Maribel Hearn Quest - ACT 1

[Monarda]

>"And stop that, i bet you also had trouble on your first time."
>Cast our Lightning. Light Magic hits everything.

[Evil_Nazgul0616]

>"Okay."

>"And stop that, i bet you also had trouble on your first time."

>"Perhaps I did... But I certainly never did anything like that...!"

>Point our arm at the mark on the tree and try again. Try to keep our eyes on the mark.

>You focus again, this time aiming your arm at the mark on the tree.
>You feel that strange feeling in your right palm again, and notice out of the corner of your eye that your palm seems to be glowing. You imagine a sphere of light, and almost immediately, a glowing sphere flies out of your hand and the feeling stops.
>It moves for about a meter, wobbling unsteadily in the air, before it promptly fizzles out.

>Cast our Lighting. Light Magic hits everything.

>You cast your "lighting" and end up throwing out some lamp-shaped danmaku...
>_

[Monarda]

>Now, cast Shine, we need more Might !
>"Huh... err, it could have been better.... let`s try again."
>Focus again, but this time, try to shape the bullet into a blade, like a Knife.

[Neovereign]

>"It didn't go far..."

[AzyWng]

>Next time when we fire, try to focus on the bullet so that it doesn't dissipate.

[Evil_Nazgul0616]

>Now, cast Shine, we need more Might !

>The lamp danmaku turns on, becoming lit lamp danmaku...

>"It didn't go far..."

>"Huh... err, it could have been better.... let`s try again."

>"Indeed. Do it again."

>Focus again, but this time, try to shape the bullet into a blade, like a Knife.

>You focus again, when you get that feeling in your palm, you think of a blade, rather than an energy sphere, however, once you see the blade in your head, what comes out of your palm is not a blade at all.
>A very long projectile escapes your hand with a hissing sound, and flies much faster than the sphere you shot earlier. You think you just fired some kind of laser.

>The laser begins flickering mid-flight.

>Next time when we fire, try to focus on the bullet so that it doesn't dissipate.

>You focus on the laser, but it does nothing. It fades out completely three quarters of the way to the tree.

>"Try channeling more energy into your hand. You seem to be getting the hang of it." Yukari comments.
>_

[Neovereign]

>Repeat and do as she said. Focus on our arm more than the blade/laser.
>Is this tiring us or anything?

[Evil_Nazgul0616]

>Repeat and do as she said. Focus on our arm more than the blade/laser.

>You focus on you hand a bit more and imagine a blade again. This time you fire a laser with no signs of flickering.
>It impacts the tree about a foot above the mark.

>"Splendid." says Yukari, "You should be able to fire normal danmaku that way as well... Now I suggest that you should probably work on your aim a bit..."

>Is this tiring us or anything?

>It is not, surprisingly.
>_

[Neovereign]

>"Thank you."
>Try it again. Just get used to doing it. Don't try to make it perfect with aim or anything yet.

[Monarda]

>Also try a different kind of danmaku, maybe a pellet ? Or should we try a small sphere ?

[Evil_Nazgul0616]

>"Thank you."
>Try it again. Just get used to doing it. Don't try to make it perfect with aim or anything yet.

>Also try a different kind of danmaku, maybe a pellet ? Or should we try a small sphere ?

>You do it again and again, changing between lasers and spherical danmaku, each shot getting closer and closer to the mark. It's becoming easier the more you do it, and it feels less and less strange to do so.
>Eventually, one of your projectiles hits the target dead-center.

>Yukari claps, "Excellent. Now do you think you can try shooting more than one shot at the same time?"

>You hear someone else walk up behind the two of you, "Yukari-sama. I have informed Chen of what she is to do. I will depart for the Hakurei Shrine now, if you do not require me for anything else."
>"Very well. I will check in on you later. Take care, Ran."
>"You too, Yukari-sama."
>_

[Neovereign]

>"Who's Chen?"
>Try shooting with both of our arms now.

[Monarda]

>"Wait ! The Shrine had blood on the floor ! I hope that no one goes there before Miss Ran arrives.... hey, couldn`t you just make a gap there, Elder Lady Yukari ?"

