MarisaStory: A Certain Magical Internet

[capt. h]

> It's the invasion of the mole men! Clearly Satori is behind this. We must rob tease stop her!

> Annoyingly, the rabbit is probably right. We don't have our big spells with us.

> "Alrighty then! See ya!"

> Can our Medicine body form Chlorine Triflouride? What about Dioxygen Diflouride?

[E-Nazrin]

>Before leaving, ask Tewi if she saw Medicine arrive!
>But where the hell else would we go? Maybe molemen means underground, maybe it doesn't, but who would know about them? Well, maybe the city would be a good spot to start getting info, at least...

[Third Eye Lem]

> It's the invasion of the mole men! Clearly Satori is behind this. We must rob tease stop her!

> Could Satori be behind this? You file her under your list of possible suspects.

> Annoyingly, the rabbit is probably right. We don't have our big spells with us.

> "Alrighty then! See ya!"

> You may not, but that doesn't mean you can't improvise...

> Can our Medicine body form Chlorine Triflouride? What about Dioxygen Diflouride?

> ...Considering that you could potentially form both of these chemicals using stuff from Eirin's lab. Any magician worth her sodium chloride knows a thing or two about alchemy and what one can make from it.

>Before leaving, ask Tewi if she saw Medicine arrive!

> You ask Tewi about Medi's whereabouts. "Uh...I haven't seen her...since she left with you and Alice...I did overhear she came back, though. What's going on?"
> You explain in the vaguest of terms that Medicine did you wrong, and you want revenge. "Tch. Good luck...Eirin-sama won't let one of her pupils come to harm. She's probably somewhere in the mansion...Knowing the guards, she's probably been locked up somewhere. You can't really knock out a doll..." Tewi's pain sitch seems to be improving a bit, given the infrequency of her pauses. "I did catch a sight of Alice earlier...Is she here for Medicine too?"

>But where the hell else would we go? Maybe molemen means underground, maybe it doesn't, but who would know about them? Well, maybe the city would be a good spot to start getting info, at least...

> Revisiting Former Hell might not be a bad idea, but the journey there wasn't exactly the easiest. You could ask Patchy or Hijiri about the youkai you saw, or be daring and attempt a counter-infiltration...Or something. Better than sitting on your ass playing video games all night.

> _

[E-Nazrin]

>"Alice here for Medicine?" Chuckle darkly. "Probably, ze. Where did she go?"
>Well, that's another reason to find whoever's behind this and blow them up...
>Do we have any way to magically locate the mini-hakkero? We really need that back, and if Medicine's here, either she has it and she's allied with these assholes or she's been captured as well.

[Third Eye Lem]

>"Alice here for Medicine?" Chuckle darkly. "Probably, ze. Where did she go?"

> "Alice might have gone to the lab, but...Don't quote me on that."

>Well, that's another reason to find whoever's behind this and blow them up...
>Do we have any way to magically locate the mini-hakkero? We really need that back, and if Medicine's here, either she has it and she's allied with these assholes or she's been captured as well.

> You could try a locator spell. You've made it a point to "mark" your magical items by attuning them to your aura, kinda like how people use ID collars on their pets. However, it might not work as well given that you're in a different body.

> _

[E-Nazrin]

>Is there any indication that anyone else is approaching our position? For as long as it's safe we need to milk this for info so we know what we're getting into.
>Ask Tewi whether the fight ended up going into the lab and how safe it would be to check in. And where it is, if necessary.
>How rare are men in Gensokyo? Should the suggestion of the rodent's genitals be perplexing?
>How are we feeling in terms of combat ability? Did Medicine's form-o-change-o interfere much with our magic magic, even if the Hakkero's MIA?
>If it's safe to do so and wouldn't take long, make an attempt at the Hakkero finding... unless it would make the Hakkero respond in a way that whoever has it would notice.

[capt. h]

> Well, if we have a locator spell we should use it. Wonder why we didn't think of that before.

> Fight temptation to play matchmaker for Nazrin.

> At some point, we should really go over our current 'love interests' if any, as well as what we're looking for in a love interest.

[Third Eye Lem]

> Well, if we have a locator spell we should use it. Wonder why we didn't think of that before.

> REASONS. That's why.

> Fight temptation to play matchmaker for Nazrin.

> You successfully repel the urge. You barely even know this guy, how would they be a match, if at all?

> At some point, we should really go over our current 'love interests' if any, as well as what we're looking for in a love interest.

