[X] The gate guard, I mean it is her job to great guests.

Seems a bit quick to introduce all these facts, but lets see where this goes.

[X] The gate guard, I mean it is her job to great guests.

Seems a bit quick to introduce all these facts, but lets see where this goes.

Disregard the accidental double post.

[x] The gate guard. I mean, it is her job to greet guests.

[X] The gate guard, I mean it is her job to great guests.

Your setting has me interested!

Okay the vote is unanimous with approaching the gate guard. I'm writing now and it will be up once I have someone proofread it.

​I approached the gate guard; I mean it is her job to greet guests. The elders had educated me and my friends about the important people in Gensokyo, and this was Hong Meiling, the martial arts master at the Scarlet Devil Mansion. As I approached, the pain from my injuries became more and more apparent. With each step my breathing became heavier, and I started to limp. My first words were haggard and breathy. “Excuse me,” I gasped, “I must speak with your mistress immediately.”

​“I’m sorry, she has just gone to her room for the day," she said with a concerned look on her face. “But I can get a room prepared for you to rest and let your wounds heal.”

​“That would be most appreciated,” I whispered as I fell forward. At that point I had succumbed to my wounds and blacked out. I had a dream that to this day sticks in my head.

​I stood before the gates of the Scarlet Devil Mansion looking at a small human militia intent on the death of every creature in the mansion. I couldn’t tell why, but I was fighting, not for my survival but the survival of those inside. The dream ended as I was about to be struck by an arrow that seemed to be made of light.

​My eyes shot open, and shut shortly after. It was too bright; slowly I opened my eyes and let them adjust. My whole body was numb, and I had bandages wrapped around most of it. A quick survey of the room showed it was sparsely furnished, a single queen-sized bed, a night stand on either side of it, a dresser on the wall left of the door (if you were looking at the door), and a round coffee table with two chairs. The room itself was fairly small; it was barely large enough to hold what little furnishings it had.

​“Ah, your awake,” I recognized the voice instantly. It was Meiling. “Your wounds were quite severe. I did what I could though.”

​“Thank you,” I said. Despite my feelings about the slaughter of my tribe I was generally grateful, even if the one who helped me was a servant of someone who may have caused it in the first place. Looking back I had no evidence that her mistress had anything to do with it. “What time is it? I must see Lady Remilia immediately”

​“It’s approaching sundown now, so the mistress will wake soon.” She said as she pulled a chair up to the side of the bed. Her face was calm and serene, and her voice was, for the lack of better words, kind. What had gotten my attention was the fact that she said her mistress would wake soon, when we spoke before I fainted she had said Remilia was about to go to sleep. I had been a sleep for the whole day, the realization was not pleasant. I had hoped for answers by then. “If you don’t mind me asking, what brings you to our home?”

I had expected to be asked, but I didn’t think it would be from a servant. There was a pause before I said anything, but eventually I…

[] Told her what happened, to the best of my ability.

[] Told her what happened, while embellishing the story to make it seem like there was evidence pointing to Remilia.

[] Told her it was a matter best discussed with her mistress.

[] Didn’t respond.

[] Redirected the question by asking one of my own
​() *Write in your own question.*

[X] Told her it was a matter best discussed with her mistress.
- Additionally, I should probably explain myself with everyone present.

[X] Told her it was a matter best discussed with her mistress.
- Additionally, I should probably explain myself with everyone present.

[X] Told her it was a matter best discussed with her mistress.
- Additionally, I should probably explain myself with everyone present.

Okay another unanimous vote I'll start writing and I'll upload it later.

[X] Told her it was a matter best discussed with her mistress.
- Additionally, I should probably explain myself with everyone present.

“It is a matter I would rather discuss with your mistress,” I said after a pause. As an after thought I added, “Preferably with all the residents in attendance, so I only have to tell it once.”

She nodded, “I’ll be sure to let everyone know then. Sakuya, the head maid, has called a doctor to see you.” She stood up and walked to the door and with a look of genuine concern she asked, “Will you be okay if I return to my post?”

I simply grunted in affirmation.

“I’ll send a fairy in to keep you company.” With that, she was out the door and gone.

Alone, I was alone again, I hated it. In my home there was always someone nearby, but here it felt so empty. I knew there were fairies scurrying about the halls, but that was little comfort, they were all busy and probably didn’t even know I was here.

I took another look around the room, white walls, wooden furniture, and scarlet curtains on the windows which had the nightstands in front of them. It was a stark contrast to the stone halls of my birth. Everything we had used was carved from the walls we had called home, and even our beds were just stone with hay and leaves on top.

I started to recall some of the lessons the elders had taught me about the inhabitants of Gensokyo. Remilia and Flandre Scarlet were vampires, which I knew for a fact. What I didn’t know however was if they were capable of the murder the humans had described. Talking with Meiling had gotten me to doubt myself. If she was so nice maybe her masters were too?

My thoughts were cut short by a light knocking at the door.

“H-hello? I’m coming in.”

Slowly the door inched open as a fairy entered the room. It was the same fairy I had seen playing in the snow when got here. She had long gold hair that fell to about the middle of her back, equally golden eyes, a petite figure and young look. By human standards she looked about twelve years old. She wore a blue maid uniform with white trim and an apron.

“Miss Meiling had asked me to sit with you so you would have company. I’m Willow by the way.”

“Willow,” I repeated, I don’t know why but the name seemed to suit her. “I’m Ryuga of the Cave Bats.”

I felt better now that there was someone in the room, but it still felt weird. I never really interacted with fairies before and I knew little of their ways, if any.

“So, um, what do you wanna talk about?” She asked. Quickly she added, “If you don’t wanna talk that’s fine too!”

She was nervous, it was kind of cute, it made me smile.

----Choose something to talk about *Choose two*
[] Ask about the residents of the mansion.
()Remilia
()Flandre
()Sakuya
()Meiling
()Patchouli
[] Ask about Willow.
[] Ask about the Mansion
[] Ask Willow if she has anything she wants to talk about.
[] Write in
------------------------
Here's a picture of Meiling in her Winter outfit, I just kept forgetting to attach it.

[] Ask about the residents of the mansion.
()Remilia
[] Ask about Willow.

Trying to be sociable is sensible. We should probably find out what this Remilia is like as well.

[] Ask about the residents of the mansion.
()Remilia
[] Ask about Willow.

Trying to be sociable is sensible. We should probably find out what this Remilia is like as well.

[x] Ask about the residents of the mansion.
(x)Remilia
[x] Ask about Willow.

Eh, sure, I'll give this story a try. Premise seems better than the first time, certainly.

>>54330
Be more selective with your copy/pasting.

I wasn’t entirely sure of what to talk about at first.

After a brief silence I finally asked her, “What is Rem- Lady Remilia like?”

If I was a guest here I had to get used to being formal when addressing the residents, especially if I wanted answers.

“Oh, she’s real nice!” The smile and sincerity in her voice gave me the impression Remilia treated her maids well. “Some call her the Scarlet Devil. But a devil is supposed to be evil right? I’ve seen her lose her temper but she seems too nice to be a devil.”

“Maybe it’s because she’s a vampire.” I interrupted.

Almost as if she didn’t hear me she continued, “All the fairies here had no home and the Mistress gave us a home! We’re like one giant family!”

A family? I barely had time to wonder before Willow continued. “Lady Remilia is like our mom and all the fairies are her kids. At least that’s how I view it.”

Remilia was considered a mother figure? From what the elders had taught me it sounded like she was selfish and arrogant, but smart and cunning even if she was a little childish. Could the elders have been wrong? Or was this fairy tricked by Remilia?

Willow continued by saying, “Lady Remilia is also super strong! I don’t think she has ever lost a fight!”

