~Hakurei Shrine~ > Kosuzu's Grand Bookstore
Of Light and Darkness (RiG 1.5)
Mima:
After some moments of thought, Mima recalled the situation from beforehand, she?d thrown away a part of her strength to rejuvenate the goddess, so a full encounter with the shrine maiden would be a bad idea but a chance for surveillance is something to not be passed up.
Repeated the movements she was heading before, Mima entered the forest by the shrine, following the energies of the shrine maiden and as more progress was made, the series of youkai remains she had left in her wake, fortunately for Mima, it didn?t take that long for her to locate Reimu, mostly since it seemed she had gone a fair distance in one direction before almost circling back from where she had been.
As the shrine maiden wondered through the woods, she was attacked by several youkai, most likely related to the destruction. In reply to the attacks, the shrine maiden produced a single yin-yang orb, similar to the ones used by Murasaki and launched it at the group of youkai. It struck into the nearest one, disintegrating it upon impact before the orb bounced off, striking another youkai. As the orb began to lose its speed and power, the maiden dodged her way over to the floating orb and struck it with her gohei, seemingly renewing the orb's power allowing for more youkai to be fought and inevitably destroyed.
She?s only using one orb, are you telling me she?s lazy to the point she hasn?t trained at all? All the others in the Hakurei bloodline were able to use countless orbs. Mima criticized in her head, knowing the power that the orbs had and knowing how fatal they were in numbers.
Mima continued to follow the shrine maiden through the forest and before long; the girl entered a cave where she was attacked by more youkai who were promptly exterminated.
She seems to know where she?s going, anyway.
The cave was surprisingly bigger then Mima had expected, and as the two entered a large, lit chamber the girl suddenly spoke.
?What do you want? You?ve been following me for a while now.?
Impressive, she knew I was there all along.
Not hiding anything, Mima flew into plain sight before the shrine maiden. ?I?m merely trying to work you out, who are you??
The girl replied uninterested, ?Reimu Hakurei, of the Hakurei Shrine, and I swear if you?re with those who trashed it, I?ll kill you.?
Mima grinned, ?Oh, that?s quite threatening for someone your age.?
Unhappy with the reply, the girl threw the yin-yang orb at Mima who quickly dodged out of the way.
Fine, a little practice run then.
Mima started to fire back, sending several waves of dark projectiles at the shrine maiden who dodged between them while keeping the yin-yang flying at Mima. Grinning again, the spirit sent a larger wave of projectiles followed by several other beams of magic and was pleased to see that the girl dodged between the beams while reflecting the light-enchanted orb to dispel the weaker projectiles leaving her unscathed as the attack settled.
?Not bad, I can see you?re a true Hakurei.? Mima said happily.
She?s surprisingly powerful, especially for her level of magical energy. At least it?s a sign of what I?m dealing with.
The spirit threw some dummy waves of magic at Reimu, who continued to fight back, as the yin-yang flew at Mima, she purposely flew into it and using her magic to create a display producing beams of light she used it to make her exit, while hopefully making her look exterminated to the shrine maiden.
Mima quickly left the cave and headed on her way, confident that Reimu would complete whatever task she had planned in that cave.
As she returned home, another idea struck Mima. ?Why do all the work myself, when I can get someone else to do it?? Mima laughed at her idea, there was sure to be beings in Gensokyo that want to test their powers or skills, making them do so against Reimu would just be killing two birds with one stone.
Wondering how and where she could find such people Mima?s thoughts were interrupted by a strange sound.
Is that? crying?
Hunting for the source of the noise, Mima looked around the forest for a moment before finding the source of the noise, a child huddled up beside a tree.
Before she could stop herself, Mima spoke out, ?What?s up, kid??
The child jumped in shock hearing the voice and looked up, revealing a young blonde haired girl with golden eyes. ?Nothing? Go away.?
Mima raised an eyebrow, bemused at the situation. ?There?s no need for that, if you?re lost, I guess I can take you back to the village.?
?No!? The girl shouted suddenly, ?I?m not going back there.?
Mima laughed at the girl, ?I see, so you?ve ran away from home, so how long are you expecting to survive before you get killed??
The girl paused, ?I-I don?t know.?
?Come on, what could be so bad that you risk your life to run away from home?? Mima hovered in the air besides the girl.
?My stupid family? They won?t let me use magic? They just want me to be boring and work in the shop with everyone else.? The girl coughed, ?My mum said the family?s always been against it, so there?s no chance I?d be allowed to do it.?
The story sounded strangely familiar to Mima; someone who had the ability to use magic and wanted to use it, yet was surrounded by those who were against it.
?Tough luck, kid.? Mima sighed, reminded of her past, ?I?ve heard that story before.?
?Huh?? The girl answered, confused,
Mima closed her eyes, ?Never mind, anyway the matter at hand is that there are currently around 5 youkai watching us, and since I?m not in the mood to fight them, it would be best to leave, don?t you think??
?You best not be thinking to dragging me back there!? The girl complained.
The spirit sighed, ?Fine, suit yourself.?
You try and be good for once and they do nothing but complain?
?Okay, my house isn?t too far away from here, we?ll head there.? Mima started to slowly move away, waiting for the child. ?What?s your name anyway, kid??
?Marisa? Marisa Kirisame??
Kirisame!?
