Rumia Quest 7: Chasing Shadows

[Raikaria]

>"...Oh. Sorry about that! I guess it was actually the Big Six back then. My mistake. Byakuren here's another member of the group, and it's safe to say that she's one of the most level-headed ones of us all, save for Tenma that is, who's a pretty reasonable old guy. He's kinda like a wise old grandpa almost."
>What all did we find out about the group anyways after Yukari's death? Beyond that the powerful and potentially dangerous are a part of it that is.

> It's more a deterrent to any of them causing trouble, the others will act in the interest of Gensokyo if any of them do. Of course, the *main* reason was Yuuka, which, oddly enough, she didn't seem to care about. In fact, she seemed to not want anyone weak in the group personally. [You think she may have seen it as an insult if someone she considered weak was part of a group to keep tabs on her].

> You recall when she made you prove yourself against Tenma in particular.

[Hanzo K.]

>"Well, you'll hit that hurdle when you come to it. I for one, look forward to seeing just how far you'll go. Take it from me, a regular 'nobody to nightmare' kind of person."
>Fistpalm abruptly, with a look of realization. "I bet I could pull some Enkura-level crazy in the Dream World. I bet I could call up some pretty nasty underlings to handle any of Titania's. After all, since the Shades were extinct, even in the land of Myth, doesn't that mean that they could reappear in the land of Dreams? And since I'm pretty similar to a Shade, I could be considered a 'Queen Shade', by that standard."

[Raikaria]

>"Well, you'll hit that hurdle when you come to it. I for one, look forward to seeing just how far you'll go. Take it from me, a regular 'nobody to nightmare' kind of person."
>Fistpalm abruptly, with a look of realization. "I bet I could pull some Enkura-level crazy in the Dream World. I bet I could call up some pretty nasty underlings to handle any of Titania's. After all, since the Shades were extinct, even in the land of Myth, doesn't that mean that they could reappear in the land of Dreams? And since I'm pretty similar to a Shade, I could be considered a 'Queen Shade', by that standard."

> "Personally I'd rather I'm not a nightmare." Maribel says.

> "Personally I'd rather given the situation we don't talk about nightmares at all." Byakuren comments.

> "Well, it's only known they were extinct in Gensokyo, or this dimension. Who says they can't exist elsewhere." Remilia comments.

> "Rumia, if anything you're more of an abomination than a shade, with everything you are. I mean, you're part youkai, part demon, part evil crystal, part reincarnated Valkyrie." Alice says. "And that's before counting Shinki's energy. Just because you use darkness and they use darkness doesn't make you like their queen. I didn't make Medicine, even though she's a doll."

[Hanzo K.]

>Sweatdrop. "Aw sis, that hurts my feelings a bit. That said, I'm just a veritable melting-pot of stuff, aren't I? I guess that would make me some kind of chimera?"
>Shrug. "Either way, we got what we went to Nitori's for, so now it's just a waiting-game until Rika and Yumemi can finish the device."

[Raikaria]

>Sweatdrop. "Aw sis, that hurts my feelings a bit. That said, I'm just a veritable melting-pot of stuff, aren't I? I guess that would make me some kind of chimera?"
>Shrug. "Either way, we got what we went to Nitori's for, so now it's just a waiting-game until Rika and Yumemi can finish the device."

> "You don't look anything like Nue." Alice says.

> "Didn't you have something you wanted to ask Patchouli?" Medicine comments, as the two scientists work. Marisa is 'helping' the pair with occasional comments which include 'More power', 'Bigger' and 'Explosions'. Just as expected from Marisa, really.

[Hanzo K.]

>Nod. "I'll go ask her."
>Let's go find Patchouli.

[Raikaria]

>Nod. "I'll go ask her."
>Let's go find Patchouli.

> You fly to the one place where you know Patchouli will be, and indeed, she is there, in the Voile Library, as is Sakuya, who appears to be filling in for Koakuma, and, surprisingly, Flandre.