I was about to correct her when she said, “Well, except for that shrine maiden but I don’t think she was playing fair. There is no way a human could defeat the mistress!”

This fairy could talk for hours it seemed. Luckily she seemed to realize this.

“Oh, I’m talking to much aren’t I? I do that when I’m nervous and I’m really nervous right now.”

“Why are you so nervous?” As soon as I asked that, her face turned beet red.

“W-well, you’re the first boy I’ve ever met,” she whispered looking at the floor.

She was still floating next to the door and showed no intention on moving closer.

An awkward silence fell on the room. I wasn’t sure what to say to that. How was I the first guy she ever met? Surely the house had some men in it. I gave her statement some thought then decided to save the questions for someone else, someone who wasn’t so talkative.

Though the silence was welcome to me at first, I realized her chatter was actually quite calming. “Will you tell me about yourself?” I asked.

“M-me!?” She yelled in surprise.

“Yes, you.”

Slowly she floated down to the ground and started fidgeting, “W-well, I’m just a fairy. I’m n-not that interesting.”

“Really?” I said.

“Yes, yes I’m nothing special. I just do what I’m t-told to do.”

It was obvious that she was hiding something, but I just couldn’t tell what. As much as I wanted to press the subject, I knew I wouldn’t get anywhere making her talk.

Another pause, this one lasted what felt like an hour when it was suddenly broken by a knock at the door.

“Come in!” Willow called.

The door opened and in walked the human maid I had seen earlier, Sakuya. Followed by someone I could not identify, a girl with long violet hair and fake looking rabbit ears.

The girl with the bunny ears was holding a medical bag and as she approached me she started pulling various medical tools out of the bag. Some of them looked too big to fit in the bag.

Eventually Sakuya asked, “Reisen?” Oh, that’s who she is, the ex-apprentice to the questionable Doctor Erin. “Do you have need of me or may I return to my duties?” Her voice was cold, but had a hint of kindness to it.

“You may leave,” her voice was, for the lack of a better word, monotone. Perhaps she was just distracted or being professional.

Sakuya bowed and left without a word, leaving me with the doctor and Willow.

----Choose two topics to talk about
[] Ask how bad my injuries really are
[] Comment on how Reisen is far from the bamboo forest
[] Introduce yourself to the doctor
[] Comment on Reisen’s bag
[] Ask how Reisen was contacted
[] Write in

[] Introduce yourself to the doctor
[] Ask how bad my injuries really are
By the way you forgot to call the vote.

[X] Introduce yourself to the doctor
[X] Ask how bad my injuries really are
He has only gotten three or four votes anyway. What else do you suppose changed in this future Gensokyo?

[X] Introduce yourself to the doctor.
[X] Ask how bad your injuries really are
-(X) If they are not too severe, request to postpone treatment.

Honestly, all the rest just seem a bit odd. If we're gravely injured, why would we make small talk about Reisen's bag?

We're Batman. Our parents are dead. Someone had to say it.

Okay going with introductions and finding out how bad his injuries are. I'll get writing soon, I'll try to have it up by the end of the day.

Reisen was putting on a pair of rubber gloves as she said, “It’s been a while since I treated a cave bat. Just who are you and what are you doing here?” She was starting to remove my bandages.

“I’m Ryuga, and as for why I’m here; I need to talk with the mistress of this manor.” Though not an out right lie it still bothered me to be dishonest with her.

“Very well then.” she was silent for the remainder of the time it took to remove the bloodied bandages from my arms. I felt numb as the cold air touched my bare skin.

She looked at me with concern. Not wanting to see the horrible damage myself, I asked, “How bad is it?”

“Despite the large amount of blood,” the pause that followed was unsettling, “your arms look almost completely healed.”

”What!? Healed, but how? I was always a fast healer, but never this fast!” I said now looking at my arms. They looked fine, if a bit scarred. Thin pink marks on various spots marking where my arms had been slashed.

“Hmmmmm… Let’s see the rest of you. Sit up.” I complied and she started to remove more of my bandages. These bandages were even more bloody then my arms, which was to be expected. “Just like your arms,” she announced when she finished.

“I’m can’t really feel anything,” more scars on my chest and stomach. One thing was bothering me though, “What about my wings? Are they okay? I can’t feel them, and when I try to move them they don’t move.”

“Well,” she paused, not a good sign, “that’s because they aren’t there.”

“What the Hell do you mean they ‘aren’t there’!?”

“It’s as I said your wings are gone. It looks as though you never had them in the first place.”

I scrambled out of the bed; or rather I tried to jump up and fell, ran over to the dresser and looked at the mirror that was on top. No reflection… wait… WHAT!? I could see Willow and Reisen, but not myself.

Willow was looking at me with childlike enthusiasm, “Wow, are you a vampire too!?”

How could this be? I could see my reflection just the other day. Just what the Hell was going on!?

----- Choose how Ryuga reacts
[] Denial – “This can’t be happening!”
[] Rage – Smash the mirror and start screaming.
[] Despair – Start crying and falls to his knees.
[] Joy – Start laughing, this will make revenge easier!
[] Fear – Back away from the mirror and run out the door.
[] Mixed reactions (Pick as many as you want)
[] Write in

[X] Wut: Wut

no seriously

[X] Denial: No, THAT'S IMPOSSIBLE!

Also, I'm somewhat certain that if Batmanon was a vampire, he'd have wings.

[] Joy – Start laughing, this will make revenge easier!
[] Despair – Start crying and falls to his knees.

And then John was a zombie.

[X] Denial – “This can’t be happening!”
[X] Rage – Smash the mirror and start screaming.
[X] Despair – Start crying and falls to his knees.
[X] Joy – Start laughing, this will make revenge easier!
[X] Fear – Back away from the mirror and run out the door.
In that order.

>>54384
[x] COnfused acknolodgement: "What the bloody hell just happened to me?!"

>>54953

What the fuck, man?

>>54953
Does this mean you want this to continue? I kind of gave up due to thinking no one cared/was reading it. I can continue if you like.
>>54954
Eh, that post just might get me to start writing this again. So it's not all bad.

Okay, so I originally posted Seeing Red almost a year ago. At the start, I thought I had a great idea. Well, as it turns out great ideas get you nowhere without a plan. So, I dropped it, changed my name, and started a new story.

But this has been weighing on my conscience. I dislike the idea of leaving a story here unfinished, so I decided to come back.

Now, I should warn you that I'm not going to be as nice in this as I am in my other stories. Repeated mistakes and bad choices will result in consequences (i.e Bad Ends). I won't "hold your hand" but I won't "Bad end" you for the hell of it. It's kinda a "Earn your happy ending" kind of story. According to the IRC this mentality makes me a bad writer, but it's an experiment right now. I want to see how people react to this kind of thing.

Anyway, here is Part Six of Seeing Red. Updates will come whenever I feel like. So check back often, or not, totally up to you.
----------
“What the FUCK!” Those were the first words out of my mouth after minutes of silence. I couldn’t tear my eyes away from the mirror; the lack of reflection disoriented me. Even now I can’t tell exactly what I was feeling. Rage, fear, or even despair?

Even when the door opened suddenly I couldn’t look away. I could hear a voice behind me, one full of self-confidence, even if it sounded young. “Ah, I see you are awake.” The owner of the voice had no reflection as well, so I turned to look. The owner of the voice was no other than the vampire Remilia Scarlet. Her sky blue hair and blood red eyes are unmistakable. She wore a pink dress with red accents around the edges. “You are quite lucky to still be alive,” she says with a grin, “Had it not been for my intervention you would have succumbed to your wounds.”

I stared at her for what seemed like hours when she suddenly said, “I’m sure you are wondering what I meant.” She pauses for effect. “Your wounds were severe and you likely would have died. Ordinarily I would have had Patchouli heal you with magic, but she had over exerted herself in a duel and was in no shape to help you. So I decided to give you a gift.” She flashes a toothy grin that shows off her sharp razor like teeth.

