a sweat"
"Nah, I didn't do much. Just collected their fangs and left the rest to some other vamps that are way more dangerous than those small fries." Jackson replied, taking a sip of his drink, "They were some serious vamps, let me tell you. They didn't even care about the fact that I'm a vampire hunter. They just ignored me and let me go. I'm telling you, they were something else. I never seen vampires that strong and scary before"
"Bullshit, there's no way you're telling the truth" a voice called out from the other side of the bar, and Jackson turned to see a young man, no more than twenty, with short black hair and a cocky grin on his face. "I bet you just got scared and ran away. No proper vampire slayers got scared by just two vampires"
Jackson raised an eyebrow, "Oh? How long have you been a vampire slayer, kid? You don't exactly look like you know what you're talking about"
The young man's grin widened, "Longer than you, old man. I've been killing vampires for years now. I'm the best in the business. I've never seen a vampire that can scare me, let alone two"
Jackson chuckled, "You're a cocky little shit, aren't you? I bet you haven't even taken on a medium-sized coven yet. Let me tell you kid, average coven leaders aren't the same as the small fries you've probably been hunting. And those are just minions in a clan or house. The clan leaders are the real deal. I've seen things that would make you shit your pants, kid. I've seen things that would make you wish you never became a vampire slayer. I've seen things that would make you wish you were dead. The things you fought barely qualified as sardines," he said, taking a sip of his drink, "The two I saw last night? They're the Moby Dick. I've fought a lot of dangerous vampires in my time, but those two...they were something else"
The young man's grin faded, "Yeah right, you're just making shit up to scare me"
"...It's rare to see you this scared, Jackson" a soft, almost whispering voice came from a young woman with blonde hair and blue eyes, sitting in the corner of the bar, wearing a simple black dress. "I wonder what you saw"
Jackson looked at the woman, "Sup, Lucia. Rent's paid already, no need to threaten me this month or next three months. Got the motherload last night" he said as he placed a bag of fangs on the counter, "And I'm not making shit up, I really saw something that would make you all piss your pants. It's not even an exaggeration"
Lucia looked at the bag of fangs, "Hmm, you did a good job. I'm impressed."
"Free lodgings for the next few months is a good job" Jackson said, as he took another sip of his drink, "But yeah, I'm serious about the two. Wonder what brought them to this city. They clearly weren't from this country, let alone the city. And they didn't seem to be the type to care about the power struggle between clans and houses here either. I'm curious as to why they were here"
The young man snorted, "Bullshit. If they're so strong, why haven't they taken over the city yet? Why haven't they killed all the other vampires in the city?"
Jackson looked at the young man, "Kid, you really don't know-" he was interrupted as the door slammed open, and a group of people entered the bar. They were a motley crew, some of them dressed in black robes and others in jeans and hoodies. They all had a haunted, terrified look in their eyes as they approached the bar.
"We're fucked" The first one that entered, a tall man with dark skin and a shaved head, said, his voice trembling, "We're so fucked. House Dracon is gone, their entire mansion destroyed overnight. Not a single trace left of their leader and the rest of the elders. They were one of the strongest houses in the country and they were just wiped out overnight!"
"What the hell?" The young man asked, as the bar went silent, "You sure it's not a war between clans and houses? House Dracon had a lot of enemies, including other houses"
"The entire place is just gone, and I do mean the entire area where their mansion was is now a big giant hole in the ground. No traces of anything left, like they were nuked from orbit. We heard there's a giant explosion last night at their place, and some said about a giant, scarlet cross in the night sky before the explosion." the second person that entered, a woman with long blonde hair and blue eyes, sighed, "We're so fucked. There's no way any of the other clans and houses could have done this. This is beyond anything any of the clans and houses could do, this is beyond anything a single vampire could do"
The entire bar exploded into a flurry of discussions, as the news spread like wildfire. Some were excited, thinking this was a good opportunity to take down the other houses and clans, while others were terrified, thinking that they would be next.
Jackson chuckled, "Well, I think I know who did this. And I think I'll be staying here for a while" he said, taking another sip of his drink, "It's going to be an interesting time, that's for sure"
"You mean those two vampires you met last night? You think they were behind this?" Lucia asked, looking at Jackson, "They couldn't have been. They would have to be incredibly powerful to do something like that"
Jackson just leaned back on his chair as he took another sip of his drink and shrugged, "Like I said, this is going to be interesting"
"Ah, that was so much fun! Can we do this again next year sis?"
"Perhaps, Flan. Perhaps. Maybe we could bring everyone next year."
"Really?! That would be amazing! We could all dress up and have a big party!"
"Yes, yes, but first, we need to return to the mansion. Sakuya and the others must be worried sick."
"Aw, okay. ...How do we go back to Gensokyo?"
"..."
"...Sis? Why are you looking away? ..Please don't tell me you didn't plan on how to get back."
"...W-well, you see...I was so focused on coming here and teaching those fools a lesson, I-I...might have...forgot to plan on how to go back..."
"Siiiiiiiiiis! How could you forget something that important?!"
"I-I didn't forget! It's just...I didn't think about it! I mean, we can just use a spell or something to get back, right?"
"No we can't! You know we can't use magic like that!"
"W-we'll figure something out, Flan. We always do."
"Siiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiis!"
The hall was dimly lit, the flickering light of hundreds of candles illuminating the crowd of people. They were dressed in various fancy or revealing clothes, and they held goblets filled with blood. Smells of incense, and other drugs filled the air, along with the sound of their breathing. Even as they enjoyed the hedonism of their gathering, their attention was fixed on the speaker.
The speaker stood on a platform, dressed in a long black coat, which he opened with a flourish revealing his pale chest. His black hair was slicked back, and a pair of sunglasses covered his red eyes. He smiled, revealing a pair of fangs. "For too long we have allowed the mortals to dictate the rules of engagement, to force us to hide in the shadows, to skulk about in the night like rats. No more! I say it is time for us to take our rightful place as the rulers of this world!"
The crowd roared with approval, their voices echoing around the hall. It was a motley collection of people. Some were vampires, dressed in extravagant clothing. Others were human servants or thralls, dressed in less expensive clothing. Some were barely dressed at all, wearing nothing more than lingerie. As the applause died down, he continued. "But first, we must deal with the old order. We must destroy those who stand in our way and take their place. Only then can we truly be free to rule as we were meant to!"
The crowd cheered once more, their voices louder than before. "Now, let the ceremony begin!" He turned to the centre of the platform, where a large pentagram was painted on the floor. At each point of the star stood a human, bound and gagged. They struggled against their bonds, but they were helpless. In the centre of the circle, there was a large stone altar, upon which lay a young woman. She was dressed in a simple white gown, her blonde hair spread out beneath her. Her hands and feet were tied to the altar with ropes.
The speaker stepped forward, drawing a dagger from his belt. He raised it high above his head, and then plunged it into the girl's heart. She screamed as the blade pierced her flesh, her body convulsing violently. The crowd watched in silence, their faces lit by the glow of the candles. After a moment, the girl fell still, her eyes staring sightlessly up at the ceiling.
"Now we call upon the ancient ones, the lords of darkness and shadow," the speaker intoned. "Hear our plea, oh mighty ones. Hear our call, and answer us."
The crowd murmured in unison, chanting in an ancient language. "We summon thee, oh great ones. Come to us, and grant us your power."
The speaker raised his hands to the sky, and the pentagram began to glow with an unearthly light. The light grew brighter and brighter until it was almost blinding. Then, suddenly, it vanished. Standing in the centre of the circle, where the girl had been, were two figures.
One was a young woman, with the quiet confidence of someone who commands attention without effort, someone accustomed to others bending to her will. Her hair, a silvery shade of blue, is cut short, framing her face. Her eyes, a piercing red, hold a steady, commanding gaze that makes it difficult to look away. She wore a frilly pink mob cap and a pink dress with a red ribbon and a small red gemstone sits on the dress' collar, catching the light and adding a regal touch. The entire ensemble hints at both refinement and the power despite its deceptively simple style. A pair of bat-like wings sprouting from her back. She looked at the speaker with disdain. "So you've the fools that have been bothering us?"
The other figure was a child, no more than ten years old. Her blonde hair falls around her shoulders in gentle waves, adorned with a single red ribbon tied on one side. She wears a simple but elegant dress, mostly red with white accents that contrast against her pale skin, giving her an almost doll-like appearance. The dress flares slightly at her knees, playful and childlike, with a hint of lace along the hem. But perhaps her most striking feature is behind her—her wings. Unlike the bat-like wings of the other girl, hers are skeletal and unusual, with multi-coloured crystals hanging like prisms along each wing's frame, catching the light and casting small rainbows around her. They're fragile-looking yet strangely beautiful, like stained glass.. She had a bent black metallic staff in her hand. She looked around the room with wide eyes, taking in the crowd of people. "Wow, sis. You never said we'd get to meet this many people. Can I play with them now?"
The vampires in the crowd fell silent, their expressions ranging from shock and ignorant amusement as they began to laugh. While some rare few quickly tried to hide or resigned and simply sat down or kneeled. Meanwhile the speaker's face twisted in outrage. "You- You! How dare you speak to me like that, you insolent little-"
"Flan" the young woman spoke simply.
The child looked at the speaker, and suddenly his head exploded, sending bits of brain and bone flying everywhere. The rest of the crowd recoiled in horror, their laughter turning to screams of terror. The young woman sighed, looking around at the crowd. "Honestly, you people are so easily startled. I thought you were supposed to be vampires. Leave the ones smart enough to recognise their situation, Flan"
"And how about the rest, Remilia?" the child asked.
"Do as you wish. Try not to make too much mess" the young woman as she took out a fan and started to fanned herself.
"Yay!" the child shouted. With that, she leapt into the air, her wings beating rapidly. She flew around the hall, laughing gleefully as she killed vampires and thralls alike with her staff. She was a blur of motion, moving from one victim to the next. Some of the braver or more foolish members of the crowd tried to fight back, but they were no match for her.
Remilia watched with a bored expression as Flandre tore through the crowd, before turning to the few vampires who had the sense to sit down. "I believe you either know of me or at least recognise your betters. Good. Now I want you to tell me everything you know about this little party of yours. And don't leave out any details." she said, snapping her fan shut with a sharp crack.
Flandre continued her rampage as Remilia listened to the slightly-less-foolish vampires' attempts at self-preservation and grovelling. Even for someone of her nature, it was tiring parsing through the sycophancy to get to the information. But she knew how this song and dance went, even after so long since she had to deal with this. Though Remilia must admit, she didn't expect vampires to be so prolific in recent years as she listened to their explanation of how and why they gathered here.
It had been decades since Remilia had last encountered such a gathering, and even then Remilia never was one to care about anyone outside her mansion. To think vampires arrived and spread all around the American continent, hidden among the humans. Even as Remilia knew the vampires in front of her are the weaker, most pathetic dregs of her kind, the fact that they were so numerous and well-entrenched in human society was surprising to say the least. It was amusing to hear they divided by 'lineage' for the type of vampires they were, such as one for the more classical vampire or one for the more bestial vampires, on top of having their own little clans and houses that ruled some cities and territories.
She was also surprised that the humans had managed to stay largely ignorant of the vampires' existence. But then again, humans were always good at denying the things they didn't want to see or believe. That was why Gensokyo was made, after all, Remilia mused.
Remilia had been content to ignore them, content to continue her life in Gensokyo. However, ever since the rise of restless spirit in Gensokyo just a week before All Hallows' Eve, her mansion had been besieged by some sort of magic that sent much more sinister, tortured souls and spirits to her mansion, something that seemed to affect only them. While harmless for the two vampires and stronger residents, they couldn't enjoy Hallowed day at all with the moans and presence of the tortured dead. Not to mention it caused harm to some of the maid, to one of the people under her protection. And as she arrived here using a counter ritual Patchouli devised alongside those curious magicians in black, Remilia found out the fools didn't even realise what they were doing. They thought they were summoning a powerful demon or devil to increase their power, and they did it on a period of time when the boundaries between the world of the dead and the living are at their weakest. And of course they just used a summoning circle and ritual that was flawed enough that Patchouli would no doubt berate them for their incompetence. Remilia was somewhat impressed that they managed to conjure up a ritual that messed up this much, if she wasn't so annoyed.
"So pray tell, what did you even think of accomplishing?" Remilia finally asked.
One of the vampires, a man with a scar across his face, spoke up. "We thought we could use it to summon a demon, one powerful enough to help us take over the city. We thought it would give us an edge against the other clans and the slayer."
Remilia laughed. It was a cold, cruel sound that sent shivers down the spines of everyone in the room. "You thought you could control a being like that? You really are fools, aren't you? Did you truly think a being of such power could be controlled by such a pathetic ritual? Even if you were successful, you'd be torn apart before you could even blink." She shook her head. "No, I think you're all better off without that kind of power. It would have destroyed you, but I suppose you all are too young and ignorant to understand that."
One of the vampires, an old man that was the quickest to sit down and the one that seemed the most sensible, spoke up with a respectful tone. "Pardon our foolishness, most of us are too young and ignorant of the world to know better. I have lived for two hundred and twenty years, but I was one of the rare few that didn't live in the old world. I only heard tales of the great vampire lords and ladies that ruled in the old days, but it seems I have been blessed with the chance to meet one of the true lords of darkness. Please, be merciful. I can promise you that I and my family would be willing to serve you in exchange for protection."
"I have no need for more servants," Remilia said dismissively. "But you do amuse me, and I am not without mercy. Very well, I will spare your lives. The rest of you too, so long as you remember your place. I have no interest in ruling over the likes of you. Simply leave us be."
"Of course, my lady." the old vampire said, bowing deeply before pausing as Remilia held her hand up.
"Repeat once more about these other clans and their supposed plans for the hallowed day. Your prattling earlier is too incoherent." Remilia ordered, the vampires looked at each other before the scarred man not-so-subtly pushed a glasses-wearing woman to the front.
The woman stumbled a little before bowing and spoke up. "W-well, my lady. There's a lot of different groups and they all have their own goals, but I supposed you weren't interested in the uh, smaller ones. There are a few that plan to make a big move tomorrow or the night after, to increase their standing and rule in the city or state. I believe the closest ones are the Redwater Clan, they planned to take over a nearby town by turning the populace to thralls or vampires en masse under cover of Halloween parties and festivities. They always did have a fascination with the old world's methods."
"They are a bunch of traditionalists with too much free time and not enough ambition. No offence to you, of course, my lady." The old man interrupted before he was silenced with a glare from Remilia.
"A-and then there's the Darkwind clan, who plan to use some sort of drugs or plague, they call it the 'red plague', to control a good chunk of the city's populace by infecting them. Then they can turn them to thralls or zombie-like things to cause chaos so they could easily come out on top, supposedly." the woman continued with a quickened pace.
"They're a bunch of cowards, my lady. They're too scared to do anything themselves, so they use others to fight for them." one of the younger vampires interjected before he was also silenced by a glare from Remilia.
"Our own, well I am just here for my own purpose, I have no clan. But the leader of the clan who gathered us here, the Nightseekers, plans to summon a demon or something of the like, and use it to take on the other clans and houses before the others can carry out their plans. I'm sure they have some other plans to deal with the other clans in the city, if they don't just use their main plan to take over the entire city of Blackmoore" the woman finished her explanation with a bow.
Remilia nodded, satisfied. "So I see. Anything else?"
"There's the biggest House that ruled over this state practically, House Dracon. I-I've heard of their plan but they were..." the glasses-wearing woman trailed off.
"Idiotic" A younger, probably teenage vampire piped up.
"Insane" The older man continued.
"Sacrilege" The scarred man growled, earning him a raised eyebrow from Remilia.
"They want to do two things, first is to cause an eternal eclipse that would make the world plunge into eternal night, which would make the vampires more powerful than ever." The younger one said with a scoff.
"You mean plunging the entire world into catastrophe? The moment they force a moon to stay still the earth would shake and the tides would go wild. Do they not teach you science and astronomy in your fancy human schools?" Remilia asked incredulously. "And even if they do, that would just mean every creature, not just vampires, would be more active in the night. Do you know how much that would backfire?"
"W-well, we thought the same but we're just a bunch of small clans compared to House Dracon and their allies. They are like the nobles in the old world." The scarred man said.
Remilia scoffed, "That's not even counting the other supernatural beings, who are most likely to be unhappy with you changing the nature of the world so much. Fading they might be, the Gods and great spirits would surely be displeased by such audacity. And I don't have to remind you the last time that happened to our kind"
"O-oh" the glasses-wearing woman said, gulping as she remembered her history lessons.
Remilia shook her head, dismissing their foolishness. "And the second plan?"
"They want to revive Lord Dracula, the greatest lord of darkness that ever existed. Supposedly they have found a way to bring him back from the dead." The glasses-wearing woman said.
All at once, the air in the hall changed. The candles flickered and the shadows grew darker. Pressure seemed to weigh down on the assembled vampires, pressing them to their knees. No, it wasn't just their imagination as even the floor and pillars start to creak as if being pressed by a giant invisible weight. Only the old man was able to remain standing, if only barely as he visibly trembled. The vampires began to whimper and moan, their eyes wide with terror. Even Flandre paused her 'playtime', the only thing in the room undisturbed by Remilia's wrath.
"You dare to mention his name in my presence?" Remilia's voice was a low hiss, and her eyes were red with fury. "You dare to speak of him as if you knew him, as if you understood him?" Her voice rose in volume until it was a roar, shaking the walls of the hall and making the very foundations of the building tremble. "You dare to speak of him as if he were some mere creature to be summoned and bound to your will? You dare to speak of him as if he were some... some thing to be used and then discarded?"
Remilia's eyes burned with a dark fire, and her fangs gleamed in the candlelight. She took a step forward, and the floor beneath her feet cracked and buckled. She took another step, and the pillars of the hall began to crumbled under the strain of her power. "You dare to speak of him as if he were some puppet to be played with? You dare to speak of him as if he were some mere toy for your amusement?"
Remilia raised her hands, and the air around her crackled with dark energy as she looked upward. "You dare?!" She bellowed again, and the ceiling of the hall shattered, the stones flying away and into the night sky, leaving a gaping hole that revealed the starry night sky above and the full moon that illuminated the hall with a soft silver light. Slowly the silver light turned to blood red, the moon bathed in a crimson glow.
The vampires cowered and whimpered as they felt Remilia's power grow. The pressure was almost unbearable now, and many of them were unable to even lift their heads. Some of them were even driven mad by the power, their minds unable to cope with the force of Remilia's anger. Those few that could still look at her saw Remilia's hair and dress flutter despite the lack of wind, her eyes still burning with dark fire.
"You would dare to sully his name, to use it for your own ends? You would dare to try and bring him back, to bind him to your will?" Remilia laughed, but there was no humour in it. It was a cold, cruel sound that sent shivers down the spines of all present. "Fools. You younglings are all fools. You know nothing of him, nothing of his greatness. I see now, the world indeed have changed far too much, that the once proud vampires are reduced to such a pathetic dregs, ignorant to our own glory and pride"
Just as suddenly as it came, the pressure vanished. The vampires who were still conscious gasped for breath, their bodies trembling as they tried to regain their composure. The moon too had gone back to its silver glow, though the destruction remained.
Remilia turned to look at Flandre. "Flan, I believe it is time for us to leave this place."
"Aw, already? But I was having so much fun!" Flandre pouted, but she knew better than to disobey her sister, especially when she was in such a foul mood. There is a reason why despite her power, Flandre never escaped or rebelled against her sister. She knew exactly what her sister was capable of. "Alright, fine. But can we come back later?"
"Perhaps, but not anytime soon." Remilia said before turning to look at the vampires, who were still cowering in fear. "You lot, the old man can follow me if he wants. As for the rest, I have no need of your services. But remember, you are not to speak of this to anyone. If I hear even a whisper of what has transpired here tonight, if I hear you caused anything that besmirch our pride as vampire, If I hear you caused any trouble for me...then I assure you"
Her wings unfurled and spread out behind her, casting a shadow over the room. "There will be no city or land left for you to rule or hide"
And with that, she vanished, disappearing into the shadows with her wings flapping, taking flight and leaving the hall and the terrified vampires behind. The old man was the only one not too shocked by what happened, and he quickly made his escape, following after Remilia. Flandre giggled as she followed after the old man, leaving the hall and the terrified vampires behind.
"...I can't believe I survived," the teenage vampire said, his voice trembling as he tried to regain his composure. The others nodded, their bodies still shaking from the fear they had felt.
"That was terrifying..." The glasses-wearing woman murmured, her voice barely audible as she tried to process what had just happened. The others nodded again, their eyes wide and their faces pale, "Who...or what is she?"
"...The Scarlet Devil.." A child-like vampire girl in the corner of the hall whispered, her voice trembling in fear as she recalled what she had been taught by the older vampires.
"The Scarlet Devil?" the scarred man repeated, looking at the girl in confusion and disbelief. "What do you mean?"
"I-I've only heard stories, but...there were once many powerful vampire lords and ladies that ruled over the land, and they fought and killed each other for power and territory." The girl said, her voice trembling as she recalled what she had learned. "But then came a powerful vampire, a creature of darkness and blood, a monster that destroyed many of the vampire lords and ladies that stood in her way. They called her the Scarlet Devil, the one who would bring doom to all who stood in her way. She was said to be a creature of immense power, a monster that could not be defeated by any mortal or even most immortal means."
"That...that can't be true. It's just a story." The teenage vampire said, trying to convince himself as much as the others.
"Y-yes, of course. It's just a story." The glasses-wearing woman agreed, though she did not sound convinced. "I am sure milady is strong but surely not that much...right?"
"...I think I'll leave this city, no, state. No, I'll move to Japan, for now at least. Even with the cults I heard about, it's probably safer there.." the scarred man murmured, earning a few nods from the other vampires as they began to leave the ruined hall, some more eager than others, leaving only the dead behind.
"...By the way, sis. Why are you big?" Flandre asked, as she smashed one of the weird vampires from some lesser clans she didn't care about, her childish voice contrasted the violence of her action. "Are you getting fat?" she added innocently, though her smile showed she knew what she was doing.
Remilia scoffed, as she took a seat nearby, reading the document she took from this place, "If you want to get spanked again, Flan, feel free to keep talking. But to answer your question, it's because I want to and I can. I know you know you can shapeshift too" She said as she waved her hand in dismissal, causing Flandre to giggle in response.
"Maybe later, for now I'll be fine" Flandre answered before she turned around and continued her rampage, laughing gleefully as she smashed and tore apart the remaining vampires. Remilia simply sat back and watched, her expression bored.
Suddenly, a large figure emerged from the shadows. It was a tall, muscular man with dark skin and hair, wearing a black combat clothes and sunglasses. He had a large sword strapped to his back and a number of guns holstered at his waist. "You know, when I heard about vampires gathering here, I expected an actual fight. Not..." The man gestured to the carnage around him. "This."
Remilia looked up from her documents, before going back to reading it, "I suppose with how many vampires there are, no matter how much of a dreg they are, vampire slayers would be in abundance. Well, what are you waiting for? Are you here to fight us, or not?"
The man looked around, before shrugging, "I suppose you two are a bit too much for me to handle. I'm not exactly the greatest hunter out there, so I'll just...can I take their fangs?" he asked, looking at the bodies scattered around the hall, and the broken furniture that had been used as weapons.
"...Do whatever you want" Remilia replied dismissively as she continued to read.
The man nodded and proceeded to start collecting fangs from the corpses, as well as a few other body parts, putting them into a bag he had brought with him. "Thanks. You're a lot nicer than most of the vampires I've met, even if you're a lot more dangerous."
"Don't compare me with this trash. I don't have any reason to act like the rest of them" Remilia replied, not looking up from her documents, "Though I am curious why a hunter is working solo"
"I was actually on vacation, but when I heard about this gathering nearby, I decided to check it out. Didn't expect to find a pair of vampires like you two" The man replied as he continued to collect fangs and other body parts, pausing as he saw an old man standing behind Remilia respectfully, "Who's the old guy?"
"Someone smart enough among the dregs" Remilia said, not elaborating as the man shrugged and continued his grisly task, "You're not exactly a hunter from the Church or a clan. You're a solo freelancer, aren't you? A rare breed nowadays surely,"
"Bingo, you're quite smart for a vampire" the man said as he finished up, standing up and slinging his bag of body parts over his shoulder, "And whatever pay the bill"
Remilia looked at the man, "You don't seem to be scared of us at all, or perhaps you simply have no sense of self-preservation?" She asked, her voice neutral.
"Neither really. I've fought vampires before, and I've seen what they can do. But I'm not afraid of you two." The man replied, his voice calm, "I know you're not like the others. You're not like the monsters I've fought. You're not like the beasts that hunt humans. You're not like the demons that feed on blood. You're not even like the ones that tried to kill my family and friends. You're not like them at all, actually. So no, I'm not afraid of you two."
"...How boring. I expected a more amusing answer" Remilia yawned, before she put away her documents and stood up, dusting off her dress, "Better than nothing, but I would've punish you for your insolence if this is two years ago"
"Sorry to disappoint" The man shrugged as he turned to leave, "And besides, with your power, does being scared even do anything? Well, have a nice night, you two. Try not to kill any humans, will you?"
Remilia simply waved her hand dismissively in response as the man left, disappearing into the darkness. Remilia then looked around, her eyes narrowing. "I suppose this will do for now."
"Hey sis, I'm done!" Flandre called out, skipping over to her sister, her dress and hands stained with blood. "Did you find anything interesting in those boring papers?"
Remilia sighed, "Flan, clean yourself first. You can't go out looking like that. And yes, I did. As much as impudent fools they are, it seemed that this House Dracon might actually have the capability to cause an eclipse, or at least most think so. They have a powerful witch or two in their service alongside an entire cabal of her followers, if I had to guess. I don't really know why they even think it's a good idea, considering the backlash from both mortals and supernatural beings. But I suppose they are too ignorant to realise that" She said, shaking her head.
"What about the second-" Flandre started to say, before stopping as she saw the expression on Remilia's face. "Never mind," she said quickly, changing the topic. "So what do we do now? Do we just go stomp them now?"
"Is there anything you want to see or do while we're here, Flan?" Remilia asked, looking at her sister.
"Um... I don't know." Flandre admitted, tilting her head. "I haven't really thought about it. I guess I want to see the city. It's so big and bright and loud! And there are so many people! It's so different from the mansion. And...I'm hungry" she added as an afterthought.
"Well, we can take care of that first. You, old man. I believe you know of a good place to eat?" Remilia asked, looking at the old man.
The old man nodded, "There is an upscale establishment nearby that serves blood-based dishes, if that is to your liking. They have a good selection of rare and vintage blood wines, as well as regular dishes and drinks. They are well known for quality and professionalism, and they are very discreet. I believe they would be able to accommodate your needs" He said with a bow.
"Very well, lead the way then" Remilia ordered, and the old man bowed again before leading the way out of the hall, through the ruins of the building, and out onto the street. As they walked, Remilia and Flandre looked around curiously, taking in the sights of the city. It was a bustling metropolis, filled with towering skyscrapers, bright neon lights, and a never-ending stream of people and vehicles.
"Wow! It's so big! And so noisy!" Flandre exclaimed, her eyes wide as she looked around.
Remilia chuckled, "Yes, it is. The city is quite different from the mansion, isn't it? It's so full of life, even if it's not always pleasant. But it's so vibrant, so alive. It's almost...exciting." She said, looking up at the towering buildings, "Humans truly fascinating, to change so fast"
The old man led them to a large, ornate building, with a sign that read 'The Crimson Moon'. He opened the door, and they stepped inside. It was a large, dimly lit room, with red velvet drapes on the walls and a chandelier hanging from the ceiling. There were a number of tables and booths, all filled with people, some of them human, some of them vampires, and some of them other creatures that Remilia and Flandre didn't recognize. There were also a few people who were obviously thralls, sitting at the tables and waiting on the other customers. The old man led them to a booth, and they sat down.
"So, this is the place?" Remilia asked, looking around.
"Yes, my lady. The Crimson Moon is one of the most exclusive and expensive establishments in the city. They are well known for their blood-based dishes, as well as their regular dishes and drinks. They are also very discreet, and they do not tolerate any trouble from their customers." The old man explained, as he pulled out a menu and handed it to Remilia, "Here is the menu, my lady. You can order whatever you like" He added, as he pulled out another menu and handed it to Flandre, "And you can order whatever you like as well, young mistress"
"Now, let's see what we have here." She said, looking at the menu. She frowned, "Hmm, there are no prices listed."
"Of course not, my lady. This is an exclusive establishment, and they do not list prices on the menu. You can order whatever you like, and they will bill you accordingly" The old man vampire said, as he looked at the menu. "May I suggest the 'Crimson Delight'? It is a rare and vintage wine made from a special kind of grapes that are said to be nourishing to our kind. I believe you will find it to your liking"
"Very well, I'll have that. And what about you, Flan?" Remilia asked, looking at her sister.
"Um... I don't know." Flandre admitted, tilting her head. "I don't know what to order."
"May I suggest the 'Moonlight Nectar', young mistress? It is admittedly not a popular dish due to being seen as childish and inelegant but it's a sweet and flavorful dish made with various fruits and honey, blended with a bit of blood. It is quite popular with the younger vampires" the old man said.
Flandre's eyes lit up, "Ooh! That sounds yummy! I want that!"
Remilia smiled, "Very well, that's what you'll have then. Now, for the main dish..." She looked at the menu again. "Ah, this 'Bloodlust Steak' sounds good, cooked rare, of course."
"And for me, the 'Vampire's Delight', please." Flandre said, looking at the old man vampire.
The old man vampire nodded, "Very well, I'll have your orders in a few minutes." He said, before walking away.
"So, sis, what are we going to do after this?" Flandre asked, looking at her sister.
"Well, I have a few ideas." Remilia said, "We could go sightseeing, or we could go shopping before we take care of those Dracon trash. There are a lot of stores and shops here, and I'm sure you'd like to see some of them"
"Ooh! Shopping! I want to go shopping! I want to see all the pretty dresses and clothes and shoes and jewellery and makeup and perfume and-" Flandre started to say, before she was interrupted by Remilia.
"Alright, alright, we'll go shopping. But first, we need to eat. Our orders are here" Remilia said, as the old man vampire returned with their drinks and dishes, and Remilia took a sip of her wine and smiled, "Ah, this is quite good. I can see why this place is so popular."
"Wow! This is yummy! Not as good as Alice's of course, or Bree's, or even Sakuya's but still yummy!" Flandre exclaimed, as she drank her drink.
Remilia chuckled, "You will make Sakuya cries if she hears that, you know. She's still trying to beat Bree's cooking at least, though I think she gave up on beating Alice's already."
"Really? I didn't know that! Oh, I'll have to tell her when we get back then!" Flandre said, as she finished her drink. "Sakuya's cooking is good, but I like Alice's better."
"...Don't be too mean, Flan. I know it's amusing but Sakuya would probably cry if she heard that from you. I do admit that Alice's cooking is simply sublime, though I wonder if she'll cook for us again after we get back." Remilia said, as she finished her drink, looking quite thoughtful, "This does seem to sate my thirst slightly, interesting. It's not enough to sate me fully but it does help with the thirst"
Remilia and Flandre ate their food, with Remilia eating her steak slowly and carefully, while Flandre ate her food with gusto, seemingly not caring about the taste. Once they finished their food, Remilia and Flandre left the restaurant, with Remilia paying the bill using the money she had taken from the various vampires they had defeated. Once outside, Remilia and Flandre began to walk down the street, looking around at the various shops and stores.
"So, where do you want to go first?" Remilia asked, looking at her sister.
"Um... I don't know." Flandre admitted, tilting her head. "I don't know what to get."
"Well, let's just start with something simple, like toys. Actual toys, not the ones you break. Or maybe clothes, or even books. We can even get you some new shoes, if you want. Sakuya would be pleased to see you dress up nicely and be a proper lady for a change." Remilia said, as she looked around. "Or maybe we could go to a movie, or a play. There are a lot of things to do here, and I'm sure you'll find something you like."
"Ooh! I want to see a movie! Alice told me a lot about them, and they sound really fun!" Flandre said, clapping her hands.
Remilia chuckled, "Very well, we'll go see a movie. But first, we need to find a theatre." She said, as she looked around. "Let's see, there's a cinema over there, and another one over here. Hmm, I'm not sure which one is better."
"I want to see the one over there! It looks really big and shiny!" Flandre said, pointing at the bigger of the two cinemas.
Remilia chuckled, "Alright, let's go see the movie then, but before that.." She paused as magic circle appeared on her hand, "I believe those Dracon fools should have arrived at their base by now" Remilia murmured, and suddenly a large lance materialised on her hands, a black-red spear with intricate pattern on it, and she threw it to the sky. The lance pierced the night sky, flying far away into the distance.
The lance flew through the air, piercing the night sky and flying far away into the distance. It flew over the city, over the skyscrapers and buildings, over the cars and trucks, over the people and animals. It flew over the houses and apartments, over the schools and hospitals, over the churches and mosques. It flew over the parks and playgrounds, over the mountains and forests, over the rivers and lakes. It flew over the entire city, before finally reaching its destination: the large fancy manor on top of the hill at the edge of the city. House Dracon, the supposedly strongest and richest vampire house in the country.
The spear pierced the wall and roof of the manor, embedding itself in the ground below. The spear glowed with a dark red light, and then exploded, obliterating the manor and everything inside it. The explosion was so powerful that it could be seen and heard from miles away, and the shockwave could be felt for miles around. The ground shook, and the trees swayed. The animals ran in terror, and the birds took flight as a towering scarlet red cross of explosion rising into the night sky. Despite that, beyond feeling the tremors, no mundane humans would notice anything strange, the explosion and the scarlet cross somehow being hidden from their perception, albeit barely.
"Wow! That was so cool!" Flandre exclaimed, clapping her hands as the scarlet cross vanished, the destruction it wrought on the house no longer visible to anyone. "I want to try that too!"
Remilia chuckled, "Maybe later, Flan. Let's go see the movie first, shall we?"
"So, what did you do last night?" A gruff voice asked, as Jackson sat at the bar, nursing a glass of whiskey. The voice belonged to a middle-aged man, with a scarred face and a muscular build. He was wearing a black leather jacket and jeans, and he had a number of guns holstered on his waist and back.
Jackson looked at the man, "Oh, just the usual. I heard about the vampire gathering, and went to take care of them"
The man chuckled, "The usual, huh? Well, you're one of the best in the business. No doubt you took care of them without a sweat"
"Nah, I didn't do much. Just collected their fangs and left the rest to some other vamps that are way more dangerous than those small fries." Jackson replied, taking a sip of his drink, "They were some serious vamps, let me tell you. They didn't even care about the fact that I'm a vampire hunter. They just ignored me and let me go. I'm telling you, they were something else. I never seen vampires that strong and scary before"
"Bullshit, there's no way you're telling the truth" a voice called out from the other side of the bar, and Jackson turned to see a young man, no more than twenty, with short black hair and a cocky grin on his face. "I bet you just got scared and ran away. No proper vampire slayers got scared by just two vampires"
Jackson raised an eyebrow, "Oh? How long have you been a vampire slayer, kid? You don't exactly look like you know what you're talking about"
The young man's grin widened, "Longer than you, old man. I've been killing vampires for years now. I'm the best in the business. I've never seen a vampire that can scare me, let alone two"
Jackson chuckled, "You're a cocky little shit, aren't you? I bet you haven't even taken on a medium-sized coven yet. Let me tell you kid, average coven leaders aren't the same as the small fries you've probably been hunting. And those are just minions in a clan or house. The clan leaders are the real deal. I've seen things that would make you shit your pants, kid. I've seen things that would make you wish you never became a vampire slayer. I've seen things that would make you wish you were dead. The things you fought barely qualified as sardines," he said, taking a sip of his drink, "The two I saw last night? They're the Moby Dick. I've fought a lot of dangerous vampires in my time, but those two...they were something else"
The young man's grin faded, "Yeah right, you're just making shit up to scare me"
"...It's rare to see you this scared, Jackson" a soft, almost whispering voice came from a young woman with blonde hair and blue eyes, sitting in the corner of the bar, wearing a simple black dress. "I wonder what you saw"
Jackson looked at the woman, "Sup, Lucia. Rent's paid already, no need to threaten me this month or next three months. Got the motherload last night" he said as he placed a bag of fangs on the counter, "And I'm not making shit up, I really saw something that would make you all piss your pants. It's not even an exaggeration"
Lucia looked at the bag of fangs, "Hmm, you did a good job. I'm impressed."
"Free lodgings for the next few months is a good job" Jackson said, as he took another sip of his drink, "But yeah, I'm serious about the two. Wonder what brought them to this city. They clearly weren't from this country, let alone the city. And they didn't seem to be the type to care about the power struggle between clans and houses here either. I'm curious as to why they were here"
The young man snorted, "Bullshit. If they're so strong, why haven't they taken over the city yet? Why haven't they killed all the other vampires in the city?"
Jackson looked at the young man, "Kid, you really don't know-" he was interrupted as the door slammed open, and a group of people entered the bar. They were a motley crew, some of them dressed in black robes and others in jeans and hoodies. They all had a haunted, terrified look in their eyes as they approached the bar.
"We're fucked" The first one that entered, a tall man with dark skin and a shaved head, said, his voice trembling, "We're so fucked. House Dracon is gone, their entire mansion destroyed overnight. Not a single trace left of their leader and the rest of the elders. They were one of the strongest houses in the country and they were just wiped out overnight!"
"What the hell?" The young man asked, as the bar went silent, "You sure it's not a war between clans and houses? House Dracon had a lot of enemies, including other houses"
"The entire place is just gone, and I do mean the entire area where their mansion was is now a big giant hole in the ground. No traces of anything left, like they were nuked from orbit. We heard there's a giant explosion last night at their place, and some said about a giant, scarlet cross in the night sky before the explosion." the second person that entered, a woman with long blonde hair and blue eyes, sighed, "We're so fucked. There's no way any of the other clans and houses could have done this. This is beyond anything any of the clans and houses could do, this is beyond anything a single vampire could do"
The entire bar exploded into a flurry of discussions, as the news spread like wildfire. Some were excited, thinking this was a good opportunity to take down the other houses and clans, while others were terrified, thinking that they would be next.
Jackson chuckled, "Well, I think I know who did this. And I think I'll be staying here for a while" he said, taking another sip of his drink, "It's going to be an interesting time, that's for sure"
"You mean those two vampires you met last night? You think they were behind this?" Lucia asked, looking at Jackson, "They couldn't have been. They would have to be incredibly powerful to do something like that"
Jackson just leaned back on his chair as he took another sip of his drink and shrugged, "Like I said, this is going to be interesting"
"Ah, that was so much fun! Can we do this again next year sis?"
"Perhaps, Flan. Perhaps. Maybe we could bring everyone next year."
"Really?! That would be amazing! We could all dress up and have a big party!"
"Yes, yes, but first, we need to return to the mansion. Sakuya and the others must be worried sick."
"Aw, okay. ...How do we go back to Gensokyo?"
"..."
"...Sis? Why are you looking away? ..Please don't tell me you didn't plan on how to get back."
"...W-well, you see...I was so focused on coming here and teaching those fools a lesson, I-I...might have...forgot to plan on how to go back..."
"Siiiiiiiiiis! How could you forget something that important?!"
"I-I didn't forget! It's just...I didn't think about it! I mean, we can just use a spell or something to get back, right?"
"No we can't! You know we can't use magic like that!"
"W-we'll figure something out, Flan. We always do."
"Siiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiis!"
That's the first thread, I probably missed some things from drafts left behind or some inconsistencies. It was actually supposed to be much more involved, but looking at other threads, it changed into 'my Urban Vampire RPG suddenly ruined by random NPCs out of nowhere'. I suppose this said more about how much the Hunter suppressed the Scarlet Sisters than anything else? It's much less tied to the other threads due to how overpowered Remi compared to the average surviving 'vampires', she bypassed some of the hooks directly but I like this one.
Fun fact, vampires single-handedly sustain supernatural economy in probably-America, probably. I didn't really think too deep but it sound funny at least.
Fun fact, vampires single-handedly sustain supernatural economy in probably-America, probably. I didn't really think too deep but it sound funny at least.
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Ylamona
Konlulu~
The fact that next chapters touched a bit about that is funny. Maybe, if elaborate a bit
Woven Synchronicity ~ Unseen God
Ylamona
Konlulu~
"-Alright, understood, I will continue investigating this matter even in Outside world," Ran said, finishing her call with Yukari, "Yes... I understand, please rest assured, my master... Yes... Alright, goodbye." The call ended and Ran sighed as she wondered what kind of mess she got herself into.
After she found herself in Outside World after following the Woodsman, Entise, through some kind of enclosed space where they fought white creatures and a monster, the mysterious woman simply left her behind in that basement without any further explanation besides 'someone will come soon, wait here'. Ran was naturally dubious of that, but true enough, someone did come while Ran examining the basement where she found herself in. She was greeted by a strange-looking woman that came down to the basement. A strange-looking woman with pale skin that seemed to glow with a strange light and had a pair of different coloured eyes. She had long blonde hair that covered one of her eyes, wearing a strange black dress with a transparent veil covering her hair. She introduced herself as Zurna and brought Ran out of the building she was in, to a car that took them to a building that she explained was an orphanage.
"Was that call satisfactory, dear guest?" Zurna asked Ran, the strange woman stood to the side to give some space to Ran.
Ran nodded, before looking at the woman with narrowed eyes, "Yes... Thanks for lending your phone, though I am curious about it, and many other things. Is it finally time for some explanation? Or is it still 'not the right time' again?"
While she knew she was being rather rude, Ran is quite frustrated at not only being suddenly shoved into this situation, but how tight-lipped everyone had been so far, and she had to go along with it because she had no other viable choices. She had to go along with it all since coming here. She couldn't help but feel annoyed at being kept in the dark and being dragged around.
"Very well, please tell me what ails you so."
"Then first, let's start with you. Who are you really?"
"Me? I'm Zurna. As for who I really am? Why, that is just a question of what a 'self' truly is. Are you your past? Your memories? Your desires and goals? Your body? Or is it the people around you that define who you are? Or perhaps, the very world that you live in?" Zurna smiled, her eyes twinkled with amusement, before she shook her head after seeing Ran's expression and continued, "My apologies, I suppose I got carried away with the answer. What I'm trying to say is, 'I' am Zurna, a follower of Trinity Goddess and a nun at the Church of the Trinity Goddess in the area." She pointed at her clothes, "This is a habit of the Trinity Church's nuns, though personalised for mine's use"
Looking closer at the strange woman, Ran noticed the three concentric circles symbols on her dress and veil, which most likely the symbol of said church. She remembered Entise also wore the same symbol on her armour. An image slowly formed in Ran's mind as she began piecing things together. She had been brought to an orphanage run by the church that Entise and this woman belonged to. It made sense now, but she still had many questions about this place, and this woman in front of her.
"Next question, what is the relationship between you and Entise?"
"Ah, her holiness" Zurna smiled warmly, "I am but humble servant of the Trinity Goddess, and she is by which the judgement and punishment from the Goddess is delivered. She is our protector, our flaming staff. It is by her hands that the heretical and impure ones shall be purged from this world."
There were many things in that explanation that carried a lot of implications. But for now, Ran would just keep it in mind and focus on getting answers to her more immediate questions.
"The 'impure ones'... are they the Unformeds that Entise has been hunting? Or perhaps the strange, faceless white monsters and their leader?" Ran recalled her encounter with Entise, and how they fought inside some-kind of mirror dimension, "Or both? Or perhaps something else entirely?"
"The unformeds..ah I see" Zurna looked thoughtful for a moment, "Well, those are indeed impurities, yes, but what her Holiness brought to the unformeds was mercy. For as much as they are impure, they too are victims to a much bigger and dangerous enemy. Would you like me to explain the situation which you're concerned about?"
Ran nodded. Finally, someone was willing to give her answers. "Yes, please"
The strange woman nodded and started to explain everything she knew. As Ran knew from Entise, the unformed are merely a 'byproduct' of whoever is behind the strange art-like monster attempts to 'sustain' themselves by 'consuming' humans in some way. And there were many more of the monsters than the few they encountered. She was surprised when Zurna explained that the problem wasn't limited to Japan as the organisation behind it was an international one that had only been around for the last twenty years or so, and had kept itself hidden and secret. However, it rose to prominence quickly in the last ten years due to connecting with other similarly secret groups and societies from different countries to trade various abnormal things. The white beings with hole as face that Ran and Entise fought was one such thing, a relatively new type of being the cult created using a variety of means they called Homunculus. A multipurpose, versatile 'soldier' that could be used to do a variety of things, and also an effective weapon. By trading the means to make those homunculi with other groups, they had managed to gain a lot of power.
"Though I must clarify, while I said organisation, the so-called Shadow Society are more like a coalition of many groups, each with their own belief, and their own way to achieve their goals, to bring back a forgotten god of sorts usually but not always. Some of them believe that the god is benevolent and would bring prosperity to the world, while some others believe it would cause destruction and chaos. But most of them agreed that it is necessary for their god to be summoned back to this world. Though that does not mean there are no internal conflicts between them, far from it in fact, there is constant infighting between them as to which of their gods are the correct one" Zurna hummed, "It was as if their God seemed to have divided themselves, each of those pieces taking on the forms that suited the believers' beliefs and hopes as the true god acted from the shadow. The monster you encountered earlier was one such god's herald or angel I suppose. Just a theory however"
"As for Unformeds, as mentioned before, they were simply a byproduct of a particular group's way of feeding their God. The unformeds merely bits of undigested food that gathered into an unformed so to speak, what was left of the feeding such as stray thoughts or forgotten memories or other things perhaps. It is doubtful the cult or anyone beside us the Trinity Church even knew of its existence. Due to unformed's nature, they will always find themselves in Gensokyo as they are constantly being 'forgotten' and thus they are 'unwanted' by this world. As such, they are pushed towards Gensokyo." Zurna shook her head, "Since the existence of Gensokyo itself is at most mere rumour in the current modern supernatural community, the cult is simply ignorant of its existence or impact of their actions to it"
Zurna chuckled, "In a way, Gensokyo had been unlucky enough to accidentally suffer from the cult's action. I wonder if perhaps even if this particular group of the cult didn't know about Gensokyo, the one behind it all might know. If that's true, then it is possible that it's intentional on the god's part, for some mysterious reason. But perhaps that's simply too much of a leap in logic."
Taking a deep breath, Ran tried to take in all the information she had been given. She was relieved that at least Gensokyo wasn't the main target, and the incidents happening there were just an unfortunate side-effect of the cult's actions. However, that didn't mean she could simply ignore the problems that were happening there.
"I see. But I still have to do something about the Unformed problem in Gensokyo. I have a duty to protect the place I'm living in." She frowned, "To think the Outside World has this kind of problem. It's a bit of a shock to be honest, I thought the Outsider World had become more or less peaceful as Supernatural declined"
Zurna simply smiled mysteriously, but stayed silent, letting Ran to think.
Ran looked thoughtful, "If the Unformed is indeed a byproduct of that particular cult's method to sustain themselves, then stopping the cult's operation should solve the problem, correct?" She paused for a moment before seeing Zurna nodded, "While I need to verify this information myself first, for now I can at least work with this premise in mind."
"Wonderful, is there anything else you want to know? I'll do my best to answer them" Zurna said, smiling warmly at Ran.
Ran thought for a moment before remembering something that had been on her mind, "Tell me more about yourself, your organisation and how Entise tied into this."
Zurna considered it for a moment, before she looked at Ran with a smile, "Would you like for me to give you a tour of the place while we talked, Miss Ran? We have much to show here, and I would be joyful to share the words of our Goddess with you as well."
After weighing things internally, Ran nodded in agreement, "Very well, that sounds like a good idea. Let's start the tour then."
With that, the two women began their tour of the building as Zurna explained. The orphanage itself is quite big, many children are housed there, ranging from young children to teenagers. It seemed whatever group Zurna is part of, took a hands off approach to the orphanage. Ran could see some people with similar outfit as Zurna working there, however, the rest of the staff seemed to be normal people. There was also not much religious element within the orphanage. It seemed to be a relatively normal and well-run institution. Zurna explained that the church's approach to the orphanage was to raise the children as normally as possible, and to not impose their beliefs on the children. They would instead allow the children to discover their own faith and beliefs as they grew older.
Ran was pleasantly surprised by this approach, as she was expecting a more traditional and perhaps even cultish way of handling the orphanage, but it seemed the church had a more progressive and modern way of doing things. Zurna also explained that the church's goal was not to create fanatical followers, but to help guide people to find their own beliefs and to live a fulfilling life. While Zurna was rather cryptic and good at hiding the details, Ran noticed that the Trinity Church itself was barely able to support the orphanage, with their main source of funding coming from donations and the church itself was operating on a rather tight budget. Being an obviously foreign faith in Japan also meant they had a rather small pool of believers and donors if they stick to their current way, while also facing hostile cults and secret organisations that had been infiltrating and corrupting the society from shadows in the absence of youkais.
Ran knew not to trust Zurna's words at face value, however seeing the healthy and happy state of the children in the orphanage did put some weight on the nun's words. If nothing else, she could see everything fits so far.
After touring the admittedly large and complex building that housed the orphanage, Zurna led her back underground through a secret passage, and Ran followed her into a large room. The room reminded Ran of those churches she had seen in the picture, though slightly more mysterious due to some questionable aesthetic choice. The room also had rows of chairs that were facing a large shrine. The shrine itself was quite impressive, with a large statue of a woman in a long flowing dress, hands reaching out in a welcoming gesture, with a halo of three different circles above her head and several pairs of wings that Ran couldn't identify if they are the feathered avian wings, bat-like ones or something else. The woman's expression was one of kindness and compassion, and her eyes seemed closed yet also looking at everyone in the room with a gentle gaze. Ran couldn't help but feel a sense of peace and calm wash over her as she took in the sight.
"Welcome to our humble sanctuary, where we honour the blessed Trinity Goddess" Zurna said, bowing her head slightly in reverence, "She is who is one in three, three that are one. 'The Lady', is a kind and approachable figure with all of her own failing, always willing to embrace humanity and others to guide them through their lives through her own examples and care. She encourages connection and harmony, guiding people to embrace their experiences and foster relationships within their communities. She is also the creator goddess of a demonic realm and Her children live among us, but that's not my speciality" Zurna paused, taking a deep breath, "'The Joy';, on the other hand, is pure positivity and moral clarity. She serves as an inspiration for acts of kindness, love, and charity. She emphasises individual agency, motivating people to make personal choices for good and encouraging them to act out of compassion and responsibility in the face of adversity, yet understanding if they chose not to. Her Divine heralds rarely invoked, and Her realm if a paradise lost to our impure selves"
Ran listened to Zurna's words, nodding in understanding. While her only faith is to her master, Ran had to admit that the message the Trinity Goddess conveyed was quite admirable and positive. She could see why some people would follow this deity. At the very least, this sounded more sensible than some of the other ones, and so far not much disputed that beside the questionable aesthetics
"And the third?" Ran asked, "Since it's trinity, there must be a third one."
For the first time since she met her, Ran saw the strange woman lose her words, "Ah... yes, there is a third aspect..." Zurna seemed hesitant to talk about this part, and Ran could almost swear that she saw a flash of unease in her eyes, "But let us not talk about Her. It is better that way"
Ran was curious about the third aspect of this goddess, but decided not to press the issue further. She could tell that Zurna was uncomfortable discussing it, and she didn't want to push her too far. She could see that Zurna was trying to respect her boundaries and didn't want to overstep. Though she did feel a familiar feeling from the statue and some of Zurna's description about 'the Lady'. She decided to leave that thought for later, when she was not under scrutiny by someone she didn't know.
Zurna continued the tour, leading Ran through the surprisingly modern underground complex. Ran was surprised to see how advanced and high-tech the equipment was, as well as the presence of devils, who seemed to be working alongside humans. Zurna explained that the devils were not only welcomed in the church, but also respected and appreciated, which was quite a surprise to Ran. She had never heard of devils being treated with such respect before, especially in a religious context. Though Zurna clarified only friendly ones, especially the Lady's children, are welcomed. The complex was not only focused on religious matters, but also on research into magic and science, as well as training and other activities. Some people were even dressed in obviously combat outfits similar to Entise, which made Ran even more intrigued about the organisation.
'If this is how average cults in the Outside World are, this might be really concerning,' Ran thought to herself, recalling the incident that brought her here in the first place. She couldn't imagine what the more extreme or powerful cults might be capable of. It was a sobering reminder of the dangers that lurked in the outside world, something she might have to bring up with her master later, 'Hopefully this Trinity Church is the exception, not the norm.'
"Now, now, let us move on to our final destination," Zurna said, her voice breaking through Ran's thoughts, "We are almost at the end of the tour, and if I may presume, you do want to continue with your investigation on the group that caused unformed to appear in Gensokyo. Is it not so?"
"Yes, that's correct" Ran said, nodding her head in affirmation, "I need to gather information about them and find out their location, so I can stop their operation and their threat to Gensokyo"
"I see. In that case, I shall take you to our guardians' wing, where you will find the information that you need," Zurna said, leading Ran towards a large door, "Behind this door, you will find a gathering of warriors who hold the Sacred Signs of the Trinity Goddess. They are the ones who are in charge of dealing with the more dangerous elements of our world."
Zurna stepped aside, gesturing for Ran to enter the room. As the door slid open, Ran was greeted by a group of individuals, all wearing armours similar to Entise. They were gathered in a semi-circle, with a large projector screen in front of them, showing a map of the city most likely. They were all staring at the map, discussing something in hushed whispers. As soon as they noticed Ran's presence, they turned to look at her, their gazes curious and piercing.
"This is the person who arrived with Entise, the Flaming Staff of the Goddess?" One of them, a tall woman with short hair, asked.
Zurna nodded, "Yes, indeed. Yakumo Ran, herself"
The woman in armour nodded in acknowledgement, "I see. Thank you for bringing her here. We will make sure to treat her with the respect she deserves."
"Thank you, I appreciate your kindness," Ran said, bowing her head slightly, "I would like to know more about the organisation that is causing the problems for Gensokyo. Can you tell me more about them?"
The woman in armour nodded again, "Of course. We have been tracking their activities for some time now, and we have gathered a lot of information about them. Her Holiness' actions have been helpful in revealing more of their secrets. We believe that they are using a base in the abandoned part of the city, and we have marked its location on the map. We are planning to send a team to investigate the area soon."
Ran looked at the map and saw the location of the base marked on it. It was in the heart of the abandoned part of the city, surrounded by derelict buildings and overgrown weeds. It seemed like the perfect place for a secretive organisation to hide away from prying eyes.
"Can you tell me more about the organisation itself? Who are they and what are their goals?" Ran asked, trying to gather as much information as possible.
"They call themselves the Order of the Azure Will. As mentioned before, they are part of the Shadow Society, particularly a group of individuals who believe that they are fulfilling the will of a god that they call the Unseen Lord," the woman in armour explained, "They have only been active for mere two years or so, but in that short time not too different from others in Shadow Society, they have already grown significantly in power and influence due to help of their affiliates. Their mastery over esoteric led them to devise a sacrificial ritual to feed the god. They are trying to bring him into our world, and they believe that once he is here, he will grant them unimaginable powers and wealth, as usual."
Ran looked over the documents given to her, quickly reading through them. She was impressed by the level of detail and the amount of information that had been collected. It was clear that the people in the room were not amateurs, but professionals who knew what they were doing. She noticed that some of the documents mentioned other groups and organisations that had been active in the area, but they seemed not of any importance to her.
"I see. With this scale and the power the group possessed, it is quite dangerous. Yet, Entise didn't seem to take an aggressive action against the group." Ran commented, "If I may ask, is there a reason behind that?"
The woman in armour looked at her for a moment before nodding, "Her Holiness actions are... difficult to understand. Until recently, we thought that She was simply uninterested in dealing with the problem directly, though your presence here and our new understanding over Gensokyo answered some things. For now, we have several hypotheses: the cult's god might be hidden in a way that even She could not find him, and She needed to lure the god to reveal itself. By defeating their heralds and agents, She had been trying to provoke them into taking action, or simply the way toward the Unseen Lord closed itself unless the heralds were defeated."
Since this god seemed foreign and different from the Kamis Ran more familiar with, that made some sense with her limited understanding, 'Gensokyo's existence is merely a rumour in the outside world, right? So it is possible that this god is unaware of it, and thus unable to hide itself from Entise in there. As the unformeds came to Gensokyo, Entise might be looking into essentially using Gensokyo as a backdoor entry into the god's hidden domain,' she thought, 'It might be less about defeating the Herald, but simply finding the correct route while taking care the unformed on the way too. Though this is merely an educated guess.'
The woman in armour continued, "But that is merely our guess. We have no idea if that is the case, or what Her true intention is. It would be better to ask Her directly, if you ever see Her again. Though She is known to not explain her actions, even to us."
"I see" Ran said, nodding in understanding, "I hope I can get an answer from her when we meet again"
Ran took a few moments to process the information she had received. She was grateful for the help and support that she had been given, and she knew that she had to use the opportunity to its fullest. She needed to get to the bottom of the problem and put an end to it, before it caused any more harm to Gensokyo and its residents.
The woman in armour looked at Ran, "Regardless of everything, we will be sending our team to the abandoned part of the city tomorrow to investigate the cult's base. If you would like, we will be honoured to have you to assist us,"
"It's simply part of my duty. So, you are planning to raid the cult's base tomorrow?"
"Yes, that's correct. We have gathered enough intelligence and believe that the time is right for us to take action," the woman in armour replied, "Our team is ready and we have prepared all the necessary equipment and resources. We will make sure that the cult is stopped and that no harm comes to anyone else."
"Then I shall meet your team before the raid" Ran nodded, "I need to investigate a few other things, but I will be ready to help."
"We appreciate your assistance, Miss Ran," the woman in armour said, bowing her head slightly, "We will be ready to leave first thing in the morning. Please make sure to prepare yourself and rest well tonight."
"I will. Thank you for the hospitality and the information you have provided me," Ran said, returning the bow.
With that, Ran left the room and made her way out of the building. She had a lot to think about and a lot to prepare for. Tomorrow would be a big day and she wanted to make sure that she was ready for it. She also wanted to make sure to verify all the information so far. Just because the church had been friendly and welcoming didn't mean she could let her guard down. She would have to be vigilant and make sure that she was not being deceived. Ran knew that she couldn't trust anyone that easily, especially people she just met.
'It's been so long since I done anything like this...' Ran sighed internally, 'Hopefully I am not too rusty.'
'..They are clean, suspiciously so that even some people actually slightly weirded out but the Trinity Church's track record is spotless. Not even a hint of scandal or any misdeed from the mundane side of things'
As the sun started to set and the sky turned to a deep crimson colour, Ran found herself sitting on a park bench. She had spent the day gathering information and trying to find out more about everything she learned so far, mostly about the Trinity Church and the Order of Azure Will from both mundane investigations and what few supernatural means or contacts she had at hand. While Ran could use the excuse of only having a few hours to investigate, Ran felt like she did at least decently so far.
She had found out that the church, while somewhat mysterious and unknown to the general public, was actually a fairly well-respected organisation in the area. They had a reputation for helping the poor and needy, and they were known for their charitable work. Ran had found no evidence of any shady dealings or illegal activities. The worst thing people complained about was that they can be somewhat weird and their place somewhat unnerving, but nothing serious. From the more supernatural side of things, her attempts to personally scry or use magical means to find more about the church were complete failures. The whole place was warded against such attempts, and the warding was top notch, better than what Ran could break. There was also some sort of interference that made her unable to find out more about the church. It was almost as if they had some kind of protection or cloaking device that prevented her from seeing anything.
Though she did manage to find some stray spirits and rare youkais to talk to, who didn't have much complaints about the church. Most of the spirits seemed to be either neutral or even positive towards the church and their activities. Some of the spirits even mentioned that the church had helped them in some way or another, whether it was by providing food or shelter for those in need, or by offering guidance and support to those who were lost and confused. Ran also found some youkai who lived near the church, who were surprisingly quite friendly and helpful, and they even told her that the church had been a great help to the community in the area. While it wasn't much, it at least somewhat allayed Ran's concern as most of the ones she asked definitely have different agenda from each other, and yet they were mostly positive about the church. The only concerned they had were about the devils the Church harboured but even then, it seemed they didn't do much either.
'It's possible that the church is not a problem and that they are genuinely trying to do good,' Ran thought to herself, 'But I can't let my guard down too much just yet. It's definitely another story for the Order of Azure Will however.'
Ran had found what she was told about the Order of Azure Will, to be generally accurate. Some additional insights from personal experiences of various spirits and youkai. The cult had been active for a while and had been causing trouble in the area. They were known to be violent and dangerous, and they had been involved in a number of crimes, including murder and human trafficking. From what Ran could gather, the cult was led by random salarymen that became disillusioned by the society and decided that the best way to deal with it was to summon and worship a god that would bring chaos and destruction to the world. The cult was funded by a group of individuals who believed that they would receive special powers and rewards from the god once it was summoned. They were also quite violent toward the few remaining and surviving local youkais and spirits, and were quite willing to kill anyone or anything that got in their way.
Ran couldn't find any evidence that the cult members had any supernatural or much magical power of their own, instead relying on their homunculi. It seemed the cult was mostly mundane, but they had access to powerful resources and were able to use them to their advantage. Of course, their god's heralds were quite real and dangerous, though Ran wasn't able to find out more about that. Ran wondered if the reason why Entise never attacked the cult was actually because most of their members are regular humans, thus she had to be careful when dealing with them.
'While the cult's goal of summoning their god is concerning, and their methods are deplorable, at least I know what I need to do' Ran thought, 'Stopping whatever the Cult doing to 'feed' their god is the most important thing, as it will stop the unformed to be formed in Gensokyo.'
Easier said than done of course, it might lead toward facing the God themselves, something Ran wasn't certain she can do alone, or even at all. Even the Herald she saw Entise defeated would be decently powerful in Gensokyo and she doubted she could take it on without a good preparation and plan, not to mention the actual God themselves. Unless Entise was willing to help her, it might be a good idea to call for backup from Gensokyo.
She sighed and shook her head, 'Well, at least I can say that I investigated everything I could so far.'
Ran stretched her arms and stood up, looking around. She had been sitting on the bench for quite a while and it was starting to get dark. She had a long day and she was tired. She knew that she had to get back to the church and rest, as she needed to be ready for tomorrow's raid. She was also eager to get back to Gensokyo and report what she had learned so far to her master, and possibly bring some of Gensokyo's denizens here to help with the fight against the cult. She knew that she probably could not do it alone, and she would need all the help she could get. Though she doubted her master would allow that.
Ran made her way back to the church, feeling a bit more confident about her ability to deal with the situation. She knew that she had a long way to go before she could say that she had solved the problem, but she felt like she was making progress and that she was on the right track. As she reached the orphanage building and knocked, the door opened and she was greeted by the familiar face of Zurna.
"Ah, welcome back, dear guest," Zurna said, smiling warmly, "You must have been busy, yes?"
"I have indeed been busy," Ran said, nodding in response, "I have been investigating some things and trying to find out more about the situation. I am glad to see that you are still here."
"Yes, I was just doing some work. The church can't just wait for the guardians to finish the job after all" Zurna said, chuckling.
"I see. I hope you don't mind if I ask for a bit more of your time. I would like to discuss some things with you before I go to bed, if you have time. Just to make sure I understand what I'm about to face tomorrow"
"Of course, I would be happy to talk with you," Zurna said, "Let us go to my office. We can have some tea and biscuits while we talk"
Zurna led Ran to a small room with a desk, some bookshelves, and a few chairs. She gestured for Ran to take a seat while she made some tea. Once the tea was ready, she poured two cups and set one in front of Ran. Then, she sat down in the chair behind the desk and smiled at Ran.
"Now, what is it that you would like to discuss?" Zurna asked.
Ran took a sip of her tea and nodded, "I would like to ask..what are you exactly?"
Something had been bothering Ran, even if she had been busy investigating everything and tried to ignore it, but something had been nagging at her that couldn't quite put her finger on. But the more she talked with Zurna, the more she realised that there was something odd about the woman. It was obvious from hindsight that Zurna was not human, or at least not a regular human. Her skin had an unusual iridescent sheen to it, and her eyes were different colours, even the iris' size, though she mostly hid it using her hair, and she had an otherworldly aura that made her stand out.
'How did I miss this? It is so obvious that she is not a regular human' Ran thought to herself, 'Not to mention how she knew so far about Gensokyo's current state...no, something's strange. I definitely should have noticed this, but why didn't I?'
"What am I exactly?" Zurna chuckled, "What do you mean, dear guest?"
Ran frowned, "Don't play dumb. I can clearly tell you're not a regular human, not to mention how you are so casual about Gensokyo. No, something's wrong here. What are you, Zurna? And no, don't tell me you're human. I know better. What are you hiding from me? Don't try to lie to me, I'll know"
Ran had to be careful. If she were to be hostile, the church could simply declare her enemy, which would be troublesome. So far, Ran wanted to believe that they are indeed a friendly group, however, that would not make her less cautious. If she wanted to believe that the church is what it presented itself to be, she needed to make sure there's no hidden catch.
Zurna smiled sadly, "Very well, you're right, I'm not human, or at least, not a normal human. It's...complicated but we're not a Youkai either. I and my sisters you've seen around the Church, are called Deep Ones"
Ran's eyes widened, "Deep Ones, as in the Lovecraft's book Deep Ones?" She asked, her voice almost a whisper. Ran had read some of the Lovecraft's books and knew of the Deep Ones, though the books themselves were mostly fictional, or so her master claimed. But if Zurna was telling the truth, it meant that the Deep Ones were real and that they were here in the church. Ran could feel a shiver run down her spine as she thought about the implications. It is normally somewhat ironic for a creature of fantasy like her to be shocked about the existence of fictional creatures, however this is Lovecraft. Ran knew that there's a big chance that they are not the same ones from the books, and she hoped so. From what she remembered, Deep Ones are a race of immortal fish-frog-like humanoids that live in the depths of the ocean and are able to mate with humans and other Deep Ones to create hybrids, and their offspring are able to live in human society and eventually return to the sea. Deep Ones were described as being ancient, older than humanity and possibly older than the dinosaurs. Most importantly, they are known to worship the Great Old Ones, beings of immense power and cosmic horror that are said to have once ruled the Earth before being defeated by the Elder Gods or some other powerful beings. Even if she met gods before and knew people like her master who seemed god-like, those entities Lovecraft depicted were something else entirely.
"Ah, it seems you're familiar with mister Lovecraft's works?" Zurna sighed, "The Dreamer's works are something else aren't they? Even as a human, a very flawed man one might even say, he was able to capture the feeling of incomprehensible fear and dread, and to think that was only through dreams. Perhaps the World truly works in a mysterious way."
Ran took a deep breath, feeling the tension in the room grow thick. Now that she thought about it, Zurna for some reason reminded Ran of the Kappas in Gensokyo, an aquatic youkai that was said to look like a mix of frog and fish...could it be that Kappa were originally based on Deep Ones? Ran's mind was racing with questions and theories. She had to stay focuse, even though her instincts were telling her to flee from the church. "S-so, you're saying that you and your sisters are Deep Ones? Are you worshipping the Great Old Ones, Cthulhu, and all of those entities real as well?" Ran asked, trying to keep her voice steady.
"If you're asking whether or not we're some sort of amphibian humanoid with a fish-like scale, webbed hands and a tail that rules the world's ocean from the shadows or their hybrid descendants then no, I am afraid I must disappoint you dear guest. It would be like saying the lizardmen control the world's governments because some crazy reptilian conspiracy theorist said so" Zurna chuckled, "We're not the same as the Dreamer's works. Perhaps we inspired his works and the Kappas, or perhaps we're all the same but the Dreamer's vision was a...bit off."
Zurna stood up and walked toward the tea kettle, pouring herself and Ran another cup of tea. Ran noticed that her movements were graceful and elegant, as if she were dancing. She sat back down and took a sip of her tea before continuing, "To begin with, we're but only a few in comparison to one's depicted in the books. We are also closer to a human than a frog or fish or even the youkais Kappas, even if we could live in both water and dry land. Though I know not of my ancestors, I myself born in the land known as Gensokyo"
"...Wait, you're from Gensokyo?!" Ran exclaimed, her eyes widening in surprise.
Zurna nodded, "Indeed. Not to say there aren't any of us outside, but as far as I know, most of us lived in Gensokyo. Though some have moved out recently to join the church, as you saw"
"That's..that's impossible, I would have heard about it, or seen any of your kind before. They couldn't have been hidden so well" Ran said, her mind racing. She had never heard of any Deep Ones living in Gensokyo, and she was certain that if they had been there, she would have heard about it or at least seen one before. At the very least, some rumours or myths about it would have existed. Failing that, her master surely would have mentioned them. "Are you sure you're not lying to me? This is a bit hard to swallow"
"Tis is the truth, dear guest. I would not dare to lie to you, especially since you would be able to see through it, no?" Zurna smiled, "Though, I understand why you're so sceptical. Allow me to explain."
Ran nodded, "Very well, please explain"
Zurna took a deep breath before beginning, "We're a secretive kind. We rarely if ever interacted with the rest of the inhabitants in Gensokyo. We lived deep inside the Forest of Magic, a place where not many dared to tread as you surely know dear guest. We also used our esoteric arts to hide our dwelling, ensuring no one knew about us until very recently where the Ordained Time came and a Tengu stumbled into our dwelling."
"On top of that, I am sure you realised how tricky the unformed yes? Elusive in not only their nature, simply remembering them can be tricky, let alone finding them. Or honoured Satsuki Rin, a Nameless, a being who is forgotten by everyone, even themselves, a being that could easily forgotten" Zurna paused, sighing as she looked at Ran with sad eyes, "Many of our kinds were Unformeds and Nameless that turned into a Deep One by the touch of 'The Mother', dear guest. There was no trace of us, as those no longer exist or never were at all. Though of course, some of us are naturally born as one. I myself was one, even if I was a bit different."
Ran blinked, trying to process everything that Zurna was saying, "This..this is a lot to take in"
"I know, I had the same reaction when I learned the truth," Zurna smiled, "Coincidentally, our nature made it easier to interact with unformeds, nameless or similar things. Our true nature is also hard to determine, as it seemed one of my sisters managed to throw a certain Shrine Maiden's capability to detect Youkai off-balance. Of course, as I said, we're not Youkai, we feed not the fear of humanity for in a way, we're one ourselves"
Sighing, Ran rubbed her forehead, "Alright, alright, this is a lot to take in. I'm not sure if I'm comfortable with this. You're telling me that you're Deep Ones, a race of beings that are not Youkai but are similar to them, and that you lived in Gensokyo without anyone knowing about it. Not only that, you're telling me that you're also somehow related to the unformeds, and that your true nature is hard to determine. That's a lot of information to take in, and I'm not sure if I believe it all. It's a lot to take in, and I'm not sure if I'm comfortable with it. But I will say, I am glad that you were honest with me. I appreciate that"
Zurna smiled, "I understand, dear guest, it is a lot to take in. I'm sorry for dumping it on you like that. I just wanted to be honest with you, and I hope that you will be able to understand and accept us. We're not bad people, and we're not a danger to Gensokyo or to anyone. We just want to live in peace and harmony, and to be able to worship the Trinity Goddess."
"And if we are a threat, we would've done that already, yes? There's a reason why we're not a threat to the world and the humans in it" Zurna said, "At least, most of us are not. As we are closer to humans, we share a commonality with them. It is not impossible to coexist with each other. Of course, it's not easy, but it is possible."
"I see," Ran nodded, nursing her headache, "I'm still not comfortable with this, and I'm not sure if I trust you completely, but I appreciate your honesty. I'll keep an open mind and try to understand more about you and your people. Thank you for telling me all of this"
"You're welcome, dear guest. I hope that you will be able to find a way to trust us and that we can work together in the future. I'm sure that we can be great allies to each other" Zurna smiled, "Then I suppose I shall bid you good night then? Or is there anything else you would like to discuss?"
Ran nodded, "No, that's all I wanted to discuss. Thank you for your time, and I wish you a good night"
Zurna smiled and nodded, "Of course, dear guest. I hope you have a good night as well. Sweet dreams"
With that, Ran left the office and made her way to the guest room she was given, complicated feeling and thoughts swirling in her head. As she closed the door to her room, she felt a wave of exhaustion wash over her and she collapsed onto the bed, her thoughts racing with everything that Zurna had told her.
'How the hell am I going to explain all of this to lady Yukari?' Ran thought to herself, 'This is going to be a lot harder than I thought'
She sighed and closed her eyes, trying to get some rest before the raid tomorrow. She knew that she needed to be at her best, and she couldn't afford to be tired and exhausted. She needed to be focused and ready for anything. As she drifted off to sleep, she couldn't help but start to dream about horrors from beyond the stars, of beings beyond comprehension and their dark cults.
The next morning, Ran was woken up by a knock on her door. She groaned and rolled over, trying to ignore it. She had not slept well, and she was still feeling the effects of her lack of sleep. Or rather, her sleep was filled with nightmare fuel, which wasn't great either.
The knocking persisted, and Ran eventually gave in and got out of bed. She opened the door and saw Zurna standing outside, holding a tray of food, "Good morning, dear guest. Oh my, you look quite haggard. Did you sleep well last night?"
"..." Ran just gave the smiling Deep One a flat stare. It wasn't that she hated the woman, but her nightmare was partially because of her...
"Ahaha, well, let us not dally any longer. The raid is in a couple of hours, so please prepare yourself" Zurna said, "I have brought you breakfast. Please eat it before you get ready"
Ran nodded and took the tray, closing the door. She sat down on her bed and ate the food, which was a simple but tasty breakfast of toast and eggs. She was grateful for the meal, as it gave her the energy she needed to start the day.
As she finished her breakfast, and met up with the group that would raid the cult's base. It was led by a woman in armour, named Nisa, and she was joined by two other women and one man. They all seemed to be in high spirits and were joking around, though the jokes were mostly about the mission. Ran couldn't help but smile as she listened to them banter back and forth, though she herself remained silent.
The raid's plan itself relatively simple, as the cult were mostly regular humans, that left only the homunculi as their most dangerous asset, which was a concern, but not too big of one. Each of them might be a danger to a human, or even normal youkai, as each of them tougher than a reinforced steel beam and easily several dozens times stronger than average human, but Ran should be able to manage and the others seemed confident too. Their numbers were their biggest threat, as they would be swarmed if they weren't careful. Otherwise, it would be a relatively simple raid, as long as they were prepared and careful.
'Of course, this is counting on the Heralds or the supposed God don't show up,' Ran thought, 'If they did, we might be in trouble. It is a pity I couldn't call anyone else for backup. It would have been easier with more of us...'
After a brief discussion and briefing, they set out. As they approached the abandoned part of the city, Ran could feel the tension in the air grow thicker. The buildings were in a state of disrepair, with broken windows and graffiti-covered walls. The streets were empty, and there was a sense of foreboding in the air.
"Here we are, the Cult's base," Nisa said, stopping in front of a large, derelict building, "It is an old abandoned hotel that has been taken over by the cult. They have been using it as their base of operations, and we believe that this is where they are storing their homunculi. We most likely will find their leader as well, and hopefully we can put an end to their activities."
Ran looked up at the building, taking in the sight. It was a tall, imposing structure that had seen better days. The windows were boarded up, and the front door was heavily barricaded. There were signs of activity inside, however, as there were lights on in some of the windows and there was a faint hum of machinery coming from somewhere within. She probably could simply destroy the entire building and be done with it, but Ran wasn't sure if there is a hidden danger doing so and it might attract too much attentions.
"We will split into two groups of two," Nisa said, "I and Vanessa will go to the main entrance and try to breach it. Ahrim and Sarin will go around to the back and try to find another way in. Once we are inside, we will try to find and secure or destroy the homunculi. As for the cultist themselves...use your own discretion."
"Miss Yakumo, you can choose whichever team you would like to join" Nisa said, "Or you can go on your own, if you prefer. In any case, once inside, we will try to regroup as quickly as possible"
Ran looked thoughtful for a moment before she looked up, "I doubt they would expect me from above, so I will take a shortcut through the roof. Meet you inside"
Nisa smiled, "Well, we shall be waiting, then. Let us move"
With that, the team split up and moved to their respective positions. Ran, on the other hand, simply flew up to the roof. She landed on the top of the building, looking down at the city below. She could see the team members moving into position, getting ready to breach the building.
The roof of the building was a large, flat surface that was covered in a layer of dirt and grime. There were a few broken pieces of machinery scattered around, as well as some old, rusted metal pipes. Ran looked around, trying to find an entrance to the building. After a few moments, she found a small, square hatch that was set into the roof. She pried it open and peered inside, seeing a dark, empty room below. Slipping through the hatch and dropping down into the room, Rand landed softly on the ground. She was now inside the building, and she could hear the sounds of the raid team breaching the main entrance. There were shouts and the sound of combat, and then silence. It seemed that the team had made it inside without much resistance.
'I should probably meet up with them as soon as possible, if I can't find any of the cultists,' Ran thought, 'It would be best to work together, especially if a herald shows up'
Ran made her way out of the room and down a long, dark corridor. Finding it already filled with the white humanoid creatures with holes in place of their faces, the homunculi quickly turned their attention to her, and began to attack her. Ran easily evaded their attacks and began to fight back. Knowing her danmakus was worse than useless, she resorted to physical fighting, using her claws and tails. It was a bit more tiring, especially with how tough and durable the homunculi were, but Ran was definitely stronger and more agile than them. She managed to take down one after another, as she made her way down the corridor.
Ran continued down the corridor, fighting off the homunculi as she went. She was starting to feel the strain of the fight, as the homunculi were tougher and more durable than she had anticipated. However, she was still able to take them down one by one, as she made her way toward the main entrance of the building.
As she turned a corner, she came face to face with a group of cultists. They were dressed in surprisingly normal salarymen clothes, except for their masks. In a move that surprised Ran, something she didn't expect from supposed cultists, they ran away instead of fighting. The Homunculi on the other hand, stayed and tried to defend the fleeing cultists. Ran was about to give chase, but realised the cultists didn't ran that far and it seemed to anticipated something...her instincts warned her of danger, so she quickly ducked and rolled away, just in time to avoid a large, dark tentacle that slammed into the ground where she had been standing a moment ago. The homunculi that were in the way of the attack, were crushed by the tentacles.
"What the-?" Ran exclaimed, her eyes widening.
She turned to see a large, hulking figure standing in the middle of the corridor. It was a giant, black, slimy creature with a gaping, toothless mouth with red eyes. The creature had multiple long, writhing tentacles that protruded from its back and sides, and it was covered in a layer of dark, viscous slime. Ran saw as one of the cultists seemed to hold a strange object toward the direction where the creature came from, which she guessed was some sort of summoning magical item or device.
'Too weak to be a Herald, though I only encountered one so I am not certain how powerful they are compared to each other. This must be another kind of being similar to them, perhaps a lesser version?' Ran thought to herself, 'I guess this is why the cultist fled, and the Homunculi tried to defend them, they expected this creature to be summoned to deal with us'
The creature let out a loud, guttural roar and charged toward Ran, its tentacles lashing out at her. Ran dodged the attacks, trying to keep her distance from the creature. She knew that she needed to stay away from its tentacles, as they could easily crush her if she got too close. As for the slime, she wasn't sure what would happen to her if she touched it. She knew that she needed to be careful, as the creature was much stronger and tougher than the homunculi she had faced so far.
Ran dodged the creature's attacks and began to fight back, using her danmaku. It was surprisingly effective, Ran thought it would've similar result as against the homunculi. The creature was staggered and visibly hurt by her danmaku, but it seemed she needed to aim for the head or the chest to deal more damage. Unfortunately, the creature was able to regenerate quickly, so she needed to be careful not to get hit too often.
The abomination of a creature let out a roar of pain and rage as Ran's danmaku hit its body, causing it to stagger and stumble. It was clear that the creature was not used to being hurt, and it was not happy about it. Ran knew that she needed to keep up the pressure, as the creature was not going to go down easily.
