Maidens of the Kaleidoscope
~Beyond the Border~ => Rumia's Party Games => Mystia's Stored Games => Topic started by: Oldmansour on February 13, 2013, 04:35:18 PM
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>You are Remilia Scarlet, Mistress of the Scarlet Devil Mansion, vampire extraordinaire, and the most charismatic and elegant person in Gensokyo. You are also Flandre Scarlet's big sister, a title that, privately of course, you hold more dear than all the others.
>Tonight has been one of the most eventful nights you've had in years. It started with the search for Sakuya, who had not returned when she was supposed to have, and led, eventually, to the Keep of a newly unsealed vampire, called the Cobalt Countess. Unlike the usual method for resolving conflicts in Gensokyo, you and the Countess, and her surprisingly diverse attendants, talked out your differences. You find her people interesting and efficient, and the Countess herself cordial and pleasant. Even layed the groundwork for introducing Opera to Gensokyo with her.
>More importantly, you found your Sakuya, and that she had had a run in with the Sin Spirit Pride, and was unwilling, or rather unable, to separate from it, firmly convinced that she could become superior by absorbing the Sin entirely. It took a great deal of work, but with the assistance of Meiling, the Keeper of the Sins Tsumiko, and the Sin of Lust, you used your power over fate to pull the two of them apart. Tsumiko took Pride back into herself, while Meiling took your maid home.
>Upon the request of the Steward of the Cobalt Keep, Celes d'Arquien, you returned to the Mansion before sunrise, in order to see Sakuya, whom you know would enjoy seeing you, and would almost certainly like to explain herself. You took one of the Countesses' friends back with you, Sei Senoue, who is also the Keep's opera aficionado, to share some of your manuscripts with her. You found a muscular insect youkai standing guard at the gate, evidently put up to it by her sister and Koakuma. You haven't heard the whole story there yet, as a greater concern has come up.
>Sakuya is sick, and, somewhat disturbingly, there seems to be something wrong not with her body, but with her fate itself...
>How fast are they going, and can we stop them?
>At the rate they're traveling, it will be fifteen, twenty seconds max, before they intercept Sakuya's present.
>With the time you have, you think you can stop one of them, but not both.
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>What exactly are the 'bubbles'?
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>What exactly are the 'bubbles'?
>You're not completely sure, but from the emotional sensations the two are putting off, you would guess that they are 'embodied potentials'. Everyone's fate lines includes, in some way, everything they could have been, everything they are, everything they might be. What you would guess these bubbles are would be Sakuya as she might have been, had her life not taken the course that it did.
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>Can we tell which one is the most potentially dangerous?
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>Can we tell which one is the most potentially dangerous?
>One of them feels hot to the touch. The heat of anger, old pain. But also of a consuming drive, an almost crazed obsession.
>The other is much colder to the touch, darker. The sensation of control, but control of what is around. The tyrant's mind, reveling in the terror it inflicts upon those around it.
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>If only we had the energy to stop both of them...
>"Tch...There's two 'bubbles' of a possible outcome Sakuya could've had, but I don't have the energy to stop both of them..."
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>If only we had the energy to stop both of them...
>"Tch...There's two 'bubbles' of a possible outcome Sakuya could've had, but I don't have the energy to stop both of them..."
>"What does that even mean?" Haridoku demands.
>"What's that mean?!" Meiling cries, almost in time with the bug youkai.
>Sei, however, is more to the point than the other two. "Then pick one." she says quickly.
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...Gah! Both of them are too nasty-sounding to pick. Just when I thought we'd finally gotten free of this kinda thing...
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Man,what a pickle.But then again it's an occasion to put more heads together :3 so here's a list of commands.
>Are we able to remove them when both ,just a couple of seconds before,are about to overlap with Sakuya's present?
>Alternatively consider stop the tyrant-looking one and slow down the maniacal-looking one; since the former one is potentially more hazardous to all as it is a "hard-to-cure threat" and might be remnants of influence by Pride and the former owner of the Cobalt Keep ,whom are offsetting our head maid's fate from a point in the past.
>We need to somehow reassert the normal line of fate ,with caution .
>Inspire emphatically Sakuya to endure for a bit more than she already is.
P.S. I see Guy got permabanned :( though the reason came not from his normal posts.
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>Are we able to remove them when both ,just a couple of seconds before,are about to overlap with Sakuya's present?
>Alternatively consider stop the tyrant-looking one and slow down the maniacal-looking one; since the former one is potentially more hazardous to all as it is a "hard-to-cure threat" and might be remnants of influence by Pride and the former owner of the Cobalt Keep ,whom are offsetting our head maid's fate from a point in the past.
>We need to somehow reassert the normal line of fate ,with caution .
>Inspire emphatically Sakuya to endure for a bit more than she already is.
>Given the power you can sense from the bubbles, the time you will take, and the power you will need to expend to render them inert, you have time enough to stop one, if you act soon.
>You would need to focus your power and attention on one to slow it at all, and doing so would prevent you from breaking the other one before it came into alignment with Sakuya's present.
>While you've never really been big on empathy, per se, you squeeze Sakuya's hand tightly, willing her to hold on. It's easy to tell she's trying- you don't need to be able to read her fate to see that- but she's also clearly at her limit.
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>"Mh,if only I had enough time, Sakuya oughtn't suffer this much....However as her Mistress and friend I'm still able to do this!". Stop the icy and darker one.
>After that, quickly divert all remaining time and effort towards not stopping the hot one ,but preventing it to stabilize or fuse together permanently to Sakuya's present, by your best "fate-buffet" and "fate-containment"!(That's right,I came up with two,fast-paced, Remilia's Fate Manipulation techniques ).
>While keeping your guard up for unexpected fluctuactions on fate or otherwise, carefully observe the developements and, when the operation settles down, beckon Meiling to approach the bed.
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Hang on man.
>Would we be able to reverse the effects of these bubbles once we've recovered enough energy?
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>If we had more energy, would we be able to stop both in time?
>Could Meiling add her energy to our own?
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Oh! An opening to combine three write-in.Glad :) to see more activity and ideas on this board too,even during February.
>If we had more energy, would we be able to stop both in time?
>Could Meiling add her energy to our own?
Hang on man.
>Would we be able to reverse the effects of these bubbles once we've recovered enough energy?
>After that, quickly divert all remaining time and effort towards not stopping the hot one ,,but preventing it to stabilize or fuse together permanently to Sakuya's present, by your best "fate-buffet" and "fate-containment"!
>While keeping your guard up for unexpected fluctuactions on fate or otherwise, carefully observe the developements and, when the operation settles down, beckon Meiling to approach the bed.
>Yes about that, we do have just 20 seconds to act .Then again we could quickly begin to work on the cold bubble and simultaneously call over Meiling,and Haridoku as well but no Sei , so she could act as a conduit for us to muster enough energy to properly apply those techniques , meant to ease the sundering of fate-past and fate-present by not letting the first tune-in to the latter,on both interferences.
>On the other hand the power boost should prove useful so that if the other one begins to fuse it should already been affected prior to as we not only don't rely on pure power alone but on skill and teamwork too all strategized and supervised by us, Remilia Scarlet.
Two considerations.About Sei,Remilia and others have seen she might tap into tainted energy if she exert herself such as in this case.I deem more of a immediate threat the tyrannical one for reasons I have explained on my second to last post.
I wholeheartedly hope this plan pulls through,nevertheless I still feel my logic could be improved even further(and I'm wayyy tired).
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>On the other hand the power boost should prove useful so that if the other one begins to fuse it should already been affected prior to as we not only don't rely on pure power alone but on skill and teamwork too all strategized and supervised by us, Remilia Scarlet.
Mind clearing this up? What precisely do you mean by 'Power Boost'?
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I think he wants to get the other people around, mostly Meiling, to contribute to our efforts somehow. Not sure how she would be able to do that though.
I fear there's not much of a way to take both of these out before either of them reaches Sakuya's fate. Unless anyone does manage to think up an alternative, I say to halt the "hot" bubble - although most will find the other one nastier-sounding.
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Personally, I don't think either one is nastier than the other, they're both on an equally high level.
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...true, that's probably intended.
At any rate, though, I suspect we'll be sitting here forever if we don't decide.
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Uhm,I thought I had cleared up those sentences but I jumbled them by writing too many ideas :derp: .Basically my plan was to make a quick call ,gather the others around,just as SirChaotiK said,and use them to fuel the power of Remi's fate manipulation while she was performing it; Meiling would be the conduit in all this cause of her chi manipulation.Then using those two "techniques"plus power,teamwork and a strategy Remi would be able to stop one and contain or at least slow down the other one.In fact I agree that they both sound nasty,though the cold one is more ominous imho if just for the coincidence with Pride/older vampire lord,and this plan was conceived to tackle the couple of them. If there's not enough time for this we shall have to start casting votes,regretfully.
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As much as I'd like to halt them both, I doubt Meiling can act as a conduit. Even if she could, I don't think she'd actually be able to contribute any power, and even then it'd be hardly feasible to set up on such short notice (how much time do we have, like fifteen seconds?)
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Indeed the time-window appears too short,still I'd like Sourfang the writer to show the considerations of previous commands(Hanzo's) parsed for plot/insight .In short halt x and keep an eye out for a chance to operate on y would be our next train of action and after having decided "hot or cold"?Whom I now realize might not be as bad as they sound as long as they only overlap with Sakuya's present while not taking it over.Edited: overdue edit for smooth reading.
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I'm not quite sure I follow. You mean you would like me to respond to Hanzo's and Third's questions, but not your command up there?
Which, I might add, no one has officially countered yet. I have a reply written for that act, but am I also prepared to wait on it, if I must.
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Well, let's get my query out of the way before we go any further, eh? I figure that could shed some light on things.
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Bit unorthodox, but never let it be said I'm unwilling to buck tradition.
>Would we be able to reverse the effects of these bubbles once we've recovered enough energy?
>Theoretically, yes. There isn't much you know you simply cannot do in terms of manipulation of fate, and while you're not quite sure what will happen when either of these aberrations reach Sakuya's present, you're confidant whatever happens, you can correct. After all, you are Remilia Scarlet.
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Alright, got one or two last things to clear up.
>How long would it take for us to recharge enough energy to mend her fully to how she should be?
>Would it be too much of a problem to have Patchouli put her in a magical sleep until we have recovered sufficient energy?
(The whole magical sleep angle to to keep her from being a threat to herself. Sedation and all that jazz.)
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>How long would it take for us to recharge enough energy to mend her fully to how she should be?
>Would it be too much of a problem to have Patchouli put her in a magical sleep until we have recovered sufficient energy?
>That depends on how radical the effects of the phenomenon will be, which you're not really sure of.
>Sakuya's more resistant to magic than most other humans (you don't spend as long in the company of vampires and youkai without a side effect or two) but she's not resistant enough to resist Patchouli's wizardry. Patchy should be able to put her under and keep her under, assuming she doesn't develop massive magical resistance.
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Alright you guys, I say we stop the cold bubble, and try to hold off the hot one as long as possible until Hong can get back with Patchouli and a high-grade sleeping spell.
We're talking nigh-Sleeping Beauty caliber sleep magic here.
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By my recokoning, that seems more or less in line with Branneg's command post.
I won't post the reply to that yet, in the event that one of you might have a revision to offer, or a counterpoint to make. I'll wait... Oh, another day or so, then, assuming no objections, we'll go with that.
I don't mean to sound impatient, and if I am, forgive me. But since it seems that at least two out of three players are in agreement (and the fourth guy got banned), it seems that we're about ready to proceed.
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Indeed we are. I'll follow Hanzo's command.
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Good,those commands shed a light so yes I agree as well.Let's move on and see.
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Alright then.
>"Hong, go fetch Patche, tell her to bring her best high-grade forced sleep spell. It's for Sakuya's own safety until I can reverse the effects of the other bubble. And hurry!"
>Well, let's stop that cold bubble, and try to hold off the hot one as long as we can.
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>If we had more energy, would we be able to stop both in time?
>Could Meiling add her energy to our own?
>It's not really a matter of energy, so much as time, and familiarity. You've never encountered anything like these things before. If you were better acquainted with what they are, and what effect, if any, they might have, then perhaps you could diffuse them both in the time you have. At the moment, however, that's simply not an option.
>In this case, probably not. You have drawn upon the presence and power of others to aid you in affecting someone's fate before, but it is only in cases where that person has been intimately involved with the person you're working on, and directly involved with the facet of fate you're trying to alter. In this case, you're not sure if Meiling is involved in anything those bubbles represent, nor do you have the time to analyze them properly.
>"Hong, go fetch Patche, tell her to bring her best high-grade forced sleep spell. It's for Sakuya's own safety until I can reverse the effects of the other bubble. And hurry!"
>"Uh... Right!" Despite her obvious reluctance, the chinese youkai knows when to listen to orders.
>"Mh,if only I had enough time, Sakuya oughtn't suffer this much....However as her Mistress and friend I'm still able to do this!". Stop the icy and darker one.
>After that, quickly divert all remaining time and effort towards not stopping the hot one ,but preventing it to stabilize or fuse together permanently to Sakuya's present, by your best "fate-buffet" and "fate-containment"!(That's right,I came up with two,fast-paced, Remilia's Fate Manipulation techniques ).
>Well, let's stop that cold bubble, and try to hold off the hot one as long as we can.
>Making your choice, you focus your power upon the colder of the two bubbles, pitting your will to remove it from existence against its, well, existence. Touching the thing produces an almost physical chill in your arms and eyes, and you can sense a distinct vampiric aura contained within it. You shudder to think of the full ramifications of what that could mean, but it doesn't matter. It may have been a potential, something Sakuya COULD have been, but you will not allow it to become reality. Sakuya is YOURS, and nothing, not even her own might-have-beens, will take her from you.
>The bubble is strong, resisting your will tenaciously, but eventually, after several agonizingly long seconds, the bubble shudders, offers one last stubborn push against your will, and then folds in on itself, collapsing back into Sakuya's line fate of. Still something she might have been, but subsumed in the mists of potential, no longer any threat to become to current reality.
>The cold one was a tough nut to crack. Defeating it has left you with practically no time whatsoever to do anything to the hotter one. The best you can manage is to form a sort of 'improvised roadblock' to attempt to block the heated bubble away from the present of Sakuya. Your attempt to protect Sakuya's fate has a rather unexpected result. The bubble does not stop at this speedbump, but rather launches itself up upon impact with it, separating itself from the main line of Sakuya's fate. For a fleeting moment, you feel a sense of relief. Did you beat them both?
>The physical Sakuya lets out a brief cry as the bubble of hot potential separates itself from her. And then, a glowing white and red sphere of light and energy flies out of Sakuya's chest like a thrown rock. It traces an arc through the air, trailing flecks of light behind it, and explodes like a bomb when it impacts the floor behind you. The room is filled with smoke and light.
>"What happened?!" Meiling's voice calls from somewhere outside the room, mingling with the sound of Haridoku cursing.
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>"The other bubble...It broke free when I set up an improvised roadblock. We don't need the sleeping magic anymore, but a restful sleep spell should be quite welcome I think."
>Wait, what's below this room? "...! I have to check on Flan, to make sure nothing went wrong...!"
>Let's book it for Flan's!
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>"The other bubble...It broke free when I set up an improvised roadblock. We don't need the sleeping magic anymore, but a restful sleep spell should be quite welcome I think."
>Wait, what's below this room? "...! I have to check on Flan, to make sure nothing went wrong...!"
>Let's book it for Flan's!
>With the others present engulfed in odorless smoke and blinded by the flash of light, you feel a surge of concern for your sister. Leaving the smaller bug youkai coughing and the larger one cursing, you dash out of Sakuya's room, bolting past Meiling down the corridor, the chinese girl yelping in surprise at the blur of red and purple that passes by her.
>Somewhat to your relief, you find that none of the wards or spells have been activated while you were away. Always a good sign. Pushing the door open, to your surprise, you hear the voice of Koakuma reach your ears. Now that's very interesting. Koa almost never comes down here. Even more curious, she seems to be reading a book to someone- has to be Flan. You even recgonize the story; a european folk tale of two brothers who find a fairy ring while gathering food for their ailing mother.
>You find the pair of women in the section of Flanre's room dominated by her large Victorian-style bed. Flan herself is in bed, and Koakuma is seated in a chair by her bedside, reading from a thick book resting in her lap. Your sister is the first to note your arrival, and she sits up in bed, smiling at the sight of you. "Onee-sama!"
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>Smile back at her, in a worn-out and relieved way. "I finally got her back. And, er, a little snag occurred that had me worried about you. Fate's a tricky thing you know. But, Sakuya's safe and sound. She'll need to rest for a while though, it was a very trying ordeal."
>Sigh. "I'll have to remember to ask Patchouli about wards to prevent Possession. I'd rather not have a repeat after all."
>How far can we send a bat to act as a mouthpiece?
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>Smile back at her, in a worn-out and relieved way. "I finally got her back. And, er, a little snag occurred that had me worried about you. Fate's a tricky thing you know. But, Sakuya's safe and sound. She'll need to rest for a while though, it was a very trying ordeal."
>Sigh. "I'll have to remember to ask Patchouli about wards to prevent Possession. I'd rather not have a repeat after all."
>How far can we send a bat to act as a mouthpiece?
>Flandre beams at you. "I knew you could do it, Onee-sama."
>"And you, Remilia?" Koakuma asks.
>The farthest you've ever sent one before was about a mile away, give or take. It may be possible to send one out farther, but you've never tried. Whenever you've needed messages sent over long distances, you employed more conventional means, or outsourced for magical ones.
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>"Worn-out, but it's a good kind of worn out. That sort of relieved worn-out feeling you get when you just accomplished something great. And what's more, I made a few...Well, I suppose you could call them friends in a way. I'm even planning something special for when Sakuya's recovered."
>Let's send a bat back to Sakuya's Room to check on things. Since it's inside the mansion, it's a simple enough task.
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>"Worn-out, but it's a good kind of worn out. That sort of relieved worn-out feeling you get when you just accomplished something great. And what's more, I made a few...Well, I suppose you could call them friends in a way. I'm even planning something special for when Sakuya's recovered."
>Let's send a bat back to Sakuya's Room to check on things. Since it's inside the mansion, it's a simple enough task.
>"Tell us about it, please!" Flandre exclaims as you conjure a bat tied to your eyes and ears and send it back the way you came. Your bats don't fly as fast as you do, unless you really want them to, so it'll take two or three minutes for the conjured familiar to reach Sakuya's room.
>"Did you find the new vampire?" Flandre asks as she sits up and swings her legs out of her bed. "Was she a good vampire?"
>Koakuma nods her agreement. "We've been wondering how things went on your end, especially after that plant thing showed up around here."
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>"She was actually quite polite and reasonable. And she has her own rather motley assortment of friends and allies. One of them happens to have come back to the mansion with me. She plans on looking up various things at the Library after all. I have to admit, she has a rather interesting taste in associates."
>Look to Koa with a slightly playful smile. "I even found someone who closely resembled you~ Very talented with the Cello as well!"
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>"She was actually quite polite and reasonable. And she has her own rather motley assortment of friends and allies. One of them happens to have come back to the mansion with me. She plans on looking up various things at the Library after all. I have to admit, she has a rather interesting taste in associates."
>Look to Koa with a slightly playful smile. "I even found someone who closely resembled you~ Very talented with the Cello as well!"
>Koakuma dons a small pout. "And here I thought I had a unique look." she says half-heartedly.
>Flandre pokes her cheek lightly. "Frowny faces look weird on you, Koa."
>The familiar blinks twice in surprise, then giggles. Flandre nods firmly. "That's better." Returning her attention to you, Flandre hops to her feet. "So we can be friends with them? No more bad fighting?"
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>Nod. "Indeed. They're relatively nice people, though some of them are habitual troublemakers."
>"Some of them...Well, they were helpful in getting Sakuya back to us, but I wouldn't want to rely on them for much more, given how they were the troublemakers that Sakuya got wrapped up with to begin with. Of course, the one in control of those troublesome seven should be keeping a much tighter leash on them thanks to recent events. After all, they nearly lost one of their number to his own hubris."
>Sigh. "But then again, that's to be expected when it's the very embodiment of the sin of Pride. Poor guy almost fused with Sakuya, which would've robbed us of not just him, but Sakuya as we know her as well. It was quite a trying task, splitting the two apart."
>Then grin at Flan in that sort of cocky and arrogant way we so often do, then put our hands together. "It wasn't impossible for me though. A little pull here, a little twist there, and presto! Their fates were separated once more~!"
>Pull our hands apart for emphasis. "I'll admit though, it was a bit more draining than I expected it to be."
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>Nod. "Indeed. They're relatively nice people, though some of them are habitual troublemakers."
>"Some of them...Well, they were helpful in getting Sakuya back to us, but I wouldn't want to rely on them for much more, given how they were the troublemakers that Sakuya got wrapped up with to begin with. Of course, the one in control of those troublesome seven should be keeping a much tighter leash on them thanks to recent events. After all, they nearly lost one of their number to his own hubris."
>Sigh. "But then again, that's to be expected when it's the very embodiment of the sin of Pride. Poor guy almost fused with Sakuya, which would've robbed us of not just him, but Sakuya as we know her as well. It was quite a trying task, splitting the two apart."
>Then grin at Flan in that sort of cocky and arrogant way we so often do, then put our hands together. "It wasn't impossible for me though. A little pull here, a little twist there, and presto! Their fates were separated once more~!"
>Pull our hands apart for emphasis. "I'll admit though, it was a bit more draining than I expected it to be."
>As you explain, at least in segments, the adventure you've had in your recovery of Sakuya, your bat-scout reaches the hallway leading to Sakuya's chamber. There is another cloud of smoke, dark grey in color this time, covering the area in front of the chamber door. Amitsu comes barreling out of the cloud flying down the corridor towards your bat, and is followed barely a second after by a quartet of kunai throwing weapons.
>Unaware of what your bat is witnessing, Flandre simply smiles at you as you give her and Koa bits and pieces of the story. "I wanna see her, onee-sama."
>"Maybe you should wait until Sakuya's had a day to settle back in?" Koakuma suggests politely.
>Flan shakes her head with vigor. "But I've missed her!"
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>Sigh. "Hold on a moment please, I need to take care of something via a little scout of mine. Just give Sakuya some recovery time, she'll be grateful for it. Her fate especially needs time to recover, due to the stresses of separating the two threads. It was like taking a bit of yarn, and splitting the component threads, and re-weaving them into two, smaller threads of yarn."
>Let's get the bat out of the way, so we can investigate the cause of the smoke with it.
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>Sigh. "Hold on a moment please, I need to take care of something via a little scout of mine. Just give Sakuya some recovery time, she'll be grateful for it. Her fate especially needs time to recover, due to the stresses of separating the two threads. It was like taking a bit of yarn, and splitting the component threads, and re-weaving them into two, smaller threads of yarn."
>Let's get the bat out of the way, so we can investigate the cause of the smoke with it.
>Flandre alternates quickly between a frown and a grin. You think your analogy may have sent her mind down one of those unknowable corridors it travels down.
>The insectoid youkai and your bat flash past each other, and you hear the impact of the blades in the young girl's back moments later. Your bat's ears detect the sound of a blade leaving its sheathe, as well as what sounds like the buzzing of hornets, and then your bat enters the smoke to investigate its source. Barely a second after your scout immerses itself in the cloud, it sees a humanoid figure moving through the smoke. Then the bat winks out of existence.
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>"...Excuse me for a moment, there's something I have to take care of. I'll tell you the rest of what happened later."
>Let's get going to where the bat winked out!
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>"...Excuse me for a moment, there's something I have to take care of. I'll tell you the rest of what happened later."
>Let's get going to where the bat winked out!
>Flan still seems a little lost, but Koa asks, "Is something wrong?" as her brow furrows in concern.
>But you can deal with her later. Something is still clearly wrong back there, despite your best efforts, and you rocket out the door and back up the stairs.
>The scent of youkai blood reaches your nostrils long before you reach Sakuya's room. Two youkai, in fact. From what you saw, the sweeter-smelling scented blood belongs to Amitsu, courtesy of those kunai. The other, fainter scent, is definitely Meilings'. It's a strong scent, earthy and full, but your guard isn't bleeding as much as Amitsu, you can tell.
>As you near the corridor Sakuya's chamber rests, you see Amitsu standing outside, leaning against the wall, trying to pull the kunai out of her back. One of the weapons already lies on the floor near her feet, stained with her reddish-yellow blood.
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>Rush over. "What happened?"
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>Rush over. "What happened?"
>The winged youkai winces as she yanks another blade out of her back. At this range, you can sense that these weapons aren't made out of simple steel. There's something not entirely natural about them, but you can't quite put your finger on what it is.
>"Whatever you drove out of Sakuya has a body." Amitsu replies. "And weapons. I didn't get a good look at it, that light blinded me, and by the time I could see there was another cloud of smoke gone up. I think it used some kind of smoke bomb."
>As the bug youkai talks, you hear the sound of steel striking steel, and the crackle of electricity, coming from beyond the cloud of smoke, which seems to be dissipating.
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>"A body...This I have to see for myself."
>This sort of thing's never happened before has it?
>Let's go take a look, and be ready to intervene if needed!
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>"A body...This I have to see for myself."
>This sort of thing's never happened before has it?
>Let's go take a look, and be ready to intervene if needed!
>Never, to your knowledge. Under better circumstances, the potential for such a thing could be very interesting. In this case, however, perhaps not so much. Well, maybe after the problem's fixed... But first things first.
>Do you wish to advance through the smoke cloud or wait for it to disperse?
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>Why wait for it to disperse? We have our wings after all, let's put them to use whipping up a wind to blow the smoke away! Bolstering the effect with a little magic if need be.
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>Stay ready to change into bat-swarm form ,after rapidly assesing the situation, to either avoid more "nasty ninjia tricks" or to assist Meiling or Sakuya.
> Keep an eye out for Haridoku too, but do not get sidetracked.
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>Why wait for it to disperse? We have our wings after all, let's put them to use whipping up a wind to blow the smoke away! Bolstering the effect with a little magic if need be.
>No smoke cloud can deter Remilia Scarlet! Beating your wings for added effect, you send a burst of wind down the corridor, sending the choking cloud out in ribbons and swirls of air, clearing the path between you and the pair of figures clashing their way down towards the other end of the hallway. One of them is Sei, who has drawn what you would guess is the shorter of her weapons, the wakizashi, and is crossing it with... Sakuya.
>Except it isn't Sakuya. A weather-beaten grey cloak, clasped at the chest with a crucifix pin, is draped across her shoulders, which are broader than Sakuya's should be. Her hair is also thicker, and a darker shade of white. Black leather leggings conceal the flesh of her legs, and her waist is encircled by a belt festooned with pouches with a heart-shaped belt buckle, the heart a blue jewel of some kind. A purple leather whip is coiled, hanging from a clip on her right hip. You can see the glint of metal weaponry from inside her cloak, knives, kunai, a small axe. And yet it flows with no more difficulty than a normal traveller's cloak. Possibly enchanted in someway.
>Her gloves are also enchanted, by the looks of them. The one on her left hand sparks with electricity- the source of the sound you heard earlier- while the other one is covered with a runic pattern and has a series of gemstones set around the wrist. More gems stud the blue and gold bracers protecting her wrists and forearms, as well as the black choker around her neck. Her left hand is wrapped around a short curved blade of japanese make, but it emanates a magical power. You suspect the blade has been magically conjured, though the type of magic is not one you recognize.
>Despite the fact that she wears Sakuya's face, you'd recognize the look of that individual anywhere, to say nothing of the repulsive sensation you get from the weapons you saw and whatever else is conceled. The stuff of a vampire's nightmares. This Sakuya is a vampire hunter.
>Stay ready to change into bat-swarm form ,after rapidly assesing the situation, to either avoid more "nasty ninjia tricks" or to assist Meiling or Sakuya.
> Keep an eye out for Haridoku too, but do not get sidetracked.
>There is no immediate sign of the larger bug youkai, or Meiling, but there is a group of hornets lying still on the floor in front of Sakuya's room, their wings discolored with red for some reason. Two small batches of burned carpet the same size as the wasps point towards the clashing Sei and Hunter Sakuya. Although Sei seems to be pressing the cloaked hunter back, you can tell Sakuya is more than holding her own.
>Amitsu takes a step away from the wall. "But that's Sakuya-san." she gasps. "That's impossible."
>You almost don't hear her, as a sense of dread grips your heart. This Hunter is still human, at least as far as you can tell, but she's going one on one with a youkai samurai in a sword duel, and holding her own. You of all people know how dangerous Sakuya can be when she wants to be, the real Sakuya that is. If Vampire Hunter Sakuya has the skill to fight a samurai like Sei, all of the real Sakuya's powers, and god knows what other tools and tricks of the trade she may possess, she may be the most dangerous entity you've encountered in longer than you'd like to remember.
>The two swords crash against each other once more, and the two combatants spring backwards from each other, both of them side on to you, eying each other warily.
>"You reek of the undead, samurai." Hunter Sakuya intones, in a voice so much like the real deal, but colder. More hollow, somehow. "You'll regret approaching me."
>"I serve one of those you hunt." the samurai proclaims, setting herself into a combat stance, taking her sword in both hands and raising the blade up past her head. "And I protect."
>Flexing her free right hand, the Hunter takes in a measured breath. "Your tainted blades can't kill me."
>"And your ninjutsu can't defeat me."
>"We will see."
>As they speak, Haridoku emerges into the corridor from Sakuya's room, squinting, grey dust around the corners of her eyes, but seemingly unharmed. Looking up and down the hallway, she scowls as she sees her sister standing wounded next to you, and takes to wing, buzzing back towards you.
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The last thing we need right now is a misunderstanding that leads to a second fight.
>Warn Amitsu that her sister Haridoku is coming and might have misunderstood the events that led to her wounding .
>Briefly explain this predicament along with Amitsu.
>Ask if their powers could be somehow used to either restrict our opponent's movements, line of sight or to divert her attention or if they have other means of doing so.Otherwise, there's a huge chance that she could escape with her ninjutsu even if she was cornered.
>Keep analyzing Hunter Sakuya's fighting style and weapons.
Feel free to add more ideas to shape up a fighting plan.
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>Sigh. "Honestly...I should have known something bizarre like this would have happened. The real culprit is that Other Sakuya over there. That's one of the 'Sakuya' she could have been. Had I stopped the bubble that spawned this one, and redirected the other one, we would be contending with a 'Vampire Sakuya', instead of a 'Hunter Sakuya'."
>Did we see that the Original Sakuya is still present in her room?
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>Did we see that the Original Sakuya is still present in her room?
>From your current vantage point, you can see neither the true Sakuya nor Meiling. But you can smell them both in there.
>Warn Amitsu that her sister Haridoku is coming and might have misunderstood the events that led to her wounding .
>Keep analyzing Hunter Sakuya's fighting style and weapons.
>"I think the kunai are a clear sign of that, Scarlet Devil." the bug with the sweet smelling blood replies.
>You start to sketch the sisters in on what that other Sakuya is, but you pause momentarily after seeing Haridoku's face up close. Her attention is focused solely on her wounded sister, and she looks none too happy about it.
>"I'm all right." Amitsu is quick to assure her. "Just give me a hand with this last one, please?" she asks, turning her back to Haridoku, revealing the last kunai stuck just below and between her shoulder blades. The larger youkai nods shortly and, with surprising care, extracts the weapon from Amitsu's back.
>During this exchange, Hunter-Sakuya's right hand, hidden by her cloak, flashes forward and releases a glass bottle filled with a green powdery substance. Rather than cut it or slash it, Sei watches it fly through the air and catches it with a flourish, swinging her right hand backhanded and snatching it out of the air and lunges forward, sending her katana out in a stab. The hunter parries the blade, but it is her right hand you watch, catching her making a series of hand signs as she floats to her right, down the corridor. "Water art: Acid Rain!" she calls, raising her hand with two fingers extended up. Stinking, steaming drops of watery acid fly from behind the hunter and back towards the samurai. Sei sneers and slashes her sword upwards before her. A black blade of energy forms from the path of the blade and jets forward, erasing the acid as it scrapes the walls, angling towards the hunter.
>Who dips into her arsenal again, pulling something out of her cloak and throwing it at the black blade, which erupts in a column of blue and white flame.
>Sigh. "Honestly...I should have known something bizarre like this would have happened. The real culprit is that Other Sakuya over there. That's one of the 'Sakuya' she could have been. Had I stopped the bubble that spawned this one, and redirected the other one, we would be contending with a 'Vampire Sakuya', instead of a 'Hunter Sakuya'."
>Briefly explain this predicament along with Amitsu.
>Ask if their powers could be somehow used to either restrict our opponent's movements, line of sight or to divert her attention or if they have other means of doing so.Otherwise, there's a huge chance that she could escape with her ninjutsu even if she was cornered.
>Keep analyzing Hunter Sakuya's fighting style and weapons.
>Both insect youkai give you about the same look: A stunned surprise. Amitsu is the first to recover. "Okay, so she's Sakuya, but not the real one." she says, watching the clash of black blade and whatever the Hunter used. "Is that why she's so violent?"
>"All I can do is make honey." Amistu informs you. "I don't like fighting, and my power isn't made for it either."
>"Mine can be." Haridoku counters, grimly. "I can create and control wax, and the wasps I create can use different types of poison. And so can I." Her wings buzz angrily, and a long stinger slowly extends out of her left wrist. "And anyone who hurts my sister-"
>"Calm down, Hari." Amitsu says firmly, cutting off her big sister. "Keep your temper in check, for once."
>The muscular insect winces, but makes no reply, still glancing back towards the hunter with pure hate in her eyes. You can respect that. You'd feel the same if it was Flandre that had kunai in her back.
>While the insects have been informing you of their powers, Sei has sheathed her shorter wakizashi and drawn her longer katana, the blade's edge glowing with a tainted red light. "I know you can do better than that."
>The hunter, back on the ground now and still holding her conjured blade, grins slightly. "Are you sure? You're fast enough to keep me from forming complex jutsus."
>The samurai shakes her head. "Lies don't suit you, hunter. I know how fast you can be. You can form hand signs between the blinks of my eye, so don't try to tell me you can't."
>Hunter-Sakuya's grin doesn't waver. In fact, she barks out a chuckle. "You know of me. I might have guessed."
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>"Wax...Tell me, can you remotely form nigh-unbreakable wax on say, someone's hands? I have a plan."
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>"Wax...Tell me, can you remotely form nigh-unbreakable wax on say, someone's hands? I have a plan."
>"'Remotely?'"
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>"Without needing to touch them. I overhead a little something that might just allow us to get an edge against Hunter-Sakuya. You see, if her hands are too tightly gummed up, she can't use many of her weapons, which would allow me to arrive on the playing field, and even things up a bit."
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>"Without needing to touch them. I overhead a little something that might just allow us to get an edge against Hunter-Sakuya. You see, if her hands are too tightly gummed up, she can't use many of her weapons, which would allow me to arrive on the playing field, and even things up a bit."
>Haridoku answers you by extending her arm forward, and a blast of bronze-colored liquid wax explodes from her fist, striking the wall behind you with a solid-sounding splash. The waxy substance makes a series of cracking and popping noises as it dries and hardens within seconds. "I just need a clear shot, and you've got a new statue." Upon seeing the glare her sister gives her, the larger youkai's expression softens slightly. "All right, a temporary statue."
>"Does that mean you want to see some of my stronger techniques?" the Hunter asks Sei confidently.
>"Only if you insist on fighting." Sei replies. "I've no desire to fight in this manner, now that danmaku exists, but if you persist, I'll have little choice."
>The Hunter snorts out a chuckle. "Danmaku? They only use that in Gensokyo."
>"You're IN Gensokyo." Sei informs her.
>That cracks the hunter's confidant facade for a moment, before her half-grin returns. "From Geneva to Gensokyo, and I didn't even sense the magic. The mage here must be very good."
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>Haridoku answers you by extending her arm forward, and a blast of bronze-colored liquid wax explodes from her fist, striking the wall behind you with a solid-sounding splash. The waxy substance makes a series of cracking and popping noises as it dries and hardens within seconds. "I just need a clear shot, and you've got a new statue." Upon seeing the glare her sister gives her, the larger youkai's expression softens slightly. "All right, a temporary statue."
Here's the main point on which we should be writing.I am thinking of something involving a maneuver in bat swarm form,going behind and on the flanks of Sei in a way H. Sakuya think we're the Vampire Master the samurai serves, doubleteaming her by swarming-bloodsucking.Following that,her burning drive against vampires will be leaving her exposed to the wax while Remilia and Sei are covering each other back ,literally. Alas,I can't fit in the right words so I'll edit this post on the chance I find them, if it needs to be;that and I don't won't her to unleash her full power ,which might involve a degree of timestop, due to an half-baked command of mine.Of course,a second alternative would be a spellcard to unsettle and put her under pressure ,because she's still a human in a foreign enviroment. Whatever input floats your boat.Then we can check where the real Sakuya and Meiling took cover.
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Well, my plan was to gum up her hands and feet with superheavy/superdense wax, provided by our little friend here.
Then, zoom in for a quick knockout punch to the gut. Humans are fragile after all, a good bap to the stomach should defuse her.
Plus, when she comes to and finds herself disarmed, yet well-taken-care-of, that should disarm her in the metaphorical sense as well.
Random acts of kindness and all that. If this works out, then Sakuya just got a twin sister.
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A fine plan indeed but we must take in account this detail
>Haridoku answers you by extending her arm forward, and a blast of bronze-colored liquid wax explodes from her fist, striking the wall behind you with a solid-sounding splash. The waxy substance makes a series of cracking and popping noises as it dries and hardens within seconds. "I just need a clear shot, and you've got a new statue."
in order to create an opportunity that avoids last minute dodge or,worse,a friendly fire on Sei.Although now that I've re-read all about Hunter Sakuya's paraphernalia,I noticed that even her gloves are enchanted and I won't be sursprised if she doesn't try to whip out a reprisal which might blow upin her face.So far I've come up with either trying to keep her focus on a swarm of bats trying to "smother" her or simply simulate an attack from above using a delayed "bombardment" made of Remi's aura; at that point,adding a distraction of a counter-attack bySei,we can move in for the knock out.
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That might work. But provided hari's got good aim and timing, she can smack Hunter without worry.
I had another idea, we almost completely encase her in the wax, save for her face and stomach, then we boost in and slam our fist right into her gut for the KO.
>"How confident are you in your aim? Also, can you put out enough wax to almost completely coat a person Sakuya's size in a single shot?"
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>"How confident are you in your aim? Also, can you put out enough wax to almost completely coat a person Sakuya's size in a single shot?"
>The bug youkai's answering grin is positively savage. "I can coat your ring, and not even splash your wrist." Very confidant, she is.
>"Coating a body, though. A human that size, I'd need a sustained shot of at least a few seconds. More of a spray than a blast, especially if you don't want me to just kill her. Coating someone without killing them takes more focus, more time."
>"Do you know danmaku, as well?" Sei asks curiously, evidently opting not to inform the Hunter of exactly how she got here, and what she is. 'Saukya' nods once, and the samurai continues, "Then you've been in Gensokyo before?"
>"Once." the Hunter admits. "I tracked the Rune Mistress here, learned danmaku while I was here. I didn't really see the need of it, but I don't walk away from a power I might have a use for one day."
>The vampire she mentioned, this 'Rune Mistress', doesn't sound familiar to you, but Sei's eyes narrowed for a fleeting moment at the name.
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>Interesting, we'll have to inquire more on that after all this.
>"So we'd need a distraction then, hm?"
>What do we have at our disposal that would be good at distracting The Hunter without her catching on to us?
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>What do we have at our disposal that would be good at distracting The Hunter without her catching on to us?
