I did take four years of Latin in high school, so I have a little control over my usage of Latin. I never did think I would ever find a good use for this stupid language up 'til now, but I guess everything isn't without its consequences – whether good or bad.
Enjoy the read,
-Akyuu no Joshu
It's All Down To ThisRemilia: Huuu…how long has it been since I have last been here…?
The vampire leader is slowly making her way to the lowest level of the entire grand castle of the Scarlet Devil, alone. Only darkness is her sole companion in the depths of the abyss of the basement.
Remilia: Hopefully she will still see me as an older sister. It…it has been too long since I have last seen her. I kind of miss her, to think about it now. But now is no time for sweet reminiscence… for the sake of my beloved nation, this must be done, no matter what consequence-!
The small lady stops in front of yet another set of massive double doors, this time composed of blackened reinforced steel, eerily but lavishly decorated with seemingly warped figures of gargoyles, skulls, and deformed angels. Only two dimly lit torches, flaming tiredly in the depths of the abyss, emit any source of light that any normal pair of human eyes can see in the vicinity. But for a vampire like Remilia, the torches are more of an annoyance than anything. She closes both slit-like pupils and throws both hands in front of the double doors, upon which her palms hit something that cannot be seen.
Remilia:
Meum ignosce, O soror. Officium mei at est vita mei.The invisible wall that stopped Remilia's palms now glows blood red and melts down into the floor, causing the torches on each side to whittle in their flames. The massive steel doors slowly and ominously wrench open, and reveal a small girl, about the same height as Remilia, only a bit shorter, and outfitted in a crimson red dress finished with white frills and a white, floppy, brimless hat. While Remilia has the traditional pair of vampire wings, this girl instead hosts a pair of what look to be rainbow-colored diamonds hanging from their stems, jingling merrily as the girl walks and giggles at the sight of her beloved older sister.
Girl: Onee-sama? Did you call for Flandre?
Remilia: Yes, I have.
Girl: Is it play time now? Flandre wants to see Sakuya and Meiling and the rest. Flandre wants to play danmaku again with them. Can she? Please?
Remilia: …you can play danmaku with them later. They…they are not here at the moment, they are out doing some chores. However, Flandre, my younger sister, I must ask you to help me. Will you be willing to assist your older sister in a short task?
Flandre Scarlet: Of course, Onee-sama! Flandre'll do anything for her older sister! What can Flandre do, what can Flandre do?
Yuuji: Hooo. Here it is, ladies and gent. The SDM Grand Castle.
The commanders and main army of Hakurei is now in sight of the grand castle, which towers in the distance some five or so miles away. The Red Haze has been all but dissipated, and the remnants of the SDM military have assembled in front of the castle, ready and prepared for the worst. Yuuji, Reimu, Marisa, Genji, Meiling, Sakuya, and Patchouli stand high above their troops in the air, using the Chief's magenta boardwalk to do so.
Sakuya: You promise not to use Deep Blood against our mistress?
Yuuji: For however many times you have asked me that, to all of them I say yes, I will not use it. But be warned, I will use it if our army is in danger of losing this battle. We came all the way here to finish the job, not to lose here and go home. Rest assured, I only intend to use the power to draw Remilia in, not to let her drink my blood. Sakuya-san, Patchouli-san, Meiling-san. I want you three to directly support me as I lead the initial charge, Remilia should come to face me as well. I will handle her with Reimu and Marisa giving me supporting fire from behind. Is everything in order?
Everyone nods their confirmation.
Yuuji: Genji-san, please take care of the wounded. You know what to do – routinely send diviner medics to scan the battlelines of wounded and retreat them back. Our soldiers' lives are things we can't replace, unlike mere weapons. At least, not as easily.
Genji: Understood, sir.
Yuuji waves his right hand, and a portion of the magenta rune they are standing on separates cleanly from the rest, lowering Genji alone down to ground zero.
Yuuji: Well then. Now that preparations are ready, let's do this. Good hunting, everyone.
The magenta platform shatters, and all the commanders fly off into their respective positions. The Chief, as usual, charges forward in the air, running along his ever-extending magenta boardwalk, and below at ground zero, the troops charge in with the customary Hakurei war cry.
Yuuji: REMILIA SCARLET! I KNOW YOU CAN HEAR ME! FACE ME AS THE LEADER THEY SAY YOU ARE!
Remilia Scarlet makes her charismatic appearance, soaring up to her opponent's level in the sky.
Remilia: You did well to advance all this way, newcomer. Care to dance with us today?
Yuuji: I don't mind. That's what I'm here to do, anyhow. But "us"? Who's "us"?