As Ran fought, the creature continued to lash out with its tentacles, trying to hit her. She managed to dodge most of the attacks, but a few of the tentacles managed to graze her, sending her flying through the air. She landed hard on the ground, gasping for breath. Her body was aching and not only from the physical impact. She realised the monster might've emitted some kind of miasma or aura that was weakening her, which wasn't helped with the slime that was slowly coating her. She needed to end this quickly, or she would be in trouble.
'If I can hit the head or chest, I can end this,' Ran thought to herself, 'I just need to get close enough'
With that thought in mind, Ran charged forward, dodging the creature's tentacles as she went. She leaped into the air and launched a barrage of danmaku at the creature's head, hoping to hit it hard enough to take it down. The creature let out a scream of pain and rage as the danmaku hit it, but it was still standing. Ran, not wasting a chance, flew toward the creature's chest with her claws ready. She tore at the creature's slimy skin with her claws, causing it to scream in agony. She was finally able to deliver a finishing blow, and the creature collapsed to the ground, dead.
"That was tiring," Ran sighed as she looked around, taking in the carnage. The cultists had fled, leaving their homunculi to fight for them. The creature's body was slowly dissolving into a puddle of dark slime.
'I need to find the rest of the group and make sure they are okay,' Ran thought to herself, 'This raid is not over yet.'
Ran made her way through the building, looking for the rest of the team. She was still feeling the effects of the fight with the creature, and she was not looking forward to fighting any more of them. As she turned a corner, she saw Nisa and Vanessa fighting off another one of the slimy monsters. Their flaming staves and strange magic seemed to be effective against it. Instead of helping them, Ran decided to scout ahead to see if there were any more of the cultists or the homunculi, as she knew that Nisa and Vanessa could handle themselves. She didn't find anything else, but she did come across a door that was slightly ajar. She pushed it open and stepped inside, finding herself in a large, dark room that was filled with strange, arcane machinery. There was a man in the middle of the room, who seemed to be the leader of the cult. He was dressed in a suit and tie and had a dark, hooded cloak over his shoulders. He was standing in front of a large, glowing portal that was pulsating with energy.
'This must be their leader,' Ran thought, 'He seems to be preparing some kind of ritual. I need to stop him before he finishes it'
The man turned to look at her and smiled, his eyes glowing with an otherworldly light. He spoke in a deep, gravelly voice, "Ah, so you have come to stop me, have you? Well, you are too late. The ritual is almost complete, and soon my master will be summoned to this world"
Ran narrowed her eyes, "I will not let that happen. You will be stopped, and your plans will be foiled"
The man laughed, a deep, throaty laugh that echoed through the room, "You cannot stop me, little fox. I have been planning this for years, and I will not let you stand in my way. You will be the first to be sacrificed to my master, and your power will be used to bring him into this world"
"For a mere human, you're quite confident," Ran commented, "You do realize I am a youkai right?"
"Ah yes, some great youkai or whatever" The man snorted in contempt, "Mere relics from another time. The true power is within us, the chosen ones. We will summon our master and bring about a new era, an era of darkness and despair. PREPAIR TO WITNESS THE TRUE POWE-" He didn't get to finish his sentence, as Ran slapped him hard, sending him flying into the wall behind him, his face turned to a mess.
"...That was satisfying," Ran said, feeling refreshed. She then looked at the portal, "Now, I just need to find a way to shut this down"
"Urgh..." The man groaned, getting back on his feet, "You...you mutt! How dare you, I am-" Ran kicked him square in the stomach, sending him flying again.
"Just shut up, will you? You're annoying" Ran said, before turning her attention back to the portal. It was pulsating with energy, and she could feel a sense of foreboding emanating from it. She knew that she needed to act fast, or else something terrible would happen. She examined the machinery, trying to figure out how to shut it down.
"Ehehehehehehehe" The man laughed, getting back up to his feet, "You're a persistent one. But you'll never be able to stop the ritual now"
"I don't have to" Ran said, trying to appear nonchalant, "My mission was to raid your base, and I have already done that. I'm just shutting down the portal as a bonus, since you decided to do this"
"You fool!" The man exclaimed, "The ritual is already underway, it cannot be stopped! Soon! Very soon, our master will be summoned, and he will destroy everything in his path!"
As much as Ran hated to admit it, the man had a point. She couldn't see any way to shut down the portal, and it was starting to glow brighter and brighter, a powerful aura emitting from the portal, making her feel weaker. Whatever behind the portal, was a powerful entity. Ran knew that if the portal were allowed to fully open, it would spell disaster for Outside World. Perhaps Gensokyo would be safe but she wouldn't bet on that. She needed to think fast, and come up with a plan.
The man cackled gleefully, "You see? You cannot stop us! We will summon our master, and he will bring an end to this world! You have lost-"
Suddenly, the man's words were cut off by a giant, bird-like head that flew out of the portal. It was almost dead, and it seemed to have been decapitated from whatever body it belonged to. The head crashed toward the wall, and the man looked on in shock and horror. Before he could even react, a figure emerged from the portal. It was a woman, dressed in black and with a hood covering her face.
"Y-You! T-the MASTER!" The man gasped, "What have you done? You've ruined everything! Our plans! Our dreams! Everything!"
The woman, Entise, said nothing, instead simply walking forward, stepping toward the barely living bird-like head the size of a bus, ignoring the cultist who screamed at her. She lifted her massive oversized weapon that Ran hesitated to call it an axe, more like a giant slab of metal with a blade on one end, above her head and then swung it down, slicing through the head and crushing it.
"W-What have you done?" The man said, "W-why? Our Master...you...you..."
"...Purification...complete..." Entise said, her voice flat and emotionless, "...No..there is...a Filth left.." She turned her attention to the cultist, "...Unfortunate...I will...eliminate it..."
The man screamed in terror as Entise walked toward him, and somehow knocked him out that way from the sheer terror perhaps. She then turned her attention to Ran, her eyes lit up in recognition.
"...So you are here...did you find...your answer...finish your Investigation?..." Entise asked softly and gently, Ran could swear the woman might have even smiled a bit, but she wasn't sure.
Ran looked at the the supposed god's head that Entise had just killed and then toward the cultist who now foaming in the mouth before turning her attention back to the woman, "I..I guess you can say that"
"...Good...good..." Entise said, nodding, "...Get back home..safely..."
With that, the woman left, walking back toward the portal before it broke like shattered glass, leaving a stunned Ran. After a moment, she snapped out of it and realised that she needed to get out of there as well. She quickly made her way out of the building, finding Nisa and Vanessa waiting for her outside.
"We have eliminated the rest of the cultists and homunculi," Nisa said, "What happened to you?"
"Ah...I met the leader. He was going to summon the god, but Entise, that woman, showed up and killed it. It was...quite something" Ran said, her mind still reeling from the events that had just transpired.
"I see, so her holiness has eliminated the threat," Nisa said, nodding, "That is good. We can leave the rest to her. We should get out of here before the authorities arrive"
Ran nodded, "Yes, we should. I have a report to make to my master, so I should head back to Gensokyo as soon as possible"
"Well, you can stay for a bit and rest if you need it, but we won't stop you if you want to leave now," Vanessa said, "We'll take care of the rest. You've done more than enough"
Ran smiled, "Thank you. I appreciate it. I'll take my leave then. Good luck with the rest"
With that, Ran left, preparing to head back to Gensokyo. She had a lot to report to her master, and she was not looking forward to it. She was sure that lady Yukari would have questions about what had just happened, and Ran was not sure how she was going to explain it all. Ran certainly didn't look forward to explaining all of this mess to her master.
'I wonder what would lady Yukari say if she found out about all of this...' Ran thought, 'Well, I guess I'll find out soon enough...'
After she found herself in Outside World after following the Woodsman, Entise, through some kind of enclosed space where they fought white creatures and a monster, the mysterious woman simply left her behind in that basement without any further explanation besides 'someone will come soon, wait here'. Ran was naturally dubious of that, but true enough, someone did come while Ran examining the basement where she found herself in. She was greeted by a strange-looking woman that came down to the basement. A strange-looking woman with pale skin that seemed to glow with a strange light and had a pair of different coloured eyes. She had long blonde hair that covered one of her eyes, wearing a strange black dress with a transparent veil covering her hair. She introduced herself as Zurna and brought Ran out of the building she was in, to a car that took them to a building that she explained was an orphanage.
"Was that call satisfactory, dear guest?" Zurna asked Ran, the strange woman stood to the side to give some space to Ran.
Ran nodded, before looking at the woman with narrowed eyes, "Yes... Thanks for lending your phone, though I am curious about it, and many other things. Is it finally time for some explanation? Or is it still 'not the right time' again?"
While she knew she was being rather rude, Ran is quite frustrated at not only being suddenly shoved into this situation, but how tight-lipped everyone had been so far, and she had to go along with it because she had no other viable choices. She had to go along with it all since coming here. She couldn't help but feel annoyed at being kept in the dark and being dragged around.
"Very well, please tell me what ails you so."
"Then first, let's start with you. Who are you really?"
"Me? I'm Zurna. As for who I really am? Why, that is just a question of what a 'self' truly is. Are you your past? Your memories? Your desires and goals? Your body? Or is it the people around you that define who you are? Or perhaps, the very world that you live in?" Zurna smiled, her eyes twinkled with amusement, before she shook her head after seeing Ran's expression and continued, "My apologies, I suppose I got carried away with the answer. What I'm trying to say is, 'I' am Zurna, a follower of Trinity Goddess and a nun at the Church of the Trinity Goddess in the area." She pointed at her clothes, "This is a habit of the Trinity Church's nuns, though personalised for mine's use"
Looking closer at the strange woman, Ran noticed the three concentric circles symbols on her dress and veil, which most likely the symbol of said church. She remembered Entise also wore the same symbol on her armour. An image slowly formed in Ran's mind as she began piecing things together. She had been brought to an orphanage run by the church that Entise and this woman belonged to. It made sense now, but she still had many questions about this place, and this woman in front of her.
"Next question, what is the relationship between you and Entise?"
"Ah, her holiness" Zurna smiled warmly, "I am but humble servant of the Trinity Goddess, and she is by which the judgement and punishment from the Goddess is delivered. She is our protector, our flaming staff. It is by her hands that the heretical and impure ones shall be purged from this world."
There were many things in that explanation that carried a lot of implications. But for now, Ran would just keep it in mind and focus on getting answers to her more immediate questions.
"The 'impure ones'... are they the Unformeds that Entise has been hunting? Or perhaps the strange, faceless white monsters and their leader?" Ran recalled her encounter with Entise, and how they fought inside some-kind of mirror dimension, "Or both? Or perhaps something else entirely?"
"The unformeds..ah I see" Zurna looked thoughtful for a moment, "Well, those are indeed impurities, yes, but what her Holiness brought to the unformeds was mercy. For as much as they are impure, they too are victims to a much bigger and dangerous enemy. Would you like me to explain the situation which you're concerned about?"
Ran nodded. Finally, someone was willing to give her answers. "Yes, please"
The strange woman nodded and started to explain everything she knew. As Ran knew from Entise, the unformed are merely a 'byproduct' of whoever is behind the strange art-like monster attempts to 'sustain' themselves by 'consuming' humans in some way. And there were many more of the monsters than the few they encountered. She was surprised when Zurna explained that the problem wasn't limited to Japan as the organisation behind it was an international one that had only been around for the last twenty years or so, and had kept itself hidden and secret. However, it rose to prominence quickly in the last ten years due to connecting with other similarly secret groups and societies from different countries to trade various abnormal things. The white beings with hole as face that Ran and Entise fought was one such thing, a relatively new type of being the cult created using a variety of means they called Homunculus. A multipurpose, versatile 'soldier' that could be used to do a variety of things, and also an effective weapon. By trading the means to make those homunculi with other groups, they had managed to gain a lot of power.
"Though I must clarify, while I said organisation, the so-called Shadow Society are more like a coalition of many groups, each with their own belief, and their own way to achieve their goals, to bring back a forgotten god of sorts usually but not always. Some of them believe that the god is benevolent and would bring prosperity to the world, while some others believe it would cause destruction and chaos. But most of them agreed that it is necessary for their god to be summoned back to this world. Though that does not mean there are no internal conflicts between them, far from it in fact, there is constant infighting between them as to which of their gods are the correct one" Zurna hummed, "It was as if their God seemed to have divided themselves, each of those pieces taking on the forms that suited the believers' beliefs and hopes as the true god acted from the shadow. The monster you encountered earlier was one such god's herald or angel I suppose. Just a theory however"
"As for Unformeds, as mentioned before, they were simply a byproduct of a particular group's way of feeding their God. The unformeds merely bits of undigested food that gathered into an unformed so to speak, what was left of the feeding such as stray thoughts or forgotten memories or other things perhaps. It is doubtful the cult or anyone beside us the Trinity Church even knew of its existence. Due to unformed's nature, they will always find themselves in Gensokyo as they are constantly being 'forgotten' and thus they are 'unwanted' by this world. As such, they are pushed towards Gensokyo." Zurna shook her head, "Since the existence of Gensokyo itself is at most mere rumour in the current modern supernatural community, the cult is simply ignorant of its existence or impact of their actions to it"
Zurna chuckled, "In a way, Gensokyo had been unlucky enough to accidentally suffer from the cult's action. I wonder if perhaps even if this particular group of the cult didn't know about Gensokyo, the one behind it all might know. If that's true, then it is possible that it's intentional on the god's part, for some mysterious reason. But perhaps that's simply too much of a leap in logic."
Taking a deep breath, Ran tried to take in all the information she had been given. She was relieved that at least Gensokyo wasn't the main target, and the incidents happening there were just an unfortunate side-effect of the cult's actions. However, that didn't mean she could simply ignore the problems that were happening there.
"I see. But I still have to do something about the Unformed problem in Gensokyo. I have a duty to protect the place I'm living in." She frowned, "To think the Outside World has this kind of problem. It's a bit of a shock to be honest, I thought the Outsider World had become more or less peaceful as Supernatural declined"
Zurna simply smiled mysteriously, but stayed silent, letting Ran to think.
Ran looked thoughtful, "If the Unformed is indeed a byproduct of that particular cult's method to sustain themselves, then stopping the cult's operation should solve the problem, correct?" She paused for a moment before seeing Zurna nodded, "While I need to verify this information myself first, for now I can at least work with this premise in mind."
"Wonderful, is there anything else you want to know? I'll do my best to answer them" Zurna said, smiling warmly at Ran.
Ran thought for a moment before remembering something that had been on her mind, "Tell me more about yourself, your organisation and how Entise tied into this."
Zurna considered it for a moment, before she looked at Ran with a smile, "Would you like for me to give you a tour of the place while we talked, Miss Ran? We have much to show here, and I would be joyful to share the words of our Goddess with you as well."
After weighing things internally, Ran nodded in agreement, "Very well, that sounds like a good idea. Let's start the tour then."
With that, the two women began their tour of the building as Zurna explained. The orphanage itself is quite big, many children are housed there, ranging from young children to teenagers. It seemed whatever group Zurna is part of, took a hands off approach to the orphanage. Ran could see some people with similar outfit as Zurna working there, however, the rest of the staff seemed to be normal people. There was also not much religious element within the orphanage. It seemed to be a relatively normal and well-run institution. Zurna explained that the church's approach to the orphanage was to raise the children as normally as possible, and to not impose their beliefs on the children. They would instead allow the children to discover their own faith and beliefs as they grew older.
Ran was pleasantly surprised by this approach, as she was expecting a more traditional and perhaps even cultish way of handling the orphanage, but it seemed the church had a more progressive and modern way of doing things. Zurna also explained that the church's goal was not to create fanatical followers, but to help guide people to find their own beliefs and to live a fulfilling life. While Zurna was rather cryptic and good at hiding the details, Ran noticed that the Trinity Church itself was barely able to support the orphanage, with their main source of funding coming from donations and the church itself was operating on a rather tight budget. Being an obviously foreign faith in Japan also meant they had a rather small pool of believers and donors if they stick to their current way, while also facing hostile cults and secret organisations that had been infiltrating and corrupting the society from shadows in the absence of youkais.
Ran knew not to trust Zurna's words at face value, however seeing the healthy and happy state of the children in the orphanage did put some weight on the nun's words. If nothing else, she could see everything fits so far.
After touring the admittedly large and complex building that housed the orphanage, Zurna led her back underground through a secret passage, and Ran followed her into a large room. The room reminded Ran of those churches she had seen in the picture, though slightly more mysterious due to some questionable aesthetic choice. The room also had rows of chairs that were facing a large shrine. The shrine itself was quite impressive, with a large statue of a woman in a long flowing dress, hands reaching out in a welcoming gesture, with a halo of three different circles above her head and several pairs of wings that Ran couldn't identify if they are the feathered avian wings, bat-like ones or something else. The woman's expression was one of kindness and compassion, and her eyes seemed closed yet also looking at everyone in the room with a gentle gaze. Ran couldn't help but feel a sense of peace and calm wash over her as she took in the sight.
"Welcome to our humble sanctuary, where we honour the blessed Trinity Goddess" Zurna said, bowing her head slightly in reverence, "She is who is one in three, three that are one. 'The Lady', is a kind and approachable figure with all of her own failing, always willing to embrace humanity and others to guide them through their lives through her own examples and care. She encourages connection and harmony, guiding people to embrace their experiences and foster relationships within their communities. She is also the creator goddess of a demonic realm and Her children live among us, but that's not my speciality" Zurna paused, taking a deep breath, "'The Joy';, on the other hand, is pure positivity and moral clarity. She serves as an inspiration for acts of kindness, love, and charity. She emphasises individual agency, motivating people to make personal choices for good and encouraging them to act out of compassion and responsibility in the face of adversity, yet understanding if they chose not to. Her Divine heralds rarely invoked, and Her realm if a paradise lost to our impure selves"
Ran listened to Zurna's words, nodding in understanding. While her only faith is to her master, Ran had to admit that the message the Trinity Goddess conveyed was quite admirable and positive. She could see why some people would follow this deity. At the very least, this sounded more sensible than some of the other ones, and so far not much disputed that beside the questionable aesthetics
"And the third?" Ran asked, "Since it's trinity, there must be a third one."
For the first time since she met her, Ran saw the strange woman lose her words, "Ah... yes, there is a third aspect..." Zurna seemed hesitant to talk about this part, and Ran could almost swear that she saw a flash of unease in her eyes, "But let us not talk about Her. It is better that way"
Ran was curious about the third aspect of this goddess, but decided not to press the issue further. She could tell that Zurna was uncomfortable discussing it, and she didn't want to push her too far. She could see that Zurna was trying to respect her boundaries and didn't want to overstep. Though she did feel a familiar feeling from the statue and some of Zurna's description about 'the Lady'. She decided to leave that thought for later, when she was not under scrutiny by someone she didn't know.
Zurna continued the tour, leading Ran through the surprisingly modern underground complex. Ran was surprised to see how advanced and high-tech the equipment was, as well as the presence of devils, who seemed to be working alongside humans. Zurna explained that the devils were not only welcomed in the church, but also respected and appreciated, which was quite a surprise to Ran. She had never heard of devils being treated with such respect before, especially in a religious context. Though Zurna clarified only friendly ones, especially the Lady's children, are welcomed. The complex was not only focused on religious matters, but also on research into magic and science, as well as training and other activities. Some people were even dressed in obviously combat outfits similar to Entise, which made Ran even more intrigued about the organisation.
'If this is how average cults in the Outside World are, this might be really concerning,' Ran thought to herself, recalling the incident that brought her here in the first place. She couldn't imagine what the more extreme or powerful cults might be capable of. It was a sobering reminder of the dangers that lurked in the outside world, something she might have to bring up with her master later, 'Hopefully this Trinity Church is the exception, not the norm.'
"Now, now, let us move on to our final destination," Zurna said, her voice breaking through Ran's thoughts, "We are almost at the end of the tour, and if I may presume, you do want to continue with your investigation on the group that caused unformed to appear in Gensokyo. Is it not so?"
"Yes, that's correct" Ran said, nodding her head in affirmation, "I need to gather information about them and find out their location, so I can stop their operation and their threat to Gensokyo"
"I see. In that case, I shall take you to our guardians' wing, where you will find the information that you need," Zurna said, leading Ran towards a large door, "Behind this door, you will find a gathering of warriors who hold the Sacred Signs of the Trinity Goddess. They are the ones who are in charge of dealing with the more dangerous elements of our world."
Zurna stepped aside, gesturing for Ran to enter the room. As the door slid open, Ran was greeted by a group of individuals, all wearing armours similar to Entise. They were gathered in a semi-circle, with a large projector screen in front of them, showing a map of the city most likely. They were all staring at the map, discussing something in hushed whispers. As soon as they noticed Ran's presence, they turned to look at her, their gazes curious and piercing.
"This is the person who arrived with Entise, the Flaming Staff of the Goddess?" One of them, a tall woman with short hair, asked.
Zurna nodded, "Yes, indeed. Yakumo Ran, herself"
The woman in armour nodded in acknowledgement, "I see. Thank you for bringing her here. We will make sure to treat her with the respect she deserves."
"Thank you, I appreciate your kindness," Ran said, bowing her head slightly, "I would like to know more about the organisation that is causing the problems for Gensokyo. Can you tell me more about them?"
The woman in armour nodded again, "Of course. We have been tracking their activities for some time now, and we have gathered a lot of information about them. Her Holiness' actions have been helpful in revealing more of their secrets. We believe that they are using a base in the abandoned part of the city, and we have marked its location on the map. We are planning to send a team to investigate the area soon."
Ran looked at the map and saw the location of the base marked on it. It was in the heart of the abandoned part of the city, surrounded by derelict buildings and overgrown weeds. It seemed like the perfect place for a secretive organisation to hide away from prying eyes.
"Can you tell me more about the organisation itself? Who are they and what are their goals?" Ran asked, trying to gather as much information as possible.
"They call themselves the Order of the Azure Will. As mentioned before, they are part of the Shadow Society, particularly a group of individuals who believe that they are fulfilling the will of a god that they call the Unseen Lord," the woman in armour explained, "They have only been active for mere two years or so, but in that short time not too different from others in Shadow Society, they have already grown significantly in power and influence due to help of their affiliates. Their mastery over esoteric led them to devise a sacrificial ritual to feed the god. They are trying to bring him into our world, and they believe that once he is here, he will grant them unimaginable powers and wealth, as usual."
Ran looked over the documents given to her, quickly reading through them. She was impressed by the level of detail and the amount of information that had been collected. It was clear that the people in the room were not amateurs, but professionals who knew what they were doing. She noticed that some of the documents mentioned other groups and organisations that had been active in the area, but they seemed not of any importance to her.
"I see. With this scale and the power the group possessed, it is quite dangerous. Yet, Entise didn't seem to take an aggressive action against the group." Ran commented, "If I may ask, is there a reason behind that?"
The woman in armour looked at her for a moment before nodding, "Her Holiness actions are... difficult to understand. Until recently, we thought that She was simply uninterested in dealing with the problem directly, though your presence here and our new understanding over Gensokyo answered some things. For now, we have several hypotheses: the cult's god might be hidden in a way that even She could not find him, and She needed to lure the god to reveal itself. By defeating their heralds and agents, She had been trying to provoke them into taking action, or simply the way toward the Unseen Lord closed itself unless the heralds were defeated."
Since this god seemed foreign and different from the Kamis Ran more familiar with, that made some sense with her limited understanding, 'Gensokyo's existence is merely a rumour in the outside world, right? So it is possible that this god is unaware of it, and thus unable to hide itself from Entise in there. As the unformeds came to Gensokyo, Entise might be looking into essentially using Gensokyo as a backdoor entry into the god's hidden domain,' she thought, 'It might be less about defeating the Herald, but simply finding the correct route while taking care the unformed on the way too. Though this is merely an educated guess.'
The woman in armour continued, "But that is merely our guess. We have no idea if that is the case, or what Her true intention is. It would be better to ask Her directly, if you ever see Her again. Though She is known to not explain her actions, even to us."
"I see" Ran said, nodding in understanding, "I hope I can get an answer from her when we meet again"
Ran took a few moments to process the information she had received. She was grateful for the help and support that she had been given, and she knew that she had to use the opportunity to its fullest. She needed to get to the bottom of the problem and put an end to it, before it caused any more harm to Gensokyo and its residents.
The woman in armour looked at Ran, "Regardless of everything, we will be sending our team to the abandoned part of the city tomorrow to investigate the cult's base. If you would like, we will be honoured to have you to assist us,"
"It's simply part of my duty. So, you are planning to raid the cult's base tomorrow?"
"Yes, that's correct. We have gathered enough intelligence and believe that the time is right for us to take action," the woman in armour replied, "Our team is ready and we have prepared all the necessary equipment and resources. We will make sure that the cult is stopped and that no harm comes to anyone else."
"Then I shall meet your team before the raid" Ran nodded, "I need to investigate a few other things, but I will be ready to help."
"We appreciate your assistance, Miss Ran," the woman in armour said, bowing her head slightly, "We will be ready to leave first thing in the morning. Please make sure to prepare yourself and rest well tonight."
"I will. Thank you for the hospitality and the information you have provided me," Ran said, returning the bow.
With that, Ran left the room and made her way out of the building. She had a lot to think about and a lot to prepare for. Tomorrow would be a big day and she wanted to make sure that she was ready for it. She also wanted to make sure to verify all the information so far. Just because the church had been friendly and welcoming didn't mean she could let her guard down. She would have to be vigilant and make sure that she was not being deceived. Ran knew that she couldn't trust anyone that easily, especially people she just met.
'It's been so long since I done anything like this...' Ran sighed internally, 'Hopefully I am not too rusty.'
'..They are clean, suspiciously so that even some people actually slightly weirded out but the Trinity Church's track record is spotless. Not even a hint of scandal or any misdeed from the mundane side of things'
As the sun started to set and the sky turned to a deep crimson colour, Ran found herself sitting on a park bench. She had spent the day gathering information and trying to find out more about everything she learned so far, mostly about the Trinity Church and the Order of Azure Will from both mundane investigations and what few supernatural means or contacts she had at hand. While Ran could use the excuse of only having a few hours to investigate, Ran felt like she did at least decently so far.
She had found out that the church, while somewhat mysterious and unknown to the general public, was actually a fairly well-respected organisation in the area. They had a reputation for helping the poor and needy, and they were known for their charitable work. Ran had found no evidence of any shady dealings or illegal activities. The worst thing people complained about was that they can be somewhat weird and their place somewhat unnerving, but nothing serious. From the more supernatural side of things, her attempts to personally scry or use magical means to find more about the church were complete failures. The whole place was warded against such attempts, and the warding was top notch, better than what Ran could break. There was also some sort of interference that made her unable to find out more about the church. It was almost as if they had some kind of protection or cloaking device that prevented her from seeing anything.
Though she did manage to find some stray spirits and rare youkais to talk to, who didn't have much complaints about the church. Most of the spirits seemed to be either neutral or even positive towards the church and their activities. Some of the spirits even mentioned that the church had helped them in some way or another, whether it was by providing food or shelter for those in need, or by offering guidance and support to those who were lost and confused. Ran also found some youkai who lived near the church, who were surprisingly quite friendly and helpful, and they even told her that the church had been a great help to the community in the area. While it wasn't much, it at least somewhat allayed Ran's concern as most of the ones she asked definitely have different agenda from each other, and yet they were mostly positive about the church. The only concerned they had were about the devils the Church harboured but even then, it seemed they didn't do much either.
'It's possible that the church is not a problem and that they are genuinely trying to do good,' Ran thought to herself, 'But I can't let my guard down too much just yet. It's definitely another story for the Order of Azure Will however.'
Ran had found what she was told about the Order of Azure Will, to be generally accurate. Some additional insights from personal experiences of various spirits and youkai. The cult had been active for a while and had been causing trouble in the area. They were known to be violent and dangerous, and they had been involved in a number of crimes, including murder and human trafficking. From what Ran could gather, the cult was led by random salarymen that became disillusioned by the society and decided that the best way to deal with it was to summon and worship a god that would bring chaos and destruction to the world. The cult was funded by a group of individuals who believed that they would receive special powers and rewards from the god once it was summoned. They were also quite violent toward the few remaining and surviving local youkais and spirits, and were quite willing to kill anyone or anything that got in their way.
Ran couldn't find any evidence that the cult members had any supernatural or much magical power of their own, instead relying on their homunculi. It seemed the cult was mostly mundane, but they had access to powerful resources and were able to use them to their advantage. Of course, their god's heralds were quite real and dangerous, though Ran wasn't able to find out more about that. Ran wondered if the reason why Entise never attacked the cult was actually because most of their members are regular humans, thus she had to be careful when dealing with them.
'While the cult's goal of summoning their god is concerning, and their methods are deplorable, at least I know what I need to do' Ran thought, 'Stopping whatever the Cult doing to 'feed' their god is the most important thing, as it will stop the unformed to be formed in Gensokyo.'
Easier said than done of course, it might lead toward facing the God themselves, something Ran wasn't certain she can do alone, or even at all. Even the Herald she saw Entise defeated would be decently powerful in Gensokyo and she doubted she could take it on without a good preparation and plan, not to mention the actual God themselves. Unless Entise was willing to help her, it might be a good idea to call for backup from Gensokyo.
She sighed and shook her head, 'Well, at least I can say that I investigated everything I could so far.'
Ran stretched her arms and stood up, looking around. She had been sitting on the bench for quite a while and it was starting to get dark. She had a long day and she was tired. She knew that she had to get back to the church and rest, as she needed to be ready for tomorrow's raid. She was also eager to get back to Gensokyo and report what she had learned so far to her master, and possibly bring some of Gensokyo's denizens here to help with the fight against the cult. She knew that she probably could not do it alone, and she would need all the help she could get. Though she doubted her master would allow that.
Ran made her way back to the church, feeling a bit more confident about her ability to deal with the situation. She knew that she had a long way to go before she could say that she had solved the problem, but she felt like she was making progress and that she was on the right track. As she reached the orphanage building and knocked, the door opened and she was greeted by the familiar face of Zurna.
"Ah, welcome back, dear guest," Zurna said, smiling warmly, "You must have been busy, yes?"
"I have indeed been busy," Ran said, nodding in response, "I have been investigating some things and trying to find out more about the situation. I am glad to see that you are still here."
"Yes, I was just doing some work. The church can't just wait for the guardians to finish the job after all" Zurna said, chuckling.
"I see. I hope you don't mind if I ask for a bit more of your time. I would like to discuss some things with you before I go to bed, if you have time. Just to make sure I understand what I'm about to face tomorrow"
"Of course, I would be happy to talk with you," Zurna said, "Let us go to my office. We can have some tea and biscuits while we talk"
Zurna led Ran to a small room with a desk, some bookshelves, and a few chairs. She gestured for Ran to take a seat while she made some tea. Once the tea was ready, she poured two cups and set one in front of Ran. Then, she sat down in the chair behind the desk and smiled at Ran.
"Now, what is it that you would like to discuss?" Zurna asked.
Ran took a sip of her tea and nodded, "I would like to ask..what are you exactly?"
Something had been bothering Ran, even if she had been busy investigating everything and tried to ignore it, but something had been nagging at her that couldn't quite put her finger on. But the more she talked with Zurna, the more she realised that there was something odd about the woman. It was obvious from hindsight that Zurna was not human, or at least not a regular human. Her skin had an unusual iridescent sheen to it, and her eyes were different colours, even the iris' size, though she mostly hid it using her hair, and she had an otherworldly aura that made her stand out.
'How did I miss this? It is so obvious that she is not a regular human' Ran thought to herself, 'Not to mention how she knew so far about Gensokyo's current state...no, something's strange. I definitely should have noticed this, but why didn't I?'
"What am I exactly?" Zurna chuckled, "What do you mean, dear guest?"
Ran frowned, "Don't play dumb. I can clearly tell you're not a regular human, not to mention how you are so casual about Gensokyo. No, something's wrong here. What are you, Zurna? And no, don't tell me you're human. I know better. What are you hiding from me? Don't try to lie to me, I'll know"
Ran had to be careful. If she were to be hostile, the church could simply declare her enemy, which would be troublesome. So far, Ran wanted to believe that they are indeed a friendly group, however, that would not make her less cautious. If she wanted to believe that the church is what it presented itself to be, she needed to make sure there's no hidden catch.
Zurna smiled sadly, "Very well, you're right, I'm not human, or at least, not a normal human. It's...complicated but we're not a Youkai either. I and my sisters you've seen around the Church, are called Deep Ones"
Ran's eyes widened, "Deep Ones, as in the Lovecraft's book Deep Ones?" She asked, her voice almost a whisper. Ran had read some of the Lovecraft's books and knew of the Deep Ones, though the books themselves were mostly fictional, or so her master claimed. But if Zurna was telling the truth, it meant that the Deep Ones were real and that they were here in the church. Ran could feel a shiver run down her spine as she thought about the implications. It is normally somewhat ironic for a creature of fantasy like her to be shocked about the existence of fictional creatures, however this is Lovecraft. Ran knew that there's a big chance that they are not the same ones from the books, and she hoped so. From what she remembered, Deep Ones are a race of immortal fish-frog-like humanoids that live in the depths of the ocean and are able to mate with humans and other Deep Ones to create hybrids, and their offspring are able to live in human society and eventually return to the sea. Deep Ones were described as being ancient, older than humanity and possibly older than the dinosaurs. Most importantly, they are known to worship the Great Old Ones, beings of immense power and cosmic horror that are said to have once ruled the Earth before being defeated by the Elder Gods or some other powerful beings. Even if she met gods before and knew people like her master who seemed god-like, those entities Lovecraft depicted were something else entirely.
"Ah, it seems you're familiar with mister Lovecraft's works?" Zurna sighed, "The Dreamer's works are something else aren't they? Even as a human, a very flawed man one might even say, he was able to capture the feeling of incomprehensible fear and dread, and to think that was only through dreams. Perhaps the World truly works in a mysterious way."
Ran took a deep breath, feeling the tension in the room grow thick. Now that she thought about it, Zurna for some reason reminded Ran of the Kappas in Gensokyo, an aquatic youkai that was said to look like a mix of frog and fish...could it be that Kappa were originally based on Deep Ones? Ran's mind was racing with questions and theories. She had to stay focuse, even though her instincts were telling her to flee from the church. "S-so, you're saying that you and your sisters are Deep Ones? Are you worshipping the Great Old Ones, Cthulhu, and all of those entities real as well?" Ran asked, trying to keep her voice steady.
"If you're asking whether or not we're some sort of amphibian humanoid with a fish-like scale, webbed hands and a tail that rules the world's ocean from the shadows or their hybrid descendants then no, I am afraid I must disappoint you dear guest. It would be like saying the lizardmen control the world's governments because some crazy reptilian conspiracy theorist said so" Zurna chuckled, "We're not the same as the Dreamer's works. Perhaps we inspired his works and the Kappas, or perhaps we're all the same but the Dreamer's vision was a...bit off."
Zurna stood up and walked toward the tea kettle, pouring herself and Ran another cup of tea. Ran noticed that her movements were graceful and elegant, as if she were dancing. She sat back down and took a sip of her tea before continuing, "To begin with, we're but only a few in comparison to one's depicted in the books. We are also closer to a human than a frog or fish or even the youkais Kappas, even if we could live in both water and dry land. Though I know not of my ancestors, I myself born in the land known as Gensokyo"
"...Wait, you're from Gensokyo?!" Ran exclaimed, her eyes widening in surprise.
Zurna nodded, "Indeed. Not to say there aren't any of us outside, but as far as I know, most of us lived in Gensokyo. Though some have moved out recently to join the church, as you saw"
"That's..that's impossible, I would have heard about it, or seen any of your kind before. They couldn't have been hidden so well" Ran said, her mind racing. She had never heard of any Deep Ones living in Gensokyo, and she was certain that if they had been there, she would have heard about it or at least seen one before. At the very least, some rumours or myths about it would have existed. Failing that, her master surely would have mentioned them. "Are you sure you're not lying to me? This is a bit hard to swallow"
"Tis is the truth, dear guest. I would not dare to lie to you, especially since you would be able to see through it, no?" Zurna smiled, "Though, I understand why you're so sceptical. Allow me to explain."
Ran nodded, "Very well, please explain"
Zurna took a deep breath before beginning, "We're a secretive kind. We rarely if ever interacted with the rest of the inhabitants in Gensokyo. We lived deep inside the Forest of Magic, a place where not many dared to tread as you surely know dear guest. We also used our esoteric arts to hide our dwelling, ensuring no one knew about us until very recently where the Ordained Time came and a Tengu stumbled into our dwelling."
"On top of that, I am sure you realised how tricky the unformed yes? Elusive in not only their nature, simply remembering them can be tricky, let alone finding them. Or honoured Satsuki Rin, a Nameless, a being who is forgotten by everyone, even themselves, a being that could easily forgotten" Zurna paused, sighing as she looked at Ran with sad eyes, "Many of our kinds were Unformeds and Nameless that turned into a Deep One by the touch of 'The Mother', dear guest. There was no trace of us, as those no longer exist or never were at all. Though of course, some of us are naturally born as one. I myself was one, even if I was a bit different."
Ran blinked, trying to process everything that Zurna was saying, "This..this is a lot to take in"
"I know, I had the same reaction when I learned the truth," Zurna smiled, "Coincidentally, our nature made it easier to interact with unformeds, nameless or similar things. Our true nature is also hard to determine, as it seemed one of my sisters managed to throw a certain Shrine Maiden's capability to detect Youkai off-balance. Of course, as I said, we're not Youkai, we feed not the fear of humanity for in a way, we're one ourselves"
Sighing, Ran rubbed her forehead, "Alright, alright, this is a lot to take in. I'm not sure if I'm comfortable with this. You're telling me that you're Deep Ones, a race of beings that are not Youkai but are similar to them, and that you lived in Gensokyo without anyone knowing about it. Not only that, you're telling me that you're also somehow related to the unformeds, and that your true nature is hard to determine. That's a lot of information to take in, and I'm not sure if I believe it all. It's a lot to take in, and I'm not sure if I'm comfortable with it. But I will say, I am glad that you were honest with me. I appreciate that"
Zurna smiled, "I understand, dear guest, it is a lot to take in. I'm sorry for dumping it on you like that. I just wanted to be honest with you, and I hope that you will be able to understand and accept us. We're not bad people, and we're not a danger to Gensokyo or to anyone. We just want to live in peace and harmony, and to be able to worship the Trinity Goddess."
"And if we are a threat, we would've done that already, yes? There's a reason why we're not a threat to the world and the humans in it" Zurna said, "At least, most of us are not. As we are closer to humans, we share a commonality with them. It is not impossible to coexist with each other. Of course, it's not easy, but it is possible."
"I see," Ran nodded, nursing her headache, "I'm still not comfortable with this, and I'm not sure if I trust you completely, but I appreciate your honesty. I'll keep an open mind and try to understand more about you and your people. Thank you for telling me all of this"
"You're welcome, dear guest. I hope that you will be able to find a way to trust us and that we can work together in the future. I'm sure that we can be great allies to each other" Zurna smiled, "Then I suppose I shall bid you good night then? Or is there anything else you would like to discuss?"
Ran nodded, "No, that's all I wanted to discuss. Thank you for your time, and I wish you a good night"
Zurna smiled and nodded, "Of course, dear guest. I hope you have a good night as well. Sweet dreams"
With that, Ran left the office and made her way to the guest room she was given, complicated feeling and thoughts swirling in her head. As she closed the door to her room, she felt a wave of exhaustion wash over her and she collapsed onto the bed, her thoughts racing with everything that Zurna had told her.
'How the hell am I going to explain all of this to lady Yukari?' Ran thought to herself, 'This is going to be a lot harder than I thought'
She sighed and closed her eyes, trying to get some rest before the raid tomorrow. She knew that she needed to be at her best, and she couldn't afford to be tired and exhausted. She needed to be focused and ready for anything. As she drifted off to sleep, she couldn't help but start to dream about horrors from beyond the stars, of beings beyond comprehension and their dark cults.
The next morning, Ran was woken up by a knock on her door. She groaned and rolled over, trying to ignore it. She had not slept well, and she was still feeling the effects of her lack of sleep. Or rather, her sleep was filled with nightmare fuel, which wasn't great either.
The knocking persisted, and Ran eventually gave in and got out of bed. She opened the door and saw Zurna standing outside, holding a tray of food, "Good morning, dear guest. Oh my, you look quite haggard. Did you sleep well last night?"
"..." Ran just gave the smiling Deep One a flat stare. It wasn't that she hated the woman, but her nightmare was partially because of her...
"Ahaha, well, let us not dally any longer. The raid is in a couple of hours, so please prepare yourself" Zurna said, "I have brought you breakfast. Please eat it before you get ready"
Ran nodded and took the tray, closing the door. She sat down on her bed and ate the food, which was a simple but tasty breakfast of toast and eggs. She was grateful for the meal, as it gave her the energy she needed to start the day.
As she finished her breakfast, and met up with the group that would raid the cult's base. It was led by a woman in armour, named Nisa, and she was joined by two other women and one man. They all seemed to be in high spirits and were joking around, though the jokes were mostly about the mission. Ran couldn't help but smile as she listened to them banter back and forth, though she herself remained silent.
The raid's plan itself relatively simple, as the cult were mostly regular humans, that left only the homunculi as their most dangerous asset, which was a concern, but not too big of one. Each of them might be a danger to a human, or even normal youkai, as each of them tougher than a reinforced steel beam and easily several dozens times stronger than average human, but Ran should be able to manage and the others seemed confident too. Their numbers were their biggest threat, as they would be swarmed if they weren't careful. Otherwise, it would be a relatively simple raid, as long as they were prepared and careful.
'Of course, this is counting on the Heralds or the supposed God don't show up,' Ran thought, 'If they did, we might be in trouble. It is a pity I couldn't call anyone else for backup. It would have been easier with more of us...'
After a brief discussion and briefing, they set out. As they approached the abandoned part of the city, Ran could feel the tension in the air grow thicker. The buildings were in a state of disrepair, with broken windows and graffiti-covered walls. The streets were empty, and there was a sense of foreboding in the air.
"Here we are, the Cult's base," Nisa said, stopping in front of a large, derelict building, "It is an old abandoned hotel that has been taken over by the cult. They have been using it as their base of operations, and we believe that this is where they are storing their homunculi. We most likely will find their leader as well, and hopefully we can put an end to their activities."
Ran looked up at the building, taking in the sight. It was a tall, imposing structure that had seen better days. The windows were boarded up, and the front door was heavily barricaded. There were signs of activity inside, however, as there were lights on in some of the windows and there was a faint hum of machinery coming from somewhere within. She probably could simply destroy the entire building and be done with it, but Ran wasn't sure if there is a hidden danger doing so and it might attract too much attentions.
"We will split into two groups of two," Nisa said, "I and Vanessa will go to the main entrance and try to breach it. Ahrim and Sarin will go around to the back and try to find another way in. Once we are inside, we will try to find and secure or destroy the homunculi. As for the cultist themselves...use your own discretion."
"Miss Yakumo, you can choose whichever team you would like to join" Nisa said, "Or you can go on your own, if you prefer. In any case, once inside, we will try to regroup as quickly as possible"
Ran looked thoughtful for a moment before she looked up, "I doubt they would expect me from above, so I will take a shortcut through the roof. Meet you inside"
Nisa smiled, "Well, we shall be waiting, then. Let us move"
With that, the team split up and moved to their respective positions. Ran, on the other hand, simply flew up to the roof. She landed on the top of the building, looking down at the city below. She could see the team members moving into position, getting ready to breach the building.
The roof of the building was a large, flat surface that was covered in a layer of dirt and grime. There were a few broken pieces of machinery scattered around, as well as some old, rusted metal pipes. Ran looked around, trying to find an entrance to the building. After a few moments, she found a small, square hatch that was set into the roof. She pried it open and peered inside, seeing a dark, empty room below. Slipping through the hatch and dropping down into the room, Rand landed softly on the ground. She was now inside the building, and she could hear the sounds of the raid team breaching the main entrance. There were shouts and the sound of combat, and then silence. It seemed that the team had made it inside without much resistance.
'I should probably meet up with them as soon as possible, if I can't find any of the cultists,' Ran thought, 'It would be best to work together, especially if a herald shows up'
Ran made her way out of the room and down a long, dark corridor. Finding it already filled with the white humanoid creatures with holes in place of their faces, the homunculi quickly turned their attention to her, and began to attack her. Ran easily evaded their attacks and began to fight back. Knowing her danmakus was worse than useless, she resorted to physical fighting, using her claws and tails. It was a bit more tiring, especially with how tough and durable the homunculi were, but Ran was definitely stronger and more agile than them. She managed to take down one after another, as she made her way down the corridor.
Ran continued down the corridor, fighting off the homunculi as she went. She was starting to feel the strain of the fight, as the homunculi were tougher and more durable than she had anticipated. However, she was still able to take them down one by one, as she made her way toward the main entrance of the building.
As she turned a corner, she came face to face with a group of cultists. They were dressed in surprisingly normal salarymen clothes, except for their masks. In a move that surprised Ran, something she didn't expect from supposed cultists, they ran away instead of fighting. The Homunculi on the other hand, stayed and tried to defend the fleeing cultists. Ran was about to give chase, but realised the cultists didn't ran that far and it seemed to anticipated something...her instincts warned her of danger, so she quickly ducked and rolled away, just in time to avoid a large, dark tentacle that slammed into the ground where she had been standing a moment ago. The homunculi that were in the way of the attack, were crushed by the tentacles.
"What the-?" Ran exclaimed, her eyes widening.
She turned to see a large, hulking figure standing in the middle of the corridor. It was a giant, black, slimy creature with a gaping, toothless mouth with red eyes. The creature had multiple long, writhing tentacles that protruded from its back and sides, and it was covered in a layer of dark, viscous slime. Ran saw as one of the cultists seemed to hold a strange object toward the direction where the creature came from, which she guessed was some sort of summoning magical item or device.
'Too weak to be a Herald, though I only encountered one so I am not certain how powerful they are compared to each other. This must be another kind of being similar to them, perhaps a lesser version?' Ran thought to herself, 'I guess this is why the cultist fled, and the Homunculi tried to defend them, they expected this creature to be summoned to deal with us'
The creature let out a loud, guttural roar and charged toward Ran, its tentacles lashing out at her. Ran dodged the attacks, trying to keep her distance from the creature. She knew that she needed to stay away from its tentacles, as they could easily crush her if she got too close. As for the slime, she wasn't sure what would happen to her if she touched it. She knew that she needed to be careful, as the creature was much stronger and tougher than the homunculi she had faced so far.
Ran dodged the creature's attacks and began to fight back, using her danmaku. It was surprisingly effective, Ran thought it would've similar result as against the homunculi. The creature was staggered and visibly hurt by her danmaku, but it seemed she needed to aim for the head or the chest to deal more damage. Unfortunately, the creature was able to regenerate quickly, so she needed to be careful not to get hit too often.
The abomination of a creature let out a roar of pain and rage as Ran's danmaku hit its body, causing it to stagger and stumble. It was clear that the creature was not used to being hurt, and it was not happy about it. Ran knew that she needed to keep up the pressure, as the creature was not going to go down easily.
As Ran fought, the creature continued to lash out with its tentacles, trying to hit her. She managed to dodge most of the attacks, but a few of the tentacles managed to graze her, sending her flying through the air. She landed hard on the ground, gasping for breath. Her body was aching and not only from the physical impact. She realised the monster might've emitted some kind of miasma or aura that was weakening her, which wasn't helped with the slime that was slowly coating her. She needed to end this quickly, or she would be in trouble.
'If I can hit the head or chest, I can end this,' Ran thought to herself, 'I just need to get close enough'
With that thought in mind, Ran charged forward, dodging the creature's tentacles as she went. She leaped into the air and launched a barrage of danmaku at the creature's head, hoping to hit it hard enough to take it down. The creature let out a scream of pain and rage as the danmaku hit it, but it was still standing. Ran, not wasting a chance, flew toward the creature's chest with her claws ready. She tore at the creature's slimy skin with her claws, causing it to scream in agony. She was finally able to deliver a finishing blow, and the creature collapsed to the ground, dead.
"That was tiring," Ran sighed as she looked around, taking in the carnage. The cultists had fled, leaving their homunculi to fight for them. The creature's body was slowly dissolving into a puddle of dark slime.
'I need to find the rest of the group and make sure they are okay,' Ran thought to herself, 'This raid is not over yet.'
Ran made her way through the building, looking for the rest of the team. She was still feeling the effects of the fight with the creature, and she was not looking forward to fighting any more of them. As she turned a corner, she saw Nisa and Vanessa fighting off another one of the slimy monsters. Their flaming staves and strange magic seemed to be effective against it. Instead of helping them, Ran decided to scout ahead to see if there were any more of the cultists or the homunculi, as she knew that Nisa and Vanessa could handle themselves. She didn't find anything else, but she did come across a door that was slightly ajar. She pushed it open and stepped inside, finding herself in a large, dark room that was filled with strange, arcane machinery. There was a man in the middle of the room, who seemed to be the leader of the cult. He was dressed in a suit and tie and had a dark, hooded cloak over his shoulders. He was standing in front of a large, glowing portal that was pulsating with energy.
'This must be their leader,' Ran thought, 'He seems to be preparing some kind of ritual. I need to stop him before he finishes it'
The man turned to look at her and smiled, his eyes glowing with an otherworldly light. He spoke in a deep, gravelly voice, "Ah, so you have come to stop me, have you? Well, you are too late. The ritual is almost complete, and soon my master will be summoned to this world"
Ran narrowed her eyes, "I will not let that happen. You will be stopped, and your plans will be foiled"
The man laughed, a deep, throaty laugh that echoed through the room, "You cannot stop me, little fox. I have been planning this for years, and I will not let you stand in my way. You will be the first to be sacrificed to my master, and your power will be used to bring him into this world"
"For a mere human, you're quite confident," Ran commented, "You do realize I am a youkai right?"
"Ah yes, some great youkai or whatever" The man snorted in contempt, "Mere relics from another time. The true power is within us, the chosen ones. We will summon our master and bring about a new era, an era of darkness and despair. PREPAIR TO WITNESS THE TRUE POWE-" He didn't get to finish his sentence, as Ran slapped him hard, sending him flying into the wall behind him, his face turned to a mess.
"...That was satisfying," Ran said, feeling refreshed. She then looked at the portal, "Now, I just need to find a way to shut this down"
"Urgh..." The man groaned, getting back on his feet, "You...you mutt! How dare you, I am-" Ran kicked him square in the stomach, sending him flying again.
"Just shut up, will you? You're annoying" Ran said, before turning her attention back to the portal. It was pulsating with energy, and she could feel a sense of foreboding emanating from it. She knew that she needed to act fast, or else something terrible would happen. She examined the machinery, trying to figure out how to shut it down.
"Ehehehehehehehe" The man laughed, getting back up to his feet, "You're a persistent one. But you'll never be able to stop the ritual now"
"I don't have to" Ran said, trying to appear nonchalant, "My mission was to raid your base, and I have already done that. I'm just shutting down the portal as a bonus, since you decided to do this"
"You fool!" The man exclaimed, "The ritual is already underway, it cannot be stopped! Soon! Very soon, our master will be summoned, and he will destroy everything in his path!"
As much as Ran hated to admit it, the man had a point. She couldn't see any way to shut down the portal, and it was starting to glow brighter and brighter, a powerful aura emitting from the portal, making her feel weaker. Whatever behind the portal, was a powerful entity. Ran knew that if the portal were allowed to fully open, it would spell disaster for Outside World. Perhaps Gensokyo would be safe but she wouldn't bet on that. She needed to think fast, and come up with a plan.
The man cackled gleefully, "You see? You cannot stop us! We will summon our master, and he will bring an end to this world! You have lost-"
Suddenly, the man's words were cut off by a giant, bird-like head that flew out of the portal. It was almost dead, and it seemed to have been decapitated from whatever body it belonged to. The head crashed toward the wall, and the man looked on in shock and horror. Before he could even react, a figure emerged from the portal. It was a woman, dressed in black and with a hood covering her face.
"Y-You! T-the MASTER!" The man gasped, "What have you done? You've ruined everything! Our plans! Our dreams! Everything!"
The woman, Entise, said nothing, instead simply walking forward, stepping toward the barely living bird-like head the size of a bus, ignoring the cultist who screamed at her. She lifted her massive oversized weapon that Ran hesitated to call it an axe, more like a giant slab of metal with a blade on one end, above her head and then swung it down, slicing through the head and crushing it.
"W-What have you done?" The man said, "W-why? Our Master...you...you..."
"...Purification...complete..." Entise said, her voice flat and emotionless, "...No..there is...a Filth left.." She turned her attention to the cultist, "...Unfortunate...I will...eliminate it..."
The man screamed in terror as Entise walked toward him, and somehow knocked him out that way from the sheer terror perhaps. She then turned her attention to Ran, her eyes lit up in recognition.
"...So you are here...did you find...your answer...finish your Investigation?..." Entise asked softly and gently, Ran could swear the woman might have even smiled a bit, but she wasn't sure.
Ran looked at the the supposed god's head that Entise had just killed and then toward the cultist who now foaming in the mouth before turning her attention back to the woman, "I..I guess you can say that"
"...Good...good..." Entise said, nodding, "...Get back home..safely..."
With that, the woman left, walking back toward the portal before it broke like shattered glass, leaving a stunned Ran. After a moment, she snapped out of it and realised that she needed to get out of there as well. She quickly made her way out of the building, finding Nisa and Vanessa waiting for her outside.
"We have eliminated the rest of the cultists and homunculi," Nisa said, "What happened to you?"
"Ah...I met the leader. He was going to summon the god, but Entise, that woman, showed up and killed it. It was...quite something" Ran said, her mind still reeling from the events that had just transpired.
"I see, so her holiness has eliminated the threat," Nisa said, nodding, "That is good. We can leave the rest to her. We should get out of here before the authorities arrive"
Ran nodded, "Yes, we should. I have a report to make to my master, so I should head back to Gensokyo as soon as possible"
"Well, you can stay for a bit and rest if you need it, but we won't stop you if you want to leave now," Vanessa said, "We'll take care of the rest. You've done more than enough"
Ran smiled, "Thank you. I appreciate it. I'll take my leave then. Good luck with the rest"
With that, Ran left, preparing to head back to Gensokyo. She had a lot to report to her master, and she was not looking forward to it. She was sure that lady Yukari would have questions about what had just happened, and Ran was not sure how she was going to explain it all. Ran certainly didn't look forward to explaining all of this mess to her master.
'I wonder what would lady Yukari say if she found out about all of this...' Ran thought, 'Well, I guess I'll find out soon enough...'
Ran: "I must act prudent and not attract too much attention"
Remilia: "Scarlet Destiny goes boom"
Anyway, a bit more exposition this chapter is, the sequence breaker here is Entise rather than Ran herself. I guess we will never see Unseen Lord in all of his glory, heh
Remilia: "Scarlet Destiny goes boom"
Anyway, a bit more exposition this chapter is, the sequence breaker here is Entise rather than Ran herself. I guess we will never see Unseen Lord in all of his glory, heh
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Woven Synchronicity ~ Unforeseen Providence
Ylamona
Konlulu~
"Hmm, Su-san, where do you think we are?"
Medicine asked her smaller companion, looking around. The air was cool, it was dark enough that the sun probably was long gone from the sky, and the ground was solid under her feet. She was obviously not at the meadow, but she wasn't sure where she was. She was surrounded by tall walls, but the walls were made from a material that was unfamiliar to her. She'd never seen anything like it, but it felt hard, almost like stone.
She was standing next to a large building, and she wasn't sure what to make of it. It seemed clean enough to not be abandoned. There were some lights, not fire but like fireflies with no fire needed, also big on the ceiling. She didn't know how they got up there, or who put them there, and that made her nervous, even more so when she found signs of struggle or destruction in some places. It was a place where Medicine knew many people, probably humans, should have been, but now there's nobody. Not in the sense of a quiet place, but in a place that's empty, that should not be empty.
"This smell..blood? But I didn't see any dead body."
As a youkai, even if relatively young one, Medicine isn't one to be scared like a human would, she meant to be the one who scares people, but the situation made her more cautious and perhaps a little afraid. The situation was just too bizarre and unusual to not make her feel that way. So she decided to keep her eyes open, keep looking around, and try to understand what is going on. Maybe she could find some way to go back home, or at least found out what is happening.
She walked through the hallway, saw some sign in some sliding door leading to a big room filled with desks and chairs. But they were messily thrown on the ground, as if people were fighting in here, and even a stronger scent of blood. She didn't see any bodies, but it was clear that something happened here, something violent. Looking outside proved impossible as for now that Medicine looked closer, it wasn't just dark because night but past a certain distance, it was simply pitch black darkness, darker than the night itself, as if the light was absorbed. Medicine walked around the room, finding nothing and no one so she decided to leave, but then she saw it.
Humanoid in shape, but looked like it was made with white putty twisted around. It looked like even the fingers twisted together into a solid lump, and instead of a face, there was a big, dark hole where eyes or a nose would be. It was like a puppet without any features, and it was walking towards her in strange way.
"Hello?" Medicine said, cautiously. The creature didn't respond, but it was moving closer, and Medicine could hear the sound of its body moving. It's a strange sound, like something sticky being stretched and pulled, like clay. She stepped back, feeling a growing unease. Feeling the creatures might be hostile, she took up a defensive stance, and readied her powers, "Can you talk? Who are you? What is this place?"
The creature didn't speak, and its movements became more erratic. Medicine reacted quickly and shot several danmakus from her hands, but the creature seemingly absorbed most of them and became slightly stronger. Only most though, her poison ones seemed to work still compared to regular danmakus that were just bullets of power, so she decided to keep focusing on those.
"Stay back! I warned you!" she exclaimed as she shot more danmaku, causing the creature to stagger and purple taint of poison spread across its surface, before it fell over, seemingly for good.
Cautiously approaching the creature, Medicine tried to poke its unmoving body out of curiosity and found out that despite its putty-like look, it was extremely hard. It felt like a very smooth stone but tougher than even metals. Quite heavy too, though Medicine was never a strong one in terms of physical strength. Since the white thing didn't seem to move anymore, Medicine turned it around and looked at the hole in place of its face. It was dark and bottomless, almost like it was a tunnel into an unknown space. She tried to angle the head toward the light to see better, but the light seemed to disappear into the hole, leaving only darkness in its wake. The more she looked, the more she felt uneasy, like something was looking back at her. No one to give up, but also not stupid enough to stick her hand inside, Medicine went and grabbed a strange flat stick lying around. Carefully, she lowered it into the hole until it actually hit something. It seemed that despite how it looked, there was a bottom that fit exactly with where the back part of the head was supposed to be. It wasn't a hole to nowhere, it was just the head being weirdly shaped and for some reason very dark.
"What a weird thing? I don't think it's a youkai, how about you, Su-san?"
After making sure for one last time the white thing wasn't going to move anymore, she resumed her exploration of the place. Knowing there was at least one hostile thing around, she decided to be more cautious and prepared. Which immediately paid off as she saw several white things inside one of the rooms with chairs surrounding what appeared to be a human, at least from the top. He was lying on the floor and Medicine couldn't see with the white creatures around him. Feeling something tugging her heart to go and help, she attacked them, again focusing on her poison danmaku.
The creatures let out surreal, dissonant sounds, like a mix of a groan and a scream. It was a sound that sent shivers down Medicine's spine, and she instinctively stepped back. They turned to face her, their bodies contorting and shifting as they did so. Their movements were jerky, like puppets with strings that were being pulled too quickly. They moved closer to her, their movements becoming more erratic. Medicine realised that they weren't just moving towards her, they were moving in a pattern. They were trying to surround her, cutting off her escape routes. These things aren't just mindless creatures, they have intelligence! She quickly jumped on one of the chairs and threw several more danmaku, now trying to avoid being surrounded. The creatures were hit by her shots and staggered, their movements becoming more erratic. She saw how the poison spread through their bodies, causing them to crumble and fall to the ground. That's good, she thought, at least these things are weak to her poison. Still, the numbers were against her and she knew she couldn't keep fighting them forever. She needed to find a way out.
But Medicine couldn't just leave the human alone. She felt a strong impulse to help him, to get him out of this mess. Flashes of what Florence showed her of humans suffering and dying, of the loneliness and pain they experienced, of her own life as a discarded doll, all of it made her realise that she couldn't just walk away and leave someone to die. Not without at least trying to save him. So she continued to fight, dodging and weaving through the creatures, trying to find a way to get to the human. Finally, she managed to get to him, and she saw that he was still alive, but barely. His breathing was shallow, and his skin was cold to the touch. She knew she had to act quickly, so she grabbed him and started to pull him away from the creatures. They were still coming at her, but she managed to keep them at bay long enough to get the human to safety. She laid him down on the ground and checked his vital signs. He was weak, but alive, and she breathed a sigh of relief.
"No wounds, maybe? He's still breathing, but it's weak. Maybe he passed out because he didn't have enough to eat or drink? Or maybe he's sick, but I don't know what kind of sickness.." Being a youkai, a young doll youkai at that, Medicine knew next to nothing about treating sickness or injury on a human. She knew some things, but only basic ones, and not enough to help the man. At the very least, Medicine didn't see any injuries or the man wasn't shivering from the cold. Before she could do anything else, she heard more of those creatures approaching. She quickly scooped the man up and carried him away from the room, dodging and weaving through the corridors as she went.
Everything was a blur until she found a small room with a curtain and bed that she could hide in. She set the man down on the bed, and then she closed the door behind her. She could still hear the creatures outside, but they seemed to have lost her trail. Examining the place, Medicine could recognise the smell of medicines and various bandages, so she could only assume this was some sort of a place to treat sickness and injuries.
'Hopefully here I can find something to help this guy' she thought to herself, and she began to search the cabinets, trying to find anything that might be useful.
'So fire danmaku works too, huh?'
A woman in red dress weaved through the streets, the air filled with sounds of fighting. Her long scythe swept through the air, cutting through the creatures with ease. Her movements were fluid and precise as she fought off the monsters that had attacked her. Her blonde hair stood out against the unnatural darkness that seemed to have taken hold of the world, a contrast to the blackness that surrounded her.
'Surprisingly intelligent, incredibly tough by human's standard with decent strength. If these things have been here for a while then the people in this place must've been...I don't want to finish that thought'
She continued to fight, but the creatures kept coming, their numbers seemingly endless. The woman knew that she couldn't keep this up forever, mostly because she started to get bored. She needed to find her objective and retrieve Medicine Melancholy as soon as possible. To think she, Elly, the gatekeeper of Mugenkan, had been tasked with finding and retrieving a doll youkai in Outside World of all things, also dealt with any situation that happened wherever the doll was if needed. It was not a job she had expected, but one that she was willing to take on. After all, a chance to finally go out of Mugenkan was a welcome one. She loved her job but after what happened with her, Elly, she started to feel like she was missing out on the world, in more ways than one.
'No, no, no! I am not going to dwell on that, that's not important right now.' Elly shook her head. trying to distract herself from the thoughts that kept trying to creep up on her. 'This place is weird. I thought Outside World supposed to be safe as supernatural declined and technology advanced, yet this whole situation feels like something out of a horror story miss Alice showed us before'
Ever since she arrived in this place, she saw that it was probably supposed to be a small but nice town, with buildings that looked different from the ones she was used to seeing in Gensokyo. But the unnatural darkness, the white creatures, and the fact Elly hadn't seen any humans around, made the whole place feel like a desolate ghost town. From the signs of flipped cars and broken down doors, it seemed the people were suddenly gone, but not completely without struggle. No deaths at least, judging how she hadn't seen any lingering souls or detected the scent of death just yet.
'A whole town, in the Outside World. Who would've thought. Maybe the stories of the Outside being a paradise for humans to be free of supernatural threats are exaggerated after all.'
The creatures that were attacking her seemed to be relentless, but Elly had no trouble fighting them off. Her scythe was a deadly weapon, and she wielded it with precision and skill. She knew that she couldn't let these creatures around as her mission supposed to also include resolving any trouble around, but for now, she needed to focus on finding the doll youkai.
'Now, where to look for her?' Elly thought to herself before a loud roar and sounds of fighting echoed in the air. The creatures that were attacking her suddenly stopped, and ran away in the direction of the sound. It was as if they were being drawn to it, 'That was...' she recognized the sound of the fighting, 'Danmaku. Someone is shooting danmaku, and these things are going after the source.'
Elly didn't hesitate and used her power as if darkness consumed herself. She suppressed the feelings and anxiety inside her as it felt like she was drowning in an ocean of nothingness. Then, just as quickly as it started, she felt a sudden jolt and found herself in a completely different place. She was now on the air above a school's field, and the sounds of fighting were much closer.
She looked around and saw the source of the fighting. A familiar doll youkai, Medicine Melancholy was there, fighting alongside a boy and some kind of...humanoid spirit? It looked unlike any spirit she had ever seen, looked like a man wearing a very modified school uniform, admittedly stylish long coat, and some strange helmet. It seemed the boy was in some way commanding or controlling the spirit. Whatever it was, it was fighting alongside the boy and Medicine against a creature that was towering over the two. It was a giant, filthy creature, with countless eyes all over its body. It was easily two times taller than a regular house, and it was moving with a speed that was unnatural for its size. Its body was covered in a dark, muck-like substance that seemed to ooze from every part of it. The eyes that were scattered all over its body were all different sizes and shapes, and they seemed to move independently of each other.
Using its surprising speed and massive bulk, the creature swung its arms wildly, trying to crush the boy and Medicine. The two managed to dodge the attacks, but just barely. On top of simply using its limbs, it also seemed to have some sort of energy power, as it shot beams of energy from its eyes. Meanwhile, Medicine seemed to be shooting regular danmaku despite Elly knowing she could produce danmaku with poison. She seemed to be holding back. Was it to not hurt the boy? Elly wasn't sure. The humanoid spirit, in the meantime, fought with a mix of martial arts and some sort of earth-based power that seemed to be very effective against the monster as it flinched and stunned when hit.
Elly didn't waste any time and decided to join the fray. She flew towards the monster and swung her scythe in a wide arc, slicing off one of the giant's arms. The monster let out a roar of pain and anger, and its eyes all turned towards her. It swung its other arm at her, and instead of dodging, she held her ground and swung her scythe again. The arm was sliced off, and the monster let out another roar, this time even louder than before. Medicine and the humanoid spirit didn't let the chance go to waste and attacked with a barrage of danmaku and a punch from the humanoid spirit, causing the giant to stumble backwards.
"Chance!" Medicine shouted, and the humanoid spirit nodded. It then jumped into the air and smashed its fist into the ground, causing a shockwave to ripple through the earth. The giant's already unsteady footing was further destabilised, and it fell to the ground, unable to move. Medicine unleashed a barrage of danmakus as the spirit threw rocks at the creature. Personally, it looked rather amusing for Elly as the creature looked like a kid throwing a tantrum on the ground while being pelted with bullets and rocks.
"Perhaps, going to Outside World really was a good idea" Elly smiled as she adjusted her grip on her scythe, preparing to finish off the monster once and for all, "[Everything shall Return "Fade to Black"]"
Elly swung her scythe down and the monster was enveloped in a black sphere, which then shrunk and disappeared, leaving only a small black orb in its wake. The orb was a swirling mass of black energy, and it seemed to pulsate with a strange power. With a gesture of her hand, the orb disappeared, leaving only the three of them in the field. The boy seemed to be catching his breath, while the spirit remained still.
"Medicine Melancholy, right?" Elly asked, turning to the doll youkai. Medicine nodded in response, "I am Elly, I'm here to bring you back to Gensokyo. Miss Kazami Yuuka, sent me to retrieve you."
"Yuuka?,,,Oh! The flower lady!" Medicine's eyes lit up and she smiled, before she looked hesitant, glancing at the boy and at where the giant was, "Um..."
Smiling in understanding, Elly rested her scythe on her shoulder, "My mission is also about to take care of this overgrown garden, how about we go somewhere better to talk about everything?"
Medicine and the boy looked at each other, nodded in agreement, as they led Elly back into the school building.
'If this is Gensokyo, then this would've been an Incident. A serious one, not like that vampire's play-pretend' Elly sighed after hearing what the two told her.
After the fight, the three of them decided to go back inside the school building into what Elly assumed as infirmary. For one reason or another, it seemed this room was one of the only rooms that was relatively intact. While the school was in a mess, this room was almost completely untouched, save for a couple of overturned chairs and a broken vase. The room was filled with a variety of medical supplies, including bandages, disinfectants, and other first-aid items. There was also a bed where the boy, Yuuta, was currently lying on. His wounds, though minor, were still treated by Elly. She had some knowledge of first aid, and she used it to patch up the boy. He was awake, but he was clearly exhausted from the fight.
From what he said, as much as the strangely quiet boy could, it seemed the situation started a month ago where rumours apparently became true. It started innocuously enough, with simple harmless rumours such as a boy and girl who liked each other ended up being true despite the two denying such things at first, or you can find money if you looked behind a vending machine. Then the rumours became stranger, with supernatural elements such as talking animals, a shadowy figure that would disappear when looked at, or anatomical statues in the science room would move on their own at night. Technically still harmless but concerning. Then everything went downhill as suddenly a rumour of a creature started circulating and that was the creature that Medicine and Elly saw. Some kind of giant made of resentment or such, even by standard of youkai or even lower of urban legend, it was barely substantial enough to create actual things. However people reported actually seeing the creature around at night and the police started to get more reports of people going missing.
Things only escalated from there, as more and more rumours began to circulate and come true. Even stranger ones such as an infamous figure from a human war suddenly reappear, or a cult worshipping an ancient deity that should've been long gone, or even a conspiracy theory that a secret organisation controlled the government. It was at this point that some people started to realise that something was seriously wrong, but it was too late, the damage had been done and there was no stopping the rumours from spreading. Worse, the majority of the people seemed to not realise or care that their rumours were coming true and that it was getting dangerous. It was as if the populace had gone mad and were willing to do anything to see their wildest fantasies become reality.
The boy himself was a recent transfer student from a bigger city, arriving just before everything started. It seemed the school in particular, most likely because of the teenagers, was one of the epicentres of the rumours. Still, everything seemed to be still under control, until tonight or perhaps yesterday night as the entire town suddenly went dark, and the white creatures, alongside other monsters, showed up and started to hunt down people. It seemed to be one of the rumours, or in this case a prophecy, came true about the town shall be engulfed in darkness, everyone will disappear and monsters roamed the town. By the morning supposedly, a great figure shall come to bring salvation or a god summoned by a secret society. It was all over the place, and it was unclear what exactly was happening or what would happen next. So far, things seemed accurate enough however.
"Is the Outside World always this scary..." Medicine whispered, looking at the boy with pity and sympathy.
Elly shook her head, "No, I doubt so. Someone's behind this, no doubt. It was all too convenient, too orchestrated. The rumours becoming real, the darkness, the monsters, it's all too much to be a coincidence. And I know a few things about coincidences, or lack thereof"
The boy, Yuuta, seemed to agree with Elly as he nodded. He was sitting up in the bed, his wounds now bandaged and his clothes changed. His face was serious, and his eyes were full of determination. He wanted to find out what was going on and put an end to it to save everyone. Something Elly could understand. The power he had, whatever it was, was certainly a good asset. Elly could sense a faint but strong power from the boy, and from what Medicine described, it seemed to just appear somehow. Perhaps the boy was some sort of shaman and summoned his guardian spirit, but Elly couldn't be sure. Either way, the boy was determined to help.
"If we follow the rumour, supposed it's true, there will be five monsters or spot that will be the key toward the saviour or god. Though we aren't sure whether defeating them will stop whatever this is or accelerate it." Elly looked thoughtful before blinking, "You said there is a rumour about some sort of cavern sealed by a magical door with five seals as part of the rumour? Where greatness is hidden or something?"
Yuuta nodded, gesturing at a newspaper clipping about an archaeological finding in a nearby hill. Most likely the source of the rumour. There was a big hole, around the size of a house, on a hill. The hole had a big door sealing it shut, made of some unknown metal. It was engraved with strange symbols, which were not recognizable by anyone. Five of the symbols seemed to be more important than the rest, as they were larger and more intricate. However, the meaning behind the symbols was still a mystery. The archaeologists and scientists who examined the door couldn't make any sense of it.
"What do you two think of the chances that whoever or whatever behind this is inside there?" Elly said, as she looked over the door, "Five symbols, five monsters or place, they seemed connected so we can try checking inside there. Perhaps the rumour mill is actually good for once, two rumours might have greater connections to each other than it seemed"
Medicine tilted her head, "But if it is, won't we need to defeat five, now four, monsters or something to open it?"
Elly simply smiled, "Not with me here. Do you two want to stay here or come with me? I can take you there directly, no matter what. I can also take you somewhere else though."
"I'm coming with you!" Medicine stated, her voice filled with determination. Yuuta looked conflicted for a moment, before he nodded in agreement. Elly's smile widened and she took Yuuta and Medicine's hands, "Alright, hold on tight then!"
The trio were enveloped in darkness, and Elly felt the familiar tug of her power. She focused on the door in the newspaper clipping, and soon enough they found themselves in front of it. The door was just as imposing as it looked in the picture, its metal surface gleaming in the dim light of the cave. The symbols on it were even more mysterious in person, though Elly definitely would say her own gate is much more impressive. She reached out and touched the door, feeling the cold metal against her palm.
"Magical, not bad, I suppose, but not as good as the Great Border or Mugenkan's gate of course" Elly hummed, examining the symbols on the door, "I think it's a barrier of some sort, quite a strong one, but it seems the key is indeed the five locations"
"I could break it forcefully but it might alert whoever is behind this, or worse, activate a failsafe. That wouldn't be fun" Elly mused, before she turned to Medicine and Yuuta, "So we'll move using my power again, unless you two want to go back to the school and wait for me."
Medicine shook her head and Yuuta gave a look that said "As if". Elly chuckled and took their hands again, "Okay then, off we go!"
The trio was once again enveloped in darkness and found themselves in a cavern just beyond the magical door. From the looks of it, definitely artificial one and recently too. The walls were smooth and the floor was level, as if they had been carved out by a machine. The air was stale and musty, and there was a faint smell of body odors. It didn't take long for them to found the source as they walked further in. The cavern-turned-hallway was filled with people, all locked up and unconscious like they were sleeping. Most were adults, but there were some kids as well.
"The missing people!" Medicine gasped, "They were brought here!"
"Seems so" Elly agreed, "It does confirm someone is indeed behind everything. And they seem to have a goal in mind, considering they went through the trouble to capture these people alive, and not kill them. Not even the ones that fought back, judging from their injuries."
Yuuta nodded, clearly wanting to free the people. Elly understood his concern and agreed with him, but they couldn't do anything until they figured out what was going on and stopped it. The three of them continued on, leaving the imprisoned people behind. The hallway eventually opened up into a large chamber, and in the centre of the chamber was a strange device. It was a large, cylindrical object, made of metal and covered in glowing runes. It was humming softly, and the runes on it were pulsating with energy. The device was surrounded by a group of people in robes, who were chanting and making gestures with their hands. They were clearly in the middle of some sort of ritual, and they didn't seem to notice the trio's arrival. One of the man noticed the three and raised his hand, causing the chanting to stop. He then approached the trio, his face hidden by the hood of his robe.
"You are not supposed to be here" the man said, his voice was deep and commanding. Elly raised an eyebrow, and stepped forward, "We could say the same to you. What are you doing here?"
The man chuckled darkly, "Oh, you'll find out soon enough. You can't stop my ascension to godhood!" With a flourish, he removed his hood and revealed his face. It was an older man, with grey hair and wrinkles on his face. His eyes were a deep purple, and they seemed to glow with an otherworldly light. The man then gestured at the device, "This device is a conduit for the power of the collective unconscious, the realm of dreams and ideas. It is a source of limitless power, waiting to be tapped. I have been working on this for years, and I am so close to achieving my goal. Soon, I will ascend to godhood, and I will be able to shape the world as I see fit!"
Elly held back a chuckle, and she saw Medicine doing the same, "So that's it? You're just some madman who thinks he can become a god?"
"Mad? No, no, you misunderstand. I have seen it, the Collective Unconscious, and I know what is possible. This world is but a shadow of the real world, the world of ideas and dreams. And with the power of the Collective Unconscious, I will be able to shape this world into something better, something greater. I will create a paradise, a utopia where everyone is free to live as they please. A world without suffering or pain, a world where everyone is happy. And I will be the god who rules over it."
Yuuta looked at Elly and Medicine with disbelief, and the two youkai could only shrug in response.
"Well, well~ That's not a bad dream" Elly said, a smile on her face, "It's not something unheard of, and certainly more believable than some others' dreams. But unfortunately, there are a few problems"
Medicine nodded in agreement, "Yeah, for one, we will stop you!"
The man laughed, a deep, booming laugh that echoed through the chamber. He then gestured at the trio, "You? Stop me? You are but mere mortals, insignificant specks in the grand scheme of things. You cannot stop me, for I am a god!"
Elly just smiled and readied her scythe, "We'll see about that. Let's put your so-called godhood to the test, shall we?"
"Very well" the man replied, and he made a gesture with his hands, "My disciples, take care of them!"
The robed figures that were surrounding the device all moved at once, each of them took out some kind of magical items, ranging from a staff, a sword, a wand, and others, "We won't let you interfere, outsiders! This is a holy ritual to bring forth the paradise of dreams!"
One of the figures, a woman, waved her staff, causing a burst of magical energy to emanate from the tip. The energy coalesced into a humanoid figure, with dark skin and a muscular build. It had a horn on its forehead, and its eyes were red and glowing. Another one of the figures, instead summoned a bird-like with humanoid arms, long nose, and sharp teeth, a tengu, or at least an imitation of it. More and more monsters were summoned, some were imitations of youkai Elly saw before, while others were based on myths and legends from other lands. Still, they were obviously fake and nothing more than a pale imitation of the real thing, though of course, that doesn't mean they aren't dangerous.
"Hmm~ Now this is quite the party~" Elly said, amused, "Though you are right, we shouldn't interrupt, so why don't we give our hosts a proper send-off?"
Elly pointed her scythe at the crowd of monsters, "Let's fight fake with fake shall we? [Imitation Sign "False Spark"]"
A large beam of dark energy shot out of the tip of Elly's scythe, vapourized most of the summons in an instant and struck the device, though a barrier of sorts prevented any damage, "Well, I suppose that's to be expected" Elly shrugged, before she turned to the others, "You two can handle the rest, can't you?"
Medicine nodded and readied her danmaku, "Leave it to us!" Yuuta and his spirit companion nodded as well and prepared for battle.
As the two fought off the remaining few summons and the disciples, Elly calmly walked to the shaken madman, who was trying to activate the device, "N-no! You won't stop me! I will ascend to godhood, and I will create a paradise! A utopia where everyone is free to live as they please!"
Elly chuckled and shook her head, "You know, even if you did manage to do that, do you really think it'll last forever? That's not how reality works, and you know it. It's just a fantasy, a dream that will eventually fade away. Sooner or later, you will fall"
"No, no, no! I am a god! I will create a world where no one will suffer, no one will die! A world where everyone is happy and content!" the man exclaimed, his voice shaking as he ran toward a magical circle and took out a strange orb, "This is my final spell, the spell that will bring forth a true god, the one who will assist me in my ascension and the creation of paradise! I will not let you interfere!"
The magical circle started to glow, and the air around them grew heavy with energy. The orb in the man's hand began to glow as well, and it was clear that he was about to unleash something powerful. Before Elly could stop him, he shouted, "I summon you, O Great One, to aid me in my quest for godhood! One who heralds change and the end! Come forth, and grant me the power to shape the world as I see fit!"
The orb shattered, and a blinding light filled the chamber, forcing everyone to shield their eyes. When the light faded, two figures were standing in the centre of the room. They were both young girls, two familiar faces for Medicine and Elly, and the two were looking around in confusion and slight fear. The one in a red dress with blonde hair adorned with red autumn leaves was Shizuha, the other with similar blond hair adorned with a red hat was Minoriko. Both of them looked around in confusion.
"...Greetings, Minoriko-sama, Shizuha-sama" Elly greeted the two, with a playful curtsy. The man, the madman who summoned the two, was looking at the two in confusion.
