Hey, Readers!: Honesty's usually a good route. Every so often, I wonder why people refuse to accept that I am honest, and equally refuse to realize their own actions, let alone that those actions they are ignoring could have consequences. Did anyone else realize that he actually didn't need to fight Meiling back at the gate? He certainly didn't. Oh, by the way: I've finished writing the fic. Next week will be the last chapter, and the epilogue will be posted at the same time.
Disclaimer here: Touhou belongs to the mortal god of drunkenness himself, ZUN. I also don't own the concepts of paper airplanes, life force, martial arts, or cliffhangers. Enjoy.
[Springtime – Scarlet Devil Mansion Library – Evening]
"As far as I understand it, magic is life itself." Simon said as he sat down across from Patchouli. "Consequently, anyone who chooses to do so could take up the pursuit."
"Then why wouldn't it be more widely used? Magic was developed by simple beasts at first, and was refined into an art later, but only Youkai and humans eating certain foods can use it."
"As can I. Runes do require a relatively small amount magic to cast. Certain varieties of mushroom contain large amounts of magic, which would be why Marisa eats them. The catch is that for a magician to convert their life into the effects known as magic, it requires losing that life."
"Would that not mean that you have been shortening your own lifespan by casting runes?"
"Not quite. Anything that would sustain life could give enough to regain the lost portion. The body isn't being worn down by the casting. You should be aware that the only result of casting too much at once is exhaustion. The body literally runs out of energy to use, and starts to fail." He pulled out a sheet of paper from his sleeve, and placed it on the table. "Full failure is rare; it's happened to me twice in my lifetime. I was left in medical care for a week following both instances, slowly recovering my health."
"Intriguing. Logically, it would follow that certain rules apply to the nature of runes, however."
"Runes are patterns for the magic to flow through. They serve as the rules. It's not so simple as to say that a rune means fire, or protection. The rune itself is left as little more than writing without magic flowing through it."
"Even so, two different runes could not serve the same purpose, so the shape isn't meaningless."
"It can be, though that is essentially casting a spell while touching it. My grandfather described it to me like this: think of runes as a material, like glass. Glass can be a goblet for a fine wine, a sturdy window, or decorative beads on a necklace. It can be any shape, but that shape will determine how it is used. The shape is not a property of the glass, and neither is the shape of the rune a property of the rune."
"The phrasing suggests otherwise, but the point, if I understand it correctly, is that the rune's shape, while influencing the magic in a specific manner, does nothing but shape the magic, and so could not act on its own."
"Not without a constant input of magic. Autonomy is possible, although it requires a degree of control, and can be extremely draining if not done correctly."
"It would still require constant magic, implying either a constant connection, or a source of magic contained near the rune."
"Your logic is correct. The theory behind autonomy was the basis for the design of a draining rune, which is the easiest of cursed runes to make, as well as one of the most deadly. I'm afraid a good chunk of my knowledge of the art came from combat, and planning for it." His smile dropped slightly, before perking up again. "There are plenty of purposes that aren't immediately violent for autonomic runes, though."
"Any that would be safe to demonstrate in here?"
"There's one I use occasionally for scouting. I called it the wing rune, though it's somewhat different from what one may expect." He gestured to the paper. "Would it be fine for me to demonstrate it with this, since it's available?"
"Feel free."
"Alrighty then. I'll work slowly." He focused a small touch of magic onto the tip of his finger, before moving it steadily across the paper, leaving a faintly glowing line. Patchouli leaned closer, observing the process carefully. He drew an arc, and then a second mirroring it. From each arc he drew several smaller arcs, giving the rune the appearance of an abstract pair of wings. He then connected the two large arcs together with a circle, and began inscribing a complex series of patterns around the inside. He eventually finished some five minutes after he started. "This is the rune." He said, "The "wings" serve the main purpose of the rune, but the far more complex circle, here, serves as the link to the caster, who in this case will be myself. It needs to be that complex because it requires that the magic link cannot break, and ensures that should the rune be destroyed, the magic will return to me, instead of leaving my life force hanging in midair."
He rested his fingers on the circle. "Lady Patchouli, I'd recommend you stand back. The rune has a tendency to fly upwards when activated." She sat back in her chair as he pushed some magic into the rune, triggering it. The paper flew about a foot into the air, before the bottom half seemed to eat itself, coming out of the back of the sheet as a pair of loose wings. The paper remained hovering in the air, flapping its wings gently.
"The rune draws material from the surface?"
"It will draw whatever material it is in contact with, and then makes sure that the material is effective as wings, lessening the weight of the whole object. This example very much under my control."
She was fascinated. "You would use something akin to your magic sight to see with it for scouting, I assume."
"Precisely. I'd want to use ink if I were to make a paper scout, and in that case I would in all likelihood also weaponize it with a minor explosive rune, so that it can destroy the traces of its own existence, or open a lock, or whichever purpose."
