~Hakurei Shrine~ > Kosuzu's Grand Bookstore
MegaDoll X
Jq1790:
--- Quote from: Esifex on October 04, 2011, 04:44:10 AM ---Hehe. No worries, Ruro. The joke is that X, who Hourai is taking the place of, Spoiler: dies a bunch. Pretty much every other game.
--- End quote ---
Uh, you mean Zero? =)
Hanzo K.:
I believe he does mean Zero.
hell, in at least two or so games, you have to Spoiler: recover Zero's parts so you can put him back together.
Esifex:
Herp derp :x
Iced Fairy:
Thanks for all the responses. Glad to see this is amusing.
I'd post more explanations myself, but explaining what parts of the mythos I'm keeping and which I'm tossing would be a whole heck of a lot of spoilers. But I have read everything and I'm happy to see the commentary.
I'll try to overcome my fear of posting without content and chat a little more.
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Chiyuri and Yumemi met them as they exited the now silent factory. "I see you handled it." Yumemi said.
"Yeah." Shanghai felt a strange twinge at that, but she suppressed it. "We're sorry for the trouble. We'd help you repair, but I'm afraid you're not the only one having problems."
The caped woman frowned in thought. "Hm... Well I'll have you repay us later. For now, you say there are more of these automatons causing trouble?"
"Yes," Hourai replied with a wary look.
"Then that settles it. Chiyuri pack up." Yumemi flicked her cape back and struck a dramatic pose. "We will assist you in your quest to stop this madness!"
The three other girls stared at Yumemi in shock for a bit before Chiyuri clapped her hands together in understanding. "Ah! Of course, dolls are similar to robotics. If we can discover the differences and similarities between the two we'll advance your theory. Genius, Professor!"
"Of course," Yumemi replied smugly.
Shanghai was starting to seriously wonder about these two. She looked to her sister, but Hourai didn't seem to understand any more then she did. "Well I suppose we could use the help. Follow us," Shanghai said.
During the rest of the trip back the two humans chattered back and forth in scientific gibberish. Shanghai tried to follow for a bit, figuring Mother might want to know about it, but the terminology just flew right over her head.
When they landed in the clearing surrounding Alice's cottage Marisa was waiting for them outside. "Oh, you're back. And you brought the Doctor and her assistant, good."
Shanghai landed and set down Damascus' body. "Is Mother okay?"
"She's fine, but you don't have time to stay and chat. Here." Marisa tossed her and shanghai a small broach. "Communicators. Now get into the forest and head towards the old fairy tree. One of them's lodged up in there and is sending youkai and dolls to attack us."
"Right!" Hourai said. The two sisters slipped on their broaches and headed off into the woods.
After a few moments Marisa's voice sounded in their ears. "Alright, I've gotten in contact with everyone, and I'll have all the locations of the other dolls when you get back. But first we need to clean out this annoyance before she sends more ostridges at us."
"Ostriches?" Shanghai asked incredulously.
"Yeah, I don't get it either. Anyway have fun storming the forest or something. Marisa, out."
Hourai shook her head. "We shouldn't have expected so much of her."
Shanghai simply nodded at her sister.
As they continued into the magical forest the trees started to warp and shift. This wasn't too unusual given the forest itself, but the two dolls kept an eye out anyway. Thus neither was surprised when their first foe hopped into sight.
The construct looked like a rabbit built of wood held together by vines. It was ridiculous, but Shanghai could sense power and hostility from it, so she aimed her new weapon at the creature and fired. Shanghai felt like a reservoir of power was being tapped as two razor sharp disks streaked at the monster.
The rabbit thing didn't seem to care, hopping over the first by chance. It fired a strange carrot shaped missile then collapsed as the second blade lopped off its head.
Shanghai shifted to dodge, but the missile turned to hunt her. She began dashing for cover, when Hourai appeared and sliced the missile to ribbons.
"I think my sword can cut bullets now," Hourai said happily.
Shanghai pouted. "Meanwhile my new weapon has limited energy. Why is it you're faster, stronger and got a better weapon then me?"
Hourai frowned. "Hm... I don't know. That doesn't make sense...." She looked up. "Though I'd say your weapon is alright. It killed that rabbit thing really quickly, and unlike my sword it has range."
"That's true." Shanghai felt somewhat mollified. "Well we'd better hurry."
"Yeah." The duo continued further into the forest.
