Maidens of the Kaleidoscope
~Beyond the Border~ => Rumia's Party Games => Topic started by: Raikaria on February 21, 2013, 06:50:54 PM
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> You are Rumia
> You are currently at Alice's house, with your 'adoptive' mother Shinki and, of course, Alice. It is late Autumn, and not much has happened recently, except that one time when Sunny made Reimu invisible, and she didn't realize... and caught Marisa attempting to steal from her donation box while she was invisible. Marisa had to spend a week with Eirin, despite the box being, as always, empty.
> Despite what Yukari warned you shortly after the previous incident, nothing strange has occurred in your, or any else's dreams. In addition, you've not seen Seiga for a few weeks now. For that matter, Wriggle hasn't seen Yuuka in the Garden of the Sun for a while either.
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> "Sounds like things have been strangely dull around here then." Shinki comments.
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>"Yeah, I kinda wonder if there isn't another incident on the horizon."
>How long has it been since the Enkura Incident?
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>"Yeah, I kinda wonder if there isn't another incident on the horizon."
>How long has it been since the Enkura Incident?
> "I don't know. I kind of both hope so, while I don't want one too." Alice says.
> Five months. Enkura's sanity has returned, and she's back to Bahava-Agra, otherwise she'd have to constantly fight off the Yama's underlings. She comes down once a month for the mental pain blocks to be reinforced.
> Suddenly, a hole opens in the wall, and something darts into the portal to Makai, as the hole closes.
> "Uh... Shinki..." Alice says.
> "Yes?" Shinki asks.
> "Someone just opened a hole in the wall and jumped in the portal. Right behind you." Alice says.
> "Your point? I don't care about immigration." Shinki says.
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>Did it look like a hole Seiga opens?
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>Did it look like a hole Seiga opens?
> Yes. And the blur was Blue.
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>Sigh and facepalm. "I think I know who it was. I really should keep a better eye on that student of mine, a troublemaker through and through she is. Haven't seen her for a while after all, so she might be up to something."
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>Sigh and facepalm. "I think I know who it was. I really should keep a better eye on that student of mine, a troublemaker through and through she is. Haven't seen her for a while after all, so she might be up to something."
> "You think is was Seiga?" Alice asks, before she calls over a doll. "Tibet." she calls.
> A doll dressed in what looks like some traditional clothing shows up.
> "Replay the intruder, and slow it down." Alice commands, before the doll shines a projection.
> The slowed down video shows it's clearly Seiga.
> "Now, what would she want in Makai..." Alice wonders, as the doll stops the replay.
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>"I don't know, but she isn't called a wicked hermit for nothing. I bet this is related to that scheme she let slip about back in the aftermath of the Enkura Incident. Want me to go after her to find out what she's up to?"
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>"I don't know, but she isn't called a wicked hermit for nothing. I bet this is related to that scheme she let slip about back in the aftermath of the Enkura Incident. Want me to go after her to find out what she's up to?"
> "I'm not going into Makai. No offense Shinki, but I KNOW what you'll do if I go." Alice says.
> "Aw Alice, you're too smart." Shinki says, looking dejected. "Although I obviously need to return to Makai anyway." she adds, looking at you.
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>"Well, I can't really leave her all to you, because where there's Seiga, Yoshika isn't usually too far behind. And if you get bit by Yoshika, you can say goodbye to your freedom, because you'll end up just like her."
>Sigh. "If I had to fight her, it would've been nice if I'd been able to keep those chains, seeing as they drain energy. Can't eat anything and everything if you're too low on juice to even chew."
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>"Well, I can't really leave her all to you, because where there's Seiga, Yoshika isn't usually too far behind. And if you get bit by Yoshika, you can say goodbye to your freedom, because you'll end up just like her."
>Sigh. "If I had to fight her, it would've been nice if I'd been able to keep those chains, seeing as they drain energy. Can't eat anything and everything if you're too low on juice to even chew."
> "Actually I wasn't gonna chase after her or anything anyway. It's not my problem." Shinki says simply. "Besides, like a Jiang-Shi would allow one to control me."
> "I didn't even see Yoshika..." Alice says.
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>Do we know if Seiga has any methods to instantly summon Yoshika to her side?
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>Do we know if Seiga has any methods to instantly summon Yoshika to her side?
> You do not, seeing as she goes to visit Yoshika when she changes her talisman. Even then, interdimensional summoning is something different.
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>"Well, be careful all the same. She's not someone to underestimate. Just when you think you've got her beat, she pulls out some nasty new trick. It isn't for nothing that she could become a celestial, but chooses not to. And to be frank, with how Enkura was while she was crazy, Seiga's the last person I'd want to fight as a Celestial, even with Unified Chaos at my side."
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>"Well, be careful all the same. She's not someone to underestimate. Just when you think you've got her beat, she pulls out some nasty new trick. It isn't for nothing that she could become a celestial, but chooses not to. And to be frank, with how Enkura was while she was crazy, Seiga's the last person I'd want to fight as a Celestial, even with Unified Chaos at my side."
> "Oh yes, I shall not underestimate the sting of a wasp." Shinki says, with a grin. "It is you should should be careful, or are you underestimating me?"
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>Chuckle slightly. "Just trying to warn you is all, she's not above playing dirty you know. Hostages, poisoning. You name it, she'll probably do it. Everyone here in Gensokyo knows to not trust her as far as they can throw her, I only teach her because of our agreement way back in the day."
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>Chuckle slightly. "Just trying to warn you is all, she's not above playing dirty you know. Hostages, poisoning. You name it, she'll probably do it. Everyone here in Gensokyo knows to not trust her as far as they can throw her, I only teach her because of our agreement way back in the day."
> "Oh, I'm aware she bound your lives together with dark magic." Shinki says. "Vile stuff, I could do it, but I don't like that sort of stuff."
> "Still, you really think I can be poisoned?" Shinki laughs. "Even if I was poisoned, I could just dispel it."
> "Anyway, when you are ready, we can go into Makai. I'll see about Yumeko helping you out. You don't know Makai as well as she does."
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>"Wait...So does that mean if someone managed to take her down, I go too?"
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>"Wait...So does that mean if someone managed to take her down, I go too?"
> "Oh no, I mean your lives were bound together by a contract, which, if broken, will kill the violator." Shinki says. "It's not a pact in that if one does the other dies. What benefit would she get from something silly like that?"
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>Shrug. "I dunno, keeping me from taking her down if she gets too uppity? That's what I'd probably have done if I were her, neuter a future threat and all that."
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>Shrug. "I dunno, keeping me from taking her down if she gets too uppity? That's what I'd probably have done if I were her, neuter a future threat and all that."
> "Unless she's confident it won't come to that..." Shinki says.
> "Wouldn't Rumia killing her violate the contract, however? How can she teach Seiga is Seiga is killed by her?" Alice says.
> "Ah. Yes. I guess if one of them kills the other, it may result in the death of the killer, but, if, say, I killed Seiga, certainly nothing would happen. It depends on the exact terms and small print, I guess." Shinki says.
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>"Well, if you do manage to smack her down, make sure you at least keep her alive and that I'm able to get to her. That should keep the contract going until you can theoreticaly nullify it. I don't mind teaching her that much, given that she taught me how to get control of my abilities back before I regained my full power, but the contract's been a bit of a worry ever since I was mature enough to understand it."
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>"Well, if you do manage to smack her down, make sure you at least keep her alive and that I'm able to get to her. That should keep the contract going until you can theoreticaly nullify it. I don't mind teaching her that much, given that she taught me how to get control of my abilities back before I regained my full power, but the contract's been a bit of a worry ever since I was mature enough to understand it."
> "I'm not doing the smacking. You're the teacher. You smack her." Shinki says.
> "We headbutt naughty children here." Alice says.
> "That seems counter-productive to the one doing the headbutting. Surely it hurts."
> "Keine's a Were-Hakutu. She has a really, really hard head." Alice says.
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>Nod. "And I can just use a reinforced plate of Dark Energy. Maybe I'll make little Dark Energy Horns too, just as a nod to Keine. In fact, lemme see how that looks."
>In fact, let's try that out now, complete with nifty little dark energy ribbon tied around one, just like Keine!
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>Nod. "And I can just use a reinforced plate of Dark Energy. Maybe I'll make little Dark Energy Horns too, just as a nod to Keine. In fact, lemme see how that looks."
>In fact, let's try that out now, complete with nifty little dark energy ribbon tied around one, just like Keine!
> Alice and Shinki facepalm.
> "You look stupid." Shinki says.
> Speaking of ribbons, you finally found a replacement ribbon after you lost yours once you were unsealed. It has black tails, however, instead of being pure red.
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>Sigh, and dispel the horns. "Well, it was worth a shot at least. I guess only Keine or an Oni can really pull off the horns look."
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>Sigh, and dispel the horns. "Well, it was worth a shot at least. I guess only Keine or an Oni can really pull off the horns look."
> "I'm sure a bull youkai or something could too." Alice says.
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>"Or a devil who happens to have horns, I'm sure there's someone like that somewhere in Makai."
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>"Or a devil who happens to have horns, I'm sure there's someone like that somewhere in Makai."
> "No. I don't like horns." Shinki says.
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>"Well, maybe somewhere else then. Either way, I'm ready to go."
>Let's get going!
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>"Well, maybe somewhere else then. Either way, I'm ready to go."
>Let's get going!
> You follow Shinki into the Makai Portal, and enter Pandemonium.
> You see Yumeko, with some large black cube in front of her.
> "I got her, I used my space manipulation and trapped her in this room, which I then brought here." Yumeko says. "You really should watch the portal better Shinki..."
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>Chuckle slightly. "Nice job corralling her, that student of mine's got a habit of getting into trouble for her own amusement."
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>Chuckle slightly. "Nice job corralling her, that student of mine's got a habit of getting into trouble for her own amusement."
> "Yep, now let's give her back..." Yumeko says, opening a wall, with a sword ready.
> Seiga is not there, there is a note:
"You obviously don't know I can pass through walls, if you thought that would capture me."
> Yumeko turns red.
> "She can pass through walls... of course."
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>Facepalm. "I'd forgotten about that."
>What do we know of any way to impede Seiga's little passwall trick? Surely we learned the weakness over the time we've trained and taught?
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>Facepalm. "I'd forgotten about that."
>What do we know of any way to impede Seiga's little passwall trick? Surely we learned the weakness over the time we've trained and taught?
> She has to use the chisel she uses as a hairpin. If that can be prevented from being used, she cannot pass through walls or other solids.
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>"Well, if we find her, we just have to take that hairpin away from her. She uses that to pass through walls."
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>"Well, if we find her, we just have to take that hairpin away from her. She uses that to pass through walls."
> Yumeko looks ashamed.
> "I'm sorry Lady Shinki, how could I overlook such a simple fact?"
> "Don't worry Yumeko." Shinki says.
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>"Looks like someone needs a hug. But, all we have to do is catch her, and drag her back to Gensokyo. No problem."
>Smirk a bit. "Can't be considered a way of stopping me from teaching her if it's me dragging her back to Gensokyo in the first place after all."
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>"Looks like someone needs a hug. But, all we have to do is catch her, and drag her back to Gensokyo. No problem."
>Smirk a bit. "Can't be considered a way of stopping me from teaching her if it's me dragging her back to Gensokyo in the first place after all."
> "My idea of a hug involves swords perforating things." Yumeko says flatly. The maid-doll-thing is even more serious and death-obsessed then Sakuya in most cases, although is more prone to emotional outbursts too when something happens.
> "Go dragging her back to Gensokyo isn't stopping you from teaching her dark energy." Shinki confirms. "Well, would you like Yumeko to come along?"
> "... If I go, who's left to watch over you?" Yumeko asks.
> "Yuki and Mai are still guarding the... oh. We better check up on them." Shinki says. "Seiga either got stopped by them, or she got through them."
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>"Knowing her, she probably bum rushed them. Let's go check on them."
>Let's roll!
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>"Knowing her, she probably bum rushed them. Let's go check on them."
>Let's roll!
> You rush to the portal the leads to the only way in or out of Pandemonium without Shinki making a temporary one.
> You see the fields of Ice and Fire, and Yuki and Mai are on the ground. They don't seem hurt, but they're locked to the ground with chains made of dark energy.
> Oddly, Mai is the one of the two who seems most annoyed by this situation. In fact, she has her wings batting madly to get loose. You figure if her mentality about her wings is anything like Mystia's, that would explain why the usually quiet Mai is like this.
> Yuki just seems annoyed that her hat has rolled off her head and is out of reach more than being pinned to the ground.
> "What happened to you two?" Yumeko asks.
> "We don't expect intruders to come OUT of the castle." Mai snaps. "That's your area! What happened to you?!"
> "... She tricked me." Yumeko says.
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Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand caught up. This is much easier to join in on than those 'Z-Machine' ones, because holy hell that's a lotta threads. These are pretty shrot, comparitively.
>"She can go through walls. Yumeko didn't know that."
FYI, I'm new to these text-adventure-style things, so please let me know if I do anything wrong.
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Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand caught up. This is much easier to join in on than those 'Z-Machine' ones, because holy hell that's a lotta threads. These are pretty shrot, comparitively.
>"She can go through walls. Yumeko didn't know that."
FYI, I'm new to these text-adventure-style things, so please let me know if I do anything wrong.
[It probobly doesn't help in catching-up terms that some of them are in Stored Games and some are about 5 pages down locked and completed in this forum. And don't worry, before this started up I was new to GM'ing ^_^. But yeah my style of GM'ing isn't walls of words, I operate on the basis [For now, I aim to branch out a bit soon] that what players want is a good story, and good interactions with characters. That's my main two focal points.]
> "Well that explains a lot." Mai grunts.
> "Tricking Yumeko isn't that hard~" Yuki says.
> "You realize I have swords and you're bound to the floor, unable to move, right?" Yumeko replies.
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>Do these chains feel anything like those ones evil-us had?
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>Do these chains feel anything like those ones evil-us had?
> No. They seem to just be constructs of dark energy, you've used similar chains yourself before, and you should be able to dispel the dark energy too.
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>Let's do that.
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>Let's do that.
> You dispel the dark enetrgy, with significantly more difficulty than you expected to have. It seems Seiga's improved again.
> When Yuki is freed, she picks up her hat, and places it back on her head. Mai almost smacks you in the face with her wing, although she does quietly apologize when she realizes this.
> "So, Lady Shinki, what are we going to do about this intruder?" Yuki asks.
> "Well, either you two or Yumeko go with Rumia, the other stays here with me in case she comes back. I don't want to get involved personally in the affairs of Gensokyo, so I'll just sit back and watch." Shinki says, after a moment of thought.
> "I don't mind whichever way." Yuki says, shrugging. "All I know is the direction she was headed would be towards the Fallen Shrine."
> "I wanna go after her." Mai says, sounding annoyed. It wasn't too long ago she'd have said the opposite just to get away from you due to the old stories about your evil self.
> "I need to make up for my oversight." Yumeko says.
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>"Yumiko, you can do space tricks to help keep her from running, right? I'll bring you."
>"Shinki, can you sense where in Makai she is? Because then you could just warp us directly there."
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>"Yumiko, you can do space tricks to help keep her from running, right? I'll bring you."
>"Shinki, can you sense where in Makai she is? Because then you could just warp us directly there."
> "It's not that easy to lock someone in space, and it gets harder the stronger they are, and if you do that, they can't be moved either." Yumeko says. "Still, yes, I would be able to use my space manipulation to assist, or hinder her efforts to escape, even if I can't stop her moving completely."
> "I could just freeze her." Mai retorts.
> "Yeah, but that's not exactly easy either." Yuki comments.
> "I'm not going to interfere. Besides, I'm as interested in Seiga's goal as I am in how you stop her. I guess I can warp you to the outer regions of Makai, although not to her exact location, it'll be a lot closer." Shinki muses, before she opens a portal nearby.
> Yumeko sighs. "Always the spectator, Shinki."
> "Well it would be no fun if every time something fun happened I waded in with my unparallelled godly might, and absolute command over this realm, would it? It's not fun for me either. Much more fun to watch how things play out." Shinki says. "Don't worry, if she actually poses a threat to Makai, then I won't hesitate, and she will not even have time to realize her folly before she is erased."
> Shinki looks at you.
> "Putting it in your terms, it's no more interesting for me to deal with Seiga than it is for you to bat a nameless fairy aside, for all parties involved."
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>"Hey now, if she's erased, then wouldn't that little contract kick in and take me with her? Just knocking her out is good."
>Sigh. "Still, dispelling those earlier chains was a bit tougher than I expected, she's certainly improved quite a bit."
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>"Hey now, if she's erased, then wouldn't that little contract kick in and take me with her? Just knocking her out is good."
>Sigh. "Still, dispelling those earlier chains was a bit tougher than I expected, she's certainly improved quite a bit."
> "Only if you do the erasing." Shinki says. "And, if she posed a threat to Makai, I wouldn't think twice about sacrificing you. You do not come before everyone else here."
> "Well if she wasn't good we'd have been able to break out." Yuki says.
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>Sigh. "I'll just go handle her now..."
>Let's head through the portal and start searching for Seiga.
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>Sigh. "I'll just go handle her now..."
>Let's head through the portal and start searching for Seiga.
> "Yes, and Yumeko will assist you." Shinki says.
> You and Yumeko go through the portal, and you enter a region of Makai you have not been in before. You have only been as far out from Pandemonium as Alice's old region. This, however, is further.
The area has the same red and black mist and overall shading as the rest of Makai you have been to, however, there is noticeably more black than red. In addition, debris of some sort seems to be swirling around randomly. Some fast, some slow. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wTrsAHqumyA)
> "The further away from Pandemonium you get, the more chaotic Makai is. If Seiga is headed for the Ruined Shine, we must pass through the Ruins of Vina to get there. The Ruined Shrine is on the very edge of Makai, as far from Pandemonium as one can reach." Yumeko explains. "The further out you go, the more feral, insane, and nasty the inhabitants tend to get as well, although they also get weaker in most cases. There is no issue with killing those beings if they become a danger, they are ones who came into Makai and went insane from Shinki's power, not her children."
> "Aw, now there's plenty of sane people around here Yumeko." a voice says.
> "The definition of sane changes from person to person, you dreamer." another replies.
> "Should have figured you two would come running when a portal opened, Louise, Sara."
(http://safebooru.org//samples/166/sample_66ee1a0fe90d599b4628fd8dde3edcfb0be13630.jpg?165400)
Louise and Sara
Half-Ghost of Makai and Stranger
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>"You guys seen a woman with blue hair in a weird pretzel-sort-of-hairdo? She's a student of mine from Gensokyo who escaped into Makai, and we're tracking her down to drag her back home."
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>"You guys seen a woman with blue hair in a weird pretzel-sort-of-hairdo? She's a student of mine from Gensokyo who escaped into Makai, and we're tracking her down to drag her back home."
> Louise closes her eyes and thinks.
> "I heard someone say they saw her headed for the Ruins of Vina." she says. "Why anyone would wanna go there is beyond me though, there's only those three powerful beings."
> "The portal!" Sara says. "There's that legend, about a portal to a world of dreams."
> "Oh yes, the portal Sariel guards in the ruined temple, Shinki stationed Sariel there at the time of Makai's creation." Louise says.
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>"I had a feeling Seiga was the one behind what Yukari warned me about, and this just proves it. I guess she couldn't get here or there via Senkai, so she timed her plan for when Shinki would be visiting."
>Look to Yumeko. "We'd better pick up the pace, if she pulls off what I was warned about, we won't be much different from a puppet dancing on strings."
>We know which way it is, right?
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>"I had a feeling Seiga was the one behind what Yukari warned me about, and this just proves it. I guess she couldn't get here or there via Senkai, so she timed her plan for when Shinki would be visiting."
>Look to Yumeko. "We'd better pick up the pace, if she pulls off what I was warned about, we won't be much different from a puppet dancing on strings."
>We know which way it is, right?
> "What do you mean?" Sara asks.
> "Who's Yukari?" Louise adds.
> "I fail to understand what is so important, but I do agree, if her objective is something to do with that portal..." Yumeko says.
> You do not know the way, but Yumeko does. It seems Sara and Louise are going to follow you too.
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>Well, let's follow along then! "Let's just say it involves the dream world."
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>Well, let's follow along then! "Let's just say it involves the dream world."
> "Myself and Shinki know next to nothing of the Dream World. I am literally unable to sleep, being a doll, and Shinki is an insomniac." Yumeko says.
> "Oh, apparently someone's been attempting to change the dream world recently, and use it to their own ends. I spend a lot of time daydreaming, so I'm probobly the one here who knows the most, 'cept maybe Sariel." Louise says.
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>"Yeah, Yukari said they might be trying to use it to basically control every person in existence subconsciously. I for one don't plan on letting that happen, I'll chase them to wherever they are and knock 'em down! If Seiga's after that...Well, looks like it'll be a simultaneous loss then."
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>"Yeah, Yukari said they might be trying to use it to basically control every person in existence subconsciously. I for one don't plan on letting that happen, I'll chase them to wherever they are and knock 'em down! If Seiga's after that...Well, looks like it'll be a simultaneous loss then."
> "Only if your actions stop you teaching her. That would be just killing her basically." Yumeko reminds you.
> "But, there's something I don't get. This is the first time she's been here, right?" Louise says.
> "As far as we are aware." Yumeko says.
> "Then why have these changes to the Dream World been occurring for months? I guess she may have used the portal from Rumia's dimension... but still, it doesn't seem to fit." Louise says.
> "That does make sense. Either she's not the cause of these Dream Changes, or she is, and something has made her decide to use our portal to the Dream World instead." Sara adds.
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>"That could be it. Senkai can get you pretty much anywhere, but it's notoriously fussy about who uses it, and when. It doesn't like being used as a shortcut except in emergencies."
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>"That could be it. Senkai can get you pretty much anywhere, but it's notoriously fussy about who uses it, and when. It doesn't like being used as a shortcut except in emergencies."
> "Ah yes, I recall you explaining. It's a place for Taoists to pray, and connects to everywhere in your dimension, but, since it's purpose is prayer, it doesn't let you just travel through it unless it's an emergency." Yumeko says. "It might be possible that it could connect to other dimensions as well, I guess."
> You figure it could also be that Senkai works differently for Seiga, since she follows a different type of Taoism to the other three.
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>"Yeah, pretty much. It's kinda like an alternate space within a space. Yukari would've been able to explain that sorta thing a lot better than me though. It probably doesn't work the same for Seiga as it does for the others though. For all I know, Senkai might've refused to go along with her scheme, so she aimed for an alternate means."
>Sigh. "I doubt she's trying to stop the person behind it, that just isn't in her character...Unless she thinks it'll be interesting that is. For all I know, all my incident-resolution might've gotten her interested in taking a whack at it."
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>"Yeah, pretty much. It's kinda like an alternate space within a space. Yukari would've been able to explain that sorta thing a lot better than me though. It probably doesn't work the same for Seiga as it does for the others though. For all I know, Senkai might've refused to go along with her scheme, so she aimed for an alternate means."
>Sigh. "I doubt she's trying to stop the person behind it, that just isn't in her character...Unless she thinks it'll be interesting that is. For all I know, all my incident-resolution might've gotten her interested in taking a whack at it."
> "Well, there is only one way to find out." Yumeko says.
> Everything starts turning a shade of purple, and the area becomes marred by large, dark pruple hills, and canyons. The mists are still covering everything, but it is not often Makai is much more than that, mists, with the occasional solid island.
> There are broken fragments of what looks like pillars scattered across the area, and there is a forebodeing feeling, that makes you feel unsettled.
Ruins of Vina theme (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xaGerqgpUYg)
> "Past this point, we will be entering the Ruins of Vina. Only three beings live here, and each of them are among the strongest beings in Makai, stronger than even I am, with Sariel being far stronger, eclipsed only by Shinki herself. You've met them before, Rumia, they are the three Shinki brought along during her invasion, Yuugenmagan, Elis and Sariel. Be on guard."
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>"..Uh, Wasn't Yuugenmagan that gold thing with all the eyes that I Dark Sparked back then?"
>Grin sheepishly. "I, uh, hope there isn't a grudge there. I was just doing what I felt was right back then."
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>"..Uh, Wasn't Yuugenmagan that gold thing with all the eyes that I Dark Sparked back then?"
>Grin sheepishly. "I, uh, hope there isn't a grudge there. I was just doing what I felt was right back then."
> "Yes." Yumeko says.
> "If she had a grudge with you, what would I have? You killed me." the maid snaps.
> "Oh my oh my, visitors! This is the first time since that Miko all those years ago~" a voice says, before a figure jumps down in front of you.
> She is blonde, dressed a little like a miko, with a white shirt and arms, and a red skirt, which falls to her ankles. Her eyes are also gold.
> What is interesting, however, is the purple five spheres, with numerous seals, dangling from her waist, by chains. The seals have the kanji for 'Lightling' on them, like the seals on Mokou's pants have the kanji for 'Fire'.
(http://i407.photobucket.com/albums/pp152/Allosawyou/1p81%20Emerald/who_zps943433dd.png)
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>Huh, does she look like the person who Yuugenmagan turned out to be after we sparked her back then?
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>Huh, does she look like the person who Yuugenmagan turned out to be after we sparked her back then?
> No, the figure was a solid gold, although, now you think about it, the overall shape was very similar. That said, you're sure she was wearing a Kimono, and had no orbs at her waist.
> The girl looks at your group.
> "I don't know these two, I know you Yumeko of course, and you... I'm sure I've seen you before... but I can't pin where..."
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>"Well, I did have a week-long vacation here for a while, maybe you saw me then? Or maybe, since you likely live here, it was back when Shinki tried invading Gensokyo to take Alice back by force? Because I was there for that stunt."
-
>"Well, I did have a week-long vacation here for a while, maybe you saw me then? Or maybe, since you likely live here, it was back when Shinki tried invading Gensokyo to take Alice back by force? Because I was there for that stunt."
> The figure's eyes narrow.
> "Oh yes. Now I remember. You're the 'inside weapon' Shinki wanted to use. You're the creature that the Heart spat out, and killed a lot of denizens of this land, before raising your hand to Shinki-sama."
> She looks threatening, and gives off a feeling of power, as the orbs rattle.
> Then they stop.
> "Except you're NOT her. You've changed. You're a new person. I can't even feel the Heart's corruption in you now." the stranger says, her mood swinging completely.
> "So, and I don't want the others helping you, who do you think I am?" she muses.
-
>"Hmm....Given the location, your overall looks, and the fact that your seals have the kanji for lightning on them, you're Yuugenmagan, aren't you?"
>"And yeah, thanks to the help of a crazy-celestial-who-isn't-crazy-anymore, the old me got split away, and was then 'disposed of'. Rika said something about 500 gravity or something. All I know is that there wasn't enough left of the old me to fill a coffee mug."
-
>"Hmm....Given the location, your overall looks, and the fact that your seals have the kanji for lightning on them, you're Yuugenmagan, aren't you?"
>"And yeah, thanks to the help of a crazy-celestial-who-isn't-crazy-anymore, the old me got split away, and was then 'disposed of'. Rika said something about 500 gravity or something. All I know is that there wasn't enough left of the old me to fill a coffee mug."
> The being smiles. "Oh my~ you figured it out even in my sealed form."
> "Ah, but you see, while you were using her power at the time, you were still in control. It was still you who callously blasted that fairy and hit me." YuugenMagan says.
> The orbs rattle, and then, slowly, they open.
> They are eyes.
> However, seeing them like this reminds you of something. The size of the eyes... and the overall look of them... they remind you of the eyes of the Satori race. In addittion, YuugenMagan seems capable of reading the fact the evil you does not exist, without you saying so.
-
>"Well, at the time you were an enemy trying to destroy Gensokyo, and since we couldn't hit you directly, I had to use a workaround. But hey, at least we're all still alive, and that's what really matters."
>Beat.
>"Y'know, those eyes remind me of Satori. you a mindreader too?"
-
>"Well, at the time you were an enemy trying to destroy Gensokyo, and since we couldn't hit you directly, I had to use a workaround. But hey, at least we're all still alive, and that's what really matters."
>Beat.
>"Y'know, those eyes remind me of Satori. you a mindreader too?"
> "It really hurt, you know... it took me weeks to recover." YuugenMagan says.
> She smirks.
> "I am not a Satori, but these eyes came from them. Years ago, five Satori found their way here somehow. They died, and I took their Third Eyes, a waste otherwise. I stimulate them with small electrical currents, and, while I'm not a Satori, five eyes is more than enough for me to get some limited potential of mind-reading... especially when it comes to hostile intent. I sense hostile intent towards me, and I enter my intangible form."
> "Of course, when I enter my true form, the electricity simulates the eyes a little too much, and it causes a three-way reaction between my personal energy, the eyes, and the Makai Maisma, which transforms them into totally different eyes in appearance, and with offensive power."
> YuugenMagan stokes one of the eyes. "Now then, why are you here? You understand, that no-one except Shinki is allowed to pass by me, not even you, Yumeko."
-
>Sigh. "I'm afraid a troublesome student of mine slipped in, and may be heading for the Dream World Portal located here. I intend to keep her from getting in there, and then drag her back to Gensokyo."
-
>Sigh. "I'm afraid a troublesome student of mine slipped in, and may be heading for the Dream World Portal located here. I intend to keep her from getting in there, and then drag her back to Gensokyo."
> "If someone passed through here, I would know." YuugenMagan says. "Do I look like someone who was just defeated?"
> "She can pass through objects. She probobly passed by you by going through the hills." Yumeko says.
> YuugenMagan looks annoyed. "You dare to insult my ability as a guardian by implying such a petty trick?"
> Yumeko swings her hand out, and the next thing you know, you have teleported away.
> "I used my space manipulation to teleport us past her. We don't have time to..."
> "GET DOWN!" Sara cries, as five large orbs of lighting rush towards you. You see, in the far distance, YuugenMagan in her 'true' form. But... there's no way she could have found you so fas... oh wait she probobly read Yumeko's mind and knew where you would go.
(http://safebooru.org//images/568/148ad7cc00d26ce992c98471bbf9d74439d484f1.jpg?571156)
-
>"Oh. Not good. Definitely not good. I'm stronger than I used to be, but even now she'll be an irritatingly difficult opponent if I have to knock some sense into her."
>Pull out Unified Chaos and get to cleaving those orbs with sword beams!
-
>"Oh. Not good. Definitely not good. I'm stronger than I used to be, but even now she'll be an irritatingly difficult opponent if I have to knock some sense into her."
>Pull out Unified Chaos and get to cleaving those orbs with sword beams!
> You only have the time to slice one of the orbs. One goes just wide, Yumeko teleports another away, Sara seems to just tank one, with minimal effects, and Louise just turns into her ghost form and lets the one heading for her just pass through.
> "Ideally I would not want to fight her either." Yumeko admits. "She is a very troublesome opponent, and this time we don't have that fairy around that you can direct your hostile intent to."
> The five eyes, connected to YuugenMagan by lighting, zoom towards you, surrounding the hill you are on, before YuugenMagan pulls herself to the center.
> Yumeko forms swords in the air, before slamming them into the ground, which changes into something like the crystal floors of Pandemonium, and bounce off, flying towards the eyes. Nothing happens.
> "Oh please, I figured out what you planned when you thought about spacing in the floor of Pandemonium to bounce your swords off."
Fight or Flight: Yuugenmagan conflict! (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lt0gBU4RWPo)
-
>"I really don't want to fight you, but Seiga actually would pull a cheap trick like that. It's in her nature as a 'Wicked Hermit'. You should be able to read intent enough to know that I'm telling the truth."
-
>"I really don't want to fight you, but Seiga actually would pull a cheap trick like that. It's in her nature as a 'Wicked Hermit'. You should be able to read intent enough to know that I'm telling the truth."
> "I can't read the intent of someone I've never been in contact with, nor read their intent from someone else. What someone else thinks of someone is not what they think." YuugenMagan says. "Even then, if someone had sneaked past me, that just makes it the job of the other two. It's my job to stop you progressing!"
> "Well... there's ways to get around your form, you know." Sara says. "After all, while electricity might not have a physical form par-say, you can still disrupt the currents. You're not invulnerable to everything..."
> There is a moment of silence.
> "Guys, do any of you have anything that can disrupt an electrical current?"
-
>What do we know of that can? Aside from our sword.
-
>What do we know of that can? Aside from our sword.
> You're not even sure if your sword can disrupt electricity. You know rubber, or some other insulator, such as wood. In fact, hitting electricity with your sword would just conduct it to you, and be suicidal. If there was a large enough conductor, to channel it to an earth, that would help too.
> Sara looks around.
> "Well, then we just gotta attack her spiritual form, and not her physical form!" she says, as her hands start to glow with spiritual energy. It's not Chi, but it feels similar.
====
[VERY IMPORTANT EDIT 01/03: I've noticed that the lack of GYMO posting towards the end of RC6 and now isn't him not playing or being busy or anything. He has been Perma-Banned. With this, the only player left who is regular is Hanzo.
Due to this fact, I shall be scrapping some of my plans for this quest, and instead merge the plotlines of RQ 7 and 8, so the universe can be wrapped up. I am aware this roleplay, due to it's length, is difficult for newcomers to get into, and right now it's basically only Hanzo left.
Due to this, after this quest, I will be starting a completely new questline after this finishes, so new players can enter more freely. I was contemplating doing a follow-up to Rumia Quest as the next step, probobly Maribel Quest, but with this development, my mind is made up. The Rumia Quest Universe is ending.
Due to the new plotline, I will reveal what the intended plot for this Quest was if it is desired. The plot changes will not effect anything until you catch Seiga.
