***
A few moments earlier?
?Argh, where is that thing? A human certainly couldn?t have thrown it that far?? grumbled Cirno as she searched for the golden coin as quickly as possible.
Meanwhile, up in the trees?
?Commander! Possible target spotted!?
?Engage target immediately!?
?Yes ma?am!?
Without warning, a whole bunch of red lights dotted Cirno?s body?
?Huh?? What are these things? Do I have that human disease again? What was it, Pigeon Dots??
***
Soon after that, Cirno found herself hanging upside down from a tree branch, in large and thick, cocoon like wrappings.
?What?s going on here?! Let me down!? demanded the fairy girl, feeling the blood rush to her head.
Just then a large number of Inaba Army members, many of whom wielding wooden swords and sticks jumped out of the bushes, stampeding toward her.
?We got you! Now tell us everything you know!? said an Inaba that was wearing sunglasses.
?I can?t tell you anything if I don?t know what you want!?
?We see past your lies fairy! Now tell us where the human and her three youkai companions are going!?
?I don?t know what they were doing here or even care about them! Now let me down so I can finish the race!? squealed Cirno.
One of the bunnies hit Cirno in the side, sending her swinging.
?Whoa, whoa, whoa, WHOA!?
?What race??
?I have to find the coin before the black does!? explained Cirno.
?The ?black?? You must be talking about the witch!?
?Yes, that?s her! Now let me down!?
?You can?t tell us what to do! We?re the ones that caught
you!?The rabbits began wailing on Cirno again, sending her on dizzying bobs and weaves.
?WAAAAAAAAH!!!? yelled the ice fairy.
?Ma?am! We should find that coin first! If we do, we can ambush the black-white!? suggested another rabbit.
?Good thinking trooper! You three with sticks! Continue pressing the ice fairy for information! Everyone else with me!? ordered the sunglasses clad commander.
?YES MA?AM!?
?Wha??! How dare you! When I get out of this, every last one of you is going on i- OW!
Cirno was interrupted as she was whacked repeatedly by the bunnies.
?OW, OW, OW! You?ll pay for this! You?re all nine-balls!? vowed Cirno.
The bunnies stopped.
?What?s a nine-ball?? asked one.
?Beats me?? shrugged the other.
?Whatever, lets keep beating her with sticks.? said the third.
?Maybe candy will fall out!? exclaimed the first.
?Candy?! I don?t have can- OW, OW, OW, OW, OW, OW, OW!? yelped Cirno.
***
?By now, they think that we?re heading to that stupid coin. Whatever Kaguya is up to, she really shouldn?t have left it to such inept rabbits, ze!? laughed Marisa, mocking the Inaba?s behind their back.
?I must admit that your plan was? ?clever. And? ?interesting.? said Wriggle uneasily.
If amoral and primitive? If nothing else??Why thank you!? said Marisa.
What an odd human? thought Mystia to herself.
?So typical of you Marisa? You?re prone to doing things like that quite a bit.? said Alice.
?If it keeps us safe, and enemies off our backs, it?s perfectly fine.? explained Marisa happily.
?Fine, just don?t ever think of doing that to me.? sighed Alice, putting a hand to her head.
?Ahh, don?t worry I have a strict policy against doing that to friends.?
?And yet you steal from them, and mooch from them? Just like you intend to do at that mansion.?
?We?re just hangin? out for awhile, don?t worry.? explained Marisa with a thumbs up.
?I?m sure we are?? said Alice, rolling her eyes skeptically.
A few more minutes of walking, and the four girls could see a small black ?cloud? of some sort in the distance?
?Head?s up!? warned Alice, seeing them first.
?What?s that?? thought Mystia out loud.
?Hmm? Wondering when they would show up?? snickered Marisa with a deviant smile.
?Ahh?! Those are in fact?? began Alice.
??the fairy maids of the Scarlet Devil Mansion!? finished Wriggle.
?Complete with that flying devil of Patchouli?s.? added Marisa.
Even though I didn?t exactly want them to show up this soon? Then again, it won?t matter too much if we make it quick. Besides, I need a good fight...They were the fairies of Scarlet Devil Mansion. Clad in French maid uniforms, and varying in size from that of a standard fairy to a full human. They all carried weapons in the form of? ?household cleaning appliances. Hundreds, upon hundreds approached the four heroines who prepared to stay their ground. Leading them was Patchouli?s assistant, Koakuma, flying with her large black wings.