>By 'catching on to you', do you mean her becoming aware of your presence?
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>Yes.
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No objections,proceed :) . This is an even better solution as using both a distraction and a spray would further break her battle concentration, in turn unnerving H.Sakuya and making her feel more vulnerable if in a tight spot,a trait of the human mind under "stress"; a much needed medicine for an over-zealous vampire hunter. Moreover, the practical part will be completed once her arms and legs are encased but a not-yet-solid coating has a nice psychological bonus. Now I'm awaiting the info from Sourtori/checking out the previous thread for clues.
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Yeah, once she's all gummed up, and essentially disarmed, we can proceed to knock her down a peg or three.
And once she comes to, only to find she's been well taken-care-of, that'll just throw her off even more.
Going from being unnerved(And potentially afraid for her life) by a sudden bout of weakness, to completely confused by one of the creatures she hunts showing her kindness and mercy.
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>Interesting, we'll have to inquire more on that after all this.
>"So we'd need a distraction then, hm?"
>What do we have at our disposal that would be good at distracting The Hunter without her catching on to us?
>You make a mental note.
>"Wouldn't hurt." Haridoku grunts. "I can manage without, though. Not like this is my first scrap with a pissed off human."
>Good question. Strictly speaking, you're not even certain the Hunter is still unaware of your presence as it is. She has looked in your direction on more than one occasion, and while Sei has taken her attention almost completely, she may have taken note of you already. You can't be sure.
>Assuming she hasn't, however, distracting her without making her aware of you would be a tricky proposition. You could easily open fire on her with either magical power or danmaku, or throw your glaive at her, but that would definately give yourself away. Likewise would sending yourself or your bats out. Any Hunter worthy of the title would recognize a bat swarm for what it is. Sending your swarm-form at her from two opposite directions is also a possibility, given where she is presently standing, but that too would reveal yourself. You doubt she could do anything to hurt you in that form, but she'd still know you were there.
>It's a pity there's no fairys around to sic on her. They might make a handy distraction, albeit brief. You best distraction for the Hunter may be Sei herself. She seemed to be fast enough to keep up with Youmu, from what you saw, or at least near enough to it. If she and the Hunter started trading blows again, that would have to occupy nearly all her attention.
>Amitsu herself might also prove a distraction. By her own admission, she may not be as powerful as her sister, but that doesn't mean she's useless. In your experience, sisters tend to have powers similar to each other. If Haridoku can project wax like she does, it stands to reason that Amitsu can project honey in a similar manner. Honey may not be as paralyzing as wax, but it can still blind if it gets in your eyes, and can be almost as sticky as glue in some cases. Plus, being a resident of Gensokyo, she's almost have to have at least some skill at danmaku, and that can distract the best of folks, vampire hunter or no.
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>Look to Amitsu. "Can you produce Honey by any chance? I think that might be another useful means of ensnaring her, alongside the wax. Particularly if it is extremely sticky, the kind you can't easily clean off."
>Then look back to Haridoku. "I think you underestimate her just a bit more than you realize though. That isn't merely Sakuya, that is a Sakuya who has likely lived her entire life hunting Vampires, some of the upper echelons of the Youkai race, along with Oni and the like. After all, if you look at the characters for Vampire, you'll find that they also read as 'Blood-sucking Oni'. Thus, Vampires and Oni are are on a similar level by that logic."
(Remi actually makes this same comparison back in IaMP as well.)
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>Look to Amitsu. "Can you produce Honey by any chance? I think that might be another useful means of ensnaring her, alongside the wax. Particularly if it is extremely sticky, the kind you can't easily clean off."
>Amitsu frowns. "I already told you that I can."
>"You leave her out of this." Haridoku asserts firmly, taking a step towards you. "That human's already hurt her, and I'm not about to let you put her back in danger again."
>"I can feel the darkness of your katana, samurai." The Hunter continues. "Its bloodthirst. So why do I sense that you don't want me dead? Your master wants me alive, is that it?"
>"I have no master." Sei says somewhat quietly. "But the woman who is the master of the house I dwell in does not relish death, even the death of your kind. But that doesn't matter. There are circumstances beyond her desires here, and mine."
>The Hunter snorts. "You mean that clone of me?" she asks, a hint of venom in her voice. "I'll attend to that in due time."
(Hanzo? You haven't been around this late in a while.)
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>"I apologize for my slight bout of forgetfulness. Also, if anyone would be in danger, I am the one more likely to be so. My plan means for your abilities to work together to capture the Hunter. Between the wax hampering her dexterity, and the honey hindering her movement, she'll be rendered a much less dangerous foe."
>"I noticed that when she used that acid spray, she had to make hand signs to use it. If we follow that, it's quite likely that a great deal of her other techniques require the mobility of her hands. Trapping most of her body is merely a side plan to make her easier to hit. Besides, I'm willing to let her reside here until she's fully healed, as she was injured as a result of the actions of a Fate-Clone of my own Head Maid. Though I do wonder if the Vampire version would have been easier to contend with."
(And I likely won't be again for a while, current circumstances for the night are allowing such good fortune.)
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>"I apologize for my slight bout of forgetfulness. Also, if anyone would be in danger, I am the one more likely to be so. My plan means for your abilities to work together to capture the Hunter. Between the wax hampering her dexterity, and the honey hindering her movement, she'll be rendered a much less dangerous foe."
>"I noticed that when she used that acid spray, she had to make hand signs to use it. If we follow that, it's quite likely that a great deal of her other techniques require the mobility of her hands. Trapping most of her body is merely a side plan to make her easier to hit. Besides, I'm willing to let her reside here until she's fully healed, as she was injured as a result of the actions of a Fate-Clone of my own Head Maid. Though I do wonder if the Vampire version would have been easier to contend with."
>Haridoku's face is still set in stone, but Amitsu places her hand on her sister's arm. "I wasn't hurt that bad, Hari."
>"Doesn't matter. I still don't want you near her."
>"You think I want to be, either? But that doesn't matter now. You know as well as I do that we work well together. I may not have your kind of power, my honey may not be as strong as your wax, but I'm not useless. I want this to end without anyone getting seriously hurt. Even if that hunter isn't using danmaku, I don't want to be a spectator if I can help."
>Conflict washes over Haridoku's face, "But, Amitsu.... That's not what your honey's for. That's not who you are..."
>"I'm still your sister." Amitsu counters, her voice firm. "Besides," she continues, placing her other hand gently on her sister's cheek. "You think I'd even think about getting involved if I didn't know you'd protect me?"
>The bigger youkai lowers her eyelashes. Her expression is one of a woman who knows when she's beaten. Despite yourself, you feel a brief pang of jealousy. One day, you and Flan will be able to act that way, without Flandre being impeded by her damaged mind.
>"Why would you think a vampire would clone a hunter?" Sei asks Hunter-Sakuya.
>"I could think of a few reasons, but I really don't care right now. I don't even care that she IS a clone. If she's still human, I'll save her from this place and its vampire, one way or the other, and if I have to go through you, then I will."
>Sei sighs, and raises her katana again. "In deference to the mistress of this house, I will not kill you until I know she wishes you dead."
>The hunter raises her conjured blade up, the flat of the blade facing Sei. "Then you've already lost, if you're going to fight me so half-heartedly." Hunter Sakuya lunges forward, her blade flashing, but you note her right hand gesturing again. Sei's katana flies out and intercepts the conjured blade, but when the two swords collide, the Hunter's blade explodes into metallic shrapnel, every shard flying forward. At that range, even Sei can't dodge them all, but she doesn't even try. Dozens if not hundreds of metal shards stab her all over her body, but her response is to slash her katana backhanded at the hunter, forcing the false Sakuya to back off. As she does so, however, her hands start to sign again, but Sei interrupts her hand signs by raising her own hand and unleashing a black-tinged fireball at the hunter. Sakuya spins in place, and the fireball explodes against her cloak, leaving the garment smoking but undamaged.
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>"I hate to interrupt the touching moment, but I think we had best enact the plan soon? I'll provide the distraction, you two set to gumming her up."
>We can extend our aura through the walls, ceiling and floor of the building, yes?
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>"I hate to interrupt the touching moment, but I think we had best enact the plan soon? I'll provide the distraction, you two set to gumming her up."
>We can extend our aura through the walls, ceiling and floor of the building, yes?
>"I'm not sure you should." Amitsu says, looking back at you. "She's a vampire hunter, after all. Youkai like us would be at greater risk if we went up against a bug exterminator, and this is someone geared in killing your kind. I know how strong vampires are supposed to be, but you still could be in more danger than us." Haridoku opens her mouth to protest, but her sister holds up her hand, silencing her before she starts.
>You can indeed.
>The Hunter comes to a halt and extends her hands out again, two fingers pointing up. A bolt of electricity falls down from the ceiling of the corridor, but Sei raises her left hand and takes the lightning bolt in her outstretched palm. And not a sound escapes her lips, despite the pain that had to have caused her. Sakuya's hunter counterpart raises one eyebrow in quiet surprise.
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>"Well then, I suppose we should wait until Sei provides the right opportunity. We'll just need to tend to her injuries as well. But don't think that I'll be staying on the sidelines for long."
>Let's brace ourselves to dash in.
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>"Well then, I suppose we should wait until Sei provides the right opportunity. We'll just need to tend to her injuries as well. But don't think that I'll be staying on the sidelines for long."
>Let's brace ourselves to dash in.
>"Ami, are you sure?" Haridoku asks her sister. "Vampires are supposed to be tougher than some gods."
>"And a god would be at risk from a Godslayer." Amitsu counters.
>"Yeah, but, that hunter's only human."
>"So's the red-white."
>Haridoku concedes, "Good point."
>"Simple jutsus like that aren't going to beat me." Sei says with iron in her voice, belying the blood trickling from her flechette wounds, and the black smoke coming from her palm. You can smell the singed flesh of her hand, as well as her blood. It has a very distinct aroma. You can tell she was not born a youkai, and that her blood, like the rest of her, has been infused with a dark power.
>"If you're going to use lightning, try something like this." The samurai points her palm at the hunter, and unleashes a massive blast of black and blue electricity.
>Which fails to strike the false Sakuya. In one instant she was standing in the middle of the corridor, and the next, she's standing about a foot to her right, causing the tainted lightning bolt to pass by her harmlessly, exploding into sparks against the wall behind her. You've had the walls of your house reinforced with magic, but the lightning still leaves a deep, large black char mark upon impact, and you think the wood paneling may have cracked. Had that connected, that would have done serious damage to Sakuya, even the real one.
>But that does confirm your fears. The only way she could have done that is if the Hunter Sakuya shares the real Sakuya's time stopping ability.
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>"Interesting and worrying.I don't suppose you're familiar with my head maid's ability to control time but here you are to witness to it. Our plan has to take this aspect into account. Like the aspect of making measured dodge and noting more,so far.In particular,try to focus on her rhytm-area and be ready to make use of it when I create an opportunity."
>Could it be possible to measure the "instant " of pause between appareance and disappearance in a a second,half a second and turn it to our advantage?
> Against the real Sakuya a cross-fire bombardment in a tight space would reduce the area of the timestop and telegraph its movement,correct?
>If the assumption is correct, stand in position to launch a web of aura,with some of it breaking up in "threads" to box her in , to sorround Hunter Sakuya once an opening appears .Make it so that it leaves a safe spot on the edge near Sei, where she could be lured in and intercepted by our three allies.
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>Could it be possible to measure the "instant " of pause between appareance and disappearance in a a second,half a second and turn it to our advantage?
>Clarify, please.
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>Which fails to strike the false Sakuya. In one instant she was standing in the middle of the corridor, and the next, she's standing about a foot to her right
> Could the pause between those two "instants" be measured in a matter of seconds,one,half,a quarter,etc,and be used to synchronize our attacks?
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> Could the pause between those two "instants" be measured in a matter of seconds,one,half,a quarter,etc,and be used to synchronize our attacks?
Do you mean measuring how much time passes for the fake Sakuya while she has stopped it?
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That seems to be my read, but I'll wait for Branneg to answer before I reply in command form.
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Yes ,it's exactly as SirChaotick said.Basically measuring how much her state of disappearance,aka time stop,lasts.
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> Could the pause between those two "instants" be measured in a matter of seconds,one,half,a quarter,etc,and be used to synchronize our attacks?
>In some cases you can tell how long time has been frozen, but only after the fact, and only if there's tell tale signs. For instance, in this circumstance, since the Hunter did not launch any attacks at Sei while time was stopped, and since she only moved about two feet to her right, you can assume that time was only stopped for a matter of seconds. Five seconds, maximum.
>That in and of itself is curious. The real Sakuya would probably have used her power in this case to put herself at more of an advantage, either by attacking Sei or by moving to a better location, taking steps to disarm her, something. It is possible that this version of her does not have that level of control over her temporal power. On the other hand, it's also possible she doesn't want to show the full extend of her powers, either out of arrogance or in an attempt to deceive you all as to how strong she is.
>All that being said, however, the simple fact is that there's no way to determine how long Sakuya will stop time before she does it, Only after the fact.
I know there's more to your post, but I felt I should answer this first, in case it affected what you all wanted to do.
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Alright,as I suspected it seems H. Sakuya can't properly use jutsu,enchanted weaponry and time stop ability all at the same time. Anyhow,cleaning up and reiterating my commands for the parsing.
>"Interesting and worrying.I don't suppose you're familiar with my head maid's ability to control time but here you are to witness it. Our plan has to take this aspect into account. Like the aspect of this version of Sakuya making measured dodge and nohting more,so far.In particular,try to time your shots to handle a dodge by disappearance act following a reapparance act with a pause of five seconds in-between ,at most;if she manages that after I've created an opportunity for you two.Now then,Follow me".
> Against the real Sakuya a cross-fire bombardment in a tight space would reduce the area of the timestop and telegraph its movement,correct?
>If the assumption is correct, stand in position to launch webs of aura,with some of them breaking up in homing bats to box her in , in order restrict possible dodges and force Hunter Sakuya to parry them alongside the jet spray .Make it so that it leaves a safe spot on the edge near Sei, where she could be lured in and intercepted by our three allies.
>Whisper a "stand ready.... ",hover a bit then launch it when Hunter Sakuya is focused on retailating at Sei with jutsu or somesuch
All my talk about the pause has been conceived to better see through her dodging by time-manipulation.Looks like now would be a good time judging by Sei's tainted lighting and subesquent time-stop.Shall we go along this way, Hanzo and SirChaotick?Feel free to edit my quote since I'm going out and I might've overlooked something this time.It's a long post.....Bye-bye.
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Looks good to me. Just remember my part of the plan, to capture her. We'll do whatever we need to with her once we've both recovered, and gained enough insight into this peculiar occurrence. Who knows, there might be more Fate Backlash that'll rebound on our Sakuya if this one's killed.
I'm also suspecting that, had we stopped this one's bubble, we'd effectively be fighting Dio instead.
Timestop? Check.
Throwing Knives? Check.
Vampire? Check.
Likely a Grade-A Jerkass? Most Likely!
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Certainly,Hanzo, that's the better part.I just don't feel like netting Remilia a figure of getting too ahead of herself by underestimating Vampire Hunter Sakuya,off all people.I for myself would want to explore about how Remi could exploit twisting fate as a form of insight, treatment(?) and attack on her opponents.As For Sakuya Brando,I grinned.Anyhow it sounds like she would have had a twist too from Sourtori's description.
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>"Interesting and worrying.I don't suppose you're familiar with my head maid's ability to control time but here you are to witness it. Our plan has to take this aspect into account. Like the aspect of this version of Sakuya making measured dodge and nohting more,so far.In particular,try to time your shots to handle a dodge by disappearance act following a reapparance act with a pause of five seconds in-between ,at most;if she manages that after I've created an opportunity for you two.Now then,Follow me".
>"Wait a second, she can control TIME?" Haridoku blurts.
>Amitsu, however, nods. "Meiling mentioned it when we were examining her earlier."
>The larger youkai puffs out a breath as her wings buzz. "Well, she's still only human. We can take her, powers or no powers."
> Against the real Sakuya a cross-fire bombardment in a tight space would reduce the area of the timestop and telegraph its movement,correct?
>If the assumption is correct, stand in position to launch webs of aura,with some of them breaking up in homing bats to box her in , in order restrict possible dodges and force Hunter Sakuya to parry them alongside the jet spray .Make it so that it leaves a safe spot on the edge near Sei, where she could be lured in and intercepted by our three allies.
>Whisper a "stand ready.... ",hover a bit then launch it when Hunter Sakuya is focused on retailating at Sei with jutsu or somesuch
>While you can't directly affect the area of time she can freeze, you can at least try to take steps to limit her movement, yes. Sakuya may be very agile and clever, but even her time powers can only let her do so much if she's surrounded on all sides by incoming fire. It's the surrounding part that's tricky. Your Sakuya almost never lets herself get caught in a situation she can't get herself out of. With luck, this ersatz version of her isn't quite so cunning.
>"I can see your skill, hunter." Sei says as she lowers her still-smoking hand. "But consider this. Your ninjutsu is no match for my bushido, and your weapons and tools can only equal my dark power, at best. And you can tell I'm a youkai. Don't you think you should stand down? No one in this house means you any-"
>"Finish that asinine line, samurai, and I'll lose whatever respect for you I have." Hunter-Sakuya spits. "I'm a hunter in the house of a vampire. That's all that matters."
>Sei sighs in resignation. "I pray you survive this night."
>The hunter starts forming hand signs again. "Save your prayers for the vampire you're defending."
>With her scorn directed at Sei and her hands occupied with generating yet another jutsu, and your insectile allies ready, you decide that the time is right for you to strike. You unleash your power aura as the hunter brings her two fists together, her jutsu encasing her hands in iron up to her wrists. Amitsu on your left and Haridoku on your right start to advance as well as crimson bolts and bats fly out down the walls of the corridor, towards the Hunter. More specifically, towards the back of her mostly, as your attack isn't meant to hurt her so much as keep her from evading Haridoku and the others. Not that you couldn't have handled her yourself, of course, but having flunkies around just makes things simpler.
>The Hunter looks to her right and left and a look of recognition crosses her face. For a fleeting instant, her eyes meet yours, and you can see the hatred in her eyes, and you know your own instinctive hatred of her kind flares into your own. Her kind and yours have been trying to destroy the other for years beyond counting, and now this hunter wearing Sakuya's face has renewed that enmity here in Gensokyo. Somehow, you have a sense that this fight will be neither quick, nor easy, nor pretty.
>Sei joins her attack with yours, raising her hand and conjuring danmaku, a line of green teardrop shots complimented by a scattering of blue circles. The Hunter now is facing fire from about every direction possible. In response, she pulls a cross that's more of an 'X' than a genuine crucifix from her cloak in her left hand. No human, no matter how agile, can dodge all that fire coming at her, not in such a space. Wide though your corridors are, they're not THAT wide, but the Hunter puts on a very good show trying. She smashes her iron-shod fist into one of your bat shots as she strafes to her left around another one, grazing Sei's danmaku in the process. She stops in place and rolls adroitly backwards, underneath another pair of blue bullets and a blast of aura, springing backwards when her feet return to the ground, spinning in midair and placing her feet on the wall of the hallway. A great show of agility, but marred slightly by the fact that your aura moves faster than she can push off, a surge of crimson power pushing her off the wall, disrupting her balancing and damaging her legs.
>She recovered quite quickly, however, and her runed glove glows green as she rolls again, clenching her fist around her X-shaped tool. The object vanishes, but a group of six glowing green crosses appear all around her as she elevates off of the floor. Your crimson energy and Sei's danmaku crash against the spinning crosses as the Hunter returns to her feet. Hunter-Sakuya, as you'd intended, is not closer to Sei, but that power of hers has left her better protected than you had anticipated. With the size and the speed of the crosses, neither Amitsu nor Haridoku can get a clear shot
>Haridoku, however, tries anyway, firing not wax but a long stinger from her right hand. Surprisingly, the bug timed her shot perfectly, and the needle slips between a gap in Hunter-Sakuya's cross barrier. Even more surprising, the Hunter catches the stinger out of midair with her iron-encased fist, stopping it only inches from her torso.
>She drops the needle as her crosses fade out of sight, the X-shaped cross appearing in her hand again, and looks around at the other three briefly before finally settling her gaze on you. "I'd wondered if you were going to let your minions do all the hard work." she says after a moment. You know for certain that, between you and Sei, you've damaged the Hunter, but she does an admirable job of not showing any signs of it. You'd expect no less from Sakuya, any Sakuya.
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"She's tough ,but shewill fall to the boil like the rest!".Who will uncover this semi-obscure,and adapted,reference?
>To Ami and Hari:"Her dexterityand defenses are impressive but her mobility is now cut and the barrier is vulnerable to aerial attacks. At this pace she'll soon be worn out and outmaneuvered,which should grant you another opportunity".
>To Vampire Hunter Sakuya:"They're not minions.They're friends and acquaintances recently met ,who are giving me and my household an helping hand.I've not intervened personally because my intention is not to wound you,not more than ncessary to put an end to this pointless struggle if you do not wish to surrender.Moreover you're,after all, close to me ,in a sense, though you'll understand why only after this issue is resolved".
>While saying that, keep your guard up for dodging and countering and observe H. Sakuya's condition along with her body language for any change.
> Have Sei's danmaku further damaged H. Sakuya's legs and thus her mobility or have they struck another part of her?
>Is there any lingering aura left from our assault that can be of some use?
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> Have Sei's danmaku further damaged H. Sakuya's legs and thus her mobility or have they struck another part of her?
>Is there any lingering aura left from our assault that can be of some use?
>Sei's danmaku barely touched the hunter, and the places it grazed were along her torso, front and back.
>You still have a nodule of scarlet energy about 5 feet behind the hunter and to her right, and one 6 feet behind her and to her left.
>To Ami and Hari:"Her dexterityand defenses are impressive but her mobility is now cut and the barrier is vulnerable to aerial attacks. At this pace she'll soon be worn out and outmaneuvered,which should grant you another opportunity".
>To Vampire Hunter Sakuya:"They're not minions.They're friends and acquaintances recently met ,who are giving me and my household an helping hand.I've not intervened personally because my intention is not to wound you,not more than ncessary to put an end to this pointless struggle if you do not wish to surrender.Moreover you're,after all, close to me ,in a sense, though you'll understand why only after this issue is resolved".
>While saying that, keep your guard up for dodging and countering and observe H. Sakuya's condition along with her body language for any change.
>The Hunter merely smirks as you inform your insectile allies of her potential vulnerabilities.
>"I've been called a lot of things by a lot of people in my time, but I think that's the first time a vampire has called me 'close'." H. Sakuya admits. "I'm going to assume it has something to do with that woman back there wearing my face. I'll get to the bottom of that in due time. But surrender?" She snorts, keeping her eyes fixed on you, but you're certain the other three youkai present aren't escaping her attention either. "I must be the first hunter you've ever seen, if you think I'll give up that easily."
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Well, you guys think we should inform her of the situation now, or later?
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Well, you guys think we should inform her of the situation now, or later?
Now since she's still a part of Sakuya,who is present.Though, a thorough exposition woul be impractical and maybe counterproductive for both parties.
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So how should we phrase it then?
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> To H. Sakuya:"I am no greenhorn vampire,hunter. I am the renowned Scarlet Devil - place an hand upon your chest -,or maybe you've know me as the Eternally Young Scarlet Moon"."You said you've been to Gensokyo before.Have you ever wondered why in such a cut-off place as Gensokyo a well-established vampire would feel the need to clone a vampire hunter?As you can now see ,and likely saw, there's no shortage of additional willing employees;however,as I said, before these are fresh friends and acquaintances and not my subordinates. And if indeed I was going to clone you,why have you no restrainment whatsoever on you and have retained all your strenght,memories and gear for battle?You should have noticed,by now,that we're standing in a hallway of my mansion and not some sort of experimental laboratory -Pause a moment for letting your arguments sink in- With my power I've cured my dear head maid Sakuya,the one "wearing your face", of an affliction and you are an unexpected result of that treatment, an aspect of her past but an aspect of her nonetheless and a living being. I hope a discussion with her ,when she comes to,will clear things up even more .Anyhow,seeing that with my power I saw your excessively consuming drive you will not back down easily or am I wrong?
>Establish a mental link with the nodules to swiftly utilize them.
Seems to me that it flows well and covers most of the points.Proceed,everybody?
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Works for me. Lemme just do a little tweak here to make it look better, you have a habit of not using the spacebar as often as you should.
> To H. Sakuya: "I am no greenhorn vampire, hunter. I am the renowned Scarlet Devil."
>Place an hand upon our chest "Or maybe you've known me as the 'Eternally Young Scarlet Moon'. You said you've been to Gensokyo before, but have you ever wondered why in such a cut-off place as Gensokyo a well-established vampire would feel the need to clone a vampire hunter? As you can now see , and likely saw, there's no shortage of additional willing employees; however, as I said before, these are fresh friends and acquaintances and not my subordinates. And if indeed I was going to clone you, why have you no restraints whatsoever on you and have retained all your strength, memories and equipment for battle? You should have noticed by now, that we're standing in a hallway of my mansion and not some sort of experimental laboratory."
>Pause a moment for letting the arguments sink in. "With my power I've cured my dear head maid Sakuya, the one 'wearing your face', of an affliction and you are an unexpected result of that treatment, an aspect of her past but an aspect of her nonetheless and a living being. I hope a discussion with her, when she comes to, will clear things up even more. Anyhow, seeing that with my power I saw your excessively consuming drive, you will not back down easily or am I wrong?"
>Establish a mental link with the nodules to be able to swiftly utilize them as needed.
Seems to me that it flows well and covers most of the points.Proceed,everybody?
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Works for me. Lemme just do a little tweak here to make it look better, you have a habit of not using the spacebar as often as you should.
Yes,I should start working on that.It's just I'm so focused on content,punctuation,words written/time elapsed ratio that I sometimes forgot the form.
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> To H. Sakuya: "I am no greenhorn vampire, hunter. I am the renowned Scarlet Devil."
>Place an hand upon our chest "Or maybe you've known me as the 'Eternally Young Scarlet Moon'. You said you've been to Gensokyo before, but have you ever wondered why in such a cut-off place as Gensokyo a well-established vampire would feel the need to clone a vampire hunter? As you can now see , and likely saw, there's no shortage of additional willing employees; however, as I said before, these are fresh friends and acquaintances and not my subordinates. And if indeed I was going to clone you, why have you no restraints whatsoever on you and have retained all your strength, memories and equipment for battle? You should have noticed by now, that we're standing in a hallway of my mansion and not some sort of experimental laboratory."
>Pause a moment for letting the arguments sink in. "With my power I've cured my dear head maid Sakuya, the one 'wearing your face', of an affliction and you are an unexpected result of that treatment, an aspect of her past but an aspect of her nonetheless and a living being. I hope a discussion with her, when she comes to, will clear things up even more. Anyhow, seeing that with my power I saw your excessively consuming drive, you will not back down easily or am I wrong?"
>Establish a mental link with the nodules to be able to swiftly utilize them as needed.
>"Scarlet Devil?" The Hunter snorts out a chuckle. "Were you one her spawn that took her name after she got herself killed? Seventy years is a long time to keep the name of a minor vampire alive. Though if that's the case, I suppose I can respect your devotion."
>To her credit, the Hunter does not interrupt your story as you tell her of how she came to be. That's somewhat impressive for a hunter. You've known of some who wouldn't let a vampire speak more than a few syllables before attacking or fleeing. Still, you have the distinct impression that she may not believe you when you tell her that she is merely an unexpected side effect of returning the real Sakuya to normal.
>After you finish talking, she confirms this. "Do you really expect me to believe that? That I'm just some kind of... 'misplaced potential?'." She folds her arms across her chest. "Come on. You must realize how ridiculous that sounds. Even in Gensokyo, that's pretty farfetched."
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>"Nothing is too far-fetched when dealing with the very threads of fate themselves."
>Are we capable of allowing another to come along on a fate-viewing? At least in the observer sort of manner that is.
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>Perhaps we could try by making Vampire Hunter Sakuya come in proximity,to the extent of touching, with our Sakuya and that's were our "special touch"come into the picture.
> A figment of fate becoming witness to the main line,if we allow the connection to be established....We should try our luck,unless we have had "unsavory" precedents of it or something along those lines?
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>Perhaps we could try by making Vampire Hunter Sakuya come in proximity,to the extent of touching, with our Sakuya and that's were our "special touch"come into the picture.
> A figment of fate becoming witness to the main line,if we allow the connection to be established....We should try our luck,unless we have had "unsavory" precedents of it or something along those lines?
>Clarify, please.
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>H.Sakuya,"figment of fate",would approach and hold hand with our Sakuya,"main line of fate".
>We touch the real Sakuya's hand,read her fate and channel its vision bby reaching out to the potential Sakuya.
>Any deep unpleasantries,assuming we tried it before?
>What's this about spawns and demise?
Broadband had a problem...
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>"Nothing is too far-fetched when dealing with the very threads of fate themselves."
>"Oh yeah, the Scarlet Devil was supposed to be some kind of fate-spinner." She looks at Sei. "Does she think she has the Scarlet Devil's powers, too?"
>"She IS the Scarlet Devil." Sei counters. "Just not the one that you're aware of. She's the Scarlet Devil of this timeline, of this Gensokyo."
>"Which I've somehow been transported to, right." the hunter deadpans, more a statement than a question. You smirk slightly, despite yourself. The way she said that, you'd swear she was the real deal.
>"Is it really so hard to believe? You've been to Gensokyo before, at least the Gensokyo of your timeline. And you've fought vampires before, you've seen the magical side of the world. Can you honestly say you can't imagine something like this happening?"
>The cloaked woman shakes her head. "In that case, no. I can even accept the possibility that me being here was an accident. But what I can't accept is that there's a vampire twenty one feet away from me who doesn't want my blood, my head or my servitude."
>Are we capable of allowing another to come along on a fate-viewing? At least in the observer sort of manner that is.
>Perhaps we could try by making Vampire Hunter Sakuya come in proximity,to the extent of touching, with our Sakuya and that's were our "special touch"come into the picture.
> A figment of fate becoming witness to the main line,if we allow the connection to be established....We should try our luck,unless we have had "unsavory" precedents of it or something along those lines?
>H.Sakuya,"figment of fate",would approach and hold hand with our Sakuya,"main line of fate".
>We touch the real Sakuya's hand,read her fate and channel its vision bby reaching out to the potential Sakuya.
>Any deep unpleasantries,assuming we tried it before?
>What's this about spawns and demise?
>In all the years you've been examining people's fates, you've never actually brought anyone along 'for the ride', as it were. Any time there have been people present, you've simply performed your reading and informed them of the results. At least as much as you felt they needed to know.
>That said, however, you can't see why you COULDN'T do it. Both parties would probably have to be willing, but you imagine you could do it if you really wanted.
>But it wouldn't be without risk. Allowing a third party to view someone's fate, while denying them access to it, without denying yourself access to it... The process there would probably be quite difficult. Setting aside your ego for a moment, you admit that this might not the best time for experimentation. If the Hunter saw the real Sakuya's fate, and decided she wanted to try and change it herself, the results could be catastrophic, not only for both of them, but possibly for yourself, as well. You are certain that, given enough time, enough thought, you could come witha way to do this safely.
>Although... If all you were doing was LOOKING. If you yourself forbade you the ability to influence someone's fate, then that would also protect the person you're watching from your 'passenger'. It wouldn't be incredibly hard, either. A sort of 'wall' between yourself, your passenger and the person who's fate you are looking at would be all that was required, and that's certainly within your power. Well, perhaps 'window' would be more accurate in this case, but a very thick window. It would limit your ability to see someone's fate as freely as you might normally, but it would also ensure the safety of all parties involved.
>Plus there's the fact that both you, and the Hunter, would be putting yourselves in vulernable positions to the other. From what you felt of this false Sakuya, you're not sure that's a risk you want to take without being sure the results would be worth it. And you're almost positive that she won't lower her guard in proximity to you. She may not be attacking at present, and is even being rather reasonable with Sei, in your estimation, but what you felt from her before she popped out of Sakuya's Sea of Never Was shows that there's a part of her that is anything but reasonable.
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>Although... If all you were doing was LOOKING. If you yourself forbade you the ability to influence someone's fate, then that would also protect the person you're watching from your 'passenger'. It wouldn't be incredibly hard, either. A sort of 'wall' between yourself, your passenger and the person who's fate you are looking at would be all that was required, and that's certainly within your power. Well, perhaps 'window' would be more accurate in this case, but a very thick window. It would limit your ability to see someone's fate as freely as you might normally, but it would also ensure the safety of all parties involved.
>A safe and useful course of action for the three parties involved.
>Make this proposition to the Hunter.
>Plus there's the fact that both you, and the Hunter, would be putting yourselves in vulernable positions to the other. From what you felt of this false Sakuya, you're not sure that's a risk you want to take without being sure the results would be worth it. And you're almost positive that she won't lower her guard in proximity to you. She may not be attacking at present, and is even being rather reasonable with Sei, in your estimation, but what you felt from her before she popped out of Sakuya's Sea of Never Was shows that there's a part of her that is anything but reasonable.
>Let's be wise and preparared to avoid this scenario.
>Inform H. Sakuya,in case she accepts,that she will be closely watched by Sei,Amitsu and Haridoku, who will intervene in case of reckless actions on her part .We,ourself,have set our own precaution but decide not to reveal them.
>Remark that we're acting this way because when we stumbled upon her as a potential ,as we read the real Sakuya's fate, we saw aspect of her possesessing an abnormal drive to extinguish our kind, justified in a number of cases but not most,
>Attune ourself to the nodule of energies in preparation of turning the closest to us as an improptu shield for us and the one closest to the other Sakuya as a stream to blast her away,should the need arises.
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>How, exactly, do you wish to phrase this dialogue?
To make it clear, I'm asking you to put it in your own words. 'Inform' commands are all well and good now and then, but in this case, considering the gravity of the situation, I'd like to see your handling of Remilia's dialogue, rather than putting it in the parser's hands.
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Alright,now that the connection problems plaguingo this unit have finally been resolved,I can write freely(and hugely :o)
>Attune ourself to the nodule of energies in preparation of turning the closest to us as an improptu shield for us and the one closest to the other Sakuya as a stream to blast her away,should the need arises.
>"All I wish for is that my head maid and friend Sakuya pulls through the nasty repercussions of a recent ordeal she has faced,which as you can see has left her unconscious."
>"By manipulating the very threads of fate I suceeded not only in doing so but also assisted her in overcomig that same ordeal and yet fate still holds some secrets even to me to this day."
>"I admit I was both intrigued and worried by your sudden appearance,but now what presses me more is to resolve this issue with no more harm than necessary but it can't be done with your co-operation."
>Brief pause.
>Gesture towards the real Sakuya.
>"To prove my good faith I will allow you to look at the real Sakuya's fate making you realize from what kind of person you have originated,what kind of relationships she has,what kind of existence you are and how you came to be."
>"Do remember that we'll only be looking as observers at a line of fate."
>To do so,we three will be needing to be in very close proximity with one another."
>"Keep in mind ,though.that the Scarlet Devil is no fool and you will be closely watched by Sei,Amitsu and Haridoku, who will intervene in case of any sort of reckless actions on your part .I've already set up a number of precautions myself to stave off a potentially grim scenario."
>"I'm not acting this way based on mistrust but based on what I saw and felt about your fate and disposition."
>"What I discovered was you possesessing an abnormally consuming drive,perphaps unaware to yo perphaps not, which threathens to consume you whole."
>"It might have been justified in some,and I underline "some", of your "missions" in your past timeline but present state of affairs hardly justifies it."
>Another brief pause.
>Extend an open hand towards her.
>"The best course of actions I can picture would be for me,as the master of this mansion, to extend an invite to you as a guest in order to let you familiarize with this new world you've been brought to until Sakuya recovers and you can have an heart-to-heart talk with her."
>"In the meantime I'm sure my best friend Patchouli would eagerly answer your questions and direct you to any book in the Voile Library which might catch your interest while Sei would keep you company as she herself is here to satify her thirst for knowledge."
Right now it really does seem our best bet would be to get Hunter Sakuya as a guest.The dialogue is, as usual, open for potential improvements.
In hindsight this is a long-winded speech but do not fret over trimming it if you feel capable.Mind that its purpose to cover "all"contingencies. Anyhow,I can now also picture other possible approaches to the situation in case anyone got inspiration .
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Right now it really does seem our best bet would be to get Hunter Sakuya as a guest.The dialogue is, as usual, open for potential improvements.
In hindsight this is a long-winded speech but do not fret over trimming it if you feel capable.Mind that its purpose to cover "all"contingencies. Anyhow,I can now also picture other possible approaches to the situation in case anyone got inspiration .
Long-winded speeches have been pretty par for the course so far. :P And they're hardly out of character for Remilia, anyway.
>"All I wish for is that my head maid and friend Sakuya pulls through the nasty repercussions of a recent ordeal she has faced, which as you can see has left her unconscious. By manipulating the very threads of fate I suceeded not only in doing so but also assisted her in overcomig that same ordeal and yet fate still holds some secrets even to me to this day."
>"I admit I was both intrigued and worried by your sudden appearance,but now what presses me more is to resolve this issue with no more harm than necessary but it can't be done without your co-operation."
>Brief pause.
>Gesture towards the real Sakuya.
>The hunter is currently not standing at an angle at which to see into Sakuya's room, though you think you've made the point regardless. (Strictly speaking, you can't see her from where you are, either, as the door is partially closed. You CAN see part of Meiling, but no sign of Sakuya.)
>"So her name's Sakuya." the hunter grunts. "Not a bad name, I have to admit."
>"Isn't that your name as well?" Amitsu asks her cautiously.
>The other Sakuya shakes her head. "I'm between names, at the moment. The name I've been using for the past decade was getting too well known, so I had to leave it behind. For a while, at least."
>"So how may we address you?" Sei asks.
>The hunter pauses, then replies, "Dio."
>"An unusual name."
>"I borrowed it from my father."
>"To prove my good faith I will allow you to look at the real Sakuya's fate making you realize from what kind of person you have originated, what kind of relationships she has, what kind of existence you are and how you came to be. Do remember that we'll only be looking as observers at a line of fate. To do so, we three will be needing to be in very close proximity with one another."
>"Keep in mind, though. that the Scarlet Devil is no fool and you will be closely watched by Sei, Amitsu and Haridoku, who will intervene in case of any sort of reckless actions on your part .I've already set up a number of precautions myself to stave off a potentially grim scenario."
>"I'm not acting this way based on mistrust but based on what I saw and felt about your fate and disposition. What I discovered was you possesessing an abnormally consuming drive,perphaps unaware to yo perphaps not, which threathens to consume you whole. It might have been justified in some, and I underline "some", of your "missions" in your past timeline but present state of affairs hardly justifies it."
>"Dio is no fool, either." the hunter says grimly. "You'll kill me the first chance you get, and so will I. So let's dispense with trying to fool the other, shall we? I trust you no further than I could throw Mount Fuji, and you'd be a fool to trust me any more than that." Sei starts to say something, but the hunter cuts her off. "If you've really seen my... 'fate', then you know what I am capable of."
>Another brief pause.
>Extend an open hand towards her.
>"The best course of actions I can picture would be for me, as the master of this mansion, to extend an invite to you as a guest in order to let you familiarize with this new world you've been brought to until Sakuya recovers and you can have an heart-to-heart talk with her."
>"In the meantime I'm sure my best friend Patchouli would eagerly answer your questions and direct you to any book in the Voile Library which might catch your interest while Sei would keep you company as she herself is here to satify her thirst for knowledge."
>The hunter who calls herself Dio cracks a grin, and you think you hear her stifle a laugh. "I'll give you this, Scarlet Devil, or whatever you want to call yourself. You carry yourself a bit differently than the last few vampires I've confronted."