[AzyWng]

>Try to shoot multiple pellets at the same time, focusing on a spread of pellets instead of just one shot.

[Evil_Nazgul0616]

>"Who's Chen?"

>"Chen is Ran's shikigami. You will meet her soon enough..."

>"Wait ! The Shrine had blood on the floor ! I hope that no one goes there before Miss Ran arrives.... hey, couldn`t you just make a gap there, Elder Lady Yukari ?"

>"Oh my... Is your memory failing you?" Yukari questions, "If I recall correctly, the blood was on the shrine path, not inside the shrine itself. It should've been washed away by the rain by now, so there's no need to worry. As for making a gap there... Well I could... But I felt no need to do so. Ran already knows the way there, and there is no urgent need to dispose of any more evidence."

>Try shooting with both of our arms now.

>You raise both your arms.
>"Two hands will not be necessary." says Yukari, "Please continue to use just one. Once you've mastered shooting from one hand, using the other will come naturally to you."

>Try to shoot multiple pellets at the same time, focusing on a spread of pellets instead of just one shot.

>Putting one arm down, you concentrate on an image of a sphere, but as you form the image, you split the sphere into five.
>Almost immediately, a shot of five danmaku pellets comes out of your hand. They are at a very wide spread, with two of them flying off perpendicular your arm, one heading for the target, and two at an angle halfway in-between.

>"Alright, you seem to have most of the basics down now..." suddenly, a small gap opens up in front of the mark, and a boundary appears halfway between you and the tree. Five more gaps open up along the boundary, "Now for one last thing before we move on to something more... advanced... Send five shots of danmaku through these gaps simultaneously. You will need to focus your spread in order to do so."
>_

[Neovereign]

>Have we learned how to fly yet? If not...
>"Is there a way I could fly like Reimu and the others too?"
>Feelin confident. Try to make the spread go into each gap.

[Evil_Nazgul0616]

>Have we learned how to fly yet? If not...

>You have not.

>"Is there a way I could fly like Reimu and the others too?"

>"Well, I wouldn't see why not, but let's take things one step at a time..."

>Feelin confident. Try to make the spread go into each gap.

>You focus on narrowing your spread, it takes a few tries, but eventually, you manage to get a perfect spread that passes through all the gaps simultaneously.

>The gaps close, "That's enough." says Yukari "You should be able to defend yourself in the event a few fairies attack you now... Of course, you still probably won't be able to hold out against a stronger youkai... But you shouldn't-"
>"NYAAAH~! Yukari-sama!" a childish voice calls out from somewhere behind you, followed by a soft thud.
>Yukari chuckles, "Hello, Chen. How convenient of you to show up. I was just about to call for you..."
>"Really? Then does that mean there's you need, Yukari-sama? ...Huh? Who's that?"
>"Someone I would like you to meet. Maribel, why don't you turn around and introduce yourself?"
>_

[Neovereign]

>Turn around.
>"Hello, I'm Maribel Hearn. it's nice to meet you."
>Bow.

[Evil_Nazgul0616]

>Turn around.

>You turn around to see a young girl currently hugging Yukari. She's wearing a red dress and a green hat, but her most striking features are her cat ears and her two tails.

>"Hello, I'm Maribel Hearn. it's nice to meet you."
>Bow.

>The catgirl immediately lets go of Yukari and hastily bows in return.
>"Nice to meet you too! I'm Chen!"
>_

[Monarda]

>Oh my ! That's so cute !
>Take a glance at Yukari to see how she's reacting.
>"Ummm, Chen , can i , ehh, pet you ? _{^{You are so cute ....}}"

[Neovereign]

>"Um, Yukari? Am I allowed to hug her?"

[Evil_Nazgul0616]

>Oh my ! That's so cute !

>That has to be one of the most adorable girls you've ever seen.

>Take a glance at Yukari to see how she's reacting.

>Yukari is smiling.

>"Ummm, Chen , can i , ehh, pet you ? _{^{You are so cute ....}}"

>"Nya?! What!? Um... Thank you...? And well... no... It's nothing personal... But I barely know you..."
>You elicit a small chuckle from Yukari.