"You didn't do anything other than the wings here, however."
"I just wanted it to fly a bit. I could give it instructions for it to act on its own, but that's more a matter of mental organization than casting spells."
"I doubt I would have too much difficulty in that respect."
"No," he said, laughing, "I sincerely doubt that would be very difficult for you, considering how you organized your magical core." She stared at him, surprised. He tapped his bandages again. "Magic sight. I see magic, or rather, I see life. In the outside world, there's very little in the air to channel into the rune, so I could barely tell if something was enchanted."
"By what means did you manage to maintain such scouts, then?" She gestured to the flying paper, which responded by flying in a circle before returning to hovering.
He grinned. "I ate cake a short bit before. Sweets are good for getting short-term energy."
She smiled at the comment. She had learned the magical benefits of sugars herself. "I see. You mentioned that runes were a medium for magic, so there would be a way to do something such as conjuring an element?"
"Of course, though oftentimes it can be easier to simply do the task directly, rather than use an element. Create heat, rather than fire." They continued discussing the various mechanics of runic magic for the next few hours.
[Springtime – Scarlet Devil Mansion Library – Midnight]
Sakuya came in, interrupting a discussion on the merits of summoning demonic entities for the sake of simple tasks to tell Simon that his room was prepared.
"Thank you," he said, "It appears we should wrap up for tonight. Thank you for this discussion, Lady Patchouli." He stood up, and followed Sakuya out of the room.
[Springtime – Scarlet Devil Mansion Lobby – Midnight]
Meiling was meditating in the front walkway, though she snapped to her feet as he passed through the lobby. She glared at him, daring him to attack. She wanted to finish the fight. He felt the same, but now wasn't the time. His body needed sleep.
[Springtime – Scarlet Devil Mansion "Guest Room" – Midnight]
His room was a small but elegant affair, which stood out compared to the overblown extravagance the rest of the mansion showed. Sakuya left him in the room without a word. He began to examine the walls out of habit. There were small holes in neat vertical columns- the room had shelves along the walls originally. Further examination revealed that the furniture was from other rooms better suited to having a guest, and the plants weren't facing the windows yet. She had prepared a storage closet as a guest bedroom. He laughed to himself when he noticed a faint aroma from the spices that had been on the shelves. It was a pity she felt a need to be passive-aggressive. Then again, he had pulled his little full-scale examination act on her, so she had plenty of reason to mistrust him. Even with his explanation, it was easier to believe that a knowledgeable person obtained their knowledge elsewhere than where they were than accept they were observant.
He slept, taking note of the clock on the wall.
[Springtime – Scarlet Devil Mansion Lobby – 2:30 AM]
"If you've been waiting for me to wake up, I'm afraid it would've helped if you actually woke me up sometime within the past two hours you've been here." Simon said to the vampire sitting on the chair next to the door.
"You've scared my maid." Remilia replied. "You neglected to mention you were trained as a vampire hunter. You are aware what I do with vampire hunters?"
"Well, you turned the last one that showed up into your maid. I've had some time to think back on my files. Sakuya B. Izayoi, known for her skills with a knife and sheer efficiency in combat. Born in Japan, disappeared one day searching for a vampire known as the Scarlet Devil, who stopped hunting in the area that same day." He stopped reciting what he remembered. "Not trying to scare you, Remilia. I want to finish this mess and go home; have a funeral to crash."
"I can't very well just let a vampire hunter leave here alive, you understand."
"You dislike killing." he said, "In any case, I'm not a vampire hunter. My grandfather was, his teacher was. Me, I'm an investigator, I solve crimes." He pulled himself up. "I'm certainly capable of killing a vampire, but I can assure you that if I were good at it, we wouldn't be having this conversation. I'd never have entered Gensokyo in the first place."
"Speaking of Gensokyo, how do you like my home?"
"Wouldn't want to live here. A little on the bright side, to me."
"You don't have to be awake that half of the day."
"Cute, but I'm afraid I'm blind."
She raised an eyebrow. "How blind?"
He tapped the bandages, wincing as he realized he had made a slight bruise there. "I'm missing my eyes."
She nodded. "I'll accept that. However, we still return to my original dilemma. I don't like killing, my maid and gate guard dislike you, and my librarian, while she doesn't trust your intentions, wants to continue the discussion you began today."
"Hmm..." Simon hummed lightly as he thought.
Remilia didn't give him an opportunity to speak. "Here's what I'm thinking. I'm thinking I let Patchouli finish her little interrogation, and then hand you to the gate guard, telling her to make sure you never see the other side of the gate. Sakuya will make certain you never do, regardless of the outcome."