It didn’t take a genius to know what she meant, but my disbelief overruled my common sense. “Do you mean to say that you turned me into,” I paused and took a deep breath, “into, into a.”

Seeing that I wasn’t going to say it anytime soon Remilia simply said, “A vampire? Yes. In all honesty, I’m surprised you survived the transformation. Your youkai blood seemed to reject my gift for a little while before the change occurred.”

It was at this point that I noticed that she didn’t have wings either. I could have sworn vampires had wings. “But my wings are gone? Why?”

She laughed in a very theatrical manner. “What kind of self-respecting vampire would have their wings on display for the whole world to see? We can hide them with magic.” That explained that. “Well, I suppose hide is not the proper term. It is more that we conjure them when we need them.”

“But, one of my wings was cut off, wouldn’t there be some scarring?” I was still in shock, unable to think of anything more than what she was saying.

“There was, but Patchouli healed some of your wounds yesterday.” She turns to Reisen who had remained standing next to the bed and says, “I’m sorry you traveled all this way for nothing. Sakuya was adamant about sending for you. While I would rather not hold you up any longer, you are free to stay the night if you wish.”

Reisen had nodded and politely said, “If it alright with you I would like to stay for a little while. Mostly to keep an eye on him,” She gestures towards me, “you said it yourself that he appeared to reject the transformation.”

“Very well. Dinner will be served shortly. But before anything else,” she turned to face me, “What is your name?”

I hesitated, here I was talking to the very one who may have indirectly caused my clan to be slaughtered. And yet she seemed to genuinely care about my wellbeing despite not knowing me. “My name is Ryuga.” Remilia simply nodded and start to exit the room. But something wasn’t sitting right with me. The Bamboo forest was at least three days away, Remilia claimed Patchouli was exhausted after some kind of duel; the timing of everything seemed so off. “How long was I out?” I realize now that it sounded like I was demanding an answer.

Remilia pauses, “About a week and a half.” She looks at the fairy whose gaze kept flicking from me to Remilia. “Willow, would you kindly show Reisen to her room?”

Willow jumped at suddenly being addressed, “Y-yes ma’am! Once I do, do you want me to bring them both down to the dining room?” Remilia nods and walks out the door. Reisen packed up her bag during this small exchange and followed Willow out leaving you in the room alone.

I stood there staring at the door for a couple of minutes only to be shaken out of my stupor by a chill down my spine. It was then that I realized that I wasn’t wearing a shirt. I appeared to be wearing a pair of dark blue pajama pants. I looked through the drawers to try and find a shirt only to be interrupted by Willow opening the door once again.

“Excuse me Mr. Ryuga, I brought you a change of clothes.” She set them down on the dresser and blushed, “I’ll be right outside the door when you finish changing.”

The shirt was just a plain white button up shirt and the pants were black slacks. Nothing special about them at first glance, but when I picked up the shirt I noticed a tie. It was black with a red bat on it. The clothes themselves were a tad too large, but that was better than being too small.

After getting dressed I exited the room and nodded at Willow, who then proceeded to lead me down the hallway and two sets of stairs and into the dining room where you could see Remilia sitting in a lavish red and gold chair that was taller than her. To her right was the maid Sakuya was standing with her hands clasped together and a smile on her face. There was an empty chair to her left and right. I saw Meiling sitting down talking to a purple haired woman across from her. I realized the woman was the witch Patchouli. Reisen sat next to her and Willow lead me to the chair opposite Remilia. There were still three empty chairs at this point. One of them was quickly filled by a red haired woman with bat wings on her head and back, the little devil Koakuma.

It took almost five minutes of extreme awkwardness for the last two seats to be filled. The first one was filled by the younger Scarlet. Her blonde hair was initially a blur due to her running around the room with her arms outstretched and a smile on her face. When she finally calmed down she stared at me for a minute and then took her place to Remilia’s left. Seeing that everyone had arrived Sakuya took the remaining seat to Remilia’s right.

Remilia looked at you for a few moments before asking, “So, what brought you to our mansion in the first place Ryuga?”

“My people were slaughtered by the humans who lived near us. They claimed we were killing their people and draining their blood.” I paused to gauge everyone’s reactions. Most of them seemed surprised, even Remilia. Patchouli didn’t look too interested in my tale though. “They marched into our cave system and attacked without warning. I’m not exactly sure how I survived. I guess that they left me because I was passed out under a couple of their dead and they assumed I was one of them.”

Remilia was silent with a thoughtful expression on her face, “So you came to ask us if we had anything to do with it?”

How matter-of-factly she had said it unnerved me. “Yes ma’am.”

“I can say with one hundred percent certainty that none of us were involved in any way.”

There was a pause in the conversation that was filled by Flandre asking, “Remi, is he a vampire too?”

I could feel my heart skip a beat when she asked; I had been trying to put that out of my mind. Remilia must have seen the look on my face, “Yes he is, I turned him into one to save his life.”

Flandre’s face lit with a grin that showed off her own razor-sharp teeth, “Does that mean He’s going to live with us?”

“That is entirely up to him,” Remilia says flashing a smile at you. If I didn’t know it then I know now that she never had the intention of letting me leave.

Seeing that Flandre had no more questions Remilia snapped her fingers and eight fairies flooded into the room. Each carried a tray of food. I hadn’t notice that Willow slipped out, but she was the one serving me my food. The other fairies served everyone at the table.

I noticed that the meals for everyone were different. Reisen had a simple salad Meiling had a steak as you do, but unlike you she has a side of rice. Sakuya has some kind of fish, and a salad to go with it. I couldn’t tell what Koakuma had, I found out later that it was frog legs. Patchouli had a salad with diced up chicken. Flandre had a raw slab of beef, Remilia on the other hand had a similar slab of beef that looked to be cooked. They both had wine glasses full of what I had assumed to be red wine. On closer inspection I realized that the glasses were full of blood instead.

When I looked at my food I saw a steak cooked medium rare, a plain salad, and a glass of actual red wine. It was weird, I had expected a lavish feast instead of a meal that is similar to what I would have had with my family.

After dinner, or rather breakfast for the vampires, I was escorted up to Remilia’s room by her and Sakuya. Upon entering I notice the large king sized bed with a red curtain around it. There was a walk in closet and multiple dressers. There is a large coffee table in one corner and a couple chairs around it.

Taking a seat at the coffee table Remilia says to you, “I’d like to make you an offer, one that you can’t afford to pass up.” I didn’t like the tone she was using, it sounded almost teasing. Like she knew she held all the cards and was only giving me the illusion of choice. “I would like you to stay here and work for me.”

She paused while I stared at her. I knew that there was no getting out of it but I had to pretend like I was at least partly in control. “And if I refuse?” I asked knowing all too well it wasn’t an option.

All of a sudden I felt a hand over my mouth and a knife at my throat. It was obviously Sakuya, and it became more obvious when she said, “Then you die.”

She withdraws leaving me to wonder just how quick my death would have been. “Very well what would you ask of me?”

Remilia smiles, “I’m happy that you choose to stay. I actually have a few jobs you can choose from.” She’s giving me a choice as to what work to do? That surprised me more than the knife at my throat. “Those jobs being, To help Sakuya around the mansion, guard the gate with Meiling, help Patchy and Koakuma in the library, and,” she pauses, which didn’t make me look forward to the next choice, “babysit Flandre.”

I stood there thinking for what felt like an hour, I weighed each possibility before deciding to-
-Choose one
[] Guard the gate with Meiling (Easy)
[] Help Sakuya around the mansion (Normal)
[] Assist Patchouli and Koakuma in the Library (Hard)
[] Babysit Flandre (Lunatic)
----------
Here's the thing about difficulties, They are how easy it is to go through with out encountering a bad end. I'm telling you this upfront so you don't feel like I cheated you by throwing difficult choices at you.