>"Is that not proof of her intentions?" Amitsu asks her.
>The hunter's grin darkens ever so slightly. "Not after you've lived as long as I. Only blood and blades are truth in the Night."
-
>Sigh slightly. "I had expected you to be...'stubborn', even though what you have just heard is the truth. Then again, you are a 'Sakuya That Never Was' in this timeline, so I should expect the unexpected. But I do wonder if there is a way to somehow return you to your timeline. After all, who knows what sort of repercussions your presence in this timeline could have. I suppose if Sakuya were awake, she might know."
>Did we ever know of anyone by that name though? Perhaps that person had a different fate in this timeline.
>Pause thoughtfully. "It's quite interesting really, all this. You branched outside the Time Control power, and looked into other means of fighting. The other Sakuya that could have appeared was a Vampire, and was likely going to be quite troublesome. But the 'Root Sakuya', the original for this line, stuck to the basics. As well as picked up some rather useful life skills like baking. She's quite good at that you know, her cooking talents are most likely among the best in Gensokyo. Especially when it comes to tea and sweets. It's a rather quiet life with her around really, save for the occasional unexpected occurrence, such as when she was possessed by the Sin Spirit of Pride, and attempted to absorb it to claim the power for her own, at the cost of her current self."
>Sigh once more. "That was quite a production really, separating those two once more. That's how you came to be in this timeline you know, my efforts in saving her from herself had the unforeseen effect of dredging up two Potentials from her past. One of which was you."
-
>Did we ever know of anyone by that name though? Perhaps that person had a different fate in this timeline.
>Dio's not an overly common name, but no one figure from your past with that name immediately jumps out at you.
>Although... There WAS a stained glass maker back in the 19th century whom you were acquainted with who may have gone by that name. Though that individual was a woman. And a tough negociator, as well.
>Sigh slightly. "I had expected you to be...'stubborn', even though what you have just heard is the truth. Then again, you are a 'Sakuya That Never Was' in this timeline, so I should expect the unexpected. But I do wonder if there is a way to somehow return you to your timeline. After all, who knows what sort of repercussions your presence in this timeline could have. I suppose if Sakuya were awake, she might know."
>Pause thoughtfully. "It's quite interesting really, all this. You branched outside the Time Control power, and looked into other means of fighting. The other Sakuya that could have appeared was a Vampire, and was likely going to be quite troublesome. But the 'Root Sakuya', the original for this line, stuck to the basics. As well as picked up some rather useful life skills like baking. She's quite good at that you know, her cooking talents are most likely among the best in Gensokyo. Especially when it comes to tea and sweets. It's a rather quiet life with her around really, save for the occasional unexpected occurrence, such as when she was possessed by the Sin Spirit of Pride, and attempted to absorb it to claim the power for her own, at the cost of her current self."
>Sigh once more. "That was quite a production really, separating those two once more. That's how you came to be in this timeline you know, my efforts in saving her from herself had the unforeseen effect of dredging up two Potentials from her past. One of which was you."
>"Fascinating." Dio remarks dryly as she unfolds her arms. This causes you to sharpen your attention again, as her hands are now free. For the moment, at least, she doesn't reach for any weapons or start signing a jutsu, but that could change in a heartbeat.
>"It seems that I have a choice, then, if I want to get back to my own reality. Either I can believe that you mean me no harm, that you mean no harm to anyone else, that you're some kind of 'good' vampire. Or I can kill you and find my own way back."
>"Or die trying." Haridoku growls.
>Dio merely grins, a humorless, bitter gesture. "That choice, I make every day I haven't been killed yet. Fighting a vampire and her youkai cohorts to try and save a girl from that vampire's service? I can think of worse ways to die."
-
Long-winded speeches have been pretty par for the course so far. :P And they're hardly out of character for Remilia, anyway.
It was more explanation-wise for others rather than character-wise :P as,like Hanzo noticed,I tend to focus too much on detailing the content neglecting the form .I'm trying to correct and warn of this habit of mine.
On another note,sadly,my home connection still has "hiccups" :matsuriscowl: which I'm trying to cure.My efforts are detracting from my time surfing the web.
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Okay,enough stalling!Back into the game! :flamingv:
>Eye Dio carefully."I see you're finally opening up to more acceptable proposals lest the current situation become too disavantageous for you and too unpleasant for us ."
>"After all we need to spare our effortsi n finding a way to return you to your timeline so you ,as well as us,can all resume attending to their own affairs ."
>"As for what I'm talking about,remember my earlier reference to the Sin Spirit of Pride?Out of the seven there's still the pending matter of two more who needs to be "re-educated" and returned to their Keeper."
>"Of course there are other friends and acquaintances who are currently assisting by looking into this matter... "
>"But since we were told that Wrath and Greed,along with Pride,would have been the most troublesome of the cadre in Gensokyo,it's better to err on the side of caution than to regret the losses afterwards."
>"Now for the issue at hand...."
>Gesture towards the door behind Dio."For now we should probaly start by picking up clues while watching the fate that was the conduit for your arrival here,Sakuya's."
>"Last but not least,I do believe that in your first appearance you treated Meiling,my martial artist gatekeeper,quite roughly seeing as she's not joined the fray."
>"In fact it's about time we ascertain both Sakuya and Meiling's condition and eventually tend to them."
>Wait for Dio's answer but don't drop our guard.
Mmm,at this point we might be able to recruit Dio-Sakuya :o into the incident resolvers as I don't think we'll find a quick way-back for her and I don't see her as the kind of person that is willing to pass her time at the Mansion assisting Patchouli in her eventual research for a solution,or simply patiently waiting and exploring the premises.
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>Eye Dio carefully."I see you're finally opening up to more acceptable proposals lest the current situation become too disavantageous for you and too unpleasant for us ."
>"After all we need to spare our effortsi n finding a way to return you to your timeline so you ,as well as us,can all resume attending to their own affairs ."
>"As for what I'm talking about,remember my earlier reference to the Sin Spirit of Pride?Out of the seven there's still the pending matter of two more who needs to be "re-educated" and returned to their Keeper."
>"Of course there are other friends and acquaintances who are currently assisting by looking into this matter... "
>"But since we were told that Wrath and Greed,along with Pride,would have been the most troublesome of the cadre in Gensokyo,it's better to err on the side of caution than to regret the losses afterwards."
>"Now for the issue at hand...."
>Gesture towards the door behind Dio."For now we should probaly start by picking up clues while watching the fate that was the conduit for your arrival here,Sakuya's."
>"Last but not least,I do believe that in your first appearance you treated Meiling,my martial artist gatekeeper,quite roughly seeing as she's not joined the fray."
>"In fact it's about time we ascertain both Sakuya and Meiling's condition and eventually tend to them."
>Wait for Dio's answer but don't drop our guard.
>"It seems you misunderstood me." the hunter says smoothly. "Either that, or you're about the second most optimistic vampire that ever stalked the world."
>"There was a first?" Amitsu asks. Which actually draws a brief chuckle from her sister, who still looks mighty tense.
>Dio doesn't seem to mind, at least outwardly, being interrupted, and carries on, "When I mentioned those two 'choices' a second ago, the former really wasn't a choice. Trust is never a choice between a vampire and a hunter, you know that. Only blood oaths hold any sway over your kind. Only blood is the one thing that can be trusted. So far, all you've given me is one of the wildest stories I've ever heard in my entire life."
>"Second choice it is, then." Haridoku intones, and opens her hands, palms up. A stream of wasps flow from her hands, like smoke rising from a flame.
>"Haridoki, stop." Amitsu says very firmly, turning her attention to her angry sister. "This doesn't have to end in violence."
>"It does for her." Dio disagrees, as throwing axe appears in her hand. Though you were well prepared for her to arm herself, the fact that she does not use her weapon at once gives you a slight pause. "I see it in your eyes, wasp-woman. You want to hurt me."
>Through the twin streams of wasps buzzing around her, Haridoku fixes the hunter with a look of pure anger. "You hurt my sister."
>The calm, collected vampire hunter merely nods. "That, I can respect."
-
>Sigh."However small a chance there was for a mostly peaceful resolution,I decided to offer it to you.Too bad you decided to throw it away ,even in this kind of situation".
>Look between Haridoku and Dio."I don't mind ,but in order to avoid regrettaable consequences from happening I suggest you two settle this matter by the typical Gensokyo way :a spellcard duel.Oh,and don't be worried for the lack of required items of our dear "guest,I have an arrangement in mind for that".
Anyone wants to add something?
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>Look between Haridoku and Dio."I don't mind ,but in order to avoid regrettaable consequences from happening I suggest you two settle this matter by the typical Gensokyo way :a spellcard duel.Oh,and don't be worried for the lack of required items of our dear "guest,I have an arrangement in mind for that".
>Haridoku exchanges a quick look with her sister, then exhales sharply through her nose. "Only because you didn't hurt her worse than you did." she grates to the hunter standing before her. Amitsu, you note, looks quietly relieved.
>"Very well." Dio agrees. "If that will appease your sense of honor and duty."
>Sigh."However small a chance there was for a mostly peaceful resolution,I decided to offer it to you.Too bad you decided to throw it away ,even in this kind of situation".
>"NOW you sound like a vampire." the Hunter says with a cool smirk.
>"Wait just a moment." Sei interrupts, the first words she's said in a little while. "There may still be a way we can convince you of the truth of what we've said."
>"Even if I believed you, it doesn't change anything."
>"Oh, I think it can." Sei replies confidantly. "You see, you just said that the Word of Blood has power in your timeline."
>The hunter nods. "It's the only way to really trust a vampire; when they give their word in blood."
>"Well, that is as true in this timeline as the one you come from." Sei informs her, sheathing her katana. "Meaning that, if Remilia gave her Blood Word that everything she's told you is true, that she hasn't lied to you about how you got here, who she is, and that she has no desire to hurt you, you would believe her?"
>Dio's confidant, collected veneer cracks a bit after a moment's thought, and, with some relief, you note that her grip on the silver-edged axe in her hand is no longer quite as firm as it was a moment ago. She finally says, "I have seen too much to doubt a vampire's word when given in blood. If I see it, then I'll accept it."
-
>What exactly does the "Word of Blood" involve on both ends of the agreement?
>What experiences have we witnessed about it in more than five hundreds years?
I've got a general idea,nonetheless it is fun :3 and useful looking into nuances and backstory.
On another note,"Now,you sound like a vampire".... Says the hard-headed and nerve-grating Dio.It also sounds like a compliment to Remilia,a sort of an abrasive on,but still a compliment.
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>What exactly does the "Word of Blood" involve on both ends of the agreement?
>Among humans and vampires alike, when a person gives their word, they sometimes cut themselves and spill blood, swearing by their blood to make good on their word. Usually, for humans, this takes the form of vengeance, but it can also be used as part of a bargain, or some other goal, but always, the intent is severe, and sincere. Humans, however, are notoriously fickle beings, and will sometimes break their word even when it's given in blood.
>For a vampire, however, blood is sacred. Blood is life. When a vampire gives their word, and spills their own blood to show their conviction and sincerity, the act is nigh to divine proof that the vampire means what they say. Even the most dishonorable, craven slug of a vampire would hesitate towards breaking an oath sworn in blood.
>What experiences have we witnessed about it in more than five hundreds years?
>In all your long life, not one vampire you have known personally that gave their word over blood has ever broken it. There was precisely one vampire you knew of that violated a blood oath in your lifetime, an American slave trader by the name of Eight Fingered Richard. The story goes that he promised in blood to return 15 runaway slaves to a plantation owner in southern America, but due to a conflict with an Apache Hunter, he was forced to return to the man in disgrace. When word got out that he had failed to deliver on his sacred oath, a cabal of vampires living in the Boston area tracked him down, and destroyed him for his affront to the honor of the vampire race. America was a brutal country in those years.
>You yourself have never given your word in blood before, but you have been on the receiving end of it. A young russian vampire you knew about 275 years ago, who was still trying to make a name for herself as a winemaker, swore in blood to you that one day she would provide you with the finest wine you had ever tasted. She was very young for a vampire, and you are sure she acted rashly, but she did indeed make good on her word. Six years after she made that oath, she returned to your mansion with a half dozen bottles of red wine. And it was truly the best you had ever tasted. Even now, all these decades later, you can't think of many wines that have bested the young girl's brew. You spare a moment to wonder whatever happened to her.
>Just tonight, you had a request to give your blood word to Yuzuriha, the gatekeeper of the Cobalt Countess, but her offer essentially meant that you would be rendering yourself helpless in an area you didn't know at the time. This was an insult to your pride on top of being an unwise decision at any time, and you were justified in refusing it.
>What Dio and Sei are suggesting, however, is a bit more palatable. All that you would be doing, in this case, would be confirming that everything you've said is true in a way that is beyond anyone's ability to doubt. Only the largest idiot would doubt the blood word of a vampire, and this hunter Dio may be a number of things, but you would not call her an idiot.
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>What Dio and Sei are suggesting, however, is a bit more palatable. All that you would be doing, in this case, would be confirming that everything you've said is true in a way that is beyond anyone's ability to doubt. Only the largest idiot would doubt the blood word of a vampire, and this hunter Dio may be a number of things, but you would not call her an idiot.
There! So let's cast our votes. I could go on myself ,as it's just to prove Remi's good faith, but it's only fair to heed other players' opinion and intervention.
Oh,I nearly forgot: I'm gonna brush up on the Yuruziha-Remi dialogue,in the meantime.
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Well, the main thing of this is that it's exceedingly binding. So we have to use exact words. After all, Yuzu was pretty much requesting the metaphorical act of ripping out our fangs* and handing them to her. Luckily we were able to get around that by proving our intent with action, and not words.
*In the sense that we would have no way to defend ourselves at all in future dealings, if they eventually decided to get hostile for whatever reason.
Perfectly logical concern given our prior experiences with members of that group.
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>Look between Dio and Sei,then nod."A well-thought idea to pass over this predicament,Sei".
>"Very well then.I,Remilia Scarlet,give my Word of Blood as a vampire that everything I've told you is true, that encompasses the way you got here, who am I and what I said regarding my powers,the statement about my intention to merely restrain and not harm you ,my offer to investigate the line of fate and my previous invitation of genuine hospitality directed towards you".
>Step forward and execute the ritual procedure.
>Grin with confidence at the group ."So...Now are we ready to put aside our differences and work out a solution for the current issue?".
Seems a secure course of action to me or am I forgetting something oris the wording unbeffting of the occasion ?
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Still gotta work on the punctuation, but otherwise I'd say it looks good. Proceed.
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>Look between Dio and Sei,then nod."A well-thought idea to pass over this predicament,Sei".
>"Very well then.I,Remilia Scarlet,give my Word of Blood as a vampire that everything I've told you is true, that encompasses the way you got here, who am I and what I said regarding my powers,the statement about my intention to merely restrain and not harm you ,my offer to investigate the line of fate and my previous invitation of genuine hospitality directed towards you".
>Step forward and execute the ritual procedure.
>Grin with confidence at the group ."So...Now are we ready to put aside our differences and work out a solution for the current issue?".
>The ritual isn't much of a 'procedure', per se. It just involves the spilling of a little blood as one speaks. Some vampires carry a blade for just such a purpose, but you do not. You never really anticipated having the cause to give your word over blood, but this night- well, day, by now- has been anything but ordinary. You could use one of Sei's blades, or Haridoku's stinger, but you think the act would mean more if you did it yourself, so as you speak, you form your aura into a sharp edge and draw the blade across your left palm, letting the precious liquid of life drip down from your hand onto the floor.
>You suspect Haridoku and Amitsu have no idea that they have borne witness to something considered sacred among the world of vampires, but the effect is most definitely not lost on Dio. Up to this point, she's been calm, cool and collected. As she watches you swear over blood, the axe in her hands drops and clatters to the floor, and she stares at you, shock engraved into her face.
-
>"I do prefer it when people believe me without this though. I have a reputation as an honest lady to keep up after all. One of my 'claims to fame', as it were. That, and keeping things from getting too stagnant. After all, in this Gensokyo, that's the primary job of many high-profile youkai, such as myself. But you know, this reminds me of a little encounter in the 'Old World' quite some time ago, back in Russia. Oh, she was an enthusiastic one she was, gave her blood word she'd make the best wine I'd ever tasted. And you know what? It was. I do wonder if she's still around, she had a dream to be the world's finest winemaker you know."
>Chuckle slightly. "If she is, and isn't in Gensokyo, I might just have to have her brought here so others can enjoy her works. Not much can match her brews after all, and I've had quite a lot of fine wines over the years."
>Pause thoughtfully. "Hmm...I'll have to consult with an associate on that later, see if she knows of her and whatnot."
>Nod. "That said, I'm certain you believe me now, yes?"
>Let's send a scout-bat to check on Sakuya and Hong, we still can't exactly afford to turn our back, can we?
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>Let's send a scout-bat to check on Sakuya and Hong, we still can't exactly afford to turn our back, can we?
>Indeed. She may believe you know, but she's still a hunter, and the potential threat she poses hasn't been contained entirely. Not yet, anyway. So you send a bat back into Sakuya's room to check out your maid and guard. Both women are standing, concealing themselves by the side of the door to keep themselves out of the hunter's line of sight. Despite what she's been through tonight, Sakuya still looks ready to fight, keeping herself low and her ears cocked. Meiling doesn't seem to have any additional wounds beyond the damage Sabine inflicted on her earlier tonight, and those seem to be healing nicely.
>Meiling gives your bat a brief nod, while Sakuya holds one finger up to her lips.
>"I do prefer it when people believe me without this though. I have a reputation as an honest lady to keep up after all. One of my 'claims to fame', as it were. That, and keeping things from getting too stagnant. After all, in this Gensokyo, that's the primary job of many high-profile youkai, such as myself. But you know, this reminds me of a little encounter in the 'Old World' quite some time ago, back in Russia. Oh, she was an enthusiastic one she was, gave her blood word she'd make the best wine I'd ever tasted. And you know what? It was. I do wonder if she's still around, she had a dream to be the world's finest winemaker you know."
>Chuckle slightly. "If she is, and isn't in Gensokyo, I might just have to have her brought here so others can enjoy her works. Not much can match her brews after all, and I've had quite a lot of fine wines over the years."
>Pause thoughtfully. "Hmm...I'll have to consult with an associate on that later, see if she knows of her and whatnot."
>Nod. "That said, I'm certain you believe me now, yes?"
>The hunter called Dio manages a slow nod.
>"Think you might have broke her, Remilia." Haridoku says with a savage grin, clearly enjoying Dio's stunned countenance.
>Sei, turning from Dio and walking back towards you, produces a black colored strip of cloth and offers it to you. "I'm glad I was able to help."
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>Chuckle a bit, and make use of the cloth to tend to our hand. "It's always a marvel when someone reacts to something like that. I would be lying if I said that I didn't enjoy seeing that from time to time."
>"That said, I suppose we should wait a while until her mind catches up, humans have a marked tendency to do this when confronted with something so mind-bendingly unexpected. That's at least 500 years of experience you know."
-
>Chuckle a bit, and make use of the cloth to tend to our hand. "It's always a marvel when someone reacts to something like that. I would be lying if I said that I didn't enjoy seeing that from time to time."
>"That said, I suppose we should wait a while until her mind catches up, humans have a marked tendency to do this when confronted with something so mind-bendingly unexpected. That's at least 500 years of experience you know."
>Dabbing your wound with the cloth, you sense a very faint tingle of magic from the material. You can't identify the type of magic, but you strongly suspect it's a light healing enchantment. So you wrap your hand in the cloth. Your hand would heal rather quickly anyway, but a little bit faster is always better.
>To her credit, Dio recovers a bit quicker than another human might of, but that doesn't surprise you all that much, given that she is Sakuya. Sort of.
>The blows out a puff of breath, then scoops her axe up from the floor, but in a rather subdued manner. Looking at the weapon, she shakes her head, bemusedly, and puts the axe away. "The Hunter's Guild back home is never going to believe this one. I saw it, and I can barely believe it."
>"Done fightin', then?" Haridoku says with a faint growl in her voice.
>The hunter holds up her hands in a slight shrug. "She gave her word in blood. From a vampire, that's as honest as the word of an angel." She shakes her head again, and says, more to herself than anything, "What a crazy world this must be, to have a vampire like this one." She looks at Sei, almost smiling. "What sort of word is this, Samurai."
>Sei, rather gently, answers, "A kinder world than the one you know, I suspect."
-
>Nod. "Indeed. Here, even Vampires such as myself are relatively accepted. Why, I just recently welcomed a few who were in a forced slumber for a while. Sei here was one of the group who awakened recently. Rather nice sorts, a bit rough around the edges in some cases though. And seven of them have been troublemakers since they woke up, though I owe one a great deal of gratitude for aiding in the rescue of Sakuya from herself. She was possessed by the Spirit of Pride, and got the idea to absorb it to grow stronger, in a misguided effort to be able to better serve and assist me. Of course, I couldn't have that, she's perfectly fine as she is, retaining that one thing I admire about humans. After all, only humans could have the spirit to challenge beings like myself, even with the great risks they take in doing so. People such as yourself are a shining example of that."
>"And another thing, killing another is generally frowned on in this Gensokyo. Here, we resolve matter with objects known as Spellcards. As well as Danmaku, which is an entirely non-lethal means of combat. I daresay that with your evident skill, you can likely use much the same kinds as Sakuya can."
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>"And another thing, killing another is generally frowned on in this Gensokyo. Here, we resolve matter with objects known as Spellcards. As well as Danmaku, which is an entirely non-lethal means of combat. I daresay that with your evident skill, you can likely use much the same kinds as Sakuya can."
>"I guess you weren't listening when I was talking to Sei earlier." Dio replies. "I have been in Gensokyo before. Well, the Gensokyo of my timeline, at least. I learned danmaku while I was there, from one of the Hakureis, even."
>"The HakureiS?" Amitsu says with surprise.
>Dio nods. "Reimu, was her name, the one that showed me danmaku and taught me how to write spellcards."
>"You mean there were more than just the red-white?" Haridoku asks, the idea seeming to make her forget her anger at Dio, for a moment anyway.
>"I suppose I could see how that moniker could apply, but yes, the Hakureis are a clan that maintain the peace of Gensokyo. Rather effectively, as well, though vampires proved to be a bit outside their normal dealings."
>Nod. "Indeed. Here, even Vampires such as myself are relatively accepted. Why, I just recently welcomed a few who were in a forced slumber for a while. Sei here was one of the group who awakened recently. Rather nice sorts, a bit rough around the edges in some cases though. And seven of them have been troublemakers since they woke up, though I owe one a great deal of gratitude for aiding in the rescue of Sakuya from herself. She was possessed by the Spirit of Pride, and got the idea to absorb it to grow stronger, in a misguided effort to be able to better serve and assist me. Of course, I couldn't have that, she's perfectly fine as she is, retaining that one thing I admire about humans. After all, only humans could have the spirit to challenge beings like myself, even with the great risks they take in doing so. People such as yourself are a shining example of that."
>The hunter, having just started to recover her composure, visibly starts again. "Admiration for the human spirit, even a hunter's, coming from a vampire?" With a rueful smile, she runs her hand through her hair. "I would have thought I had lost my mind."
-
>Curl our lips into a tiny smile."No madness involved in this regard,I assure you ".
>"It's better defined as broadening of one own's horizon,for youkai of course.On the other side I picture it for humans to feel it like a steep slope and still the human spirit is ,above all, extraordinarly versatile in overcoming difficulties".
>"On the topic of diverse point of views,I'm beginning to work up a curiosity about your world ,as dark as it might sound,especially in relation to my newfound skill to bridge gaps between one and the next .All in due time,as they say".
>The remark we made about madness....Flan....
>Trail off after remembering Flandre's issues.For emotional instability is no madness,but the pain to bear witness to it in a loved one is similarly deep.
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>Curl our lips into a tiny smile."No madness involved in this regard,I assure you ".
>"It's better defined as broadening of one own's horizon,for youkai of course.On the other side I picture it for humans to feel it like a steep slope and still the human spirit is ,above all, extraordinarly versatile in overcoming difficulties".
>"On the topic of diverse point of views,I'm beginning to work up a curiosity about your world ,as dark as it might sound,especially in relation to my newfound skill to bridge gaps between one and the next .All in due time,as they say".
>"Well, if you desire to learn more of my timeline, then perhaps we could arrange a visit. But if indeed I haven't gone mad, then I need to return to my own time. I wasn't exactly looking for a vacation."
>"Not before you settle with me." Haridoku says quite firmly, though her wasp swarm starts to fade out one by one.
>The hunter nods slowly. "Of course, I haven't forgotten."
>The remark we made about madness....Flan....
>Trail off after remembering Flandre's issues.For emotional instability is no madness,but the pain to bear witness to it in a loved one is similarly deep.
>Though thoughts of your sister sometimes make you gloomy, you maintain your composure. And besides, now that you've got your Sakuya back home where she belongs, you can return your efforts to one day healing your sister's heart and mind.
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Sooooo...Do we propose a change of location for the two of them duking it out to "settle the matter"?Something else?Here , the hallway, has just become a bit cramped.By the way,I reckon a little survey of a certain floor is in order.
>How much time has passed since the start of this little endeavour?
>Sakuya and Meiling being up and about is good news indeed,but did we notice any sign or details of Patchouli on or way here?She might be resting or reading and researching in the Librar ,seeing as Koakuma didn't hint at anything out of place.
>Send out another bat for a reconnaissance mission on the Library floor,to see what has or hasn't changed in the meantime.
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I was just about to suggest a change in scenery for that matter. Perhaps the theater area we had planned to fix up for that opera we had in mind?
>"There's only one Hakurei here on this side. Unsurprisingly, her name is also Reimu. That said, I suppose we should move to a more suitable venue for the spellcard duel between you two, yes? If you have need, I'm relatively certain Sakuya won't mind loaning you a few of hers for that fight. On the off chance that you either lack spellcards of your own, or lost them in transit. I daresay Haridoku won't let things slide without that. And to be honest, I quite understand that. Family is an important thing after all."
>Smirk a bit. "I suppose it's strange, hearing something like that coming from a vampire, no? Vampires have many secrets you know, some that even the Hunters cannot even dream of being privy to."
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>How much time has passed since the start of this little endeavour?
>Sakuya and Meiling being up and about is good news indeed,but did we notice any sign or details of Patchouli on or way here?She might be resting or reading and researching in the Librar ,seeing as Koakuma didn't hint at anything out of place.
>Only a handful of minutes.
>You have seen no sign of Patchy since you returned home.
>Send out another bat for a reconnaissance mission on the Library floor,to see what has or hasn't changed in the meantime.
>The bat that you sent to check up on Meiling and Sakuya is still active, so you direct it towards the great library. It has a bit of distance to travel, so it will take a minute or two to arrive.
>"There's only one Hakurei here on this side. Unsurprisingly, her name is also Reimu. That said, I suppose we should move to a more suitable venue for the spellcard duel between you two, yes? If you have need, I'm relatively certain Sakuya won't mind loaning you a few of hers for that fight. On the off chance that you either lack spellcards of your own, or lost them in transit. I daresay Haridoku won't let things slide without that. And to be honest, I quite understand that. Family is an important thing after all."
>Smirk a bit. "I suppose it's strange, hearing something like that coming from a vampire, no? Vampires have many secrets you know, some that even the Hunters cannot even dream of being privy to."
>"Suitable?" Haridoku demands. "Something wrong with here and now?"
>"I would guess that the Scarlet Devil wants to make a show of your anger." Dio ventures. "It is no secret that vampires often have urges towards the theatrical." The hunter snakes her hand under her cape and rustles around for a moment. "My spellcards came through as intact as the rest of my equipment."
-
>Chuckle a bit. "That, and this hallway is a mite too cramped for a proper duel. Admittedly, if I were to use Gungnir, it would most likely be a certain hit due to that. But I'm not the one fighting, am I? No, it is you two."
>Gesture towards Dio and Haridoku as we say the last part.
>"That said, I know of a potential locale for it to take place. was going to fix it up to host an opera at, but we should be fine with this little scuffle prior."
>Smirk a bit. "A lady has to have a taste for the arts after all. I'm particularly partial to the Germanic operas, such as The Ring of The Nibelung. Norse mythology is always so interesting you know!"
-
>Chuckle a bit. "That, and this hallway is a mite too cramped for a proper duel. Admittedly, if I were to use Gungnir, it would most likely be a certain hit due to that. But I'm not the one fighting, am I? No, it is you two."
>Gesture towards Dio and Haridoku as we say the last part.
>"That said, I know of a potential locale for it to take place. was going to fix it up to host an opera at, but we should be fine with this little scuffle prior."
>Smirk a bit. "A lady has to have a taste for the arts after all. I'm particularly partial to the Germanic operas, such as The Ring of The Nibelung. Norse mythology is always so interesting you know!"
>Haridoku breathes deeply, her shoulders rising and falling. "Yeah, sure. More room to fly's always better."
>"Are you capable of flight, Dio?" Sei asks the hunter. After a nod from Dio, Sei continues, "Though I suppose you have had quite a bit of practice battling flying foes."
>"My fair share." the hunter says dryly.
-
>"I'm glad that today I'll be your host'".Curtsies and smile."Onwards,then!".Shout the last sentence in order for Sakuya and Meiling to hear it.
>Let's make way for the theatre,walking at a normal pace.
>"By the way,what happened to Wriggle the firefly youkai?I heard she was so eager to help she found herself in quite the pickle,Amitsu.
-
>"Something about almost landing herself a position in a termite queen's harem or something? I have to applaud her eagerness to resolve things though."
-
>"I'm glad that today I'll be your host'".Curtsies and smile."Onwards,then!".Shout the last sentence in order for Sakuya and Meiling to hear it.
>Let's make way for the theatre,walking at a normal pace.
>"Any other day, I admit that a statement like that would put me on edge. But I'm not so rude as to doubt a blood word." Dio pulls her cape in a bit tighter and gives you a nod. "Lead on."
>"After you." Haridoku growls.
>"Is there a problem?" the hunter asks, sounding curious rather than offended.
>"Let's just say, I don't want my back turned to you."
>Amitsu gives her sister a cautioning look. "Haridoku...." Dio, however, raises her hand to forestall her argument.
>"Because I hit her in the back?" she asks Haridoku. The larger insect nod slowly. "I understand." Fearlessly she walks past the two insect youkai and takes her place behind Sei, who walks just behind you.
>"By the way,what happened to Wriggle the firefly youkai?I heard she was so eager to help she found herself in quite the pickle,Amitsu.
>"Something about almost landing herself a position in a termite queen's harem or something? I have to applaud her eagerness to resolve things though."
>"Eagerness, my thorax." Haridoku grunts. "Little wimp got in over her head."
>Amitsu, trying rather hard not to correct her sister yet again, opts for a more informative response. "Wriggle-chan was tracking down those termites she discovered earlier tonight, but it turned out that the queen of the hive was a youkai. A fairly young one too, as far as I can tell. She didn't quite have control of her instincts."
>"Tough, though." the larger bug grunts out. "Tougher with her bullets than Wriggle was. Firefly got whupped. She was lucky we come along when we did."
-
>"I have to wonder what happened to that young 'queen'. I I'd like to know a little more about the one who had the courage to have her underlings cause damage to the mansion, perhaps even meet her in person after this little battle's resolved. I might have a proposition for her, should her durability and power be found worthy."
I'm thinking we might have found a potential replacement for Hong. In a good way, since her and Sakuya deserve a vacation/time off after all of this.
After all, we have to be mindful of them since, not everyone can be as resilient and implacable as a vampire in this 'verse.
-
>"I have to wonder what happened to that young 'queen'. I I'd like to know a little more about the one who had the courage to have her underlings cause damage to the mansion, perhaps even meet her in person after this little battle's resolved. I might have a proposition for her, should her durability and power be found worthy."
>"Wouldn't call it courage." Haridoku says gruffly. "More like stupidity."
>"The young one didn't realize who lived here." Amitsu says, much more kindly. "Nor did she seem to care, honestly. As I said, she hadn't really got the best of her instincts. She was still driven by the termites' basic desire to find food for the hive, and..." She blushes slightly, then finishes, somewhat quietly, "Well, perform the other task of a termite queen."
>Haridoku, with another of her downright evil looking grins, adds "An' that's why she went after Wriggle. Seems the twerp was up her alley."
-
>Chuckle a bit. "To each their own, hm? Well, she'll need some...'education in self-control', then. And once that's happened, I'll be expecting her to work off the damages done. Perhaps, as a Termite, she would be knowledgeable in locating quality building materials. After all, we all have a special talent, and given that termites eat and utilize wood, it would then make sense that she also knows what wood is completely unappetizing to a termite, yet useful for building things."
>Fistpalm. "That said, she should try something other than wood sometime, given how she's become a Youkai and such. I wholeheartedly suggest cake. Then again, I am the sort who enjoys a good sweet rather frequently."
>Chuckle a bit. "I suppose I should be thankful that being a vampire allows me to keep my figure. Otherwise I would probably need to be wheeled around or somesuch."
-
>Chuckle a bit. "To each their own, hm? Well, she'll need some...'education in self-control', then. And once that's happened, I'll be expecting her to work off the damages done. Perhaps, as a Termite, she would be knowledgeable in locating quality building materials. After all, we all have a special talent, and given that termites eat and utilize wood, it would then make sense that she also knows what wood is completely unappetizing to a termite, yet useful for building things."
>Fistpalm. "That said, she should try something other than wood sometime, given how she's become a Youkai and such. I wholeheartedly suggest cake. Then again, I am the sort who enjoys a good sweet rather frequently."
>Chuckle a bit. "I suppose I should be thankful that being a vampire allows me to keep my figure. Otherwise I would probably need to be wheeled around or somesuch."
>"Well, maybe you can put her to work after she comes around." Haridoku holds up her left arm and lets her stinger out again. "After we fought the traditional 'Gensokyo' way, she turned her kids on Amitsu. So I gave her one of these full of a sedative. She'll come around in...."
>"A few hours now, most likely." Amitsu finishes her sister's thought. With a frown, she adds, "You gave her a pretty big dose, Haridoku."
>The big bug merely shrugs, lowering her arm. "She'll be fine." she says, almost dismissively.
>"So, is that why you two were here?" Dio asks the sibling insects. "Battling other insect youkai?"
>"Hardly." Haridoku grunts.
>"We're something of travelers." Amitsu says. "We used to live on Youkai Mountain, but after we met the black-white witch about a year ago, I wanted to see more of Gensokyo."
>"And I wasn't about to let her travel alone." Haridoku adds, throwing her toned arm protectively around her sister's shoulders.
>Your bat has now reached the library.
-
>"Love for one's family is something to treasure, to be sure. I suppose when she comes around and tries for something 'untoward', I can just deliver a little 'percussive discipline'. I'm rather good at that you know. She'll have to wake up quite early to pull one over on Remilia Scarlet. Perhaps I'll use a different combat method beyond my usual for her if it comes to that, though I suppose it would be more fitting were I to have a little match with Dio."
>Look back to Haridoku and Amitsu. "That said, if you two need a place to rest, and you happen to be in the area, do feel free to visit."
>Good, now set it to search for Koakuma. Once she's found, we'll have found Patchouli.
-
>"Love for one's family is something to treasure, to be sure. I suppose when she comes around and tries for something 'untoward', I can just deliver a little 'percussive discipline'. I'm rather good at that you know. She'll have to wake up quite early to pull one over on Remilia Scarlet. Perhaps I'll use a different combat method beyond my usual for her if it comes to that, though I suppose it would be more fitting were I to have a little match with Dio."
>Look back to Haridoku and Amitsu. "That said, if you two need a place to rest, and you happen to be in the area, do feel free to visit."
>Good, now set it to search for Koakuma. Once she's found, we'll have found Patchouli.
Isn't Koakuma down in the basement keeping company to Flandre?
>If Koakuma hasn't returned from the basement yet,make it inspect notable landmarks like Patchy's laboratory,her living quarters and the sorrounding areas in search of clues.
>"So you two came down from Youkai Mountain and know Marisa,the Black-White".Smile. "I'm assuming your first impression of her was a rather "explosive" one".
>"Coincidentially, I recently had a run-in with the Kappa folks on Youkai Mountain to get rid of one of those troublesome spores-spouting flying plants".
>"In fact their polluting effects is so annoying that a new acquaintance of mine,Koryu,had to exert himself to the point he passed out in order to clean their waste and had to be hospitalized,even,in order to cleanse their waste ". >
>"We'll be seeing him though,as soon as he's recovered,since I granted him a chance to satisfy his thirst for knowledge by visting the library of the mansion".
>"Speaking of magicians...."Turn to Sei."Sei,has anyone at the Cobalt Keep heard a word about a black-white iwtch flying on a broom? Knowing her tendencies she might have been caught up with Greed".
-
We already brought her up as a possibility.
-
>"Love for one's family is something to treasure, to be sure. I suppose when she comes around and tries for something 'untoward', I can just deliver a little 'percussive discipline'. I'm rather good at that you know. She'll have to wake up quite early to pull one over on Remilia Scarlet. Perhaps I'll use a different combat method beyond my usual for her if it comes to that, though I suppose it would be more fitting were I to have a little match with Dio."
>Look back to Haridoku and Amitsu. "That said, if you two need a place to rest, and you happen to be in the area, do feel free to visit."
>"Well, actually," Amitsu says, sounding a bit reserved. "We had hoped to stay for a little while. It's really a nice place this."
>"Plus that demon of yours owes me some pay for fixing that termite problem." Haridoku adds. "And for filling in for that guard of yours."
>"By the way, if you want to have a word with that wood-eater, I left her strung up with wax in a tree to sleep off my needle. Wouldn't be that hard to bring her in, if you want me to."
>Good, now set it to search for Koakuma. Once she's found, we'll have found Patchouli.
>If Koakuma hasn't returned from the basement yet,make it inspect notable landmarks like Patchy's laboratory,her living quarters and the sorrounding areas in search of clues.
>Seeing no immediate sign of either Koa or Patchy, you set the bat to scout out the library for any of the two wizards' telltale signs. Given the size of the library, this may take a moment or two.
>"So you two came down from Youkai Mountain and know Marisa,the Black-White".Smile. "I'm assuming your first impression of her was a rather "explosive" one".
>"Short arsed blonde little broom-flyer damn near blew up my hive!" Haridoku rambles rather angrily.
>Amitsu chides her sister, "You did start it, you know."
>"Coincidentially, I recently had a run-in with the Kappa folks on Youkai Mountain to get rid of one of those troublesome spores-spouting flying plants".
>"In fact their polluting effects is so annoying that a new acquaintance of mine,Koryu,had to exert himself to the point he passed out in order to clean their waste and had to be hospitalized,even,in order to cleanse their waste ". >
>"We'll be seeing him though,as soon as he's recovered,since I granted him a chance to satisfy his thirst for knowledge by visting the library of the mansion".
>"Speaking of magicians...."Turn to Sei."Sei,has anyone at the Cobalt Keep heard a word about a black-white iwtch flying on a broom? Knowing her tendencies she might have been caught up with Greed".
>The samurai shakes her head. "To my knowledge, none of us have had contact with Greed. Or Wrath, for that matter."
-
>Nod to Haridoku. "I'll let you know to bring her in once my Scout Bat has located Patchouli. We'll need a means of keeping her in check that doesn't involve having her incapable of doing anything other than sleeping after all. And if you two wish to stay, then by all means, please, stay as long as you need. I would be rather pleased if you did, I have to show my gratitude for what you've done after all."
>Fistpalm. "Ah, I suppose you like sweets, yes? Who doesn't? I'll have to see about having Sakuya make whatever sort you ask when she's fully recovered. Her ability and skill is second to none! Well, in this Gensokyo at least. I suppose there could be other, equal or better chefs elsewhere, but Sakuya is perfect."