> You made a list of potential interests earlier, and so far you don't have a firm set of guidelines. You'd at least like someone that can keep up with your energetic spirit of yours, and is fairly patient with your antics.

>Is there any indication that anyone else is approaching our position? For as long as it's safe we need to milk this for info so we know what we're getting into.

> You keep a sharp ear out for any more soldiers. That hit probably attracted a couple, but if they heard it, they're taking their sweet time getting here. You don't hear anything...Yet, which makes you a little more uneasy.

>Ask Tewi whether the fight ended up going into the lab and how safe it would be to check in. And where it is, if necessary.

> "I...I'm not sure. But I did hear them talking about staying away from Kaguya-sama...Maybe...They locked her in or something."

>How rare are men in Gensokyo? Should the suggestion of the rodent's genitals be perplexing?

> They're common enough to keep up the gender balance, at least. However, you've rarely seen any men with powers comparable to the ones you and your acquaintances have. The only ones you can think of are Youki conpaku and Myouren Hijiri, Youmu's father and Byakuren's brother, respectively. Kourin's well-known, but hardly a fighter.

>How are we feeling in terms of combat ability? Did Medicine's form-o-change-o interfere much with our magic magic, even if the Hakkero's MIA?

> It pretty much screwed with your magical abilities completely. Medicine hasn't "memorized" the same magic as you, aside from the common spells any magician should definitely be using. However, while your spell arsenal has changed, some things feel familiar to you, such as focusing to fire more powerful shots and charging up more powerful spells. It's like someone took all your moves and changed what they did, but didn't change the button inputs. It's just a matter of finding out what does what.

>If it's safe to do so and wouldn't take long, make an attempt at the Hakkero finding... unless it would make the Hakkero respond in a way that whoever has it would notice.

> It shouldn't. The locator spell only directs you to the aura, and unless you combine it with a beacon spell it shouldn't activate it.
> That being said, you have taken a spare deck of blank spell cards...You'll have to remake Medicine's arsenal on the fly, but with your aptitude to copy spells, it shouldn't be an issue. You mark the Locator Spell on the spell card, using the spell circle to key in your aura's resonance. The spell card activates and lights up, turning into a compass of sorts...It's pointing ahead of you, but also downwards and slightly to the left. Perhaps Medicine is underground?
> "Hey!" robotic voice calls out to your right this time, and you can make out the outline of another soldier. "Drop that card!" he or she shouts as they point their weapon at you.

> _

[E-Nazrin]

>Time to go... pitched battle with unknown opponents is a bad time to relearn our moves! We'll find another way in.
>If there are any simple or common spells that would be good to briefly distract or disable the molerat, fire it off to distract him. Try a standard magic missile if nothing good comes to mind and hope that it doesn't do anything too unexpected.
>Have our defense shield thing ready if he manages to get a shot off. We just need to get outta here!
>How hard would it be to bring Tewi out of here? Would she probably be hurt too badly if we just dragged her out? If it'd be safe, grab her before scramming!
>We gone! Out of Eternity and escape the bamboo forest for now.

>Once back to safety, make sure to consider whether the Hakkero was located in the Underground we know of where Satori lives, if the angle was shallow enough to be in Eintei's basement, or if it had to be in a different underground location where the molerats probably came from.
>Is there anywhere in Gensokyo that might make weapons like those rats are using?
>Experiment with some of our skills if we get the chance to get an idea of how we'll need to fight, since it looks like we will.

[Third Eye Lem]

>Time to go... pitched battle with unknown opponents is a bad time to relearn our moves! We'll find another way in.

> You decide that discretion is the better part of valor...

>If there are any simple or common spells that would be good to briefly distract or disable the molerat, fire it off to distract him. Try a standard magic missile if nothing good comes to mind and hope that it doesn't do anything too unexpected.

> ...And blast the gunner with a smoke ball of poison spores. They real back, coughing, struggling to get the mess off their mask, but it's too late--the poison gets to them quickly and starts making them flip the fuck right out. You are both impressed and scared at the poison's efficiency.

>Have our defense shield thing ready if he manages to get a shot off. We just need to get outta here!

> You form a GUARD BARRIER against any wayward gunshots, but thankfully the gun doesn't misfire.

>How hard would it be to bring Tewi out of here? Would she probably be hurt too badly if we just dragged her out? If it'd be safe, grab her before scramming!

> You unceremoniously heft Tewi over your shoulder...

>We gone! Out of Eternity and escape the bamboo forest for now.