In addition, Wriggle Quest, which was originally planned as a build-up to Rumia Quest 8, will be ending after the whole Kanako thing, as the plot of RQ8 will begin sooner than anticipated. I apologize, but the changed plot advancement has forced my hand on that. A roleplay just isn't as great to GM when it's just a back and forth between two people, even if before it was mainly one, with others occasionally chipping in, the chipping in was great. It turns from a roleplay with people suggesting multiple actions, and working together to find the best solutions, to a discussion between the GM and player.
Also of note is whatever I plan to do next will have a slower pace of posting. The pace might have driven some people off RQ, which I admit is my own fault, I get too into the story myself and can't wait! I have as much fun GM'ing as you guys, players and readers, do, and when I'm a player, I hate waiting a few days for the GM to post with no-one posting. I wanted to avoid that. Unfortunately, I just went to the other extreme instead.]
-
>"Using that sort of tactic, eh? Well, I can do something like that too."
>Well, let's set into that stance we use often, so we can just knock Yuugen flat on her rear with a concussive, wide-angle blast!
-
>"Using that sort of tactic, eh? Well, I can do something like that too."
>Well, let's set into that stance we use often, so we can just knock Yuugen flat on her rear with a concussive, wide-angle blast!
> You start charging up your own Chi, as Louise enters her ghost form and charges a sphere of energy as well.
> "Makin me feel left out..." Yumeko complains.
> You and Louise release your attacks, and, right after they hit, Sara delivers a barrage of punches with her hands.
> YuugenMagan has moved, and is flickering a little, which you take as a sign she did take damage, or at least feel the attack. However, the eyes each release multiple lasers towards your group, making a sort of laser-rain.
-
>If Yorihime could do it, so can we! So let's get to laser-cleaving!
-
>If Yorihime could do it, so can we! So let's get to laser-cleaving!
> You defend yourself from the lasers with your blade, however, you can only defend from one side, and the assault is omni-directional.
> So you just start spinning rapidly with your sword like you see Yumeko doing [Although she is duel-wielding]. When the barrage ends, you've taken some hits, but deflected the worst of it. You are also dizzy, unlike Yumeko.
-
>"Buuuh. Remind me to not try that again. There's advantages to being a doll after all."
>Let's clear our head and focus our energy again.
-
>"Buuuh. Remind me to not try that again. There's advantages to being a doll after all."
>Let's clear our head and focus our energy again.
> "Also advantages to being a swordmaster. Let me handle the defense." Yumeko says.
> YuugenMagan unleashes another barrage before you can repond, but Yumeko forms swords in the paths of the lasers, slicing the ones she cannot reach herself, and deflecting some back.
> "As I told my allies, YuugenMagan, you and Elis are only on par with me. That means that we're evenly matched... before you factor in the other three!" Yumeko says, as several deflected lasers bounce from her positioned swords, and gather on one that wasn't deflecting.
> "Let's see if you saw this one coming... or have time to react to it!" Yumeko says, as time stops, a side-effect of her space manipulation. It is only for the breifest of moments, but it is enough for the laser-empowered sword to fly through YuugenMagan.
> YuugenMagan is distorting again, and the eyes winced in pain.
> "Not... fast... enough... I managed to avoid the worst of it." she says.
> By this point, you have collected the energy required.
-
>Smirk a bit. "Not quite."
>Time to let 'er have it!
-
>Smirk a bit. "Not quite."
>Time to let 'er have it!
> You unleash another Chi-blast, as Louise unleashes another ectoplasmic sphere, and Sara fires a blast matching the energy she had on her hands.
> However, that is not all, the the sword which flew through YuugenMagan releases the collected energy in multiple directions, heading for all five eyes, and the main form, something unexpected, as the time it would happen was beyond Yumeko's control, and thus, unreadable.
> The four attacks slam into YuugenMagan, and she falls to the ground, returned to her normal state.
> "Uggh... S...ariel-sama... I failed." she groans. Surprisingly, after all that, she's still conscious, and even able to sit up, although it doesn't seem like she can do much more. The eyes are closed, but watering, as if crying.
-
>Head on over and help her sit up. "Sorry about that, but you went off all crazy-like. I know you're just doing your job, but the fact of the matter is that Seiga really would have pulled a dirty trick like passing through the hills. It's what she does, she plays dirty."
-
>Head on over and help her sit up. "Sorry about that, but you went off all crazy-like. I know you're just doing your job, but the fact of the matter is that Seiga really would have pulled a dirty trick like passing through the hills. It's what she does, she plays dirty."
> "This is Makai. We're all crazy here." YuugenMagan says. She sounds pained.
> "... Anyway... I kinda need to rest and get my energy back, being beaten up in my energy form, let alone my spirit being beaten up, takes quite a toll on you, ya'know..." she says, before she flops over onto her back. The five eyes float onto her, looking in different directions, as if looking out for attackers.
-
>Nod. "Have a safe rest, and if you see a woman in blue with pretzel-ish hair, don't try and take her on solo, just run. She's Seiga, my student, and she's pretty strong even compared to me. In your current condition, you likely wouldn't be able to go against her seriously."
-
>Nod. "Have a safe rest, and if you see a woman in blue with pretzel-ish hair, don't try and take her on solo, just run. She's Seiga, my student, and she's pretty strong even compared to me. In your current condition, you likely wouldn't be able to go against her seriously."
> YuugenMagan snores.
-
>Chuckle slightly. "Sleep tight."
>Look to Yumeko. "Let's get going."
>Let's follow!
-
>Chuckle slightly. "Sleep tight."
>Look to Yumeko. "Let's get going."
>Let's follow!
> Yumeko nods, and you move onwards.
> It doesn't take very long until you reach what appears to be a ruined temple. There is clearly some kind of portal, with two figures in front of it. One is Seiga, the other is, if you recall, Sariel. They appear to be in conversation.
> Then, a third figure, much smaller, child-like, comes into view. You recall this one as well, as Elis.
(http://safebooru.org//images/628/22e3ac550ebb997bfab495f8cfdc4daf529ac9b6.png)
Sariel and Elis
The Demon and the Angel
> "It appears we have more visitors, Elis. See to them." you hear Sariel say, before the small vampire darts towards you.
> "And what would bring you of all people here, Yumeko~" Elis says.
> "We're seeking that hermit. She's an intruder Elis."
> Yumeko gets punched in the gut, with the speed and power that is a key sign of a vampire, possibly even above Remilia's level, and you hear a crunching sound, as she doubles over. There is a crack in her gut.
> "You will address me properly. Aunt Elis, if you please, Daughter of Shinki." the vampire coons.
> "Why are you so nuts? You're not even..."
> This time, Elis kicks Yumeko.
> "I'm still adopted by her. That makes me your Aunt." she says.
> Yumeko grumbles as she gets up, a small crack in her cheek now.
> "Fine... we're here seeking that hermit, Aunt, she is an intruder, and Shinki sent us to stop her." Yumeko spits.
-
>Look to ourselves, then to Elis, then to ourselves again, and then to Elis once more. "Uh, so this means we're kind of the same in a way?"
-
>Look to ourselves, then to Elis, then to ourselves again, and then to Elis once more. "Uh, so this means we're kind of the same in a way?"
> "What." Elis says, looking at you.
> "Do. You. Mean?" she says, getting closer.
> "You're adopted by Shinki. I'm adopted by Sariel. There's a huge difference between those, and the significance." Elis says.
-
>"Aaaah. The way you were talking implied it was Shinki. Sorry about the misconception there."
-
>"Aaaah. The way you were talking implied it was Shinki. Sorry about the misconception there."
> "I guess you should be calling me Aunt too~" Elis says.
-
>"Guess so. I take it that means Shinki and Sariel are sisters in a way?"
-
>"Guess so. I take it that means Shinki and Sariel are sisters in a way?"
> "No. That would make me Yumeko's Cousin. Sariel is Shinki's Mother!" Elis says.
-
>Jawdrop. "Whoa."
-
>Jawdrop. "Whoa."
> "Yes, Sariel is Shinki's mother. Shinki then became a God when she created Makai, but that didn't make Sariel a God. Oh, don't get me wrong, Sariel and Shinki were incredibly powerful even before Shinki created Makai, even to this day, nothing in Makai exists created by Shinki that can pose a threat to Sariel."
> Elis pauses. "Sariel and Shinki are of an ancient race from another world, known by many as Angels. However, they are not quite like legends say, behind the scenes. Sariel and Shinki aimed to create a Civilization of Magic. That is what Makai is. Shinki found the catalyst, and Sariel decided it was better for there to be a lone goddess of this world, and would not obstruct her daughter's greatness. The two drew upon energy from multiple worlds from within the Dream World, using the catalyst, and Shinki, to create a new dimension, a dimension of magic... Makai."
> "Of course, the energy needed to make Makai made Shinki seem a lot more demonic and evil in appearance. When she created Makai she technically became a Fallen Angel just before she became a Goddess, in fact, she ascended just as she was halfway through changing, which is why Shinki can form pure white wings of an angel, and demonic wings, and use both demonic and angelic powers."
> "It's all true." Yumeko says. "The reason no-one is allowed here is because Sariel prefers to stay in the shadows, and not interfere with her daughter. That is why this area is not under Shinki's control... she would also dare not oppose her mother, and Sariel has enough power of her own right to keep this area of Makai stable."
-
>"Aaaah. So that would, in a sense, make her grandma. Wow. Having a family sure is something else, huh? You never know what you'll find with a little digging."
-
>"Aaaah. So that would, in a sense, make her grandma. Wow. Having a family sure is something else, huh? You never know what you'll find with a little digging."
> "Yes... a family is interesting." Elis muses.
> "Well, I guess it makes sense that Shinki had to come from somewhere." Sara comments.
> "But where did Sariel come from?" Louise wonders.
-
>"...I dunno, maybe she's been around all this time? When you think about things, maybe she's been around longer than all of us put together, Shinki included."
>Pause thoughtfully. "...Seems like she's a good person to visit for advice, if she's been around for all these years. Technically, she's everyone's grandma, and from what I know of humans, people almost always go to the grandparents for advice."
-
>"...I dunno, maybe she's been around all this time? When you think about things, maybe she's been around longer than all of us put together, Shinki included."
>Pause thoughtfully. "...Seems like she's a good person to visit for advice, if she's been around for all these years. Technically, she's everyone's grandma, and from what I know of humans, people almost always go to the grandparents for advice."
> Sara dope-punches you.
> "Of course she's been around longer than Shinki if she's Shinki's mama, moron!"
> "Sariel does not give out advice lightly, doing so breaches her general philosophy of not interference, unless Shinki asks her to." Elis says.
-
>"Ow..I was talking about taking everyone's age, including Shinki's. and comparing it collectively to Sariel's. We might exist on the same timeframe essentially, but we've each experienced our own years of lifetime."
>Beat.
>"....Wonder if she knows any good recipes for baked goods? Seeing as she's the Grandmother of Makai."
-
>"Ow..I was talking about taking everyone's age, including Shinki's. and comparing it collectively to Sariel's. We might exist on the same timeframe essentially, but we've each experienced our own years of lifetime."
>Beat.
>"....Wonder if she knows any good recipes for baked goods? Seeing as she's the Grandmother of Makai."
> "That's equally stupid!" Sara says.
> "Have you ever seen Shinki eat? Her kind generate their own energy, they don't need to eat." Elis says. "So she doesn't need to bake."
> "I grow tired of your rambling and questions, hermit." you hear a voice say, before Seiga suddenly gets blasted into a pillar. "I thought it would be amusing to humor you, but it's just irritating. Besides that, your intentions are hardly pure and beneficial to anyone but yourself, that much I have figured out about you from your tone and manner of speech."
> Sariel is pointing her staff at Seiga, who gets up, and dusts herself off.
-
>Let out a whistle. "Nice shot."
>Let's float over to Seiga. "Maaaaaybe you should throw in the towel and come back home, eh? After all, a smart girl knows when to cut and run. I came after you to make sure you wouldn't get yourself in too deep. You might have gotten stronger thanks to my training, but it's a bad idea to try starting something here. Even I'm not that mad."
>Then look to Sariel with an exasperated sigh, followed by a slightly worn-out looking smile. "Sorry about my Student there, she has a habit of pestering people she finds interesting, or thinks might be helpful in whatever scheme of the month she's got planned. Looks like my hunch about the dream world was right too."
-
>Let out a whistle. "Nice shot."
>Let's float over to Seiga. "Maaaaaybe you should throw in the towel and come back home, eh? After all, a smart girl knows when to cut and run. I came after you to make sure you wouldn't get yourself in too deep. You might have gotten stronger thanks to my training, but it's a bad idea to try starting something here. Even I'm not that mad."
>Then look to Sariel with an exasperated sigh, followed by a slightly worn-out looking smile. "Sorry about my Student there, she has a habit of pestering people she finds interesting, or thinks might be helpful in whatever scheme of the month she's got planned. Looks like my hunch about the dream world was right too."
> "You have no idea? Do you?" Seiga says. Upon being closer to her, you notice she's not hurt at all. "I wished to learn more about Makai, and, specifically, the magical energy here. You see, many magicians come here to increase their power exponentially. Now, if I did that with my dark energy, which was already comparable to you, how powerful would I become?"
> "That is not all you were after, Hermit." Sariel says.
> Seiga charges a sphere of dark energy. It feels significantly more powerful than what you've seen her use before.
> "Yes, but what I'm looking for you're in my way of getting. I want one of those catalysts Shinki used."
-
>Facepalm. "So you're aiming to become a god like Shinki did."
-
>Facepalm. "So you're aiming to become a god like Shinki did."
> "Yes. I didn't become a Celestial, because I wanted something... more." Seiga says.
-
>Facepalm again. "I...I have no words for that. Only facepalms."
-
>Facepalm again. "I...I have no words for that. Only facepalms."
> "What's wrong with having aspirations and goals?" Seiga asks.
-
>"Nothing, but you gotta know how to keep it small. Think about how things are for Shinki. She never sleeps, and is always busy managing this place to keep it from falling apart. In fact, she's completely unable to sleep due to all the energy that's contained within her. She's able to handle it, but there's a very real risk that you'll overload worse than if a human were to eat that one really spicy dish down at Mystia's."
>Then sigh. "Overall, I'd say that a person like you, who's always after the next big thrill and fascinating quirk of life, just isn't cut out for it. You'd get too bored. Remember, I trained you, and you also trained me once, years ago. You might not get bored right away, but eventually you'd run out of new concepts for life forms. You can't be the goddess of a world without life forms to provide faith and such."
-
>"Nothing, but you gotta know how to keep it small. Think about how things are for Shinki. She never sleeps, and is always busy managing this place to keep it from falling apart. In fact, she's completely unable to sleep due to all the energy that's contained within her. She's able to handle it, but there's a very real risk that you'll overload worse than if a human were to eat that one really spicy dish down at Mystia's."
>Then sigh. "Overall, I'd say that a person like you, who's always after the next big thrill and fascinating quirk of life, just isn't cut out for it. You'd get too bored. Remember, I trained you, and you also trained me once, years ago. You might not get bored right away, but eventually you'd run out of new concepts for life forms. You can't be the goddess of a world without life forms to provide faith and such."
> "Oh no, I don't want to become a god of my own world. I want to become a god of ours, and use the new found power to elevate Taoism, no, more specifically, Yin De Dao, to it's rightful place!" Seiga states.
-
And I've finally caught up again and fortunately haven't missed anything too epic yet.
>This calls for epic facepalm.
>"Didn't Kanako get herself beat up for trying that? I don't think anyone in Gensokyo wants someone ruling over them."
-
And I've finally caught up again and fortunately haven't missed anything too epic yet.
>This calls for epic facepalm.
>"Didn't Kanako get herself beat up for trying that? I don't think anyone in Gensokyo wants someone ruling over them."
> "I don't want to rule, I just want my religion to be superior. There is no place in Gensokyo for anything but Taoism." Seiga says. "There is much tension between the Taoists, and Buddhists, and the Shinto."
-
>"Uh, yeah, in case you didn't notice, they're starting to cool down. At least from what I've seen of them so far."
>They have gotten on relatively well these days haven't they?
-
>"Uh, yeah, in case you didn't notice, they're starting to cool down. At least from what I've seen of them so far."
>They have gotten on relatively well these days haven't they?
> Not really. The Buddhists and the Taoists are always at tension, and Kanako and Suwako largely ignore the other religions now, because Kanako's afraid that if she tries to get rid of them she'll probobly end up bringing Christians to Gensokyo next as a result of her plans backfireing.
-
>"Hate to break it to you, but the only tension's between the Taoists and the Buddhists. Kanako and the others are staying out of it. Last time one of them tried to remove opposition, they got another opponent. And then it happened again not too long after that."
-
>"At this rate your plan will just bring another couple of religions and get you beat up by Reimu again."
>"And anyway, no one really wants someone running around with that kind of power. If youkai and humans could learn to get along, you can get your religions to at least become civil without involving reality warping powers."
-
>"Hate to break it to you, but the only tension's between the Taoists and the Buddhists. Kanako and the others are staying out of it. Last time one of them tried to remove opposition, they got another opponent. And then it happened again not too long after that."
> "Who said it was tension towards the Taoists? No, I cannot tolerate the other religions, spouting their lies and deceit!" Seiga says.
>"At this rate your plan will just bring another couple of religions and get you beat up by Reimu again."
>"And anyway, no one really wants someone running around with that kind of power. If youkai and humans could learn to get along, you can get your religions to at least become civil without involving reality warping powers."
> "And if I become a God I'll have enough power to drive them out. I won't be as reserved about my powers are Kanako or Suwako, or as low on faith. I'll make people worship me." Seiga says.
> The woman shrugs her shoulders. "I anticipated you would not agree with my plans, while I can't kill you without killing myself, I am able to beat you within an inch of your life if I have to do so."
> Sariel fires a magical sphere at Seiga, who evades it effortlessly. The small sphere erupts into a large chunk of ice when it hits a pillar.
> "I cannot allow you to pass and obtain that power either. Doing so would make your powers rival that of Shinki, using the same source of power. I cannot allow someone to pose a threat to her."
> Elis darts back to Sariel's side, and Yumeko, Sara and Louise join you.
> The hermit looks around at the six of you. "Oh my~. I'm not too sure I can take all six of you by myself..."
> A smirk crosses her face. "Too bad I'm not by myself."
> Suddenly, Seiga throws a talisman into the air, which lights up, before Yoshika and two others fall from it.
> The others are Alice and Marisa. Their eyes are glowing red, and both have wounds, bleeding somewhat, that seem like they have been bitten.
> "Behold, my failsafe. Did you not wonder why Yoshika didn't come with me? She was waiting for Alice, who I knew would not come to Makai of her own accord! Marisa being there was a bonus. Of course, Shinki could never hurt Alice either... so they could just walk into Makai so I could transport them here!"
> Seiga chuckles. "You won't be able to stop me with Yoshika, and your two friends as my loyal puppets! Not to mention if any of them bite you... you're mine."
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>"Hey, you aren't supposed to have all the boss fights at once in an Incident!"
>Dark energy armor so we can't get bitten.
>Try to blast off Yoshika's spell tag, without Seiga's control it might break her grip on everyone else too.
>"But are you sure that's a good idea? I mean, Shinki's probably going to unmake you or something for getting Alice involved in this......"
>Given what she did to get Alice back, Seiga might have bitten off way more than she can chew this time.
>It's been awhile, so what can Rumia do now?
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>"Hey, you aren't supposed to have all the boss fights at once in an Incident!"
>Dark energy armor so we can't get bitten.
>Try to blast off Yoshika's spell tag, without Seiga's control it might break her grip on everyone else too.
>"But are you sure that's a good idea? I mean, Shinki's probably going to unmake you or something for getting Alice involved in this......"
>Given what she did to get Alice back, Seiga might have bitten off way more than she can chew this time.
>It's been awhile, so what can Rumia do now?
> "You're not the karakasa!" Seiga says, as you put on your dark energy armor.
> You attempt to blast off Yoshika's tag, but the Jiang-Shi just eats the dark energy blast instead. "Nyang~Nyang! That tasted funny!" she comments.
> "Except Yoshika probobly made it clear to her, that Alice would die if I died. Right now, our souls and lives are linked together, like Alice's dolls would go limp without Alice. The premise is the exact same, except my dolls are alive to begin with." Seiga says.
> You guess once Alice is free Shinki will probobly unleash some extreme divine retribution upon the hermit. That said, as long as it's Shinki doing it, you should be fine. The contract only stops you from not teaching her, not someone else preventing you.
> Since you are not in Gensokyo, spellcards are somewhat pointless. [Spoiler alert: Spellcards will be pretty pointless for the rest of the quest]
Your abilities are the same as always, although some have become stronger, or you've found new ways to use them.
> Manipulation of Darkness: You can make an area pitch-black. In addition, you have discovered that by focusing on a light source, you can extinguish it. This includes laser-based attacks, as they are little more than focused light. Although once you sparred with Utusho and her suns were too much to extinguish, so you know there are limits to your extinguishing of light.
> Regeneration in natural darkness
> The ability to travel swiftly through natural shadows
> Control over Dark Energy: This has increased to the point where you can combine the dark energy with your Qi to make it more stable. In addition, the white cores your dark energy constructs have been showing since Shinki gave you power is apparently 'White Energy' which helps stabilize the Dark Energy further, as far as you can tell. You're yet to find another way to use this 'White Energy' and it seems more of a byproduct.
> Qi/Chi: You can channel your Qi/Chi, and perform strikes to pressure points to destabilize the foe's Chi to a level to rival Futo now. Your raw Chi power isn't on par with Meiling or Kasen yet, however, you're apparently more of a 'Gentle Fist' when it comes to it, like Futo, using precision strikes rather than raw power.
> 'Unified Chaos': You can summon the Divine Weapon, Unified Chaos, a hand-and-a-half sword, which can harm Divine beings and Ghosts [The latter thanks to Louise]. The sword is also capable of unleashing 'Sword-Waves' with a short charge-up, getting stronger the longer the charge. You've discovered since the last quest that you can teleport about a meter every minute using the sword, which you presume is Yumeko's doing, and perform basic fire and ice magic from it too, which you think Yuki and Mai's powers allowed. You're not sure what, if anything, Shinki's powers allow the sword to do yet. It might just be the whole 'Divine harming' shtick.
> Flight: Dur
> Night Vision: You've not been the derp who can't see in her own darkness for about 3 years now.
> Seiga talks in a language you do not understand, but given what you know of her, is probobly Chinese. Yoshika starts sending out large amounts of kunai, while Marisa fires a swarm of stars, and Alice summons multiple dolls which start firing a mix of projectiles and lasers. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pu9MvKrfojY)
(http://safebooru.org//images/966/beb2794061221c4043420d216cdfb670ffa3e91f.jpg?971529)
Boss Fight [Yeah no talking out of this one, not without some fighting]:
Seiga Kaku
The Hermit who Desires the Most
+ Yoshika Miyako, Marisa Kirisame and Alice Margatroid
Those under the Hermit's Control
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(Well, this wasn't particularly predicted. Seiga's definitely getting a good drubbing for this.)
>What do we know of the limitations to her little Jiang-Shi trick? Like say, a time limit?
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(Well, this wasn't particularly predicted. Seiga's definitely getting a good drubbing for this.)
>What do we know of the limitations to her little Jiang-Shi trick? Like say, a time limit?
[I always try to add some twists]
> You know that unless she makes them undergo some ceremony, like Yoshika, there is a time limit. Unfortunately, you don't know what this is, especially with Makai's screwed-up time, and possibly acceleration or deceleration due to the environment. Seiga has never told you what the limit is anyway.
> You also know there is apparently no limit to the number she can control, although she claims they are less efficient the larger the number, and just become some mindless horde of hopping zombies past a point, incapable of special attacks or communication.
> You also know that Yoshika's powers only work on things that are alive, and Seiga herself can only raise corpses. Yumeko, being a doll, would be immune to the Jiang-Shi's bite, although you are unsure about Louize, being a half-ghost, you guess if she was caught in human form it would be an issue.
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>"Yumeko, think you can accelerate time for Alice and Marisa? I know just how to deal with this, her little trick has a time limit, so once it wears off..."
>While this is going, let's try to trap Yoshika in an nigh-unending swarm of Dark Tentacles, resummoning them as soon as she starts eating.
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>"Yumeko, think you can accelerate time for Alice and Marisa? I know just how to deal with this, her little trick has a time limit, so once it wears off..."
>While this is going, let's try to trap Yoshika in an nigh-unending swarm of Dark Tentacles, resummoning them as soon as she starts eating.
> "I manipulate space, not time, while I can accelerate time somewhat..." she says, before you see the areas around Marisa and Alice distort, "I'm not sure if in terms of magic connected to outside the accelerated time that I can do anything."
> This still stops Marisa and Alice's attacks going anywhere near you, as they get diverted as they travel through the distorted space.
> You attack Yoshika with a swathe of Dark Tentacles. The Jiang-Shi starts attempting to eat them but they just re-grow.
> "Nyang-Nyang, I can't eat out fast enough!" Yoshika complains.
> "You've eaten enough for the moment." Seiga says, before she moved her hand, and speaks Chinese again.
> Yoshika retches, before she releases all the dark energy she's eaten so far, in a massive blast.
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>"Yumeko, you might want to bring up a spatial defense, this blast could be a big one."
>Counter her blast with one of our own! We'll overpower it! She's just using our own energy against us anyhow.
>Heck, if we can, let's try to bring the blast under our control as well, and merge it with the one we launched!
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>"Yumeko, you might want to bring up a spatial defense, this blast could be a big one."
>Counter her blast with one of our own! We'll overpower it! She's just using our own energy against us anyhow.
>Heck, if we can, let's try to bring the blast under our control as well, and merge it with the one we launched!
> Yumeko does something. You're not sure WHAT, but the blast slows down.
> You attempt to take the blast under your control after you launch one, but nothing happens. Instead, the two blasts collide, only for them to explode.
> Through the smoke a Dark Energy Javelin flies towards you, and one to everyone.
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>Cancel them out with Dark Energy Shields!
>"The Strongest Spear, and the Strongest Shield. When both meet, it's mutual destruction!"
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>Cancel them out with Dark Energy Shields!
>"The Strongest Spear, and the Strongest Shield. When both meet, it's mutual destruction!"
> You form a shield, but, of course, being Dark Energy, the two explode on contact, and you take some damage.
> Yumeko dodges, Sariel blasts it away, Elis evades, Louise lets it pass through her, and Sara just tanks the hit with minimal damage.
> Seiga looks unimpressed, and orders something in Chinese. You see Marisa charging up an attack with her Hakkero.
> Seiga holds out a talisman, and Marisa warps out of Yumeko's space distortion, in front of Seiga, and fires a Master Spark.
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>"Yumeko, slowdown again! Sorry for sounding like I'm ordering you around, but I can see how to counteract each and every trick she's thrown so far."
>Once Yumeko's set a slowdown on the spark, start charging a Sword Beam that'll cut the spark, but stop short of hitting Marisa!
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>"Yumeko, slowdown again! Sorry for sounding like I'm ordering you around, but I can see how to counteract each and every trick she's thrown so far."
>Once Yumeko's set a slowdown on the spark, start charging a Sword Beam that'll cut the spark, but stop short of hitting Marisa!
> Yueko slows down the spark, by opening more distance with her space manipulation.
> You charge up a sword-beam, and release it. It's able to cut the spark, but not entirely. It seems Marisa has been training. Again. Despite this, Elis blocks the remainder of the spark with some rainbow barrier she conjured with her wand.
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>Let's bring up a veritable sea of Dark Tentacles to capture Yoshika, Seiga, Marisa, and Alice. We'll make more than Seiga or any of them can blast away or dispel!
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>Can we make our dark energy explode at will? If so, just blow them up in Yoshika's face when she tries to eat them.
>For Seiga....oh she's going to be trouble.
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>Let's bring up a veritable sea of Dark Tentacles to capture Yoshika, Seiga, Marisa, and Alice. We'll make more than Seiga or any of them can blast away or dispel!
> With your power divided between four targets, Seiga can easily break herself and Yoshika free.
>Can we make our dark energy explode at will? If so, just blow them up in Yoshika's face when she tries to eat them.
>For Seiga....oh she's going to be trouble.
> Yes, you can. However, Yoshika isn't eating the dark energy right now, because Seiga was able to dispel it.
> Yes, Seiga will be trouble. Especially getting to her with Yoshika, Marisa, and Alice there. She's not even pulled out that Dark Energy titan yet.
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Well, you know the old saying, 'Fight Fire with Fire'. So we can just mimic her Titan Trick with our own variation. But that's for when she pulls it out.
Perhaps something like a giant version of us? Maybe a bit more Shinki-esque in appearance though. I think that Unified Chaos might be able to help in that regard.
>Let's remake the tendrils and focus them on Seiga then! And if Yoshika tries eating any, just self-destruct the ones she tries eating. We'll show her something 'spicy' with that kinda trick.
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Well, you know the old saying, 'Fight Fire with Fire'. So we can just mimic her Titan Trick with our own variation. But that's for when she pulls it out.
Perhaps something like a giant version of us? Maybe a bit more Shinki-esque in appearance though. I think that Unified Chaos might be able to help in that regard.
>Let's remake the tendrils and focus them on Seiga then! And if Yoshika tries eating any, just self-destruct the ones she tries eating. We'll show her something 'spicy' with that kinda trick.
> You focus the tendrils on Seiga, which, of course, prompts Yoshika to try and help her by eating the way out. You wait for the Jiang-Shi to eat some, before self-destructing those.
> Nothing happens, except a small amount of smoke from Yoshika's mouth.
> "Part of the required powers to eat anything is that she has infinite room in her stomach. Explosions inside there won't do anything." Seiga says.
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...I meant for them to self-destruct as she tries to eat them. Like that old explosive cigar gag kinda.
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...I meant for them to self-destruct as she tries to eat them. Like that old explosive cigar gag kinda.
Oh, that wouldn't have worked either. Yoshika's ability to eat anything would make her mouth pretty much invulnerable by necessity. Can't eat anything when it corrodes your mouth instantly.
Or did you mean before she even bites?
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I was meaning right when she tries to bite in. The intended effect being to essentially knock her away, and possibly make her think twice about doing it again.
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I was meaning right when she tries to bite in. The intended effect being to essentially knock her away, and possibly make her think twice about doing it again.
Then that was a miscommunication and misunderstanding.
> Yoshika continues to try and eat the tendrils, and instead, you explode one as she bites it, forcing her back. Seiga is protected from harm with a barrier of sorts she conjures.
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>"Nothing stopping me from just blowing it up the moment she tries to."
>Let's regenerate the tendrils that were depleted, and stack some on Yoshika herself as well.
>"Yumeko, you handle keeping Marisa and Alice busy, I'll keep these two tied down until the timer runs out."
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Well my idea was a big enough explosion to burn her entire face - and the tag really.
>Let's see if Seiga's barrier can stand up to Unified Chaos's sword beams!
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Ah-ah-ah, we can't be killing her though. Otherwise we'll end up going with her.
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>"Nothing stopping me from just blowing it up the moment she tries to."
>Let's regenerate the tendrils that were depleted, and stack some on Yoshika herself as well.
>"Yumeko, you handle keeping Marisa and Alice busy, I'll keep these two tied down until the timer runs out."
> "True. However now she's moved away from me, blowing them up in her face will accomplish nothing except preventing her regurgitating the energy." Seiga says.
> You re-form the tendils binding Seiga, which she dosen't really seem bothered by. Yoshika gets bound too, although you have to explode the tendrils every now and then, else Yoshika chomps them.
> Yumeko looks too focused to respond.
> Seiga looks around passively a few times, before a very small, needle-like dark energy blast shoots towards her, at high speed, almost invisible to anyone who wouldn't have recognized it, or expected Seiga to have something up her sleeve.
> The needle spins around Seuga twice, before it shoots into the crystal tipping Sariel's staff, causing a large explosion of magical energy, engulfing the whole area. The magical energy isn't painful, in fact, it feels like a dispel magic, probobly to defend the staff from attacks, probobly an enchantment, so it's automatic.
> Wait... dispel.
> You hear movement behind you. You still cannot see anything but the blue energy which has filled the area.
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>Fly straight up at max speed!
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>Fly straight up at max speed!
> You fly straight up, and see a shadow above you, as the energy is clearing. This shadow is clearly Marisa, seeing the broom.
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>Now dive for the last place we saw Seiga! But keep a Qi-Charged Dark Barrier up! It's a Barrier Crash!
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>Now dive for the last place we saw Seiga! But keep a Qi-Charged Dark Barrier up! It's a Barrier Crash!
> You dive back into the mists to where you last saw Seiga. You can't make a dark energy barrier, due to the dispelling aura, but your Qi seems to work fine.
> Seiga is not there.
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>Let's make for where we last saw Sariel.
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>Let's make for where we last saw Sariel.
> You head to the side, and see Sariel's unmistakeable shadow, with her wings. The energy is also fading around her, there is an area with none of the blue mists.
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>Let's head over. "Did you catch where she went? That dispel field broke what I was using to tie her down."
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>Let's head over. "Did you catch where she went? That dispel field broke what I was using to tie her down."
> "I'm alright. Yes, it would have broken down the Darek Energy, and Yumeko's spacial prisons. However, I don't think it would have done anything to Seiga's Jiang-Shis, except maybe temporarily stop her controlling them. Dispel would not remove an infection." Sariel says.
> The mist lifts. You cannot see Seiga and Yoshika, but everyone else is around.
> "Ugh... why am I in Makai, and why does my head hurt?" Alice groans, before noticing the bite mark on his shoulder.
> "And who tried to eat me?"
