Once again the two found themselves back in Alice's house. Chiyuri and Yumeko were at the table still, but Marisa was pacing beside Alice's bed. The three looked up at Shanghai and Hourai's arrival.
As Hourai placed the empty shell of their sister next to the others Shanghai turned to Marisa. "Why? Why didn't you tell us?"
"I didn't know okay? Alice is the doll master, not me." Marisa sighed deeply and flopped into a couch. "I don't even really understand the difference between a self aware doll and a doll youkai. Seems like the same thing to me."
She wasn't sure what to say to that. "But we... we killed them all. If we had known..."
"What would you have done differently?" Marisa shrugged weakly. "You haven't been around for it, but when Reimu and I say we do youkai extermination it's not always a joke. Sometimes people die in Gensoukyo." Marisa sighed. "You're luckier then most too. You might be able to un kill people. Some of us don't have it that easy."
"I don't feel lucky," Hourai muttered. "Will they even want to return? What would it be like knowing you'll never become what your creator wanted you to become?"
"They can deal with that on their own time. Personally I figure running away from home is a better solution then being dead," Marisa said with a certain sharpness.
Yumeko smiled. "We'll take them if you don't want them."
"Does this mean I need to make robot bodies?" Chiyuri asked.
Shanghai was considering the matter when static broke out over their radios. "Huh? That's not any of us," Yumemi said.
"Ah, there we are. Infernal contraption. Yes, hello there." Shanghai, Hourai and Marisa all shuddered when Yukari's voice came over the airwaves. "I've found where Medicine is. Apparently she took over Yuka's mansion. It also seems she's in possession of a 'Goliath Doll.' Anyway please come to the Field of the Sun quickly. I'd like to get this over with before bedtime."
Shanghai and Hourai both groaned at that. "We have to fight that?"
Chiyuri blinked. "Aren't you upset that you're killing another doll?"
"The Goliath Doll is designed to not become sentient. It actively rejects intelligence," Hourai said.
"It's a safety measure. Alice didn't want it being hijacked or possessed," Shanghai added.
Marisa shrugged. "Well it was a good idea at the time." She stood. "You two need anything before you go?"
"A month long vacation?" Hourai asked.
Shanghai thought for a moment. "A cloaking device to hide from Yuka?"
"Don't got any," Marisa said.
"All out and it'd take too long to make them," Yumemi replied. Chiyuri breathed a sigh of relief.
Shanghai forced herself towards the door. "Well then I guess we should head out."
It was easy to find where Yukari was. They just headed towards the horrible rip in reality hanging in the sky. As they grew closer they could see three figures flying in front of it. It seemed the Shrine Maiden of Paradise had joined the Flower Master and the Youkai Sage. All three were looking into the rift.
The two dolls had never seen Yuka's mansion, but they were pretty sure it wasn't supposed to be a giant castle shaped like a skull. It did match the lake of blood nicely though.
"It looks like Medicine remodeled," Reimu commented.
"Yes, that's going to be annoying," Yuka responded. Shanghai couldn't help but flinch when the flower youkai turned to look at them. "Which is why I hope you two fix this matter soon."
Shanghai and Hourai both snapped to attention. "Right! We will, we will!"
Yukari smiled at them. "Good. I've opened a gap right at the front door, so you shouldn't have to fight through the dream world to get in."
"Where are Elly and Kurumi in all this mess?" Reimu asked.
"They're a little unconscious," Yuka said casually. "The dream sisters are treating them for poisoning."
"Will that poison work on us?" Shanghai asked.
Yukari spoke up. "I think the poison that will work on you is heavier then air. Medicine would have to actively control it, which means it will be like her normal danmaku but slower."
Hourai drew her sword. "So we still have a chance then."
Reimu gave the gap an appraising look. "Yeah. But you'll want to go in now. I'm pretty sure the more time Medicine has in the dream world, the stronger her defenses will get. I remember breaking into Yuka's place was a pain."
"Then we'll go now," Shanghai said.
Yuka raised her hand to stop them. "One more thing, you two. There's another force at work other then Medicine. You'll need to keep an eye out for it."
"What do you mean?" Shanghai asked.
"Medicine gains her power from poison." Yuka frowned. "She was unnaturally strong during the flower incident because of all the suzarain lilies. She shouldn't be able to fight me as an equal. At least not without her toxins. There was some other power energizing her."