> And abscond with her out the front door. You don't stick around to find out if any more guards were willing to show up; you keep going all the way back to your house, just to be safe.
> "Geeze...You didn't hafta do this for me," Tewi groans. "But thanks, I guess." You leave Tewi to rest in a chair in the living room and quickly brew her some tea.

>Once back to safety, make sure to consider whether the Hakkero was located in the Underground we know of where Satori lives, if the angle was shallow enough to be in Eintei's basement, or if it had to be in a different underground location where the molerats probably came from.

> Thankfully, your locator spell gives you an estimate on how far away your designated item is. Judging from it, it's not underground, thankfully. It is, however, in Eientei's UNDERGROUND WAREHOUSE/BUNKER that Eirin and Kaguya built with the help of the inaba in the off chance they needed to stave off a raid or something.
> ...What, don't tell me you didn't know that! They needed the space to build the fake moon they were using during the IN incident! ...INcident? Bleh. Your mind is kinda shot right now after all that adrenaline rushing.

>Is there anywhere in Gensokyo that might make weapons like those rats are using?

> You've never seen weapons like those before, and the only race that comes to mind are the kappa...But you still don't know why they would have anything to do with this.

>Experiment with some of our skills if we get the chance to get an idea of how we'll need to fight, since it looks like we will.

> There's always those nameless fairies you use for target practice...Mystia's flown the coop, so to speak, so she's not a viable target.
> The sun is barely visible over the horizon. Night is immenent. What a horrible night to be cursed with a poison doll's body...

> _

[E-Nazrin]

>Inform Flandre that her sister is a monster and does not belong in this world
>"I think it woulda been bad if I left you there after what that first guy said, ze. 'sides, we ain't finished talking; I wanna know what I'm fightin' before going in too deep, considering the situation."
>Grill the rabbit for details on the attack: Where'd those molerat marines come from? How did the fight go? What are their weapons like? What about Alice/Medicine/'Marisa'? Did that Guildies mess seem to be related at all?
>See how long it takes Tewi to notice our little body-swap problem. Consider telling her if it takes a while.
>If this fight seems outside of the scale of easily handling on our own, raise the alarm online so the SDM, Human Village, and any other population centers are aware of the attack. We... didn't see anywhere else that got hit like that on the way to Eintei, did we?
>Any noteworthy messages left for us via internets?
>Would we be able to borrow (with or without single quotes) some of Alice's stuff now that we're here and know we're getting into a bigger fight?
>Rehearse explanation for Reimu if we end up with the Stage Four problem again.
>Any mischief-making fairies nearby we could use for target practice? We need to reacquaint ourselves with any changes to our combat style Medicine forced on us.

[Third Eye Lem]

>"I think it woulda been bad if I left you there after what that first guy said, ze. 'sides, we ain't finished talking; I wanna know what I'm fightin' before going in too deep, considering the situation."

> "...Really? These guys are like Splinter Cells, they aren't to be messed with...They got some kinda weapon that can...Paralyze you and leave you in pain...Just like me."

>Grill the rabbit for details on the attack: Where'd those molerat marines come from? How did the fight go? What are their weapons like? What about Alice/Medicine/'Marisa'? Did that Guildies mess seem to be related at all?

> You give Tewi that look Gibbs usually gives his comrades when he's serious about something.
> "...Tch, you'll gladly charge into any rabbit hole at this point, huh...Heh. Why waste your life so recklessly?" Sadly, the reference is lost on you, but you cross your arms to cement your intentions. Mini-Medi does the same. Tewi sighs in resignment. "They attacked through some kind of optical camoflauge. They cut through our traps, slipped by our mechanical defenses unnoticed...And swarmed the place like ants. Anyone who resisted got knocked out...Just before I passed out...I overheard that Eirin wanted to negotiate a surrender...So they captured her and...That's it. That's all I remember. I don't know what happened to your roommate. As for the soldiers...Their weapons were of technology similar to our own...Well, not quite, Lunar tech is pretty beefy...But it was way beyond anything I've seen elsewhere in Gensokyo."
> You pause for a moment and wonder...This whole mess started not long after you started playing, so you ask her about Guildies. Tewi looks a bit taken aback at the question. "You think...You think this is all about some shitty little video game? You're mad!" Tewi cringes a bit. "Sorry...Muscle cramps suck...But still. That's a bit far fetched...Whatever these guys want...They wanted either a person...Or something else in our home. They could be after the princess...But I really don't know. Either way...I'm worried as fuck right now." Tewi sips her tea. "If you're going to do something about this...You best do it quick."