Easy - You shouldn't have a problem. Choose this if you are new to VN's/CYoA's. "Where are the bullets?"
Normal - You'll have to use your head sometimes. This is for those that have experience with VN's and CYoA's. "Be ready to use a bomb if necessary."
Hard - It's not for the faint of heart. This is for people who people who have played the Type-Moon Visual Novels. "Good thing I have max lives."
Lunatic - I would not recommend it. Consider this a bigger "Bad End" minefield than Fate Stay/Night's Heaven's Feel route. "Do you want to use a Continue?"

As I said, this is an experiment right now. I'll do my best to keep it enjoyable. Oh, and if it wasn't clear the Flandre option is in fact viable. I just wouldn't recommend it. I won't stop you though.

[x] Assist Patchouli and Koakuma in the Library (Hard)

Seems like I stumbeled into a revived old story? Looks interesting. It's more enjoyable to read a more challanging story (in my opinion) and... I like Patchy and Koakuma

[X] Babysit Flandre (Lunatic)


Flandre seems like a nice girl; what could go wrong?

[X] Babysit Flandre (Lunatic)

[x] Babysit Flandre (Lunatic)

I don't see a problem with bad ends as long as you get unlimited retries. It's only fair because the "rules" in a CYOA game are inherently arbitrary and subjective, and it's unreasonable to expect voters to be able to guess what the writer is thinking every time.

Then there's things like the voters simply forgetting information that was given out months ago, or malicious voters.

I have some criticism regarding your latest story post.

First, there was a strange bit of POV confusion: the story at large has been in first person, but it slipped into second person for no apparent reason at a couple of points.

Second, a larger problem, this meal scene was very simple, cut-and-dry, insubstantial and what have you. After introducing the characters, Ryuga's explanation for why he was there, and introducing the characters' food, it just had Ryuga observe and wonder about his food, then the scene just ended.

This scene ought to be much more than it is. After all, it's Ryuga's first meal after being out cold for several days, and all the mansion's residents are together to boot. These women have been friends (or at least housemates) for so long; do they have no conversation to make with each other? Wouldn't Remilia want to introduce her housemates to Ryuga? Ryuga was the first man Willow had ever seen; Ryuga himself thought this was strange. All thus is just the tip of the proverbial iceberg of what could have been.


All that said, I do like the story. In particular, I'm interested to see how the mystery of the attack on Ryuga's tribe plays out. As for the vote...

[x] Babysit Flandre (Lunatic)

Always good to see those guts Anon displays every once in a while. Pun not intended; I don't want Flandre to disembowel Ryuga or anything.

>>58352 here again

Also, the description of Remilia's bedroom was very "vanilla", completely without embellishment. There's no need to go on and on with descriptions, but you shouldn't spare us ALL of the details of what is a (presumably) large and extravagantly furnished and decorated master bedroom.

I weighed each possibility before deciding to take care of Flandre. “I choose to watch over your sister,” I said as calmly as I could. Remilia visibly recoiled in surprise and I heard a small gasp from Sakuya. They obviously weren’t expecting my decision. I figured I should at least choose the one that put me in a better position with the young mistress, and taking care of her sister would be the quickest way to do so.

Remilias surprise quickly gave way to laughter. It wasn’t a mocking laughter; it was as if I had told a joke. When she regained her composure she said to me, “I had not expected you to choose that option. I admire your bravery, but she is not always as well behaved as she was at dinner.” She snaps her fingers and Sakuya appears beside her with an envelope in her hands. Sakuya handed me the letter wordlessly. “Here is a list of what you need to do for Flandre. It also includes the schedules of the other members of the mansion. At least once a week you are to come to one of us for a lesson.” She gestured to me to open it.

The envelope was red like blood and had a black wax seal in the shape of a bat. The letter itself was simple white parchment and was written in black ink. I wasn’t told until later that it was Sakuya who wrote it, but it seems obvious in retrospect, the handwriting wasn’t as fancy as Remilias.

The list made it sound easier than it really was. All I supposedly had to do was: Wake her up in the morning, except on certain days, make her bed, play with her, watch over her while she studies, and take her to the Hakurei shrine once a week. It didn’t look too hard.

As for the available lessons, you had the choices of: Hand to hand combat with Meiling, weapons training with Sakuya, magic training with Patchouli or Koakuma, and lastly training my new vampire powers with Remilia.

“This list says that I can go to Miss Knowledge or Miss Koakuma, do they offer different lessons?” I asked cautiously. I didn’t want to go to either one only to find out that they were teaching completely different things.

Remilia responded by saying, “You will have to ask them yourself. For now, I want you to go and formally introduce yourself to the others.”

I stood up and bowed, which felt humiliating at the time, and said, “As you wish Madam Scarlet.” I may have been pushing my luck but I continued with, “I am Ryuga of the cave bats. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance.” I was smiling the whole time, but my words were bitter. I didn’t want to hide my disdain for my situation.

“Get out,” was all she said. Her face was devoid of emotion, and her voice was cold.

“As you wish.” With that, I calmly walked out of her room and down to the ground floor. Honestly, I had no idea where anything in the mansion was. Meiling, being the gatekeeper, was probably outside and Patchouli would be in the library. Given that I had no idea where the library was, I decided to go see Meiling.

“Damn it’s cold!” I said through clenched teeth as I stepped out into the snow. I quickly got over it and kept walking towards the gate. For the most part there wasn’t much snow on the ground, but that was because there were about a dozen fairy maids shoveling it away as it fell. As I had thought, Meiling was standing at the gate staring into the sky. “Miss Hong?” I called tentatively.

She turned to me with a warm smile on her face, “Hello there. I take it you talked to Remilia?” I nodded in affirmation. “So, are you leaving?” She didn’t seem to know that I had no choice but to stay.

“I will be staying, at her request,” I couldn’t think of a better word at the time. Even now it still seemed to be the best way to word it. “I’m to take care of Flandre while I’m here.”

Her jaw dropped when I said that. “You WHAT?” I repeated myself. “Well, she has been getting better lately.” She started to mumble to herself for a minute, I couldn’t really hear what she was saying. After a minute she turned to me and said, “Oh, sorry about that! I’m Meiling, but you seem to know that already.”

She held out her hand. I shook it as I said, “I’m Ryuga. It’s a pleasure to meet you.” Releasing her hand I continued, “I’m supposed to be introducing myself to everyone, but I don’t know where anything is here. Could you tell me how to get to the library?”

“Of course,” she said cheerfully. Her previous concern about me taking care of Flandre appeared to be gone. “Just go inside and on either side of the main staircase is a door. Doesn’t matter which one, they both lead downstairs to the first basement level. You’ll find the library there, and if you go down the stairs even more you’ll find yourself at Flan’s room.”

“Thank you very much Miss Hong,” I thanked her with a polite nod.

“Please, just call me Meiling,” she said as she stretched. “I’ll see you around then, good luck with everything!”

“Thanks, if I get the time I’ll stop by to talk.” She was the only one other than Willow and Flandre that I couldn’t feel any form of hostility from. Sure the others warmed up to me eventually, but I don’t blame them anymore. Of course I did back then, but things change.

Anyway, I went back inside and took the door to the left of the main staircase which led me to a large stairwell that spiraled down into darkness. I closed the door behind me and descended into the abyss. Eventually I came to the door to the library. Slowly I opened the door and walked in. The hinges protested audibly and the floor creaked under my feet.