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>"You were under Seiga's control, that bite's from Yoshika. Marisa should be somewhere around here too, she got whammied with it too."
>Look to Sariel. "You know a way to remove a Jiang-Shi's infection? Because at this point all I know how to deal with it is to wait until it times out."
>Sigh. "Seiga's looking to become a god in order to get rid of the other religions, and put her brand of Taoism in the metaphorical throne."
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>"You were under Seiga's control, that bite's from Yoshika. Marisa should be somewhere around here too, she got whammied with it too."
>Look to Sariel. "You know a way to remove a Jiang-Shi's infection? Because at this point all I know how to deal with it is to wait until it times out."
>Sigh. "Seiga's looking to become a god in order to get rid of the other religions, and put her brand of Taoism in the metaphorical throne."
> "Seiga? Yoshika? Ugh..." Alice says.
> Marisa lands, pointing her Hakkero at Alice.
> "Don't bite me again ze!" she says.
> "I am not of your world. I know little of Jiang-Shi." Sariel says.
> "And she's here because she wants to do it the same way Shinki did." Sariel adds.
> "Interest..." Alice starts, before both she and Marisa go rigid again, with their eyes turning red.
> Seiga still isn't visible, but Yoshika falls from the sky, and picks herself off the ground.
> "Nyang Nyang says to stall for time!" Yoshika announces happily.
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>Stare blankly at her for a few moments, then cast an aside glance to Alice, and deadpan. "Dedicated to her job, I'll give her that."
>Then look back to Yoshika. "Still haven't gotten the hang of landings, huh?"
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>Stare blankly at her for a few moments, then cast an aside glance to Alice, and deadpan. "Dedicated to her job, I'll give her that."
>Then look back to Yoshika. "Still haven't gotten the hang of landings, huh?"
> "She's a bit like me, really. She owes her... unlife, to Seiga. I owe my life to Shinki." Yumeko comments.
> "Nope!" she says happily.
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>"It's a shame that if Seiga gets erased or something, she'll probably go too. Soul Link and all that. Be a shame to lose someone as cheerfully dedicated as her, shortcomings notwithstanding and all."
>"Well, depending on how things go, maybe I'll help you get the hang of it, eh?"
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>"It's a shame that if Seiga gets erased or something, she'll probably go too. Soul Link and all that. Be a shame to lose someone as cheerfully dedicated as her, shortcomings notwithstanding and all."
>"Well, depending on how things go, maybe I'll help you get the hang of it, eh?"
> You're not certain how honest Seiga is on that matter, and Yoshika has been seen several times as functioning OK without her talisman [Where she seems to recite lines from poems randomly]. There's probobly a difference between Yoshika, who was already dead, and Alice and Marisa, who are alive and bound to Seiga's will despite that. Not to mention Yoshika was raised with magic, while Alice and Marisa are being controlled viva an infection.
> "Nah, I have issues bending my joints, so my knees can't absorb the shock of landing anyway." Yoshika says.
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>"Well, even if she persists, someone's going to have to keep her maintained, going by how much Seiga dotes on her. Unfortunately, I don't know much about this whole thing. Can't be much different from keeping you or any other Combat Doll in working order though, right Yumeko?"
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>"Well, even if she persists, someone's going to have to keep her maintained, going by how much Seiga dotes on her. Unfortunately, I don't know much about this whole thing. Can't be much different from keeping you or any other Combat Doll in working order though, right Yumeko?"
> "... How do you expect me to know how much work it takes to keep a Jiang-Shi working? I'm a doll, not an undead." Yumeko says.
> You hear a click. Alice's Grimore opens.
> "... Well, she's opened that sealed book she's always clutching. What does that mean?" Louize asks.
> "... We're in trouble." Yumeko says.
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>"Last time she opened it, she was trying to stop everyone from getting involved in the whole invasion stunt a few years back. We showed her how much we care though, by using our danmaku to transmit our feelings. It's like they say in the outside world according to Sanae, 'A real man speaks with his fists'. Though in this case, it was 'A real Youkai speaks with her Danmaku'."
>Let's take a look back to Alice, and see how she is. If she's back under Seiga's control, then we're in biiiiiig trouble.
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>"Last time she opened it, she was trying to stop everyone from getting involved in the whole invasion stunt a few years back. We showed her how much we care though, by using our danmaku to transmit our feelings. It's like they say in the outside world according to Sanae, 'A real man speaks with his fists'. Though in this case, it was 'A real Youkai speaks with her Danmaku'."
>Let's take a look back to Alice, and see how she is. If she's back under Seiga's control, then we're in biiiiiig trouble.
> "That Grimoire also contains Alice's true power. Usually she holds back tremendously, since Alice is afraid of losing at full power, and prefers her dolls." Yumeko says. "Alice is probobly Makai's strongest ever magician, second only to Shinki in terms of her magic." Yumeko says.
> "So... we're in trouble." Sara comments.
> "Ah who cares, I'll just close it!" Elis says, rushing towards Alice, with her claws aiming for the book.
> Alice calls forth a torrent of water, which slams into the vampire, who falls to the ground, stream coming off her, and twitching.
> You recall a weakness of vampires is flowing water.
> Considering both Alice and Marisa have red glowing eyes of doom again, she's under Seiga's control.
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>"Oh crap. Uh, I don't suppose you can do that dispel again can you?"
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>"Oh crap. Uh, I don't suppose you can do that dispel again can you?"
> "That book is filled with Shinki's magic, which overpowers mine. All it would accomplish is making Alice shoot fish in a barrel, with us as the fish." Sariel says.
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>"Greaaaat. Looks like we'll have to subdue her the hard way."
>What do we know about the limitations of Jiang-Shi? For that matter, would all this mess be dealt with if we somehow rendered Yoshika unconscious?
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>"Greaaaat. Looks like we'll have to subdue her the hard way."
>What do we know about the limitations of Jiang-Shi? For that matter, would all this mess be dealt with if we somehow rendered Yoshika unconscious?
> You know very little, besides the more there are, that harder it is for Seiga to focus control enough to make them use their powers.
> Yoshika being unconscious wouldn't stop Seiga controlling Alice.
> Marisa isn't doing anything. It seems Seiga is focusing on Alice and Yoshika.
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>"Hey, since this is magic, you know how to cut a 'puppet' from it's strings? If you do, now'd be the time to use it."
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>"Hey, since this is magic, you know how to cut a 'puppet' from it's strings? If you do, now'd be the time to use it."
> "The magic is stemmed from the infection. Attempting to disrupt it could be fatal." Sariel says. "The only thing to do is either incapacitate Alice, defeat Seiga, or wait until the infection wears off, and then keep Yoshika from renewing it."
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>"There's also Marisa to contend with too, never know if she might try something when we've got the other two occupied."
>Let's start by creating a Stabilized Dark Energy Copy, and having it grab Alice from behind.
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>"There's also Marisa to contend with too, never know if she might try something when we've got the other two occupied."
>Let's start by creating a Stabilized Dark Energy Copy, and having it grab Alice from behind.
> You form a copy of yourself from Alice's shadow, which grabs onto her. Alice responds by incinerating it with a twister of flame around herself.
> "N....N...." you hear Alice say quietly.
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>"What..? Is she...Is she fighting against the control..?"
>Let's try that stunt against Yoshika now. But make the grab seem like a hug. Albeit an inescapable, irresistible, and highly restraining sort. After all, her mind's pretty simple.
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>"What..? Is she...Is she fighting against the control..?"
>Let's try that stunt against Yoshika now. But make the grab seem like a hug. Albeit an inescapable, irresistible, and highly restraining sort. After all, her mind's pretty simple.
> "Possibly. I imagine Seiga could have issues controlling someone stronger than her in the first place, and by releasing Alice's shackles on her own power... not to mention Shinki's energy within her..." Sariel says.
> You attempt to give Yoshika a hug with a dark energy body-double. The Jiang-Shi happens to hop forwards to correct her balance, making you think for a moment she saw it coming, only to stop and get hugged anyway.
> Yoshika looks confused. "Why are you hugging me? I made your friends evil!"
> Alice makes the skies turn into stormclouds while you are doing this.
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>"It's a little gift you might say. Besides, I don't want you to get too banged-up by all this. This all stems from Seiga anyhow, you did it on her orders after all."
>Do we know any way to counteract what Alice is pulling?
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>"It's a little gift you might say. Besides, I don't want you to get too banged-up by all this. This all stems from Seiga anyhow, you did it on her orders after all."
>Do we know any way to counteract what Alice is pulling?
> "It doesn't matter if I get banged up. I'm dead and can heal by absorbing spiritual energy anyway!" Yoshika says.
> You do not know any form of weather manipulation to clear the skies, although you would wager she is aiming to use some kind of lighting based attack. You also know falling rain would harm Elis more.
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>"Someone get Elis to cover, she's already pretty bashed up as it is."
>Let's create a Conical Pillar of Dark Energy that towers above even us, but has little in the way of substance. Just enough to draw any lightning to it. After all, we've seen lightning strike trees before, so even we know that tall things tend to draw lightning.
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>"Someone get Elis to cover, she's already pretty bashed up as it is."
>Let's create a Conical Pillar of Dark Energy that towers above even us, but has little in the way of substance. Just enough to draw any lightning to it. After all, we've seen lightning strike trees before, so even we know that tall things tend to draw lightning.
> Yumeko opens a gap-like portal, clearly to Pandemonium, under Elis, before closing it once the vampire falls in.
> You create a pillar of dark energy, reaching towards the skies. Yumeko sees that your objective is, and throws multiple swords at the top of the pillar.
> Rain, winds, and lightning start to be unleashed, like the roughest storm at sea. The lightning that would hit your group is instead drawn to the Dark Energy pillar and the swords, but you can't leave it's area, else the lightning would likely hit you.
> Alice points towards your group, before ivy-like vines start to form beneath you. Fast.
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>Well, let's set out our own mass of creeper-like Dark Vines! We'll quash out the ivy by not even giving it a chance to grow!
>"She's gotta run out of energy sooner or later, yeah?"
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>Well, let's set out our own mass of creeper-like Dark Vines! We'll quash out the ivy by not even giving it a chance to grow!
>"She's gotta run out of energy sooner or later, yeah?"
> You smother the vines with dark energy equivalents.
> "I'm not sure. Alice stores all her excess energy in that book. When it's opened, years of magical energy stored up become available to her. It's like a battery as well." Yumeko explains.
> The vines spread out past your dark energy ones, except, they do not head towards you.
> They wrap something invisible in the air, and Alice smiles.
> "You... can't... control... me with... Mother's power flowing through me. A Jiang-Shi bite won't overwhelm a god's power. You... overestimated your own power."
> Alice still sounds like she's struggling, but her eyes are back to normal.
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>Let's ease off on the vines then, let's give Alice some room to purge the influence herself. If only we knew how to lend our power to hers to help though.
>"Heh, that's just what I'd expect from someone as willful as she is."
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>Let's ease off on the vines then, let's give Alice some room to purge the influence herself. If only we knew how to lend our power to hers to help though.
>"Heh, that's just what I'd expect from someone as willful as she is."
> You let the vines go, and very quickly have to restrain them again as they head towards you. It seems only the ones that escaped are under Alice's control.
> The vines Alice is controlling constrict, and Seiga appears within them.
> "Damnit... I underestimated the influence Shinki's magic would have on a denizen of Makai." she says, before she clicks her fingers, and Marisa gets up and turns. "If I can't control your power to my own ends I'll just erase it! You are too dangerous to me to have here otherwise!"
> Marisa, eyes red, is pointing her Hakkero at the side of Alice's head, before she suddenly is sent flying.
> "Not even I could read that your desires were this dark, Seiga." a familiar voice says.
> "I command you to cease!" a voice roars, as the lighting stops.
> "So, you being here explains why we couldn't find you viva Senkai, Rumia..." a third voice says. "I didn't know you were already stopping an incident."
(http://safebooru.org//images/972/7ed4944517f2df907a9b2cb526b8e676b084867a.jpg)
Toyosatomimi no Miko
Saint of Flawless Understanding
Soga no Tojiko
Ghost of Thunder
Monobobe no Futo
Hermit of Times Long Past
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>Let's manifest some floating Dark Skewers around Seiga. "I wondered when you guys would get the metaphorical 'memo'. I've had some suspicions about Seiga here myself for the past few months, but this just proves she's gone mad with power. Thinks she can become a god and wipe out the other religions to that her brand of Tao will be the 'Be-all-end-all'."
>While we're at it, let's manifest some Shadow Binds around Controlled!Marisa.
-
>Let's manifest some floating Dark Skewers around Seiga. "I wondered when you guys would get the metaphorical 'memo'. I've had some suspicions about Seiga here myself for the past few months, but this just proves she's gone mad with power. Thinks she can become a god and wipe out the other religions to that her brand of Tao will be the 'Be-all-end-all'."
>While we're at it, let's manifest some Shadow Binds around Controlled!Marisa.
> "We knew Seiga's intentions were not good, however, we did not feel the need to intervene."Soga says.
> "Besides... Seiga is my teacher as well." Miko says. "Not too thrilled about going against her. However, she crossed the line."
> "Do you know what's been happening while you've been gone? We came to look for you!" Futo says. "You've been gone for a week!"
> "That's stupid. It's only been a few hours." Seiga says.
> "And I've been screwing with space. Which screws with time. Not to mention Makai *is* another dimension." Yumeko says, sounding apologetic. "I might have made the usual time differential between Makai and your world... significantly worse."
> "The Dream Portal probobly wouldn't have helped matters, we're on the border to another dimension as well." Sariel says.
-
>"So, let's figure out how to deal with Seiga, then you can fill me in on that was going down while I was gone. Right now she's still got Marisa under her control, and there's that little contract between us too. Any way we can get around that?"
-
>"So, let's figure out how to deal with Seiga, then you can fill me in on that was going down while I was gone. Right now she's still got Marisa under her control, and there's that little contract between us too. Any way we can get around that?"
> "No. Besides, we are not going to kill her." Miko says.
> The dark energy lances around her disfigure, and collect around her, as Seiga starts muttering.
> "Yin De Dao!" is the only part you recognize, as the vines around her disintegrate as the giant dark energy warrior forms.
> Marisa gets up, and flies behind the giant, charging a spark. Yoshika is tied up still, but starts flinging kunai danmaku everywhere anyway.
-
>Let's trip Marisa up with a quick Dark Tendril around her ankle so she completely misfires her spark.
>"I'll need you guys to keep Marisa occupied after this, I'm going to match Seiga as best I can. 'Fight Fire with Fire', as they say."
>Let's set to mirroring Seiga, but with a giant us instead!
-
>Let's trip Marisa up with a quick Dark Tendril around her ankle so she completely misfires her spark.
>"I'll need you guys to keep Marisa occupied after this, I'm going to match Seiga as best I can. 'Fight Fire with Fire', as they say."
>Let's set to mirroring Seiga, but with a giant us instead!
> You 'trip' Marisa as well as you can trip someone in the air. Her spark flies towards Seiga's back, but does nothing.
> "Very well." Miko says, before indicating to Soga and Futo.
> You attempt to form a giant version of yourself. It fizzles out. You simply can't produce and maintain enough Chi to stabilize something of that size, and it would explode you if anything touched it otherwise. With you inside it. Which would likely be fatal.
> "Didn't I tell you before? This is the result of my desires, my magic, and my taoism combined with Dark energy. It is impossible for you to emulate this, you are not me, you do not have my desires, my beliefs, or my powers." Seiga taunts.
> Seiga launches a hail of dark energy orbs from the giant's hand towards you.
-
>"Tch. A girl can try at least."
>Well, let's materialize and fire Dark Javelins at the spheres! We'll at least cancel those out.
-
>"Tch. A girl can try at least."
>Well, let's materialize and fire Dark Javelins at the spheres! We'll at least cancel those out.
> You throw spears at the orbs, which indeed cancel each other out. In explosions.
> The titan swings it's halbred at you.
-
>"Scatter!"
>Let's take the best escape route out of the way ourselves!
-
>"Scatter!"
>Let's take the best escape route out of the way ourselves!
> You and the Makai group scatter. You personally fly upwards.
> The halbred scars the ground as it swings just over it.
> Seiga launches an onslaught from within the titan, causing it to emit various curvy lasers.
-
>Oh boy, we've always had a little trouble with them, haven't we?
>Well, let's try and cut through the ones that look like they're going to hit us, and Mini-Dark Mine the ones that don't.
-
>Oh boy, we've always had a little trouble with them, haven't we?
>Well, let's try and cut through the ones that look like they're going to hit us, and Mini-Dark Mine the ones that don't.
> Everyone hates curvy lasers. Everyone. You never know if they'll curve again.
> You manage to combine evasion and countering to withstand the assault, although it keeps going on, Seiga being unrelenting.
-
>Well, did we ever figure out how to get our lasers to curve?
>If we ever get a free moment to properly retaliate, let's launch a horizontal sword wave at the titan's legs!
-
>Well, did we ever figure out how to get our lasers to curve?
>If we ever get a free moment to properly retaliate, let's launch a horizontal sword wave at the titan's legs!
> Nope.
> You see an opening as you dodge, and swing a sword wave at the legs of the titan. It blocks with it's halberd, although doing so stops the lasers.
-
>Alright, let's charge up energy into the sword and try to shatter the halberd with a full-power sword wave!!
-
>Alright, let's charge up energy into the sword and try to shatter the halberd with a full-power sword wave!!
> You charge as much energy as you have time to into the sword, and slam it into the Halberd.
> The result is a large blast of dark energy as the two energies collide, and the halberd breaks, exploding as dark energy does, sending Seiga stumbling backwards, and you flying backwards, through a pillar, and into another one.
> You think you might have broken your spine, but you can feel it regenerating due to the low light levels where you are, although not rapidly, since it's not outright darkness. Needless to say this hurts.
> The titan is on one knee, and heaves itself up. There is no blade on the halberd anymore, it is just a dark energy stick, although you can see it regenerating. The main body seems damaged as well, but is regenerating.
-
Uh, sword wave, not direct attack?
-
Uh, sword wave, not direct attack?
You were still somewhat close range, and the explosion of such condensed dark energy is pretty large. Still, my mistake. You only hit the first pillar, and are stunned and in pain, not the state you were in before.
-
>Cover ourself in darkness to hurry up the regeneration, then.
>Observe the giant until we can manage to move again.
-
>Cover ourself in darkness to hurry up the regeneration, then.
>Observe the giant until we can manage to move again.
> Your own darkness doesn't effect regeneration. Still, being in darkness gives you mental comfort to fight the pain better and recollect yourself after being stunned.
> The giant around Seiga stands there, seemingly waiting on it's own healing.
> "I know that's not enough to have finished you... or else I'd be dead too." Seiga says. "Not that it's not obvious where you are, with that sphere of darkness... but do you really have to hide from me?"
> Suddenly, there is a deafening roar, a flash of light, and the Titan lurches fowards, as rainbow light swathes off it's back.
> "W-what was that, that toppled this form?" she says, getting up.
> "Y'know, I toldya I've been gettin' stronger, ~ze..." Marisa says, flying past, her Hakkero smoking.
> Sariel is standing next to her, with her staff pointed in the direction Seiga was. Yumeko, panting heavily, is there too, as are the others.
> "I accelerated time enough... to break the spell at last." Yumeko pants. "The others kept Yoshika away.... but I'm out of power now..."
> Seiga gets up, having seemingly either regenerated all the damage, or taken none to begin with. Her weapon has fully reformed.
> "You lot... if you get in my way, unlike Rumia, I will kill you..." she says.
> You suddenly feel a tremendous killing intent, unlike anything you've felt before, that puts even Titania to shame. It is so strong you feel like there is a knife to your throat, you even feel the cold of the blade, despite no-one being there. From the looks of everyone's faces, they all feel the same, even the usually fearless Marisa.
> And it's not from Seiga, she looks the most terrified.
> Yumeko smirks. "It's not just Marisa who the infection's worn off on. She's no longer fighting it... and you know what that means, don't you, Seiga?"
> "You lost your blackmail card." Miko says.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bRS7KZ1fL_s (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bRS7KZ1fL_s)
> On que, Shinki appears in the air, black wings unfurled, red lines pulsing along them, hair blowing wildly around. The way she looks puts fear into your heart, and, for the first time, you feel the vast gulf between yourself and her, as a God, and for the first time, she seems as, no, more, demonic than the demons of Makai. She feels even more hate-filled than your old self.
> Then Seiga swings at her, and the illusion is cut in two, turning into mist. Seiga looks horrified still.
> "Write down your last rites, Seiga Kaku. God is coming for you." you hear Shinki's voice say. There is not the slightest hint of rage or anger, no emotion at all, which feels the most sinister of all.
> The tranquil rage of the Goddess of Makai. The feeling of it grows stronger with every second, even though you know Shinki could already be here if she didn't want Seiga to suffer knowing what was about to happen.
-
>Oh dear.
>"Well... you're screwed."
>Retreat from Seiga just a little bit. This is going to be bad.
-
>Oh dear.
>"Well... you're screwed."
>Retreat from Seiga just a little bit. This is going to be bad.
> Seiga looks annoyed.
> "Is that all you have to..."
> Shinki walks into the Ruined Temple, and towards Seiga, slowly. This time, you can feel inside you, this is the real Shinki.
> She stops in front of Seiga, and just looks at her. About thirtsy seconds go by, before Seiga roars in anger, and swings the titan's halberd.
> Shinki doesn't even flinch, or raise a hand as it hits her, and shatters into nothingness, along with the rest of the titan. Seiga lands.
> Seiga unleashes a shower of dark energy orbs towards the god, but they don't even reach her.
> "Are you done?" Shinki asks. "I told you to write your last rights."
> Seiga looks angrily at Shinki. "What gives you the right to look down on me, and judge me? You're the same as what I aim to do!"
> Shinki does not answer. She does not react at all, not even batting an eyelid.
> "Ugh... witch, let me borrow that Hakkero!" Seiga demands.
> Marisa looks taken aback.
> "Do it, Marisa." Miko says, before Marisa sighs, and throws it to Seiga.
> "Don't break it you two..." she says.
> Seiga grabs the Hakkero, and the markings on it glow black.
> "Do you know what this really is, witch? This is a divine item from China, a miniature version of a magical furnace that Sun Wukong was imprisoned in. And as a Divine item, I can use it to defeat her! Now then, how do you fire one of those sparks?"
> "Why should I tell you?" Marisa says.
> "Tell her." Yumeko says.
> Marisa sighs. "It's not difficult. You concentrate, mutter the spell to the Hakkero, point it at someone you don't like, and then unleash your annihilation of love."
> Seiga looks at the Hakkero. "Well then, I guess there is one thing inside me strong enough for this job..."
> She mutters in Chinese, before pointing the Hakkero at Shinki, and unleashing a massive blast, a literal Dark Spark.
> The attack envelops Shinki.
-
>Er... do we have anything that can halt divine Darkness Sparks?
>Well, it's already hit Shinki at any rate. Observe the aftermath of the attack.
-
>Er... do we have anything that can halt divine Darkness Sparks?
>Well, it's already hit Shinki at any rate. Observe the aftermath of the attack.
> Well, you're not sure if it's Dark Energy or just a black spark. That would be kind of important. Being Divine dosen't make something stronger, it just gives it the 'God-killer' tag,
> The spark subsides, and Shinki is standing there, without batting an eyelid.
> "Just because something is Divine doesn't mean it's strong enough to hurt me." she says. "Still, I can't very well kill you after understanding your true meanings..."
> Shinki teleports behind Seiga, and places a hand on her head, before Seiga falls asleep.
> "So I'll instead put you inside an Illusion, so you can think over what you have done so wrong. When you realize and repent, you will awaken."
> Seiga falls on her face, and Yoshika hops over to her.
> "At the end of the day, the desire that was core to her aim, but was obscured by all the others, was the same as me." Shinki explains. "It would be hypocritical to have killed her."
> "What do you mean?" Yumeko asks.
> "If you think I am the only mother in the multiverse, Yumeko, you are sorely mistaken. Seiga is one too, but her extended life has made her outlive hers by many magnitudes, and you cannot raise one without a body as a Jiang-Shi." Shinki explains simply.
-
>"That explains why she dotes on her so much. Yoshika, despite being undead, is essentially her child. I guess she really did mean well with her goal of becoming like you, she just lost sight of it all under her power, and immensely long life. But then again, she was originally human, so she wouldn't be able to handle a nigh-endless lifespan quite like you or I can, which was what ultimately led her to become truly known as a Wicked Hermit I guess. Maybe when she comes to, she'll be a better person. Someone I'd be proud to consider a student of mine."
-
>"That explains why she dotes on her so much. Yoshika, despite being undead, is essentially her child. I guess she really did mean well with her goal of becoming like you, she just lost sight of it all under her power, and immensely long life. But then again, she was originally human, so she wouldn't be able to handle a nigh-endless lifespan quite like you or I can, which was what ultimately led her to become truly known as a Wicked Hermit I guess. Maybe when she comes to, she'll be a better person. Someone I'd be proud to consider a student of mine."
> "Oh no, she wanted the power and everything. However the core aim that led her down that path, the one she began with, was a desire to resurrect her family. By the time she learnt the Dark Art, there was no flesh to re-animate. As years went by, she became more desperate, reaching into more and more darkness, willing to do anything, even stooping to controlling others like she did today." Shinki explains. "Only a God can truely resurrect the dead."
> "It is that very path that gives her the chance of retribution, she realizes what is really important... or lets go of the past. Her life will continue cycling in this illusion, with her remembering what happens each time. Until she either comes up with a better path, and figures her mistakes, or accepts the loss, she will remain in the Illusion. That is the Purgatory of Makai. It is a harsh lesson."
> "It does explain her relation and kindness to Yoshika, indeed." Miko says. "I always found it strange she treated her like her own child."
> "Can we get onto the reason why we came here?" Soga says, sounding impatient. "Who knows how much more time and chaos has befallen Gensokyo while we were in this area with that maid warping space and time?"
-
>"Yeah, you guys mentioned something about chaos and stuff when you showed up to help out, mind filling me in on that?"
-
>"Yeah, you guys mentioned something about chaos and stuff when you showed up to help out, mind filling me in on that?"
> Miko looks to Futo, who looks to Soga, who looks to Miko. It seems none of them want to be the one to tell you.
> Miko sighs.
> "Although we can't be completely sure... the monster flowers everywhere kind of give it away. It's Yuuka... it has to be. People go to sleep... and they don't wake up, they enter some sort of coma, with looks of absolute fear etched into their faces. Reimu's a victim too, she was sleeping when it began, and without Marisa here too, no-one knows where Yuuka's 'other home' is. We checked the Garden of the Sun, she's not there." Miko says.
> "Then, three days in, when all the humans and most fairies had succumbed to sleep, the monster flowers appeared, and began attacking everything else. If they knocked you out, you suffered the same fate as those who slept. When we left, only the strongest youkai were still active, the Scarlet Mansion, Ran Yakumo, some of the Moyuren Temple and Tengu." Soga says. "I guess the Eientei group are alright as well, but we can't get there, we got lost in the Bamboo Forest, and with the rabbits asleep, that usually guide people... we did find Mokou, and even she was effected. We don't know how it is Underground."
> "The thing is, the Moriya Shrine's abandoned too. We thought Kanako and Suwako could be of help, being Divines, but... they were gone." Futo explains. "Sanae too."
> "Well I'm here now, ~ze." Marisa says. "She lives past that Lake of Blood guarded by a Vampire. I don't know exactly where that place is called, but it ain't Gensokyo. We kind of agreed not to tell people where to find Yuuka, too dangerous. The Yuuka there is scarier than the one you lot know ~ze."
-
>"...Yukari warned me about someone using the Dream World to some nefarious end, but I had assumed it was Seiga, not Yuuka. I wonder why she's kicking up a fuss now?"
>What do we know of anything the Moriya Shrine was up to in the past few months?
-
>"...Yukari warned me about someone using the Dream World to some nefarious end, but I had assumed it was Seiga, not Yuuka. I wonder why she's kicking up a fuss now?"
>What do we know of anything the Moriya Shrine was up to in the past few months?
> "Simple. She saw her window. You were not there. Reimu was asleep. Marisa was under Seiga's control. Who is left?" Miko says. "Either that or she just tapped into whatever it was she was looking for."
> You know they planned to confront Yuuka, and try and de-god her, and make Sanae the new Titania, with the logic being that nature is, by definition, a miracle. You're not sure how that works, but when you heard it, you were confident a 2.5 v 1 would go in their favor, even if it was Yuuka, after all, Titania was sealed.
> "By any chance was there an overgrowth in plant life?" Sariel asks.
> "Yes, there were plants growing everywhere. Why?" Futo asks.
> "Because there's plants growing out of the portal to the Dream World."
> Indeed, there is ivy rapidly growing from the portal.
> "It seems whatever is happening to Gensokyo is reaching through the Dream World to Makai now... which means the portal in Gensokyo must bring you closer to her location." Shinki says, burning the ivy to cinders, only for it to re-grow almost instantly.
[The RQ8 plot, which is now starting, will be in more or less full. It was only the Seiga arc I trimmed down due to the wind-up of the universe. Obviously the climax which has been building since 5 will not be cut down]
-
>"I think you'll be at that for a while Shinki, the Real Yuuka's probably on par with you at your best, if not stronger. If Elly's anything to measure by that is. I can only surmise that Kanako and Suwako's plan to replace Yuuka with Sanae as the new Titania failed. And Yuuka, or rather, Titania I should say, is awake again. And very much in full-on world domination mode."
>Sigh. "One thing after another...First Seiga goes nuts, then this happens. Am I going to have to 'Pull A Shinki' myself to stop this crazy stuff for good?"
-
>"I think you'll be at that for a while Shinki, the Real Yuuka's probably on par with you at your best, if not stronger. If Elly's anything to measure by that is. I can only surmise that Kanako and Suwako's plan to replace Yuuka with Sanae as the new Titania failed. And Yuuka, or rather, Titania I should say, is awake again. And very much in full-on world domination mode."
>Sigh. "One thing after another...First Seiga goes nuts, then this happens. Am I going to have to 'Pull A Shinki' myself to stop this crazy stuff for good?"
> "I don't know who this Titania is." Shinki says, "But I'm fairly sure a world with multiple gods does not have one that equals me, being omnipotent. That said... I'm not quite invincible outside of Makai... and I cannot enter the Dream World. There are... reasons. Involving a certain evil sentient crystal."
> "Besides, if it took at least a week of Gensokyo time for the energy to reach here, imagine how much time would pass in Gensokyo if we went from here. Energy moves at the speed of light..." Futo says.
> "Well, we'll just have to put a stop to her ~ze! We just blast her with more firepower! I mean, the Taoists said there are still people awake, so if we gather them up..."
> Marisa stops.
> "Wait, you're scared of Elly? She's a joke. We and Reimu crushed her years ago." Marisa says.
> Shinki shakes her head. "No, Elly fought Rumia to exhaustion so I could implant some of my powers within her. Elly's strong enough to fight Rumia to exhaustion, I doubt you and Reimu before the time you fought me could have beaten her at that time, unless she is multiple times stronger now than back then."
> "No-one's allowed to grow in power faster than me ~ze!" Marisa says angrily.
-
>"You've seen my Dark Copy of the Master Spark, it could barely dent her Tile Sphere Defense. And that move was a match for the spark you used back then. That's not to say that I'm scared of Elly, but rather, I'm scared of the implications that it holds. The fact that the True Titania is miles above even Elly as she is now is what has me worried."
>Look to Shinki. "Titania is the Goddess of Nature, and the progenitor of the Fairy Race. Wherever nature exists, I'm willing to bet a year's worth of meals down at Mystia's that she's got traces even there. In a way, I'd say she's probably your equal in terms of 'Godness'. Nature's everywhere, and Titania is nature, which I guess could afford some form of omnipotence. And she made the Fairies, just like you made the residents of Makai. Overall, this is one fight that, for once, I'm not thrilled to be having."
-
>"You've seen my Dark Copy of the Master Spark, it could barely dent her Tile Sphere Defense. And that move was a match for the spark you used back then. That's not to say that I'm scared of Elly, but rather, I'm scared of the implications that it holds. The fact that the True Titania is miles above even Elly as she is now is what has me worried."
>Look to Shinki. "Titania is the Goddess of Nature, and the progenitor of the Fairy Race. Wherever nature exists, I'm willing to bet a year's worth of meals down at Mystia's that she's got traces even there. In a way, I'd say she's probably your equal in terms of 'Godness'. Nature's everywhere, and Titania is nature, which I guess could afford some form of omnipotence. And she made the Fairies, just like you made the residents of Makai. Overall, this is one fight that, for once, I'm not thrilled to be having."
> Marisa tips her hat so it covers her eyes, and only says one thing. "Yare yare da~ze..."
> "Hmm. I can see your point. A Goddess of Nature would be a terrifying foe to face. Not to mention insurpassable for any God who represents an aspect of Nature... she could possibly even have control over them, as lesser gods to her." Shinki says.
> "... Kanako is the Sky Goddess... and Suwako is Goddess of the Earth... both are aspects of the balance of our dimension's nature." Miko says, falling to her knees at the realization. "It wouldn't matter how many Gods linked to Nature challenged her, they wouldn't be able to defeat her. Suwako and Kanako... would have certainly lost, unless they were aided by a God which is not a Nature God."
> Sariel freezes the ivy, before shattering it. This time multiple plants, and large roots, start spreading.
> "You cannot stay here much longer, the growth is getting faster and more dangerous!" Sariel says. "If this keeps up, to hold it back, me and Shinki will have to unleash levels of power that would be hazardous to anyone else here!"