>See how long it takes Tewi to notice our little body-swap problem. Consider telling her if it takes a while.

> Tewi stares at you as she sips her tea, and her expression changes from frustrated concern to puzzled. "What the hell's with your eyes, did you get new contacts or something...? And why is Medi's little buddy following you?" You decide to spill the beans and explain what Medicine has been up to. "Holy shit, really? I heard she came back but I didn't see her...Even then...I'd have thought you completely lost your mind...
> Tewi takes a moment to compose herself as best she can. "I wasn't a huge fan of that doll either. Someone who can poison you...Just didn't sit right with me. I was worried she might turn against Eirin and the others...So I kept an eye on her...When I suddenly heard you wanted to borrow her, I smiled on the inside. Good riddance, I thought...So I relaxed and took the day off for a nice nap." Tewi sighs. "That...Was a mistake. She could have done that to any of us...And yet...Eirin welcomes her with open arms...Why? What makes her so special? I barely know what's going on in her lab 80% of the time...And she's got Reisen, why does she need some fucking plastic mind to--" Tewi gasps and cringes again. "Shit, my jaw, my neck...Why are these muscles here?!" She rubs her chin and neck carefully as she does her best not to spill her tea.

>If this fight seems outside of the scale of easily handling on our own, raise the alarm online so the SDM, Human Village, and any other population centers are aware of the attack. We... didn't see anywhere else that got hit like that on the way to Eintei, did we?

> Hmmm. You managed to destroy an entire city of demons with the help of Reimu and the others...It was difficult, but you could have managed it on your own. Still...You figure it'd be prudent to warn some of the lesser locals about this. You dare not mention this to Reimu, if she so much as catches a whiff of this...You tell whomever is on your buddy list to keep an eye out, but to keep it hush-hush.

>Any noteworthy messages left for us via internets?

> You have messages from MoonlightTeacher2 (Keine) and UnderwaterWelderH20 (Nitori). The latter was left earlier in the day, while Keine's message arrive shortly after you posted that APB.

>Would we be able to borrow (with or without single quotes) some of Alice's stuff now that we're here and know we're getting into a bigger fight?

> You and Alice agreed to let each other borrow their stuff in times of crisis like this. Considering Alice is missing, Medicine has your body and may or may not be getting it shot to ribbons, this is fairly crisis-level stuff.

>Rehearse explanation for Reimu if we end up with the Stage Four problem again.

> You find it doubtful that Reimu will come after you, but if Medicine manages to con her somehow...You decide not to take that chance, and come up with the most convincing explanation you can think of...
> "DOLLY STOLE MAH BOD!"

>Any mischief-making fairies nearby we could use for target practice? We need to reacquaint ourselves with any changes to our combat style Medicine forced on us.

> You cackle as you consider the possible targets. Cirno's bound to be around given the colder weather...And while they're not fairies, the Aki sisters might be just as viable for target practice...
> *SWOOSH*
> There it is again. Ever since Fall has started, you've heard someone--or something--zipping through the trees like Aya chasing down someone for an interview. However, this entity is too big to be her, judging from the sounds...It must be smaller...Did Lily get a hold of one of Kourin's energy drinks or something?

> _

_{edit: it's Aki not Ahi past me, stahp making dumb typos
that being said I'd like to try seared ahi sometime}

[E-Nazrin]

>"'Our' Lunarian weapons? You must be Tewi II, a spy from the moon! Prepare to die!"
>"Also it's right in the thread title why wouldn't I suspect Guildies"
>What were the full implications of that Splinter Cell line, if we got the reference?
>... have we been feeling typical pains and such while out and about in Medicine's body? If those weapons work by activating nerve endings for pain...
>"Was Eirin messing with Medicine's mind before any of this happened, ze? Or no idea? I thought it was kinda weird dollface wanted to have a human body, let alone Eirin not wantin' to help make her one."
>... it'd be bad if that weird noise was the molerats coming by to try and shut us up. Is there an automated defense system for the house we can activate? Surely we have something like that for driving off fairies while we're out, at least...
>... but it'd be worse if we missed important info from Nitori and Keen about the situation if they cut the power. Ask Tewi to keep an eye on the door, set up the alarms for a minute if it wouldn't slow us down, and at least skim those two messages, starting with Nitori's.
>After all, if they ARE coming to pick a fight, then we'll have some volunteers for practice away from the main army...
>... but if we do get the chance before they strike, go through a mental listing of stuff around the house that'd be worth taking on a serious raid.

