Marisa glided low over the treetops near the foot of the mountain as she approached the mansion before her. The sun was beginning to sink lower in the sky.
Maybe a couple more hours before sunset. There's still time.
You're insane if ya think you can just steal my body and take on the Scarlet Devil Mansion head on. Ya probably can't even get in the gate properly.
Quiet! You might think that I have no idea what I'm up against, but YOU have no idea what I'm capable of!
Marisa landed a bit rougher than usual, but took it in stride. She landed a fair distance away from the mansion, concealed by the foliage.
Ow. Ya might wanna work on those landings a bit. And, ya know, try not to get me killed in the process.
Shut up!
Marisa cautiously peered around the outer wall towards the gate. There she saw that the gate guard was leaning against the wall, arms crossed, a bored look overtaking her features.
Marisa straightened up and walked around the corner. She walked purposefully towards the front gate, a calm smile upon her face. The guard, Meiling, stood up as she caught sight of Marisa.
"What brings you-" Meiling began to speak before trailing off as her eyes narrowed at Marisa's.
"You... you're not...
you! You've come with the darkest intent that I've ever seen! I can see it as plain as the hat on your head. What happened to you?!"
Marisa stopped, dumbfounded. "
What are you talking about?"
Meiling entered a guarded stance. "That confirms it. You don't even speak the same way. Leave!
NOW!!"
"
Damn. And I was hoping to enter quietly."
Told ya.
Shut up!
Marisa reached behind her back and pulled out a crude looking knife. One that looked like it belonged in a kitchen at the village.
Did you just...
Meiling wasted no time in deciding to attack. With lightning speed, she closed the short distance between the two and disarmed the knife in one deft maneuver, breaking Marisa's wrist in the process.
Gah! That hurts like hell!
With one further deft manuever, Meiling grasped Marisa's remaining wrist, spinning her body around and trapping her arm behind her. Meiling's other arm took hold of Marisa's head. Marisa was clearly trapped. One quick maneuver and Meiling could end it right there.
"Saku..."
Nope!
Marisa glided low over the treetops near the foot of the mountain as she approached the mansion before her. The sun was beginning to get lower in the sky.
What the hell was that?!
Didn't I tell you already?
Marisa landed smoothly a fair distance away from the mansion, concealed by the foliage. She creaked her wrist slightly, shaking off the memory of the pain.
And what was that about the landing? No snide comments this time?
Oh... Shit.
Marisa attempted to find a window that she could sneak in. Avoiding the front of the mansion, and its gatekeeper, she could see that most were completely sealed. Enough that they couldn't be quietly accessed without rousing unwanted attention. Finally, spotting a vulnerable window, she made her stealthy approach.
As Marisa reached the window, she began to pry it open carefully. Before she even knew what hit her, she was completely bound in a full nelson. Marisa had no recourse to the maneuver as one deft move could snap her neck with a moments notice.
"I don't know what you're up to," Meiling said. "but it can't be good. I can sense the darkness within you as plain as the hat on your head. What happened to you?!"
Alright, plan B.
Marisa's body almost instantly dematerialized into a small red wisp of energy. Meiling was completely caught off guard by the display. In her new form, Marisa easily shook off Meiling's grasp and readied a counter-attack. Marisa quickly danced around Meiling's body, small cuts appearing during each pass.
Meiling, regaining her composure, grabbed the red ball of energy, her palm glowing, while readying her other hand for the finishing blow.
Impossible! This form is completely incorporeal!
A moment later, and the blow connected, completely dissipating the glowing ball of energy that was Marisa.
Marisa glided low over the treetops near the foot of the mountain as she approached the mansion before her. The sun was beginning to get lower in the sky.
Ugh... Did... did I just die?
That damn gatekeeper!
Am I alive?
Marisa landed smoothly. She landed a fair distance away from the mansion, concealed by the foliage.
Alright, if that's the way it's going to be, I'll just dispose of her first.
Marisa reached behind her back and pulled out a crude looking knife. One that looked like it belonged in a kitchen at the village.
Marisa cautiously peered around the outer wall towards the gate. There she saw that the gate guard was leaning against the wall, arms crossed, a bored look overtaking her features.
Marisa took the knife and carefully aimed it directly for Meiling. With one mighty throw, she hurled it at blinding speed.
Meiling sensed the projectile's approach and with one deft move, caught it with two fingers before it could find purchase. Firmly, she tossed the knife to the ground at her feet. It embedded itself far too deep to be seen. Meiling took a moment to notice the knife's effect.
"That's no ordinary knife." Meiling said, sternly. "That could have killed me. I have no tolerance for would-be assassins."
Come on! What's it going to take to get in without raising a ruckus?
Marisa almost didn't notice Meiling's approach. Just before impact, Marisa barely spun sideways out of the way of a punch aimed at her head, before reeling in agony at the side kick to the stomach that sent her flying twenty meters, colliding with a tree.
Marisa saw the finishing blow headed straight for her head.
Marisa glided low over the treetops near the foot of the mountain as she approached the mansion before her. The sun was beginning to get lower in the sky.
Face it. You're out of yer league and have no idea what yer up against. If you're having trouble against the gatekeeper, ya stand no chance at all against the ones inside.
If that's the way it's going to be, I'll just have to actually fight her.
Then what the hell were ya just doing then?
Shut UP!
Marisa let a smile slip as she quickly pulled out the knife with her right hand. She quickly flipped it around in a defensive grip.
Alright. Lets have some fun!