"I see?" Shanghai looked at Hourai who shrugged. Neither of them had fought Medicine before so they didn't have a clue what to expect.
"Just remember it little ones. Now go clear out my mansion." Yuka shooed them on.
Shanghai was happy to get moving. The gap opened before her, and she effortlessly entered the dream world Hourai right behind her.
When the two dolls had moved on Reimu turned to Yukari. "This is another one of those incidents isn't it?"
Yukari didn't face the shrine maiden. "Gensoukyo accepts everyone. That is one of the strongest rules of this land."
"Hm?" Yuka raised an eyebrow. "But can't the great Youkai Sage change the rules of this land?"
The gap youkai raised an eyebrow. "Some rules can't be changed without disastrous results. Someone of your power should know that."
Reimu sighed and turned towards the gap. "So they have to play out this farce then? How annoying."
"Indeed." Yuka frowned. "What's the point of using a realm to repeat an old play over and over?"
Yukari chuckled. "'Gensoukyo accepts everyone' is a strong rule. But there is one rule that is stronger then it."
"We'll see what story those souls can create."
As soon as Shanghai appeared in front of the castle she knew they had a problem. "There's no door on this side."
Hourai looked over the edifice. "Well, maybe there's something over the walls? We can still fly."
"I guess we'll have to. But they'll know we're coming." Shanghai switched her weapon to her boomerangs. She wanted to be able to react quickly.
"Then we'd better be quick!" Hourai took off towards the distant walls, leaving Shanghai to scramble after.
As they reached the same height as the walls the first obstacle made itself known. Birdlike figures took to the sky, each holding what looked like an egg. Shanghai was pretty certain they weren't there to greet them politely, but she held her fire until they actually attacked.
When the first bird started a dive bombing run with its egg Shanghai cut loose. The Boomerangs performed just as she'd hoped, cutting through the creatures quickly, then taking another swath of them out on the return. Hourai finished off any of the creatures that made it through the barrage.
As they approached the walls a new danger appeared. Canons started firing at them from within the fortress. Shanghai allowed her vision to shift as she started dodging the attacks. Danmaku wasn't a perfect combat simulator, but it was great to help practice dodging. Shanghai and Hourai swam through the shrapnel, taking a few grazing hits, but avoiding the worst of the attack.
The barrage finally stopped when they reached the walls. The skull castle itself was just across a small open courtyard, and there were several doors. Finding an entrance would be easy.
Unfortunately the Goliath Doll was between them and those doors. It slowly turned to face them as they landed on the wall. Shanghai gripped her gun tighter as the Goliath doll's eyes started to glow red. In terms of raw power, this would be the strongest opponent they had faced.
The goliath stuck first. Twin swords ruched through the air, shattering the castle wall with their power. Shanghai and Hourai each dodged away, flying as fast as they could to keep the colossal doll from getting a lock on them.
Shanghai lowered her weapon and started firing metal blades as fast as she could. The blades sank into the goliath dolls outer shell, but they didn't penetrate. Unsurprising, since Alice had made it to withstand Marisa's Master Spark.
The massive doll responded by slashing in front of Shanghai. The attack forced her to try to shift directions rapidly. She responded by switching to her air canon and firing a blast. The strike staggered the Goliath doll, preventing it from following up.
At that moment Hourai struck. She dropped from the sky, fire trailing from her sword as she landed blade first on the giant doll. Flames erupted from the impact and the goliath doll lurched, sending Hourai flying, but Shanghai could see some damage.
She switched to her own heat buster and fired off a charged shot. The atomic fire slammed into the giant doll and started another blaze.
Shanghai continued to fly erratically to avoid any strikes but the goliath doll was focused on Hourai, swinging wildly at the sword wielding doll as she dipped and dived in a series of stinging attacks.
Shanghai finished charging her weapon and fired a second massive blast just as an errant swing hit Hourai. Her sister dropped down dazed.
Right as Shanghai's shot hit a tear opened by one of Hourai's stabs.
Shanghai's eye's were blinded and her ears sent ringing by the blast. All the gunpowder inside the doll must have gone off. She turned on her stabilizers so she wouldn't hit the ground and waited for the damage to clear.
When her eyes finally stopped being blurry she saw a massive hole in the castle wall and courtyard. The way was open for her.
But Hourai was nowhere to be found.