"You...You're not the Great One!" he exclaimed, clearly upset. The two goddesses looked at him in confusion, and then at each other, before back at him.
Elly walked behind him and patted him on the shoulder, "Well, you see, you didn't specify the summoning, so it picked the most compatible people in the world, and it turned out that the Aki Sisters was what it found. A good pick, in my opinion. They are very friendly goddesses, too good for you though"
Before the man could react, Elly simply punched him, causing him to collapse to the ground. She then turned to the two goddesses and gave them a small bow, "Greetings, Minoriko-sama, Shizuha-sama. I am Elly, the gatekeeper of Mugenkan. I am here to stop this madman from causing any more trouble."
Minoriko and Shizuha looked at her in surprise, and then at the unconscious man on the ground, "Uh, thank you, Elly-san. What's going on here? Why were we summoned?" Minoriko asked, clearly confused.
"Ah, that's a long story" Elly said, "But the short version is that this man was trying to use the power of dreams and ideas to create a paradise. A noble goal, I suppose, but he was going about it the wrong way. He was about to cause a lot of trouble, so we had to stop him."
Minoriko and Shizuha exchanged a look, and then Minoriko turned back to Elly, "I see. Well, we're glad you stopped him. We wouldn't want anyone to get hurt because of this."
"Right, so, now that that's taken care of, would you like to help us and perhaps gain more faith?" Elly said, with a smile. The two, quite desperate for more faith, looked at each other, and then at Elly with eagre expression.
"Of course!" Minoriko said, "We would be happy to help you, Elly-san"
"Great!" Elly nodded, "Please wait a minute here. We will take care of this madman's minions, and then we can free the people and clean up the mess he left"
"Is this really okay?" Medicine asked as the sun slowly rose from the horizon. The group had just finished dealing with the cult and their mad leader. After some interrogations by Elly, she operated the device and told the group what she thought was the best course of action. The Aki sisters, being actual goddesses, could simply hijack the rumour of a 'saviour' and make them believe the sisters were the ones that saved the day. As the main perpetrator was already taken care of, it would be easy to convince people who were already affected by the rumours.
"They all seemed to agree with the plan, and it's definitely the fastest way to resolve everything" Elly responded, looking at the sisters, who were now talking with the people they just freed. The sisters had been hesitant at first, but after hearing Elly's explanation and seeing the people's reactions, they agreed to the plan. They had never expected to gain this much Faith in such a short amount of time, and they were more than willing to accept the help, "It's a win-win for both of us, anyway. We get to solve the Incident, the people saved regardless and the wrongly summoned goddesses get to gain Faith. And besides, they do need all the Faith they can get and you knew that."
Medicine looked thoughtful and nodded in agreement, "I guess you're right. It's just that... I don't know, it feels a bit like cheating. I mean, we're basically taking advantage of these people."
Elly chuckled and patted Medicine on the head, "Oh, don't worry about that. They're getting what they want, a saviour, an answer and an end to the nightmare. It's a fair trade, if you ask me. If not for the goddesses answered the call, we might've had to face with a much less friendly one and might've failed to save everyone"
"I guess" Medicine sighed, "So what's next? Are we back going to Gensokyo?"
"Yes, though I suppose you might want to say goodbye first?" Elly asked, gesturing at Yuuta at a distance. The boy was currently helping the Aki sisters in calming down and explaining the situation to the people. Medicine hesitated for a moment, before nodding. She had grown attached to the boy during their adventure, and she didn't want to leave without saying goodbye, "Okay, go ahead, I'll be here"
Elly watched as Medicine approached the boy and talked with him with a smile on her face before she leaned on the device she took from the madman and looked at the sunrise from the top of the hill. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, enjoying the peace and quiet. It was a rare moment for her, and she was going to savour it while she could.
"..Existing feels nice" Elly whispered to herself, "It's nice to be remembered, to have friends. Even if it's just a little bit, even if I don't remember everything. I wonder if I could ask miss for some vacation to check how Gensokyo is nowadays.."
Medicine asked her smaller companion, looking around. The air was cool, it was dark enough that the sun probably was long gone from the sky, and the ground was solid under her feet. She was obviously not at the meadow, but she wasn't sure where she was. She was surrounded by tall walls, but the walls were made from a material that was unfamiliar to her. She'd never seen anything like it, but it felt hard, almost like stone.
She was standing next to a large building, and she wasn't sure what to make of it. It seemed clean enough to not be abandoned. There were some lights, not fire but like fireflies with no fire needed, also big on the ceiling. She didn't know how they got up there, or who put them there, and that made her nervous, even more so when she found signs of struggle or destruction in some places. It was a place where Medicine knew many people, probably humans, should have been, but now there's nobody. Not in the sense of a quiet place, but in a place that's empty, that should not be empty.
"This smell..blood? But I didn't see any dead body."
As a youkai, even if relatively young one, Medicine isn't one to be scared like a human would, she meant to be the one who scares people, but the situation made her more cautious and perhaps a little afraid. The situation was just too bizarre and unusual to not make her feel that way. So she decided to keep her eyes open, keep looking around, and try to understand what is going on. Maybe she could find some way to go back home, or at least found out what is happening.
She walked through the hallway, saw some sign in some sliding door leading to a big room filled with desks and chairs. But they were messily thrown on the ground, as if people were fighting in here, and even a stronger scent of blood. She didn't see any bodies, but it was clear that something happened here, something violent. Looking outside proved impossible as for now that Medicine looked closer, it wasn't just dark because night but past a certain distance, it was simply pitch black darkness, darker than the night itself, as if the light was absorbed. Medicine walked around the room, finding nothing and no one so she decided to leave, but then she saw it.
Humanoid in shape, but looked like it was made with white putty twisted around. It looked like even the fingers twisted together into a solid lump, and instead of a face, there was a big, dark hole where eyes or a nose would be. It was like a puppet without any features, and it was walking towards her in strange way.
"Hello?" Medicine said, cautiously. The creature didn't respond, but it was moving closer, and Medicine could hear the sound of its body moving. It's a strange sound, like something sticky being stretched and pulled, like clay. She stepped back, feeling a growing unease. Feeling the creatures might be hostile, she took up a defensive stance, and readied her powers, "Can you talk? Who are you? What is this place?"
The creature didn't speak, and its movements became more erratic. Medicine reacted quickly and shot several danmakus from her hands, but the creature seemingly absorbed most of them and became slightly stronger. Only most though, her poison ones seemed to work still compared to regular danmakus that were just bullets of power, so she decided to keep focusing on those.
"Stay back! I warned you!" she exclaimed as she shot more danmaku, causing the creature to stagger and purple taint of poison spread across its surface, before it fell over, seemingly for good.
Cautiously approaching the creature, Medicine tried to poke its unmoving body out of curiosity and found out that despite its putty-like look, it was extremely hard. It felt like a very smooth stone but tougher than even metals. Quite heavy too, though Medicine was never a strong one in terms of physical strength. Since the white thing didn't seem to move anymore, Medicine turned it around and looked at the hole in place of its face. It was dark and bottomless, almost like it was a tunnel into an unknown space. She tried to angle the head toward the light to see better, but the light seemed to disappear into the hole, leaving only darkness in its wake. The more she looked, the more she felt uneasy, like something was looking back at her. No one to give up, but also not stupid enough to stick her hand inside, Medicine went and grabbed a strange flat stick lying around. Carefully, she lowered it into the hole until it actually hit something. It seemed that despite how it looked, there was a bottom that fit exactly with where the back part of the head was supposed to be. It wasn't a hole to nowhere, it was just the head being weirdly shaped and for some reason very dark.
"What a weird thing? I don't think it's a youkai, how about you, Su-san?"
After making sure for one last time the white thing wasn't going to move anymore, she resumed her exploration of the place. Knowing there was at least one hostile thing around, she decided to be more cautious and prepared. Which immediately paid off as she saw several white things inside one of the rooms with chairs surrounding what appeared to be a human, at least from the top. He was lying on the floor and Medicine couldn't see with the white creatures around him. Feeling something tugging her heart to go and help, she attacked them, again focusing on her poison danmaku.
The creatures let out surreal, dissonant sounds, like a mix of a groan and a scream. It was a sound that sent shivers down Medicine's spine, and she instinctively stepped back. They turned to face her, their bodies contorting and shifting as they did so. Their movements were jerky, like puppets with strings that were being pulled too quickly. They moved closer to her, their movements becoming more erratic. Medicine realised that they weren't just moving towards her, they were moving in a pattern. They were trying to surround her, cutting off her escape routes. These things aren't just mindless creatures, they have intelligence! She quickly jumped on one of the chairs and threw several more danmaku, now trying to avoid being surrounded. The creatures were hit by her shots and staggered, their movements becoming more erratic. She saw how the poison spread through their bodies, causing them to crumble and fall to the ground. That's good, she thought, at least these things are weak to her poison. Still, the numbers were against her and she knew she couldn't keep fighting them forever. She needed to find a way out.
But Medicine couldn't just leave the human alone. She felt a strong impulse to help him, to get him out of this mess. Flashes of what Florence showed her of humans suffering and dying, of the loneliness and pain they experienced, of her own life as a discarded doll, all of it made her realise that she couldn't just walk away and leave someone to die. Not without at least trying to save him. So she continued to fight, dodging and weaving through the creatures, trying to find a way to get to the human. Finally, she managed to get to him, and she saw that he was still alive, but barely. His breathing was shallow, and his skin was cold to the touch. She knew she had to act quickly, so she grabbed him and started to pull him away from the creatures. They were still coming at her, but she managed to keep them at bay long enough to get the human to safety. She laid him down on the ground and checked his vital signs. He was weak, but alive, and she breathed a sigh of relief.
"No wounds, maybe? He's still breathing, but it's weak. Maybe he passed out because he didn't have enough to eat or drink? Or maybe he's sick, but I don't know what kind of sickness.." Being a youkai, a young doll youkai at that, Medicine knew next to nothing about treating sickness or injury on a human. She knew some things, but only basic ones, and not enough to help the man. At the very least, Medicine didn't see any injuries or the man wasn't shivering from the cold. Before she could do anything else, she heard more of those creatures approaching. She quickly scooped the man up and carried him away from the room, dodging and weaving through the corridors as she went.
Everything was a blur until she found a small room with a curtain and bed that she could hide in. She set the man down on the bed, and then she closed the door behind her. She could still hear the creatures outside, but they seemed to have lost her trail. Examining the place, Medicine could recognise the smell of medicines and various bandages, so she could only assume this was some sort of a place to treat sickness and injuries.
'Hopefully here I can find something to help this guy' she thought to herself, and she began to search the cabinets, trying to find anything that might be useful.
'So fire danmaku works too, huh?'
A woman in red dress weaved through the streets, the air filled with sounds of fighting. Her long scythe swept through the air, cutting through the creatures with ease. Her movements were fluid and precise as she fought off the monsters that had attacked her. Her blonde hair stood out against the unnatural darkness that seemed to have taken hold of the world, a contrast to the blackness that surrounded her.
'Surprisingly intelligent, incredibly tough by human's standard with decent strength. If these things have been here for a while then the people in this place must've been...I don't want to finish that thought'
She continued to fight, but the creatures kept coming, their numbers seemingly endless. The woman knew that she couldn't keep this up forever, mostly because she started to get bored. She needed to find her objective and retrieve Medicine Melancholy as soon as possible. To think she, Elly, the gatekeeper of Mugenkan, had been tasked with finding and retrieving a doll youkai in Outside World of all things, also dealt with any situation that happened wherever the doll was if needed. It was not a job she had expected, but one that she was willing to take on. After all, a chance to finally go out of Mugenkan was a welcome one. She loved her job but after what happened with her, Elly, she started to feel like she was missing out on the world, in more ways than one.
'No, no, no! I am not going to dwell on that, that's not important right now.' Elly shook her head. trying to distract herself from the thoughts that kept trying to creep up on her. 'This place is weird. I thought Outside World supposed to be safe as supernatural declined and technology advanced, yet this whole situation feels like something out of a horror story miss Alice showed us before'
Ever since she arrived in this place, she saw that it was probably supposed to be a small but nice town, with buildings that looked different from the ones she was used to seeing in Gensokyo. But the unnatural darkness, the white creatures, and the fact Elly hadn't seen any humans around, made the whole place feel like a desolate ghost town. From the signs of flipped cars and broken down doors, it seemed the people were suddenly gone, but not completely without struggle. No deaths at least, judging how she hadn't seen any lingering souls or detected the scent of death just yet.
'A whole town, in the Outside World. Who would've thought. Maybe the stories of the Outside being a paradise for humans to be free of supernatural threats are exaggerated after all.'
The creatures that were attacking her seemed to be relentless, but Elly had no trouble fighting them off. Her scythe was a deadly weapon, and she wielded it with precision and skill. She knew that she couldn't let these creatures around as her mission supposed to also include resolving any trouble around, but for now, she needed to focus on finding the doll youkai.
'Now, where to look for her?' Elly thought to herself before a loud roar and sounds of fighting echoed in the air. The creatures that were attacking her suddenly stopped, and ran away in the direction of the sound. It was as if they were being drawn to it, 'That was...' she recognized the sound of the fighting, 'Danmaku. Someone is shooting danmaku, and these things are going after the source.'
Elly didn't hesitate and used her power as if darkness consumed herself. She suppressed the feelings and anxiety inside her as it felt like she was drowning in an ocean of nothingness. Then, just as quickly as it started, she felt a sudden jolt and found herself in a completely different place. She was now on the air above a school's field, and the sounds of fighting were much closer.
She looked around and saw the source of the fighting. A familiar doll youkai, Medicine Melancholy was there, fighting alongside a boy and some kind of...humanoid spirit? It looked unlike any spirit she had ever seen, looked like a man wearing a very modified school uniform, admittedly stylish long coat, and some strange helmet. It seemed the boy was in some way commanding or controlling the spirit. Whatever it was, it was fighting alongside the boy and Medicine against a creature that was towering over the two. It was a giant, filthy creature, with countless eyes all over its body. It was easily two times taller than a regular house, and it was moving with a speed that was unnatural for its size. Its body was covered in a dark, muck-like substance that seemed to ooze from every part of it. The eyes that were scattered all over its body were all different sizes and shapes, and they seemed to move independently of each other.
Using its surprising speed and massive bulk, the creature swung its arms wildly, trying to crush the boy and Medicine. The two managed to dodge the attacks, but just barely. On top of simply using its limbs, it also seemed to have some sort of energy power, as it shot beams of energy from its eyes. Meanwhile, Medicine seemed to be shooting regular danmaku despite Elly knowing she could produce danmaku with poison. She seemed to be holding back. Was it to not hurt the boy? Elly wasn't sure. The humanoid spirit, in the meantime, fought with a mix of martial arts and some sort of earth-based power that seemed to be very effective against the monster as it flinched and stunned when hit.
Elly didn't waste any time and decided to join the fray. She flew towards the monster and swung her scythe in a wide arc, slicing off one of the giant's arms. The monster let out a roar of pain and anger, and its eyes all turned towards her. It swung its other arm at her, and instead of dodging, she held her ground and swung her scythe again. The arm was sliced off, and the monster let out another roar, this time even louder than before. Medicine and the humanoid spirit didn't let the chance go to waste and attacked with a barrage of danmaku and a punch from the humanoid spirit, causing the giant to stumble backwards.
"Chance!" Medicine shouted, and the humanoid spirit nodded. It then jumped into the air and smashed its fist into the ground, causing a shockwave to ripple through the earth. The giant's already unsteady footing was further destabilised, and it fell to the ground, unable to move. Medicine unleashed a barrage of danmakus as the spirit threw rocks at the creature. Personally, it looked rather amusing for Elly as the creature looked like a kid throwing a tantrum on the ground while being pelted with bullets and rocks.
"Perhaps, going to Outside World really was a good idea" Elly smiled as she adjusted her grip on her scythe, preparing to finish off the monster once and for all, "[Everything shall Return "Fade to Black"]"
Elly swung her scythe down and the monster was enveloped in a black sphere, which then shrunk and disappeared, leaving only a small black orb in its wake. The orb was a swirling mass of black energy, and it seemed to pulsate with a strange power. With a gesture of her hand, the orb disappeared, leaving only the three of them in the field. The boy seemed to be catching his breath, while the spirit remained still.
"Medicine Melancholy, right?" Elly asked, turning to the doll youkai. Medicine nodded in response, "I am Elly, I'm here to bring you back to Gensokyo. Miss Kazami Yuuka, sent me to retrieve you."
"Yuuka?,,,Oh! The flower lady!" Medicine's eyes lit up and she smiled, before she looked hesitant, glancing at the boy and at where the giant was, "Um..."
Smiling in understanding, Elly rested her scythe on her shoulder, "My mission is also about to take care of this overgrown garden, how about we go somewhere better to talk about everything?"
Medicine and the boy looked at each other, nodded in agreement, as they led Elly back into the school building.
'If this is Gensokyo, then this would've been an Incident. A serious one, not like that vampire's play-pretend' Elly sighed after hearing what the two told her.
After the fight, the three of them decided to go back inside the school building into what Elly assumed as infirmary. For one reason or another, it seemed this room was one of the only rooms that was relatively intact. While the school was in a mess, this room was almost completely untouched, save for a couple of overturned chairs and a broken vase. The room was filled with a variety of medical supplies, including bandages, disinfectants, and other first-aid items. There was also a bed where the boy, Yuuta, was currently lying on. His wounds, though minor, were still treated by Elly. She had some knowledge of first aid, and she used it to patch up the boy. He was awake, but he was clearly exhausted from the fight.
From what he said, as much as the strangely quiet boy could, it seemed the situation started a month ago where rumours apparently became true. It started innocuously enough, with simple harmless rumours such as a boy and girl who liked each other ended up being true despite the two denying such things at first, or you can find money if you looked behind a vending machine. Then the rumours became stranger, with supernatural elements such as talking animals, a shadowy figure that would disappear when looked at, or anatomical statues in the science room would move on their own at night. Technically still harmless but concerning. Then everything went downhill as suddenly a rumour of a creature started circulating and that was the creature that Medicine and Elly saw. Some kind of giant made of resentment or such, even by standard of youkai or even lower of urban legend, it was barely substantial enough to create actual things. However people reported actually seeing the creature around at night and the police started to get more reports of people going missing.
Things only escalated from there, as more and more rumours began to circulate and come true. Even stranger ones such as an infamous figure from a human war suddenly reappear, or a cult worshipping an ancient deity that should've been long gone, or even a conspiracy theory that a secret organisation controlled the government. It was at this point that some people started to realise that something was seriously wrong, but it was too late, the damage had been done and there was no stopping the rumours from spreading. Worse, the majority of the people seemed to not realise or care that their rumours were coming true and that it was getting dangerous. It was as if the populace had gone mad and were willing to do anything to see their wildest fantasies become reality.
The boy himself was a recent transfer student from a bigger city, arriving just before everything started. It seemed the school in particular, most likely because of the teenagers, was one of the epicentres of the rumours. Still, everything seemed to be still under control, until tonight or perhaps yesterday night as the entire town suddenly went dark, and the white creatures, alongside other monsters, showed up and started to hunt down people. It seemed to be one of the rumours, or in this case a prophecy, came true about the town shall be engulfed in darkness, everyone will disappear and monsters roamed the town. By the morning supposedly, a great figure shall come to bring salvation or a god summoned by a secret society. It was all over the place, and it was unclear what exactly was happening or what would happen next. So far, things seemed accurate enough however.
"Is the Outside World always this scary..." Medicine whispered, looking at the boy with pity and sympathy.
Elly shook her head, "No, I doubt so. Someone's behind this, no doubt. It was all too convenient, too orchestrated. The rumours becoming real, the darkness, the monsters, it's all too much to be a coincidence. And I know a few things about coincidences, or lack thereof"
The boy, Yuuta, seemed to agree with Elly as he nodded. He was sitting up in the bed, his wounds now bandaged and his clothes changed. His face was serious, and his eyes were full of determination. He wanted to find out what was going on and put an end to it to save everyone. Something Elly could understand. The power he had, whatever it was, was certainly a good asset. Elly could sense a faint but strong power from the boy, and from what Medicine described, it seemed to just appear somehow. Perhaps the boy was some sort of shaman and summoned his guardian spirit, but Elly couldn't be sure. Either way, the boy was determined to help.
"If we follow the rumour, supposed it's true, there will be five monsters or spot that will be the key toward the saviour or god. Though we aren't sure whether defeating them will stop whatever this is or accelerate it." Elly looked thoughtful before blinking, "You said there is a rumour about some sort of cavern sealed by a magical door with five seals as part of the rumour? Where greatness is hidden or something?"
Yuuta nodded, gesturing at a newspaper clipping about an archaeological finding in a nearby hill. Most likely the source of the rumour. There was a big hole, around the size of a house, on a hill. The hole had a big door sealing it shut, made of some unknown metal. It was engraved with strange symbols, which were not recognizable by anyone. Five of the symbols seemed to be more important than the rest, as they were larger and more intricate. However, the meaning behind the symbols was still a mystery. The archaeologists and scientists who examined the door couldn't make any sense of it.
"What do you two think of the chances that whoever or whatever behind this is inside there?" Elly said, as she looked over the door, "Five symbols, five monsters or place, they seemed connected so we can try checking inside there. Perhaps the rumour mill is actually good for once, two rumours might have greater connections to each other than it seemed"
Medicine tilted her head, "But if it is, won't we need to defeat five, now four, monsters or something to open it?"
Elly simply smiled, "Not with me here. Do you two want to stay here or come with me? I can take you there directly, no matter what. I can also take you somewhere else though."
"I'm coming with you!" Medicine stated, her voice filled with determination. Yuuta looked conflicted for a moment, before he nodded in agreement. Elly's smile widened and she took Yuuta and Medicine's hands, "Alright, hold on tight then!"
The trio were enveloped in darkness, and Elly felt the familiar tug of her power. She focused on the door in the newspaper clipping, and soon enough they found themselves in front of it. The door was just as imposing as it looked in the picture, its metal surface gleaming in the dim light of the cave. The symbols on it were even more mysterious in person, though Elly definitely would say her own gate is much more impressive. She reached out and touched the door, feeling the cold metal against her palm.
"Magical, not bad, I suppose, but not as good as the Great Border or Mugenkan's gate of course" Elly hummed, examining the symbols on the door, "I think it's a barrier of some sort, quite a strong one, but it seems the key is indeed the five locations"
"I could break it forcefully but it might alert whoever is behind this, or worse, activate a failsafe. That wouldn't be fun" Elly mused, before she turned to Medicine and Yuuta, "So we'll move using my power again, unless you two want to go back to the school and wait for me."
Medicine shook her head and Yuuta gave a look that said "As if". Elly chuckled and took their hands again, "Okay then, off we go!"
The trio was once again enveloped in darkness and found themselves in a cavern just beyond the magical door. From the looks of it, definitely artificial one and recently too. The walls were smooth and the floor was level, as if they had been carved out by a machine. The air was stale and musty, and there was a faint smell of body odors. It didn't take long for them to found the source as they walked further in. The cavern-turned-hallway was filled with people, all locked up and unconscious like they were sleeping. Most were adults, but there were some kids as well.
"The missing people!" Medicine gasped, "They were brought here!"
"Seems so" Elly agreed, "It does confirm someone is indeed behind everything. And they seem to have a goal in mind, considering they went through the trouble to capture these people alive, and not kill them. Not even the ones that fought back, judging from their injuries."
Yuuta nodded, clearly wanting to free the people. Elly understood his concern and agreed with him, but they couldn't do anything until they figured out what was going on and stopped it. The three of them continued on, leaving the imprisoned people behind. The hallway eventually opened up into a large chamber, and in the centre of the chamber was a strange device. It was a large, cylindrical object, made of metal and covered in glowing runes. It was humming softly, and the runes on it were pulsating with energy. The device was surrounded by a group of people in robes, who were chanting and making gestures with their hands. They were clearly in the middle of some sort of ritual, and they didn't seem to notice the trio's arrival. One of the man noticed the three and raised his hand, causing the chanting to stop. He then approached the trio, his face hidden by the hood of his robe.
"You are not supposed to be here" the man said, his voice was deep and commanding. Elly raised an eyebrow, and stepped forward, "We could say the same to you. What are you doing here?"
The man chuckled darkly, "Oh, you'll find out soon enough. You can't stop my ascension to godhood!" With a flourish, he removed his hood and revealed his face. It was an older man, with grey hair and wrinkles on his face. His eyes were a deep purple, and they seemed to glow with an otherworldly light. The man then gestured at the device, "This device is a conduit for the power of the collective unconscious, the realm of dreams and ideas. It is a source of limitless power, waiting to be tapped. I have been working on this for years, and I am so close to achieving my goal. Soon, I will ascend to godhood, and I will be able to shape the world as I see fit!"
Elly held back a chuckle, and she saw Medicine doing the same, "So that's it? You're just some madman who thinks he can become a god?"
"Mad? No, no, you misunderstand. I have seen it, the Collective Unconscious, and I know what is possible. This world is but a shadow of the real world, the world of ideas and dreams. And with the power of the Collective Unconscious, I will be able to shape this world into something better, something greater. I will create a paradise, a utopia where everyone is free to live as they please. A world without suffering or pain, a world where everyone is happy. And I will be the god who rules over it."
Yuuta looked at Elly and Medicine with disbelief, and the two youkai could only shrug in response.
"Well, well~ That's not a bad dream" Elly said, a smile on her face, "It's not something unheard of, and certainly more believable than some others' dreams. But unfortunately, there are a few problems"
Medicine nodded in agreement, "Yeah, for one, we will stop you!"
The man laughed, a deep, booming laugh that echoed through the chamber. He then gestured at the trio, "You? Stop me? You are but mere mortals, insignificant specks in the grand scheme of things. You cannot stop me, for I am a god!"
Elly just smiled and readied her scythe, "We'll see about that. Let's put your so-called godhood to the test, shall we?"
"Very well" the man replied, and he made a gesture with his hands, "My disciples, take care of them!"
The robed figures that were surrounding the device all moved at once, each of them took out some kind of magical items, ranging from a staff, a sword, a wand, and others, "We won't let you interfere, outsiders! This is a holy ritual to bring forth the paradise of dreams!"
One of the figures, a woman, waved her staff, causing a burst of magical energy to emanate from the tip. The energy coalesced into a humanoid figure, with dark skin and a muscular build. It had a horn on its forehead, and its eyes were red and glowing. Another one of the figures, instead summoned a bird-like with humanoid arms, long nose, and sharp teeth, a tengu, or at least an imitation of it. More and more monsters were summoned, some were imitations of youkai Elly saw before, while others were based on myths and legends from other lands. Still, they were obviously fake and nothing more than a pale imitation of the real thing, though of course, that doesn't mean they aren't dangerous.
"Hmm~ Now this is quite the party~" Elly said, amused, "Though you are right, we shouldn't interrupt, so why don't we give our hosts a proper send-off?"
Elly pointed her scythe at the crowd of monsters, "Let's fight fake with fake shall we? [Imitation Sign "False Spark"]"
A large beam of dark energy shot out of the tip of Elly's scythe, vapourized most of the summons in an instant and struck the device, though a barrier of sorts prevented any damage, "Well, I suppose that's to be expected" Elly shrugged, before she turned to the others, "You two can handle the rest, can't you?"
Medicine nodded and readied her danmaku, "Leave it to us!" Yuuta and his spirit companion nodded as well and prepared for battle.
As the two fought off the remaining few summons and the disciples, Elly calmly walked to the shaken madman, who was trying to activate the device, "N-no! You won't stop me! I will ascend to godhood, and I will create a paradise! A utopia where everyone is free to live as they please!"
Elly chuckled and shook her head, "You know, even if you did manage to do that, do you really think it'll last forever? That's not how reality works, and you know it. It's just a fantasy, a dream that will eventually fade away. Sooner or later, you will fall"
"No, no, no! I am a god! I will create a world where no one will suffer, no one will die! A world where everyone is happy and content!" the man exclaimed, his voice shaking as he ran toward a magical circle and took out a strange orb, "This is my final spell, the spell that will bring forth a true god, the one who will assist me in my ascension and the creation of paradise! I will not let you interfere!"
The magical circle started to glow, and the air around them grew heavy with energy. The orb in the man's hand began to glow as well, and it was clear that he was about to unleash something powerful. Before Elly could stop him, he shouted, "I summon you, O Great One, to aid me in my quest for godhood! One who heralds change and the end! Come forth, and grant me the power to shape the world as I see fit!"
The orb shattered, and a blinding light filled the chamber, forcing everyone to shield their eyes. When the light faded, two figures were standing in the centre of the room. They were both young girls, two familiar faces for Medicine and Elly, and the two were looking around in confusion and slight fear. The one in a red dress with blonde hair adorned with red autumn leaves was Shizuha, the other with similar blond hair adorned with a red hat was Minoriko. Both of them looked around in confusion.
"...Greetings, Minoriko-sama, Shizuha-sama" Elly greeted the two, with a playful curtsy. The man, the madman who summoned the two, was looking at the two in confusion.
"You...You're not the Great One!" he exclaimed, clearly upset. The two goddesses looked at him in confusion, and then at each other, before back at him.
Elly walked behind him and patted him on the shoulder, "Well, you see, you didn't specify the summoning, so it picked the most compatible people in the world, and it turned out that the Aki Sisters was what it found. A good pick, in my opinion. They are very friendly goddesses, too good for you though"
Before the man could react, Elly simply punched him, causing him to collapse to the ground. She then turned to the two goddesses and gave them a small bow, "Greetings, Minoriko-sama, Shizuha-sama. I am Elly, the gatekeeper of Mugenkan. I am here to stop this madman from causing any more trouble."
Minoriko and Shizuha looked at her in surprise, and then at the unconscious man on the ground, "Uh, thank you, Elly-san. What's going on here? Why were we summoned?" Minoriko asked, clearly confused.
"Ah, that's a long story" Elly said, "But the short version is that this man was trying to use the power of dreams and ideas to create a paradise. A noble goal, I suppose, but he was going about it the wrong way. He was about to cause a lot of trouble, so we had to stop him."
Minoriko and Shizuha exchanged a look, and then Minoriko turned back to Elly, "I see. Well, we're glad you stopped him. We wouldn't want anyone to get hurt because of this."
"Right, so, now that that's taken care of, would you like to help us and perhaps gain more faith?" Elly said, with a smile. The two, quite desperate for more faith, looked at each other, and then at Elly with eagre expression.
"Of course!" Minoriko said, "We would be happy to help you, Elly-san"
"Great!" Elly nodded, "Please wait a minute here. We will take care of this madman's minions, and then we can free the people and clean up the mess he left"
"Is this really okay?" Medicine asked as the sun slowly rose from the horizon. The group had just finished dealing with the cult and their mad leader. After some interrogations by Elly, she operated the device and told the group what she thought was the best course of action. The Aki sisters, being actual goddesses, could simply hijack the rumour of a 'saviour' and make them believe the sisters were the ones that saved the day. As the main perpetrator was already taken care of, it would be easy to convince people who were already affected by the rumours.
"They all seemed to agree with the plan, and it's definitely the fastest way to resolve everything" Elly responded, looking at the sisters, who were now talking with the people they just freed. The sisters had been hesitant at first, but after hearing Elly's explanation and seeing the people's reactions, they agreed to the plan. They had never expected to gain this much Faith in such a short amount of time, and they were more than willing to accept the help, "It's a win-win for both of us, anyway. We get to solve the Incident, the people saved regardless and the wrongly summoned goddesses get to gain Faith. And besides, they do need all the Faith they can get and you knew that."
Medicine looked thoughtful and nodded in agreement, "I guess you're right. It's just that... I don't know, it feels a bit like cheating. I mean, we're basically taking advantage of these people."
Elly chuckled and patted Medicine on the head, "Oh, don't worry about that. They're getting what they want, a saviour, an answer and an end to the nightmare. It's a fair trade, if you ask me. If not for the goddesses answered the call, we might've had to face with a much less friendly one and might've failed to save everyone"
"I guess" Medicine sighed, "So what's next? Are we back going to Gensokyo?"
"Yes, though I suppose you might want to say goodbye first?" Elly asked, gesturing at Yuuta at a distance. The boy was currently helping the Aki sisters in calming down and explaining the situation to the people. Medicine hesitated for a moment, before nodding. She had grown attached to the boy during their adventure, and she didn't want to leave without saying goodbye, "Okay, go ahead, I'll be here"
Elly watched as Medicine approached the boy and talked with him with a smile on her face before she leaned on the device she took from the madman and looked at the sunrise from the top of the hill. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, enjoying the peace and quiet. It was a rare moment for her, and she was going to savour it while she could.
"..Existing feels nice" Elly whispered to herself, "It's nice to be remembered, to have friends. Even if it's just a little bit, even if I don't remember everything. I wonder if I could ask miss for some vacation to check how Gensokyo is nowadays.."
Might make dossier for Elly soon as she will be wandering around Gensokyo while in 'vacation'. Also yes, originally this was longer before I remember this Elly can just bypass the seal and basically sequence break the encounter. The failed summon is completely by chance though, since I use rolls for such things, the man failed three rolls with his advantage
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- Pronouns
- He
Question, is this AU some sort of multi-cross or is it Original mixed with Touhou? I'm starting to lose track of how many god summoning rituals there have been in the outside world now.
Also, given how much of the Supernatural seems to still be around in the Outside World, it makes me question why Gensokyo was made.
So far, it seems they can survive in the Outside World for a decent amount of time without personal consequence like fading away, so I'm guessing the Barrier (Which doesn't seem to work too well here, given all the shenanigans of warping in and out lol) was created for a separate reason entirely.
Also, given how much of the Supernatural seems to still be around in the Outside World, it makes me question why Gensokyo was made.
So far, it seems they can survive in the Outside World for a decent amount of time without personal consequence like fading away, so I'm guessing the Barrier (Which doesn't seem to work too well here, given all the shenanigans of warping in and out lol) was created for a separate reason entirely.
Ylamona
Konlulu~
It's multi-cross with Touhous (thanks Lost World), but I simply filled in the blank of outside world (there are a big justification for this but it's also a big spoiler)
Alice also questioned the same thing, undoubtedly supernatural actually declined but perhaps not as exaggeratedly as she thought. Remember, even in canon there are still many youkais outside like our good Tanuki friend. It's not so dire you're immediately vaporised outside right now. Probably not a pleasant living but clearly doable. Gensokyo might still be created to prevent the rejection force still, so it's still a sanctuary.
Alice's current hypotheses are these:
-Supernatural is dying but they are doing so kicking and screaming, fighting against the end
-Some supernatural managed to find a way to sustain themselves in a way, or even 'naturalised' so they somehow not requiring Fear (Vampires)
-Supernatural is dying, but just like Gensokyo having a group of humans to sustain themselves, some people (gods) just make dedicated cults. All that required in the end is faith after all
-As old supernatural deposed, something else filled as no matter humanity thought, their darkness will always exist. No more cute ghosts and youkai, we have Mieruko-chan's ghosts and UMA/Anomalies instead
-Supernatural is declining but more of stagnating, Gensokyo created as just in case or for another purpose.
-Youkais and Gods of Japans in particular more affected than others
-"Friggin Alien, I don't know"
Just remember, even in our world, there are people that believe earth is flat, rome didn't exist, bigfoot is real, alien sightings etc. In a world where supernatural real, perhaps with certain chances, they can kept themselves alive or rebrand a bit.
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Woven Synchronicity ~ Innocent Children
Ylamona
Konlulu~
"...I think we're safe here for now..."
Wriggle leaned against the door, peeking out the window and using her power to send an ant out to scout the hallway. It was a miracle they hadn't been seen running into the room, and she could only hope the humans wouldn't find them there. She turned around and saw Mystia, who was sitting in the corner, holding her stomach and breathing heavily. Her clothes were stained with blood, and she looked like she was in great pain.
"Are you okay?" Wriggle asked, approaching her friend and examining the wound. She didn't think Cirno's insistence on them knowing about first aid was too important, but she sure was glad for it now. While Mystia is a bird youkai, in her current form she shouldn't be too different from a human or Wriggle herself anatomy-wise. The wound didn't look too deep and being a youkai, Mystia should be tougher than a human her size, but she still had to be careful.
"I've been better." Mystia managed a weak smile. "What... happened? One moment we were in the forest, and then..." She trailed off, shaking her head. "It felt like we were dragged somewhere else. I don't know how."
"Me neither." Wriggle tore off a strip of her clothes, using it to bandage the wound as well as she could. She wasn't sure if the bandage was necessary, but it was better to be safe than sorry. She then stood up, looking around the room. It seemed to be a storage room of some kind, with boxes stacked up to the ceiling. Some of them were open, and she could see they contained strange things she had never seen before. Metal objects, small and cylindrical, that she had no idea what they were. Pieces of cloth with strange designs, unlike anything she had ever seen. And then there were the bottles of a strange liquid, clear and colourless, that she couldn't identify. She sniffed at one of them, recoiling at the scent. "Ugh... What is this stuff?"
"Probably not...something we should be drinking." Mystia said with a strained voice, trying to stand up but collapsing back to the floor.
"Stay still, you need to rest." Wriggle ordered, and Mystia didn't have the strength to disagree. The insect youkai then looked at the window, frowning. "We need to find the Cirno. We need to figure out where we are and how to get back to Gensokyo. And most of all..." She clenched her fist, remembering how the men had shot Mystia without even hesitating, and how he had pointed his gun at Wriggle, before the two youkais managed to flee.
Sounds of alarm suddenly could be heard outside. It sounded like someone was calling out, and the sound of footsteps running could be heard. It sounded like they were getting closer, and it was clear they were searching for something. The two youkai froze, listening to the sounds. The voices were shouting something, but Wriggle couldn't make out the words. The footsteps got closer and closer, until finally they stopped outside the door. The knob turned, and the door opened.
Dragging Mystia along, Wriggle managed to hide herself in the pile of boxes, just as a pair of figures walked into the room. One was a human, probably. Their fake exoskeleton was similar to what the man that attacked them wore. The other figure, though, was something else. It was bigger than the human, and looked like a metal statue of some sort, but it moved like a living thing. The two figures looked around the room, the human speaking in a language Wriggle didn't understand. After a few minutes, they left, closing the door behind them. Wriggle breathed a sigh of relief. She waited a few moments to make sure they were gone, before stepping out of her hiding spot.
"You okay?" She asked Mystia, who nodded weakly. She helped the bird youkai to her feet, and the two of them made their way back to the window. Wriggle peeked out, seeing that the two figures were no longer there. She couldn't hear anything, so it was likely they were gone. She motioned for Mystia to follow her, and the two of them made their way to the door. "We need to get out of here." Wriggle said, opening the door and looking down the hallway. It was empty. She motioned for Mystia to follow her, and the two of them began walking down the hall, trying to stay quiet and out of sight.
The corridor was long, with many doors leading to other rooms, but there were no windows. There were lights on the ceiling, but they were dim and flickering. The walls were grey and bare, with no decorations of any kind. There were some paintings on the wall, no, they were signs of some sort. Wriggle didn't know how to read this language, so she couldn't tell what they said, but they were clearly important.
'If only there are more insects around here...' Wriggle thought to herself, frustrated. 'I can use them to scout ahead, or even fight if I need to.' But there weren't any, at least not that she could sense. This building was made of strange rock that seemed to melt with each other and very clean despite being clearly underground. From what Wriggle could gather, outside the building seemed to be very cold too. The air was dry and smelled weird, like the smell of rain, but there was no water anywhere. It was all so strange, and Wriggle didn't like it at all.
"Where are we going?" Mystia asked, breaking Wriggle's train of thought.
"I don't know." Wriggle admitted. "I'm just trying to find a way out. Can you manage?"
"Yeah... My wound already stopped bleeding." Mystia said. "I just hope it doesn't open again..."
Wriggle stopped and looked at the bird youkai, concerned. "Do you want to take a break?"
Mystia shook her head, before saying, "No, I'm fine. Let's keep going."
The two kept going even as loud sounds echoed from somewhere far away. As they walked, Wriggle couldn't help but feel like they were being watched. It was a creepy feeling, and it made her skin crawl. But there was no one else around, and she didn't see anything that could be watching them. She tried to shake it off, but the feeling persisted. She didn't know why she felt so uneasy, but it was starting to make her anxious.
They finally reached the end of the corridor, which was blocked by a large, metal door. Wriggle tried to open it, but it wouldn't budge. She tried again, but it was no use.
"Let me try." Mystia said, stepping forward. She pushed on the door with all her might, and it swung open. The two youkai stepped through the doorway, and found themselves in a large room. It was filled with strange machines, and there were people working on them. Strangely, the looked weird, not physically weird but how they acted. They didn't seem to be talking to each other, or even looking at each other. They were all focused on their work, and they didn't even notice the two youkai entering the room.
'What's wrong with them? It's like they're not even here...' Wriggle thought to herself, gesturing to Mystia to follow her. The two of them walked quietly, trying not to disturb the workers. They didn't want to draw attention to themselves, and risk getting caught by the soldiers or whoever they are.
On the walls, Wriggle could see various glass panes on a machine, screens if she remembered correctly. Her face paled when she saw what was on them, Mystia too judging from the chokes she could hear from the sparrow. She saw various creatures, some looked like humans, some looked like foreign youkais but some looked grotesque and inhumane. All of them being tortured, mangled, or even experimented on.
Wriggle's stomach turned at the sight, and she felt sick. She couldn't imagine how anyone could do such a thing. It felt too detached, too clinical, at least torture has the feeling of spite in it, this was just cold, emotionless, like these are merely objects. Wriggle couldn't bear to look at it anymore, and she quickly turned away. She had to get out of there, fast. She had to find Cirno and get out of this place. She couldn't stay here any longer, not with those images in her head. She and Mystia quietly slipped away from the room, and back into the hallway. They didn't stop running until they reached a door at the end of the hall.
"We need to get out of here." Wriggle said, breathing heavily.
"I agree." Mystia replied, her voice shaky. "I don't think I can handle seeing that again."
The two of youkais opened the door and stepped outside, finding themselves in a long, dark tunnel. There was no light, and they couldn't see anything. The only sound they could hear was the sound of their own footsteps. They were alone in the dark, and it was terrifying. Wriggle was about to ask if they should go back. Then, they heard a sound behind them, and they turned around to see a group of people in the same fake exoskeletons as before. They were blocking the exit, and they were armed with strange weapons.
"Shit..." Wriggle cursed, before pushing Mystia. "Go! Run!"
Mystia didn't need to be told twice. She took off running, with Wriggle right behind her. The two of them sprinted down the hallway, not daring to look back. They could hear the humans shouting at them and several beams shot past them, but they didn't stop. They had to get out of there, and fast. But then, they reached a dead end.
"Fuck!" Wriggle cursed again, before turning around to face their pursuers. "Stay behind me." She told Mystia, who nodded. She didn't know if she could take on all of these soldiers, but she had to try. She summoned her power, shooting danmakus at the soldiers. It didn't seem to have much effect, and the soldiers kept coming closer as they raised their weapons and took out a strange sparking club.
A loud, for Wriggle and Mystia with their senses, bang echoed through the tunnel, and one of the soldiers fell to the ground. The other soldiers turned to look at the source of the noise, and they saw a figure standing in the shadows. The figure was holding similar but different weapons than the other humans, and they were aiming it at the soldiers. As the lone human found out, they quickly moved forward and attacked the soldiers. Despite being alone against many, the human was clearly experienced and skilled in combat, managing to knock down the soldiers with ease, though some were still standing. They then turned to Wriggle and Mystia.
Wriggle and Mystia stared at the human in fear, not sure what to do. They winced as the human walked closer, Wriggle quickly moving in front of Mystia to protect her. But the human didn't attack. Instead, he opened his fake exoskeleton to expose his face for a moment and raised his hands in a placating gesture, showing he had no intention of harming them.
"Um... Hello...?" Wriggle said tentatively, not sure if the human could understand her. "We don't mean any harm... We're just trying to find our way home." The human seemed to understand her, as he nodded. Though Wriggled sensed that he seemed to be quite interested in her antennae and Mystia's wings.
Through gestures and some trial and error, Wriggle managed to somewhat communicate with the strangely silent man. Wriggle could hear some voice from his headpiece, though wondered why the man himself didn't talk at all. She roughly guessed the man is some sort of soldier, but surely he should report or communicate judging from the chatter from his headpiece? The man seemed to understand their situation and gestured to follow him. Wriggle hesitated, but she knew that they had no choice. They had to trust this stranger if they wanted to get out of here alive. She nodded at the man, and the two of them began to walk down the tunnel. Wriggle looked at Mystia, who seemed scared but also relieved. She smiled at her friend, trying to reassure her.
The man led them to a small room, where he gestured for them to wait. He then left the room and locked it behind him. Wriggle and Mystia looked around, taking in their surroundings. The room was sparsely furnished, with only a bed and a table with some chairs. There was also a window, but it was too high up for them to reach. Wriggle sighed, sitting down on the bed.
"I hope this man is on our side..." She muttered, worried about what might happen to them.
"He's not a bad human." Mystia said, sitting next to her. "I can tell. He's just... different. I don't know how to explain it."
"Hmm..." Wriggle hummed, thinking about it. "Well, he could've killed us back there, but he didn't. I guess he's not that bad, as a human..."
"I wonder why he's not talking though." Mystia said. "It's kind of strange, don't you think?"
"Yeah..." Wriggle replied. "I mean, I know some people who don't talk much, but this is different. It's like he's not able to speak at all."
"Maybe he's mute?" Mystia suggested. "Or maybe he just doesn't want to talk."
"Maybe..." Wriggle said, not sounding convinced. "But I don't think that's it. I think there's something else going on here."
"Well, whatever it is, I hope we'll be able to find out soon." Mystia said, before sighing, "Do you think Cirno's okay?"
Wriggle shook her head, looking down at the ground. "I don't know... But I hope she is. She's strong, she can take care of herself."
"Yeah, you're right." Mystia said, smiling weakly. "She'll be fine. I'm sure of it."
In another part of the building, Cirno currently found herself in a situation she was all too familiar with, even if the circumstances are slightly different. A barrage of bullets, lasers, and other projectiles whizzed past her, as she dodged and weaved through the hail of fire. She was outnumbered and outgunned, but she had the advantage of being ultra awesome as her armour of ice simply negated any attacks that hit her.
"I AM FREEZING INVINCIBLE!" She shouted, as calmly walking towards the group of humans in their power armour even as they desperately tried to bring her down. "You can't hurt me!"
As the humans realised their ranged attacks were worthless, they switched tactics to charge at the youkai girl and attack her with their melee weapons. Why, Cirno doesn't know. Probably because they were dumb. Or, well, maybe because they were scared of her and thought that they could take her down in close quarters combat. Either way, it was a mistake.
Cirno grinned, as she summoned her ice sword, easily blocking the first strike aimed at her. She then spun around, slashing just deep enough to tear their armour but not actually killing the soldiers inside, before using the martial arts Gatekeeper taught her to great use. The soldiers quickly found themselves overwhelmed, as Cirno was faster and stronger than them. They tried to retreat, but Cirno wouldn't let them. She chased after them, freezing them in place with her power.
"Stay there, dummies." She said, smiling at her victory.
She was not actually planning to torture or kill the soldiers. Unlike in the dungeon, these ones were humans and Cirno wasn't the kind to kill humans, no matter how stupid they were. Alice would be mad at her and she wouldn't be able to eat her cooking anymore. So, instead, she decided to leave the humans where they were. Maybe they would learn their lesson and not attack her again.
Cirno then turned around and looked at the room she was in. It was some kind of lab, she saw place like this often in dungeons. There were a lot of strange machines and tables with stuff on them. There were also a lot of people wearing white robes and glasses, probably scientists or researchers or something. Weirdly, like those enpisi Alice told her, they just kept doing their own work, despite her presence and the fact she just fought the soldiers in the room. She didn't get it, but she didn't really care either. She just wanted to find Wriggle and Mystia and get out of here. She walked around, looking for any clues as to where her friends might be.
It wasn't long until she came across a strange door. It was big and metal, with a lot of wires and tubes connected to it. There was a sign on the door, but Cirno couldn't read it. She shrugged, and used her sword to cut through the door, the metal giving way easily to her cool swordsmanship.
On the other side of the door was a large room, filled with tanks of water. In each tank was a strange creature, floating in the water. Almost as weird as the things inside the Vessel, they looked like strange hybrids of animals and plants. The tanks were all connected to each other, and there were pipes leading out of the room. Cirno didn't know what the purpose of the tanks was, but she could feel that the creatures were alive and watching her. Being the mature person that she is, she asserted her dominance by making faces at them.
"Maybe I should get one of the hummies and ask them." She said to herself, before turning around and leaving the room. She went back to the main room, where she saw that the scientists were still working on their experiments. She walked up to one of them, a man with black hair and glasses, and tapped him on the shoulder. "Hey, you. Where am I?"
The man ignored her, continuing his work. Cirno frowned, and tapped him on the shoulder again. "Hey, I'm talking to you. Where am I? And where are my friends?"
Again, the man didn't respond. Cirno was starting to get annoyed. She grabbed the man's arm, and spun him around. "Hey, listen to me! Where am I? And where are my friends?"
Cirno's expression turned serious as she saw the man's face. At a glance he was normal, but Cirno could see the madness in his eyes. She had seen that look before, in the video logs found in the Vessel. The way the man's eyes were glazed over, and how he was muttering to himself. She let go of his arm, and stepped back. The man didn't seem to notice her, and continued muttering to himself.
"...It seems that this place is more dangerous than I thought..." She murmured to herself, her voice low and dark. "I have to find Wriggle and Mystia quickly..."
She left the room, and began exploring the building. Forgoing any of her usual fun and playfulness, she became very serious in her search, trying to find her friends as quickly as possible. She knew that time was of the essence, and that every second she wasted was a second that her friends could be in danger. She quickly froze anyone she met, scientists and soldiers alike. She didn't have time to deal with them, and she didn't want to risk them attacking her when she wasn't looking. Though her expression became even more grim as she found more and more unsettling things in the base.
More strange creatures, sometimes they were just animals mutated into weirdness. More humans with their faces filled with insanity and obsession. Worst, there was even one room with a strange machine, with a human trapped in it, being experimented on. He was screaming in pain, and Cirno could feel his suffering. She didn't understand what was going on, but she knew that it was wrong. She destroyed the machine, freeing the man, before quickly moving on, her mind racing. She didn't know what to do. She didn't understand what was happening, or why. All she knew was that she had to find Wriggle and Mystia, and get out of this place.
As she broke through another metal door, she found herself in a large room, with a man in the middle of the room, fighting against a strange creature. The creature was a massive, slug-like monster, with dozens of tentacles protruding from its body. The man was armed with a strange weapon, a rifle of some kind, and he was firing at the creature, trying to kill it. Cirno watched as the man fought, his movements fluid and graceful, his aim true. She had to admit, he was a pretty good fighter. But he was still just a human even in his power armour. He couldn't hope to defeat such a monster. She had to help him.
"Hey, you! Duck!" She shouted, as she charged at the creature, her sword raised. The man looked at her, his eyes wide, but he obeyed, ducking down as she leaped over him, swinging her sword at the creature. The blade sliced through the creature's flesh, and it screamed in pain. Cirno landed on the ground, and turned to face the creature, her sword raised.
"Get back, hummie. I'll take care of this." She said, as she charged at the creature again, her sword flashing in the air. The man didn't argue, he simply nodded and stepped back, watching as Cirno fought the creature.
The creature was big and strong, but it was also slow and clumsy. Cirno was able to dodge its attacks easily, and she slashed at its body, cutting deep wounds in its flesh. The creature screamed in pain, and lashed out at her with its tentacles, but she was too fast for it. Just tilting her head to dodge the whip-like strike, she grinned at the creature, taunting it. "Is that all you got? Come on, you can do better than that!"
The creature roared in anger, and charged at her, its tentacles flailing wildly. Cirno dodged the attacks easily, and countered with her own, slashing at the creature's body, cutting deep wounds in its flesh. The creature screamed in pain, and lashed out at her with its tentacles, but she was too fast for it. She laughed as she dodged the attacks, and continued to slash at the creature, cutting it to pieces. Eventually, the creature was dead, its body lying on the ground, covered in blood.
Cirno grinned, and turned to the man. "You're welcome."
The two of them stared at each other, before, through some silent communications of some sort, they both knew that they were on the same side. They smiled at each other, and Cirno held out her hand. The man shook it, and they began to communicate with just eye contact, somehow. Finding out Mystia and Wriggle should be safe in some area made Cirno happy, though she wasn't as happy when she found out what this place is. This man was rather secretive, but Cirno is very smart, so she figured out what the man was hiding, sorta, maybe. This man was apparently sent by like some cool shadowy group to investigate this place after it suddenly appeared here, or maybe just their hiding sucks and got exposed? Place of baaaaad guys, they kidnapped lots of poor youkais and people, destroyed awesome stuffs, and generally being very square pecks. Though something happened supposedly before the man came here and the entire place now under control by like some real baddie underground. So Sam here decided not just investigate, but deal with the baddie since if left alone, it might turn this place full of magic guys into weird, dangerous stuff. Maybe, Cirno might be awesome but mind-reading is beyond her, this man was good enough Cirno had to fill in some blanks.
"Okay, Sam. Fine with Sam right? Anyway, I guess we can be buddies." Cirno said, grinning at the man, Sam. "We can help each other out. I'll help you get to the bottom of this, and you can help me get my friends out of this place! Yeah, we sort of stranded here after some weird portal appeared. We're just trying to find a way back home. You know, the usual."
Sam stared at her and nodded, truly a silent man. Cirno internally quite happy to finally meet one of this type Alice told a lot about, they are usually very strong and mysterious. They were a bit boring at times, but she could respect that.
"Well, I'll get my friends first, you do your things, we meet up later." Cirno said, before freezing the ground and skating off, leaving Sam alone in the room. She quickly made her way to where Sam told her her friends were, and soon found them in a small room. It was locked but Cirno trained her lockpicking skill for the dungeon so she could easily enter the room without problem. Using her ice to lock the door from the inside, she greeted her two friends. Who she quickly noticed was injured and bleeding.
"Are you okay Mystia!? What happened?" Cirno shouted, quickly rushing to Mystia and examining her wound. It seemed to have been treated, but it was still bleeding slightly. Cirno quickly took out a blue plastic tube with metal tip, before jabbing the Virex into Mystia's arm. It was one of the many things Cirno always carried around, after Dai insisted so much. "It should heal your wounds if it's only this level. You need one too, Wriggle?"
The green haired girl shook her head as Mystia winced for a moment as she felt the Virex entering her system, but soon she felt the pain in her stomach subsiding. "Thanks, Cirno. It was just some human soldier that attacked us. We were lucky that some other human helped us. Where have you been?"
"I met a really cool hummie, the one bailed you out, and I fought some ugly monster!" Cirno replied, smiling. "I think we're in a bad place though. Literally nowhere, not even the same land as gensokyo. Also has like a super evil baddie underneath, maybe? I don't really understand the hummie that well. He is a bit weird, but I think we should help him"
"Haah? What's that supposed to mean?" Wriggle asked, frowning. "We should just get out of here."
"Yeah, I think so too." Mystia added, nodding. "I don't want to be here any longer than I have to."
"Haah, you two, I thought I am supposed to be the silly one?" Cirno sighed, before explaining, "First, we can't go home yet, even if we exit the base then what? You two want to wander around in some snow field? I could probably survive but you two... Second, that hummie, I think he's not only cool but also chill enough we could at least get some help after escaping, at least better together than wandering in the snow. Third, there's a real bad thing here. If we leave it, it might be a big problem. We might have to deal with it again, but worse. And fourth, I am the strongest so I decide and I say we help!"
Wriggle and Mystia looked at each other, before sighing in defeat. "Fine, we'll help. But if things get too dangerous, we're leaving." Wriggle said.
"Yup." Mystia added.
Cirno just snorted, "You two smart, you both know you are safer with me." She then grinned, before adding, "Anyway, let's move, we have a bad guy to kill! And maybe after we kill it, we can find some way to go home! I'm sure of it!"
After some sneaking around, the trio of youkais finally reunited with the human. Sam, as Cirno introduced. He seemed to be setting up some explosives, Cirno remembered some area in the Vessel where you had to do that, not her favourite but she can recognize it. He stopped what he was doing and stared at the three for a moment, before nodding and continuing his work. He finished setting up the explosives, before gesturing for them to follow him. They made their way out of the room, and into a corridor. They could hear the sound of fighting in the distance, and they hurried towards it. They soon came across a group of soldiers fighting against a massive, slug-like creature, similar to the one Cirno fought before.
Cirno grinned, and charged forward, her ice sword raised. But Sam quickly grabbed her shoulder, stopping her. He gestured for her to stay back, and she reluctantly obeyed. They watched as the soldiers fought the creature, their weapons proving ineffective against its thick hide. It wasn't long before the soldiers were forced to retreat, the creature chasing after them.
Cirno and Sam stared at each other for a moment, before Cirno sighed.
"What is it, Cirno?" Mystia asked, looking at her friend curiously.
"Sam said to let them go and make chaos somewhere. It's not as fun but at least they will be too busy dealing with the big worm to be bothered with us." Cirno explained. "Then, we use the elevator to go down deep into the ground, and kill the main bad thing there. It's not as fun, but it's the right thing to do. So, let's go. We're going to save the world!"
After fighting off various automated security, humans and more weird creatures, Sam and the three girls finally made their way down and down. While Cirno went back to her usual cheerful self, Mystia and Wriggle couldn't help but feel worried. The air was getting thicker and hotter the deeper they went. They could also see more and more of the strange creatures, some of which were quite horrifying to look at. The two girls were starting to regret coming along.
Occasionally, Cirno would tell the whole group to close their eyes and ignore any noises they heard. Mystia and Wriggle didn't understand why, but they did as they were told, as was Sam it seemed. The two girls didn't know what was happening, but they knew that it was something dangerous. Something that Cirno didn't want them to see or know about. They trusted her judgement and continued on, their eyes still closed, and they ignored the sound of whatever was happening. Though it was easier said than done as for one reason or another, they really wanted to know what was going on.
Eventually, they reached the end of the elevator shaft, and they stepped out into a large cavern. The air was positively scorching, and they could see the ground was covered in a strange, black liquid. It was sticky and viscous, and it gave off a foul odour. The walls of the cavern were lined with strange, pulsating sacs, and the ceiling was covered in a thick layer of slime. The entire place was like a scene from a nightmare, and the two girls couldn't help but feel terrified.
"Okay, we're here." Cirno said, her voice grim. "This is the end of the line. We have to stop whatever's going on here."
Mystia and Wriggle nodded, trying to put on brave faces, but they couldn't help but tremble in fear.
"Don't worry." Cirno reassured them. "You don't have to fight. You can stay here and wait for me to come back. I'll protect you." She then turned to Sam, and the two of them began to walk towards the deeper the cavern. Mystia and Wriggle stayed behind, watching as their friend disappeared into the darkness.
Mystia and Wriggle waited anxiously, their hearts pounding in their chests. They could hear the sounds of fighting in the distance, and loud, terrifying roars, but they couldn't see anything. They didn't know what was happening, or if Cirno and Sam were okay. They just had to trust that their friend would come back safely.
A few minutes later, the sounds of the human's footsteps and Cirno screaming could be heard. The two girls saw as their friend and the human came back, though Cirno's panicked yet excited look was worrying. Sam was holding some kind of device, while Cirno was holding a strange, black stone in her hand.
"Everyone! We go back up, now!" Cirno screamed, running past them and into the elevator, "We're going to go boom!" Sam was close behind her. The two girls quickly followed, entering the elevator just as the doors were closing. As the elevator began to ascend, Cirno was frantically pressing buttons, trying to speed up the thing somehow while Sam looked out the elevator, looking grim even with his headpiece on.
Curious, Wriggle looked out from the elevator. Her eyes widened in horror as she saw a massive, white creature chasing after the elevator. It looked like it was made from countless worms, though Wriggle knew it wasn't the case, all writhing and twisting together. It had no legs, instead it seemed to be slithering along the ground. Its body was covered in black slime, and its many mouths were filled with razor-sharp teeth.
"W-what is that thing?!" Wriggle shouted, her voice shaking with fear.
"It's a bad thing! Too tough so we opened up to some other guys too!" Cirno answered and as she did, the wall of the cavern exploded as water rushed in after the elevator, or rather the white creature.
Mystia let out a gasp as the water formed into a giant man, smaller than the creature but still huge compared to them. It had a vaguely beaded man shape as it lift a trident made of water, before stabbing the white creature. The white creature screamed in pain, its many mouths opening wide and emitting a deafening roar. It lashed out at the giant, its countless worms striking the giant's water form. The giant was pushed back by the sheer force of the attack, but it held its ground, using its trident to block the strikes. The two continued to fight, exchanging blow after blow, as the water level in the cavern rose.
Mystia and Wriggle could only watch in terror as the two behemoths fought, their powers clashing and causing the water level to rise even further. The elevator barely held on, as it was starting to flood from the water below. The two could only hold each other in fear as the two monsters continued to battle, their blows shaking the entire earth itself it seemed and causing the water to rise even more. It was a battle of titans, and they were caught in the middle of it.
The group just barely managed to reach back up as the group practically flew across the crumbling base, Mystia and Wriggle carried Sam as he was too slow even with his suit. The base was in chaos, even before the group could hear the two titans still battling in the ground below. Various experiments, creatures, machines and people all run wild, causing destruction and death. It was a scene of pure pandemonium. And despite the protests of the two youkais, Sam and Cirno decided to save some of the people and creatures. Especially Cirno, who didn't seem to be bothered by any of the chaos at all, seemingly used to it.
The growing rumble of the two giants' fight could be felt everywhere. Even as they reached the surface, it seemed like the earth itself was shaking from their battle. The water that flooded the cavern had reached the surface, and was now flooding the base. The group, now accompanied by a few people and creatures, made their way past the chaos of soldiers fighting against experiments and machines, humanoid monsters with some sort of triangle instead of legs turning people into more of their kinds, white creatures with holes as a face, and many more. Throughout everything, Wriggle and Mystia barely kept up with Cirno and Sam.
Finally, they made it outside the base, and into the snow. Sam instructed the other escapees, a handful of humans, a few strange creatures, and one or two of those weird robots, to follow him, while Cirno, Mystia, and Wriggle lagged behind, looking at the base. They could see the water level rising, and the ground was shaking even more. Suddenly, a massive explosion of water erupted from the base, and a moment later, the white worm and the water giant burst out of the ground, continuing their battle. The white creature, the source of the madness, screamed and lashed out at the giant. The water giant was unfazed, and continued to fight, the two of them locked in a never-ending battle.
"We're gonna die.." Wriggle sighed as the two titans fought above them.
Mystia put a hand on her shoulder reassuringly, before turning to Cirno, "So what's the plan now? We can't just keep running forever. That thing will chase us down. Whichever one of them wins, it'll be bad news for us."
Cirno looked at her friends, then at Sam, then back at the two titans. She then grinned, "Well, I guess it can't be helped. It's time to call a big fish"
"What?"
Ignoring her friends' confusion, Cirno took out a black crystal with red specks in it, and raised it in the air. The crystal began to glow, as Cirno shouted, "Come, I call upon the power of darkness! Come to my aid, great guardian of the night! I invoke the power of Rumia, the Lady of the Darkness! I summon you to this place!"
"Wait, Rumia?" Wriggle said before she felt the sky turn dark.
There was a flash of light and a gust of wind, and a figure appeared before them. It was a woman with blonde hair and red eyes, wearing a dark dress. She had wings of darkness on her back, and a halo of shadow floating above her head. In her hands, she held a sword made of pure darkness, which seemed to absorb all light around it. Wriggle and Mystia could feel oppressive power radiated from the woman. The two behemoths paused their fight momentarily, before the white worms began to trashed around once more, forcing the water giant to focus on it again.
The woman looked around with a frown before turning to Cirno, "Cirno, what are you doing Outside and what in the name of Hakurei is happening?"
"Hi Rumia! There's a bad thing and a good thing that are fighting, and we need to stop them!" Cirno replied, her tone cheerful. She then gestured towards the two titans, "Can you help us stop them? The white one is the source of the problem and the other is just trying to stop it. I think, maybe? I just released it from the prison deep below honestly"
Rumia looked at the two titans, then at Cirno with a deadpan look, before sighing and rubbing her forehead with her free hand, "Cirno, we need to talk later about this. For now, I'll handle the situation. You three go with the human and escape this area. There's going to be a big boom soon, and I don't want you guys to get hurt." She then turned towards the titans, "I am the Lady of Darkness, the one who rules over the night, the primordial fear of humanity! I am the bringer of the abyss, the one who shall devour your very essence! Your existence ends here, foul creatures!"
The woman flew towards the two behemoths, her wings of darkness spreading wide. The two titans stopped their battle, and turned to face her. The water giant moved back, letting Rumia crash her sword down on the white creature. The sword cut through the creature's body, and the creature screamed in pain. The woman then unleashed a wave of darkness from her sword, engulfing the creature and causing it to writhe in agony. She then turned to the water giant, who had been watching the battle with curiosity. She raised her sword, and the giant raised its trident in response. The two of them clashed, their powers colliding with a deafening boom. The water giant was pushed back, but it held its ground, using its trident to block the woman's attacks. The two of them continued to fight, exchanging blow after blow, each caused the earth and air themselves to tremble.
"Whoa.." Mystia could only murmur as she watched the battle. "This is so cool..."
"Wait, wait, wait! That's Rumia?! The little, snot-nosed brat that likes to bite anyone she meets?!" Wriggle shouted in surprise. "What happened to her?!"
"Oh yeah, you two have never seen her like this, right?" Cirno replied, smiling. "She's actually quite strong. Strong enough to hold off both of those two behemoths"
"But, but..." Wriggle stammered, still in shock, before Cirno cut in, "Let's go, while the big guys distracted, the smaller things escaped and that's probably bad"
As Cirno said, various creatures, experiments, and machines were escaping the base. With no one to stop them, they were now running wild. While the two youkais more than a bit reluctant to fight more, much less while the clash of the titans still happening basically on top of them, Cirno dragged them to fight the escapees. Sam was also helping, somehow the human with his guns managed to keep up and even helped the three. He would both going on a rampage against the hostile monsters, or save the more docile and confused creatures from the violence around them.
It was a long and hard fought battle. Many of the escapees were dangerous, and they fought back with everything they had. But the four of them, despite their lack of coordination, managed to defeat them, and even saved a few of them. Some of the humans, creatures and robots were not dangerous, and were just fleeing in terror. Sam and Cirno helped them, and the more calm and intelligent ones were instructed to stay at a spot where apparently Sam's friends were nearby.
The fight between the three titans continued, with neither side able to gain an advantage. With the water giant being made of water, the white worms amalgamate just grew more worms, and Rumia regenerated any damage she received, no one could get the upper hand on the other. The battle raged on, with the earth and air trembling with every blow. The three of them were locked in a deadly struggle, and it seemed like it would never end. The white worm opened its many mouths and let out a loud, ear-piercing scream. A massive beam of light shot out from its mouth, and the water giant and Rumia had to dodge the attack, which blasted a hole in the side of a mountain.
The water giant responded by raising its trident, and a massive wave of water fall down from the sky. It crashed down on the white creature, engulfing it in a massive tsunami. The creature was pushed back, its body writhing in pain. Rumia took advantage of the momentary distraction, and flew down to the white creature, slashing at it with her sword before creating chains of darkness, binding the white creature down. The creature struggled against the chains, but it couldn't break free.
"Now, you two, please calm down and we can talk about this." Rumia said as the water giant stared at her. "We both can continue to fight until someone else joining in and probably kill us, or we can all end this and try to solve this like civilised beings"
The water giant lowered its trident, its expression seemed to turn thoughtful, as it considered Rumia's words. After a moment, it nodded but the white worms split itself into many to escape the chain before fusing again, this time as a huge giant with swords for arms, a tail and no head, just a bunch of eyes all over the body.
Rumia sighed, "Fine, have it your way." And the tree clashed once more, this time Rumia and the water giant on the same side, against the white creature.
After a long and hard-fought battle, the three girls and a human finally managed to defeat the last of the escapees. The mutants, creatures and machines were all either dead or subdued. It was a brutal fight, and the four of them were all exhausted, even Sam who was still standing tall despite his exhaustion.
Cirno, Mystia and Wriggle, on the other hand, were all lying on the ground, panting heavily. Cirno was the first to speak, "Well, that was fun. We should do this again sometime."
Mystia and Wriggle just groaned in response.
Sam looked at them, and then at the battle between the three giants, which had been going on for hours now. It was a fierce and brutal battle. The white creature, the source of the madness, was still fighting, despite the combined efforts of the giant and Rumia. The white creature was screaming in rage and agony, its body writhing in pain, yet it refused to die. The two giants were also showing signs of exhaustion, but they were determined to end this battle once and for all.
"I thought they would already be finished." Wriggle said as she looked at the battle. "But it looks like it's still going on. It's been hours now. How can they still keep fighting?"
"They're monsters, Wriggle." Mystia replied, her voice tired. "They don't get tired. But I'm sure they'll be finished soon. Look, the big fish is getting weaker. And the creepy worm is getting slower too. It won't be long now."
Before they could say anything else, the ground started to shake, and the earth began to crack. The snow melted, and the trees and plants wilted. The air became heavy and stagnant. It was as if the very land was dying. The group looked around in confusion, not knowing what was happening. Then, they heard a voice in their heads. It was alien and inhuman, and it spoke in a language that was not of this world. They could not understand the words, but they could feel the hatred and malice behind them.
From the ruin of the base, a figure rose up. It was white, but different from the worms as it looked far more bland. A hulking humanoid figure as tall as two stories house with hole as face, various mechanical parts attached to its body and a strange device embedded in its chest, a girlish figure could be seen inside the device. It was like something from a nightmare, and it radiated an aura of pure evil. The group looked at the creature in horror, and they knew that this was not going to end well. The creature roared as a man sprouted from its body, it looked like the base's soldier but distorted, the 'man' looked at the group with baleful eyes before speaking in the same alien and inhuman language.
"...Well, I guess we'll be having a final boss fight" Cirno grinned, standing up and summoning her ice sword. "Let's go, party! Together, we ride!"
Mystia and Wriggle groaned, but they too stood up, ready to fight. Sam also stood up, his weapon ready.
"Okay, let's do this!" Cirno said, and the group charged at the creature.
Sam quickly took cover at one of the debris, being the only one that couldn't fly he would be the most vulnerable to attacks from the giant. Using various weapons he salvaged and modified from the base, the human began attacking the creature with the full force of his arsenal. Meanwhile, Wriggle used her ability to blind the giant, she didn't know if the giant even saw the world like how humans did, but the giant seemed to be confused, roaring at random directions while waving its arms around. Wriggled mostly focused on support as she can't really utilise her power here, instead opting for simply using danmakus to hopefully saps the giant's stamina and helped the others dodge or move around with her more agile flight.
"Behold, the true power of the born strongest! [Ice Blade sign "Nine Slashes"!]" Cirno shouted, as she held out her ice sword high. It grew and split into nine swords of ice, each of them glowing with a blue light. She then swung her sword, the nine swords flying at the creature, slicing through the air. The creature punched the swords one by one, destroying them. But the swords reformed, and came at the creature again and again. Each time they hit, the giant staggered, its body covered in cuts and bruises. The creature roared in rage, and tried to grab Cirno but she managed to dodge as the giant staggered from explosions of Sam's attacks. He had moved to another cover, and was now firing some sort of rocket launcher at the creature.
"Keep going Cirno! I'll support you! [Vocal Sign "Rugissement Menaçant"] Mystia yelled, as sonic wave lashed out at the giant, disoriented the giant and barraged by dozens of danmakus from Mystia
The giant roared in anger, and lashed out at Cirno again. But this time, she was ready. She blocked the giant's attack with her sword, and then using its own momentum to push. The giant was forced back, and it stumbled, falling to its knees. Cirno then leapt into the air, where Wriggle was waiting.
"Ready for this, Wriggle?" She grinned, as she stretched.
"I still don't get why you want me specifically but sure" The bug youkai answered as she grabbed Cirno's hand, and the two of them flew towards the giant at full speed.
"[Final Buster "Perfect Double Kick"]!!!!" They screamed, as rainbow coloured energy surrounded them. They kicked the giant in the face, and it fell to the ground, its body smoking from the force of the impact. The giant tried to get up, but it was too weak. It collapsed to the ground, defeated. Cirno and Wriggle cheered.
"We did it! We beat it!" Cirno yelled.
"Let's never do that again" Wriggle groaned, as she collapsed to the ground. "My head is pounding"
"Hey, thanks for it. I've been waiting to do it" Cirno added, "I couldn't have done it without you"
"Yeah, yeah" Wriggle waved her hand, as she looked around, "It seems they finished too"
Rumia, along with the water giant, had defeated the white creature, which was now a massive, white blob of worms. It was writhing on the ground, its body slowly melting away, as if it was made of wax. Rumia was standing on top of it, her sword pointed down at it, while the water giant held it down with its trident. Rumia's face was a mask of fury, her red eyes blazing with rage, while the water giant's face was a mask of serenity. As they looked at the dying creature, they both nodded at each other, and Rumia stabbed her sword into the creature's body, killing it.
"Ha! That's why Rumia the strongest! Besides me of course!" Cirno grinned, as she watched the two finish off the white creature.
"Umm, hey Cirno, Wriggle? Look here" Mystia said, pointing at the fallen giant. "I think I saw someone inside that thing.
Sam approached the giant's fallen body, and began to examine it. He found the device on its chest, and inside the device was a human girl, trapped in some kind of liquid. Sam tried to open the device, but it was stuck. He tried to force it open, but it was no use. Suddenly, the girl inside opened her eyes. They were a deep blue, almost black. She looked around, confused, before her gaze settled on the group.
"Hmm, lemme see," Cirno said as she approached the device. She tried to freeze it, but the device was too strong. She tried to break it with her sword, but it was too strong.
"Hey, Rumia! Help us out!" Cirno yelled, and Rumia approached them after saying goodbye to the water giant.
"You're impermissibly rude as always" Rumia sighed as she kneeled in front of the device before easily ripping it open. The liquid inside poured out, and the girl fell out of the device. She was completely naked. She looked at the group, her eyes wide with fear.
As Sam tried to calm the girl down, the others looked at each other.
"...I don't think she's a human" Mystia said, "But I don't think she's dangerous."
"Who cares? How do we get back home? Can we like, go back with you Rumia?" Wriggle asked, looking at the dark youkai
Rumia shrugged, "Hey, I am as stuck here as you are"
"What? But you can teleport and stuff, right?" Wriggle asked, "You can take us back, can't you?"
"No, I got summoned by this brat." Rumia sighed, as she pointed at Cirno. "I'll have to go back myself each time I do that. Besides, if I could do that, don't you think I would have already done so?"
"...This sucks. We're stranded here with no way back" Wriggle sighed, "What do we do now?"
"Eh, just enjoy it kid. Someone will pick us up soon" Rumia replied, as she stretched, "For now, just relax. We'll figure something out."
With that, the group relaxed, as they waited for help to arrive. They were in a strange place, far from home, but they were together. And that was what mattered. Today had been a hard day, and they had fought a great battle. But they were alive, and they had each other. They could rest easy, knowing that they had won. For now, at least.
"Mwahaha, I the Great Cirno saved the day again!" "Be quiet Cirno, or I'll tell Alice about today" "Sorry"
Wriggle leaned against the door, peeking out the window and using her power to send an ant out to scout the hallway. It was a miracle they hadn't been seen running into the room, and she could only hope the humans wouldn't find them there. She turned around and saw Mystia, who was sitting in the corner, holding her stomach and breathing heavily. Her clothes were stained with blood, and she looked like she was in great pain.
"Are you okay?" Wriggle asked, approaching her friend and examining the wound. She didn't think Cirno's insistence on them knowing about first aid was too important, but she sure was glad for it now. While Mystia is a bird youkai, in her current form she shouldn't be too different from a human or Wriggle herself anatomy-wise. The wound didn't look too deep and being a youkai, Mystia should be tougher than a human her size, but she still had to be careful.
"I've been better." Mystia managed a weak smile. "What... happened? One moment we were in the forest, and then..." She trailed off, shaking her head. "It felt like we were dragged somewhere else. I don't know how."
"Me neither." Wriggle tore off a strip of her clothes, using it to bandage the wound as well as she could. She wasn't sure if the bandage was necessary, but it was better to be safe than sorry. She then stood up, looking around the room. It seemed to be a storage room of some kind, with boxes stacked up to the ceiling. Some of them were open, and she could see they contained strange things she had never seen before. Metal objects, small and cylindrical, that she had no idea what they were. Pieces of cloth with strange designs, unlike anything she had ever seen. And then there were the bottles of a strange liquid, clear and colourless, that she couldn't identify. She sniffed at one of them, recoiling at the scent. "Ugh... What is this stuff?"
"Probably not...something we should be drinking." Mystia said with a strained voice, trying to stand up but collapsing back to the floor.
"Stay still, you need to rest." Wriggle ordered, and Mystia didn't have the strength to disagree. The insect youkai then looked at the window, frowning. "We need to find the Cirno. We need to figure out where we are and how to get back to Gensokyo. And most of all..." She clenched her fist, remembering how the men had shot Mystia without even hesitating, and how he had pointed his gun at Wriggle, before the two youkais managed to flee.
Sounds of alarm suddenly could be heard outside. It sounded like someone was calling out, and the sound of footsteps running could be heard. It sounded like they were getting closer, and it was clear they were searching for something. The two youkai froze, listening to the sounds. The voices were shouting something, but Wriggle couldn't make out the words. The footsteps got closer and closer, until finally they stopped outside the door. The knob turned, and the door opened.
Dragging Mystia along, Wriggle managed to hide herself in the pile of boxes, just as a pair of figures walked into the room. One was a human, probably. Their fake exoskeleton was similar to what the man that attacked them wore. The other figure, though, was something else. It was bigger than the human, and looked like a metal statue of some sort, but it moved like a living thing. The two figures looked around the room, the human speaking in a language Wriggle didn't understand. After a few minutes, they left, closing the door behind them. Wriggle breathed a sigh of relief. She waited a few moments to make sure they were gone, before stepping out of her hiding spot.
"You okay?" She asked Mystia, who nodded weakly. She helped the bird youkai to her feet, and the two of them made their way back to the window. Wriggle peeked out, seeing that the two figures were no longer there. She couldn't hear anything, so it was likely they were gone. She motioned for Mystia to follow her, and the two of them made their way to the door. "We need to get out of here." Wriggle said, opening the door and looking down the hallway. It was empty. She motioned for Mystia to follow her, and the two of them began walking down the hall, trying to stay quiet and out of sight.
The corridor was long, with many doors leading to other rooms, but there were no windows. There were lights on the ceiling, but they were dim and flickering. The walls were grey and bare, with no decorations of any kind. There were some paintings on the wall, no, they were signs of some sort. Wriggle didn't know how to read this language, so she couldn't tell what they said, but they were clearly important.
'If only there are more insects around here...' Wriggle thought to herself, frustrated. 'I can use them to scout ahead, or even fight if I need to.' But there weren't any, at least not that she could sense. This building was made of strange rock that seemed to melt with each other and very clean despite being clearly underground. From what Wriggle could gather, outside the building seemed to be very cold too. The air was dry and smelled weird, like the smell of rain, but there was no water anywhere. It was all so strange, and Wriggle didn't like it at all.
"Where are we going?" Mystia asked, breaking Wriggle's train of thought.
"I don't know." Wriggle admitted. "I'm just trying to find a way out. Can you manage?"
"Yeah... My wound already stopped bleeding." Mystia said. "I just hope it doesn't open again..."
Wriggle stopped and looked at the bird youkai, concerned. "Do you want to take a break?"
Mystia shook her head, before saying, "No, I'm fine. Let's keep going."
The two kept going even as loud sounds echoed from somewhere far away. As they walked, Wriggle couldn't help but feel like they were being watched. It was a creepy feeling, and it made her skin crawl. But there was no one else around, and she didn't see anything that could be watching them. She tried to shake it off, but the feeling persisted. She didn't know why she felt so uneasy, but it was starting to make her anxious.