?Mystia get behind me!? said Wriggle as she covered the night bird.
Koakuma halted, the fairies doing the same as they looked at the group.
?Marisa Kirisame! We have come ask you about a certain book you may have stolen from us!? announced Koakuma.
?Wow? Need I remind you I only
borrow books from your Mistress? Even with her crappy health, she?ll long outlive me, so she can have them back then. Also, why is she only sending forces against me after all this time?? responded Marisa.
Yeah? That?s a good question? thought Alice, raising an eyebrow.
?There is a particular book! It is imperative that we have it back!? explained Koakuma.
?What is it? Did I steal your Mistresses personal diary or something?? teased Marisa.
?This is no joke, black witch! If you won?t give me a straight answer, then I?ll force if from you!?
Koakuma raised her hand? The maids held their tools at the ready?
?ATTACK!? shouted Koakuma as she brought her hand down at high speed.
The maids began charging the quartet at high speed! Reacting almost instantaneously, Alice held out her left arm at the maids. Several dolls materialized with bows and arrows, firing yellow shots into the maids. Many yelped as they were shot down.
Marisa, smiling evilly as pure usual, summoned several green spherical familiars that floated around her. From these familiars came very thin red energy beams that tore through a good number of the maids, causing some to explode into fairy dust.
Meanwhile, some of the fairy maids fired at Wriggle and Mystia, both of whom dodged. Two flew in at Mystia, but the bird quickly slashed them away with her claws, shattering their weapons. Wriggle flip jumped into the hair, landing on a fairy?s head, and sending her face first into the ground. After that, the two stood back to back.
?I still can?t fly Wriggle.? said Mystia.
?I?ll take care of it then. I know I?m not at full strength, but?? responded Wriggle as she pulled out a spellcard. ?Butterfly Sign!?
Wriggle felt her body surge with power as her bandages disintegrate.
?Butterfly Storm!?
The card flew into the air above the two animal youkai, exploding into a storm of yellow, red, blue, and green danmaku. The magic bullets struck at maids from all sides, bringing many down. Despite still feeling weak from the ordeal with Kaguya, Mystia isn?t about to sit around and not help (her ego depended on it!). She pulled out a card of her own?
I?ll have to use a weaker one for now? she thought to herself. ?Vocal Sign ~ ?Howl of the Horned Owl!??
Mystia threw the card into the air, letting it explode into swarms of red and blue spearhead-like bullets that added to Wriggle?s attack. The energy flowing in her body blew off her bandages as well.
At some point, Alice took to the air, surrounded by dolls. She continued using the dolls to bring down maid after maid, while dodging their own attacks, be they physical or otherwise. One maid managed to slip past Alice?s assault, coming at her from behind. But her attempt ended when a doll came from nowhere, and stuck a sword right through the right side of her head. She promptly fell into dust. Alice dodged magic bullets and kunai thrown by a few more maids before having her archer dolls take care of them.
Marisa annihilated several maids with thin white beams shot from familiars, causing Koakuma to cover her eyes. When she uncovered them, the black dressed devil saw the black dressed witch on her broomstick, zooming toward her with an evil smile on her face at a rather high speed. Koakuma immediately darted backwards while materializing familiars of her own on her sides. The familiars -elaborate white circles- fired thin white laser beams of their own at Marisa while Koakuma herself added in white bullets. The blonde haired girl however zoomed and weaved through the beams and projectiles, lowering her head when necessary. She put a hand to her hat to keep it on as she sped past Koakuma and her assault.
Marisa was clearly faster than Koakuma. She got some distance before swinging around, speeding at Koakuma like a fighter jet. The winged girl?s face began to sweat a bit as she darted away from the green blasts that Marisa fired at her like machine guns. She sped away up into the sky frantically as Marisa continued her pursuit whilst firing green projectiles out of her hands. It wasn?t long until Koakuma had enough. There was only so long she could keep this up due to her inferior speed after all.
She drew a spellcard?
?Clairvoyant Sign!? she shouted, the spellcard beginning to glow.
?Oh??? muttered Marisa, seeming curious.
?Walk of Many Saints!?
As the card vanished, Koakuma began emitting a green colored aura around her body. She briefly held her arms out to the sides and up diagonally before holding them straight up. Thick green and grey clouds formed above her open palms. Finally, she through her arms straight out at Marisa.