Flandre:
Kyuu~Yuuji's entire body explodes. The eradication of matter rocks the battlefield, throwing up a giant smokescreen ball from nothing.
Reimu: Kyaaaa, what was that?! Sawatari-san, Sawatari-san?!!!
Meiling: Oh, oh no…that…that's-!
Sakuya: Imouto-sama!?!
Patchouli: Good luck, Sawatari Yuuji.
Marisa: Waaaaah! How come Chief gets ta take ferst dibs on da good stuff?
The vampire sisters hover in the air above the explosion site.
Remilia: Oh, come now, human. You shan't be dead from a mere explosion?
The smoke dissipates, and the Chief emerges, completely intact and caged in by an intricate system of magenta strings, each with their own unique rune.
Yuuji: Whew…just in time.
The cage disassembles, crumbling into nothingness.
Yuuji: And who may this young lady be?
Remilia: Heh…what you do not know cannot hurt you, can it?
Yuuji: What are you talking about, knowing is half the battle, ain't it?
A crackle of static.
Patchouli: Sawatari, that girl is the younger sister of Remilia Scarlet, named Flandre Scarlet. She is this nation's best kept secret – only the commanders you have captured and Remilia know of Flandre's existence. She has been locked away for the past 495 years, and now it seems Remilia has released her from her entombment to fight off this national crisis. You must take caution if you desire to emerge from this battle intact, for her manipulation ability is the ability to destroy anything and everything.
Yuuji balks a little.
Yuuji: Anything and everything? Wait, that sounds familiar…
Patchouli: Yes, that is why she has been locked away for so long, for fear she may end up accidentally wiping half of Gensokyou off the map. But luckily she is obedient to her older sister, so she has not done anything disastrous…yet.
Yuuji: You're starting to sound ominous, Patchouli-san…
Patchouli: That is because you are now trapped. You should pay more attention to what your opponents are doing than talking to me.
Yuuji: Oh sh*t, you're right. Well sorry for not being the best multitasker under pressure!
A thin glint in the sphere of air surrounding the three combatants betrays the bubble-like seal that Remilia has imposed upon themselves.
Remilia: How does a fight to the death sound, human?
Flandre: Oh, oh! It sounds super fun! Can we do it? Please? Please?
Remilia: I…wasn't asking you, Flan…
Yuuji: We'll indulge the little mistress. Let's have at it, vampires.
Remilia: Such arrogance for a mere human. So be it-!
Remilia and Flandre Scarlet swoop down on Yuuji, their claws expanded, their canines lengthening in anticipation of fresh human blood. As they are about to strike, the Chief crosses his arms in front of him briefly, then throws them outward to his sides, parrying the incoming attacks away. In between his fingers, four in each hand, long, slender, straight, black swords eat the daylight.
Yuuji: Allow me to ask this first, oh Scarlet Devil. You are a vampire, fighting in broad daylight. Why are you not weakened?
Remilia Scarlet smiles vampirically.
Remilia: That is for you alone to figure out, isn't it, now?
Yuuji: So be it.
The Chief snaps his wrists, and the swords in Yuuji's hands fly towards their targets, four apiece.
Remilia: Flan, don't touch these Black Keys! They'll hurt you badly, so just dodge them!
Flandre: Ehhhh, Flandre can't destroy them either?
Remilia: Well, you can, but just don't get hit by them is what I'm asking!
Flandre: Oh, okay, in that case!
Flandre's body's silhouette glows crimson red.
Flandre: [TABOO]: FOUR OF A KIND!
Yuuji:
Kage bunshin…? Isn't that something specifically meant for humans to do?
The three clones of Flandre charge at Yuuji, screaming in delight. The original, smiling devilishly, raises her arms, while her older sister gets behind her.
Flandre: [TABOO]: KAGOME, KAGOME!
Remilia: [DARK SIGN]: SCARLET NETHERWORLD!
Yuuji: Tchhhh-!
The spellcards descend rapidly. Pellets of red rain shower down from above, and green explosives interweave in between the red showers. Confined to an extremely tight volume, Yuuji must fight the three clones with about as much elbow room as his desk in his study could offer. The occasional green explosive swoops by, and the Chief must swerve off to another safe area within the rain, all the while having the Flandre clones chasing after him with fists of annihilation energy, clanging against his Black Keys and screaming
"Blood! Blood! BLOOD! BLOOD! BLOOOOOOD!"Yuuji: Sh*t, can't last much longer-! Grrrrrr-!