Images of the horrible events from the past flashed though Mima?s eyes at the mention of the name.
That would explain her family?s reluctance against magic, with scum like him in the bloodline.
?I see, well, you may call me Mima. Now come on, let?s go.? Mima ordered, leading the girl away.
Mima:
On the way, the girl started to talk out of the blue, ?You know, my dad told me a story once about someone called Mima, she was really evil and killed people including my great-great-great-something grandpa. It?d be pretty funny if you were her.?
?Yes, wouldn?t it.? Mima feigned laughter.
It?s good to hear I actually killed him.
?Well, here we are.? Mima held her arm out, presenting her ancient house.
The girl suddenly shouted, ?What! You live here?!?
Mima sighed again, ?Yes, I do. Let me guess, you were told stories by your parents that the house is evil??
?Well, yeah? So that means? you really are that Mima from the stories? It?s not as funny as I thought it would be?? Marisa spoke in a confused tone.
?Correct, I?m the evil being known as Mima, here to kill everyone and all that from the story.?
Marisa replied with a laugh, ?For some reason, you don?t seem all that bad.? The girl?s voice remained positive, ?Does that mean you know magic!??
?Correct again.? Showing off, Mima caused the door of the house to open from a distance, before causing the house to light up by itself. Heading into the house, Mima caused a fire to light in the fireplace. ?Is that alright??
Mima noticed the girl?s mood had improved more upon seeing the magic, ?Yeah! Magic?s great!? The girl suddenly went quiet, ?Say, could you kinda? teach me how to use magic? Not this kind of stuff, but real magic, you know, magic that can defeat youkai, let you fly across the sky and stuff like that.?
Mima drifted over to Marisa and stared into her golden coloured eyes, ?Well, you seem to have magical potential?? Marisa?s face suddenly lit up, ?However, I think a test is in order before I teach you.? The girl?s expression suddenly reversed.
?What kind of test??
?An important thing that magic requires is a good memory; after all, if you can?t remember an incantation or gesture, then you can?t use the spell, which means you?re useless.?
?So??? The girl replied slowly.
Mima flicked through a few of the dust-covered books on a shelf. ?So, your test will be? to recite the first 50 digits of Pi, unaided.?
?Of what!?? The girl instantly complained.
?Pi, it?s a mathematical number.? Mima picked up a book and opened it to a page before handing it to Marisa. ?Mathematics also plays a part in magic, especially if you want to make your own spells sometime.?
The girl replied with another complaint, ?What!? This is stupid! This is unfair!?
?Life is unfair, but you have to live with it.?
For the rest of the evening, Marisa continuously read the book and tried to recite the numbers, failing every time to Mima?s amusement.
?You?ll get there one day.? Mima encouraged. Marisa replied with a yawn, ?Tired, kid? There?s a bed in the other room if you want it. It just might be a bit dusty.?
?Well, where are you going to sleep?? Marisa asked, confused.
?I?ll be alright, it?s not like missing sleep will kill me.?
The girl continued to look puzzled, ?Huh??
Mima sighed and lifted the bottom of her robe, revealing her wisp-like tail where her legs should have been. ?I?m dead; sleep is just a form of entertainment.?
The girl yawned again, having not taken what was just said in correctly, ?Whatever? Good night.? The child mumbled before leaving the room.
After the girl had left, Mima sat back to wonder how on earth she?d managed to be looking after a child while planning on how to kill someone.
Putting the thought behind her, Mima went straight on to thinking about the more serious issue, making a list of possible magic spells and overall plans for her attack on the shrine.
Before she knew it, Marisa called out while entering the room, ??Morning.?
?Oh, hello again. Sleep well??
Marisa raised her voice, almost shouting, ?3.14159265358979323846264?? Slowly her voice drifted off, losing its volume. Suddenly she gave a growl of frustration and admitted her defeat.
?Not bad though, you?ll get there one day.? Mima smiled back, after looking at the girl for a moment. As she did, she realized something, ?You know... there?s nothing for you to eat or drink here. Like it or not, you?ll have to go to the village? I don?t have any money either, so it might be hard to keep a low profile.?
Marisa interrupted confidently, ?Easy, I know a guy who works with my family, he can get me stuff and he?ll keep quiet.? Before Mima knew it, Marisa was halfway out the door.
?What are you going to do about the youkai!?? Mima shouted after her.
Marisa spun around and grinned, ?Don?t worry! I can run fast!? Without another word, the girl quickly disappeared into the trees.
?She?s certainly bursting with energy...? Mima said with a sigh before returning to her magical studies.
A few hours passed, and bored from the work looked out the window, ?I wonder where that kid is?? Looking back down to the book she was reading and flicking a few pages back, she laughed to herself, ?Probably made up with her family and returned home??
Mima ran her pen down the page, scanning through the text before noticing something and scribbled it out, writing someone above it. Holding her arm out, Mima began to read what was wrote down and as she finished, a small red orb began to orbit around her. The spirit watched the orb for a few seconds before clicking her fingers, causing it to fade from existence and wrote something else down into her book. ?Small and weak but with a lot of potential... quite like humans.?
Mima jumped when she heard a bang from the door, followed by Marisa entering the room with a large pile of items, obstructing her vision. ?Jeez, I must have hit every tree on the way here, twice!?