>Muse thoughtfully. "Perhaps something with honey would work...A honey cake perhaps? Now I'm starting to get a tad hungry for sweets myself. Ooh, maybe a nice seasonal cake with honey sauce...So many possibilities."
>Look to Dio. "I trust you know how to cook, yes? Perhaps Sakuya could show you a few additional 'tricks of the trade', so to speak. If only for the fact that you may have need of a few pointers."
-
>Nod to Haridoku. "I'll let you know to bring her in once my Scout Bat has located Patchouli. We'll need a means of keeping her in check that doesn't involve having her incapable of doing anything other than sleeping after all. And if you two wish to stay, then by all means, please, stay as long as you need. I would be rather pleased if you did, I have to show my gratitude for what you've done after all."
>"Sounds good to me." the larger bug says with a nod. "And I can see about diluting one of my sedative poisons, that'd do the trick. Docile not dreaming."
>"That was rather poetic of you, Haridoku." her sister said, her smile and tone lightly teasing.
>"Watch it."
>Fistpalm. "Ah, I suppose you like sweets, yes? Who doesn't? I'll have to see about having Sakuya make whatever sort you ask when she's fully recovered. Her ability and skill is second to none! Well, in this Gensokyo at least. I suppose there could be other, equal or better chefs elsewhere, but Sakuya is perfect."
>Muse thoughtfully. "Perhaps something with honey would work...A honey cake perhaps? Now I'm starting to get a tad hungry for sweets myself. Ooh, maybe a nice seasonal cake with honey sauce...So many possibilities."
>Amitsu's smile broadens. "Now that's much more up my street."
>Haridoku's arm tightens around her sister slightly. "That's what your honey's for. Trust me, bat-girl, this bee knows her way around the kitchen. Might even give that maid of yours a tip or two."
>Look to Dio. "I trust you know how to cook, yes? Perhaps Sakuya could show you a few additional 'tricks of the trade', so to speak. If only for the fact that you may have need of a few pointers."
>The hunter, ever so slightly, starts as you address her, as she had been shifting her eyes back and forth at the ambiance of your mansion. "Yes, I can." she says, not sounding quite the same as she did before.
>Sei, it seems, also picks up on this, and asks the hunter, "Something troubles you?"
>Dio shakes her head once, then lowers her gaze slightly. "It is... unnatural."
-
>"I suppose she's more used to hunting vampires rather than making general conversation with them."
>Nod. "Most hunters were like that really, I've dealt with my fair share of hunters in the past, long before I made it to Gensokyo. These days things are much more peaceful, and I can spend my time in whatever endeavor comes to whim. Opera, hosting open houses, that sort. Of course, I wouldn't be able to consider myself a proper young lady if I wasn't skilled in at least two or three instruments. Essentially, I get to live how I could have on the outside, were I not a vampire. The perks being that I'll remain largely as I am for what amounts to eternity."
>Sigh a bit. "But you know, even someone like myself gets bored sometimes. That said, these past events have been quite a lot of 'entertainment', so-to-speak. It isn't every day you end up accidentally bringing an alternate version of a close friend into your dimension after all. I simply must 'get the hang' of this little accident, and see about mastering that as well."
>After all, it would be rather interesting to see an alternate version of ourself, wouldn't it?
-
>"I suppose she's more used to hunting vampires rather than making general conversation with them."
>"That is something of an understatement." Dio replys dryly.
>Nod. "Most hunters were like that really, I've dealt with my fair share of hunters in the past, long before I made it to Gensokyo. These days things are much more peaceful, and I can spend my time in whatever endeavor comes to whim. Opera, hosting open houses, that sort. Of course, I wouldn't be able to consider myself a proper young lady if I wasn't skilled in at least two or three instruments. Essentially, I get to live how I could have on the outside, were I not a vampire. The perks being that I'll remain largely as I am for what amounts to eternity."
>Sigh a bit. "But you know, even someone like myself gets bored sometimes. That said, these past events have been quite a lot of 'entertainment', so-to-speak. It isn't every day you end up accidentally bringing an alternate version of a close friend into your dimension after all. I simply must 'get the hang' of this little accident, and see about mastering that as well."
>After all, it would be rather interesting to see an alternate version of ourself, wouldn't it?
>Your troupe has reach the Grand Hallway now, and continue along its way.
>"I don't know that I'd reccomend experimentation." the hunter cautions you. "There are even worse things you could end up conjuring into this time than someone like me."
>Your bat detects the faint sound of pages rustling. You direct it in that direction to see whether it be Patchy or her familiar.
-
>"Well, the way I understand things, it would be best to master this newly-discovered facet of my power sooner rather than later. After all, it's highly likely that it will be instrumental in returning you to your time. Given that is how you came here in the first place."
>How far are we from the theatre area?
(I've forgotten what that one place was called, sorry. I remember that it was in need of a bit of repairs, and would be good for opera and the like.)
-
>How far are we from the theatre area?
>The most direct route is still under repairs, courtesy of Flandre's recent exuberance. It probably wouldn't do for Dio's first experience of your sister to be that, assuming she's here long enough to know of her at all. Not to mention Sei, you wouldn't want her to carry stories of your sister's destructive impulses back the Countess and her ilk. A more circuitous route would take.... 10 to 15 minutes walking pace, if you're not in a hurry to get there.
>"Well, the way I understand things, it would be best to master this newly-discovered facet of my power sooner rather than later. After all, it's highly likely that it will be instrumental in returning you to your time. Given that is how you came here in the first place."
>"Assuming of course this incident can be repeated." Dio remarks. "But how would you propose-"
>The hunter stops abrubtly. Her eyes widen and she stiffens, before falling forward and landing flat on her face, arms splayed out above her head. And Haridoku's stinger protruding from between her shoulder blades.
>Amitsu cries her sister's name in shock, but Haridoku herself merely stands there, her face stony, her left hand extended towards the downed hunter. "Now we're even." she says in a dark voice to the fallen hunter.
-
>Oh for the love of-
>Let's get a look at the stinger, and make an aura field flare up while we're at it. But be mindful of Amitsu's location of course.
>"There's one thing that I dislike quite a bit, and that is foul play. I had fully planned for you two to fight fairly, and with honor. We have the advantage because we can regenerate from our injuries much faster. Humans, as you know, do not."
-
(I've forgotten what that one place was called, sorry. I remember that it was in need of a bit of repairs, and would be good for opera and the like.)
You mean the stage of the theatre,Opera Theatre in this case, with the sorrounding rows of seats?
>The hunter stops abrubtly. Her eyes widen and she stiffens, before falling forward and landing flat on her face, arms splayed out above her head. And Haridoku's stinger protruding from between her shoulder blades.
>Amitsu cries her sister's name in shock, but Haridoku herself merely stands there, her face stony, her left hand extended towards the downed hunter. "Now we're even." she says in a dark voice to the fallen hunter.
Well all can I say is :"Dang it ,Haridoku!".Although a forced detour to the library , for a visit by Dr. Patchouli, might be interesting too.
>Keep the aura field flared up and address Haridoku."I understand you wanted to avenge the harm she inflicted upon your sister,but since both since Dio stood down and both of you have previously agreed on a spellcard duel, that was a totally uncalled for action.And,jugdjing from her reaction,your sister agrees with my view".
>Sigh."I hope at least you employed a sedative poison that can easily be diluted".
>Address Sei but don't lose sight of Haridoku and Amitsu."Unfortunately,it seems our visit to the opera theatre will have to be delayed.Once I've confirmed that the time for pullig such stunts is over,our primary concern will be to get our new guest to the library, to my friend Patchouli,for a quick treatment and a subsequent explanation" .
>Given the events that have transpired in the last two days it would have been nice to leave some time to this reader person to relax,be it Koakuma or Patchouli.Sadly the situation calls for our scout bat to reveal itself to the person concerned as soon as possible.
-
>Oh for the love of-
>Let's get a look at the stinger, and make an aura field flare up while we're at it. But be mindful of Amitsu's location of course.
>"There's one thing that I dislike quite a bit, and that is foul play. I had fully planned for you two to fight fairly, and with honor. We have the advantage because we can regenerate from our injuries much faster. Humans, as you know, do not."
>The large bug's wings buzz for a moment as you display your power. "Your plans aren't my problem. I made my own opportunity to settle the score she owed me. And don't get your wings in a knot, she'll be fine. I didn't hit her anywhere vital, and I think you know I could have."
>"You didn't need to hit-" Amitsu starts to protest, but Haridoku cuts her off.
>"You knew damn well I was going to do exactly that, Amitsu, so don't pretend you didn't."
>Keep the aura field flared up and address Haridoku."I understand you wanted to avenge the harm she inflicted upon your sister,but since both since Dio stood down and both of you have previously agreed on a spellcard duel, that was a totally uncalled for action.And,jugdjing from her reaction,your sister agrees with my view".
>Sigh."I hope at least you employed a sedative poison that can easily be diluted".
>"You don't understand." Haridoku counters. "It wasn't that she hit Amitsu. She shot my sister in the back. As she was running away, trying to get away from the confusion, not being a threat to anyone. And that half-lifed human shot her in the back." She draws herself up to her full height. "And so did I."
>Sei also disapproves of the treacherous attack, and adds her voice to the matter. "It wasn't necessary to pay dishonor with dishonor."
>"Don't give me that 'two wrongs don't make a right' crap, I gave her what she gave my sister. This, and no less, is what happens when someone attacks Amitsu. And you let me do it." she adds, rounding on her sister. "You know me better than I know myself. You knew I had to give her what she gave you, and you knew I wouldn't hurt her badly." Amitsu, looking very conflicted, turns her face from her sister's stern gaze.
>"It's not a sedative." Haridoku corrects you as she steps forward towards the downed hunter. She stops, however, as she notes your aura. "I was just going to take the stinger out. Anyway, it's a paralytic compound I stuck her with. She's still awake, she just can't move. And she'll be fine." With a look down at Dio, she qualifies, "In a day or two."
>Sei takes the initiative and, bending down, removes the stinger from Dio's back and gives the immobilized hunter a once over. "Perhaps not even that long." Looking up at the rest you, she clarifies, "She's a vampire hunter. That means she probably has built up a resistance to poisons and toxins, at least partially. They often do. It would not surprise me at all if she was up and around in a matter of hours." The samurai fixes Haridoku with her gaze. "You know she'll want to settle this with you."
>Haridoku merely nods grimly. "I'll be waiting."
>Address Sei but don't lose sight of Haridoku and Amitsu."Unfortunately,it seems our visit to the opera theatre will have to be delayed.Once I've confirmed that the time for pullig such stunts is over,our primary concern will be to get our new guest to the library, to my friend Patchouli,for a quick treatment and a subsequent explanation" .
>Given the events that have transpired in the last two days it would have been nice to leave some time to this reader person to relax,be it Koakuma or Patchouli.Sadly the situation calls for our scout bat to reveal itself to the person concerned as soon as possible.
>"Of course, I understand." To Haridoku, she asks, "Will moving her make the poison worse?"
>The larger bug snorts. "Of course not."
>Sei nods, then asks you, "Shall I carry her to your library?"
>Your bat homes in on the sound, coming from a small table near a section of the library dealing with phantoms and ghosts. It is indeed Patchouli, reading from a green-covered book by candlelight, another two volumes sitting unopened to her right. Wearing her violet-rimmed glasses, as well.
-
>Nod. "Let's both handle that then. It wouldn't do for me to leave everything to you, seeing as this is my domain after all. I'm a very hands-on sort of girl when things necessitate it. And with Patchouli's knowhow at our disposal, we should be able to find an even quicker remedy methinks. Given how she too is also 'Sakuya', that would mean that she has the same allergies and such, which will make it that much easier. I suppose she also has the same tastes in food and drink by that token."
>And before we help Sei, let's take a quick moment to use the Scout-Bat as a mouthpiece to relay a message to Patchouli. 'Sorry to disturb, but we've got a bit of a situation. I'll be bringing some guests your way, one of which is a particularly peculiar case. Alternate timelines are strange like that.'
>Well, enough prattle, let's help Sei carry Dio to the library.
-
>Nod. "Let's both handle that then. It wouldn't do for me to leave everything to you, seeing as this is my domain after all. I'm a very hands-on sort of girl when things necessitate it. And with Patchouli's knowhow at our disposal, we should be able to find an even quicker remedy methinks. Given how she too is also 'Sakuya', that would mean that she has the same allergies and such, which will make it that much easier. I suppose she also has the same tastes in food and drink by that token."
>"Possibly." the samurai says with a nod as she pulls Dio up off her face. "But a person's experience tends to color one's tastes in many ways. And Dio has clearly had a very different life than Sakuya-san."
>Sei maneuvers herself under Dio's right arm as you mirror her act on Dio's left side, worming your way beneath her left arm. The two of you straighten up, pulling the hunter up between you, the human practically dead weight between you. Not that this amount of weight would trouble a vampire such as yourself, though it does speak to the potency of Haridoku's venom, if it can take down a trained vampire hunter so completely with but one shot. You'd be impressed by that if you weren't so annoyed at the backstabbing bug for paralyzing someone whom you considered a guest of yours.
>And before we help Sei, let's take a quick moment to use the Scout-Bat as a mouthpiece to relay a message to Patchouli. 'Sorry to disturb, but we've got a bit of a situation. I'll be bringing some guests your way, one of which is a particularly peculiar case. Alternate timelines are strange like that.'
>Well, enough prattle, let's help Sei carry Dio to the library.
>It takes you a moment to attract Patchouli's attention, as it often does when she's engrossed in her reading, but when you deliver your message, through your bat, she merely removes her glasses and replies, "I'll deactivate the book traps, then."
>With that done, you and Sei set off, carrying Dio between you with as much dignity as you can afford the immobilized human. A wheezing groan escapes Dio's lips as you travel down the Grand Corridor, and she tries to lift her head once or twice, but doesn't manage much success at all. Haridoku assures you that this isn't abnormal, nor is it a sign of a problem. The toxin she used on Dio doesn't completely paralyze its victims, and she claims not to have used as high a dose as she could have. She didn't want to do any severe damage to Dio, just pay her back for hitting Amitsu in the back. On the one hand, you can relate to her attitude a little, but on the other hand, not only did she deliberately hit Dio in the back when Dio wasn't threatening anyone, but Dio is now your guest, and your pride as a host has been insulted.
>A thought does occur to you as you approach Patchy's realm. There is a vampire hunter immediately to your right. A trained, effective and dangerous one, and one whom you sensed a furious, terrible rage within. Less than half an hour ago, you would have said that her presence here would end only in conflict and blood. And yet, here you are, carrying her to Patch's library to find a way to fix her up, with the aid of a servant of another noble vampire, and a youkai at that. Even by the standards of Gensokyo, where the impossible happens every other day, this is up there on the impossible scale. Despite your irritation at Haridoku, you permit a light smirk to touch your lips. What must Dio be thinking, witnessing this situation? It's safe to say she's never experienced anything quite like this before.
>Upon coming into view of the doors to the library, strangely, you find Mystia standing outside, and she appears to be on the lookout. She gives you a wave as she spots you coming.
-
>Heck, let's chuckle a bit. "Gensokyo certainly is a strange and interesting place, isn't it? Those of the Keep aren't the only ones to find something new about the world of late it seems."
>Following that, let's raise our free hand in greeting to Mystia, and get over there.
>Once there; "You would not believe the day I've had. Perhaps you'll get your chance to find out soon. And by the way, this here is Sakuya in a sense, but also not. Timelines are a peculiar thing."
-
>"In fact your visit is a bit of a intersting surprise in itself.So,what brings you in this section of my abode,Mystia?Here to see Wriggle or have you caught wind of a certain.."-smile-"..developing artistic initiative ?".
>After the reply."Anyhow ,you have currently found me when my hands are quite full,literally.You may follow us to the insides of the library,if you wish to share with us more details."
Well then,we can talk quite a bit with this Night Sparrow.By chance,although she might be not too keen on reading ,Mystia could be the vocals complement to the opera recital,after she debrief us a little about the location(s) of her trip .
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>Heck, let's chuckle a bit. "Gensokyo certainly is a strange and interesting place, isn't it? Those of the Keep aren't the only ones to find something new about the world of late it seems."
>Following that, let's raise our free hand in greeting to Mystia, and get over there.
>Once there; "You would not believe the day I've had. Perhaps you'll get your chance to find out soon. And by the way, this here is Sakuya in a sense, but also not. Timelines are a peculiar thing."
>"It's been quite a night." Sei agrees. "For a number of people."
>"Daylight by now." Haridoku muses.
>Mystia frowns as she looks at the hunter slumped between you and Sei. "What's wrong with her?"
>"Temporary paralysis." Haridoku says bluntly. "I think Remilia here thinks the mage can fix it."
>"In fact your visit is a bit of a intersting surprise in itself.So,what brings you in this section of my abode,Mystia?Here to see Wriggle or have you caught wind of a certain.."-smile-"..developing artistic initiative ?".
>After the reply."Anyhow ,you have currently found me when my hands are quite full,literally.You may follow us to the insides of the library,if you wish to share with us more details."
>"Well, Patchouli-san told me that this library here had a lot of books about music and musicians, so I was having a look around. But about a minute ago, she asked me to pop outside and keep an eye out for you. She said you were coming this way, and that I should take you to her."
>"How big can this place be, if the mage thinks we need a guide?" Haridoku snorts.
>"Big!" Mystia assures her. "You could lost in there almost as easy as the bamboo forest."
-
>"For a first-timer, I can safely say that it's quite imposing. For a full-time resident of the mansion such as myself, it's merely a matter of tedium to make one's way around. I'll admit, it does get irritating at times. And yet, that's also part of the Library's charms. You know, she hardly ever stops adding to it. Either with books penned by her own hand, or books she's obtained through her own means. Locating her shouldn't be too much trouble, provided she didn't leave the area my scouting and messenger bat found her in."
>Let's get on into the library with the group, and work our way to Patchouli.
-
>"For a first-timer, I can safely say that it's quite imposing. For a full-time resident of the mansion such as myself, it's merely a matter of tedium to make one's way around. I'll admit, it does get irritating at times. And yet, that's also part of the Library's charms. You know, she hardly ever stops adding to it. Either with books penned by her own hand, or books she's obtained through her own means. Locating her shouldn't be too much trouble, provided she didn't leave the area my scouting and messenger bat found her in."
>Let's get on into the library with the group, and work our way to Patchouli.
>"No, she's still there." Mystia assures you. "I think she thought that I could save you some travel time. And I don't mind." the night sparrow adds with a smile. "It sorta feels like I've got Mokou's job."
>"Fujiwara no Mokou?" Sei asks, sounding rather surprised.
>"You know her?"
>Sei interjects, "Perhaps we could discuss on the way?"
>Mystia looks slightly abashed. "Right, sorry. This way." The night sparrow opens the doors behind her and leads the way into Patchouli's domain.
>"I would not have thought to hear that name again." Sei says as you and your crew fly along the way. "Unless it is someone by the same name."
>"No, it's probably the same woman." Mystia tells her. "She is immortal, after all."
>"Immortal?" the samurai says, clearly surprised. "I had thought she was only human, despite her pyromantic skills."
>"Her... what?"
>"Apologies. I was referring to her powers over flame."
>"Ahh." Mystia says in understanding. "It is kinda strange, yeah. There's a lot of stories about her, what she is now, I mean, but she's immortal, I know that much. How do you know her?"
>"A friend of mine was traveling across Gensokyo not long after we arrived here, and got a bit lost in the same bamboo forest you mentioned earlier. Gensokyo wasn't quite the same place then as it is now, and she ended up getting in over her head with the feral youkai that dwelt there. Mokou-san got her out of her bind and then guided her out of the forest."
>Mystia nods. "The forest is still a bit dangerous, but you're right, it isn't as bad as it used to be. But Mokou still does that out there. Your friend isn't the first she's helped get out of there." As the night sparrow talks about Mokou, her eyes fall upon the still form of Dio, and she frowns again. "Are you sure that's not Sakuya-san? It looks like her."
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>"It is, and isn't. You see, this is actually a 'Sakuya-That-Never-Was'. To be succinct, she is an incarnation of what Sakuya could have become in the past, but didn't in this timeline. You see, each time one makes a decision, they subtly influence their own fate. For example, recall when I had warned you and Wriggle of a potential fate, and you chose to remain here. That was a 'Branching Point'. This incarnation of Sakuya comes from a path that we never saw, due to residing on the branch where she became my most trusted chief maid. In her line, she chose to become that which my kind despises, a Vampire Hunter. There was also at least one other line I discovered, one wherre she became that which the hunters pursue, a Vampire."
>Look to Dio. "And personally, given how things have been lately, I'm rather more inclined to prefer the hunter's presence instead. Too cold and tyrannical-feeling even for my sensibilities. And I can lean towards that if it's needed, though I generally don't. Haven't needed to for quite some time."
>Chuckle slightly. "It must sound rather odd, a vampire saying that she'd prefer the company of the hunter version of a close friend of hers, as opposed to the vampire version> But I believe Sei knows just how bad things could have gotten, given her own knowledge of a similarly-dispositioned vampire.
>Ah yes, the 'Hourai Immortal', we know her rather well don't we? Given our involvement in the Endless Night Incident.
>"I suppose you could look at Dio here as a 'Fate-Twin', the same person, born from a slightly different fate."
>Nod proudly. "Yes, a fitting term for such an existence."
-
>Ah yes, the 'Hourai Immortal', we know her rather well don't we? Given our involvement in the Endless Night Incident.
>Perhaps 'rather well' would be a bit of an overstatement, as you have only met her the once. But you do she is indeed a 'hourai immortal', one of only two beings you know of that became immortal through the drinking of the fabled hourai elixir. You've heard a number of the stories surrounding her as well. Judging from the power she displayed when you and Sakuya encountered her, you have no trouble imagining her handling herself with a feral youkai or two.
>"It is, and isn't. You see, this is actually a 'Sakuya-That-Never-Was'. To be succinct, she is an incarnation of what Sakuya could have become in the past, but didn't in this timeline. You see, each time one makes a decision, they subtly influence their own fate. For example, recall when I had warned you and Wriggle of a potential fate, and you chose to remain here. That was a 'Branching Point'. This incarnation of Sakuya comes from a path that we never saw, due to residing on the branch where she became my most trusted chief maid. In her line, she chose to become that which my kind despises, a Vampire Hunter. There was also at least one other line I discovered, one wherre she became that which the hunters pursue, a Vampire."
>Look to Dio. "And personally, given how things have been lately, I'm rather more inclined to prefer the hunter's presence instead. Too cold and tyrannical-feeling even for my sensibilities. And I can lean towards that if it's needed, though I generally don't. Haven't needed to for quite some time."
>Mystia isn't what you'd call a stupid youkai, but you are rather certain she hasn't run across anything quite like this before. Though your example with Wriggle brings a light of recognition to her eyes. "I think I understand. So this is Sakuya-san, just... not the Sakuya-san that works here?" She shakes her head. "That's sort of hard to wrap my head around."
>"We're hoping that Patchouli-san can help put things right again." Sei informs her. Then she gives Mystia a vaguely sympathetic look. "It is a strange situation indeed. I have lived many centuries, and I cannot recall an incident quite like this before."
>Chuckle slightly. "It must sound rather odd, a vampire saying that she'd prefer the company of the hunter version of a close friend of hers, as opposed to the vampire version> But I believe Sei knows just how bad things could have gotten, given her own knowledge of a similarly-dispositioned vampire.
>"I suppose you could look at Dio here as a 'Fate-Twin', the same person, born from a slightly different fate."
>Nod proudly. "Yes, a fitting term for such an existence."
>The samurai nods gravely. "A vampire hunter is the stuff of nightmares for children of the night, there is no doubt of that. But a truly blackhearted vampire is a nightmare for all who dwell upon the earth. I am not one to rush to conclusions, but had a vampiric Sakuya-san emerged into this place tonight, every one of us would be in considerable danger, as would the whole of Gensokyo, if we had failed to stop her."
>Mystia seems scared for just a moment, then shakes her head. "Reimu would have dealt with her." The other three youkai look at each other with looks of agreement. The impression the Hakurei mikos have made on the world is considerable.
>"So... how did this Sakuya-san get here?" Mystia asks.
-
>Chuckle with just a tinge of embarrassment. "Ah, that would be due to a little accident involving my..ah, 'unique talents'. So to speak. I was in the process of preventing both potential outcomes from reaching Sakuya's Present, but I was only able to fully stop the Vampire Outcome. So i was left with merely being able to put up a roadblock as it were. Of course, I should have known that it, -as I knew her at the time- being a Sakuya that could-have been, would have been capable of taking a third option. That is how 'Dio' ended up in our line by accident. Fallout from splitting Sakuya and Pride's fates apart you know. It was the only means I could separate the two, given how determined Sakuya had been to absorb Pride. I'd like to think that she's come to her senses now though, and won't try anything so mind-numbingly insane again in the future."
>Make an aside glance towards Sei with a slight grin. "And you tend to encounter some rather demented things in a vampire's way of life after all."
>The stories we could tell the 'kids' of gensokyo's youkai races, no? They'd probably end up with curly hair by the end of it all though, wouldn't they?
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>Chuckle with just a tinge of embarrassment. "Ah, that would be due to a little accident involving my..ah, 'unique talents'. So to speak. I was in the process of preventing both potential outcomes from reaching Sakuya's Present, but I was only able to fully stop the Vampire Outcome. So i was left with merely being able to put up a roadblock as it were. Of course, I should have known that it, -as I knew her at the time- being a Sakuya that could-have been, would have been capable of taking a third option. That is how 'Dio' ended up in our line by accident. Fallout from splitting Sakuya and Pride's fates apart you know. It was the only means I could separate the two, given how determined Sakuya had been to absorb Pride. I'd like to think that she's come to her senses now though, and won't try anything so mind-numbingly insane again in the future."
>Make an aside glance towards Sei with a slight grin. "And you tend to encounter some rather demented things in a vampire's way of life after all."
>The stories we could tell the 'kids' of gensokyo's youkai races, no? They'd probably end up with curly hair by the end of it all though, wouldn't they?
>"Hmm..." Mystia vocalizes. "I don't think I really get it, but, I guess it could have been a worse accident?" she ventures.
>"Worse indeed." Sei concurs. "The tale is somewhat long and involved, but Dio's presence in this timeline is rather benign a side effect of the events that transpired earlier tonight." Sei looks at you as she continues, "From what Celes told us, Meiling-san and Lust had created a bit of separation between Sakuya-san and Pride before you split the two of them apart. I could be wrong, but the factors that led to Dio being here could have been exacerbated if that effort had not gone as smoothly as it had. Which makes me all the more glad we decided to wait for you to arrive at the Keep."
>Haridoku looks between you and the samurai, and then at her sister. "Get the feeling there's a queen of a story here." Amitsu only nods. She hasn't actually spoken since you confronted Haridoku about stinging Dio.
>Your five centuries of life has led you to meet people from walks of life that some youngsters of Gensokyo can only dream of. It might make an interesting book, now that you think about it.
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>"After this mess is resolved, I should write an autobiography of my time. Memoirs are for those nearing the end of their existence. Perhaps once Dio's mobility and health have been restored, I'll regale everyone not in the know about the events that took place."
>Let's continue onward!
>"That said, I can't say today hasn't been filled with excitement."
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>"After this mess is resolved, I should write an autobiography of my time. Memoirs are for those nearing the end of their existence. Perhaps once Dio's mobility and health have been restored, I'll regale everyone not in the know about the events that took place."
>Let's continue onward!
>"That said, I can't say today hasn't been filled with excitement."
>"Oh, you're not that old, are you, Remilia?" Mystia says nicely. How flattering.
>"Maybe you could throw a party at the red-white's place." Haridoku suggests with a grin. "That seems to be the fashion nowadays when these incidents are put to bed."
>Mystia proves a reliable guide, and in short order, your merry troupe arrives at the large round table at which Patchouli sits reading. She looks up at the sound of your approach, looking first at you, then at Dio, then Sei, then the two insect youkai, then gives you a barely perceptible smirk. "Practicing your dramatic entrances again, Remi?"
-
>Chuckle slightly. "You flatter me too much. Both you and Patche."
>Nod. "That said, this is..Well, she wanted to go by Dio. She is another Sakuya. Our...'guest', here shot her with a poisoned needle meant for paralysis. I was wondering if you could figure out a few things. For right now, let's work on helping her purge the toxins."
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>Chuckle slightly. "You flatter me too much. Both you and Patche."
>Nod. "That said, this is..Well, she wanted to go by Dio. She is another Sakuya. Our...'guest', here shot her with a poisoned needle meant for paralysis. I was wondering if you could figure out a few things. For right now, let's work on helping her purge the toxins."
>Patchouli removes her glasses. "Right to the point, I see." She is obviously less fazed than Mystia or the two bugs were about the situation. Not that you'd expect any less. "You realize, of course Remi, that I'm a scholar, not a doctor. Unless it was a magical poison of some kind?"
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>"Well, the timing of all this leaves taking her to Eientei out of the question methinks, but we do have the source of the toxin with us. I'm certain that someone with your caliber of knowledge could devise something to at least hasten the departure of said toxins." Gesture towards Haridoku.
>"That, and I think you'll be interested in how she ended up here. Ah, and before I forget, introductions are in order."
>Look to the others. "This is Patchouli Knowledge, one of my closest friends, and the keeper of this vast library. She also experiments with various magics and such in her free time. Which she invariably has much of. She's also an accomplished magician, among other things. In fact, it's safe to say that if there's something I wouldn't trust to Sakuya, she is the one I would go to instead, that is how trusted she is."
>Then look back to Patchouli after the others who haven't already met her have introduced themselves. "You won't believe this Patche, but this woman, as you may have already gathered, is another Sakuya. Specifically, one of her possible futures that didn't happen in our timeline. She appeared from Sakuya's Past Fate as a result of the separation of her and the Sin Spirit Pride. There was another one that might have shown up, and I'm rather glad I stopped that one instead. That one was going to be a vampire version of her, and quite a nasty example even by my standards at that. You know how I sometimes get in a foul mood? Well, that likely would have been far worse, especially given my currently-weakened state due to the exertion of splitting Pride from Sakuya. Nothing some rest won't fix though."
>Chuckle a bit. "But worry not, Sakuya herself is quite alright, this one manifested a physical form separate from hers. Thankfully. But the main goal is to get 'Dio' back to full health, and figure out some way to return her to her timeline. And if anyone can figure it out, it would be you. Even my rather vast pool of experience pales in comparison to yours after all."
>Pause thoughtfully. "Hmm...We might have to get some input from those people at Eientei as well if it comes to it though."
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>"Well, the timing of all this leaves taking her to Eientei out of the question methinks, but we do have the source of the toxin with us. I'm certain that someone with your caliber of knowledge could devise something to at least hasten the departure of said toxins." Gesture towards Haridoku.
>"That, and I think you'll be interested in how she ended up here. Ah, and before I forget, introductions are in order."
>Look to the others. "This is Patchouli Knowledge, one of my closest friends, and the keeper of this vast library. She also experiments with various magics and such in her free time. Which she invariably has much of. She's also an accomplished magician, among other things. In fact, it's safe to say that if there's something I wouldn't trust to Sakuya, she is the one I would go to instead, that is how trusted she is."
>"I suppose I can try." Patchy replies, closing her book. "Creating an anti-venom should use a number of the same principals of an alchemic mixture." She pauses. "At least in theory."
>"We've met." Haridoku says bluntly.
>"Indeed." Patchy says with a nod. "As a matter of fact, Remilia, I took it upon myself to hire her as a temporary replacement for China while she was off earlier tonight." With a glance at Dio, she adds, "Seems like it wasn't a bad idea."
>"Damn straight." the big bug says with a confidant grin.
>"You, on the other hand, are new here." Patchy says to the samurai woman flanking you.
>Sei starts to bow, then pauses, as Dio would probably be inconvenienced by the gesture, then merely nods, as formally as she can manage. "I am pleased to meet you, Patchouli-san. My name is Sei Senoue, protector of the Cobalt Countess."
>"Would that, by any chance, be the other vampire Remilia mentioned earlier tonight?" Sei nods again, and Patchy looks mildly amused. "From the looks of it, I would guess that the Countess and the Devil came to an understanding of sorts?"
>"The tale is somewhat long, Patchouli-san, but rest assured, my mistress bears your friend the Scarlet Devil no ill, and wants nothing more than to be friends, and to find peace in Gensokyo. I would be honored to speak of the tale of what transpired tonight, but perhaps we should attend to the Scarlet Devil's guest, first."
>Then look back to Patchouli after the others who haven't already met her have introduced themselves. "You won't believe this Patche, but this woman, as you may have already gathered, is another Sakuya. Specifically, one of her possible futures that didn't happen in our timeline. She appeared from Sakuya's Past Fate as a result of the separation of her and the Sin Spirit Pride. There was another one that might have shown up, and I'm rather glad I stopped that one instead. That one was going to be a vampire version of her, and quite a nasty example even by my standards at that. You know how I sometimes get in a foul mood? Well, that likely would have been far worse, especially given my currently-weakened state due to the exertion of splitting Pride from Sakuya. Nothing some rest won't fix though."
>Chuckle a bit. "But worry not, Sakuya herself is quite alright, this one manifested a physical form separate from hers. Thankfully. But the main goal is to get 'Dio' back to full health, and figure out some way to return her to her timeline. And if anyone can figure it out, it would be you. Even my rather vast pool of experience pales in comparison to yours after all."
>Pause thoughtfully. "Hmm...We might have to get some input from those people at Eientei as well if it comes to it though."
>Patchouli blinks twice. "You're right. I don't believe it. I had not thought your power had that potential side effect."
>"Believe it." Haridoku grunts. "Crazy ass human just exploded outta the maid after Remilia here fixed her. Sort of fixed her." the big bug corrects herself. "She ain't from this world. Either that, or she's out of her tree crazy."
>"So far as we can tell, Dio's presence in this timeline is an accident." Sei says more politely than the big bug. "A consequence of not only Remilia-san's power, but also of the circumstances surrounding Sakuya and how she was restored to normal prior to Dio's arrival."
>Patchy folds her arms across her chest and peers at Dio again. "Fascinating." She then pulls herself back. "But I suppose the analysis of that can wait, if you want her back on her feet, Remilia. I'll need to brush up on my entomology, of course. Unless of course either of you happen to know of a counter agent?" she asks Haridoku and Amitsu.
>Both insects shake their heads. "I stuck the hunter here with a weakened version of mud dauber venom, if that's what you wanna know, though."
>Patchy visibly starts at the word 'hunter', and looks at Dio again. More specifically, the weapons she can see beneath her cape. "As in... vampire hunter?"
>"Nailed it."
>Patchouli frowns deeply. "And you want me to heal her?" she asks you, sounding very incredulous. "I realize you pride yourself on being a good host, Remi, but isn't a vampire hunter a bit dangerous to be walking hale and hearty around the Mansion?"
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>"Patchy,I assure you this person before us means no harm to anyone in this household".
>"Yes,at first she was stubborn and aggressive,as I felt from her burning passion when she still was in the fate line,but after some scuffle,a good talking and,most importantly,my given Word of Blood she stood down,accepted my invitation as a guest and now is looking for a way to return to her own timeline".
>Sigh."I would have preferred to have been trusted by her on my own attitude and actions towards her since I have a reputation to uphold.Then again,from what I could gather,she comes from a much darker world than ours."
>"Personal remarks aside,the state you see this vampire hunter here,whose has named herself Dio, ended up into was not due to a forceful attempt of restrainment but merely an effect of a reckless action of a certain someone-glance hardly at Haridoku- who was far too eager to wait for a proper spellcard duel to settle scores".
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>"Patchy,I assure you this person before us means no harm to anyone in this household".
>"Yes,at first she was stubborn and aggressive,as I felt from her burning passion when she still was in the fate line,but after some scuffle,a good talking and,most importantly,my given Word of Blood she stood down,accepted my invitation as a guest and now is looking for a way to return to her own timeline".
>"You gave your...." Patchouli starts, then smiles softly, both surprised and pleased. "This Dio must have made quite an impression on you, indeed, for you to do that." She straightens, and her face turns confidant. "Good enough for me."
>Sigh."I would have preferred to have been trusted by her on my own attitude and actions towards her since I have a reputation to uphold.Then again,from what I could gather,she comes from a much darker world than ours."
>"Personal remarks aside,the state you see this vampire hunter here,whose has named herself Dio, ended up into was not due to a forceful attempt of restrainment but merely an effect of a reckless action of a certain someone-glance hardly at Haridoku- who was far too eager to wait for a proper spellcard duel to settle scores".
>"Reckless, my thorax." Haridoku countered. "I made my opportunity, and I took it. You shoot my sister in the back, I shoot you in the back. I'm a simple woman, Remilia, you get what you give. It's that simple."
>"There's a certain logic to that." Patchy says with a certain professional air, as she comes around the table to have a better look at Dio. "Of course, as I'm sure Remilia will have told you by now, that isn't generally how things are settled here in Gensokyo now."
>"Especially when it's human against youkai, I know, I know." the big bug replies with no shortage of sarcasm. "If the red-white wants to take it up with me later, that's her business. I settled mine."
>Patchouli takes a clinical look at the now-healed over sting Haridoku inflicted upon Dio, then nods absently. "You can set her down, now." Amitsu, rather proactively, pulls a chair out from the table.
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>"A simple and practical logic it is,yes, but flawed by the fact that we will have to see if the other party judge it the same way when she comes to it ,given the prior established terms."
>" For comfort,let us not dwell on the complications any further as we have a matter to attend here on hour hands."
>Offer a small smile to the honeybee youkai."My,what readiness.Thanks, Amitsu."
>Nod to Sei and place Dio on the chair in a possibly comfortable position for the check-up.
>In the case she can't be positioned upright,opt for her to be placed on the table.
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>"A simple and practical logic it is,yes, but flawed by the fact that we will have to see if the other party judge it the same way when she comes to it ,given the prior established terms."
>" For comfort,let us not dwell on the complications any further as we have a matter to attend here on hour hands."
>Offer a small smile to the honeybee youkai."My,what readiness.Thanks, Amitsu."
>Nod to Sei and place Dio on the chair in a possibly comfortable position for the check-up.
>In the case she can't be positioned upright,opt for her to be placed on the table.
>Haridoku draws in a breath, seeming to inflate in the process, but after a quick glance at her sister, she merely says, "Fine."
>The smaller bug merely nods. "Just trying to be helpful." she says quietly. The first words she's spoken in a while, now that you think about it.
>"Koa's read her medical texts more recently than I have, but I think I should be able to come up with something." Patchouli assures you as you and Sei sit Dio down as comfortably as you can make her. The chair is large enough to allow her to remain in a seated position, though she does slump in the chair, for obvious reasons. Fortunately it is a comfy chair. Every chair in the library is comfy, per Patchy's orders. The mage herself walks behind you and, as you stand away from Dio, leans in and says, quietly, in the German language which you both speak, "What about Flandre? What if this hunter were to see her?"
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>Reply in the like. "It won't be a problem, as I don't plan to let her roam that far. And Flan seems content to remain down there as long as she'll get to see Sakuya again soon. Which I plan to remedy as soon as Sakuya decides to stop being on edge and lurking about like one of those Ninjas. Besides, she might not seem it, but she's a fair deal more accepting towards the situation since I gave my blood word on this matter."
>Chuckle a bit, then return to responding in German. "You should have seen the look on her face when I proved to be well outside her common expectations through that act. I wouldn't be surprised if her mind actually shut down for a brief moment while trying to process it. Recovered rather swiftly though, as expected of someone who is, for all intents and purposes, also a version of Sakuya."
