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THE STORY SO FAR:
The world has ended, but five (well, it’s complicated) humans get a chance to do it over, and make things right. Only problem is, for their second go around, they're not going to be 'human'...
Kosuzu, Reimu, Akyuu and Youmu have all remembered their pasts, and through significant trials and tribulations, begun the path of fighting against the doomed future. Of the five Immaterial Children who were wound back in time together, only one’s fate remains unknown - the former magician, Kirisame Marisa.
In this life, she is Houjuu Marisa, raised on the island of Sado in the outside world. Spending her childhood years looking up at the stars, the arrival of the Spiral Comet awoke her inhuman heritage - one she was completely unaware of, and equally unprepared to deal with. Having fled her life on the island, she now searches for a way to get to Gensokyo - ever chased by a mysterious group.
She is not the only one exploring the mysteries of the city she now finds herself in - she is joined by Goutokuji Mike, a young maneki-neko of the modern world also on the run from home. Together, they discovered the Lunar Rainbow Market, and with the assistance of powerful benefactors managed to evade their pursuers. Now, they turn their eyes towards the other unearthly secrets in the area, seeking a path to the land of fantasy.
Having made arrangements for their meeting on a forum for discussing cryptids and urban legends, a number of others have followed their lead, seeking out the local mysteries in separate groups. One such individual is the tenacious eccentric Little_Bunny, who has tried many times to infiltrate the Scarlet Talent Agency and confirm its suspected otherworldly connections. Marisa and Mike have come across one such attempt, and are about to watch one of the forum’s local legends in action…
Previous Threads:
Redo/Reimu >>205449 >>205720
Again/Akyuu >>206017 >>206302 >>206595 >>206906 >>207202
Yester/Youmu >>207370 >>207705 >>208027 >>208337 >>208664 >>208978
Kaizou/Kosuzu >>209221 >>209492 >>209799 >>210140 >>210522 >>210832 >>211127 >>211466 >>211848 >>212143
Memoria/Marisa >>212437 >>212766 >>213061 >>213602
Epilogues and Shorts >>/shorts/2804
Or read the story archive on Ao3:
https://archiveofourown.org/series/4062991
Outside/Omakes (Shorts from Other Writers): >>/shorts/2947
XOR/Xenologue (Speculative What-If Canon) >>/shorts/3129
[1] “Think Zanmu knows how to get in?” There was a strong chance whatever she was doing here had to do with Marisa’s predicament… and she didn’t seem to mind them knowing what she was up to.
[18] “Let’s watch Little_Bunny in action.” She had a grappling hook, and who knew what else? Whatever she was investigating was probably really cool important. Besides, they could always ask Zanmu later.
Words didn’t even need to be said. Their heads may technically have known that Zanmu’s efforts might have been important, even critical to their success… but one didn’t see a potential wannabe ninja and not find out what was going to happen.
The two girls crept along as the sun slid down the horizon, drawing the shadows longer and longer. Marisa saw her friend’s eyes slowly taking on an animalistic quality as darkness fell, expanding farther than a human’s ought to be able to.
It was those cat eyes that spotted something first. Mike’s hand shot out, stopping Marisa dead in her tracks. “Someone’s coming from the building.”
The islander squinted, trying to make out the person the catgirl had seen. There was the vague silhouette of a tall woman with short hair, approaching the Probably-Little_Bunny-person from their side. At first, The islander thought she might be a normal human, maybe just a foreigner… but as she pushed some large wheeled device across the grounds, the silhouette of wing-like attachments on the sides of her head threw that into question.
She appeared to be gesticulating with her free hand in wide sweeping arcs, making strange and energetic motions. Mike’s ears flicked under her hood. “That woman’s speaking. I can just about make it out...”
“What is it?” Marisa did her best to keep her voice quiet. “Some kinda magic spell or something?”
“...No.” Mike seemed somewhat nonplussed. “She’s saying stuff like ‘why is this always my job?”
…The changeling took another look. The strange motions suddenly clicked - she was replaying an argument that clearly hadn’t gone the way she wanted. Marisa felt a pang of sympathy for the poor woman - whether she was a youkai or not, dealing with someone as dogged and quirky as Little_Bunny must be a frustrating part of her night.
