~Hakurei Shrine~ > Kosuzu's Grand Bookstore
Pure Lotus of the Sunken Stars (Complete)
Iced Fairy:
--- Quote ---“Hey, I resent that. Dolphins are highly intelligent, I’ll have you know!”
--- End quote ---
Why do I see Patchouli saying "Citation needed"?
It was tempting, but I figured it was too blatant and awkward in the actual text. :V
Alfred F. Jones:
I wondered for all of two seconds where the swimming pool came from, and then I remembered the last chapter of SSiB. BV
FinnKaenbyou:
Dammit, you win! You win, okay?! Just let me out!
Sango wanted to shout at her, but she knew already that it was fruitless. Patchouli clearly had every intent of sitting here and waiting her out. Perhaps the magician wasn?t physically strong, but what she lacked in force she made up for in patience. She was fully willing to watch her victory unfold in its entirety, and all the while Sango couldn?t hope to break through.
It was a show of pride, a show of power, but it was one Sango couldn?t do anything about.
...Are you kidding me?
She took a moment to appreciate the irony of this situation. Here she was, a youkai of the water, and now she was going to drown. She stopped struggling, letting her body float backwards in the water as she looked up to the surface. Patchouli had thought far enough ahead to bring a book with her - she knew that Sango would be able to hold her breath for a good while before giving in, so she brought something along to pass the time. Sango, meanwhile, simply closed her eyes and contemplated over her own fate.
She?d achieved nothing. She hadn?t been able to stop Koishi, she hadn?t been able to find the Stone everyone needed, and now she was going to end up dead on top of all of that. To say she was mad was something of an understatement.
Never mind that...what?s everyone else gonna think?
She took a moment to think of the stranded crew of the ship, and how they?d react if they found out she?d died trying to help them. They wouldn?t be angry - or at least, Byakuren would convince them not to hate the mansion?s servants for doing their job - but there would be guilt, undoubtedly. They?d blame themselves for what happened, for letting her down and inadvertently getting her killed.
And Murasa. Oh, Murasa. She?d take it worse than anyone, doing her best to maintain that proud facade when she heard the news. Inside, she?d be dying all over again, carrying the blame on her own shoulders. She?d tell herself that if she?d just been a little less proud, a little less selfish, then the dolphin wouldn?t have had to die. It would haunt her, devastate her, destroy her.
Just thinking about it made Sango feel a little sick. She couldn?t do that - she couldn?t give Murasa a reason to feel even worse now than she had before. She?d die with a guilty conscience if she lost here, no matter how far the odds were stacked against her, no matter how unlikely her victory.
?Mmh.?
A muffled groan, as the first few bubbles started to slip past her lips. She was struggling to hold it in now - lying back in the water, lost in introspection, she must have lost track of time. The icy ceiling above her stayed as it was, firm as ever. Patchouli seemed to have forgotten about her entirely, staying close simply so the spell wouldn?t collapse as she lost herself in her book.
OK, Sango. Plan. Think of something.
There had to be something she hadn?t thought of. Something she hadn?t considered, hadn?t tried. Something that could turn the tides in her favour, let her break out of this deadlock and bring the fight back to Patchouli. She rummaged through her pockets, wondering if the maid left any of her knives on her person - maybe she could stab her way through.
She found nothing, but her hand stopped as it gripped around a card.
"Murasa came up with the idea a while ago, but she felt it didn't fit properly into her arsenal. She asked me to give it to you."
Byakuren?s voice played in her head, almost echoing in the water. She pulled the spellcard out of her pocket, examining it once again. Her eyes glimmered with both hope and ambition, as an idea started to form in her head.
Alright. Nice and quiet.
She dove down to the bottom of the pool, where she figured the card would have the greatest effect. She held it against the floor, feeling her chest begin to burn slightly. A mental declaration would have to do, but luckily Murasa had already written the incantation on the card for her to work with.
This had better work...!
She focused her mind, giving the spell all the attention she could muster. It was more powerful than her normal spellcards, so it was going to take everything she had. Slowly, but surely the card began to shine as it came to life, starting with a tiny current forming around its centre.
Wild waters, lash out towards the skies and bring my foes crashing down into the abyss...!