[Third Eye Lem]

>"'Our' Lunarian weapons? You must be Tewi II, a spy from the moon! Prepare to die!"
>"Also it's right in the thread title why wouldn't I suspect Guildies"

> And thus an epic fight broke out, destroying the fourth wall and all of Gensokyo in the process. Nice job breaking it, hero.

>What were the full implications of that Splinter Cell line, if we got the reference?

> You get the impression that these soldiers are highly skilled, if not genetically altered, but that'd be more like Metal Gear instead of Splinter Cell. Either way, these guys seem to be very good at getting in, getting what they want, taking out anyone in their way, and getting out, and staying silent...Well, the last part may or may not be true, given how you caught them in the act.

>... have we been feeling typical pains and such while out and about in Medicine's body? If those weapons work by activating nerve endings for pain...

> Well, barring the obvious inner biological workings, you can feel the regular pains and sensations the world offers you. You also seem to be more resilient to damage, but some things like taste and smell are a bit muted.

>"Was Eirin messing with Medicine's mind before any of this happened, ze? Or no idea? I thought it was kinda weird dollface wanted to have a human body, let alone Eirin not wantin' to help make her one."

> Tewi shakes her head. "Like I said...Eirin-sama had no idea. I'm surprised myself, but...The only person that knows the truth is Medicine herself. I can only speculate."

>... it'd be bad if that weird noise was the molerats coming by to try and shut us up. Is there an automated defense system for the house we can activate? Surely we have something like that for driving off fairies while we're out, at least...

> Your house has been enchanted with an anti-youkai barrier, but it's not foolproof. At the most, it keeps fairies and wild animals from vandalizing your home, but higher level youkai can enter provided they've been invited first. Otherwise, the house is pretty tight security wise...Alice does have an intruder deterrent system in the form of several SECURITY DOLLS, but she usually doesn't activate them unless you're gonna be out of the house for days at a time.

>... but it'd be worse if we missed important info from Nitori and Keen about the situation if they cut the power. Ask Tewi to keep an eye on the door, set up the alarms for a minute if it wouldn't slow us down, and at least skim those two messages, starting with Nitori's.

> Thankfully, all one has to do to activate the Security Doll System is to mutter a password to a Protection Spell while within the house. It's a word only you and Alice know, so there's little chance of (de)activating it accidentally. You also tell Tewi to watch the door, and if something happens, there's a hiding spot in the pantry. Tewi gives you a dissatisfied "All right..." while you address the messages.

Code: [Select]

UnderwaterWelderH20 said: *THIS IS AN AUTOMATED MESSAGE.*
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UnderwaterWelderH20 said: Please visit this link for more details: http://www.kana-corp.net/products/phones/RIBBIT
UnderwaterWelderH20 said: *THIS HAS BEEN AN AUTOMATED MESSAGE.*

Code: [Select]

MoonlightTeacher2 said: Um, is this some kind of a joke? You know I dislike false alarms...

>After all, if they ARE coming to pick a fight, then we'll have some volunteers for practice away from the main army...
>... but if we do get the chance before they strike, go through a mental listing of stuff around the house that'd be worth taking on a serious raid.

> You're not entirely sure if they'd go out of their way to catch up with you, despite being in Medi's body you've managed to beat a hasty exit. Still, you go over what's worth protecting...There's those books; Patchy would be upset if you lost them, but how the hell would you protect them all? On the subject of books, there's your diaries...Oh gods what if they got their hands on those where did you put them all you gotta get them now before--
> *PEW PEW PEW*
> HOLY SHIT HIT THE DECK THEY'RE ATTACKING!!!!
> ....After hiding under the kitchen table, Tewi reminds you those are danmaku bullets, not gun bullets. You breathe a sigh of relief. You hear a sudden whoosh, much like the one you noticed earlier, followed by more pews. Something's buzzing the house, it sounds like.

> _

[E-Nazrin]

>Damnit Nitori, giving us false hope for an explanation! Sigh.
>Commander Keen can worry about sincerity on her own; it's just a warning and she'll get confirmation either from an attack or whatever mess we leave at Eintei. Hmm... would Mokou want to... help... or would she arrange this? Damnit all.
>How much would we be able to trust Tewi alone in here for a few minutes? Or a night or two, if this turns into a full takedown?
>To specify, 'for a raid' would be anything that would be useful for helping our ability to blow stuff up or win fights: Surely there's more than the Hakkero kicking around, isn't there?
>Perfect defense of the house isn't worthwhile at this point; better to get out of here so we aren't a simultaneous target for the place, and get this mess finished with!