They finally reached the end of the corridor, which was blocked by a large, metal door. Wriggle tried to open it, but it wouldn't budge. She tried again, but it was no use.
"Let me try." Mystia said, stepping forward. She pushed on the door with all her might, and it swung open. The two youkai stepped through the doorway, and found themselves in a large room. It was filled with strange machines, and there were people working on them. Strangely, the looked weird, not physically weird but how they acted. They didn't seem to be talking to each other, or even looking at each other. They were all focused on their work, and they didn't even notice the two youkai entering the room.
'What's wrong with them? It's like they're not even here...' Wriggle thought to herself, gesturing to Mystia to follow her. The two of them walked quietly, trying not to disturb the workers. They didn't want to draw attention to themselves, and risk getting caught by the soldiers or whoever they are.
On the walls, Wriggle could see various glass panes on a machine, screens if she remembered correctly. Her face paled when she saw what was on them, Mystia too judging from the chokes she could hear from the sparrow. She saw various creatures, some looked like humans, some looked like foreign youkais but some looked grotesque and inhumane. All of them being tortured, mangled, or even experimented on.
Wriggle's stomach turned at the sight, and she felt sick. She couldn't imagine how anyone could do such a thing. It felt too detached, too clinical, at least torture has the feeling of spite in it, this was just cold, emotionless, like these are merely objects. Wriggle couldn't bear to look at it anymore, and she quickly turned away. She had to get out of there, fast. She had to find Cirno and get out of this place. She couldn't stay here any longer, not with those images in her head. She and Mystia quietly slipped away from the room, and back into the hallway. They didn't stop running until they reached a door at the end of the hall.
"We need to get out of here." Wriggle said, breathing heavily.
"I agree." Mystia replied, her voice shaky. "I don't think I can handle seeing that again."
The two of youkais opened the door and stepped outside, finding themselves in a long, dark tunnel. There was no light, and they couldn't see anything. The only sound they could hear was the sound of their own footsteps. They were alone in the dark, and it was terrifying. Wriggle was about to ask if they should go back. Then, they heard a sound behind them, and they turned around to see a group of people in the same fake exoskeletons as before. They were blocking the exit, and they were armed with strange weapons.
"Shit..." Wriggle cursed, before pushing Mystia. "Go! Run!"
Mystia didn't need to be told twice. She took off running, with Wriggle right behind her. The two of them sprinted down the hallway, not daring to look back. They could hear the humans shouting at them and several beams shot past them, but they didn't stop. They had to get out of there, and fast. But then, they reached a dead end.
"Fuck!" Wriggle cursed again, before turning around to face their pursuers. "Stay behind me." She told Mystia, who nodded. She didn't know if she could take on all of these soldiers, but she had to try. She summoned her power, shooting danmakus at the soldiers. It didn't seem to have much effect, and the soldiers kept coming closer as they raised their weapons and took out a strange sparking club.
A loud, for Wriggle and Mystia with their senses, bang echoed through the tunnel, and one of the soldiers fell to the ground. The other soldiers turned to look at the source of the noise, and they saw a figure standing in the shadows. The figure was holding similar but different weapons than the other humans, and they were aiming it at the soldiers. As the lone human found out, they quickly moved forward and attacked the soldiers. Despite being alone against many, the human was clearly experienced and skilled in combat, managing to knock down the soldiers with ease, though some were still standing. They then turned to Wriggle and Mystia.
Wriggle and Mystia stared at the human in fear, not sure what to do. They winced as the human walked closer, Wriggle quickly moving in front of Mystia to protect her. But the human didn't attack. Instead, he opened his fake exoskeleton to expose his face for a moment and raised his hands in a placating gesture, showing he had no intention of harming them.
"Um... Hello...?" Wriggle said tentatively, not sure if the human could understand her. "We don't mean any harm... We're just trying to find our way home." The human seemed to understand her, as he nodded. Though Wriggled sensed that he seemed to be quite interested in her antennae and Mystia's wings.
Through gestures and some trial and error, Wriggle managed to somewhat communicate with the strangely silent man. Wriggle could hear some voice from his headpiece, though wondered why the man himself didn't talk at all. She roughly guessed the man is some sort of soldier, but surely he should report or communicate judging from the chatter from his headpiece? The man seemed to understand their situation and gestured to follow him. Wriggle hesitated, but she knew that they had no choice. They had to trust this stranger if they wanted to get out of here alive. She nodded at the man, and the two of them began to walk down the tunnel. Wriggle looked at Mystia, who seemed scared but also relieved. She smiled at her friend, trying to reassure her.
The man led them to a small room, where he gestured for them to wait. He then left the room and locked it behind him. Wriggle and Mystia looked around, taking in their surroundings. The room was sparsely furnished, with only a bed and a table with some chairs. There was also a window, but it was too high up for them to reach. Wriggle sighed, sitting down on the bed.
"I hope this man is on our side..." She muttered, worried about what might happen to them.
"He's not a bad human." Mystia said, sitting next to her. "I can tell. He's just... different. I don't know how to explain it."
"Hmm..." Wriggle hummed, thinking about it. "Well, he could've killed us back there, but he didn't. I guess he's not that bad, as a human..."
"I wonder why he's not talking though." Mystia said. "It's kind of strange, don't you think?"
"Yeah..." Wriggle replied. "I mean, I know some people who don't talk much, but this is different. It's like he's not able to speak at all."
"Maybe he's mute?" Mystia suggested. "Or maybe he just doesn't want to talk."
"Maybe..." Wriggle said, not sounding convinced. "But I don't think that's it. I think there's something else going on here."
"Well, whatever it is, I hope we'll be able to find out soon." Mystia said, before sighing, "Do you think Cirno's okay?"
Wriggle shook her head, looking down at the ground. "I don't know... But I hope she is. She's strong, she can take care of herself."
"Yeah, you're right." Mystia said, smiling weakly. "She'll be fine. I'm sure of it."
In another part of the building, Cirno currently found herself in a situation she was all too familiar with, even if the circumstances are slightly different. A barrage of bullets, lasers, and other projectiles whizzed past her, as she dodged and weaved through the hail of fire. She was outnumbered and outgunned, but she had the advantage of being ultra awesome as her armour of ice simply negated any attacks that hit her.
"I AM FREEZING INVINCIBLE!" She shouted, as calmly walking towards the group of humans in their power armour even as they desperately tried to bring her down. "You can't hurt me!"
As the humans realised their ranged attacks were worthless, they switched tactics to charge at the youkai girl and attack her with their melee weapons. Why, Cirno doesn't know. Probably because they were dumb. Or, well, maybe because they were scared of her and thought that they could take her down in close quarters combat. Either way, it was a mistake.
Cirno grinned, as she summoned her ice sword, easily blocking the first strike aimed at her. She then spun around, slashing just deep enough to tear their armour but not actually killing the soldiers inside, before using the martial arts Gatekeeper taught her to great use. The soldiers quickly found themselves overwhelmed, as Cirno was faster and stronger than them. They tried to retreat, but Cirno wouldn't let them. She chased after them, freezing them in place with her power.
"Stay there, dummies." She said, smiling at her victory.
She was not actually planning to torture or kill the soldiers. Unlike in the dungeon, these ones were humans and Cirno wasn't the kind to kill humans, no matter how stupid they were. Alice would be mad at her and she wouldn't be able to eat her cooking anymore. So, instead, she decided to leave the humans where they were. Maybe they would learn their lesson and not attack her again.
Cirno then turned around and looked at the room she was in. It was some kind of lab, she saw place like this often in dungeons. There were a lot of strange machines and tables with stuff on them. There were also a lot of people wearing white robes and glasses, probably scientists or researchers or something. Weirdly, like those enpisi Alice told her, they just kept doing their own work, despite her presence and the fact she just fought the soldiers in the room. She didn't get it, but she didn't really care either. She just wanted to find Wriggle and Mystia and get out of here. She walked around, looking for any clues as to where her friends might be.
It wasn't long until she came across a strange door. It was big and metal, with a lot of wires and tubes connected to it. There was a sign on the door, but Cirno couldn't read it. She shrugged, and used her sword to cut through the door, the metal giving way easily to her cool swordsmanship.
On the other side of the door was a large room, filled with tanks of water. In each tank was a strange creature, floating in the water. Almost as weird as the things inside the Vessel, they looked like strange hybrids of animals and plants. The tanks were all connected to each other, and there were pipes leading out of the room. Cirno didn't know what the purpose of the tanks was, but she could feel that the creatures were alive and watching her. Being the mature person that she is, she asserted her dominance by making faces at them.
"Maybe I should get one of the hummies and ask them." She said to herself, before turning around and leaving the room. She went back to the main room, where she saw that the scientists were still working on their experiments. She walked up to one of them, a man with black hair and glasses, and tapped him on the shoulder. "Hey, you. Where am I?"
The man ignored her, continuing his work. Cirno frowned, and tapped him on the shoulder again. "Hey, I'm talking to you. Where am I? And where are my friends?"
Again, the man didn't respond. Cirno was starting to get annoyed. She grabbed the man's arm, and spun him around. "Hey, listen to me! Where am I? And where are my friends?"
Cirno's expression turned serious as she saw the man's face. At a glance he was normal, but Cirno could see the madness in his eyes. She had seen that look before, in the video logs found in the Vessel. The way the man's eyes were glazed over, and how he was muttering to himself. She let go of his arm, and stepped back. The man didn't seem to notice her, and continued muttering to himself.
"...It seems that this place is more dangerous than I thought..." She murmured to herself, her voice low and dark. "I have to find Wriggle and Mystia quickly..."
She left the room, and began exploring the building. Forgoing any of her usual fun and playfulness, she became very serious in her search, trying to find her friends as quickly as possible. She knew that time was of the essence, and that every second she wasted was a second that her friends could be in danger. She quickly froze anyone she met, scientists and soldiers alike. She didn't have time to deal with them, and she didn't want to risk them attacking her when she wasn't looking. Though her expression became even more grim as she found more and more unsettling things in the base.
More strange creatures, sometimes they were just animals mutated into weirdness. More humans with their faces filled with insanity and obsession. Worst, there was even one room with a strange machine, with a human trapped in it, being experimented on. He was screaming in pain, and Cirno could feel his suffering. She didn't understand what was going on, but she knew that it was wrong. She destroyed the machine, freeing the man, before quickly moving on, her mind racing. She didn't know what to do. She didn't understand what was happening, or why. All she knew was that she had to find Wriggle and Mystia, and get out of this place.
As she broke through another metal door, she found herself in a large room, with a man in the middle of the room, fighting against a strange creature. The creature was a massive, slug-like monster, with dozens of tentacles protruding from its body. The man was armed with a strange weapon, a rifle of some kind, and he was firing at the creature, trying to kill it. Cirno watched as the man fought, his movements fluid and graceful, his aim true. She had to admit, he was a pretty good fighter. But he was still just a human even in his power armour. He couldn't hope to defeat such a monster. She had to help him.
"Hey, you! Duck!" She shouted, as she charged at the creature, her sword raised. The man looked at her, his eyes wide, but he obeyed, ducking down as she leaped over him, swinging her sword at the creature. The blade sliced through the creature's flesh, and it screamed in pain. Cirno landed on the ground, and turned to face the creature, her sword raised.
"Get back, hummie. I'll take care of this." She said, as she charged at the creature again, her sword flashing in the air. The man didn't argue, he simply nodded and stepped back, watching as Cirno fought the creature.
The creature was big and strong, but it was also slow and clumsy. Cirno was able to dodge its attacks easily, and she slashed at its body, cutting deep wounds in its flesh. The creature screamed in pain, and lashed out at her with its tentacles, but she was too fast for it. Just tilting her head to dodge the whip-like strike, she grinned at the creature, taunting it. "Is that all you got? Come on, you can do better than that!"
The creature roared in anger, and charged at her, its tentacles flailing wildly. Cirno dodged the attacks easily, and countered with her own, slashing at the creature's body, cutting deep wounds in its flesh. The creature screamed in pain, and lashed out at her with its tentacles, but she was too fast for it. She laughed as she dodged the attacks, and continued to slash at the creature, cutting it to pieces. Eventually, the creature was dead, its body lying on the ground, covered in blood.
Cirno grinned, and turned to the man. "You're welcome."
The two of them stared at each other, before, through some silent communications of some sort, they both knew that they were on the same side. They smiled at each other, and Cirno held out her hand. The man shook it, and they began to communicate with just eye contact, somehow. Finding out Mystia and Wriggle should be safe in some area made Cirno happy, though she wasn't as happy when she found out what this place is. This man was rather secretive, but Cirno is very smart, so she figured out what the man was hiding, sorta, maybe. This man was apparently sent by like some cool shadowy group to investigate this place after it suddenly appeared here, or maybe just their hiding sucks and got exposed? Place of baaaaad guys, they kidnapped lots of poor youkais and people, destroyed awesome stuffs, and generally being very square pecks. Though something happened supposedly before the man came here and the entire place now under control by like some real baddie underground. So Sam here decided not just investigate, but deal with the baddie since if left alone, it might turn this place full of magic guys into weird, dangerous stuff. Maybe, Cirno might be awesome but mind-reading is beyond her, this man was good enough Cirno had to fill in some blanks.
"Okay, Sam. Fine with Sam right? Anyway, I guess we can be buddies." Cirno said, grinning at the man, Sam. "We can help each other out. I'll help you get to the bottom of this, and you can help me get my friends out of this place! Yeah, we sort of stranded here after some weird portal appeared. We're just trying to find a way back home. You know, the usual."
Sam stared at her and nodded, truly a silent man. Cirno internally quite happy to finally meet one of this type Alice told a lot about, they are usually very strong and mysterious. They were a bit boring at times, but she could respect that.
"Well, I'll get my friends first, you do your things, we meet up later." Cirno said, before freezing the ground and skating off, leaving Sam alone in the room. She quickly made her way to where Sam told her her friends were, and soon found them in a small room. It was locked but Cirno trained her lockpicking skill for the dungeon so she could easily enter the room without problem. Using her ice to lock the door from the inside, she greeted her two friends. Who she quickly noticed was injured and bleeding.
"Are you okay Mystia!? What happened?" Cirno shouted, quickly rushing to Mystia and examining her wound. It seemed to have been treated, but it was still bleeding slightly. Cirno quickly took out a blue plastic tube with metal tip, before jabbing the Virex into Mystia's arm. It was one of the many things Cirno always carried around, after Dai insisted so much. "It should heal your wounds if it's only this level. You need one too, Wriggle?"
The green haired girl shook her head as Mystia winced for a moment as she felt the Virex entering her system, but soon she felt the pain in her stomach subsiding. "Thanks, Cirno. It was just some human soldier that attacked us. We were lucky that some other human helped us. Where have you been?"
"I met a really cool hummie, the one bailed you out, and I fought some ugly monster!" Cirno replied, smiling. "I think we're in a bad place though. Literally nowhere, not even the same land as gensokyo. Also has like a super evil baddie underneath, maybe? I don't really understand the hummie that well. He is a bit weird, but I think we should help him"
"Haah? What's that supposed to mean?" Wriggle asked, frowning. "We should just get out of here."
"Yeah, I think so too." Mystia added, nodding. "I don't want to be here any longer than I have to."
"Haah, you two, I thought I am supposed to be the silly one?" Cirno sighed, before explaining, "First, we can't go home yet, even if we exit the base then what? You two want to wander around in some snow field? I could probably survive but you two... Second, that hummie, I think he's not only cool but also chill enough we could at least get some help after escaping, at least better together than wandering in the snow. Third, there's a real bad thing here. If we leave it, it might be a big problem. We might have to deal with it again, but worse. And fourth, I am the strongest so I decide and I say we help!"
Wriggle and Mystia looked at each other, before sighing in defeat. "Fine, we'll help. But if things get too dangerous, we're leaving." Wriggle said.
"Yup." Mystia added.
Cirno just snorted, "You two smart, you both know you are safer with me." She then grinned, before adding, "Anyway, let's move, we have a bad guy to kill! And maybe after we kill it, we can find some way to go home! I'm sure of it!"
After some sneaking around, the trio of youkais finally reunited with the human. Sam, as Cirno introduced. He seemed to be setting up some explosives, Cirno remembered some area in the Vessel where you had to do that, not her favourite but she can recognize it. He stopped what he was doing and stared at the three for a moment, before nodding and continuing his work. He finished setting up the explosives, before gesturing for them to follow him. They made their way out of the room, and into a corridor. They could hear the sound of fighting in the distance, and they hurried towards it. They soon came across a group of soldiers fighting against a massive, slug-like creature, similar to the one Cirno fought before.
Cirno grinned, and charged forward, her ice sword raised. But Sam quickly grabbed her shoulder, stopping her. He gestured for her to stay back, and she reluctantly obeyed. They watched as the soldiers fought the creature, their weapons proving ineffective against its thick hide. It wasn't long before the soldiers were forced to retreat, the creature chasing after them.
Cirno and Sam stared at each other for a moment, before Cirno sighed.
"What is it, Cirno?" Mystia asked, looking at her friend curiously.
"Sam said to let them go and make chaos somewhere. It's not as fun but at least they will be too busy dealing with the big worm to be bothered with us." Cirno explained. "Then, we use the elevator to go down deep into the ground, and kill the main bad thing there. It's not as fun, but it's the right thing to do. So, let's go. We're going to save the world!"
After fighting off various automated security, humans and more weird creatures, Sam and the three girls finally made their way down and down. While Cirno went back to her usual cheerful self, Mystia and Wriggle couldn't help but feel worried. The air was getting thicker and hotter the deeper they went. They could also see more and more of the strange creatures, some of which were quite horrifying to look at. The two girls were starting to regret coming along.
Occasionally, Cirno would tell the whole group to close their eyes and ignore any noises they heard. Mystia and Wriggle didn't understand why, but they did as they were told, as was Sam it seemed. The two girls didn't know what was happening, but they knew that it was something dangerous. Something that Cirno didn't want them to see or know about. They trusted her judgement and continued on, their eyes still closed, and they ignored the sound of whatever was happening. Though it was easier said than done as for one reason or another, they really wanted to know what was going on.
Eventually, they reached the end of the elevator shaft, and they stepped out into a large cavern. The air was positively scorching, and they could see the ground was covered in a strange, black liquid. It was sticky and viscous, and it gave off a foul odour. The walls of the cavern were lined with strange, pulsating sacs, and the ceiling was covered in a thick layer of slime. The entire place was like a scene from a nightmare, and the two girls couldn't help but feel terrified.
"Okay, we're here." Cirno said, her voice grim. "This is the end of the line. We have to stop whatever's going on here."
Mystia and Wriggle nodded, trying to put on brave faces, but they couldn't help but tremble in fear.
"Don't worry." Cirno reassured them. "You don't have to fight. You can stay here and wait for me to come back. I'll protect you." She then turned to Sam, and the two of them began to walk towards the deeper the cavern. Mystia and Wriggle stayed behind, watching as their friend disappeared into the darkness.
Mystia and Wriggle waited anxiously, their hearts pounding in their chests. They could hear the sounds of fighting in the distance, and loud, terrifying roars, but they couldn't see anything. They didn't know what was happening, or if Cirno and Sam were okay. They just had to trust that their friend would come back safely.
A few minutes later, the sounds of the human's footsteps and Cirno screaming could be heard. The two girls saw as their friend and the human came back, though Cirno's panicked yet excited look was worrying. Sam was holding some kind of device, while Cirno was holding a strange, black stone in her hand.
"Everyone! We go back up, now!" Cirno screamed, running past them and into the elevator, "We're going to go boom!" Sam was close behind her. The two girls quickly followed, entering the elevator just as the doors were closing. As the elevator began to ascend, Cirno was frantically pressing buttons, trying to speed up the thing somehow while Sam looked out the elevator, looking grim even with his headpiece on.
Curious, Wriggle looked out from the elevator. Her eyes widened in horror as she saw a massive, white creature chasing after the elevator. It looked like it was made from countless worms, though Wriggle knew it wasn't the case, all writhing and twisting together. It had no legs, instead it seemed to be slithering along the ground. Its body was covered in black slime, and its many mouths were filled with razor-sharp teeth.
"W-what is that thing?!" Wriggle shouted, her voice shaking with fear.
"It's a bad thing! Too tough so we opened up to some other guys too!" Cirno answered and as she did, the wall of the cavern exploded as water rushed in after the elevator, or rather the white creature.
Mystia let out a gasp as the water formed into a giant man, smaller than the creature but still huge compared to them. It had a vaguely beaded man shape as it lift a trident made of water, before stabbing the white creature. The white creature screamed in pain, its many mouths opening wide and emitting a deafening roar. It lashed out at the giant, its countless worms striking the giant's water form. The giant was pushed back by the sheer force of the attack, but it held its ground, using its trident to block the strikes. The two continued to fight, exchanging blow after blow, as the water level in the cavern rose.
Mystia and Wriggle could only watch in terror as the two behemoths fought, their powers clashing and causing the water level to rise even further. The elevator barely held on, as it was starting to flood from the water below. The two could only hold each other in fear as the two monsters continued to battle, their blows shaking the entire earth itself it seemed and causing the water to rise even more. It was a battle of titans, and they were caught in the middle of it.
The group just barely managed to reach back up as the group practically flew across the crumbling base, Mystia and Wriggle carried Sam as he was too slow even with his suit. The base was in chaos, even before the group could hear the two titans still battling in the ground below. Various experiments, creatures, machines and people all run wild, causing destruction and death. It was a scene of pure pandemonium. And despite the protests of the two youkais, Sam and Cirno decided to save some of the people and creatures. Especially Cirno, who didn't seem to be bothered by any of the chaos at all, seemingly used to it.
The growing rumble of the two giants' fight could be felt everywhere. Even as they reached the surface, it seemed like the earth itself was shaking from their battle. The water that flooded the cavern had reached the surface, and was now flooding the base. The group, now accompanied by a few people and creatures, made their way past the chaos of soldiers fighting against experiments and machines, humanoid monsters with some sort of triangle instead of legs turning people into more of their kinds, white creatures with holes as a face, and many more. Throughout everything, Wriggle and Mystia barely kept up with Cirno and Sam.
Finally, they made it outside the base, and into the snow. Sam instructed the other escapees, a handful of humans, a few strange creatures, and one or two of those weird robots, to follow him, while Cirno, Mystia, and Wriggle lagged behind, looking at the base. They could see the water level rising, and the ground was shaking even more. Suddenly, a massive explosion of water erupted from the base, and a moment later, the white worm and the water giant burst out of the ground, continuing their battle. The white creature, the source of the madness, screamed and lashed out at the giant. The water giant was unfazed, and continued to fight, the two of them locked in a never-ending battle.
"We're gonna die.." Wriggle sighed as the two titans fought above them.
Mystia put a hand on her shoulder reassuringly, before turning to Cirno, "So what's the plan now? We can't just keep running forever. That thing will chase us down. Whichever one of them wins, it'll be bad news for us."
Cirno looked at her friends, then at Sam, then back at the two titans. She then grinned, "Well, I guess it can't be helped. It's time to call a big fish"
"What?"
Ignoring her friends' confusion, Cirno took out a black crystal with red specks in it, and raised it in the air. The crystal began to glow, as Cirno shouted, "Come, I call upon the power of darkness! Come to my aid, great guardian of the night! I invoke the power of Rumia, the Lady of the Darkness! I summon you to this place!"
"Wait, Rumia?" Wriggle said before she felt the sky turn dark.
There was a flash of light and a gust of wind, and a figure appeared before them. It was a woman with blonde hair and red eyes, wearing a dark dress. She had wings of darkness on her back, and a halo of shadow floating above her head. In her hands, she held a sword made of pure darkness, which seemed to absorb all light around it. Wriggle and Mystia could feel oppressive power radiated from the woman. The two behemoths paused their fight momentarily, before the white worms began to trashed around once more, forcing the water giant to focus on it again.
The woman looked around with a frown before turning to Cirno, "Cirno, what are you doing Outside and what in the name of Hakurei is happening?"
"Hi Rumia! There's a bad thing and a good thing that are fighting, and we need to stop them!" Cirno replied, her tone cheerful. She then gestured towards the two titans, "Can you help us stop them? The white one is the source of the problem and the other is just trying to stop it. I think, maybe? I just released it from the prison deep below honestly"
Rumia looked at the two titans, then at Cirno with a deadpan look, before sighing and rubbing her forehead with her free hand, "Cirno, we need to talk later about this. For now, I'll handle the situation. You three go with the human and escape this area. There's going to be a big boom soon, and I don't want you guys to get hurt." She then turned towards the titans, "I am the Lady of Darkness, the one who rules over the night, the primordial fear of humanity! I am the bringer of the abyss, the one who shall devour your very essence! Your existence ends here, foul creatures!"
The woman flew towards the two behemoths, her wings of darkness spreading wide. The two titans stopped their battle, and turned to face her. The water giant moved back, letting Rumia crash her sword down on the white creature. The sword cut through the creature's body, and the creature screamed in pain. The woman then unleashed a wave of darkness from her sword, engulfing the creature and causing it to writhe in agony. She then turned to the water giant, who had been watching the battle with curiosity. She raised her sword, and the giant raised its trident in response. The two of them clashed, their powers colliding with a deafening boom. The water giant was pushed back, but it held its ground, using its trident to block the woman's attacks. The two of them continued to fight, exchanging blow after blow, each caused the earth and air themselves to tremble.
"Whoa.." Mystia could only murmur as she watched the battle. "This is so cool..."
"Wait, wait, wait! That's Rumia?! The little, snot-nosed brat that likes to bite anyone she meets?!" Wriggle shouted in surprise. "What happened to her?!"
"Oh yeah, you two have never seen her like this, right?" Cirno replied, smiling. "She's actually quite strong. Strong enough to hold off both of those two behemoths"
"But, but..." Wriggle stammered, still in shock, before Cirno cut in, "Let's go, while the big guys distracted, the smaller things escaped and that's probably bad"
As Cirno said, various creatures, experiments, and machines were escaping the base. With no one to stop them, they were now running wild. While the two youkais more than a bit reluctant to fight more, much less while the clash of the titans still happening basically on top of them, Cirno dragged them to fight the escapees. Sam was also helping, somehow the human with his guns managed to keep up and even helped the three. He would both going on a rampage against the hostile monsters, or save the more docile and confused creatures from the violence around them.
It was a long and hard fought battle. Many of the escapees were dangerous, and they fought back with everything they had. But the four of them, despite their lack of coordination, managed to defeat them, and even saved a few of them. Some of the humans, creatures and robots were not dangerous, and were just fleeing in terror. Sam and Cirno helped them, and the more calm and intelligent ones were instructed to stay at a spot where apparently Sam's friends were nearby.
The fight between the three titans continued, with neither side able to gain an advantage. With the water giant being made of water, the white worms amalgamate just grew more worms, and Rumia regenerated any damage she received, no one could get the upper hand on the other. The battle raged on, with the earth and air trembling with every blow. The three of them were locked in a deadly struggle, and it seemed like it would never end. The white worm opened its many mouths and let out a loud, ear-piercing scream. A massive beam of light shot out from its mouth, and the water giant and Rumia had to dodge the attack, which blasted a hole in the side of a mountain.
The water giant responded by raising its trident, and a massive wave of water fall down from the sky. It crashed down on the white creature, engulfing it in a massive tsunami. The creature was pushed back, its body writhing in pain. Rumia took advantage of the momentary distraction, and flew down to the white creature, slashing at it with her sword before creating chains of darkness, binding the white creature down. The creature struggled against the chains, but it couldn't break free.
"Now, you two, please calm down and we can talk about this." Rumia said as the water giant stared at her. "We both can continue to fight until someone else joining in and probably kill us, or we can all end this and try to solve this like civilised beings"
The water giant lowered its trident, its expression seemed to turn thoughtful, as it considered Rumia's words. After a moment, it nodded but the white worms split itself into many to escape the chain before fusing again, this time as a huge giant with swords for arms, a tail and no head, just a bunch of eyes all over the body.
Rumia sighed, "Fine, have it your way." And the tree clashed once more, this time Rumia and the water giant on the same side, against the white creature.
After a long and hard-fought battle, the three girls and a human finally managed to defeat the last of the escapees. The mutants, creatures and machines were all either dead or subdued. It was a brutal fight, and the four of them were all exhausted, even Sam who was still standing tall despite his exhaustion.
Cirno, Mystia and Wriggle, on the other hand, were all lying on the ground, panting heavily. Cirno was the first to speak, "Well, that was fun. We should do this again sometime."
Mystia and Wriggle just groaned in response.
Sam looked at them, and then at the battle between the three giants, which had been going on for hours now. It was a fierce and brutal battle. The white creature, the source of the madness, was still fighting, despite the combined efforts of the giant and Rumia. The white creature was screaming in rage and agony, its body writhing in pain, yet it refused to die. The two giants were also showing signs of exhaustion, but they were determined to end this battle once and for all.
"I thought they would already be finished." Wriggle said as she looked at the battle. "But it looks like it's still going on. It's been hours now. How can they still keep fighting?"
"They're monsters, Wriggle." Mystia replied, her voice tired. "They don't get tired. But I'm sure they'll be finished soon. Look, the big fish is getting weaker. And the creepy worm is getting slower too. It won't be long now."
Before they could say anything else, the ground started to shake, and the earth began to crack. The snow melted, and the trees and plants wilted. The air became heavy and stagnant. It was as if the very land was dying. The group looked around in confusion, not knowing what was happening. Then, they heard a voice in their heads. It was alien and inhuman, and it spoke in a language that was not of this world. They could not understand the words, but they could feel the hatred and malice behind them.
From the ruin of the base, a figure rose up. It was white, but different from the worms as it looked far more bland. A hulking humanoid figure as tall as two stories house with hole as face, various mechanical parts attached to its body and a strange device embedded in its chest, a girlish figure could be seen inside the device. It was like something from a nightmare, and it radiated an aura of pure evil. The group looked at the creature in horror, and they knew that this was not going to end well. The creature roared as a man sprouted from its body, it looked like the base's soldier but distorted, the 'man' looked at the group with baleful eyes before speaking in the same alien and inhuman language.
"...Well, I guess we'll be having a final boss fight" Cirno grinned, standing up and summoning her ice sword. "Let's go, party! Together, we ride!"
Mystia and Wriggle groaned, but they too stood up, ready to fight. Sam also stood up, his weapon ready.
"Okay, let's do this!" Cirno said, and the group charged at the creature.
Sam quickly took cover at one of the debris, being the only one that couldn't fly he would be the most vulnerable to attacks from the giant. Using various weapons he salvaged and modified from the base, the human began attacking the creature with the full force of his arsenal. Meanwhile, Wriggle used her ability to blind the giant, she didn't know if the giant even saw the world like how humans did, but the giant seemed to be confused, roaring at random directions while waving its arms around. Wriggled mostly focused on support as she can't really utilise her power here, instead opting for simply using danmakus to hopefully saps the giant's stamina and helped the others dodge or move around with her more agile flight.
"Behold, the true power of the born strongest! [Ice Blade sign "Nine Slashes"!]" Cirno shouted, as she held out her ice sword high. It grew and split into nine swords of ice, each of them glowing with a blue light. She then swung her sword, the nine swords flying at the creature, slicing through the air. The creature punched the swords one by one, destroying them. But the swords reformed, and came at the creature again and again. Each time they hit, the giant staggered, its body covered in cuts and bruises. The creature roared in rage, and tried to grab Cirno but she managed to dodge as the giant staggered from explosions of Sam's attacks. He had moved to another cover, and was now firing some sort of rocket launcher at the creature.
"Keep going Cirno! I'll support you! [Vocal Sign "Rugissement Menaçant"] Mystia yelled, as sonic wave lashed out at the giant, disoriented the giant and barraged by dozens of danmakus from Mystia
The giant roared in anger, and lashed out at Cirno again. But this time, she was ready. She blocked the giant's attack with her sword, and then using its own momentum to push. The giant was forced back, and it stumbled, falling to its knees. Cirno then leapt into the air, where Wriggle was waiting.
"Ready for this, Wriggle?" She grinned, as she stretched.
"I still don't get why you want me specifically but sure" The bug youkai answered as she grabbed Cirno's hand, and the two of them flew towards the giant at full speed.
"[Final Buster "Perfect Double Kick"]!!!!" They screamed, as rainbow coloured energy surrounded them. They kicked the giant in the face, and it fell to the ground, its body smoking from the force of the impact. The giant tried to get up, but it was too weak. It collapsed to the ground, defeated. Cirno and Wriggle cheered.
"We did it! We beat it!" Cirno yelled.
"Let's never do that again" Wriggle groaned, as she collapsed to the ground. "My head is pounding"
"Hey, thanks for it. I've been waiting to do it" Cirno added, "I couldn't have done it without you"
"Yeah, yeah" Wriggle waved her hand, as she looked around, "It seems they finished too"
Rumia, along with the water giant, had defeated the white creature, which was now a massive, white blob of worms. It was writhing on the ground, its body slowly melting away, as if it was made of wax. Rumia was standing on top of it, her sword pointed down at it, while the water giant held it down with its trident. Rumia's face was a mask of fury, her red eyes blazing with rage, while the water giant's face was a mask of serenity. As they looked at the dying creature, they both nodded at each other, and Rumia stabbed her sword into the creature's body, killing it.
"Ha! That's why Rumia the strongest! Besides me of course!" Cirno grinned, as she watched the two finish off the white creature.
"Umm, hey Cirno, Wriggle? Look here" Mystia said, pointing at the fallen giant. "I think I saw someone inside that thing.
Sam approached the giant's fallen body, and began to examine it. He found the device on its chest, and inside the device was a human girl, trapped in some kind of liquid. Sam tried to open the device, but it was stuck. He tried to force it open, but it was no use. Suddenly, the girl inside opened her eyes. They were a deep blue, almost black. She looked around, confused, before her gaze settled on the group.
"Hmm, lemme see," Cirno said as she approached the device. She tried to freeze it, but the device was too strong. She tried to break it with her sword, but it was too strong.
"Hey, Rumia! Help us out!" Cirno yelled, and Rumia approached them after saying goodbye to the water giant.
"You're impermissibly rude as always" Rumia sighed as she kneeled in front of the device before easily ripping it open. The liquid inside poured out, and the girl fell out of the device. She was completely naked. She looked at the group, her eyes wide with fear.
As Sam tried to calm the girl down, the others looked at each other.
"...I don't think she's a human" Mystia said, "But I don't think she's dangerous."
"Who cares? How do we get back home? Can we like, go back with you Rumia?" Wriggle asked, looking at the dark youkai
Rumia shrugged, "Hey, I am as stuck here as you are"
"What? But you can teleport and stuff, right?" Wriggle asked, "You can take us back, can't you?"
"No, I got summoned by this brat." Rumia sighed, as she pointed at Cirno. "I'll have to go back myself each time I do that. Besides, if I could do that, don't you think I would have already done so?"
"...This sucks. We're stranded here with no way back" Wriggle sighed, "What do we do now?"
"Eh, just enjoy it kid. Someone will pick us up soon" Rumia replied, as she stretched, "For now, just relax. We'll figure something out."
With that, the group relaxed, as they waited for help to arrive. They were in a strange place, far from home, but they were together. And that was what mattered. Today had been a hard day, and they had fought a great battle. But they were alive, and they had each other. They could rest easy, knowing that they had won. For now, at least.
"Mwahaha, I the Great Cirno saved the day again!" "Be quiet Cirno, or I'll tell Alice about today" "Sorry"
Honestly, while I am not very satisfied especially the end part and some parts, I had a blast writing it so I'll just leave it this way for now. Maybe if I decided to rewrite chapters I'll try rewrite it especially but enjoy this messy slop for now
Woven Synchronicity ~ Untangling Knots
Ylamona
Konlulu~
"Friend over there, please come here~ " Rin's voice resonated softly as she hummed a melancholic folk song in a language Chen didn't recognise. The tune was so sorrowful yet strangely comforting. Chen, the playful nekomata, was sprawled out on a mat in the Hakurei Shrine's porch, enjoying the warm afternoon sun and the gentle brush of Rin's fingers through her hair.
It was Halloween, a day Chen barely knew the meaning of, but Rin had explained that it was a day for the dead. The air was thick with the presence of spirits, restless and wandering, yet oddly subdued. They seemed to be soothed by Rin's song, their whispers blending harmoniously with her melody. It made the usually energetic Chen feel safe, secure, and sleepy.
Rin's hand was gentle and patient as she groomed Chen, untangling knots and smoothing her fur. The rhythmic strokes and the occasional scratch behind the ears were almost hypnotic. "This feels nice," Chen purred, her voice a contented rumble. She was usually so full of energy and mischief, but right now she felt like a lazy house cat, basking in the simple pleasures of a peaceful afternoon. The shrine was quiet, the birds were singing in the trees, and the sun was warm on her fur.
"You're very fluffy today," Rin commented, her tone light and teasing. Chen's ears twitched in amusement, "I'm always fluffy, nya~" she replied, her words slurring slightly as she drifted in and out of sleep. Rin laughed softly at this, a sound that Chen found strangely comforting. It was like a warm blanket wrapping around her, filling her with a sense of security and belonging.
Chen's eyes grew heavy with each stroke of Rin's hand. She felt so warm, so comfortable, so... sleepy. The world around her seemed to fade away, replaced by a peaceful darkness. Her breathing slowed, and her thoughts became hazy. She was drifting off, sinking into the soft embrace of sleep. As she drifted off, she could still hear the soothing melody of Rin's song, like a lullaby guiding her gently into the realm of dreams. And in that moment, she was not a nekomata, but a small cat, safe and loved, falling asleep on a warm afternoon at Hakurei Shrine. The last thing she felt before sleep took her was the gentle press of Rin's lips against her forehead, a silent gesture of affection that made her heart swell with happiness. And then, she was dreaming, lost in a world of warmth and comfort, where everything was soft and safe.
"Sleep well, little Chen," Rin whispered, her voice a tender caress in the quiet. She watched as the nekomata's breathing slowed and her body relaxed, a soft smile playing on her lips. The sight was so peaceful, so serene, and she couldn't help but feel a wave of affection for the usually energetic girl. Rin gently shifted her position, careful not to wake the sleeping nekomata. She stood up, stretching her limbs and feeling the satisfying pop of her joints. The sun was still high in the sky, casting a warm, golden glow over the shrine grounds.
"Ran should be back soon right? Chen has been really lonely recently, it seems Yukari is busy too.." Rin muttered, "..Everyone's been busy lately, even Reimu going out to the village until late night recently.."
As Rin stepped out into the sunlight, she noticed a familiar figure climbing the shrine's steps. It was Marisa, the witch, but there was something different about her today. She was walking, not flying on her broom. It was an unusual sight, to see the confident, brash Marisa walking up the steps, her boots crunching on the gravel. Her blonde hair, usually tousled and windswept, was neatly tied back, and her clothes looked cleaner than usual. Rin couldn't help but wonder why the witch had decided to walk today.
"G'day, Rin," Marisa greeted, her voice a mix of her usual confidence and something else that Rin couldn't quite place. She stopped at the top of the steps, her eyes meeting Rin's. There was a hint of nervousness there, a flicker of uncertainty that was so unlike the Marisa Rin knew. It was as if she was trying to hide something, to maintain a facade of normalcy.
"Good day to you too, Marisa," Rin replied, her tone friendly and welcoming. "What brings you here today? Didn't see you flying on your broom."
Marisa's smile grew a bit wider, "Broke my brooms few days ago, but I got Patchy to help me make a new one. Can you believe it? Patchy actually offered to help me without me even asking, ze. She really is a softie deep inside, huh?"
"Ah, I see. I'm sorry to hear that. It must have been quite a hassle, but I'm glad to hear you've become closer with miss Patchouli," Rin's smile was warm, and her eyes sparkled with genuine happiness, "Did you come here for Reimu? I am afraid she's still busy in the Human Village. I'm sorry, I hope this doesn't cause any inconvenience."
Marisa shrugged, her posture relaxing slightly. "Nah, it's fine, ze. I just came to hang out. She's still at that huh? Man, that girl sure knows how to milk the situation, huh? Using the villagers' ignorance to her advantage, gathering donations in the name of exorcism. Smart, but kinda cheeky, don't ya think?"
"Indeed, she always quite the... enterprising shrine maiden, I guess you could say. Now if only she is also a diligent one. But alas, that is not the case," Rin said, her voice tinged with a hint of amusement. She knew Reimu's methods well, having watched her work for years. The shrine maiden was a force to be reckoned with, that's for sure, but her laziness was also legendary. It was a part of her charm, in a way.
Marisa let out a hearty laugh, her voice ringing clear in the autumn air. "That's our Reimu, ze. Always up for a good scam, but never willing to do a day's honest work. She's a piece of work, that's for sure."
Rin couldn't help but chuckle at Marisa's words. "Let us not stand here for long. Come in, the weather might change any minute. The porch is occupied but the main room is empty. I just made some tea," Rin said, gesturing towards the shrine's entrance. She led the way, her steps light and graceful. Marisa followed, her boots thudding softly on the wooden floor.
As they entered the main room, Rin noticed Marisa seemed distracted. Her gaze looked distant, as if she was deep in thought. Not in her usual, but often overlooked, studiousness, but more contemplative, something that is usually not associated with the loud and boisterous witch. Rin couldn't help but wonder what was on her mind. She knew Marisa well enough to know that something was bothering her, but she also knew that the witch was not one to open up easily. She would wait, give her the space she needed, and be there for her if and when she was ready to talk.
Rin busied herself preparing the tea, her movements practised and precise. As the tea steeped, she turned to face Marisa, who had settled down on the floor. The witch's expression was still pensive, her brow slightly furrowed. Rin decided to try and lighten the mood, hoping to ease whatever was weighing on her friend's mind. "So, how's life in the Forest of Magic, Marisa?" Rin asked, her voice soft and inquiring.
"It's been good, ze," Marisa replied, her voice a little distant, but with a hint of fondness. "Still the same old place, with its magical creatures and all. Been busy studying, experimenting, you know. I've been trying to find a way to improve my Master Spark, and find a new way to make better magic explosions. Tried to go to Alice's place but it seems she's busy. Probably busy with some dolls. Haven't seen her much lately."
"Hmm~ I can understand that. She does seem to be preoccupied with something lately," Rin agreed, pouring the tea into two small cups. The fragrant aroma filled the room, a comforting scent that seemed to ease some of the tension. "But it's good to hear that you've been busy studying and improving. That's the Marisa we know and love."
"What? Not the loud and boisterous one, ze?" Marisa replied, her tone teasing but with an undertone of gratitude. She reached for the cup of tea, her fingers brushing against Rin's for a moment as she took it. She felt a sudden warmth in her cheeks, and she quickly pulled her hand away, taking a sip of the tea to hide her flustered state. The tea was warm and soothing, with a delicate flavour that was both calming and invigorating.
"Both are the Marisa we know and love, dear," Rin corrected her, her eyes twinkling with amusement. She sipped her own tea, savouring the taste. The room filled with a comfortable silence, broken only by the soft sounds of their breathing and the occasional clink of their teacups.
"...Rin, have you ever felt like you've forgotten something important?" Marisa suddenly asked, her voice barely above a whisper. Her eyes were fixed on the cup.
"...Marisa, you do realise who you're talking to, right?"
Marisa blinked, her face morphing into a look of realisation before her face turned red. "Ah, right, my bad," she muttered, her voice trailing off as she took another sip of tea, her eyes still fixed on the cup. Her face was a mix of embarrassment and something else, something Rin couldn't quite place, "It's just... lately, I've been feeling a bit absentminded, ze. It wasn't even that big, just a faint feeling that I've forgotten something."
Humming, Rin nodded, "And I doubt you would talk about this if you didn't suspect anything?"
"Yeah, I mean, like I am no Reimu. I don't have that instinct or anything. But I can't shake this feeling, this might not just be a small thing, ze," Marisa confessed, her voice growing quieter with each word, her face etched with a mix of confusion and frustration. She looked up at Rin, her eyes searching for some kind of understanding, some kind of reassurance. "And I have a hunch it's something to do with what's happening with you, Rin. Or at least something similar?"
Silence hung in the air for a moment, thick and heavy, before Rin finally spoke, her voice gentle but firm. "I understand, Marisa. I really do. Trust me, I understand more than anyone. ..And I might be able to help."
Marisa's eyes widened, her expression a mix of surprise and relief. "You think so, ze?"
"Yes, a moment." Rin stood and went out of the room for a moment before came back with a stack of papers, a pen, and a pair of glasses. She sat down, adjusting her glasses and looked at Marisa, her gaze steady and reassuring. "We will basically do something similar to what you did with Alice to see if this is truly something similar"
Marisa looked at Rin, or rather the glasses, baffled. "...What's with the get-up, ze?"
"Supposedly, to look smarter, I presume? Don't I look smart and reliable? I tried to do my best here" Rin's voice was confident with a hint of amusement as she adjusted her glasses again, her expression serious yet playful.
Snorting, Marisa shook her head, her expression a mix of amusement and disbelief. "You look ridiculous, ze. I don't think glasses suit you."
Rin playfully pouted, "Oh come on, I thought I looked quite cool with them. Like a researcher, or a doctor. Do you think I should've worn a lab coat, or a stethoscope? I think that's how physician nowadays look like"
"Nah, I think you look goofy with them," Marisa teased, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "And I can't imagine you in a lab coat, ze. You're more the traditional healer type, I think."
"Ah, you wound me, Marisa," Rin said, her voice playful. "But fine, I shall take off this 'ridiculous' pair of eyeglasses. Just for you, alright?" With a flourish, she took off the glasses and placed them carefully on the table, her eyes never leaving Marisa's.
"Good, you finally look less weird, ze," Marisa grinned, her eyes sparkling with amusement. "I like this Rin better, the one without the glasses."
"Why thank you, I do quite like myself too," Rin replied, her voice light and teasing. "So, I'll start with my first guess"
Marisa blinked, her expression turning from playful to confused in an instant. "Huh, first guess? I thought we're gonna do like bunch of questions and stuff."
Giggling, Rin shrugged, her expression a mix of playful and mischievous. "I know you, Marisa. I know you won't be patient enough to answer a lot of questions, and besides, the answer is clear!...Ah, I forgot I don't wear glasses so I can't make a dramatic point. Anyway, It starts around a week or so right? When the restless spirit appeared?"
"...How did you know?" Marisa asked, her voice a mix of confusion and awe. She looked at Rin, her eyes wide and disbelieving. "Are you a mind reader or something?"
"Ufufufu~ This is the power of the glasses!...If I wore one," Rin laughed, her expression playful. "But no, I have my ways and suspicions, but first a tangent, how long have you been studying magic?"
Marisa's eyes narrowed in thought, her mind racing with memories of her long, arduous journey into the world of magic. She remembered the countless nights spent poring over ancient grimoires, the endless experiments and failures, and the countless hours of practice and training. "I've been studying magic for many years now, ze, I think since I've been small? I don't remember exactly, I was like five or six when I started? Alice, or even you might know better. I just know it has been a long time, that's for sure."
Humming in thought, Rin nodded. "So, a long time. What do you think of yourself? Do you think you're a good magician?"
"I wouldn't say I'm the best, ze," Marisa replied, her voice tinged with a hint of modesty, but her eyes shone with a quiet confidence. She knew her strengths and weaknesses, she had studied and trained hard, and she was proud of what she had achieved. She was not the strongest magician, but she was certainly not the weakest either. "I would say I am pretty good though, ze."
"Alright, I think you learned magic mostly by yourself?" Rin asked, her tone inquiring but gentle. Her gaze was fixed on Marisa, her eyes searching for any signs of hesitation or doubt.
"Pretty much, ze," Marisa replied, her voice filled with a mixture of pride and sadness. She had always been a bit of a loner, preferring to work on her own rather than seek the help of others. She had learned a lot, but it had been a long, lonely road. "I picked up a few things from Alice, but most of the stuff I learned, I figured it out myself."
Leaning forward, Rin clasped her fingers together and stared at Marisa with a neutral gaze. "Are you sure you did? I am not doubting your efforts, but are you absolutely certain you learned everything by yourself?"
Marisa frowned, her brows furrowed in confusion as she searched her memories. She remembered the countless books she had read, the endless experiments she had conducted, the countless trials and errors she had gone through. Though perhaps Marisa had been downplaying Alice's contribution to her magic learning. She might've been subconsciously downplayed her friend's role in her own learning, or perhaps she had just forgotten how much Alice had actually helped her. "I mean, I guess I did have some help from Alice....okay, a lot of help from Alice...but still, I did learn most of the stuff myself."
"Hmm, alright, I want you to hold that thought, hold it tight okay? Now, I will need you to go to sleep now," Rin said, her tone gentle yet firm.
"Wait, what?" Marisa's eyes widened in surprise, her expression a mix of confusion and disbelief. She looked at Rin, her eyes searching for an explanation, but Rin's gaze was steady, her expression calm and assured.
"Don't worry, it's a necessary step, I assure you as a friend. It will take a few hours but by the time you wake up, we'll have the answers you seek," Rin reassured her, her voice gentle yet firm. "Now, do you want me to take out a futon and we do it here? Or would you prefer to go to the guest room?"
"...What are you going to do with me asleep?" Marisa asked, her voice filled with suspicion.
Sighing, Rin rolled her eyes. "It's not like that, Marisa. You know I would never do anything to hurt you. I'm just going to... well, you'll see, I can't spoil the surprise. Now, do you want me to get the futon or do you want to go to the guest room?"
"Hmph, alright, ze. I guess I'll trust you," Marisa huffed, her voice filled with a mix of reluctance and trust. She decided to go to the guest room, wanting a little more privacy. As she walked to the room, she couldn't help but wonder what Rin was planning. Marisa doubted it was something bad, but it was weird. She felt a mix of excitement and nervousness as she entered the room and lay down on the futon.
"Alright, now close your eyes and count backward from ten," Rin instructed, her voice gentle yet commanding.
"Ten, nine, eight, seven..." Marisa counted, her voice growing softer with each number. As she reached five, she felt herself growing drowsy, her eyelids heavy and her body relaxed. By the time she reached two, she was already fast asleep, her breathing steady and deep, lost in the world of dreams.
The room was dark when Marisa woke up, her eyes fluttering open to the dim light of a lantern. She felt disoriented, unsure of how long she had been asleep. The last thing she remembered was Rin's gentle voice telling her to count backwards, and then everything went dark. She rubbed her eyes, trying to clear the fog of sleep from her mind.
"You're finally awake, it seems," a familiar voice spoke, breaking the silence of the room. Marisa turned her head to see Rin sitting beside her, a soft smile on her lips. She was holding a small bottle filled with a golden liquid, swirling it around gently.
"Wha... what happened, ze?" Marisa asked, her voice still groggy from sleep. She sat up, trying to shake the feeling of disorientation. "And what's that in your hand?"
"Ah, this? Just a little something I whipped up," Rin replied, her voice filled with a hint of pride. She held up the bottle, the golden liquid catching the light from the lantern and casting a warm glow on her face. "It's a special kind of potion, designed to help with memory retrieval. I think it's the best solution to our problem."
"Memory retrieval, huh? Guess there are all kinds of potions out there, ze," Marisa mused, her eyes fixed on the bottle. She had never heard of a memory retrieval potion before, but then again, she was always more interested in creating powerful blasts and mastering spells than studying alchemy. She looked up at Rin, a mixture of curiosity and apprehension on her face. "So, what's the plan, doc? Why didn't we use it with your problem?"
Rin chuckled softly, setting the bottle down on a nearby table. "It's simple really, I suspect while similar, this case is different from mine. Now, I will need to spray your face with this potion and it will be very surprising, okay?"
"...Is it a surprise if you tell me it will be?" Marisa retorted, her voice laced with a mixture of sarcasm and humour.
"Well, we'll see about that, won't we?" Rin said, a mischievous glint in her eyes. She picked up the bottle and uncorked it, releasing a faint, earthy aroma that filled the air. Marisa wrinkled her nose at the smell, but she didn't say anything, her curiosity overpowering her distaste.
Rin brought the bottle closer to Marisa's face, her movements slow and deliberate. As she tipped the bottle, the golden liquid began to pour out, falling onto Marisa's face in a thin, steady stream. The sensation of the liquid on her skin was strange, a mixture of cold and warm, like a cool breeze on a hot summer day. The smell was even stronger now, filling her nostrils with its earthy, pungent scent. But as the liquid touched her skin, it seemed to do nothing. It simply dripped down her face, leaving a wet, shiny trail in its wake.
Marisa's eyes were wide with surprise, her expression a mixture of confusion and disappointment. She had expected something more, something dramatic, something magical. But all she felt was a strange, damp sensation on her face. She blinked, trying to clear the liquid from her eyes, and then looked at Rin, her gaze questioning and bewildered.
"What the heck was that about, ze?" she asked, her voice a mixture of annoyance and confusion. She wiped the liquid from her face, her hand coming away sticky and smelling faintly of earth and herbs. "Did you prank me? What's the point of that?"
Rin chuckled softly, corking the bottle and setting it back on the table. "It's not a prank, Marisa. It's a memory retrieval potion, remember? And Mima was your teacher"
"...Fueh?" Was all Marisa could muster. The name felt familiar, and her brain was processing it. Like a dam opening, memories flowed into her, her mind was bombarded with memories, some of which she had forgotten, or perhaps never even realised she had. Though her realisation interrupted when Rin continued.
"Oh and the potion doesn't do much of anything, it was just a prop to throw you off for a moment. I just needed to use it as a way to help trigger your memories," Rin explained, her voice soft and gentle, but with a hint of amusement. "I know you, Marisa, and I know you respond better to tactile experiences. So, I thought the sensation of the liquid on your face would help jog your memory. And it worked, didn't it?"
"...You're a bit of a jerk, you know that?" Marisa said, her voice filled with a mixture of annoyance and amusement. She wiped the remaining liquid from her face, her hand coming away sticky and smelling faintly of earth and herbs. She couldn't help but smile, despite her irritation. Rin was right, the potion had worked, and now she remembered Mima now. "But thanks, I guess. I appreciate your... unique methods. "
"Anytime, Marisa. Anytime." Rin smiled warmly, her eyes twinkling with satisfaction, "Mima was a handful, wasn't she? Though I admit, I only knew mostly from others, and what I heard wasn't exactly good. But you don't seem to have a bad relationship with her."
"Mima is..." Marisa paused, searching for the right words to describe the woman who had been such a big part of her life. Mima was a complex character, a mix of contradictions and paradoxes. She was both cruel and kind, harsh and gentle, wise and foolish. She was a mentor, a guide, and a source of frustration and anger. She was the woman who had taught Marisa magic, but also the one who had pushed her to her limits, both physically and mentally. "She's... Mima. That's the only way I can describe her, really."
"I suppose that's one way to explain to her. Though, just Mima? I thought you call her lady Mima?~" Rin teased, her voice playful and teasing.
"Sh-shut up, ze!" Marisa stuttered, her face turning red with embarrassment. She couldn't deny that she had called Mima "lady Mima" in the past. It was a term of respect, but also mostly because she was too young. "I was a kid! And she made me!"
Rin laughed, her voice light and airy. "I know, I know. It's just fun to tease you, Marisa. But seriously, I'm glad you remember her now. She was a big part of your life, wasn't she?"
"Yeah, she was. I owe her a lot, even if she could be a real pain in the ass sometimes. Alice and her were, are, my mentors, I guess," Marisa admitted, her voice filled with a mix of nostalgia and gratitude. "She taught me so much, and pushed me to my limits. Without her, I don't think I'd be the magician I am today."
Then memories of her being pranked, pushed around, and teased came to her mind, and she groaned. Marisa remembered the countless hours of practice, the endless drills and exercises, and the countless times Mima would make her do something just for her own amusement. She had been a tough teacher, and her methods were often unorthodox and even cruel at times. "...Actually, I'm not sure how to feel now, ze. She did a lot of annoying things to me, Alice is definitely the best, ze."
"I don't know Marisa, from what I heard, you remind me of her quite a lot. You did a lot of her antics, though in your own way, of course. But still," Rin said, her voice filled with a mix of amusement and understanding. "And it seems like you got a mix of both of your mentors, in different ratios."
"...You are mean, ze," Marisa grumbled, her voice filled with annoyance and a hint of resignation. "I'm not that bad! And I'm nothing like her, ze! I'm not that annoying, am I, ze?"
"Well, you're not as bad as her, but you're definitely up there," Rin said, her voice filled with a mix of amusement and affection. "Alright, I am just kidding! But seriously, I'm glad you got your memories back. It's always good to know where we come from, and who we owe our successes to."
"...I guess you're right," Marisa admitted, her voice filled with a mix of resignation and acceptance. "But I'm not gonna admit to anyone that I'm anything like her, ze. That's just too embarrassing."
"But you are embarrassing, Marisa," Rin teased, her voice filled with a mix of amusement and truthful. "And you're also very cute, especially when you're being all grumpy and pouty like that."
"...Shut up, ze." Marisa grumbled, her cheeks turning red with embarrassment. She crossed her arms and looked away, trying to hide her blush. "I'm not cute, and I'm not grumpy. I'm just... me."
Chuckling, Rin reached out and ruffled Marisa's hair, her touch gentle and affectionate. "There, there. No need to be shy, Marisa. We're all friends here, and we all have our quirks. Yours just happen to be a bit more... unique, that's all."
"Whatever, ze." Marisa huffed, her voice filled with a mix of annoyance and resignation, "..So, I just forgot? Not like your weird, sorry, I meant unique, condition? Why did I forget?"
Trailing off, Rin's expression turned thoughtful, her eyes fixed on a distant point as she considered Marisa's question. "I'm not sure, Marisa. But I could guess why you could remember, or at least felt why you felt forgetting something though. At the very least, I am quite confident why I was able to remind you of her"
"Well, what is it, ze?"
"It's because of the restless spirit. Mima is a spirit, if I remembered correctly. You might've been able to remember because of your exposure to the restless spirit. Maybe it was just the last straw for you, like a catalyst, and you remembered just like that if a bit faint. So I decided to simply use some sort of shock therapy of sorts to jolt the memories loose. It's mostly just my first immediate guess really," Rin explained, her tone confident and assured, "As for why you forgot, it seemed someone or something locked your memories away. Nothing as severe or total as mine, of course as your memories are still there. They are just... buried. Buried deep enough it took you this long, or the restless spirit's appearance, to dig it up. Too intricate and gentle for accidental, so it must be something that was done on purpose and by someone who knew what they were doing. I can't say who did it though, I am no magician."
"...This definitely sounds like what Mima would do. I guess I'll have to investigate this, ze. Also you definitely have a Hakurei instinct if your guess was this accurate right off," Sanding up up, Marisa stretched her arms and cracked her neck. "By the way, you know about Mima, RIn?"
"Hmm, well, don't you remember? Previous Hakurei often fought with her, even sealed Mima multiple times but the spirit always escaped," Resting her cheek on her palm, Rin sighed, "The previous Hakurei always grumbled about that woman. She was a menace, a troublemaker, and an all-around pain in the ass, I am paraphrasing what the previous Hakurei said, by the way. Though she calmed down when Reimu, and most likely you, were of a certain age? I don't think she was around much during Rumia's time, or else I would've met her, I think?"
"Huh, I never knew she did that. I guess I was too young to remember. I just know she was there for a long time, ze," Shrugging, Marisa sighed. "I guess I'll have to ask Reimu and Alice about it. They might know something about her that I don't, ze. Wonder where she went, ze. I guess she just got bored and went somewhere else?"
Humming, Rin suddenly looked thoughtful and she brought out the black rectangle that Marisa was familiar with. Grabbing a cup of water to drink, Marisa watched her friend tapping the rectangle and before showing a picture of a blonde girl, "Marisa, do you remember this girl?"
Looking at the picture, Marisa frowned. The girl in the picture looked familiar, but she couldn't quite place her. She racked her brain, trying to remember where she had seen her before. "I... think I've seen her before, but I can't remember where, ze. She looks familiar, but I can't put my finger on it."
"She should be older than you knew and you were quite young I think. There was an incident in the past where a mysterious ruin suddenly appeared, with pamphlets promising that if anyone proves they are strong or capable enough, they could enter the ruin and have their wish granted," Rin explained, her tone light and amused. She took the black rectangle back and looked at the picture again. "It was a misunderstanding of sorts, you should ask Chiyuri later in the Village, but in the end the ruin, which was actually a ship, was gone. I think ever since then, Mima was never seen again?"
Trying to process what she had heard, Marisa rubbed her forehead, trying to wrap her head around the story. Memories of the ruin and the girl in the picture came flooding back, but they were fuzzy and indistinct, like a half-forgotten dream. She remembered the excitement and the fear, the thrill of adventure and the uncertainty of what lay ahead. But the details were hazy, and she couldn't quite piece them together.
"Ah, I think I can recall something, ze," Marisa mused, her voice trailing off as she tried to remember more. "I think I went there with Mima and met the girl...girls? Weird, I remembered there were two of the girls? Maybe there were? And we fought and I lost, ze. I think that's what happened? I can't quite remember, ze."
Shaking her head, Rin shrugged. "Don't worry about it, Marisa. I'm sure it will come back to you eventually. You can ask Chiyuri herself later, tomorrow though. It's already very late into the night. You can stay over if you want."
Nodding, Marisa got up and stretched, her joints popping as she moved. "I think I'll take you up on that offer, ze. I'm too tired to fly home, so, thanks, Rin."
"Don't think too much about it." Rin smiled warmly, her eyes twinkling with satisfaction. "I'm just glad I could help you get your memories back. Now, let's have some dinner first. I'm sure you're hungry after all that sleep."
Onozuka Komachi yawned as she paddled her boat across the Sanzu River. It had been a long day, ferrying souls across the river, and she was exhausted. She had been working non-stop for days, ever since the massive spirit outbreak that had caused chaos throughout Gensokyo. As she rowed, she couldn't help but notice the eerie silence that had fallen over the river. Usually, the sound of the water lapping against the boat and the creaking of the oars would be enough to fill the air, but today, it was as if the river itself had grown silent, as if it were holding its breath.
Suddenly, Komachi felt a chill run down her spine. She turned her head, looking around to see if anyone or anything was nearby. The river was empty, and the only sound was the gentle lap of the water against the boat. She was alone, only the soul she had been ferrying, a middle age man, was with her. But then she saw it. In the reflection of the water, a large, white mass passed beneath her boat. Not inside the river, but in the reflection itself. It was as if the water had become a mirror, reflecting not the sky above, but something else entirely as whatever it was, it was bigger than the river itself.
"...So that's what got the higher-ups all in a tizzy," she muttered to herself, her voice barely above a whisper staying quiet, the Shinigami continued to watch the river, waiting for something, anything, to happen. But nothing did. The white being continued to move beneath the boat, but it seemed to have no effect on the water itself. It was as if the river had become a screen, reflecting a scene from another world. She had heard rumours of something made a mess on the other side of the river, she never thought to possibly met the probably culprit though
But, as she continued to watch, nothing more happened. The white thing moved on, leaving no trace behind. She couldn't even see it properly, only its reflection. Komachi sighed, her shoulders sagging in relief. Whatever it was, it had moved on, leaving her and the soul on the boat alone in the eerie silence of the Sanzu River.
"...Not my problem, not my problem," she muttered to herself, resuming her rowing. She had more important things to worry about than whatever that thing was. As she continued to ferry the soul across the river, she couldn't shake the feeling that something was watching her from beneath the water. Something ancient, something powerful, something that had no place in this world, or perhaps it did?
'Wonder what made something like that to move and made a mess of things, no wonder all the restless spirits everywhere…I pity whatever in its path or worse, destination'
"The ice fairy and her two youkai friends find themselves in an unknown secret lab that contains experiments on the supernatural through some sort of portal. The vampires hijack a ritual to the outside world and cause the disappearance of a major vampire House in America. Ran's encounter with cults in Tokyo. And finally, Medicine who somehow phased through the Hakurei Broder and your gatekeeper who followed her through some sort of boundary hopping ability, stopping a cult that also accidentally summoned two autumn goddesses" Yakumo Yukari, the youkai of boundaries, repeated the points one by one, listing the events that had occurred in the outside world in just two days at most. Her fan snapped closed and she pointed it at Kazami Yuuka, the master of the flowers. "And now you, Kazami Yuuka, appeared here in my home. You know what is happening currently, both in Gensokyo and outside, don't you?"
Yuuka chuckled, her laughter soft and melodic. "Oh my, such accusations. And here I thought I was merely paying a social visit to an old friend," she said, her tone playful yet mocking. "But alas, you are incorrect in this matter, miss Sage of Gensokyo. I have no idea about what is happening in the outside world, I simply sent Elly to retrieve little Medi, that's all~"
"We both know that's a lie. Else Elly wouldn't have also gone and brought back both the vampires and the ice fairy's group too," Yukari countered, her calm demeanour betrayed by her sharp gaze. "The unspoken rule of not interfering with the Outside World was there for a reason, and you broke it."
Yuuka's smile grew wider, her expression becoming more amused. "And we both know it wasn't me, or even them that broke such a rule. It's not interference if the Outside World themselves come to us. In fact, you should've thanked Elly for retrieving our wayward residents back, no? I simply noticed our missing members and decided to help, that's all~"
Yukari's eyes flashed dangerously, her patience wearing thin. She had been dealing with the repercussions of the events that had occurred in the outside world, and the last thing she needed was a game of words. "You know what's happening, don't you? This is no coincidence that all of this happened within days of each other, and at the time restless spirits filled Gensokyo."
Her smile never faltered, Yuuka simply shrugged. "I'm just a humble flower youkai, Yukari. I have no knowledge of such big things."
In an uncharacteristic act of anger, Yukari slammed her hands on the table between them. "Enough games, Yuuka. This is no time to play coy. If you know something, you must tell me."
Yuuka, however, remained unfazed by Yukari's outburst. "Oh, my, Yukari, I do not appreciate such forceful actions. We are, after all, just two ladies having a civil conversation, are we not?" she said, her tone still playful and mocking.
"You..." Yukari started, but then took a deep breath, calming herself. "I will not fall into your games, Yuuka. Gensokyo's future is at stake, it might've been fine now but if this continues, who knows what will happen."
The flower youkai's smile only grew wider, her green eyes sparkling with amusement. "Oh, Yukari, you misunderstand me. I am not playing games. I truly have no knowledge of what is happening Outside. If I did, don't you think I would've done something about it? After all, a healthy and stable Gensokyo is in the best interests of all who call it home, myself included.
"I know you know this Yukari, you are too smart to not see that, So I wonder, what happened to make you so impatient? Is it the possible threats just revealed? Or your ignorance of the current Outside World? ...Or is it something else? Perhaps-" Before Yuuka could finish her sentence, several gaps opened around her and sharp metal poles suddenly appeared from the gaps. They stopped millimetres from Yuuka's body, but she didn't even flinch. Instead, she simply looked at the metal poles with a curious gaze, as if inspecting a new type of flower.
"..." Yukari glared at Yuuka, her purple eyes filled with fury. "Don't say it."
Yuuka smirked, her green eyes shining with mischief. "Oh? Did I touch a nerve? Are you perhaps hiding something from everyone, oh great sage of Gensokyo? A secret weakness of yours? Perhaps something to do with our new resident of the shrine? Ah she isn't exactly new isn't she?~ Or perhaps it has to do with-" This time, she was cut off as the metal poles moved closer, the tips now almost touching her skin. Despite this, Yuuka remained unfazed, her smirk never faltering.
"..." Yukari said nothing, but her expression said it all. She was furious, her purple eyes filled with a mixture of anger and pain. She wanted to lash out, to strike back at the flower youkai who was mocking her, but she knew better than to let her emotions control her. Instead, she took a deep breath, steadying herself.
"Very well, I'll stop." Yuuka conceded, her smirk fading into a more neutral expression. "I apologise if I offended you, I was merely curious about what had you so on edge. And as someone whose existence is to protect and uphold the border of Gensokyo, I understand your concern, I really am. So I'll tell you a few things, some you most likely already know, some not so much."
Yukari stared at Yuuka, her expression a mix of suspicion and curiosity. The metal poles slowly receded back into the gaps, disappearing from sight. "Go on," she said, her voice low and cautious.
"First of all, everything so far, have simply be a big chain of coincidence~ At least as far as I consider it, mhm~" Yuuka started, her tone light and airy, "It's just so happen everything happened during border between the living and the death at their weakest in a long time during Halloween, a massive upheaval happened in the afterlives due to some movements which I am sure you knew why~ This, coupled with the coincidence many things happening in Outside during this time of the year, exploiting said weakening border most likely, caused the restless spirits to be everywhere and might've impacted the great Hakurei Border~"
Yukari's expression darkened, her purple eyes narrowing in anger. "Don't play with me, Yuuka. We both know that it's more than mere coincidence. Someone or something is behind this, manipulating events from the shadows. And I have a feeling that you know more than you're letting on."
SIghing, Yuuka shook her head. "I'm telling the truth. I really don't know anything more than you do, you're supposed to be the mastermind of Gensokyo, no? And Yukari, you're blinded by your paranoia. There's no grand conspiracy at work here, just a series of unfortunate coincidences. So far, I've never heard anything from Elly that suggests people Outside even knew of Gensokyo, though you might knew better admittedly. But surely you, the great sage of Gensokyo, are not that foolish to think everything is a plot?"
"I-" "Yukari, have you looked at the mirror recently? You're not well, your mind is not well, and you know it. Your shikigami, and her shikigami, might not have said anything but they have noticed too. I know not what happened and frankly I won't pretend I care, but you need to rest. You're jumping at shadows, seeing plots and schemes where there are none." Yuuka interrupted, her voice firm and unyielding, "Even if these series of coincidences do reveal possible threats against Gensokyo, at your current state you will simply make mistakes that could doom Gensokyo instead of protecting it."
Silence hung in the air between them, heavy and oppressive. Yukari's purple eyesnarrowed, her expression a mix of anger and resignation. She knew that Yuuka was right, she had been pushing herself too hard, her mind clouded by stress and certain things. She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. "You're right. I'm sorry, Yuuka. I shouldn't have lashed out at you like that. I'm just... tired."
Yuuka smiled softly, her green eyes filled with a mixture of sympathy and amusement. "There's no need to apologise, Yukari. We all have our moments of weakness. But I must warn you, before you accuse others, take a good look in the mirror yourself and see how you looked. It's not a coincidence that you've become so paranoid. Maybe instead of worrying about others, worry about yourself first?"
Yukari nodded, her expression grim. She knew that Yuuka was right, she had to take care of herself first before she could take care of Gensokyo. "...I will. Thank you for your concern, Yuuka."
"Oh, and while I don't mind you accusing me of things, especially at your current state, do remember not to do it while you yourself planned something that will affect Gensokyo itself, Yukari~" The smile on Yuuka's face never faltered as she stood, but Yukari could feel, even with all her power, a cold chill run down her spine. "I might not know the details, and I won't tell you how I knew, just like you never tell anyone how you do things. But remember, if the flowers suffer for far too long, I won't be as gracious~"
Yakumo Yukari, the youkai of boundaries, one of the sages of Gensokyo, one who faced and outsmarted many youkais and worse in her life, was silent. No words could escape her lips as Yuuka left the Yakumo Household.
It was Halloween, a day Chen barely knew the meaning of, but Rin had explained that it was a day for the dead. The air was thick with the presence of spirits, restless and wandering, yet oddly subdued. They seemed to be soothed by Rin's song, their whispers blending harmoniously with her melody. It made the usually energetic Chen feel safe, secure, and sleepy.
Rin's hand was gentle and patient as she groomed Chen, untangling knots and smoothing her fur. The rhythmic strokes and the occasional scratch behind the ears were almost hypnotic. "This feels nice," Chen purred, her voice a contented rumble. She was usually so full of energy and mischief, but right now she felt like a lazy house cat, basking in the simple pleasures of a peaceful afternoon. The shrine was quiet, the birds were singing in the trees, and the sun was warm on her fur.
"You're very fluffy today," Rin commented, her tone light and teasing. Chen's ears twitched in amusement, "I'm always fluffy, nya~" she replied, her words slurring slightly as she drifted in and out of sleep. Rin laughed softly at this, a sound that Chen found strangely comforting. It was like a warm blanket wrapping around her, filling her with a sense of security and belonging.
Chen's eyes grew heavy with each stroke of Rin's hand. She felt so warm, so comfortable, so... sleepy. The world around her seemed to fade away, replaced by a peaceful darkness. Her breathing slowed, and her thoughts became hazy. She was drifting off, sinking into the soft embrace of sleep. As she drifted off, she could still hear the soothing melody of Rin's song, like a lullaby guiding her gently into the realm of dreams. And in that moment, she was not a nekomata, but a small cat, safe and loved, falling asleep on a warm afternoon at Hakurei Shrine. The last thing she felt before sleep took her was the gentle press of Rin's lips against her forehead, a silent gesture of affection that made her heart swell with happiness. And then, she was dreaming, lost in a world of warmth and comfort, where everything was soft and safe.
"Sleep well, little Chen," Rin whispered, her voice a tender caress in the quiet. She watched as the nekomata's breathing slowed and her body relaxed, a soft smile playing on her lips. The sight was so peaceful, so serene, and she couldn't help but feel a wave of affection for the usually energetic girl. Rin gently shifted her position, careful not to wake the sleeping nekomata. She stood up, stretching her limbs and feeling the satisfying pop of her joints. The sun was still high in the sky, casting a warm, golden glow over the shrine grounds.
"Ran should be back soon right? Chen has been really lonely recently, it seems Yukari is busy too.." Rin muttered, "..Everyone's been busy lately, even Reimu going out to the village until late night recently.."
As Rin stepped out into the sunlight, she noticed a familiar figure climbing the shrine's steps. It was Marisa, the witch, but there was something different about her today. She was walking, not flying on her broom. It was an unusual sight, to see the confident, brash Marisa walking up the steps, her boots crunching on the gravel. Her blonde hair, usually tousled and windswept, was neatly tied back, and her clothes looked cleaner than usual. Rin couldn't help but wonder why the witch had decided to walk today.
"G'day, Rin," Marisa greeted, her voice a mix of her usual confidence and something else that Rin couldn't quite place. She stopped at the top of the steps, her eyes meeting Rin's. There was a hint of nervousness there, a flicker of uncertainty that was so unlike the Marisa Rin knew. It was as if she was trying to hide something, to maintain a facade of normalcy.
"Good day to you too, Marisa," Rin replied, her tone friendly and welcoming. "What brings you here today? Didn't see you flying on your broom."
Marisa's smile grew a bit wider, "Broke my brooms few days ago, but I got Patchy to help me make a new one. Can you believe it? Patchy actually offered to help me without me even asking, ze. She really is a softie deep inside, huh?"
"Ah, I see. I'm sorry to hear that. It must have been quite a hassle, but I'm glad to hear you've become closer with miss Patchouli," Rin's smile was warm, and her eyes sparkled with genuine happiness, "Did you come here for Reimu? I am afraid she's still busy in the Human Village. I'm sorry, I hope this doesn't cause any inconvenience."
Marisa shrugged, her posture relaxing slightly. "Nah, it's fine, ze. I just came to hang out. She's still at that huh? Man, that girl sure knows how to milk the situation, huh? Using the villagers' ignorance to her advantage, gathering donations in the name of exorcism. Smart, but kinda cheeky, don't ya think?"
"Indeed, she always quite the... enterprising shrine maiden, I guess you could say. Now if only she is also a diligent one. But alas, that is not the case," Rin said, her voice tinged with a hint of amusement. She knew Reimu's methods well, having watched her work for years. The shrine maiden was a force to be reckoned with, that's for sure, but her laziness was also legendary. It was a part of her charm, in a way.
Marisa let out a hearty laugh, her voice ringing clear in the autumn air. "That's our Reimu, ze. Always up for a good scam, but never willing to do a day's honest work. She's a piece of work, that's for sure."
Rin couldn't help but chuckle at Marisa's words. "Let us not stand here for long. Come in, the weather might change any minute. The porch is occupied but the main room is empty. I just made some tea," Rin said, gesturing towards the shrine's entrance. She led the way, her steps light and graceful. Marisa followed, her boots thudding softly on the wooden floor.
As they entered the main room, Rin noticed Marisa seemed distracted. Her gaze looked distant, as if she was deep in thought. Not in her usual, but often overlooked, studiousness, but more contemplative, something that is usually not associated with the loud and boisterous witch. Rin couldn't help but wonder what was on her mind. She knew Marisa well enough to know that something was bothering her, but she also knew that the witch was not one to open up easily. She would wait, give her the space she needed, and be there for her if and when she was ready to talk.
Rin busied herself preparing the tea, her movements practised and precise. As the tea steeped, she turned to face Marisa, who had settled down on the floor. The witch's expression was still pensive, her brow slightly furrowed. Rin decided to try and lighten the mood, hoping to ease whatever was weighing on her friend's mind. "So, how's life in the Forest of Magic, Marisa?" Rin asked, her voice soft and inquiring.
"It's been good, ze," Marisa replied, her voice a little distant, but with a hint of fondness. "Still the same old place, with its magical creatures and all. Been busy studying, experimenting, you know. I've been trying to find a way to improve my Master Spark, and find a new way to make better magic explosions. Tried to go to Alice's place but it seems she's busy. Probably busy with some dolls. Haven't seen her much lately."
"Hmm~ I can understand that. She does seem to be preoccupied with something lately," Rin agreed, pouring the tea into two small cups. The fragrant aroma filled the room, a comforting scent that seemed to ease some of the tension. "But it's good to hear that you've been busy studying and improving. That's the Marisa we know and love."
"What? Not the loud and boisterous one, ze?" Marisa replied, her tone teasing but with an undertone of gratitude. She reached for the cup of tea, her fingers brushing against Rin's for a moment as she took it. She felt a sudden warmth in her cheeks, and she quickly pulled her hand away, taking a sip of the tea to hide her flustered state. The tea was warm and soothing, with a delicate flavour that was both calming and invigorating.
"Both are the Marisa we know and love, dear," Rin corrected her, her eyes twinkling with amusement. She sipped her own tea, savouring the taste. The room filled with a comfortable silence, broken only by the soft sounds of their breathing and the occasional clink of their teacups.
"...Rin, have you ever felt like you've forgotten something important?" Marisa suddenly asked, her voice barely above a whisper. Her eyes were fixed on the cup.
"...Marisa, you do realise who you're talking to, right?"
Marisa blinked, her face morphing into a look of realisation before her face turned red. "Ah, right, my bad," she muttered, her voice trailing off as she took another sip of tea, her eyes still fixed on the cup. Her face was a mix of embarrassment and something else, something Rin couldn't quite place, "It's just... lately, I've been feeling a bit absentminded, ze. It wasn't even that big, just a faint feeling that I've forgotten something."
Humming, Rin nodded, "And I doubt you would talk about this if you didn't suspect anything?"
"Yeah, I mean, like I am no Reimu. I don't have that instinct or anything. But I can't shake this feeling, this might not just be a small thing, ze," Marisa confessed, her voice growing quieter with each word, her face etched with a mix of confusion and frustration. She looked up at Rin, her eyes searching for some kind of understanding, some kind of reassurance. "And I have a hunch it's something to do with what's happening with you, Rin. Or at least something similar?"
Silence hung in the air for a moment, thick and heavy, before Rin finally spoke, her voice gentle but firm. "I understand, Marisa. I really do. Trust me, I understand more than anyone. ..And I might be able to help."
Marisa's eyes widened, her expression a mix of surprise and relief. "You think so, ze?"
"Yes, a moment." Rin stood and went out of the room for a moment before came back with a stack of papers, a pen, and a pair of glasses. She sat down, adjusting her glasses and looked at Marisa, her gaze steady and reassuring. "We will basically do something similar to what you did with Alice to see if this is truly something similar"
Marisa looked at Rin, or rather the glasses, baffled. "...What's with the get-up, ze?"
"Supposedly, to look smarter, I presume? Don't I look smart and reliable? I tried to do my best here" Rin's voice was confident with a hint of amusement as she adjusted her glasses again, her expression serious yet playful.