?That?s quite a lot of stuff you have there.? Mima commented.
With a wink she replied, ?Yeah, well, it?s my parents stuff, so it?ll be mine when they?re dead anyway.?
Mima looked back bemused, ?That?s quite unique logic.?
?Also, I got this!? Marisa shouted while she dug into one of the larger bags producing a large, typical looking witch hat and placed it on her head which looked almost like it was about to devour her. ?I?ll be needing this!?
Mima walked over to the child and inspected the hat and snatched it off her head, ?But not yet, you still have a test to pass remember??
?Aww, please!? The girl begged.
?No, a deal is a deal.? Mima looked at the upset girl, ?Besides, I?ll think you?ll do it soon.?
Marisa looked up, ?You think??
?Yeah, now if I was you, I?d use this time to be learning more.?
?Okay!? The girl sung, reaching for the book.
The afternoon passed quickly, with Mima returning to her work as Marisa continuously attempted to memorise the fifty-digit number, without success. Though it made Mima smile when she saw how fascinated Marisa was as she watched her testing the spell she was making.
After 30 or so attempts, Marisa finally gave up and left the room to go sleep. Taking the chance, Mima waited a few minutes and left the house to check the shrine and local area for anything new or worth noting. Unfortunately for Mima, there was neither, the village was as boring as it always was and Reimu Hakurei seemed to have gone to bed early.
Upon her return, Mima was greeted by the voice which she was getting used to hear, ?Where you been?? Marisa was sitting at the table.
?Just a fly around, it?s not good to be stuck indoors all day. It?s not healthy.? Mima replied.
?Like health matters to you, you?re dead.? Marisa laughed.
?Anyway, what are you doing up at this time?? Mima turned the conversation around.
?Memorising, what else!? Marisa grinned again before closing her eyes. 3. 14159265358979323846264338327950288419716939937510!? Opening her eyes, Marisa looked at Mima expectantly.
Mima looked surprised for a second before grinning back, ?Not bad. Quicker then I honestly thought you?d do it.?
?Does that mean that I-?
?Yes, I?ll teach you.? Mima interrupted.
Marisa cheered and hugged Mima, ?Thanks, Lady Mima!?
Mima raised an eyebrow, ?Lady? Mima? What?s with the polite behaviour??
?Why not? You?re helping me after all.? Marisa explained excitedly.
Mima replied, waved her arms to tell Marisa to calm down, ?If you say so, still, just call me Mima if you wish.?
?Can we start now?? Marisa asked, buzzing with energy.
?No.? Mima said sharply, ?its past midnight, we?ll start in the morning, now go on, go to sleep.?
Disappointed, Marisa left the room, ?Alright? See you tomorrow.?
?Good night.? Mima replied, strangely tired herself. ?Maybe? a few hours sleep wouldn?t hurt.? Lying back in her chair, Mima closed her eyes and soon lost consciousness.
Mima:
?Welcome back.? A voice sounded, ominously.
?Huh, welcome to what?? Mima replied, finding herself in a pitch-black area, which even her magic couldn?t seem to shift.
A giggle echoed around her before the reply came, ?Welcome back to the world of? self-control, of being civilised, sanity, though that?s quite questionable.? The voice giggled again.
?Show yourself!? Mima commanded.
Yet another giggle filled the air, ?Not just yet.?
Mima stamped her foot on the ground, ?Stop playing games! I have no time for this!? The spirit shouted.
?Oh, you do, you?re dead, and a free soul at that. You have all the time in the world!? The voice laughed eerily.
Mima, losing her temper shouted out, ?What the hell do you want with me!??
?Just observing you, I hadn?t guessed you?d change so much.? The voice took a more serious tone, ?Last time I checked you, you were a senseless raging lunatic out for death and destruction, and now look. You?re rational and back to normal, for lack of a better word, and you?ve even started to look after a little girl, how cute.?
Closing her eyes, Mima paused and then spoke calmly, ?We?ve met before haven?t we? I recognise your voice, too much.?
The voice once again laughed, ?Yes, we have, and just for you, I?ll put you out of your misery and show you who I am.?
A silhouette glowing white appeared in front of Mima, causing her to shield her eyes as they adjusted for a moment, slowly the light began to fade, finally making the figure visible.
The first thing Mima noticed was an umbrella or similar object in the person?s hand, waiting impatiently and with anticipation she spoke, ?Can?t you hurry it up??
?Can?t you tell who I am yet? You?re foolish if you haven?t guessed.? The voice returned to giggling.
The light suddenly dispersed revealing the person who was hiding all along, ?You!? But-?
?Lady Mima! It?s time for magic!?
Mima sprung up from the chair she was in to see Marisa standing in from of her, with the witch hat returned on her head.
?Damn it, damn it, damn it!? Mima shouted.
Marisa took a step back, ?S-sorry Lady Mima, I thought you said sleep wasn?t important to you.?
?No, it?s not that. I was just having an? interesting dream. Nothing to worry about.? Mima stood up and smiled weakly, ?Now, like I said I would, I?ll teach you how to use magic.? Marisa jumped into a chair and waited eagerly while Mima flicked through a few books, finding the one she wanted, she picked it up and threw it in front of Marisa.
?I guess you?ll want to start with the practical work first, so we have to start with the easy stuff.? Mima turned around, ?Have you managed to tap into your magical energy yet??