Forcing his muscles to obey beyond the death grip of lactic acid, the Chief begins to land strong and quick blows on the clones, finally dispatching them with clean thrusts through the head with three Black Keys. Just as he pulls the Black Key out of the last clone, Remilia Scarlet and the true Flandre Scarlet zoom up to him and begin their deathly barrage. They knock all the Black Keys out of Yuuji's hands, tear away at his chest, and pummel him nearly senseless. Remilia, her hands drenched in her foe's torn blood, slams her knuckles straight into Yuuji's face, and as he shoots to the barrier of the spherical seal, Flandre goes kyuu! once more, messily exploding Yuuji's left arm off. The severed limb slaps the seal barrier and rolls to the bottom of the seal, helplessly flailing around by gravity before resting at the dream bottom. The rest of the Chief's body, meanwhile, crashes into the border, bloodied and exhausted.
Remilia: Mmm…this human's blood is quite the delicacy. A rich sensation but refreshing at the same time; I wonder when the last time it was when I fed upon such a human?
Flandre: Look, Onee-sama! He's getting up, he's getting up! Can Flandre destroy him? Can she?
Remilia: Heh…we've played enough with him now. Kill him, Flandre.
Flandre: Yaaaay!
Ky-Yuuji: [CURSED EXISTENCE]: DEEP BLOOD.
________________________________________
Immediately, the spherical barrier fades to black, losing its invisible lucidity. To all at ground zero, there is now a giant black ball hanging, dripping slowly with a black liquid matter.
Reimu: What, what is that? Izayoi-san, Patchouli-san, what is that black substance hanging over us!
Patchouli: Khhhh….that knucklehead's used it!
Sakuya: WHAT! AND I TOLD HIM NOT TO-
The maid ceases all fighting and soars to the sphere.
Patchouli: No, Sakuya, do not touch it! It is highly poisonous to humans on the outside!
Sakuya: But our mistress and Imouto-sama are in there! DO YOU NOT COMPREHEND, YOU DIRTY LITTLE WITCH, THEY ARE GOING TO BE KILLED!
Sakuya desperately tries to penetrate the surface with storms of conjured knives, but true to Patchouli's word, the knife blades simply liquidate and melt.
Patchouli: Recognize that we are powerless as we are now to assist our mistress, Sakuya. Trust the man to spare the two.
Sakuya: Tchhh…
________________________________________
Meanwhile, inside the black sphere, it is pitch black. The only lights available, if at all, glow from the eyes of the combatants – a dim hazy red from the vampires, a glowingly dangerous bright red from Yuuji's. The Chief's pupils, in chemical reaction to the kyuuketsuki no shikyou, have bloodied themselves. The vampires that he sees in front of him are convulsing, as if in pain. But it is not pain, and they know it.
Remilia: Khhhh…you…you…you are a Deep Blood host…? I believed that we had…eradicated all such humans from G…Gensokyou…!
Yuuji: You failed…huff…to take into account that I am originally not from this world. This is your loss, Remilia.
Next to Remilia, Flandre is grasping her throat and chest as tight as she is able. Sweating uncontrollably, blood trickling down from where her fangs have pierced her lower lip in agony, she is hyperventilating haphazardly.
Flandre: O…one…Onee…sama…wha…what…what is…this feeling…?... A…aaah…ahhh…
Remilia: Oh no…she's…Flan has never felt something like this before…! Human, stop this, I beseech you! She…Flandre is unaware that this is…that this is a weapon!
Yuuji: Well then…erk…it's your loss, or your dear little sister. Which will…it be…? You're not going to last any longer, either…!
Remilia:
I am cornered. This man is right – I will soon succumb to this lustful desire. Flan does not know anything about Deep Blood due to our imprisonment of her for all this time. What is available to me now? I can no longer control this barrier, for Deep Blood has overridden my control of my vampiric powers!Just before Remilia makes the painful choice of relinquishing her dignity for the sake of her sister, Flandre breaks.
Flandre: AAAAAAHHHHHHHH!
Remilia: Wha- no, NO, FLANDRE, NO!
Before her older sister can restrain her, Flandre explodes toward her tomentor, her eyes profusely bleeding tears of blackened blood, her pupils constricted to a miniscule pair of black dots.
Flandre: BLOOD BLOOD BLOOD BLOOD BLOOD BLOOD BLOOD BLOOD BLOOD BLOOD BLOOD BLOOD BLOOD BLOOD BLOOD BLOOD BLOOD BLOOD BLOOD BLOOD BLOOD BLOOD BLOOD BLOOD BLOOD BLOOD BLOOD BLOOD BLOOD BLOOD BLOOD BLOOD BLOOD BLOOD BLOOD BLOOD BLOOD BLOOD BLOOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Staring straight forward at the incoming projectile, Yuuji pulls back his remaining hand. Each fingertip glows purple with kanji rotating on each. Just as Flandre is about to descend upon him, Yuuji throws his arm forward, connecting with her body just before she is able to punch his head off. The resulting blow throws energy residue through Flandre's weakened and crazed body, stopping her abruptly and stunning her. The Chief catches her falling body over his still-intact shoulder.