Snorting, Marisa shook her head, her expression a mix of amusement and disbelief. "You look ridiculous, ze. I don't think glasses suit you."
Rin playfully pouted, "Oh come on, I thought I looked quite cool with them. Like a researcher, or a doctor. Do you think I should've worn a lab coat, or a stethoscope? I think that's how physician nowadays look like"
"Nah, I think you look goofy with them," Marisa teased, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "And I can't imagine you in a lab coat, ze. You're more the traditional healer type, I think."
"Ah, you wound me, Marisa," Rin said, her voice playful. "But fine, I shall take off this 'ridiculous' pair of eyeglasses. Just for you, alright?" With a flourish, she took off the glasses and placed them carefully on the table, her eyes never leaving Marisa's.
"Good, you finally look less weird, ze," Marisa grinned, her eyes sparkling with amusement. "I like this Rin better, the one without the glasses."
"Why thank you, I do quite like myself too," Rin replied, her voice light and teasing. "So, I'll start with my first guess"
Marisa blinked, her expression turning from playful to confused in an instant. "Huh, first guess? I thought we're gonna do like bunch of questions and stuff."
Giggling, Rin shrugged, her expression a mix of playful and mischievous. "I know you, Marisa. I know you won't be patient enough to answer a lot of questions, and besides, the answer is clear!...Ah, I forgot I don't wear glasses so I can't make a dramatic point. Anyway, It starts around a week or so right? When the restless spirit appeared?"
"...How did you know?" Marisa asked, her voice a mix of confusion and awe. She looked at Rin, her eyes wide and disbelieving. "Are you a mind reader or something?"
"Ufufufu~ This is the power of the glasses!...If I wore one," Rin laughed, her expression playful. "But no, I have my ways and suspicions, but first a tangent, how long have you been studying magic?"
Marisa's eyes narrowed in thought, her mind racing with memories of her long, arduous journey into the world of magic. She remembered the countless nights spent poring over ancient grimoires, the endless experiments and failures, and the countless hours of practice and training. "I've been studying magic for many years now, ze, I think since I've been small? I don't remember exactly, I was like five or six when I started? Alice, or even you might know better. I just know it has been a long time, that's for sure."
Humming in thought, Rin nodded. "So, a long time. What do you think of yourself? Do you think you're a good magician?"
"I wouldn't say I'm the best, ze," Marisa replied, her voice tinged with a hint of modesty, but her eyes shone with a quiet confidence. She knew her strengths and weaknesses, she had studied and trained hard, and she was proud of what she had achieved. She was not the strongest magician, but she was certainly not the weakest either. "I would say I am pretty good though, ze."
"Alright, I think you learned magic mostly by yourself?" Rin asked, her tone inquiring but gentle. Her gaze was fixed on Marisa, her eyes searching for any signs of hesitation or doubt.
"Pretty much, ze," Marisa replied, her voice filled with a mixture of pride and sadness. She had always been a bit of a loner, preferring to work on her own rather than seek the help of others. She had learned a lot, but it had been a long, lonely road. "I picked up a few things from Alice, but most of the stuff I learned, I figured it out myself."
Leaning forward, Rin clasped her fingers together and stared at Marisa with a neutral gaze. "Are you sure you did? I am not doubting your efforts, but are you absolutely certain you learned everything by yourself?"
Marisa frowned, her brows furrowed in confusion as she searched her memories. She remembered the countless books she had read, the endless experiments she had conducted, the countless trials and errors she had gone through. Though perhaps Marisa had been downplaying Alice's contribution to her magic learning. She might've been subconsciously downplayed her friend's role in her own learning, or perhaps she had just forgotten how much Alice had actually helped her. "I mean, I guess I did have some help from Alice....okay, a lot of help from Alice...but still, I did learn most of the stuff myself."
"Hmm, alright, I want you to hold that thought, hold it tight okay? Now, I will need you to go to sleep now," Rin said, her tone gentle yet firm.
"Wait, what?" Marisa's eyes widened in surprise, her expression a mix of confusion and disbelief. She looked at Rin, her eyes searching for an explanation, but Rin's gaze was steady, her expression calm and assured.
"Don't worry, it's a necessary step, I assure you as a friend. It will take a few hours but by the time you wake up, we'll have the answers you seek," Rin reassured her, her voice gentle yet firm. "Now, do you want me to take out a futon and we do it here? Or would you prefer to go to the guest room?"
"...What are you going to do with me asleep?" Marisa asked, her voice filled with suspicion.
Sighing, Rin rolled her eyes. "It's not like that, Marisa. You know I would never do anything to hurt you. I'm just going to... well, you'll see, I can't spoil the surprise. Now, do you want me to get the futon or do you want to go to the guest room?"
"Hmph, alright, ze. I guess I'll trust you," Marisa huffed, her voice filled with a mix of reluctance and trust. She decided to go to the guest room, wanting a little more privacy. As she walked to the room, she couldn't help but wonder what Rin was planning. Marisa doubted it was something bad, but it was weird. She felt a mix of excitement and nervousness as she entered the room and lay down on the futon.
"Alright, now close your eyes and count backward from ten," Rin instructed, her voice gentle yet commanding.
"Ten, nine, eight, seven..." Marisa counted, her voice growing softer with each number. As she reached five, she felt herself growing drowsy, her eyelids heavy and her body relaxed. By the time she reached two, she was already fast asleep, her breathing steady and deep, lost in the world of dreams.
The room was dark when Marisa woke up, her eyes fluttering open to the dim light of a lantern. She felt disoriented, unsure of how long she had been asleep. The last thing she remembered was Rin's gentle voice telling her to count backwards, and then everything went dark. She rubbed her eyes, trying to clear the fog of sleep from her mind.
"You're finally awake, it seems," a familiar voice spoke, breaking the silence of the room. Marisa turned her head to see Rin sitting beside her, a soft smile on her lips. She was holding a small bottle filled with a golden liquid, swirling it around gently.
"Wha... what happened, ze?" Marisa asked, her voice still groggy from sleep. She sat up, trying to shake the feeling of disorientation. "And what's that in your hand?"
"Ah, this? Just a little something I whipped up," Rin replied, her voice filled with a hint of pride. She held up the bottle, the golden liquid catching the light from the lantern and casting a warm glow on her face. "It's a special kind of potion, designed to help with memory retrieval. I think it's the best solution to our problem."
"Memory retrieval, huh? Guess there are all kinds of potions out there, ze," Marisa mused, her eyes fixed on the bottle. She had never heard of a memory retrieval potion before, but then again, she was always more interested in creating powerful blasts and mastering spells than studying alchemy. She looked up at Rin, a mixture of curiosity and apprehension on her face. "So, what's the plan, doc? Why didn't we use it with your problem?"
Rin chuckled softly, setting the bottle down on a nearby table. "It's simple really, I suspect while similar, this case is different from mine. Now, I will need to spray your face with this potion and it will be very surprising, okay?"
"...Is it a surprise if you tell me it will be?" Marisa retorted, her voice laced with a mixture of sarcasm and humour.
"Well, we'll see about that, won't we?" Rin said, a mischievous glint in her eyes. She picked up the bottle and uncorked it, releasing a faint, earthy aroma that filled the air. Marisa wrinkled her nose at the smell, but she didn't say anything, her curiosity overpowering her distaste.
Rin brought the bottle closer to Marisa's face, her movements slow and deliberate. As she tipped the bottle, the golden liquid began to pour out, falling onto Marisa's face in a thin, steady stream. The sensation of the liquid on her skin was strange, a mixture of cold and warm, like a cool breeze on a hot summer day. The smell was even stronger now, filling her nostrils with its earthy, pungent scent. But as the liquid touched her skin, it seemed to do nothing. It simply dripped down her face, leaving a wet, shiny trail in its wake.
Marisa's eyes were wide with surprise, her expression a mixture of confusion and disappointment. She had expected something more, something dramatic, something magical. But all she felt was a strange, damp sensation on her face. She blinked, trying to clear the liquid from her eyes, and then looked at Rin, her gaze questioning and bewildered.
"What the heck was that about, ze?" she asked, her voice a mixture of annoyance and confusion. She wiped the liquid from her face, her hand coming away sticky and smelling faintly of earth and herbs. "Did you prank me? What's the point of that?"
Rin chuckled softly, corking the bottle and setting it back on the table. "It's not a prank, Marisa. It's a memory retrieval potion, remember? And Mima was your teacher"
"...Fueh?" Was all Marisa could muster. The name felt familiar, and her brain was processing it. Like a dam opening, memories flowed into her, her mind was bombarded with memories, some of which she had forgotten, or perhaps never even realised she had. Though her realisation interrupted when Rin continued.
"Oh and the potion doesn't do much of anything, it was just a prop to throw you off for a moment. I just needed to use it as a way to help trigger your memories," Rin explained, her voice soft and gentle, but with a hint of amusement. "I know you, Marisa, and I know you respond better to tactile experiences. So, I thought the sensation of the liquid on your face would help jog your memory. And it worked, didn't it?"
"...You're a bit of a jerk, you know that?" Marisa said, her voice filled with a mixture of annoyance and amusement. She wiped the remaining liquid from her face, her hand coming away sticky and smelling faintly of earth and herbs. She couldn't help but smile, despite her irritation. Rin was right, the potion had worked, and now she remembered Mima now. "But thanks, I guess. I appreciate your... unique methods. "
"Anytime, Marisa. Anytime." Rin smiled warmly, her eyes twinkling with satisfaction, "Mima was a handful, wasn't she? Though I admit, I only knew mostly from others, and what I heard wasn't exactly good. But you don't seem to have a bad relationship with her."
"Mima is..." Marisa paused, searching for the right words to describe the woman who had been such a big part of her life. Mima was a complex character, a mix of contradictions and paradoxes. She was both cruel and kind, harsh and gentle, wise and foolish. She was a mentor, a guide, and a source of frustration and anger. She was the woman who had taught Marisa magic, but also the one who had pushed her to her limits, both physically and mentally. "She's... Mima. That's the only way I can describe her, really."
"I suppose that's one way to explain to her. Though, just Mima? I thought you call her lady Mima?~" Rin teased, her voice playful and teasing.
"Sh-shut up, ze!" Marisa stuttered, her face turning red with embarrassment. She couldn't deny that she had called Mima "lady Mima" in the past. It was a term of respect, but also mostly because she was too young. "I was a kid! And she made me!"
Rin laughed, her voice light and airy. "I know, I know. It's just fun to tease you, Marisa. But seriously, I'm glad you remember her now. She was a big part of your life, wasn't she?"
"Yeah, she was. I owe her a lot, even if she could be a real pain in the ass sometimes. Alice and her were, are, my mentors, I guess," Marisa admitted, her voice filled with a mix of nostalgia and gratitude. "She taught me so much, and pushed me to my limits. Without her, I don't think I'd be the magician I am today."
Then memories of her being pranked, pushed around, and teased came to her mind, and she groaned. Marisa remembered the countless hours of practice, the endless drills and exercises, and the countless times Mima would make her do something just for her own amusement. She had been a tough teacher, and her methods were often unorthodox and even cruel at times. "...Actually, I'm not sure how to feel now, ze. She did a lot of annoying things to me, Alice is definitely the best, ze."
"I don't know Marisa, from what I heard, you remind me of her quite a lot. You did a lot of her antics, though in your own way, of course. But still," Rin said, her voice filled with a mix of amusement and understanding. "And it seems like you got a mix of both of your mentors, in different ratios."
"...You are mean, ze," Marisa grumbled, her voice filled with annoyance and a hint of resignation. "I'm not that bad! And I'm nothing like her, ze! I'm not that annoying, am I, ze?"
"Well, you're not as bad as her, but you're definitely up there," Rin said, her voice filled with a mix of amusement and affection. "Alright, I am just kidding! But seriously, I'm glad you got your memories back. It's always good to know where we come from, and who we owe our successes to."
"...I guess you're right," Marisa admitted, her voice filled with a mix of resignation and acceptance. "But I'm not gonna admit to anyone that I'm anything like her, ze. That's just too embarrassing."
"But you are embarrassing, Marisa," Rin teased, her voice filled with a mix of amusement and truthful. "And you're also very cute, especially when you're being all grumpy and pouty like that."
"...Shut up, ze." Marisa grumbled, her cheeks turning red with embarrassment. She crossed her arms and looked away, trying to hide her blush. "I'm not cute, and I'm not grumpy. I'm just... me."
Chuckling, Rin reached out and ruffled Marisa's hair, her touch gentle and affectionate. "There, there. No need to be shy, Marisa. We're all friends here, and we all have our quirks. Yours just happen to be a bit more... unique, that's all."
"Whatever, ze." Marisa huffed, her voice filled with a mix of annoyance and resignation, "..So, I just forgot? Not like your weird, sorry, I meant unique, condition? Why did I forget?"
Trailing off, Rin's expression turned thoughtful, her eyes fixed on a distant point as she considered Marisa's question. "I'm not sure, Marisa. But I could guess why you could remember, or at least felt why you felt forgetting something though. At the very least, I am quite confident why I was able to remind you of her"
"Well, what is it, ze?"
"It's because of the restless spirit. Mima is a spirit, if I remembered correctly. You might've been able to remember because of your exposure to the restless spirit. Maybe it was just the last straw for you, like a catalyst, and you remembered just like that if a bit faint. So I decided to simply use some sort of shock therapy of sorts to jolt the memories loose. It's mostly just my first immediate guess really," Rin explained, her tone confident and assured, "As for why you forgot, it seemed someone or something locked your memories away. Nothing as severe or total as mine, of course as your memories are still there. They are just... buried. Buried deep enough it took you this long, or the restless spirit's appearance, to dig it up. Too intricate and gentle for accidental, so it must be something that was done on purpose and by someone who knew what they were doing. I can't say who did it though, I am no magician."
"...This definitely sounds like what Mima would do. I guess I'll have to investigate this, ze. Also you definitely have a Hakurei instinct if your guess was this accurate right off," Sanding up up, Marisa stretched her arms and cracked her neck. "By the way, you know about Mima, RIn?"
"Hmm, well, don't you remember? Previous Hakurei often fought with her, even sealed Mima multiple times but the spirit always escaped," Resting her cheek on her palm, Rin sighed, "The previous Hakurei always grumbled about that woman. She was a menace, a troublemaker, and an all-around pain in the ass, I am paraphrasing what the previous Hakurei said, by the way. Though she calmed down when Reimu, and most likely you, were of a certain age? I don't think she was around much during Rumia's time, or else I would've met her, I think?"
"Huh, I never knew she did that. I guess I was too young to remember. I just know she was there for a long time, ze," Shrugging, Marisa sighed. "I guess I'll have to ask Reimu and Alice about it. They might know something about her that I don't, ze. Wonder where she went, ze. I guess she just got bored and went somewhere else?"
Humming, Rin suddenly looked thoughtful and she brought out the black rectangle that Marisa was familiar with. Grabbing a cup of water to drink, Marisa watched her friend tapping the rectangle and before showing a picture of a blonde girl, "Marisa, do you remember this girl?"
Looking at the picture, Marisa frowned. The girl in the picture looked familiar, but she couldn't quite place her. She racked her brain, trying to remember where she had seen her before. "I... think I've seen her before, but I can't remember where, ze. She looks familiar, but I can't put my finger on it."
"She should be older than you knew and you were quite young I think. There was an incident in the past where a mysterious ruin suddenly appeared, with pamphlets promising that if anyone proves they are strong or capable enough, they could enter the ruin and have their wish granted," Rin explained, her tone light and amused. She took the black rectangle back and looked at the picture again. "It was a misunderstanding of sorts, you should ask Chiyuri later in the Village, but in the end the ruin, which was actually a ship, was gone. I think ever since then, Mima was never seen again?"
Trying to process what she had heard, Marisa rubbed her forehead, trying to wrap her head around the story. Memories of the ruin and the girl in the picture came flooding back, but they were fuzzy and indistinct, like a half-forgotten dream. She remembered the excitement and the fear, the thrill of adventure and the uncertainty of what lay ahead. But the details were hazy, and she couldn't quite piece them together.
"Ah, I think I can recall something, ze," Marisa mused, her voice trailing off as she tried to remember more. "I think I went there with Mima and met the girl...girls? Weird, I remembered there were two of the girls? Maybe there were? And we fought and I lost, ze. I think that's what happened? I can't quite remember, ze."
Shaking her head, Rin shrugged. "Don't worry about it, Marisa. I'm sure it will come back to you eventually. You can ask Chiyuri herself later, tomorrow though. It's already very late into the night. You can stay over if you want."
Nodding, Marisa got up and stretched, her joints popping as she moved. "I think I'll take you up on that offer, ze. I'm too tired to fly home, so, thanks, Rin."
"Don't think too much about it." Rin smiled warmly, her eyes twinkling with satisfaction. "I'm just glad I could help you get your memories back. Now, let's have some dinner first. I'm sure you're hungry after all that sleep."
Onozuka Komachi yawned as she paddled her boat across the Sanzu River. It had been a long day, ferrying souls across the river, and she was exhausted. She had been working non-stop for days, ever since the massive spirit outbreak that had caused chaos throughout Gensokyo. As she rowed, she couldn't help but notice the eerie silence that had fallen over the river. Usually, the sound of the water lapping against the boat and the creaking of the oars would be enough to fill the air, but today, it was as if the river itself had grown silent, as if it were holding its breath.
Suddenly, Komachi felt a chill run down her spine. She turned her head, looking around to see if anyone or anything was nearby. The river was empty, and the only sound was the gentle lap of the water against the boat. She was alone, only the soul she had been ferrying, a middle age man, was with her. But then she saw it. In the reflection of the water, a large, white mass passed beneath her boat. Not inside the river, but in the reflection itself. It was as if the water had become a mirror, reflecting not the sky above, but something else entirely as whatever it was, it was bigger than the river itself.
"...So that's what got the higher-ups all in a tizzy," she muttered to herself, her voice barely above a whisper staying quiet, the Shinigami continued to watch the river, waiting for something, anything, to happen. But nothing did. The white being continued to move beneath the boat, but it seemed to have no effect on the water itself. It was as if the river had become a screen, reflecting a scene from another world. She had heard rumours of something made a mess on the other side of the river, she never thought to possibly met the probably culprit though
But, as she continued to watch, nothing more happened. The white thing moved on, leaving no trace behind. She couldn't even see it properly, only its reflection. Komachi sighed, her shoulders sagging in relief. Whatever it was, it had moved on, leaving her and the soul on the boat alone in the eerie silence of the Sanzu River.
"...Not my problem, not my problem," she muttered to herself, resuming her rowing. She had more important things to worry about than whatever that thing was. As she continued to ferry the soul across the river, she couldn't shake the feeling that something was watching her from beneath the water. Something ancient, something powerful, something that had no place in this world, or perhaps it did?
'Wonder what made something like that to move and made a mess of things, no wonder all the restless spirits everywhere…I pity whatever in its path or worse, destination'
"The ice fairy and her two youkai friends find themselves in an unknown secret lab that contains experiments on the supernatural through some sort of portal. The vampires hijack a ritual to the outside world and cause the disappearance of a major vampire House in America. Ran's encounter with cults in Tokyo. And finally, Medicine who somehow phased through the Hakurei Broder and your gatekeeper who followed her through some sort of boundary hopping ability, stopping a cult that also accidentally summoned two autumn goddesses" Yakumo Yukari, the youkai of boundaries, repeated the points one by one, listing the events that had occurred in the outside world in just two days at most. Her fan snapped closed and she pointed it at Kazami Yuuka, the master of the flowers. "And now you, Kazami Yuuka, appeared here in my home. You know what is happening currently, both in Gensokyo and outside, don't you?"
Yuuka chuckled, her laughter soft and melodic. "Oh my, such accusations. And here I thought I was merely paying a social visit to an old friend," she said, her tone playful yet mocking. "But alas, you are incorrect in this matter, miss Sage of Gensokyo. I have no idea about what is happening in the outside world, I simply sent Elly to retrieve little Medi, that's all~"
"We both know that's a lie. Else Elly wouldn't have also gone and brought back both the vampires and the ice fairy's group too," Yukari countered, her calm demeanour betrayed by her sharp gaze. "The unspoken rule of not interfering with the Outside World was there for a reason, and you broke it."
Yuuka's smile grew wider, her expression becoming more amused. "And we both know it wasn't me, or even them that broke such a rule. It's not interference if the Outside World themselves come to us. In fact, you should've thanked Elly for retrieving our wayward residents back, no? I simply noticed our missing members and decided to help, that's all~"
Yukari's eyes flashed dangerously, her patience wearing thin. She had been dealing with the repercussions of the events that had occurred in the outside world, and the last thing she needed was a game of words. "You know what's happening, don't you? This is no coincidence that all of this happened within days of each other, and at the time restless spirits filled Gensokyo."
Her smile never faltered, Yuuka simply shrugged. "I'm just a humble flower youkai, Yukari. I have no knowledge of such big things."
In an uncharacteristic act of anger, Yukari slammed her hands on the table between them. "Enough games, Yuuka. This is no time to play coy. If you know something, you must tell me."
Yuuka, however, remained unfazed by Yukari's outburst. "Oh, my, Yukari, I do not appreciate such forceful actions. We are, after all, just two ladies having a civil conversation, are we not?" she said, her tone still playful and mocking.
"You..." Yukari started, but then took a deep breath, calming herself. "I will not fall into your games, Yuuka. Gensokyo's future is at stake, it might've been fine now but if this continues, who knows what will happen."
The flower youkai's smile only grew wider, her green eyes sparkling with amusement. "Oh, Yukari, you misunderstand me. I am not playing games. I truly have no knowledge of what is happening Outside. If I did, don't you think I would've done something about it? After all, a healthy and stable Gensokyo is in the best interests of all who call it home, myself included.
"I know you know this Yukari, you are too smart to not see that, So I wonder, what happened to make you so impatient? Is it the possible threats just revealed? Or your ignorance of the current Outside World? ...Or is it something else? Perhaps-" Before Yuuka could finish her sentence, several gaps opened around her and sharp metal poles suddenly appeared from the gaps. They stopped millimetres from Yuuka's body, but she didn't even flinch. Instead, she simply looked at the metal poles with a curious gaze, as if inspecting a new type of flower.
"..." Yukari glared at Yuuka, her purple eyes filled with fury. "Don't say it."
Yuuka smirked, her green eyes shining with mischief. "Oh? Did I touch a nerve? Are you perhaps hiding something from everyone, oh great sage of Gensokyo? A secret weakness of yours? Perhaps something to do with our new resident of the shrine? Ah she isn't exactly new isn't she?~ Or perhaps it has to do with-" This time, she was cut off as the metal poles moved closer, the tips now almost touching her skin. Despite this, Yuuka remained unfazed, her smirk never faltering.
"..." Yukari said nothing, but her expression said it all. She was furious, her purple eyes filled with a mixture of anger and pain. She wanted to lash out, to strike back at the flower youkai who was mocking her, but she knew better than to let her emotions control her. Instead, she took a deep breath, steadying herself.
"Very well, I'll stop." Yuuka conceded, her smirk fading into a more neutral expression. "I apologise if I offended you, I was merely curious about what had you so on edge. And as someone whose existence is to protect and uphold the border of Gensokyo, I understand your concern, I really am. So I'll tell you a few things, some you most likely already know, some not so much."
Yukari stared at Yuuka, her expression a mix of suspicion and curiosity. The metal poles slowly receded back into the gaps, disappearing from sight. "Go on," she said, her voice low and cautious.
"First of all, everything so far, have simply be a big chain of coincidence~ At least as far as I consider it, mhm~" Yuuka started, her tone light and airy, "It's just so happen everything happened during border between the living and the death at their weakest in a long time during Halloween, a massive upheaval happened in the afterlives due to some movements which I am sure you knew why~ This, coupled with the coincidence many things happening in Outside during this time of the year, exploiting said weakening border most likely, caused the restless spirits to be everywhere and might've impacted the great Hakurei Border~"
Yukari's expression darkened, her purple eyes narrowing in anger. "Don't play with me, Yuuka. We both know that it's more than mere coincidence. Someone or something is behind this, manipulating events from the shadows. And I have a feeling that you know more than you're letting on."
SIghing, Yuuka shook her head. "I'm telling the truth. I really don't know anything more than you do, you're supposed to be the mastermind of Gensokyo, no? And Yukari, you're blinded by your paranoia. There's no grand conspiracy at work here, just a series of unfortunate coincidences. So far, I've never heard anything from Elly that suggests people Outside even knew of Gensokyo, though you might knew better admittedly. But surely you, the great sage of Gensokyo, are not that foolish to think everything is a plot?"
"I-" "Yukari, have you looked at the mirror recently? You're not well, your mind is not well, and you know it. Your shikigami, and her shikigami, might not have said anything but they have noticed too. I know not what happened and frankly I won't pretend I care, but you need to rest. You're jumping at shadows, seeing plots and schemes where there are none." Yuuka interrupted, her voice firm and unyielding, "Even if these series of coincidences do reveal possible threats against Gensokyo, at your current state you will simply make mistakes that could doom Gensokyo instead of protecting it."
Silence hung in the air between them, heavy and oppressive. Yukari's purple eyesnarrowed, her expression a mix of anger and resignation. She knew that Yuuka was right, she had been pushing herself too hard, her mind clouded by stress and certain things. She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. "You're right. I'm sorry, Yuuka. I shouldn't have lashed out at you like that. I'm just... tired."
Yuuka smiled softly, her green eyes filled with a mixture of sympathy and amusement. "There's no need to apologise, Yukari. We all have our moments of weakness. But I must warn you, before you accuse others, take a good look in the mirror yourself and see how you looked. It's not a coincidence that you've become so paranoid. Maybe instead of worrying about others, worry about yourself first?"
Yukari nodded, her expression grim. She knew that Yuuka was right, she had to take care of herself first before she could take care of Gensokyo. "...I will. Thank you for your concern, Yuuka."
"Oh, and while I don't mind you accusing me of things, especially at your current state, do remember not to do it while you yourself planned something that will affect Gensokyo itself, Yukari~" The smile on Yuuka's face never faltered as she stood, but Yukari could feel, even with all her power, a cold chill run down her spine. "I might not know the details, and I won't tell you how I knew, just like you never tell anyone how you do things. But remember, if the flowers suffer for far too long, I won't be as gracious~"
Yakumo Yukari, the youkai of boundaries, one of the sages of Gensokyo, one who faced and outsmarted many youkais and worse in her life, was silent. No words could escape her lips as Yuuka left the Yakumo Household.
Yukari: Actually made a good point wondering why Yuuka knew enough to not only send Elly but also to counter her points
Yuuka: "I am gonna pull your own card and act mysterious, also hit you down low and threat you for your own planned incident that I somehow knew about"
Anyway, next chapter should wrapped this series of 'coincidences' with Alice v Mima. Writing Yukari and Yuuka was hard, though not as hard as Chen funnily enough. In the end, Rin just use 4000 years mainland cat taming technique. heh
Yuuka: "I am gonna pull your own card and act mysterious, also hit you down low and threat you for your own planned incident that I somehow knew about"
Anyway, next chapter should wrapped this series of 'coincidences' with Alice v Mima. Writing Yukari and Yuuka was hard, though not as hard as Chen funnily enough. In the end, Rin just use 4000 years mainland cat taming technique. heh
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Woven Synchronicity ~ Wonderland Lost
Ylamona
Konlulu~
"I am down!" "Take cover!" "Stay behind me!" "Lasers incoming!" "Watch your six!" "Get to the chopper!" "I am in! " "Moving to secure the perimeter." "This is a one man- I mean, fairy job." "Enemy at the gates!" "It's an ambush!" "They sent tanks!" "I am the tank!"
Despite their chaotic appearances and childlike behaviour, the fairies managed to work together with surprising efficiency, using the quotes to coordinate their actions in the midst of the battle. Alice Margatroid watched with a mix of amusement and exasperation as the fairies yelled out more and more absurd lines, some of them seemed to be original as they worked together in surprising, still chaotic harmony. Those who carried shields, barriers or such moved forward to intercept the magic barrage while the others stayed back. Those with magic of their own answered in kind, and those with melee weapons sadly couldn't do much as their enemy was simply too strong.
In any other situations, these many fairies attacking at once would result in overkill for sure. While stronger than what average Gensokyo residents thought, they were still fairies so individually, they weren't really that strong. But in this situation, the strength of numbers was their only hope. Still, even the combined might of the fairies was not enough.
With a snap of her fingers, a massive magical blast shot forth from the direction of the flying green-haired evil spirit. The power and sheer size of the magic blast easily dwarfed anything that the fairies could produce, and it slammed into the fairy shield bearers like a sledgehammer, breaking the formations easily. If not for invisible strings that Alice Margatroid used to pull her allies out of the way, the fairies would've been decimated easily. As it was, they were forced to retreat, regrouping as the evil spirit cackled, taunting them.
"You know? You know, you know, youknow?! I was so insulted when you only sent these fairies, Alice! To think, you think you can defeat me with just these lowly, weak creatures? How dare you! I'm a greater threat than that, you know!" She snickered. "But seeing them actually using their tiny, non-existent brains and even armed to the teeth, I'm impressed! I've never seen any fairies like these!"
Alice Margatroid simply ignored the taunts, quickly assessing the situation. She knew that the fairies, even with their newly improved capabilities, would not be enough to stop this threat. 'As expected of a Mima, I suppose... No, she's too strong.'
It was clear the evil spirit was toying with them. If she really wanted, she could've simply annihilated the fairies from the start. Even with Alice saving and directing them, it was clear that the fairy squad was outmatched. This wasn't a battle they could win, both Alice and the evil spirit knew that. Yet both of them also let the farce continue on, the evil spirit because her madness, arrogance, and power advantage meant that she could do what she wants, while Alice took advantage of it.
'The power output surpassed expectation by several magnitudes expected of Mima. Usage of magic and preference to firepower over all else are still within expectation. Deviations found in regards to personality from initial expectations and data found in the Vessel. Suggesting a different origin of existence. Green hair, blue outfit, ghost-tail bottom half matches initial visual description of Mima. Multiple pairs of wings of unknown composition instead of a pair of bat wings. Unknown connection to the Vessel.' Alice's purple eyes stared at the cackling form of the evil spirit.
Sighing, Alice took her phone from a doll floating and tapped on it, "How is it Chiyuri? Did you remember Mima now?"
"Sorta." A voice replied from the phone. "I still can't recall if we like actually close enough, but we aren't exactly strangers I am sure? Talked with Rin for a bit like two days ago, hashed out some stuff we each knew. Definitely met her during the professor's last visit. I think she might've gone with professor like me too, though I can't really confirm that. Something seemed off though, but I don't know what. No, something definitely is off. But what is it?"
The evil spirit fired several beams of dark magic at the fairies. Her face twisted into an expression of glee as she watched the fairies scramble to evade her attack. Alice frowned and manipulated her dolls to move in front of the fairies, protecting them with their stronger shields, "I see, that's helpful. If you can, keep watching and tell me anything that seemed off, Chiyuri."
"...Are you sure I shouldn't come?" Chiyuri asked worriedly.
With a flick of her hands, Alice directed her dolls to fire back at Mima. They unleashed a barrage of bullets and beams, though most of them were easily deflected by Mima's shield, "Do you really want to be in the centre of that?" Alice nodded toward the battlefield.
"No, not really." A sigh could be heard from the phone. "Well, I'll keep watching from afar and let you know if anything. Good luck, Alice."
With that, Alice put away the phone and refocused her attention on the battle. She had to admit, she was impressed by the determination of the fairies. They were clearly outmatched, yet they continued to fight, refusing to give up. She would call them simply boneheaded and stubborn, but Alice Margatroid knew very well that they truly determined and not simply being stupidly stubborn. Though being fairies, the difference between the two was not really that much.
Still, it was clear that the fairies were starting to tire. Their movements were becoming slower, their attacks less precise. Even with Alice's aid, it was only a matter of time before they were overwhelmed, "All members, retreat."
As the fairies started to withdraw toward a fully defensive position around the massive room, the evil spirit let out a mocking laugh, "What's wrong, Alice? Are you giving up already?"
"When we haven't even started? The opening act had just begun." Alice replied calmly. "Rise, Alexandria"
At that moment, a gigantic mechanical construct, easily dwarfing any of the other dolls present, emerged from the backline of fairies. Two lumbering arms clad in intricate metal plating drag itself into view, a castle-like body followed. The towering machine rose to its full height, standing at least two stories tall, its armoured head crowned with rotating halos. The construct's armoured plates glowed with an eerie blue light, powered by a core of pulsating energy. Despite dragging itself on its arms, Alexandria moved with a surprising grace, its movements fluid and precise. It let out a mechanical roar as it advanced.
"EheheheheahahAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" The abomination of spirit cackled loudly, her face splitting into a wide grin. "Finally! Some real entertainment! I'm so happy I decided to come and wreak havoc here!"
Alexandria let out another metallic roar as its armoured face plate opened up and a beam shot out from inside, hurtling toward the evil spirit who responded in kind with a blast of her own. The two attacks met in midair, creating a blinding explosion of energy. The shockwave from the collision swept through the room, knocking the lesser fairies off their feet. The room shuddered, the air charged with magical energy.
"Not bad, not bad at all~ Is this Goliath? Certainly different, different than I've seen! Ohhh, you truly are quite the Alice! I've never seen any Alice with such a thing! You truly are quite the anomaly! I can't wait to see what other surprises you have in store for me!" The evil spirit giggled, as she instantly conjured a massive ball of dark magic, several times larger than even the towering construct, and hurled it toward Alexandria.
The construct reacted immediately, the armours on its body shifted and rearranged, revealing countless lens arrays. With a thunderous roar, the construct unleashed a torrent of energy beams, cutting through the ball of magic and sending it hurtling off course. The ball exploded upon hitting the distant wall of the massive room. The construct didn't relent and fired even more beams at the evil spirit, who simply fired barrages of even bigger beams to intercept and overwhelm the construct. The room shook and trembled with the force of their clash, the air crackling with magical energy.
'...As expected of an unfinished prototype, it won't last long under its own strain, much less against the Mima.' The puppeteer thought to herself as she observed the battle between Alexandria and the evil spirit. The battle had barely begun yet Alexandria's armours already had cracks forming on them. The construct was never meant for actual battle, it was something Alice quickly completed with assistance of some deep ones. Essentially, it was simply a testbed, meant to test the concept and nothing more. It was never meant to see actual combat, and certainly not against an enemy as powerful as the one they were currently facing. 'It's already doing quite well, considering that. Now, if only-'
"Ah, that's enough." The evil spirit suddenly declared. With a single snap of her finger, a massive wave of dark magic surged forth from her. The sheer power of the wave was enough to obliterate everything in its path, including the countless energy beams from Alexandria. The construct tried to raise a barrier to defend itself but it was futile. The dark magic smashed into it, and Alexandria was blown to bits.
The puppeteer acted quickly, using her strings to pull the fairies out of harm's way, just as the dark magic washed over them. Some of the fairies were hit by the residual energy, and they cried out in pain as they were flung aside. The rest of the fairies scattered, trying to find cover as the puppeteer surveyed the aftermath of the blast. Alexandria was completely obliterated, reduced to nothing more than a pile of twisted metal and debris. The few remaining bits of the construct sparked and smoked, a testament to the power of the evil spirit's attack. The puppeteer narrowed her eyes as she realised that the evil spirit had been holding back the entire time, 'Just as I expected... But still, this is far too much...'
"Let's start the second act then, shall we, Alice?" The evil spirit grinned as her wings expanded and power gathered. The very space around the evil spirit began to warp and distort, as if reality itself was being bent to her will.
'....Hopefully the Vessel should be tough enough against that.' Alice grabbed the grimoire on her side as rows of shield-wielding dolls appeared behind her, "All units, behind me."
"Oh? Do you really think that's enough, Alice?" The evil spirit laughed mockingly as her wings glowed a blinding shade of black. "Well, I don't mind. If that's your choice. After all, I'm always happy to indulge an audience. Let me show you the true power of an evil spirit that surpassed the limit!"
'..It continues to rise...planetary-class magic...' Alice saw as lights rapidly gathered around her foe, her face remaining calm and composed even as the situation rapidly deteriorated. The grimoire by her side glowed brightly as she began to channel her own magic, her purple eyes fixed on the evil spirit. 'It's definitely planetary-class magic. Truly a troublesome MIma'
"The End was here! [Twilight Spark]!" Mima shouted as she unleashed her world-rending attack.
With that, the world was engulfed in an impossibly huge, bright beam. The entire room was bathed in a brilliant light as the beam shot forth, easily dwarfing any and all attacks that had been thrown around before it. A wall of light and destruction, moving toward Alice and her fairy army with incredible speed and power. The fairies could feel the overwhelming force of the magic even from a distance away and the shield dolls erected barriers between them.
"I am sorry, Alice! Let the Garden Opens but for a Moment! [The Phantom of Grand Guignol "False Wonderland"]!" Alice chanted as she opened her Grimoire at the same time as the Twilight Spark shot out.
As the massive attack shot forward, a vortex of energy emerged from the Grimoire, expanding to envelop the entire area. The world around them seemed to warp and twist, as if being pulled into a different reality entirely. The vortex of energy expanded, creating a rift in the very fabric of space and time. Suddenly, the world around the vortex shifted, transforming into a strange, surreal landscape that resembled the illustrations of a storybook. The sky turned into a patchwork of colourful cutouts, while the ground became a series of interlocking puzzle pieces. Strange, whimsical creatures emerged from the background, taking on a life of their own.
As the Twilight Spark entered the rift, the energy vortex absorbed and contained the power of the massive attack. The world within the vortex seemed to warp and twist in response, with the patchwork sky and puzzle piece ground shifting and rearranging themselves to accommodate the energy of the Twilight Spark. The strange creatures within the rift moved and danced in response to the power, as if celebrating the absorption of such a powerful attack. The scene was a bizarre and surreal one, with the power of the Twilight Spark being contained and absorbed by the whimsical world within the rift.
"Not bad! But what about more?! The End is here! The End is here! The End is here! The End is here! THE END IS HERE! Ehehehehehahahahahahaha! [Quintuple Twilight Sparks]!" The evil spirit's body began to transform, grotesquely, bloating and growing in size She had become several times bigger than her original size, the green of her hair and clothes darkened into something closer to black. Her face was split in two and opened up to reveal a portal into nothingness within, her body became a writhing mass of eyes and mouths. Her once beautiful form had been replaced by a horrifying, twisted abomination. Her madness and power had consumed her, driving her further into insanity and transforming her into a monster as she fired five more equally large and destructive beams in rapid succession.
'You're kidding-' Alice's eyes widened as she braced herself.
The strange vortex from the Grimoire continued to expand, absorbing the power of the additional Twilight Spark. The patchwork sky and puzzle piece ground within the rift twisted and shifted, rearranging themselves to accommodate even more energy. The strange creatures within the rift danced and moved in response, their movements becoming more frenetic and erratic as the power of the additional Twilight Sparks was absorbed. The scene was a bizarre and surreal one, with the power of the five additional Twilight Sparks being contained and absorbed by the whimsical world within the rift.
As the power of the additional Twilight Sparks were absorbed, the Grimoire itself began to emit a faint glow, as if in response to the sheer amount of energy it was containing. The energy within the vortex seemed to be reaching a critical mass, threatening to burst at any moment. The patchwork sky and puzzle piece ground within the rift were stretched to their limits, barely able to contain the immense power that had been absorbed. The strange creatures within the rift seemed to be on the brink of collapse, their forms warping and distorting under the strain of the energy. The scene was one of barely contained chaos, with the power of the additional Twilight Sparks threatening to tear the world apart.
And then, it happened.
A blast that tore the false Wonderland apart, the rift was ripped open and the massive power of the Twilight Spark broke free. It was a cataclysmic explosion of energy, a maelstrom of power that ripped through everything in its path. The blast tore through the very fabric of reality, ripping apart the patchwork sky and puzzle piece ground within the rift as the fake wonderful land faded into nothingness. Most of the blast barely redirected away from where the fairies were, creating clear cut half of the room being enveloped by the destructive powers while the other half barely touched, with the exception of Alice herself.
Alice was thrown backward by the force of the blast slightly but barely caught herself. Her shield dolls were obliterated but the fairies behind them were safe. The Grimoire was still in her hand, though its pages were singed and burnt at the edges. But that wasn't the worst. She stared at the stump that used to be her right arm blankly, the arm itself simply gone. Her right cheek was cracked, as if her face was a porcelain doll. Her breathing was heavy. The Grimoire was closed and floated back to her side.
"That's it? That's all you can do? How disappointing." The evil spirit's voice was cold and mocking as she descended from the air, her massive size casting a shadow over the room. Her face was a grotesque parody of her former beauty, split in two and with a portal to nothingness within. "I expected so much more from you, Alice. You had so much potential, so much promise. And yet, this is all you can do. A pity, really."
Alice stared at the monstrous figure of the evil spirit, before sighing, "...I am done"
"Already?!" The evil spirit looked surprised, before she laughed. "Hahahahaha, alright, ALRIGHT! YOU USELESS BRAT! I ALWAYS KNOW YOU WOULD JUST BE A USELESS BAG OF MEAT AND BONES! Tch, the least, LEAST! You could've done is to call your widdle MOmmy! It'sssss ALWayS! NICE TO CRUSH THAT BLOWHARD! AHHH, SHINKI, I'M SO GLAD I KILLED YOU! ALL OF YOU! YOUR DAUGHTER IS JUST AS USELESS! I WOULD'VE BEEN DISAPPOINTED IF SHE ISN'T!"
Alice Margatroid looked up at the cackling, raving evil spirit, her expression still calm despite her condition as she breathed out, "I am done...because this is not a battle that can be won....not without crossing a line that I won't do. So....I will leave it to someone else to handle you. Enjoy your defeat. Hope? Do it"
A green haired fairy appeared near Alice, too insignificant for the evil spirit to notice, let alone care. Hope nodded and took out a crystal. A bright, silver-grey crystal that radiated a solemn power that made the evil spirit paused, intrigued. Closing her eyes, Hope held the crystal up, "In the white night and dark days ahead, even if my soul despairs and shatter, Hope and Faith shall remain forevermore. With one hundred good deeds and one sin, I beseech thee. Come, until the moment I die!"
The crystal in Hope's hand began to glow with a brilliant silver light. The light spread throughout the room, enveloping everything in its soft, comforting glow. The room seemed to change, morphing into a space that felt both heavenly and solemn. The walls and ceiling disappeared, replaced by an endless expanse of pure, white light. The floor became vast, desolate plain white clouds. The air felt heavy with an oppressive solemnity, a sense of deep sadness and loss.
Despite the overwhelming presence of the white light and the desolate landscape, there was a strange beauty to the space. The light seemed to shimmer and sparkle, creating a sense of otherworldly peace and serenity. But there was also a sense of fear and uncertainty that hung in the air. The desolate landscape seemed to stretch on forever, invoking a primal fear of being alone and lost in the vastness of the universe.
And then, the very air seemed to shift and warp, a sense of foreboding filled the room. From the depths of the white light, a figure began to emerge. She was a being of immeasurable size, looming over everything in the room, her form towering and imposing. Her robes were an endless cascade of indigo and white, blending seamlessly into the desolate landscape. Her face was a solemn mask of calm and sadness, her eyes deep wells of ancient sorrow. Her wings unfurled behind her, countless and pure, stretching out to infinity, and a solemn halo floated above her head.
"..Wha..what are you?!" The abominable evil spirit's voice echoed, shaking with a mixture of anger, fear, and confusion. "What are you?! Who are you?! How dare you?! How dare you?! How dare you?! HOW DARE YOU?!"
The titanic being moved to look at the evil spirit, a simple movement made grand by the sheer scale of its form. Its eyes, deep wells of sorrow, stared down at the creature before it, and the evil spirit felt a shiver run down its twisted, abominable form. Yet the angel said nothing, which further aggravated the evil spirit.
"Answer me! Answer me, you brute! You brute! You brute!" The abomination shouted as it shot several dozen Twilight Spark at the angelic being. "ANSWER ME!"
But the angel remained silent, Her form unmoving as the attacks slammed into Her. The blasts of energy were nothing more than a gentle breeze to the being, and She stood unaffected by the onslaught. The silence was deafening, the only sound in the room was the roar of the attacks and the desperate, enraged cries of the abomination, and the angel remained silent. Her face a solemn mask of calm, Her eyes filled with ancient sorrow. She simply stood there, staring down at the abomination with an unflinching gaze.
"...Thank you for coming..Sariel" Staggering to her feet, the puppeteer bowed, though she didn't look up at the towering angelic being. Her body trembled slightly, as if her body was struggling to support herself, "...Please grant salvation, Sariel..."
Sariel looked down at the puppeteer, a faint, sad smile crossed Her face, and the air seemed to fill with a deep, melancholy aura. The angel nodded, Her head bowing in acknowledgment of the request, and the air filled with a solemn power. The being moved forward, Her steps shaking the very earth as She walked. Her wings spread out behind HER, a vast canopy that covered the entire room. The being raised Her hand, a simple, yet powerful gesture, and a brilliant light filled the space.
Gentle rays of light appeared from above, like the sun peeking from behind the clouds after a storm. They fell upon everyone in the room, and the puppets felt a soothing warmth, a sense of comfort and solace, even as the rays fell on the abominable evil spirit. The being that was once Mima thrashed and screamed, her body twisting and writhing in agony, even as the rays gently caressed her. It was a scene of both horror and beauty, a solemn, yet powerful moment, a display of the immense power of the angel. The air was filled with the sounds of the abomination's screams, and the gentle, yet powerful hum of the rays of light.
And then, it was over as quickly as it began. The abomination that was Mima fell silent, her body still and disappearing on the ground. The rays of light faded, and the angel bowed Her head once more, before slowly turning away. Her wings folded behind Her, and Sariel disappeared from sight. The desolate plain white clouds faded, the world slowly returning to normal. The walls and ceiling reappeared, and the air became still and calm once more. The room was left in a state of solemn peace, a quiet stillness that spoke of a power beyond comprehension. The air was filled with a sense of deep loss, and a profound sense of gratitude.
As the fairies clamoured in their usual childish innocent manner about how cool the fight and how awesome Hope's summoning was, Alice turned and walked toward the rapidly fading, dissolving body of the giant, abomination of evil spirit. Kneeling beside her, Alice looked down at the rapidly fading face of the evil spirit. It had lost its horrific, monstrous appearance, replaced by a serene, almost peaceful expression. A single tear trickled down its cheek.
Golden strings covering her remaining arm, Alice reached into the rapidly dissolving chest of the evil spirit, and felt her hand close around something, a small, flickering ember of energy. She gently pulled it out, cradling it in her hand. It was a small, delicate orb of pure energy barely kept together by a golden string with a sparkle of stars on it. It pulsated softly in her palm, the last remnant of the evil spirit, the final piece of its being, the real Mima of this Gensokyo, "What kind of situation did you get into...to think you were possessed by yourself, Mima?"
The orb pulsed before Alice stumbled as the orb turned into the familiar form of Mima that the dollmaker barely caught with her sole remaining arm. Alice looked at the unconscious, ghostly body of the green-haired woman in her arm and sighed, 'I suppose this is just my life now, Yuuka will definitely tease me about this'
"...What a troublesome situation..." Sighing, Alice turned to the fairies who were still celebrating happily, "Everyone, let's go home. No one to enter the inner section of the Vessel yet...and good work, you all did well"
'Where is she?! Where is Alice?!' Chiyuri thought to herself as she hurried toward the Forest of Magic, her mind racing with worry and anxiety. She knew that Alice was strong and capable, but the thought of her saviour, someone who helped her regain her past, facing such a dangerous foe alone made her heart sink. Ever since the evil spirit, Mima, unleashed her massive attack, Chiyuri lost contact with Alice. Her calls went unanswered, and the lack of response only fueled her fears. What if Alice was hurt? What if she was in trouble? These thoughts plagued Chiyuri's mind, driving her to hurry toward the forest.
But when she arrived at the puppeteer's house, she was met with an unexpected sight. Alice stood in front of her house, her expression calm and composed as she greeted Chiyuri with a nod of her head. Relief washed over Chiyuri as she thought that Alice was unharmed, but her relief quickly turned to horror as she took in Alice's condition. The puppeteer was missing an arm, and her face had deep cracks in them. The sight of Alice in such a state sent a shiver down Chiyuri's spine,
"Alice! What happened to your arm?!" She exclaimed, her voice full of worry and concern. She rushed forward, her hands reaching out to help Alice, but the puppeteer simply waved her off, a small smile on her lips.
"Don't worry about it, Chiyuri," Alice said calmly, her voice steady despite her condition. "I'll be fine. I just need some time to fix myself. This is just a doll body, remember? You've seen me at my worse"
Chiyuri looked at the very much bleeding stump that used to be Alice's arm. She did remember how supposedly, the Alice in front of her was just a doll avatar for the true Alice, even the cracks on her face supported it. But the blood leaking from the stump made her feel otherwise, and she couldn't shake the feeling that Alice hid something from her.
"Are you really okay?" She asked, her voice trembling slightly. "That...seems like a pretty serious injury. Shouldn't you be in pain or something? Is that really blood?"
With a wave of Alice's sole remaining hand, the door to her house opened up and the puppeteer entered, gesturing to Chiyuri to follow, "I suppose I am not okay per se, things went far worse than expected. I had to do something that I won't normally do. But Alice Margatroid will recover when morning comes, there is not much to worry about."
Chiyuri followed her, stepping inside the puppeteer's home. It was as lovely as she remembered, though she had more important matters at hand to appreciate the cozy, doll-filled cottage, "A-Alice, is there anything I can help with? I...I want to help, you know. I mean, it's technically related to myself after all and.."
"Shhh." Alice put a finger to her lips, silencing Chiyuri with a gentle, yet firm gesture. "No need for that, Chiyuri. I appreciate the offer, but this is something that Alice can handle alone. But if you insist, how about we talk about what just happened, not only about what happened in the vessel. I find that having someone to talk about what happened and what to do is a good way to calm down."
Chiyuri sighed, but nodded. She knew that there was no use arguing with Alice once she had made up her mind. As they sat down, the blonde human couldn't help but feel a sense of admiration for the puppeteer. Despite the loss of her arm, Alice showed no signs of weakness or vulnerability. Chiyuri wondered if the one in front of truly just a doll body then perhaps Alice could just choose not to feel pain? Though again, she felt that Alice hid something from her.
After making both of them comfortable, despite Chiyuri's protest for Alice to simply just rest, Alice began to tell what happened in the Vessel. Mostly about the fight with Mima and how she ended up in her current condition. Chiyuri listened with a mixture of fascination and horror, as Alice recounted the battle with the evil spirit, Mima. She couldn't imagine facing such a powerful and dangerous foe, and the thought of Alice losing an arm made her shudder.
"..That's..I don't have words" She truly couldn't find any, no matter how much Chiyuri tried, though she did find something interesting, "What do you mean Mima was possessing Mima?"
Grabbing a cup of tea, Alice took a sip before she replied, "It is exactly what I said, and also the thing that I expect the least. I assume you remembered more about Mima now? And do you remember what I told you about the other 'bosses'? How were they just emulations, or perhaps a projection of the actual people from other realities using the Vessel's technology? It seemed that an emulation of Mima, let's call her E-Mima to differentiate from our Mima, was simply too powerful and capable for the Vessel, and somehow she escaped the Vessel's system and took over the real Mima's body."
Chiyuri felt her blood run cold as she realised the implications of Alice's words. The thought of an emulation, a fake version of a person from another dimension, escaping the confines of the Vessel and possessing a real body was terrifying. She couldn't imagine what kind of power and capabilities this E-Mima must possess, and the thought that there may be more of them out there, waiting to escape the Vessel's system was chilling.
"W-why didn't you mention that before?!" Chiyuri asked, her voice shaking slightly. "I-I mean, should we be worried about this?"
Alice shook her head, her expression remaining calm despite the seriousness of the situation, "E-Mima was special, whoever or whatever behind the emulations was simply unlucky to choose that particular Mima. I don't think the same situation will happen again with others. I have to admit, the possibility didn't even occur to me before, a fatal oversight on my part."
"I-I see..." Chiyuri sighed, feeling slightly relieved by Alice's words. She couldn't imagine what kind of disaster would occur if something like that happened again, "So, are we safe? Could we find out what happened to the Vessel? To me..and Mima I guess?"
"...That might be a bit harder to answer. What the fairies found in the first 'section' and my quick look of the inner one didn't paint a pretty picture, but I will tell you more later when I am more sure of things. As for Mima, she's safe for now. She was weakened enough by the ordeal that it was a close thing, but it seemed someone managed to remember her enough just in time for me to keep her together and brought her out of Deepwood. She's resting right now," Alice took another sip of her tea before continuing, "Also, our clash might've caused a bit of trouble, I suppose,"
Chiyuri looked at Alice, confused. She couldn't imagine what kind of trouble their battle with the evil spirit could have caused, "Trouble? What do you mean?"
"Ah, that is.." Alice hesitated, a rare sight for Chiyuri to see, as the usually composed puppeteer seemed uncharacteristically flustered. Her cheeks flushed a light pink, and she couldn't quite meet Chiyuri's eyes. "I...may have had to summon someone to deal with Mima as I mentioned, someone very powerful and important, who might've thrown the afterlives in disarray for a bit as she passed through them. On top of that, Mima's Twilight Spark, my own spell, and the Vessel itself, might've caused dimensional disturbances beyond what I expected..."
Sighing, Alice rubbed her head, "...In a way, we might've caused the recent restless spirit outbreak as it just so happens, this year's the veil between life and death to be thinest. The Hakurei Border might've been affected too, alongside other things...things should be normal tomorrow though,"
Chiyuri's eyes widened in surprise and disbelief. She couldn't believe that their battle with the evil spirit had such far-reaching consequences, "...Is this bad?"
"Technically, in a way, I caused an Incident." Alice admitted, her voice tinged with a hint of embarrassment. "I could make excuses, but honestly I didn't think our battle would've caused such...ripples. I didn't expect to fight Mima to that degree, much less the need to summon someone like Sariel to defeat her...Well, at least I didn't hear anyone get into too much trouble from it? Reimu seemed to be happy about being able to sca- increase the villager's faith by performing exorcisms and rituals. So, in a way, I helped her?"
The blonde haired human couldn't help but stare at the embarrassed Alice in front of her, her mind reeling at the implications. The thought of causing an Incident was a big deal, and the fact that Alice was so open about it made Chiyuri question her own sanity for a moment. She couldn't help but wonder if this was all a dream, or if she was still in the Vessel, trapped in some strange illusion.
"...." Chiyuri stared at the dollmaker for a few more moments before sighing, "I am not even sure if I should be surprised anymore.."
Alice shrugged, "I admit, this is a tad too much for my taste. But, what's done is done, we should focus on the future. I will have a talk with the others if anything did happen, but for now I just want to just go through the rest of Autumn and Winter peacefully..."
Chiyuri nodded in agreement, her mind still reeling from the revelations of the day, "Yeah...peaceful Autumn and Winter would be nice, no more crazy events please...I just want to eat some good food, enjoy the season and sleep in a warm bed"
The two girls sighed in unison, their minds filled with thoughts of the chaos they had just been through and the uncertainty of what the future held. They both knew that life in Gensokyo was never truly peaceful, but for now, they could at least enjoy the tranquillity of Autumn, or at least they hoped they would be able to.
Despite their chaotic appearances and childlike behaviour, the fairies managed to work together with surprising efficiency, using the quotes to coordinate their actions in the midst of the battle. Alice Margatroid watched with a mix of amusement and exasperation as the fairies yelled out more and more absurd lines, some of them seemed to be original as they worked together in surprising, still chaotic harmony. Those who carried shields, barriers or such moved forward to intercept the magic barrage while the others stayed back. Those with magic of their own answered in kind, and those with melee weapons sadly couldn't do much as their enemy was simply too strong.
In any other situations, these many fairies attacking at once would result in overkill for sure. While stronger than what average Gensokyo residents thought, they were still fairies so individually, they weren't really that strong. But in this situation, the strength of numbers was their only hope. Still, even the combined might of the fairies was not enough.
With a snap of her fingers, a massive magical blast shot forth from the direction of the flying green-haired evil spirit. The power and sheer size of the magic blast easily dwarfed anything that the fairies could produce, and it slammed into the fairy shield bearers like a sledgehammer, breaking the formations easily. If not for invisible strings that Alice Margatroid used to pull her allies out of the way, the fairies would've been decimated easily. As it was, they were forced to retreat, regrouping as the evil spirit cackled, taunting them.
"You know? You know, you know, youknow?! I was so insulted when you only sent these fairies, Alice! To think, you think you can defeat me with just these lowly, weak creatures? How dare you! I'm a greater threat than that, you know!" She snickered. "But seeing them actually using their tiny, non-existent brains and even armed to the teeth, I'm impressed! I've never seen any fairies like these!"
Alice Margatroid simply ignored the taunts, quickly assessing the situation. She knew that the fairies, even with their newly improved capabilities, would not be enough to stop this threat. 'As expected of a Mima, I suppose... No, she's too strong.'
It was clear the evil spirit was toying with them. If she really wanted, she could've simply annihilated the fairies from the start. Even with Alice saving and directing them, it was clear that the fairy squad was outmatched. This wasn't a battle they could win, both Alice and the evil spirit knew that. Yet both of them also let the farce continue on, the evil spirit because her madness, arrogance, and power advantage meant that she could do what she wants, while Alice took advantage of it.
'The power output surpassed expectation by several magnitudes expected of Mima. Usage of magic and preference to firepower over all else are still within expectation. Deviations found in regards to personality from initial expectations and data found in the Vessel. Suggesting a different origin of existence. Green hair, blue outfit, ghost-tail bottom half matches initial visual description of Mima. Multiple pairs of wings of unknown composition instead of a pair of bat wings. Unknown connection to the Vessel.' Alice's purple eyes stared at the cackling form of the evil spirit.
Sighing, Alice took her phone from a doll floating and tapped on it, "How is it Chiyuri? Did you remember Mima now?"
"Sorta." A voice replied from the phone. "I still can't recall if we like actually close enough, but we aren't exactly strangers I am sure? Talked with Rin for a bit like two days ago, hashed out some stuff we each knew. Definitely met her during the professor's last visit. I think she might've gone with professor like me too, though I can't really confirm that. Something seemed off though, but I don't know what. No, something definitely is off. But what is it?"
The evil spirit fired several beams of dark magic at the fairies. Her face twisted into an expression of glee as she watched the fairies scramble to evade her attack. Alice frowned and manipulated her dolls to move in front of the fairies, protecting them with their stronger shields, "I see, that's helpful. If you can, keep watching and tell me anything that seemed off, Chiyuri."
"...Are you sure I shouldn't come?" Chiyuri asked worriedly.
With a flick of her hands, Alice directed her dolls to fire back at Mima. They unleashed a barrage of bullets and beams, though most of them were easily deflected by Mima's shield, "Do you really want to be in the centre of that?" Alice nodded toward the battlefield.
"No, not really." A sigh could be heard from the phone. "Well, I'll keep watching from afar and let you know if anything. Good luck, Alice."
With that, Alice put away the phone and refocused her attention on the battle. She had to admit, she was impressed by the determination of the fairies. They were clearly outmatched, yet they continued to fight, refusing to give up. She would call them simply boneheaded and stubborn, but Alice Margatroid knew very well that they truly determined and not simply being stupidly stubborn. Though being fairies, the difference between the two was not really that much.
Still, it was clear that the fairies were starting to tire. Their movements were becoming slower, their attacks less precise. Even with Alice's aid, it was only a matter of time before they were overwhelmed, "All members, retreat."
As the fairies started to withdraw toward a fully defensive position around the massive room, the evil spirit let out a mocking laugh, "What's wrong, Alice? Are you giving up already?"
"When we haven't even started? The opening act had just begun." Alice replied calmly. "Rise, Alexandria"
At that moment, a gigantic mechanical construct, easily dwarfing any of the other dolls present, emerged from the backline of fairies. Two lumbering arms clad in intricate metal plating drag itself into view, a castle-like body followed. The towering machine rose to its full height, standing at least two stories tall, its armoured head crowned with rotating halos. The construct's armoured plates glowed with an eerie blue light, powered by a core of pulsating energy. Despite dragging itself on its arms, Alexandria moved with a surprising grace, its movements fluid and precise. It let out a mechanical roar as it advanced.
"EheheheheahahAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" The abomination of spirit cackled loudly, her face splitting into a wide grin. "Finally! Some real entertainment! I'm so happy I decided to come and wreak havoc here!"
Alexandria let out another metallic roar as its armoured face plate opened up and a beam shot out from inside, hurtling toward the evil spirit who responded in kind with a blast of her own. The two attacks met in midair, creating a blinding explosion of energy. The shockwave from the collision swept through the room, knocking the lesser fairies off their feet. The room shuddered, the air charged with magical energy.
"Not bad, not bad at all~ Is this Goliath? Certainly different, different than I've seen! Ohhh, you truly are quite the Alice! I've never seen any Alice with such a thing! You truly are quite the anomaly! I can't wait to see what other surprises you have in store for me!" The evil spirit giggled, as she instantly conjured a massive ball of dark magic, several times larger than even the towering construct, and hurled it toward Alexandria.
The construct reacted immediately, the armours on its body shifted and rearranged, revealing countless lens arrays. With a thunderous roar, the construct unleashed a torrent of energy beams, cutting through the ball of magic and sending it hurtling off course. The ball exploded upon hitting the distant wall of the massive room. The construct didn't relent and fired even more beams at the evil spirit, who simply fired barrages of even bigger beams to intercept and overwhelm the construct. The room shook and trembled with the force of their clash, the air crackling with magical energy.
'...As expected of an unfinished prototype, it won't last long under its own strain, much less against the Mima.' The puppeteer thought to herself as she observed the battle between Alexandria and the evil spirit. The battle had barely begun yet Alexandria's armours already had cracks forming on them. The construct was never meant for actual battle, it was something Alice quickly completed with assistance of some deep ones. Essentially, it was simply a testbed, meant to test the concept and nothing more. It was never meant to see actual combat, and certainly not against an enemy as powerful as the one they were currently facing. 'It's already doing quite well, considering that. Now, if only-'
"Ah, that's enough." The evil spirit suddenly declared. With a single snap of her finger, a massive wave of dark magic surged forth from her. The sheer power of the wave was enough to obliterate everything in its path, including the countless energy beams from Alexandria. The construct tried to raise a barrier to defend itself but it was futile. The dark magic smashed into it, and Alexandria was blown to bits.
The puppeteer acted quickly, using her strings to pull the fairies out of harm's way, just as the dark magic washed over them. Some of the fairies were hit by the residual energy, and they cried out in pain as they were flung aside. The rest of the fairies scattered, trying to find cover as the puppeteer surveyed the aftermath of the blast. Alexandria was completely obliterated, reduced to nothing more than a pile of twisted metal and debris. The few remaining bits of the construct sparked and smoked, a testament to the power of the evil spirit's attack. The puppeteer narrowed her eyes as she realised that the evil spirit had been holding back the entire time, 'Just as I expected... But still, this is far too much...'
"Let's start the second act then, shall we, Alice?" The evil spirit grinned as her wings expanded and power gathered. The very space around the evil spirit began to warp and distort, as if reality itself was being bent to her will.
'....Hopefully the Vessel should be tough enough against that.' Alice grabbed the grimoire on her side as rows of shield-wielding dolls appeared behind her, "All units, behind me."
"Oh? Do you really think that's enough, Alice?" The evil spirit laughed mockingly as her wings glowed a blinding shade of black. "Well, I don't mind. If that's your choice. After all, I'm always happy to indulge an audience. Let me show you the true power of an evil spirit that surpassed the limit!"
'..It continues to rise...planetary-class magic...' Alice saw as lights rapidly gathered around her foe, her face remaining calm and composed even as the situation rapidly deteriorated. The grimoire by her side glowed brightly as she began to channel her own magic, her purple eyes fixed on the evil spirit. 'It's definitely planetary-class magic. Truly a troublesome MIma'
"The End was here! [Twilight Spark]!" Mima shouted as she unleashed her world-rending attack.
With that, the world was engulfed in an impossibly huge, bright beam. The entire room was bathed in a brilliant light as the beam shot forth, easily dwarfing any and all attacks that had been thrown around before it. A wall of light and destruction, moving toward Alice and her fairy army with incredible speed and power. The fairies could feel the overwhelming force of the magic even from a distance away and the shield dolls erected barriers between them.
"I am sorry, Alice! Let the Garden Opens but for a Moment! [The Phantom of Grand Guignol "False Wonderland"]!" Alice chanted as she opened her Grimoire at the same time as the Twilight Spark shot out.
As the massive attack shot forward, a vortex of energy emerged from the Grimoire, expanding to envelop the entire area. The world around them seemed to warp and twist, as if being pulled into a different reality entirely. The vortex of energy expanded, creating a rift in the very fabric of space and time. Suddenly, the world around the vortex shifted, transforming into a strange, surreal landscape that resembled the illustrations of a storybook. The sky turned into a patchwork of colourful cutouts, while the ground became a series of interlocking puzzle pieces. Strange, whimsical creatures emerged from the background, taking on a life of their own.
As the Twilight Spark entered the rift, the energy vortex absorbed and contained the power of the massive attack. The world within the vortex seemed to warp and twist in response, with the patchwork sky and puzzle piece ground shifting and rearranging themselves to accommodate the energy of the Twilight Spark. The strange creatures within the rift moved and danced in response to the power, as if celebrating the absorption of such a powerful attack. The scene was a bizarre and surreal one, with the power of the Twilight Spark being contained and absorbed by the whimsical world within the rift.
"Not bad! But what about more?! The End is here! The End is here! The End is here! The End is here! THE END IS HERE! Ehehehehehahahahahahaha! [Quintuple Twilight Sparks]!" The evil spirit's body began to transform, grotesquely, bloating and growing in size She had become several times bigger than her original size, the green of her hair and clothes darkened into something closer to black. Her face was split in two and opened up to reveal a portal into nothingness within, her body became a writhing mass of eyes and mouths. Her once beautiful form had been replaced by a horrifying, twisted abomination. Her madness and power had consumed her, driving her further into insanity and transforming her into a monster as she fired five more equally large and destructive beams in rapid succession.
'You're kidding-' Alice's eyes widened as she braced herself.
The strange vortex from the Grimoire continued to expand, absorbing the power of the additional Twilight Spark. The patchwork sky and puzzle piece ground within the rift twisted and shifted, rearranging themselves to accommodate even more energy. The strange creatures within the rift danced and moved in response, their movements becoming more frenetic and erratic as the power of the additional Twilight Sparks was absorbed. The scene was a bizarre and surreal one, with the power of the five additional Twilight Sparks being contained and absorbed by the whimsical world within the rift.
As the power of the additional Twilight Sparks were absorbed, the Grimoire itself began to emit a faint glow, as if in response to the sheer amount of energy it was containing. The energy within the vortex seemed to be reaching a critical mass, threatening to burst at any moment. The patchwork sky and puzzle piece ground within the rift were stretched to their limits, barely able to contain the immense power that had been absorbed. The strange creatures within the rift seemed to be on the brink of collapse, their forms warping and distorting under the strain of the energy. The scene was one of barely contained chaos, with the power of the additional Twilight Sparks threatening to tear the world apart.
And then, it happened.
A blast that tore the false Wonderland apart, the rift was ripped open and the massive power of the Twilight Spark broke free. It was a cataclysmic explosion of energy, a maelstrom of power that ripped through everything in its path. The blast tore through the very fabric of reality, ripping apart the patchwork sky and puzzle piece ground within the rift as the fake wonderful land faded into nothingness. Most of the blast barely redirected away from where the fairies were, creating clear cut half of the room being enveloped by the destructive powers while the other half barely touched, with the exception of Alice herself.
Alice was thrown backward by the force of the blast slightly but barely caught herself. Her shield dolls were obliterated but the fairies behind them were safe. The Grimoire was still in her hand, though its pages were singed and burnt at the edges. But that wasn't the worst. She stared at the stump that used to be her right arm blankly, the arm itself simply gone. Her right cheek was cracked, as if her face was a porcelain doll. Her breathing was heavy. The Grimoire was closed and floated back to her side.
"That's it? That's all you can do? How disappointing." The evil spirit's voice was cold and mocking as she descended from the air, her massive size casting a shadow over the room. Her face was a grotesque parody of her former beauty, split in two and with a portal to nothingness within. "I expected so much more from you, Alice. You had so much potential, so much promise. And yet, this is all you can do. A pity, really."
Alice stared at the monstrous figure of the evil spirit, before sighing, "...I am done"
"Already?!" The evil spirit looked surprised, before she laughed. "Hahahahaha, alright, ALRIGHT! YOU USELESS BRAT! I ALWAYS KNOW YOU WOULD JUST BE A USELESS BAG OF MEAT AND BONES! Tch, the least, LEAST! You could've done is to call your widdle MOmmy! It'sssss ALWayS! NICE TO CRUSH THAT BLOWHARD! AHHH, SHINKI, I'M SO GLAD I KILLED YOU! ALL OF YOU! YOUR DAUGHTER IS JUST AS USELESS! I WOULD'VE BEEN DISAPPOINTED IF SHE ISN'T!"
Alice Margatroid looked up at the cackling, raving evil spirit, her expression still calm despite her condition as she breathed out, "I am done...because this is not a battle that can be won....not without crossing a line that I won't do. So....I will leave it to someone else to handle you. Enjoy your defeat. Hope? Do it"
A green haired fairy appeared near Alice, too insignificant for the evil spirit to notice, let alone care. Hope nodded and took out a crystal. A bright, silver-grey crystal that radiated a solemn power that made the evil spirit paused, intrigued. Closing her eyes, Hope held the crystal up, "In the white night and dark days ahead, even if my soul despairs and shatter, Hope and Faith shall remain forevermore. With one hundred good deeds and one sin, I beseech thee. Come, until the moment I die!"
The crystal in Hope's hand began to glow with a brilliant silver light. The light spread throughout the room, enveloping everything in its soft, comforting glow. The room seemed to change, morphing into a space that felt both heavenly and solemn. The walls and ceiling disappeared, replaced by an endless expanse of pure, white light. The floor became vast, desolate plain white clouds. The air felt heavy with an oppressive solemnity, a sense of deep sadness and loss.
Despite the overwhelming presence of the white light and the desolate landscape, there was a strange beauty to the space. The light seemed to shimmer and sparkle, creating a sense of otherworldly peace and serenity. But there was also a sense of fear and uncertainty that hung in the air. The desolate landscape seemed to stretch on forever, invoking a primal fear of being alone and lost in the vastness of the universe.
And then, the very air seemed to shift and warp, a sense of foreboding filled the room. From the depths of the white light, a figure began to emerge. She was a being of immeasurable size, looming over everything in the room, her form towering and imposing. Her robes were an endless cascade of indigo and white, blending seamlessly into the desolate landscape. Her face was a solemn mask of calm and sadness, her eyes deep wells of ancient sorrow. Her wings unfurled behind her, countless and pure, stretching out to infinity, and a solemn halo floated above her head.
"..Wha..what are you?!" The abominable evil spirit's voice echoed, shaking with a mixture of anger, fear, and confusion. "What are you?! Who are you?! How dare you?! How dare you?! How dare you?! HOW DARE YOU?!"
The titanic being moved to look at the evil spirit, a simple movement made grand by the sheer scale of its form. Its eyes, deep wells of sorrow, stared down at the creature before it, and the evil spirit felt a shiver run down its twisted, abominable form. Yet the angel said nothing, which further aggravated the evil spirit.
"Answer me! Answer me, you brute! You brute! You brute!" The abomination shouted as it shot several dozen Twilight Spark at the angelic being. "ANSWER ME!"
But the angel remained silent, Her form unmoving as the attacks slammed into Her. The blasts of energy were nothing more than a gentle breeze to the being, and She stood unaffected by the onslaught. The silence was deafening, the only sound in the room was the roar of the attacks and the desperate, enraged cries of the abomination, and the angel remained silent. Her face a solemn mask of calm, Her eyes filled with ancient sorrow. She simply stood there, staring down at the abomination with an unflinching gaze.
"...Thank you for coming..Sariel" Staggering to her feet, the puppeteer bowed, though she didn't look up at the towering angelic being. Her body trembled slightly, as if her body was struggling to support herself, "...Please grant salvation, Sariel..."
Sariel looked down at the puppeteer, a faint, sad smile crossed Her face, and the air seemed to fill with a deep, melancholy aura. The angel nodded, Her head bowing in acknowledgment of the request, and the air filled with a solemn power. The being moved forward, Her steps shaking the very earth as She walked. Her wings spread out behind HER, a vast canopy that covered the entire room. The being raised Her hand, a simple, yet powerful gesture, and a brilliant light filled the space.
Gentle rays of light appeared from above, like the sun peeking from behind the clouds after a storm. They fell upon everyone in the room, and the puppets felt a soothing warmth, a sense of comfort and solace, even as the rays fell on the abominable evil spirit. The being that was once Mima thrashed and screamed, her body twisting and writhing in agony, even as the rays gently caressed her. It was a scene of both horror and beauty, a solemn, yet powerful moment, a display of the immense power of the angel. The air was filled with the sounds of the abomination's screams, and the gentle, yet powerful hum of the rays of light.
And then, it was over as quickly as it began. The abomination that was Mima fell silent, her body still and disappearing on the ground. The rays of light faded, and the angel bowed Her head once more, before slowly turning away. Her wings folded behind Her, and Sariel disappeared from sight. The desolate plain white clouds faded, the world slowly returning to normal. The walls and ceiling reappeared, and the air became still and calm once more. The room was left in a state of solemn peace, a quiet stillness that spoke of a power beyond comprehension. The air was filled with a sense of deep loss, and a profound sense of gratitude.
As the fairies clamoured in their usual childish innocent manner about how cool the fight and how awesome Hope's summoning was, Alice turned and walked toward the rapidly fading, dissolving body of the giant, abomination of evil spirit. Kneeling beside her, Alice looked down at the rapidly fading face of the evil spirit. It had lost its horrific, monstrous appearance, replaced by a serene, almost peaceful expression. A single tear trickled down its cheek.
Golden strings covering her remaining arm, Alice reached into the rapidly dissolving chest of the evil spirit, and felt her hand close around something, a small, flickering ember of energy. She gently pulled it out, cradling it in her hand. It was a small, delicate orb of pure energy barely kept together by a golden string with a sparkle of stars on it. It pulsated softly in her palm, the last remnant of the evil spirit, the final piece of its being, the real Mima of this Gensokyo, "What kind of situation did you get into...to think you were possessed by yourself, Mima?"
The orb pulsed before Alice stumbled as the orb turned into the familiar form of Mima that the dollmaker barely caught with her sole remaining arm. Alice looked at the unconscious, ghostly body of the green-haired woman in her arm and sighed, 'I suppose this is just my life now, Yuuka will definitely tease me about this'
"...What a troublesome situation..." Sighing, Alice turned to the fairies who were still celebrating happily, "Everyone, let's go home. No one to enter the inner section of the Vessel yet...and good work, you all did well"
'Where is she?! Where is Alice?!' Chiyuri thought to herself as she hurried toward the Forest of Magic, her mind racing with worry and anxiety. She knew that Alice was strong and capable, but the thought of her saviour, someone who helped her regain her past, facing such a dangerous foe alone made her heart sink. Ever since the evil spirit, Mima, unleashed her massive attack, Chiyuri lost contact with Alice. Her calls went unanswered, and the lack of response only fueled her fears. What if Alice was hurt? What if she was in trouble? These thoughts plagued Chiyuri's mind, driving her to hurry toward the forest.
But when she arrived at the puppeteer's house, she was met with an unexpected sight. Alice stood in front of her house, her expression calm and composed as she greeted Chiyuri with a nod of her head. Relief washed over Chiyuri as she thought that Alice was unharmed, but her relief quickly turned to horror as she took in Alice's condition. The puppeteer was missing an arm, and her face had deep cracks in them. The sight of Alice in such a state sent a shiver down Chiyuri's spine,
"Alice! What happened to your arm?!" She exclaimed, her voice full of worry and concern. She rushed forward, her hands reaching out to help Alice, but the puppeteer simply waved her off, a small smile on her lips.
"Don't worry about it, Chiyuri," Alice said calmly, her voice steady despite her condition. "I'll be fine. I just need some time to fix myself. This is just a doll body, remember? You've seen me at my worse"
Chiyuri looked at the very much bleeding stump that used to be Alice's arm. She did remember how supposedly, the Alice in front of her was just a doll avatar for the true Alice, even the cracks on her face supported it. But the blood leaking from the stump made her feel otherwise, and she couldn't shake the feeling that Alice hid something from her.
"Are you really okay?" She asked, her voice trembling slightly. "That...seems like a pretty serious injury. Shouldn't you be in pain or something? Is that really blood?"
With a wave of Alice's sole remaining hand, the door to her house opened up and the puppeteer entered, gesturing to Chiyuri to follow, "I suppose I am not okay per se, things went far worse than expected. I had to do something that I won't normally do. But Alice Margatroid will recover when morning comes, there is not much to worry about."
Chiyuri followed her, stepping inside the puppeteer's home. It was as lovely as she remembered, though she had more important matters at hand to appreciate the cozy, doll-filled cottage, "A-Alice, is there anything I can help with? I...I want to help, you know. I mean, it's technically related to myself after all and.."
"Shhh." Alice put a finger to her lips, silencing Chiyuri with a gentle, yet firm gesture. "No need for that, Chiyuri. I appreciate the offer, but this is something that Alice can handle alone. But if you insist, how about we talk about what just happened, not only about what happened in the vessel. I find that having someone to talk about what happened and what to do is a good way to calm down."
Chiyuri sighed, but nodded. She knew that there was no use arguing with Alice once she had made up her mind. As they sat down, the blonde human couldn't help but feel a sense of admiration for the puppeteer. Despite the loss of her arm, Alice showed no signs of weakness or vulnerability. Chiyuri wondered if the one in front of truly just a doll body then perhaps Alice could just choose not to feel pain? Though again, she felt that Alice hid something from her.
After making both of them comfortable, despite Chiyuri's protest for Alice to simply just rest, Alice began to tell what happened in the Vessel. Mostly about the fight with Mima and how she ended up in her current condition. Chiyuri listened with a mixture of fascination and horror, as Alice recounted the battle with the evil spirit, Mima. She couldn't imagine facing such a powerful and dangerous foe, and the thought of Alice losing an arm made her shudder.
"..That's..I don't have words" She truly couldn't find any, no matter how much Chiyuri tried, though she did find something interesting, "What do you mean Mima was possessing Mima?"
Grabbing a cup of tea, Alice took a sip before she replied, "It is exactly what I said, and also the thing that I expect the least. I assume you remembered more about Mima now? And do you remember what I told you about the other 'bosses'? How were they just emulations, or perhaps a projection of the actual people from other realities using the Vessel's technology? It seemed that an emulation of Mima, let's call her E-Mima to differentiate from our Mima, was simply too powerful and capable for the Vessel, and somehow she escaped the Vessel's system and took over the real Mima's body."
Chiyuri felt her blood run cold as she realised the implications of Alice's words. The thought of an emulation, a fake version of a person from another dimension, escaping the confines of the Vessel and possessing a real body was terrifying. She couldn't imagine what kind of power and capabilities this E-Mima must possess, and the thought that there may be more of them out there, waiting to escape the Vessel's system was chilling.
"W-why didn't you mention that before?!" Chiyuri asked, her voice shaking slightly. "I-I mean, should we be worried about this?"
Alice shook her head, her expression remaining calm despite the seriousness of the situation, "E-Mima was special, whoever or whatever behind the emulations was simply unlucky to choose that particular Mima. I don't think the same situation will happen again with others. I have to admit, the possibility didn't even occur to me before, a fatal oversight on my part."
"I-I see..." Chiyuri sighed, feeling slightly relieved by Alice's words. She couldn't imagine what kind of disaster would occur if something like that happened again, "So, are we safe? Could we find out what happened to the Vessel? To me..and Mima I guess?"