[Third Eye Lem]

>Damnit Nitori, giving us false hope for an explanation! Sigh.

> You can't fault her entirely, she's a busy kappa. You do plan on grilling her when you get the chance.

>Commander Keen can worry about sincerity on her own; it's just a warning and she'll get confirmation either from an attack or whatever mess we leave at Eintei. Hmm... would Mokou want to... help... or would she arrange this? Damnit all.

> You can't decide on whether to accuse Mokou or ask her for help. That being said, you find it a little odd for her MO...She usually just comes in blazing with no help from weapons or anything.

>How much would we be able to trust Tewi alone in here for a few minutes? Or a night or two, if this turns into a full takedown?
>To specify, 'for a raid' would be anything that would be useful for helping our ability to blow stuff up or win fights: Surely there's more than the Hakkero kicking around, isn't there?

> Tewi can hold her own, as evidenced by her resourcefulness during the IN raid. However, in her condition, and unfamiliarity with the house, she might be in a spot of trouble should things go south. You decide to tell her where the magical WMDs are located.
> "Thanks, I can take it from here," she says with a sly grin. "I'll make that house from Home Alone look like a walk in the park."

>Perfect defense of the house isn't worthwhile at this point; better to get out of here so we aren't a simultaneous target for the place, and get this mess finished with!

> Enough fooling around! Time to give this intruder what-for. TALLY-HO!
> ...For what it's worth, taking a simple step outside the house is a lot more intense when you're faced with a threat like this. Speaking of which, you take a look up and see a blue brown blur zipping around your house like an electron orbiting an atom. The dolls try to shoot it down, but fail, as the figure weaves around their shots with ease. Occasionally, you see the blur strike one of the dolls and knock it from its perch. All this happens in a matter of seconds, and soon, the bullet fire stops and the blur comes to a halt.
> "Maybe you should consider investing in a spread-shot instead!" the figure calls to you. You look up to see a fairy in a brown dress, with a matching hat and long brown hair. You think of Lily White at first, except this fairy's hat is modelled after a maple leaf, and she is carrying a paintbrush and palette in seperate hands. "Seriously, even Cirno could outrun those dolls' aim...Sorry about the mess, by the way."
> You look at the fallen dolls and see them smothered with streaks of paint.
> "On the bright side, the paint just washes right off with water. Want me to paint your little friend to match?" she says smiling, though Mini-Medi takes refuge under your hat at that remark.

> _

[E-Nazrin]

>go back to 2006 you monster
>Is this one of the Ahi sisters?
>"Think I'll pass, ze, but I DO need to thank you for volunteering!"
>Mix it up while smacking down this dumb fairy, to get a feel of how our magic's been changed. Most likely something from Medicine's repertoire will be able to slow her down, if that's a problem. Didn't she do that a lot even back when we first met her?

[Third Eye Lem]

>go back to 2006 you monster

> IT'S NO USE!

>Is this one of the Ahi sisters?

> She doesn't look like them, and considering they're spirits and not fairies, it doesn't look like they're related either.

>"Think I'll pass, ze, but I DO need to thank you for volunteering!"

> "Eh? For what?" she asks, tilting her head slightly.

>Mix it up while smacking down this dumb fairy, to get a feel of how our magic's been changed. Most likely something from Medicine's repertoire will be able to slow her down, if that's a problem. Didn't she do that a lot even back when we first met her?

> You respond to her question with a barrage of poisonous arrows. A few of them tag her, but she dodges most of them.
> "Ack! Hey! Lay off, I was just getting some painting practice in!"
> You do remember those EX Poison Clouds she used, but this isn't a Versus Duel like the one you originally faced Medicine, so you don't know how to summon them yet.

> _

[E-Nazrin]

>Maybe we should back up a half-step and review how spellcarding and fights normally work?
>Presumably it's fine to just go ahead and smackdown the painty nuisance. Test out some of our other moves! Did Medi do anything to our broom rush and such?
>"And I'm gettin' some practice incident solvin' in! Good timing!"

[Third Eye Lem]

>Maybe we should back up a half-step and review how spellcarding and fights normally work?