The interloper in question pulled her grappling hook out of her bag, beginning to spin it, faster and faster. With a swing of her arms, the hook sailed up, wrapping itself around the neck of a gargoyle as the two observers quietly pumped their fists.
When the ribbon-wearing redhead pulled the rope taut to start climbing up it, the youkai slumped in self-evident defeat. She groaned, aiming the device at the wall. Now that they were closer, the two girls could see that the wings on her head appeared to be part of a headband… but if the sense of unease Marisa got looking at it was anything to go by, that was some kind of veil.
Definitely a youkai, then. Marisa felt unease starting to creep up on her. Hopefully Bunny would be okay… logically, she had been before, but there was unfortunately a first time for everything.
The employee clicked a switch on the device, flooding the wall in bright light and throwing great silhouettes of the topiary animals across the wall. She stepped into a larger patch of light, revealing hair of a deeper wine-red than the interloper she was following. She paused to compose herself to something at least a close proximity to calm, before clearing her throat.
“Ah-hem. Good evening, Officer.” The woman spoke with a crisp, british accent dripping with disdain. “Back at it again, are we?”
Officer?! The two young girls shared a glance, huddled behind the bushes. Little_Bunny did occasionally speak of justice and law, but the idea there was a police officer that actually had her collection of character quirks strained their beliefs to their limits.
Little_Bunny stopped her ascent midway, twisting around to look down at the new arrival. “Hello, citizen. Stand back, please, this is important. There’s strange goings-on at this establishment.”
“If I had a dollar for-” The employee stopped herself. “Bloody regulations… Officer Kotohime, please spare me your canned speeches. I’ve heard them so many times I can’t stand it anymore.”
“Really? We’ve met before?” The apparent police officer hummed, squinting down at her conversation partner. She was dressed in casual clothes, with a pair of handcuffs hanging off the hip of her jeans - not that it made the idea she was a police officer any more comprehensible. “Funny, I don’t remember you…”
“Of course you don’t.” The disguised youkai groaned. “Not that it woul-”
“Wait…” The employee stiffened as ‘Officer Kotohime’ rubbed her chin. “Yeah… yeah, now it’s coming back to me! You’re that yakuza princess who was on the run across the city from that rival gang!”
The youkai sagged, exhaustion apparent on her face. “No, officer, I’m not.”
“Really? Hmm…” The policewoman leant back, holding on to the rope with one hand while surveying the disguised youkai below her more fully. The sort of stance no practiced climber would ever take two stories off the ground. “Then… are you that AWOL child soldier who crashed her escape craft?”
“What? No. What the hell are you-” There was a long groan, as the taller woman dragged her hand down her face. “The name is Kokoa, alright?”
“Huh, really?” Kotohime tilted her head, showing no significant signs of strain despite supporting her singlehandedly. “With hair like that, you’re named after chocolate? You seem more like a strawberry - mmm, no, maybe a red velv-”
“And I’m sure,” Kokoa interrupted, “that you don’t actually remember me. After all, you never remember your visits here, do you?”
“No, I- Ohhhhhhh, you’re an employee here, are you?” Kotohime gave a casual grin, with a big wave. “Well, even if it’s not the first time, it’s nice to meetcha, Kokoa!”
“How dearly I wish I could say the same.” The disguised youkai huffed, clearly exhausted. “Look, Officer, you need to leave. This is private property and as you - as always - have no warrant.”
“Sorry, no can do! There’s some real trouble afoot.” Kotohime hummed, throwing her arm out in a grand gesture. “You see, what you may think is a respectable establishment is actually… ran by vampires!”
“...Really.”
…Marisa was frankly stunned. She never could have believed so much frustration could be delivered in two short, sharp syllables.
She was almost as stunned that the frigid response completely failed to register. “Indeed! I have uncovered evidence that may suggest the Scarlet lineage descends from a notorious line of bloodsuckers-”
“Where did you even get so convinced of that idea, in the first place?” Kokoa rubbed her temples. “You cannot trust everything you read on that bloody forum of yours.”