Marisa walked purposefully towards the front gate, her smile beginning to widen. The guard, Meiling, caught sight of Marisa. Marisa raised her left hand as it filled with energy.
Meiling's eyes widened as Marisa unleashed a single laser towards her. She barely managed to leap out of the way before it could hit.
Meiling quickly surveyed the damage Marisa's attack had left. A mid-sized hole had been punched right through the outer courtyard wall near the gate and again through the opposite wall. Smoking embers lined the damaged areas. Meiling could only stare at Marisa before adopting a fighting stance.
Where'd you get that spell? It might look like it, but that's not one of mine.
"That was a dishonorable move. I have no tolerance for would-be assassins..." Meiling furrowed her brow. "Something feels off. It feels like I've said this before."
Marisa defiantly maintained her smile.
Meiling charged towards Marisa, her hands manifesting a faint glow. Marisa let loose another laser aimed towards Meiling's heart. Meiling, anticipating the attack, leapt sideways before thrusting her hands forward as she let a shimmering qi blast of her own erupt forth.
Marisa, rather than dodge Meiling's attack, raised her right arm, placing the knife's razor sharp edge between herself and the attack. As the attack hit the knife... it split the energy harmlessly to either side of her. Already having her next attack primed, Marisa fired her next laser.
Meiling, her sight of Marisa obscured from her own attack, didn't see the laser coming until it was too late to dodge. Instinctively, she put her hands forth in an attempt to shield herself from the blast.
The attack resounded with a small explosion. Meiling flew backwards a good 5 meters before landing down on one knee. The blast left her visibly battered, yet she instantly rebounded. She sprung forth with exceptional speed in a counter attack.
Marisa wasn't expecting such a speedy recovery and only barely managed to erect a crude barrier before Meiling's powerful punch connected, completely obliterating the pitiful shield. The blow sent Marisa flying high up into the air, backflipping wildly.
After a few moments, Marisa caught herself in mid-air. She was mildly dazed and more than a bit disoriented.
Where'd she go?! Marisa quickly scanned the area around her. She briefly noticed a figure observing them from the mansion's balcony wearing a pink dress and cap. She had magnificent bat-like wings.
Remilia. So she's watching the show. Marisa's attention quickly snapped back to the battle as she heard Meiling's sounds of strained exertion right behind her.
Marisa quickly transformed into a ball of red energy to dodge the powerful kick headed towards her back. As Meiling flew beside her, Marisa reverted back to human form. Knife in hand, Marisa managed a slash on Meiling's right arm as she passed by. Meiling shrieked in terrible pain as her arm went limp, no longer usable.
Both combatants landed.
"It's a shame that it had to come to this. I always liked you, Marisa."
Marisa merely smiled in response.
Meiling quickly channeled her energy until her body was shimmering in radiant light. Marisa raised her left hand, charging another attack, only to be interrupted when Meiling stomped the ground with such force that it left a small crater in the ground beneath her. The shock wave knocked Marisa off the ground, while the outer courtyard walls cracked and crumbled, massive cracks appearing, leaving much to the imagination as to how they were even still standing.
Without hesitation, Meiling used the force of the stomp to launch towards Marisa with incredible speed in a single powerful kick. As she approached Marisa, her appearance was overshadowed by a spectral outline of a dragon. Marisa, eyes wide, shifted into the ball of energy once more to regain balance and fly above Meiling's attack. As Meiling passed by, Marisa resumed human form once more as she begun charging yet another laser.
Meling's kick continued right through a tree and into the next one, which she used as a springboard to launch herself back towards Marisa. Meiling, sensing Marisa's attack, punched the air in front of her with incredible force. Marisa's hastily erected barrier only partially absorbed the shockwave, she was still left off balance, unable to complete her own attack.
Meiling continued her charge, letting loose blast after blast while she closed the distance. Marisa had no choice but to maintain the barrier as Meiling got closer and closer. The distance almost closed, Meiling launched an elbow strike towards Marisa's head.
Marisa shifted into the red ball of energy once more, this time racing behind Meiling. As Marisa reappeared, she quickly slammed the knife into the center of Meiling's back.
"Gah!" Meiling shrieked as blood dripped from her mouth. Her glow instantly faded as she dropped to her knees, no longer able to fight back.
Meiling's breathing was laboured, her clothes soaked in her own blood. "You... you've become... something else. Something darker than I could ever imagine. But... you won't... you won't last."
Marisa cocked her head sideways and smiled, gleefully.
Meiling collapsed face forward as the life within her faded. A shimmering light overtook her body as it slowly disintegrated into nothingness. When it was all over, all that remained of her was the bloody knife that took her life.
*EXP UP*
*LV UP*
Meiling! No... no, it can't be! YOU MONSTER!
"
Ahhh. That was so much more satisfying than those puny villagers and weaklings. This is going to be much more fun than I thought!"
You... you won't get away with this.
Who's going to stop me? You? Don't make me laugh.
Marisa observed the mansion intently. It remained silent. Remilia was no longer at the balcony, observing her.
Well. This changes things. The element of surprise was long gone. A new plan was needed...
She looked up at the sky, the sun shining brightly, and grinned a feral grin.
Perhaps a new skylight might make things more fun! The Mini Hakkero snapped up with polished fluidity, but the actual invocation was slower... sloppier; and yet, far more dangerous - no limiters, no restraint, just the rush of intoxicating power.
Why hold back? The spiral of light at the center of the device grew and grew, until-