The massive library took me what felt like hours to comprehend. Endless rows of bookshelves in every direction, even up! There is a small carpeted section, which sticks out as the rest of the floor is wooden, not far from the door where a table and chairs rest. The chairs around the table are plain wooden chairs, but at the corners of the carpet are four large, and very comfortable, chairs that look similar to thrones and small side tables next to each one.

Once my initial surprise faded I walked towards the carpeted area. Each step caused the floor to creak and echo throughout the room. Once at the small study area I saw Patchouli in one of the chairs facing the door, completely engrossed in a book. I couldn’t spot Koakuma anywhere, but I figured she’d show up sooner or later. “Excuse me Miss Knowledge,” I said softly. I can’t tell you why, but I was more intimidated by her than I was Remilia. She placed a bookmark between the pages and closed the book. Her eyes were locked on me, as if she was analyzing my very essence. “If I’m interrupting, I can come back later.”

“No, it is quite alright. You were told to introduce yourself, and here you are.” My surprise must have been visible as she added, “Sakuya had mentioned you would be coming when she delivered my tea.”

“Well, my name is Ryuga. I’ll be caring for Flandre from now on.”

She simply nodded and said, “I see. I was also told you might see me for lessons with magic.”

“Yes Ma’am,” I said politely. It didn’t take me long to realize that she’s far less forgiving when it comes to sarcastic comments and the like. Most people are fooled by her soft and quiet voice, but make no mistake if she is feeling well enough she’ll blast you into next week with her magic if you get on her nerves! Luckily those days are few and far between. “I was also told that Miss Koakuma could teach me. Would she be teaching me something different, or is it just how you two teach that is different?”

“I will be teaching you more practical and offensive magic, while Koakuma teaches you illusion and charm based spells. Personally, I find those kinds of spells pointless in the grand scheme of things, but the girl is intent on teaching anyone who will give her the chance.” She had set her book on the table next to her. After clapping her hands three times she sits patiently while I stood there looking confused.

My question as to why she clapped was quickly answered when I heard a cheerful voice behind me. “You called for me Miss Knowledge?”

“Yes, Ryuga here is introducing himself to everyone. I would rather not have him get lost in here looking for you.” Even to this day her voice is as cold and calculating as it was back then.

“Nice to meet you Ryuga! I’m Koakuma, if you ever need a book just ask me to get it for you.” She forcibly took my hand and shook it.

After a bit of awkward conversation consisting of what I like to do in my free time and how adept I am in magic I made my way out of the library. Oh, I never really did anything in my free time other than read or spar with my friends and magic wasn’t my strong suit either.

Well, anyway, I decided that there was one last person to talk to before I try to find Sakuya and ask about my living conditions. Walking even farther into the dark abyss was nerve wracking. Eventually I reached the bottom of the stairwell and came face to face with a thick metal door.

I knocked four times on the door and I swear, you could hear the echo at the top of the stairs! After a moment the door swung inward revealing a cement room with a plain queen sized bed, a dresser, a toy chest, a table with paper and crayons, and a door leading to a small bathroom. Flandre stood there looking up at me with a smile on her face. “Heya!”

“Uh, hi,” I said awkwardly. “My names Ryuga and I’ll be looking after you from now on.” I bowed respectfully, even if it was damn humiliating.

“I know that! Sakuya came by and let me know. She also told me to tell you that she’ll be waiting for you in the kitchen. I’d like to talk more, but I’m getting ready for bed. I’ll see you tomorrow!” She slammed the door shut before I got to say anything else.

Full of confusion I walked back up the stairs. I was told that Remilia had just woken up, so wouldn’t that mean Flandre just woke up too? I resolved to ask Sakuya when I saw her.

I walked into the kitchen to see Sakuya talking to Willow. “Do you understand?” I caught the tail end of their conversation.

“Yes Ma’am,” Willow replied dutifully. Willow turned to leave, but she stopped when she saw me. “Oh, hello Mister Ryuga!”

Sakuya chuckled and said, “You have excellent timing for someone who can’t manipulate it.”

“What do you mean?” I asked.

“We were just talking about you,” she replied causing me to tilt my head questioningly. “From today forward you will be working here and given your choice earlier, Willow will be assigned to work under you. Similar to how the other members of the mansion have a personal fairy that assists them.”

Willow curtsied cutely and said, “I-I look forward to working with you!” She quickly left the room leaving me alone with Sakuya.

“I have a question, did Remilia and Flandre really wake up just before dinner?”

“Not at all,” she laughed in response, “Lady Remilia simply wanted to give you the chance wake up and let Reisen examine you.” I really didn’t know how to respond to that, so I kept quiet. “Well, the night is still young. What do you plan on doing now? I have a few tasks you could help with, or you could speak to someone about your training. The mistress is busy so I wouldn’t recommend bothering her.”

“What kind of tasks do you need help with?”

She shrugged and said, “Simple things. Dusting, sweeping, laundry, and in general housekeeping. You could always go to bed if you’re still tired.”

-Choose one
[] Assist Sakuya with her chores
[] Training with
() Meiling (Hand to hand combat)
() Patchouli (Practical/Offensive magic)
() Koakuma (Illusion/Charm magic)
[] Go to bed early
----------
>>58352
THANK YOU! I always ask for criticism and usually don't get it.

In regards to me switching to second person for a moment, that was a complete accident. I've gotten used to writing in second person and going back to first person is a little difficult. I think I did better in this update though.

Also, the dinner scene was supposed to show that Ryuga is an outsider and as such they don't feel comfortable discussing normally private matters when he is around.

I have no excuse what so ever for the blandness of Remilia's bedroom though.

(x) Meiling (Hand to hand combat)

[X] Assist Sakuya with her chores.

As Flandre's caretaker, being on good terms with Sakuya and being able to clean up messes are both invaluable.


As far as writing criticism, you seem to have a severe deficiency of apostrophes.

>Remilias surprise quickly gave way to laughter.
>the handwriting wasn’t as fancy as Remilias.

Apostrophes show possession. If you're adding an "s" to the end of a person's name, there needs to always be an apostrophe before it. Except in cases of last names such as "the Scarlets".

[X] Assist Sakuya with her chores.

Maid interaction is superior interaction.

>>58510

Not quite. There is always an apostrophe in a posessive noun, with the exception of "its". However, if the noun is plural there is only an apostrophe and no "s" at the end. Any singular noun that normally ends with "s" still gets a apostrophe and an s at the end to show posession. "Scarlets" is a plural noun as it refers to both Remila and Flandre. Therfore, "Scarlets" only needs an apostrophe to show posession.

Examples:
> Remila's chair
> the actress's wardrobe (one actress with one wardrobe)

> the Scarlets' mansion
> the actresses' wardrobe (multiple actresses sharing a wardrobe)

“I think I’ll assist you with your duties,” I said nodding. “If I’m to work here, then I need to know the layout of the mansion and the best way to do that is to follow you around and help out.” It wasn’t a lie; I really did think it was best for me to learn the layout. But, I wasn’t keen on the idea of helping her out, she did hold a knife to my throat after all. Still, the elders always told me to give forgiveness where others would give steel.

“Very well,” she said her face unchanging. It was, and still is, hard to tell what she is thinking. “Your first job is helping me scrub the kitchen.” She reached into one of the pockets on her apron and pulled out a pocket watch. She clicked a button and vanished, only to reappear with two buckets of water and some sponges. “Let’s get to work then,” she said as she put a bucket at my feet.

We set out to clean the entire kitchen, ceiling included. At this point in my life I couldn’t identify the various machines and their purpose since I lived in a cave my entire life. We cooked using fire, got our water from a nearby stream, and we were very simple in our way of life. Well, anyway, back on topic now. We cleaned the entire kitchen top to bottom and when she finally seemed pleased with our work we moved on to the dining room. She claimed that the fairies did a fine job and we went into the foyer.