> The little sister appears to be reading a book on Norse mythology, while occasionally twiddling Laevateinn. Patchouli has a small pile of books which seem to relate to dreams, as well as the Wood Element, the Fire Element, and Nature in itself.

> Kotezu is also here, but she's asleep. It appears the girl wanted to help, but couldn't stay awake.

[Hanzo K.]

>Let's head over to Patchouli. "Hey Patchouli, you're the elemental expert here, what do you think would be the fundamental opposite to nature itself? Since Titania's the Nature Goddess, it would make sense to use her opposing 'element' to be able t hurt or weaken her."

[Raikaria]

>Let's head over to Patchouli. "Hey Patchouli, you're the elemental expert here, what do you think would be the fundamental opposite to nature itself? Since Titania's the Nature Goddess, it would make sense to use her opposing 'element' to be able t hurt or weaken her."

> "What do you think I'm researching?" Patchouli says. "At first I thought Fire, but then realized Water and Fire are part of nature, so that will not work, I was merely thinking of wood. Then I thought of metal, like Rika, but realized the metal is natural, people have just worked with it. The only thing I can think of is something that dosen't exist within the natural order of this dimension."

> Patchouli closes her book and looks at you.

> "You're from another dimension... technically... you're not natural here at all. Yumemi too, same with Alice."

> She shakes her head.

> "But she's in the Dream World, which connects all the dimensions. That includes Makai and Yumemi's world. If she's connected to all those worlds nothing's not natural anymore..."

> Patchouli sighs, looking frustrated.

> "The best suggestion I have is not very... it's not... it's not like me."

> She stammers.

> "You know, I can't bring myself to say it myself. It's so... brutish. Just go ask Marisa or Cirno what they think we should do. That's my answer at this point, because Marisa's take on things is honestly the best option I can think of right now."

> "She means her idea is brute force and hope." Flandre comments. "Probably having those of us who are immortal taking the shots."

> "How many immortals are there amoung us..." Sakuya comments.

> "Five." Patchouli says. "M'lady, the younger sister, the two fairies and Mokou. Seven if you count objects that are sentient, the doll and the karakasa, but that depends on your definition of life, and eight-and a half if you count ghosts."

[Hanzo K.]

>"I wonder if Rika would be able to cook up some kind of super-barrier to help with that? I mean, she smashed the old me when Enkura split her off. Something about 500 times normal gravity or something."

[Raikaria]

>"I wonder if Rika would be able to cook up some kind of super-barrier to help with that? I mean, she smashed the old me when Enkura split her off. Something about 500 times normal gravity or something."

> "Don't know. Do gods have limits? And if so, what are they? Do you think Rika would be able to fight Shinki, because that's what we're going to be facing down effectively, something in her leagues of power."

> "Maybe if Reimu and Yukari and Maribel backed her up, maybe, together. But one's dead, another asleep, and a third hasn't mastered her powers."

[Hanzo K.]

>"Hmm...Maybe if I could fully tap into everything my sword has to offer. The energy that everyone contributed to the sword when it was created enabled different magics and such. Yumeko provided short-range teleports, Yuki and Mai provided ice and fire respectively, and there's a few other abilities it's got, like cutting ghosts and such. In addition to being able to cut even the divine."

[Raikaria]

>"Hmm...Maybe if I could fully tap into everything my sword has to offer. The energy that everyone contributed to the sword when it was created enabled different magics and such. Yumeko provided short-range teleports, Yuki and Mai provided ice and fire respectively, and there's a few other abilities it's got, like cutting ghosts and such. In addition to being able to cut even the divine."

> Patchouli looks curious.

> "Does anyone involved have particular experience with barriers?"

[Hanzo K.]

>Let's review; Who all contributed aside from the people we mentioned?

[Raikaria]

>Let's review; Who all contributed aside from the people we mentioned?