Marisa and Mike shared a glance, the former stifling a giggle. “So she says,” the changeling chuckled. “But she’s probably more on the money that they want her to be.”
The catgirl looked bewildered. “I-I’m still trying to comprehend Little_Bunny being a police officer…” A branch rustled under her hand, drawing the crimson gaze of the local youkai.
“But it’s not just that!” Kotohime pointed her finger skyward, dragging Kokoa’s attention back to her. “The Head of the House of Scarlet has performed an invasion of Gensokyo - cracking its very sky! Her vicious spear struck the Hakurei Shrine Maiden herself - and it was only a game with the reaper that saved her from certain death!”
Marisa felt her blood run cold. She had to nearly bite down on her hand to stop herself from yelling out.
“Wait, she knows about what’s happening in Gensokyo?” Mike turned to her friend, before her face fell. “A-are you okay? You’ve gone pale.”
“I-I don’t know.” The changeling wiped a bit of cold sweat off her face. Why was that of all things the one that freaked her out?
Kokoa seemed more baffled than anything. “Cracking the sky? Honestly, officer, whatever medication they’re giving you isn’t strong enough. Look, can you just leave the premises without making my job any harder? It’s been a long day.”
“Sorry, but where I might have stood down on another night… this time they’ve crossed a line.” The officer remained firm, casually readjusting her grip on the rope. “Noblesse Oblige, after all, demands that I act in Gensokyo’s defence. I must ask that you stand back, this time - to protect my home, I will tear this place down if I have to.”
“Noblesse oblige?” The catgirl turned to her friend. “Is that french? Any idea what that means?”
“Mmm.” Marisa gave a half-distracted shrug. “‘Unno.” She was still trying to make sense of her own sense of dread. Was the Hakurei okay? And why did she care?
“Your delusions have reached a new height…” The disguised youkai groaned, leaning back. “Now you think you’re some kinda fancy Lady, and that gives you the right to make my day miserable?”
She folded over, muttering. “No, no, no. You know what? No, officer. You’re not going to be dragging me into this mess. Not today. I’m taking that as a threat of violence, and that means I am finally allowed to speed this farce along to its inevitable conclusion.”
As the woman threw her hands down, a rustle shook the topiary around them. Marisa stirred from her thoughts, sensing the rise in the tension. The silhouettes of the topiary animals seemed suddenly less awkward, and more threatening - spikier and sharper than they had been before.
“This, like many of your little escapades, is going to end the exact same way. You’re going to black out. You’re going to wake up as we’re shoving your sorry keister off the premises. You won’t remember what happened in between, just that your madcap plans once again fell to pieces just when you were surely gonna get to your big scoop this time. And then you’ll run off, go whine on your little forum, and come back some other day to interfere some other way.”
The two observers gasped as the silhouettes cast by the bushes moved like the living animals they represented. They started to crawl along the walls, slithering closer and closer to the climbing woman.
Even Kotohime’s shadow was moving, now swivelling her head in clear worry and trying to get her real self’s attention. But looking away from the wall, the policewoman was entirely oblivious to their presence. “Wow…really, you think so? Wait… are you some kind of fortune teller?”
Marisa gulped. She wasn’t sure what was going to happen, but… it didn’t look like anything but bad news. She shared a nervous glance with her friend, as the shadows closed in on the policewoman. Should they do something? Or was it smarter to just wait it out?
[ ] Help Kotohime. Forum friends had to stick together, after all!
-{ } Just yell a warning, and stay out of the way.
-{ } Maybe they could interfere with the spell if they got to the caster?
[ ] Stay back, let Kokoa finish whatever she was doing.
-( ) And then reveal they were spying on the situation afterwards.
-( ) …So they can see how not to get caught by it on their attempt.
huh, it was Kotohime. Well she's got some schmovin to do to meet Youmu on time.
[X] Stay back, let Kokoa finish whatever she was doing.
(X) …So they can see how not to get caught by it on their attempt.