>"Um, Yukari? Am I allowed to hug her?"

>"That's ultimately not my decision." Yukari replies
>"Well... Once I know you a bit better," says Chen "then you're welcome to... But like I said, we just met... And Ran-sama told me not to accept hugs from strangers..." she turns to Yukari, "So what do you need from me, Yukari-sama?"

>"Ah yes, I was just about to get to that. Anyway, Maribel, as I was saying, considering what you can do with danmaku right now, you will probably still be vulnerable to stronger youkai, that's why I'm assigning Chen as your escort."
>"Really? Are you sure, Yukari-sama?"
>"Of course. I can't have Reimu do it with her in her current condition, and I'm too busy to do it myself, so I'm delegating you to the task. You're fine with this, correct?"
>"Yes, Yukari-sama. I won't let you down."
>"Good."
>_

[Neovereign]

>"Sorry if I came out as weird... But thanks for helping me Chen."
>"Will I be able to do something like that eerie eye void you can do sensei Yukari? It would make travel easier..."

[Evil_Nazgul0616]

>"Sorry if I came out as weird... But thanks for helping me Chen."

>"It's fine. And you're welcome." Chen smiles.

>"Will I be able to do something like that eerie eye void you can do sensei Yukari? It would make travel easier..."

>"Eventually, I did say our abilities were identical, did I not?" Yukari replies, before opening a gap, "Anyway, let us return to Eientei. I wish to check on Reimu's condition. And then I will send you and Chen on your way."
>_

[Neovereign]

>"Alright."
>Go through the gap.

[Monarda]

>Hmm, although we can protect ourselves, we still can't/don't know how to fly, so even fairies might be tricky to deal with if they get the first strike, as we're limited to the ground.
>That doctor... how will she react after knowing she was right about Renko... ?

[AzyWng]

>For that matter, how will Koishi react?

[Neovereign]

>And what will Kosuzu say if she finds out that it was Renko who shot Mamizou?

[Monarda]

>Slow down you two, a bit at a time please.

[Evil_Nazgul0616]

>"Alright."
>Go through the gap.

>You follow Yukari and Chen through the gap, and end up in the halls of Eientei once more.
>Yagokoro emerges from a nearby door, wiping sweat from her brow.
>"I suppose the operation went well?" Yukari asks.
>"Well, I've stabilized her, but she is going to take a long time for her to recover." Yagokoro replies, "The bullet grazed the myocardium on the left ventricle, creating a laceration on her heart. She's actually very lucky to be alive, but I guess she has you to thank for that... She is currently hooked up to a heart-lung machine to temporarily ease the strain on her heart until the damaged area has healed enough."
>"And how long will it take for her to recover?"
>"I'd say a couple of days on the heart-lung machine, then we will allow her heart to work unassisted and bring her back into consciousness. After that... Well... She will have to stay here for at least a month or two... And she will be bedridden for about half of that time... We can't have her over-exerting herself and risk the wound re-opening, after-all."
>"Very well..."

>Hmm, although we can protect ourselves, we still can't/don't know how to fly, so even fairies might be tricky to deal with if they get the first strike, as we're limited to the ground.

>Even with your new danmaku skills, fairies still seem to have the advantage, due to them being able to fly, and your inability to do the same. Perhaps you should remedy this...

>That doctor... how will she react after knowing she was right about Renko... ?

>You wonder how Yagokoro will react to knowing her suspicions were correct. You have no idea.

>For that matter, how will Koishi react?

>You think about how Koishi will react to this news...
>Honestly, you don't know. However, she probably already knew something was going on, considering what she whispered to Renko on the way to Eientei...

>And what will Kosuzu say if she finds out that it was Renko who shot Mamizou?

>You doubt Kosuzu will ever be on friendly terms with Renko ever again if she found out...

>Yukari opens another gap.
>"I'm going to take my leave now." she looks at you and Chen, "You two have fun now..." she looks back at Yagokoro, "And... erm... thanks, Eirin..."
>"I'm just doing my job..." Yagokoro replies.
>"Bye Yukari-sama!" Chen exclaims as Yukari disappears through the gap.
>_