>Suppress the urge to make an expression of disgust, and resume responding normally. "But you should have seen the other Fate Bubble. Two words. Vampire. Sakuya. Not exactly a pleasant prospect is it? Glad I stopped that one from arriving at least. But now we've ended up with another mess, and a real puzzler at that."
>Since this whole mess involves time and dimensions, Sakuya would probably be able to help. And as irksome as it would be, we'd likely need Yukari's assistance as well wouldn't we?
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>"Moreover,a meeting of the two Sakuyas, viewed as two sides of the same fate-coin, could very well be a useful learning experience , conducted with the proper tact of course."
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>Reply in the like. "It won't be a problem, as I don't plan to let her roam that far. And Flan seems content to remain down there as long as she'll get to see Sakuya again soon. Which I plan to remedy as soon as Sakuya decides to stop being on edge and lurking about like one of those Ninjas. Besides, she might not seem it, but she's a fair deal more accepting towards the situation since I gave my blood word on this matter."
>Patchouli nods solemnly. She knows full well the gravity of the word of blood, especially when given to a hunter.
>Chuckle a bit, then return to responding in German. "You should have seen the look on her face when I proved to be well outside her common expectations through that act. I wouldn't be surprised if her mind actually shut down for a brief moment while trying to process it. Recovered rather swiftly though, as expected of someone who is, for all intents and purposes, also a version of Sakuya."
>"It is rather challenging to ruffle Sakuya's feathers." Patchy replies. "Any Sakuya."
>"What kinda jabber is that?" Haridoku demands.
>"Nothing that concerns you." Patchy says simply.
>Suppress the urge to make an expression of disgust, and resume responding normally. "But you should have seen the other Fate Bubble. Two words. Vampire. Sakuya. Not exactly a pleasant prospect is it? Glad I stopped that one from arriving at least. But now we've ended up with another mess, and a real puzzler at that."
>"You are certain that you settled that matter, yes?" Patchy asks. "The other Sakuya, I mean. Other other Sakuya." she corrects herself, drawing a giggle from Mystia and Amitsu.
>"Moreover,a meeting of the two Sakuyas, viewed as two sides of the same fate-coin, could very well be a useful learning experience , conducted with the proper tact of course."
>"Provided it doesn't cause some sort of a temporal paradox." Patchouli says. "Although I suppose if that was a possibility, it would have happened already. One can never be too sure, though, temporal mechanics are a bit tricky sometimes." The mage straightens. "Of course, we can settle that after the first problem is dealt with." She turns her eyes to Haridoku. "Could you provide me a sample of the poison you used?"
>The big bug produces another stinger from her left wrist, but instead of launching it, she grabs it with her right hand and snaps it off with an ugly noise. "Watch the tip." she says, thrusting it sideways to Patchy.
>The mage accepts the stinger carefully, examining the point. "I would wager one of my books mentions a counter agent to this poison, but if not, I can synthesize one. It may take a bit longer."
>Since this whole mess involves time and dimensions, Sakuya would probably be able to help. And as irksome as it would be, we'd likely need Yukari's assistance as well wouldn't we?
>Vexing though she can be, this sort of thing does seem to be up Yukari's alley. You couldn't say for sure she's ever dealt with anything quite like this before, but with Yukari, one can never be too sure. You are sure, however, that if she wanted, she could probably at least offer some insight on the matter, even if she couldn't solve the problem on her own.
>The tricky thing with Yukari is, of course, summoning her. She isn't the easiest youkai in Gensokyo to track down, and tends to show up only in times of great trouble, or to annoy someone. Rumor has it she has eyes and ears all over Gensokyo, so if you called her, she may well hear you. Whether or not she'd come is another matter.
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>"On the matter of the potential Vampire Version, I stopped that bubble in a way that was rather thorough. I don't think we'll have anything to fear from that one, as that fate likely became a 'Dead End' afterwards. To borrow a term from something I've heard is rather popular in the outside. Something about a book you can watch I think? Either way, that Sakuya's journey has likely ended. Unless, perhaps, that was merely an avatar of some kind. But regardless of that fact, I think it's best that there isn't a Vampire Sakuya of that sort. Too cold and dark for even my tastes. And you know how wildly I tend to oscillate between the various alignments. Even I have standards after all."
>Didn't Patchouli have some sort of means to contact Yukari from back during the Geyser Incident though?
>Look back to Haridoku. "I can assure you that it didn't involve you in any way, you would've heard your name if we were. Japanese names don't exactly translate easily into German. We'd be here for a bit longer than planned if I tried."
>Look back to Patchouli. "You know, I initially saw the Cobalt Countess as a possible foe, but now I think I might have found another possible associate. Or even friend. Eriza's her name you know, and she's quite unlike a vampire, despite being one. No taste for the 'ham', as it were. Favors the simpler things as well it seems. But then again, considering how her sire was, that's rather understandable. Sort of fellow I would likely take the time to ruin on both principle and whim."
>Smile enigmatically. "But I've yet to meet a girl who doesn't love sweets, all we need is for things to calm down enough so that Sakuya can produce some. After all, what sort of House Master -or friend- would I be if I didn't have pride in the abilities of those around me? A poor one, which I am most certainly not."
>Fistpalm. "By the way, do you remember where the texts on the Germanic Operas are? I had a brilliant idea, and one that will put that old theater room to use as well. it might need a little reconstruction to achieve proper acoustics though, but we'll cross that river when we come to it."
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>"On the matter of the potential Vampire Version, I stopped that bubble in a way that was rather thorough. I don't think we'll have anything to fear from that one, as that fate likely became a 'Dead End' afterwards. To borrow a term from something I've heard is rather popular in the outside. Something about a book you can watch I think? Either way, that Sakuya's journey has likely ended. Unless, perhaps, that was merely an avatar of some kind. But regardless of that fact, I think it's best that there isn't a Vampire Sakuya of that sort. Too cold and dark for even my tastes. And you know how wildly I tend to oscillate between the various alignments. Even I have standards after all."
>Didn't Patchouli have some sort of means to contact Yukari from back during the Geyser Incident though?
>"It may be that this other Sakuya is simply continuing on in her own timeline as well." Patchy says, examining the big bug's stinger. "Regardless, so long as she isn't about to explode into this timeline, that's all that really matters to us. It's been noisy enough around here as it is for one night."
>Patchouli had a means of contacting Marisa during that event- and was quietly annoyed at having to split her air time with the dollmaker and the kappa, as you recall, mukyuu- but Yukari was Reimu's problem at the time. Patchy didn't see a need to bother contacting Yukari. She's frequently more trouble than she's worth. That said, however, Patchy can be quite resourceful when she puts her mind to it. She may well be able to figure a way to contact the so-called Protector of Gensokyo- among other titles and descriptions- if you really felt it was necessary.
>Look back to Haridoku. "I can assure you that it didn't involve you in any way, you would've heard your name if we were. Japanese names don't exactly translate easily into German. We'd be here for a bit longer than planned if I tried."
>"There's more'n one language?" Haridoku replies, bluntly but curiously. "Thought every two-footer had just the one language."
>"That's mostly true in Gensokyo, but the outside world is quite different." Patchouli informs the insect. "The number of spoken languages numbers in the hundreds, increasingly exponentially as you go back in time."
>"You can keep 'em." the bug snorts. "I like my talk nice and plain."
>"This is obvious."
>Look back to Patchouli. "You know, I initially saw the Cobalt Countess as a possible foe, but now I think I might have found another possible associate. Or even friend. Eriza's her name you know, and she's quite unlike a vampire, despite being one. No taste for the 'ham', as it were. Favors the simpler things as well it seems. But then again, considering how her sire was, that's rather understandable. Sort of fellow I would likely take the time to ruin on both principle and whim."
>Smile enigmatically. "But I've yet to meet a girl who doesn't love sweets, all we need is for things to calm down enough so that Sakuya can produce some. After all, what sort of House Master -or friend- would I be if I didn't have pride in the abilities of those around me? A poor one, which I am most certainly not."
>"Eriza...." Patchy mutters thoughtfully, placing Haridoku's stinger carefully on the table. "That name sounds vaguely familiar, but I can't put my finger on it. I'll give it some thought."
>Sei, who had been scanning the surrounding bookshelves, nods in your direction. "The Countess has been like that for as long as I've known her. Understated, modest, humble, but genuine as well. She doesn't put on a show for the benefit of others, or for the sake of her own ego." Proudly, she adds, "If I were here, I would consider that a victory, a source of pride, that she can be that genuine a person, considering the man who turned her, and what he put her through. And she may, but it can be hard to tell, even for someone who's known her as long as I. Celes is about the only one of us who can read those sorts of emotions in her."
>"She sounds nice." Mystia chimes. Sei gives the night sparrow another nod.
>Fistpalm. "By the way, do you remember where the texts on the Germanic Operas are? I had a brilliant idea, and one that will put that old theater room to use as well. it might need a little reconstruction to achieve proper acoustics though, but we'll cross that river when we come to it."
>"One level down, fifty two shelves south, two rows east." Patchy replies easily. "No wait, four rows." she corrects herself, and you catch her stifling a small scowl. "I had Koa do some reshelving after Marisa's last visit."
>"That reminds me, Patchouli-san." Mystia says, floating in the mage's direction. "I looked at those books you told me about, the ones you said were music, but it was all lines and symbols. It looked really weird."
>"That's sheet music." the mage says absently.
>"What's sheet music?"
>Patchy gives the sparrow a look. "I was under the impression that you were a musician yourself."
>"I am!" Mystia says firmly.
>Patchouli sighs again, and looks at you out of the corner of her purple eye, and look that reads plainly, 'Want to help me out here?'
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>"I suppose she'd be more suited to a songbook instead. Seeing as she seems incapable of reading sheet music at the time."
>Look to Mystia. "As Patchouli said, what you attempted to read was sheet music, primarily used in tandem with an instrument. Though if one's voice is flexible enough, it can be applied to singers as well I suppose."
>Look back to patchouli. "Oh, something else interesting just came back to mind. Have you ever heard of a phenomena where a Vampire's presence still lingers strongly in a location even long after their demise? Because it just so happens that the Cobalt Keep has a case of that. Even Reimu's power couldn't drive it away. And what's more, when we used a teleporter meant for getting around faster, I actually saw one of that vampire's lingering memories. He was rather displeased about either not being paid tribute, or not being paid enough tribute. If I recall correctly. I felt rather angry myself after experiencing that memory, but I was able to keep it in check until it subsided. But that was nothing compared to the anger the rageblooms inspired."
>What else do we recall from that stray memory, a name, or perhaps a date?
>And for that matter, do we know any quick ways to contact Reimu? Well, we can always follow through with that after a good night's sleep.
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>"Regarding that phenomena at the Cobalt Keep,I just recalled a detail that might prove useful in determining it: both Shou, a buddhist youkai and avatar of Bishamonten , and Reimu,a shinto priestess, could sense the lingering unholy presence but they couldn't focus on it and they sensed it as somehow farther away from them like it was harder for the Eastern Gods to affect it,like it needed some sort of Western influence first to be truly affected".
>"To be more specific,the strongest presence was precisely felt at an unhallowed chapel".
>"This hypothesis was first suggested by a denizen of the Keep who had spent,alongside several of the other residents, much time and effort to purge the taint placed on that section of the place so I think it's worth considering it being pointed out by a trained eye of sort ".
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>"I suppose she'd be more suited to a songbook instead. Seeing as she seems incapable of reading sheet music at the time."
>Look to Mystia. "As Patchouli said, what you attempted to read was sheet music, primarily used in tandem with an instrument. Though if one's voice is flexible enough, it can be applied to singers as well I suppose."
>"Is that something that happens on the outside?" Mystia asks.
>"Frequently." Sei informs her.
>"And here in Gensokyo, as well." Amitsu adds. "It's how humans write their music down." She gives the sparrow a small shrug and a matching smile. "It doesn't make a lot of sense to me either, but, I'm not a musician."
>Mystia doesn't seem to care for the idea, if the expression on her face is any indication, but she seems to mull it over.
>Look back to patchouli. "Oh, something else interesting just came back to mind. Have you ever heard of a phenomena where a Vampire's presence still lingers strongly in a location even long after their demise? Because it just so happens that the Cobalt Keep has a case of that. Even Reimu's power couldn't drive it away. And what's more, when we used a teleporter meant for getting around faster, I actually saw one of that vampire's lingering memories. He was rather displeased about either not being paid tribute, or not being paid enough tribute. If I recall correctly. I felt rather angry myself after experiencing that memory, but I was able to keep it in check until it subsided. But that was nothing compared to the anger the rageblooms inspired."
>What else do we recall from that stray memory, a name, or perhaps a date?
>And for that matter, do we know any quick ways to contact Reimu? Well, we can always follow through with that after a good night's sleep.
>"Certainly it happens." Patchouli replies. "Lingering traces of good and evil have been noted all over the world. It's hardly a phenomenon restricted to vampires. I rather expect you yourself have left traces of yourself in this Mansion. But that's a topic that almost always requires a long conversation. Which is fine, but, you DID want me to work on that antidote at some point tonight, yes?"
>You recall nothing specific that could be used to narrow things down... No wait, that's not entirely true. The two young men the vampire felt such disdain for seemed to be wearing armor that was eastern european in styling, possibly Romanian or Turkish, but you can't remember enough to be definite.
>The fastest means at your disposal is usually to send a messenger. Neither Patchy's magic nor your own power is of the same sort as Reimu's, and as such, neither of you have developed a reliable method of long range communication with the Hakurei miko. Of course, since she and Kogasa are still off hunting down Greed and Wrath, they're likely to be away from the shrine for a day or two yet.
>"Regarding that phenomena at the Cobalt Keep,I just recalled a detail that might prove useful in determining it: both Shou, a buddhist youkai and avatar of Bishamonten , and Reimu,a shinto priestess, could sense the lingering unholy presence but they couldn't focus on it and they sensed it as somehow farther away from them like it was harder for the Eastern Gods to affect it,like it needed some sort of Western influence first to be truly affected".
>"To be more specific,the strongest presence was precisely felt at an unhallowed chapel".
>"This hypothesis was first suggested by a denizen of the Keep who had spent,alongside several of the other residents, much time and effort to purge the taint placed on that section of the place so I think it's worth considering it being pointed out by a trained eye of sort ".
>That catches Patchouli's ear. She looks at Sei and asks the samurai and asks, "Do you know what caused this phenomenon?"
>Sei nods, her expression dark. "I was there. I was with Eriza when we fought that vampire. I have challenged oni, youkai, mononoke and evil souls, but that man had a blacker heart than any I had ever encountered before, or have encountered since."
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>Nod. "I do recall that the armor worn by two young men I saw in the memory was of a unique design only found in one of two places in the outside. It was either Romanian or Turkish in origin. That would place the location around the old Wallachia area wouldn't it? But yes, do handle the antidote, we'll discuss this more afterwards. If need be, I can send a summons bat to fetch Koa."
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>Nod. "I do recall that the armor worn by two young men I saw in the memory was of a unique design only found in one of two places in the outside. It was either Romanian or Turkish in origin. That would place the location around the old Wallachia area wouldn't it? But yes, do handle the antidote, we'll discuss this more afterwards. If need be, I can send a summons bat to fetch Koa."
>"Bulgarian, actually." Sei informs you as Patchouli flies off to the east. "There's a number of similarities in the armoring of that region. Or at least there were, at the time." Bulgarian... That sounds significant, for some reason.
>"You came from outside, too?" Amitsu asks the samurai.
>"Long ago. But we were sealed for many years; over a century, it seems. We have only recently awakened."
>Mystia seems to have settled her musing, and asks you at last, "Is that how everyone on the outside records their music?"
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>To Mystia,said nonchalantly:"Instrumentally speaking,it is an established fact for all but a few extremely talented few."Cast your gaze downards. After half a minute"Worry not.On the side of songs for gifted folks, notes on a pentagram,those are their names, are but an option ".Add a smile to the line.
>After a bit,mull on our own. "Bulgarian,Bulgarian,this country nudges my memory...."
>Focus.Are there any details or peculiarities resurfacing in regaards to that?
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>To Mystia,said nonchalantly:"Instrumentally speaking,it is an established fact for all but a few extremely talented few."Cast your gaze downards. After half a minute"Worry not.On the side of songs for gifted folks, notes on a pentagram,those are their names, are but an option ".Add a smile to the line.
>After a bit,mull on our own. "Bulgarian,Bulgarian,this country nudges my memory...."
>Focus.Are there any details or peculiarities resurfacing in regaards to that?
>"What does that mean?" Mystia asks you.
>A Bulgarian vampire... One who was so powerful and so evil as to leave his taint lingering long after his Keep was taken by new people, kind and strong people.... One who carried himself with a supreme arrogance, you saw....
>The one name that comes to your mind, after several moments of thought, is the Ebon Regal. But it couldn't have been that monster of a vampire. His reputation was such that the Countess would never have been able to beat him, even with all the friends and servants you saw.
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>Look to Sei. "It couldn't possibly have been the Ebon Regal could it? As far as my knowledge goes, he's the only one I could think of. But if that's the case, I'm left wondering how he was defeated, given his fearsome reputation."
>He was the sort of fellow even we gave a wide berth to, yes?
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>He was the sort of fellow even we gave a wide berth to, yes?
>A very wide berth. On the one hand, he had the reputation of not being the sort of person you would ever choose to involve yourself with anyway. On the other hand, in your less arrogant moments, you wondered if even your own vast power would have been enough to best him, and you were rather sure you would have had to try.
>The Ebon Regal was a vampire who laired in Bulgaria for at least seven centuries. Stories of him go back to the 11th century, although some claim he was even older, possibly as old as the sack of Rome by the ancient Celts. His power was such that when the Byzantine Empire overran Bulgaria in the early ten hundreds, some say they did so because he allowed it to happen, for the tribute they paid him. The Regal believed that the world was created solely to entertain him. Minds were his to break, lives were his to play with, souls were his to buy and sell at his pleasure, bodies awaited his touch to be molded. Entire villages were depopulated by him, and the continent of Europe and the near east whispered his name fearfully. He was without sympathy, without remorse, without any hint of compassion.
>His Keep was a bastion of darkness sitting on the eastern slope of a Balkan Mountain, looming over the world while they trembled in his shadow. He was said to be one of the most powerful vampires in the first half of the millennium. All sorts of stories were told of what went on inside that terrible castle, but not one soul ever left the place with their mind intact to tell the tales. You recall hearing of a famous vampire hunter who was brave, or foolish, enough to enter the Keep around 1325 on a mission to destroy him. She was found wandering the Gobi Desert in 1556, unable to speak coherently, muttering only about eternity and impermanence, her hands and feet transformed to living stone and her eyes replaced with black onyx that somehow still functioned.
>And then, one day, he simply wasn't there. Everyone that knew his name marked the night of April 16, 1792, when his castle, and him along with it, simply disappeared. Eyewitness accounts, such as they were, reported that on that night, the keep glowed with harsh purple and brilliant golden light, and then simply faded out of existence. Neither it, nor the Regal himself, were ever seen again.
>Look to Sei. "It couldn't possibly have been the Ebon Regal could it? As far as my knowledge goes, he's the only one I could think of. But if that's the case, I'm left wondering how he was defeated, given his fearsome reputation."
>The dour faced samurai nods grimly. "Yes, Scarlet Devil. The Cobalt Keep was once the home of the Ebon Regal."
>The paralyzed hunter makes a grunting noise at the mention of the name. She seems to have heard it before. Not a great surprise that he would have made a name for himself in that timeline as well.
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>"I might have guessed. There was a little legend involving his disappearance. Apparently one night, April 16th, I believe it was back in the 1700's? That night, the keep he held, which I know know to have been renamed as the Cobalt Keep, -a much better moniker if you ask me, sets a nice contrast with my own domain- vanished in a blast of purple and gold light, never to be seen again. I can only assume that the lights were the demise of the Regal, and the keep's subsequent entry into Gensokyo."
>Nod. "That said, it certainly explains the feelings and such I felt from the memory."
>Make an expression of disgust. "The thought that I interfaced with a remnant of his presence isn't particularly pleasing. Though I did once feel that I could have beaten him if I'd put my full strength to it. I do wonder what his fate was in the timeline Dio hails from. I remember a tale of a hunter that went after him in this one. Apparently she had went after him back in the 1300's, and resurfaced somewhere in the Gobi Desert in the 1500's. Poor thing kept muttering about eternity and such. Even I wouldn't do anything like that to someone, cursing them like that isn't my style."
>"I'm much more inclined to merely breaking them before me through my own physical power, as opposed to going as far as he did. It's much more entertaining -and rewarding for those involved- when the person who challenged me and failed, lives to attempt again sometime down the line. The fact that spellcards allow such a thing by default is quite wonderful."
>Fistpalm. "I wonder if the old story about him dating back to even the sack of Rome is true? That's been a bit of an enigma among the newer blood as it were. Even some of the older ones weren't sure on it themselves if I'm not mistaken."
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>"I might have guessed. There was a little legend involving his disappearance. Apparently one night, April 16th, I believe it was back in the 1700's? That night, the keep he held, which I know know to have been renamed as the Cobalt Keep, -a much better moniker if you ask me, sets a nice contrast with my own domain- vanished in a blast of purple and gold light, never to be seen again. I can only assume that the lights were the demise of the Regal, and the keep's subsequent entry into Gensokyo."
>"Not directly. We remained in the outside world for a few decades more, before coming here. After we found our way back to the material plane."
>"Material plane?" Haridoku asks.
>"The physical world." Sei clarifies. "The spell that defeated the Regal removed the Keep, and us, from the real world to another place. One which I won't claim to truly understand. Nor do I truly understand the means by which we returned. Sorcery is not unknown to me, but there are levels that are far beyond my knowledge. I believe Tsumiko would be able to clarify the matter."
>Fistpalm. "I wonder if the old story about him dating back to even the sack of Rome is true? That's been a bit of an enigma among the newer blood as it were. Even some of the older ones weren't sure on it themselves if I'm not mistaken."
>"I do not know." Sei admits. "I know that some of his victims stretched back centuries, and that some of his genuine artifacts dated back to before the reputed birth of Christ. Of course, a vampire collecting antiques is hardly unique to him."
>Nod. "That said, it certainly explains the feelings and such I felt from the memory."
>Make an expression of disgust. "The thought that I interfaced with a remnant of his presence isn't particularly pleasing. Though I did once feel that I could have beaten him if I'd put my full strength to it. I do wonder what his fate was in the timeline Dio hails from. I remember a tale of a hunter that went after him in this one. Apparently she had went after him back in the 1300's, and resurfaced somewhere in the Gobi Desert in the 1500's. Poor thing kept muttering about eternity and such. Even I wouldn't do anything like that to someone, cursing them like that isn't my style."
>"I'm much more inclined to merely breaking them before me through my own physical power, as opposed to going as far as he did. It's much more entertaining -and rewarding for those involved- when the person who challenged me and failed, lives to attempt again sometime down the line. The fact that spellcards allow such a thing by default is quite wonderful."
>"How is that possible, humans don't live that long." Mystia objects.
>Sei, darkly, informs her, "Humans lived for as long as he wanted them to when they fell victim to him."
>"Right bastard." Haridoku says bluntly.
>"A mild understatement." Sei replies dryly. "We have done much to try and purge his evil, to heal his victims, but his power has baffled everyone we have known, everyone that has tried."
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>"Aha, so that's how it happened. Perhaps he wasn't defeated then. But rather, imprisoned in the teleporter system somehow? After all, even if you eliminate a Vampire's physical body, their spirit can still linger to cause trouble. It would certainly explain why I saw that memory, he might have been reaching out to a 'less pure example' in an effort to escape. Considering that I can hardly be considered a Saint in comparison to Eriza, it's rather logical. I know that's what I would do in that situation. Particularly if I still had friends to protect."
>Nod. "That said, some Vampires are downright evil, little songbird. Thankfully, the ones cropping up of late -including myself- are of much more noble heart and intent. After all, I plan to put on an Opera with the help of those of the Cobalt Keep. Opera is basically a play, but entirely with singing instead of speaking, there a re very few speaking roles, save for certain plot-important characters, and the character designated as the narrator. One such example is Samael, the 'Black Huntsman', one of two antagonists from a classic called 'Der Freischutz'. Which happens to be the planned opera. I was considering either finding a suitable person for that role, or claiming it for my own, on the off chance there is no suitable individual."
>"Of course, this will all happen once the remaining Sin Spirits have been corralled and brought to task for causing trouble. I think Pride's already learned his lesson, so the only remaining ones are wrath and greed."
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>"Aha, so that's how it happened. Perhaps he wasn't defeated then. But rather, imprisoned in the teleporter system somehow? After all, even if you eliminate a Vampire's physical body, their spirit can still linger to cause trouble. It would certainly explain why I saw that memory, he might have been reaching out to a 'less pure example' in an effort to escape. Considering that I can hardly be considered a Saint in comparison to Eriza, it's rather logical. I know that's what I would do in that situation. Particularly if I still had friends to protect."
>"Imprisoned." Sei repeats the word, chewing it over. "Yes, that's as good a way to put it as any." The samurai rests her wrist lightly on her katana. "When the final spell was cast, the Keep was removed to that other world, but the Ebon Regal was trapped between worlds, caught between the physical world and whatever world Annina sent us to. Of all of us, only she had the power to confront him directly, alone, without being overwhelmed. Only she had a chance of holding him."
>"But I don't believe what you felt was the Regal himself." Sei theorizes. "In all the time we have dwelt there, though we have sensed his lingering evil, we have seen no signs of the Regal himself. Vampires far more evil hearted than you, Remilia, have found the Keep and sought the death of the Countess. If Regal could have reached one of them, he would have. Annina's power was great enough that I believe it would take a mage of surpassing talent, and evil nature, to weave a spell strong enough to free him from his otherworldly jail."
>Nod. "That said, some Vampires are downright evil, little songbird. Thankfully, the ones cropping up of late -including myself- are of much more noble heart and intent. After all, I plan to put on an Opera with the help of those of the Cobalt Keep. Opera is basically a play, but entirely with singing instead of speaking, there a re very few speaking roles, save for certain plot-important characters, and the character designated as the narrator. One such example is Samael, the 'Black Huntsman', one of two antagonists from a classic called 'Der Freischutz'. Which happens to be the planned opera. I was considering either finding a suitable person for that role, or claiming it for my own, on the off chance there is no suitable individual."
>"Of course, this will all happen once the remaining Sin Spirits have been corralled and brought to task for causing trouble. I think Pride's already learned his lesson, so the only remaining ones are wrath and greed."
>"You're passionate about opera, aren't you?" Mystia asks. "I can tell, from your voice."
>"I would agree." Sei says, her face absolutely straight. "It was the first thing she did after rescuing her maid, is start organizing this show."
-
>"Ah, but have you forgotten how I freed Sakuya and Pride from each other? I have a suspicion that the Regal himself, or perhaps a shade of the orignal, was attempting to somehow make contact when we used the teleporter. After all, my power would likely be one of the few things capable of making it set that he could possibly return. After all, what split Sakuya and Pride physically was not myself, but the laws governing fate. I simply broke apart their fates and created a causality error that forced the world to recognize their prior fate as false, thus physically forcing them apart. Of course, considering what I know about the fellow, that's the last thing I'd do for him. Gensokyo only has room for one arrogant high-profile vampire. I'd be more likely to give him a taste of Gungnir instead."
>Come to think of it, what's the story behind our Gungnir spellcard? Did we honestly procure the real deal? Or is that just us being our usual arrogant self?
>Look to Mystia. "You'll find that Vampires, just as any other youkai, have wildly varying hobbies and pursuits. Some spend their time idling it away in luxury, others spend their time committing horrendous atrocities, others spend it outwitting their fellow vampire. And even others still collect antiques, weapons, or even books. I myself am more inclined towards the arts. As a proper noble should be."
-
>Come to think of it, what's the story behind our Gungnir spellcard? Did we honestly procure the real deal? Or is that just us being our usual arrogant self?
>When you developed your spear-shaped burst of magic, it proved to be extremely accurate, so you named it after the lance of Odin. Because it was awesome.
>"Ah, but have you forgotten how I freed Sakuya and Pride from each other? I have a suspicion that the Regal himself, or perhaps a shade of the orignal, was attempting to somehow make contact when we used the teleporter. After all, my power would likely be one of the few things capable of making it set that he could possibly return. After all, what split Sakuya and Pride physically was not myself, but the laws governing fate. I simply broke apart their fates and created a causality error that forced the world to recognize their prior fate as false, thus physically forcing them apart. Of course, considering what I know about the fellow, that's the last thing I'd do for him. Gensokyo only has room for one arrogant high-profile vampire. I'd be more likely to give him a taste of Gungnir instead."
>"I suppose it is possible." Sei admits. "But if it was this, it would have to be a new development, something that has come about as a result of our recent reawakening. The lingering taint of his has never expressed anything that implied conscious effort. Even with other vampires, that has never happened before. I will need to bring this to the Countesses attention when I return home. Just in case."
>"So you think there's a chance this other vamp could be trying to come back?" Haridoku demands.
>Sei shakes her head. "Personally, no. But I am not the sort to take chances, certainly not where he is concerned. It's best to bring the matter to the attention of those better equipped to look into it than I am."
>Look to Mystia. "You'll find that Vampires, just as any other youkai, have wildly varying hobbies and pursuits. Some spend their time idling it away in luxury, others spend their time committing horrendous atrocities, others spend it outwitting their fellow vampire. And even others still collect antiques, weapons, or even books. I myself am more inclined towards the arts. As a proper noble should be."
>"Then consider yourself invited to my next concert!" Mystia says cheerfully, searching her pockets for a moment before giving up. "Oh right, haven't made up the tickets yet. But when I do, I'll get you one."
-
>"We have the same opinion then, Sei. Perhaps we could somehow send concentrated sunlight into his prison, or have it spread throughout the keep while the residents are elsewhere for the time. That might be a means of purifying his taint. All the same, warn the others to avoid using the teleport system until we've all got things figured out, hm? I suspect that it might be passing through his prison somehow due to the entry into Gensokyo. Who knows if he might be using that as an escape route. Our best bet would be finding his greatest weakness, and 'finishing the job' somehow. I hate not being thorough. We should consult with Byakuren, Shou, and Reimu. As well as Yakumo, being that she probably knew about all this from the start, and is likely the true reason behind why she put you and the others to sleep in the first place."
>Look to Mystia with a slight smile. "Well then, I'll look forward to it. Just know that Vampires have enhanced senses, so my hearing is better than most."
>Then look to Patchouli, how's she progressing with the antidote? Or did she get sidetracked by all the talk about the Regal?
-
>Then look to Patchouli, how's she progressing with the antidote? Or did she get sidetracked by all the talk about the Regal?
>Patchouli flew off in a northeasterly direction a few minutes ago to work on a counter agent for the poison.
>Look to Mystia with a slight smile. "Well then, I'll look forward to it. Just know that Vampires have enhanced senses, so my hearing is better than most."
>"Oh, I'm used to that. I do sing for youkai."
>"We have the same opinion then, Sei. Perhaps we could somehow send concentrated sunlight into his prison, or have it spread throughout the keep while the residents are elsewhere for the time. That might be a means of purifying his taint. All the same, warn the others to avoid using the teleport system until we've all got things figured out, hm? I suspect that it might be passing through his prison somehow due to the entry into Gensokyo. Who knows if he might be using that as an escape route. Our best bet would be finding his greatest weakness, and 'finishing the job' somehow. I hate not being thorough. We should consult with Byakuren, Shou, and Reimu. As well as Yakumo, being that she probably knew about all this from the start, and is likely the true reason behind why she put you and the others to sleep in the first place."
>Sei shakes her head, almost sadly. "It's funny you mention sunlight. We had that on our side when we stormed his keep. Regardless, I don't think you should concern yourself too much with him, Remilia. For him to try and break out from his side, or even for someone to try and release him from this side, they would have to get past his jailor. Though on behalf of the Countess, I do appreciate the concern."
>"Thought you said he was caught between worlds." Harodiku counters.
>"I did. But I didn't say he was alone there."
-
>Nod. "Ah yes, the old 'Sealed Evil In A Duel' routine. A classic method of getting unspeakable evils out of the picture. But in the end, only a temporary measure. I've read enough stories, and seen enough things, to know that even the most unbreakable of seals will always lose their power someday, or be broken by some well-meaning but foolish hero."
>Shrug in an unsurprised way. "Alternatively, it could be broken by someone foolish enough to think they can bend the suppressed evil to their will. I need not explain just how foolish that is. We'd be stuck here until this time next month no doubt."
>What exactly were the limits to our fate-altering power again? Most-specifically, what have we found them to have little to no effect on?
-
>Nod. "Ah yes, the old 'Sealed Evil In A Duel' routine. A classic method of getting unspeakable evils out of the picture. But in the end, only a temporary measure. I've read enough stories, and seen enough things, to know that even the most unbreakable of seals will always lose their power someday, or be broken by some well-meaning but foolish hero."
>Shrug in an unsurprised way. "Alternatively, it could be broken by someone foolish enough to think they can bend the suppressed evil to their will. I need not explain just how foolish that is. We'd be stuck here until this time next month no doubt."
>Sei's expression sours. "There is some logic to that. After all, our own seal was broken by an unsuspecting human. But if you knew the woman who sacrificed herself, you would understand why I have complete faith in her."
>"Who was she?" Amitsu asks her.
>Sei thumbs her katana partially out of its blade, then sniks it back again. "Her name was Annina. She came to us from Finland, a region in the northern part of the outside world, and she was the chosen one of Belobolg, the God of light and sun of that area."
>"So that's what you meant by havin' the sun on your side." Haridoku says, crossing her arms.
>"Indeed. Were it not for her power, we would have had no chance against Ebon Regal and the weapons he brought to bear against us." Her expression softens. "If she wasn't the person she was, we would not have felt we had a chance, either. She gave us a hope that we would not have had otherwise."
>What exactly were the limits to our fate-altering power again? Most-specifically, what have we found them to have little to no effect on?
>There are some people whose fate you can neither affect nor sense. These are largely the insane, but children also. Not that you'd meddle with the destinies of children, anyway, even if you could. You're not sure why you can't affect children, but centuries of living with Flandre have given you a theory as to why you can't affect the insane. Like their minds, their fates are unstable, in a state of flux. They, along with certain other individuals, exist outside the influence of fate.
>You also can't completely change someone's fate, but you can make alterations to it. For instance, if you read Dio's fate and saw that she will become "The greatest Vampire Hunter of her age by slaying the Ebon Regal but perishing in the doing", you could push her fate to read "Will become the greatest vampire hunter of her time by slaying the Ebon Regal, nearly dying in the doing." Some alterations are of course easier to do than others, but you couldn't, say, make Reimu stop being the Hakurei miko, or undo Kaguya or Mokou's immortality. That would be beyond your power.
>In order to sense the fate of someone, you must be in proximity to that person; within the same room, essentially. Or be in possession of an item that is close to them- Meiling's hat, for instance, or Sakuya's watch- and you must also know their name.
-
>"I might be prying into a sensitive topic,but by sacrifing herself do you mean Annina had to be regretfully flung into another dimension alongside your foe?"
>"And about that,do you possess some kind of memento from her or even fro Ebon Regal?For I believe this needs a little information gathering
someone so vile is capable of emanating his presence through the planes".
>"Besides,I recall that a rather peculiar character divined that the seal on the
Cobalt Keep was fated to expire in centuries but,proven wrong,it is possible
she referred to the Ebon's seal,somehow linked to yours...."
A recap:I'm talking about the Oracle of the mountain,thread 2,here.Might be a path.
-
>"I might be prying into a sensitive topic,but by sacrifing herself do you mean Annina had to be regretfully flung into another dimension alongside your foe?"
>"Yes. It was the only way, she said." The samurai lays her hand on the top of a chair, her eyes downcast. "To this day, I don't know that she was wrong."
>"And about that,do you possess some kind of memento from her or even fro Ebon Regal?For I believe this needs a little information gathering
someone so vile is capable of emanating his presence through the planes".
>"Besides,I recall that a rather peculiar character divined that the seal on the
Cobalt Keep was fated to expire in centuries but,proven wrong,it is possible
she referred to the Ebon's seal,somehow linked to yours...."
>Sei nods, her face dour. "The Keep is rife with memento's of his evil. You probably saw a number of them and didn't even realize. But I have none on me now, if that is what you mean."
>"Ah, that. I was not sure if the Countess or Celes would have told you." The samurai pulls out the chair she'd been handling and sits. "Eriza's seal was longer than ours. When Yakumo and her Hakurei cohort sealed us away, Celes suggested that Eriza's friends and servants should be awakened first. That way, we could gather information on how Gensokyo had changed, and whether or not we had a place in the world as it was. If we deemed it necessary, we could either extend Eriza's seal until a time when we felt she would be welcome, or allow it to expire."
-
>"Well, that is also a possibility, but it never hurts to be careful all the same. That said, I could possibly at the very least see the Regal's fate with a possession of his. Specifically, a something that is important to him, such as a treasured piece of headgear, or a favorite cloak. Or something else of import to him, perhaps even a fragment of his body. After all, if I can affect his fate, then we can potentially imprison him for good without the need of someone to accompany him, or we could even bring an end to him. I've already achieved something I had once considered impossible, so who knows what I could achieve with this newly-discovered facet of my ability?"
>Nod. "Who knows, perhaps there was a version of the Regal who did not become evil. Judging from how Dio spoke, I can only assume that the me from that timeline is also quite famed. Possibly in the same manner as the Regal for all I know. We will have more information on that matter once either the antidote is completed, or the toxin wears off."
-
>"Well, that is also a possibility, but it never hurts to be careful all the same. That said, I could possibly at the very least see the Regal's fate with a possession of his. Specifically, a something that is important to him, such as a treasured piece of headgear, or a favorite cloak. Or something else of import to him, perhaps even a fragment of his body. After all, if I can affect his fate, then we can potentially imprison him for good without the need of someone to accompany him, or we could even bring an end to him. I've already achieved something I had once considered impossible, so who knows what I could achieve with this newly-discovered facet of my ability?"
>The samurai considers that for several moments. "It is possible." she concedes at last. "Nothing of his body remains, but there are many of his..." With a sigh of resignation, she settles on the word, "creations, objects that once belonged to him remaining in the Keep. One of them could suffice for your purposes."
>"But if you try to affect the fate of the Regal, Remilia, do so with extreme caution. Trying to affect him where he is now could very well open the same doorway you seek to shut forever. You said it yourself. 'A well-meaning hero'."
>Nod. "Who knows, perhaps there was a version of the Regal who did not become evil. Judging from how Dio spoke, I can only assume that the me from that timeline is also quite famed. Possibly in the same manner as the Regal for all I know. We will have more information on that matter once either the antidote is completed, or the toxin wears off."
>"From what I understand, the wisdom is that anything that could happen DOES happen, in one timeline or another. If I was given to speculation, I would say there were any number of timelines where I was a vastly different person than I am now, as you would be yourself. As anyone would be."
>Haridoku snorts derisively. "Ain't that a bit much?"
>"Is it really?" the samurai counters. "You yourself were once a normal bee before you miraculou-"
>"Hornet."
>"I beg your pardon?"
>The large bugs wings buzz. "I'm a hornet, not a bee. My sister's the bee."
>Sei looks between the two sisters. "I stand corrected."
-
>Nod. "You have a point, Sei. So for now, all I could do safely is examine it. So that we could at least see if he'll show himself properly at any time. I could do the same with something of Annina's, if any of her effects remain in the keep. I suppose altering his fate indirectly should he escape is an option. For example, say that Dio here is fated to defeat him. I don't know if she actually is or not, but following that example, making it so that she does defeat him, and lives to tell the tale, is something within my power."