"...That might be a bit harder to answer. What the fairies found in the first 'section' and my quick look of the inner one didn't paint a pretty picture, but I will tell you more later when I am more sure of things. As for Mima, she's safe for now. She was weakened enough by the ordeal that it was a close thing, but it seemed someone managed to remember her enough just in time for me to keep her together and brought her out of Deepwood. She's resting right now," Alice took another sip of her tea before continuing, "Also, our clash might've caused a bit of trouble, I suppose,"
Chiyuri looked at Alice, confused. She couldn't imagine what kind of trouble their battle with the evil spirit could have caused, "Trouble? What do you mean?"
"Ah, that is.." Alice hesitated, a rare sight for Chiyuri to see, as the usually composed puppeteer seemed uncharacteristically flustered. Her cheeks flushed a light pink, and she couldn't quite meet Chiyuri's eyes. "I...may have had to summon someone to deal with Mima as I mentioned, someone very powerful and important, who might've thrown the afterlives in disarray for a bit as she passed through them. On top of that, Mima's Twilight Spark, my own spell, and the Vessel itself, might've caused dimensional disturbances beyond what I expected..."
Sighing, Alice rubbed her head, "...In a way, we might've caused the recent restless spirit outbreak as it just so happens, this year's the veil between life and death to be thinest. The Hakurei Border might've been affected too, alongside other things...things should be normal tomorrow though,"
Chiyuri's eyes widened in surprise and disbelief. She couldn't believe that their battle with the evil spirit had such far-reaching consequences, "...Is this bad?"
"Technically, in a way, I caused an Incident." Alice admitted, her voice tinged with a hint of embarrassment. "I could make excuses, but honestly I didn't think our battle would've caused such...ripples. I didn't expect to fight Mima to that degree, much less the need to summon someone like Sariel to defeat her...Well, at least I didn't hear anyone get into too much trouble from it? Reimu seemed to be happy about being able to sca- increase the villager's faith by performing exorcisms and rituals. So, in a way, I helped her?"
The blonde haired human couldn't help but stare at the embarrassed Alice in front of her, her mind reeling at the implications. The thought of causing an Incident was a big deal, and the fact that Alice was so open about it made Chiyuri question her own sanity for a moment. She couldn't help but wonder if this was all a dream, or if she was still in the Vessel, trapped in some strange illusion.
"...." Chiyuri stared at the dollmaker for a few more moments before sighing, "I am not even sure if I should be surprised anymore.."
Alice shrugged, "I admit, this is a tad too much for my taste. But, what's done is done, we should focus on the future. I will have a talk with the others if anything did happen, but for now I just want to just go through the rest of Autumn and Winter peacefully..."
Chiyuri nodded in agreement, her mind still reeling from the revelations of the day, "Yeah...peaceful Autumn and Winter would be nice, no more crazy events please...I just want to eat some good food, enjoy the season and sleep in a warm bed"
The two girls sighed in unison, their minds filled with thoughts of the chaos they had just been through and the uncertainty of what the future held. They both knew that life in Gensokyo was never truly peaceful, but for now, they could at least enjoy the tranquillity of Autumn, or at least they hoped they would be able to.
Regarding Mima, from her first appearance, you can see the weakened, real Mima in the the line trying to reach out in the teaser, the WS Incident first chapter. Look at the not capitalised letters and how maddened E-Mima not fully in control yet speech wise, especially when mentioning Marisa. Also yes, Zukiu's spoiled the whole twist all along.
I haven't written or think of next chapters yet but they should be chill until PCB at least, even then Alice probably just lock her door and sleep through the month if she can get away with it
I haven't written or think of next chapters yet but they should be chill until PCB at least, even then Alice probably just lock her door and sleep through the month if she can get away with it
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Faerie Market - A Magical Trading Experience!
Ylamona
Konlulu~
Faerie Market - A Magical Trading Experience!
By Akagi Rina, Yousei-no-Hi Special Feature
Dear readers, I must begin this article with an unusual confession - through what I can only describe as my typical string of misfortunes leading to unexpected discoveries, I stumbled upon one of Gensokyo's most fascinating secrets! Today, I'm excited to share my findings about a truly magical marketplace where fairies play at being merchants (and do a surprisingly good job of it!)
While many of my articles focus on fairy activities and their delightful interpretations of human customs, what I discovered goes beyond simple mimicry. Hidden away from regular sight exists the Faerie Market, a proper trading grounds that appears only during special times marked by mysterious rainbow phenomena. For those wondering - yes, this is where many fairies get their fascinating trinkets, and where they learned those impressive trading declarations I've documented before!
The market itself is a wonderful sight to behold. Imagine prismatic cobblestone paths lined with colourful stalls and tents, filled with everything from mundane herbs to mysterious magical items. But what truly makes it special is how our fairy friends approach trading here - they take it incredibly seriously while still being wonderfully fairy-like! It's very fun and I must recommend it to you all, dear readers! Very 'cool' and 'awesome'. Impress your friends with your skills!
Picture this: I witnessed an intense "negotiation" between two fairy merchants that involved dramatic poses, elaborate declarations, and what I can only describe as an impromptu performance - all over what appeared to be a particularly shiny pebble. Yet somehow both parties left completely satisfied with their trade. This, I would learn, is perfectly normal here!
[Photo: Two fairy merchants in an dramatic pose mid-trade, one holding up what appears to be an ordinary pebble as if it were a precious gem]
One of the market's most interesting features is its unique currency system - special rainbow-coloured coins that technically maintain the market's barter nature while being far more convenient than direct trades. When I asked about prices, one fairy merchant launched into what can only be described as a theatrical performance about "the sacred exchange of values" before happily accepting a pretty leaf as payment. Another insisted on using phrases like "I offer thee this finest merchandise" while selling what appeared to be regular mushrooms (though they did turn out to be quite tasty!). It's probably cheaper to trade directly if you can, but if you can't you can always 'trade' for the coins in agreed upon ways.
The market operates under some fascinating rules that even the most mischievous fairies follow strictly, here are some of the more important rules:
[Photo: A collection of curious masks on display at one of the stalls, ranging from simple designs to elaborate magical constructs]
I've seen quite the variety of merchants here - from Deep Ones selling mysterious devices to human traders offering village goods, all under the watchful eyes of fairy "guards." These self-appointed security fairies take their job very seriously... when they're not getting distracted by particularly shiny merchandise or joining in impromptu trading performances!
A note about this article's publication: I initially had concerns about revealing such a seemingly secret place. However, I was assured by none other than Lady Tenkyuu Chimata herself (more on this unexpected encounter shortly!) that only those "meant to find the market" would be able to understand or make use of this information. In her words, delivered with surprising intensity: "Write whatever you want! Those who shouldn't find it won't understand anyway. They'll probably think it's just another fairy tale. Which it is! But also isn't! Isn't that wonderful?"
And speaking of Lady Chimata - I quite literally stumbled into her during my investigation. At first, she was quite hesitant to speak with me, watching me with nervous energy as I explored the market. However, everything changed when I happened to mention receiving my smartphone from my friend! Lady Chimata's entire demeanor shifted instantly.
"Oh! You're one of her's too?" she exclaimed with such palpable relief that I was taken aback. What followed was a fascinating and surprisingly energetic conversation about the market's nature, though I noticed she kept glancing around as if worried about sharing too much. Her enthusiasm was infectious, even if slightly desperate at times, especially when discussing how fairies use her market.
"They're keeping it alive! Really alive!" she practically bounced while explaining, before catching herself and attempting to resume a more dignified pose. She didn't quite succeed, but there was something endearing about watching a deity so genuinely excited about fairy merchants playing at proper trading rituals.
Word of warning: While the market is perfectly safe thanks to powerful protections, do be careful what you agree to trade! The market's rules about exchanges are mysteriously binding. I learned this personally when I accidentally traded away my lunch for what I thought was a simple interview, only to find myself bound to write this very article! (Though I must say, it was worth it!)
[Photo: A fairy merchant's stall filled with curious trinkets, the merchant herself striking an elaborate pose while apparently haggling with a masked customer over what appears to be a ordinary teacup]
Some helpful tips from my own experience (and Lady Chimata's rather intense advice) for those who might find themselves at the market:
[Photo: A group of fairy merchants practising dramatic trading poses together, with one particularly enthusiastic fairy mid-leap]
Speaking of trades, I should mention that this article itself was part of an exchange with Lady Chimata. In return for her candid interview and my lunch, I promised to emphasise how proper trading rituals are still meaningful and important, even if fairies put their own unique spin on them and the usage of coins as definitely-not-currency. "It still counts!" she assured me repeatedly, with what I can only describe as desperate enthusiasm. "It absolutely still counts!"
For those curious readers who find themselves drawn to mysterious mushroom rings during rainbow-lit evenings - welcome to the Faerie Market! And for those who read this and find it sounds like nothing but nonsense, well, perhaps that's exactly what it's meant to be for you!
Final Note: This article has been reviewed and approved by both market authorities and several very serious fairy merchants who insisted on adding: "We accept shiny things as payment for newspapers!" (Though I must remind them that's not how newspaper subscriptions work!)
[Final Photo: The market at seemingly sunset, rainbow lights glinting off the stalls while masked figures and fairies engage in their ephemeral dance of trade and commerce]
Special Thanks:
Lady Chimata (who asked me to mention five more times how proper trading is important, but I convinced her once was enough)
The fairy merchants who shared their stories
The fairy who tried to trade for my shadow (it was a very creative offer!)
And of course, you dear readers, for supporting Yousei-no-Hi's continuing coverage of fairy activities!
Remember: If you understand this article enough to find the market, you were meant to find it. If it all sounds like nonsense, then perhaps it's best to dismiss it as just another fairy nonsense!
-Akagi Rina, Yousei-no-Hi Chief (and only) Reporter
By Akagi Rina, Yousei-no-Hi Special Feature
Dear readers, I must begin this article with an unusual confession - through what I can only describe as my typical string of misfortunes leading to unexpected discoveries, I stumbled upon one of Gensokyo's most fascinating secrets! Today, I'm excited to share my findings about a truly magical marketplace where fairies play at being merchants (and do a surprisingly good job of it!)
While many of my articles focus on fairy activities and their delightful interpretations of human customs, what I discovered goes beyond simple mimicry. Hidden away from regular sight exists the Faerie Market, a proper trading grounds that appears only during special times marked by mysterious rainbow phenomena. For those wondering - yes, this is where many fairies get their fascinating trinkets, and where they learned those impressive trading declarations I've documented before!
The market itself is a wonderful sight to behold. Imagine prismatic cobblestone paths lined with colourful stalls and tents, filled with everything from mundane herbs to mysterious magical items. But what truly makes it special is how our fairy friends approach trading here - they take it incredibly seriously while still being wonderfully fairy-like! It's very fun and I must recommend it to you all, dear readers! Very 'cool' and 'awesome'. Impress your friends with your skills!
Picture this: I witnessed an intense "negotiation" between two fairy merchants that involved dramatic poses, elaborate declarations, and what I can only describe as an impromptu performance - all over what appeared to be a particularly shiny pebble. Yet somehow both parties left completely satisfied with their trade. This, I would learn, is perfectly normal here!
[Photo: Two fairy merchants in an dramatic pose mid-trade, one holding up what appears to be an ordinary pebble as if it were a precious gem]
One of the market's most interesting features is its unique currency system - special rainbow-coloured coins that technically maintain the market's barter nature while being far more convenient than direct trades. When I asked about prices, one fairy merchant launched into what can only be described as a theatrical performance about "the sacred exchange of values" before happily accepting a pretty leaf as payment. Another insisted on using phrases like "I offer thee this finest merchandise" while selling what appeared to be regular mushrooms (though they did turn out to be quite tasty!). It's probably cheaper to trade directly if you can, but if you can't you can always 'trade' for the coins in agreed upon ways.
The market operates under some fascinating rules that even the most mischievous fairies follow strictly, here are some of the more important rules:
- No violence (Even playful fairy battles are forbidden here!)
- No theft (The market itself enforces this somehow - I saw a fairy try to "borrow without asking" and suddenly found herself floating upside down!)
- All trades must be proper exchanges (The fairies take this VERY seriously, even if their idea of "proper" is charmingly unique)
[Photo: A collection of curious masks on display at one of the stalls, ranging from simple designs to elaborate magical constructs]
I've seen quite the variety of merchants here - from Deep Ones selling mysterious devices to human traders offering village goods, all under the watchful eyes of fairy "guards." These self-appointed security fairies take their job very seriously... when they're not getting distracted by particularly shiny merchandise or joining in impromptu trading performances!
A note about this article's publication: I initially had concerns about revealing such a seemingly secret place. However, I was assured by none other than Lady Tenkyuu Chimata herself (more on this unexpected encounter shortly!) that only those "meant to find the market" would be able to understand or make use of this information. In her words, delivered with surprising intensity: "Write whatever you want! Those who shouldn't find it won't understand anyway. They'll probably think it's just another fairy tale. Which it is! But also isn't! Isn't that wonderful?"
And speaking of Lady Chimata - I quite literally stumbled into her during my investigation. At first, she was quite hesitant to speak with me, watching me with nervous energy as I explored the market. However, everything changed when I happened to mention receiving my smartphone from my friend! Lady Chimata's entire demeanor shifted instantly.
"Oh! You're one of her's too?" she exclaimed with such palpable relief that I was taken aback. What followed was a fascinating and surprisingly energetic conversation about the market's nature, though I noticed she kept glancing around as if worried about sharing too much. Her enthusiasm was infectious, even if slightly desperate at times, especially when discussing how fairies use her market.
"They're keeping it alive! Really alive!" she practically bounced while explaining, before catching herself and attempting to resume a more dignified pose. She didn't quite succeed, but there was something endearing about watching a deity so genuinely excited about fairy merchants playing at proper trading rituals.
Word of warning: While the market is perfectly safe thanks to powerful protections, do be careful what you agree to trade! The market's rules about exchanges are mysteriously binding. I learned this personally when I accidentally traded away my lunch for what I thought was a simple interview, only to find myself bound to write this very article! (Though I must say, it was worth it!)
[Photo: A fairy merchant's stall filled with curious trinkets, the merchant herself striking an elaborate pose while apparently haggling with a masked customer over what appears to be a ordinary teacup]
Some helpful tips from my own experience (and Lady Chimata's rather intense advice) for those who might find themselves at the market:
- Bring interesting things to trade! Fairies are particularly fond of shiny objects, pretty leaves, and what they call "precious pebbles" (which look like regular pebbles to me, but who am I to judge?)
- Don't be surprised by the theatrical nature of trading. As Lady Chimata frantically explained: "The performance is part of the proper exchange! Very important! VERY important! Though I suppose the fairies do make it more... interesting than traditional methods..." She seemed torn between anxiety and amusement at this point.
- If you're offered a seemingly impossible trade (like your shadow, your memories, or your "future tallness" as one fairy tried to barter from me), politely decline. While most fairy trades are harmless, the market's binding nature takes all properly formalised exchanges very seriously and non-fairy traders might want something far more than you expected. Lady Chimata mentioned she'll try to help, especially if it is with fairies, to revert 'unequal' trade before the market closed but she also emphasised "Do you really want to be treated with fairies' kiddy gloves?"
- Take your time to enjoy the atmosphere! From fairy merchants practising their "serious trading face" in reflection pools to impromptu musical performances about the "sacred art of market prices," there's always something delightful happening.
[Photo: A group of fairy merchants practising dramatic trading poses together, with one particularly enthusiastic fairy mid-leap]
Speaking of trades, I should mention that this article itself was part of an exchange with Lady Chimata. In return for her candid interview and my lunch, I promised to emphasise how proper trading rituals are still meaningful and important, even if fairies put their own unique spin on them and the usage of coins as definitely-not-currency. "It still counts!" she assured me repeatedly, with what I can only describe as desperate enthusiasm. "It absolutely still counts!"
For those curious readers who find themselves drawn to mysterious mushroom rings during rainbow-lit evenings - welcome to the Faerie Market! And for those who read this and find it sounds like nothing but nonsense, well, perhaps that's exactly what it's meant to be for you!
Final Note: This article has been reviewed and approved by both market authorities and several very serious fairy merchants who insisted on adding: "We accept shiny things as payment for newspapers!" (Though I must remind them that's not how newspaper subscriptions work!)
[Final Photo: The market at seemingly sunset, rainbow lights glinting off the stalls while masked figures and fairies engage in their ephemeral dance of trade and commerce]
Special Thanks:
Lady Chimata (who asked me to mention five more times how proper trading is important, but I convinced her once was enough)
The fairy merchants who shared their stories
The fairy who tried to trade for my shadow (it was a very creative offer!)
And of course, you dear readers, for supporting Yousei-no-Hi's continuing coverage of fairy activities!
Remember: If you understand this article enough to find the market, you were meant to find it. If it all sounds like nonsense, then perhaps it's best to dismiss it as just another fairy nonsense!
-Akagi Rina, Yousei-no-Hi Chief (and only) Reporter
Chimata: "My livelihood is depended on fairies doing their thing to attract more, non-fairy traders..." pien
Akyuu: Breathes heavily about mysterious thing she never heard before trying to maintain composure "Of course, we don't condone any human to go out of their to such dangerous place....did we have anyone that willing to te- testify about this? No..shame"
Rina luck strikes again, she managed to find the market during halloween. Something whipped out quick while I was trying some things
Akyuu: Breathes heavily about mysterious thing she never heard before trying to maintain composure "Of course, we don't condone any human to go out of their to such dangerous place....did we have anyone that willing to te- testify about this? No..shame"
Rina luck strikes again, she managed to find the market during halloween. Something whipped out quick while I was trying some things
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Woven Synchronicity ~ First Weave
Ylamona
Konlulu~
"It seems Reimu's gri-...attempts at gaining more visitors successful" I hummed as I looked over the line of people in the shrine's ground.
In the aftermath of the Halloween incident, where restless spirits haunted Gensokyo harmlessly for a week until Reimu "stopped" it, the Hakurei Shrine found itself bustling with human villagers coming to pay respects and show gratitude. To avoid the crowds, we – the Aki sisters, Chimata, and I – decided to have our picnic on the outskirts of the shrine grounds.
Though not everyone seemed to be happy as I see Chimata scoffing, and grumbling under her breath as she looked at the bustling shrine grounds with clear dislike. "It's amazing how many people are fooled by the shrine maiden's act of heroics. She didn't do anything to stop the incident," she mumbled bitterly. "I know what it's like to be forgotten and treated as irrelevant, but at least I didn't pretend to be something I'm not."
"Ahahah..." "..." The Aki sisters, Minoriko and Shizuha, both look uncomfortable at Chimata's grumbling, not knowing how to respond to her words. I give them a small smile and shake my head, silently telling them not to worry about Chimata's mood.
Eternity meanwhile, patted Chimata on the back, trying to comfort her. Probably, the definitely a fairy seemed to more focused on her food than anything else, but at least she's trying. "It's alright, Chimata. Everyone's got a role to play, even if some of them don't quite fit the bill," she said, before taking a bite of my homemade onigiri. Her eyes went wide and sparkly, and she let out a dramatic "Mmm~!" sound of pleasure. "Alice's food is always the best! It's like a symphony of flavors dancing on my taste buds! The rice is perfectly seasoned like a well-rehearsed musical number, while the fillings sing a harmonious duet in my mouth!"
"It's just a normal food, " I sighed, feeling a bit embarrassed by Eternity's over-the-top reaction. "You're exaggerating again."
"Well, miss Alice, she's not entirely wrong. Your food is indeed delicious, the epitome of culinary perfection. The flavors dance on our palates like autumn leaves in the breeze, a symphony of savory delight. The artistry in each morsel is a testament to your skill and dedication," Minoriko added, nodding in agreement while Shizhua just nodded as well. Meanwhile, Chimata muttering about the viability of selling the onigiri, making me roll my eyes at her.
"Thank you, but it's really nothing special," I replied, still feeling a bit awkward about their high praise for my cooking. "I just enjoy making food for friends. Now, let's try some of the other dishes we brought, shall we?"
As we continued our picnic, the conversation shifted to lighter topics, and the bustling activity at the Hakurei Shrine provided a lively backdrop for our gathering. The Aki sisters shared stories about their preparations for the autumn season, and Eternity regaled us with tales of her latest market exploits, much to Chimata's amusement and my exasperation. Despite the initial awkwardness, our little group found a comfortable rhythm, enjoying the simple pleasure of good food, pleasant company, and the colorful tapestry of Gensokyo unfolding before us.
"Speaking of, Shizuha-sama-" "Just Shizuha, please." "-Shizuha, what brought the two goddesses of autumn to Hakurei shrine in the first place?" I asked, wondering why the two were here in the first place.
"Ah, yes. Actually there was a party here but the shrine maiden shoo-ed everyone but me and Shizuha citing 'the humans are coming, you youkais find somewhere else to party', if I remembered correctly'" Minoriko explained, making a Reimu impression that was scarily accurate, before Shizuha continued for her. "Though she didn't let us leave..for some reason, which is why we're here." The elder Aki sister explained, making me sigh.
"I'm here just to make sure that shrine maiden won't do anything funny to you two," Chimata chimed in, crossing her arms and looking at the shrine grounds suspiciously. "You can never be too careful with her."
"And I saw these three just around, also you came with a basket of food, miss Alice!" Eternity exclaimed, pointing at the picnic basket. "I couldn't resist the call of good food, so I decided to tag along~"
Looking at the villagers who lined up to the village also gawked at us, already told me why Reimu decided to kept the two goddesses here. Right now, the Shizuha, Minoriko and Chima didn't exactly hide their nature. Even average villagers who usually kept blind about many things in Gensokyo, could recognise that their divine natures.
"She's probably just showing you two off to the villagers, then." I sighed, as I saw Reimu was pointing in our direction and saying something to the villagers at the front of the line. "She is a miko, and having you two, three with Chimata here, here might boost her reputation as a miko even more."
"That's...actually smart." The market goddess mumbled, surprised as she saw the villagers looked at her and the autumn goddesses with respect. "That shrine maiden is smarter than I give her credit..." She grudgingly admitted while Eternity just snickering at her. Meanwhile, I could hear Shizuha sighing loudly, seemingly tired with how Reimu is using her and her sister.
"It's fine, at least we get to enjoy the party and now have picnic with you and friends, Shizuha," The harvest goddess tried to cheer up her sister. "Besides, it's not like we have anything else to do anyway."
Hmm? That's curious, "Oh? I thought Autumn should be the busiest time for you two?"
"I guess it's thanks to all those people that we met when we were Outside," Minoriko answered with a smile, "we had quite a few humans offering their prayers and gifts. They even made a little shrine for us! It was really heartwarming, and it helped us feel more energized than usual. We're still minor gods, but the extra support definitely made a difference."
"Indeed, I never thought I would receive so much appreciation from the Outside humans." Shizuha agreed, a rare smile appearing on her face. "It was a nice surprise, though the strange power Elly gave us from that stranger artefact helped the most really. It's temporary, but it's enough for us to be here through some means while technically still working."
It must've been C.U.R.E., I thought as I remembered the machine Elly brought back from Outside. Collective Unconscious Resonance Engine, a machine that could tapped into the collective unconsciousness of humanity. A terrible yet powerful machine, that the Aki sisters probably didn't even know what it was used for. Though it's probably for the best that they didn't know, the power they got must've been Elly dumped the build-up energy that was meant to make the head cultist into a god. I should made sure it was truly empty later, and it won't turn on suddenly or caused trouble.
I blinked as I felt something tugging at my dress, and found Eternity giving me a pleading look as she pointed at the onigiri in Chimata's hand. Sighing, I gestured towards the basket. "There's plenty more in the basket. Help yourselves," I told them, causing the fairy to cheer and immediately grab a handful of the onigiri, offering one to Minoriko, who took it with a grateful smile.
Shizuha, on the other hand, seemed content with the onigiri she already had, taking small bites as she watched the scene at the shrine. "It's nice to see so many humans here, even if they're only coming because of that fake incident the shrine maiden claims to have solved. At least they're showing appreciation for the spirits and gods of the seasons," she mused, her eyes fixed on Reimu's attempts to impress the villagers. "It reminds me of the old days, when the humans used to pray to us and offer gifts during the autumn harvest."
"True," Chimata agreed, nodding thoughtfully. "Even if their intentions aren't entirely pure, it's still nice to see the humans acknowledging the power and importance of the gods and spirits. Maybe some of them will even start to pray and offer gifts more regularly, like they used to." She took another bite of the onigiri, her eyes shining as the delicious flavors filled her mouth.
Minoriko nodded, a sad smile on her face. "I hope so too, but we can't force people to believe in us or offer us prayers. We can only be patient and wait for their hearts to open to us once again." She looked down at the onigiri in her hand, her expression thoughtful. "In the meantime, we'll just keep doing our best to bring the beauty of autumn and the bounty of the harvest to Gensokyo. That's the least we can do for the humans who still believe in us."
As the conversation continued, the Aki sisters shared stories of their past, when humans would flock to them to pray for a bountiful harvest and a beautiful autumn season. They spoke of the joy they felt in answering those prayers and the satisfaction of watching the humans thrive under their blessings. Meanwhile Chimata shared her own past where her market were full of humans, the bustling activity, the lively atmosphere, and the feeling of being at the center of everything, the connection between the mundane and the supernatural.
Eternity, on the other hand.. "Hee.." "Wow" "Cool!" acted like she wasn't involved with the topic, and simply enjoyed her food while occasionally chiming in with her own tales of her adventures with the fairies. Whether fighting in dungeon, playing around Gensokyo, messing around Chimata's market, her tales were always filled with excitement and laughter, a sharp contrast to the more somber tales of the other three.
"By the way, is it okay for us to stay here? Won't the Hakurei god be...bothered by our presence?" Minoriko asked, glancing around nervously as if expecting the god to appear at any moment. "I mean, we're technically trespassing on their land, right?"
"Oh no, you'll be fine!" Eternity reassured her with a grin. "I am sure it will be fine~ We're not youkais after all"
Snorting, I just shook my head, "That reminds me, I wonder if Tamatsukuri-sama is around?"
"Mhhm? Whomst?" Eternity asked, tilting her head to the side with her mouth still full of food. "Who's that?"
"Tamatsukuri Misumaru-sama, the goddess who are proficient with craftsmanship of certain items like magatama. I heard the yin-yang orb of Hakurei shrine was her creation." I explained, and Eternity blinked.
"Oooh, that sounds so cool!" Eternity exclaimed, her eyes lighting up with excitement. "What kind of stuff does she make?"
"Things like magatama, jewels, and that kind of thing, I believe," Minoriko chimed in, nodding in agreement. "I've heard stories about her work, it's supposed to be quite impressive and powerful. She's very skilled in her craft, the Yin-Yang orb itself is the prime example of her work"
"Indeed, her work is quite remarkable," Shizuha added, her voice filled with admiration. "I've seen some of her creations, and they're truly stunning. Think we can get her to make some now that we have a shrine, Minoriko"
"Is that so?" Chimata hummed, sounding interested. "I might have to pay her a visit sometime. I could use someone with her skills in my market."
That was a good confirmation that she was around at least. With Chimata being here, I was wondering if people from future events would be around as well. Something to looked out for, but at least this goddess should be peaceful enough, unlike some other people. Though her craftsmanship should be interesting to see, not to mention her magatama or perhaps just magatama in general but hers particularly good at it, could supposedly store parts of people's soul, including their abilities and memories. It might be useful in doll creations...
'Something for the future, for now let's just enjoy our time here,' I mused, turning back to the picnic basket to grab another onigiri for myself as the conversation flowed around me, my thoughts drifting to the possibilities that lay ahead and simply relaxing for times to come.
"Alice! Guess what?" Reimu asked excitedly, practically bouncing on the balls of her feet as she approached Alice. "I managed to get so many visitors today! More than ever before!" She beamed with pride, her eyes sparkling with excitement.
"I was there and saw it, Reimu," Chuckling at Reimu's enthusiasm, Alice Margatroid patted the smaller girl "You've worked hard this past week, it's great that it paid off in the end,"
"Yeah, yeah!" Reimu grinned, nodding eagerly. "I didn't think that pretending to solve whatever that was would actually work, but I guess it did!"
Alice couldn't help but laugh a little at Reimu's blunt honesty. "Well, it's a wonderful thing you did. The shrine looked much better with all these people around before, and the donations will help a lot, I'm sure," she commented, glancing at the rather old shrine, "But remember, it's not just about the money. It's about maintaining the peace and balance of Gensokyo, too. You did a good job with that as well so far," she added, giving Reimu an approving nod.
"Ah, yes," Reimu replied, her cheeks turning slightly pink as she realized what she had just said. "That's also important, of course. But still, the money is nice too, you know?"
Leaning slightly to Reimu's side, Alice smiled, "But the most important thing is of course, yourself. So be happy, and proud of yourself. You deserve it. Others that knew might question your method for this if they knew, but you did work so far to get to this point, and for that, I am proud of you," she whispered in the young shrine maiden's ear, making her blush even harder.
"Thank you, Alice," Reimu said softly, looking down at the ground in embarrassment. "It means a lot to hear that from you."
"Of course, Reimu. I'll always be here for you, no matter what," Alice replied, giving the younger girl a warm smile. "....If I could anyway, I've been busy lately, so I do apologise for not always be able to be around, though I do hope that would change soon."
"Oh! Oh, it's fine! I know you've been busy with...things, I don't want to bother you with my problems when you've got your own to worry about," Reimu replied hurriedly, trying to reassure Alice. "I mean, I'm the Hakurei Shrine Maiden, I'm supposed to be able to handle things on my own, right?"
"Still, I am sorry for not always be around," Alice said, her tone softening. "And it's not for Reimu the Hakurei Shrine Maiden, but Reimu the person. You're not just the Hakurei Shrine Maiden, Reimu. Rin told me you've been quite lonely lately, and I'm sorry that I haven't been able to be there for you as much as I'd like. It's just...there's been a lot going on lately, and I've had to deal with some personal matters of my own."
Internally cursing at Rin for snitching, Reimu couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt. Not that she was alone per se, far from it. Rumia and Rin had been around most of the times, even Yukari visited more often when Rin was busy somewhere else in the shrine ground. It was just...Alice's absence was felt even more than usual. Maybe it was due to everything happened so far, from the Hunter or Rin, maybe Reimu was simply too used to Alice being around her.
"I-I'm fine, really," Reimu insisted, her cheeks turning slightly red again. "Rin and Rumia had been around, and sometimes Yukari too. It was fun, and I'm fine," She wasn't lying, it was fun to mess with Rumia and Rin. Even Yukari had some fun in her own usual infuriating ways, though Reimu felt the gap hag a bit different nowadays. "And I know that you've been busy lately. It's just...I guess I just missed having you around, that's all," She added, looking away as she tried to hide her embarrassment. Though she understood Alice's circumstances, and didn't want to bother her.
" I see, so I guess I don't need visit so often then? If you have Rin, Rumia and Yukari to keep you company, you wouldn't miss me that much, right?" With a teasing voice, Alice smiled wider, her green eyes twinkled in amusement.
"N-No! That's not what I meant! Geez!" Reimu stammered, her face turning a bright shade of red as she glared at Alice. "You know I love having you around, and that I'm fine with you being busy, you jerk!" She pouted, her cheeks puffing out adorably. "It's just that...sometimes I miss our quiet moments together. That's all,"
"Even the times you just napping on my lap?" Alice chuckled, her expression softening as she looked at Reimu fondly.
"Yes, even that," Reimu mumbled, her cheeks still flushed with embarrassment.
Chuckling softly, Alice smiled and gently ruffled Reimu's hair. "Well, we'll have plenty of time for that soon, I promise. I'm almost done with...some stuff, so I'll have more time to visit you after that."
"Really?" Reimu's eyes lit up with excitement.
"Really, though not today" Alice promised, her tone gentle. "I still have some things to do, but I'll make sure to come and visit you as soon as I can." she added, her tone apologetic.
"Yeah...I know," Reimu sighed, her shoulders slumping slightly. "It's okay. I'll be waiting for you,"
"I'll try to finish it as soon as possible, okay?" Alice said, her tone reassuring. "And in the meantime, you can always talk to Rin or Rumia if you're feeling lonely, they care abou you too."
"..." Reimu nodded, her expression wistful as she sighed. "I'll do that. And I'll be looking forward to your visit,"
"Wonderful," Alice smiled, her expression warm. "I'll see you soon, Reimu." She promised, before she left the shrine, leaving Reimu alone with her thoughts.
'Oh! So this is miss Alice's house!' Medicine Melancholy thought to herself as she entered the magician's dwelling. It was the first time she visited the dollmaker's place she met before, and was quite excited to see what it was like.
The exterior of Alice's house was like something out of a fairytale, with its white walls, blue roof, and flower-lined windowsills. The front door was painted a bright red and had a brass knocker shaped like a small doll. Medicine had been surprised at how cute and adorable the house was, not expecting the doll maker's house to be so inviting. It was such a stark contrast to her usual surroundings at the Nameless Hill, that she couldn't help but feel a little overwhelmed.
As soon as Medicine stepped inside, she was met with a sense of warmth and coziness that she had never experienced before. The house was filled with shelves lined with dolls of all shapes and sizes, some made of wood, others of porcelain or cloth. Each one had been made with great care and attention to detail, with bright, sparkling eyes that seemed to follow Medicine wherever she went.
The floor was covered in a soft, plush carpet that felt like clouds under Medicine's feet, and the walls were adorned with beautiful paintings of flowers and landscapes that seemed to come to life before her eyes. There were comfortable couches and armchairs scattered throughout the room, perfect for curling up in with a book or just to relax and unwind."
But what really caught Medicine's attention were the dolls. They were everywhere - sitting on shelves, standing on tables, and even hanging from the ceiling. Some were small and delicate, while others were large and imposing. But each one was unique and beautiful in its own way, and Medicine found herself drawn to them like a moth to a flame. All of the dolls looked well-cared and loved, Medicine could feel that from the aura they were emitting. It was as if they were part of the family, not just mindless inanimate objects.
'Wow...this place is amazing!' Medicine thought to herself as she walked through the house, feeling more and more at ease with every step. She couldn't believe that such a beautiful and welcoming place existed, let alone that it was the home of a dollmaker who she knew. It made her feel a sense of comfort that she had never experienced before, and she found herself wishing that she could stay here forever.
Everything was so beautiful and well-kept, that it was hard for Medicine to believe that anyone could live here. It was like one of those fancy dollhouses that she seem before, like a handmade, one-of-a-kind piece of art. It was a far cry from the harsh, desolate landscape of the Nameless Hill that she was used to, or the bits and pieces about where she was before then.
'So this is what a home is supposed to feel like...' Medicine thought to herself as she continued to explore the house. It was a place of comfort and safety, a place where you could be yourself without fear of judgment or rejection.
As she continued to look around, Medicine couldn't help but feel a sense of awe at the sheer amount of dolls that were everywhere. It was as if the whole house was filled with life, despite the fact that they were all inanimate objects and she heard Alice was alone. She saw small framed pictures of Alice standing with the with Marisa, and probably this Hakurei maiden she heard about. The latter two clearly smaller, younger than Alice, made Medicine wonder about the three. There was also a picture of what probably Alice with a pretty blonde girl in purple, then another one where she played with her dolls alongside and a foxy lady. All the pictures seemed precious enough to be put on display like this, meaning Alice probably treasured the memories with them, whoever they were.
"Oh, Medicine? You've came early, sorry for making you wait." A woman's voice called out to her, making Medicine turn around to see the dollmaker herself.
"Ah, no, no! I just got a bit curious and looked around. Your house is amazing, miss Alice!" Medicine said, feeling a bit embarrassed for wandering around without permission. "I've never seen anything like it before."
"Thank you, Medicine." Alice smiled gently, her brown eyes crinkling with warmth. "I'm glad you like it. Do you want to have some tea, before we start? Or we can just start now if you'd like. I've prepared everything."
"Oh, um...I think I'd like to start now, if that's okay," Medicine replied, feeling a little nervous about the idea of someone poking and prodding her. "I've never really had anyone do this to me before, so I'm not sure what to expect."
"Of course," Alice said, nodding in understanding. "Come, sit here." She gestured to a small chair in front of a workbench, where a variety of tools and materials were neatly arranged. "I'll try to make this as comfortable for you as possible, but let me know if you feel any discomfort, okay?"
"Okay..." Medicine said, taking a seat on the chair and trying to relax. She watched as Alice began to gather her tools and materials, her movements swift and practiced. It was clear that she was an expert at her craft, and that she took great care in everything she did. As Alice started her work, Medicine found herself feeling more and more at ease. She was still a little nervous, but the dollmaker's gentle demeanor and obvious skill made her feel safe and secure.
"Alright, here we go." Alice said, as she began to examine Medicine. Her touch was light and gentle, her fingers deftly tracing the contours of Medicine's body. She carefully checked every inch of her, looking for any signs of wear and tear or damage.
Medicine couldn't help but feel a little self-conscious as Alice worked, but she tried to focus on the fact that she was in the hands of a skilled dollmaker, someone who was only interested in making sure that she was in good condition.
After a while, Alice finished her examination and stepped back, a satisfied smile on her face. "You're in excellent condition, Medicine. There's no need for any major repairs, but I can do some touch-ups and adjustments if you'd like."
"Really?" Medicine asked, feeling a little surprised. She had expected there to be more wrong with her, given how she came to be. "I mean, I'm not opposed to it, but are you sure?"
"Of course, I pride myself in my work, and I want to make sure that you're always looking your best. We could even go further if you'd like~" The dollmaker smiled as she saw various doll parts floating behind Alice. All of them looked top quality, even better than the one she currently had, but many of them also looked...experimental. Weapons, some weird mechanisms, even some that were clearly meant to be for non-humanoid dolls or had actual machines embedded in them. They looked so out of place, and a little scary, definitely not the cute and adorable ones that Medicine usually associated with dolls. "There are plenty of options, so take your pick. Or I could just choose for you, if you'd like?"
"U-uh, I think I'm fine with just the touch-ups and adjustments," Medicine stammered, feeling a little...scared at the prospect of having any of those...parts being added to her. "I-I mean, I'm not really used to having all these fancy things, and I don't want to mess anything up..."
"Are you sure? It's perfectly safe, I promise." Alice said, looking a little disappointed. "I've done this many times before, and I know what I'm doing. You don't have to worry about anything."
"I-it's not that I don't trust you, miss Alice! I just...I'm not sure if I'm ready for all that," Medicine said, feeling a little guilty for disappointing the dollmaker, but she really wasn't ready to have like swords in her arms or something, "But maybe...maybe we could try adding something small, like...a new dress or something?"
Alice's face lit up at that. "Oh, that's a great idea! I have so many designs that I've been dying to try out, and I think they'd look wonderful on you. Let me show you some of them!" She eagerly showed her various designs, and they were all beautiful and intricate, with delicate embroidery and intricate lacework. They were all so lovely, that Medicine couldn't help but feel excited at the prospect of wearing one. Alice also explained most of them seemed to be enchanted or enhanced in some manners, sometimes in a way Medicine couldn't understand, but she was assured it was all for the best.
In the end, Medicine chose a similar one to her original outfit, design wise basically the same but made from better, more expensive material, and had various enhancements on it. Even if she wasn't a human, she still had her vanity, and Medicine couldn't deny that she loved the idea of wearing something so beautiful and well-made. And it wasn't just that, there were other benefits too, such as better protection and increased mobility. It was a win-win situation, really.
Once the decision had been made, Alice went to work, her hands moving quickly and confidently as she began to make the necessary modifications. Medicine watched in awe, amazed by the dollmaker's skill and precision. It was clear that she was a true master of her craft, and that she took great pride in her work. She was also so fast, very fast that even when sewing, Alice probably wouldn't lose to those sewing machines from Outside.
In no time at all, Alice had finished the modifications, and Medicine was looking better than ever. The dress fitted her perfectly, and the new parts that Alice had added to her body were seamless and invisible. She felt stronger and more agile, and she couldn't help but marvel at the difference that Alice had made. "Thank you so much, miss Alice! This is amazing!"
"You're very welcome, Medicine." Alice said, smiling warmly. "I'm glad you're happy with the results. I take pride in my work, and I always strive to make sure that my dolls are the best that they can be."
Medicine nodded, feeling a sense of gratitude and admiration for the dollmaker. It was clear that she was someone who cared deeply about her craft, and who was always looking for ways to improve and innovate. Medicine couldn't help but feel lucky to have met her, and to have been given the opportunity to be her doll for a while. "I'll take a good care of it, miss Alice. Thank you, once again." She bowed deeply, grateful for everything Alice had done for her.
"You're welcome, Medicine. Now, would you like some tea? I have some lovely blends that I think you'd enjoy." Alice offered, gesturing towards the kitchen, "Or perhaps a doll show? It's been awhile since I done one, I want to hear the opinion of a doll herself if I do a good job or not,"
Medicine thought about it for a moment, before nodding eagerly. "Sure! I'd love to see a doll show!" she exclaimed, excited at the prospect of seeing Alice in action. "I bet you're really good at it!"
Alice's smile grew wider, and she nodded in agreement. "Well, I don't want to brag, but I have been told that I'm quite talented," she said, her tone lighthearted. "Now, come on, let's get you cleaned up and then we can start the show. It would be about the Holly Quintet, a very magical story about five girls who were bound by Fate. I am sure you would...perhaps not enjoy per se, but it would be interesting to you,"
"Alright!" Medicine said, following Alice eagerly. She couldn't wait to see what the dollmaker had in store for her, and she had a feeling that it was going to be something truly special.
In the aftermath of the Halloween incident, where restless spirits haunted Gensokyo harmlessly for a week until Reimu "stopped" it, the Hakurei Shrine found itself bustling with human villagers coming to pay respects and show gratitude. To avoid the crowds, we – the Aki sisters, Chimata, and I – decided to have our picnic on the outskirts of the shrine grounds.
Though not everyone seemed to be happy as I see Chimata scoffing, and grumbling under her breath as she looked at the bustling shrine grounds with clear dislike. "It's amazing how many people are fooled by the shrine maiden's act of heroics. She didn't do anything to stop the incident," she mumbled bitterly. "I know what it's like to be forgotten and treated as irrelevant, but at least I didn't pretend to be something I'm not."
"Ahahah..." "..." The Aki sisters, Minoriko and Shizuha, both look uncomfortable at Chimata's grumbling, not knowing how to respond to her words. I give them a small smile and shake my head, silently telling them not to worry about Chimata's mood.
Eternity meanwhile, patted Chimata on the back, trying to comfort her. Probably, the definitely a fairy seemed to more focused on her food than anything else, but at least she's trying. "It's alright, Chimata. Everyone's got a role to play, even if some of them don't quite fit the bill," she said, before taking a bite of my homemade onigiri. Her eyes went wide and sparkly, and she let out a dramatic "Mmm~!" sound of pleasure. "Alice's food is always the best! It's like a symphony of flavors dancing on my taste buds! The rice is perfectly seasoned like a well-rehearsed musical number, while the fillings sing a harmonious duet in my mouth!"
"It's just a normal food, " I sighed, feeling a bit embarrassed by Eternity's over-the-top reaction. "You're exaggerating again."
"Well, miss Alice, she's not entirely wrong. Your food is indeed delicious, the epitome of culinary perfection. The flavors dance on our palates like autumn leaves in the breeze, a symphony of savory delight. The artistry in each morsel is a testament to your skill and dedication," Minoriko added, nodding in agreement while Shizhua just nodded as well. Meanwhile, Chimata muttering about the viability of selling the onigiri, making me roll my eyes at her.
"Thank you, but it's really nothing special," I replied, still feeling a bit awkward about their high praise for my cooking. "I just enjoy making food for friends. Now, let's try some of the other dishes we brought, shall we?"
As we continued our picnic, the conversation shifted to lighter topics, and the bustling activity at the Hakurei Shrine provided a lively backdrop for our gathering. The Aki sisters shared stories about their preparations for the autumn season, and Eternity regaled us with tales of her latest market exploits, much to Chimata's amusement and my exasperation. Despite the initial awkwardness, our little group found a comfortable rhythm, enjoying the simple pleasure of good food, pleasant company, and the colorful tapestry of Gensokyo unfolding before us.
"Speaking of, Shizuha-sama-" "Just Shizuha, please." "-Shizuha, what brought the two goddesses of autumn to Hakurei shrine in the first place?" I asked, wondering why the two were here in the first place.
"Ah, yes. Actually there was a party here but the shrine maiden shoo-ed everyone but me and Shizuha citing 'the humans are coming, you youkais find somewhere else to party', if I remembered correctly'" Minoriko explained, making a Reimu impression that was scarily accurate, before Shizuha continued for her. "Though she didn't let us leave..for some reason, which is why we're here." The elder Aki sister explained, making me sigh.
"I'm here just to make sure that shrine maiden won't do anything funny to you two," Chimata chimed in, crossing her arms and looking at the shrine grounds suspiciously. "You can never be too careful with her."
"And I saw these three just around, also you came with a basket of food, miss Alice!" Eternity exclaimed, pointing at the picnic basket. "I couldn't resist the call of good food, so I decided to tag along~"
Looking at the villagers who lined up to the village also gawked at us, already told me why Reimu decided to kept the two goddesses here. Right now, the Shizuha, Minoriko and Chima didn't exactly hide their nature. Even average villagers who usually kept blind about many things in Gensokyo, could recognise that their divine natures.
"She's probably just showing you two off to the villagers, then." I sighed, as I saw Reimu was pointing in our direction and saying something to the villagers at the front of the line. "She is a miko, and having you two, three with Chimata here, here might boost her reputation as a miko even more."
"That's...actually smart." The market goddess mumbled, surprised as she saw the villagers looked at her and the autumn goddesses with respect. "That shrine maiden is smarter than I give her credit..." She grudgingly admitted while Eternity just snickering at her. Meanwhile, I could hear Shizuha sighing loudly, seemingly tired with how Reimu is using her and her sister.
"It's fine, at least we get to enjoy the party and now have picnic with you and friends, Shizuha," The harvest goddess tried to cheer up her sister. "Besides, it's not like we have anything else to do anyway."
Hmm? That's curious, "Oh? I thought Autumn should be the busiest time for you two?"
"I guess it's thanks to all those people that we met when we were Outside," Minoriko answered with a smile, "we had quite a few humans offering their prayers and gifts. They even made a little shrine for us! It was really heartwarming, and it helped us feel more energized than usual. We're still minor gods, but the extra support definitely made a difference."
"Indeed, I never thought I would receive so much appreciation from the Outside humans." Shizuha agreed, a rare smile appearing on her face. "It was a nice surprise, though the strange power Elly gave us from that stranger artefact helped the most really. It's temporary, but it's enough for us to be here through some means while technically still working."
It must've been C.U.R.E., I thought as I remembered the machine Elly brought back from Outside. Collective Unconscious Resonance Engine, a machine that could tapped into the collective unconsciousness of humanity. A terrible yet powerful machine, that the Aki sisters probably didn't even know what it was used for. Though it's probably for the best that they didn't know, the power they got must've been Elly dumped the build-up energy that was meant to make the head cultist into a god. I should made sure it was truly empty later, and it won't turn on suddenly or caused trouble.
I blinked as I felt something tugging at my dress, and found Eternity giving me a pleading look as she pointed at the onigiri in Chimata's hand. Sighing, I gestured towards the basket. "There's plenty more in the basket. Help yourselves," I told them, causing the fairy to cheer and immediately grab a handful of the onigiri, offering one to Minoriko, who took it with a grateful smile.
Shizuha, on the other hand, seemed content with the onigiri she already had, taking small bites as she watched the scene at the shrine. "It's nice to see so many humans here, even if they're only coming because of that fake incident the shrine maiden claims to have solved. At least they're showing appreciation for the spirits and gods of the seasons," she mused, her eyes fixed on Reimu's attempts to impress the villagers. "It reminds me of the old days, when the humans used to pray to us and offer gifts during the autumn harvest."
"True," Chimata agreed, nodding thoughtfully. "Even if their intentions aren't entirely pure, it's still nice to see the humans acknowledging the power and importance of the gods and spirits. Maybe some of them will even start to pray and offer gifts more regularly, like they used to." She took another bite of the onigiri, her eyes shining as the delicious flavors filled her mouth.
Minoriko nodded, a sad smile on her face. "I hope so too, but we can't force people to believe in us or offer us prayers. We can only be patient and wait for their hearts to open to us once again." She looked down at the onigiri in her hand, her expression thoughtful. "In the meantime, we'll just keep doing our best to bring the beauty of autumn and the bounty of the harvest to Gensokyo. That's the least we can do for the humans who still believe in us."
As the conversation continued, the Aki sisters shared stories of their past, when humans would flock to them to pray for a bountiful harvest and a beautiful autumn season. They spoke of the joy they felt in answering those prayers and the satisfaction of watching the humans thrive under their blessings. Meanwhile Chimata shared her own past where her market were full of humans, the bustling activity, the lively atmosphere, and the feeling of being at the center of everything, the connection between the mundane and the supernatural.
Eternity, on the other hand.. "Hee.." "Wow" "Cool!" acted like she wasn't involved with the topic, and simply enjoyed her food while occasionally chiming in with her own tales of her adventures with the fairies. Whether fighting in dungeon, playing around Gensokyo, messing around Chimata's market, her tales were always filled with excitement and laughter, a sharp contrast to the more somber tales of the other three.
"By the way, is it okay for us to stay here? Won't the Hakurei god be...bothered by our presence?" Minoriko asked, glancing around nervously as if expecting the god to appear at any moment. "I mean, we're technically trespassing on their land, right?"
"Oh no, you'll be fine!" Eternity reassured her with a grin. "I am sure it will be fine~ We're not youkais after all"
Snorting, I just shook my head, "That reminds me, I wonder if Tamatsukuri-sama is around?"
"Mhhm? Whomst?" Eternity asked, tilting her head to the side with her mouth still full of food. "Who's that?"
"Tamatsukuri Misumaru-sama, the goddess who are proficient with craftsmanship of certain items like magatama. I heard the yin-yang orb of Hakurei shrine was her creation." I explained, and Eternity blinked.
"Oooh, that sounds so cool!" Eternity exclaimed, her eyes lighting up with excitement. "What kind of stuff does she make?"
"Things like magatama, jewels, and that kind of thing, I believe," Minoriko chimed in, nodding in agreement. "I've heard stories about her work, it's supposed to be quite impressive and powerful. She's very skilled in her craft, the Yin-Yang orb itself is the prime example of her work"
"Indeed, her work is quite remarkable," Shizuha added, her voice filled with admiration. "I've seen some of her creations, and they're truly stunning. Think we can get her to make some now that we have a shrine, Minoriko"
"Is that so?" Chimata hummed, sounding interested. "I might have to pay her a visit sometime. I could use someone with her skills in my market."
That was a good confirmation that she was around at least. With Chimata being here, I was wondering if people from future events would be around as well. Something to looked out for, but at least this goddess should be peaceful enough, unlike some other people. Though her craftsmanship should be interesting to see, not to mention her magatama or perhaps just magatama in general but hers particularly good at it, could supposedly store parts of people's soul, including their abilities and memories. It might be useful in doll creations...
'Something for the future, for now let's just enjoy our time here,' I mused, turning back to the picnic basket to grab another onigiri for myself as the conversation flowed around me, my thoughts drifting to the possibilities that lay ahead and simply relaxing for times to come.
"Alice! Guess what?" Reimu asked excitedly, practically bouncing on the balls of her feet as she approached Alice. "I managed to get so many visitors today! More than ever before!" She beamed with pride, her eyes sparkling with excitement.
"I was there and saw it, Reimu," Chuckling at Reimu's enthusiasm, Alice Margatroid patted the smaller girl "You've worked hard this past week, it's great that it paid off in the end,"
"Yeah, yeah!" Reimu grinned, nodding eagerly. "I didn't think that pretending to solve whatever that was would actually work, but I guess it did!"
Alice couldn't help but laugh a little at Reimu's blunt honesty. "Well, it's a wonderful thing you did. The shrine looked much better with all these people around before, and the donations will help a lot, I'm sure," she commented, glancing at the rather old shrine, "But remember, it's not just about the money. It's about maintaining the peace and balance of Gensokyo, too. You did a good job with that as well so far," she added, giving Reimu an approving nod.
"Ah, yes," Reimu replied, her cheeks turning slightly pink as she realized what she had just said. "That's also important, of course. But still, the money is nice too, you know?"
Leaning slightly to Reimu's side, Alice smiled, "But the most important thing is of course, yourself. So be happy, and proud of yourself. You deserve it. Others that knew might question your method for this if they knew, but you did work so far to get to this point, and for that, I am proud of you," she whispered in the young shrine maiden's ear, making her blush even harder.
"Thank you, Alice," Reimu said softly, looking down at the ground in embarrassment. "It means a lot to hear that from you."
"Of course, Reimu. I'll always be here for you, no matter what," Alice replied, giving the younger girl a warm smile. "....If I could anyway, I've been busy lately, so I do apologise for not always be able to be around, though I do hope that would change soon."
"Oh! Oh, it's fine! I know you've been busy with...things, I don't want to bother you with my problems when you've got your own to worry about," Reimu replied hurriedly, trying to reassure Alice. "I mean, I'm the Hakurei Shrine Maiden, I'm supposed to be able to handle things on my own, right?"
"Still, I am sorry for not always be around," Alice said, her tone softening. "And it's not for Reimu the Hakurei Shrine Maiden, but Reimu the person. You're not just the Hakurei Shrine Maiden, Reimu. Rin told me you've been quite lonely lately, and I'm sorry that I haven't been able to be there for you as much as I'd like. It's just...there's been a lot going on lately, and I've had to deal with some personal matters of my own."
Internally cursing at Rin for snitching, Reimu couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt. Not that she was alone per se, far from it. Rumia and Rin had been around most of the times, even Yukari visited more often when Rin was busy somewhere else in the shrine ground. It was just...Alice's absence was felt even more than usual. Maybe it was due to everything happened so far, from the Hunter or Rin, maybe Reimu was simply too used to Alice being around her.
"I-I'm fine, really," Reimu insisted, her cheeks turning slightly red again. "Rin and Rumia had been around, and sometimes Yukari too. It was fun, and I'm fine," She wasn't lying, it was fun to mess with Rumia and Rin. Even Yukari had some fun in her own usual infuriating ways, though Reimu felt the gap hag a bit different nowadays. "And I know that you've been busy lately. It's just...I guess I just missed having you around, that's all," She added, looking away as she tried to hide her embarrassment. Though she understood Alice's circumstances, and didn't want to bother her.
" I see, so I guess I don't need visit so often then? If you have Rin, Rumia and Yukari to keep you company, you wouldn't miss me that much, right?" With a teasing voice, Alice smiled wider, her green eyes twinkled in amusement.
"N-No! That's not what I meant! Geez!" Reimu stammered, her face turning a bright shade of red as she glared at Alice. "You know I love having you around, and that I'm fine with you being busy, you jerk!" She pouted, her cheeks puffing out adorably. "It's just that...sometimes I miss our quiet moments together. That's all,"
"Even the times you just napping on my lap?" Alice chuckled, her expression softening as she looked at Reimu fondly.
"Yes, even that," Reimu mumbled, her cheeks still flushed with embarrassment.
Chuckling softly, Alice smiled and gently ruffled Reimu's hair. "Well, we'll have plenty of time for that soon, I promise. I'm almost done with...some stuff, so I'll have more time to visit you after that."
"Really?" Reimu's eyes lit up with excitement.
"Really, though not today" Alice promised, her tone gentle. "I still have some things to do, but I'll make sure to come and visit you as soon as I can." she added, her tone apologetic.
"Yeah...I know," Reimu sighed, her shoulders slumping slightly. "It's okay. I'll be waiting for you,"
"I'll try to finish it as soon as possible, okay?" Alice said, her tone reassuring. "And in the meantime, you can always talk to Rin or Rumia if you're feeling lonely, they care abou you too."
"..." Reimu nodded, her expression wistful as she sighed. "I'll do that. And I'll be looking forward to your visit,"
"Wonderful," Alice smiled, her expression warm. "I'll see you soon, Reimu." She promised, before she left the shrine, leaving Reimu alone with her thoughts.
'Oh! So this is miss Alice's house!' Medicine Melancholy thought to herself as she entered the magician's dwelling. It was the first time she visited the dollmaker's place she met before, and was quite excited to see what it was like.
The exterior of Alice's house was like something out of a fairytale, with its white walls, blue roof, and flower-lined windowsills. The front door was painted a bright red and had a brass knocker shaped like a small doll. Medicine had been surprised at how cute and adorable the house was, not expecting the doll maker's house to be so inviting. It was such a stark contrast to her usual surroundings at the Nameless Hill, that she couldn't help but feel a little overwhelmed.
As soon as Medicine stepped inside, she was met with a sense of warmth and coziness that she had never experienced before. The house was filled with shelves lined with dolls of all shapes and sizes, some made of wood, others of porcelain or cloth. Each one had been made with great care and attention to detail, with bright, sparkling eyes that seemed to follow Medicine wherever she went.
The floor was covered in a soft, plush carpet that felt like clouds under Medicine's feet, and the walls were adorned with beautiful paintings of flowers and landscapes that seemed to come to life before her eyes. There were comfortable couches and armchairs scattered throughout the room, perfect for curling up in with a book or just to relax and unwind."
But what really caught Medicine's attention were the dolls. They were everywhere - sitting on shelves, standing on tables, and even hanging from the ceiling. Some were small and delicate, while others were large and imposing. But each one was unique and beautiful in its own way, and Medicine found herself drawn to them like a moth to a flame. All of the dolls looked well-cared and loved, Medicine could feel that from the aura they were emitting. It was as if they were part of the family, not just mindless inanimate objects.
'Wow...this place is amazing!' Medicine thought to herself as she walked through the house, feeling more and more at ease with every step. She couldn't believe that such a beautiful and welcoming place existed, let alone that it was the home of a dollmaker who she knew. It made her feel a sense of comfort that she had never experienced before, and she found herself wishing that she could stay here forever.
Everything was so beautiful and well-kept, that it was hard for Medicine to believe that anyone could live here. It was like one of those fancy dollhouses that she seem before, like a handmade, one-of-a-kind piece of art. It was a far cry from the harsh, desolate landscape of the Nameless Hill that she was used to, or the bits and pieces about where she was before then.
'So this is what a home is supposed to feel like...' Medicine thought to herself as she continued to explore the house. It was a place of comfort and safety, a place where you could be yourself without fear of judgment or rejection.
As she continued to look around, Medicine couldn't help but feel a sense of awe at the sheer amount of dolls that were everywhere. It was as if the whole house was filled with life, despite the fact that they were all inanimate objects and she heard Alice was alone. She saw small framed pictures of Alice standing with the with Marisa, and probably this Hakurei maiden she heard about. The latter two clearly smaller, younger than Alice, made Medicine wonder about the three. There was also a picture of what probably Alice with a pretty blonde girl in purple, then another one where she played with her dolls alongside and a foxy lady. All the pictures seemed precious enough to be put on display like this, meaning Alice probably treasured the memories with them, whoever they were.
"Oh, Medicine? You've came early, sorry for making you wait." A woman's voice called out to her, making Medicine turn around to see the dollmaker herself.
"Ah, no, no! I just got a bit curious and looked around. Your house is amazing, miss Alice!" Medicine said, feeling a bit embarrassed for wandering around without permission. "I've never seen anything like it before."
"Thank you, Medicine." Alice smiled gently, her brown eyes crinkling with warmth. "I'm glad you like it. Do you want to have some tea, before we start? Or we can just start now if you'd like. I've prepared everything."
"Oh, um...I think I'd like to start now, if that's okay," Medicine replied, feeling a little nervous about the idea of someone poking and prodding her. "I've never really had anyone do this to me before, so I'm not sure what to expect."
"Of course," Alice said, nodding in understanding. "Come, sit here." She gestured to a small chair in front of a workbench, where a variety of tools and materials were neatly arranged. "I'll try to make this as comfortable for you as possible, but let me know if you feel any discomfort, okay?"
"Okay..." Medicine said, taking a seat on the chair and trying to relax. She watched as Alice began to gather her tools and materials, her movements swift and practiced. It was clear that she was an expert at her craft, and that she took great care in everything she did. As Alice started her work, Medicine found herself feeling more and more at ease. She was still a little nervous, but the dollmaker's gentle demeanor and obvious skill made her feel safe and secure.
"Alright, here we go." Alice said, as she began to examine Medicine. Her touch was light and gentle, her fingers deftly tracing the contours of Medicine's body. She carefully checked every inch of her, looking for any signs of wear and tear or damage.
Medicine couldn't help but feel a little self-conscious as Alice worked, but she tried to focus on the fact that she was in the hands of a skilled dollmaker, someone who was only interested in making sure that she was in good condition.
After a while, Alice finished her examination and stepped back, a satisfied smile on her face. "You're in excellent condition, Medicine. There's no need for any major repairs, but I can do some touch-ups and adjustments if you'd like."
"Really?" Medicine asked, feeling a little surprised. She had expected there to be more wrong with her, given how she came to be. "I mean, I'm not opposed to it, but are you sure?"
"Of course, I pride myself in my work, and I want to make sure that you're always looking your best. We could even go further if you'd like~" The dollmaker smiled as she saw various doll parts floating behind Alice. All of them looked top quality, even better than the one she currently had, but many of them also looked...experimental. Weapons, some weird mechanisms, even some that were clearly meant to be for non-humanoid dolls or had actual machines embedded in them. They looked so out of place, and a little scary, definitely not the cute and adorable ones that Medicine usually associated with dolls. "There are plenty of options, so take your pick. Or I could just choose for you, if you'd like?"
"U-uh, I think I'm fine with just the touch-ups and adjustments," Medicine stammered, feeling a little...scared at the prospect of having any of those...parts being added to her. "I-I mean, I'm not really used to having all these fancy things, and I don't want to mess anything up..."
"Are you sure? It's perfectly safe, I promise." Alice said, looking a little disappointed. "I've done this many times before, and I know what I'm doing. You don't have to worry about anything."
"I-it's not that I don't trust you, miss Alice! I just...I'm not sure if I'm ready for all that," Medicine said, feeling a little guilty for disappointing the dollmaker, but she really wasn't ready to have like swords in her arms or something, "But maybe...maybe we could try adding something small, like...a new dress or something?"
Alice's face lit up at that. "Oh, that's a great idea! I have so many designs that I've been dying to try out, and I think they'd look wonderful on you. Let me show you some of them!" She eagerly showed her various designs, and they were all beautiful and intricate, with delicate embroidery and intricate lacework. They were all so lovely, that Medicine couldn't help but feel excited at the prospect of wearing one. Alice also explained most of them seemed to be enchanted or enhanced in some manners, sometimes in a way Medicine couldn't understand, but she was assured it was all for the best.
In the end, Medicine chose a similar one to her original outfit, design wise basically the same but made from better, more expensive material, and had various enhancements on it. Even if she wasn't a human, she still had her vanity, and Medicine couldn't deny that she loved the idea of wearing something so beautiful and well-made. And it wasn't just that, there were other benefits too, such as better protection and increased mobility. It was a win-win situation, really.
Once the decision had been made, Alice went to work, her hands moving quickly and confidently as she began to make the necessary modifications. Medicine watched in awe, amazed by the dollmaker's skill and precision. It was clear that she was a true master of her craft, and that she took great pride in her work. She was also so fast, very fast that even when sewing, Alice probably wouldn't lose to those sewing machines from Outside.
In no time at all, Alice had finished the modifications, and Medicine was looking better than ever. The dress fitted her perfectly, and the new parts that Alice had added to her body were seamless and invisible. She felt stronger and more agile, and she couldn't help but marvel at the difference that Alice had made. "Thank you so much, miss Alice! This is amazing!"
"You're very welcome, Medicine." Alice said, smiling warmly. "I'm glad you're happy with the results. I take pride in my work, and I always strive to make sure that my dolls are the best that they can be."
Medicine nodded, feeling a sense of gratitude and admiration for the dollmaker. It was clear that she was someone who cared deeply about her craft, and who was always looking for ways to improve and innovate. Medicine couldn't help but feel lucky to have met her, and to have been given the opportunity to be her doll for a while. "I'll take a good care of it, miss Alice. Thank you, once again." She bowed deeply, grateful for everything Alice had done for her.
"You're welcome, Medicine. Now, would you like some tea? I have some lovely blends that I think you'd enjoy." Alice offered, gesturing towards the kitchen, "Or perhaps a doll show? It's been awhile since I done one, I want to hear the opinion of a doll herself if I do a good job or not,"
Medicine thought about it for a moment, before nodding eagerly. "Sure! I'd love to see a doll show!" she exclaimed, excited at the prospect of seeing Alice in action. "I bet you're really good at it!"
Alice's smile grew wider, and she nodded in agreement. "Well, I don't want to brag, but I have been told that I'm quite talented," she said, her tone lighthearted. "Now, come on, let's get you cleaned up and then we can start the show. It would be about the Holly Quintet, a very magical story about five girls who were bound by Fate. I am sure you would...perhaps not enjoy per se, but it would be interesting to you,"
"Alright!" Medicine said, following Alice eagerly. She couldn't wait to see what the dollmaker had in store for her, and she had a feeling that it was going to be something truly special.
Alice: "Why did I have a picnic with several gods again? I felt out of place"
This one a bit rough admittedly, but not as much as the next one. A bit late update but here it is
This one a bit rough admittedly, but not as much as the next one. A bit late update but here it is
- Pronouns
- He
With how much everyone seems to praise Alice in relation to how Alice seems to view herself, I wonder if any of Alice's friends believe that Alice has a low self-esteem.
Alice's interactions with Reimu and Medicine were adorable to watch, but I think it also says a lot about the characters involved.
Alice's interactions with Reimu and Medicine were adorable to watch, but I think it also says a lot about the characters involved.
Ylamona
Konlulu~
Btw, changed the second chapter, tell me if it worse or not.
depend on who amd what occasion. Alice usually too 'composed' to be seen having self esteem issue. Sometime seen as just being overly humble, or even humble bragging. Sometimes just seen as the occasional self-deprecating nature.
- Pronouns
- He
It's different, but I like it.
Feels like it emphasizes Marisa's and Alice's relationship more than before.
Woven Synchronicity ~ Second Weave
Ylamona
Konlulu~
Even from afar, I could already see the construction going on at Scarlet Devil Mansion, now being turned into a proper castle by Remilia. The old Victorian architecture was being transformed, with soaring Gothic spires rising from the existing structure. The design itself was reminiscent of a certain Dracula's castle - flying buttresses, their scarlet-tinged stone gleaming in the light, supported newly raised walls adorned with intricate gargoyles. Quite the bold choice, if you ask me.
As I got closer, the details of the would-be-castle started becoming clearer. While the former mansion's elegant Victorian proportions remained in the central structure, new towers rose at irregular intervals, their heights varying dramatically to create a striking silhouette. Rather than the bright red of the old mansion, the new stonework had a more subtle crimson undertone, as if the very rock itself had been infused with blood. The effect highlighted the blackened iron decorations and dark wood accents being added.
I arrived at the front gate, where I found Meiling currently training some fairy maids in morning exercise and martial arts. While in the past I would've laughed at the thought of training fairies, considering how skilled they could be apparently, it might not be the worst idea. They might serve as a useful security force, though their nature would remain a big hurdle unless Meiling could somehow do anything about it. Even I still didn't know how the fairies under my employ became like…whatever they are now.
Meiling noticed my arrival and waved with a grin, which I returned with a nod. I saw she had a smartphone showing Rin on the screen. Pity that it would still be too dangerous for Rin to move too far from the Shrine's area or it would be a threat to her existence as people might remember her wrongly or people just forgetting her again. I still hadn't figured out how to fully stabilise her existence yet, but at least these two had a way to stay in touch with the smartphone. Meiling should be one of the few that had it outside my circle for this very reason, she is one of the closest person to Rin outside of Hakurei shrine somehow after all.
"Greetings, Grand One" "Grand One" "All Hail, Lady of Wonder"
As I walked through the construction site, I was greeted by a chorus of respectful voices from the Deep Ones. Their presence definitely explained the astonishing speed of construction - the materials they brought had an otherworldly quality, stones that seemed to pulse with barely contained power, metals that caught the light in impossible ways. Their expertise in magical architecture was evident in how quickly the castle was taking shape, the building itself seeming to resonate with their eldritch craftsmanship. Though I wondered if Remilia was truly able to command them, or if the vampire was the one being taken advantage of.
Construction seemed to focus on the wings and towers first, though Remilia had apparently prioritised renovating the servants' quarters and living spaces. New dormitory wings were already nearly complete, their rooms far more spacious and comfortable than before.
'Hmm, interesting, There are more lesser devils and even succubi here. I wondered if Patchouli was the one who summoned them or Remilia. Maybe both, or perhaps Koakuma simply referred her friends here.' I smiled at one of the succubi who was working on logistics and talked with one of deep one as I passed by, and she quickly bowed her head and skittered away with noticeable nervousness. 'I suppose they would be far more effective in more delicate work than the fairies. At least the probably even larger castle won't be as empty as the old mansion was.'
I made my way through the half-built castle, passing by various construction sites and workers, both devils, fairies and deep ones, and finally arrived at a large double door. Behind this door was the temporary throne room, where Remilia currently resided while overseeing the castle's construction.
However, instead of entering myself, I took a deep breath and focused my magic to control a doll to stand-in for me. It was a simple one, obviously a doll but looked similar enough to be recognisably Alice Margatroid. Basically just a life-sized doll with visible joints instead of a lifelike, barely distinguishable from humans that I usually use nowadays. Remilia has a power to see people's fates and apparently mine seemed to cause her a bit of trouble, so I'd rather avoid any more headache for the little vampire. Really explained her first reaction when meeting me truly, I hoped this would be good enough to help with that.
I sent the doll forward to open the door and enter the throne room. The room was opulent, even unfinished. Large chandeliers hung from the ceiling, casting a warm glow over the space, and the walls were adorned with intricate tapestries and paintings. At the far end of the room, on a raised dais, sat a grand throne. It was carved from a deep, rich wood and upholstered in red velvet. Sitting on the throne was Remilia Scarlet, looking regal and imposing in her vampire glory. Or at least, that's what she was going for, the fact that she was far smaller than the throne and currently lounging in a rather undignified manner rather spoiled the image.
'How adorable' My doll moved to stand in front of the throne, bowing respectfully. "Greetings, Lady Remilia," I had my doll said. "It is an honour to be in your presence."
Remilia sat up, somewhat excitedly, that it was rather funny to see her try to act cool and collected as she said, "Ah, welcome, Alice. I'm glad you could make it. I see you've noticed the renovations?"
"I must say, your castle is quite impressive. I can't imagine the effort it must have taken to build it," my doll nodded, gesturing to the room around us. "Though I am a bit curious about the aesthetic, I can't deny it is quite striking."
Remilia smirked, her fangs glinting in the light. "I'm glad you appreciate it. I thought it was time for a change, and what better way to show my power than with a grand, imposing castle? And please, cut the formalities. As much as I appreciate someone else actually knowing how to be proper, right now we are just friends having a talk"
"Of course," my doll nodded, and I had her took a seat on a nearby chair. "So, to what do I owe the pleasure of this invitation?"
Remilia leaned back in her throne, steepling her fingers. "So, how did you find this new look of my home? I am grateful for the magicians you introduce to me, they have been very helpful and very knowledgeable about architecture. They also found my impeccable taste in aesthetic most fitting. It's so refreshing to have someone competent and cultured around, to think not even Sakuya or Pache realise the beauty and majesty of this aesthetic!"
"It is indeed grand and majestic," Remilia looked very pleased hearing the compliment, "though I must say that I never expected you to be a fan of that particular design aesthetic. It is a bold choice, especially for a vampire like yourself. You certainly won't be beating the stereotype anytime soon."
Remilia laughed, a sound that echoed through the room. "Ah, you're one of the few who understands. And besides, after my experience Outside and seeing those....dregs that called themselves vampires and their mockery of the aesthetic, I feel the need to reclaim the imagery. So, I'm glad you understand, as expected of one of the only cultured and refined people around here"
I knew it already, but it was still surprising to find out that United States, at least some of the cities, apparently infested with vampires. Remilia apparently was disgusted with them, calling them dregs and degenerates. From what I understood, it appeared that the vampires seemed to be hidden between humans in groups not too different from secret societies. Hedonistic, incompetent ones that 'can't understand even a lick of dignity of true vampire'. Remilia had a lot of things to say about them, mostly of the angry kind. Considering she apparently wiped out one of the biggest house supposedly while she was out during Halloween with Flandre after a case of some incompetent summoning ritual, I could only imagine the chaos that must have happened. The news reported it as some kind of terrorist attack, but it was hard to get more information since it was in another continent, on the other side of the globe.
"Though I must admit, choosing this aesthetic is still a pretty bold choice. I can't imagine many would understand the significance, and even fewer would appreciate the irony. I suppose it fits you, in a way. A reminder of the old world, of a time when the world was a bit more... mysterious, and less mundane. Though I am curious, did your experience outside really impact you that much?"
Remilia's expression shifted, becoming more contemplative. "You could say that. It was an eye-opening experience, to say the least. Gensokyo is a unique place, but stepping back into the Outside world, even for a short while, it was like a splash of cold water on the face. It reminded me of the world beyond Gensokyo, of the changes that have happened there. It was a bit of a shock, to be honest, to see how much the world had changed. But it also made me appreciate Gensokyo even more, its unique charm, its people, and the life we have here."
"It is a stark contrast, isn't it? Gensokyo is like a bubble, frozen in time, while the Outside world moves forward at a breakneck pace. It's easy to forget how much the world has changed, especially when you're surrounded by magic and monsters on a daily basis," I had my doll said, smiling softly. "And it's understandable to want to hold onto a part of the past, to remember what once was, especially when it seems like the world is leaving you behind."
Remilia smiled, her fangs glinting in the light, "Indeed. Hence why I decided to embrace the past in my own way, to remind myself and others that the old ways still have value. The world may change, but some things remain constant, like the majesty of a vampire lord and their castle. It's a statement, a way to show that we're not just relics of a bygone era, but a part of the world, a part that refuses to fade away. Even as the world moves on, we remain, defiant and unyielding. A bit of a dramatic statement, but it's a statement nonetheless, and a reminder to myself that I still have a part to play in the world, even if it's not the same as it once was."
"And surely, the fact that Cirno had their own icy, underwater castle when you were rebuilding the mansion at first wasn't a factor to this, hmm?~"
Her cheeks turned a slight shade of red, Remilia huffed, "Of course not! Why would I, the Scarlet Devil, be influenced by a mere fairy? I have far more class and dignity than that. Besides, my castle will be far grander and more impressive than that icy trinket. It's not a competition, mind you, but if it were, I would win hands down." She crossed her arms, looking away with a pout, trying to maintain her dignity even as her cheeks flushed a deeper red.
I chuckled, amused by her response. "Of course, of course. But let's not overlook the inspiration behind your magnificent castle, shall we? I'm sure Lord Tepes himself would be flattered by such a grand tribute. After all, he was a man of culture and sophistication, much like you—a true visionary ahead of his time. It's only fitting that you honour him in this way."
Remilia's expression softened, a subtle hint of melancholy flickering in her gaze. "Yes, he was indeed remarkable. A man of strength and conviction, unyielding against adversity. He fought fiercely for his beliefs, no matter the cost—a true hero, in my eyes. But he wasn't only a warrior; he was a patron of art and knowledge, valuing beauty and wisdom. He inspired those around him and, in many ways, embodied the ideal ruler—someone to admire, emulate, and remember. The world lost a great man when he was gone."
"Indeed. Though, if you'll pardon me, as a lover of myths, I always found Dracula a bit of a tragic hero, don't you think?" I prompted, leaning my doll forward in her chair. "A man of power and ambition, driven by noble causes yet ultimately consumed by his own darkness. A cautionary tale, but in some legends, a tragic figure as well."
Remilia seemed taken aback, but intrigue quickly replaced her surprise. "Oh? A tragic hero, you say? I must admit, I've avoided delving too deeply into those tales… for personal reasons."
I let my doll rise and bow before beginning to spin the tale of Lord Dracula as my magic take hold onto reality, bringing life to my story.
In a time long past, before "Dracula" became synonymous with terror, Vlad Tepes was a man driven by both a fierce sense of duty and an unrelenting resolve. In his homeland of Wallachia, he was both revered and feared, a leader willing to do whatever was necessary to protect his people. Yet, in his ruthless pursuit of order, he became a force as brutal as the chaos he sought to quell. Underneath the surface of his noble cause, the unending cycle of betrayal and bloodshed was already eroding his spirit, marking him as both hero and monster.
As years passed, Vlad grew weary. He came to see mortality as a shackle, an inevitable limit to the power he had fought so desperately to secure. Disillusioned by humanity's flaws, he sought a way to transcend his own. In his search, he turned to forbidden arts, accepting the curse of vampirism and severing the last threads tying him to the mortal world. With this transformation, he left behind the name Vlad Tepes and embraced the identity of Dracula, abandoning his homeland and retreating into the shadows.
Centuries passed, and Dracula's life became one of solitude, his power matched only by his isolation. Humans became little more than fleeting shadows to him, their lives inconsequential as he delved deeper into arcane and non-arcane knowledge. He surrounded himself with ancient tomes, the walls of his castle filled with relics of civilizations that had risen and fallen in the time he had watched. Power and knowledge were his only companions, he drifted in a void where meaning was as intangible as the dust settling on his unread books.
And yet, for all his strength, an emptiness lingered. Dracula had become a myth in his own right, a name whispered in fear, but the pursuit of mastery over death itself left him unfulfilled, adrift in the hollow of his own immortality.
I paused, glancing at Remilia's rapt expression, then continued about how It was into this void that Lisa entered. A mortal woman, unafraid of the darkness in which he cloaked himself, Lisa sought him not for his power, but out of curiosity and courage. She came to him, not as a fearful subject, but as a seeker of knowledge. Her heart was open, her spirit unbroken by the fear that ruled others. She looked beyond his otherworldly appearance and recognized the intellect and wisdom that had once been Vlad's proudest attributes. For the first time in centuries, Dracula felt the stirrings of something he had long buried—a connection, a glimpse of purpose.
Lisa's compassion chipped away at his carefully built walls. She treated him as something more than a monster, seeing in him a man with gifts that could be used to enrich, rather than destroy. And for a fleeting time, he allowed himself to believe in the redemption she offered. Through her, he glimpsed the world he had left behind and began to see that perhaps, not all humans were as ignorant or cruel as he had come to believe. Her love reminded him of the life he'd once led, the purpose he had once cherished.
I noticed Remilia's expression grew complicated, as I continued.
But humanity's cruelty was relentless. It wasn't long before fear and ignorance drove them to turn on Lisa, branding her a witch. She was condemned, burned by the same people she had sought to help. Her death shattered him, ripping away the last remnants of hope he had for mankind. What he had once seen as noble in humanity became twisted in his eyes. In his grief, he embraced the title of "Dracula" fully—not as a scholar or a man, but as an embodiment of wrath. His fury became an unrestrained force, a judgement he unleashed upon humanity itself.
In his sorrow and rage, he became the very monster humanity had always feared, unleashing a darkness that even he could not fully control. Yet despite the power he wielded, the satisfaction he sought eluded him. He grew only more detached, lost in a hollow vengeance. For every act of retribution, he felt the faint stirrings of the soul he had once held, but each glimpse was shrouded by bitterness and sorrow.
And then, one day, his own son—Alucard—stood before him, a testament to the life he had lost. Alucard, with his compassion for humanity, reminded Dracula of all that had been stripped away by centuries of solitude and hatred. In his son's eyes, he saw the man he could have been, the life he had sacrificed in his quest for power. Confronted by Alucard's love for the world he had rejected, Dracula glimpsed himself as he had once been—a man who, in a time of despair, had been transformed by love.
In that moment of clarity, he chose to surrender, to release the hatred that had driven him. And with that surrender, his story ended not in victory or defeat, but in release. In death, he returned to what had truly mattered to him all along: the memory of love and the faint, fleeting hope that humanity might, one day, overcome its flaws.