-
>"We'd best go then, at this point we're probably the only ones left. Hina's probably no use if she's got Suwako, because Suwako's got Curses as her thing too, which means she'd probably be able to control Hina by that logic. Puppet playing the puppeteer, to coin a phrase. Anyhow, let's get a move on to knock down Titania once and for all! Shinki, Sariel, stay safe you two. And don't let yourselves get knocked out. Mind setting up an exit for us real quick?"
>Look to Yoshika. "Yoshika, try to get Seiga to a safer place! I'm counting on you!"
>Once the exit's set, let's get everyone who's coming along through it. Yoshika and Seiga too.
-
>"We'd best go then, at this point we're probably the only ones left. Hina's probably no use if she's got Suwako, because Suwako's got Curses as her thing too, which means she'd probably be able to control Hina by that logic. Puppet playing the puppeteer, to coin a phrase. Anyhow, let's get a move on to knock down Titania once and for all! Shinki, Sariel, stay safe you two. And don't let yourselves get knocked out. Mind setting up an exit for us real quick?"
>Look to Yoshika. "Yoshika, try to get Seiga to a safer place! I'm counting on you!"
>Once the exit's set, let's get everyone who's coming along through it. Yoshika and Seiga too.
> "Hina isn't a strong Goddess anyway." Alice says.
> "Hah! We, get knocked out? In MAKAI?!" Shinki says, opening a portal around you, Seiga, Marisa, Yoshika, and the Taoists.
> You fall through the dimensional hole, and into Alice's house...
> Or, more precisely... the ruins of Alice's House. The Forest of Magic's Maisma is even heavier than normal, the trees larger, and varying in shades wildly, with various plants twisting around and between them, and growing in their shade. Plants you have never even seen.
> "Was wondering when you'd get back." says a gruff, unfamiliar voice, from an unfamiliar figure. "To think I'd have to unseal myself..."
> The figure is in a green dress, with one leg revealed. It looks like a martial artist's. Her hands are clawed, and you can see scales. Her red hair is like fire, and, most interestingly, a reptilian tail is visible from the underside of her dress, sticking out.
> She turns around, showing a familiar star attached to the front of her dress. It's Meiling's star she has on her hat.
> "I told you there were things I'd rather keep hidden about myself." she says.
-
>"Hong! Up to busting a few heads to set things right? We've got a bead on the culprit's location."
>Fistpalm. "How are Remi and Flan doing? Are they still awake? We might need their power for this upcoming fight."
-
>"Hong! Up to busting a few heads to set things right? We've got a bead on the culprit's location."
>Fistpalm. "How are Remi and Flan doing? Are they still awake? We might need their power for this upcoming fight."
> Hong grins. "Well, good thing you didn't call me Meiling, seeing as that's just a name I use to hide myself. In this form, I can be addressed as by true name, Hong Meilong, Chinese for 'Sleeping Rainbow Dragon'."
> "Wait... you're saying..." Marisa starts.
> "Yes. I'm a Dragon. Not THE Dragon. That Dragon is a Tianlong, a God-Dragon. Anyway, I came here to protect the way back into Gensokyo for you. Unfortunetly, I couldn't defend your house, Alice." Hong says.
> "I can fix it." she says.
> "The mansion? Remilia has shrouded it in her Scarlet Mist, so she can fight to her full extent 24/7. My services are not required there, she told me to guard other places that need me more. Last I knew, they were fine. Koakuma succumbed, but Patchouli, Sakuya, Remilia and Flan are fine."
> Hong sighs. "Despite this, things in Gensokyo have gone mental. Every day stronger plant-monsters form. They're not strong enough to bridge the huge gap between average youkai and the ones still conscious, the gap is huge, but fatigue will set in... and eventually, we would fall. At this point, when I last saw Aya, I think she said the only ones still up are Hijiri, Shou, Aya, Tenma, Ran, the Scarlet Mansion, Kaguya, Eirin, the Deva, Satori, Utusho... and technically Koishi... although she's worse than the sleepers, due to her living in the subconscious realm."
> "I guess that the Shinigami and Yama are OK as well, but no-one's seen them, as per usual. I mean, no-one's actually died." she adds.
-
>"Well then, you ready to protect the biggest oyster of all? We're making for the Dream World to take the fight to the culprit, the real Yuuka. Or rather, the true Titania."
-
>"Well then, you ready to protect the biggest oyster of all? We're making for the Dream World to take the fight to the culprit, the real Yuuka. Or rather, the true Titania."
> "Well, for that sort of thing, we should gather up whoever we can. Some obviously have to stay to protect the ones sleeping..." Hong says. "Who knows if she'll try to kill everyone sleeping to make us not leave."
> She pauses.
> "Oh yeah, speaking of Oysters and Pearls!" Hong says, pulling out a box, and opening it, revealing a beautiful black sphere, patterned with galaxies, before throwing it into the air.
> The sphere expands, and twists, until it forms a split between dimensions, tied at the end by two knots of white lace. The inside is a dark purple, with galaxies visible inside.
> Maribel, Renko, Cirno, Mystia, Kogasa, Wriggle, Daiyousei and Rika come out.
> "A certain someone managed to protect themselves and some others while waiting for you." she says.
> Maribel falls onto her knees, panting. She is visibly taxed. "Creating a subdimension with a different time-flow... not that easy..." she says. "Especially holding others than me."
> "Well, ain't that a very different gap to Yukari's..." Rika comments, looking at what is apparently Maribel's gap.
> "Hehhe... I helped." Renko says. "That might explain the space theme." Renko doesn't look or sound as tired, but does have some sweat down her brow.
-
>"It's pretty cool too. Way different from Yukari's. Hers had these eyes and stuff."
>Then nod. "For taking on Titania, we'd obviously need to bring people who can challenge a God. Which would put Remi and Flan as candidates, as well as Komachi, Elly, and the Yamas. I suspect Elly might want Yuuka to be back to her old sadistic self, so we might be able to get her to help. And we'll probably need Alice and the Opened Grimoire as well, given that she's also capable."
-
>"It's pretty cool too. Way different from Yukari's. Hers had these eyes and stuff."
>Then nod. "For taking on Titania, we'd obviously need to bring people who can challenge a God. Which would put Remi and Flan as candidates, as well as Komachi, Elly, and the Yamas. I suspect Elly might want Yuuka to be back to her old sadistic self, so we might be able to get her to help. And we'll probably need Alice and the Opened Grimoire as well, given that she's also capable."
> Maribel nods. "Well, some of it's thanks to Renko, but yeah, my gaps look different. Because I'm different."
> "But how would we get the aid of the Yama?" Diayousei asks. "They live in Higan. We can't cross the Sanzu without being dead, and if you cross, you usually can't return if you try to cross without a Shinigami letting you... the fairies of the Sanzu are enough evidence of that."
> "Well, Yuyuko is an employee of the Yama. She is in charge of the Netherworld on the Yama's say-so. If we can find Youmu, she can ask Yuyuko, who might be able to ask Eiki." Alice says. "Youmu's a ghost, well, a half-ghost, so she should be OK."
> "I'm technically not alive. Surely I could get across no problems." Rika says.
> Alice shakes her head. "The Sanzu's width changes. It can be infinite. Unless you want to swim until your batteries run dry."
> "Isn't Satori linked to the Yama too, being in charge of the Hell Fires and everything?" Marisa asks.
> "Not sure." Alice comments.
> "Sounds like to try and get Eiki's help, we'd need to find Youmu or Satori then." Kogasa says.
> "Couldn't the Hell Raven help too?" Mystia chimes in. "Yatagarasu and all."
-
>"Aha! I know just what to do then! There's nothing stronger than the Sun, even my darkness can't beat it. All we need to do is get everyone out of there, and just have Okuu throw her strongest Sun Attack in there! I don't think even Titania could survive something that powerful!"
-
>"Aha! I know just what to do then! There's nothing stronger than the Sun, even my darkness can't beat it. All we need to do is get everyone out of there, and just have Okuu throw her strongest Sun Attack in there! I don't think even Titania could survive something that powerful!"
> "Except the Sun is natural..." Alice says.
-
>"True, but if it goes boom, then even nature itself crumbles before it. Remember what would've happened if the reactor back then went kaboom? All we need to do is do the same thing as we did then, but not stop it from exploding this time. I'm sure Rika can figure out a way to do it. If we can't beat her with natural means, we just use non-natural ones."
>Shrug. "Failing that, we could just take the easy way out and have Flan kyuu her or something I guess."
-
>"True, but if it goes boom, then even nature itself crumbles before it. Remember what would've happened if the reactor back then went kaboom? All we need to do is do the same thing as we did then, but not stop it from exploding this time. I'm sure Rika can figure out a way to do it. If we can't beat her with natural means, we just use non-natural ones."
>Shrug. "Failing that, we could just take the easy way out and have Flan kyuu her or something I guess."
> "Can Flan even Kyuu a god? I mean, she's natural too, isn't she?" Alice wonders.
> "Wait... natural... what about Yuugi? She has control of the supernatural." Marisa points out.
-
>Grab Marisa in one of those big ol' bear hugs! "Marisa, you're a genius! We'll have Yuugi nullify Titania's powers and control over the dream world! That should allow everyone to wake up and escape it safely! Then while she's still nullified, we drop a sun on her! It's genius! Even a God won't be able to survive going too close to a Sun while their power's nullified!"
-
>Grab Marisa in one of those big ol' bear hugs! "Marisa, you're a genius! We'll have Yuugi nullify Titania's powers and control over the dream world! That should allow everyone to wake up and escape it safely! Then while she's still nullified, we drop a sun on her! It's genius! Even a God won't be able to survive going too close to a Sun while their power's nullified!"
> Marisa yelps in surprise.
> "Eye'm the Genius!" Cirno moans.
> "Only if Yuugi is strong enough. I mean, her power has limits, she couldn't close that portal to Makai back then..." Alice says.
-
>Let go of Marisa. "All we need her to do is nullify Titania's hold on the dream world, and anyone else she might be controlling, and then have someone else take over in her place. That way she can't take it back. And once that's set, we can take care of her properly."
-
>Let go of Marisa. "All we need her to do is nullify Titania's hold on the dream world, and anyone else she might be controlling, and then have someone else take over in her place. That way she can't take it back. And once that's set, we can take care of her properly."
> "Well, if she can at least make a window... that should give us a better chance than it currently seems as such." Alice says.
-
>Nod. "And right now, I'd say the best candidate to wrest away control of the dream world once Yuugi's opened up the window would probably be you Alice. Don't hold back. After all, Shinki used it to become what she is now, so logically speaking, you should be able to take over the dream world to keep Titania from using it again. We're essentially going to slowly strip away all of her means of fighting back, gotta be thorough when fighting a divine after all."
-
>Nod. "And right now, I'd say the best candidate to wrest away control of the dream world once Yuugi's opened up the window would probably be you Alice. Don't hold back. After all, Shinki used it to become what she is now, so logically speaking, you should be able to take over the dream world to keep Titania from using it again. We're essentially going to slowly strip away all of her means of fighting back, gotta be thorough when fighting a divine after all."
> "I was more thinking of beating her up during the window so she couldn't focus on getting control back." Alice says.
> "That's surprisingly Marisa-like thinking..." Daiyousei says.
> "I spend too much time around her." Alice admits.
-
>"Well, I think it'd probably be better to 'fill the vacuum', as it were. That way she can't take it back as easily, which will likely distract her a bit, making it easier to deliver the aforementioned beating."
-
>"Well, I think it'd probably be better to 'fill the vacuum', as it were. That way she can't take it back as easily, which will likely distract her a bit, making it easier to deliver the aforementioned beating."
> "Well that was Kanako and Suwako's idea with Sanae." Wriggle says.
> "Uh, yeah, about that... they vanished, and haven't been seen since this all started." Hong replies.
> "Maybe we should discuss strategy when we've gathered everyone?" Renko suggests. "I mean, if we talk about it now we'll only have to explain it all again and think through it all again when Yuugi joins up, as well as everyone else."
> At this point, Aya shows up, flying through the sky, and landing.
> "I figured something had happened, since the plant monsters suddenly became more aggressive. I was just Underground. Seems like it's as bad as it is up here. The Palace of the Earth Spirits is fine, but that's only due to the those three Oni. I think aside from those three, it's just Satori and Utusho, as well as some horned, spectral swordswoman I don't recognize." she says, before adding, "And there's not a lot of people I don't recognize."
> Aya looks tired, you can see it in her eyes. Even Gensokyo's fastest doesn't have unlimited stamina.
-
>"Right, we need to gather everyone who's willing to help out with the efforts to take our sleeping friends back. I'll go get Yuugi and Okuu personally, you guys gather the rest who're willing to help take Titania on."
-
>"Right, we need to gather everyone who's willing to help out with the efforts to take our sleeping friends back. I'll go get Yuugi and Okuu personally, you guys gather the rest who're willing to help take Titania on."
> "Well, it's not just willing, but also able. Someone has to protect the ones sleeping." Hong says. "I also wouldn't suggest you go alone. Since all the youkai underground are stronger than most of the ones up here, and they're all down too according to Aya, the plants there might be stronger."
-
>"Alright then, who'll come along with me? I figure it's best to split up a bit until we're ready to make our counterattack."
-
>"Alright then, who'll come along with me? I figure it's best to split up a bit until we're ready to make our counterattack."
> "I think me 'n Alice should go check the village ~ze." Marisa says.
> "Eye'll go!" Cirno says, which quickly gets a 'no' from Daiyousei, after the last time she met Yuugi and almost caused the Underground to enter an Ice Age, although she adds "Not within me making sure you don't do anything stupid at least."
> "I guess I could." Rika says.
> "Of course I'm going!" Kogasa says.
> "... Yoshika will follow umbrella friend seeing as Nyang Nyang is sleeping and I have no instructions." Yoshika says.
> "You sure, it's a long way down, if you forget how to fly... without Seiga ready to patch you up..." Kogasa says.
> "Wait, why is Seiga not like the others?" Mariebl asks.
> "She's not asleep, she's trapped in an Illusion by Shinki. I guess that's overriding whatever Yuuka's doing." Alice says.
-
>"Yeah, Seiga was trying to become a God the same way Shinki did. But over the many years of her life as a Wicked Hermit, she lost sight of her original motivation, and only the desire for power remained. Sad thing really, someone's going to have to keep Yoshika maintained while Seiga's rediscovering herself or something. She'll wake up again someday, 'once she realizes herself'. Or whatever it was that Shinki said."
>Look to Marisa and Alice. "I don't suppose you guys would know any way to pool power into one person would you? Because I had a possible idea of lumping a bunch of gathered power into Yuugi to give her an extra powerup so she can have better odds against Titania."
-
>"Yeah, Seiga was trying to become a God the same way Shinki did. But over the many years of her life as a Wicked Hermit, she lost sight of her original motivation, and only the desire for power remained. Sad thing really, someone's going to have to keep Yoshika maintained while Seiga's rediscovering herself or something. She'll wake up again someday, 'once she realizes herself'. Or whatever it was that Shinki said."
>Look to Marisa and Alice. "I don't suppose you guys would know any way to pool power into one person would you? Because I had a possible idea of lumping a bunch of gathered power into Yuugi to give her an extra powerup so she can have better odds against Titania."
> "Nope." Marisa says. "I'm good at focusing my own power into one place, but other people? Nah. Unless you count sparking someone as giving them energy."
> "Patchouli or Byakuren might know." Alice comments.
> "Energy transferral between people seems more like white magic if it's willingly. Byakuren would be the best bet." Daiyousei says.
-
>"Alright, since you two are going to the village, odds are likely that Byakuren's going to be there too. Be sure to fill her in on my idea."
-
>"Alright, since you two are going to the village, odds are likely that Byakuren's going to be there too. Be sure to fill her in on my idea."
> "Byakuren should be there or nearby." Marisa says, Myouren's not far.
-
>Look to the group. "Someone's going to have to keep tabs on Seiga while she's out though. After all, there's hope for her yet. It might take a long time, but sooner or later she'll come out of it."
-
>Look to the group. "Someone's going to have to keep tabs on Seiga while she's out though. After all, there's hope for her yet. It might take a long time, but sooner or later she'll come out of it."
> "We can do that. She can go to Senkai." Miko says.
-
>Nod. "Alright, I'll leave her in your hands."
>Look to Yoshika. "I know you want to come along, but you should keep close to Seiga for now until we can find someone else who can keep you in tip-top shape. I'd hate for Seiga to come back to a you that's practically nothing but a head. She'd be real mad y'know, seeing as she cares for you a lot."
-
>Nod. "Alright, I'll leave her in your hands."
>Look to Yoshika. "I know you want to come along, but you should keep close to Seiga for now until we can find someone else who can keep you in tip-top shape. I'd hate for Seiga to come back to a you that's practically nothing but a head. She'd be real mad y'know, seeing as she cares for you a lot."
> "But Nyang Nyang says there are loads of spirits floating around underground. If I can eat them I heal!" Yoshika protests.
-
>"Yeah, but I don't want to risk it. Odds are pretty likely that the plants down there are even stronger than the ones here. Even your healing ability won't mean much without Seiga to make sure you get properly patched up afterwards. After all, you're a friend too, even despite the stunt you pulled. That was Seiga's doing anyhow, and she's already been punished in a way. You might say she's in one doozy of a timeout."
>Smile a bit. "Leave it to people who can afford a bit more to take the risk, eh?"
>How healed-up are we after getting blasted through that pillar?
-
>"Yeah, but I don't want to risk it. Odds are pretty likely that the plants down there are even stronger than the ones here. Even your healing ability won't mean much without Seiga to make sure you get properly patched up afterwards. After all, you're a friend too, even despite the stunt you pulled. That was Seiga's doing anyhow, and she's already been punished in a way. You might say she's in one doozy of a timeout."
>Smile a bit. "Leave it to people who can afford a bit more to take the risk, eh?"
>How healed-up are we after getting blasted through that pillar?
> Yoshika looks sad, but doesn't argue.
> You are recovered fully. Even if you hadn't in Makai, the Forest is in shade due to the trees.
-
>"Don't worry, once someone's good enough to patch you up at least half as good as Seiga can, then you should be able to get back into action. I'm sure there's a book somewhere that details that sort of thing."
>Grin a bit. "It's probably titled something silly like 'The Care and Feeding of Your Jiang-Shi'. After all, even mages and such have to have some sort of sense of humor."
-
>"Don't worry, once someone's good enough to patch you up at least half as good as Seiga can, then you should be able to get back into action. I'm sure there's a book somewhere that details that sort of thing."
>Grin a bit. "It's probably titled something silly like 'The Care and Feeding of Your Jiang-Shi'. After all, even mages and such have to have some sort of sense of humor."
> The joke goes right over Yoshika's head, she just stands there, blankly.
> "I think you might be able to find a chapter of it in some dusty old dungeon somewhere~" Kogasa says. "Necromancers like dusty dungeons~"
> Maribel reaches one hand into a gap, and pulls out a hammer, before reaching with the hammer into another.
> "What are you doing Mary?" Renko asks.
> "Fixing the fourth wall. Again." she says, before muttering "Stupid Karakasa..."
-
>Look to Maribel. "She does that a lot, you get used to it after a while. Though I guess fixing that wall thing's tougher than it seems?"
>Look to Miko. "Did Seiga have any texts on how to keep a Jiang-Shi in top form? We might be able to use those to keep Yoshika in good condition until Seiga eventually wakes up."
-
>Look to Maribel. "She does that a lot, you get used to it after a while. Though I guess fixing that wall thing's tougher than it seems?"
>Look to Miko. "Did Seiga have any texts on how to keep a Jiang-Shi in top form? We might be able to use those to keep Yoshika in good condition until Seiga eventually wakes up."
> "It depends how badly she breaks it. And yes, I know she does it. Can you imagine the state it was in when I found it?"
> "Uh, Mary, acknowledging the Fourth Wall is breaking it."
> You hear something like breaking glass from the gap.
> "... DAMNIT." she shouts.
> Miko shakes her head. "Seiga just... did stuff. Or Yoshika ate spirits."
-
>Level a slightly amused look at Renko. "She's going to be busy for a while, isn't she?"
>Sigh. "Well, maybe Patchouli has a book or two on that, she's got damn near everything in the way of books after all."
>For that matter, what do we know about what Seiga did to keep Yoshika in top form, aside from what Miko mentioned?
-
>Level a slightly amused look at Renko. "She's going to be busy for a while, isn't she?"
>Sigh. "Well, maybe Patchouli has a book or two on that, she's got damn near everything in the way of books after all."
>For that matter, what do we know about what Seiga did to keep Yoshika in top form, aside from what Miko mentioned?
> "It doesn't take too long, usually. Not sure how she fixes a broken wall with a hammer, but I think that's just how her handles her power in her mind, and helps her focus it." Renko says.
> "She wrote most of those books, actually. Most of the Voile Library is her Grimoires." Daiyousei says.
> Apparently Seiga would occasionally attempt to oil Yoshika's joints. It never worked, they stayed stiff as ever.
-
>"Well, maybe Kosuzu's place has some? I did find one of Byakuren's tomes there after all. We'll have to check there once all this is wrapped up, because I don't know much more about keeping Yoshika up and running anymore than Miko does."
-
>"Well, maybe Kosuzu's place has some? I did find one of Byakuren's tomes there after all. We'll have to check there once all this is wrapped up, because I don't know much more about keeping Yoshika up and running anymore than Miko does."
> "Maybe, she is a collector of demonic books made by Youkai, she might have some evil book on Necromancy." Alice comments.
-
>"Sometimes you gotta get your hands a little dirty after all, And she is technically alive now, right? She's just fueled by magic and spirits, unlike the rest of us. Besides, Seiga regards her as her child in a way, that's why she dotes on her so much. Wouldn't want Seiga to have a reversal back to her old self again so soon after coming out of her little nap, eh? An angry mom's nothing to sneeze at."
-
>"Sometimes you gotta get your hands a little dirty after all, And she is technically alive now, right? She's just fueled by magic and spirits, unlike the rest of us. Besides, Seiga regards her as her child in a way, that's why she dotes on her so much. Wouldn't want Seiga to have a reversal back to her old self again so soon after coming out of her little nap, eh? An angry mom's nothing to sneeze at."
> "Wouldn't Seiga just revive her anyway?" Marisa asks. "Still, if we're going to the Human Village anyway, we might as well look, right Alice?"
> "It seems reasonable, and the highest chance of finding youkai books. That girl's fascination never made sense to me. All I cared about was who the authors of those evil books were. You know, youkai hating and killing days. Still evil youkai hating and killing days." Rika says. She almost sounds nostalgic.
> It occurs you don't even know how long Rika had left the human village for. You know Reimu was about eight when she first met Rika, so that means at least ten years.
> Actually, you don't even know how old Rika is.
-
>"You know, I wonder about you sometimes. Given the whole looking like a child for at least ten years thing. Or at least, you looked like one when I ran into you."
>Shrug. "Well, either way, we've got people to round-up, so let's get going. Where should we all meet up to do all the proper planning?"
-
>"You know, I wonder about you sometimes. Given the whole looking like a child for at least ten years thing. Or at least, you looked like one when I ran into you."
>Shrug. "Well, either way, we've got people to round-up, so let's get going. Where should we all meet up to do all the proper planning?"
> "Satori's looked like a child for far longer. So did you." Rika says, looking annoyed. "Is it my fault I was a loli?"
> Of all people, Cirno comes up with the answer first.
> "The mansion of course! It's like, nearly in the middle of Gensokyo, and hard to get into, right? And those strong people gotta be OK!" she says, before adding "Of course, not as strong or as OK as me!"
-
>Stare at Cirno for a few moments, Then: "...That's actually a pretty good idea."
>Then look back to Rika. "Well, we'll talk more about this when everything's all taken care of, eh? Let's get going!"
>Let's make for the underground with our group!
-
>Stare at Cirno for a few moments, Then: "...That's actually a pretty good idea."
>Then look back to Rika. "Well, we'll talk more about this when everything's all taken care of, eh? Let's get going!"
>Let's make for the underground with our group!
> "Of course it is!" Cirno says, puffing out her chest proudly.
> "Cirno had a good idea. We're really screwed, aren't we?" Wriggle says.
> "It must be a sign of the apocalypse." Mystia agrees.
> Alice and Marisa fly off towards the Human Village, with Hong following, presumably because the SDM isn't too far. The Taoists began praying to open the path to Senkai for them, with Yoshika staying with them. Aya goes back to Youkai Mountain, probobly to get Tenma and update him on the situation. [Although you note the tired Tengu is hardly flying faster than Mystia] Everyone else goes with you.
> You fly above Gensokyo, and see the entire place is filled with plants of varying kinds. It is both unsettleing, and beautiful, even with the moving plant monsters wandering around.
> As you approach the Blowhole, you see a fight happening on the ground. Two large plant-creatures are fighting someone in green, moving swiftly. There seems to be ten defeated already.
(http://safebooru.org//images/992/8cae8a137c5773198b51a17628567226c2784818.jpg?997481)
Youmu Konpanku [And Myon]
Half Ghost of Duel Professions
> "I'm a Gardener! Plants can't stop me!" you hear Youmu boast, as she cuts down the smaller of the two. The last plant monster is larger, and, unlike the others, seems to have a sunflower-like head. Knowing Yuuka, that means it's stronger.
-
>Let's pull out Unified Chaos and put some oomph into it so we can cleave that plant in two, right down the middle!
-
>Let's pull out Unified Chaos and put some oomph into it so we can cleave that plant in two, right down the middle!
> You pull out your blade, and slash the plant as Youmu does the same, ending up with the monster cleaved in four.
> "You can't do down there, it's too dangerous for anyone alive to do so!" Youmu warns, sounding worried.
> "Why not?" Maribel quickly asks. "It can't be more dangerous than it is up here."
> "Yes it can. Yuuka awoke the Saigyou Ayakashi! She turned it into one of those monsters, and it went down there!" Youmu says. "And since Lady Yuyuko's body was sealing it, Yuyuko's trapped inside too, it reversed the seal, and now the Ayakashi is sealing Yuyuko!"
-
>"You gotta be kidding me! In that case, you're the best one for the job! I think we can at least break open a path for you to do your thing, and save her from it! Cut through the seal, save Yuyuko, and take care of that tree for keeps. All in a days work for 'The Gardener-Samurai', eh?"
-
>"You gotta be kidding me! In that case, you're the best one for the job! I think we can at least break open a path for you to do your thing, and save her from it! Cut through the seal, save Yuyuko, and take care of that tree for keeps. All in a days work for 'The Gardener-Samurai', eh?"
> "Except the Saigyou Ayakashi is incredibly powerful, it invites anyone near it to slumber in eternal rest under it's branches, before it steals their souls. With the current state of what happens if you fall asleep, this becomes even more dangerous. If I could have destroyed it, I would have been able to protect Yuyuko beforehand!" Youmu says.
> "... I hate to put you in this situation, with the danger, and everything already happening, but if you can help me... you're stronger than I am, and that sword can cut some of the few things mine cannot...." Youmu says, looking at the ground. "It might be possible..."
> "Uh, Youmu, we're already going underground." Daiyousei points out. "Not to mention we planned to find you and Yuyuko anyway."
-
>Nod. "Yeah. The things my sword can't cut are probably less than yours, since mine's forged by a god. Plus, I can cut quick enough to leave things in at least nine pieces before they hit the ground. Did that back during the Enkura Incident."
>"I think that if we work together, we can put an end to that cursed tree once and for all."
>Beat.
>"In hindsight, we probably should've taken care of it sooner really. Killed it while it was unable to fight back and all."
>Beat.
>"Why is it that no matter where you go, you're always going to be tripping over some 'Sealed Unspeakable Evil', or something?"
>Then fistpalm. "Say, that thing's a tree, right? So then theoretically, couldn't we just burn it down with a high-grade fire spell or something? Or maybe even a fire-based weapon!"
>Look to Dai. "How good is your fire magic right now?"
-
>Nod. "Yeah. The things my sword can't cut are probably less than yours, since mine's forged by a god. Plus, I can cut quick enough to leave things in at least nine pieces before they hit the ground. Did that back during the Enkura Incident."
>"I think that if we work together, we can put an end to that cursed tree once and for all."
>Beat.
>"In hindsight, we probably should've taken care of it sooner really. Killed it while it was unable to fight back and all."
>Beat.
>"Why is it that no matter where you go, you're always going to be tripping over some 'Sealed Unspeakable Evil', or something?"
> "Swords are good openers of evil cans containing evil." Kogasa says, causing Maribel to sigh and open up some gaps again, and a bash from the hilt of Youmu's swords onto the top of Kogasa's umbrella, causing the karakasa to rub her avatar's head and yelp.
> "This isn't my fault you idiot!" Youmu says. "Besides, you can't kill it while it's in the Netherworld. Everything there is dead already. It was kind of dead there. Well, pusedo-dead due to the seal. Lifted, it returned to life. Now's the only time it *can* be killed."
-
>"Ah. Well then, wouldn't we be able to cut it down with something on fire? Since it's a tree and all."
>Look to Dai. "How good is your Fire magic right now, think you can burn down an ancient evil youkai tree?"
-
>"Ah. Well then, wouldn't we be able to cut it down with something on fire? Since it's a tree and all."
>Look to Dai. "How good is your Fire magic right now, think you can burn down an ancient evil youkai tree?"
> "Depends how ancient and how evil and strong the tree is. I'm sure that was tried before they scarified a young girl with the power to invoke death to seal it." Daiyousei says. "That said, I doubt they used magical fire either."
> Rika points to the small drones above her. "I can make fire too."
> "So can I." Renko says.
> You recall your sword can also use some basic fire magic, courtesy of Yuki's power.
-
>"Alright then, I think we're set on the fire angle, since my sword's basically a combo platter thanks to the folks in Makai putting some of their power into it when we were making it. If we need Ice, Fire, the ability to cut Ghosts, or even slight Teleporting, I can do that. now all we need to do is actually cut the thing down to size. We should probably start off by unloading fire on it from a distance, that should weaken it considerably, right?"
-
>"Alright then, I think we're set on the fire angle, since my sword's basically a combo platter thanks to the folks in Makai putting some of their power into it when we were making it. If we need Ice, Fire, the ability to cut Ghosts, or even slight Teleporting, I can do that. now all we need to do is actually cut the thing down to size. We should probably start off by unloading fire on it from a distance, that should weaken it considerably, right?"
> "We should also probobly avoid approaching it at any cost. That's probobly why Yuuka sent it down there. The Oni can't fight something from long distance very well, and nothing can resist the influence of the Ayakashi that I know of, except maybe a God." Youmu says. "Even sealed, it would try to pull you in if you got close enough."
-
>Wouldn't Yoshika be able to resist it's power, being already dead and all?
>"Hmm...And I kinda have to get close to actually cut properly with my sword. I could try to zoom in for a flyby, and then teleport away. Failing that, there's always using my shadow power to use my sword like a bladed whip."
-
>Wouldn't Yoshika be able to resist it's power, being already dead and all?
>"Hmm...And I kinda have to get close to actually cut properly with my sword. I could try to zoom in for a flyby, and then teleport away. Failing that, there's always using my shadow power to use my sword like a bladed whip."
> Not even the dead can, seeing as it seems to steal souls.
> "The thing is, we don't even know the range..." Youmu says.
> "Honestly, it takes me five days for the Hourai Elixir to fix me up after what Kaguya did to me, and I come by to find you lot talking about needing to burn stuff and danger and death." a voice says. "If you need someone to work out the range of a soul-stealing cherry tree, just use someone who's soul CAN'T BE STOLEN."
> Mokou has shown up. Apparently she was asleep, but, well... maybe the Hourai Elixir snapped her out of it. She's pretty immune to long-term effects of everything else.
> That or Kaguya killed her again, and she came back awake this time.
-
>Grin. "Then you're just the person we need for the job. Think you can burn down an ancient evil tree that originally had to be sealed because they couldn't find a way to put it down for good?"
-
>Grin. "Then you're just the person we need for the job. Think you can burn down an ancient evil tree that originally had to be sealed because they couldn't find a way to put it down for good?"
> "I dunno. Maybe. I'm probobly a better bet than Kaguya. And I can tell you when I feel like I'm constantly dying due to having my soul ripped out rather than someone else test out it's range and, you know... die." Mokou says, being blunt about death, as per usual.
-
>"Alright, that should give us an idea of how far we have to be to take that thing down."
-
>"Alright, that should give us an idea of how far we have to be to take that thing down."
> "Yes." Mokou says. "Then I can go beat up whoever it is who's made the whole Human Village sleep. Then back to my regularly scheduled Kaguya killing."
-
>Chuckle. "Even in a situation like this, you still have that on the brain. Well, I guess that's what makes you, you."
>"Hey, if you're immortal, that means you wouldn't be controllable by the Nature God, yeah? Because the one behind this all is Titania."
>Sigh. "Kanako and Suwako thought they could swap Sanae in, and replace the old one. But look where that got everyone, a quick, and potentially permanent trip to la-la land."
>Look to Rika. "Hey Rika, remind me to smack those two upside the head when all this is over. Honestly, those guys are such troublemakers."
-
>Chuckle. "Even in a situation like this, you still have that on the brain. Well, I guess that's what makes you, you."
>"Hey, if you're immortal, that means you wouldn't be controllable by the Nature God, yeah? Because the one behind this all is Titania."
>Sigh. "Kanako and Suwako thought they could swap Sanae in, and replace the old one. But look where that got everyone, a quick, and potentially permanent trip to la-la land."
>Look to Rika. "Hey Rika, remind me to smack those two upside the head when all this is over. Honestly, those guys are such troublemakers."