It only been a few words, but I feel so much for Kokoa, just let her. Wanting to punch people is a daily dream for service workers and by the sounds of it nothing too horrid will happen to Koto.
Plus we need to learn how to get in to steal borrow from the Scarlets anyways
[X] Stay back, let Kokoa finish whatever she was doing.
(X) …So they can see how not to get caught by it on their attempt.
[X] Stay back, let Kokoa finish whatever she was doing.
-(X) …So they can see how not to get caught by it on their attempt.
Kotohime will just be a hindrance in the long run because I feel that, if we help her, she's going to stick with us and just put sticks in the wheels.
.
.
.
Captcha: Byakuren
Ok so that is *actually* Kotohime, somehow being outside to attack the vampires and ruining Koakuma's... Cousin? Sister? Unspecified Relative's day!
...I'm kinda torn on helping her, because it's a bit outside context but Kotohime could actually help us a lot once we get inside Gensokyo by directing us (indirectly) towards Akyuu, or at the very least helping us settle. We just need to remember to speak Kotohime.
[X] Help Kotohime. Forum friends had to stick together, after all!
-{X} Maybe they could interfere with the spell if they got to the caster?
[X] Help Kotohime. Forum friends had to stick together, after all!
-{X} Maybe they could interfere with the spell if they got to the caster?
I kinda want to only watch to see the effect of Kokoa's spell so we can eventually avoid it, but I also want to know what's the deal with Kotohime and we can't ask her if she's unconscious so I say let's risk it and save her.
[X] Stay back, let Kokoa finish whatever she was doing.
-(X) And then reveal they were enjoying the show afterwards.
-- Ask Kotohime what happened in Gensokyo, how to get there, etc.
I don't know which one to vote for. Helping her can give information about Gensokyo and the other IC, but she can also confuse Marisa due to the lack of context or get into trouble because she's Kotohime...
[X] Help Kotohime. Forum friends had to stick together, after all!
-{X} Just yell a warning, and stay out of the way.
1: There’s no guarantee that Kokoa’s gonna let us in or that we’ll be able to sneak by her even if we do know how her ability works.
2: As frustrating as Kotohime has been for her, maybe that’s only because she hasn’t gotten the answers she’s looking for. If she just fends her off again, that’s only going to delay the problem - but helping Kotohime might help find them a stable equilibrium.
3: Marisa really could do with more information about Kotohime, and she has a tendency to blurt out the truth inadvertently. Maybe she can jog our Nue’s memory - or at least tell her that the Hakurei Shrine Maiden is okay.
4: I just really wanna see a grappling-hook-based fight. If we let Kotohime get in her sneak attack, we’re not gonna see it.
[X] Stay back, let Kokoa finish whatever she was doing.
(X) …So they can see how not to get caught by it on their attempt.
Ok, I chose Kotohime the first time because it's funny, but Koa has my heart, so whether or not this is the right choice logically, I must make it.
But we still need to get in, so I unfortunately can't just say we leave. Here's to hoping that the Scarlets have A LOT of info for us.
Oho, really loving Marisa's reaction to hearing about the Hakurei Shrine maiden being in danger! I'm total a sucker for Reimu and Marisa's relationship as rivals/friends.
[X] Help Kotohime. Forum friends had to stick together, after all!
-{X} Just yell a warning, and stay out of the way.
[X] Stay back, let Kokoa finish whatever she was doing.
-(X) …So they can see how not to get caught by it on their attempt.
Remember Snake, this is a sneaking mission.
[X] Stay back, let Kokoa finish whatever she was doing.
(X) And then reveal they were enjoying the show afterwards.
Revealing they are fellow youkai might leave Kokoa a bit more symphatetic
[X] Help Kotohime. Forum friends had to stick together, after all!
-{X} Shadow Puppet Powers, Activate!
The magic light thing brings shadows to life, and even brings shadows to life if they do not belong to a living thing to begin with. If Marisa and Mike put their hands right in front of the magic light, they can create giant magic shadow wolves, eagles, spiders, and T-rexes to fight off Kokoa and her evil shadow shrubs. Or they could be lazy and just punch them with giant shadow fists.