> There currently three types of Incident Resolution Systems active in Gensokyo:

• TYPE I: Traditional Danmaku Face-Off -- This is the system you're most familiar with, established by Reimu shortly after the Makai incident to reduce casualties. A renowned scholar by the name of Muffin has written up a summary of the system in recent years.
• TYPE II: Melee Hybrid Danmaku Duel -- A system designed by Suika of all people, for those who want the thrill of a fisticuffs battle while still using spell card physics (to an extent). Players can use melee and danmaku attacks in these fights, as well as make usage of a Spirit Gauge to augment special attacks or defend themselves. Such duels are usually a best two out of three affair, with both sides being able to use one spell card per round as a sort of "Super" attack.
• TYPE III: Versus Phantasmagoria Danmaku Duel -- A rarely-used system typically reserved for tournament-style events. This was developed Professor Yumemi Okazaki during the Dim.Dream incident, to test the magical prowess of Gensokyo's inhabitants. It was apparently liked well enough to be used again during the Flower Viewing incident years ago; it works by setting opponents up in separate fields and having them summon danmaku attacks upon one another. Such duels attract lesser youkai (nameless fairies and the like) as well as wandering spirits, which can be shot to trigger EX Attacks. Even Lily shows up to cause some trouble! Much like the Melee Hybrid Duel, it's a best of two out of three affair.

>"And I'm gettin' some practice incident solvin' in! Good timing!"

> The fairy frowns. "Not for me, I don't have time to play games with you! I have to get back to work painting the leaves! Fall is upon us and I'm way behind schedule!"

>Presumably it's fine to just go ahead and smackdown the painty nuisance. Test out some of our other moves! Did Medi do anything to our broom rush and such?

> Ignoring the fairy's plight, you decide to get medieval on her. You don't get a chance to combo her into submission however, as the fairy flutters out of your reach. "Fine then...If you want to play that way, I just have five words for you: CATCH ME IF YOU CAN!"
> With that, the fairy absconds like a midboss while painting something. She drops the finished object as the flees into the forest, and you feel a familiar sensation of forced movement...Upon closer inspection of the object, you see it's a larger-than-usual spell card painted onto a sheet of paper. That darn fairy just pulled you into another stage!
> Generic puffballs pop out of thin air and start peppering you with bullets.

> _

[E-Nazrin]

>Hell yes! Finally we can catch one of those fuzzballs to keep as a pet!
>Well, I guess that works, too! Let's hope this doesn't lead us too far astray.
>Shoot the lil' pests down with basic shots. If we have room to experiment with different types of shots, see what our options are like right now. Any indication what our spellcards or bombs would be like at this point?
>Hm, maybe we could bully that fairy into trying to find those rats while she's out and about, once we punish her for ruining the dolls' paintjob. She should be able to cover a lot of ground if she's that fast, at least...

[Third Eye Lem]

>Hell yes! Finally we can catch one of those fuzzballs to keep as a pet!

> Sadly, you lack Poke Balls.

>Well, I guess that works, too! Let's hope this doesn't lead us too far astray.

> Fairy hunts always lead you into some kind of trouble. First it was Cirno, then Lily, then some random fire fairy made the Forest of Magic into the Rainforest of Magic for a few days...You always seem to have bad luck with fairies.

>Hm, maybe we could bully that fairy into trying to find those rats while she's out and about, once we punish her for ruining the dolls' paintjob. She should be able to cover a lot of ground if she's that fast, at least...

> If she's aware of them, that is. Fairies aren't always on the up-and-up about current events, but you might as well ask her while you're at it.

>Shoot the lil' pests down with basic shots. If we have room to experiment with different types of shots, see what our options are like right now. Any indication what our spellcards or bombs would be like at this point?

> You aren't sure what bombs you have access to, but you seem to have a rapid-fire poison arrow shot as your normal attack. The focused version is a spread shot. Both pierce enemies for a short distance before fading, and seem less stronger than your usual bullets. In spite of that, you take care of the Puffies handily.

Stage #9C670C
The Rocky Road of Art
"What kind of fairy takes up painting?
Danmaku is an art in and of itself already!
I'll show her the true meaning of art!!"

> While you feel forced along like you usually do in a stage spell like this, there's one thing you notice immediately: huge rocks your path, that're unnmoving and impervious to your shots 9and the enemy's shots. Enemies spawn along the path as you travel, they stay in line with the stage as opposed to moving independently of it. So far, the path is mosly open; Puffies and the occasional fairy swarm appear and weave around the rocks, like some kind of Youkai Centipede. Alice told you about that movie, it was...Disturbing to say the least, but in a good way. You must take care while fighting in such close quarters...
> The first formation of rocks is arranged like an X, with spaces between the corner rocks and the center rock to allow movement. Fairies orbit the rocks while puffies remain stationary.