> "The Hourai Elixir transcends nature, life, death, everything. I think I'm fine. My fire maybe not, but she can't do anything to me. Even if the Universe would cease to exist, and all of creation was undone, me and Kaguya would still live. And I'd finally find out if that Eirin took the Elixir as well..."
> "Allow me to join you." Rika says.
-
>"Feel free to join in on that dope slap, they goofed up big time with this stunt. I think they have no right to complain about it either, not after everything blew up in their face once again."
>Nod. "That said, shall we go handle the tree? The longer we wait, the more lives are likely lost to it."
-
>"Feel free to join in on that dope slap, they goofed up big time with this stunt. I think they have no right to complain about it either, not after everything blew up in their face once again."
>Nod. "That said, shall we go handle the tree? The longer we wait, the more lives are likely lost to it."
> "OK!" Cirno says happily. "I'd love to slap that Frog lady."
> "Yes. If it gets to absorb the souls of hundreds of Oni and other powerful youkai, it will surely grow too powerful from that for anyone to stop." Youmu says, as your group enters the blowhole.
> As you decend, you see Yamane, in a cocoon. She looks asleep, but her face is not in fear like the others you have seen. Not much further down is Kisume, who is the same, except in her bucket.
> "... They're dead." Youmu says coldly. "The tree would have taken their souls as it passed. Their only hope is that the tree hasn't fully absorbed their souls yet, to the point they are too damaged to return should it be cut down."
-
>"Tch...we gotta cut that thing down quickly then! Parsee probably ended up the same way too."
>Let's keep moving!
-
>"Tch...we gotta cut that thing down quickly then! Parsee probably ended up the same way too."
>Let's keep moving!
> No-one else speaks.
>You cross Parsee's old bridge, and note even the fish in the river underneath are dead. Not even the wildlife was spared.
> Finally, you enter the Underground City. You cannot see any Oni or youkai like usual, and the place seems damaged.
You can only see one being, floating above the streets, slowly moving towards the Palace of the Earth Spirits. She is a beautiful woman, with hair literally made of cherry blossoms, dressed in Yuyuko's outfit. She looks similar enough to Yuyuko that she could be mistaken for her, if her hair behaved as such, and the ghost imprints on her dress were not branches, and her eyes not glowing blood-red. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hVUMFM4vBB4)
> She slowly turns towards you.
> "More prey..." the dreaded tree coons. "Come to me... and rest eternally..."
> You note Youmu looks furious.
> "How dare you take on her form!" she says, before attempting to charge, but being help back by Maribel's border manipulation.
> "That's what she wants you to do Youmu! If you go close you'll die... or at least your human half will!" Mokou says. "She's taunting you!"
-
>"I think I understand why she resembles Yuyuko. They were linked for so long that one took on traits of the other, giving the once landlocked tree a mobile form. It just couldn't access it until now. I suppose we could think of it instead, as Yuyuko's 'Evil Twin'. Besides, that's the only way it could have even fit down here without taking damage to the crown, take a more human form."
>Can we use our Shadow Tendril to carry our sword?
-
>"I think I understand why she resembles Yuyuko. They were linked for so long that one took on traits of the other, giving the once landlocked tree a mobile form. It just couldn't access it until now. I suppose we could think of it instead, as Yuyuko's 'Evil Twin'. Besides, that's the only way it could have even fit down here without taking damage to the crown, take a more human form."
>Can we use our Shadow Tendril to carry our sword?
> "Or it's because her body is sealed inside, so the simplest thing to do when you aim to make yourself smaller is to possess it." Mokou says, before adding, "Not like hurting the body of someone already dead will matter."
> No, but you can carry it in dark energy.
-
>"True, we just gotta cut it down, and we're pretty much done down here."
>Let's produce a Qi-Charged Dark Tendril that loops around our arm somewhat like Nue's snake does. "Mokou, you're up. Let's get a gauge of her range."
>What sort of techniques do we have at our disposal that can force the tree to remain in one place?
-
>"True, we just gotta cut it down, and we're pretty much done down here."
>Let's produce a Qi-Charged Dark Tendril that loops around our arm somewhat like Nue's snake does. "Mokou, you're up. Let's get a gauge of her range."
>What sort of techniques do we have at our disposal that can force the tree to remain in one place?
> You prepare your sword, as Mokou gets closer.
> She very quickly bursts into flame, and re-forms near you. The distance is at least 300m.
> "OK... that's her range... it's pretty large."
> From a distance of 300m, you don't have too much. You think you might be able to pin her down with a dark energy net, or just a barrage of shots or even danmaku to restrain her, but that's about it.
> Although if the speed she is moving towards you is her top speed, you need not worry about locking her down. She is a tree, after all.
-
>"Looks like she's got quite a reach. I'm going to see what I can do to lock her down."
>Let's set up a cage of Dark Energy mines with a slight opening in front, just big enough for us to lash our sword through with a Remote Tendril Thrust.
-
>"Looks like she's got quite a reach. I'm going to see what I can do to lock her down."
>Let's set up a cage of Dark Energy mines with a slight opening in front, just big enough for us to lash our sword through with a Remote Tendril Thrust.
> You form several mines in close proximity around her. She doesn't seem bothered by this.
-
>"So, think you can burn it from here Mokou? Because with a range like that, this is going to be very difficult."
-
>"So, think you can burn it from here Mokou? Because with a range like that, this is going to be very difficult."
> Mokou responds by shooting a fireball towards the tree.
> The Ayakashi puts a palm forward, and extinguishes the flame with what seems to be a blast of cold air.
> "Do you think I have not seen fire before?" she asks, tilting her head.
> Mokou starts to launch rapid-fire fireballs. She is still stopping them, although they are getting a little closer now.
-
>"Not bad, just as I'd expect from a legend of the past. But even a legend can fall!"
>Let's add in our own attacks with a barrage of fist-sized Dark Energy shots.
-
>"Not bad, just as I'd expect from a legend of the past. But even a legend can fall!"
>Let's add in our own attacks with a barrage of fist-sized Dark Energy shots.
> The Ayakashi does not even try to defend itself from the Dark Energy, it just lets the attacks hit, harmlessly against it. You think you see maybe a couple of woodchips fly off.
> Daiyousei puts her hands to Mokou's back, as they glow red, and Mokou's flames suddenly turn blue.
> "I finally found a supportive fire magic. I amplify the fire someone else makes!" Daiyousei says.
> Mokou's flames are still not reaching the Ayakashi, although, again, they move closer.
-
>Let's try using some fire from the sword then!
-
>Let's try using some fire from the sword then!
> After a few attempts to get the sword to spray fire, you manage it. The fire isn't anywhere near as strong as Mokou's, it's only low-level fire magic, but it's still more dakka.
> At this point, Rika joins in, making a flamethrower, spewing a jet of fire. Renko forms a magicial crest in the air, which then releases a 'Solar Flare', a large sun-like fireball.
> This combined overpowers the cold air that the Ayakasi is releasing, and the flames slam into her, with a cry of pain.
> The feeling of death subsides, as the Yuyuko-like figure changes, her limbs turning to wood, and growing like branches.
> The Ayakasi takes a form similar to the plant-monsters around Gensokyo. It's legs are twisted trunks, and it's powerful looking arms are made up of knotted branches, with cherry blossoms like fingers. Atop her head, which looks like a carving of Yuyuko, aside from the glowing red holes for her eyes and mouth, is a wild mane of cherry blossoms. She places one of her hands over the flames covering her midsection, smothering them of oxygen, extinguishing them, with a many blossoms falling off dead as a result, before re-growing.
> This looks a lot more solid and resilient than the sunflower monster you and Youmu chopped up.
> "The Ayakashi's power is tied to it's beauty... in such a form, it cannot be regarded as beautiful, so it cannot send you to sleep and steal your soul, although I guess it might be able to force you unconscious and do so." Youmu says. "It has sacrificed it's beauty and allure for fighting power, knowing it cannot charm us."
> "If you will not come to me, death will come directly to you!" the demonic tree says, before it starts closing the gap, quickly.
-
>"Looks like we just unmasked what's really on the inside. 'Beauty only lies skin-deep', as the old saying goes. Youmu, think we can cut this if we tag-team it?"
>Let's put as much energy into the sword as we can, and see if we can't ignite it with the fire magic as well, seeing as fire seems to have quite an effect on the current foe.
-
>"Looks like we just unmasked what's really on the inside. 'Beauty only lies skin-deep', as the old saying goes. Youmu, think we can cut this if we tag-team it?"
>Let's put as much energy into the sword as we can, and see if we can't ignite it with the fire magic as well, seeing as fire seems to have quite an effect on the current foe.
> "It's another personification of it. The beauty and the beast." Youmu says. "I am not sure..."
> You and Youmu gather up your energy, and Rika forms an energy-blade as well. The three of you then rush the tree at your top speed [Rika using jet-boosters to keep up, you Youmu slowing down so you can keep up].
> The blades cut into the twisted trunk of the tree, but get stuck within it about a quarter of the way, and the wood starts to re-grow around them.
> "Oi, Suika, they got close without dyin!" you hear a voice say.
> "That means we can punch it now, right Yuugi?" Sukia says.
> "Caution is still a good idea... but punching sounds good." a third voice says.
> "I prefer slashing..."
> In front of the Palace of the Earth Spirits emerge Yuugi, Sukia, a far healther than before Kanakuma, and a fourth horned figure you do not recognise, who appears her be a spirit of some type, wielding a sword.
> Youmu seems shocked to see this newcomer.
(http://safebooru.org//images/973/f10de4e6128d4d452165e312501aa7a454e96ccb.png?979203)
-
>"Heh, think you can keep a hold of me? Trying to keep a hold onto a shadow is like trying to catch the wind in a butterfly net."
>Let's use some Fire Magic to flare the sword up if we can, then use a little to help Youmu get her swords free as well.
>"Hey Yuugi, think you can use your power on it now? We've managed to get it mad enough to discard it's disguise!"
-
>"Heh, think you can keep a hold of me? Trying to keep a hold onto a shadow is like trying to catch the wind in a butterfly net."
>Let's use some Fire Magic to flare the sword up if we can, then use a little to help Youmu get her swords free as well.
>"Hey Yuugi, think you can use your power on it now? We've managed to get it mad enough to discard it's disguise!"
> The tree does not respond.
> Your sword is already on fire, and the flames do not seem to be loosening it. Youmu's... vanish altogether.
> "Wait, you're telling an Oni to fight? Do you know how redundant that is?" Yuugi says, before she notices the strange being has Youmu's swords.
> "Konngara, are those swords the Half-Ghost had..." Kanakuma starts.
> "Yes. My final work." she says simply, before she dashes past the tree, slicing it in two, while allowing you to free your sword by lifting it up.
> She looks at Youmu. "You need to train more. There is nothing that Hakurouken and Roukanken should not be able to cleave through in unison, except possibly a God. Possibly. They were forged in Hell's Fires."
> "Who..." Youmu starts, before her swords get thrown back at her.
> "Quiet. It's not over. The souls it recently absorbed were not freed. What I cut off, just before I sliced, shifted to be effectively just some branches. The trunk must be cut, smashed, or destroyed, but it can move where that is in that mass of wood." the stranger says. "I'll explain after. I want all the other Oni's souls freed."
> "So we just have to smash the whole thing at once!" Yuugi says, walking forward.
> "Four Oni, a robot, a demon, a half-ghost swordwoman, a fiery immortal, some sprites, and who knows what those humans and other youkai there can do." Kanakuma says, clicking her claws together.
-
>Use the tendril to hold our sword, and then proceed to crack our knuckles. "I think we can smash it up good. And technically, Rika's not human, she's a Machine. I suppose we can get together and talk more once we've cleaned everything up down here, and up topside."
>Let's get a little distance, and then focus our energy for that same trick we used against Tenshi.
-
>Use the tendril to hold our sword, and then proceed to crack our knuckles. "I think we can smash it up good. And technically, Rika's not human, she's a Machine. I suppose we can get together and talk more once we've cleaned everything up down here, and up topside."
>Let's get a little distance, and then focus our energy for that same trick we used against Tenshi.
> "What? I wasn't talking about the robot. I was talking about those two. The one that looks like the gap hag and that OTHER Black-White." the oni says, annoyed.
> You charge up your Chi into the blade, which starts to glow. Youmu takes a stance as if meditating, Renko and Maribel start collecting magical energy, Mokou's flames take the form of a phoenix around her, Rika forms a large cannon, like the gun on her tanks, while the three Oni just cruck their knuckles, and the spirit draws her own blade.
> You unleash the Chi-infused strike, a spiral of rainbow light following the thrust.
> Maribel and Renko unleash an attack similar to one of Yukari's, called 'Cosmic Spider's Web' as silver makings appear in the air, before lines, as if they were cut through, launch from them.
> Rika fires multiple tank shells from the cannon she made on her arm.
> Mokou announces "Possessed by Pheonix" and rams the tree with her fiery form, turned into blue flames by Daiyousei's fire amplification spell. [Although you note these flames seem to hurt Mokou in recoil, it's Mokou. She'll be fine.]
> Sukia slams the tree with a giant fist, while Yuugi uses her 'Knockout in Three Steps', delivering three brutally powerful hits that quake the air, each blow setting her own fist ablaze with sheer air resistance just before striking. Kanakuma unleashes a speedy flurry of attacks that you can't even follow, while lacking the brute force of the other two oni, the sheer speed is another issue altogether.
> Finally, Youmu and the unknown swordswoman both deliver two attacks, Youmu using her 'Obsessor "Slash of Eternity"', and the stranger just delivers one vertical slice, which rips a far wider hole in the other side of the tree, as a sword-wave emanates.
> There is still a small amount of the tree intact, but this is frozen by Cirno before it can start to re-grow, before Wriggle and Mystia smash the ice, and the remains of the youkai tree with it.
> From this ice, there is a scream, and many spirits rush from it, flying away. Two remain floating. One shatters, and the other, with a flash, turns into Yuyuko, who promptly falls flat on her face.
> "Owie." she grunts, not bothering to pick herself up. "Youmu, where am I?"
-
>"I guess that other soul was the tree's. Everyone who the tree tried to claim should be coming to pretty soon, right?"
>Let's relax just a bit after that little brawl. Isn't every day you take on a murderous cherry tree and live to tell the tale after all.
-
>"I guess that other soul was the tree's. Everyone who the tree tried to claim should be coming to pretty soon, right?"
>Let's relax just a bit after that little brawl. Isn't every day you take on a murderous cherry tree and live to tell the tale after all.
> You note Mystia is nowhere in view. You know her biggest fear is Yuyuko.
> "Tree?" Yuyuko's muffled voice says, as Youmu pulls her up. "You mean the Ayakashi? You finally managed to cut it down Youmu?"
> "I had a lot of help..." Youmu admits.
> "I've not been here before Youmu. What kind of food is there?" Yuyuko says, changing the subject.
> "I'm not even sure if Oni eat anything. They get everything from sake..." Youmu says.
> "So we're underground?" Yuyuko says, oblivious to the three Oni next to her.
> "Yes, we're underground." The stranger says.
> The ghost looks around, before she notices the strange spirit in red.
> "Youmu, do you know who this is~" Yuyuko says, putting a fan over her mouth.
> "I was going to ask." Youmu says.
> "She was one of the Deva, but died. Konngara, the only Oni to ever use weapons. She made items for the Oni, and for trade. She made the other Deva's legendary items as well. Your swords were her final piece of work. She was the youkai who forged them." Yuyuko explains.
> "Wait, Oni can die?! How did that happen!" Youmu says.
> The three live oni, and the dead one, look embaressed.
> "Oni don't die from age, but are not immortal. Instead of dying from age... we die of something that if we told you, we'd have to kill you." Kanakuma says. "It would humiliate the Oni. Takes ages, there's only been two sets on Deva, and Konngara was the last of the originals to pass, and was replaced by Kasen. That's why she didn't inherit a drinking treasure. Konngara never made herself one."
> "... It's liver cancer from your excessive drinking isn't it?" Yuyuko says.
> The look on the Oni's faces is priceless, and screams Yuyuko hit the mark. Not to mention they can't kill Yuyuko.
-
>"Wow. Good thing Aya's not here, huh? That'd just cause too much trouble for it to be worth."
>Nod. "That said, yeah. It took all of us teaming up to take down that monster tree. We smashed it good too. Titania ended up waking it up, which made it draw you in to try and essentially replace you. That was the key to actually doing the deed. Had to get it out of the netherworld in order to put it down for good, which it did on it's own. It tried eating a few souls on the way, but I think we saved them all."
-
>"Wow. Good thing Aya's not here, huh? That'd just cause too much trouble for it to be worth."
>Nod. "That said, yeah. It took all of us teaming up to take down that monster tree. We smashed it good too. Titania ended up waking it up, which made it draw you in to try and essentially replace you. That was the key to actually doing the deed. Had to get it out of the netherworld in order to put it down for good, which it did on it's own. It tried eating a few souls on the way, but I think we saved them all."
> "Oh my, my history woke up and caused quite a lot of trouble." Yuyuko says.
> She looks at Maribel.
> "Did it drag you out here too Yukari?"
> Yuyuko receives a gapped boot to the head.
> "I'm Maribel! Not Yukari! Just cause I have her fashion sense..." she says angrily.
-
>Chuckle a bit. "Don't you remember Maribel? Me and Youmu brought her and Renko to the Netherworld to visit when they first arrived in Gensokyo a while back."
>Chuckle a bit. "That said, having the same fashion sense isn't bad, it just means that you know what looks good on you."
-
>Chuckle a bit. "Don't you remember Maribel? Me and Youmu brought her and Renko to the Netherworld to visit when they first arrived in Gensokyo a while back."
>Chuckle a bit. "That said, having the same fashion sense isn't bad, it just means that you know what looks good on you."
> "Fufufufufufufu~" is all Yuyuko responds with initially, before she chooses her words carefully.
> "Who says that is the same person I met back then~"
-
>Raise an eyebrow, and then shrug. "I don't think I'll ever understand what goes on inside that ghostly mind of yours."
-
>Raise an eyebrow, and then shrug. "I don't think I'll ever understand what goes on inside that ghostly mind of yours."
> "I don't usually explain myself, but this is important enough that I may as well... I'm saying Maribel is not the same person. She's changed to the extent she is someone completely different." Yuyuko says.
> "You're imagining things." Maribel says. "Just because I'm getting to grips with my powers doesn't mean I'm a different person."
> Yuyuko chuckles. "Can I really call you the same person when you're closer to crossing the boundary of humanity yourself? You're less human than before, you'll become a Youkai soon enough, then you truly won't be the same person."
> She looks at the sky, and sighs, a cherry blossom floating down. "Ah~ I recall Yukari as a human. She took the name Yukari when she became a youkai, you know. We go back a lot further than before I died, or she became a Youkai."
-
>"Still the same person mentally though. 'sides, just ease into things. Better to ease into it than to suddenly wake up as a Youkai and have a freakout."
>Slip a playful and teasing grin at Rika. "Isn't that right?"
-
>"Still the same person mentally though. 'sides, just ease into things. Better to ease into it than to suddenly wake up as a Youkai and have a freakout."
>Slip a playful and teasing grin at Rika. "Isn't that right?"
> "I've been a ghost for over 1,000 years. The concept of time periods for human lives is lost to me." Yuyuko admits.
> Rika bashes you over the head with her tank-arm.
> At this point, Utusho and Satori come out of the Palace. Utusho flies over to Rika, and starts comparing her arm-cannon to Rika's one.
> "Hmm, it seems above is still no better, even with you here Rumia." Satori says, her two eyes closed, and her third eye looking right at you. "Ah, and that's why you vanished~"
-
>"Well, I only just got back, as you already know. That said, I take it you might be able to help figure out how to knock down Titania, and fix everything? I know you guys from down here rarely ever come up topside, but the situation's pretty dire as it is, so we need all the power we can get."
-
>"Well, I only just got back, as you already know. That said, I take it you might be able to help figure out how to knock down Titania, and fix everything? I know you guys from down here rarely ever come up topside, but the situation's pretty dire as it is, so we need all the power we can get."
> Satori 'looks' at you for a few moments, before looking around at everyone else, avoiding Yuyuko, Rika [She doesn't have a brain, she has a CPU] and Cirno. She stops for a bit at Wriggle, Maribel and Renko.
> "Hmm~" Satori says. "I see you want to ask the Yama for help. Won't work. They are bound to our dimension, and as such, the Dream World is beyond them. However..."
> Satori walks inside, and brings out Koishi. Koishi actually has an emotion on her face, fear. However, she is clearly awake, twitching, and is babbleing.
> You hear names every now and then, unclear, but you swear you hear 'Ka..., ...ako, ...ime, Ch..'
> "A threat to every dimension and world wil draw the attention of more than just Gensokyo. Even if we alone cannot stop her, maybe joined with others..." Satori says.
> She then looks at the Oni.
> "You three should go and assist. Same with you, Okku. I'm not any good in a real fight, so I shall stay and tend to the fires and my sister." Satori says. She looks at Youmu and Yuyuko. "You two do as you please, I have no hold over you."
-
>"So then to summarize, we might be able to count on both people we've met, and people we haven't."
>Nod. "For the benefit of those who weren't with us up topside, and can't read minds, Marisa and Alice already went to the Human Village to gather those willing and able to fight for the counterattack against Titania. I know we can count on you guys to join the fight. And in fact, I've got a possible plan which might work that hinges on your particular unique ability, Yuugi. And with Kanakuma's wit and intellect on our side, I'm sure that it can be refined even further."
-
>"So then to summarize, we might be able to count on both people we've met, and people we haven't."
>Nod. "For the benefit of those who weren't with us up topside, and can't read minds, Marisa and Alice already went to the Human Village to gather those willing and able to fight for the counterattack against Titania. I know we can count on you guys to join the fight. And in fact, I've got a possible plan which might work that hinges on your particular unique ability, Yuugi. And with Kanakuma's wit and intellect on our side, I'm sure that it can be refined even further."
> "Yes." Satori says. "The Dream World effects all the worlds. Although getting there is another issue entirely."
> "I wanna bash people as much as the next person." Yuugi says. "I ain't exactly strong with my power though, but if it helps it helps, and if not, well, there's always more punching."
-
>"Well, our opponent, as you already know. Is Titania, the Original Nature Goddess. Who knows if she might be able to control any of us with her power this time around, especially since she's effectively claimed the dream world as her own turf. My plan is to use your power over the supernatural to effectively lock down her 'Control of Nature'. Thus opening up the avenue for the rest of us to go all-out."
-
>"Well, our opponent, as you already know. Is Titania, the Original Nature Goddess. Who knows if she might be able to control any of us with her power this time around, especially since she's effectively claimed the dream world as her own turf. My plan is to use your power over the supernatural to effectively lock down her 'Control of Nature'. Thus opening up the avenue for the rest of us to go all-out."
> Yuugi has the breifest of seconds of worry, before returning to her brash self.
> "Well of course I can do th..."
> She gets dope-smacked by Kanakuma. Three times. Very swiftly.
> "You know your power isn't anything compared to a God's. If it was a power like that would be your greatest asset, and you would have two horns." the Oni says angrily.
> "She doesn't need to use her power on Titania. She just needs to give me an opening." a voice says, as a portal opens, and Kasen walks out of it. You see Miko wink at you from inside, as if to signal she sent Kasen here from Senkai.
> "If she can either create an opening with her power, or somehow power up my Immaterial Arm..."
> The other three Oni look at the fourth with scorn. "How can we trust that you won't just try and kill us again?" Sukia says.
> "You can't. But you also know that we need to defeat this God, somehow, and I have a better shot of actually doing anything than you three. I *am* a religious Oni, after all." Kasen says.
> Konngara looks saddened upon hearing Sukia's line. "My successor tried to kill you three... aw... what on earth went wrong..." she mummers, looking hurt.
-
>"Long story. Short version? She's part of why the Oni live down here to begin with. Needless to say, they're still in the middle of a little feud."
>Look to Kasen. "So, we'll gather everyone else together, and then get to formulating the plan. We're going to need the brightest folks Gensokyo can muster in order to figure out the plan fully."
>Pause thoughtfully. "Wait, power up....Byakuren! She might be able to help with that too!"
-
>"Long story. Short version? She's part of why the Oni live down here to begin with. Needless to say, they're still in the middle of a little feud."
>Look to Kasen. "So, we'll gather everyone else together, and then get to formulating the plan. We're going to need the brightest folks Gensokyo can muster in order to figure out the plan fully."
>Pause thoughtfully. "Wait, power up....Byakuren! She might be able to help with that too!"
> "Yeah, but it's still annoying..." Konngara says.
> "I refuse to have that Buddhist power me up. I'm a Toaist." Kasen says, folding her arms.
-
>"Well, it's like this, with an enemy like Titania, we really can't afford to let things like that get in the way. So it's either put stuff like that aside for now and live. Or don't, and let all of existence fall into Titania's clutches. It's your choice, but do you really want that to happen?"
-
>"Well, it's like this, with an enemy like Titania, we really can't afford to let things like that get in the way. So it's either put stuff like that aside for now and live. Or don't, and let all of existence fall into Titania's clutches. It's your choice, but do you really want that to happen?"
> Kasen doesn't respond. She just glares angrily, before sighing a few moments later.
> "She knows she doesn't have a choice." Satori says.
-
>"I know you don't like it, but desperate times call for desperate measures. Besides, between Byakuren's power-up magic, your arm, and Yuugi's powers, we should be able to weaken Titania considerably. Possibly even enough for the rest of us to finish the job, should your arm not have enough juice to do the deed fully."
-
>"I know you don't like it, but desperate times call for desperate measures. Besides, between Byakuren's power-up magic, your arm, and Yuugi's powers, we should be able to weaken Titania considerably. Possibly even enough for the rest of us to finish the job, should your arm not have enough juice to do the deed fully."
> "Well it's still sealed." she says, pointing at the talismans Kanakuma placed on the bandages.
> "And it'll stay so until it's needed. Can't trust you." she says. "Don't want to unseal that and have you turn around and run away or something."
-
>"Well, I'd say we've got everyone who'll join us from down here, plus a few possible extras. Let's head back up topside and check the Village, in case the others ran into trouble."
>Let's get going!
-
>"Well, I'd say we've got everyone who'll join us from down here, plus a few possible extras. Let's head back up topside and check the Village, in case the others ran into trouble."
>Let's get going!
> You and the others start to head up. You note that Kisume and Yamane are no longer dead, but clearly unconscious regardless, and as such, in the nightmare. Out of one fire and into another.
> You arrive above the surface, and recall Cirno's idea of meeting up at the SDM. You know Meiling went to make everyone there know, and Marisa and Alice went to the Human Village and the Myouren Temple, while Aya went back to the Tengu's Village.
> The Human Vilage is en-route anyway. When you get there, you see some clearly-sparked ruins of plant monsters, and abandoned streets. Moving onto the Myouren Temple, only Shou seems to be there awake, guarding those inside, unless Hijiri is inside.
-
>"Looks like things should be fine here, let's make for the Mansion!"
>Let's go!
-
>"Looks like things should be fine here, let's make for the Mansion!"
>Let's go!
> You head the the Scarlet Devil Mansion, as the sun sets. over the horizon.
> When you reach the Misty Lake, you note the Scarlet Mist from that time. You recall Meiling having told you Remilia re-created the mist so she could fight during the day.
> There is a large object moving towards the mansion on the other side of the lake, which suddenly turns into fragments, as a shadow darts through it.
> "Ya'know, I always wonder who is Queen on the Youkai species. The Oni... or the Vampires." Yuugi says. "Vampires are mostly in the Western World, and are not as reliant on magic, they survive outside Gensokyo. Oni and Vampires have never actually fought."
> Before you and your group, Remilia appears. She feels even stronger, and a more overpowering presence than she has before, you can tell that if before she was holding back her vamperic powers, she has fully unleashed them in the scarlet mists.
(http://safebooru.org//images/970/335eae238026a8335619e8999e07f024a2e9d830.png)
Remilia Scarlet
Queen of the Scarlet Night
-
>How does this stack up to when we were witness to the Four Deva Battle a while back?
>"Either way, with all this power on our side, I'm sure we can beat Titania."
-
>How does this stack up to when we were witness to the Four Deva Battle a while back?
>"Either way, with all this power on our side, I'm sure we can beat Titania."
> Remilia's aura is too different to compare. However, you can say it dwarfs the power you felt from Elis.
> "Of course. I could defeat her alone with Gungir. Maybe with Flandre if I really have to." Remilia says, egotistical as ever. "Of course, I have no issues with any of the others wanting to tag along and watch me slay a god."
> She narrows her eyes. "By the way, Marisa tells me you found another Vampire in Makai. I assume she is small fry compared to me, or I may have to make a visit to put her in her place."
> Ah Remilia and your superiority complex...
-
>"Currently, I'd say yeah. She's small-fry compared to your current output. Unless maybe she was holding back, but I have no idea if she was or not. Besides, due to how things are, she's pretty much family. It's kinda convoluted really, my new family tree. I mean, where else are you going to have a God, an Angel, a Vampire, and a Shadow Demon, all in the same family? Only in Makai, eh? Come to think of it, by that token I'm distantly related to Koa too."
>Grin in our usual goofy way. "But enough about that, it's time to gather everyone so we can proceed to formulate a counterattack strategy."
-
>"Currently, I'd say yeah. She's small-fry compared to your current output. Unless maybe she was holding back, but I have no idea if she was or not. Besides, due to how things are, she's pretty much family. It's kinda convoluted really, my new family tree. I mean, where else are you going to have a God, an Angel, a Vampire, and a Shadow Demon, all in the same family? Only in Makai, eh? Come to think of it, by that token I'm distantly related to Koa too."
>Grin in our usual goofy way. "But enough about that, it's time to gather everyone so we can proceed to formulate a counterattack strategy."
> Remilia yawns. "OK, no point going out of my way for small fry."
> "Everyone else is inside, except China."
> Remilia's eyes glint. "I guess she told you. Know you know why we never called her Meiling in most cases. We already knew it wasn't her name anyway."
-
>"I kinda figured there was some super-big secret to her, but man. I wonder what it's like being a dragon...Well, closest I could ever get is making vaguely dragon-ish shadow constructs and the like."
>Let's head on in to where the others are.
-
>"I kinda figured there was some super-big secret to her, but man. I wonder what it's like being a dragon...Well, closest I could ever get is making vaguely dragon-ish shadow constructs and the like."
>Let's head on in to where the others are.
> You head into the courtyard of the SDM, past Hong.
> Patchouli, Sakuya, Flandre, Alice, Marisa, Tenma and Byakuren are there, as is, unexpectedly enough, the doll, Medicine. You presume this has something to do with her being a doll, and thus, like Rika, not really able to sleep, rather than her power...
> Oh wait she's highly venomous. She probobly could have also killed any plant monsters which attacked her.
-
>"Alright, I take it this is everyone who'll get involved, right? Satori said we can't expect help from Eiki and the Yamas, but we might get some help from other dimensions besides this one. I think Maribel might be able to help in that regard, since she'll surpass even Yukari someday."
-
>"Alright, I take it this is everyone who'll get involved, right? Satori said we can't expect help from Eiki and the Yamas, but we might get some help from other dimensions besides this one. I think Maribel might be able to help in that regard, since she'll surpass even Yukari someday."
> "It's more looking into who else has entered their own portals." Yuyuko comments. "Besides, one day is far from today. Yukari couldn't hop dimensions, except her personal one."
-
>"That'd be Chiyuri and- Chiyuri and Yumemi might be able to help! If we can somehow lock onto the method they used, we can get into contact with Chiyuri, and gather people from other dimensions to help out!"
>Look to Maribel. "The way I see it, there should be a patched tear or something that was from the time Yumemi and Chiyuri showed up. That should lead to where Chiyuri escaped to, which should help us find her so we can get more people for the counterattack."
-
>"That'd be Chiyuri and- Chiyuri and Yumemi might be able to help! If we can somehow lock onto the method they used, we can get into contact with Chiyuri, and gather people from other dimensions to help out!"
>Look to Maribel. "The way I see it, there should be a patched tear or something that was from the time Yumemi and Chiyuri showed up. That should lead to where Chiyuri escaped to, which should help us find her so we can get more people for the counterattack."
> "I can't rip dimensional holes, but I expect Dimensional Travelers would have gone of their own accord already." Maribel says.
-
>"That's the plan. Yukari probably already patched it up a bit between then and the time she died, but reopening it shouldn't be too much of a problem, even for you. Once we get that open, we should be able to find Chiyuri, and try to get her assistance in this mess. If Yumemi hasn't already fallen asleep, there's a good chance she might be helpful too."
>Sigh. "Eientei always goes into severe lockdown in situations like this, don't they? I know they're the best-defended place around, save for here, but their greatest strength has probably become their biggest hindrance thanks to Titania's powers."
-
>"That's the plan. Yukari probably already patched it up a bit between then and the time she died, but reopening it shouldn't be too much of a problem, even for you. Once we get that open, we should be able to find Chiyuri, and try to get her assistance in this mess. If Yumemi hasn't already fallen asleep, there's a good chance she might be helpful too."
>Sigh. "Eientei always goes into severe lockdown in situations like this, don't they? I know they're the best-defended place around, save for here, but their greatest strength has probably become their biggest hindrance thanks to Titania's powers."
> Maribel concentrates, before she shakes her head.
> "I found something, but I can't undo her work..." she says, before adding, "Also it seems to try and drain away my own energy through the gap, as if there is a massive vaccum without magic on the other side, and my magic wants to rush in, and fill the empty space."
> "Eientei won't help. They're protecting the rabbits." Mokou comments. "I think their idea of 'helping' was Kaguya killing me. Probobly while looking to see if any rabbits were outside and finding me. ... Spoilt Bratty Princess..."