I bet Marisa could make some really elaborate shadow puppets if she could get her tentacle wing things to cooperate.
I like where >>214012 is coming from, but I think we've got a more practical way to shut this down.
[X] Help Kotohime. Forum friends had to stick together, after all!
-{X} Unknown-ify the spotlight! What good is bringing shadows to life if you don't have any shadows?
[X] Help Kotohime. Forum friends had to stick together, after all!
-{X} Unknown-ify the spotlight! What good is bringing shadows to life if you don't have any shadows?
the funny choice
[X] Help Kotohime. Forum friends had to stick together, after all!
-{X} Shadow Puppet Powers, Activate!
I want to ruin Kokoa 's night. Annoying the Scarlets and associates is a beloved Marisa passtime, but we need to take this slow.
[X] Stay back, let Kokoa finish whatever she was doing.
(X) …So they can see how not to get caught by it on their attempt.
[X] Help Kotohime. Forum friends had to stick together, after all!
-{X} Unknown-ify the spotlight! What good is bringing shadows to life if you don't have any shadows?
>>214003
-{UNDO} Maybe they could interfere with the spell if they got to the caster?
-{X} Shadow Puppet Powers, Activate!
[x] Help Kotohime. Forum friends had to stick together, after all!
-{x} Shadow Puppet Powers, Activate!
Ah, the most funny (and best) option.
>>214019
It's called hedging our bets. If this ends up helping Koakuma instead, we can bluff that that was our intention all along.
[X] Help Kotohime. Forum friends had to stick together, after all!
-{X} Unknown-ify the spotlight! What good is bringing shadows to life if you don't have any shadows?
Oddly enough, Kotohime's brand of schizophrenia might actually help us out in the long run. Aside from the possibility that her tangents will end up jogging Marisa's memory, she's probably the one with the best chance of pegging Marisa as an IC out of everyone we've met so far. Although it's unlikely anyone else will accept the logic Kotohime uses to reach such a conclusion, it will at least get people to start thinking about the idea.
Another potential benefit is that Kotohime might be able to head off any misunderstandings we might encounter in the future (if by nothing else but simply tripping everyone up before something regrettable happens). Aside from the incoming trainwreck with Mamizou, the other ICs could also be problematic should Marisa and Co. encounter them before proper context is established.
Reimu the Very Human Shrine Maiden Who Most Definitely Is Not the Heir to the Kiketsu Family is probably the biggest potential problem given Marisa's paranoia and Yachie's reputation, but Kosuzu is also going to draw suspicion simply by being part of the Yakumo family, especially if and when word gets out that she has Yukari's Gap powers. Although Akyuu has been established as trustworthy by this point, Marisa doesn't know that yet, and being accosted by an oddly knowledgeable and forward Moon Rabbit might send Marisa running for the hills. Youmu is probably safe for Marisa to meet, but if Jenny-say-kwah gets high enough before Marisa shows up that thermonuclear birbs happens (we have not forgotten how nutritious the sun is), then all bets are off.
Counting to >>214022:
Main Choice #1:
[11] Help Kotohime. Forum friends had to stick together, after all!
[8] Stay back, let Kokoa finish whatever she was doing.
Potential Additions:
For [x] Help Kotohime:
-{1} Just yell a warning, and stay out of the way. (>>214009)
-{1} Maybe they could interfere with the spell if they got to the caster? (>>214004)
-{5} Shadow Puppet Powers, Activate! (>>214012, >>214014, >>214016, >>214020, >>214021)
-{4} Unknown-ify the spotlight! What good is bringing shadows to life if you don't have any shadows? (>>214013, >>214015, >>214018, >>214022)
For [x] Stay back...:
-(0) And then reveal they were spying on the situation afterwards.
-(6) …So they can see how not to get caught by it on their attempt. (>>213999, >>214000, >>214001, >>214008, >>214010, >>214017)
-(2) And then reveal they were enjoying the show afterwards. (>>214005, >>214011)
I like these creative additions :3
[X] Help Kotohime. Forum friends had to stick together, after all!