Marisa replied with a blank look. ?No? Well, that?s the first thing then. Concentrate deeply or try to think really hard, something like that, engage your mind.?
Marisa closed her eyes, furrowing her brow as she tried to follow what Mima set. ?Feel any different?? Mima asked.
?No, my head hurts though.? Marisa complained.
Mima sighed, ?Well, try and make the magic active, you know yourself best, do what you think will let your energy loose.?
Marisa concentrated again, closing her eyes for a minute, eventually opening them, her golden eyes almost seemed to have intensified and the grin on her face had reappeared, ?I think that did it, either that or my brain just blew up.?
?So, what did you do?? Mima questioned.
?Think about cool stuff, like blowing things up and showing off.?
Mima shook her head in disbelief briefly before opening the book from earlier. ?Well, there?s only one way to see if it worked.? The spirit opened the book to a page early in the book. ?Easiest spell there is, creates a little beam of magic, can?t do anything with it, but it?s a starting point.?
Marisa jumped up, ?So what do I do!??
?Well, you have to move your arm in this pattern.? Mima pointed to a simple triangle on the book, ?While muttering these words.? Mima moved her finger down the page, pointing to a couple of words.
Less than a second after explaining, Marisa jumped and tried to cast the spell with no result.
?You have to concentrate like you did before; magic without magic energy is a little useless.?
Attempt after attempt passed with failure as Marisa started to lose her temper and Mima had started to read a book near her when a small bolt of energy pierced through it, just missing her hand.
?Alright! I did it!? Marisa jumped in the air with joy.
?Yes, you did. Congratulations.? Mima smiled, while throwing the now-useless book at the wall.
?Let?s go onto the good stuff now! Explosions, flying, cool magic!? Marisa shouted.
?You have to go one step at a time; I can?t have you blowing yourself up.? Mima complained
?Fine, fine, but hurry up!? Marisa demanded.
Almost a year passed as Marisa quickly learned magic, in a few months she was at the point where she was able to help Mima designing her spells, to a small extent though still unaware of the overall aim of Mima?s plan which was only a day away.
?Hey, Lady Mima?? Marisa asked.
?Yes??
?All this work you?ve been doing, and leaving to see things, what?s it all for??
Mima sighed, ?Well, I guess I should tell you... I gather you know Reimu Hakurei??
?Oh yeah! Everyone knows her; we used to be best friends, before I ran away, anyway.?
?Well? I?m planning on causing her? downfall, if you want to call it that.? Mima explained with a hint of regret, hearing Marisa?s history with her.
?You mean you wanna kill her?? Marisa interrupted, saying it as though it was a normal thing.
?If it comes to it? I guess so, it?d be nice not to though.? Mima continued talking.
Marisa asked a question quickly, ?Why?d you want to kill her then??
?In short, Reimu?s ancestor killed me, and only by using her powers can I resurrect myself and get my life back.?
?Why do you want to be alive again? There?s nothing wrong with what you are now, is there?? Marisa asked inquisitively.
Mima paused for a moment, ?That?s a good question, and I wish I knew the full answer myself. But there?s just something that drives me for that aim, and it would be nice to live what you?d call ?A normal life? peacefully. I never got the chance.?
?I? see?? Marisa replied, a little confused.
Mima rose her voice slightly, ?Still, I?m not expecting you to help, if Reimu is your friend, then I won?t force you to even face her. I know what fighting your closest friend is like?? Mima?s voice drifted off along with her thoughts, back to the times she lived once again.
?It?s alright.? Marisa replied.
?What?? Mima rapidly replied.
?I?ll help you fight Reimu.? Mima opened her mouth to speak before she was interrupted, ?But, I don?t want to kill her or anything, but there?s nothing stopping me from wearing her down is there?? Marisa winked.
?I? A-alright, I?ll let you fight then.? Mima spoke shakily, not used to the kindness of others.
?There?s no ?Let me? about it! I?m fighting and that?s final!? The witch spoke arrogantly.
Mima smiled back, ?Okay, okay.? Mima walked backward to the table she worked at, ?But you need an extra edge, which is where this comes in.? Mima reached for the single book on the table and presented it to Marisa.
?This is? the spell you?ve been working on? You mean it?s finally finished?!? Marisa shouted in interest.
?I think so, try and cast it and see what you think.? Mima invited.
Marisa flicked through the book to the appropriate page before placing it on the table. Looking down on the book she read the incantation out while moving her arms to form the spell?s pattern, adding in the middle, ?This spell takes ages to cast!?
?Well, hopefully it?ll be worth it then.? Mima replied.
Soon, a red orb appeared next to Marisa and began orbiting her, ?Wow, it works! This is awesome!? Marisa paused for a second, ?What?s it do??
With a sigh, Mima walked forward to her apprentice, ?Can?t you feel it? First of all, it?s amplifying your magic, should give us a bit more power to play with, then they?re the physical feature of it, if that orb hits someone then they?ll know about it, the concentrated magic makes it quite nasty to be struck by.?
Mima quickly summoned a small orb of energy and fired it at Marisa, ?Lady Mima! What are you??? Marisa flinched, preparing for the impact, though after a few seconds she looked up. ?Huh??