She saw Patchouli looking down with curiosity at the light forming in the waters below her. She?d long since passed Sango off as harmless, and figured that the light show was just some sort of last ditch effort. Her book was more interesting than a dolphin?s final struggle, in her opinion.
Sango was being pushed in two areas now - she was struggling to concentrate, and she was starting to run seriously low on air. The two problems bounced off each other on top of that, making things harder and harder. Sango grit her teeth, feeling more bubbles pushing their way out despite her attempts to hold it in. It was all coming apart, and she wouldn?t have enough time for a second chance.
No...not yet...!
A face flashed in front of her eyes for an instant. Murasa, letting that facade of bravado drop for a moment, looking down with tears in her eyes. The girl who gave everything she had because she was afraid of letting anyone down.
If she can keep fighting...
Sango pressed down full force on the card, her concentration back to full power. Determination blazed in her eyes as she put the pain aside for a moment.
Then I can keep fighting too...!
The spellcard started to glow in earnest, turning pure white. It was ready.
Alright, little miss librarian. My turn!
Sango had to hold back the urge to shout as she declared her final attack.
Maelstrom! [Cauldron Of The Speckled Seas]!
There was only a moment before the water around her responded to the card, but for Sango it played out in slow motion. The current emerging from the card, slow to start, began to grow and consume the pool in its entirety. A trio of smaller whirlpools broke apart from it, rising up to the surface and stopping just below the ice. Now Patchouli had started paying attention, her eyes glancing down with a mixture of surprise and sudden panic as one of these whirlpools hung right beneath her.
Then, things started to happen very quickly. The whirlpools burst upward in to the air, leaving the water entirely tearing holes in the layer of ice. One of them caught Patchouli in its grasp, sending her flying upwards into the distance. Sango could hear her cry out in shock as her book fell out of her hand, falling into the very pool she?d been guarding with a quiet splash.
This was Sango?s chance. If Patchouli had time to recover from this, it was over for sure. She kicked off the floor of the pool, swimming to the surface with every ounce of strength she had left. She grabbed the tome as she went - soggy, but still hefty enough to pack a punch. Behind her, the greater whirlpool on the pool floor let out occasional waves of bullets, but that was no longer an issue.
She leapt out of the water, gasping for breath and meeting Patchouli in midair as the whirlpool came to a stop. The magician looked at her, still surprised, unable to offer much in terms of a counter attack. Sango allowed herself time to smirk, lifting her makeshift weapon up into the air.
?Hey, bookworm! You dropped something!?
She brought the book crashing into Patchouli?s skull, sending her spiralling down again as gravity started to come back into effect. She hit the ground besides the pool with an almighty crash, fortunate not to bring another bookshelf down on her. The blow was easily enough to kill a human being, but as a long-lived magician Patchouli was more resilient than that.
Slightly.
?Uuuuuuugh...?
She shivered, unable to return to her feet as Sango landed back in the water. The wall of ice came apart at once, shattering as its caster was defeated. The dolphin had plenty of time to surface, pull herself out of the water and walk up to the battered magician with no fear of being attacked.
?Kh...I appear to have underestimated your species once again. I...revise your score to eighty eight points.?
?Where?d the other eight points go??
Patchouli coughed, spitting out a few drops of blood. A normal response from her frail body, though - nothing life-threatening.
?...For your lack of punctuality, of course. You could have defeated me with that attack twenty minutes ago.?
For a few seconds, the moment hung in place. Sango looked down at Patchouli with a smirk, and the wizard managed to produce a smile amidst the pain.
Then, as if deliberately late, Koakuma arrived on the scene.
?Oh, Patchouli-sama! You look terrible! Here, let your faithful servant help you back to your feet.?
This time, Koakuma made no attempt to hide her expression, reaching down to Patchouli with a cheeky grin. Patchouli didn?t give her the satisfaction of a response, silently accepting her help and leaning on her shoulder.
?You have proven yourself worthy. I shall offer you my assistance in your repairs.?
Another hacking cough racked her body. Koakuma?s smile seemed to grow larger as she watched her mistress struggle a little.
?...As soon as I?ve recovered, that is. I?ll just need a moment to-?
?Stop right there.?