-{X} Shadow Puppet Powers, Activate!
...I really want this to work, this seems exactly what two young youkai would do to fuck around.
...Is my Capcha giving me a premonition?
[X] Help Kotohime. Forum friends had to stick together, after all!
-{X} Shadow Puppet Powers, Activate!
this should help get everyone on the same page quickly, for multiple reasons:
- Koto gets to remember this shit
- "Kokoa" (deffo Koakuma imo) oughta be baffled enough to let us get in the sentences needed for hooking her interest
Having both Koto and "Kokoa" on our sides might help us get into Gensokyo faster.
Plus, as >>214022 mentioned, Koto's brand of headaches can prolly spare us some way worse ones...
[13] Help Kotohime. Forum friends had to stick together, after all!
-{1} Just yell a warning, and stay out of the way.
-{1} Maybe they could interfere with the spell if they got to the caster?
-{7} Shadow Puppet Powers, Activate!
-{4} Unknown-ify the spotlight! What good is bringing shadows to life if you don't have any shadows?
[8] Stay back, let Kokoa finish whatever she was doing.
There was no time to think - Marisa broke into a run. Whatever Kotohime had mentioned about the Hakurei Shrine Maiden, she wanted to know more.
“Look out for the shadows!” The shout got the police officer’s attention, and she looked up at the wall - before rappelling two feet down to dodge the lunge of a serpentine silhouette. Kokoa swore, flipping her head back to look at the new arrival - and squinting into the light.
Marisa shoved her hand into her pocket, pulling out the cracked virtual pet on a keychain. Spinning it rapidly around her finger, she swung it around into the edge of the light - creating a shadow resembling a ball-and-chain, with a correspondingly heavy effect on a draconic image that was caught in its swing. The islander heard the groan of branches snapping, and the topiary dragon that silhouette came from seemed to have its head sag slightly.
“Woah, tricky!” Kotohime gave a big grin, glancing at her own moving shadow. “Man, that’s a good one. Not good enough to catch me, though!”
The police officer half-climbed, half ran in a diagonal, avoiding the snake silhouette’s bite, and emerging out the far side of its shadow. She flipped off the wall as she got above the reptilian outline, creating a loop in the rope - whose shadow caught on the serpent’s neck, choking it and hoisting it upwards. Marisa heard the snake’s bushy counterpart uproot itself, with an explosion of dirt showering just outside of the floodlight. Kokoa cursed - in a quite literal sense, judging by the red glow she was spitting with her words.
The changeling grinned, deciding to try another idea. Palming the small keychain, she put her hands together and made the vague shape of a wolfs’ head. The shadow that formed seemed to have a mind of its own - Marisa felt her hands jerk downward to snap at the dazed dragon, seizing it by the neck - she could even feel leaves between her fingers. She yanked back, pulling her wolf-shadow and the dragon upwards with it - and got a shower of soil and leaves for her troubles.
She gave a cocky grin, trying to think of what to try next - but the older youkai was on her now, reaching out to snatch at the young kid. Marisa dived to dodge the woman’s grip, rolling through the upturned dirt as something small rushed through the grass past her.
“Where the hell did you come from?!” Kokoa spun on her feet, launching herself at Marisa again. The islander dived back into the spotlight’s glare, and fired a blast of danmaku at the demon. “Are you that child soldier she mentioned?!”
“No idea what she’s talking about,” Marisa said with a cocky grin, “but don’t you think a sneak attack’s a low blow?” The closest she got to an answer was a yank backwards by the neck of her jacket. She hit the ground hard, bewildered - and it didn’t help when something began to press on her chest.
She looked to the spotlight, and realised she’d been caught by the shadow of a bat statue further ahead. It leant over her, close enough for Marisa to feel its breath on her face. Kokoa growled, straightening up.
“Just stay there, brat. I’ll get back to you shortly.” She turned to the wall Kotohime was on, reaching out to snatch for her. Being significantly closer to the spotlight, it made her twice the size of the climbing woman - allowing her to easily reach above her opponent, and grab the rope. The police officer let out a squawk as she was hauled back from her attempted kick on another shadow.