?Another feature is that it blocks magic, and it's not just some one-hit wonder; it can take quite a lot of damage before the spell breaks and even then you?ll just have to cast it again.? Mima explained further.
Marisa got a glint of inspiration in her eye, ?Well, it?s a pretty cool spell, but there?s one thing wrong about it.?
Slightly surprised, Mima asked, ?What??
Reaching for a pen, Marisa flipped the book a few pages back and crossed it out completely despite Mima?s complaints, ?What are you doing?!?
?Making it better!? Marisa shouted while rewriting the page at an impressive rate.
Mima could only wait, slightly worried while the witch kept switching between writing and crossing the same writing out.
Eventually, the witch gave a small cheer, ?Finished!?
?What did you do to it?? Mima inquired.
?Watch and see!? The witch said enthusiastically before casting the spell again, after ten seconds later, the red orb formed around her, along with three others, a blue, a green and a yellow. ?You see, the orb was too small to do that physical stuff effectively, if you spread it around you, then it?s going to block more stuff, right!?
?I see... Yes, that?s quite impressive Marisa. Well done.? Mima patted Marisa on the head as she watched the clock. ?And it would look like it?s almost time.?
?Time for what? Lady Mima?? Marisa asked, puzzled.
?Time for our visitors to arrive, the ones who will be helping us with my plan tomorrow.?
Mima:
Mima successfully ignored the bombardment of questions from Marisa, about who she had invited around this evening, until there was three sharp knocks at the door.
?Someone?s here Lady Mima!? Marisa shouted as she raced to the door, only to jump back to see Mima had got there in a flash. As Mima opened the door, she talked, ?Hello again! Glad to see you decided to come!?
Another voice sounded far from cheerful, like Mima?s, ?Indeed.?
?Well, come in, come in. We have plenty to discuss.? Mima invited, as the person walked into the house and into Marisa?s view.
The woman wasn?t what Marisa had expected, the woman had a large build, taller than Mima and had an aura that gave the impression she could overpower Mima physically in seconds. Her robes were reasonably basic, red and white robes that resembled a Samurai?s training garb, which along with the sword at her waist confirmed the woman?s job. Her hair was quite long, tied to a ponytail, which trailed behind her; the hair on the front of her head covered her face slightly, keeping her ever-the-more mysterious.
Marisa walked in front of the woman as she went to sit down, ?So, who are you??
The samurai looked at the witch for a moment before walking past her, ?Hey! I asked you a question!?
The woman spoke quietly, ?Meira.?
?Good! I?m Marisa! How ya doing??
The samurai spoke awkwardly, ?I?m? alright, I guess.?
?Alright, and-?
?Marisa, please go and make some tea.? Mima interrupted.
Marisa sighed, ?Okay, Lady Mima??
Mima laughed quietly once the apprentice witch had left the room, ?Sorry about her, she?s quite the handful.?
?Forgiven, now let?s talk about this plan you had.? The samurai quickly changed subject.
?Alright, let?s keep it simple. Once my plan is in motion, and the shrine?s thrown into disarray, I can guarantee you that the Shrine Maiden you?re after will leave the shrine down the northern road.? Mima walked over to a bookshelf and scanned through book titles.
Meira looked up, looking confused, ?The north road? But that leads to nothing, does it not??
Mima laughed, slamming a book down on the table and opening it to a map of the shrine area, ?Oh it will, it will be leading right towards the bait, me.? Mima grinned maliciously, ?That shrine maiden will head straight for me.? Mima pointed to a position north of the shrine, in the mountains. ?And the quickest route is the north road.?
?Fine, and then what?? Meira asked.
?Isn?t it obvious? You fight, you kill her, and you take her powers, whatever you?re planning?? Mima laughed.
Meira paused in thought for a moment, ?Why are you helping me? What?s your reason??
Mima stared back with a deadly serious look, ?Isn?t it obvious, I want her dead as much as you want those powers, the reason doesn?t regard you so I suggest you just get on with it.?
A slight look of discomfort was visible in the Samurai?s eyes for a moment, before she blinked out of it and returned to normal, ?Fine. I?ll do it.?
?Good, I predict you?ll encounter her at around midnight, make sure this opportunity doesn?t go to waste.? Mima added.
The samurai rose from her chair and walked to the door, opening it and stepping out, ?Of course, I won?t lose. I assure you that.? Meira said before slamming the door.
?I assure you, you will.? Mima said, once the warrior was out of earshot.
Mima sat back and laughed, ?She believes in herself too much, she seriously thinks she can win? Even Marisa could beat her.?
?And that?s a bad thing?? A voice from Mima called, causing Mima to almost fall off her chair.
?No no no, she was acting as though she was the absolute most powerful being there was and you?re a witch who?s been learning for less than a year so it?s really-?
?Forget it Lady Mima, you?re embarrassing yourself.? Marisa interrupted with a giggle. ?She didn?t even drink her tea.? She said as she placed the cups on the table.
Marisa sat at the table facing Mima, ?So, you just hired her because you know she?ll lose??
?Indeed, I did. She?ll wear the maiden down somewhat though, and that?s all I care for.? Mima paused for a second, ?Still, the night?s not over yet, we still have someone else to come tonight, they?re already lat-?
Mima was cut off by a bang at the door, ?Speak of the devil!? Marisa sung as she opened the door again.