Flandre: Cough, cough…le…let me…let Flandre go, you…you big…jerk…ack!
Yuuji: Ughhh…too much energy lost. It's not working…anymore, is it.
True enough, the black ball disintegrates along with the barrier mold that it existed on. Remilia, regaining her breath again, which had slowly been deteriorating in steadiness, draws her full height again painfully.
Sakuya: Milady! You are alright!
Reimu: Izayoi-san, acts of treason are forbidden, remember that! Your stopwatch, mind you, is still under our possession!
Remilia: I need not your assistance, Sakuya. This…is my fight. Is it not?
She now faces Hakurei Reimu, Sawatari Yuuji, and Kirisame Marisa. Below them, the battle is clearly favoring the Hakurei.
Marisa: We'll ask ya ta surrender, Remy! You've lost dis war now, and we got yer lil' sis here with us. Otherwise, we gonna hafta take some drastic measures ta force ya ta surrender.
Remilia: I am aware of that, petty magician.
Marisa: Tch, hey. Watch who yer callin' "petty magician", ya dirty vamp.
Yuuji: So what will it be…Remilia? Your country, or your sister. Choose, now.
Remilia: Heh…must you ask? It is quite obvious what I must do…
Remilia puts her feet together and her arms straight out to her sides at shoulder level. Closing her eyes, she begins.
Remilia: [SCARLET DEVIL]: WRATH OF SCARLET DEVIL.
Immediately, red lightning splashes into the vicinity. Vectors of vampiric energy generate and swirl rapidly around their creator, and the sound of electricity and static deafen the battlefield with the wrath and anger of the Scarlet Devil. The short vampire now raises both arms high above her head. A long, slender pole made of the same bloodred vampiric essence tightens into existence, complete with arrowhead and flaming handle.
Reimu: Uh oh…
Marisa: Ah sh*t, we're screwed.
Remilia grips the spear, now nearly 30 meters long. Lifting it above her head, focusing all her energy into this one final attack, she squeezes her eyes dry of tears and screams.
Remilia: [DIVINE SPEAR]: SPEAR THE GUNGNIR!
Yuuji: Marisa, NOW!
The spear hurtles towards its target faster than the eye can perceive. In fact, Remilia has thrown it so hard and fast that the impact of whoever the spear has hit explodes into another smokescreen. Immediately after spear's initial throw, the earth whines in a rumbling earthquake, responding to a massive thud that all could hear at ground zero. When the smoke finally clears after a good five minutes, Reimu and Marisa find themselves alone. Reimu deactivates her barrier shield, Marisa looks with confusion down at her arms, which hold a smoking mini-hakkero and an unconscious and sizzling vampire in her grasp.
Reimu: W…what just happened?
Marisa: Iono…I jus' fired off a Master Spark like Chief told me to, but why the bloody hell is Remy in my arms? Uh, wait. We have a problem.
Reimu: What is it now?
Marisa: Chief…oh, oh God…could that be…where…he…?
Behind them, at the edge of the battlefield, a massive scar cuts through the earth. Spear the Gungnir is still protruding from the wounded earth, its spearpoint still deeply embedded in the subterranean abyss. But at the very center of the contact point between the spear and the ground-
Reimu: SAWATARI-SAN! ! ! !
Marisa: CHIEF! NO! ! ! !
They rush to the giant spear's base.
Reimu: Patchouli-san! Please supervise the capture of the grand castle and order all SDM troops to surrender! Izayoi-san, please come to us to take care of Remilia!
Patchouli: Leave it to me.
Sakuya: Right away!
Reimu, Marisa, and Sakuya gather at the base of the towering weapon, now beginning to evaporate in broad daylight. There, they behold what Remilia has done.
Reimu: W…w…wha…
Sawatari Yuuji is pinned to the ground, the massive spear protruding from his chest. There is no blood from the spear wound itself, but it covers the front of his sweater and the ground around him. He is not moving. Reimu, rushing to his side, takes his vitals.
Reimu: Thank God, he's still alive. Marisa, give Remilia to Sakuya-san and help me with him.
Marisa: O-okay. Here, maid.
Marisa gently nudges her vampiric packages to Sakuya, who also begins to clean what wounds she can with a dampened handkerchief. Reimu takes out several healing ofuda to place on the Chief's body, when-
Yuuji: Don't bother…I can…handle this.