>Look to Haridoku. "And in her defense, bees and hornets are related. Rather like cousins really. One's smaller and more docile, the other is larger and more aggressive."
>Chuckle a bit while looking at Haridoku with a slight smirk. "Which certainly explains why you have such a volatile temper, and why Amitsu is the more subdued of the two. Remnants of your lives as normal insects. That said, it's not surprising really, nearly every youkai has traces of their original state to them. Tsukumogami, Animal, even myself."
>Sigh. "But I digress. These latest events have brought light to a new facet of my power, as well as brought about new allies and comrades....Lust still annoys me, though I am grateful to her for her help. I wonder if Pride's involvement was part of the cause behind Dio's sudden arrival in this timeline? DIo certainly has a strong amount of pride and conviction."
>When was the last time we ever saw anyone with this much? Besides our Sakuya that is.
-
>When was the last time we ever saw anyone with this much? Besides our Sakuya that is.
>Youmu actually comes to mind. It's no secret that she's frequently put upon by her mistress, but it's even more obvious the pride with which Youmu serves her. And then there's Eirin, the so-called brain of Eientei. This seems to be a bit of a trend among the 'servant class', if you will, of Gensokyo. Well, perhaps apart from that rabbit Reisen. But her masters aren't as beneficent as Youmu's. Or yourself, for that matter.
>There was also that celestial that caused all sorts of trouble a couple of years ago, but 'arrogance' isn't quite the same as 'pride'.
>Celes was certainly proud of her service to the Countess. You saw that yourself tonight- she and Sakuya could have been cut from the same bolt.
>When you get down it, there's no shortage of pride to be found in Gensokyo. But of course, few of them have as much reason to be proud of themselves as you do.
>Nod. "You have a point, Sei. So for now, all I could do safely is examine it. So that we could at least see if he'll show himself properly at any time. I could do the same with something of Annina's, if any of her effects remain in the keep. I suppose altering his fate indirectly should he escape is an option. For example, say that Dio here is fated to defeat him. I don't know if she actually is or not, but following that example, making it so that she does defeat him, and lives to tell the tale, is something within my power."
>The paralyzed hunter makes another grunting sound, but nothing intelligible.
>"Settle down, will ya, you'll be fine soon enough." Haridoku chides Dio.
>Look to Haridoku. "And in her defense, bees and hornets are related. Rather like cousins really. One's smaller and more docile, the other is larger and more aggressive."
>Chuckle a bit while looking at Haridoku with a slight smirk. "Which certainly explains why you have such a volatile temper, and why Amitsu is the more subdued of the two. Remnants of your lives as normal insects. That said, it's not surprising really, nearly every youkai has traces of their original state to them. Tsukumogami, Animal, even myself."
>Sigh. "But I digress. These latest events have brought light to a new facet of my power, as well as brought about new allies and comrades....Lust still annoys me, though I am grateful to her for her help. I wonder if Pride's involvement was part of the cause behind Dio's sudden arrival in this timeline? DIo certainly has a strong amount of pride and conviction."
>"Indeed." Sei agrees. "I should have made the connection sooner."
>Haridoku waves her hand dismissively. "Happens all the time. People think we're the same species because we're sisters. 's only normal."
>"But... you're not, really." Mystia says carefully. "Are you?"
>"Birth and blood are not the only things that make family." Amitsu says, smiling at her sister.
>"She does seem to have that much in common with the Sakuya of this timeline." Sei agrees. "The vampire you stopped from emerging may well have as well."
>"Why were you sealed by Yukari-san?" Mystia asks the samurai suddenly. "You're not a bad person, and from the way you talk, your friends aren't bad people. Why would you let Yukari and the red-white seal you?"
>Sei lets out a long breath. "Gensokyo, when we arrived, was not the same as it is now. The youkai of that time were much more hostile towards both humanity and each other. But more, there were many more vampires in Gensokyo at the time. A vampire is very territorial by nature, and most vampires at the time saw the whole of Gensokyo as their territory. The Countess, the woman I live with, wanted to live in peace here in Gensokyo, but she never would have been left alone. Her mere presence added more fuel to a fire that was already barely controlled. Had we taken part, we could have done some good, but Yukari suggested that we sleep. That Gensokyo would handle itself and that, one day, we would find a Gensokyo at peace."
>"How bad could it have been?" Haridoku asks.
>The dour samurai replies, "A 'turf war' between two vampires can be more destructive than a small scale war. A 'turf war' between dozens of vampires...." Sei trails off, letting the hornet's imagination fill in the blank.
-
>Nod. "To put it in a way you can understand much easier, imagine many rival hives all in the same tree."
>Wait a moment for her to realize the implications.
>"Not a very peaceful tree, hm? Personally-speaking, my territory these days is somewhat smaller than it used to be. Not by much though, so it's something I'm used to. I did once try to cover Gensokyo in a scarlet mist though, but that was more out of convenience than anything else, not for added territory or anything of that sort. Carrying around a parasol makes it somewhat difficult to do things with both hands you know."
>Shrug a little. "That said, Gensokyo's certainly big enough for at least two high-profile Vampires, maybe a few more like-minded ones. Especially considering that both of us get along rather decently."
>Pause. "Colors seem to be a strong theme among Vampires. Scarlet, Cobalt, Ebon. All elaborate ways of saying Red, Blue, and Black. Which are actually good indications of their temperaments. Blue is universally seen as a soothing color, and it shows in Eriza's docile and even-tempered personality. Red is generally seen as fiery and spirited, which you already know I fill quite effectively once something has me riled up enough. And Black..? Well, we've already discussed how evil he was."
-
>Nod. "To put it in a way you can understand much easier, imagine many rival hives all in the same tree."
>Wait a moment for her to realize the implications.
>"Not a very peaceful tree, hm? Personally-speaking, my territory these days is somewhat smaller than it used to be. Not by much though, so it's something I'm used to. I did once try to cover Gensokyo in a scarlet mist though, but that was more out of convenience than anything else, not for added territory or anything of that sort. Carrying around a parasol makes it somewhat difficult to do things with both hands you know."
>As her sister shudders at the idea, Haridoku's lip curls into an ugly grin. "Bad times. Makes you wonder how Gensokyo's still here."
>"It's a terrible thought." Amitsu adds.
>Sei hmms an affirmative. "One thing I intend to do now that I am active again is to find out just how things have come to this, and who was responsible. Apart from Yakumo, of course." she adds in her emotionless voice. "Her goals and abilities, I am rather familiar with."
>"And the red-white." says Mystia.
>"True. Though it would be an interesting thing to hear of the current one's predecessors." The samurai turns her dark blue eyes to Mystia. "I'm sorry, I don't believe I caught your name."
>"Mystia Lorelei."
>Shrug a little. "That said, Gensokyo's certainly big enough for at least two high-profile Vampires, maybe a few more like-minded ones. Especially considering that both of us get along rather decently."
>Pause. "Colors seem to be a strong theme among Vampires. Scarlet, Cobalt, Ebon. All elaborate ways of saying Red, Blue, and Black. Which are actually good indications of their temperaments. Blue is universally seen as a soothing color, and it shows in Eriza's docile and even-tempered personality. Red is generally seen as fiery and spirited, which you already know I fill quite effectively once something has me riled up enough. And Black..? Well, we've already discussed how evil he was."
>"'zat mean you plan to go lookin' for some more vampire company?" Haridoku asks. With one of her evil grins, she continues, "Maybe you can add a green one to the fold."
>"Speaking of green, Remilia." Amitsu says, stepping up to stand beside her sister. "I'd like to go back and visit Meiling-san, to make sure she and Sakuya-san are all right."
>"Might as well. And let em know we got this hunter tied down."
-
>Chuckle slightly. "If they show up, then who knows? As long as they don't cause too much trouble of the dangerous sort, then we'll see."
>Then nod slightly. "When I saw them with my scouting bat, they seemed alright. But since you wish to, I won't stop you. Do be sure to bring them back here as well though, I think we could all learn from such experiences as the ones that have been had today."
-
>"Another note,Amitsu:in the eventuality that you find or hear that Sakuya is keeping company to Flandre,my sister,tell her to join us in the library only after she has finished her business with Flandre".
>"It is nothing but fair since Sakuya's unjustified and prolonged absence was deeply felt by her as well."
>The time for the two Sakuyas to meet is drawing nearer and nearer.
-
>But before mentioning the stuff about Flandre, we'll take them off to a side well out of hearing range. Excluding Dio of course, since we don't want her to encounter Flandre.
Ah, we don't want Dio to get curious! Remember, we're supposed to keep her from meeting Flandre. If she hears about her, she's going to get curious.
That's just a fact of human nature. That's why I've not mentioned Flan at all.
-
>Chuckle slightly. "If they show up, then who knows? As long as they don't cause too much trouble of the dangerous sort, then we'll see."
>Then nod slightly. "When I saw them with my scouting bat, they seemed alright. But since you wish to, I won't stop you. Do be sure to bring them back here as well though, I think we could all learn from such experiences as the ones that have been had today."
>Amitsu spares a glance at the still-paralyzed form of Dio, then nods. "Certainly."
>"Another note,Amitsu:in the eventuality that you find or hear that Sakuya is keeping company to Flandre,my sister,tell her to join us in the library only after she has finished her business with Flandre".
>"It is nothing but fair since Sakuya's unjustified and prolonged absence was deeply felt by her as well."
>The time for the two Sakuyas to meet is drawing nearer and nearer.
>But before mentioning the stuff about Flandre, we'll take them off to a side well out of hearing range. Excluding Dio of course, since we don't want her to encounter Flandre.
>Prudently, you pull the two bugs away from Dio before mentioning your sister. You saw the trouble she had accepting one vampire, learning there's another one about could set her off all over again. The library being a quiet place, you wonder how far you should go before being out of Dio's range, but fortuitously, Sei and Mystia start chatting again. The samurai's voice may not convey any emotion, but it should serve to cover your warnings.
>"Didn't know you had a sister." Haridoku grunts, but Amitsu merely smiles. The smaller bug turns and lifts off the ground, but Haridoku stops her. "Just a sec, Ami." To her credit, she too lowers her voice, if only a little. She may be blunt, but she's obviously not dull. "Are you sure you want that mage of yours to fix Dio? Gods know I wouldn't let a hunter up and about is my sister was anywhere near it."
>"You also worry too much, Haridoku." Amitsu says gently.
>"I know I do."
-
>"Well, I did give my word after all. I think I can trust Patchouli on this, given how she knows just how serious it is. But to remedy your concerns, I'll keep an eye on things all the same."
>So to be sure, let's send out a pair of scout bats. One to keep an eye on Dio, and the other to find and monitor Patchouli's progress.
>Then look to Amitsu and Haridoku with a slight smirk. "Surprised that I have a sister, are you? Reimu and Marisa were too. Of course, that event led to them having at it with danmaku. And I'll admit, danmaku is fun, but she takes it to another level. An 'extra' one, if you will."
>Pause thoughtfully. "It's a shame you didn't resolve things with danmaku instead that toxin though, it looks bad on me as a host you know. And doubly so, as I gave my blood word. Hunters can tend to use loopholes if they're determined enough you know."
-
>"Well, I did give my word after all. I think I can trust Patchouli on this, given how she knows just how serious it is. But to remedy your concerns, I'll keep an eye on things all the same."
>So to be sure, let's send out a pair of scout bats. One to keep an eye on Dio, and the other to find and monitor Patchouli's progress.
>Then look to Amitsu and Haridoku with a slight smirk. "Surprised that I have a sister, are you? Reimu and Marisa were too. Of course, that event led to them having at it with danmaku. And I'll admit, danmaku is fun, but she takes it to another level. An 'extra' one, if you will."
>Pause thoughtfully. "It's a shame you didn't resolve things with danmaku instead that toxin though, it looks bad on me as a host you know. And doubly so, as I gave my blood word. Hunters can tend to use loopholes if they're determined enough you know."
>"Well, yes, a bit." Amitsu admits. "It's a bit odd for us to spend any time with someone, or in their home, and not know they have a sister. Or brother, sometimes."
>"Guess she don't get out much." Haridoku says crassly.
>"If she'd shot Amitsu with danmaku, I would've shot her with danmaku." Haridoku explains. "But she didn't. So I didn't. If she's still got an issue with that, that's something she can take up with me, not you."
>"But as for your issue," Haridoku continues, jerking her thumb at her sister. "Amitsu's been wanting to talk to you about that since I shot Dio."
-
>"The Blood Word, yes? Well, among Vampires, that is quite a sacred thing. Blood is what keeps us going, what allows us to continue on with what passes for a life. To compare it to what humans need, it is essentially both food and water all in one."
>"Suffice it to say, on the matter of those fools who have broken a Blood Word that they have given. Well, they chose... Poorly. Terrible, terrible fate really. Vampires are cruel, yes, but to none are they crueler, than to those fellow vampires who break a blood word. I daresay that it can match, or even surpass what the Regal was capable of."
>Nod. "And now you see why Dio responded the way she did. Hunters are among the rare few outside of vampirekind who know the gravitas of such an act. Save for those who follow a vampire that is."
-
>"The Blood Word, yes? Well, among Vampires, that is quite a sacred thing. Blood is what keeps us going, what allows us to continue on with what passes for a life. To compare it to what humans need, it is essentially both food and water all in one."
>"Suffice it to say, on the matter of those fools who have broken a Blood Word that they have given. Well, they chose... Poorly. Terrible, terrible fate really. Vampires are cruel, yes, but to none are they crueler, than to those fellow vampires who break a blood word. I daresay that it can match, or even surpass what the Regal was capable of."
>Nod. "And now you see why Dio responded the way she did. Hunters are among the rare few outside of vampirekind who know the gravitas of such an act. Save for those who follow a vampire that is."
>"Thought so." Haridoku says with a curt nod. "The way you and her and Sei were talking about, I thought blood was something sacred to your kind. But that's not the main problem here." The hornet looks at the smaller insect, who looks slightly uncomfortable.
>Not quite meeting your eyes, Amitsu starts, "I had thought it would be better to settle the matter once Dio had been healed and sent home- if that's possible-, but, since we're on the subject..."
-
>"What, are you worried that I am as bad as the Regal? Come now, you two are also guests, and the only other vampires I know of are Rei and Eriza. And they don't seem the sort to do such things, not just after both what I know the Regal put her through, but also what I suspect the Regal did. I probably will have to make a mild example, but you'll be intact and alive, no less so than after a heated spellcard duel really. After all, killing others is just so...Bland these days. Quite tasteless really, it sort of lost what charm it had when I learned of Danmaku. Now it's all just old memories."
>We put away the Ice Glaive, right?
-
>"What, are you worried that I am as bad as the Regal? Come now, you two are also guests, and the only other vampires I know of are Rei and Eriza. And they don't seem the sort to do such things, not just after both what I know the Regal put her through, but also what I suspect the Regal did. I probably will have to make a mild example, but you'll be intact and alive, no less so than after a heated spellcard duel really. After all, killing others is just so...Bland these days. Quite tasteless really, it sort of lost what charm it had when I learned of Danmaku. Now it's all just old memories."
>We put away the Ice Glaive, right?
>"You jump to conclusions a lot, don't you?" Haridoku says with a grunt.
>Actually, you still have it on you.
-
>"Well, what was on your mind then?"
-
>"Well, what was on your mind then?"
>Amitsu takes a measured breath, then pulls her face up to meet your eyes. Somehow, in that subtle gesture, she displays a strength she hadn't before, but also a sense of nobility. She had, up to this point, been rather unassuming and understated, even meek. Looking her in the eye, you know now there's more to this bee than had met the eye.
>"As far as Haridoku is concerned, she's even with Dio." Even her voice has changed, having a strength in it that wasn't there before. "But now I have to settle the debt she owes you. When she stung Dio, you had declared her your guest, had assured her that you meant her no harm. Haridoku undermined that courtesy, and insulted you as a host in the doing. She owes you something for that insult."
-
>"Well, I had already intended to politely ask you to help Sakuya with some of the cooking at least once, maybe trade tips and information between the two of you and all that, so that handles your end of things."
>Smile a bit. "I'm not some sort of sadist after all, though I do enjoy a good fight."
>Pause for a moment. "Though I don't suppose that would work for Haridoku's side of things, would it? She probably isn't that good at cooking, is she? Well, I suppose I'll need a substitute gatekeeper for those upcoming times that I give Hong vacations, Since things are more peaceful, she deserves such a thing."
>For that matter, how versed are we at cooking?
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>"Well, I had already intended to politely ask you to help Sakuya with some of the cooking at least once, maybe trade tips and information between the two of you and all that, so that handles your end of things."
>Smile a bit. "I'm not some sort of sadist after all, though I do enjoy a good fight."
>Pause for a moment. "Though I don't suppose that would work for Haridoku's side of things, would it? She probably isn't that good at cooking, is she? Well, I suppose I'll need a substitute gatekeeper for those upcoming times that I give Hong vacations, Since things are more peaceful, she deserves such a thing."
>"I'm not BAD." Haridoku asserts. "But I am pretty far out of my sister's league."
>"That would be acceptable." Amitsu says as you outline your idea to her. "If you think she'll do. I haven't known Meiling-san for long, but I can already tell she's more personable than Haridoku." The hornet doesn't seem offended by the notion. She probably knows it's true. Amitsu continues, "She has the strength for the task, though, and her danmaku prowess is quite high. Neither one of us were a match for the black and white witch, obviously, but Haridoku gave her a good fight."
>For that matter, how versed are we at cooking?
>It's not one of your stronger points, if you're honest with yourself. But that was partly by design. You've had a passing interest in learning your way around the kitchen for some years, but a part of you always held out the hope that when you did, Flandre would be there, too. The idea of learning how to cook alongside your sister is a very pleasant one.
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>What exactly entails being a gatekeeper for the Mansion anyhow? Beyond merely keeping the mansion safe that is.
>"Well, I'll be sure to call for you once more when when a certain time comes then, Amitsu. With the information I've found, that time shouldn't be too far off now."
>Then smile slightly.
-
>What exactly entails being a gatekeeper for the Mansion anyhow? Beyond merely keeping the mansion safe that is.
>That is her primary role, of course. But she also acts as sort of a screen. People can be bad company without being dangerous, and Meiling is tasked with handling the riff-raff and undesirables. After all, you can't let just ANYONE traipse through the halls of the SDM, now can you? She also patrols the outside of the mansion, to make sure the exterior is in good repair. And when someone who claims to be strong comes along, she tests them. Everyone in the Keep knows you enjoy a good tussle now and then, and you use Meiling as a bit of a measuring stick. Anyone who can get past her is at least worth you trying out in a danmaku battle. Maybe not going all out, that takes a special person, but you can certainly enjoy a scrap without taking everything out of your bag of tricks.
>In a sense, she also acts as the face of the SDM, as well, not entirely unlike a mascot. She's the first people a lot of people are going to see that's associated with you, unless they see Sakuya in the village. Meiling provides you with some good PR. In this instance, Haridoku is almost certainly not going to measure up to Meiling. As for her use as a measuring stick, you're not certain. You've never seen her danmaku, but if her sister is right, and she was able to hold her own against the likes of Marisa, that must mean she has at least a fair amount of skill.
>"Well, I'll be sure to call for you once more when when a certain time comes then, Amitsu. With the information I've found, that time shouldn't be too far off now."
>Then smile slightly.
>The bee extends her hand. "Agreed."
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>But before mentioning the stuff about Flandre, we'll take them off to a side well out of hearing range. Excluding Dio of course, since we don't want her to encounter Flandre.
Ah, we don't want Dio to get curious! Remember, we're supposed to keep her from meeting Flandre. If she hears about her, she's going to get curious.
That's just a fact of human nature. That's why I've not mentioned Flan at all.
Right.I feared to have disclosed one information too many,even if I find it likely for Dio to at least gather there is another unkwon element from Flan's signs.An indirect preparation for this "encounter" would be for the best,to cut off unwanted curiosity and animosity,in the shape of someone tasked for the role and/or something that leaves them occupied with their own devices.By the way,are we settling Dio in the Library to conduct a research, peruse tomes and oddities like previously suggested?
>Seal the deal with a friendly handshake.
>Grin afterwards."All things considered,when everyone is gathered,I surmise a trade of tips and informations between Meiling and Haridoku would be nifty as well."
>"Ah, but I've hold you long enough.After all,each one of us has still some business to take care of ".
>Glance in the direction where you came from"Well,shall we backtrack and see if new developments are about,Haridoku?."
>See Amitsu off and go back to the desk area in order to check how things have progressed,unless there's somehow unfinished business here .
>On the way back,observe the spines of the shelved books.Any interesting titles catching our eye?Can we gather what section have we wandered into from them?
I think a nearly-full gathering will be more interesting and funny to see this way.That's the reason I'm against sending off Haridoku to pre-emptively meet Meiling.
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>Seal the deal with a friendly handshake.
>Grin afterwards."All things considered,when everyone is gathered,I surmise a trade of tips and informations between Meiling and Haridoku would be nifty as well."
>"Ah, but I've hold you long enough.After all,each one of us has still some business to take care of ".
>Glance in the direction where you came from"Well,shall we backtrack and see if new developments are about,Haridoku?."
>See Amitsu off and go back to the desk area in order to check how things have progressed,unless there's somehow unfinished business here .
>The smaller insect gives her sister a sideways look. "I know, I know." Haridoku says to her, her head rocking back and forth. "Quit worrying, will ya." Amitsu laughs gently, then turns and flies off, the buzz of her wings a much lower key than her larger sister's. It would interesting to have these two around for any length of time, just for the sound of their buzzing wings alone.
>With the smaller bug gone, you take the larger bug in tow and head back towards Dio, Sei and Mystia. The samurai seems to be filling Mystia in on what bushido is, Mystia having seated herself next to Sei in the meantime.
>"That's a hard way to live your life." you find Mystia saying.
>The samurai nods. "Bushido is a demanding code. But I do not follow it as I once did. It is part of a life that is no longer mine to live."
>Your second scout bat has managed to find Patchouli at a work desk to the northeast, laid out muchly the same as the one she was working at earlier tonight. She seems to be poring over a collection of parchment bearing her own handwriting. "I'll let you know when I've found something." she says absently, plainly aware of the presence of your bat. "Shouldn't be too long. I think I'm on to something."
>On the way back,observe the spines of the shelved books.Any interesting titles catching our eye?Can we gather what section have we wandered into from them?
>You appear to be in the part of the library detailing the history of early North America. That being the time before the European invasion, when the native Americans and other races ruled the continent. Contained within this part is not just the history of the continent, but also information pertaining to the many tribes of aborigines that dwelt there, their way of life, and their mythology. You've never really delved much into the subject yourself- you prefer Central American myth and legend- but Patchouli seems to think that the Native Americans, at least a number of tribes, had a fascinating mythos and a rich culture of mysticism, if a touch barbaric, she claimed.
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>Take a seat and address Sei :"Sei,would you like to share with us some tales of your former life and how you come to be under the service of Eriza?
>" I'm sure you have all kinds of interesting tales. The choosing among them is yours to make,naturally".
>"It is a good way to pass time while we wait for Patchouli to come back and to be more acquainted with one of the new inhabitant of Gensokyo".
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>Take a seat and address Sei :"Sei,would you like to share with us some tales of your former life and how you come to be under the service of Eriza?
>" I'm sure you have all kinds of interesting tales. The choosing among them is yours to make,naturally".
>"It is a good way to pass time while we wait for Patchouli to come back and to be more acquainted with one of the new inhabitant of Gensokyo".
>The samurai folds her hands and lays them on the table in front of her. "If you wish, I can recount that event, though I am not as good a storyteller as some others of the Keep."
>"No, go on." Mystia encourages her, while Haridoku takes up a position behind you and to your right. "I want to hear it, too."
>"Very well. It was in 1743 that Yuzuriha and I first met the Countess Erizabet Teregduri. Yuzuriha is another of those that live at the Cobalt Keep." Sei explains the other woman's name.
>"What does she do?" Mystia asks.
>"Her role at the Keep is not dissimilar to the task Meiling Hong performs here at the Scarlet Devil Manor. Yuzuriha is the keeper of the gate, serving as the Keep's first line of defense, as well as doorman for those who come to the Keep in peace. Incidentally, Scarlet Devil, I have been meaning to ask how you how you and Yuzuriha got along when you arrived at the Keep. You did not have to fight your way past her- The power of a vampire in battle would have been felt by everyone in the keep."
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>Raise an eyebrow with a slightly bemused expression. "Oh, that? Well, Sabine and Hong were having it out, seriously I might add. I was able to get through by proving my intent to Yuzuriha by calming the two down, and changing their formerly to-the-death duel, into a much more sporting one. Essentially, I stripped them of their reason to use their fangs and claws."
>Pause thoughtfully. "Though I'm surprised, you said that the people in the keep would have sensed it if I'd used even a fraction of my power. Then again, it doesn't take much to knock some sense into two bickering children."
>Laugh a bit. "They both had their reasons for fighting, but their serious battle was ultimately pointless and wasteful. Fighting to the death is so pointless in this day and age, so I used a little 'elbow grease' to remind them of that."
>Nod. "As for how I got along with Yuzuriha, I would say she wasn't that difficult to get along with. Sabine's a bit irritating, but I can understand her. We both love a good fight after all."
>Look to Haridoku. "Incidentally, if you think being Gatekeeper is merely standing guard at the gate, then you're wrong. The gatekeeper also serves as the 'public face', in addition to being the one I measure others against. if they're powerful enough to pass you, then they're worth spending a little time with. I suppose you can consider the role to be a combination guard dog, mascot, tester, and public relations manager. So it's much more than keeping an eye on a gate."
>Then look back to Sei, "But enough about that. Please, continue."
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>Look to Haridoku. "Incidentally, if you think being Gatekeeper is merely standing guard at the gate, then you're wrong. The gatekeeper also serves as the 'public face', in addition to being the one I measure others against. if they're powerful enough to pass you, then they're worth spending a little time with. I suppose you can consider the role to be a combination guard dog, mascot, tester, and public relations manager. So it's much more than keeping an eye on a gate."
>The hornet youkai flinches at the phrase 'public relations manager', but then shrugs. "If my sister wants me to do it, I'll do it." she says simply. "If I have to learn a thing or two to do it the way she wants, then I will."
>Raise an eyebrow with a slightly bemused expression. "Oh, that? Well, Sabine and Hong were having it out, seriously I might add. I was able to get through by proving my intent to Yuzuriha by calming the two down, and changing their formerly to-the-death duel, into a much more sporting one. Essentially, I stripped them of their reason to use their fangs and claws."
>Pause thoughtfully. "Though I'm surprised, you said that the people in the keep would have sensed it if I'd used even a fraction of my power. Then again, it doesn't take much to knock some sense into two bickering children."
>Laugh a bit. "They both had their reasons for fighting, but their serious battle was ultimately pointless and wasteful. Fighting to the death is so pointless in this day and age, so I used a little 'elbow grease' to remind them of that."
>Nod. "As for how I got along with Yuzuriha, I would say she wasn't that difficult to get along with. Sabine's a bit irritating, but I can understand her. We both love a good fight after all."
>"The words I used were 'a vampire in batttle'." Sei replies in her dull voice. "If none of us sensed you using your powers to diffuse that fight, then you had to have done so without using much, if any, of your true strength, as you suggested."
>"Makes sense." Haridoku grunts.
>"And it is possible that you were handling Sabine and Meiling-san while I was dueling Youmu-san. If so, I might have overlooked a flash of vampiric power. Youmu-san's prowess at danmaku was beyond me."
>Then look back to Sei, "But enough about that. Please, continue."
>"In a moment, please. I apologize for not being clear, but what I meant to ask was, how did you get past Yuzuriha without fighting her?"
>Mystia ventures a guess, "If Reimila put a stop to the other two girls fighting, maybe that made a good impression on Yuzuriha-san?"
>Sei considers that. "It would have, indeed. Especially for a vampire. In our experience, such an act by a vampire would have been unheard of, unless it was part of a ploy. Yuzuriha, seeing that, would have given you the benefit of the doubt."
>"Anyway, yes. Back to the task at hand. Yuzuriha and I were travelers at the time. Wanderers, really. Both of us had found ourselves no longer welcome in Japan, where the both of us were born, so we struck out across the globe. I believe we were on the road for 64 years before we arrived in Lyon, a city in the region of the world called France. At that point, neither one of us really believed we would find a place to settle down, a place where we would be accepted, and could live in peace without fear of our neighbors."
>"Because you were youkai?" Mystia asks.
>Sei shakes her head. "Because we were in love."
>"Why would people hate you because of that?" Haridoku demands.
>"The world of humans at the time was not accepting of two women who were openly in love with each other. The fact that one of us was a sword-wielding warrior, and the other could speak with dogs, was irrelevant compared to the fact that 'our love was wrong'. Even the fact that we weren't human was secondary to that, or so we came to believe." The sour faced samurai's veneer cracks just a hair. "But neither one of us would hide it. Could hide it. Our love saved each other."
>Your trained ears detect the sound of buzzing wings approaching from the south east. Must be Amitsu, but a lot sooner than you would have thought.
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>Nod. "Gensokyo itself is more accepting in that regard, I must say. Also, I do believe Amitsu is on her way back, according to my ears."
>Were we ever in France at any point?
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>Were we ever in France at any point?
>Regretfully, you have not. You've long wanted to visited France, especially after they built that tower. But alas, France was a bit afield from where the SDM was back in the old days, and as much as you might have liked to travel, to sample the tastes the wide world had to offer, you were hesitant about traveling too far away from your sister for any large periods of time, just in case something happened.
>Nod. "Gensokyo itself is more accepting in that regard, I must say. Also, I do believe Amitsu is on her way back, according to my ears."
>Sei's face betrays a brief hint of satisfaction. "Indeed it is. You have no idea how much we all enjoyed finding out about that aspect of Gensokyo. Though as I recall, Celes commented on how a realm that had been separated from the outside world for so long, and was much more primitive than that world in a number of ways could be so forward thinking in other ways."
>"Proper management." Haridoku says with an angular grin. "Things get done better when humans aren't in charge of everything."
>"My sister?" the hornet blurts. "She doesn't move that fast. Must be something wrong." With an angry buzz of her wings, Haridoku takes off in the direction Amitsu traveled in.
>Mystia winces at the sound. "Temperamental, isn't she?"
>"She wears her emotions for all to see." Sei replies sagely. "If I could feel envy right now, I believe I would."
>Before you can inquire into that line, and by the looks of it Mystia is curious as well, Haridoku returns to view. "False alarm." she announces. Glancing behind her, you find that Amitsu is indeed returning, and flying behind her are the forms of Meiling and, somewhat surprisingly, Sakuya.
-
>Chuckle slightly. "Well, I was wondering how such a meeting would go, though I would have preferred it if she wasn't as...ah, incapacitated as she is now."
>Sigh a bit. "Well, Patchouli will find a remedy in time. Who knows, perhaps she'll shake it off herself soon."
>Let's wait patiently for them to get here.
-
>Not without making a mental note to inquire further on Sei's claim and the "sweet dreams"of the young termite queen, to avoid unsavory complications down the road.
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>Not without making a mental note to inquire further on Sei's claim and the "sweet dreams"of the young termite queen, to avoid unsavory complications down the road.
>You make a mental note.
>Chuckle slightly. "Well, I was wondering how such a meeting would go, though I would have preferred it if she wasn't as...ah, incapacitated as she is now."
>Sigh a bit. "Well, Patchouli will find a remedy in time. Who knows, perhaps she'll shake it off herself soon."
>Let's wait patiently for them to get here.
>"What meeting?" Mystia asks, before looking in that way. "Ohhhh."
>"Perhaps it is for the best that Dio is still paralyzed." Sei intones in her dull voice. "A vampire hunter and a vampire's favored servant may not be the friendliest of meetings."
>The quartet arrives in short order, Haridoku landing with a loud thump. From behind her, Amitsu calls, "It turns out they were on their way here already, Remilia."
>"Had to see for ourselves that everything was still all right." Meiling supplies, giving Sakuya a look before landing herself. Your maid, however, remains in the air, just behind Amitsu.
-
>Pause thoughtfully. "They probably have an instinctual dislike of each other beyond the mere hunter thing. I think there was a case of the future version of some magician coming to the past to eliminate their former self in order to escape some strange fate he'd ended up in. It could have just been a cautionary tale for all I know though. Well, she's still a guest until she's sent back to her timeline regardless who or what she is."
>Let's fly over to Sakuya. "Have you been to see her yet? She was wanting to see you. I think it's a good idea that you do, before she gets too impatient." She'll know who we mean, Sakuya's our most reliable worker after all. among other things.
(A reference to the Shirou-Archer dynamic, given how that's somewhat relevant in this situation.)
-
>Pause thoughtfully. "They probably have an instinctual dislike of each other beyond the mere hunter thing. I think there was a case of the future version of some magician coming to the past to eliminate their former self in order to escape some strange fate he'd ended up in. It could have just been a cautionary tale for all I know though. Well, she's still a guest until she's sent back to her timeline regardless who or what she is."
>Let's fly over to Sakuya. "Have you been to see her yet? She was wanting to see you. I think it's a good idea that you do, before she gets too impatient." She'll know who we mean, Sakuya's our most reliable worker after all. among other things.
>Sei nods at your first thought. "My thinking as well."
>Sakuya, for possibly the first time in your life, seems almost afraid to meet your eyes as you approach her. Timid, is the world you'd use. That brings you up short, and you find your voice trailing off after your first question. It occurs to you that this is actually the first time you've seen her tonight when she's been her normal self. The first time, she was still possessed by Pride, and then, once you returned home, the instability in her fate led to the arrival of Dio in your timeline.
>But now, your Sakuya stands before you, home as she should be. The knowledge that you saved her makes you extremely proud, but the sight of her standing (well, hovering) within the walls of the SDM, whole and hale again, is pleasing on a whole other level. Though why she seems timid, that, you can't explain.
-
>She might be expecting a scolding for her actions.
>Smile slightly. "Oh Sakuya, I could tell you meant well with all the things you attempted. You just lost track of things due to Pride's influence."
>Chuckle slightly, with a bit of dry humor to it. "You must still be worried about what I was doing to get you back while you were in that state, aren't you? Well, even I get desperate sometimes.."
-
>She might be expecting a scolding for her actions.
>Smile slightly. "Oh Sakuya, I could tell you meant well with all the things you attempted. You just lost track of things due to Pride's influence."
>Chuckle slightly, with a bit of dry humor to it. "You must still be worried about what I was doing to get you back while you were in that state, aren't you? Well, even I get desperate sometimes.."
>That could very well be.
>Sakuya glances at you with the corners of her eyes. "Then, you're not upset with me, ojou-sama?"
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>Sigh, then smile a bit more. "Well, I would be lying if I said I wasn't a little upset, but you weren't yourself. I'm glad you're back to being you."
>Smile in a slightly playful and teasing way. "I have to admit though, I've never seen you all timid and shy like this. That's a much more acceptable difference for you. As I know it's you in control."
-
>Sigh, then smile a bit more. "Well, I would be lying if I said I wasn't a little upset, but you weren't yourself. I'm glad you're back to being you."
>Smile in a slightly playful and teasing way. "I have to admit though, I've never seen you all timid and shy like this. That's a much more acceptable difference for you. As I know it's you in control."
>"Yes..." Sakuya says slowly, a cautious smile appearing on her own face. "I am myself again. ... At least, mostly. I don't feel entirely myself yet."
>"That's normal." Sei informs her. "When one is bound to one of the Sins, it disrupts the natural flow of their own emotions after they've been separated."
>Meiling looks a bit confused. "That didn't happen with me."
>"That's because your binding with Lust was very brief, and voluntary as well. Not to mention that it was very shallow a joining, especially when compared to Sakuya-san and Pride." To Sakuya, Sei assures her, "Your own pride will return to normal, in time."
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>Chuckle a bit. "And time's something you have plenty of. We all do, now that things have regained a level of normalcy."
>Look over to where Dio is. "Oh, recall when you felt something strange? Well, there were two 'fate-bubbles' coming down the line. That woman is the result of one forcibly removing itself. She wants to be called Dio apparently. The other bubble, I was able to eliminate."
>Sigh. "Right now we're trying to figure out how to return her to her line. I would assume that Yakumo would be able to assist, but it's a matter of getting her attention."
>Nod. "She was actually a thought in the event that I couldn't split you from Pride. If my power was insufficient, then her boundary abilities would have been another possible solution. After all, what sort of person would I be if I didn't care for those who aid and serve me? After all, what would I do without you?"
>Sigh in a slightly frustrated way. "The fairy maids wouldn't even obey me of all people!"
>Smile a bit. "Well, there was one rather obedient one, Sharp as far as fairies go as well, I'm strongly considering making her vice-chief you know. After this recent mess, I've realized that even you need help sometimes. In you absence, I actually made her Acting Chief, in an effort to keep things working smoothly."
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>Smile a bit. "Well, there was one rather obedient one, Sharp as far as fairies go as well, I'm strongly considering making her vice-chief you know. After this recent mess, I've realized that even you need help sometimes. In you absence, I actually made her Acting Chief, in an effort to keep things working smoothly."
>You never actually promoted Rainy Stars when you met her previously. Although you did mention the idea, as you were impressed by her level-headedness, and her good manners.
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>Raise an eyebrow."It now occurs to me that I've not officially promoted her yet"Smile lightly."Having been pleasantly busy on a quest involving a rescuing alongside mysterious captors".
>"On the subject of that particular fairy maid,Rainy stars I believe was her name,I have to admit that ,for a fairy,her level-headedness and good manners were quite impressive ...."
>Chuckle slightly."Who knows Sakuya,I might've a found you an apprentice in trainee who could lessen your workload and be a substitute in time of needs ,after a closer inspection and proper training have been conducted of course".
Communication:I'm going on a trip from May 24 to May 28. I shall return on May 28 so feel free to skip my vote until then if any "hot" decision comes up. Cya to everyone.
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>"That said, that woman over there who resembles you, is one of the people you could have become. Right now we're working to devise a way to return her to her proper line."
>We never learned much about Sakuya's family, did we? For that matter, how did she end up in our service?
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>We never learned much about Sakuya's family, did we? For that matter, how did she end up in our service?
>You would have to ask me that.
>You did not. And for that matter, neither has she. Her first memories are of her life in an orphanage in Germany, where she lived for many years up until a visiting noblewoman from Wallachia liked the look of her, and took her back to Romania, where you were living at the time as well. The woman was one of those petty aristocrats puffed up on their own importance without any cause or justification, and as you were a member of the nobility at the time as well, as well as a reasonably close neighbor, you had dealings with her off and on for years. During one of your visits to her manor house, you met the young human for the first time and were impressed by the quality of the tea and biscuits she served you, as well as her good manners.
>Naturally, her talent and potential was being wasted with her current mistress, and your current head maid, though still competent, was getting on in years, and had shown signs of wanting to retire soon. In the young woman, who was referred to only as 'Silver-Hair' at the time, you saw great potential, and so you sought to gain her employ. The Romanian woman who employed her, however, while a bit flightly and shallow, seldom surrendered what she felt belonged to her, and so getting Sakuya away from her without simply slaying the fop proved to be a bit of a challenge. You easily could have, but she hadn't annoyed you enough to take a step that you considered 'uncivilized' yet.
>Eventually, you learned that she had an absolute passion for the horse races in nearby Hungary, and so you challenged her. If after a day at the track, you had made more money than her, you would be Silver-Hair's new master. If she made more money than you, then you would share with her your secrets for looking as young as you did (as your being a vampire was hardly public knowledge among the humans at the time). Given your particular talent, the outcome of the challenge was never in any doubt, and so, after a rather thoroughly humiliating day, the noble surrendered Silver-Hair to you. And the first thing you did once you brought her home was give her a proper name. And the rest, as they say, is history.