> Yuki, Mai, Yumeko, Shinki and Luize. That said, seeing as Shinki is... Shinki, you can't say you've found everything the sword can do yet.

[Hanzo K.]

>"Hmm...Well, I haven't fully mastered my sword yet, so maybe that was a little something Shinki slipped in? I've got just about everything figured out in categories of active and passive, aside from the full extent of what Shinki contributed."
>Nod. "Luize contributed the passive ability to cut ghosts, and Shinki contributed the whole god-cutting ability, and maybe more. The others I've already mentioned. Maybe SHinki added more than just that?"
>Let's bring out the sword. "Hm...I'll try seeing if I can make a barrier."
>Let's focus on the sword, will it to form energy into a barrier.

[Raikaria]

>"Hmm...Well, I haven't fully mastered my sword yet, so maybe that was a little something Shinki slipped in? I've got just about everything figured out in categories of active and passive, aside from the full extent of what Shinki contributed."
>Nod. "Luize contributed the passive ability to cut ghosts, and Shinki contributed the whole god-cutting ability, and maybe more. The others I've already mentioned. Maybe SHinki added more than just that?"
>Let's bring out the sword. "Hm...I'll try seeing if I can make a barrier."
>Let's focus on the sword, will it to form energy into a barrier.

> You bring out the sword, and try to form a barrier.

> You make a small wall of ice. It seems 'barrier' is interpreted as 'Ice Shield'. Close enough in definition...

> "Hmm, would you mind letting me have a look at that, Rumia?" Patchouli says.

[Hanzo K.]

>Let's set the sword on the table if there is one. "No telling what it'll do if someone not me, or from Makai touches it."

[Raikaria]

>Let's set the sword on the table if there is one. "No telling what it'll do if someone not me, or from Makai touches it."

> There is a table in front of Patchouli , and she moves the books.

> "I deal with things from Makai every day." Patchouli says, before touching the sword, after covering her hands with some magical wards.

> The sword glows as Patchouli touches it, and then the gem on it glows brightly when she touches that. She sudenly moves her hand back swiftly.

> "OK, that's... interesting." Patchouli says, as the gem's glow dies down.

[Hanzo K.]

>"Well, it does kind of have a will of it's own. The gem's kinda like the one Shinki used to create the Heart of Makai. Hopefully though, I'll be on better terms with mine than Shinki is with hers. They're sort of like a married couple that's on the verge of divorcing almost. Mostly because the Makaiheart identifies as a guy apparently."

[Raikaria]

>"Well, it does kind of have a will of it's own. The gem's kinda like the one Shinki used to create the Heart of Makai. Hopefully though, I'll be on better terms with mine than Shinki is with hers. They're sort of like a married couple that's on the verge of divorcing almost. Mostly because the Makaiheart identifies as a guy apparently."

> "No, this gem is based on it, but something that holds a dimension together is on another level. Besides, this gem isn't sentient, besides... a hunger for power. When I touched it, it drained some of my power." Patchouli says.

> She touches the gem again, and nothing happens.

> "It feels like it's added my power to it. I can feel my flames in there, but not the Makai Mage's anymore. It seemed to... replace her power with mine." Patchouli says. "If I were to guess, while there's a limit to how much it can memories, the gem can copy people's abilities, although on a lesser scale than they can use them. Try to use a Earth spell with the sword, just make a rock or something, they'll test my theory."

[Hanzo K.]

>"Hmm...so it can copy. It's kind of like me in that regard, given how malleable and formless shadows are. But it's funny, it responded like it was sentient when I suggested a name to it. It felt...Happy I guess?"
>Let's try tapping into the sword's power, and create a fist-sized rock.

[Raikaria]

>"Hmm...so it can copy. It's kind of like me in that regard, given how malleable and formless shadows are. But it's funny, it responded like it was sentient when I suggested a name to it. It felt...Happy I guess?"
>Let's try tapping into the sword's power, and create a fist-sized rock.