As they ventured deeper in the trees began to get even more warped and twisted, with huge black fruits hanging from their limbs. They passed several of these globes when Hourai froze. Shanghai stopped and looked at her sister curiously. "What is it?"
Hourai readied her blade. "Those 'fruits' are on different types of trees."
As if summoned by her words the nears globules began shaking. Shanghai fired a blade at one, but it ricocheted off. With a hiss of annoyance, the creature opened it's armored wings, revealing an ugly spherical bat creature. All around them the bats began opening thier wings and hissing.
"Run!" the two shouted in unison.
Shanghai dashed quickly after her sister, firing metal blades behind, then switching to normal shots when she felt her reserves running low. Hourai meanwhile leaped dashed and sliced a path through the bat creatures.
There seemed to be no end to the plague of bats. Fortunately the creatures seemed slow and they didn't have any ranged attacks. The two left a trail of destruction in their wake.
Finally the creatures fled. The forest fell silent.
"Well that was a pain," Shanghai said. "Hopefully there aren't any more of those."
"Hm... Something still feels wrong," Hourai said looking around nervously.
Shanghai just realized that the sounds of the forest hadn't returned when three figures entered the clearing.
They were wolves, or at least had once been something like wolves. But now they were wrapped in vines. The three creatures moved to surround Shanghai and her sister.
Hourai immediately dashed towards one, while Shanghai unleashed a charge blast at another, hoping to take it out of the fight quick. The creature shuddered at the hit, but didn't fall. Then all three of the beasts opened their mouths and sprayed fire at the sisters.
Shanghai leaped the fire blast wincing at the heat. Hourai tried to do the same, but the two streams aimed at her prevented a clean escape. Hourai hit the ground and rolled to extinguish her smoldering dress.
Shanghai switched to her metal blades immediately and fired a shot that sliced the wolf thing in front of her in half. She turned and fired three more blades that tore a second apart. The third moved to breath on her, but Hourai recovered her feet and silenced the monster with three solid slashes.
Shanghai rushed to her sister. "Are you alright Hourai?"
"I'm fine. Just a little singed," Hourai patted at her dress. "It's nothing to worry about."
"Er, well we probably should be really careful around fire, since we might still be stuffed with gunpowder," Shanghai pointed out with a wince.
Hourai's eyes widened. "Oh... right." Her sister shuddered. "I'll be more careful. I promise."
"Hey, just picked up something!" The two dolls jumped at Marisa's sudden proclamation. "Yumemi's got some sort of sweet sensor thingamabob, and it's picking up a hidden pathway somewhere near you. There might be cool treasure there if you find it."
"Right." Shanghai inspected her surroundings a little closer. Now that she was checking she could see there was a seam in one of the trees. "Aha! Hourai?"
Hourai nodded and cut the hidden door open, revealing a long tube that lead into the earth. The two entered in, wary for any ambushes.
This time it seemed their vigilance was unnecessary. The drop led the two down to a room with a sealed door and a pair of shoes. As Shanghai touched down a light flickered through the room and an image of Alice appeared.
"Shanghai, I wish it hadn't come to this, but I've created some items to help you in your battles. I've designed them to only work for you, so Medicine can't steal them."
"These shoes should increase your speed both on the ground and in the air. Don't get too overconfident though. Get used to your new speed before depending on it."
The projection of Alice looked downcast. "I'm sorry I'm not there for you like I should be. But I promise I'll come back to you as soon as I can."
Shanghai reached towards the apparition of her mother, but once again it blinked out. "You don't need to apologize mother..."
Shanghai wiped her eyes and moved towards the shoes, then she froze and turned back to her sister, who was studying the wall. "Um, there's a chance..."
Hourai shook her head, though she didn't look back. "They were made for you sister. You wear them. Besides you were having trouble keeping up."
Shanghai frowned at the accusation, but she didn't focus on it. Instead she quickly pulled off her old shoes and put on the new ones. Sure enough as soon as they were secured she felt lighter and faster. She hopped up and flew to Hourai's side. "Alright, let's go through the door and finish this."
Hourai nodded. "Right!"
This door opened up into a T shaped intersection. The duo looked both ways, then silently agreed to go left instead of straight. That door quickly opened as well, revealing a room that seemed to have been carved inside a massive tree.