>Chuckle a bit. "And time's something you have plenty of. We all do, now that things have regained a level of normalcy."
>Look over to where Dio is. "Oh, recall when you felt something strange? Well, there were two 'fate-bubbles' coming down the line. That woman is the result of one forcibly removing itself. She wants to be called Dio apparently. The other bubble, I was able to eliminate."
>"So her name is Dio." Sakuya says as she takes a cautious step towards her doppelganger. "How did you manage to subdue her without a large fight?"
>"I did that." Haridoku boasts. "Took her down with a stinger to the back. She'll be fine enough in a day or two, but your boss here wants her back on her feet sooner. Got the mage working on it."
>Sakuya looks back at the big bug. "You took her by surprise?"
>"Wasn't as hard as ya might think." the hornet replies, folding her arms across her chest. "See, Remilia here caught her in a bit of a phisophocal bind. Near as we can tell, she hates vampires more than roaches hate clean, and here was one who swore in blood that she meant nothing bad. Part of her was still thinking that this was a trap, so she was lookin' around for something that might jump out at her, and the rest of her was telling her to quit worrying. Which she probably hasn't done in years. I picked my place; she never knew I had that kinda sneakyness in me."
>"You don't really look it." Mystia comments.
>Haridoku shrugs. "People look at me an' think I'm all muscle, no brains. I know I ain't the fanciest folk, and never will be, but I'm smarter than people think at first. I let her think that, too. Right up until I payed her back for shooting my sister in the back."
>Sakuya returns her gaze to Dio. "You've only incapacitated her."
>"'f course." Haridoku says with a shrug. "Just enough to pay back the debt. I'm not stupid enough to stick a lethal poison into someone a vampire likes. 'least not a vampire as strong as the Scarlet Devil here's supposed to be."
>>Raise an eyebrow. "It now occurs to me that I've not officially promoted her yet" Smile lightly. "Having been pleasantly busy on a quest involving a rescuing alongside mysterious captors".
>"On the subject of that particular fairy maid, Rainy stars I believe was her name, I have to admit that, for a fairy, her level-headedness and good manners were quite impressive ...."
>Chuckle slightly. "Who knows Sakuya, I might've a found you an apprentice in trainee who could lessen your workload and be a substitute in time of needs, after a closer inspection and proper training have been conducted of course".
>"Ojou-sama," Sakuya begins with an apologetic smile. "As much as I appreciate the sentiment, I'm afraid you're mistaken. I'm acquainted with Rainy Stars, yes, but... she doesn't work here, at least not in an official capacity."
>"She's a wandering fairy." Meiling supplies. "A few of her friends work here, so she stops by now and then. She lives in the Magic Forest, but I don't think she stays there for long."
>"I have tried to recruit her." Sakuya assures you. "But so far, I've failed. She has helped now and again when she stops by and there is work that hasn't been done, but she claims not to have an interest in doing so regularly."
>"Maybe you could try yourself, Remilia." Meiling suggests. "A job offer from the mistress of the house herself might impress her."
>"I was not aware fairies could possess any degree of level-headedness." Sei comments to Mystia.
>"It's pretty rare." the night sparrow agrees. "One in a million, I'd say. I've never met one myself. Cirno-chan's pretty smart for a fairy, but she's kinda childish. Almost like she hasn't grown up yet, you know?"
>"I believe I understand."
>Sigh. "Right now we're trying to figure out how to return her to her line. I would assume that Yakumo would be able to assist, but it's a matter of getting her attention."
>Nod. "She was actually a thought in the event that I couldn't split you from Pride. If my power was insufficient, then her boundary abilities would have been another possible solution. After all, what sort of person would I be if I didn't care for those who aid and serve me? After all, what would I do without you?"
>Sigh in a slightly frustrated way. "The fairy maids wouldn't even obey me of all people!"
>"That said, that woman over there who resembles you, is one of the people you could have become. Right now we're working to devise a way to return her to her proper line."
>Your Sakuya smlies demurely at your sentiment. A rare sort of smile to see on her face; it suits her. But it fades after another look at Dio. "Perhaps Reimu-san could help in locating Yukari?"
>"I'm afraid the Hakurei is still trying to chase down the remaining two Sins." Sei informs her.
>Sakuya frowns. "Well, perhaps Patchouli knows of a spell that could help?"
>"Remi here's got her on brew making duty for now." Haridoku informs her. "She wants the hunter back on her feet ASAP."
>"What about Sanae?" Mystia suggests. "She's supposed to have the power to work miracles."
>"Who is this Sanae?" Sei asks her.
>"She the priestess of the shrine on Youkai Mountain."
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>Oh, she was one of the ones involved in that incident a while back, and then she was off resolving them like she'd been here all along, correct? What all do we know about her?
>"Hmm..She might also be an option. Though I'll be frank, I think we've already used up our yearly miracle."
>Chuckle a bit. "That said, she'll be a guest until we've found a way to get her back home. Would you believe the other Fate-Bubble would have been a vampire version of you? I'd like to think I chose the 'lesser of two evils', so to speak."
>Nod. "I do believe I'd mentioned it to her when I'd encountered her though, so I'll bring up the proposal when I see her next. A rare girl like her isn't easily found among fairies after all, it would probably do wonders for morale and discipline to have her on the payroll full-time. After all, if she learns from you, I daresay even those other fairies will listen."
>Sigh in slight annoyance. "I still find myself irritated at how the rest wouldn't obey even me though...Almost makes a girl want to reach for the nearest wine bottle, you know? Well, there were a few mildly responsive ones, but that was when I'd found out we had termites. One of them took to shooting at the walls in a misguided attempt at helping you know."
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>Oh, she was one of the ones involved in that incident a while back, and then she was off resolving them like she'd been here all along, correct? What all do we know about her?
>You know that she was one of the three Goddesses that appeared on youkai mountain a couple of years ago, and that she along with the other two tried to supplant Reimu as the dominant faith of Gensokyo. Reimu and Marisa put a stop to that in relatively good time, and settled down the upheaval their arrival had caused on the mountain. Since then, she's been the most public figure of the mountain shrine, and while you've never met her personally, Sakuya has reported that she is well received in the village. You don't recall hearing her involvement in any incident since then, apart from a brief confrontation with Marisa that Patchouli told you about after that geyser appeared.
>"Hmm..She might also be an option. Though I'll be frank, I think we've already used up our yearly miracle."
>Chuckle a bit. "That said, she'll be a guest until we've found a way to get her back home. Would you believe the other Fate-Bubble would have been a vampire version of you? I'd like to think I chose the 'lesser of two evils', so to speak."
>Nod. "I do believe I'd mentioned it to her when I'd encountered her though, so I'll bring up the proposal when I see her next. A rare girl like her isn't easily found among fairies after all, it would probably do wonders for morale and discipline to have her on the payroll full-time. After all, if she learns from you, I daresay even those other fairies will listen."
>Sigh in slight annoyance. "I still find myself irritated at how the rest wouldn't obey even me though...Almost makes a girl want to reach for the nearest wine bottle, you know? Well, there were a few mildly responsive ones, but that was when I'd found out we had termites. One of them took to shooting at the walls in a misguided attempt at helping you know."
>"Sure hope so." Meiling says with a nod.
>"Offer her cake, that might work." Mystia suggests. "I haven't met a fairy yet that didn't like something sweet."
>"Termites?" Sakuya asks, sounding surprised.
>"We fixed that." Haridoku informs her. "Got their queen strung up in the woods outside. I could run her off easily enough, but my sister thought it was a good idea to let the house owner here settle whatever business she might have. So I left the crawler hanging."
>"Would you like me to prepare a room for her now, then, ojou-sama?" Sakuya asks you.
>"Are you sure you should be getting back to work right away?" Meiling inquires, a note of concern in her voice.
>"You should consider some rest for yourself." Sei advises her. "You've been through a uniquely trying and taxing experience."
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>"Hmm...I think you should take it easy, and simply delegate orders to a small group of Fairy Maids, as they'll listen to you after all. And if they don't, simply say they'll get some sweets if they obey and do it well enough. I'm certain they'll enjoy some nice little containers of honey to snack on, yes?"
>Pause. "Ah, they'll need spoons as well, it wouldn't do for them to use their fingers now would it?"
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>Turn to Meiling "Yes,speaking of taking it easy,I believe I have good news in store for you,Hong".
>"I present you your new apprentice and temporary substitute..."-gesture towards Haridoku-"Haridoku,get along well you two".
>After the presentations and whatnot explain the details" A guest that owes me a debt ,as the mistress of this mansion".
>" She volunteered to be a gatekeeper for a while as she already filled in for you pretty well, while you were absent-narrow your eyes at Meiling and then relax- but it is known that she lacks the softer touch of a doorman".
>"So this is where you come in,Hong.....To be her instructor."
>"After that you can either guard the gate alongside her or take a break from gatekeeping ,waiting for devolepements .It is up to you".
Edit: Good to see this story going strong,and your other one as well,Sour.
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Edit: Good to see this story going strong,and your other one as well,Sour.
I had to take a couple days there myself, yeah. Between doubled hours at work and a brief bout with what I think was insomnia, didn't leave a lot of room for creative writing. But we're good now.
>"Hmm...I think you should take it easy, and simply delegate orders to a small group of Fairy Maids, as they'll listen to you after all. And if they don't, simply say they'll get some sweets if they obey and do it well enough. I'm certain they'll enjoy some nice little containers of honey to snack on, yes?"
>Pause. "Ah, they'll need spoons as well, it wouldn't do for them to use their fingers now would it?"
>Ordinarily, you have no doubt Sakuya would balk at the idea of time off over something like this, you're pretty confidant of that. This time, however, she merely flinches, about to protest, then looks between you and Meiling. Lowering her head slightly, she merely says, "Perhaps you're right. I'll make the arrangements later today."
>"Honeycombs would work." Amitsu offers. "I can make more than just liquid honey."
>"Show 'em." Haridoku suggests.
>Amitsu holds up her right hand, palm up. The bee curls her hand into a tight fist, then opens it slowly. An almond-sized hexagon lies in her palm, and your nose detects the unmistakable scent of fresh, if crystallized, honey. "It won't get sticky unless you hold it for a minute or so, and it warms up."
>Meiling seizes the opportunity, and the treat, and quickly pops it in her mouth. "Mmmmm... Delicious!" The honeybee smiles at the praise.
>"Obviously I can cook up various things, but if you wanted something simple..."
>Turn to Meiling "Yes,speaking of taking it easy,I believe I have good news in store for you,Hong".
>"I present you your new apprentice and temporary substitute..."-gesture towards Haridoku-"Haridoku,get along well you two".
>After the presentations and whatnot explain the details" A guest that owes me a debt ,as the mistress of this mansion".
>" She volunteered to be a gatekeeper for a while as she already filled in for you pretty well, while you were absent-narrow your eyes at Meiling and then relax- but it is known that she lacks the softer touch of a doorman".
>"So this is where you come in,Hong.....To be her instructor."
>"After that you can either guard the gate alongside her or take a break from gatekeeping ,waiting for devolepements .It is up to you".
>"Substitute?" Meiling asks, plainly puzzled. Then looks somewhat relievied as you continue and explain the deal you struck with Amitsu and her sister earlier. The chinese youkai and the big hornet regard each other for a moment. "Well, you've got the look down."
>"Don't flatter me, China, I'm more bouncer than doorman and you know it."
>Meiling chuckles. "Remilia was right about the soft touch part, for sure." She raises her head and places her hands on her hips, smiling at Haridoku. "Well, we can work on that. How's your danmaku?"
>"Solid. I'm no vampire, but I can hang with the best of 'em." The hornet levels a challenging grin at your guard. "Want to see what I got?"
>"Not here, please." Sakuya says quickly. "Patchouli-san would be quite put out by a danmaku battle here."
>"I think I have a cure here, Remilia." Patchy informs your bat. "Well, the formula at least. Bring that hunter over here, I need a blood sample to work with."
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>"Ah."
>Smile a bit. "It seems Patchouli might have a potential cure. Let's save the little sparring match for later, shall we? We need to get Dio to her so she can get a blood sample to ensure it will work. After all, even if she's also Sakuya, it won't work with just Sakuya's, as she wasn't the one poisoned."
>Let's get to picking Dio up with whoever joins up to help, and we'll then make our way to Patchouli to see if it will work.
>Also, let's converse a bit with Amitsu as we go. "Interesting application of your ability. If you're even half as good at cooking as Sakuya, you might just have yourself a job as well~! After all, she will need some downtime to fully return to herself."
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>"Ah."
>Smile a bit. "It seems Patchouli might have a potential cure. Let's save the little sparring match for later, shall we? We need to get Dio to her so she can get a blood sample to ensure it will work. After all, even if she's also Sakuya, it won't work with just Sakuya's, as she wasn't the one poisoned."
>Let's get to picking Dio up with whoever joins up to help, and we'll then make our way to Patchouli to see if it will work.
>Meiling relaxes almost immediately, though you note a challenging gleam remain in Haridoku's eyes for a moment afterwards. There's certainly no doubting the fire in this one.
>As before, Sei takes up position on the other side of Dio, taking one arm while you take the other, and the two of you lead the way towards Patchy's work station.
>Also, let's converse a bit with Amitsu as we go. "Interesting application of your ability. If you're even half as good at cooking as Sakuya, you might just have yourself a job as well~! After all, she will need some downtime to fully return to herself."
>Amitsu faces your praise with humility. "It look a little while to master that particular trick. Liquids are a lot easier to make than solids. So I took up cooking to learn how to make the most of what I could produce, while I was working on honeycombs. I don't know if I'd say as good as Sakuya-san, but I have some confidence."
>"Boast a bit, sis!" Haridoku bellows. "You've got the best kitchen this side of Youkai Mountain."
>Amitsu actually blushes a bit at her sister's exuberance. "I don't know that I'd go that far, Haridoku..."
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>Smirk a bit. "Well, Sakuya's no slouch herself. She's quite skilled at cooking for even someone like myself you know.I surmise that both of you could stand to learn from each other."
>Didn't we hear about many different pastries involving honey at some point during our travels?
>"I suppose you could find various cookbooks to work with in here as well. I think there were some lovely desserts involving honey in many of them. I plan on looking into them myself once I've accomplished a certain goal of mine."
>Let's continue on with this idle chatter until we make it to patchy's.
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>Didn't we hear about many different pastries involving honey at some point during our travels?
>Not just during your travels. Honey, so you've been told, is a very versatile substance. While famed for its sweetness, it is not overpoweringly sweet, at least not in the case of good quality honey, and thus can be used in a wide variety of foodstuffs. A glazing of honey on certain meats, for instance, can make for a delectable dish. Sakuya herself has made such a meal on a few occasions during her time, but not too often since your arrival in Gensokyo. Owing to a dearth of professional beekeepers among the human or youkai population, fresh honey is a bit hard to come by, so Sakuya has reported.
>Having Amitsu here, even temporarily, could give Sakuya a whole host of options to play with when supper rolls around, now that you think about it. The bee may be quite competant in the kitchen, but comparing her, or anyone, to Sakuya really isn't fair. Though you'll have to make sure Flandre brushes after every meal, should Amitsu be able to provide Sakuya with large quantities of honey.
>Smirk a bit. "Well, Sakuya's no slouch herself. She's quite skilled at cooking for even someone like myself you know.I surmise that both of you could stand to learn from each other."
>"I suppose you could find various cookbooks to work with in here as well. I think there were some lovely desserts involving honey in many of them. I plan on looking into them myself once I've accomplished a certain goal of mine."
>Let's continue on with this idle chatter until we make it to patchy's.
>"I'd be happy to work with you, Sakuya-san." Amitsu says with a smile to your trailing maid. Glancing between Sei and yourself, she continues, "Perhaps, when you're feeeling better, we could put something together to celebrate the friendship between the Scarlet Devil Manor and the Cobalt Keep?"
>Sakuya returns the honeybee's smile. "That is an excellent idea, Amitsu-san."
>"Oh, Amitsu is fine." the bee grants. "And I'm always willing to learn more things. If I can teach you a recipie or two, then more's the better."
>The exchange brings a feeling of contentment to you as you come within sight of Patchouli's work area. Sakuya isn't normally the sort to take that easily to newcomers. A part of that may simply be lingering effects of her encounter with Pride, but for now at least, it's good to see her getting along so easily with someone she's just met. Hopefully it will keep, at least in part.
>The space you find Patchy in has a long wood table, slightly curved, holding a number of jars and beakers, as well as a pot of boiling water, and a faint scent of boiling plantlife. Herbs of some kind, you're sure. There are only two chairs, one in the middle of the desk, one off to the side. Patchouli herself, her back turned to you as she work at something at the table, doesn't look behind her as she calls out, "Put her down there." with a gesture towards the free chair.
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>Do as Patchy told,gently, and take a couple of steps back to give the two of them space.
>"I hope the cure doesn't bear long lasting side effects on humans ,Patchy.But perhaps I'm simply worrying too much:she's in the hands of the Unmoving Great Library and not in those of the fairly common magician or healer with but a touch of talent and training".
>When Sei and ourself have joined the group,whisper to the samurai"What were you saying a while ago about not feeling emotions anymore,Sei"?.
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>Do as Patchy told,gently, and take a couple of steps back to give the two of them space.
>"I hope the cure doesn't bear long lasting side effects on humans ,Patchy.But perhaps I'm simply worrying too much:she's in the hands of the Unmoving Great Library and not in those of the fairly common magician or healer with but a touch of talent and training".
>With care, you and the samurai place Dio in the appropriate chair.
>"Your faith is appreciated." Patchouli replies, turning to face the rest of you, carrying a medical syringe. "Now, I repeat, I'm not a healer by trade. I've had to modify an old formula of mine for dealing with a more magical affliction." she informs you as she draws a blood sample from the hunter, affording you your first scent of Dio's blood. At first blush, it smells identical to Sakuya's, which you would expect. A little analysis, however, tells of some very subtle differences between the two, consequences of their differences in diets, trainings and regions she's lived in, as well as one other factor that you've never smelt before.
>"In theory it should work." Patchy continues as she takes a look at the red fluid in her syringe. "But I wanted to test it first. I've never used it on a human before."
>When Sei and ourself have joined the group,whisper to the samurai"What were you saying a while ago about not feeling emotions anymore,Sei"?.
>As Patchy returns to her work, you take Sei a few steps to the side and inquire into the comment she made earlier. "It is a consequence of the curse that transformed me into a youkai." she says quite matter-of-factly.
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>Nod attentively while paying close attention to Patchy and Dio as well.
>"Such things frequently happen, such as the swordsman who says a thousand youkai, only to be rewarded by becoming that which he hunted. Of course, one often finds themselves curious of such matters, especially given the myriad ways such a thing occurs. After all, I was once human myself, many long years ago."
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>Nod attentively while paying close attention to Patchy and Dio as well.
>"Such things frequently happen, such as the swordsman who says a thousand youkai, only to be rewarded by becoming that which he hunted. Of course, one often finds themselves curious of such matters, especially given the myriad ways such a thing occurs. After all, I was once human myself, many long years ago."
>"Then it seems I am to be a source of that curiousity for you." Sei remarks as Patchouli transfers some of Dio's extracted blood into a glass dish. "For that is what happened to me, although it was not one thousand, in my case, but one hundred and eight."
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>Fistpalm slightly, but not in a way that will disturb Patchouli. That was one of those 'Important Numbers', wasn't it?
>"Ah, one of the many numbers regarded as important, like the number seven-hundred-and-seventy-seven, or the number six-hundred-and-sixty-six. The former being a marker of good fortune from what I've heard. I suppose you must have slain remarkably powerful ones to have attained that so quickly."
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>Fistpalm slightly, but not in a way that will disturb Patchouli. That was one of those 'Important Numbers', wasn't it?
>"Ah, one of the many numbers regarded as important, like the number seven-hundred-and-seventy-seven, or the number six-hundred-and-sixty-six. The former being a marker of good fortune from what I've heard. I suppose you must have slain remarkably powerful ones to have attained that so quickly."
>Many eastern cultures hold the number 108 as one of the 'good' numbers, a sign of good fortune, divine providence. You've never heard of it being signifigant in a case like this, however. A person becoming a youkai in this manner is universally regarded as a sign of bad fortune. Well, except perhaps in a place like Gensokyo.
>"Partly." the samurai replies in her hollow voice. "But partly also due to the last one that fell to my blade."
>A puff of steam rises from the dish containing Dio's blood, as Patchouli adds a greenish liquid to the bowl. "Was that supposed to happen?" Mystia asks.
>"No." Patchy grunts, sounding a little grumpy. "As a matter of fact, it's not. It's too strong as it is. It will work, but it will probably boil veins in the process." The mage adjusts her hat. "And that is precisely why tests are so important." she continues, her tone much like a teacher imparting a lesson.
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>Keep an eye on things. "Hm, back to the drawing board for that method it seems."
>Then look back to Sei. "I take it that one was particularly vengeful?"
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>Then look back to Sei. "I take it that one was particularly vengeful?"
>"That's what I thought at first, as well. It took me years to understand that it was exactly the opposite. Far too long..." The samurai lowers her head a little.
>Keep an eye on things. "Hm, back to the drawing board for that method it seems."
>"Maybe I can help." Meiling offers.
>"I wasn't aware that you had taken lessons in pharmacology, China." Patchouli quips.
>"Herbology, actually." the redhead replies smartly. She then asks Haridoku, "What poison did you say you used on Dio-san?"
>"Mud dauber. Why?" the hornet asks with a raised eyebrows.
>Meiling smiles, then turns to Patchy in answer, "Try using Lotus leaves."
>Patchouli, who had been watering down her concoction, pauses. "What?"
>"Lotus blossoms have medicinal properies when ground down. Well, a lot of plants do, but Lotuses seem to work on a lot of wasp and hornet stings, including mud dauber."
>Patchy's face passes between irritated and curious. "And how did you come across this information?"
>"When I went into the human village a few months ago, I got to know a nice older woman who knows a lot about the plants that grow around the village. I helped her son fix her roof for the winter while I was there, and she taught me about what plants could heal what hurts."
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>Raise an eyebrow. "Oh?"
>Have to admit, Hong knowing something trivial-yet-handy like that is always a pleasant surprise, isn't it? She's not a vast repository of information like Patchouli, but sometimes just little drops are better than a flood.
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>Raise an eyebrow. "Oh?"
>"She was trying to help me." Sei says quietly. "In her own way. She thought that, if I became what I hated, I could learn to stop hating. But her death curse was flawed." she spits, almost bitterly yet somehow not quite reaching the emotion. "She thought she could heal my heart, but she ended up closing it, nearly completely."
>Have to admit, Hong knowing something trivial-yet-handy like that is always a pleasant surprise, isn't it? She's not a vast repository of information like Patchouli, but sometimes just little drops are better than a flood.
>Measuring up to Patchy in terms of knowledge is a task and a half, but everyone has their own little areas of expertise.
>Knowing Patchouli as you do, you're quite sure Meiling knowing something she doesn't in this area annoys her just a bit. But she does a remarkable job of keeping the emotion under her hat. "Any specfic type of lotus flower?" she asks evenly.
>Meiling thinks a moment. "I don't think it makes a difference, not for this type of venom. How did you manage to use enough poison to paralyze her without doing more damage?" Meiling asks Haridoku. "Mud Wasp stings are usually pretty harmless, I was told, at least unless you get stung a lot. Even then, it only makes you a bit numb."
>"She's not the first human I've stuck." Haridoku replies. "I don't kill unless I have to, so I learned how to make a sting strong enough to take someone out without taking them down."
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(Think you meant Sei there.)
>Nod. "I see...Well, even the best intentions can oft fail to go as intended."
>Let's let them finish their work, and just watch from the sidelines. After all, we're more suited to breaking heads open, or altering fate, than we are to healing someone.
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(Think you meant Sei there.)
>Nod. "I see...Well, even the best intentions can oft fail to go as intended."
>Let's let them finish their work, and just watch from the sidelines. After all, we're more suited to breaking heads open, or altering fate, than we are to healing someone.
Hurr.
>"It was a cruel irony that my heart, for a long time, could only open when I found myself in battle, or in confrontation. All I could feel were the negative emotions one finds on a battlefield. In some ways, Scarlet Devil, I was more a monster than when I was human."
>"Lotus...." Patchouli muses. "I haven't used Lotus extract in almost two decades. The material I have should still be useful, though, even if I'll have to wake it up a bit." She points to glass jar being suspended over an open flame, the purple liquid bubbling inside, and orders Meiling, "Don't let this boil. It will take me a few minutes to find the lotus extract."
>"Sure thing."
>As Patchouli flies off to collect the indicated ingredient, Sakuya takes another look at her alternate timeline counterpart. "I wonder if I should really be here when Pachouli cures her paralysis...." she wonders aloud.
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>"Well, you certainly aren't in strange company on that register. After all, I've been called many unsavory things myself."
>Look to Sakuya. "Don't worry, I'll make sure things don't 'go south', as they say."
>Let's move to be a bit closer to her, in a somewhat protective way. "After all, what sort of person would I be if I didn't protect those important to me?"
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>"Well, you certainly aren't in strange company on that register. After all, I've been called many unsavory things myself."
>Look to Sakuya. "Don't worry, I'll make sure things don't 'go south', as they say."
>Let's move to be a bit closer to her, in a somewhat protective way. "After all, what sort of person would I be if I didn't protect those important to me?"
>Sakuya gives you a smile. "I never doubted that for a second, ojou-sama."
>A moment passes as you and your maid as you look fondly at each other. You can see in her eyes the gratitude she feels that you came for her tonight, and the security she takes in knowing you'd do it again. And you know full well that if she could have, she would have gotten rid of Pride as soon as she could have rather than cause you the anguish of losing her, at least in such a manner.
>When the moment passes, she says "I was merely worried about her. I don't know how she would react to seeing what is, essentially, someone she could have been."
>"I don't think you should worry too much." Meiling says warmly. "We may not have got off on the right foot, but things have settled down. Plus, if she's anything like you, I think she'll be fine with seeing you."
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>"Mh mh.I'm sure she will be looking forward to meet you, Sakuya."
>"In fact the first moments she was summoned here by manipulation of her fate,Dio,as we came to know near the end of the skirmish,was fully intent on dying trying to rescue an helpess victim from a vampire and her youkai cohorts;and I'm actually quoting her statement."
>Direct your gaze from Sakuya to Meiling,then rests it on the chair of the vampire hunter."Her bravery and goodness of heart are to be admired and they should be even more ,if it were not for her overzealousness partially clouding her judgement."
>"I am currently referring to the present state Dio found herself in, which began with the misguided action of fending off the clostest "captor" she could reach ,namely the pacific Amitsu...."
>"And while I was reminded of Sakuya's beatiful flowering fighting techique, having observed her, I don't ever remember observing our Sakuya sustaining real impairing injuries leading to a deadlock when a foe of my caliber starts a counterattack but not entirely goes through with it ."
>Turn to Meiling."Meiling,you are right:it is now settled down, out of the inner goodness of her motives and her acceptance united to those of the ones around her."
>Tiny smile." Enough with the grim past,we have to stay on touch with the better part of this present -point to the beak- that includes not letting purple concoctions boil."
Hong is actually her first name,but the surname "Meiling"has such international musicality that it's nice to be shifting a bit between the two.
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>"Mh mh. I'm sure she will be looking forward to meet you, Sakuya."
>"In fact the first moments she was summoned here by manipulation of her fate, Dio, as we came to know near the end of the skirmish, was fully intent on dying trying to rescue an helpess victim from a vampire and her youkai cohorts; and I'm actually quoting her statement."
>Direct your gaze from Sakuya to Meiling, then rests it on the chair of the vampire hunter. "Her bravery and goodness of heart are to be admired and they should be even more, if it were not for her overzealousness partially clouding her judgement."
>"I am currently referring to the present state Dio found herself in, which began with the misguided action of fending off the clostest "captor" she could reach, namely the pacific Amitsu...."
>"And while I was reminded of Sakuya's beatiful flowering fighting techique, having observed her, I don't ever remember observing our Sakuya sustaining real impairing injuries leading to a deadlock when a foe of my caliber starts a counterattack but not entirely goes through with it."
>Turn to Meiling. "Meiling, you are right: it is now settled down, out of the inner goodness of her motives and her acceptance united to those of the ones around her."
>Tiny smile." Enough with the grim past, we have to stay on touch with the better part of this present -point to the beak- that includes not letting purple concoctions boil."
>Patchouli returns as you summarize the events of the evening, carrying two jars with her suspended in a bubble of magical energy.
>"I do worry about possibly overwhelming her, though." Amitsu admits. "True, the situation has settled down since her rather dramatic arrival, but she is still new to this world. She may have been in her Gensokyo before, but we don't know how similiar ours is to the one she left."
>"It might be better to show her what Gensokyo's like as it is." Meiling offers in counterpoint. "Humans, vampires, youkai, we all get along here. Maybe the vampires of her Gensokyo are different, but Remilia's different. And so is Eriza." she adds to Sei.
>The samurai nods as Patchy returns to her work. "We of the Keep are, in a way, as strange to this Gensokyo as Dio herself is, and yet I discern that the darkness of the old years has passed. Remilia herself is proof of that, as is the Hakurei of this era. Both have welcomed us, despite the earlier incident. If I were one to hope, I would hope that Dio would find the same."
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>Nod. "Exactly. The current times are much more hospitable to those who enjoy both peace, as well as a good fight. In a way, it's paradise for almost any sort of person, if they happen to share such feelings. Of course, boredom is life's greatest enemy in times such as this. Even greater a foe than death. Well, as much as you could consider my sort of existence 'life'."
>Pause thoughtfully. "Hmm...We should have something sweet ready for her when she's back on her feet. Help pull the nerves back together and whatnot."
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>Nod. "Exactly. The current times are much more hospitable to those who enjoy both peace, as well as a good fight. In a way, it's paradise for almost any sort of person, if they happen to share such feelings. Of course, boredom is life's greatest enemy in times such as this. Even greater a foe than death. Well, as much as you could consider my sort of existence 'life'."
>Pause thoughtfully. "Hmm...We should have something sweet ready for her when she's back on her feet. Help pull the nerves back together and whatnot."
>Amitsu smiles brightly. "An excellent idea, Remilia-san. A little treat always helps." She then asks Patchouli, "About how long do you think it will take Dio-san here to be back on her feet?"
>Patchy starts a jar of water boiling with a flick of her finger before replying. "Assuming China is correct, and assuming Dio responds like an ordinary human? About two minutes."
>"Even I couldn't bake something in that span of time." Sakuya says. "Perhaps, some honeyed tea will suffice, ojou-sama?"
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>Nod. "I'll leave that to you then. Amitsu, would you mind lending her a hand? I think everyone should have some in fact."
>Let's find some sort of seat nearby, we've been one busy little vampire after all. We do have to be ready to react to anything though.
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>Nod. "I'll leave that to you then. Amitsu, would you mind lending her a hand? I think everyone should have some in fact."
>Let's find some sort of seat nearby, we've been one busy little vampire after all. We do have to be ready to react to anything though.
>"Of course." Amitsu replies. "Where is the kitchen, Sakuya?"
>"Follow me, please." Sakuya says with a gesture back the way you came, and she and the bee stroll away, discussing what types of tea go well with honey.
>"You guys're in for a treat." Haridoku says confidently. "Even you." she adds, poking Dio in the cheek. "First taste of our world's gonna be my sister's honey."
>"Stop poking her." Meiling demands. "Haven't you done that enough for one night?"
>"Oh hoo, aren't we protective." Haridoku retorts with a brash grin.
>With a sigh, you decide to return from whence you came and grab a chair for yourself, since the two present are occupied. When you return, you find, pleasantly, that the hornet is indeed leaving Dio alone, though she and Hong do continue to wrangle each other. You have a sneaking suspicion that, when the two of them do settle down to have their danmaku duel, it's going to be a spirited affair indeed.
>Mystia has returned her attention to Sei, and the two are discussing what you spoke with Sei about earlier; namely her current emotional state, or lack thereof. Evidently, Mystia had overheard bits of pieces of your chat and wanted to know more herself. And with Patchouli finishing off her new brew, which does smell a bit better than her last offering if nothing else, you are left alone with your thoughts for the moment. You wonder just how well Dio will take to Gensokyo, should she have to stay here for any length of time while you figure out a way to get her home. As for how to get her home, you are not without options. Patchouli may well know of some kind of spell to travel between timelines; you can ask her once Dio's mobile again. And even if she doesn't, Marisa might or she might have access to one. For all her bad habits, Marisa knows her magic, and you'd be hard pressed to imagine any sort of magical-related problem the two of them couldn't solve if they worked together.
>And then there's your sister. While the tale of tonight's events would make a very interesting story, you wonder how she'd respond to hearing about Dio. Flan could see her as an imposter, a fake Sakuya, and that might upset her quite a lot. On the other hand, she could very well love the idea of there being two Sakuya's. It's just so hard to predict how she'll respond sometimes. You are certain, however, that you'll probably have to take steps to keep Dio from finding her. Hunters sometimes have a sixth sense for ferreting out vampires, and if this one is as clever as your Sakuya is, you can see her finding Flandre's room in a rather short span of time.
>But that concern can wait for a bit later. Patchy turns from her table, now holding a glass jar containing a brown liquid, almost the color of orange pekoe tea, emitting a faintly floral scent. "It's ready, Remilia, and it should work, if China is right. There is, however, one small complication."
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>Raise an eyebrow. "And what would that be?"
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>Raise an eyebrow. "And what would that be?"
>"Owing to the change in ingredients, the medicine needs to be administer differently than my first mix." She nods at Dio. "It needs to be drunk, swallowed. And that's impossible for her right now. So right now, I see two options."
>Patchy holds up one finger. "We can employ a funnel. It will work quite well, but it's not big on dignity."
>Another finger. "Or, it can be mouth-fed to her, like you'd see in one of those corny shoujou mangas Koakuma reads." Your friend lowers her hand. "Seeing as how she's your guest, I thought I'd ask which you'd rather."
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>"Owing to the change in ingredients, the medicine needs to be administer differently than my first mix." She nods at Dio. "It needs to be drunk, swallowed. And that's impossible for her right now. So right now, I see two options."
>Patchy holds up one finger. "We can employ a funnel. It will work quite well, but it's not big on dignity."
>Another finger. "Or, it can be mouth-fed to her, like you'd see in one of those corny shoujou mangas Koakuma reads." Your friend lowers her hand. "Seeing as how she's your guest, I thought I'd ask which you'd rather."
"It's not big on dignity" Patchy says about the funnel, but the kiss would surely be big on laughs and awkwardness I add :D .That said, I vote for the funnel since I do not think anyone is ,ehm, "affectionate" enough with this alternate version of Sakuya.Maybe,just maybe, Meiling would but we'd need to come up with an heck of an amazing write-in for it to be accepted without misunderstanding and to work incident-free.
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Seconding the funnel. The mouth-to-mouth idea won't work out without misunderstandings, something I'd rather not have at the moment. We used up a lot of energy to split pride off after all.
>"Well, there are times for dignity, and times for practicality. This is a practicality one. Besides, I doubt she would want anything of that sort from people like us, even if we're nice enough sorts. She doesn't seem like the sort to care about the difference between elegance and practicality either way."
>Nod, with a slight smile. "Ah, the differences that arise from going down a different path in life. Almost makes one wonder how different things would have been for myself."
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>"Well, there are times for dignity, and times for practicality. This is a practicality one. Besides, I doubt she would want anything of that sort from people like us, even if we're nice enough sorts. She doesn't seem like the sort to care about the difference between elegance and practicality either way."
>Nod, with a slight smile. "Ah, the differences that arise from going down a different path in life. Almost makes one wonder how different things would have been for myself."
>Patchy nods. "Funnel it is." The wizard of the week snaps her empty hand, and a plain grey metal funnel traces itself into existance.
>"Neat trick." Haridoku compliments gruffly.
>"Mundane utility has its uses. China, come help me with this."
>"You could ask her what became of you in her timeline." Sei suggests as Hong leaves the hornet alone to assist Patchouli. "She seemed to imply earlier that the Scarlet Devil of her timeline had perished."
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>Nod. "I intend to. She seemed to imply as though she had either died, or became some sort of super-legend, given how she seemed to respect the name of scarlet devil."
>Let's keep an eye on things.
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>Nod. "I intend to. She seemed to imply as though she had either died, or became some sort of super-legend, given how she seemed to respect the name of scarlet devil."
>Let's keep an eye on things.
>"'Respect' isn't the word I'd use." Haridoku says as Meling tilts Dio's head back. "She did use the words 'minor vampire'."
>"This is probably going to be a bit uncomfortable." Patchouli informs the still-trying-to-mumble vampire hunter. "But bear with it." Meiling pries Dio's lips apart, and Patchouli somewhat unceremoniously inserts the narrow end of the funnel into the gaping maw. You want to frown, but then, between Koakuma and Patchouli, Koa's the one with the better bedside manner. Patchy may be a fine alchemist, but that doesn't make one a good doctor. As she furthur demonstrates by simply upending the medical brew into the funnel, rather than doling it out slowly.
>"I don't think you should-" Meiling starts, frowning herself, but Patchy interrupts her.
>"She's supposed to be Sakuya, right? She'll be fine."
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>Nod. "True, true. That said, she did at least know of her."
>Then sigh slightly, in a mildly amused way. "Typical Patche. Bedside manners were never her forte, Koa's better at that."
>Pause. "Ah, but she's preoccupied at the moment, a shame really. She quite resembles someone at the keep you know. I do wonder if they may be related somehow."
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>Nod. "True, true. That said, she did at least know of her."
>Then sigh slightly, in a mildly amused way. "Typical Patche. Bedside manners were never her forte, Koa's better at that."
>Pause. "Ah, but she's preoccupied at the moment, a shame really. She quite resembles someone at the keep you know. I do wonder if they may be related somehow."
>"I'd say I've been perfectly mannerly." Patchy retorts, but also mildly. "I did warn her, after all."
>"Yeah, where is that redhead anyway?" Haridoku asks.
>"Taking care of a small task." Patchy answers as she watches the medication flow through the funnel.
>"Must be some task, to let her miss this."
>"It's something best dealt with when it comes up. Some things really shouldn't wait." Giving the funnel a couple of taps, she then removes it from Dio's mouth. "Keep a hold of her, China, just in case. She might fall over when that takes effect."
>"Unless of course, Remi, you think Koa should be here right now." Patchy asks you, sounding deceptively casual, but you know exactly what she means. She knows that if she calls Koa, Flan will come up too, and that's what she's asking you: If you want Flandre to meet Dio now.
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>Wave it off. "That won't be necessary, Koa will show up on her own when she finishes."
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By trying to impede too much of a subplot,possibly sub-quest,between Flandre and Dio,it appears doubtless that Koakuma would have to be switched over to "Guardian Duty" when they're both active in the building .
Dio would have to keep occupied somehow,like making rounds with Remilia or Reimu and Kogasa in their search for Greed and Wrath or to carefully meet Satori.
In addition there are also inklings to"Sleeping beauty" :3 ,sedated young termite youkai queen, and "bartering with Rainy Stars"s :o deals,one at a time.
Of course, I'm planning in advance as to when rumours will be starting to fly around,courtesy of fairy maids, and we Remilia need them to rest a little.
Bottom line:let's continue to take preacautions but not to force Flan and Dio apart,souring the atmosphere plus calling for trouble , therefore we should exchange info wit the vampire hunter in oder to avoid glaring stunts and some ruffling of feathers on her part;let's keep in mind Flandre's chamber is warded and alt-Sakuya is both zealous and a novice timestopper.