She vanished once more and reappeared with a pair of dusters. Handing one to me she said, “I must admit, you seem to have accepted your situation fairly well.”

“I’m still waiting to wake up,” I said jokingly. “No, but in all seriousness, there isn’t any use crying over it right now.” I simply stared at the duster as if it held the answers to my questions. “I don’t think your, our, mistress is lying,” I corrected myself in time. Remilia wasn’t just her mistress, she was mine now too. “But, I can’t help but feel there’s more to all this. Is someone trying to frame her? Or were they just trying to kill off my tribe?”

“That is precisely what she’s trying to figure out now,” Sakuya said as she began dusting. “Her ability to manipulate fate also give her the ability to see into the future. She won’t talk about what she saw, but seemed,” she paused for longer than I thought comfortable. “Relieved, when she saw you,” she said at last.

“Wh-what do you mean?” I asked feeling sick to my stomach. Why was Remilia relieved to see me? What did she see? My question was unanswered as Sakuya and I dusted everything on the ground floor. She showed me to the parlor, music room, art room, game room, and shortcuts to take to reach the library. The library had multiple entrances, but only one exit. This was due to multiple doors leading to the same spot thanks to Sakuya’s ability to manipulate time.

“I can ‘borrow’ space from the future and move it where I please,” were the words she used to describe the seemingly impossible. When we finished the first floor we merely dusted the hallway of the second and third. “The second floor is where the fairies sleep. You’ll be on this floor too for the time being,” was what she said as we climbed the first flight of stairs. On our way up to the third floor she said, “This floor is where the mistress’s room is, my room is right across from hers. The other rooms on this floor are empty for the time being.”

“Where do Miss Hong, Miss Knowledge, and Miss Koakuma sleep?” I asked. If the second floor is for fairies, and me, and the third floor only has two residents then where do the others sleep?

“Meiling prefers to sleep in a small cabin that lies at the far end of the garden; Miss Knowledge and Koakuma have rooms that are attached to the library.” She didn’t speak for the remainder of the time we spent cleaning, but once finished she escorted me to my room. “I’ll have Willow wake you in the morning. The two of you are to eat breakfast and wake up the young mistress. Once she is awake you are to make sure she bathes and gets dressed, after she is done you may bring her upstairs for her own breakfast. Don’t worry, I’ll get that set up for you. After that it all depends on what she wants to do, but don’t forget she has to do her lessons with Miss Knowledge at some point. If she wants to go outside, clear it with me or Lady Remilia first.” She paused to see if I understood. After I nodded and repeated what she said she continued. “Lady Remilia also wants to see you at some point tomorrow, and I expect you to consider some training if you get the chance. Of course, as long as you do one lesson a week, there shouldn’t be a problem. If you have the time or feel like it don’t hesitate to ask someone.” She curtsied when she finished and vanished without a goodbye.

I sighed and entered my room, the same room I woke up in. Closing the door softly I walked towards my new bed and fell into it face first. I started to drift into sleep, but my clothes were too uncomfortable to sleep in. I stripped down into my underwear and crawled into bed once more. This time sleep took me quickly, far too quickly it seemed.

**********

Once again I dreamt. But it wasn’t of the human militia, it was of Flandre, me, and a strange blonde girl who could cloak herself in darkness and carried a sword that was formed of pure malice. I could feel pain in my entire body, like I was on fire. The two blonde girls stared at each other, both showing no emotion, save anger. The dream ended with the second blonde rushing us, and me, charging towards her.

**********

“R-Ryuga, wake up!” A familiar voice called out to me, waking me from that dream. I slowly opened my eyes to see Willow staring at me with her golden eyes. “It’s time for us to wake up the young mistress!”

I yawned and asked her, “Could you leave the room for a minute? I need to get dressed. Besides, shouldn’t we eat breakfast first?”

“It’s too late for breakfast! I’ve been trying to wake you for the past thirty minutes!” She shouted back at me as she retreated to the door.

“Damn,” I cursed under my breath, “Okay, I’ll get dressed in a flash, and we’ll go wake her up. We can eat while she does!” Willow left and I got dressed faster than I had ever done before. I got out the door while I was straightening my tie and said to Willow, “Okay, let’s go!” She nodded and the two of us took one of the shortcuts into the library, which just led us to the main entrance, and we quietly ducked out and hurried down the stairs towards Flandre’s room.

Once at the door Willow handed me a key and said, “This one’s for you.”

“They lock her up?” I asked in shock.

“N-no! She locks the door herself!” Willow waved her arms defensively as I sighed with relief. I unlocked the door and slid the key into my pocket.

Opening the door I nervously called out to the young vampire, “G-good morning Lady Flandre!” Willow rushed into the bathroom and after a moment you hear running water.

“Morning? Already?” Flandre said sleepily as she sat up. Her hair was a mess and her eyes were dull and tired. She climbed out of her bed slowly and I noticed that she was wearing a long pink nightgown that was far too large, but she didn’t seem to care. “My bath ready yet?” She asked rubbing her eyes absently.

“Just a moment Lady Flandre!” Called Willow from the bathroom. Flandre seemed to ignore her and walked into the bathroom regardless. I elected to stay in the bedroom and make her bed for her. “L-lady Flandre!” I heard Willow call again over the running water. “P-please wait a mome- wait, please wait for me to leave before you undress!”

“But I need help washing my back,” the young vampire responded nonchalantly.

“I’ll be right outside if you need anything,” I called to them after making the bed. Making my way to the door I added, “Please, take your time. The elders always told me that cleanliness is the most important thing when it comes to staying healthy!” I closed the door behind me as Willow demanded I help her. I wasn’t going to go into a bathroom while someone was bathing, that’s just rude.

Back in the spiral staircase I leaned against the wall and stared up to the top of the shaft. I couldn’t see it, but I wondered what a fall from that height would do to a person. Hell, I figured a fall from the library was more than enough to kill someone. Wait, don’t get me wrong, I wasn’t planning on murdering anyone! I just thought that if I fell, and had no way of being saved, would I die?

During my musings every last one of the candles that lined the walls went out simultaneously, leaving me in absolute darkness. I tensed instinctively and readied myself to fight. I was never the strongest in the cave, but I could hold my own due to superior speed and skill. If I had to fight, I would be ready. My eyes failed to adjust to the darkness, so I focused on noises. Footsteps, slow and soft, most definitely deliberate too. Most beings who live in Gensokyo that could blanket the entire shaft could fly. I could tell the footsteps were above me, but I couldn’t tell you where due to the echoing nature of the stairwell. I couldn’t leave the door, if I did then I would leave an opening for them to catch Flandre and Willow off guard, if they really are after Flandre.

No, instead I stood there tense and ready to fight. I listened using my heightened hearing, a perk of being a bat youkai the downside is that my eyesight is lacking slightly. The footsteps stopped, no doors opened and none closed. Whoever it is, is standing still or had taken flight, and was waiting for something.

The lights came back, almost blinding me in the process. I looked around, but couldn’t see anything out of the ordinary. After a couple minutes of paranoia I relaxed, but only slightly. I relaxed even more when the door to Flandre’s room opened up. Her and Willow walk through smelling of soap, which reminded me that I needed to take a bath myself when I got the chance. Judging by their looks and how they were acting, I assumed that they didn’t notice anything. I kept silent as I didn’t want to worry them. Flandre laughed and ran up the stairs with Willow floating after her. I hurried up the stairs with them, but I kept listening for anything out of the ordinary just in case.

We got to the top of the stairwell without incident and the darkness that had engulfed me didn’t seem like it was planning on returning. I heard nothing, nor did I see anything on my way up. It’s like it never happened. The three of us walked to the dining room where Flandre sat down and started to talk with Willow. It seemed that they were close, but Willow was reserved and only spoke to Flandre after she was spoken to. “I’ll go see if your breakfast is ready,” I said when there was a lapse in their conversation.