He grabs the slips of paper from Reimu with his right hand, painfully groaning with the movement.
Reimu: S-Sawatari-san! You shouldn't move like that, the spear will become even more deeply buried!
Yuuji: Not…not really, it's dissipating as we speak. Besides, who said…who said we had to wait for this thing?
He struggles to sit upright, but the sheer weight of the deathly spear is obviously too much for the exhausted and barely conscious man, not to mention that he is completely pinned to the earth.
Marisa: Yo, Chief, take it easy or somethin'. Fer cryin' out loud, yer left arm's gone, where the hell is it? Besides, how the bloody hell're we gonna git dis spear outta ya? Here, use my lap fer the time being.
Yuuji: Ah, t-thanks. My arm…ugh…I can find it later.
Resting his battered head on Marisa's aproned lap, Yuuji winces as he grips the giant lance with his remaining fist. Breathing deeply a few times to regain mental composure to rid his mind of the shock and pain, Yuuji mutters once again:
Yuuji: [CURSED EXISTENCE]: DEEP BLOOD.
The weapon that traps him where he lays loses its form, waving away with the wind in the air and swirling into Yuuji's chest. Slowly, the wounds that cover Yuuji glow with warmth and sizzle away into nothing. As the last scratches on his body erase themselves, Genji gallops in from the rest of the battlefield.
Genji: Reporting, Hakurei-sama! Patchouli-san has assumed control of the battlefield. SDM is now ours. And I have recovered Sawatari-dono's left arm.
Yuuji: Nice timing, Genji-san. Give it to me.
Genji hands the severed limb to its original owner. Yuuji takes it and, clenching his teeth, presses it firmly against the jagged wound. Everyone around him grimaces at the sight.
Yuuji: Aarrrghhhh…
Reimu: Sawatari-san, use these-
Yuuji: No, they won't work on me, just leave this to me!
The wound cauterizes, and after a half a minute, the Chief tests the compatibility of his newly re-installed left arm. Flexing it a few times, he sighs.
Yuuji: I'm good to go. Let's head out again and consolidate our victory over the-
As he attempts to stand up, the world shuts off amidst screams and cries.
________________________________________
And thus, Remilia Scarlet is captured.
Seeing as Remilia is one of my more liked characters, I feel shamed for not giving the appropriate charismatic epicness that her character demands. But not to worry – her charisma will come naturally.
The Scarlets and Arcueid – the TRUE vampire lores. Unlike this stupid American nonsense. As one Youtube comment aptly puts it –
"All Edward does is glitter in the sunlight."
No truer words have been spoken.
BGMs:
Vampiric Wrath | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h7EThSy0fXo
REMILIA SCARLET: 5, 7, 7, 8, 8, 1, 1, 1, 5
Starting Troops: 300/300
Starting Level: 180/666 (level break)
Job: Vampiric Warrior
DS1: VAMPIRIC SYNCHRONIZATION: Remilia synchronizes instincts with all vampiric commanders on the field. All vampiric commanders, ally and enemy, gain +50% buffs in battle stats. 1 ACT
DS2: SPEAR THE GUNGNIR: Remilia readies her ultimate weapon, Spear the Gungnir. Has no effect until Flandre, who must be deployed with Remilia for this combo to activate, readies Laevatein. Once both are activated, either can select to use the combination attack, upon which both commanders will attack. Spear the Gungnir will tear through the middle ranks, while Laevatein will attack all other units. Prep required, cannot be cancelled, 3x ATK against center row units, 1.5x ATK on all other units, all ACT, AOE.
Standby
OS1: VAMPIRIC CHARGE: Vampires' standard attack. No counterattack if attacking humans, 1.2x ATK when attacking non-humans. 1 ACT
OS2: MANIPULATION OF FATE: When Remilia annihilates a unit, she can choose the fate of the commander: Death or capture. 1 ACT, able to break capture/kill limit.
PS1: SCARLET DEVIL: Because Remilia is a vampire, with each successive attack on a human unit, her ATK + SPD are increased by 5%. Also, sunny days will degrade her performance by 20% and will take 1 ACT away at start of battle unless she is given an item called Vampire Shield
KOAKUMA: 4, 6, 7, 6, 6, 4, 4, 5, 3
Job: Demonic Warrior
Level: 100/650
Starting Troops: 200/200
Standby
OS1: DEMONIC CHARGE: 1 ACT, no counterattack.
PS1: LITTLE PET: full buffs if deployed with any of the Scarlett residents, +1.3x ATK and DEF for all Scarlett residents if deployed with Koakuma
Thanks for reading,
-Akyuu no Joshu
Thanks for reading,
-Akyuu no Joshu