-
>"That's gotta be it then. Yumemi said that there's no magic in her home dimension whatsoever, it faded away a long time ago. But apparently the person who eventually became the old me -and by extent, then became the current me-, was a Valkyrie from that dimension. Their equivalent of a Sprite, only much stronger. I mean, the one that became me could use the Ninth Circle's Chains, that's as heavy-duty as it gets."
>Pause thoughtfully. "Think there's a way we can send a message through it?"
-
>"That's gotta be it then. Yumemi said that there's no magic in her home dimension whatsoever, it faded away a long time ago. But apparently the person who eventually became the old me -and by extent, then became the current me-, was a Valkyrie from that dimension. Their equivalent of a Sprite, only much stronger. I mean, the one that became me could use the Ninth Circle's Chains, that's as heavy-duty as it gets."
>Pause thoughtfully. "Think there's a way we can send a message through it?"
> "Not without whoever sent it having their magic being drained from them and getting stuck in there." Maribel says. "It's like a patched-up magic eating hole."
-
>"Sheesh, how'd Yukari manage to patch a thing like that then?"
>Then fistpalm. "I just thought of this, but didn't Rika copy the Magic-Absorber Devices that Yumemi and Chiyuri used? We might be able to utilize those against Titania somehow to bring her down to normal."
-
>"Sheesh, how'd Yukari manage to patch a thing like that then?"
>Then fistpalm. "I just thought of this, but didn't Rika copy the Magic-Absorber Devices that Yumemi and Chiyuri used? We might be able to utilize those against Titania somehow to bring her down to normal."
> "I don't know. I'm nothing compared to her. Yet." Maribel says.
> "I lied." Rika says. "Remember?"
-
>"If only we could get in touch with Chiyuri somehow. That might be the ticket to beating Titania once and for all."
>Sigh. "It's a good thing I was looking for a way to harm a god though, since I had a feeling something like this was going to happen."
-
>"If only we could get in touch with Chiyuri somehow. That might be the ticket to beating Titania once and for all."
>Sigh. "It's a good thing I was looking for a way to harm a god though, since I had a feeling something like this was going to happen."
> "I'm not sure about you, but I think I could beat her alone if I had to. You're all just backup." Remilia says.
> "Oh yes, I forgot Shinki made you that weapon thingy. I guess it can distract her while Gungir pierces her." the vampire says.
> You hear Hong from the gate, telling someone she is in no state to come in, before a moment later, saying "Actually you're in no state to stay out there."
> Yumemi walks past Hong. It seems like she's been in a few fights on the way here.
> "Eirin... told me you'd probobly all be gathering here to do some dimension hopping thing." Yumemi says. "If there's even the slightest chance, one in a million, this could take me back to my dimension, I'm coming. Besides, I overheard you mentioning my assistant."
> You know by now Yumemi would have recovered from the events months ago, but she was still staying at Eientei, due to having nowhere else to go [And Eirin being interested in Yumemi's science]. Still, seeing as her magic-absorbing devices were all broken when you fought [Or when Rika tried to take one], it's impressive that she made it here. She doesn't seem to have a Cross on her.
> The scientist falls to her knees, clutching her arm.
> "Damnit, I think that plant might have broken it." she mutters, causing Byakuren to rush over.
-
>Let's head over as well. "How'd you even get here, Yumemi?"
-
>Let's head over as well. "How'd you even get here, Yumemi?"
> Yumemi pulls a dagger from out of her sleeve.
> "Coated in a plant-killing toxin Eirin and I made. On contact begins to disintegrate them instantly. Didn't spread fast enough, however, and it snapped my arm before it completely died." she explains. "That and a combination of stealth and wit."
> Byakuren starts healing Yumemi's arm with magic.
-
>Chuckle. "The mother of all herbicides, eh? I have to ask, is it a natural one? We might have found our 'Ultimate Weapon' against Titania if it isn't. Something that might be far more effective than any spear, blade, or spell."
-
>Chuckle. "The mother of all herbicides, eh? I have to ask, is it a natural one? We might have found our 'Ultimate Weapon' against Titania if it isn't. Something that might be far more effective than any spear, blade, or spell."
> "It doesn't occur in nature, but it's made out of various venoms that are natural. Thinking about it... it's probobly pretty deadly to fauna as well as flora." Yumemi says.
> "Besides Rumia, Yuuka isn't a plant herself." Byakuren comments.
-
>True, but she is a Nature Goddess. That would then imply that something that could kill both plants and animals effortlessly, would likely weaken her severely. With someone as strong as her, we can't afford to take too many risks."
-
>True, but she is a Nature Goddess. That would then imply that something that could kill both plants and animals effortlessly, would likely weaken her severely. With someone as strong as her, we can't afford to take too many risks."
> "True." Ymemi admits. "I have little to no clue how Gods work, of course."
-
>"Well, they can't be killed easily by normal means. But I would think that doesn't mean they can't be crippled somehow. To properly kill one, you have to either be a god yourself, carry a Godslayer Weapon, or carry a Divine Weapon. Remilia and Flandre there have weapons that fall under the latter. My sword, Unified Chaos, falls under the former."
-
>"Well, they can't be killed easily by normal means. But I would think that doesn't mean they can't be crippled somehow. To properly kill one, you have to either be a god yourself, carry a Godslayer Weapon, or carry a Divine Weapon. Remilia and Flandre there have weapons that fall under the latter. My sword, Unified Chaos, falls under the former."
> "Actually, that sword is a Divine Weapon. It was made by Shinki." Alice reminds you.
> "Interesting. Still, there is something I wish to try. This threat is posed to all worlds and dimensions, including mine." Yumemi says. "What if I had at my disposal a near infinite amount of power to unleash?"
-
>"The question would be if you'd be able to survive it, and not break the multiverse in the process as well."
>Look to Alice. "Well yeah, but it was originally made specifically for situations like this, which qualifies it as a Godslayer Weapon. At least, that's what the intent behind it was."
-
> "You think gods need weapons for anything but other gods?" Alice says, shrugging, "Whatever you want to call it I guess."
> Yumemi doesn't answer initially. "The mechanics of the Dream World are beyond my understanding."
-
>"Hmm...Say, think you and Rika can work together to make some more of those Magic-Absorbers? Maybe if we use those, we can weaken her enough so that we can fight her on even footing. Like how I got help from Yumeko, Sakuya, and Kaguya back when I fought you."
-
>"Hmm...Say, think you and Rika can work together to make some more of those Magic-Absorbers? Maybe if we use those, we can weaken her enough so that we can fight her on even footing. Like how I got help from Yumeko, Sakuya, and Kaguya back when I fought you."
> "The materials to do so do not exist in this dimension, otherwise me and Eirin would have been able to re-create one to get me home." Yumemi says.
-
>"Then if we could get in touch with Chiyuri somehow, we might be able to get some."
>Beat.
>Look to Tenma. "The Kappas got the Big Absorber from the Outer Reaches and studied that, right? We might be able to use it still."
-
>"Then if we could get in touch with Chiyuri somehow, we might be able to get some."
>Beat.
>Look to Tenma. "The Kappas got the Big Absorber from the Outer Reaches and studied that, right? We might be able to use it still."
> Tenma looks worried. "Yeah... Kappa investigation usually involves dismantling. And then they couldn't put it back together, and kinda broke it."
-
>"Hmm....Yumemi was the one who built it, so there's a good chance she could fix it."
>Look to Yumemi. "Think that's possible?"
-
>"Hmm....Yumemi was the one who built it, so there's a good chance she could fix it."
>Look to Yumemi. "Think that's possible?"
> Yumemi thinks.
> "Define exploded..." she says, looking to the Tengu.
> "Uh... I'm not all that technical, all I know is Nitori came to me asking for some Tengu to help rebuild some houses, looking particularly charred." Tenma says, scratching his long nose.
> "Well, there might be something to salvage to make a smalleer one, but repairing is pretty much impossible." Yumemi says.
> "Well, if I have a material sample, I *might* be able to make a duplicate with my construction drones." Rika says.
-
>"Well, then there might be a fragment buried somewhere in the vicinity of where it exploded. It's just a matter of finding it."
>Pause. "Hey Byakuren, is Nazrin still awake? I think we might need her help with that."
-
>"Well, then there might be a fragment buried somewhere in the vicinity of where it exploded. It's just a matter of finding it."
>Pause. "Hey Byakuren, is Nazrin still awake? I think we might need her help with that."
> "Nazrin is only an affiliate of mine, she lives at the border looking for items that pas through. Still, seeing as Nazrin couldn't even stay awake past bedtime usually, there is no way she would still be awake. Mice have very fast metabolisms, she would tire swiftly." Byakuren explains.
> "Oh yes, I imagine there would be fragments of the explosion, the Kappa would have tried to fix it." Tenma says.
-
"So then Nitori would be the best person to ask for fragments, wouldn't she?"
-
"So then Nitori would be the best person to ask for fragments, wouldn't she?"
> "The Kappa are all asleep, either in their houses or in the river. It's more an issue of the fragments are most likely in Nitori's workshop. She keeps everything. All filed nicely too." Tenma says.
-
>"I assume that her lights won't be on then, yeah? That would make me the best person to get them."
-
>"I assume that her lights won't be on then, yeah? That would make me the best person to get them."
> "I don't know. Depends where she fell asleep, or how." Tenma says.
-
>"Well, I'm sure she wouldn't mind if we borrowed a fragment or two. It's to save countless lives after all."
>We've never been to Nitori's before, have we?
-
>"Well, I'm sure she wouldn't mind if we borrowed a fragment or two. It's to save countless lives after all."
>We've never been to Nitori's before, have we?
> "She doesn't have a say, it's on Tenma's command!" Tenma says. "No-one disobeys an order from me on my mountain!"
> "... What about the Moriya Shine..." Medicine comments.
> "Quiet..." Tenma sulks.
> You have never been inside Nitori's house, but you've been in the Kappa Village enough to know which one it is.
-
>Let's go pat Tenma on the shoulder in a friendly and consoling way. "Cheer up big guy, at least the Kappa and Tengu still listen to you."
>Look to the rest of the group. "Well, I think we know our next course of action. I'll go to Nitori's, and see about getting some fragments of the Absorber Device."
-
>Let's go pat Tenma on the shoulder in a friendly and consoling way. "Cheer up big guy, at least the Kappa and Tengu still listen to you."
>Look to the rest of the group. "Well, I think we know our next course of action. I'll go to Nitori's, and see about getting some fragments of the Absorber Device."
> "They always listened to me... since the Oni left, at least..." the large Tengu hybrid says.
> Three of the four Deva give Tenma a look as if to say they are right here. Kasen gives them an evil eye back. Tenma actually takes a step back from the Oni.
> "We cannot all leave, it is the other side of Gensokyo, and most of us need to conserve what every we have left, having been awake for over a week." Byakuren says. "Anyone who feels able should go, but if you're feeling even the slightest bit tired, stay, and conserve your energy."
> Tenma chuckles. "Well, of course I'm going. Even if it's just to kill any plants around my village while you're in the Kappa Village."
> "We'll go!" Yuugi says, before Kasen punches her.
> "No you're not. It's not your mountain anymore."
> "We should stay here, don't want the Tengu panicking when they wake up." Kanakuma says.
> "Well, we should go to make the device, right, Rika?" Yumemi says.
> "Guess so..." Rika says.
> "I'll come along too. Poisons should be useful... and I wanna look at that knife." Medicine says. "Also too large a group may attract too much attention." she adds.
-
>Look to Yumemi. "Since you got restored by magic, I take it you figured out how to fly sometime? Because that's the quickest way to get to the mountain. Unless you still have that flying device you used when we fought that is."
-
>Look to Yumemi. "Since you got restored by magic, I take it you figured out how to fly sometime? Because that's the quickest way to get to the mountain. Unless you still have that flying device you used when we fought that is."
> "No I cannot fly, and that device ran on extracted refined magical energy from Gensokyo. It's out of juice." Yumemi says.
> Rika makes a jetpack, and hands it to the scientist.
-
>Chuckle a bit. "Count on Rika to whip up something useful in a flash, eh? Well, let's go."
>Let's lift off, and make for the mountain area where Nitori resides!
-
>Chuckle a bit. "Count on Rika to whip up something useful in a flash, eh? Well, let's go."
>Let's lift off, and make for the mountain area where Nitori resides!
> "Actually, I'm only good at designing weapons. This is an old blueprint I got from back when me and Rikako worked together. Before I went evil and mad and crusader-like." Rika says. "Thank the Purplette"
> You, Tenma, Medicine, Yumemi and Rika head off towards the Kappa Village, evading all but one plant beasts on the way there, which Medicine easily dispatches with a blast of acid, copied from Yumemi's dagger.
> You arrive at the Kappa Village, and see a plant far smaller creature at the Reactor, seemingly... working on it.
> "If this isn't kept stable, it will eventually explode... then Mistress cannot feed from the Kappa's fears inside their dreamssss..." the plant beast groans. You guess it is a bad idea to kill this one if it's keeping the reactor stable. It doesn't seem that dangerous anyway, it's about human size.
> Nitori's house is nearby. The door is open, and it is dark. You can hear something inside.
-
>"You guys stay out here, this is where I 'shine'. Haha."
>Let's melt into the darkness and move around in there to find out what's making that noise. And also search for where the fragments are in the process.
-
>"You guys stay out here, this is where I 'shine'. Haha."
>Let's melt into the darkness and move around in there to find out what's making that noise. And also search for where the fragments are in the process.
> You melt into the shadows, and go inside Nitori's house.
> There is no-one inside, except a sleeping Nitori. You guess she may have moved in her sleep... but you still feel uneasy.
> There is a single talisman on the ground. It's kanji read 'Time'.
-
>Time? What could that mean? Well, let's poke at it with a tendril. If nothing happens, we'll grab it on the way back out.
>After that, let's poke around in the shadows once more to locate where the Fragments are being stored.
-
>Time? What could that mean? Well, let's poke at it with a tendril. If nothing happens, we'll grab it on the way back out.
>After that, let's poke around in the shadows once more to locate where the Fragments are being stored.
> You poke it. Nothing happens.
> You keep looking around, and see Nitori's 'files'. They are organised neatly, boxes and files.
> One, labeled 'Yumemi's Device Remains' is open.
-
>That's odd. Let's investigate, see if any fragments are still there.
-
>That's odd. Let's investigate, see if any fragments are still there.
> You look inside, and there are several fragments of metal and wire.
> There is also another Talisman.
> "SHE IS WATCHING."
-
>...Well, that's pretty ominous. Let's grab the fragments and get back out.
>"We need to go full speed back to base, and get this rebuilt yesterday. I think our plans aren't as secret as we thought anymore. I found some enigmatic talismans implying as such. Not sure who left them, but I'm concerned all the same."
>Let's book it back to the mansion, doubletime!
-
>...Well, that's pretty ominous. Let's grab the fragments and get back out.
>"We need to go full speed back to base, and get this rebuilt yesterday. I think our plans aren't as secret as we thought anymore. I found some enigmatic talismans implying as such. Not sure who left them, but I'm concerned all the same."
>Let's book it back to the mansion, doubletime!
> You grab the fragments, and feel something against the back of your neck.
> You feel a chill run down your spine, as the something presses harder. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJ5mYOlXqYc)
> "My my, what do we have here? You couldn't possibly be hoping to re-create one of those ol' magic draining devices to try and drain me, would you~" Yuuka says sweetly.
-
>What sort of trick do we have up our sleeve to escape such a grasp?
-
>What sort of trick do we have up our sleeve to escape such a grasp?
> There is no grasp, just the feel of her parasoul against the back of your neck.
> It is worth mentioning you don't feel like you are in the presence of a God, meaning this is Yuuka's Gensokyo duplicate, not the 'Real' Yuuka Elly mentioned before.
-
>Step forward a few paces, then turn around to face her.
>"Now now, it's not this you, you're perfectly normal by 'Yuuka Standards'. It's the other you that's causing trouble. You know, Titania. I take it you already know about Kanako and Suwako's backfired scheme?"
-
>Step forward a few paces, then turn around to face her.
>"Now now, it's not this you, you're perfectly normal by 'Yuuka Standards'. It's the other you that's causing trouble. You know, Titania. I take it you already know about Kanako and Suwako's backfired scheme?"
> Yuuka lets you move.
> "While I cannot speak for the 'Original Yuuka', the sealed Titania, I am loyal to my true form, I am her subordinate." Yuuka says.
> She grins. "Oh yes, breaking the haughty Wind Goddess so she begged for mercy was fun~" Yuuka says, licking her lips, before she starts to spin her parasoul.
> "Anyway, I assumed you'd come here for those fragments, so I waited for you. Now, die." she says, charging a spark.
> Suddenly, a figure darts where Yuuka was, as she is grabbed, and thrown out of the door, with a bestial snarl from her attacker.
(http://safebooru.org//images/999/b9d5b0c014c51b7484b35d22b06f66fc224484eb.png)
Ran Yakumo
Ancient Beast of Feared Legend
[Theme] (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jq6gMC_5OlM)
> "Time is of the essence... she is watching." Ran says. "I knew she was lying in wait for you, so I turned her trap into my trap. Now then, Rumia, the biggest difference between me and Yukari; in a fight serious fight; is this, Yukari will calculate exactly how much force she needs to use to in with the minimal effort, meanwhile I do not hold back at all."
> You feel a great amount of energy from Ran.
> "This is just a copy of her, so I don't need to worry about killing her." Ran says calmly, despite the feeling she is giving off. "Sit back, this one is my fight. I apologize for using you as bait, by the way, but you get to watch something very few have seen... the fury of the Kitsune."
[Not the first time of saying this in the Rumia Quest universe, but it needs to be said again, Badass Ran is best Ran]
-
>"I had a feeling something like this would happen. It's the original that's the problem anyways, just don't use up all your energy so you end up passing out, that was one thing Yukari was always good about avoiding. Well, until she wanted to sleep that is, but that's beside the point."
>Let's head back out and make sure everyone's alright.
-
>"I had a feeling something like this would happen. It's the original that's the problem anyways, just don't use up all your energy so you end up passing out, that was one thing Yukari was always good about avoiding. Well, until she wanted to sleep that is, but that's beside the point."
>Let's head back out and make sure everyone's alright.
> "Don't worry about that." Ran says, darting outside.
> You head back outside, and see everyone is OK, but shocked about Yuuka, and Ran.
> Ran is fighting Yuuka with a vicious barrage of attacks, using blistering speed you can hardly keep up with, alternating between close range assaults and long range barrages of many kinds of danmaku. It seems Yuuka is being... overpowered, she can't even counter-attack.
> "I heard Kitsune were strong, but this is insane!" Rika comments, "My eyes can hardly keep up..."
> "I don't think even my movements could keep up with Ran." Tenma says. "How strong would Yukari have been if she ever fought at 100%..."
> Ran tears a hole in Yuuka's parasoul, before slamming her into the river. She then takes a prayer pose, and a barrage of red and blue lasers rain into the river, like a cross-stitch. You note the Kappa in the River are being missed by the narrowest of margins.
> Yuuka comes back up, sending out a multitude of adapted plant attacks, such as spinning giant sunflower heads, sharp as buzzsaws, spears of ivy, and arrows of wood tipped with rose thorns. Ran forms a manji of light around her, which then spins, obliterating the attacks.
> "Should I keep going, or would you rather take it from here?" Ran asks you casually. "With that tear in her parasol she cannot use it as a focal point for a Spark."
-
(It's a Manji. Not a swastika. I suggest you fix that before it lands you in trouble.)
>"Hm, I'd say all she can do now at this point are those plant attacks, and her already impressive physical ability. which means right now she's like a cat without it's claws. No offense to you or Chen intended. She's also not a god at all, which means I don't have to use my sword to handle her. Besides, I still have some respect for her as one of the Big Four, even if she's a shadow of the original."
>Pass off the fragments to Ran. "Get those to Rika and Yumemi, have them replicate a small one at first, something that can be worn as an accessory that drains the wearer, limiting their power output considerably. I know just what to do with this Yuuka for the time being. I just have to knock her around enough first."
>Now that that's done, let's set up a frontal barrier of Powered Dark Energy, and rocket straight for Yuuka! And when she fires those plants again, we'll set the barrier to spinning like a drill to achieve something similar to what Ran did!
-
(The page I read looking for the name lied to meeeeee, fixed)
> "I'm a canine." Ran says. "And that is the Yuuka that was one of the Big Youkai."
> "Uh, they're right there." Ran says, throwing them over, with Rika catching them.
> You form a barrier of Dark Energy around yourself, and charge Yuuka. She dosen't fire any plants this time, instead, she forms a wall of modified flowers in front of herself, which slows you down enough for her to evade the attack, and get behind you.
-
>Flip the barrier so it's behind us! "Not bad, using a counter-barrier. Shame we couldn't be doing this with less at stake really. Even with your best technique lost to you, you can still put up a good fight. In a way, we aren't so different, Yuuka. I was chained by my past, and you're still chained by yours. So I'll do you a favor and free you from it."
>Let's send out a Dark Pulse from the barrier with the aim to knock her off balance! Then we'll follow-up by flipping around to rocket into her with a Focused Dark Barrier Punch!
-
>Flip the barrier so it's behind us! "Not bad, using a counter-barrier. Shame we couldn't be doing this with less at stake really. Even with your best technique lost to you, you can still put up a good fight. In a way, we aren't so different, Yuuka. I was chained by my past, and you're still chained by yours. So I'll do you a favor and free you from it."
>Let's send out a Dark Pulse from the barrier with the aim to knock her off balance! Then we'll follow-up by flipping around to rocket into her with a Focused Dark Barrier Punch!
> "I don't have a past. I'm a creation of plant matter bound together into the same form Titania took to slumber, to imitate the consciousness she created." The Gensokyo-Yuuka says. "I cannot speak for the other me, but she's Titania now, so, it does not matter. I am just a glorified Plant Golem, like those others roaming Gensokyo, when all is said and done."
> She forms a whip out of thorns and lashes at the barrier, damaging it, before you fire a pulse from it, making her stumble, before you make the barrier move to cover your fist, and punch the flower youkai, knocking her airborne.
> The whip wraps around your leg, and Yuuka uses your own momentum you gave her against you, raising you into the air above her, before swinging down as she starts to fall.
-
>Return the favor with a Dark Tendril made to slam her into the ground instead of us!
>"And that matters how? You're you, she's someone else. The way I see it, I'd rather have the you I'm fighting right now instead of Titania. You at least know how to make things entertaining. Her? She just goes full-tilt and doesn't even care."
-
>Return the favor with a Dark Tendril made to slam her into the ground instead of us!
>"And that matters how? You're you, she's someone else. The way I see it, I'd rather have the you I'm fighting right now instead of Titania. You at least know how to make things entertaining. Her? She just goes full-tilt and doesn't even care."
> You attempt to throw Yuuka into the ground with a Dark Tendril, but fail to do so, due to your own momentum. Despite this, your force slows your impact enough that you don't smash into the ground, you actually land [Albeit, with a jolt].
> "Except I am her, a tiny fragment of her. I don't have more than a fraction of her power, so I have to get creative. Besides, all I do most of the time is Spark things." she says, as her left arm sprouts multiple thorny branches, which bind together, into a sword-like appendage.
-
>"That said, the fact that you aren't as strong as she is is what sets you apart from her in a big way. After all, fight smart, not stupid."
>Let's mirror her with an armblade made of Powered Dark Energy, then charge in to lock 'blades' with her, while keeping on the guard for any 'bonuses' she might try. Specifically, we'll counter them with a mat of Dark Tendrils.
-
>"That said, the fact that you aren't as strong as she is is what sets you apart from her in a big way. After all, fight smart, not stupid."
>Let's mirror her with an armblade made of Powered Dark Energy, then charge in to lock 'blades' with her, while keeping on the guard for any 'bonuses' she might try. Specifically, we'll counter them with a mat of Dark Tendrils.
> You rush at Yuuka with a Dark-energy blade, and Yuuka sneers.
> "Thorns~" she says, as they extend, on their own stalks, towards you. Tendrils won't really stop something growing, but you snap a few of the growing branches.
-
>Pull back, and get a good bit of distance. "Nicely done. But let's see how you can handle this."
>Let's manifest a few spikes from the armblade, and then rocket them off aimed right for her, and weave them through any gaps they might encounter!
-
>Pull back, and get a good bit of distance. "Nicely done. But let's see how you can handle this."
>Let's manifest a few spikes from the armblade, and then rocket them off aimed right for her, and weave them through any gaps they might encounter!
> You back off, and the spikes retract back into Yuuka's blade.
> You take a page out of Yuuka's book, and fire spikes from your blade. This makes the plant youkai irritated visibly.
> "What is it with people copying my moves?" she snaps, before sending out a massive storm of cherry petals towards the spikes, the gaps far too small to navigate through, and while they pierce a few blossoms, they explode before they can reach Yuuka. The blossoms then head towards you. Knowing Yuuka, they're probobly razor-sharp and tough as metal.
-
>"That just shows you're good, who'd use a trick some two-bit mook uses? Nobody but that mook, that's who."
>Let's set up a nine-layered reinforced dark barrier!
-
>"That just shows you're good, who'd use a trick some two-bit mook uses? Nobody but that mook, that's who."
>Let's set up a nine-layered reinforced dark barrier!
> "Mook and the whole army of them." Yuuka replies, as the blossoms rush towards you.
> They slam into the barrier you form, with nine layers of dark energy, small gaps between each layer.
> The first five layers are broken through before the blossoms are all destroyed.
-
>"..,Busted five layers, not bad. Probably couldn't handle a spark from Titania though, doubt anything I could ever make could. This just attests to how powerful the both of you are. Plus, my whole 'thing' is shadows and darkness, a spark's a lot of light."
>Let's replenish the damaged barriers, and add spikes to the outer one, then start it to spinning!
-
>"..,Busted five layers, not bad. Probably couldn't handle a spark from Titania though, doubt anything I could ever make could. This just attests to how powerful the both of you are. Plus, my whole 'thing' is shadows and darkness, a spark's a lot of light."
>Let's replenish the damaged barriers, and add spikes to the outer one, then start it to spinning!
> Yuuka does not answer, and instead awaits you next move.
> You try to replenish the barriers, but can only form seven, which means you'll have to generate some more dark energy to use, which happens rather quickly, but it's been a while since you went into 'Dark Energy Exhaustion'. Still, you start the seven layers spinning in front of you.
> Yuuka's arm goes back to normal. She throws a sunflower head, which glances off, leaving a small dent in the layer, and for a moment, her face shows slight worry. She flicks her wrist again, and forms another sunflower head, which withers.
> "Damnit... seems we're both a little low on energy to fuel our powers right now... I wonder who'll recover first..."
-
>"Yeah, this is a pretty good fight. I've said it before, but it's a shame we couldn't have done this without the Titania mess. But I don't think I'll need to replenish much more, this is all I'll need!"
>Time to crash into her with the barriers rotating violently!
-
>"Yeah, this is a pretty good fight. I've said it before, but it's a shame we couldn't have done this without the Titania mess. But I don't think I'll need to replenish much more, this is all I'll need!"
>Time to crash into her with the barriers rotating violently!
> You charge at Yuuka. However, such an obvious move is easily predicted by the experienced youkai, and she dives down, before grabbing your ankle.
> "I don't need my plant abilities to defeat you." she says, firing a close range barrage of danmaku from under you, sending you back.
> It seems despite her bravado, she was clipped by the Dark Energy Barrier, as her other hand, which did not grab you, is leaking a sap-like substance from several lacerations. You guess the damage Ran did earlier slowed her down.
-
>"Heh, trying to settle this with Danmaku, eh? Don't need dark energy for that either, so it looks like we're going to wrap this fight up old-school."
>Let's drop the frontal barrier, and charge at her again! But this time, we'll boost backwards when we're about a few arm's lengths away, and then we'll lay into her with a salvo of laser danmaku!
-
>"Heh, trying to settle this with Danmaku, eh? Don't need dark energy for that either, so it looks like we're going to wrap this fight up old-school."
>Let's drop the frontal barrier, and charge at her again! But this time, we'll boost backwards when we're about a few arm's lengths away, and then we'll lay into her with a salvo of laser danmaku!
> "Danmaku is a tool, especially when not restricted by the spellcard rules. Without my powers and parasoul I lack ranged attacks outside of danmaku." Yuuka says, her eyes looking at the ground briefly.
> You dispel the barrier, and charge towards Yuuka, who again, floats there waiting. When you boost backwards, she still hasn't reacted.
> You unleash laser danmaku at Yuuka, who attempts to dodge. She gets clipped a few times, but evades well, before flying towards you at speeds not usually associated with her. It is well known Yuuka tends to stay as stationary as possible in combat, moving at the last moment, and as little as she needs to, so her dashing in must mean she's confident.
> Yuuka has both her arms behind her back, and a grin on her face.
> "So, which side will it come from, Rumia~. I'll throw all my force into this attack, so you'll probobly need to block it with both arms!" she says.
-
>Let's focus our energy, and read her motions to figure out where she'll swing from. Then we'll use that energy to parry her attack and deliver a counterattack!
-
>Let's focus our energy, and read her motions to figure out where she'll swing from. Then we'll use that energy to parry her attack and deliver a counterattack!
> Yuuka's motions show she'll swing with both arms at once... so it comes down to a guess, but knowing Yuuka's confidence, she'll certainly use...
> You block her injured arm, and feel your arms straining to do so, parrying is pretty much out of the question, even with both your arms, as her other arm flies past in a feint. The leaking sap is pretty sticky. Yuuka's physical strength has always been known, and physical might isn't your forte.
> Yuuka is readying a kick.
-
>Let's deliver a kick of our own before she does, and take that opportunity to get a bit of distance!
-
>Let's deliver a kick of our own before she does, and take that opportunity to get a bit of distance!
> You deliver a lighter kick, stopping Yuuka's own, and pull yourself away from her, with some effort from the sticky sap.
> The arm she used to attack with is hanging uselessly. It seems with it's damage beforehand, that attack was sacrificial.
-
>"The stories about your physical capabilities sure weren't exaggerated. Even with my training, I was still unable to block most of the damage from even that ploy with the sap."
>Let's settle into a more defensive position, while being mindful of the sap.
>For that matter, would we be able to force it off with a little dark energy if we can call any?
-
>"The stories about your physical capabilities sure weren't exaggerated. Even with my training, I was still unable to block most of the damage from even that ploy with the sap."
>Let's settle into a more defensive position, while being mindful of the sap.
>For that matter, would we be able to force it off with a little dark energy if we can call any?
> "Yes, my plan was even if you did block it, the sap would stick you to me." Yuuka says, before her injured arm falls off, and a new one sprouts and re-grows swiftly.
> You get into a more defensive position, and manage to call up enough dark energy to blast the sap on your arms off. You have a decent reserve left now, it doesn't tale very long to re-charge, but the pace of combat means it's still nowhere near infinite.
-
>"That's a pretty neat trick too, bet it must be pretty handy to be able to just regrow a busted-up limb like that."
>Let's circle slowly, and watch for Yuuka's next move. But keep mindful of the area around us as well, seeing as she's able to make plants grow and whatnot.
-
>"That's a pretty neat trick too, bet it must be pretty handy to be able to just regrow a busted-up limb like that."
>Let's circle slowly, and watch for Yuuka's next move. But keep mindful of the area around us as well, seeing as she's able to make plants grow and whatnot.
> "I'm a plant. Plants re-grow." Yuuka says.
> Yuuka waits for you. She is probobly waiting for her energy too.
-
>Let's try and send a spread shockwave of Dark Energy spikes piercing right out of the ground!
-
>Let's try and send a spread shockwave of Dark Energy spikes piercing right out of the ground!
> You cause a large amount of spikes to erupt from the ground, and Yuuka's response is simply to fly over above your allies.
> "You know Yuuka, I won't let Rumia finish you off if you keep floating above me." Rika says in an annoyed tone, scanning the fragments.
-
>"She's got you there Yuuka, she's a lot more trigger-happy than I am."
>Turn the spike shockwave into an aerial tracking attack!
-
>"She's got you there Yuuka, she's a lot more trigger-happy than I am."
>Turn the spike shockwave into an aerial tracking attack!
> "Don't care~" she says.
> You launch the spikes into the air, which head towards Yuuka from all around her, and she sighs.
> "It'll take more than an area-attack to beat me. Youkai of our level have to hit each other with everything, in a single, fatal blow." she says, evadeing some of the spikes, but letting others ram into her and detonate...
> Except she shielded herself at the hit points with plants growing from her.
> "A spread out attack like this will just waste energy, exhaust you, and be easier to defend against. Especially when both of us are capable of regeneration."
-
>Well, looks like it's time to pull out Unified Chaos. "I was hoping I wouldn't have to use this to win, but it's getting obvious now that there's about three techniques I know that fit the bill, one pretty much needs Shinki around to be anywhere near viable."
>Let's focus with that stance we use until we feel like it's getting close to being unable to hold anymore, and then unload the thrust attack!
-
>Well, looks like it's time to pull out Unified Chaos. "I was hoping I wouldn't have to use this to win, but it's getting obvious now that there's about three techniques I know that fit the bill, one pretty much needs Shinki around to be anywhere near viable."
>Let's focus with that stance we use until we feel like it's getting close to being unable to hold anymore, and then unload the thrust attack!
> Yuuka looks at you. "If you need to resort to that to win, you won't be able to defeat Titania. Not like you could anyway."
> Yuuka waits, as you charge your attack, before unleashing the Chi-Thurst.
> She takes it head-on, and suddenly, the look o her face says she under-estimated it, before the spiral of chi rips through her.
> Yuuka is floating in the air, with a hole in her abdomen, coughing.