At the far end of the room was another one of their sisters, though this doll was a head taller then both Shanghai and Hourai and her dress was a simple brown. In addition the ornament on her auburn hair was a single crimson maple leaf. As they entered the maverick smiled. "Sisters! How good you could join us."
Shanghai leveled her weapon. "We aren't here to join you. We're here to ask you to stop."
"Don't waste your breath Shanghai. This one attacked mother!" Hourai bent her knees to rush forward, but the other dolls look of shock caused them both to pause.
"Attack mother? I'd disgrace the name of Paititi if I did such a thing," she said. "No unlike some of my more aggressive sisters I don't want to hurt Alice. She created us!"
Paititi smiled. "And once I take her to Medicine and explain what we're doing, she'll help make more of us. Between our new sisters and my power to control animals we'll easily be able to take over the human village and teach humans how not to hurt their tools."
"So come sisters. Join me. With your support I'll be sure to convince the others," Paititi explained as she extended her hand.
Shanghai shook her head sadly. "You don't understand what mother was trying to do. We have to stop you before you damage her reputation forever."
Paititi's smile faded. "I see." She raised her arms and began to hover upwards. "Then it seems we must fight."
"I'll make this quick!" Hourai exclaimed as she dashed forward. Shanghai just fired one of her blades in response.
Paititi shook her head and raised her arms. A cloud of leaves spun up around her, while more leaves drifted down from the ceiling. "Foolish. Nothing can break my Leaf Shield."
"Ha!" Hourai slashed down. Shanghai was shocked as the leaves knocked Hourai's blade aside. Shanghai's own bullet also ricoched off.
Paititi pointed forward. "Now fire!" The leaves blasted forward, sending Hourai flying and forcing Shanghai to leap over the shield. She fired another blade as she dashed forward, only to get hit by one of the other leaves. As the plant touched her pain flashed through her body. She felt like someone was trying to take over.
Fortunately the feeling went away quickly. Shanghai looked to see Hourai standing and Patiti pulling out the second blade. "That hurts, but my body is armored. You'll need more then one shot!"
Shanghai lowered her weapon. "I've got plenty."
Paititi's only response was to summon the shield again. Hourai swore then started circling to look for an opening. Shanghai just waited, spending her energy dodging the falling leaves.
Finally Paititi threw the shield forward. Both the sisters struck then, Hourai landing a slice in her back, Shanghai firing another blade in her front. Paititi cried out in pain, but still managed to summon the shield, sending Hourai flying.
Shanghai just waited again. Hourai, realizing her sword couldn't strike without putting herself in too much danger hung back.
The three stood their waiting for some time. Finally Shanghai said, "You're losing more energy then we are. You can't keep this up forever."
Paititi frowned deeply. Then she nodded.
This time Paititi rushed forward personally. Shanghai silently thanked her mother for the enhancement shoes as she leaped over the rush. Paititi immediately whirled to face her, but the leaf cloud kept going in the same direction. Shanghai lowered her weapon and fired.
The blade neatly cut off the mavericks head.
Paititi blinked as the purple and white energy leaked from her broken body. "Why? I just wanted... mother... to join us again...." Then she fell silent as the orb formed.
"I told you range was useful," Hourai said. Shanghai smiled sheepishly in agreement.
Shanghai and Hourai both approached the orb, just like last time. Once again light surged through Shanghai's body. When it cleared she was completely re-energized, and her gun had transformed again into an odd control panel. Shanghai knew that she could summon her own leaf shield with that. She looked up to see Hourai do a spinning cut that seemed to form a full moon of steel. "Huh, I think I learned a new technique."
Hourai turned back to Shanghai. "Will you need help carrying her back?"
Shanghai looked at the fallen body of her sister. "Please."
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Command Doll Paititi
Purpose : Control
Satori has pets take care of her pets. Why not make a doll that takes care of dolls? If I have a doll controlling my dolls in combat I'd be able to fight more myself.
Addition possibilities: This doll should be able to accept familiar creation spells. A doll that could control bats or crows would be neat too!
Medicine Notes: Paititi loves her sisters and the other dolls. She also seems to have a strong connection to nature. Su-san likes her too! She's a little too attached to that meanie Alice, but I know she won't betray me. I'm just worried it might get her hurt.
Tamer Anode/Cathode:
Really liked this chapter. You're doing an excellent job of staying faithful to the source material, while adding plenty of Touhou flavor to it.
Looking forward to the continuation of this.