?Hello! Is this Mima?s place?!? The voice said loudly, but friendly.
?Yeah, who are you?? Marisa asked; a little overwhelmed.
?Name?s Rika! Mima told me to come around about some plan or something like that.?
?She?s over there, I?m Marisa.?
?Alright then!? Rika walked into the room, showing herself, her clothes were relatively simple, a white shirt with various black stains smudged across it and red trousers, which were equally as dirty. Her appearance was also simple, long brown hair trailing behind her back and brown eyes to match. Marisa noticed as she walked by that she was carrying a large metallic box-like object, which appeared to be quite heavy.
?Good evening, Rika. Please take a seat.? Mima said, in a lighter tone then when the samurai was present.
Rika smiled and followed the order. Dropping the box onto the floor with a large crash. ?Oops, sorry about that.?
?No problem.? Mima mumbled, ?Now, let?s get to business, the plan for tomorrow night. You?ve been looking for a way to test your? mechanical skills, was it??
?Yes.? Rika quickly said.
?A way to that will be handy for the both of us will be, as ridiculous as it sounds, to attack the Hakurei Shrine.? Mima said with an evil grin.
Rika looked confused for a second, ?You mean that old building on that hill??
?The same. I want you to cause as much damage as possible. That?ll be your first test, your second, will be to fight the shrine maiden, she?s of? reasonable power, but certainly not unbeatable, so that will be your second and final test.? Mima explained with a serious face, hiding her smile.
?No problem, nothing beats a bit of technology!?
A voice came from behind Rika, ?What?s technology mean? Is it some kind of magic??
?Oh, no no no, it?s quite the opposite, Marisa!? Rika kicked the box slightly, causing it to open and revealed a collection of various shaped pieces of metal. The girl reached into the box and picked out various pieces, ?Let?s see, what can we make?? Rika paused for a minute in thought before jumping slightly, ?I know!?
Rika began place pieces next to each other, before using another bit of metal to seemingly stick them together before layering more and more, only raising Marisa?s confusion, finally after a few minutes she had finished.
?This... is the wonders of technology!? Rika moved slightly, showing Marisa the now assembled creation.
Marisa continued to look confused, ?What?s it do??
?This!? Rika shouted excitedly, ?Pressing a button on the side, the weird creation suddenly made a loud sharp bang, followed by the sound of Mima?s window smashing. ?Ah hell, sorry about that! It was a bit more powerful than I thought!?
Mima only sighed, ?Fine, just make sure you succeed tomorrow.?
?Of course!? Rika replied. ?Anyway, it?s late, and my ultimate creation isn?t even done yet!?
Mima looked puzzled, ?And that is??
?Top secret, even to you, Mima!? Rika laughed as she left through the door, ?See you around!?
As she shut the door behind her, Mima swore she heard the mechanic say, ?Now, if I put it on the south road, I bet she?ll run right into my trap!? But Mima decided it was just her imagination.
?Is that it?? Marisa asked out of the blue.
?Yes, it is. I thought it would have taken longer than it did. Anyway, you need to get some sleep now, tomorrow?s the big day.? Mima smiled at her apprentice.
?Alright, g?night Lady Mima!?
?Good night.?
As Marisa left the room, Mima turned around and stared out of one of the unbroken windows. ?After all this time, we?ve finally come to the conclusion, once and for all.?
Mima:
?Lady Mima! Today?s the day!? Was the first thing Mima heard, stirring her from her sleep.
Falling asleep again? This is becoming a habit.
Looking up, Marisa looking down on her, fully dressed and ready to go.
?What we gotta go?? Marisa shouted enthusiastically.
?Well?? Mima paused as her brain warmed up, ?You should really practice your magic, and there?s a spell we?? Mima was interrupted by her own yawn. ?We need to cast, to counter the shrine maiden.?
?What, another one? What is it this time?? Marisa said, curiously.
Mima grinned, ?You won?t have heard of it, and you won?t be learning it any time soon. You?ll just have to wait.?
Marisa looked puzzled for a moment, before her mentor spoke again, ?Now get your broom, we?re going on a trip, in fact, bring everything you need, we won?t be coming back here again today.?
?Alright!? Marisa ran off into her room, followed by the sounds of rummaging and items falling. As the sounds continued, Mima looked around with a hint of sorrow, if everything went wrong tonight, then everything she had gained in the short time in her return would be lost, especially Marisa who felt more like a daughter to her now, all in the name of revenge.
It?s not just that, right? I?m working to get my life back. Surely?
?I?m ready!? Mima?s thoughts broke as Marisa ran into the room, holding her broom with a blanket wrapping in a bundle and tied to it, presumably containing all the items Mima told her to get.
Mima took a final look around, ?Alright, let?s go.? She took a deep breath and opened the door for her apprentice to leave through.
In the few seconds it took to turn around from shutting the door, Marisa was already floating around in the air on her broomstick, which was an ordinary broom until a few months ago when Marisa?s complaining of not being able to fly really began to annoy Mima and she cast a spell on it. ?Eagar to leave are we?? Mima called out.
?Yep!? Marisa said simply, before flying away.
?Wait! You don?t even know where we?re going!? Mima shouted after Marisa as she took into the sky after her.
She?s oddly excited; I wonder if she really knows what lies ahead.