> You try tapping the sword's power. You make a rock about twice the size of your hand by accident. You're not sure if it was showing off or you overdid it.

[Hanzo K.]

>Look at the sword in a sort of amused way. "Hey, are you showing off there partner? Well, I guess I can't complain, since I tend to show off too."
>"I wonder if I got your other elements too though? I'm gonna try Sun, then Moon if that worked."
>Let's try to use the sword to make a small ball of sunlight.

[Raikaria]

>Look at the sword in a sort of amused way. "Hey, are you showing off there partner? Well, I guess I can't complain, since I tend to show off too."
>"I wonder if I got your other elements too though? I'm gonna try Sun, then Moon if that worked."
>Let's try to use the sword to make a small ball of sunlight.

> The gem glows a little red.

> The gem glows brightly, before a small fireball starts floating in front of it, before it dissipates. It glows again, and a bigger fireball forms, before it vanishes. The third time, the orb of fire feels different, and doesn't dissipate.

> "... It almost seemed like it messed up twice." Patchouli comments.

[Hanzo K.]

>"And this is why I think it's a bit more than it lets on. Which is why I'll sometimes talk to it."
>Look to Patchouli. "That should be Sun Element, right? I wonder if I actually ended up making a small sun with my sword's help?"

[Raikaria]

>"And this is why I think it's a bit more than it lets on. Which is why I'll sometimes talk to it."
>Look to Patchouli. "That should be Sun Element, right? I wonder if I actually ended up making a small sun with my sword's help?"

> "It's a form. The Sun element isn't just a sphere that is beyond the fire element. It is a good day, so I'll show you the real form of the Sun Element..."

> Patchouli picks up a book, and a Heptagram forms beneath her [Seven-Sided equivalent of a Hexagram], before she fires what looks like several rays of light at a rock wall she forms.

> The wall is torn apart, melted to magma where the light burned through.

> "The Sun element represents Heat and Light." Patchouli says, as she forms metal around the melting rock, preventing the magma dripping to the floor. "If your perception of it is simply fire, you may as well just train fire magic only, as it is easier, although weaker, it will surpass the Sun Element due to it's difficulty, unless you are making use of all the sides of the Sun Element. The moon, likewise, represents darkness and water."

[Hanzo K.]

>"So moon's more my thing, given how light's not exactly my strong suit. Yeah?"
>Let's try dissipating the sun, then forming a sphere of water.

[Raikaria]

>"So moon's more my thing, given how light's not exactly my strong suit. Yeah?"
>Let's try dissipating the sun, then forming a sphere of water.

> "I think even the Ice Fairy could figure that one out." Patchouli says.

> You dissipate the very mini-sun, and easily form an orb of water of a slightly larger size.

> "Of course, if Water was all the Moon Sign was, then why would I bother with it, over the Water Sign?" Patchouli says. "The beams of light, reflected from the moon, illuminating the night, take on different mystical properties than those from the sun directly. Combined with the moon's gravitational effect on the tides, and this property carries over into the water as well."

> Patchouli points a finger at the orb of water, and fires a small beam of light into it, before it splits into many. This light covers where it hits with a thin layer of ice, but doesn't freeze the water.

> "Of course, I'd show you me bringing out the full power of these signs, with my spellcards, but I'd probobly damage the library doing so, and render myself bedridden doing so. Silent Serene and Royal Flare take a lot out of me. Not to mention if my theory is correct, the sword can only imitate a very small amount of my power in the first place."

[Hanzo K.]

>"Makes sense. Can't afford to have our biggest mind end up like everyone else."
>Pause. "I wonder if this could copy Yuyuko's power? I mean, nature's life and death too, but Titania goes the life angle of things from what I'm seeing."
>Beat.
>"Hey, maybe I could copy that Anti-Plant Toxin that Yumemi and Eirin made! See, Medicine's here too, and she figured out how to produce it."