A new voice broke into the conversation, interrupting Patchouli mid-sentence. Just from hearing the voice, Sango?s blood froze.
Oh, crap. She made it through?!
Sakuya looked straight at Sango, knife primed and at the ready. The anger that had consumed her before had faded, and now she was ready to give Sango a real fight. Patchouli made to turn, but had to be helped to turn around by Koakuma to fully see.
?S...Sakuya, what are you doing here? I thought the mistress told you that your maids hold no jurisdiction in my library-?
?She is here under my orders, Patchy.?
Patchouli stopped offering a complaint the moment a younger voice rose up from behind Sakuya. The maid stepped aside, revealing a girl with short, light blue hair in a noble dress. Her scarlet eyes looked towards Patchouli with a maturity that seemed alien to a girl of her size.
?R-Remi...?
Patchouli?s voiced trembled at the harsh glare her mistress offered her. As if to double the effect, she closed her eyes for a moment, and afterwards a pair of demonic black wings emerged from her back, at least twice the size of Koakuma?s. Her glare turned to Sango, and was roughly as effective.
?So. If my maid has been informing me correctly, you are the intruder who has been masquerading as one of my servants. Am I mistaken??
It took a moment for Sango to muster up the courage to respond, and even when she did her words were harsh and chosen without much forethought. It felt like she would be killed on the spot if she gave the wrong answer, but likewise she had to give some sort of response.
?Y-Yeah, that?s right, but I?ve got a great reason-?
Sakuya disappeared again, and reappeared just behind Sango to give her a painful smack on the back of the head.
?Watch your tongue. You will not address Remilia Scarlet, the Scarlet Devil herself, with such brutish language.?
Sango winced as she rubbed at her newest injury, but much to her surprise Remilia didn?t seem to share her servant?s indignation.
?Sakuya, stand down. I?ve already made my decision.?
Suddenly, everyone had their eyes on Remilia. Sango couldn?t have known it, but she had foreseen Sango?s fate from the moment she laid eyes on her. It showed promise, growth, and strength.
She had already decided that she would make that hers.
?You have committed grave crimes on my property. Illegal breaking and entering, disguising yourself as a member of my staff, and now bringing severe harm upon one of my oldest friends. I can tell you that only a great deal of self-restraint is keeping me from killing you where you stand.?
For a moment, the childish look of ambition slipped onto Remilia?s face. When she needed to be, she could be proud and mature, but when the situation didn?t call for that she was more focused on her own advancement than on anything else.
?But you have shown great potential in your deeds today. It would be a shame to let you die without fulfilling your fate, and so as the generous noble I am I?m willing to make you an offer.?
She walked up to Sango without a hint of fear, reaching up to place a hand on her shoulder.
?Join us. I can have the maids make you your own uniform within the hour. You?ll be charged with maintaining our lake exclusively. You?ll have no need to worry about your next meal, and I can have Patchy here train you in the way of battle. Your every need will be catered for, and you will become a well-trusted member of one of Gensokyo?s most powerful houses.?
The offer seemed enticing for only the slightest of moments. Working on the Misty Lake alone meant that every lake surrounding the Mountain of Youkai would fall into disrepair. And besides that, she could hardly leave those stranded shipmates to save themselves. Her response took a few seconds to come out.
?...And if I refuse??
The hand on her shoulder dug in slightly.
?Then I give up on the self-restraint, and have Sakuya serve up some delicious dolphin stew for dinner tonight.?
Sakuya clearly had no objections to this course of action, her knife looking ready to stab Sango in the back at any moment. The dolphin gulped, her hands trembling as she looked down into Remilia?s proud eyes. This wasn?t an offer. She was being press ganged into this decision, and if the only alternative was death then what was she supposed to do? It was one thing for Sango to catch a single magician by surprise while she was in her element - but to take down a high-ranking vampire and her strongest servant? Impossible.
...Sorry, guys...
She wasn?t proud enough to fight a battle she couldn?t win, and sighed to herself as she made to give her reply.
No-one expected the voice that followed afterwards.
?Onee-chaaaaaan!?
Every eye in the room turned to the newcomer, running towards the group from the side at high-speed. All Sango could make out was a pair of wings, with a rainbow of lights running across them like a disused Christmas display. The human(?) bullet charged towards the young devil, showing no sign of stopping.