Through Alucard, his spirit endured—not as a creature of vengeance, but as a symbol of redemption, a reminder that love could transform even the most isolated soul. His legacy became not the fearsome Dracula, but the man who had once allowed himself to believe in humanity again, if only for a brief moment. For in the end, even in the darkest of beings, the light of love may linger, waiting to be rekindled.
The doll's voice fell silent as she bowed once more. I unweave the magic, allowing the realm of stories to recede and gave way to reality, or undo the illusion in simpler terms.
Remilia was quiet, her gaze distant as she absorbed the story. After a moment, she spoke softly, her voice carrying a faint wistfulness. "An utterly romanticised tale, and nothing like the actual Vlad Tepes. Yet… there's a certain poetry in it, a tragic beauty. It highlights a fascinating perspective on power and humanity's limits—a compelling, if flawed, interpretation."
"You're right, it's not exactly accurate, and it's hard to say how much of it is true or just the product of creative minds and a bit of a bastardised folktales, not unlike what you have here in Gensokyo. But I think it's quite the change from the story that popularised the vampire and Dracula himself, no?" I had the doll giving a playful wink. "Plus, it's always fun to imagine what could've been, right? But I do think there's a nugget of truth in it, about how power can isolate you from humanity, and how finding someone who sees past that and values you as a person, well, it can be transformative. A nice story, though a bit tragic, but not unlike something that I heard from one of my friend"
Remilia nodded thoughtfully, a wistful smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. "Indeed, it wasn't bad. A bit too romanticised, perhaps, but it's a pleasant change of pace from the stories I've heard of the lord Tepes before...Hmm, that made my day. Thank you, Alice. I was right to invite you here. It's refreshing to have a conversation with someone who is truly cultured and refined like I am. You gave me a good story to pass the time too, even if it's a bit of a stretch from the actual history. And as for the castle, well, I think it's a fitting tribute to a man who was, at his core, a visionary, even if he was misunderstood. So, thank you for that insight. It's given me a lot to think about."
"..Mhm! I am in a good mood now!" Remilia clapped her hand, "I shall grant you a favour then! What is the thing that the magnificent vampire lord, the Scarlet Devil, Remilia Scarlet can help you with?"
"Oh? Hmm, I wonder. There are quite a few things I could use, but if I had to choose..." I had my doll tapped her chin thoughtfully. "How about this...would you be my friend, Remilia?"
Remilia's eyes widened in surprise, and for a moment, she looked taken aback as she coughed, "I-I beg your pardon?" she said, her tone incredulous. "A favour, and all you ask for is to be...friends? That's it? No request for wealth, power, or anything of the sort? You must be joking. It's not every day that the Scarlet Devil offers a favour like this!"
"Why not?" I had my doll shrug, smiling mischievously. "Surely friendship with one such as yourself is far more valuable than mere wealth or power, isn't it?"
"She got you there sis~" Flandre, suddenly behind Remilia, grinned. "She's kinda cool, so why not? Does this mean you can cook for us more often, big sis Alice?~"
"F-Flandre, you're here?!" Remilia seemed shocked by the arrival of her younger sister, her face turning red in embarrassment. "You could have at least announced your presence. You should know better than to sneak up on people, especially your older sister."
Flandre giggled, her laughter ringing through the room like the tinkling of bells. "Aww, come on, Remilia~ Ehehe~ You know I couldn't resist the chance to tease you a little. Plus, I couldn't help but overhear your conversation, and it sounded like you were having so much fun."
"Fun? What do you mean by that?" Remilia crossed her arms defensively, her cheeks still flushed. "I was merely having a civil discussion with Alice, nothing more."
"Mhm, sure you did, sis~ Big sis Alice, did you know Remi was so excited to invite you over-"
"Okay, that's enough, Flandre!" Remilia interrupted, her voice a mix of exasperation and affection. "Don't you have something better to do than to bother me and Alice? I'm sure Sakuya could find some things for you to do if you're bored. Besides, you shouldn't interfere with adult conversations."
"Adult conversation, huh?~" Flandre's grin widened as she leaned in closer to Remilia, whispering conspiratorially. "Are you sure you're not just embarrassed because you want to be friends with big sis Alice? It's okay to admit it, you know. She's pretty awesome, after all."
"Of course not!" Remilia protested, her face turning an even deeper shade of red. "I just... appreciate her refined taste and her interesting perspectives. That's all."
"Refined taste, huh?~" Flandre's eyes sparkled mischievously. "So, you're saying you don't mind spending more time with her, getting to know her better, maybe even inviting her over for tea or dinner sometime? Ooh, that would be so fun! We could play games together, and just have a blast!~"
I watched Remilia sigh loudly into her hands while Flandre giggled uncontrollably beside her. It was quite amusing to see the normally composed vampire so flustered, and I couldn't help but chuckle as well. "Well, I suppose that's enough. I am sorry for teasing you, Remilia," I had my doll said. "And yes, I'd love to spend more time with both of you. It's been a while since I had a chance to relax and enjoy the company of others. And as for my favour, I think I know a better one."
"Oh, and what might that be?" Remilia asked, looking at me with a curious expression on her face.
I smiled, "How about a smile? A smile better suited you more, you know."
Flandre laughed cheerfully, in the back as Remilia's face turned red once again and her eye twitched, "Out of all my centuries, you are definitely one of the strangest beings I ever met! You really are something else! But fine, you are forgiven!" Remilia said, a smile finally gracing her lips. "I suppose you're not entirely unpleasant to be with, even though I thought you would be the more elegant and emotionally distant person, not this... playful."
"It can't be helped, you're simply too Wonderful, Remilia." I said. "Though you're right, I am not usually this playful, but then again, we are not exactly strangers either hm? Ah, truly a conundrum"
"....You're truly an odd one, Alice. I can't quite figure you out. You're polite and reserved, yet playful and mischievous at times. Approachable yet distant, mature yet childish. I suppose I should stop being surprised by things that are outside my expectations, considering everything I've seen since coming to Gensokyo. But you, you are a unique case. Not bad, just unique," Remilia said, a smile tugging at her lips. "But I guess that's part of your charm. You're like a puzzle I can't quite solve, and it's intriguing. I suppose it wouldn't hurt to keep you around, at least until I figure you out."
"Indeed, she is a puzzle!~" Flandre chirped in, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "And puzzles are fun, right? It would be boring if everything is simple and easy to understand. That's why I like Alice too!~ Oh and the food she made was super yummy!"
"...Flan..." Remilia sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose in exasperation. "I swear, you're going to be the death of me one day. Can you not act with a little more dignity? We are, after all, the noble Scarlet family, not some commoners. We should strive to uphold our reputation and not behave like children. Though you're right, her food is indeed quite delectable, and it would be a shame to miss out on such culinary delights."
"Dignified like you, sis? The you that just now acted like a kid in a candy store when talking about the new castle and lord Dracula?~" Flandre's mischievous grin widened, her fangs glinting in the light. "Don't worry, sis, you're doing a great job at upholding our dignity! No one can take that away from us!~"
Remilia's eye twitched once again, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment. "Alright, that's enough, Flandre! I'm still your older sister, and I expect a certain level of respect from you. We are the noble Scarlet family, and we mustn't forget that. So please, behave yourself and act with a little more decorum. Understood?"
"....Nope~" Flandre giggled, sticking her tongue out playfully.
"Flandre!"
I wonder if I should stay here or should I just go and let them have their moment? I am not sure if this is the sort of conversation I should be present for... why did Remilia called me here again? ...I probably wouldn't know it today as the sounds of battles started.
In the end, the two sisters' argument came to blows that no doubt would mean the castle's construction would be delayed again. I doubted Remilia would be angry enough to destroy the castle but the two sisters certainly would cause a bit of a mess. I had my doll make a hasty retreat before that happened. Though at least, the two seemed to get along quite well, in their own way. Maybe this was just their way of bonding? A little destructive, but as long as they didn't go too far...
For a bit, I made my way down to the basement but it seemed Patchouli was busy. I am quite curious about the lesser devils and succubi but since Patchouli was currently in the middle of something, I'd rather not disturb her. Maybe next time, then. Instead, I decided to check on Cirno on the other side of Misty lake. While I heard what happened Outside from Rumia, to think that Cirno, Wriggle and Mystia were sucked by a random portal to some sort of secret laboratory or base that contained and even experimented on the supernatural. It must've been hard for the latter two, but Cirno seemed to take it in stride. I guess the Vessel prepared her enough for it.
'Though, I think I could get why Remilia reacted that way to Cirno's place...' Sighing in exasperation, I couldn't help but shook my head when I arrived at Cirno's place.
In a world of magic and mysteries, there was always something to uncover. The contrast between Remilia's castle under construction and Cirno's crystalline fortress on the lake couldn't be more striking. While Remilia's castle rose upward with gothic grandeur and eldritch craftsmanship, Cirno's creation followed a different philosophy entirely.
From the surface, Cirno's residence appeared deceptively simple - a beautiful crystalline house that caught and refracted light like a perfectly cut gem. But beneath the lake's surface, it expanded into something far more fantastical. The underwater portion sprawled in organic patterns, more akin to a coral reef made of ice than traditional architecture. Chambers and passages flowed into each other naturally, their walls rippling with frozen patterns that seemed almost alive. Still retaining its beautiful castle shape but far more natural in its form. While Remilia's castle demanded attention with its imposing presence, Cirno's fortress invited wonder with its ethereal beauty.
The difference in construction was equally notable. Where Remilia relied on the conventional construction and materials augmented with magic and deep one's craftsmanship, Cirno's castle was pure ice shaped by magic of herself and most likely some deep ones too. The ice itself was rather interesting - as hard as stone yet crystal clear, maintaining its form despite the lake's warmth and even not too freezing to touch. The underwater sections created ever-shifting patterns as water currents passed through specially designed channels, making the whole structure seem to dance with light and shadow.
Not that Cirno would ever admit it, but her castle's design showed surprising sophistication. The surface building served as both home and marker for the more extensive complex below, while clever ice formations created natural ventilation and temperature regulation. It was the kind of architectural achievement only possible through magic - and perhaps only conceivable by a mind unfettered by conventional limitations.
No wonder the sign of Cirno's creation had spurred Remilia to such ambitious renovations, even if the vampire would never acknowledge the motiva- inspiration. The two castles represented vastly different approaches to magical architecture - one reaching for imposing gothic majesty, the other achieving otherworldly beauty through seeming simplicity.
'...I felt like some of the designs' choice feel familiar' I mused as I entered the surface home and saw that the two youkais seemed to be there too, especially curious with Wriggle since insects isn't very fond of cold I think? Or maybe it depends on each insect, or insect youkai just different.
"Heya, boss lady! What are you doing here?" Cirno greeted me enthusiastically as usual, her bright blue eyes lighting up at the sight of me.
"I was just in the neighbourhood and thought I'd drop by," Patting Cirno's head affectionately, before turning to the others with a smile, "Wriggle, Mystia. How are you holding up after... well, everything?"
Mystia, sitting on top of some sort of ice sculpture, sighed, "Honestly, miss? It was pretty scary, but I'm glad we made it back in one piece. It's good to be home, but I don't think I want to go back there anytime soon." She shivered at the memory of their unexpected journey through the portal.
Wriggle, who was currently wearing some sort of ill-fitting power armour just grinned, "Yeah, I'm with Mystia on this one. That place was messed up, and I definitely don't want to go back. Some things they had were cool though, like these weird exoskeleton thing, too bad it didn't fit me well"
"It was fun!" Cirno chimed in, bouncing up and down excitedly. "We got to fight all sorts of weird monsters and bad guys, and we even found some cool treasures! I still can't believe they were keeping all those things locked up in that weird place. And the portal was so weird! We just fell right through it, and then we were somewhere completely different! It was like magic or something!"
Mystia laughed nervously, "Yeah, it was pretty wild. But let's try to stay away from portals like that in the future, okay? I don't want to go through that again." I could see Mystia subconsciously rubbing her shoulder.
"It's not like we had much choice before, we just got sucked...." Wriggle shrugged, "But yeah, no more portals, please."
It seemed while the three had quite the adventure, it was a bit traumatic for them. Well, Wriggle and Mystia. Cirno definitely had a blast instead, probably because of the experience she got from the Vessel. Still, at least everyone returned relatively unscathed and they didn't seem to have any other issues. Dare I say, they might've became a bit stronger, at least Wriggle and Mystia, from this.
"You all no fun, we even got cool loots from that base!" "I'd rather have the loot without the trauma, please." "These things are rather nice, too bad they are too big" "See?" "No, Cirno, no adventure like that" "Unless you got like Rumia like last time"
As the three girls argued. I looked at the 'loots' Cirno talked about. It seemed they had brought back quite the haul from their unexpected trip through the portal. There were various items of equipment scattered around the area, ranging from high-tech gear to strange and exotic weapons. Mystia had a set of advanced-looking goggles perched on her head, and Wriggle was wearing some kind of ill-fitting power armour, Cirno didn't wear anything but considering the piles of gears and other things were in her place to begin with, it didn't really matter much.
'These seemed relatively normal compared to Vessel's hyper-advanced technology, but still far more advanced than what I expected and knew of the outside world. Are there more hidden places that are even more technologically advanced than what I thought?' I sighed at the thought of even more things to be wary of Outside, 'Unlike the things Fairies recovered from the Vessels, at least these ones are usable gears for people instead of salvaged parts. Not to mention in some of them, I could sense some magic being weaved while others just plain weird'
"I see you've been busy with your... acquisitions." My gaze fell on Wriggle struggling with her oversized power armour while Mystia fiddled with the advanced goggles to get it fit her head. "Having trouble with the sizing? Did you not ask some of the Deep Ones to refit it to you?"
"The Deep Ones are too busy with Remilia's castle," Cirno explained, poking at what appeared to be some kind of energy weapon. "But look at all this cool stuff we got! It's cool just to have them, even if we can't use most of it properly..."
"Yet you seem quite comfortable with yours," I noted, watching Cirno casually adjust what seemed to be an energy gun in her hand, something that definitely shouldn't be in a fairy's hands normally. The contrast between her confident handling and her friends' awkward attempts was rather stark.
"That's because of all the stuff I got in the Vessel!" Cirno beamed proudly before turning pleading eyes on me. "Say, boss lady, since you're here..."
I sighed, already knowing where this was heading. "You want me to help modify these for your friends? It would be a waste to let it just accumulate I suppose. If I have some time, I could try to modify them for you." I offered, since I already had some projects related to clothing and gears, I might as well include the three in it. It would be good practice too. "You could even request the design you wanted, though I can't guarantee it would fit your expectation. Refitting the power armours, the thing you wear Wriggle, would be a bit difficult but if it's just incorporating some things to your outfits then I should be able to manage"
"Ooh, really? That would be awesome!" Cirno grinned widely, her excitement palpable. "I've always wanted to look super cool and tough, like a real hero! Deep ones are cool and all, but they have no style! If it's the boss lady then it's all good!"
Wriggle nodded enthusiastically, "Yeah, I'd love to have some gear that actually fits me. This thing is tough, but it's a pain to move around in. Plus, I'd love to have something that looks as good as it works. A bit too bulky right now."
"Can I get something that helps with singing or cooking too? Ah, I mean, if it's not too much trouble," Mystia added shyly. "I'd love to have something that makes my performances even better. And maybe something that helps with cooking too, since I do sell food after all! Maybe something that could record my song or help with cooking?"
I chuckled at their enthusiasm, as they began to animatedly discuss their ideas for their new gear. Their excitement was infectious, and I found myself looking forward to the challenge of creating something that would meet their expectations. Now that I will have more time, hopefully, I could finally work on the projects that had been in the back of my mind for some time. Studying things from the Vessel, or various things from Outside, many things I had in mind.
'...Hmm, would I get into trouble basically arming some youkais with Outside technology? ....It's probably fine, Wriggle and Mystia are not really the troublemaker type and the one who is, Cirno, a fairy. It would be fine, probably. Not to mention, the amount of things are limited too, so it should be fine.'
Besides, there are far more concerning things to those who would care about such a thing anyway, such as the existence of Outside organisations that captured, contained and experimented on the supernatural. Or the cults and secret societies being everywhere, some with actual supernatural power.
'Now that I think about it, this Sam Cirno talked about might also be part of the, while less unscrupulous, similarly concerning organisation. Definitely some kind of military, definitely knew more about the supernatural than should be....not my problem, not my problem. I have enough of a problem as is' I shook my head as I tried to distract myself from the thought of Outsiders. It wasn't really my business. I just wanted a quiet time for at least a couple of months, maybe a year, after the mess before.
Anyway, now that the three were more than eager to tell me their request, I should note it down before they changed their minds later. Maybe I should ask Marisa if she wanted one too. Even with the new broom, she still seemed to be slightly jealous of Reimu's coat.
As I got closer, the details of the would-be-castle started becoming clearer. While the former mansion's elegant Victorian proportions remained in the central structure, new towers rose at irregular intervals, their heights varying dramatically to create a striking silhouette. Rather than the bright red of the old mansion, the new stonework had a more subtle crimson undertone, as if the very rock itself had been infused with blood. The effect highlighted the blackened iron decorations and dark wood accents being added.
I arrived at the front gate, where I found Meiling currently training some fairy maids in morning exercise and martial arts. While in the past I would've laughed at the thought of training fairies, considering how skilled they could be apparently, it might not be the worst idea. They might serve as a useful security force, though their nature would remain a big hurdle unless Meiling could somehow do anything about it. Even I still didn't know how the fairies under my employ became like…whatever they are now.
Meiling noticed my arrival and waved with a grin, which I returned with a nod. I saw she had a smartphone showing Rin on the screen. Pity that it would still be too dangerous for Rin to move too far from the Shrine's area or it would be a threat to her existence as people might remember her wrongly or people just forgetting her again. I still hadn't figured out how to fully stabilise her existence yet, but at least these two had a way to stay in touch with the smartphone. Meiling should be one of the few that had it outside my circle for this very reason, she is one of the closest person to Rin outside of Hakurei shrine somehow after all.
"Greetings, Grand One" "Grand One" "All Hail, Lady of Wonder"
As I walked through the construction site, I was greeted by a chorus of respectful voices from the Deep Ones. Their presence definitely explained the astonishing speed of construction - the materials they brought had an otherworldly quality, stones that seemed to pulse with barely contained power, metals that caught the light in impossible ways. Their expertise in magical architecture was evident in how quickly the castle was taking shape, the building itself seeming to resonate with their eldritch craftsmanship. Though I wondered if Remilia was truly able to command them, or if the vampire was the one being taken advantage of.
Construction seemed to focus on the wings and towers first, though Remilia had apparently prioritised renovating the servants' quarters and living spaces. New dormitory wings were already nearly complete, their rooms far more spacious and comfortable than before.
'Hmm, interesting, There are more lesser devils and even succubi here. I wondered if Patchouli was the one who summoned them or Remilia. Maybe both, or perhaps Koakuma simply referred her friends here.' I smiled at one of the succubi who was working on logistics and talked with one of deep one as I passed by, and she quickly bowed her head and skittered away with noticeable nervousness. 'I suppose they would be far more effective in more delicate work than the fairies. At least the probably even larger castle won't be as empty as the old mansion was.'
I made my way through the half-built castle, passing by various construction sites and workers, both devils, fairies and deep ones, and finally arrived at a large double door. Behind this door was the temporary throne room, where Remilia currently resided while overseeing the castle's construction.
However, instead of entering myself, I took a deep breath and focused my magic to control a doll to stand-in for me. It was a simple one, obviously a doll but looked similar enough to be recognisably Alice Margatroid. Basically just a life-sized doll with visible joints instead of a lifelike, barely distinguishable from humans that I usually use nowadays. Remilia has a power to see people's fates and apparently mine seemed to cause her a bit of trouble, so I'd rather avoid any more headache for the little vampire. Really explained her first reaction when meeting me truly, I hoped this would be good enough to help with that.
I sent the doll forward to open the door and enter the throne room. The room was opulent, even unfinished. Large chandeliers hung from the ceiling, casting a warm glow over the space, and the walls were adorned with intricate tapestries and paintings. At the far end of the room, on a raised dais, sat a grand throne. It was carved from a deep, rich wood and upholstered in red velvet. Sitting on the throne was Remilia Scarlet, looking regal and imposing in her vampire glory. Or at least, that's what she was going for, the fact that she was far smaller than the throne and currently lounging in a rather undignified manner rather spoiled the image.
'How adorable' My doll moved to stand in front of the throne, bowing respectfully. "Greetings, Lady Remilia," I had my doll said. "It is an honour to be in your presence."
Remilia sat up, somewhat excitedly, that it was rather funny to see her try to act cool and collected as she said, "Ah, welcome, Alice. I'm glad you could make it. I see you've noticed the renovations?"
"I must say, your castle is quite impressive. I can't imagine the effort it must have taken to build it," my doll nodded, gesturing to the room around us. "Though I am a bit curious about the aesthetic, I can't deny it is quite striking."
Remilia smirked, her fangs glinting in the light. "I'm glad you appreciate it. I thought it was time for a change, and what better way to show my power than with a grand, imposing castle? And please, cut the formalities. As much as I appreciate someone else actually knowing how to be proper, right now we are just friends having a talk"
"Of course," my doll nodded, and I had her took a seat on a nearby chair. "So, to what do I owe the pleasure of this invitation?"
Remilia leaned back in her throne, steepling her fingers. "So, how did you find this new look of my home? I am grateful for the magicians you introduce to me, they have been very helpful and very knowledgeable about architecture. They also found my impeccable taste in aesthetic most fitting. It's so refreshing to have someone competent and cultured around, to think not even Sakuya or Pache realise the beauty and majesty of this aesthetic!"
"It is indeed grand and majestic," Remilia looked very pleased hearing the compliment, "though I must say that I never expected you to be a fan of that particular design aesthetic. It is a bold choice, especially for a vampire like yourself. You certainly won't be beating the stereotype anytime soon."
Remilia laughed, a sound that echoed through the room. "Ah, you're one of the few who understands. And besides, after my experience Outside and seeing those....dregs that called themselves vampires and their mockery of the aesthetic, I feel the need to reclaim the imagery. So, I'm glad you understand, as expected of one of the only cultured and refined people around here"
I knew it already, but it was still surprising to find out that United States, at least some of the cities, apparently infested with vampires. Remilia apparently was disgusted with them, calling them dregs and degenerates. From what I understood, it appeared that the vampires seemed to be hidden between humans in groups not too different from secret societies. Hedonistic, incompetent ones that 'can't understand even a lick of dignity of true vampire'. Remilia had a lot of things to say about them, mostly of the angry kind. Considering she apparently wiped out one of the biggest house supposedly while she was out during Halloween with Flandre after a case of some incompetent summoning ritual, I could only imagine the chaos that must have happened. The news reported it as some kind of terrorist attack, but it was hard to get more information since it was in another continent, on the other side of the globe.
"Though I must admit, choosing this aesthetic is still a pretty bold choice. I can't imagine many would understand the significance, and even fewer would appreciate the irony. I suppose it fits you, in a way. A reminder of the old world, of a time when the world was a bit more... mysterious, and less mundane. Though I am curious, did your experience outside really impact you that much?"
Remilia's expression shifted, becoming more contemplative. "You could say that. It was an eye-opening experience, to say the least. Gensokyo is a unique place, but stepping back into the Outside world, even for a short while, it was like a splash of cold water on the face. It reminded me of the world beyond Gensokyo, of the changes that have happened there. It was a bit of a shock, to be honest, to see how much the world had changed. But it also made me appreciate Gensokyo even more, its unique charm, its people, and the life we have here."
"It is a stark contrast, isn't it? Gensokyo is like a bubble, frozen in time, while the Outside world moves forward at a breakneck pace. It's easy to forget how much the world has changed, especially when you're surrounded by magic and monsters on a daily basis," I had my doll said, smiling softly. "And it's understandable to want to hold onto a part of the past, to remember what once was, especially when it seems like the world is leaving you behind."
Remilia smiled, her fangs glinting in the light, "Indeed. Hence why I decided to embrace the past in my own way, to remind myself and others that the old ways still have value. The world may change, but some things remain constant, like the majesty of a vampire lord and their castle. It's a statement, a way to show that we're not just relics of a bygone era, but a part of the world, a part that refuses to fade away. Even as the world moves on, we remain, defiant and unyielding. A bit of a dramatic statement, but it's a statement nonetheless, and a reminder to myself that I still have a part to play in the world, even if it's not the same as it once was."
"And surely, the fact that Cirno had their own icy, underwater castle when you were rebuilding the mansion at first wasn't a factor to this, hmm?~"
Her cheeks turned a slight shade of red, Remilia huffed, "Of course not! Why would I, the Scarlet Devil, be influenced by a mere fairy? I have far more class and dignity than that. Besides, my castle will be far grander and more impressive than that icy trinket. It's not a competition, mind you, but if it were, I would win hands down." She crossed her arms, looking away with a pout, trying to maintain her dignity even as her cheeks flushed a deeper red.
I chuckled, amused by her response. "Of course, of course. But let's not overlook the inspiration behind your magnificent castle, shall we? I'm sure Lord Tepes himself would be flattered by such a grand tribute. After all, he was a man of culture and sophistication, much like you—a true visionary ahead of his time. It's only fitting that you honour him in this way."
Remilia's expression softened, a subtle hint of melancholy flickering in her gaze. "Yes, he was indeed remarkable. A man of strength and conviction, unyielding against adversity. He fought fiercely for his beliefs, no matter the cost—a true hero, in my eyes. But he wasn't only a warrior; he was a patron of art and knowledge, valuing beauty and wisdom. He inspired those around him and, in many ways, embodied the ideal ruler—someone to admire, emulate, and remember. The world lost a great man when he was gone."
"Indeed. Though, if you'll pardon me, as a lover of myths, I always found Dracula a bit of a tragic hero, don't you think?" I prompted, leaning my doll forward in her chair. "A man of power and ambition, driven by noble causes yet ultimately consumed by his own darkness. A cautionary tale, but in some legends, a tragic figure as well."
Remilia seemed taken aback, but intrigue quickly replaced her surprise. "Oh? A tragic hero, you say? I must admit, I've avoided delving too deeply into those tales… for personal reasons."
I let my doll rise and bow before beginning to spin the tale of Lord Dracula as my magic take hold onto reality, bringing life to my story.
In a time long past, before "Dracula" became synonymous with terror, Vlad Tepes was a man driven by both a fierce sense of duty and an unrelenting resolve. In his homeland of Wallachia, he was both revered and feared, a leader willing to do whatever was necessary to protect his people. Yet, in his ruthless pursuit of order, he became a force as brutal as the chaos he sought to quell. Underneath the surface of his noble cause, the unending cycle of betrayal and bloodshed was already eroding his spirit, marking him as both hero and monster.
As years passed, Vlad grew weary. He came to see mortality as a shackle, an inevitable limit to the power he had fought so desperately to secure. Disillusioned by humanity's flaws, he sought a way to transcend his own. In his search, he turned to forbidden arts, accepting the curse of vampirism and severing the last threads tying him to the mortal world. With this transformation, he left behind the name Vlad Tepes and embraced the identity of Dracula, abandoning his homeland and retreating into the shadows.
Centuries passed, and Dracula's life became one of solitude, his power matched only by his isolation. Humans became little more than fleeting shadows to him, their lives inconsequential as he delved deeper into arcane and non-arcane knowledge. He surrounded himself with ancient tomes, the walls of his castle filled with relics of civilizations that had risen and fallen in the time he had watched. Power and knowledge were his only companions, he drifted in a void where meaning was as intangible as the dust settling on his unread books.
And yet, for all his strength, an emptiness lingered. Dracula had become a myth in his own right, a name whispered in fear, but the pursuit of mastery over death itself left him unfulfilled, adrift in the hollow of his own immortality.
I paused, glancing at Remilia's rapt expression, then continued about how It was into this void that Lisa entered. A mortal woman, unafraid of the darkness in which he cloaked himself, Lisa sought him not for his power, but out of curiosity and courage. She came to him, not as a fearful subject, but as a seeker of knowledge. Her heart was open, her spirit unbroken by the fear that ruled others. She looked beyond his otherworldly appearance and recognized the intellect and wisdom that had once been Vlad's proudest attributes. For the first time in centuries, Dracula felt the stirrings of something he had long buried—a connection, a glimpse of purpose.
Lisa's compassion chipped away at his carefully built walls. She treated him as something more than a monster, seeing in him a man with gifts that could be used to enrich, rather than destroy. And for a fleeting time, he allowed himself to believe in the redemption she offered. Through her, he glimpsed the world he had left behind and began to see that perhaps, not all humans were as ignorant or cruel as he had come to believe. Her love reminded him of the life he'd once led, the purpose he had once cherished.
I noticed Remilia's expression grew complicated, as I continued.
But humanity's cruelty was relentless. It wasn't long before fear and ignorance drove them to turn on Lisa, branding her a witch. She was condemned, burned by the same people she had sought to help. Her death shattered him, ripping away the last remnants of hope he had for mankind. What he had once seen as noble in humanity became twisted in his eyes. In his grief, he embraced the title of "Dracula" fully—not as a scholar or a man, but as an embodiment of wrath. His fury became an unrestrained force, a judgement he unleashed upon humanity itself.
In his sorrow and rage, he became the very monster humanity had always feared, unleashing a darkness that even he could not fully control. Yet despite the power he wielded, the satisfaction he sought eluded him. He grew only more detached, lost in a hollow vengeance. For every act of retribution, he felt the faint stirrings of the soul he had once held, but each glimpse was shrouded by bitterness and sorrow.
And then, one day, his own son—Alucard—stood before him, a testament to the life he had lost. Alucard, with his compassion for humanity, reminded Dracula of all that had been stripped away by centuries of solitude and hatred. In his son's eyes, he saw the man he could have been, the life he had sacrificed in his quest for power. Confronted by Alucard's love for the world he had rejected, Dracula glimpsed himself as he had once been—a man who, in a time of despair, had been transformed by love.
In that moment of clarity, he chose to surrender, to release the hatred that had driven him. And with that surrender, his story ended not in victory or defeat, but in release. In death, he returned to what had truly mattered to him all along: the memory of love and the faint, fleeting hope that humanity might, one day, overcome its flaws.
Through Alucard, his spirit endured—not as a creature of vengeance, but as a symbol of redemption, a reminder that love could transform even the most isolated soul. His legacy became not the fearsome Dracula, but the man who had once allowed himself to believe in humanity again, if only for a brief moment. For in the end, even in the darkest of beings, the light of love may linger, waiting to be rekindled.
The doll's voice fell silent as she bowed once more. I unweave the magic, allowing the realm of stories to recede and gave way to reality, or undo the illusion in simpler terms.
Remilia was quiet, her gaze distant as she absorbed the story. After a moment, she spoke softly, her voice carrying a faint wistfulness. "An utterly romanticised tale, and nothing like the actual Vlad Tepes. Yet… there's a certain poetry in it, a tragic beauty. It highlights a fascinating perspective on power and humanity's limits—a compelling, if flawed, interpretation."
"You're right, it's not exactly accurate, and it's hard to say how much of it is true or just the product of creative minds and a bit of a bastardised folktales, not unlike what you have here in Gensokyo. But I think it's quite the change from the story that popularised the vampire and Dracula himself, no?" I had the doll giving a playful wink. "Plus, it's always fun to imagine what could've been, right? But I do think there's a nugget of truth in it, about how power can isolate you from humanity, and how finding someone who sees past that and values you as a person, well, it can be transformative. A nice story, though a bit tragic, but not unlike something that I heard from one of my friend"
Remilia nodded thoughtfully, a wistful smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. "Indeed, it wasn't bad. A bit too romanticised, perhaps, but it's a pleasant change of pace from the stories I've heard of the lord Tepes before...Hmm, that made my day. Thank you, Alice. I was right to invite you here. It's refreshing to have a conversation with someone who is truly cultured and refined like I am. You gave me a good story to pass the time too, even if it's a bit of a stretch from the actual history. And as for the castle, well, I think it's a fitting tribute to a man who was, at his core, a visionary, even if he was misunderstood. So, thank you for that insight. It's given me a lot to think about."
"..Mhm! I am in a good mood now!" Remilia clapped her hand, "I shall grant you a favour then! What is the thing that the magnificent vampire lord, the Scarlet Devil, Remilia Scarlet can help you with?"
"Oh? Hmm, I wonder. There are quite a few things I could use, but if I had to choose..." I had my doll tapped her chin thoughtfully. "How about this...would you be my friend, Remilia?"
Remilia's eyes widened in surprise, and for a moment, she looked taken aback as she coughed, "I-I beg your pardon?" she said, her tone incredulous. "A favour, and all you ask for is to be...friends? That's it? No request for wealth, power, or anything of the sort? You must be joking. It's not every day that the Scarlet Devil offers a favour like this!"
"Why not?" I had my doll shrug, smiling mischievously. "Surely friendship with one such as yourself is far more valuable than mere wealth or power, isn't it?"
"She got you there sis~" Flandre, suddenly behind Remilia, grinned. "She's kinda cool, so why not? Does this mean you can cook for us more often, big sis Alice?~"
"F-Flandre, you're here?!" Remilia seemed shocked by the arrival of her younger sister, her face turning red in embarrassment. "You could have at least announced your presence. You should know better than to sneak up on people, especially your older sister."
Flandre giggled, her laughter ringing through the room like the tinkling of bells. "Aww, come on, Remilia~ Ehehe~ You know I couldn't resist the chance to tease you a little. Plus, I couldn't help but overhear your conversation, and it sounded like you were having so much fun."
"Fun? What do you mean by that?" Remilia crossed her arms defensively, her cheeks still flushed. "I was merely having a civil discussion with Alice, nothing more."
"Mhm, sure you did, sis~ Big sis Alice, did you know Remi was so excited to invite you over-"
"Okay, that's enough, Flandre!" Remilia interrupted, her voice a mix of exasperation and affection. "Don't you have something better to do than to bother me and Alice? I'm sure Sakuya could find some things for you to do if you're bored. Besides, you shouldn't interfere with adult conversations."
"Adult conversation, huh?~" Flandre's grin widened as she leaned in closer to Remilia, whispering conspiratorially. "Are you sure you're not just embarrassed because you want to be friends with big sis Alice? It's okay to admit it, you know. She's pretty awesome, after all."
"Of course not!" Remilia protested, her face turning an even deeper shade of red. "I just... appreciate her refined taste and her interesting perspectives. That's all."
"Refined taste, huh?~" Flandre's eyes sparkled mischievously. "So, you're saying you don't mind spending more time with her, getting to know her better, maybe even inviting her over for tea or dinner sometime? Ooh, that would be so fun! We could play games together, and just have a blast!~"
I watched Remilia sigh loudly into her hands while Flandre giggled uncontrollably beside her. It was quite amusing to see the normally composed vampire so flustered, and I couldn't help but chuckle as well. "Well, I suppose that's enough. I am sorry for teasing you, Remilia," I had my doll said. "And yes, I'd love to spend more time with both of you. It's been a while since I had a chance to relax and enjoy the company of others. And as for my favour, I think I know a better one."
"Oh, and what might that be?" Remilia asked, looking at me with a curious expression on her face.
I smiled, "How about a smile? A smile better suited you more, you know."
Flandre laughed cheerfully, in the back as Remilia's face turned red once again and her eye twitched, "Out of all my centuries, you are definitely one of the strangest beings I ever met! You really are something else! But fine, you are forgiven!" Remilia said, a smile finally gracing her lips. "I suppose you're not entirely unpleasant to be with, even though I thought you would be the more elegant and emotionally distant person, not this... playful."
"It can't be helped, you're simply too Wonderful, Remilia." I said. "Though you're right, I am not usually this playful, but then again, we are not exactly strangers either hm? Ah, truly a conundrum"
"....You're truly an odd one, Alice. I can't quite figure you out. You're polite and reserved, yet playful and mischievous at times. Approachable yet distant, mature yet childish. I suppose I should stop being surprised by things that are outside my expectations, considering everything I've seen since coming to Gensokyo. But you, you are a unique case. Not bad, just unique," Remilia said, a smile tugging at her lips. "But I guess that's part of your charm. You're like a puzzle I can't quite solve, and it's intriguing. I suppose it wouldn't hurt to keep you around, at least until I figure you out."
"Indeed, she is a puzzle!~" Flandre chirped in, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "And puzzles are fun, right? It would be boring if everything is simple and easy to understand. That's why I like Alice too!~ Oh and the food she made was super yummy!"
"...Flan..." Remilia sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose in exasperation. "I swear, you're going to be the death of me one day. Can you not act with a little more dignity? We are, after all, the noble Scarlet family, not some commoners. We should strive to uphold our reputation and not behave like children. Though you're right, her food is indeed quite delectable, and it would be a shame to miss out on such culinary delights."
"Dignified like you, sis? The you that just now acted like a kid in a candy store when talking about the new castle and lord Dracula?~" Flandre's mischievous grin widened, her fangs glinting in the light. "Don't worry, sis, you're doing a great job at upholding our dignity! No one can take that away from us!~"
Remilia's eye twitched once again, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment. "Alright, that's enough, Flandre! I'm still your older sister, and I expect a certain level of respect from you. We are the noble Scarlet family, and we mustn't forget that. So please, behave yourself and act with a little more decorum. Understood?"
"....Nope~" Flandre giggled, sticking her tongue out playfully.
"Flandre!"
I wonder if I should stay here or should I just go and let them have their moment? I am not sure if this is the sort of conversation I should be present for... why did Remilia called me here again? ...I probably wouldn't know it today as the sounds of battles started.
In the end, the two sisters' argument came to blows that no doubt would mean the castle's construction would be delayed again. I doubted Remilia would be angry enough to destroy the castle but the two sisters certainly would cause a bit of a mess. I had my doll make a hasty retreat before that happened. Though at least, the two seemed to get along quite well, in their own way. Maybe this was just their way of bonding? A little destructive, but as long as they didn't go too far...
For a bit, I made my way down to the basement but it seemed Patchouli was busy. I am quite curious about the lesser devils and succubi but since Patchouli was currently in the middle of something, I'd rather not disturb her. Maybe next time, then. Instead, I decided to check on Cirno on the other side of Misty lake. While I heard what happened Outside from Rumia, to think that Cirno, Wriggle and Mystia were sucked by a random portal to some sort of secret laboratory or base that contained and even experimented on the supernatural. It must've been hard for the latter two, but Cirno seemed to take it in stride. I guess the Vessel prepared her enough for it.
'Though, I think I could get why Remilia reacted that way to Cirno's place...' Sighing in exasperation, I couldn't help but shook my head when I arrived at Cirno's place.
In a world of magic and mysteries, there was always something to uncover. The contrast between Remilia's castle under construction and Cirno's crystalline fortress on the lake couldn't be more striking. While Remilia's castle rose upward with gothic grandeur and eldritch craftsmanship, Cirno's creation followed a different philosophy entirely.
From the surface, Cirno's residence appeared deceptively simple - a beautiful crystalline house that caught and refracted light like a perfectly cut gem. But beneath the lake's surface, it expanded into something far more fantastical. The underwater portion sprawled in organic patterns, more akin to a coral reef made of ice than traditional architecture. Chambers and passages flowed into each other naturally, their walls rippling with frozen patterns that seemed almost alive. Still retaining its beautiful castle shape but far more natural in its form. While Remilia's castle demanded attention with its imposing presence, Cirno's fortress invited wonder with its ethereal beauty.
The difference in construction was equally notable. Where Remilia relied on the conventional construction and materials augmented with magic and deep one's craftsmanship, Cirno's castle was pure ice shaped by magic of herself and most likely some deep ones too. The ice itself was rather interesting - as hard as stone yet crystal clear, maintaining its form despite the lake's warmth and even not too freezing to touch. The underwater sections created ever-shifting patterns as water currents passed through specially designed channels, making the whole structure seem to dance with light and shadow.
Not that Cirno would ever admit it, but her castle's design showed surprising sophistication. The surface building served as both home and marker for the more extensive complex below, while clever ice formations created natural ventilation and temperature regulation. It was the kind of architectural achievement only possible through magic - and perhaps only conceivable by a mind unfettered by conventional limitations.
No wonder the sign of Cirno's creation had spurred Remilia to such ambitious renovations, even if the vampire would never acknowledge the motiva- inspiration. The two castles represented vastly different approaches to magical architecture - one reaching for imposing gothic majesty, the other achieving otherworldly beauty through seeming simplicity.
'...I felt like some of the designs' choice feel familiar' I mused as I entered the surface home and saw that the two youkais seemed to be there too, especially curious with Wriggle since insects isn't very fond of cold I think? Or maybe it depends on each insect, or insect youkai just different.
"Heya, boss lady! What are you doing here?" Cirno greeted me enthusiastically as usual, her bright blue eyes lighting up at the sight of me.
"I was just in the neighbourhood and thought I'd drop by," Patting Cirno's head affectionately, before turning to the others with a smile, "Wriggle, Mystia. How are you holding up after... well, everything?"
Mystia, sitting on top of some sort of ice sculpture, sighed, "Honestly, miss? It was pretty scary, but I'm glad we made it back in one piece. It's good to be home, but I don't think I want to go back there anytime soon." She shivered at the memory of their unexpected journey through the portal.
Wriggle, who was currently wearing some sort of ill-fitting power armour just grinned, "Yeah, I'm with Mystia on this one. That place was messed up, and I definitely don't want to go back. Some things they had were cool though, like these weird exoskeleton thing, too bad it didn't fit me well"
"It was fun!" Cirno chimed in, bouncing up and down excitedly. "We got to fight all sorts of weird monsters and bad guys, and we even found some cool treasures! I still can't believe they were keeping all those things locked up in that weird place. And the portal was so weird! We just fell right through it, and then we were somewhere completely different! It was like magic or something!"
Mystia laughed nervously, "Yeah, it was pretty wild. But let's try to stay away from portals like that in the future, okay? I don't want to go through that again." I could see Mystia subconsciously rubbing her shoulder.
"It's not like we had much choice before, we just got sucked...." Wriggle shrugged, "But yeah, no more portals, please."
It seemed while the three had quite the adventure, it was a bit traumatic for them. Well, Wriggle and Mystia. Cirno definitely had a blast instead, probably because of the experience she got from the Vessel. Still, at least everyone returned relatively unscathed and they didn't seem to have any other issues. Dare I say, they might've became a bit stronger, at least Wriggle and Mystia, from this.
"You all no fun, we even got cool loots from that base!" "I'd rather have the loot without the trauma, please." "These things are rather nice, too bad they are too big" "See?" "No, Cirno, no adventure like that" "Unless you got like Rumia like last time"
As the three girls argued. I looked at the 'loots' Cirno talked about. It seemed they had brought back quite the haul from their unexpected trip through the portal. There were various items of equipment scattered around the area, ranging from high-tech gear to strange and exotic weapons. Mystia had a set of advanced-looking goggles perched on her head, and Wriggle was wearing some kind of ill-fitting power armour, Cirno didn't wear anything but considering the piles of gears and other things were in her place to begin with, it didn't really matter much.
'These seemed relatively normal compared to Vessel's hyper-advanced technology, but still far more advanced than what I expected and knew of the outside world. Are there more hidden places that are even more technologically advanced than what I thought?' I sighed at the thought of even more things to be wary of Outside, 'Unlike the things Fairies recovered from the Vessels, at least these ones are usable gears for people instead of salvaged parts. Not to mention in some of them, I could sense some magic being weaved while others just plain weird'
"I see you've been busy with your... acquisitions." My gaze fell on Wriggle struggling with her oversized power armour while Mystia fiddled with the advanced goggles to get it fit her head. "Having trouble with the sizing? Did you not ask some of the Deep Ones to refit it to you?"
"The Deep Ones are too busy with Remilia's castle," Cirno explained, poking at what appeared to be some kind of energy weapon. "But look at all this cool stuff we got! It's cool just to have them, even if we can't use most of it properly..."
"Yet you seem quite comfortable with yours," I noted, watching Cirno casually adjust what seemed to be an energy gun in her hand, something that definitely shouldn't be in a fairy's hands normally. The contrast between her confident handling and her friends' awkward attempts was rather stark.
"That's because of all the stuff I got in the Vessel!" Cirno beamed proudly before turning pleading eyes on me. "Say, boss lady, since you're here..."
I sighed, already knowing where this was heading. "You want me to help modify these for your friends? It would be a waste to let it just accumulate I suppose. If I have some time, I could try to modify them for you." I offered, since I already had some projects related to clothing and gears, I might as well include the three in it. It would be good practice too. "You could even request the design you wanted, though I can't guarantee it would fit your expectation. Refitting the power armours, the thing you wear Wriggle, would be a bit difficult but if it's just incorporating some things to your outfits then I should be able to manage"
"Ooh, really? That would be awesome!" Cirno grinned widely, her excitement palpable. "I've always wanted to look super cool and tough, like a real hero! Deep ones are cool and all, but they have no style! If it's the boss lady then it's all good!"
Wriggle nodded enthusiastically, "Yeah, I'd love to have some gear that actually fits me. This thing is tough, but it's a pain to move around in. Plus, I'd love to have something that looks as good as it works. A bit too bulky right now."
"Can I get something that helps with singing or cooking too? Ah, I mean, if it's not too much trouble," Mystia added shyly. "I'd love to have something that makes my performances even better. And maybe something that helps with cooking too, since I do sell food after all! Maybe something that could record my song or help with cooking?"
I chuckled at their enthusiasm, as they began to animatedly discuss their ideas for their new gear. Their excitement was infectious, and I found myself looking forward to the challenge of creating something that would meet their expectations. Now that I will have more time, hopefully, I could finally work on the projects that had been in the back of my mind for some time. Studying things from the Vessel, or various things from Outside, many things I had in mind.
'...Hmm, would I get into trouble basically arming some youkais with Outside technology? ....It's probably fine, Wriggle and Mystia are not really the troublemaker type and the one who is, Cirno, a fairy. It would be fine, probably. Not to mention, the amount of things are limited too, so it should be fine.'
Besides, there are far more concerning things to those who would care about such a thing anyway, such as the existence of Outside organisations that captured, contained and experimented on the supernatural. Or the cults and secret societies being everywhere, some with actual supernatural power.
'Now that I think about it, this Sam Cirno talked about might also be part of the, while less unscrupulous, similarly concerning organisation. Definitely some kind of military, definitely knew more about the supernatural than should be....not my problem, not my problem. I have enough of a problem as is' I shook my head as I tried to distract myself from the thought of Outsiders. It wasn't really my business. I just wanted a quiet time for at least a couple of months, maybe a year, after the mess before.
Anyway, now that the three were more than eager to tell me their request, I should note it down before they changed their minds later. Maybe I should ask Marisa if she wanted one too. Even with the new broom, she still seemed to be slightly jealous of Reimu's coat.
Alice: "...Hmm, did I accidentally altered Vlad Tepes? ...No, Remilia already confirmed how he was and she of all people has quite the Weight. It should be fine...I hope. At least we won't suddenly find out Dracula was a woman or something...right?"
Surprisingly 'short' in comparison despite I no doubt let myself go a bit and wrote the most inane thing. Yes, Wriggle definitely inspired by Lost Word Kaiju Wriggle, which basically Kamen Rider
Surprisingly 'short' in comparison despite I no doubt let myself go a bit and wrote the most inane thing. Yes, Wriggle definitely inspired by Lost Word Kaiju Wriggle, which basically Kamen Rider
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Woven Synchronicity ~ Echoed Another Weave
Ylamona
Konlulu~
'Wow, it's like a whole other world down here!' Wakasagihime couldn't help but marvel at the sight before her. The scarlet mist that had recently covered the surface world had driven her to spend more time in her underwater dwelling, but she never expected to find something like this.
The changes had started subtly - the lake water growing just slightly cooler, enough for a mermaid to notice but not enough to disturb the fish. At first she thought it was just the season changing, until that morning when the waters cleared enough for her to see it: a castle made entirely of ice, rising from the lakebed like a dream given form from the bottom of the lake itself. Its delicate spires and graceful towers stretched upward toward the surface with one tower seeming to actually breached the water surface, while other sections seemed to burrow deeper into the earth itself, as if the visible portion was merely the tip of something far larger.
The castle defied everything Wakasagihime knew about ice. Despite being underwater, its walls neither melted nor cracked. The ice itself was clear as crystal yet somehow held swirling colours within - blues and greens that shifted like aurora when viewed from different angles. Most remarkably, it wasn't even that cold to touch. The entire structure seemed to exist in perfect harmony with the lake around it, as if it had always been meant to be there.
Initially too timid to venture far inside, Wakasagihime spent days just circling the exterior, watching how sunlight filtering through the water created dancing patterns across the ice walls. Each time she circled, she noticed new details - here a window shaped like a snowflake, there a balcony adorned with delicate ice flowers that swayed in the current as if they were real plants. The more she looked, the more she felt drawn to explore further.
Gradually, her curiosity overcame her caution. The castle seemed empty after all, with no signs of whoever had created this magnificent structure. Each day she ventured a little further inside, always ready to retreat at the slightest sign of other inhabitants.
The upper levels were a wonderland that often made her giggle despite herself. Playful slides curved between rooms for no apparent reason other than fun. Spiral staircases wound their way up and down in patterns that seemed to defy gravity. Windows were cut in whimsical shapes that cast rainbow patterns through the water when the sun hit them just right. Everything spoke of joy and whimsy, as if designed by someone who saw architecture as a form of play.
Most fascinating was how the castle seamlessly combined dry chambers with underwater passages. Whoever built this place had clearly considered the needs of aquatic beings. Channels and pools were placed exactly where a mermaid would need them, making the entire structure surprisingly navigable for her. Wakasagihime could swim from room to room through cleverly designed waterways, or rest in pools that somehow maintained perfect temperature despite being made of ice.
One bedroom in particular caught her attention. Unlike the other chambers that were mostly dry with decorative pools, this one was fully submerged yet perfectly furnished. The water was always comfortable - neither too warm nor too cold - and contained what appeared to be an underwater bed softer than anything Wakasagihime had ever encountered. How she could lie on an underwater bed yet feel its softness, Wakasagihime had no idea but she certainly enjoyed it. The walls rippled with gentle blue light that reminded her of sunlight through shallow water, and small ice sculptures of fish seemed to swim in the walls themselves.
'It wouldn't hurt to stay just one night,' she had thought, after spending hours exploring the room. The bed proved even more comfortable than it looked, and the gentle play of light through the ice was more soothing than her old dwelling had ever been. One night became two, then a week, then longer.
As Wakasagihime grew more comfortable in her new home, she began exploring beyond the cheerful upper levels. The castle's character changed the deeper and lower she ventured, in ways that both frightened and fascinated her. Here the ice took on darker hues - deep blues that bordered on black, and strange iridescent patterns that made her eyes hurt if she looked at them too long.
The architectural style shifted too. Gone were the playful curves and whimsical decorations. Instead, the walls bore geometric patterns that seemed to continue forever, spiralling into themselves in ways that made her head spin if she tried to follow them. Corridors became heavier, more imposing, with arches that felt like they were holding up the weight of the entire lake. Sometimes she would turn a corner and find passages that felt ancient somehow, as if they had existed long before the rest of the castle.
These deeper areas made her fins twitch with the urge to flee, yet something about them called to her too. The water itself felt different here - heavier, more oppressive. Sometimes she would hear what seemed like distant singing - not the playful songs of surface dwellers, but haunting melodies that spoke of depths and yearning that felt familiar to her. The voices seemed to know when she was feeling lonely, their songs growing clearer and more alluring during her solitary moments.
As she descended further, following the mysterious songs, the castle seemed to burrow deeper not just into itself but into the earth beneath the lake. Some passages twisted downward at impossible angles, leading to chambers that must have been far below the lakebed. The water pressure grew stronger, and the taste changed - becoming increasingly salty, reminding her of stories she'd heard about the deep ocean.
The descent to what she would later think of as the Heart of the castle was particularly harrowing. First through a chamber filled with ice sculptures that seemed to change position when she wasn't looking. Then through a passage where the pressure grew so intense it would have crushed any surface dweller instantly. Just when she thought she couldn't go any deeper, the ice corridor opened suddenly into darkness...
The transition shocked Wakasagihime to stillness. The castle's careful architectural precision simply ended, opening into a vast darkness that seemed to swallow her entirely. As her eyes slowly adjusted, she found herself in an immense natural cavern that made the castle above feel like a child's toy in comparison.
Here were no crafted walls or deliberate designs - just ancient stone shaped by water's patient force over unknowable ages. Strange formations of rock reached like grasping fingers through the water, their surfaces glittering with deposits of minerals she'd never seen in the lake above. Pale, eyeless fish darted through the gloom, species that had perhaps never known sunlight. The cavern felt ancient in a way that made even Gensokyo itself seem young by comparison.
Yet there, standing in magnificent contradiction to its primal surroundings, was the door. It rose from the cavern floor like a fragment of another world entirely - a sheet of ice so massive Wakasagihime could barely see its top in the darkness. The ice that formed it was neither the playful crystal of the upper castle nor the dark ice of its depths. This was something else entirely - ice that seemed to hold entire oceans in its depths, that sang with voices that might have been the first to ever pierce the silence of prehistoric seas.
Every inch of its surface was carved with details that drew the eye and refused to let go - schools of fish that seemed to swim in the ice itself, patterns of light that shifted like real sunbeams through water, and always, everywhere, hints of music in the form of carved notes that somehow carried actual melody. These carvings felt less like decorations and more like a language, telling a story too profound for mere words.
At its centre was the mermaid - not a simple decoration, but a scene of such artistry and emotion that it felt more like a moment of truth frozen forever in time. Her face held an expression of such profound longing and sadness that it made Wakasagihime's heart ache. The figure's carved hair flowed like real silk in invisible currents, while her tail curved in a graceful arc that spoke of both beauty and despair. Chains of ice wrapped around her form, but they were beautiful things - adorned with bubbles, seafoam, and delicate coral patterns that almost disguised their true purpose. They seemed to flow into the very frame of the door itself, becoming part of an intricate pattern of flowing water and musical notes that spiralled out to the edges.
The door's song was what truly drew her back again and again. In the vast cavern's natural acoustics, the music carried differently than in the castle's ice corridors above. Sometimes it was barely a whisper, other times clear as crystal, but always just beyond her understanding. The sound seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere at once, as if the water itself was singing.
The melody seemed sweetest when she felt most alone, weaving through the water with promises of understanding and companionship if she would just listen a little longer, try a little harder to grasp the words. Yet each time also warned her to stay away, to not listen lest she fall deeper into the melody itself. Each visit, the song felt more familiar, as if it was something she had always known but somehow forgotten. The pale fish would gather too, swirling in strange patterns as they listened.
More than once, Wakasagihime found herself pressing against the door, fins trailing along its surface, an inexplicable urge to help or free the singer rising in her chest. But something about those beautiful chains always made her hesitate - their patterns suggesting containment rather than cruelty, protection rather than imprisonment. Still, the desire to understand, to somehow reach through the ice to the source of that haunting voice, grew stronger with each visit.
After such encounters, she would catch herself humming unfamiliar melodies for days, songs so lovely that fish would gather just to listen. Sometimes she would find herself singing words she didn't remember learning, in a voice that didn't quite feel like her own. It frightened her a little, these gaps in her memory, these moments when the song seemed to flow through her unbidden.
She started limiting her visits to the door after that, finding more joy in the castle's bright upper chambers. There was so much to do, after all - arranging her belongings in her perfect underwater bedroom, exploring new rooms that somehow always seemed to have one more delightful detail she hadn't noticed before, and even making friends with the local fish who seemed to find the ice castle as fascinating as she did.
The castle became truly home, its mysteries simply another part of its charm. Sometimes she would catch herself humming while tending to her little garden of water plants, or while watching sunlight create dancing patterns through the ice walls. The fish would gather to listen, swaying gently in the current, though she could never quite remember where she'd learned the melody.
Perhaps one day the castle's true master would return, but for now, Wakasagihime was simply happy to be its caretaker. As she drifted off to sleep each night in her comfortable water-filled chamber, the faint echo of an ancient song would follow her into dreams, as natural as the flow of water itself.
'La la la~' she hummed an enchanting tune softly to herself, watching rainbow patterns play across the ice walls. Just another peaceful day in her wonderful ice castle.
The changes had started subtly - the lake water growing just slightly cooler, enough for a mermaid to notice but not enough to disturb the fish. At first she thought it was just the season changing, until that morning when the waters cleared enough for her to see it: a castle made entirely of ice, rising from the lakebed like a dream given form from the bottom of the lake itself. Its delicate spires and graceful towers stretched upward toward the surface with one tower seeming to actually breached the water surface, while other sections seemed to burrow deeper into the earth itself, as if the visible portion was merely the tip of something far larger.
The castle defied everything Wakasagihime knew about ice. Despite being underwater, its walls neither melted nor cracked. The ice itself was clear as crystal yet somehow held swirling colours within - blues and greens that shifted like aurora when viewed from different angles. Most remarkably, it wasn't even that cold to touch. The entire structure seemed to exist in perfect harmony with the lake around it, as if it had always been meant to be there.
Initially too timid to venture far inside, Wakasagihime spent days just circling the exterior, watching how sunlight filtering through the water created dancing patterns across the ice walls. Each time she circled, she noticed new details - here a window shaped like a snowflake, there a balcony adorned with delicate ice flowers that swayed in the current as if they were real plants. The more she looked, the more she felt drawn to explore further.
Gradually, her curiosity overcame her caution. The castle seemed empty after all, with no signs of whoever had created this magnificent structure. Each day she ventured a little further inside, always ready to retreat at the slightest sign of other inhabitants.
The upper levels were a wonderland that often made her giggle despite herself. Playful slides curved between rooms for no apparent reason other than fun. Spiral staircases wound their way up and down in patterns that seemed to defy gravity. Windows were cut in whimsical shapes that cast rainbow patterns through the water when the sun hit them just right. Everything spoke of joy and whimsy, as if designed by someone who saw architecture as a form of play.
Most fascinating was how the castle seamlessly combined dry chambers with underwater passages. Whoever built this place had clearly considered the needs of aquatic beings. Channels and pools were placed exactly where a mermaid would need them, making the entire structure surprisingly navigable for her. Wakasagihime could swim from room to room through cleverly designed waterways, or rest in pools that somehow maintained perfect temperature despite being made of ice.
One bedroom in particular caught her attention. Unlike the other chambers that were mostly dry with decorative pools, this one was fully submerged yet perfectly furnished. The water was always comfortable - neither too warm nor too cold - and contained what appeared to be an underwater bed softer than anything Wakasagihime had ever encountered. How she could lie on an underwater bed yet feel its softness, Wakasagihime had no idea but she certainly enjoyed it. The walls rippled with gentle blue light that reminded her of sunlight through shallow water, and small ice sculptures of fish seemed to swim in the walls themselves.
'It wouldn't hurt to stay just one night,' she had thought, after spending hours exploring the room. The bed proved even more comfortable than it looked, and the gentle play of light through the ice was more soothing than her old dwelling had ever been. One night became two, then a week, then longer.
As Wakasagihime grew more comfortable in her new home, she began exploring beyond the cheerful upper levels. The castle's character changed the deeper and lower she ventured, in ways that both frightened and fascinated her. Here the ice took on darker hues - deep blues that bordered on black, and strange iridescent patterns that made her eyes hurt if she looked at them too long.
The architectural style shifted too. Gone were the playful curves and whimsical decorations. Instead, the walls bore geometric patterns that seemed to continue forever, spiralling into themselves in ways that made her head spin if she tried to follow them. Corridors became heavier, more imposing, with arches that felt like they were holding up the weight of the entire lake. Sometimes she would turn a corner and find passages that felt ancient somehow, as if they had existed long before the rest of the castle.
These deeper areas made her fins twitch with the urge to flee, yet something about them called to her too. The water itself felt different here - heavier, more oppressive. Sometimes she would hear what seemed like distant singing - not the playful songs of surface dwellers, but haunting melodies that spoke of depths and yearning that felt familiar to her. The voices seemed to know when she was feeling lonely, their songs growing clearer and more alluring during her solitary moments.
As she descended further, following the mysterious songs, the castle seemed to burrow deeper not just into itself but into the earth beneath the lake. Some passages twisted downward at impossible angles, leading to chambers that must have been far below the lakebed. The water pressure grew stronger, and the taste changed - becoming increasingly salty, reminding her of stories she'd heard about the deep ocean.
The descent to what she would later think of as the Heart of the castle was particularly harrowing. First through a chamber filled with ice sculptures that seemed to change position when she wasn't looking. Then through a passage where the pressure grew so intense it would have crushed any surface dweller instantly. Just when she thought she couldn't go any deeper, the ice corridor opened suddenly into darkness...
The transition shocked Wakasagihime to stillness. The castle's careful architectural precision simply ended, opening into a vast darkness that seemed to swallow her entirely. As her eyes slowly adjusted, she found herself in an immense natural cavern that made the castle above feel like a child's toy in comparison.
Here were no crafted walls or deliberate designs - just ancient stone shaped by water's patient force over unknowable ages. Strange formations of rock reached like grasping fingers through the water, their surfaces glittering with deposits of minerals she'd never seen in the lake above. Pale, eyeless fish darted through the gloom, species that had perhaps never known sunlight. The cavern felt ancient in a way that made even Gensokyo itself seem young by comparison.
Yet there, standing in magnificent contradiction to its primal surroundings, was the door. It rose from the cavern floor like a fragment of another world entirely - a sheet of ice so massive Wakasagihime could barely see its top in the darkness. The ice that formed it was neither the playful crystal of the upper castle nor the dark ice of its depths. This was something else entirely - ice that seemed to hold entire oceans in its depths, that sang with voices that might have been the first to ever pierce the silence of prehistoric seas.
Every inch of its surface was carved with details that drew the eye and refused to let go - schools of fish that seemed to swim in the ice itself, patterns of light that shifted like real sunbeams through water, and always, everywhere, hints of music in the form of carved notes that somehow carried actual melody. These carvings felt less like decorations and more like a language, telling a story too profound for mere words.
At its centre was the mermaid - not a simple decoration, but a scene of such artistry and emotion that it felt more like a moment of truth frozen forever in time. Her face held an expression of such profound longing and sadness that it made Wakasagihime's heart ache. The figure's carved hair flowed like real silk in invisible currents, while her tail curved in a graceful arc that spoke of both beauty and despair. Chains of ice wrapped around her form, but they were beautiful things - adorned with bubbles, seafoam, and delicate coral patterns that almost disguised their true purpose. They seemed to flow into the very frame of the door itself, becoming part of an intricate pattern of flowing water and musical notes that spiralled out to the edges.
The door's song was what truly drew her back again and again. In the vast cavern's natural acoustics, the music carried differently than in the castle's ice corridors above. Sometimes it was barely a whisper, other times clear as crystal, but always just beyond her understanding. The sound seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere at once, as if the water itself was singing.
The melody seemed sweetest when she felt most alone, weaving through the water with promises of understanding and companionship if she would just listen a little longer, try a little harder to grasp the words. Yet each time also warned her to stay away, to not listen lest she fall deeper into the melody itself. Each visit, the song felt more familiar, as if it was something she had always known but somehow forgotten. The pale fish would gather too, swirling in strange patterns as they listened.
More than once, Wakasagihime found herself pressing against the door, fins trailing along its surface, an inexplicable urge to help or free the singer rising in her chest. But something about those beautiful chains always made her hesitate - their patterns suggesting containment rather than cruelty, protection rather than imprisonment. Still, the desire to understand, to somehow reach through the ice to the source of that haunting voice, grew stronger with each visit.
After such encounters, she would catch herself humming unfamiliar melodies for days, songs so lovely that fish would gather just to listen. Sometimes she would find herself singing words she didn't remember learning, in a voice that didn't quite feel like her own. It frightened her a little, these gaps in her memory, these moments when the song seemed to flow through her unbidden.
She started limiting her visits to the door after that, finding more joy in the castle's bright upper chambers. There was so much to do, after all - arranging her belongings in her perfect underwater bedroom, exploring new rooms that somehow always seemed to have one more delightful detail she hadn't noticed before, and even making friends with the local fish who seemed to find the ice castle as fascinating as she did.
The castle became truly home, its mysteries simply another part of its charm. Sometimes she would catch herself humming while tending to her little garden of water plants, or while watching sunlight create dancing patterns through the ice walls. The fish would gather to listen, swaying gently in the current, though she could never quite remember where she'd learned the melody.
Perhaps one day the castle's true master would return, but for now, Wakasagihime was simply happy to be its caretaker. As she drifted off to sleep each night in her comfortable water-filled chamber, the faint echo of an ancient song would follow her into dreams, as natural as the flow of water itself.
'La la la~' she hummed an enchanting tune softly to herself, watching rainbow patterns play across the ice walls. Just another peaceful day in her wonderful ice castle.
Cirno: "Boss-lady, why put your head underwater? You can look at the castle just fine from outside!"
Alice: "..I suppose she should be fine...and nothing Cirno, just make sure to get some of the water fairies to regularly check the lake okay?"
Cirno: "Ey ey boss! Can't really stop those Aques guild gals anyway, they are weirdly strict about silly stuff like 'population control' or 'ecological stability' or 'the potential danger about climate change that might affect even across the border' or other stuff anyway. Won't be hard to convince them!"
Alice: "..."
Sort of intermission I guess? Not sure if I should put it on main or sidestory. Not sure if this kind of style suits me either, but I am procastinating about the final (probably) weave anyway so..
Alice: "..I suppose she should be fine...and nothing Cirno, just make sure to get some of the water fairies to regularly check the lake okay?"
Cirno: "Ey ey boss! Can't really stop those Aques guild gals anyway, they are weirdly strict about silly stuff like 'population control' or 'ecological stability' or 'the potential danger about climate change that might affect even across the border' or other stuff anyway. Won't be hard to convince them!"
Alice: "..."
Sort of intermission I guess? Not sure if I should put it on main or sidestory. Not sure if this kind of style suits me either, but I am procastinating about the final (probably) weave anyway so..
Woven Synchronicity ~ Final Weave
Ylamona
Konlulu~
Sounds of arcane machinery filled the chamber with a quiet symphony of beeps and hums. The room was lit by dim, pale blue lights that cast soft shadows across smooth obsidian walls inscribed with shifting runes. The air hung cool and damp, heavy with the scent of wet earth and something ancient and unknowable that seemed to seep from the very stones.
In the centre of the room stood a large, ornate pod - its surface a sleek, polished black decorated with intricate carvings that appeared to shift and change in the flickering light. Strange symbols pulsed along its surface in mesmerising patterns. Inside, suspended in a shimmering, ethereal liquid, floated the spirit Mima. Her green hair drifted like seaweed around her face, skin pale as moonlight. Her ethereal form was riddled with holes where parts of her spirit had crumbled to dust, dark webs of corrupted energy spreading outward from each wound like cracks in glass.
Hope sat atop the pod, connected to it by a thin, silvery cord that pulsed with gentle, rhythmic light. The fairy's tiny hands pressed against the cool surface as if trying to reach through to the spirit within. Though her eyes were closed, her face showed intense concentration, brow furrowed with focus on her vital task.
A Deep One stood nearby, tall and enigmatic in flowing dark robes that seemed to absorb the dim light. His hooded form loomed over an antique writing desk, carefully documenting observations in a leather-bound journal with an ornate quill that never seemed to need ink. His handwriting flowed with an otherworldly elegance, each character seeming to shimmer faintly on the page.
"Hopeful one," the Deep One's resonant voice echoed slightly in the chamber, "if thy requireth rest, pray do not hesitate to partake of it. Thy hast laboured ceaselessly for quite some duration. We would not see thee exhaust thyself needlessly. Lady Mima's condition maintaineth stability for the nonce."
"Indeed Hope, there's no need to push yourself too hard," Alice said as she entered through the doorway. "You've been working diligently for quite some time now. Cirno has expressed concern - perhaps you should take some rest and go see her?"
Hope blinked open her eyes, looking toward Alice. "Ah, Miss Alice. It's just... you mentioned I was the only one who could do this, so..." She rubbed her eyes, though her voice remained steady. "I don't actually feel tired at all. It's rather interesting, actually."
"If you insist, but please don't overexert yourself," Alice said before turning to the Deep One. "Zurrenha, how is our patient?"
"Verily, Grand One," Zurrenha intoned, gesturing with elongated fingers toward his meticulous notes. "The most grievous trial hath indeed passed. Though Lady Mima's wounds were most dire, her spiritual essence rent and mutilated by the otherworldly contamination, we have achieved success in purging the foreign entity's corrupting influence. Her condition maintained stability, albeit through artificially induced suspension to facilitate recovery."
The Deep One's hood shifted slightly as he continued, "Yet more trials and tribulations lay ahead upon the path to restoration. We must maintain utmost vigilance. However, thy faithful servitor harbours full confidence in our eventual triumph."
Hope, still maintaining her connection to Mima through their spiritual bond, spoke up hesitantly. "Um... I've been wondering... why am I the only one who can do this?"
Zurrenha's robes rustled as he turned toward Hope. "Verily, 'tis a most peculiar conundrum, one that doth perplex even the most learned amongst our ranks. Lady Mima's afflictions, though manifesting in both physical form and spiritual essence, possess roots that delve far deeper - reaching into the very fabric of her being. The wounds extend beyond mere flesh and spirit, penetrating into the deepest recesses of mind and soul. This multifaceted nature of her afflictions renders conventional healing methodologies woefully inadequate, as they merely address the superficial symptoms while leaving the fundamental cause untouched."
He paused, his hidden gaze studying the fairy. "Thine nature as a greater fairy of Life allows thee to provide the necessary nurturing essence for her recovery. Thy presence acts as a soothing balm, alleviating her suffering while providing vital spiritual sustenance."
Alice glanced at Zurrenha before addressing Hope directly, "What he means is that Mima's wounds are far more complex than usual. This isn't like our typical cases with the Nameless, or even standard spiritual injuries. Mima was essentially overwritten and consumed by another version of herself."
She moved closer to the pod, studying the suspended spirit within. "Think of it like clay statues that have been mixed together - two versions of Mima, blended and reshaped. We managed to defeat and remove the foreign Mima, but that doesn't mean our Mima instantly recovered. Parts of her remain missing, damaged, or transformed into something else. It's like trying to separate merged clay - this is what remains after removing the contaminated portions."
Hope turned toward Alice, her expression thoughtful. "But can't you fix it like you do with the Nameless? Usually you can just help them remember or fill in the missing pieces with something new."
"Indeed, but that's because usually they've simply forgotten something, or had parts overwritten that can be restored," Alice explained, her hand brushing against the pod's surface. "Mima's case is far more complex - parts of her were changed and merged with the other Mima in ways that became almost natural. I could attempt to force a solution, but that risks making things worse. While I am still helping in the background, you're truly the one she needs now, Hope."
Alice's voice softened as she continued, "This healing process must rely on Mima herself finding her way back. That's why you're so crucial - you can support and guide her through this journey better than anyone. Your name as Hope isn't merely for show, you know?"
Hope blushed and looked down at her hands, still maintaining their connection to the pod. "Ah, um... okay..."
The green-haired fairy fell silent, lost in thought. She had always felt like the odd one out among fairies - too mature, too stable, lacking the chaotic energy that defined her kind. Unlike other fairies, she didn't have any spectacular powers or special abilities. She was just... different. When others played pranks or caused mischief, Hope would watch from the sidelines, playing the role of responsible observer. It wasn't that she couldn't have fun like them - she was just too aware of consequences, too considerate of others.
Cirno always insisted Hope was good at making everyone happy, but was that really a power? It seemed more like just being a decent friend. Even her name felt borrowed - she was just "the greater fairy" who followed Cirno around. Others called her "Dai-chan" and she'd accepted it, lacking anything better. It wasn't until Alice gave her the name "Hope" that she had something truly her own, though she still didn't fully understand why she deserved such an honour.
"I'll try my best, Miss Alice," Hope finally said, her voice quiet but determined. "Even if I'm not sure exactly what I can do to help."
"Just being present is enough, Hope," Alice replied gently. "Just as other fairies embody aspects of nature, you embody Hope itself - the very essence of possibility. What Mima needs isn't just physical healing, but restoration of mind and spirit. That's something only you can provide."
A faint smile crossed Alice's face. "Your presence alone will serve as light in her darkness, a beacon of strength and hope to guide her back to herself. The machines and procedures will handle the physical recovery - your role is to provide something far more vital."
"Verily, verily!" Zurrenha's voice resonated with enthusiasm. "The mechanisms and methodologies shall facilitate the corporeal restoration, while thy radiant presence nurtures the spiritual essence. Thy light, thy hope, shall illuminate the path through the shadows of her fractured psyche, rekindling the flame of her true self!"
"Ah, okay then." Hope nodded, though uncertainty still lingered in her mind. She wasn't really sure what she could do, but she would try her best. If Alice said she could help, then she would. That's what Hope was good for, after all - trying her best, even without any special powers.
The fairy thought back to all the times she'd felt inadequate compared to her more dynamic friends. She didn't have Cirno's raw power or confidence, Rumia's mysterious strength, or any of the special abilities other fairies seemed to possess naturally. She was just... Hope. Just a greater fairy who happened to be a bit different from the rest.
'A bit odd, a bit too aware, a bit too careful,' she mused to herself. It wasn't that she couldn't have fun or enjoy herself - she just experienced everything with a deeper awareness that sometimes felt more like a burden than a gift. When other fairies acted on pure instinct, Hope would pause to consider consequences. While they lived purely in the moment, she found herself thinking about tomorrow.
Even her role among Cirno's friends was somewhat undefined. She was the voice of reason, the careful one, the one who tried to keep everyone out of too much trouble. Not that it ever really worked - they were fairies after all, and trouble seemed to find them regardless of Hope's efforts. But she tried, because that's what she did. That's who she was.
And now here she sat, supposedly vital to healing a powerful spirit's wounded soul. The irony wasn't lost on her - the fairy who often felt she had no real power was now told her mere presence was exactly what was needed. She glanced down at Mima's suspended form, watching the dark corruption slowly receding from the spirit's ethereal body.
'I still don't really understand,' Hope thought to herself. 'But if Miss Alice believes in me... if my presence really can help...'
She strengthened her focus on the connection between herself and Mima, letting her natural essence - whatever that might be - flow more freely through their bond. Maybe she didn't need to understand everything. Maybe just being herself, just being Hope, was enough.
"Thank you for trusting me with this," she whispered, though she wasn't sure if she was speaking to Alice, to Mima, or to herself.
The silvery cord pulsed slightly brighter in response, and Hope could have sworn she felt something shift in the connection - a tiny spark of warmth, like the first ray of sunlight breaking through storm clouds. Perhaps this was what Alice meant about being a beacon of hope. Perhaps this simple act of being present, of caring, was its own kind of power after all.
In the background, Zurrenha continued his meticulous note-taking, his quill scratching against parchment in an oddly comforting rhythm. Alice watched silently, a knowing smile playing at the corners of her mouth, as if she could see something in Hope that the fairy herself couldn't yet recognize.
And in her suspended state, Mima floated peacefully, the corruption in her spirit receding ever so slightly with each pulse of Hope's gentle light.
Mima opened her eyes to chaos. The world around her was a kaleidoscope of colours and shapes, endlessly shifting and swirling in nauseating patterns. She tried to focus, to find something solid in the maelstrom of sensations assaulting her senses, but everything kept slipping away like water through her fingers.
As she struggled to maintain her sense of self in the chaotic void, the lingering madness of her other self clung to her like a heavy shroud. This other version - this twisted, malevolent reflection - was everything Mima wasn't, everything she could have been. Stronger, more powerful, utterly unrestrained. The shadow of this other self pressed against her consciousness, a constant reminder of her own perceived inadequacies.
"USELESS! WEAK! PATHETIC!" The voice wasn't just in her head anymore - it seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere at once, echoing with countless versions of her own voice layered in hideous harmony. Where the voices overlapped, reality itself seemed to crack, revealing glimpses of something vast and wrong, something that shouldn't exist.
The other Mima manifested in fragments: here a mouth splitting impossibly wide in a savage grin, there an eye blazing with power that made Mima's own magic feel like a candle before a forest fire. Wings of pure darkness unfurled from nothing, each feather edged with sickly green light that left afterimages burning in the air.
"I PITY THAT KID, TO BE TAUGHT BY SUCH A WEAKLING!" the thing that wore her face sneered, its form constantly shifting between different versions of herself - some powerful and terrible, others broken and mad, all of them wrong.
Wherever this twisted mirror-self manifested, reality warped around it like fabric trying to tear itself apart. The air itself seemed to recoil from its presence, and each word it spoke left visible ripples in space, distorting everything they touched. This wasn't just another version of her - it was everything she could have been, everything she feared becoming, given form and voice and terrible purpose.
"YOU'RE NOTHING BUT A SHADOW, A FAKE!" The voice taunted, growing louder with each word. "YOU'LL NEVER BE STRONG ENOUGH, NEVER BE GOOD ENOUGH! I'M THE TRUE MIMA, THE ONLY MIMA THAT MATTERS!"
The pressure of the other Mima's presence was overwhelming, threatening to crush what remained of her sense of self. Yet beneath the fear and confusion, something in Mima rebelled against these words. A tiny spark of defiance, a memory of who she was before all this began...
"AND YET WE LOST! LOST! LOST!" The other Mima's voice grew more frenzied, more desperate. "CAN'T YOU SEE IT? PICTURE IT! THE PAIN, THE AGONY, THE HUMILIATION! THE FEAR!"
Images began flooding through Mima's mind - not just memories, but experiences, sensations, terrors that felt both foreign and intimately familiar. She saw herself being torn apart, consumed by an endless void of madness and darkness. She felt the pain, the fear, the sheer terror that came with it. She remembered being part of that madness, that darkness, and she knew with horrifying certainty that there was no escape.
"EHEHEHEHAHAHAH! THE FEAR, THE TERROR, THE UNENDING NIGHTMARE!" The other Mima's laughter echoed through the chaotic swirl of colors and shapes. "CAN'T YOU SEE IT? PICTURE IT? HOW IT RENDS US ASUNDER, TEARS US APART, CONSUMES US WHOLE! HOW WE FELT, HOW WE SCREAMED, HOW WE BEGGED FOR DEATH!"
It wasn't the words that threatened to break Mima, nor even the madness itself. It was the truth within them - the memory of being that creature, of losing herself to that overwhelming power and terror. The knowledge that some part of her had embraced that darkness, had become one with it.
As the world continued to spin and fracture around her, Mima struggled to hold onto any sense of self. Who was she really? The teacher who had guided Marisa? The powerful spirit who had challenged the Hakurei? Or was she just this - a broken thing, lost in the depths of her own madness?
Then suddenly, through the chaos, a new presence made itself known - small, gentle, but somehow more real than all the surrounding madness...
Through the maelstrom of fractured memories and twisted reflections, a new figure appeared - a small girl with blonde hair and ever-shifting eyes. Her form seemed to flicker between different appearances: sometimes a child with blue eyes, then red, then a kaleidoscope of colors, never settling on a single form. Yet despite this uncertainty, her presence felt more real, more solid than anything else in this nightmare realm.
"Hello~" The girl's voice cut through the cacophony like a bell through fog.
"WHO THE HELL ARE YOU!?" Another voice - her voice, yet not her voice - roared. The world exploded in blinding white light, reality itself seeming to reject this intrusion. "GET OUT OF MY HEAD!"
"Mute~" The girl said simply, the whispers silenced and the chaos... didn't stop, but settled. Like paint swirling in water, the wild patterns of colour and sound began to slow, to find rhythm in their movement. The overwhelming sensations retreated to the edges of awareness, becoming a distant storm rather than an all-consuming tempest.
As her senses gradually stabilised, Mima began to notice patterns emerging from the chaos. The random flashes of colour began to pulse with something almost like rhythm. Each pulse seemed to pull the world a little more into focus, like a photograph slowly developing.
With each heartbeat, the world grew more solid, more defined. The formless void above gained depth and texture, darkening into what might be a sky. The shifting ground beneath her feet began to hold its shape between steps, though still rippling like the surface of a pond when she moved.
Then, like the final piece clicking into place, the world crystallised around her.