Marisa squirmed, trying to get free of the bat statue’s phantom grip. Its stony embrace left no room to maneuver, and trying to push it off was a fool’s errand. She scanned the ground around her, looking for anything she could grab - but there was nothing she could find.
Then… she felt something. An ominous presence above her. She turned to the silhouettes on the wall, only to see the black phantasm of a crocodilian maw hanging over the bat. The statue’s phantasm looked up, slowly, reluctance in every part of its body.
“Let go… of my friend!”
The crocodile’s maw snapped shut - and the statue exploded into rocks, showering the changeling. Marisa didn’t waste a second, scrambling back to her feet to run out the side of the light once again.
Once she was well clear of the risk of blinding herself, she turned to the floodlight, meeting Mike’s worried look with a big grin and a thumbs-up. Seeing her friend safe, the maneki-neko pulled her arms back, jamming on a switch with her elbow - and throwing the area into darkness.
“Heyheyhey, why’d you turn it off?!” The islander ran up to her friend, nearly running into the floodlight while her eyes were adjusting. “I wanted to try more puppets!”
“But I wanted to try this,” was the catgirl’s response, as she flourished an ability card. She slammed it onto the control panel, giving a nervous smile as the Seed wormed in. “Aim it at that Kokoa woman!”
Marisa nodded, glancing out over the grounds and spinning the device to focus on the angry youkai now rushing towards them. Mike put her hands together, yelling out something like a buddhist sutra and making the shape of a prayer. Though judging by the fact the changeling pretty clearly heard ‘spotlight’ in there, it was probably a fake-out of some sort.
It wasn’t much longer before she figured out the real purpose. She grinned, smirking at the guardian now hesitating before her friend. “With the blessings of Goutoku-ji…” Marisa raised her fist high. “We smite you, demon!”
She slammed down on the switch, hitting Kokoa with the full force of the spotlight. The light didn’t look any different to her… but the youkai screamed in fear, launching straight up into the air. Marisa saw two leathery wings burst out, as the youkai flew around the side of the building to take cover.
The two girls cheered, sharing a high-five - but it was only seconds later that their celebration would prove premature. When the winged Kokoa swooped around from the far side of the building to lunge at the girls, it was already too late to re-aim the faux-holy weapon. The imp’s danmaku forced the pair to dive to the side, letting her reclaim the spotlight.
“You damn brats and your little tricks- do you have any idea what you’re doing?!” Kokoa roared, glaring at them as she touched down on the ground. “Whatever trick you used for that, I’m gonna make bloody sure you regret it!”
Marisa back up, keeping her friend behind her. “You were gonna use your shadow magic on her! We had to do something!”
“No, you didn’t! All she’d be left with is a headache!” The imp through her arms wide. “We’re not allowed to go about killing inconvenient idiots, because we have to lay low - don’t you realise what’s at stake?! We can’t just - just let some powerless whackadoo go running about our building! Do you have any idea how much trouble she can cause?!”
“No, they don’t… and I’m sure you don’t either.” Kotohime’s voice was icy, taking on a chill that seemed wholly disjointed from the woman they’d heard earlier. The trio of youkai paused, looking around frantically for the source of the voice. Mike was the first to see the answer - and when the other two saw where she was looking, they followed her gaze skyward.
The police officer was riding on a cloud about as wide as a car, glaring down at the imp with an eerie intensity. She was surrounded by floating black orbs, with red glows coming from the center of each one. The employed youkai was at a loss for words, sputtering. “Y-you… you can…?”
“If you’re a youkai, and you’re threatening a pair of kids… then I’ve got no reason to hold back, Miss Kokoa.” Kotohime raised her hand high, the orbs around her spinning ever faster. “So let’s put an end to this, shall we?”
Marisa felt dread clutch at her. As Kokoa pulled away from the flying policewoman, she got to her feet, hauling her friend up despite the catgirl’s confusion. The changeling rushed for cover, leaping over a hedge as the orbs surrounded the employee.