> "Well, that attack is significantly stronger than expected..." she says, looking at her wound, before landing.
> "... Well then, maybe you do have a chance." she says. "I'll just let you know though, the other me is still alive, inside Titania, and she is not happy about it. Elly isn't herself either, she serves Yuuka, not Titania, I think she may be under Titania's control."
-
>"So, we just have to split the two apart then somehow, right? I think I know how we can handle that."
>Glance at Rika and Yumemi. "You guys done over there? Once we've got the Absorbers ready, and picked up a certain someone, we'll be able to launch our attack. And hopefully even save Yuuka from herself."
-
>"So, we just have to split the two apart then somehow, right? I think I know how we can handle that."
>Glance at Rika and Yumemi. "You guys done over there? Once we've got the Absorbers ready, and picked up a certain someone, we'll be able to launch our attack. And hopefully even save Yuuka from herself."
> "Well, the easiest way I can think of is to make a new Titania, beat her so thoroughly that someone else can fill the role. That would erase the current Titania, and Yuuka would be safe." she says, before coughing.
> "It'll take a few hours. We'd rather do this back at the Scarlet Mansion. Safer there." Rika says. "Not easy materializing something that doesn't exist in this dimension."
-
>"Hmm...Yeah, all perfectly valid things to do. And the absorbers are going to help us with the former. After all, if your opponent is something with beyond the normal limits of power, all you need is a way to even the playing field."
>Sigh. "Those chains would've been pretty useful in this situation, but beggars can't be choosers I suppose. Wonder if those chains were originally made from the same material as the absorbers? It'd make sense since they do similar things."
-
>"Hmm...Yeah, all perfectly valid things to do. And the absorbers are going to help us with the former. After all, if your opponent is something with beyond the normal limits of power, all you need is a way to even the playing field."
>Sigh. "Those chains would've been pretty useful in this situation, but beggars can't be choosers I suppose. Wonder if those chains were originally made from the same material as the absorbers? It'd make sense since they do similar things."
> "There is no 'normal limit of power'." Yuuka says.
> "If you mean those demonic chains, no, they are made from nothingness itself." Yuuka says, "Outside good and evil, right and wrong, death and life, creation and destruction... they are simply... nothingness."
-
>"Well, the way I see things, there's strong, and then there's insanely strong. Right now Titania is way out in the deep end of the pool for the latter. Wouldn't be resorting to the absorbers otherwise really, since I know just how dangerous they are."
-
>"Well, the way I see things, there's strong, and then there's insanely strong. Right now Titania is way out in the deep end of the pool for the latter. Wouldn't be resorting to the absorbers otherwise really, since I know just how dangerous they are."
> "I don't think anyone will miss a tiny amount of energy from the Dream World." Yumemi says. "If it even can be absorbed."
-
>"Well, that is how Shinki did it, and things are okay apparently."
>Beat.
>"This is gonna be one hell of a fight. We need to make sure the absorber can handle it. We might even have to make extras just in case."
-
>"Well, that is how Shinki did it, and things are okay apparently."
>Beat.
>"This is gonna be one hell of a fight. We need to make sure the absorber can handle it. We might even have to make extras just in case."
> "Except I have a finite amount of energy." Rika says. "And creating matter that doesn't exist in this dimension sure eats up a lot of it."
> "How effective was one of my devices Rumia?" Yumemi says.
-
>"Well, if it could hold off my then-strongest attack, 'Dark Bomb', then I'd say it should be pretty strong. The one in Makai was difficult too, albeit for a different reason. Though I think I should be safe if we need to use that absorber too somehow. I don't think we destroyed that one, just turned it off."
-
>"Well, if it could hold off my then-strongest attack, 'Dark Bomb', then I'd say it should be pretty strong. The one in Makai was difficult too, albeit for a different reason. Though I think I should be safe if we need to use that absorber too somehow. I don't think we destroyed that one, just turned it off."
> "I don't think going back there is a good idea." Rika reminds you. "Who knows what will happen with that Heart thing. Besides, Shinki can't let you in, she's defending her side of things."
-
>"Yeah...I hope she's alright. We aren't just fighting for Gensokyo or Makai anymore, this mess goes beyond everything."
>Let's look at the Yuuka-Golem. Does she look to be any shape to do anything right now?
-
>"Yeah...I hope she's alright. We aren't just fighting for Gensokyo or Makai anymore, this mess goes beyond everything."
>Let's look at the Yuuka-Golem. Does she look to be any shape to do anything right now?
> "Yes... waaait a second!" Rika says. "I wonder if those Watasuki sisters are doing anything? I mean, they're so self-confident and everything, surely they'd have taken action by now."
> "Watawhaties?" Yumemi says.
> "Powerful, arrogant people who live on the moon." Rika says, pointing up.
> You look at her. The answer is clearly no. Her wound is not regenerating.
-
>Fistpalm with a look of realization. "Yori and Toyo! They'll be great additions! I mean, Toyo's fan can make craters, and Yori can channel other gods!"
>Pause thoughtfully. "Oooh...but she'd have to channel a god from before nature was ever a thing. Something primordial, something possibly even from beyond time itself. I wonder if she can do that?"
>Look to Yumemi. "You remember the folks in charge of the moon, right? The Watatsuki Sisters. Yorihime runs the military, and Toyohime's the current ruling queen."
>Grin a bit. "Funny thing is, if either of them were to join up, it'd be Yori. From what I do know of how she acts, she probably hates this mess more than anyone else. Proud girl that, can't stand someone outdoing her. Especially if they aren't a Lunarian. She really hated it when me and Shinki 'rocked their world'. That was the birth of the 'Dark Bomb' technique. Of course, the version I used when we fought was a considerably weaker one, as I didn't have Shinki around to aid in the charging process."
-
>Fistpalm with a look of realization. "Yori and Toyo! They'll be great additions! I mean, Toyo's fan can make craters, and Yori can channel other gods!"
>Pause thoughtfully. "Oooh...but she'd have to channel a god from before nature was ever a thing. Something primordial, something possibly even from beyond time itself. I wonder if she can do that?"
>Look to Yumemi. "You remember the folks in charge of the moon, right? The Watatsuki Sisters. Yorihime runs the military, and Toyohime's the current ruling queen."
>Grin a bit. "Funny thing is, if either of them were to join up, it'd be Yori. From what I do know of how she acts, she probably hates this mess more than anyone else. Proud girl that, can't stand someone outdoing her. Especially if they aren't a Lunarian. She really hated it when me and Shinki 'rocked their world'. That was the birth of the 'Dark Bomb' technique. Of course, the version I used when we fought was a considerably weaker one, as I didn't have Shinki around to aid in the charging process."
> "Ah, those two... I forgot about them." Yumemi says simply. "They were pretty proud, but they couldn't defeat me. That said, I couldn't defeat them either."
-
>"Let me guess, you absorbed their attacks, and they repelled yours?"
-
>"Let me guess, you absorbed their attacks, and they repelled yours?"
> "Indeed, while I was able to absorb everything they threw at me, every time I went offensive, turning their own power upon them, they were able to counteract it with either one of their own powers, or that of an opposite god." Yumemi says. "For example, if they summoned a fire god, which I reflected the energy back, the other sister would call upon a tidal wave to quench it."
> "Eventually they just got bored, seeing no end to the battle, and stated something about a 'Princess and that human' situation." she adds.
-
>Nod. "Yeah, Yorihime likes doing that. She called on Helios, a god of light, to counteract my shadow powers. Unfortunately, she ended up having to drop Helios for another god, since she can only hold up to three at any given time. which gave me the chance I needed to fight back."
>"Well, what should we do about this Yuuka Copy before we go?"
-
>Nod. "Yeah, Yorihime likes doing that. She called on Helios, a god of light, to counteract my shadow powers. Unfortunately, she ended up having to drop Helios for another god, since she can only hold up to three at any given time. which gave me the chance I needed to fight back."
>"Well, what should we do about this Yuuka Copy before we go?"
[It's a limit of two, one for each hand]
> "Well, the best way to counteract godly powers is with an opposite one. The problem arises because, what is the opposite of nature itself?" Yumemi says.
> "If I recall, Ran said to kill her." Rika says.
> "I have no qualms with that." Medicine comments.
-
(Huh, remember she was using three. Weird.)
>"Hmm...Eirin or Patchouli might know. But then again, we might already have the opposite right here."
>Gesture towards Rika. "She is a machine after all, that's about as far from organic as you can get."
-
(Huh, remember she was using three. Weird.)
>"Hmm...Eirin or Patchouli might know. But then again, we might already have the opposite right here."
>Gesture towards Rika. "She is a machine after all, that's about as far from organic as you can get."
[Every time she started a third one she stopped using another. The problem came she needed two constant effects, so couldn't attack. She turned out the light as a result. The rest of the time she was using light and *insert something here*]
> "I imagine Patchouli knows more about elemental rock-paper-scissors." Rika comments.
> "Yeah, but a machine is made out of materials which are natural. Still, might work, I mean alloys are not natural."
-
>"Maybe, let's head back and ask Patchouli."
>Pause. "I'm gonna need a little help finishing off the Yuuka Copy though, I don't want too much collateral damage, so we'll have to get her into a spot where I won't cause any."
-
>"Maybe, let's head back and ask Patchouli."
>Pause. "I'm gonna need a little help finishing off the Yuuka Copy though, I don't want too much collateral damage, so we'll have to get her into a spot where I won't cause any."
> "She is a plant, no?" Medicine says. "I can finish her off with that venom if you want. No collateral."
-
>"Well, I just wanted to give her a proper sendoff, Even if she's a copy, she's still 'Yuuka'. It's a matter of respect y'know."
-
>"Well, I just wanted to give her a proper sendoff, Even if she's a copy, she's still 'Yuuka'. It's a matter of respect y'know."
> "Well, it's up to you." Medicine says.
-
>"Hmm...We'll leave it up to the copy then."
>Look to the Yuuka Copy. Is she able to respond at all? "Well, there's two options. Do you want me to help you go out with a bang, or do you want to go out quietly with Meddy's help?"
-
>"Hmm...We'll leave it up to the copy then."
>Look to the Yuuka Copy. Is she able to respond at all? "Well, there's two options. Do you want me to help you go out with a bang, or do you want to go out quietly with Meddy's help?"
> "Ideally I wouldn't go down at all, and recover and try to kill you again." she answers. "I don't care how I go down if I do."
-
>Look to Medicine. "All yours then. Make it quick and painless for her, even if she's a copy."
-
>Look to Medicine. "All yours then. Make it quick and painless for her, even if she's a copy."
> "Well, you might not want to watch. Remember what Yumemi's dagger was doing to the golems? It'll be fast, but not pretty."
-
>Yeah, let's get a bit of distance and look away.
-
>Yeah, let's get a bit of distance and look away.
> You and everyone else move away, aside from Medicine.
> About thirty seconds later, the doll walks back over, her hand smoking a little.
> "Eh... I had to make it so strong to effect her I damaged my own bodywork a little. Maybe I can get that puppeteer to fix me after this is all done." she says, looking at some chips in her hand.
-
>"Yeah, she should definitely be able to fix up the damage. Alice and Shinki are the best at making dolls after all. You and Yumeko aren't all that different really. You're a doll that gained a soul, Yumeko's a doll who had a soul put into her. Of course, it was her soul to begin with."
>Beat.
>"Long story involving the old, crazy me. Suffice it to say, she used to be a living person no different from me."
-
>"Yeah, she should definitely be able to fix up the damage. Alice and Shinki are the best at making dolls after all. You and Yumeko aren't all that different really. You're a doll that gained a soul, Yumeko's a doll who had a soul put into her. Of course, it was her soul to begin with."
>Beat.
>"Long story involving the old, crazy me. Suffice it to say, she used to be a living person no different from me."
> "Well, it is dangerous, I AM venomous to touch." Medicine says.
> "It's Gensokyo. Anything can happen."
-
>"I'm pretty sure Alice could use a puppet to repair you remotely then. Only other option would be somehow finding Kaguya so she could use one of her treasures to regenerate the damage. That's how we fixed up Yumeko back in the Absorber Incident. Also the same thing we have to thank for Yumemi still being alive too."
-
>"I'm pretty sure Alice could use a puppet to repair you remotely then. Only other option would be somehow finding Kaguya so she could use one of her treasures to regenerate the damage. That's how we fixed up Yumeko back in the Absorber Incident. Also the same thing we have to thank for Yumemi still being alive too."
> "I'd still rather have been healed without magic. Who knows what's changed with me due to that." Yumemi says.
> "Hmm. Maybe." Medicine says.
> "We should get going." Yumemi says. "If we stay too long more of those golems will show up."
-
>Nod. "Yeah, let's get going."
>Let's go!
>And while we're in transit; "Well, it was either do it that way, or let you die. And I couldn't let someone as stubborn and dedicated as you go out just like that. After all, we're a lot alike. You were fighting for your world, I was fighting for mine. And still am really. That thing about me won't change, no matter how I may look on the outside. Same holds true for you. You might have changed somewhat, but you're still you, and you're still searching for a way to help your world right?"
-
>Nod. "Yeah, let's get going."
>Let's go!
>And while we're in transit; "Well, it was either do it that way, or let you die. And I couldn't let someone as stubborn and dedicated as you go out just like that. After all, we're a lot alike. You were fighting for your world, I was fighting for mine. And still am really. That thing about me won't change, no matter how I may look on the outside. Same holds true for you. You might have changed somewhat, but you're still you, and you're still searching for a way to help your world right?"
> Your group starts heading back to the Scarlet Mansion. Rika is still working en-route.
> "I know, I know, but if there was a way that didn't involve pumping my body with magic, then I would have rathered that. I can't help but wonder what'll happen to me if I ever get back home... will I die, since my life is sustained by magic, which does not exist in that world?" Yumemi says. "That said, if I die upon entering my world... it'll be how I want to go."
> "I could always make ya into a robot if you want. I guess your techno world has those, right?" Rika says.
> "I'm not crazy Rika. Unlike you I don't want to be a machine."
> Rika smiles. "Hey, I consider crazy a compliment."
-
>Nudge Yumemi. "She's got you there, crazy's practically her middle name. Even I think she's out there, and that's saying something coming from the resident 'Idiot Hero'."
>"Besides, Rika really outdid herself with the one she's got now. Almost human it is, even gets added energy from eating apparently too! Plus, taste buds."
-
>Nudge Yumemi. "She's got you there, crazy's practically her middle name. Even I think she's out there, and that's saying something coming from the resident 'Idiot Hero'."
>"Besides, Rika really outdid herself with the one she's got now. Almost human it is, even gets added energy from eating apparently too! Plus, taste buds."
> "I'd say Marisa is stupider." Yumemi says.
> "You forgot emotions." Rika adds. "I managed to replicate the electrical signals and makeup of the brain and nervous system, while erasing things such as pain in the process. I get the good stuff, but not the bad."
-
>"We're both on the same axis really. Nutty, free-spirited wackos who take the overkill approach to a lot of things."
>Grin slightly. "Though Rika probably way outdid us back in the Enkura Incident. She used some kind of Gravity Cannon on the old me that Enkura gave a physical form to. Needless to say, all that was left was stuff you couldn't even make soup with. Nasty stuff that. Almost lost my appetite right then and there. Something about...uh..."
>Look to Rika. "Hey, uh, how much gravity did you use again? It was something like 500 tons or something, right?"
-
>"We're both on the same axis really. Nutty, free-spirited wackos who take the overkill approach to a lot of things."
>Grin slightly. "Though Rika probably way outdid us back in the Enkura Incident. She used some kind of Gravity Cannon on the old me that Enkura gave a physical form to. Needless to say, all that was left was stuff you couldn't even make soup with. Nasty stuff that. Almost lost my appetite right then and there. Something about...uh..."
>Look to Rika. "Hey, uh, how much gravity did you use again? It was something like 500 tons or something, right?"
> "Overkill?" Yumemi says, before she looks worried at the description of this Gravity Cannon. "Rika and her superweapons..."
> "Uh... I only estimated, I'd never got anything able to actually measure it. And, nah, it was more like 500 times the gravity the planet puts on you. That's a wild guess, could be less, could be more." Rika says. "All I know is it crushes anything living into paste and drains my energy like mad to fire."
-
>"Yeah, that's what it was."
>Pause. "Say, you think that'd work on Titania if the Absorber is good enough to drain her enough to to make her mostly damageable?"
-
>"Yeah, that's what it was."
>Pause. "Say, you think that'd work on Titania if the Absorber is good enough to drain her enough to to make her mostly damageable?"
> Rika turns over, flying on her back, looking at you.
> "Dunno. Who knows. There are legends that say humans have defeated Gods, despite what everyone claims these days." Rika says.
-
>Grin a little. "If that's the case, then in the Dream World, a world of wonder that surpasses even Gensokyo, we can beat Titania. We've got a shot!"
-
>Grin a little. "If that's the case, then in the Dream World, a world of wonder that surpasses even Gensokyo, we can beat Titania. We've got a shot!"
> Yumemi smiles.
> "That's the way to think. Just because the rules are as such in Gensokyo, or Makai, doesn't mean the rules are as such there. In fact, being the Dream World, I'd wager anything can happen, there could be no rules... since when does logic apply to your dreams? Since when do dreams have limits? Look at my dream, restore magic to my world using the energy of other worlds, without causing any serious damage to anywhere else." Yumemi says.
> She sighs.
> "Unfortunately, this would apply to Titania too, especially if she's somehow grasped the world under her control to an extent."
-
>"That's what the absorber's for, to steal her advantage for our own. Heck, I might even be able to 'Pull a Shinki', and give her a taste of her own medicine so to speak."
-
>"That's what the absorber's for, to steal her advantage for our own. Heck, I might even be able to 'Pull a Shinki', and give her a taste of her own medicine so to speak."
> "I don't know what you mean, except that god is somewhat irresponsible." Yumemi says. "Leaving her world on a whim..."
> The scientist sighs. "I just can't agree with her flippant attitude."
> The Scarlet Mansion comes into view. You will be there shortly.
> There are more dead plant golems around it than before, and you see Remilia strike another down within the mists. The vampire sure seems to be enjoying this.
-
>Chuckle a bit. "I guess even she's enjoying herself. Then again, people of our status don't often get to cut loose for real. What with how powerful members of the Big Four are."
>Look to Yumemi. "Did Eirin ever tell you about the Big Four?"
>Shrug. "Anyhow, the Dream World's power was how Shinki became a Goddess. So I figure that if need be, some of us could potentially tap into that temporarily or something. After all, since the dream world's a land of limitless possibility, we could always 'dream' that we can match Titania blow for blow, and then 'wake up' from that after all's said and done."
-
>Chuckle a bit. "I guess even she's enjoying herself. Then again, people of our status don't often get to cut loose for real. What with how powerful members of the Big Four are."
>Look to Yumemi. "Did Eirin ever tell you about the Big Four?"
>Shrug. "Anyhow, the Dream World's power was how Shinki became a Goddess. So I figure that if need be, some of us could potentially tap into that temporarily or something. After all, since the dream world's a land of limitless possibility, we could always 'dream' that we can match Titania blow for blow, and then 'wake up' from that after all's said and done."
> "No." Yumemi says.
> "Who knows how it works." the scientist says. "And Titania seems to know well enough to lock people within nightmares."
> At this point, you arrive at the mansion itself.
-
>Let's continue back to the rest of the group, conversing with Yumemi as we go. "Well, the Big Four are four of the strongest or most dangerous Youkai of Gensokyo, aside from the Four Devas, which are the pinnacle of the Oni race. The group consists of Tenma, Remilia, Yuuka, and myself. Up until her death, Yukari was also listed in this group. At that point, we were called the Big Five."
>"Tenma's on the list because he's the oldest and most powerful of the Tengu, he's been around since at least the time the Oni ruled Youkai Mountain. Yuuka's on the list for obvious reasons, and you can easily see why Remilia's on it. And you've faced me in battle, so you know that my position on the board's valid. And as for Yukari? Well, just look at what Maribel can do, and you'll see why. After all, Maribel's a right chip off the old block, both in looks, fashion taste, and powers. I daresay that once she's strong enough, she'll be made a member of the group too."
-
>Let's continue back to the rest of the group, conversing with Yumemi as we go. "Well, the Big Four are four of the strongest or most dangerous Youkai of Gensokyo, aside from the Four Devas, which are the pinnacle of the Oni race. The group consists of Tenma, Remilia, Yuuka, and myself. Up until her death, Yukari was also listed in this group. At that point, we were called the Big Five."
>"Tenma's on the list because he's the oldest and most powerful of the Tengu, he's been around since at least the time the Oni ruled Youkai Mountain. Yuuka's on the list for obvious reasons, and you can easily see why Remilia's on it. And you've faced me in battle, so you know that my position on the board's valid. And as for Yukari? Well, just look at what Maribel can do, and you'll see why. After all, Maribel's a right chip off the old block, both in looks, fashion taste, and powers. I daresay that once she's strong enough, she'll be made a member of the group too."
> Byakuren sweat-drops. "You're forgetting me Rumia. I know I don't fight much but still..."
> "I have to become a youkai first..." Maribel reminds you. "No point having a human in a youkai group. Besides, if what you've told me is right, this little group was mainly to keep tabs on Yuuka anyway."
-
>"...Oh. Sorry about that! I guess it was actually the Big Six back then. My mistake. Byakuren here's another member of the group, and it's safe to say that she's one of the most level-headed ones of us all, save for Tenma that is, who's a pretty reasonable old guy. He's kinda like a wise old grandpa almost."
>What all did we find out about the group anyways after Yukari's death? Beyond that the powerful and potentially dangerous are a part of it that is.
-
>"...Oh. Sorry about that! I guess it was actually the Big Six back then. My mistake. Byakuren here's another member of the group, and it's safe to say that she's one of the most level-headed ones of us all, save for Tenma that is, who's a pretty reasonable old guy. He's kinda like a wise old grandpa almost."
>What all did we find out about the group anyways after Yukari's death? Beyond that the powerful and potentially dangerous are a part of it that is.
> It's more a deterrent to any of them causing trouble, the others will act in the interest of Gensokyo if any of them do. Of course, the *main* reason was Yuuka, which, oddly enough, she didn't seem to care about. In fact, she seemed to not want anyone weak in the group personally. [You think she may have seen it as an insult if someone she considered weak was part of a group to keep tabs on her].
> You recall when she made you prove yourself against Tenma in particular.
-
>"Well, you'll hit that hurdle when you come to it. I for one, look forward to seeing just how far you'll go. Take it from me, a regular 'nobody to nightmare' kind of person."
>Fistpalm abruptly, with a look of realization. "I bet I could pull some Enkura-level crazy in the Dream World. I bet I could call up some pretty nasty underlings to handle any of Titania's. After all, since the Shades were extinct, even in the land of Myth, doesn't that mean that they could reappear in the land of Dreams? And since I'm pretty similar to a Shade, I could be considered a 'Queen Shade', by that standard."
-
>"Well, you'll hit that hurdle when you come to it. I for one, look forward to seeing just how far you'll go. Take it from me, a regular 'nobody to nightmare' kind of person."
>Fistpalm abruptly, with a look of realization. "I bet I could pull some Enkura-level crazy in the Dream World. I bet I could call up some pretty nasty underlings to handle any of Titania's. After all, since the Shades were extinct, even in the land of Myth, doesn't that mean that they could reappear in the land of Dreams? And since I'm pretty similar to a Shade, I could be considered a 'Queen Shade', by that standard."
> "Personally I'd rather I'm not a nightmare." Maribel says.
> "Personally I'd rather given the situation we don't talk about nightmares at all." Byakuren comments.
> "Well, it's only known they were extinct in Gensokyo, or this dimension. Who says they can't exist elsewhere." Remilia comments.
> "Rumia, if anything you're more of an abomination than a shade, with everything you are. I mean, you're part youkai, part demon, part evil crystal, part reincarnated Valkyrie." Alice says. "And that's before counting Shinki's energy. Just because you use darkness and they use darkness doesn't make you like their queen. I didn't make Medicine, even though she's a doll."
-
>Sweatdrop. "Aw sis, that hurts my feelings a bit. That said, I'm just a veritable melting-pot of stuff, aren't I? I guess that would make me some kind of chimera?"
>Shrug. "Either way, we got what we went to Nitori's for, so now it's just a waiting-game until Rika and Yumemi can finish the device."
-
>Sweatdrop. "Aw sis, that hurts my feelings a bit. That said, I'm just a veritable melting-pot of stuff, aren't I? I guess that would make me some kind of chimera?"
>Shrug. "Either way, we got what we went to Nitori's for, so now it's just a waiting-game until Rika and Yumemi can finish the device."
> "You don't look anything like Nue." Alice says.
> "Didn't you have something you wanted to ask Patchouli?" Medicine comments, as the two scientists work. Marisa is 'helping' the pair with occasional comments which include 'More power', 'Bigger' and 'Explosions'. Just as expected from Marisa, really.
-
>Nod. "I'll go ask her."
>Let's go find Patchouli.
-
>Nod. "I'll go ask her."
>Let's go find Patchouli.
> You fly to the one place where you know Patchouli will be, and indeed, she is there, in the Voile Library, as is Sakuya, who appears to be filling in for Koakuma, and, surprisingly, Flandre.
> The little sister appears to be reading a book on Norse mythology, while occasionally twiddling Laevateinn. Patchouli has a small pile of books which seem to relate to dreams, as well as the Wood Element, the Fire Element, and Nature in itself.
> Kotezu is also here, but she's asleep. It appears the girl wanted to help, but couldn't stay awake.
-
>Let's head over to Patchouli. "Hey Patchouli, you're the elemental expert here, what do you think would be the fundamental opposite to nature itself? Since Titania's the Nature Goddess, it would make sense to use her opposing 'element' to be able t hurt or weaken her."
-
>Let's head over to Patchouli. "Hey Patchouli, you're the elemental expert here, what do you think would be the fundamental opposite to nature itself? Since Titania's the Nature Goddess, it would make sense to use her opposing 'element' to be able t hurt or weaken her."
> "What do you think I'm researching?" Patchouli says. "At first I thought Fire, but then realized Water and Fire are part of nature, so that will not work, I was merely thinking of wood. Then I thought of metal, like Rika, but realized the metal is natural, people have just worked with it. The only thing I can think of is something that dosen't exist within the natural order of this dimension."
> Patchouli closes her book and looks at you.
> "You're from another dimension... technically... you're not natural here at all. Yumemi too, same with Alice."
> She shakes her head.
> "But she's in the Dream World, which connects all the dimensions. That includes Makai and Yumemi's world. If she's connected to all those worlds nothing's not natural anymore..."
> Patchouli sighs, looking frustrated.
> "The best suggestion I have is not very... it's not... it's not like me."
> She stammers.
> "You know, I can't bring myself to say it myself. It's so... brutish. Just go ask Marisa or Cirno what they think we should do. That's my answer at this point, because Marisa's take on things is honestly the best option I can think of right now."
> "She means her idea is brute force and hope." Flandre comments. "Probably having those of us who are immortal taking the shots."
> "How many immortals are there amoung us..." Sakuya comments.
> "Five." Patchouli says. "M'lady, the younger sister, the two fairies and Mokou. Seven if you count objects that are sentient, the doll and the karakasa, but that depends on your definition of life, and eight-and a half if you count ghosts."
-
>"I wonder if Rika would be able to cook up some kind of super-barrier to help with that? I mean, she smashed the old me when Enkura split her off. Something about 500 times normal gravity or something."
-
>"I wonder if Rika would be able to cook up some kind of super-barrier to help with that? I mean, she smashed the old me when Enkura split her off. Something about 500 times normal gravity or something."
> "Don't know. Do gods have limits? And if so, what are they? Do you think Rika would be able to fight Shinki, because that's what we're going to be facing down effectively, something in her leagues of power."
> "Maybe if Reimu and Yukari and Maribel backed her up, maybe, together. But one's dead, another asleep, and a third hasn't mastered her powers."
-
>"Hmm...Maybe if I could fully tap into everything my sword has to offer. The energy that everyone contributed to the sword when it was created enabled different magics and such. Yumeko provided short-range teleports, Yuki and Mai provided ice and fire respectively, and there's a few other abilities it's got, like cutting ghosts and such. In addition to being able to cut even the divine."
-
>"Hmm...Maybe if I could fully tap into everything my sword has to offer. The energy that everyone contributed to the sword when it was created enabled different magics and such. Yumeko provided short-range teleports, Yuki and Mai provided ice and fire respectively, and there's a few other abilities it's got, like cutting ghosts and such. In addition to being able to cut even the divine."
> Patchouli looks curious.
> "Does anyone involved have particular experience with barriers?"
-
>Let's review; Who all contributed aside from the people we mentioned?
-
>Let's review; Who all contributed aside from the people we mentioned?
> Yuki, Mai, Yumeko, Shinki and Luize. That said, seeing as Shinki is... Shinki, you can't say you've found everything the sword can do yet.
-
>"Hmm...Well, I haven't fully mastered my sword yet, so maybe that was a little something Shinki slipped in? I've got just about everything figured out in categories of active and passive, aside from the full extent of what Shinki contributed."
>Nod. "Luize contributed the passive ability to cut ghosts, and Shinki contributed the whole god-cutting ability, and maybe more. The others I've already mentioned. Maybe SHinki added more than just that?"
>Let's bring out the sword. "Hm...I'll try seeing if I can make a barrier."
>Let's focus on the sword, will it to form energy into a barrier.
-
>"Hmm...Well, I haven't fully mastered my sword yet, so maybe that was a little something Shinki slipped in? I've got just about everything figured out in categories of active and passive, aside from the full extent of what Shinki contributed."
>Nod. "Luize contributed the passive ability to cut ghosts, and Shinki contributed the whole god-cutting ability, and maybe more. The others I've already mentioned. Maybe SHinki added more than just that?"
>Let's bring out the sword. "Hm...I'll try seeing if I can make a barrier."
>Let's focus on the sword, will it to form energy into a barrier.
> You bring out the sword, and try to form a barrier.
> You make a small wall of ice. It seems 'barrier' is interpreted as 'Ice Shield'. Close enough in definition...
> "Hmm, would you mind letting me have a look at that, Rumia?" Patchouli says.
-
>Let's set the sword on the table if there is one. "No telling what it'll do if someone not me, or from Makai touches it."
-
>Let's set the sword on the table if there is one. "No telling what it'll do if someone not me, or from Makai touches it."
> There is a table in front of Patchouli , and she moves the books.
> "I deal with things from Makai every day." Patchouli says, before touching the sword, after covering her hands with some magical wards.
> The sword glows as Patchouli touches it, and then the gem on it glows brightly when she touches that. She sudenly moves her hand back swiftly.
> "OK, that's... interesting." Patchouli says, as the gem's glow dies down.
-
>"Well, it does kind of have a will of it's own. The gem's kinda like the one Shinki used to create the Heart of Makai. Hopefully though, I'll be on better terms with mine than Shinki is with hers. They're sort of like a married couple that's on the verge of divorcing almost. Mostly because the Makaiheart identifies as a guy apparently."
-
>"Well, it does kind of have a will of it's own. The gem's kinda like the one Shinki used to create the Heart of Makai. Hopefully though, I'll be on better terms with mine than Shinki is with hers. They're sort of like a married couple that's on the verge of divorcing almost. Mostly because the Makaiheart identifies as a guy apparently."
> "No, this gem is based on it, but something that holds a dimension together is on another level. Besides, this gem isn't sentient, besides... a hunger for power. When I touched it, it drained some of my power." Patchouli says.
> She touches the gem again, and nothing happens.
> "It feels like it's added my power to it. I can feel my flames in there, but not the Makai Mage's anymore. It seemed to... replace her power with mine." Patchouli says. "If I were to guess, while there's a limit to how much it can memories, the gem can copy people's abilities, although on a lesser scale than they can use them. Try to use a Earth spell with the sword, just make a rock or something, they'll test my theory."
-
>"Hmm...so it can copy. It's kind of like me in that regard, given how malleable and formless shadows are. But it's funny, it responded like it was sentient when I suggested a name to it. It felt...Happy I guess?"
>Let's try tapping into the sword's power, and create a fist-sized rock.
-
>"Hmm...so it can copy. It's kind of like me in that regard, given how malleable and formless shadows are. But it's funny, it responded like it was sentient when I suggested a name to it. It felt...Happy I guess?"
>Let's try tapping into the sword's power, and create a fist-sized rock.
> You try tapping the sword's power. You make a rock about twice the size of your hand by accident. You're not sure if it was showing off or you overdid it.
-
>Look at the sword in a sort of amused way. "Hey, are you showing off there partner? Well, I guess I can't complain, since I tend to show off too."
>"I wonder if I got your other elements too though? I'm gonna try Sun, then Moon if that worked."
>Let's try to use the sword to make a small ball of sunlight.
-
>Look at the sword in a sort of amused way. "Hey, are you showing off there partner? Well, I guess I can't complain, since I tend to show off too."
>"I wonder if I got your other elements too though? I'm gonna try Sun, then Moon if that worked."
>Let's try to use the sword to make a small ball of sunlight.
> The gem glows a little red.
> The gem glows brightly, before a small fireball starts floating in front of it, before it dissipates. It glows again, and a bigger fireball forms, before it vanishes. The third time, the orb of fire feels different, and doesn't dissipate.
> "... It almost seemed like it messed up twice." Patchouli comments.
-
>"And this is why I think it's a bit more than it lets on. Which is why I'll sometimes talk to it."
>Look to Patchouli. "That should be Sun Element, right? I wonder if I actually ended up making a small sun with my sword's help?"
-
>"And this is why I think it's a bit more than it lets on. Which is why I'll sometimes talk to it."