I walked into the kitchen leaving the two girls behind in the dining room. I figured it was safe there, it’s far more open than the stairwell. As I walked into the kitchen I saw Sakuya with a tray of food in her hands. “Impeccable timing once again,” she said smiling.

For a second I wondered what she meant, but I figured it out soon enough. I wondered if she noticed anything odd, but I was worried that it might be my imagination or my youkai blood rejecting the new vampire blood within me.

In the end I…

-Choose One
[] Told her about my dreams and the Incident in the stairwell
[] Told her about my dreams
[] Told her about the incident in the stairwell
[] Thanked her for the compliment and went about my duties
----------
Any guesses as to why Ryuga is having these dreams? Taking all bets! Anyway, I'm hoping to maybe get more voters around here. I had to ask the IRC to come in and give me my third vote. Seriously, I would like to write this but I need votes.

[X] Told her about the incident in the stairwell

This seems like something Sakuya would definitely want to know. Prophetic dreams are more Remilia's area of expertise.

[] Told her about the incident in the stairwell

[X] Told her about the incident in the stairwell

[x] Told her about the incident in the stairwell

[X] Told her about the incident in the stairwell

[X] Told her about the incident in the stairwell

Hm, well, I've played enough VNs to know about strange dreams, obviously it's the power of love fueling them.

In the end I told her about the incident in the stairwell. If there was an intruder, she needed to know about it, simple as that. “Miss Izayoi,” I said hesitantly, “there’s something you should know.”

She stopped me by holding up her hand and saying, “Sakuya, just call me Sakuya unless we have guests.” After I nodded she asked, “So, what do you need to tell me?”

I took a deep breath and replied “After waking up Fla-, the young mistress, I stepped out as she bathed and got dressed. While I waited in the stairwell, all the candles went out at the same time. I could hear footsteps for a few moments, but they stopped after a couple minutes. I was worried that it was a trap to lure me from the door, so I stayed where I was.” Sakuya stared at me with an expression that was hard to read. It was like she believed me, but at the same time didn’t. “The candles sprang back to life after the footsteps stopped which was just before Willow and the young mistress came out of the room. They didn’t mention anything strange, so I didn’t mention it to them and on the way back up, I didn’t see or hear anything out of the ordinary.”

She stood there looking thoughtful for almost a minute. She looked back at me seriously; her eyes flashed red for a moment. “Those candles are magically enchanted to never go out or melt. Patchouli would have let us know if she was going to do anything with them.” She dug out her pocket watch and said to me, “Deliver the food to the young mistress and meet me at the gate.” I couldn’t even respond before she vanished. The tray of food she was holding wound up in my arms somehow.

I quickly brought the tray out and set it in front of Flandre. After I removed the top, she started tearing into the array of breakfast foods that was before her. I didn’t really pay too much attention to it because I had to meet Sakuya. “If you’ll excuse me, I need to help Sakuya with something.” Flandre nodded with a piece of sausage hanging out of her mouth and Willow waved shyly as I left the dining room.

I rushed to the gate, nearly bumping into some fairies on the way there. Oh, don’t get me wrong, I wasn’t running. I just wasn’t really paying attention to my surroundings. Anyway, when I arrived at the front gate I saw Sakuya talking to Meiling. “-dn’t sense anything?”

“Nothing,” Meiling responded looking mildly insulted. “No one has entered, or left, the mansion grounds since Reisen got here.”

“Did she arrive alone?” I asked, startling the two of them in the process. “Maybe someone snuck in then?”

The two of them looked at me with surprise, then at each other. “I didn’t think about that,” Meiling said slowly as she started to rub her chin thoughtfully. “If two people enter the grounds at the same time, I wouldn’t even notice.”

“That,” Sakuya sounded annoyed, hesitant, and confused all at the same time, “sounds like a problem.”

“It normally isn’t an issue, but if someone entered the grounds without me noticing, it would have had to been that way.” She sounded confident, but her body language said that she was still having trouble accepting that as truth. “I’ve never had anyone try to sneak in that way though,” she admitted. “It would be extremely difficult and require precise timing.” Meiling then looked at Sakuya. “I wouldn’t normally admit this, but my ability to sense people entering the grounds is a passive ability most of the time. I can’t really use it to find their exact location.” She took a deep breath and pressed her hands together in front of her chest.

She stayed like that for almost five minutes, and every time I went to talk Sakuya silenced me by putting a hand against my mouth. For the record, she has very soft hands. I didn’t expect that from someone who does so much work.

“I can’t tell where, but there is a presence that shouldn’t be here,” Meiling finally said.

Sakuya’s face darkened as she spun on her heels. “Both of you, head to the mistresses room. Now!” Ordered the maid before she flicked out her pocket watch and disappeared. Meiling and I nodded at each other then walked inside, up the stairs, and towards Remilia’s room where Sakuya was waiting for us. “I already told her that there’s an intruder, you two just need to tell her what you know. I’m going to keep an eye on the young mistress and make sure she stays safe.” She vanishes once more and Meiling knocks on Remilia’s door.

“Enter,” Remilia sounded impatient, and given the situation had every right to be. Meiling opened the door and walked right in, but I followed hesitantly. I wasn’t sure why, but I felt as though my life was in danger. I stepped into the room and heard the giggle of a young child. It was faint, almost nonexistent, but it was there all the same. I turned to look out into the hallway, but I saw nothing. “Is something the matter?” The mistress asked me with great annoyance.

“I thought I heard something just now,” I responded honestly. “It sounded like a child’s laughter.”

“It was probably Flandre or some of the fairies,” she said gesturing for me to close the door. Once I did she turned to Meiling, “Sakuya said there’s an intruder. Who is it, how did they get in here, and why aren’t they being escorted out yet?” She didn’t hide her irritation in the least.

But, that didn’t faze Meiling at all. “We don’t know who it is, but we think we know how he or she got through.” Remilia, who was sitting on the edge of her bed merely watched Meiling as she spoke. “The intruder likely entered when Reisen arrived yesterday. As you may know, when two people enter the grounds at the exact same time, I don’t register that it’s two people. But, when I did an active mental search of the mansion, I found a presence that shouldn’t be here. Sadly, I can’t tell where they are.”

Remilia nodded and turned her attention to me. “And you encountered the intruder?”

“In a sense,” I said, feeling a little nervous at the sudden attention. “I was in the stairwell while your sister was bathing. The candles lining the wall went out at the same time and I could hear footsteps above me, but I never heard a door open or close. The footsteps were faint, but likely deliberate. But the footsteps stopped and the candles came back to life shortly before the door the young mistress opened her door.”

“Why didn’t you confront the intruder?” She glared at me like I did something wrong, which I found insulting.

“Given the lack of sight, and the multiple unknowns in the situation, I opted to guard the door to prevent the intruder from reaching your sister. If that was the intention that is.” I met her gaze and responded honestly.

“Flan can handle herself,” Remilia said flatly.

I got increasingly annoyed with her tone. I did what I thought was best in that situation, she should have been happy I was protecting her sister! “As true as that may be, you tasked me with taking care of her. I chose the action that would be more likely to keep her out of harm’s way. Plus,” I added, “She was in the middle of a bath. She wouldn’t be expecting anyone to just barge in and attack her. I didn’t want to risk it.”

Remilia glared at me for a moment longer before relaxing and saying, “Very well then. I apologize for questioning your motives, but I have had a few attempts on my life recently and I would rather not wake up to a silver knife against my throat.” Meiling stared at the vampire in surprise. “Oh, do not worry Meiling. It was not here, it was on my way back from my trips to the Hakurei Shrine.” Meiling relaxed, but only slightly. I guess knowing it wasn’t her fault for not noticing a hostile presence helped. “Anyway,” Remilia said as she stood up. “Meiling, go lock the doors. No one enters or leaves the building, which includes you. Any fairies outside are to return immediately, those that do not are to be locked out until the intruder is caught. Once the doors are locked I want you to tell Patchy and Koakuma. I want them to have familiars scouring the entire mansion.”