The clouds transformed into a devastating number of dark green and light grey bullets that sped at Marisa like sine waves and circles. Additionally, some bullets weaved in with each other, making dodging more difficult. None the less, Marisa found a way through, letting bullets graze her with mild stinging as she just narrowly inched by them.
Koakuma tried to move backwards, but moving quickly wasn?t possible with this card out. A look of near panic came upon her face as Marisa got in closer while summoning two more familiars to join the two already out. The four familiars tailed behind her. As Marisa fired her usual green shots, the familiars fired small white bullets as well.
Unable to defend herself, Koakuma was pelted with numerous magic bullets. This disrupted her spell, the bullets it generated quickly falling apart into yellow energy, and then into nothing. Koakuma backed off, coughing while holding her left shoulder. Her dress was tattered in places.
?All bark and no bite as usual, eh Koakuma? If ya can?t back up what leaves your mouth, then your mouth shouldn?t open.? taunted Marisa. ?Now it?s time I showed you a spellcard attack.?
Marisa pulled out a spellcard of her own.
?Comet??
Oddly enough, Marisa slapped the card to the side of her broom? The card glowed bright blue, filling the broom with energy.
?Blazing Star!?
Suddenly, to Koakuma?s surprise Marisa shot forward at an unbelievable speed whilst surrounded by a magical blue aura that made her look like a shooting star, many blue stars falling behind the witch! Before Koakuma knew it, the tip of the broom was plunged dead into her stomach, knocking her away at a high speed with a gasp! She fell limply as a few drips of blood escaped her mouth. This went on for a few seconds before she recovered and stopped herself, holding her stomach and looking at Marisa.
Blast? I can?t do a thing against a power this much stronger than mine? thought Koakuma to herself.
Forgive me Ms. Patchouli. I?ve failed you.Marisa then flew over to Koakuma, sitting on her broom rather casually.
?Now if it isn?t too much trouble, would you mind telling me about the book you?re after?? she said with a now more pleasant smile.
Koakuma blinked, hesitating, unsure of what to make of Marisa?s casualness.
?C?mon, you lost. The loser has to tell that which the winner wants to hear.? said Marisa.
Koakuma swallowed, then spoke.
?If you say so? The book we search for is one filled with many odd riddles, poems and tales.? explained Koakuma.
?Why didn?t ya say so? Hmm?? Marisa paused to think, putting a hand to her chin. ?Naah, don?t think I?d have something like that. I?m only interested in spells ya know.?
?Nhh? Are you sure?? said Koakuma depressively.
Marisa merely shrugged. Koakuma then took on a more determined expression.
Wait? We still have Eientei left? In fact, the others are position by now? thought Koakuma to herself. ?All maids pull back! Full retreat!?
The remaining maids obeyed, flying away from Wriggle, Mystia, and Alice. Some of the survivors were carrying out injured. It wasn?t long until the SDM servants had retreated, and Marisa along with Alice returned to the ground by Wriggle and Mystia.
?Sheesh, not even a ?goodbye? or ?thank you?? Man, what?s this world coming too?? asked Marisa, looking into the sky.
?Are you two alright?? asks Alice to Mystia and Wriggle.
?I?m okay. They didn?t even lay a finger on me.? said Mystia in a way that was halfway unemotional and halfway boastfully.
?I seem to be doing alright myself. I don?t think I even opened any wounds.? said Wriggle checking herself.
Marisa then walked up to Wriggle, who looked up questioningly. Marisa gave Wriggle a thumbs up and a wink.
?You did good there kid! Nice job!? said Marisa.
Wriggle blinked for a few seconds, then smiled back with a small blush.
?Thanks Marisa.? she replied.
And I was even able to protect Mystia??Hm? Well thanks to that little fight, we?ve lost some time we couldn?t afford to lose. Let?s hurry up to the mansion already.? said Marisa.
?Huh?! But weren?t we fighting maids from the very mansion mere moments ago?!? asked the shocked Alice.
?I second that!? adds Mystia with a slightly angry expression.
?They?re not heading back there? To the mansion I mean.? said Marisa vaguely.
?What do you mean?? asks Wriggle.
?I noticed they were heading the wrong way?? said Marisa as she turned around? ?and dropped her smile. ?They?re in fact heading somewhere else??
Marisa began to wonder what was going on seriously now. The time for playing may have just ended? Wriggle recognized the direction of where they were going after a few seconds herself.
?!Those maids and their devil leader were heading straight for Eientei.