"Here's a better option with less bloodshed. I talk with Patchouli, finish the discussion by lunchtime, grab a snack, finish my fight with Meiling, because we both want to see how the fight ends, and leave. I don't wish to deal with Sakuya more than necessary. She doesn't like me, and she's your maid; although if you don't mind, feel free to pass on my compliments. She's good enough that I would have difficulty fighting her if I was in top condition, and the Mansion is spotless." He stretched his arms. "As I've already said, the only vampire I want dead is the one that killed four innocents. Sakuya was more brutal back when she hunted vampires."
"You get paid to kill vampires. Therefore, you're a vampire hunter. Even if you aren't planning on killing me or my sister tonight, you could give away the location of my home."
"How? I go back and say, 'Hey, I just got back from another world that I could only get to because of a gap in space time, and guess what I found there! The Scarlet Devil herself! Let's go raid another world through an opening that could be anywhere in the world!' That would go over beautifully. If you show up at all, it will be in a minor addition to Sakuya's file, saying she retired, and now works in an undisclosed location." Simon said.
Remilia spread her wings, releasing a minor burst of magic. Outside, the moon turned red. To Simon, the room got slightly brighter. Slightly. He raised an eyebrow at her seemingly meaningless theatrics. She grinned. "I am no minor vampire to be trifled with, mortal human. Mage or not, you couldn't stand against me."
"Remilia. If you insist on wanting a fight, you'll have to get in line. There's a chinese Youkai and one of the four devas of the mountain in the way." That caught her off guard. "Yuugi wanted to fight me once I have some practice above ground. I promised her I'd fight her before I left Gensokyo. I will."
"If you're telling the truth, you will not live through that fight."
"If you truly believe so, go with my plan. You'll see just how strong I can be in a fair fight, right after lunch. I don't need to lie."
"We shall see, Simon MacGregor." Remilia left, the magic she had added to the room fading.
[Springtime – Scarlet Devil Mansion Lobby – 6:36 AM]
Simon woke up and washed himself before putting his clothes back on. The clock, assuming it was accurate, meant it was worth seeing what he could get for a quick meal. It was cloudy outside. Looked like it was going to rain by the afternoon. That was fine by him.
[Springtime – Scarlet Devil Mansion Library – Morning]
Patchouli had been working overnight, writing down notes and possible line of questioning after the discussion had been cut short. Simon quietly took a long route to reach her table, leaving her to her work. He ran into the young demoness from yesterday looking through the shelves. "Greetings." He said.
She jumped, and turned to him, saying, "Gah! Where'd you come from? Oh, you're the human from yesterday." She said as she recognized him, "Thanks for the help back then. Who'd think power plays would matter to a librarian's assistant?"
"I suppose the assistant could want to overtake the master, but even so, it's not exactly expected of the books. Does Lady Patchouli have you looking for something?"
"She wants me to look for books on basic magic theory."
"A good topic. I'll leave you to that, then."
He wandered off into the aisles, and eventually made his way to the table where Patchouli was still writing questions. He smiled as he sat down. "Got some interesting questions for me?"
Patchouli looked up, her eyes were straining to work properly, her magic limiting to the essentials. "When did you arrive?" she asked.
"Did you get some sleep?"
"What?"
Simon repeated his question.
"No, I was working on this..."
The paper was stacked high enough that it could hide her. "I can tell. You need some sleep, Lady Patchouli."
"I know, but I must learn what I can."
"Then we had best make this quick. Let's see," he said, grabbing the top sheet of paper. "you wanted to find out what would happen if the wing rune was cast onto flesh. The answer is that the rune takes the easiest source material available."
"But is that the skin, the muscle, the blood? Does that affect the ability of the wings to work?"
"A bit from all of the above. It pulls what's necessary for the effect, there are slight variations in the casting of the rune to make certain of that."
Remilia stepped into the room then, loudly saying, "Sakuya! I think I'll have my lunch now, if you would."
Simon smiled to himself. "It appears Remilia has found a loophole in my plan. Get some sleep, you look like hell right now." he turned to the mistress of the mansion as Patchouli slowly nodded before taking his advice right on the table. "That can't be too comfortable. Oh well, how long do you expect lunch to take?"
"I just finished." Sakuya said, walking in. "I prepared a portion for you as well, Simon."
"I'm grateful." and wondering if she's going to keep her attitude, he mentally added.
"We shall have lunch, and see how long you last against my gate guard." Remilia said, as she followed Sakuya to the Dining Hall.
"I'm looking forward to it." Simon said as he kept a short distance behind her.
[Springtime – Scarlet Devil Mansion Gates – Mid Day]
Sakuya had given him the lunch a human servant would have: A small, simple sandwich, with the spare ingredients. Oh well, he just needed something for the fight. Gensokyo was good for giving plenty of passive magic to fighters.
Meiling was waiting for him a short distance from the walkway. "You will not escape me this time, human." She settled into a kung fu stance.