After managing to redirect the young witch, Mima and Marisa found themselves at the base of the mountain, just north of the Hakurei Shrine.
?Here? What are we doing here?? Marisa quickly asked.
Mima gave a menacing grin, ?This is where we lay our final trap for Reimu.?
Marisa tilted her head in puzzlement causing Mima to continue, ?We will actually be up there.? Mima pointed up, towards the peak of the mountain. ?It?s a long way to fly or travel, so if we present a shortcut, then that lazy shrine maiden will be sure to take it.?
Mima drew a pattern on the floor and chanted causing a purple rift-like portal to rise out of the ground. ?Also, due to the proximity of the shrine, there?s some instability, so with this link to the dream world, we can use it to make a short entrance to the peak.?
Marisa continued to look completely confused, ?And??
Mima shook her head, ?If we fill the dream world shortcut with traps, then it?ll be a benefit won?t it??
?Ah ha! I see, but what are you going use then?? Marisa asked.
Mima grabbed Marisa by the hand and pulled her into the portal, ?Let?s have a look!?
The world almost seemed to take a while creating itself, as blocks shifted into place forming a pathway. ?Wow? This is amazing!? Marisa shouted. The witch ran along the seemingly never-ending road of transparent tiles, looking around at the stars, and spinning around as the occasional one flew by. ?Wow, Lady Mima! Look at that!? The girl shouted, pointing through the tiles at the nearby sun, which Marisa has just noticed the platform seemed to be orbiting.
As she looked up, she saw Mima was already floating away in the distance, ?Wait up Lady Mima!? She saw Mima physically sigh, as she turned around to wait for her.
?What is the trap going to be then?? Marisa asked yet another question.
Mima grinned and point where she was facing ahead, ?Those.?
In front of them was a large gap with another platform on the other side, containing another portal, presumably the exit, and five weird stone orbs with various inscriptions. ?Those? What are they??
?In simple terms, magical orbs, but can?t you feel the magic radiating from them? They?re no ordinary statues.? Mima spoke, as she drifted over the large void.
Marisa thought a moment, ?So, we activate them and set them on Reimu??
?Correct!? Mima sat down, in front of the middle stone and began to draw a pattern in front of it with a piece of chalk. Soon after she began quietly reciting a spell which even Marisa could not understand, and seemed to never end.
A few minutes later, there was finally some activity as the orbs cracked and seemed to radiate green energy for a few seconds, before returning to normal.
?Uh, Lady Mima? Did the spell fail or something?? Marisa asked.
Mima turned around with a grin, ?Oh no, the orbs powers are merely being hid, as soon as Reimu gets here, they?ll activate and until she destroys them all, that portal over there won?t open.?
?Ah! I see! Clever!? Marisa looked around again, ?Is that everything? Can we set up your spell now??
?Yes, it?s time.? Mima smiled weakly, leading Marisa through the portal.
As reality reappeared to the two, Marisa complained, ?What?! There?s still miles until we reach the top!?
?That?s because I want you to distract Reimu halfway, to give me more time.? Mima said coldly.
The two magicians started their trek up the mountain, enjoying the view of Gensokyo they had, including the Hakurei Shrine. ?It?s fun to think that place will be trashed by Rika in a few hours.? Mima laughed.
Mima?s mind drifted off again, thinking of the events that are to take place tonight. Will she win? Can she really kill a girl to get back her own? Can she put Marisa through all of this? Mima shook her head and dismissed the doubts; of course she?ll succeed, and be a step closer to finding Murasaki and making her pay.
?Oh, we?re here already?? Mima said quietly, aware they were at the peak, ?Marisa, please set up what I told you to.?
?Alright, Lady Mima!? The girl sung as she began to take out various items from her broom-blanket compartment.
A couple of hours passed, as Mima and Marisa quietly worked to set the spell up, all that was required now, was the power that only the Hakurei?s held, by far the hardest ingredient to get.
Night soon fell, and Mima started the spell, soon her ?henchmen? would move into place and Reimu would be attracted towards the beacon of magic that is Mima?s spell, and the night?s events would begin.
?And so it begins.? Mima spoke, as a small explosion tore through the side of the shrine.
?Wow!? Marisa laughed, ?That?s kinda cool! That?s Rika and her machines, right??
?Indeed it is, though I didn?t want her to cause that much damage. If we win, we might own that place.?
?Oh yeah, we would wouldn?t we!?? Marisa shouted, as excited as ever.
Minutes passed as more explosions shattered around the shrine, until there was a different sight, amongst the explosions were flashes of other colours, reds and blues appearing at different points, suddenly causing the other explosions to come to a halt.
?It looks like she?s arrived.? Mima spoke calmly.
As the explosions died down, Mima relaxed a little when Marisa screamed almost in her ear, ?Look, she?s not done yet!? Mima looked up curiously to see a much larger object slowly move into the shrine?s grounds; it looked like a large box with a yin-yang painted on the top, as it got closer more explosions tore through the area.
?She?s certainly doing more than I thought she would.? Mima commented.
The signs of Reimu fighting back continued around the destruction until the large machine stopped and a few seconds later erupted in one final explosion.
Mima closed her eyes, ?Farewell, Rika.?
Marisa groaned, ?Aww, that was awesome, she should have won.?
?I knew she wouldn?t.? Mima spoke.