After all that,where's Wriggle :wat: ?We should ask other sources like Mystia for this minor curiosity,at least it is minor now that she's secured on both ends.
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It's not a good idea to let Flan and Dio meet, there's no telling what either one will do. So I'm against letting them meet at all.
Better that Flan doesn't know, she might want to keep her around due to her being 'Sakuya'. And we can't really have that, as she needs to return to her own time.
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>Wave it off. "That won't be necessary, Koa will show up on her own when she finishes."
>Patchouli nods with feigned casualness. "Fair enough."
>A minute or so passes with no outward sign of the medication working, but you're not worried. Generally, when Patchy says something will work, it does. And sure enough, after about a minute and a half, the hunter seems to stiffen slightly in her seat, and she tries to raise her head again, having much more success than before. She tries to speak, but the words still come out slurry and weak.
>"Give it another minute to work." Meiling cautions her gently.
>"That's a pretty potent brew ya got there." Haridoku compliments Patchy gruffly.
>The mage, however, merely points to Meiling. "She came up with the main ingredient, I just filled in the rest."
>Another minute or so later, Dio raises her left arm, and while it seems a touch unsteady, she keeps it aloft for several seconds. She then tests her right arm in a similar manner. Seemingly satisfied, she faces Patchouli and gives her a sardonic grin, or at least as close to one as she can manage. "A bit of cinnamon would make that brew taste better." Her tone, though light, is still not strong, a sign that she's not 100% just yet.
>"I'll have to remember that the next time a guest gets herself stabbed by a hornet youkai." Patchy replies.
>"And for the record... I carry antidotes in my cloak."
>"Searching our guests isn't something we do very often." Meiling chides the hunter, gauging her condition, and then releasing her. Dio sags for a moment, then rights herself.
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>"Well, I should have known, given how you seen to carry an entire castle's worth of gear on you."
>Chuckle a bit. "But then again, Sakuya has so many knives that even I wonder where she carries them all. I suppose any 'Sakuya' has some sort of storage space that's much bigger on the inside."
>Then curtsey politely. "My apologies for that little debacle though, I'll be having her work it off."
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It's not a good idea to let Flan and Dio meet, there's no telling what either one will do. So I'm against letting them meet at all.
Better that Flan doesn't know, she might want to keep her around due to her being 'Sakuya'. And we can't really have that, as she needs to return to her own time.
Yes,I agree.My long message was meant to list a few alternatives to minimize that risk. On top of that,when the situation arises,I was suggesting not to arise curiosity by playing totally dumb or acting suspiciously bossy ,but giving some sparse warning with Remilia's Charisma.I apologize if it sounded like setting them up for a meeting.
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>"Well, I should have known, given how you seen to carry an entire castle's worth of gear on you."
>Chuckle a bit. "But then again, Sakuya has so many knives that even I wonder where she carries them all. I suppose any 'Sakuya' has some sort of storage space that's much bigger on the inside."
>Then curtsey politely. "My apologies for that little debacle though, I'll be having her work it off."
>"A prepared hunter is a living hunter." Dio replies, rotating her arms slowly one after the other.
>"Not knowing exactly how much poison Haridoku hit you with, there may still be some residual numbness and slowness in your extremities." Patchouli informs the hunter. "It should pass on its own in time."
>"Let us know if it doesn't," Meiling adds. "and we can try another medicine."
>"I DO have my own." Dio repeats, but she softens the retort by adding, "Still, I thank you."
>Your polite gesture makes Dio pause in her exercises, and she shakes her head. "There's no need for you to apologize to me, you were as caught off guard by her as I was."
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>Smile just a bit. "Well, you are a guest until we've gotten you back home, so it reflects rather poorly on me as the host. I'm sure you can understand that, yes?"
>Pause just a bit. "Ah, I take it you already know, but tea's on the way. I trust you have no issues with honey-sweetened tea? I don't know which blend in particular will be used, as I wasn't terribly specific about that. No matter though, there are quite a few nice blends to choose from~! Tea happens to be something I rather like after all, as it goes so well with sweets."
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>Smile just a bit. "Well, you are a guest until we've gotten you back home, so it reflects rather poorly on me as the host. I'm sure you can understand that, yes?"
>Pause just a bit. "Ah, I take it you already know, but tea's on the way. I trust you have no issues with honey-sweetened tea? I don't know which blend in particular will be used, as I wasn't terribly specific about that. No matter though, there are quite a few nice blends to choose from~! Tea happens to be something I rather like after all, as it goes so well with sweets."
>Dio nods and grins ruefully. "It doesn't exactly reflect good on my skills, either. So let's just chalk it up as a lesson for both us. I can live easier with that."
>"Yeah." Dio says as she rises, slowly, to her feet. "I may have been disabled, but I was still conscious." She turns to look at Haridoku out of the corner of her eye. "Since you said you were a hornet that used wasp poison, I assume you have access to more poisons beyond the one you used on me?"
>"Got somethin' in mind?" Haridoku asks.
>"Let's just say I've learned the value of a good poison in my time."
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>Raise an eyebrow. Aren't poisons something we're generally unaffected by?
>"I believe it was Mud Dauber venom to be exact."
(It's mentioned in PoFV that someone at the SDM is apparently somewhat fond of tea brewed with poison herbs and the like, It's implied to be Remi. It's in Medicine's story to be exact.)
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>Raise an eyebrow. Aren't poisons something we're generally unaffected by?
>"I believe it was Mud Dauber venom to be exact."
(It's mentioned in PoFV that someone at the SDM is apparently somewhat fond of tea brewed with poison herbs and the like, It's implied to be Remi. It's in Medicine's story to be exact.)
>You are pratically immune to mundane poisons. One of the many perks of being a vampire is an almost legendary resistance to poisons, diseases, toxins and illness. You've experimented with this over the years, and found that there are a number of poisons that are actually very tasty. Antidotes tend not to be, however. A bit ironic, that.
>"Not a species I'm readily familiar with." Dio admits. "Is their venom always so potent?"
>"One wasp, one sting, no way, not on anything bigger than a housefly." the hornet shakes her head. "Their sting hurts less, too, than even your basic yellowjacket. But in high enough doses, well, it can drop a human."
>"So you measured the amount of venom you needed to hit me with, and planned your attack, without alerting me or the Scarlet Devil." Dio exhales and smiles, a humorless expression. "You were right, hornet. I DID underestimate you."
>"I counted on it." Haridoku says with a cocky grin.
I wouldn't have a vampire affected by any sort of poison, anyway. Undead and all that. Well, I wouldn't rule out a poison or disease of a magical nature, or something special, but ordinary insectoid venom would be completely harmless against a vampire.
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>Sigh amusedly. "Things aren't going to be quiet anymore for a while now, are they? Between playing host to a hunter, and having a hot-headed hornet acting as a second gatekeeper, as well as those sin spirits that are still out on the lam."
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You know guys, this is something I've been wondering for a while, and since this is as good a time as any to ask it, I'll ask.
How far did you guys want to go here? Since, you've actually beat the game here. Dio was supposed to be the final conflict, and as far as being a threat to Remilia is concerned, that's been overcome. You've befriended the Countess, you've rescued your Sakuya, and for the moment, you've reined in Dio. So that means you're basically in the postgame right now. So I've been wondering if there was anything else specific you wanted to achieve, or if you wanted to bring this game to a conclusion.
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Well, I suppose things are okay here then. Though it'd be nice to see what results of Koa and Nyx running into each other.
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You know guys, this is something I've been wondering for a while, and since this is as good a time as any to ask it, I'll ask.
How far did you guys want to go here? Since, you've actually beat the game here. Dio was supposed to be the final conflict, and as far as being a threat to Remilia is concerned, that's been overcome. You've befriended the Countess, you've rescued your Sakuya, and for the moment, you've reined in Dio. So that means you're basically in the postgame right now. So I've been wondering if there was anything else specific you wanted to achieve, or if you wanted to bring this game to a conclusion.
Personally, I can imagine at least four loose ends that are worth continuing the postgame for.Even if they shouldn't require a quest approach,they might still lead to other interseting developements.
Greed and Wrath.
Marisa's "disappearance".
The search for Satori as a cure for Flandre.
The unfolding of the theather play.
>Aren't there some other plans worth remembering ,besides the hunt for the Sin Spirits, coming to mind since the "coast is now clear" in the Mansion?
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Well, there is that. Also, it's Opera, not a play. Two completely different things.
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Well, there is that. Also, it's Opera, not a play. Two completely different things.
The general idea was a Opera based on Der Freisch?tz if we were able to gather all key-actors and stage crew,correct?
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That's the idea. I was figuring some of the folks from both the mansion and the keep could participate.
We may have even found an alternative to casting ourself as Samael. After all, we already have a 'Hunter' right here.
No sense in her not having a little fun while she's here, eh? Enjoy the peace while she can, until she gets returned home. Y'know?
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The bulk of that, I think, can be taken care of in the 'epilogue' post as it were.
Now don't get me wrong, I'm not in a hurry to end this quest yet. I'm more than willing to keep it going if you guys wanted to. But the major conflicts, at least as far as my initial concept goes, have been overcome, and that sentiment you posted, Hanzo, seems a good one to end a quest on.
And bear in mind, I do have a sequel quest in the works as well, which will (hopefully) address any lingering plot threads that this quest didn't tie up.
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It's alright,carry on as you see fit.A sequel purpose is to bridge previous plot threads and to expand on them(such as ones like Koryu's and Rei's) ,after all.
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Another thing I noticed was the Unknown Vampire that took up house in the keep. I had almost forgotten about her until you brought up the matter of Rei.
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And let's not forget the ominous-sounding Blighter in the Grove near the Bridged River or the fate of the even more ominous vampire Ebon Regal together with his captor.Man,Remilia quest Dha gave a lot of secondary quests material! <He's reading it thrice.
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There's also looking into the fate of the Red Tide too!
(And by that I mean finding out what happened to her, so as to provide a proper cautionary tale for the younger generations.)
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There's also looking into the fate of the Red Tide too!
(And by that I mean finding out what happened to her, so as to provide a proper cautionary tale for the younger generations.)
A visit to a certain flower Youkai ;) residing in the Garden of the Sun will be at the order of the day ,then!
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We can always gain that info by other means though. It'll likely still involve her though, since she's likely the last one to have seen that one.
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Pondering on old tales,I'm left to wonder if this Red Tide encroached upon the Nameless Hill when it still was considered a "haunted ground fit for the forgotten" and what was encountered there, before it was home to Medicine Melancholy....Honoka or Ranka might have heard a thing or two about it.
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That could be it. Odds are likely that one of them would know more about her fate than Yuuka. All we have to go on is that it involved a field of flowers.
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Man,Remilia quest Dha gave a lot of secondary quests material!
There are indeed a number of things in this game that have yet to be fully explored. And you may even get to explore the bulk of them in the next game. I can't promise all of them, but certainly some.
Although I suppose, that's more up to you folks than me.
There will be a delay in the epilogue, however, as I seem to be coming down with a case of pneumonia, or so my doctor thinks. Not the best of circumstances for creative writing, that.
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There are indeed a number of things in this game that have yet to be fully explored. And you may even get to explore the bulk of them in the next game. I can't promise all of them, but certainly some.
Although I suppose, that's more up to you folks than me.
There will be a delay in the epilogue, however, as I seem to be coming down with a case of pneumonia, or so my doctor thinks. Not the best of circumstances for creative writing, that.
I really look forward to it,but I can be patient! The part about the sequel. Regarding the second one,I wholeheartedly understand:"Better to serve in a doctor's preemptiveness than reign in a heap of complications" .Rest at your leisure and keep on conserving your strength.It is hopefully a mixed-up diagnosis or a first-grade condition readily curable.
Your predicament made me remember some fearful reports by my relatives about my own juvenile exercise-induced asthma problems.They used to happen while exerting my lungs too much during undetermined circumstances,in spite of this these organs are proved to potentially develop a pretty high counter to "flaws".
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Figured I'd give you guys an update. I've seen my doctor a couple more time, and in his judgement, I do not, in fact, have pneumonia. I do, however, have viral bronchitis. Which should, he said, clear up on its own, which is good. But it will be a while before I'm back to my usual old crotchety self.
But at least I've recovered enough to start writing again, which means, barring anything drastic happening, I should have the epilogue ready in a day or two. Although I admit, I may take a couple days before launching the sequal.
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No worries man, at least it's not pneumonia!
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8) Double thumbs up for the double good news!8)
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>Sigh amusedly. "Things aren't going to be quiet anymore for a while now, are they? Between playing host to a hunter, and having a hot-headed hornet acting as a second
gatekeeper, as well as those sin spirits that are still out on the lam."
>Dio offers you a wry grin. "If this Gensokyo is anything like the one I know, things are never 'quiet' for very long at all."
>The big hornet nods. "And that's how we like it."
>Sakuya and Amitsu return a few minutes later, carrying a pair of silver platters between them. One is laden with steaming teacups, and the rest with an array of sandwiches, biscuits and sweetmeats. Despite the somewhat limited time they took, the pair have prepared an excellent spread, and a very nice green tea with honey sweetener. The latter of which you take a special moment to savor. In five hundred years, no one's ever really made a cup of tea like your Sakuya, and you've done without for the better part of a week. For a while there tonight, or rather this morning, you were afraid that you might never have another one. Sitting here, in the library, with Sakuya serving you tea, is a moment that brings a tremendous satisfaction to you. Sakuya, too, has that experience, as you can tell by the smile on her face as she serves you. There is a pronounced sensation of 'All's right with the world.' Even Haridoku looming evily around, and Sakuya's time-displaced other self being present, does nothing to spoil the sensation of having your Sakuya back. It's a wonderous feeling.
>Sakuya and Dio spend the rest of the meeting trying not to spend too much time talking to each other. Neither seems entirely comfortable in the company of the other, though neither comes right out and says it. You suppose it makes a kind of sense. Not everyone would find it automatically interesting to see someone else they could have become. You do however encourage the both of them, that they'll get used to each other after some time. And after assuring that all is well between your guests and yourself, and partaking of course of Sakuya and Amitsu's excellent spread, you retire for the day, confidant in Meiling and the other's ability to get Haridoku, Amitsu and Sei settled away. After telling Haridoku to ensure that the termite queen she strung up outside doesn't go anywhere. You want a word with her after you have some rest. You've had a very active evening, after all, and prying apart the two fates of beings such as Sakuya and Pride wasn't entirely easy. You've earned a good day's rest.
>Before you meet her, when you wake up the next evening, you have a word with Wriggle. The young firefly youkai, having been somewhat humilated by the termite, had been given a room by Koakuma to sleep it off. You approve of this. Wriggle DID try, after all. And she assures you that your house is now termite free. The colony's in a bit of disarray since Haridoku put the screws to the queen. If you can convince the queen to relocate, your termite problem will be solved. When you ask how Wriggle was bested, the firefly, with some chagrin, admits that she underestimated the termite queen's command of her colony. She sicced her colony on Wriggle during their danmaku fight, and caught by surpise at her inability to order them off, Wriggle was overwhelmed. Not very sporting of the queen, that. You thank Wriggle for her services, and gauge her ability to perform in an opera. She comes up a bit lacking, so you move on.
>In the forested area to the east of your Mansion, you find the termite queen where Haridoku said she'd left her: hanging from a tree in a face-exposing coccoon of wax, with a rather comedic bump on her head. The little bug greets you with a bit of attitude, so you leave her hanging for a while while you have a chat with her, especially the bit Haridoku mentioned about the 'harem'. You glean that this youkai is rather young, possibly only a matter of months, and she is still driven by the basic instincts of the termite queen: to provide for the colony, and to procreate. Which explains her interest in Wriggle. She probably thought the firefly was a male. Amused by her youth, you extricate the young queen from her waxy prison, and she promptly challenges you for your territory, since your house is made of good wood. Taking up the brash youth's gauge, she, somewhat unfortunately, proves no challenge for you. She's good enough to have beaten Wriggle even if she hadn't cheated a bit, but she's nowhere near your league. After you give her a thorough danmaku clobbering, and a stern warning not to try and make a meal of your house again, you send her and her colony packing.
>Life at the Scarlet Devil Manor slowly starts to return to normal. With Sakuya temporarily off duty, the task of meal preparation is divided between Koakuma and Meiling. While neither is on Sakuya's level, both are quite competant in their own areas. And Amitsu, while not as knowledgeable about full course meals as the other two, helps where she can and adds her own distinct flavor to the offerings. Turns out the bee can work in much more than simply honey, and she's very willing to learn, as well. You look forward to seeing what she and Sakuya can turn out, once Sakuya's back to her old self. Even when she is, though, you put some serious thought in keeping Amitsu around. She proves to be delightful company. She helps with the housework where she can, with meals, and is genuinely good company. It turns out that she was a queen bee larva before she became a youkai, explaining why she has such a demure, reserved personality, and some of the instincts and drives of nobility. And explains how she can control Haridoku as she does. Even though they're different species of bugs, as youkai, Haridoku seems to naturally defer to her authority.
>And it's a good thing she does, since she needs to be kept on a short leash. You glean that she really isn't a bad sort, but she is very gruff, and very blunt. But with Amitsu on one side of her, and Meiling on the other to show her the ropes of what being a guardian of the SDM means, she acquits herself to the task relatively well. And while her personality has some rough spots to her, her danmaku is very good. She and Meiling challenge each other a couple of days later, and Haridoku comes out on top of the exchange. Impressed by her skill, you challenge her yourself a little later, and while you do defeat her handily, she makes you work for it. Her claim of giving Marisa a good fight is not exaggerated. Anyone who can best her is certainly worthy to pit their skills at danmaku against you, and you decide that she can handle the duty well enough, while Meiling is on light duty.
>The fairy Rainy Stars returns to the SDM two days later, and you sit her down for a talk, in an attempt to recruit her into your workforce. Once more, you find yourself quietly amazed at a fairy who can use four syllable words in a sentance and not pretend to know what they mean, or be entirely wrong about it. As Sakuya predicted, she is resistant towards the idea of becoming a full time employee of the Mansion. She assures you it isn't personal, she just isn't ready to make a long term commitment. Despite your best efforts, negociations stall, until Koakuma brings the two of you in some honeyed tea and sweets. At the taste of the sweet candy, Rainy's more traditional fairy-ness reasserts itself, and she assaults the goodies with childlike enthusiasm. Immediately, you see your opportunity, and propose to compensate Rainy with sweets in addition to her more traditional wages. That sways the brunette fairy instantly. You have some trepadation at whether this arrangement will persist once Amitsu departs, but you have absolute confidence in Sakuya's ability to provide the goods just as well. Probably better.
>You receive a pleasant surprise visitor three days after your rescue of Sakuya. Riding atop the back of his bear, Koryu Daidouji arrives at the doors of the SDM. Fortunately, Meiling was standing watch at the time rather than the bug, and she knew that you were hoping the young lad would arrive, so she admits him with no fuss. It is quite a surprise to see him, as he wasn't in the best of shape when you left him in that kappa hospital. He assures you, however, that it was far worse than it looked, and that the kappa took good care of him. He states that while he enjoyed their company and could have stayed there for quite some time, he didn't forget your invitation, and didn't want to insult you by making you wait. Plus, he adds with a grin, it's not every a badass youkai such as yourself invites him into their home, and he wasn't about to pass up the opportunity. You have a bit of an issue sorting out the bear, but Koryu claims that she's taken a shine to him, and you're willing to tolerate the bear's presence so long as it doesn't make any trouble. It can't be any worse than Haridoku, after all. But the bear seems content to park itself in the forested area around your mansion, though you get the impression it won't take her long to storm inside if it senses something wrong with Koryu. Animal youkai such as this can be fiercely protective when their instincts are aroused, but for the moment, it seems content with simple proximity to Koryu.
>While you are giving Koryu the tour of the mansion, another visitor arrives at your front door. It is Lust the Sin Spirit. With Patchouli's barrier still in place, the spirit cannot enter your home, so she delivers her message to Meiling, who then carries the story to you. She came to tell you that Wrath has been returned to the Cobalt Keep, courtesy of the efforts of Reimu and Kogasa. It turned out that Wrath had not sought out Kaguya or Mokou as you had suspected, but rather had bonded with one Medicine Melancholy, the living doll with the pathological hatred of humans. Evidently that merger had been voluntary on the part of both beings, and the resulting Wrath-Medicine was a being of power exceeding even that of Pride-Sakuya. From what Reimu said, it seems that Wrath-Medicine was responsible for the creation of those Rageblooms. With the power of Wrath on her side, Medicine was finally acting on her hatred of humans, rather than simply brooding from atop the hill she lived on. The Rageblooms carried her hatred to other beings.
>Lust admitted she had no idea how Reimu was able to defeat Wrath-Medicine and separate the two beings from each other, but she did, although Kogasa was injured during the battle. According to Lust, Reimu deposited Medicine at Eientei to treat the damage done to her before bringing Wrath's gem back to Tsumiko. She then took Kogasa to her home to help her recuperate. That still leaves Greed unaccounted for, but Lust claimed that now that Tsumiko had six Sins back with her, she could track down Greed on her own. The denizens of the Keep could handle it from there, said they wanted to do some good for Gensokyo after the trouble they'd caused. After delivering her message, Lust then departed to check on Reimu, Kogasa and Medicine. Tsumiko felt responsible for their wounds, and sent Lust out to do what she could to help. You have some serious doubts about the wisdom of the Keeper, letting Lust run over Gensokyo all on her own after all the trouble the other Sins caused, but Meiling assures you that Lust can be depended on to at least not make things worse.
>For the next week, your mansion is as active as it has been in quite a long time. Koryu's experients with his power under Patchouli's guidance, Haridoku learning how to be a proper gate guard under Meiling's watch, Amitsu learning her way around the kitchen with Sakuya, Rainy Stars running around with her new duties, even managing to get the construction of the west wing back under way, and the constant presence of Dio and her understated bafflement of her new surroundings. And of course, you finding time to sit down with your sister and tell her the tale of how you saved your Sakuya and brought her home. But what occupies the bulk of your time is your efforts in putting together your opera. Sei proves to be an interesting partner in your efforts here, as you discover she has a genuine love of music. Music, it seems, is one of the few things that can move her heart, and she demonstrates more than a little skill with a violin. Still, as you and she work, you realize that this isn't going to be an entirely easy effort on your part. It will be well worth it, once it all comes together, and it will. It will be one of the finest shows Gensokyo has seen in ages. It will simply take some time to put it all together.
>Much to your relief, by the end of the week, Sakuya is indeed back to her old self, her natural pride returning to its normal level. Sei had assured you this would be the case, but since the Sins were a type of spirit you'd never dealt with before, you were not entirely convinced of that. It does your heart good to see her back to her old self. Although that does not necessarily mean she has been completely unchanged by her experience. She still presents a cold, impartial face to the world, but somehow, it doesn't seem quite as harsh as you'd grown accustomed to. Well, sometimes, anyway, as she regards Haridoku with a ceratin amount of cool disdain, and she goes out of her way to avoid Dio. Not that the latter is hard, as Dio seems to be avoiding her, as well. But her budding friendship with Amitsu doesn't end once her pride has recovered, and she compliments Rainy Stars on her efficiency and work ethic. You've also noticed over the past week that she and Meiling have spent more time together than they had before this incident. Meiling, in fact, had been keeping almost as close an eye on her as you were while she was recovering, and while normally you might have expected Sakuya to scold her for shirking her duty for such a 'frivolous' pursuit, if anything she seems grateful for the attention from Hong. Though she refuses to admit it outright. She's still Sakuya, after all, and her spirited denial makes you laugh despite yourself.
>Unfortunately, Dio grows increasingly uncomfortable during her stay at your mansion, and despite your best efforts and the efforts of Patchy, you find no immediate or easy method of returning her to her own timeline. Patchouli does unearth one ancient spell that might do the trick, but the ingredients needed to power the spell make it impossible to recreate. You do actually speak to Yukari Yakumo herself about the incident; the gap youkai walked through your front door the day after Lust visited. Evidently she had detected a fluctuation in the timelines and came to investigate. Still, despite her reputation and famed power, the way Dio came into this timeline is something she claims to have never encountered before, and not something even she can simple wave her hand and set to right. She does, however, promise you and Dio that she will do whatever is in her power to get Dio home, though she does say that it may take some time, and that she may need to discuss the matter with a consultant or two. Predictably, she does not elaborate further before gapping her way out of your mansion. Still, Dio seems content to take Yukari at her word. In Dio's timeline, Yukari is a lot of things but she isn't a liar. You hope that this extends to this Yukari as well, at least as long as you and she are working towards the same goal.
>This does not mean, however, that Dio is content to simply sit back and relax until Yukari returns. Despite your best efforts to convince her otherwise, Dio decides to leave the mansion a week after her arrival. She doesn't feel right being around your Sakuya, nor does Sakuya enjoy Dio being here. The two seem to almost unconsciously reject each other, as
though the existence of one is an affront to another. The odd thing about this is, for a vampire hunter like her, she accepts your company more easily than she does that of Sakuya. Despite the circumstances, you find this to be a hopeful sign for Dio, if she can get past the anger and pain you felt within her to reach this point. Plus she says she isn't the sort to stay in one place for too long just cooling her heels. She needs to get out and move, to keep her skills sharp. She wants to see this Gensokyo, as well, and how it differs from hers, and she wants to see if she can find her own way home. You offer her a guide, but she says she travels better alone.
>But more importantly, she promises to return to see you again, whether she finds another way home or not. If for nothing else, she says with a very familiar, Sakuya-like smirk, to see your opera. She isn't a big fan of the genre, but she is very curious about a vampire-run production that isn't couched in evil. Which means that she now believes that you, at least, are not like the vampires she knows, which leaves you feeling very satisfied. As the hunter departs the mansion, you have no doubt that you have not seen the last of her, and that when she returns to her own time, you'll have done something good for her. You've proven that vampires are not the universal evil she believes them to be. And that is a very satisfying thought. With that thought in mind, you sit back in your comfortable chair on your balcony, sipping quietly from a glass of good red wine and watching the moon come up in the east amidst a field of twinkling stars. The night promises to be a good one.
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And that, at last, ladies and gentlemen, is the conclusion of Remilia Quest. I apologize once again for the excessive delays in posting that conclusion, and I thank everyone who contributed to this game and helped bring it to its close, as well as those who may have read quietly. I've been running games on this forum for over two years, and this is the first game of mine that's come to an actual end. I'm grateful for those who stuck with this game and gave it, and me, a chance to do that.
As is tradition, I will leave this thread open for a few days to address any questions or issues you all might have been pondering.
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Heh, so Sakuya and Dio have a 'Shirou and Archer Dynamic', as I suspected. (Those who know Fate/Stay Night will get it.)
Am I correct in assuming that the 'Unknown Vampire' that took up residence in the keep prior to the revival of the keep's true owners is something pertaining to the next quest?
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Heh, so Sakuya and Dio have a 'Shirou and Archer Dynamic', as I suspected. (Those who know Fate/Stay Night will get it.)
Am I correct in assuming that the 'Unknown Vampire' that took up residence in the keep prior to the revival of the keep's true owners is something pertaining to the next quest?
Pretty much. A vampire hunter who's been hating the undead for as long as she can remember, and a woman who has devoted her entire life to serving a vampire. It's gonna take something pretty dramatic to get them to even think about accepting each other, and whatever that something may be is beyond the scope of this quest.
Actually, no. That particular vampire was something I whipped up to give the Keep a more 'lived in' feel. I wanted to give the impression that the Keep had been in Gensokyo for a while, and a structure like that would have had a squatter or two along the lines. That vampire, and to a lesser extent Hoshi as well, were there to give the Keep a more 'organic' feel, if you will. And it also helped me establish something about the Keep's people's treatment of 'guests'. They could have thrown the vampire out on her heels, but instead they put her coffin somewhere out of the way. Under guard, yes, but they didn't stake her or eject her or anything like that. And the armor suits were for her protection as much as anything else.
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Ah, I see. Well, we can always handle the matter about Flan next quest I suppose.
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A few questions begin to form themselves in my mind.
Was Sakuya willing to seek out the Komeiji Sisters or there were other plans involved?
What is Rei planning on doing for the future?
Was the Blighter in the "Guardian Groove" an ancient sealed being related to vampires?
What kind of vampire would have popped out if Remilia decided to restrain the "hunter fate-bubble"?How would she have fared in this timeline?
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A few questions begin to form themselves in my mind.
Was Sakuya willing to seek out the Komeiji Sisters or there were other plans involved?
Very willing. And able, too. Not everyone can go to the underworld safely, but Sakuya has the skill and the power to make that trip. She would have done it, as well, had she not met Pride and got a bit sidetracked. And she may well try again. I'm not saying she would have brought Satori home on the first try, but she would at least have met her. And at least she learned about the Komeji sisters during her adventure, and she would have told Remilia about them once she was home. Now that Remilia knows they exist, it's a safe bet she'll try to get in contact with them, maybe even personally.
What is Rei planning on doing for the future?
Rei is still very young in vampire years. Until she gets used to her life as a vampire, the Cobalt Countess will keep her close to home.
Now that said, she has the soul of an adventurer, and Eriza isn't the type to stifle people. I wouldn't rule out the possibility that you'll see her again down the line.
Was the Blighter in the "Guardian Groove" an ancient sealed being related to vampires?
Now, that is a thing that could very well come up again the next quest, so there's not a lot I think I can say about it at this point.
What kind of vampire would have popped out if Remilia decided to restrain the "hunter fate-bubble"?How would she have fared in this timeline?
Ah yes, the vampire Sakuya. She would not have been as welcome in Gensokyo as Dio might be. She was arrogant and cruel, the sort of vampire who genuinely believed herself to be above all other life forms, and had the power to back it up. If she had come through, you would have had a much bigger fight than the one Dio gave you, and I doubt it would have been possible to reason your way past that confrontation like you did with Dio. Vampire-Sakuya would have been nothing but trouble for all parties concerned. The hunter may have had the name 'Dio', but the vampire would essentially have been Dio Brando's favourite daughter. She would have made a good villain, but all things considered, I for one am just as glad you got the hunter instead. At least you don't have to worry about her trying to shank everyone she runs across.
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Fire ahead the Second Batch!
If Remilia decided to pay a visit to the Human Village,what hints and reactions,besides Keine's wariness, could she have gathered,most of all from Keine and Akyuu?Would any notable change in paths presented itself?
I remember we went our separate ways from Shou and Reisen,after the crisis blew over at the Keep.What about those two?What is the reactions to their exploits at the Myouren Temple and especially Eientei?There's also the Kappa Sui and her friend.
Do you plan to include the "Pink-coffin-vampire" and Hoshi as elements of the sequel,now that we have pointed them out?
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Fire ahead the Second Batch!
If Remilia decided to pay a visit to the Human Village,what hints and reactions,besides Keine's wariness, could she have gathered,most of all from Keine and Akyuu?Would any notable change in paths presented itself?
If you had gone to the village instead of going to the Myoren Temple first, Keine would have been very suspicious of you. Some youkai she's okay with, but vampires, especially ones that caused major incidents, put her very much on edge. But, you still would have learned that Sakuya had intended to go to the Underworld. You also would have encountered Gluttony instead of Envy. Gluttony would not have given you as much information as Envy did, so it's possible you might not have got caught up in the escapades of the Sin Spirits at all. In that event, you probably would have gone into the Underworld to find the Komeji sisters. In which case, it would have fallen to Meiling to save Sakuya. She would have done it, but it wouldn't have been as smooth a process as it turned out to be.
Boy, what a difference THAT would have been.
I remember we went our separate ways from Shou and Reisen,after the crisis blew over at the Keep.What about those two?What is the reactions to their exploits at the Myouren Temple and especially Eientei?There's also the Kappa Sui and her friend.
Reisen and Shou went home after the events of the Keep were wrapped up, but both of them promised to keep in touch with the Keep's residents. Reisen reported the events of the evening to Kaguya and Eirin, and was praised by her owners for her efforts, though she was also chided for not taking care of the situation sooner, as two of the Rageblooms drifted near Eientei, and Eirin was forced to destroy them herself. Yes, this isn't entirely fair, but no one said Eirin was an entirely fair master.
Shou too was praised by Byakuren when she got home. The Myoren crew are at heart a bunch of do-gooders, and Shou definitely did good tonight. She also informed Byakuren of the evil taint that stained the Keep, the lingering presence of the Ebon Regal, and Byakuren said that she would investigate the matter herself when she brought Envy and Gluttony's gems back to Tsumiko, which she did in person. Whether or not she will have any success at wiping the Regal's taint away from the Keep, only time will tell.
Although Kikomi went with Youmu to the Cobalt Keep, the two of them split up after Youmu defeated Yuzuriha. Kikomi wound up getting ambushed by Nyx, who sedated the Kappa before getting too far in. Nyx didn't hurt her, though, and she left the kappa in one of the spare rooms upstairs in the Keep. Youmu stayed around the Keep long enough for Kikomi to come to, and she explained what happened. Kikomi was still upset, until Tsumiko came to her and apologized profusely for what Envy did with her friend. Seeing Tsumiko's sincerity, Kikomi forgave the Keeper, and went back to the Myoren temple to take her friend home.
It never came up during the game, but the reason Kikomi was so upset by Suirei getting possessed is because she loved her, and not in the 'just friends' way. She didn't realize it, but Sui felt the same way, but she was also very jealous of all the things Kikomi had that she didn't. Ironically, her experience with Envy helped Suirei sort out a lot of those feelings, and the two of them will more than likely make each other very happy, for a long time.
Do you plan to include the "Pink-coffin-vampire" and Hoshi as elements of the sequel,now that we have pointed them out?
That particular vampire is a very, very heavy sleeper. I don't know if she'll even be awake during the events of the sequel. If she is, however, then you may well see her again. I admit, I don't have a specific plan for her at this point, but I'm not ruling out the possibility.
If you'll recall, Hoshi had a microphone by her side when you met her at the Keep. She is a singer, a pop star to be specific, but Remilia will recall that detail, and try to recruit her into her opera. I have a strong suspicion you'll be seeing Hoshi again.
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I see,I see.
These are my last questions and observations,if anyone has anymore to ask ,before the thread closes,ask away.
I'm assuming Kyrie the Oracle will play a role of some kind in the sequel.
How are the Cobalt Keep's denizens adjusting to Gensokyo? What about the reactions from the Gensokyo's denizens to these old or new faces?
Thanks for answering all of them,Sour 8) .
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I'm assuming Kyrie the Oracle will play a role of some kind in the sequel.
How are the Cobalt Keep's denizens adjusting to Gensokyo? What about the reactions from the Gensokyo's denizens to these old or new faces?
Thanks for answering all of them,Sour 8) .
At the moment, I have no plans for Kyrie one way or the other. But she's the type of character that has a tendancy to show up if and when you need her. Think of her as the opposite of Yukari like that.
As of the end of this quest, they've only been here a week. But the future looks bright for them. As far as incidents go, this one was rather light, compared to the likes of Yuyuko or Kaguya, so they shouldn't have any lingering grudges against them. They've made friendly contact with Reimu, the Scarlet Devil Manor Crew and the Myoren Crew. That's a pretty damn good start right there, not to mention Reisen and the others you brought with you. I think they'll be just fine, but I suspect you'll have a chance to see that for yourself in the games to come.
My pleasure. And thank you for giving me the opportunity to expound on these things. There's always a few things that never have a chance to come up during the course of a game, and it's nice to get to mention them in this sort of environment.
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If you had gone to the village instead of going to the Myoren Temple first, Keine would have been very suspicious of you. Some youkai she's okay with, but vampires, especially ones that caused major incidents, put her very much on edge. But, you still would have learned that Sakuya had intended to go to the Underworld. You also would have encountered Gluttony instead of Envy. Gluttony would not have given you as much information as Envy did, so it's possible you might not have got caught up in the escapades of the Sin Spirits at all. In that event, you probably would have gone into the Underworld to find the Komeji sisters. In which case, it would have fallen to Meiling to save Sakuya. She would have done it, but it wouldn't have been as smooth a process as it turned out to be.
Boy, what a difference THAT would have been.
Thinking back on that in VN style,those before me indeed managed to steer from a so-so Good End path to a True End one.
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True. But I'd say that represents a bit of short sightedness on my part as well. I mean, Remilia could just as easily have gone to the human village first, if she didn't think bothering with Keine wasn't worth the trouble.
That's something I'll have to take into consideration for the next quest. Having contingency plans in case thinks go a bit too far off the rails. But that's all part of the learning process. Even after all the parsing I've done here, I still have much to learn.
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True. But I'd say that represents a bit of short sightedness on my part as well. I mean, Remilia could just as easily have gone to the human village first, if she didn't think bothering with Keine wasn't worth the trouble.
That's something I'll have to take into consideration for the next quest. Having contingency plans in case thinks go a bit too far off the rails. But that's all part of the learning process. Even after all the parsing I've done here, I still have much to learn.
If i got that right,in Hatate Quest you mean to give choices and clues for the player for easier identifying the different routes .Is this to avoid a"Subtle and Noxious Route-Shifiting-Locking"?As interesting as it would have been changing the Story's Path and explore the Underworld,your contigency plans seems to be intended at dodging story derailment.
Thank you for your effort.
Please,one last answer.There's one last question,more of an afterthought seeing as I'm hogging all the questions :blush: :
"Lust is set to check on Reimu,Kogasa and Medicine.How are they faring post-incident?"
Thanks again.
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If i got that right,in Hatate Quest you mean to give choices and clues for the player for easier identifying the different routes .Is this to avoid a"Subtle and Noxious Route-Shifiting-Locking"?As interesting as it would have been changing the Story's Path and explore the Underworld,your contigency plans seems to be intended at dodging story derailment.
Thank you for your effort.
Please,one last answer.There's one last question,more of an afterthought seeing as I'm hogging all the questions :blush: :
"Lust is set to check on Reimu,Kogasa and Medicine.How are they faring post-incident?"
Thanks again.
As Hatate Quest is currently ongoing, I hesitate to answer that question in an open fourm. I don't want to risk spoiling anything about the events to come. However, I can PM you a more detailed answer, if you wish.
Although Kogasa and Medicine were injured during their rather dramatic battle, the both of them were well looked after. Medicine was attended to by Eirin, and you can't get better medical care than that. And Kogasa wasn't as badly hurt as Lust feared. She was back on her feet after only a week or so. She did hang around the Hakurei shrine for a bit longer, however, but that's another story.
By the way, I realize that you folks may have been a bit disappointed that the sequel quest I mentioned wasn't another Remilia Quest, but that was my plan all along. I had a story in mind for Remilia, and after you beat Dio, that story was done. The next story belonged to someone else. But don't let that discourage you from joining in. Kilga said it himself, the more the merrier.
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As Hatate Quest is currently ongoing, I hesitate to answer that question in an open fourm. I don't want to risk spoiling anything about the events to come. However, I can PM you a more detailed answer, if you wish
Yes,please do.
By the way, I realize that you folks may have been a bit disappointed that the sequel quest I mentioned wasn't another Remilia Quest, but that was my plan all along. I had a story in mind for Remilia, and after you beat Dio, that story was done. The next story belonged to someone else. But don't let that discourage you from joining in. Kilga said it himself, the more the merrier.
No,you are mistaken in a good way.It was clear from the explanation you wrote at the end of "Remilia Quest Tr?" that the new rpg wouldn't be a continuation for Remilia, but it would be somehow linked with the story.I am,we are I figure,just curious about other aspects straight linked with the current rpg and that had a low chance of being covered during the next one.Imo:curious,quite so,disappointed,quite not.
On the matter of Hatate Quest,I'm following it waiting for an opportunity to write in, despite the fact that my life is currently somewhat hectic.However,I spot enough players for an enjoyable session and still I have not yet found a subject I feel to be useful for joining.
By the way,nifty new avatar you have there! :toot: