Remilia Quest

[Hanzo K.]

>Why bother with Gungnir? Just the Rapier and our Full Presence is enough for the likes of them.

[Oldmansour]

>Throw her into the other kappa.
>Aim Gungnir at them.
>"Talk. Now."

>Why bother with Gungnir? Just the Rapier and our Full Presence is enough for the likes of them.

>With a flex of your muscles, you fling the offending kappa towards her friend. With some relief, as well, as your the pained sensation in your hand abates after you release her neck. The kappa, however, is not anxious to impact upon her fellow, as her body shimmers blue, and transmogrifies itself into water in midflight. The watery-formed kappa splits into two halves, each of which passes on either side of the braided one. The two halves reform about six feet behind that kappa, the one called Sui turning flesh with an odd smirk on her face. "Can't make me." Weirdly, two different voices come from her mouth, one a fairly pleasant alto, the other a somewhat grating bass.

>"Remilia, Minako! Please don't hurt her!" Byakuren calls to you both. "I don't believe she's responsible for her actions!"

[Hanzo K.]

>"Don't worry, she won't be hurting for long, nothing a dip in water won't fix. Besides, Danmaku is nonlethal."
>Put the rapier away and flare up our presence to full blast.

[Oldmansour]

>"Don't worry, she won't be hurting for long, nothing a dip in water won't fix. Besides, Danmaku is nonlethal."
>Put the rapier away and flare up our presence to full blast.

>Sheathing your blade, you power yourself up for the benefit of all to see. Both of the kappa seem to shrink back from your blazing scarlet aura, Sui even flinching slightly. Even Minako flinches a little, though not as much as the two Kappa. Brave girl.
>The kappa with the glowing green eyes frowns slightly. "I wish I could do that." she moans in that weird two-voices-at-once voice. "But, I bet none of you can do this." She extends her right arm out away from her as it shifts to water, reforming itself into a thin blade-like shape.
>You do indeed feel, for a heartbeat, a sharp twinge of jealousy for her ability to do something you can't. From the looks on their faces, the other kappa and Minako experience this as well.

[Hanzo K.]

>Surely we can do better than that though.
>Focus our energy into a set of five blades over our own arm, like our claws.

[Oldmansour]

>Surely we can do better than that though.
>Focus our energy into a set of five blades over our own arm, like our claws.

>You may not be able to selectively alter body parts instead of the whole of your body, but no kappa's about to upstage YOU, whatever mojo's she on.
>Refocusing the scarlet power flowing over your right arm, a great crimson hand capped by glowing claws overlapping your flesh and blood arm.
>"Oh yeah?" The kappa with the glowing eyes taunts. "Try the other side." Her left arm bubbles and shifts form to match the bladed water of her right.
>You swear you hear the sound of banjos dueling.

>"What exactly do you mean, Byakuren?" you hear Rei ask the head of the temple.
>"The magic that's been causing those flashes on envy is coming from within Suirei. But it seems to be separate from her, a different energy than hers."

[Hanzo K.]

>Hell, let's do one better, and shape our entire aura into a giant batlike demon, with us where the heart would be!
>"So, it's coming from within her? Then all we need to do is contain her."

[Oldmansour]

>Hell, let's do one better, and shape our entire aura into a giant batlike demon, with us where the heart would be!
>"So, it's coming from within her? Then all we need to do is contain her."

>That kappa may have a couple neat tricks with water, but your show is even more impressive. It does a good job of unnerving the unhostile kappa, but the other one merely looks jealous again.
>"I don't believe that will be enough." Byakuren advises. "If I'm-"
>"Try and contain THIS." the kappa called Suirei half bellows in that double voice, and raises her watery arms. A moderate swarm of blue wedge shaped bullets fly out from her arms in all directions, as she takes to the air.

[Hanzo K.]

>Spellcards

[Oldmansour]

>Spellcards

>You are currently carrying:
>Destiny: Miserable Fate
>Scarlet Sign: Scarlet Shoot
>Dark Sign: Scarlet Netherworld
>Divine Punishment: Young Demon Lord
>Scarlet Gensokyo

[Hanzo K.]

>Let's disperse the shaped aura in an explosive manner to cancel out her shots, and then liberally apply Chain Gang to capture her. She can't escape the chains of fate after all.

[Oldmansour]

>Let's disperse the shaped aura in an explosive manner to cancel out her shots, and then liberally apply Chain Gang to capture her. She can't escape the chains of fate after all.

>The scarlet energy enveloping you erupts in a cascade of power, negating the bulk of the blue bullets fired by the kappa, including most of the ones in front of you. The ones that survive post no threat to you.
>Pressing your hands together in front of you, you send a scarlet chain forth from your palms, homing in on Suirei. She maintains her fire, adding medium sized sea-green orbs to the mix, as she breaks up and away in an attempt to dodge your chain. Having never seen it before, however, the kappa, or whatever force is driving her, underestimates the speed of your attack, and is, in short order, wrapped safely in your power chain. You wince despite yourself, as even through a mystic extention of your power, contact with the kappa's hydroform arms is very uncomfortable.

>The downside to this ability is, as you well know, the fact that it renders you immobile while channeling power into the chain. And Suirei's danmaku didn't dissappear when your chain caught up with her.
>Fortunately for you, there is one present willing to come to your aid. You hear the beating of wings from behind you, and a barrage of rapid fire white lasers fly out in front of you, intercepting the vast majority of the bullets traveling in your direction. The worst you suffer is a graze from one of the orb bullets.
>"Do you have her, Remilia?" Minako asks from behind you.

[Hanzo K.]

(Sakuya?)

>We can bear the pain and discomfort until this is resolved, such pain is nothing compared to the indignities we've suffered in Sakuya's absence!
>"Of course, as discomforting as it is. As this is technically a variety of Danmaku, her powers are of no avail."
>Look to the others, particularly Byakuren. "Well, have at it, I'm busy keeping her in place."

[Oldmansour]

>We can bear the pain and discomfort until this is resolved, such pain is nothing compared to the indignities we've suffered in Sakuya's absence!
>"Of course, as discomforting as it is. As this is technically a variety of Danmaku, her powers are of no avail."
>Look to the others, particularly Byakuren. "Well, have at it, I'm busy keeping her in place."

>Byakuren holds her scroll in front of her, and her power begins to gather, causing her hair to flutter slightly.
>The other kappa seems almost beside herself, obviously wanting to help her friend, but obviously uncertain what would be the best way to go about it.
>Suirei, for her part, looks at the chain binding her with undisguised envy. "This is a really nice chain. Wish I could make one like it." She then levels a mocking leer in your direction. "But, I think you've overlooked something here."

[Hanzo K.]

>Let's channel some extra energy into the chains, we'll give her a good zap. "I don't think so."
>Level a nice and fearsome sneer at her. "You were fated to be bested here."

[Oldmansour]

>Let's channel some extra energy into the chains, we'll give her a good zap. "I don't think so."
>Level a nice and fearsome sneer at her. "You were fated to be bested here."

>The chained kappa flinches under your power surge, and her unchained friend doesn't take that too well. "You've got her chained, you don't need to hurt her, too."
>"Calm yourself." Minako commands the blue haired woman. "The situation will be resolved shortly, for the better of all."

>"Fate, is it?" Suirei asks you. "Was it your fate, then, vampire, to try and hold a body that was water?"
>The kappa's body transforms into water again, causing your discomfort to blossom into full-out pain. The watery body of Suirei slips and slides out and over your power chain, a sensation that is quite unwelcome to you.
>Her voice rings out again, despite not having any visible mouth, both voices distorted by a gargling sound, like one underwater, "I won't be caged again as easily as that." she declares, spinning her body into a whirlwind of water, sending blue and green globe-shaped bullets, blurred by a watery film, in wave-like patterns out from her.

[Hanzo K.]

>Sigh. We DID try to resolve this peacefully, but some just won't listen.
>"My apologies for any collateral damage that might ensue, I'll be certain to reimburse you for damages. Scarlet Sign: Scarlet Shoot!"

[Oldmansour]

>Sigh. We DID try to resolve this peacefully, but some just won't listen.
>"My apologies for any collateral damage that might ensue, I'll be certain to reimburse you for damages. Scarlet Sign: Scarlet Shoot!"

>No one can say you didn't give the girl fair opportunity to do things the easy way. But, since it's come to the other way, there's few in Gensokyo better capable of handling the other way than you.
>Spell card set! Scarlet Sign: Scarlet Shoot.

>Unleashing the cannon-fire of bullets that Scarlet Shoot is renders you temporarily immobile, and a few of the shots launched by the watery kappa do catch you. However, she's in for far worse. She resumes her solid form before going evasive, drifting to her left. She gets around the first discharge of shots, but the second blast comes earlier than the kappa was expecting. She is barely able to get around the big bullet at the front of the wave of danmaku, which only serves to make her bank into one of the large red bullet following behind it. Her eyes flash, and she stretches her hand up over her head, a glowing green rune on the back of her fist.

>'Envy Sign: Discord of Desire!"
>A wave of green energy encircles her, negating the bullets in her immediate vicinity. A crooked circular shaped pattern of danmaku appear around her, as larger green bubbles fly out in seven directions, only one of which is currently a threat to you.

>Spellcard health: Scarlet Shoot - 94%   Discord of Desire - 100%

>While Minako has backed off slightly after you announced your spellcard, the other kappa has retreated further, coming to a halt in front of Byakuren, Rei and Wriggle, to watch you slug it out with her friend. "That's not one of Sui's spellcards..." you hear her say in surprise.
>"I expect it's one of the cards belonging to the one controlling her." Byakuren replies, an unmistakable hint of steel in her voice. "I believe your friend is possessed."

[GuyYouMetOnline]

>"Then perform an exorcism. I'll keep her occupied."

[Hanzo K.]

>Smirk. "I can hold this easily enough, even if I dislike water."
>Let's keep the card going at full blast!

[Oldmansour]

>"Then perform an exorcism. I'll keep her occupied."

>"I will try."
>"And we'll handle the stray bullets." Wriggle assures you all, taking flight and standing ready to launch counter-fire. Rei seems ready as well, but slightly concerned.
>"Can you do that?" she asks the temple head.
>"My magic doesn't lend itself to exorcism, no. I will try, but I can't be sure I'll succeed. However, if Remila can force the possessor out of Suirei's body, then I will be able to contain it."

>Smirk. "I can hold this easily enough, even if I dislike water."
>Let's keep the card going at full blast!

>After reassuring your allies of your ability to handle this duel, you suffer the impact of the green bubble of her spell, and fly up and to your right, before unleashing the triple-blast potion of your spellcard. Her technique, it seems, does not afford her much mobility either, as her faint movement down and to her port are not enough to let her escape the brunt of your blast.
>Despite sustaining a substantial impact from your Scarlet Shoot, the possessed kappa's spellcard does not break, and her own attack starts to take form. The green bubbles abate, but the staggered bullets in a crooked circle around her duplicate themselves just behind the originals. The original bullets, green colored, move back towards her body, while the duplicates, a lighter green and slightly smaller, blast out away from her, the originals following behind them slightly slower. And just for good measure, she starts discharging the big green bubbles again.

>Spellcard health:
>Scarlet Shoot: 88%. Discord of Desire: 53%

>"You stay out of this, Mina!" The unidentified woman next to Mystia, still standing on the deck of the boat, calls down to the winged youkai, who's put a bit more distance between you and herself. "Spellcard duels are still one on one, even in this case."
>"Be that as it may," the winged youkai counters, "I finish the job, should Remilia be defeated."
>"You're not the first vampire that I've challenged, or escaped." the possessed kappa taunts you. "Your confidence is enviable, but what makes you think you'll do better than her?"

[Hanzo K.]

>Sneer. "Is it not obvious? I am on a level far beyond most Vampires. Witness the power of the Scarlet Devil!"
>Let's keep it going, and pour everything we've got into it!

[Oldmansour]

>Sneer. "Is it not obvious? I am on a level far beyond most Vampires. Witness the power of the Scarlet Devil!"
>Let's keep it going, and pour everything we've got into it!

>Tossing the kappa's taunt back into her teeth, you discharge your back to back five-way bullet streams with a little extra emphasis, criss-crossing with the oncoming emerald fire of the kappa's spellcard. The Myorens and the rest of them are getting a good show tonight.
>Suffering the bullets of the kappa's spellcard is not entirely pleasant. Though one of the large bubbles merely grazes you, the staggered fire of green bullets catch you in waves, doing a rather impressive amount of damage to your own card's health. Not enough to break it, but enough to take note of. And your return fire is not as effective as your first barrage, since it seems Suirei's spellcard allows her more mobility when she's not channeling danmaku, much like your own. And this spellcard is one of your simpler patterns.
>That said, it is a relatively simple pattern employed by one of the most proficient wielders of danmaku in all of Gensokyo. She'll break before you do. It's only a matter of time.
>The kappa slows again as the crooked circle of bullets begins to form around her again, preluded by those 6-way bubble discharges.

>"Scarlet Devil? Never heard of you, but I do wish I had a title like that. But not as much as I wish I had the Cobalt Countesses' title."

>Spellcard health:
>Scarlet Shoot - 54%.  Discord of Desire - 13%.

[GuyYouMetOnline]

>Cobalt Countess? Could we be approaching a lead on our mysterious vampire-maker?
>We should try to get our opponent to let more information slip.
>"And I have never heard of this 'Cobalt Countess'."

[Oldmansour]

>Cobalt Countess? Could we be approaching a lead on our mysterious vampire-maker?
>We should try to get our opponent to let more information slip.
>"And I have never heard of this 'Cobalt Countess'."

>You speculate about the possibility that this kappa, or rather, the entity that may or may not be possessing, may be a source of information on whoever turned Rei here. So you adjust your rate of fire to allow yourself more time to pump the thing for information.
>"I guess that makes the two of you even, then. But I do think hers is better. Alliteration is such an enviable talent."

>Although you've slacked your rate of fire, your opponent certainly has not, and you catch the brunt of one of her large bubbles, as her circular pattern of bullets duplicates themselves, in preparation to fire again.

>Spellcard health:
>Scarlet Shoot - 38%  Discord of Desire - 9%

[Hanzo K.]

>"Well, perhaps she is remotely powerful then! I shall certainly have to meet her some time."
>We've toyed with her enough, we can squeeze her for information after the fact.

[Oldmansour]

>"Well, perhaps she is remotely powerful then! I shall certainly have to meet her some time."
>We've toyed with her enough, we can squeeze her for information after the fact.

>"She's a good host, too. It helps to have an invitation, though, at least for other vampires."
>Decided to hold off on the interrogation until after the danmaku have stopped flying, you unleash another cannon-blast stream of shots, as the kappa's green bullets fly out mere moments after yours.
>Byakuren, you see in the corner of your eye, has her hand extended out in front of her, probably in preparation for whatever magic she plans to employ if and when you manage to dislodge the possessing entity from the kappa.

>Your shots and Suirei's intermix and pass by each other again, each of you scoring hits on the other. Her bullet strikes bring your spellcard down to a somewhat alarming level of health. Yours, on the other hand, reduce her spellcard to 0. The spell effect of Discord of Desire breaks, and the glowing green rune on the back of the kappa's hand shatters as well.
>As per usual, the kappa reacts from the spellcard break as one who sustained a sizable impact, but an odd thing happens as she reels back. A figure partially emerges from her back and head - a woman, attractive, with long black hair streaked a deep green on either side, a read headband holding her bangs back. She doesn't seem entirely corporeal either.
>Her timing impeccable, Byakuren calls out, "Flow break!" Her scroll flashes white, and a six-pointed star flies from her hand and imbeds itself in the ground underneath the floating kappa. The star glows with power, and a column of light erupts from the star, trapping the kappa and the spirit extending from her. The kappa seems not to notice, but the black haired woman shrieks, and is visibly pulled, almost torn, from the body of the kappa. The two separate with an audible snap.

>The glow fades from the kappas eyes and she slumps forward, and begins to fall from the sky. You hear her kappa friend cry out and start to move, but Minako moves faster than she does, darting forward and catching the kappa as she passes through the wall of light. The winged youkai pauses there for a moment, one of her wings passing in and out of the column, before she descends down towards the ground, Suirei in her grip, seemingly very dazed.

[Hanzo K.]

(Got that one from Slayers did you? Very nice pick for someone like her. Kudos. Think we'll see Marisa using Dragon Slave/Slayer anytime soon?  :getdown:)

>Fly over to the pillar with a somewhat impressed smirk.  "Well, I must say, you were rather impressive. May I ask your name?"

[Oldmansour]

(Got that one from Slayers did you? Very nice pick for someone like her. Kudos. Think we'll see Marisa using Dragon Slave/Slayer anytime soon?  :getdown:)

>Fly over to the pillar with a somewhat impressed smirk.  "Well, I must say, you were rather impressive. May I ask your name?"

(Is there anything you HAVEN'T seen??)

>Now that you've bested the possessing entity, it's time to grill the girl. She's on the short and 'flat' side, and her style of dress is somewhat similar to Mei Lings, a Chinese dress called a qipao, although this girls is a much darker green, with an ivy-vine pattern embroidered in it. She compliments her eastern dress with western-style shoes and black socks.
>The black haired girl doesn't acknowledge your question right away, focused instead on the light surrounding her. She reaches out to touch one of the walls, and the light repels her hand with a jolt of power. Shaking her hand, she then turns to face you. "Envy."
>"Your name is Envy?" Rei asks her. After the black haired woman nods, Rei continues, "How'd you get that name?"
>"Easily. It's what I am."

[Hanzo K.]

(Oh, I'm sure it's out there. I just haven't seen it yet. *rimshot*)

>"Interesting. Now, would you mind telling me a little more about this 'Cobalt Countess'? Being of the vampiric persuasion, and nobility myself, it's only proper."
>"By the way, my gatekeeper has an outfit rather like your own, only not quite as green. I shall have to see about having her obtain a deeper shade of green for her clothing."
>Ponder on if it would clash too much with that red hair of hers.