?Stop being a spoilsport, you can always hope!?
?Hope?Like I hoped I?d live a peaceful life one day, before I was killed?? Mima snapped back.
Marisa went silent and looked down, ?Sorry, Lady Mima.?
Mima tried to sound brighter, ?It?s alright, now look, Meira should appear soon.?
The two magicians watched the path between them and the shrine for any sign of activity.
?Do you think she turned up? Maybe she chickened out?? Marisa spoke out.
Mima laughed slightly, ?It would be ironic would it not? After what she was like when you met her.?
Suddenly there was a flash of light, ?Oh! Is that her do you think?? Marisa shouted.
?It must be. It?s not the shrine maiden.?
There were several more flashes followed and after every flash, a tree collapsed in the area. The colours of Reimu?s attacks struck back at the samurai, the closer proximity allowed Mima and Marisa to watch the projectiles fly around in all directions, as some flew into the air, Mima commented, ?Interesting, it looks like Reimu can fly somehow, I didn?t think she?d learnt that yet.?
?Huh, you say something Lady Mima?? Marisa turned, distracted by the fight.
?No, nothing.? Mima replied.
Soon enough, small red and purple orbs were flying around in all directions, ?I believe our Samurai friend is getting desperate.? The spirit spoke. ?At this rate she won?t last-? Mima was interrupted by all the orbs disappearing, and the flashes ceased. ?-much longer??
Mima stood up, with Marisa following suit, ?What are we doing?? Marisa asked.
?I?m just going to try and see what state Reimu is in, before she enters that portal.? Mima explained.
?Oh.? Marisa followed Mima as she hovered down the side of the cliff slightly, and as Mima said, they saw Reimu hovering forwards. ?I knew there was a turtle at the shrine!? Marisa cried out randomly.
?What?? Mima spoke out, before noticing that Reimu was indeed, riding on the top of a turtle.
It can?t be the same one, could it? Mima wondered to herself.
At that point, Reimu noticed the two on the mountain and looked back. There a pause of tension between the two, where if the distance was smaller, a battle could have started right then, instead, the shrine maiden looked back ahead, and flew into the portal. Causing Mima to burst out in laughter.
?What?s so funny, Lady Mima?? Marisa asked, confused at her master?s outburst.
Mima stopped laughing slightly, ?I created that trap in the dream world, because I was expecting her to be on foot, but with that turtle, she could have easily just flown up to here, missing the trap altogether!?
?Oh, I see!? Marisa laughed alongside Mima.
?Well, she?ll be here soon enough, let?s move on.? Mima ordered.
The two walked back up the slope, towards the ritual site, ?It?s nearly time for your performance, Marisa. Be sure to try your best.?
?Of course I will! I?ll try my hardest so that you can get your life back and we can live normally again!? Marisa grinned.
Mima stopped walking, ?Well, this is it. All we can do now... is wait.? Mima waited a moment, ?I can feel the energy of those stones fading... She?ll be here soon.?
A few minutes passed as Marisa discussed her spells and tactics, when they were interrupted, ?No more running, it ends here!?
Mima looked ahead, to see Reimu looking slightly scruffy, riding on the turtle, laughing she answered, ?We?ve done no 'running' shrine maiden, we?ve been here to start with.?
Reimu suddenly changed subject, ?I know you? I thought I killed you last year!?
?Obviously, that?s what I wanted you to think, but I?m not as weak as that.? Mima taunted.
Reimu paused for a moment, ?You?re Mima aren?t you??
?Oh, I?m glad you heard of me. I believe you missed me at one point?? The spirit laughed.
?Typical, you turn sane when it?s my turn. Still, whatever you?re planning, it ends here!? Reimu drew several talismans.
?Not quite, there?s one more obstacle for you.? Mima giggled, while hovering backwards.
Reimu growled in frustration, ?Oh, what now!??
?Me!? An all too familiar voice to Mima shouted, as she dropped down in front of her. ?You gotta get past me!?
?Marisa? What are you doing here? I thought you went missing?? Reimu said confused. ?And what are you doing with her!? Are you out of your mind? She?s evil!?
?She?s not! She just wants to get back what was stolen from her?? Marisa argued.
The maiden sighed, ?Look Marisa, get out of the way, I don?t want to hurt you.?
?No! You want to fight Lady Mima, you gotta go through me!? Marisa shouted, before quickly reciting the spell the magicians had worked on, causing the four orbs to orbit around Marisa as she took off into the air.
?Go now, Lady Mima! Get the spell ready!? Marisa shouted.
?A-alright! Be careful!? Mima shouted, as she flew over to the site.
Be careful, Marisa. I don?t want anything to happen to you, this is my business.
Rushing through the spell, Mima set the final components into place and read the final incantations; all that was needed now was the Hakurei power.
Mima hurried around, hearing the sounds of battle echo around her, the familiar sounds of Marisa?s lasers blasting the ground around them, followed by the sharp thud of Reimu?s yin-yang orbs.
By the sound of it, she can use more than one orb now. It?s about time.
Almost by coincidence, as Mima stood up, and turned to face the battle, the noise stopped. Grabbing her staff, Mima silently waited to see who would walk up onto the top of the mountain to face her and was unsurprised to find herself face to face with Reimu Hakurei.
?Well, Miss Hakurei, welcome to the finale of this story.?