>Look to Patchouli. "That should be Sun Element, right? I wonder if I actually ended up making a small sun with my sword's help?"
> "It's a form. The Sun element isn't just a sphere that is beyond the fire element. It is a good day, so I'll show you the real form of the Sun Element..."
> Patchouli picks up a book, and a Heptagram forms beneath her [Seven-Sided equivalent of a Hexagram], before she fires what looks like several rays of light at a rock wall she forms.
> The wall is torn apart, melted to magma where the light burned through.
> "The Sun element represents Heat and Light." Patchouli says, as she forms metal around the melting rock, preventing the magma dripping to the floor. "If your perception of it is simply fire, you may as well just train fire magic only, as it is easier, although weaker, it will surpass the Sun Element due to it's difficulty, unless you are making use of all the sides of the Sun Element. The moon, likewise, represents darkness and water."
-
>"So moon's more my thing, given how light's not exactly my strong suit. Yeah?"
>Let's try dissipating the sun, then forming a sphere of water.
-
>"So moon's more my thing, given how light's not exactly my strong suit. Yeah?"
>Let's try dissipating the sun, then forming a sphere of water.
> "I think even the Ice Fairy could figure that one out." Patchouli says.
> You dissipate the very mini-sun, and easily form an orb of water of a slightly larger size.
> "Of course, if Water was all the Moon Sign was, then why would I bother with it, over the Water Sign?" Patchouli says. "The beams of light, reflected from the moon, illuminating the night, take on different mystical properties than those from the sun directly. Combined with the moon's gravitational effect on the tides, and this property carries over into the water as well."
> Patchouli points a finger at the orb of water, and fires a small beam of light into it, before it splits into many. This light covers where it hits with a thin layer of ice, but doesn't freeze the water.
> "Of course, I'd show you me bringing out the full power of these signs, with my spellcards, but I'd probobly damage the library doing so, and render myself bedridden doing so. Silent Serene and Royal Flare take a lot out of me. Not to mention if my theory is correct, the sword can only imitate a very small amount of my power in the first place."
-
>"Makes sense. Can't afford to have our biggest mind end up like everyone else."
>Pause. "I wonder if this could copy Yuyuko's power? I mean, nature's life and death too, but Titania goes the life angle of things from what I'm seeing."
>Beat.
>"Hey, maybe I could copy that Anti-Plant Toxin that Yumemi and Eirin made! See, Medicine's here too, and she figured out how to produce it."
-
>"Makes sense. Can't afford to have our biggest mind end up like everyone else."
>Pause. "I wonder if this could copy Yuyuko's power? I mean, nature's life and death too, but Titania goes the life angle of things from what I'm seeing."
>Beat.
>"Hey, maybe I could copy that Anti-Plant Toxin that Yumemi and Eirin made! See, Medicine's here too, and she figured out how to produce it."
> "It can only copy powers, and they're drastically watered down. Think of it like a nameless fairy with that power." Patchouli says. "Plus, I would theorize there is only so much room in that gem for power, after all, it didn't add my powers alongside that Makai Fire mage's, it replaced hers."
-
>Nod. "True. I suppose then that Sakuya's Time powers would replace Yumeko's Space powers. Given how similar they are."
>Pause. "Say, you don't suppose they might somehow be related?"
-
>Nod. "True. I suppose then that Sakuya's Time powers would replace Yumeko's Space powers. Given how similar they are."
>Pause. "Say, you don't suppose they might somehow be related?"
> "I'm not sure how that would work. It could replace something the thing sees less useful than either, or it could combine them. Who knows."
> "No." Sakuya says. "And if you ever suggest that again you'll have 500 knives in you before you hear me say 'The World.'"
-
>Eep. "R-right then."
-
>Eep. "R-right then."
> "Good." Sakuya says. "Suggesting I'm anything but human... how absurd."
> "But Sakuya Remi says you're a..."
> "Quiet. Flan." Sakuya says, making even Flandre clam up.
-
>"Well, maybe Yumeko was modeled loosely on a distant relative of yours then. Who knows where Shinki got the idea for a Space-altering maid who throws swords, save for Shinki herself of course."
>"Hmm...I wonder if I could use this sword to copy Titania's power somehow? At the very least, it should be enough to counteract her attempts to control anyone I think...Fight fire with fire after all. We'd have Shinki help out, but her and Sariel are too busy keeping Makai safe at their way into the Dream World. That place is so overgrown with vines and creepers that it'd be impossible to use that path, nevermind that we'd have to rely on Alice to get into Makai."
-
>"Well, maybe Yumeko was modeled loosely on a distant relative of yours then. Who knows where Shinki got the idea for a Space-altering maid who throws swords, save for Shinki herself of course."
>"Hmm...I wonder if I could use this sword to copy Titania's power somehow? At the very least, it should be enough to counteract her attempts to control anyone I think...Fight fire with fire after all. We'd have Shinki help out, but her and Sariel are too busy keeping Makai safe at their way into the Dream World. That place is so overgrown with vines and creepers that it'd be impossible to use that path, nevermind that we'd have to rely on Alice to get into Makai."
> "Shinki is mad, and besides, time and space manipulation is pretty handy for this profession." Sakuya says.
> "I'd be more inclined to rely on Shinki's energy within the sword. You don't have to risk your life to make her make contact with the gem for one. Since she made it herself, her power resonates through more than that gemstone, but the entire thing. That said, with the disparity of the power contained in this weapon, and the real thing..." Patchouli says.
> "And Makai is actually a pretty dangerous place. For those who are not magicians or natives, or have other strong magic within them, the air is toxic. I doubt Tengu could survive there, for example, and ordinary humans certainly could not. And no, Marisa is not 'ordinary'." Patchouli adds. "While I would be fine there, I doubt Sakuya would, for example."
-
>"Hmm...Aha! Reimu can make barriers, right? That means all we have to do is find her, touch the gem to her sleeping self for a short time, and presto."
-
>"Hmm...Aha! Reimu can make barriers, right? That means all we have to do is find her, touch the gem to her sleeping self for a short time, and presto."
> "... I guess that could work. But the Hakurei Shrine is heavily guarded, Yuuka dosen't want to risk anything breaking her spell on Reimu, or doing anything to her." Patchouli says.
> At this point, you hear Flandre go '"Hmmm...", before she looks at Laevateinn.
> "Kyuu~" she goes, as the wand shatters.
> "W-What are you doing Flan!" Sakuya exclaims.
> "The book says Loki will show up if someone breaks Laevateinn, because he likes the thing." Flandre says. "I thought we could speak to a God to see if he knows anything."
> Out of the shattered spliters of the wand, a green mist rises, which forms into a man.
> "My my, it's been a few thousand years since someone's managed to damage Laevateinn. Now why would anyone do that these days, when no-one believes in me anymore?" the tall man says. He is dressed largely in green and black, and doesn't look particularly trustworthy, but as a trickster god, you guess that's natural.
> "Titania." Flandre says.
> "... Ah, so... the chaos going on in this world WAS her doing. That Shinto wind god was right. I told Odin! That stupid green haired witch and her... god complex!" the god rages.
-
>Sigh. "Could we get back to the matter at hand please? Since you're one of the top trickster gods, maybe you've got some useful input on how to outfox Titania. I'm pretty slick myself, but even I'm starting to run dry on schemes. So far my best idea is to use my sword to copy certain people so we can use those powers against Titania."
>Fistpalm. "Oh, I think I might know some people you might like to hang out with, given their fondness for pranks, but I don't know if they're still awake right now or not. They should wake up after this mess is resolved though."
-
>Sigh. "Could we get back to the matter at hand please? Since you're one of the top trickster gods, maybe you've got some useful input on how to outfox Titania. I'm pretty slick myself, but even I'm starting to run dry on schemes. So far my best idea is to use my sword to copy certain people so we can use those powers against Titania."
>Fistpalm. "Oh, I think I might know some people you might like to hang out with, given their fondness for pranks, but I don't know if they're still awake right now or not. They should wake up after this mess is resolved though."
> "Outfox her? There's only so much foxing one can do when you're in a dimension she's taken control of." Loki says, floating in the air.
> "As much as I'd love to hang out, I'm not a God with any faith these days. I can only stick around long enough to fix my precious wand. Now, I can chat and everything while I do that, but then I gotta go. Maybe if you can get some people to pray to Loki, then I can turn up and have some fun with those pals."
> The Norse god collects the shards of laevateinn, by picking them into the air, with a flick of his hand. They start to swirl around.
> "Man... you sure broke this good." he mutters.
> "Anyway, just 'cause I don't know about how to beat that crazy goddess, doesn't mean I don't want to see her taken down a few pegs. Maybe I can tell you what I know about her. You know, I think my word is gonna be a lot more useful than what some dusty old tomes from thousands of years ago say. Might help ya figure out what to do."
> "With all due respect, you're a trickster god." Sakuya says.
> "With all due respect." Loki says in a mocking tone, "Considering Titania wants to be an absolute god of every dimension, that puts my existence on the line as well. Imagine how powerful she will become after feeding on the fear of every dimension there is. No god or goddess would be able to stand before her, even all of them together would fall before one with the faith of the entire multiverse. Then without opposition from other gods, and with the entire multiverse feeding her with fear, she can do whatever she wants."
-
>"So, what do you know about her then? Aside from the fact that she's the Nature Goddess, and the Progenitor of the Fairy Race."
-
>"So, what do you know about her then? Aside from the fact that she's the Nature Goddess, and the Progenitor of the Fairy Race."
> "Sit back, because this is gonna get long." Loki warns.
> "Titania used to be a kind goddess, thousands and thousands of years ago. However, this began to change around 10,000 years ago. As human civilization began to warp nature, and the world, to their own ends. Large civilizations of humans began to form, and began, in Titania's eyes, destroying nature for their own greed, vanity, and selfish desires."
> Loki pauses.
> "Titania protested to the gods to take action, curb humanity's destruction of nature, as she saw it. However, she was refused. Humans gave the most faith of everything, and the way the other Gods saw it, including other naturegods, humans were doing nothing wrong. However, Titania refused to listen."
> "It began with Atlantis. Titania claimed she made the shifts in the tectonic plates as was due, but made a mistake due to waning faith, her power being somewhat haywire. The result sunk the human civilization of Atlantis under the sea. We were skeptical, but there was no evidence. We know now, her power was fluctuateing due to other, smaller things she did, and she had discovered fear as a form of faith."
> "Titania then caused several other disasters, although she had an alabi for the timing every time. That was, until she went too far. She set several events in motion, events that could not be reversed, leading to disaster after disaster. We found out about her meddling with the Santorini disaster., a volcano erupted with enough force to contribute to famine in the far away China."
> "She was found out, but struck out, killing several other gods before she finally lost all of her energy, and hid, putting her essence inside a young plant youkai, and hibernating inside them, until this day. Her actions have caused many other disasters since then, Mount Vesuvius. Laki, which killed about 6 million people. Krakatoa. And that is just volcanic eruptions, and not earthquakes, tsunamis, and other natural disasters."
> "The truth is, most major 'natural' disasters in the last 4,500 years were set in motion by Titania."
-
>"So then, we're going up against someone who feels she's in the right, but essentially went mad with power. Let's hope Sanae doesn't end up like that sooner or later. But since she used to be human, the odds should be a hell of a lot lower."
>Beat.
>"Sounds like just about every incident-causer over the past few years, huh? Someone remind me to throw Nue with enough force to send her from the Hakurei Shrine to the Youkai Mountain when all this is over. She's to blame for Titania waking up after all. Besides, she should be able to survive it, she's a youkai."
-
>"So then, we're going up against someone who feels she's in the right, but essentially went mad with power. Let's hope Sanae doesn't end up like that sooner or later. But since she used to be human, the odds should be a hell of a lot lower."
>Beat.
>"Sounds like just about every incident-causer over the past few years, huh? Someone remind me to throw Nue with enough force to send her from the Hakurei Shrine to the Youkai Mountain when all this is over. She's to blame for Titania waking up after all. Besides, she should be able to survive it, she's a youkai."
> "No, she has been in the process of waking up for a while. Fear fed her, and how many were scared of Yuuka?" Patchouli says. "All Nue would have done was accelerate the process."
> "On that matter, I doubt that at this point, Titania is even a god anymore. She has likely fallen, and become a demon. She wants revenge on the gods and the humans, and anyone abusing nature in any world now, and, if she had indeed become a demon, she has become an incarnation of her own fury, which would make her beyond saving." Loki says.
> "If you do fight her, you have to do so without fear, or you will just empower her." Loki adds. "That said, I do not see anyone going without fear into a being like her now."
-
>"Well, as long as I have this," Indicate Unified Chaos. "I should be fine. I was preparing for this sort of thing since the first Titania Incident a few months ago."
-
>"Well, as long as I have this," Indicate Unified Chaos. "I should be fine. I was preparing for this sort of thing since the first Titania Incident a few months ago."
> "A piece of metal formed by a god that's halfway to being a demon against a god feeding off fear from the entire multiverse." Loki says.
-
>"One little correction there, this little treasure can mimic a person's powers at a somewhat weaker level, as long as I can wrap my mind around how to use it."
>Pause. "I wonder if it could copy Flandre's power? That's how she damaged Laevatein as much as she did."
-
>"One little correction there, this little treasure can mimic a person's powers at a somewhat weaker level, as long as I can wrap my mind around how to use it."
>Pause. "I wonder if it could copy Flandre's power? That's how she damaged Laevatein as much as she did."
> "Doubtful." Patchouli says. "How can you water down her power? Besides, how can a sword hold an object's 'eye'?"
-
>"Good question. Maybe instead of being able to destroy anything, it can just destroy 'something'?"
-
>"Good question. Maybe instead of being able to destroy anything, it can just destroy 'something'?"
> "Except to destroy something successfully you need the abilty to destroy anything in the first place." Sakuya mentions.
> "I'll be going anyway~" Flandre says.
-
>"Hmm...Hey Flan, can you destroy ideas as well? I was thinking if we could destroy the concept of Titania controlling the Dream World, we could rob her of one of her biggest advantages."
-
>"Hmm...Hey Flan, can you destroy ideas as well? I was thinking if we could destroy the concept of Titania controlling the Dream World, we could rob her of one of her biggest advantages."
> "I can only destroy the material." Flandre says. "Consider that as the weakness of my power. I can also only destroy things weaker than I am."
-
>"So pretty much almost everyone and everything in this room, save for Loki that is."
>Nod. "That said, we just need to figure out some way to defeat her."
-
>"So pretty much almost everyone and everything in this room, save for Loki that is."
>Nod. "That said, we just need to figure out some way to defeat her."
> "I wouldn't be certain of that." Flandre says. "They say gods without faith are pretty weak, and honestly, I don't know if I'm stronger than you or not."
> "Well, I don't know if she has a weakness par say, but I can tell you this; she has an incredibly destructive attack, where she fires basically the collected force of nature as a beam of energy. However, after firing it, she is drained of energy, and has to breifly re-collect natural energy. The window is small... but it's still a window. It's how the gods managed to beat her and force her to seal herself. She fired that attack, erased about ten gods doing so, but then several gods locked down her energy collection and wounded her." Loki says.
> He thinks.
> "If I recall right, Odin was involved in that. Who else did he say... oh yeah, some sealing goddess named Hak.. something... oh yeah, Hakurei! I remember that name was important 'round here, but, well, this ain't my area. Japan isn't exactly Norse."
> The god thinks. "Oh yes, father said he pierced her with Gungir immediately after the blast, having thrown it before, off-target so the blast wouldn't destroy it, but using it's powers to hit. Then several other gods followed up, and then Hakurei took advantage of her weakened state and sealed her powers for long enough that she was forced to retreat."
> "But... to put the power of that attack into perspective... even after the Earth Gods mended the damage... the scar left is the Grand Canyon."
> "... That would put it beyond even that attack she used against us back then." Patchouli comments.
-
>"Well, there's still A Hakurei around, Reimu Hakurei to be exact. I guess to make this go off, I'll have to fight my way to her, and then borrow her power with my sword. Seeing as we don't know where the Hakurei God is, we'll have to make do with the Hakurei Miko's powers instead. And since she's probably asleep right now due to only being Human, I'll have to make do with a flawed copy of what she can do."
>"That said, Remilia, her older sister," Indicate Flandre. "Has Gungnir right now. If we can use that in the same way Odin did, we should be fine. I guess we've already got all the tools we need to beat her, so the only issue is escaping that blast when she fires it. Maybe we can misdirect it somehow? Do you know anyone who might know any tells, or quirks she has that we can exploit? For example, 'destroying nature' to make her direct her attention elsewhere."
-
>"Well, there's still A Hakurei around, Reimu Hakurei to be exact. I guess to make this go off, I'll have to fight my way to her, and then borrow her power with my sword. Seeing as we don't know where the Hakurei God is, we'll have to make do with the Hakurei Miko's powers instead. And since she's probably asleep right now due to only being Human, I'll have to make do with a flawed copy of what she can do."
>"That said, Remilia, her older sister," Indicate Flandre. "Has Gungnir right now. If we can use that in the same way Odin did, we should be fine. I guess we've already got all the tools we need to beat her, so the only issue is escaping that blast when she fires it. Maybe we can misdirect it somehow? Do you know anyone who might know any tells, or quirks she has that we can exploit? For example, 'destroying nature' to make her direct her attention elsewhere."
> "Ah, the family of mikos to the Hakurei Goddess who can channel her powers." Loki says.
> "I know who has Gungir. As for a tell before she fires it? A bright light. A VERY bright light." Loki says.
> This this point, L?vateinn finishes forming.
> "Well, that means I need to go, I can't stay here long, after all. I have so little faith..." Loki says, before he vanishes, seemingly into his wand.
====
About 1 hour ago, in the Forest of Magic:
(http://safebooru.org//images/1005/fcc577f745524e737dfb46955cfadcde6ba39f8e.png?1010366)
> You are Yoshika Miyako, and you had an idea.
> Nyang-Nyang is sleeping, and can't wake up, which means she can't be Nyang-Nyang. Still, everyone is in danger... and apparently everyone is sleeping. But you had an idea.
> Who said Nyang-Nyang has to be in control of Nyang-Nyang?
> You have bitten Nyang-Nyang, and made her your Jiang-Shi. You are in control of her. With her help, you should be able to have her make some tags to control more! You can wake up everyone! Kinda. Nyang-Nyang said that Reimu is probobly a good idea to try and wake up.
[Note: You can still talk about what Loki said as Rumia, just Loki's point about Reimu leads nicely to this. Reimu doesn't have to be awake to help!]
-
Giving this a minor bump with a reminder that if players do not like the direction things are going, to speak up. For example, if you don't like the Yoshika thing, we can just cut that.
I'm not here to dictate the game, just make the general rails and resolve events.
-
Well, my knowledge of the events is somewhat lackluster, but I'll give it a try.
>Do we know where Reimu is? Or Reimu's shrine?
>Can we talk normally to Nyang-Nyang when we've bitten her?
-
Well, my knowledge of the events is somewhat lackluster, but I'll give it a try.
>Do we know where Reimu is? Or Reimu's shrine?
>Can we talk normally to Nyang-Nyang when we've bitten her?
> You are aware. Everyone knows where the Hakurei Shrine is!
> Not... really. You just speak Zombie, since you are one. Apparently all Jiang-Shi's you make can do for vocal communication is groan and maybe the occasional word. Nyang-Nyang is so much better at this than you are, after all, she made you a Jiang-Shi.
-
>No other way to communicate with her then?
>Oh well, off to wake up Reimu and save the world or something! Or at least wake people up. Wander off to Reimu's shrine and bring Nyang-Nyang along.
>Say, how come we aren't asleep?
-
>No other way to communicate with her then?
>Oh well, off to wake up Reimu and save the world or something! Or at least wake people up. Wander off to Reimu's shrine and bring Nyang-Nyang along.
>Say, how come we aren't asleep?
> Oh no, you speak fluent zombie. You two can communicate perfectly fine! It's like when you two used Chinese to communicate with no-one else understanding before. Except this time you're using Zombie!
> You and Seiga head towards the Hakurei Shrine. Surprisingly, the way is clear of plant-monsters and everything nasty, until you reach near the shrine itself. Then there's suddenly quite a lot.
> You're not asleep because you don't need to sleep! You're a Jiang-Shi, you're dead, you literally do not need the biological benefits of sleeping! The only sleep you'll get is if Seiga ever lets the spell go, or you go back to eternal rest!
> That and you kinda skipped the week all this chaos happened while in Makai. Makai's time is apparently different, and that sword maid lady messed it up more too. You don't quite understand.
-
More questions. I like questions.
>How did we end up as a Jiang-Shi anyway?
>Are the monsters in the way?
>We can't fly very well, can we?
-
More questions. I like questions.
>How did we end up as a Jiang-Shi anyway?
>Are the monsters in the way?
>We can't fly very well, can we?
> You... don't know. You were dead. You know Seiga did something with dark magic. You know you can temporarily make others Jiang Shi by biting them.
> Yes, they almost seem to be patrolling the area.
> You can, but not that high or fast. You can hardly fly above tree level.
-
>Well, nothing for it then, they'll just have to shove off.
>Locate the one that's far away from the others, or just close to us. Then, apply knives. Make Nyang-Nyang apply more knives.
-
>Well, nothing for it then, they'll just have to shove off.
>Locate the one that's far away from the others, or just close to us. Then, apply knives. Make Nyang-Nyang apply more knives.
> Indeed.
> You wait for one to wander somewhat alone, and then unleash a storm of kunai danmaku from your claws, which move slowly, and then suddenly speed up. Seiga hurls large knives as well.
> The monster is cut badly, and loses some of it's appendages, but is still very much alive. It launches what seem to be large seeds from gaps between twists of plant material. The seeds then turn towards you and Seiga.
-
>Presumably we're not too good at dodging? And it is pretty hard to hit a seed in full flight...
>Eat Dodge the volley to the best of our ability, or if we're really bad at dodging, just try to shield Seiga.
>Once it has passed, approach the plant monster and claw at it, with Nyang-Nyang backing us up with those knives.
-
>Presumably we're not too good at dodging? And it is pretty hard to hit a seed in full flight...
>Eat Dodge the volley to the best of our ability, or if we're really bad at dodging, just try to shield Seiga.
>Once it has passed, approach the plant monster and claw at it, with Nyang-Nyang backing us up with those knives.
> The seeds are actually pretty large, as the plant monster is. It should be possible to shoot them down.
-
>Oh, sure then. Redirect our kunai hail to the seed volley. Keep Seiga focused on the monster.
-
>Oh, sure then. Redirect our kunai hail to the seed volley. Keep Seiga focused on the monster.
> You launch kunai at the seeds, while Seiga keeps hurling knives. The seeds are tough, but are broken before they make impact. Unfortunetly, it seems the golem is growing back faster than Seiga alone can cut it.
> The golem abandons it's seed attack, and instead lashes with with three whip-like vines.
-
Ah, regeneration.
>What attacks do we have access to that don't involve kunai or eating?
>Have Seiga shoot some of those weird dark glowy orbs, if possible. Otherwise resume double knife action!
-
Ah, regeneration.
>What attacks do we have access to that don't involve kunai or eating?
>Have Seiga shoot some of those weird dark glowy orbs, if possible. Otherwise resume double knife action!
[Yeah, it's a thing plant youkai can do. Because plants can re-grow from most damage. The Ayakashi could do it too, which is why everyone blew it to smithereens. Just accelerated. If there was a youkai based on a suitable animal, they'd have regeneration too.
Don't worry, Titania can't regenerate herself like a plant, at least, not without draining faith for her offense, or as quickly. That said, hurting her is another factor. Yuuka, on the other hand, is a plant youkai, so can regenerate like one.]
> Your attacks involve:
> Physical combat. Despite your lack of flexibility, you can swing your arms with incredible force. Your body is actually pretty tough as well, harder than the average body. Partly due to being dead, partly due to enhancements and charms Seiga has placed upon you. You have some martial art knowledge from the time when you were alive as well, but that's not much good when your joints are stiff as they are.
> Your nails are venomous. You're not sure why your nails secrete a venom, you guess it's a Jiang-Shi thing.
> You can be used as a channel for Seiga's Dark Energy, although you doubt she can use it in her state. You tell Seiga to do so, but she just groans a 'Uh?'
> Combined with your abilty to eat anything, your Jiang-Shi'ing bite, your own danmaku, and your abilty to heal by consuming certain things, like spirits, food, or something high in energy, you're actually considerably stronger than most give you credit for. You guess it's because people don't expect an underling to be that strong.
> You can Seiga go back to focusing your combined power om the golem, and it tips off the appendages lashed towards you, and starts dealing damage faster than it can recover. This time, it doesn't get a chance to switch tactics, and collapses. Judging by the fact it's not re-growing anymore, it's dead.
> Unfortunetly, while your brain may be half rotten, you're aware the sound of this combat is sure to draw the attention of the other golems in the area. That said, you may be able to use this to your advantage, it depends how smart they are, and how many heard.
-
Yes, hmm...
>Can we make Seiga fly alright?
>Is there any place we can conceal ourselves in or behind, such as non-hostile vegetation?
-
Yes, hmm...
>Can we make Seiga fly alright?
>Is there any place we can conceal ourselves in or behind, such as non-hostile vegetation?
> Yes, you just command her to fly.
> Most of the vegetation is not mobile golems. There is quite a lot of room to hide behind trees in front of the Hakurei Shrine's hill.
-
>Check the trees for any animate greenery. Once the coast is clear, hobble behind one.
...hang on.
>Seiga can pass through walls, right? Would she be able to pass through the ground?
-
>Check the trees for any animate greenery. Once the coast is clear, hobble behind one.
...hang on.
>Seiga can pass through walls, right? Would she be able to pass through the ground?
> None of it is animate.
> Seiga can indeed travel through the ground, although she must constantly remain moving, and do so swiftly, as the holes she opens very quickly collapse. If done improperly, she would be buired alive. You recall Seiga did it once to escape 'Something worse than a Shinigami' as she told you.
-
>Hmm, probably not something to entrust her with when she's zombiefied then...
>Make sure she's concealed behind the tree as well, then wait until we notice any sign of a plant monster approaching.
>Do kunai have to originate from ourselves? Can we spawn them somewhere else or do we need one of those familiar thingies?
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>Hmm, probably not something to entrust her with when she's zombiefied then...
>Make sure she's concealed behind the tree as well, then wait until we notice any sign of a plant monster approaching.
>Do kunai have to originate from ourselves? Can we spawn them somewhere else or do we need one of those familiar thingies?
> You decide against having Seiga burrow.
> Seiga is concealed.
> No, but they do have to originate from very close to you.
-
Bums.
>Didn't we have some spellcards that summoned ghosts, or was that due to the spirits in the mausoleum?
>Regardless, spy on the area where we made noise until any hostiles approach.
-
Bums.
>Didn't we have some spellcards that summoned ghosts, or was that due to the spirits in the mausoleum?
>Regardless, spy on the area where we made noise until any hostiles approach.
> That was due to the great influx of spirits, the concentration was far greater than usual.
> You spy on the area, not that uch spying is needed with the size of the creatures. One is approaching from the eastern side, and another from the west. They are not very fast.
-
One from the left, one from the right. Yes...
>Wait until they're within 5-10 metres from each other.
>Then take flight and position ourselves above them.
>Have Nyang-Nyang shoot those rows of bean danmaku to trap them in two lanes, then call forth the nonspell that summons two split masses of kunai!
(Talking about Yoshika's second nonspell, on Hard or Lunatic)
-
One from the left, one from the right. Yes...
>Wait until they're within 5-10 metres from each other.
>Then take flight and position ourselves above them.
>Have Nyang-Nyang shoot those rows of bean danmaku to trap them in two lanes, then call forth the nonspell that summons two split masses of kunai!
(Talking about Yoshika's second nonspell, on Hard or Lunatic)
Just checking, you mean *Beam* danmaku, not bean, right?
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Just checking, you mean *Beam* danmaku, not bean, right?
Nope, they're bean danmaku. I think Seiga doesn't use beams in nonspells - although perhaps she can use those here?
Still, she has this five(?)-way shotgun of blue beans in the first and second nonspell - that's the one I'm talking about.
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Nope, they're bean danmaku. I think Seiga doesn't use beams in nonspells - although perhaps she can use those here?
Still, she has this five(?)-way shotgun of blue beans in the first and second nonspell - that's the one I'm talking about.
[Ah, THOSE]
> You wait for the golems to approach, before you and Seiga unleash a barrage of danmaku, specifically danmaku patterns that are designed to hit multiple targets in the first place.
> One of the golems is knocked over by the force of the attack. Both have taken some damage. The standing one unleashes a pollen from it's head. You know it won't harm you, but it may be dangerous for Seiga.
-
>Order Seiga to get back behind that tree for shielding.
>As for us, we'll descend upon the fallen golem and claw it to shreds!
-
>Order Seiga to get back behind that tree for shielding.
>As for us, we'll descend upon the fallen golem and claw it to shreds!
> Seiga flies back being the trees.
> You can't claw something multiple times larger than you to shreds, but you claw it regardless to infect it with the toxins in your nails. The area slashed looks a little withered, and is proceeding slowly.
-
>Float around it for a couple of seconds and stab it repeatedly in other areas, then get back to our previous flight level and recommence kunai assault on the other golem!
>As for Nyang-Nyang, have her fire a few of those beams that dissipate into danmaku shards between the golems.
-
>Float around it for a couple of seconds and stab it repeatedly in other areas, then get back to our previous flight level and recommence kunai assault on the other golem!
>As for Nyang-Nyang, have her fire a few of those beams that dissipate into danmaku shards between the golems.
> You keep hitting the grounded golem in a few other areas, and it seems it's struggling is ceasing.
> The other golem sends multiple vines to constrict you before you can attack, but Seiga slams a white and blue curved laser into it, which explode into danmaku shards, making it fall over, with you still in it's grasp.
-
>Give it a stab for good measure, then eat your way through the vines.
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>Give it a stab for good measure, then eat your way through the vines.
> You'd stab it as you fall, but the vines are stopping you. So you just eat the vines and THEN stab it instead.
> The golem stops moving.
> It appears that there are no more in the nearby area.
> Seiga groans and grunts several times. It seems she thinks it is a good idea to move on before any which heard the combat arrive.
-
>That seems to be reasonable, yes.
>Run/shamble/fly to the hills shrine!
-
>That seems to be reasonable, yes.
>Run/shamble/fly to the hills shrine!
> You head to the shrine itself.
> There appears to be nothing guarding the shrine proper. However, there is something that doesn't feel right. It almost feels like it's too easy.
> Then you notice bits of plant, torn apart and asunder over the area. It seems like someone cleared the way.
> Looking around, you see there are some orange-yellow hairs scattered about, and claw marks in trees and along the ground. You don't know who these belong to, but whoever it is was probobly the one who cleared the way for you.
-
I'd probably be able to figure out who if I knew the whole story. Ran or Shou or someone else with nails...
>Well, all the better then! Saves us the trouble. Into the shrine, we have people to bite!
-
I'd probably be able to figure out who if I knew the whole story. Ran or Shou or someone else with nails...
>Well, all the better then! Saves us the trouble. Into the shrine, we have people to bite!
Well Shou is guarding the sleeping Myouren crew, and Ran showed up to assist against Yuuka 'late' saying 'there were other matters she had to attend to'. It was Ran. Of course Yoshika doesn't know that, Yoshika doesn't even know who Ran *is*.
> You head into the Shrine, and see Reimu. She is in her kotatsu, head resting on top of the table. She'd look peaceful, if not for the look of terror etched onto her face like he rest of Yuuka's victims. At least she's warm!
-
>Nom time! Bite her in the neck or somewhere easily accessible.
>"Wakey-wakey, miss Reimu!"
-
>Nom time! Bite her in the neck or somewhere easily accessible.
>"Wakey-wakey, miss Reimu!"
> You bite Reimu in the neck, and almost instantly recoil. Reimu does not taste nice. You guess it's the divine power of a miko.
> Still, Seiga slaps a talisman onto Reimu, which reads 'Obey Yoshika'.
> Reimu's eyes suddenly open, and she rises.
> She grunts, from zombie to usual language, her speech is: "Why are you waking me up? I was relaxed~"
-
Oh, talking. Not too good at that.
>"'Cuz there's angry plants everywhere and everyone's asleep and we need you to help fix it and stuff!"
And this is kind of where I stop since I have no idea who's awake or not. I'll go reread some stuff before continuing.
-
Oh, talking. Not too good at that.
>"'Cuz there's angry plants everywhere and everyone's asleep and we need you to help fix it and stuff!"
And this is kind of where I stop since I have no idea who's awake or not. I'll go reread some stuff before continuing.
[Yoshika doesn't have much of a clue either. She only knows Alice, Marisa, Aya, the Taoists, and Rumia's group, thanks to Maribel]
> Reimu grunts.
> "I don't wanna... but I feel like I have to do what you say for some reason..."
-
[OK, seeing as this isn't going anywhere and the main part of what the aim was is done...]
====
> You are Rumia again, and you have just finished telling everyone else what just happened when Flandre destroyed L?vateinn, and what Loki said. General responses included Remilia almost going mental when she heard Flandre broke L?vateinn, confusion, and several people mentioning Reimu is asleep.
> At the point where Cirno was saying this for the fifth time, Utusho points skywards.
> "If Reimu's asleep why is she flying here now?" Utusho asks innocently.
> No-one bothers to answer her. Utusho herself had already asked four times about Reimu, so everyone started ignoreing her. Then Renko looked towards the sky, as she does fequently, and spots it too.
> "Guys... Reimu IS flying towards us. So's Seiga and that zombie person." Renko says.