For a tiny instant, Sango could make out fear on Remilia?s face.
?Flan-?
Remilia couldn?t even utter her sister?s name before she was violently tackled to the floor, helpless as another girl loomed over her. Her short blonde hair was tied to pigtails at her sides, and her outfit could only be described as insane - a clich?d witch?s apparel, in bright scarlet, with a series of stars running down it for good measure. In one hand she held a metallic wand, with a fuse sparkling on one end like a giant candle. Patchouli winced at the sight of her other mistress?s outfit, looking all too similar to a certain thieving rat.
?Onee-chan, don?t be a meanie! As Dolphin Rider Koishi?s number 1 apprentice, I?m not gonna let you be mean to her friend, okay?!?
Remilia?s earlier bravado seemed to have just about collapsed, and she was looking up at her sister with total confusion. How had she made her way out of the basement? What was she wearing? Who was this Dolphin Rider she was talking about?! Her mind was flooded to the brim with questions, but no-one had made to offer her any answers.
Naturally, another dramatic voice stepped in to take care of that.
?Llllllladies and other ladies! I?d like all of you to give a big, Scarlet Devil welcome to my latest pupil in my quest for justice - the Princess of Pulverising, the Queen of Collateral Damage, the Dame of Destruction - Cutie Crusher Flandre-chan!?
Koishi stepped in to the dazzled crowd, earning looks of shock from almost everyone present. Even Sango, who thought she?d seen just about everything Koishi was capable off, was caught off guard by this one. Remilia, on the other hand, was only slightly less confused than she?d been ten seconds ago, still trying to free herself from beneath her sister.
?F-Flandre, I?m a little busy right now. Big sis needs to take care of grown up business, okay? Just go back to the basement for now-?
?But you?re being a meanie! All Sango-chan wanted to do was help people out, and now you?re gonna enslave her for doing the right thing?! That doesn?t sound like the sort of deed the White Pearl would approve of!?
Remilia?s face twisted again on the words ?White Pearl?. Why was she dropping more and more words that had absolutely no meaning to Remi? Was she trying to confuse her or something?
?Flandre, really! This isn?t funny! I?ve got work to do, so just get off of me already!?
Now Remilia really was acting like a child, flailing around to try and squirm away as her sister sat on her. Flandre resorted to her secret weapon - she looked down at Remilia, opening her eyes wide, and gave her sister the best pout she could muster. Immediately, her resolve started to waver.
?H-Hey, come on...don?t pout like that, okay? That?s cheating, Flandre...c?mon, don?t guilt trip me...?
Flandre gave her sister no such relief, continuing her pouting. Looking at her intently, Sango could almost see the moment where Remilia?s last fragment of charisma broke apart, succumbing to her sister?s demands.
?OK! OK! Fine! She can go! Just stop doing that, please!"
Flandre?s face brightened immediately, and she wrapped her arms around Remilia in a tender hug. The entire thing had happened so fast that no-one was quite sure how to react to it - except Koishi, who came up behind Sango and offered her a pat on the back. She whispered slightly, so that the maid behind her didn?t overhear.
?I?ve been seeing her every so often for a few months. They had her locked up in the basement for destructive tendencies. Turns out drawing on the walls and pictures of the place was a great way to calm her down. Just had to make sure no-one else saw it, but that?s easy for me.?
Sango blinked once, still too stunned to truly respond. The drawings, the pictures, the damage - they?d been there all along. Flandre and Koishi must have been drawing them for hours, all unseen thanks to Koishi playing with the subconscious thoughts of everyone around her.
Good to know that at least some things were still impossible for Koishi, though. For a while she?d really been convinced that she?d done that much damage in so little time.
?But...why? How?d you know? Why did you...??
Koishi shrugged, smiling like an idiot again.
?I had a hunch. And when we heroes of love and justice get hunches, they?re always right~!?
Drake:
koishi for broken-tier character
She's an Extra boss FREAKING KOISHI KOMEIJI, it's what she does.
Kasu:
And so, Koishi continued her quest to convert all of the EX bosses into magical girls of the White Pearl.