And then they exploded. Danmaku shot out in all directions, tearing holes through the topiary bushes and chipping the stonework. When the bullets stopped whizzing, the two girls slowly peaked their heads over the hedge - to see that the area in their direction had largely been spared.
But that was the sole exception. The rest of the nearby grounds had been torn to shreds - most of the topiary bushes still planted in the ground were missing limbs, and the nearby statues were chipped and cracked. Kokoa herself was crumpled up in a small crater, one of her wings twitching weakly.
Kotohime came down to the ground, hopping off her cloud and rushing over. “Whew, wasn’t sure that’d work here. Hey, you two, are you okay?” Mike was still a bit stunned at all the damage, only giving a distracted nod.
Marisa was marginally more composed - at least enough for something coherent to bubble to the surface. She cleared her throat, turning to the police officer slowly. “Hey, you’re- you’re Little_Bunny, right?”
The older woman chuckled. “Good guess. And judging by the ears on this young miss, you’re Calicoin - and you’re obviously MysterySpark. Are you both well, little ones?”
Mike hurriedly pulled her hood up, belatedly realising that the damage was already done. Marisa bristled a bit. “Hey, I’m not that little!”
“If they’re making protests like that, they’re probably fine,” a new voice sounded, regal and foreign. “But I wish we could say the same for the garden. The Scarlet Matriarch set it out herself, after all.”
The trio turned, Kotohime stepping out in front of the young girls. There were two new arrivals - an even taller redhead with a long ponytail and similar youkai traits to Kokoa, and an older european woman with silvery-blue hair wearing expensive clothes. The latter was gazing out at the destruction with an inscrutable expression, even as her accompaniment bowed.
Kotohime blinked. “Huh? A clone?”
The other redhead chuckled, speaking with a loose and casual tone. “No, no. We’re sisters - two of four, in fact. But before I get distracted…” She bowed deeply. “We can only apologise for the inconvenience.”
“Eh?” Mike managed to regather herself a bit, looking back at the damage. “But the garden’s ruined…”
The older woman spoke, slowly. “It will be alright. We have the means to make this little scene disappear for a time… at least long enough to start a whole garden makeover. Minnie, you can make the call later, yes?”
“I’ll have a veil over the grounds tonight, milady. Already got just the right person in mind. Though… if we have it rebuilt while the Mansion’s still getting settled, Lady Remilia won’t be able to offer her input this time… so it may end up being a touch less distinct.” The second imp’s comment had the diplomatic tones of someone who was carefully masking their thoughts on whether such a ‘distinct touch’ was a benefit or not. “For now, though… it’s time to explain some matters. Miss Kotohime… would you and your entourage care to join us for a spot of tea?”
The changeling scowled. “What, now you want to talk? How do we know you’re not gonna just try to throw us out again?”
“Because the powers you demonstrated knowledge of proves that a fool’s errand.” The european woman turned, walking back towards the talent agency’s building. “We have no need to keep it secret from young youkai and proven magicians.”
“Huh?” Mike tilted her head. “I don’t get it.”
A dirty hand clapped down on the maneki-neko’s shoulder, causing her to yelp and pull away. Kokoa swayed unsteadily on her feet, nearly falling over before her sister rushed over to offer support .
“What the lady means… is that I got my ass beat for no bloody reason.” The imp’s eye appeared to be twitching. “If you wanted in to a building of supernatural people, Kusohime… you should have just used your powers in the first damn place.”
I wonder if the silver haired lady is related to a certain dutiful head maid.
Koakuma gets three sisters? Nice!
Sisters, eh? Interesting! Looking forward to where this goes.
>>“If you wanted in to a building of supernatural people, Kusohime… you should have just used your powers in the first damn place.”
I'm not saying it is Kotohime's fault, but I blame her for an avoidable headache.
And this, *this* is Standard Gensokyo Happenings.
Not even a full Incident, just a minor skirmish, it's like we just went through Stage 1 and Koaka was the unlucky girl becoming the boss.
Although that we have Multiples of Koakuma, and a suspiciously familiar-looking silver-haired woman...
...How many Scarlet holdings are staffed by near-identical women? Does Remi have a cloning machine?