What had been formless chaos now took on bizarre but recognizable form. The sky above was a dark, brooding canvas with clouds that churned in uneasy spirals. Below, fields of crimson grass stretched out, dotted with trees whose indigo trunks reached out at impossible angles. The ground beneath her feet materialised into a soft carpet of petals that seemed to sigh under her weight.
Stranger details emerged everywhere she looked. Patches of flowers sprang from the ground, their petals so vibrant they looked painted, each with a faint glow that pulsed like tiny, flickering hearts. Some turned toward her, opening and closing with every breath as if tasting her presence. Giant mushrooms loomed in the distance, their caps dotted with spots of colour so vibrant they looked like beacons in the gloom.
Golden cobbled paths appeared beneath her one footstep at a time, the stones slotting into place as the earth swallowed the gaps until they were perfectly flush. A winding road stretched into the shadowed distance, as if the world itself was building itself around them. Though surreal and dreamlike, everything felt strangely familiar, as if it had always been here, waiting to be discovered.
"Much better, isn't it?" The girl smiled - a familiar yet unfamiliar expression. "You can talk now. I imagine being assaulted by that thing wasn't very pleasant. Mima?"
Mima stared at the girl, questions tumbling out: "Who are you? What's happening? Where am I? Why is everything so twisted? What's happening to me?"
The girl sighed, offering a sad smile. "You were hurt, Mima. Very badly. Your body, mind, and soul are all struggling to recover. This world you see is a reflection of your self. I'm here to help you heal, or at least try. I could force a healing, but that might cause that thing with your face to return."
"But who are you?" Mima pressed, her gaze darting between the twisted trees and pulsating flowers. "And why do you want to help me?"
'It's Alice!' The knowledge came not as a voice or memory, but as a sudden certainty, a truth that seemed to have always been there, waiting to be recognized. "Alice?"
The girl - Alice - sighed before smiling again. "Can you remember me now? Don't force yourself though. There's no need to rush."
"I..." Memories flickered through Mima's mind like broken glass catching light. She saw Marisa - so young then, barely able to lift the mini-hakkero, determination burning in her eyes as she tried spell after spell until exhaustion made her hands shake. Another flash: Marisa older, grinning wildly as she successfully cast her first Master Spark, the pride Mima felt warring with her carefully maintained stern expression.
But the memories twisted, distorted. Was it really her who taught Marisa that spell? Or was it the other her? Had she really felt that pride, or was it just another lie? Past and present blurred together like wet paint, leaving her dizzy and uncertain. "I... I don't know anymore."
Alice nodded and took Mima's hand, her touch somehow both ethereal and solid. "It's okay, Mima. We'll figure it out together. Let's walk, shall we?"
As they walked through the bizarre landscape, Mima couldn't shake the feeling of familiarity that clung to Alice's presence. It was like a word on the tip of her tongue - she knew she knew this girl, but the memory kept slipping away whenever she tried to grasp it.
"Tell me about yourself, Mima," Alice said, her voice gentle like a cool breeze on a summer day. "Let's start from the beginning."
Mima took a deep breath, trying to focus on memories that seemed determined to escape her grasp. "I... was a spirit. A powerful one, I thought. But then something happened and I was... dead? No, that's not right. I was killed? Everything's so confused. And then... and then I was here, in this strange place, with you and the voices."
Alice listened intently, guiding them along the golden path that continued to form beneath their feet. "And what about Marisa? Do you remember how that started?"
"Marisa..." The name brought a rush of jumbled images - pride, frustration, amusement, concern - all tangled together like knotted thread. "She was my pupil. I taught her magic. I... I don't remember why. Was it my choice? Was it hers? It's all mixed up."
"Let's focus on something more recent," Alice suggested. "What's the last thing you remember clearly, before coming here?"
"...It was the ship... Dream Voyager," Mima said slowly, the words feeling heavy on her tongue. "I was there for... something. I fought... someone? Something? Then the other me came and I... I lost. I failed!" Her voice rose with sudden anger and frustration. "I was supposed to be the strongest! The best! Invincible! But I lost! I wasn't good enough!"
Alice flicked Mima's forehead, the sharp sensation cutting through her spiral of self-recrimination. "Those feelings aren't yours - they're hers. And she's not you, and you're not her."
"But... but I am her, and she's me!" Mima protested, gesturing wildly at the twisted landscape around them. "How can you say that? She's a part of me, and I'm a part of her! We're the same!"
"No, you're not," Alice's voice was firm but kind. "She's an entirely different person, with a different past, a different future, and a different set of experiences. You may share some similarities, but you're not the same person. And you don't have to be."
Alice's eyes - still shifting through countless colours - fixed on Mima with unwavering certainty. "You are the great spirit Mima, mentor of Kirisame Marisa, who earned the begrudging respect of Hakurei Yui and Yukari Yakumo themselves. You taught Marisa magic, guided her, helped shape her into the powerful magician she is today. You did whatever you wanted, and nobody could stop you. You are a force to be reckoned with, a spirit who commands respect and fear." She paused, a small smile playing on her lips. "You are Mima, and nobody else. But I understand mere words won't instantly fix everything, so..."
Alice led them into a clearing that seemed to form itself as they approached. With a simple gesture, she conjured a small campfire in its centre. The flames sprang to life, casting warm light that somehow felt more real than anything else in this surreal landscape.
"I know this is all confusing and overwhelming for you, Mima," Alice said softly as they settled beside the fire. "But we'll figure it out together. In time, everything will become clear."
As Mima gazed into the dancing flames, she felt an unexpected sense of peace wash over her. The chaos and confusion that had been clouding her mind seemed to retreat, pushed back by the fire's steady warmth. Each flicker of flame seemed to speak to something deep within her, something that remembered who she was beneath all the confusion and fear.
The fire's warmth felt like a comforting embrace, soothing her frayed nerves and easing the tension that had been coiling through her spirit. It radiated not just heat but hope, like a beacon cutting through the darkness of her fractured mind. The flames spoke to her in a language only she could understand, a language of strength and renewal.
"You won't heal completely, Mima, at least not from this alone," Alice said, her form beginning to fray at the edges like an old photograph. "We can only aid you - you have to fix yourself. It's your life. Your choice. You are the one in control. Not her, not me, not anyone else. Your life, your choice. Keep believing in yourself, and you will find your way through this."
The surroundings began to fade, colours bleeding away like watercolours in rain, but the clearing remained solid, anchored by the campfire's steady light.
"Wait... Alice... I still..." Mima reached out, trying to hold onto the girl's fading form, but her hand passed through emptiness.
Yet the fire continued to burn, its flames a steady beacon of hope and strength. Though Alice was gone, Mima knew what she had to do. She had to keep going, keep fighting. She had to find a way to heal, to reclaim her strength and confidence. She had to prove to herself and others that she was still the same powerful spirit she had always been. With the fire as her guide, she knew she could do it.
A whisper echoed through her mind, not the other Mima this time, but Alice's voice, gentle and sure: "In the end, all we can do is wait and hope. I will always be watching, and hoping for your success."
As the words faded, Mima settled beside the fire, its warm light steadying her. For the first time since her ordeal began, she felt something close to peace. The chaos still lurked at the edges of her consciousness, but here, in this moment, she could finally begin to remember who she truly was.
"You are too reckless!" Satsuki Rin's voice carried equal measures of anger and concern as she helped the smaller girl sit up in her bed. "What were you thinking, pushing yourself that far? Reaching into someone's mind while maintaining a connection to Hope... you're not even fully recovered from binding the vessel!"
The figure propped up against the pillows barely resembled the composed puppeteer most of Gensokyo knew. Instead of the elegant young woman in blue, here sat Alice's true form - delicate and beautiful beyond human measure, dressed in a simple white nightdress that seemed to shimmer faintly in the dim light. Her floor-length golden hair pooled around her like liquid light, seeming to flow with its own gentle radiance despite her exhausted state. Most striking were her eyes - ever-shifting rainbow irises that contained every color imaginable in constant motion, though now dulled with fatigue.
"I'm sorry," Alice whispered, her voice soft and melodious despite her tired state. She tried to gesture with her remaining arm - the left one - but the motion caused her to break into another coughing fit. Golden strings that had been hovering protectively around her drifted listlessly in response. "I couldn't... couldn't just watch. She was suffering, lost in her own mind. If I hadn't helped her..."
"And what if you'd exhausted yourself completely?" Rin carefully offered Alice a cup of water, her hands gentle despite her harsh tone. "You're still recovering from everything else you've done recently."
A faint smile crossed Alice's face as she leaned back against the pillows. The bedroom around them was a curious mix of whimsy and ancient knowledge - shelves of grimoires sharing space with dolls of all sizes, star charts intermingled with carefully drawn diagrams, and countless strings of golden light weaving through the air. "Perhaps. But I had to try. You of all people should understand why."
Rin's expression softened slightly at that. Of course she understood - she was one of the few who knew what it meant to be lost and alone, to feel yourself slipping away. The situation was different but similar enough that she'd basically been there herself, after all, before Alice had helped anchor her back to reality. At least Mima wasn't erased nearly fully from history, yet...
"Reimu and Marisa would be sad if anything were to happen to you, you know?" Rin shook her head again, "Or mad, or both, or worse. You've seen how Reimu gets when someone she cares about is hurt. And Marisa... she'd probably tear apart half of Gensokyo looking for answers."
"Then they simply need not to know," Weakly, Alice smiled, though there was a bitter edge to it, "Should anything happen to me, they would move on. Reimu has her duties, Marisa her magic. Life would continue just fine without Alice Margatroid, as it always has. Being forgotten would be quite convenient, really."
"You-" Rin took a deep breath, visibly restraining herself from snapping. Her fingers clenched around the empty water cup before carefully setting it aside. "Do you truly think so little of what you mean to them? To Reimu who looks at you like another mother, who still waits at the shrine steps hoping you'll visit more often? To Marisa who lights up every time she sees you, who makes excuses just to spend more time around you?"
"I merely fill roles that would be filled regardless," Alice's voice was soft but matter-of-fact, as if stating an obvious truth. "Reimu has many who care for her now. Marisa has grown beyond needing a mentor and Reimu is with her too. The fairies would find their way eventually. I simply... happened to be convenient." She paused, looking at the countless dolls watching over them with gleaming eyes, "Everything I've done could be done by another. Probably better, even."
Rin could only sigh, the sound heavy with familiar frustration. For someone so mighty, someone who had helped so many, Alice had a peculiar talent for dismissing her own worth. No, it wasn't even mere low self-esteem - there was an almost practised quality to how she diminished herself, as if she had convinced herself that her only value lay in being useful to others. The contrast between this and her public persona was stark - the confident, elegant puppeteer versus this self-deprecating child who spoke of her own disappearance with such casual acceptance.
"Fine, I won't push this argument again. For now." Rin's tone made it clear this wasn't the end of the discussion. "How is Mima doing then? I've been listening to Hope's reports, and she seems to be improving, albeit slowly."
Alice seemed to brighten slightly at the change of subject, though her voice remained tired, "She's... struggling, but fighting. The remnants of her experience will always be there - you can't simply erase that kind of trauma. But she's strong, stronger than she believes right now. All we can do is support her recovery and..." She broke off into another small coughing fit.
"And right now what you need to do is rest," Rin said firmly, adjusting Alice's pillows. "The others can handle things for a while. The world won't fall apart if Alice Margatroid takes a few days to recover."
"Probably." That faint, self-deprecating smile again. "Though the fairies might need-"
"Hope and the others can manage," Rin said, though her tone carried a hint of resignation. She knew very well that even as they spoke, Alice probably still at work throughout Gensokyo through various means or underlings. "At least try to rest your true form, if nothing else."
"Mm." Alice was already settling back, her rainbow eyes growing heavy. The golden strings around her drifted lower, forming a gentle cocoon of light.
Rin's stern expression softened as she watched Alice finally give in to exhaustion. She pulled the blanket up to cover the smaller girl properly, careful not to disturb the flowing golden hair. "Honestly, for someone who lectures others about self-care..."
As she watched Alice drift off to sleep, Rin's thoughts turned to Mima's recovery, to all the other tasks Alice insisted on managing even in her weakened state. So many responsibilities, so many burdens taken on willingly, yet Alice spoke of herself as if she were nothing but a convenient tool. Sometimes Rin wondered if anyone besides herself ever saw this side of Alice - this paradox of immense power and crushing self-doubt, of endless kindness and casual self-dismissal.
The dolls watched silently from their perches around the room, their eyes gleaming in the gentle light that seemed to come from nowhere and everywhere at once. Rin settled into her watch, knowing that while Alice's true form rested, her self would continue working through her mysterious own way. It wasn't ideal, but it was the most rest she could hope Alice would accept.
"Rest well," she whispered, shaking her head with resigned tone
In the centre of the room stood a large, ornate pod - its surface a sleek, polished black decorated with intricate carvings that appeared to shift and change in the flickering light. Strange symbols pulsed along its surface in mesmerising patterns. Inside, suspended in a shimmering, ethereal liquid, floated the spirit Mima. Her green hair drifted like seaweed around her face, skin pale as moonlight. Her ethereal form was riddled with holes where parts of her spirit had crumbled to dust, dark webs of corrupted energy spreading outward from each wound like cracks in glass.
Hope sat atop the pod, connected to it by a thin, silvery cord that pulsed with gentle, rhythmic light. The fairy's tiny hands pressed against the cool surface as if trying to reach through to the spirit within. Though her eyes were closed, her face showed intense concentration, brow furrowed with focus on her vital task.
A Deep One stood nearby, tall and enigmatic in flowing dark robes that seemed to absorb the dim light. His hooded form loomed over an antique writing desk, carefully documenting observations in a leather-bound journal with an ornate quill that never seemed to need ink. His handwriting flowed with an otherworldly elegance, each character seeming to shimmer faintly on the page.
"Hopeful one," the Deep One's resonant voice echoed slightly in the chamber, "if thy requireth rest, pray do not hesitate to partake of it. Thy hast laboured ceaselessly for quite some duration. We would not see thee exhaust thyself needlessly. Lady Mima's condition maintaineth stability for the nonce."
"Indeed Hope, there's no need to push yourself too hard," Alice said as she entered through the doorway. "You've been working diligently for quite some time now. Cirno has expressed concern - perhaps you should take some rest and go see her?"
Hope blinked open her eyes, looking toward Alice. "Ah, Miss Alice. It's just... you mentioned I was the only one who could do this, so..." She rubbed her eyes, though her voice remained steady. "I don't actually feel tired at all. It's rather interesting, actually."
"If you insist, but please don't overexert yourself," Alice said before turning to the Deep One. "Zurrenha, how is our patient?"
"Verily, Grand One," Zurrenha intoned, gesturing with elongated fingers toward his meticulous notes. "The most grievous trial hath indeed passed. Though Lady Mima's wounds were most dire, her spiritual essence rent and mutilated by the otherworldly contamination, we have achieved success in purging the foreign entity's corrupting influence. Her condition maintained stability, albeit through artificially induced suspension to facilitate recovery."
The Deep One's hood shifted slightly as he continued, "Yet more trials and tribulations lay ahead upon the path to restoration. We must maintain utmost vigilance. However, thy faithful servitor harbours full confidence in our eventual triumph."
Hope, still maintaining her connection to Mima through their spiritual bond, spoke up hesitantly. "Um... I've been wondering... why am I the only one who can do this?"
Zurrenha's robes rustled as he turned toward Hope. "Verily, 'tis a most peculiar conundrum, one that doth perplex even the most learned amongst our ranks. Lady Mima's afflictions, though manifesting in both physical form and spiritual essence, possess roots that delve far deeper - reaching into the very fabric of her being. The wounds extend beyond mere flesh and spirit, penetrating into the deepest recesses of mind and soul. This multifaceted nature of her afflictions renders conventional healing methodologies woefully inadequate, as they merely address the superficial symptoms while leaving the fundamental cause untouched."
He paused, his hidden gaze studying the fairy. "Thine nature as a greater fairy of Life allows thee to provide the necessary nurturing essence for her recovery. Thy presence acts as a soothing balm, alleviating her suffering while providing vital spiritual sustenance."
Alice glanced at Zurrenha before addressing Hope directly, "What he means is that Mima's wounds are far more complex than usual. This isn't like our typical cases with the Nameless, or even standard spiritual injuries. Mima was essentially overwritten and consumed by another version of herself."
She moved closer to the pod, studying the suspended spirit within. "Think of it like clay statues that have been mixed together - two versions of Mima, blended and reshaped. We managed to defeat and remove the foreign Mima, but that doesn't mean our Mima instantly recovered. Parts of her remain missing, damaged, or transformed into something else. It's like trying to separate merged clay - this is what remains after removing the contaminated portions."
Hope turned toward Alice, her expression thoughtful. "But can't you fix it like you do with the Nameless? Usually you can just help them remember or fill in the missing pieces with something new."
"Indeed, but that's because usually they've simply forgotten something, or had parts overwritten that can be restored," Alice explained, her hand brushing against the pod's surface. "Mima's case is far more complex - parts of her were changed and merged with the other Mima in ways that became almost natural. I could attempt to force a solution, but that risks making things worse. While I am still helping in the background, you're truly the one she needs now, Hope."
Alice's voice softened as she continued, "This healing process must rely on Mima herself finding her way back. That's why you're so crucial - you can support and guide her through this journey better than anyone. Your name as Hope isn't merely for show, you know?"
Hope blushed and looked down at her hands, still maintaining their connection to the pod. "Ah, um... okay..."
The green-haired fairy fell silent, lost in thought. She had always felt like the odd one out among fairies - too mature, too stable, lacking the chaotic energy that defined her kind. Unlike other fairies, she didn't have any spectacular powers or special abilities. She was just... different. When others played pranks or caused mischief, Hope would watch from the sidelines, playing the role of responsible observer. It wasn't that she couldn't have fun like them - she was just too aware of consequences, too considerate of others.
Cirno always insisted Hope was good at making everyone happy, but was that really a power? It seemed more like just being a decent friend. Even her name felt borrowed - she was just "the greater fairy" who followed Cirno around. Others called her "Dai-chan" and she'd accepted it, lacking anything better. It wasn't until Alice gave her the name "Hope" that she had something truly her own, though she still didn't fully understand why she deserved such an honour.
"I'll try my best, Miss Alice," Hope finally said, her voice quiet but determined. "Even if I'm not sure exactly what I can do to help."
"Just being present is enough, Hope," Alice replied gently. "Just as other fairies embody aspects of nature, you embody Hope itself - the very essence of possibility. What Mima needs isn't just physical healing, but restoration of mind and spirit. That's something only you can provide."
A faint smile crossed Alice's face. "Your presence alone will serve as light in her darkness, a beacon of strength and hope to guide her back to herself. The machines and procedures will handle the physical recovery - your role is to provide something far more vital."
"Verily, verily!" Zurrenha's voice resonated with enthusiasm. "The mechanisms and methodologies shall facilitate the corporeal restoration, while thy radiant presence nurtures the spiritual essence. Thy light, thy hope, shall illuminate the path through the shadows of her fractured psyche, rekindling the flame of her true self!"
"Ah, okay then." Hope nodded, though uncertainty still lingered in her mind. She wasn't really sure what she could do, but she would try her best. If Alice said she could help, then she would. That's what Hope was good for, after all - trying her best, even without any special powers.
The fairy thought back to all the times she'd felt inadequate compared to her more dynamic friends. She didn't have Cirno's raw power or confidence, Rumia's mysterious strength, or any of the special abilities other fairies seemed to possess naturally. She was just... Hope. Just a greater fairy who happened to be a bit different from the rest.
'A bit odd, a bit too aware, a bit too careful,' she mused to herself. It wasn't that she couldn't have fun or enjoy herself - she just experienced everything with a deeper awareness that sometimes felt more like a burden than a gift. When other fairies acted on pure instinct, Hope would pause to consider consequences. While they lived purely in the moment, she found herself thinking about tomorrow.
Even her role among Cirno's friends was somewhat undefined. She was the voice of reason, the careful one, the one who tried to keep everyone out of too much trouble. Not that it ever really worked - they were fairies after all, and trouble seemed to find them regardless of Hope's efforts. But she tried, because that's what she did. That's who she was.
And now here she sat, supposedly vital to healing a powerful spirit's wounded soul. The irony wasn't lost on her - the fairy who often felt she had no real power was now told her mere presence was exactly what was needed. She glanced down at Mima's suspended form, watching the dark corruption slowly receding from the spirit's ethereal body.
'I still don't really understand,' Hope thought to herself. 'But if Miss Alice believes in me... if my presence really can help...'
She strengthened her focus on the connection between herself and Mima, letting her natural essence - whatever that might be - flow more freely through their bond. Maybe she didn't need to understand everything. Maybe just being herself, just being Hope, was enough.
"Thank you for trusting me with this," she whispered, though she wasn't sure if she was speaking to Alice, to Mima, or to herself.
The silvery cord pulsed slightly brighter in response, and Hope could have sworn she felt something shift in the connection - a tiny spark of warmth, like the first ray of sunlight breaking through storm clouds. Perhaps this was what Alice meant about being a beacon of hope. Perhaps this simple act of being present, of caring, was its own kind of power after all.
In the background, Zurrenha continued his meticulous note-taking, his quill scratching against parchment in an oddly comforting rhythm. Alice watched silently, a knowing smile playing at the corners of her mouth, as if she could see something in Hope that the fairy herself couldn't yet recognize.
And in her suspended state, Mima floated peacefully, the corruption in her spirit receding ever so slightly with each pulse of Hope's gentle light.
Mima opened her eyes to chaos. The world around her was a kaleidoscope of colours and shapes, endlessly shifting and swirling in nauseating patterns. She tried to focus, to find something solid in the maelstrom of sensations assaulting her senses, but everything kept slipping away like water through her fingers.
As she struggled to maintain her sense of self in the chaotic void, the lingering madness of her other self clung to her like a heavy shroud. This other version - this twisted, malevolent reflection - was everything Mima wasn't, everything she could have been. Stronger, more powerful, utterly unrestrained. The shadow of this other self pressed against her consciousness, a constant reminder of her own perceived inadequacies.
"USELESS! WEAK! PATHETIC!" The voice wasn't just in her head anymore - it seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere at once, echoing with countless versions of her own voice layered in hideous harmony. Where the voices overlapped, reality itself seemed to crack, revealing glimpses of something vast and wrong, something that shouldn't exist.
The other Mima manifested in fragments: here a mouth splitting impossibly wide in a savage grin, there an eye blazing with power that made Mima's own magic feel like a candle before a forest fire. Wings of pure darkness unfurled from nothing, each feather edged with sickly green light that left afterimages burning in the air.
"I PITY THAT KID, TO BE TAUGHT BY SUCH A WEAKLING!" the thing that wore her face sneered, its form constantly shifting between different versions of herself - some powerful and terrible, others broken and mad, all of them wrong.
Wherever this twisted mirror-self manifested, reality warped around it like fabric trying to tear itself apart. The air itself seemed to recoil from its presence, and each word it spoke left visible ripples in space, distorting everything they touched. This wasn't just another version of her - it was everything she could have been, everything she feared becoming, given form and voice and terrible purpose.
"YOU'RE NOTHING BUT A SHADOW, A FAKE!" The voice taunted, growing louder with each word. "YOU'LL NEVER BE STRONG ENOUGH, NEVER BE GOOD ENOUGH! I'M THE TRUE MIMA, THE ONLY MIMA THAT MATTERS!"
The pressure of the other Mima's presence was overwhelming, threatening to crush what remained of her sense of self. Yet beneath the fear and confusion, something in Mima rebelled against these words. A tiny spark of defiance, a memory of who she was before all this began...
"AND YET WE LOST! LOST! LOST!" The other Mima's voice grew more frenzied, more desperate. "CAN'T YOU SEE IT? PICTURE IT! THE PAIN, THE AGONY, THE HUMILIATION! THE FEAR!"
Images began flooding through Mima's mind - not just memories, but experiences, sensations, terrors that felt both foreign and intimately familiar. She saw herself being torn apart, consumed by an endless void of madness and darkness. She felt the pain, the fear, the sheer terror that came with it. She remembered being part of that madness, that darkness, and she knew with horrifying certainty that there was no escape.
"EHEHEHEHAHAHAH! THE FEAR, THE TERROR, THE UNENDING NIGHTMARE!" The other Mima's laughter echoed through the chaotic swirl of colors and shapes. "CAN'T YOU SEE IT? PICTURE IT? HOW IT RENDS US ASUNDER, TEARS US APART, CONSUMES US WHOLE! HOW WE FELT, HOW WE SCREAMED, HOW WE BEGGED FOR DEATH!"
It wasn't the words that threatened to break Mima, nor even the madness itself. It was the truth within them - the memory of being that creature, of losing herself to that overwhelming power and terror. The knowledge that some part of her had embraced that darkness, had become one with it.
As the world continued to spin and fracture around her, Mima struggled to hold onto any sense of self. Who was she really? The teacher who had guided Marisa? The powerful spirit who had challenged the Hakurei? Or was she just this - a broken thing, lost in the depths of her own madness?
Then suddenly, through the chaos, a new presence made itself known - small, gentle, but somehow more real than all the surrounding madness...
Through the maelstrom of fractured memories and twisted reflections, a new figure appeared - a small girl with blonde hair and ever-shifting eyes. Her form seemed to flicker between different appearances: sometimes a child with blue eyes, then red, then a kaleidoscope of colors, never settling on a single form. Yet despite this uncertainty, her presence felt more real, more solid than anything else in this nightmare realm.
"Hello~" The girl's voice cut through the cacophony like a bell through fog.
"WHO THE HELL ARE YOU!?" Another voice - her voice, yet not her voice - roared. The world exploded in blinding white light, reality itself seeming to reject this intrusion. "GET OUT OF MY HEAD!"
"Mute~" The girl said simply, the whispers silenced and the chaos... didn't stop, but settled. Like paint swirling in water, the wild patterns of colour and sound began to slow, to find rhythm in their movement. The overwhelming sensations retreated to the edges of awareness, becoming a distant storm rather than an all-consuming tempest.
As her senses gradually stabilised, Mima began to notice patterns emerging from the chaos. The random flashes of colour began to pulse with something almost like rhythm. Each pulse seemed to pull the world a little more into focus, like a photograph slowly developing.
With each heartbeat, the world grew more solid, more defined. The formless void above gained depth and texture, darkening into what might be a sky. The shifting ground beneath her feet began to hold its shape between steps, though still rippling like the surface of a pond when she moved.
Then, like the final piece clicking into place, the world crystallised around her.
What had been formless chaos now took on bizarre but recognizable form. The sky above was a dark, brooding canvas with clouds that churned in uneasy spirals. Below, fields of crimson grass stretched out, dotted with trees whose indigo trunks reached out at impossible angles. The ground beneath her feet materialised into a soft carpet of petals that seemed to sigh under her weight.
Stranger details emerged everywhere she looked. Patches of flowers sprang from the ground, their petals so vibrant they looked painted, each with a faint glow that pulsed like tiny, flickering hearts. Some turned toward her, opening and closing with every breath as if tasting her presence. Giant mushrooms loomed in the distance, their caps dotted with spots of colour so vibrant they looked like beacons in the gloom.
Golden cobbled paths appeared beneath her one footstep at a time, the stones slotting into place as the earth swallowed the gaps until they were perfectly flush. A winding road stretched into the shadowed distance, as if the world itself was building itself around them. Though surreal and dreamlike, everything felt strangely familiar, as if it had always been here, waiting to be discovered.
"Much better, isn't it?" The girl smiled - a familiar yet unfamiliar expression. "You can talk now. I imagine being assaulted by that thing wasn't very pleasant. Mima?"
Mima stared at the girl, questions tumbling out: "Who are you? What's happening? Where am I? Why is everything so twisted? What's happening to me?"
The girl sighed, offering a sad smile. "You were hurt, Mima. Very badly. Your body, mind, and soul are all struggling to recover. This world you see is a reflection of your self. I'm here to help you heal, or at least try. I could force a healing, but that might cause that thing with your face to return."
"But who are you?" Mima pressed, her gaze darting between the twisted trees and pulsating flowers. "And why do you want to help me?"
'It's Alice!' The knowledge came not as a voice or memory, but as a sudden certainty, a truth that seemed to have always been there, waiting to be recognized. "Alice?"
The girl - Alice - sighed before smiling again. "Can you remember me now? Don't force yourself though. There's no need to rush."
"I..." Memories flickered through Mima's mind like broken glass catching light. She saw Marisa - so young then, barely able to lift the mini-hakkero, determination burning in her eyes as she tried spell after spell until exhaustion made her hands shake. Another flash: Marisa older, grinning wildly as she successfully cast her first Master Spark, the pride Mima felt warring with her carefully maintained stern expression.
But the memories twisted, distorted. Was it really her who taught Marisa that spell? Or was it the other her? Had she really felt that pride, or was it just another lie? Past and present blurred together like wet paint, leaving her dizzy and uncertain. "I... I don't know anymore."
Alice nodded and took Mima's hand, her touch somehow both ethereal and solid. "It's okay, Mima. We'll figure it out together. Let's walk, shall we?"
As they walked through the bizarre landscape, Mima couldn't shake the feeling of familiarity that clung to Alice's presence. It was like a word on the tip of her tongue - she knew she knew this girl, but the memory kept slipping away whenever she tried to grasp it.
"Tell me about yourself, Mima," Alice said, her voice gentle like a cool breeze on a summer day. "Let's start from the beginning."
Mima took a deep breath, trying to focus on memories that seemed determined to escape her grasp. "I... was a spirit. A powerful one, I thought. But then something happened and I was... dead? No, that's not right. I was killed? Everything's so confused. And then... and then I was here, in this strange place, with you and the voices."
Alice listened intently, guiding them along the golden path that continued to form beneath their feet. "And what about Marisa? Do you remember how that started?"
"Marisa..." The name brought a rush of jumbled images - pride, frustration, amusement, concern - all tangled together like knotted thread. "She was my pupil. I taught her magic. I... I don't remember why. Was it my choice? Was it hers? It's all mixed up."
"Let's focus on something more recent," Alice suggested. "What's the last thing you remember clearly, before coming here?"
"...It was the ship... Dream Voyager," Mima said slowly, the words feeling heavy on her tongue. "I was there for... something. I fought... someone? Something? Then the other me came and I... I lost. I failed!" Her voice rose with sudden anger and frustration. "I was supposed to be the strongest! The best! Invincible! But I lost! I wasn't good enough!"
Alice flicked Mima's forehead, the sharp sensation cutting through her spiral of self-recrimination. "Those feelings aren't yours - they're hers. And she's not you, and you're not her."
"But... but I am her, and she's me!" Mima protested, gesturing wildly at the twisted landscape around them. "How can you say that? She's a part of me, and I'm a part of her! We're the same!"
"No, you're not," Alice's voice was firm but kind. "She's an entirely different person, with a different past, a different future, and a different set of experiences. You may share some similarities, but you're not the same person. And you don't have to be."
Alice's eyes - still shifting through countless colours - fixed on Mima with unwavering certainty. "You are the great spirit Mima, mentor of Kirisame Marisa, who earned the begrudging respect of Hakurei Yui and Yukari Yakumo themselves. You taught Marisa magic, guided her, helped shape her into the powerful magician she is today. You did whatever you wanted, and nobody could stop you. You are a force to be reckoned with, a spirit who commands respect and fear." She paused, a small smile playing on her lips. "You are Mima, and nobody else. But I understand mere words won't instantly fix everything, so..."
Alice led them into a clearing that seemed to form itself as they approached. With a simple gesture, she conjured a small campfire in its centre. The flames sprang to life, casting warm light that somehow felt more real than anything else in this surreal landscape.
"I know this is all confusing and overwhelming for you, Mima," Alice said softly as they settled beside the fire. "But we'll figure it out together. In time, everything will become clear."
As Mima gazed into the dancing flames, she felt an unexpected sense of peace wash over her. The chaos and confusion that had been clouding her mind seemed to retreat, pushed back by the fire's steady warmth. Each flicker of flame seemed to speak to something deep within her, something that remembered who she was beneath all the confusion and fear.
The fire's warmth felt like a comforting embrace, soothing her frayed nerves and easing the tension that had been coiling through her spirit. It radiated not just heat but hope, like a beacon cutting through the darkness of her fractured mind. The flames spoke to her in a language only she could understand, a language of strength and renewal.
"You won't heal completely, Mima, at least not from this alone," Alice said, her form beginning to fray at the edges like an old photograph. "We can only aid you - you have to fix yourself. It's your life. Your choice. You are the one in control. Not her, not me, not anyone else. Your life, your choice. Keep believing in yourself, and you will find your way through this."
The surroundings began to fade, colours bleeding away like watercolours in rain, but the clearing remained solid, anchored by the campfire's steady light.
"Wait... Alice... I still..." Mima reached out, trying to hold onto the girl's fading form, but her hand passed through emptiness.
Yet the fire continued to burn, its flames a steady beacon of hope and strength. Though Alice was gone, Mima knew what she had to do. She had to keep going, keep fighting. She had to find a way to heal, to reclaim her strength and confidence. She had to prove to herself and others that she was still the same powerful spirit she had always been. With the fire as her guide, she knew she could do it.
A whisper echoed through her mind, not the other Mima this time, but Alice's voice, gentle and sure: "In the end, all we can do is wait and hope. I will always be watching, and hoping for your success."
As the words faded, Mima settled beside the fire, its warm light steadying her. For the first time since her ordeal began, she felt something close to peace. The chaos still lurked at the edges of her consciousness, but here, in this moment, she could finally begin to remember who she truly was.
"You are too reckless!" Satsuki Rin's voice carried equal measures of anger and concern as she helped the smaller girl sit up in her bed. "What were you thinking, pushing yourself that far? Reaching into someone's mind while maintaining a connection to Hope... you're not even fully recovered from binding the vessel!"
The figure propped up against the pillows barely resembled the composed puppeteer most of Gensokyo knew. Instead of the elegant young woman in blue, here sat Alice's true form - delicate and beautiful beyond human measure, dressed in a simple white nightdress that seemed to shimmer faintly in the dim light. Her floor-length golden hair pooled around her like liquid light, seeming to flow with its own gentle radiance despite her exhausted state. Most striking were her eyes - ever-shifting rainbow irises that contained every color imaginable in constant motion, though now dulled with fatigue.
"I'm sorry," Alice whispered, her voice soft and melodious despite her tired state. She tried to gesture with her remaining arm - the left one - but the motion caused her to break into another coughing fit. Golden strings that had been hovering protectively around her drifted listlessly in response. "I couldn't... couldn't just watch. She was suffering, lost in her own mind. If I hadn't helped her..."
"And what if you'd exhausted yourself completely?" Rin carefully offered Alice a cup of water, her hands gentle despite her harsh tone. "You're still recovering from everything else you've done recently."
A faint smile crossed Alice's face as she leaned back against the pillows. The bedroom around them was a curious mix of whimsy and ancient knowledge - shelves of grimoires sharing space with dolls of all sizes, star charts intermingled with carefully drawn diagrams, and countless strings of golden light weaving through the air. "Perhaps. But I had to try. You of all people should understand why."
Rin's expression softened slightly at that. Of course she understood - she was one of the few who knew what it meant to be lost and alone, to feel yourself slipping away. The situation was different but similar enough that she'd basically been there herself, after all, before Alice had helped anchor her back to reality. At least Mima wasn't erased nearly fully from history, yet...
"Reimu and Marisa would be sad if anything were to happen to you, you know?" Rin shook her head again, "Or mad, or both, or worse. You've seen how Reimu gets when someone she cares about is hurt. And Marisa... she'd probably tear apart half of Gensokyo looking for answers."
"Then they simply need not to know," Weakly, Alice smiled, though there was a bitter edge to it, "Should anything happen to me, they would move on. Reimu has her duties, Marisa her magic. Life would continue just fine without Alice Margatroid, as it always has. Being forgotten would be quite convenient, really."
"You-" Rin took a deep breath, visibly restraining herself from snapping. Her fingers clenched around the empty water cup before carefully setting it aside. "Do you truly think so little of what you mean to them? To Reimu who looks at you like another mother, who still waits at the shrine steps hoping you'll visit more often? To Marisa who lights up every time she sees you, who makes excuses just to spend more time around you?"
"I merely fill roles that would be filled regardless," Alice's voice was soft but matter-of-fact, as if stating an obvious truth. "Reimu has many who care for her now. Marisa has grown beyond needing a mentor and Reimu is with her too. The fairies would find their way eventually. I simply... happened to be convenient." She paused, looking at the countless dolls watching over them with gleaming eyes, "Everything I've done could be done by another. Probably better, even."
Rin could only sigh, the sound heavy with familiar frustration. For someone so mighty, someone who had helped so many, Alice had a peculiar talent for dismissing her own worth. No, it wasn't even mere low self-esteem - there was an almost practised quality to how she diminished herself, as if she had convinced herself that her only value lay in being useful to others. The contrast between this and her public persona was stark - the confident, elegant puppeteer versus this self-deprecating child who spoke of her own disappearance with such casual acceptance.
"Fine, I won't push this argument again. For now." Rin's tone made it clear this wasn't the end of the discussion. "How is Mima doing then? I've been listening to Hope's reports, and she seems to be improving, albeit slowly."
Alice seemed to brighten slightly at the change of subject, though her voice remained tired, "She's... struggling, but fighting. The remnants of her experience will always be there - you can't simply erase that kind of trauma. But she's strong, stronger than she believes right now. All we can do is support her recovery and..." She broke off into another small coughing fit.
"And right now what you need to do is rest," Rin said firmly, adjusting Alice's pillows. "The others can handle things for a while. The world won't fall apart if Alice Margatroid takes a few days to recover."
"Probably." That faint, self-deprecating smile again. "Though the fairies might need-"
"Hope and the others can manage," Rin said, though her tone carried a hint of resignation. She knew very well that even as they spoke, Alice probably still at work throughout Gensokyo through various means or underlings. "At least try to rest your true form, if nothing else."
"Mm." Alice was already settling back, her rainbow eyes growing heavy. The golden strings around her drifted lower, forming a gentle cocoon of light.
Rin's stern expression softened as she watched Alice finally give in to exhaustion. She pulled the blanket up to cover the smaller girl properly, careful not to disturb the flowing golden hair. "Honestly, for someone who lectures others about self-care..."
As she watched Alice drift off to sleep, Rin's thoughts turned to Mima's recovery, to all the other tasks Alice insisted on managing even in her weakened state. So many responsibilities, so many burdens taken on willingly, yet Alice spoke of herself as if she were nothing but a convenient tool. Sometimes Rin wondered if anyone besides herself ever saw this side of Alice - this paradox of immense power and crushing self-doubt, of endless kindness and casual self-dismissal.
The dolls watched silently from their perches around the room, their eyes gleaming in the gentle light that seemed to come from nowhere and everywhere at once. Rin settled into her watch, knowing that while Alice's true form rested, her self would continue working through her mysterious own way. It wasn't ideal, but it was the most rest she could hope Alice would accept.
"Rest well," she whispered, shaking her head with resigned tone
Disclaimer, used AI to deal with tenses, if there are any problem remain then it truly is hopeless and I am just cursed.
Anyway, here you go. Honestly this one I had no idea what to do at first so it's truly off-the-rail writing. Not that there was any rails to begin with[/spoiler[
Anyway, here you go. Honestly this one I had no idea what to do at first so it's truly off-the-rail writing. Not that there was any rails to begin with[/spoiler[
Grimoire of Marisa: Bree Sunkiller
Ylamona
Konlulu~
Bree Sunkiller, a fairy. I can't believe a fairy is that strong. Like really strong, I'm talking at the same level as top tier youkais, in terms of fighting. Her housework is better than Sakuya. I know I'm a slob, but you should see her in action, she cleans as if she's a ninja, or maybe an assassin. She can cook too, not as good as Alice but still way better than others. Bree's skill in danmaku is a bit lacklustre. I mean, her spellcards are great, and she is good at using them, but she only has only a handful in numbers and she never seemed to be really motivated when playing. A bit on the nose about the theme though.
[Breeze Sign "Spring Gale"]
Difficulty: 1 stars (Easy)
Reference level: Low
Notes: She seemed to use it most often, not only in battle but to do houseworks somehow?
Well, it is a gale that happens during spring, but nothing more to say about it. She's got wind of danmakus and she throws it at you. There's some pattern and dodging it can be tricky, but it's nothing special. It is not very powerful, but it's fast, and she can use it pretty quickly. It's her weakest card, so yeah. Nothing much to write here, though the wind can make it a bit unpredictable, both for your movements and the pattern.
[Gravity Sign "Blackout Sun"]
Difficulty: 6 stars (Hard)
Annoying level: High
Notes: Not her strongest, but definitely the most annoying beside it.
It's the sun, a small one. It doesn't really do anything, but it will try to get near you. As it does, it will start pulling things to it, including bullets and even you. You'll need to fight against the pull, it gets harder the more the sun nears, and if it gets too close, it's almost impossible to get away. The pull will also move the bullets around, so it's basically a game of tug-of-war with her sun. If you are good enough, you can actually get the sun to go away from you instead. Can't really replicate that.
[Blade Dance "Sunsplitter"]
Difficulty: 5 stars (Medium)
Flashy level: High
Notes: The bullet's speed is quite fast, and it can track you down. But, if you know how to handle it, it shouldn't be much of a problem. I've seen her use it only in serious battles. She can't use it in rapid succession.
She will throw around many suns and zoomed in on them, splitting them in two causing explosions of danmakus. If you think that's it, you're in for a surprise. The split suns will split further to create more explosions, and the explosions will explode. Yeah. It's pretty chaotic, but the explosions aren't that dangerous. It's just the number of them that makes this card difficult. And the speed. Oh, and it's really flashy. Like, REALLY flashy. Very cool. It's like fireworks, except the fireworks are danmakus.
[End of the Sun "Supernova"]
Difficulty: 9 stars (Lunatic)
Reference level: Sky-high
Notes: I'm not sure if she even used this spellcard at all, but it is her most powerful one she supposedly used in regular battle. Even stronger than my Master Spark, If I'm being hones. She needs to concentrate a lot to use this, so you won't see it that often apparently.
She summons a huge sun in front of her, and it starts expanding. It expands very fast, and very far. The sun will then start to spin, and as it does, it will begin to throw out a barrage of danmakus in every direction alongside occasional 'flares'. The bullets will also spin around the sun, making it harder to dodge. It is very hard to avoid getting hit, especially when the sun is at its biggest. At the end, the sun will explode, releasing a massive wave of danmakus. It is the most spectacular of her cards, and also the most dangerous amongst that seen.
[Godslayer "Sunkiller"]
Difficulty: - (Phantasm) (Last Word)
End Level: Supermassive Blackhole
Notes: This is her strongest spellcard, and supposedly based on the act the one that gave her the name 'Sunkiller'. All spellcards based on the users' actual power but made into pretty shows. This card is not pretty at all, and it's not a show. It's a retelling of a legend, the legend of a fairy that killed a sun. She didn't tell me much about it, and honestly I still can't believe if a fairy actually did fell a sun god or something, but if it's true... It's a big deal. A really big deal. She said she won't use it unless she really needs to. Definitely not something that came out from regular danmakus.
A mix between Supernova and Blackout Sun. It is extremely similar to the Supernova, except after a bit the sun will collapse and turn into a blackhole, sucking everything towards itself. The blackhole itself is a lot more dangerous and powerful. It is also bigger, and it will pull everything in much faster and further. Instead of from Bree or the blackhole itself, the bullets will come out from the edge of the spellcard instead. It's an ultradense pattern, as the bullets orbitted and slowly sucked into the blackhole. The bullet will become stronger and faster when they're pulled into the blackhole, and it's a lot harder to dodge them. Worse, it's one of those spellcards you can only wait it out, not being able to graze or hit the caster at all, so it's all just endurance.
Summary: Honestly, glad she only use her singular low-level spellcard usually. Not that meeting her usually ends in battle, she likes to just hang around and chat sometimes. She's very cool to be with, and she helps a lot with the housework. Still, what kind of fairy is that strong? It's like she's not even a fairy anymore, and her...body also very tall and big. Damn it.
[Breeze Sign "Spring Gale"]
Difficulty: 1 stars (Easy)
Reference level: Low
Notes: She seemed to use it most often, not only in battle but to do houseworks somehow?
Well, it is a gale that happens during spring, but nothing more to say about it. She's got wind of danmakus and she throws it at you. There's some pattern and dodging it can be tricky, but it's nothing special. It is not very powerful, but it's fast, and she can use it pretty quickly. It's her weakest card, so yeah. Nothing much to write here, though the wind can make it a bit unpredictable, both for your movements and the pattern.
[Gravity Sign "Blackout Sun"]
Difficulty: 6 stars (Hard)
Annoying level: High
Notes: Not her strongest, but definitely the most annoying beside it.
It's the sun, a small one. It doesn't really do anything, but it will try to get near you. As it does, it will start pulling things to it, including bullets and even you. You'll need to fight against the pull, it gets harder the more the sun nears, and if it gets too close, it's almost impossible to get away. The pull will also move the bullets around, so it's basically a game of tug-of-war with her sun. If you are good enough, you can actually get the sun to go away from you instead. Can't really replicate that.
[Blade Dance "Sunsplitter"]
Difficulty: 5 stars (Medium)
Flashy level: High
Notes: The bullet's speed is quite fast, and it can track you down. But, if you know how to handle it, it shouldn't be much of a problem. I've seen her use it only in serious battles. She can't use it in rapid succession.
She will throw around many suns and zoomed in on them, splitting them in two causing explosions of danmakus. If you think that's it, you're in for a surprise. The split suns will split further to create more explosions, and the explosions will explode. Yeah. It's pretty chaotic, but the explosions aren't that dangerous. It's just the number of them that makes this card difficult. And the speed. Oh, and it's really flashy. Like, REALLY flashy. Very cool. It's like fireworks, except the fireworks are danmakus.
[End of the Sun "Supernova"]
Difficulty: 9 stars (Lunatic)
Reference level: Sky-high
Notes: I'm not sure if she even used this spellcard at all, but it is her most powerful one she supposedly used in regular battle. Even stronger than my Master Spark, If I'm being hones. She needs to concentrate a lot to use this, so you won't see it that often apparently.
She summons a huge sun in front of her, and it starts expanding. It expands very fast, and very far. The sun will then start to spin, and as it does, it will begin to throw out a barrage of danmakus in every direction alongside occasional 'flares'. The bullets will also spin around the sun, making it harder to dodge. It is very hard to avoid getting hit, especially when the sun is at its biggest. At the end, the sun will explode, releasing a massive wave of danmakus. It is the most spectacular of her cards, and also the most dangerous amongst that seen.
[Godslayer "Sunkiller"]
Difficulty: - (Phantasm) (Last Word)
End Level: Supermassive Blackhole
Notes: This is her strongest spellcard, and supposedly based on the act the one that gave her the name 'Sunkiller'. All spellcards based on the users' actual power but made into pretty shows. This card is not pretty at all, and it's not a show. It's a retelling of a legend, the legend of a fairy that killed a sun. She didn't tell me much about it, and honestly I still can't believe if a fairy actually did fell a sun god or something, but if it's true... It's a big deal. A really big deal. She said she won't use it unless she really needs to. Definitely not something that came out from regular danmakus.
A mix between Supernova and Blackout Sun. It is extremely similar to the Supernova, except after a bit the sun will collapse and turn into a blackhole, sucking everything towards itself. The blackhole itself is a lot more dangerous and powerful. It is also bigger, and it will pull everything in much faster and further. Instead of from Bree or the blackhole itself, the bullets will come out from the edge of the spellcard instead. It's an ultradense pattern, as the bullets orbitted and slowly sucked into the blackhole. The bullet will become stronger and faster when they're pulled into the blackhole, and it's a lot harder to dodge them. Worse, it's one of those spellcards you can only wait it out, not being able to graze or hit the caster at all, so it's all just endurance.
Summary: Honestly, glad she only use her singular low-level spellcard usually. Not that meeting her usually ends in battle, she likes to just hang around and chat sometimes. She's very cool to be with, and she helps a lot with the housework. Still, what kind of fairy is that strong? It's like she's not even a fairy anymore, and her...body also very tall and big. Damn it.
Grimoire of Marisa: Mei Mindhaze
Ylamona
Konlulu~
Mei Mindhaze, a fairy. Stronger than I expected, but honestly on the weaker side of the notable ones like Bree or Cirno. I've never met an even more infuriating fairy, or smarter fairy, than this one. She is very, very, very smug and thinks herself better than everyone else, and she's not entirely wrong. She's very good at reading people and manipulating them, I can see why she's the master of mind games. Or at least I think she might be like that. That's the tricky part about dealing with her kind, like Yukari, you never know if you are just seeing what they want you to see. She seemed to be decent at danmaku, not too bad but definitely not good. Her spellcards definitely tricky though, even if she claimed she didn't use her power...not that I even knew what it is, maybe like drugs since poppies?
[Psychoactive sign "Heat Haze"]
Difficulty: 2 Stars (Easy)
Confusing level: Medium
Notes: I felt dizzy fighting it, not sure if it's due to her spellcard or her ability or whatever.
A technically simple pattern of bullets that just shot orderly at enemies. Very easy to avoid, but the patterns and colours of the waves were very strange. Felt disoriented after the fight.
[Confusion "Vertigo Dance"]
Difficulty: 1 Stars (Easy)
Confusing level: Low-Mid
Notes: Again, a weirdly easy spellcard, but I felt strange during and after. Still not sure if she did something or not.
Shoots bullets that spin and create rings around the stage. Also easy to dodge, and you just need to follow the tracks but the spinning and rings made me feel a little dizzy.
[Hallucination "Dream of Verdant Clouds"]
Difficulty: 4 Stars (Medium)
Confusion level: Mid
Notes: This one actually felt like a proper spellcard, still a bit easy though.
A series of large white orbs were fired slowly, with smaller coloured ones. The small bullets were easy enough to dodge, but the larger ones made it difficult. They also exploded into a bunch of smaller bullets. The confusing part is that it felt like everything was distorted, especially when the larger bullets exploded. It was like everything was stretching and warping, making it hard to focus on where the real bullets were and what the gaps in the pattern were.
[Hallucination "Dream of a Cloudless Sky"]
Difficulty: 4.5 Stars (Medium)
Confusion level: High-Mid
Notes: A more intense and difficult version of the previous spellcard.
Similar to the previous spellcard, except the bullets were faster, more numerous, and the large orbs exploded into even more bullets. The distortion was also worse, making it very hard to tell what was real and what was not. The bullets also seemed to change direction randomly, which made it harder to dodge.
[Mindhaze Days "Inception of Time by the Blind"]
Difficulty: 6(?) Stars (Hard?) (Last Word)
Confusion level: Extreme
Notes: I swear she was doing something, I don't know what. I think I was hallucinating because there's no way that I saw that.
Mei Mindhazes' last word spellcard, her supposed strongest one, and I have no idea what happened during the spellcard. Or after it. Or even during the fight before it. It's like everything is hazy, and I can't remember what happened. All I could remember were the fact some of the bullets looked like rectangular beam that suddenly fell and worse, I somehow got trapped in the same exact situation a couple of times. Either somehow the spellcard or Mei herself predicted my movement and forced me into the same situation, or somehow she looped my consciousness or something. I can't make head or tail of it. What even is a blind here? Is she blind? What does that mean?
Summary: I'm not sure what to think of this fairy, but she's definitely dangerous. If only because of how confusing she is. I need to figure out her trick and get used to her spellcards.
[Psychoactive sign "Heat Haze"]
Difficulty: 2 Stars (Easy)
Confusing level: Medium
Notes: I felt dizzy fighting it, not sure if it's due to her spellcard or her ability or whatever.
A technically simple pattern of bullets that just shot orderly at enemies. Very easy to avoid, but the patterns and colours of the waves were very strange. Felt disoriented after the fight.
[Confusion "Vertigo Dance"]
Difficulty: 1 Stars (Easy)
Confusing level: Low-Mid
Notes: Again, a weirdly easy spellcard, but I felt strange during and after. Still not sure if she did something or not.
Shoots bullets that spin and create rings around the stage. Also easy to dodge, and you just need to follow the tracks but the spinning and rings made me feel a little dizzy.
[Hallucination "Dream of Verdant Clouds"]
Difficulty: 4 Stars (Medium)
Confusion level: Mid
Notes: This one actually felt like a proper spellcard, still a bit easy though.
A series of large white orbs were fired slowly, with smaller coloured ones. The small bullets were easy enough to dodge, but the larger ones made it difficult. They also exploded into a bunch of smaller bullets. The confusing part is that it felt like everything was distorted, especially when the larger bullets exploded. It was like everything was stretching and warping, making it hard to focus on where the real bullets were and what the gaps in the pattern were.
[Hallucination "Dream of a Cloudless Sky"]
Difficulty: 4.5 Stars (Medium)
Confusion level: High-Mid
Notes: A more intense and difficult version of the previous spellcard.
Similar to the previous spellcard, except the bullets were faster, more numerous, and the large orbs exploded into even more bullets. The distortion was also worse, making it very hard to tell what was real and what was not. The bullets also seemed to change direction randomly, which made it harder to dodge.
[Mindhaze Days "Inception of Time by the Blind"]
Difficulty: 6(?) Stars (Hard?) (Last Word)
Confusion level: Extreme
Notes: I swear she was doing something, I don't know what. I think I was hallucinating because there's no way that I saw that.
Mei Mindhazes' last word spellcard, her supposed strongest one, and I have no idea what happened during the spellcard. Or after it. Or even during the fight before it. It's like everything is hazy, and I can't remember what happened. All I could remember were the fact some of the bullets looked like rectangular beam that suddenly fell and worse, I somehow got trapped in the same exact situation a couple of times. Either somehow the spellcard or Mei herself predicted my movement and forced me into the same situation, or somehow she looped my consciousness or something. I can't make head or tail of it. What even is a blind here? Is she blind? What does that mean?
Summary: I'm not sure what to think of this fairy, but she's definitely dangerous. If only because of how confusing she is. I need to figure out her trick and get used to her spellcards.
Last edited:
- Pronouns
- He
Rin should tell on Alice to Reimu and Marisa.
It will be funny I swear.
Found and Repurposed Things
Ylamona
Konlulu~
"Thanks for this Alice"
"It's not a problem mister Morichika. I can't have you dying of cold can I?" I chucked. I finished my last checks.
It seemed winter came early to Gensokyo this year. It was only November and already the first snow fell, only few flakes and melting on contact with ground but it was a clear warning. Most people, whether youkai or humans, are already prepared for the coming winter, stockpiling food and firewood. Though of course, I knew that this winter in particular might be longer than usual due to the possible upcoming Incident.
But this was a story for another day, for now I was busy helping Rinnosuke with his furnace. Despite his skill in creating magical artefact like Hakkero, which is basically a whole magical furnace that happened to shoot beams of energy when Marisa uses it, the man had no idea on how to use or repair his own home heating. Mostly because it was surprisingly modern, as in it was a solar-powered electric furnace. How did he find one such a thing that I did not know, but it was most likely a deep one that helped him install it in his home. As he didn't really understand electronic, much less photovoltaic cells and the likes, he didn't have the faintest idea on how to fix it when the time came. With deep ones being occupied with their own thing, and no other people around that would have understood such technology.
'Not that I knew how to fix solar panels either' I mused.
Thankfully, the issue was simply dirty photovoltaic cell panels and some loose parts. The dust that settled on the surface of the panels was quite thick, and it had significantly reduced their performance, reducing the power output of the furnace. I simply needed to clean the panels to restore their efficiency. After spending few hours washing the solar panel, they were good as new and ready to work
As for the loose parts, the furnace's wiring had come loose, disconnecting it from the solar panels. It was a simple matter of reconnecting the wires and tightening them. Now the furnace would function correctly. It was a relatively straightforward issue, but without the necessary knowledge of electronic devices, it would have been difficult for anyone in Gensokyo to fix it.
"Please, Alice. Just Rinnosuke, would do fine. No need for such formalities."
"I understand, mister Morichika," I smiled at our usual banter.
He sighed before smiled, "Would you like tea? It's the least I can do for your help."
"Of course, Rinnosuke," He blinked, before chuckling. He turned and headed to his kitchen area.
Looking around, the place was as usual a mess. I began tidying up the scattered books and assorted items, putting them in their proper place. I was used to cleaning Marisa's home. Cleaning up Kourindou was simply a matter of routine by now, and I was able to make quick progress. By the time Rinnosuke came back, the store looked much neater and more organised. He looked around, impressed.
"Thank you, Alice. Impeccable as always" He handed me the cup. It was hot, and the scent of jasmine wafted from it.
I took a sip of the tea. It was a fragrant jasmine tea, the floral aroma filled my senses as I took a sip. The taste was delicate and smooth, with a subtle sweetness that lingered on the tongue. The warmth spread through me, warming my body from the inside out. It was a comforting and relaxing drink, perfect for a chilly evening. Rinnosuke had prepared a pot of tea and poured me a cup of his own blend.
I placed my tea on the table, looking at him, "I must say, you did a good job brewing the tea. New blend?"
"Indeed, it seems someone from the Village got some tea plants and have been cultivating them. Managed to procure some." He smiled and nodded.
"I see, I must ask you to give me a bag or two of it. I could use something new to try" I said.
"I'm sure I can do that." He chuckled.
We continued chatting, catching up on recent events. As he did not leave his store often, he was not aware of the latest incidents and rumours. Though it seemed the deep ones frequented his store as of late kept him somewhat in the know. I was interested to hear that they collaborated with him regarding understanding and even fixing some of his outside world items. Though I had a feeling they might've been somewhat benefited more and fed him some nonsense, or Rinnosuke simply unable to parse through their peculiar way of phrasing. Either way, it was good that he managed to get more customers.
"No, mister Morichika. While in a roundabout way it's true, the vehicles of the outside world are not powered by corpses or the dead. Oil is far more than just a dead organic matter. The process is far more complicated than that. And no, there's no vengeful spirits involved in it. I do not know why or how the Deep Ones convinced you of this." I said, baffled.
"Ah, I see. So the process is more involved, and there is no spiritual element to it. Thank you for clearing that up. I was curious about their explanation" He scratched his head. "Sometimes, it feels like they are testing my knowledge or something."
"That could be, or maybe they just like playing around with you. Don't take everything they said to you at face value" I chuckled. He was not the first person that the Deep Ones fooled, "They are simply...eccentric, that's the best word to describe them. Try to get a second opinion if they ever tell you something. Or ask them to clarify further. Though, even that might not always be helpful."
"I will keep that in mind," Rinnosuke nodded.
I continued sipping the tea, enjoying its soothing warmth, "By the way, I heard recently it was easier for you to find things that you need. Like, the furnace for example or some of the other stuff that I saw in the store. Did you find a new source or something?"
"Hmm...it's true. Recently, things are simply easier to find somehow and at a decent condition too. There were even some books in mint condition. It was a strange coincidence, though it certainly helps my business. There was a particular item that you might be interested in, in fact. One moment." He stood up, and headed to the back of the store, returning with a box. "This arrived recently. I believe you might find this interesting."
He opened the box and revealed its contents to me. Inside were several VHS tapes, neatly arranged in the box. All of them looked old and unlabelled, no indications what was in each of them. Honestly I've never used VHS before, they were indeed interesting as he said because of that alone but however.... "..You're giving me these just because you don't have the means to play it right?"
He smiled sheepishly, "...Guilty as charged, yes. I don't know what's on them, and I can't identify them with my power. But I felt in my guts these maybe interesting, and you might have use for them. Or at least know what they are"
I sighed, "...Just say it mister Morichika, you want to know the content and if I could find out, you'd want to see it too." He grinned and nodded, "I'll see what I can do. Truly, you're just as Marisa when she's curious about something."
He chuckled and shrugged, "It's human's nature to be curious, isn't it? I'll make it up to you. I've got some more of that tea, you're free to take it. As thanks."
"Thank you, I suppose." I chuckled, shaking my head. I couldn't say no to him.
We finished our cups of tea, and I gathered my belongings, including the box of VHS tapes, readying myself to leave. He accompanied me to the door, bidding me farewell. I stepped out into the chilly winter air. The sky was still overcast, and the wind was biting. But the warmth of the tea and the conversation lingered with me as I headed back towards my home.
"I should really thanks Patchouli, knowing someone who actually studied magic for a long time and have just unbelievable amount of books really help"
Once more, I worked on my dolls tonight. I usually did so every night, working on new dolls and repairing the older ones. This time, it was mostly on the materials themselves and some experimental project, rather than on the dolls themselves. I've been studying the materials recovered from the Vessel now, mostly those of androids, cyborg and robots. I've been experimenting on using some of the parts for my dolls, though the results have been...less than ideal. Just using the salvaged parts directly were not enough, I found. I've been trying to recreate or remade the materials through alchemy instead, which was where the books and Patchouli's expertise on alchemy came in.
I knew some alchemy myself, enough for my purpose usually, but nothing to the extent of Patchouli's knowledge. She had a wide range of books on alchemy, from beginner tomes to esoteric grimoires on the subject to even her own books she wrote. It was really helpful in the long run. It allowed me to understand the composition of the salvaged parts and recreate them through alchemy, or at least repurpose them into something I could use. Those ultra-hard materials were simply too hard to work with directly, so using magic and alchemy were the best option.
'It probably would be easier if I brought it directly to Patchouli...but I can't reveal that much yet. I can't let her know of the androids and the Vessel yet. Especially when Deepwood is involved.' I thought to myself, as I closed the book on alchemy.
in any case, it seemed my understanding and knowledge on alchemy was increased, thanks to Patchouli's books and lessons, I could now recreate the material used in the Vessel to a degree, and incorporate them into my dollmaking. Combined with crash course on electronics from deep ones, I could now somewhat understood how they made the androids and other robots. While as expected, Vessel's technology simply beyond me in many ways, I could still derive some benefit from my understanding of the basic concept. So long it was purely material or mechanical, I could figure out what I can do to make my own dolls.
Not that I couldn't use the advanced parts, it would be an easy task to repurpose an energy sword into a doll's arm, for example. Not the most effective use of the parts as it was basically jury-rigged. It would be far better if I could understand and implement them as one cohesive whole, not just a haphazard combination of parts. But the usefulness couldn't be understated, such as dolls that had both magical barriers and some kind of energy shield or force field were far more durable. Or the stealth field, which rendered the doll virtually invisible to the naked eye. Perhaps I would be able to add some of the propulsion technology later on, whether simple boosters or gravity manipulation to make my dolls fly and move even faster.
'Though surprisingly, one of the most advanced thing the fairies looted so far might be this suit' Sighing, I examined the sci-fi-esque suit. It was a bodysuit made of an advanced composite material and unknown engineering that allowed it to fully protect the wearer from great numbers of thing. Despite it looking like a simple, if skintight, bodysuit, it could even provide space and all element survivability. You could go from the vacuum of space and into the depths of the ocean in an instant without suffering from pressure difference or temperature. The material was also resistant to many types of damage, including physical, magical and even energy attacks, making it incredibly durable. 'It even could enhance the wearer's strength and speed...it's basically like those nano machine suits in sci-fi novels.'
Unfortunately, I couldn't even fathom how it worked, much less how to recreate it. Though I had enough that I just used some of them myself since fairies never really gave these suits much attention, beyond a few smart ones. With how thin and form fitting the suit was, it was easy to hide it beneath my dress. There were also helmets but those were harder to hide so I didn't really use them, not that the suits needed those to work as somehow I could feel something protecting my head when I activated the suit.
My biggest project so far relating to things salvaged from the Vessel would be repurposing the MAGI-type droid. Different from most robots barring a few, this was a one-of-a-kind type of robot. Definitely made based on the data of Gensokyo's resident in the past judging how it replicated Reimu's and Marisa's attacks at least, it was the most successful attempt seen so far at magic through technology. Unlike the emulated projection bosses, this child was purely technological in nature without using some dimensional projection shenanigans. Infinitely close to magic even if not the same.
Ever since the day it was defeated by the fairies, I had been studying this robot, and now, I had the opportunity to work on it more closely. It was even weirder than other robots but since it was attempting to emulate magic to begin with, I could tackle it from the magic-side of thing to understand how it worked. The more complex parts eluded me still, but the with enough magic and hard work involved, I managed to repair and restore the android to working condition, albeit at a more limited capacity. It was a significant achievement, considering the technological complexity of it and anything from the Vessel. There was no way I could've done this before without the help of deep ones. But I wasn't satisfied with just repairing it, I wanted to make it part of my dolls.
"...There you go, you are all looking good," I looked at the standing figure of Shanghai and Hourai, the two girls now updated with Vessel's technology. They used the same suit as I am, while their blue and black dresses respectively now had a sleek, futuristic look that blended seamlessly with the traditional design with neon light lining. Their armour and weapons now remade with the composite alloys and advanced materials from the vessel, giving them a modern and cutting-edge appearance. " And of course, your new sister too, Shinsen."
I turned to look at a new doll of mine, made from the MAGI-type android. Similar to her sister, she had a blonde-hair but short in a bob-cut, and green eyes. Her main outfit was a black and white dress that looked even more futuristic than her sisters' did, almost looking like a mini-dress made of some kind of artificial fabric and decorated with neon lights. Her bodysuit underneath was far more visible due to her shorter and tighter dress, unlike her sisters' flowing armoured dress. In exchange, Shinsen had far more extensive and obvious technological add-ons than the other dolls. Her armour formed a rigging around of machines and steel on her body. Wings of energy and metal sprouted from her back, capable of flight and emitting energy beams or detached to act as autonomous drones. Her 'lance' was far more obviously an energy weapon than a spear, and was capable of firing beams of energy, able to joined by the wing parts for more powerful shot.
The three dolls stood before me, poised and ready for action. I smiled as I surveyed them. I had put in countless hours of hard work to make them, Shanghai was my mainstay type of dolls, while Hourai was always the first to be updated with new material and equipment due to how durable she was. Shinsen was a completely new kind of doll, not to mention being made from an android. Together, they were my finest creations yet, a testament to my existence as Alice Margatroid. They weren't sentient yet or anything, but they do have some sort of dumb AI that allowed them to act on their own to a degree. Though in the end they would still need to be controlled. But it was a good progress in my opinion.
"Progress does feel nice..." I smiled as I looked at the dolls, patting Shinsen on her head, "But there's always more to do, more to learn. This is just a stepping stone, and I will continue to improve and refine my skills. After all, you girls deserve only the best, right?"
The dolls, of course, couldn't answer and simply looked at me with their glassy eyes. I chuckled and patted them again. I took a step back and admired them once more. They were truly a marvel of engineering and magic. I was proud of them and all the work that went into making them. It felt the empty place in my chest filled up, just a bit.
"Now, then. Time to give your other sisters the same treatment. Alexandria did good but a Goliath must not be defeated so easily, more things to do, more things to work on~" I said to my dolls, as I looked at the rest of my dolls. The task would be lengthy and demanding, but I was eager to get started and improve all my dolls.
"It's not a problem mister Morichika. I can't have you dying of cold can I?" I chucked. I finished my last checks.
It seemed winter came early to Gensokyo this year. It was only November and already the first snow fell, only few flakes and melting on contact with ground but it was a clear warning. Most people, whether youkai or humans, are already prepared for the coming winter, stockpiling food and firewood. Though of course, I knew that this winter in particular might be longer than usual due to the possible upcoming Incident.
But this was a story for another day, for now I was busy helping Rinnosuke with his furnace. Despite his skill in creating magical artefact like Hakkero, which is basically a whole magical furnace that happened to shoot beams of energy when Marisa uses it, the man had no idea on how to use or repair his own home heating. Mostly because it was surprisingly modern, as in it was a solar-powered electric furnace. How did he find one such a thing that I did not know, but it was most likely a deep one that helped him install it in his home. As he didn't really understand electronic, much less photovoltaic cells and the likes, he didn't have the faintest idea on how to fix it when the time came. With deep ones being occupied with their own thing, and no other people around that would have understood such technology.
'Not that I knew how to fix solar panels either' I mused.
Thankfully, the issue was simply dirty photovoltaic cell panels and some loose parts. The dust that settled on the surface of the panels was quite thick, and it had significantly reduced their performance, reducing the power output of the furnace. I simply needed to clean the panels to restore their efficiency. After spending few hours washing the solar panel, they were good as new and ready to work
As for the loose parts, the furnace's wiring had come loose, disconnecting it from the solar panels. It was a simple matter of reconnecting the wires and tightening them. Now the furnace would function correctly. It was a relatively straightforward issue, but without the necessary knowledge of electronic devices, it would have been difficult for anyone in Gensokyo to fix it.
"Please, Alice. Just Rinnosuke, would do fine. No need for such formalities."
"I understand, mister Morichika," I smiled at our usual banter.
He sighed before smiled, "Would you like tea? It's the least I can do for your help."
"Of course, Rinnosuke," He blinked, before chuckling. He turned and headed to his kitchen area.
Looking around, the place was as usual a mess. I began tidying up the scattered books and assorted items, putting them in their proper place. I was used to cleaning Marisa's home. Cleaning up Kourindou was simply a matter of routine by now, and I was able to make quick progress. By the time Rinnosuke came back, the store looked much neater and more organised. He looked around, impressed.
"Thank you, Alice. Impeccable as always" He handed me the cup. It was hot, and the scent of jasmine wafted from it.
I took a sip of the tea. It was a fragrant jasmine tea, the floral aroma filled my senses as I took a sip. The taste was delicate and smooth, with a subtle sweetness that lingered on the tongue. The warmth spread through me, warming my body from the inside out. It was a comforting and relaxing drink, perfect for a chilly evening. Rinnosuke had prepared a pot of tea and poured me a cup of his own blend.
I placed my tea on the table, looking at him, "I must say, you did a good job brewing the tea. New blend?"
"Indeed, it seems someone from the Village got some tea plants and have been cultivating them. Managed to procure some." He smiled and nodded.
"I see, I must ask you to give me a bag or two of it. I could use something new to try" I said.
"I'm sure I can do that." He chuckled.
We continued chatting, catching up on recent events. As he did not leave his store often, he was not aware of the latest incidents and rumours. Though it seemed the deep ones frequented his store as of late kept him somewhat in the know. I was interested to hear that they collaborated with him regarding understanding and even fixing some of his outside world items. Though I had a feeling they might've been somewhat benefited more and fed him some nonsense, or Rinnosuke simply unable to parse through their peculiar way of phrasing. Either way, it was good that he managed to get more customers.
"No, mister Morichika. While in a roundabout way it's true, the vehicles of the outside world are not powered by corpses or the dead. Oil is far more than just a dead organic matter. The process is far more complicated than that. And no, there's no vengeful spirits involved in it. I do not know why or how the Deep Ones convinced you of this." I said, baffled.
"Ah, I see. So the process is more involved, and there is no spiritual element to it. Thank you for clearing that up. I was curious about their explanation" He scratched his head. "Sometimes, it feels like they are testing my knowledge or something."
"That could be, or maybe they just like playing around with you. Don't take everything they said to you at face value" I chuckled. He was not the first person that the Deep Ones fooled, "They are simply...eccentric, that's the best word to describe them. Try to get a second opinion if they ever tell you something. Or ask them to clarify further. Though, even that might not always be helpful."
"I will keep that in mind," Rinnosuke nodded.
I continued sipping the tea, enjoying its soothing warmth, "By the way, I heard recently it was easier for you to find things that you need. Like, the furnace for example or some of the other stuff that I saw in the store. Did you find a new source or something?"
"Hmm...it's true. Recently, things are simply easier to find somehow and at a decent condition too. There were even some books in mint condition. It was a strange coincidence, though it certainly helps my business. There was a particular item that you might be interested in, in fact. One moment." He stood up, and headed to the back of the store, returning with a box. "This arrived recently. I believe you might find this interesting."
He opened the box and revealed its contents to me. Inside were several VHS tapes, neatly arranged in the box. All of them looked old and unlabelled, no indications what was in each of them. Honestly I've never used VHS before, they were indeed interesting as he said because of that alone but however.... "..You're giving me these just because you don't have the means to play it right?"
He smiled sheepishly, "...Guilty as charged, yes. I don't know what's on them, and I can't identify them with my power. But I felt in my guts these maybe interesting, and you might have use for them. Or at least know what they are"
I sighed, "...Just say it mister Morichika, you want to know the content and if I could find out, you'd want to see it too." He grinned and nodded, "I'll see what I can do. Truly, you're just as Marisa when she's curious about something."
He chuckled and shrugged, "It's human's nature to be curious, isn't it? I'll make it up to you. I've got some more of that tea, you're free to take it. As thanks."
"Thank you, I suppose." I chuckled, shaking my head. I couldn't say no to him.
We finished our cups of tea, and I gathered my belongings, including the box of VHS tapes, readying myself to leave. He accompanied me to the door, bidding me farewell. I stepped out into the chilly winter air. The sky was still overcast, and the wind was biting. But the warmth of the tea and the conversation lingered with me as I headed back towards my home.
"I should really thanks Patchouli, knowing someone who actually studied magic for a long time and have just unbelievable amount of books really help"
Once more, I worked on my dolls tonight. I usually did so every night, working on new dolls and repairing the older ones. This time, it was mostly on the materials themselves and some experimental project, rather than on the dolls themselves. I've been studying the materials recovered from the Vessel now, mostly those of androids, cyborg and robots. I've been experimenting on using some of the parts for my dolls, though the results have been...less than ideal. Just using the salvaged parts directly were not enough, I found. I've been trying to recreate or remade the materials through alchemy instead, which was where the books and Patchouli's expertise on alchemy came in.
I knew some alchemy myself, enough for my purpose usually, but nothing to the extent of Patchouli's knowledge. She had a wide range of books on alchemy, from beginner tomes to esoteric grimoires on the subject to even her own books she wrote. It was really helpful in the long run. It allowed me to understand the composition of the salvaged parts and recreate them through alchemy, or at least repurpose them into something I could use. Those ultra-hard materials were simply too hard to work with directly, so using magic and alchemy were the best option.
'It probably would be easier if I brought it directly to Patchouli...but I can't reveal that much yet. I can't let her know of the androids and the Vessel yet. Especially when Deepwood is involved.' I thought to myself, as I closed the book on alchemy.
in any case, it seemed my understanding and knowledge on alchemy was increased, thanks to Patchouli's books and lessons, I could now recreate the material used in the Vessel to a degree, and incorporate them into my dollmaking. Combined with crash course on electronics from deep ones, I could now somewhat understood how they made the androids and other robots. While as expected, Vessel's technology simply beyond me in many ways, I could still derive some benefit from my understanding of the basic concept. So long it was purely material or mechanical, I could figure out what I can do to make my own dolls.
Not that I couldn't use the advanced parts, it would be an easy task to repurpose an energy sword into a doll's arm, for example. Not the most effective use of the parts as it was basically jury-rigged. It would be far better if I could understand and implement them as one cohesive whole, not just a haphazard combination of parts. But the usefulness couldn't be understated, such as dolls that had both magical barriers and some kind of energy shield or force field were far more durable. Or the stealth field, which rendered the doll virtually invisible to the naked eye. Perhaps I would be able to add some of the propulsion technology later on, whether simple boosters or gravity manipulation to make my dolls fly and move even faster.
'Though surprisingly, one of the most advanced thing the fairies looted so far might be this suit' Sighing, I examined the sci-fi-esque suit. It was a bodysuit made of an advanced composite material and unknown engineering that allowed it to fully protect the wearer from great numbers of thing. Despite it looking like a simple, if skintight, bodysuit, it could even provide space and all element survivability. You could go from the vacuum of space and into the depths of the ocean in an instant without suffering from pressure difference or temperature. The material was also resistant to many types of damage, including physical, magical and even energy attacks, making it incredibly durable. 'It even could enhance the wearer's strength and speed...it's basically like those nano machine suits in sci-fi novels.'
Unfortunately, I couldn't even fathom how it worked, much less how to recreate it. Though I had enough that I just used some of them myself since fairies never really gave these suits much attention, beyond a few smart ones. With how thin and form fitting the suit was, it was easy to hide it beneath my dress. There were also helmets but those were harder to hide so I didn't really use them, not that the suits needed those to work as somehow I could feel something protecting my head when I activated the suit.
My biggest project so far relating to things salvaged from the Vessel would be repurposing the MAGI-type droid. Different from most robots barring a few, this was a one-of-a-kind type of robot. Definitely made based on the data of Gensokyo's resident in the past judging how it replicated Reimu's and Marisa's attacks at least, it was the most successful attempt seen so far at magic through technology. Unlike the emulated projection bosses, this child was purely technological in nature without using some dimensional projection shenanigans. Infinitely close to magic even if not the same.
Ever since the day it was defeated by the fairies, I had been studying this robot, and now, I had the opportunity to work on it more closely. It was even weirder than other robots but since it was attempting to emulate magic to begin with, I could tackle it from the magic-side of thing to understand how it worked. The more complex parts eluded me still, but the with enough magic and hard work involved, I managed to repair and restore the android to working condition, albeit at a more limited capacity. It was a significant achievement, considering the technological complexity of it and anything from the Vessel. There was no way I could've done this before without the help of deep ones. But I wasn't satisfied with just repairing it, I wanted to make it part of my dolls.
"...There you go, you are all looking good," I looked at the standing figure of Shanghai and Hourai, the two girls now updated with Vessel's technology. They used the same suit as I am, while their blue and black dresses respectively now had a sleek, futuristic look that blended seamlessly with the traditional design with neon light lining. Their armour and weapons now remade with the composite alloys and advanced materials from the vessel, giving them a modern and cutting-edge appearance. " And of course, your new sister too, Shinsen."
I turned to look at a new doll of mine, made from the MAGI-type android. Similar to her sister, she had a blonde-hair but short in a bob-cut, and green eyes. Her main outfit was a black and white dress that looked even more futuristic than her sisters' did, almost looking like a mini-dress made of some kind of artificial fabric and decorated with neon lights. Her bodysuit underneath was far more visible due to her shorter and tighter dress, unlike her sisters' flowing armoured dress. In exchange, Shinsen had far more extensive and obvious technological add-ons than the other dolls. Her armour formed a rigging around of machines and steel on her body. Wings of energy and metal sprouted from her back, capable of flight and emitting energy beams or detached to act as autonomous drones. Her 'lance' was far more obviously an energy weapon than a spear, and was capable of firing beams of energy, able to joined by the wing parts for more powerful shot.
The three dolls stood before me, poised and ready for action. I smiled as I surveyed them. I had put in countless hours of hard work to make them, Shanghai was my mainstay type of dolls, while Hourai was always the first to be updated with new material and equipment due to how durable she was. Shinsen was a completely new kind of doll, not to mention being made from an android. Together, they were my finest creations yet, a testament to my existence as Alice Margatroid. They weren't sentient yet or anything, but they do have some sort of dumb AI that allowed them to act on their own to a degree. Though in the end they would still need to be controlled. But it was a good progress in my opinion.
"Progress does feel nice..." I smiled as I looked at the dolls, patting Shinsen on her head, "But there's always more to do, more to learn. This is just a stepping stone, and I will continue to improve and refine my skills. After all, you girls deserve only the best, right?"
The dolls, of course, couldn't answer and simply looked at me with their glassy eyes. I chuckled and patted them again. I took a step back and admired them once more. They were truly a marvel of engineering and magic. I was proud of them and all the work that went into making them. It felt the empty place in my chest filled up, just a bit.
"Now, then. Time to give your other sisters the same treatment. Alexandria did good but a Goliath must not be defeated so easily, more things to do, more things to work on~" I said to my dolls, as I looked at the rest of my dolls. The task would be lengthy and demanding, but I was eager to get started and improve all my dolls.
Alice: "VHS huh...probably best I just stuff it deep where no one would find it"
Not really the most satisfied with this, will definitely rewrite it later, but for now I think I'll put it out for now lest it cluttered my mind for too long. But yeah, we're back to your regular slice of life stuff. Nothing much will happen for a bit until PCB come around, which Alice will definitely just sleep through or goes full Frostpunk against the prolonged winter.
Not really the most satisfied with this, will definitely rewrite it later, but for now I think I'll put it out for now lest it cluttered my mind for too long. But yeah, we're back to your regular slice of life stuff. Nothing much will happen for a bit until PCB come around, which Alice will definitely just sleep through or goes full Frostpunk against the prolonged winter.