> _

[E-Nazrin]

>Correct the parser's bbcode
>Reversed focused/spread, eh? Ah well, we'll live. Wonder if they do damage over time as well...
>Clean out what enemies we can safely, but focus on making a clear route through one segment. Let the rotation lead them towards you before needing to sneak through the X obstacle.

[Third Eye Lem]

>Correct the parser's bbcode

>Dem closing tags, mang.

>Reversed focused/spread, eh? Ah well, we'll live. Wonder if they do damage over time as well...

> Sadly, that's hard to tell on these weaker enemies, since they die after a few hits.

>Clean out what enemies we can safely, but focus on making a clear route through one segment. Let the rotation lead them towards you before needing to sneak through the X obstacle.

> You stick to one of the inner "lanes" as you move between the rocks, and shoot up everything that crosses your path. Point/power/etc items fall and bounce off the rocks, and eventually enhance your shot. Your shots fire more bullets at a time, and Mini-Medi becomes an orbiting satellite that fires smaller shots at a slower rate.

> _

[E-Nazrin]

>Huh, so the lil' gal IS useful in a fight. Good.
>Clear out and gather what we can. Our power got reset, didn't it? Autocollect is a little too dangerous under these conditions, probably...

[Third Eye Lem]

>Huh, so the lil' gal IS useful in a fight. Good.
>Clear out and gather what we can. Our power got reset, didn't it? Autocollect is a little too dangerous under these conditions, probably...

> Mini-Medi smiles. Let's just hope I don't get dizzy.
> You don't have the auto-collect your other body used to have, so you focus and grab what you can that way with the mini-collect.

> *CREAK*
> *CRASH*
> A tree falls down before you, creating another obstacle. Thankfully, it doesn't block the entire path, otherwise that would suck! Another tree falls down just ahead on the opposite side of the path, and beyond that, two more tres fall down to create a narrow passage ahead...That fairies begin to pour through.

> _

[capt. h]

> No problem. We've played Star Fox 64 before. (Unless we haven't in which case, we should play star fox 64 sometime after we've gotten our body back and stuff)

> Although this is arguably much easier since we aren't forced to go forward at the same time to maintain altitude.

> Don't run headfirst into trees.

> Oh, and we suppose we can shoot stuff while we're at it too.

[E-Nazrin]

>Use mini-medi as a record player
>It's not common for trees to just fall over in the Forest of Magic, is it? Hmm...
>Was there any indication where those tree obstacles were going to appear before being a threat? Hopefully there's no dick moves coming our way...

[Third Eye Lem]

>Use mini-medi as a record player

> You and Mystia make a collab album and make millions selling copies. You happily retire from Incident Solving at the age of 56.

> No problem. We've played Star Fox 64 before. (Unless we haven't in which case, we should play star fox 64 sometime after we've gotten our body back and stuff)

> You haven't played Star Fox in a while, but you liked it. You had to stop playing it because you kept confusing Ran and Fox McCloud with each other, and Alice was sick of you quoting the game so damn much. Whoopsie doodles!

> Although this is arguably much easier since we aren't forced to go forward at the same time to maintain altitude.

> And you don't have to deal with 3D danmaku. You still have to move foward at least. :V

> Don't run headfirst into trees.
> Oh, and we suppose we can shoot stuff while we're at it too.

>It's not common for trees to just fall over in the Forest of Magic, is it? Hmm...
>Was there any indication where those tree obstacles were going to appear before being a threat? Hopefully there's no dick moves coming our way...

> You shoot through the incoming enemy incursion until the fairies stop spawning. So far, you can somewhat tell which trees are going to fall because they're a different color from the rest. As far as you can tell, they're just really big bullets in the form of trees.
> As for dick moves, surely this fairy would create a perfectly fair and challenging difficulty curve as you chase her through the woods!
> *CRRRRAAAAAASH! CRRRRAAAAAASH!*
> Or should could minimize your playing field by causing two trees to fall alongside you, stop the stage from scrolling and summon a painting miniboss to attack you with lasers and paint splotches. It takes a moment for the laser to fire directly at you, but the paint splatters are random.

> _

[E-Nazrin]

>Well, that's more annoying than dickish.
>What's it a painting OF, anyway?
>If we have space, try to fake out the lasers while dodging the less predictable paint. Take advantage of the spread if we're forced away from our favored location blasting it in the face.
>The rocks are indestructible, but what about the trees? Just goes through 'em?