Meiling bowed and said, “Yes ma’am!” Hurrying out the door she nodded politely to me.

“Ryuga,” Remilia said quietly. “I am going to have Sakuya keep an eye on Flandre. Whoever this is seems to be good at hiding as Sakuya is unable to locate whoever it is when she stops time. If we cannot find the rat by eyesight, we’ll have to rely on our other senses. If you could hear their footsteps, then you might be able to hear their breathing when you are close.”

I probably shouldn’t have, but I interrupted her by saying, “I think you’re giving me too much credit. My hearing is good, but not that good.”

“I know,” she sighed, “but your senses are, in fact, heightened due to the vampire blood flowing through you now. You just need to learn to pay attention to them. If you focus, you should be able to hear, see, smell, feel, or even taste better than previously. It requires a good amount of focus in the beginning, but one day you will be able to do it without much effort.”

I stood there silently and focused on my sense of hearing. I could already hear her breathing, but as I focused it became clearer. I could hear fairies chattering in the halls, even a toilet flush down the hall. I couldn’t help but laugh at my success. I quickly forced myself to stop though. “So, what exactly should I do?” I asked my mistress.

“I want you to start patrolling the mansion at night, when everyone else is sleeping since it will be too noisy during the day. For now, eat, rest, get some training from the others, or you can begin your search now. It is up to you.” She gave me a look of confidence and support.

“W-what should I do if I encounter the intruder?” I asked hesitantly.

“Ideally, I want you to alert Sakuya and Meiling, but that would only serve to give the little rat time to find a new hiding place,” she shrugged as she spoke, which seemed unlike what you what you would expect from her. “If you think you can, take them alive. But if they prove too difficult to subdue, don’t hesitate to go for the kill.”

I nodded solemnly. If I had no other choice, I would kill the intruder. It was simple, or so I thought. But that time was still a little ways off. In the meantime, I needed to prepare, so I…

-Choose One
[] Training with Meiling (Hand to hand combat)
[] Training with Patchouli (Practical/Offensive magic)
[] Training with Koakuma (Illusion/Charm magic)
[] Training with Sakuya (Weapon Based combat)
[] Training with Remilia (Vampire Powers)
[] Rest
-() With someone (Choose who)
-() Alone (Choose where)
[] Start your search now
----------
It's up to you how you go about your training. You could completely neglect it, but that leads to a variety of issues. You can max out your skills with TWO of the trainable abilities, and get halfway through another. Or you could try to balance it and see how they mix. And yes, there is a merit to both "Hand to Hand" and "Weapon Based Combat". Resting with a character is obviously different than training with them.

If you want I can tell you what what Ryuga's relationship levels with the residents of the mansion are. An example is,
-Sakuya +1

That may or may not be her actual rating right now. But, it would go from -10 to +10. At minus ten, they would be actively trying to kill you, so I can assume you know what plus ten is. Just let me know if this appeals to you.

Why do I get the feeling its Koishi.

[X] Training with Remilia (Vampire Powers)

The sense-honing thing would make searching for an intruder so much easier.

>>58591
Somehow, I doubt this is just a rehash of A Fairy's Tale.

[] Training with Remilia (Vampire Powers)

[x] Training with Patchouli (Practical/Offensive magic)
Focusing on the practical component. Little things, like unlocking a door by knocking on it or warding your wardrobe from wascally wabbits. (Or wily wampires.)

[x] Training with Koakuma (Illusion/Charm magic)

Why flirt fight when we can hypnotize the girls our enemies?

[X] Training with Remilia (Vampire Powers)

If we can't find the intruder, everything we train in order to deal with the intruder is a moot point.

Besides, it's not as if vampires aren't powerful on their own, too.
Heightened senses, supernatural charm, the ability to change shape, "the strength of twenty men", and so on.
I'm sure that training with Koakuma is more effective than just "natural charm", just like training with Meiling would give us a better chance of fighting than if we rely simply on our enhanced strength, but vampire powers gives us a good base to start with.

[X] Training with Koakuma (Illusion/Charm magic)

[X] Training with Remilia (Vampire Powers)

These will help in the long run with Flandre times, probably. oooor we'll just hear our death coming before it hits...

[X] Training with Remilia (Vampire Powers)

These will help in the long run with Flandre times, probably. oooor we'll just hear our death coming before it hits...

>>59623
>>59624
When it's been this long, it's polite to sage so you don't get peoples hopes up.

[X] Training with Koakuma (Illusion/Charm magic)

Invisible bat is invisible.

>>59625
I might, but we're already at the top.

[X] Training with Koakuma (Illusion/Charm magic)

Okay, Sorry, this is kind of pushed to the side for the rest of the month. I'm working over in other's for NaNoWriMo. I kinda didn't expect any more votes so I wasn't worried about this.

Consider the vote called for Vampire Training. I don't know exactly when I'll get an update out, but hopefully I'll be updating this again in December. If I'm not updating WASTED daily.

I asked Remilia about my new powers. “If you don’t mind, could you tell me about the powers vampires have?” She was still sitting on her bed looking concerned. “I’m sorry, I can ask later.”

“No, now is as good of a time as any.” She stood up off her bed and dusts off her pink dress. “You need to learn this at some point, and it may help you fight the intruder.” She walked over to her balcony and gestured for me to follow. Her dress is backless so when large black batwings appeared it didn’t ruin her dress. “Follow me,” she said as she jumped into the air and flapped her wings. I ran forward onto the balcony and looked into the air where Remilia was leisurely flapping her wings and staring at me. “What is wrong?” I simply stood there looking dumbfounded. “Oh, I forgot to tell you how to manifest your wings didn’t I?” I nodded. “Well, first remove your shirt so it won’t get ruined. After that envision your wings growing from your back and you should know what to do next.”

I did as I was told and left my shirt on the railing of the balcony. Envisioning my wings was easy, they were a part of me for so long that I know just where they should be and how they should look. Within moments I felt a pair of dark-brown wings sprout from my shoulder blades. I had assumed it to be excruciating, but I didn’t feel any pain. In fact, I felt pleasure! It wasn’t a physical kind of pleasure, but a mental kind. I had missed my wings!

Remilia said something, but I completely ignored her and took to the skies. My laughter was echoing throughout the grounds and neighboring areas. I guess I got too high since Remilia grabbed my leg and threw me to the ground. That little girl has a lot of power in her small frame. I wound up landing on a table where a group of fairy maids were having tea. The fairies scattered with various screams as Remilia plummeted down and pinned me to the ground.

“I think we will skip the demonstration part of our lesson and go straight to applications.” In a single swift moment, she had picked me up, swung me around the air, and thrown me into the outer wall. Surprisingly, the wall didn’t crack under the force. I found out later that it was magically enchanted to survive such impacts. As I got to my feet, Remilia said, “We will start with a bit of combat to get you used to your newfound strength. I want you to attack me as if I were any other foe.”

She seriously wanted me to attack her. Given that I still wasn’t entirely sure of her innocence in the attack on my people, I didn’t have any problems with that.

-Battle Plan
[] Go in fast and hard, don’t give her the chance to attack.
[] Be defensive, figure out what she can do and then strike.
[] Write-in Battle plan
----------
Due to time constraints, lack of votes in other stories that I wish to write, and already having this written, I will be posting this for my 22nd day of NaNoWriMo.

Yay laziness...

[X] Go in fast and hard, don’t give her the chance to attack.

At least this way we can impress her while getting dunked.