"Always the diminutive," Simon said to himself as he jogged to the position opposite her from the walkway, and settled into his dual blade combat stance, activating the runes he had cast onto his fingers and palms. "never any respect." He smiled. "We need to finish this properly."
"Don't underestimate me." She dashed forward, cutting the distance between them instantly. Simon adjusted his stance, and sliced at her oncoming leg, before throwing a jab at her chest, which she caught, and used to throw him back. Drops of water began to fall onto the grass next to him. Alright, she knew her melee skills, Simon conceded, before flipping to his feet and firing at her.
Meiling's response was to draw a spellcard from within her dress, and activate it. "Flower Sign - Gorgeous Sweet Flower!" Simon blocked the glare with his hand, and fired balls of energy where she was. She grunted once, but soon enough he was forced to start dodging the streams of rainbow-colored danmaku. He stopped focusing, and let his instinct take over, following the streams to get closer to her, before ducking around one and slashing out low at her legs, forcing her to end her card, and kick him in the face.
He shook his head, and summoned his first spellcard to his hand. Still lying on the ground, he called out, "Rune Sign - Explosive Touch." a thin beam cast out from his fingertips, which he passed across Meiling repeatedly. She avoided it at first, but realizing it didn't hurt at all, laughed and charged him. Then the traces it left across her exploded, throwing her into the air where she was barely able to twist out of the way of further strikes. The card timed out as she landed, and he smirked. He had his chance to practice fighting with some of the smaller Youkai, but this was his first proper opponent since he began training himself to use the system. "Hey, do you need another day-long break?"
Her response was a palm strike that threw him back 30 feet. "Brilliance – Rainbow Brilliance Palm!" She drew her legs in, gathering magic behind her feet. Simon smiled. It was time to show a better trick. "Rune Sign – Hidden Fist!" He called in response, calling the respective spellcard. He traced a circle in the air just as Meiling struck, closing the distance in less than half a second. His own fist met her palm, and then the runes wrapped around his fist pulsed, throwing him to the ground, and her magic detonated just outside her fist, spinning her into the ground. He pulled himself up, and fingered his ribs. Yup, another one went. He was going to have to do something about that after the fight.
His thoughts broke as Meiling shouted, a wordless scream that forced the ground beneath her feet to sink in from the sheer pressure of the increasingly bright magic. Her eyes glowing, she said, "Star Chi – Earth Moving Star Bullets". The picture of perfect calmness, she drew her arms to a spot in front of her chest, and began forming danmaku of all colors, which gathered together between her hands. Simon didn't want to try beating this spellcard. He didn't stand a chance, and didn't even have a third spellcard to use. He ran for her side, firing danmaku at the areas that her glowing ball of energy wasn't blocking. She took the hits, focusing on making sure it was so big he couldn't dodge. Simon ran up to her, and slashed at her hand, hoping that it would work.
In a sense, it did. Meiling lost control of the huge energy ball right next to her, and was blown into the wall surrounding the Mansion. Unfortunately for Simon, he was also right next to the huge energy ball when it exploded, and hit the Mansion itself. The last thing he saw before blacking out was Meiling struggling to her feet.
She slapped him across the face, waking him up. He looked into her face, and smiled. "I think that got another rib. I need practice."
"You trained as a martial artist." She accused him.
"Not as much formal training as getting into a fight with the local punks every couple days. My dad gave me a knife when they began using them. I taught myself how to even the odds."
She glared at him."Don't lie. You're better than self-taught."
He was still smiling. "Well, the local punks eventually got swapped with Youkai, Demons, Vampires, and the like, but no, I basically taught myself how to survive against someone far better than I. Eventually, I began to win against those who used to be able to wipe the floor with me. No formal training, but pretty bloody tough."
"It was my victory."
He laughed. "I'm not going to argue that. I'm stuck in the wall."
"You're a honest opponent. We should fight again sometime."
"Sorry. I've got another fight to go to, and then my funeral to attend, both after confirming something." The rainfall had gotten heavier, reminding him of the storm in the Forest of Magic, and an idea came into his head.
Meiling interrupted his thoughts. "Your funeral?"
He pulled himself out of the wall, and activated the healing rune on his chest. "Well, it'd be pretty rude not to show up at my funeral, wouldn't it?" He grinned. "Believe me, I'd love to have a rematch if I didn't have obligations."
Remilia walked up to the two fighters as they chatted, carrying a parasol. "I'd say she won."
Simon winced as a rib set itself under his chest. "I'd say that's correct. I lost consciousness when I hit the wall. She may have as well, but she got up before I was completely out."
Sakuya walked up to the trio. "You don't intend to harm the mistress?"
"Sakuya, one would think you'd have caught on by this point. I. Am. Not. Interested. In. Hurting. Innocents. Lady Scarlet has been living peacefully here."
"She got punished when she wasn't being nice, ze." a voice said from above them.