Ken's POV
The room was silent when Reimu uttered the word incident, both Reimu and Marisa were surprised by this sudden realization while i stood there contemplating.
(I should probably break the silence right now. I'm done thinking.)
"Girls, I think me and Marisa should go and resolve this incident" I said.
(And hope to god I don't die from a vampire.)
Reimu banged the table with her hand aand quickly stood up, while narrowing her eyes towards me.
"You idiot! Do you think you can go up and fix it? It's not that simple" protested Reimu. "You don't even have any experience?"
(Reimu, do you not remember that i play games like this before? Even if that's not even close to what we are about to do)
I sighed, while Reimu kept up her angry stare at me.
"Okay. Listen, RAYYYYMOOOO~!" I yelled, putting emphasis on the last word.
Reimu twitched, her left eye was going through some sort of seizure.
(Jeez, you're spazzing out with that eye. I thought that only happens on television.)
"If this is what I think this is, then I can tell Marisa about how to get past whoever I think is going to get in her way" I said.
(My knowledge from video games shall pull me through!)
"I played this in a game before if the situation is correct, a scarlet fog covering much of Gensokyo, it's all too familiar" I said.
Reimu looked defeated, her mouth slightly hanging.
(I think nobody has ever beaten her reasoning before. It's so damn laid-back here that's why! Something like from To kill a Mockingbird!)
"But.....games are.....You.......amateur" Reimu weakly rebutted, unable to get her words together in a concise sentence.
I frowned at Reimu while I put my hand on her shoulder, Reimu looked up to me now still with her defeated face.
Marisa gave me an angry look before realizing what I was doing, then she nodded.
"Trust me...Reimu...I know what i am doing. Besides, i can handle myself pretty well. You can stay, me and Marisa will take care of this for you" I said. "Just relax and drink that tea of yours. We'll handle this."
Reimu stood there for a second probably digesting my words, then she brushed off my hand and turned her back, crossing her arms.
(I shouldn't have said the last part.)
"Well then, go ahead and kill yourself!" Reimu said. "Don't come to me if you are having trouble."
Marisa looked at her and began to be concerned.
(It seems that Reimu seems to be right now different than what she said. Is that what you mean, Marisa?)
I quickly look at Reimu's face without trying to notify her....she seems to be somewhat blushing, her eyes closed with tears about to form.
(I think i will give her some time to think about this.)
It was then that Marisa quickly looked at me and stood up, putting her cup on top of Reimu's.
"Hey, ze! Since when did i agree to this?" Marisa asked.
(You forgot the main motivator.)
I decided not to let Reimu know about what I was about to tell Marisa when I walked up to her and put my head close to her ear.
I whispered, "Where we are going includes a library full of magical books that can......"
"Ok Ken! Let's go, ze!" sprightly said Marisa.
(That was quick. Just a mention of such things can get her going.)
Marisa readied her broomstick before she looked at me.
"Why not speed us over there, ze?" asked Marisa.
(I think i do know where it is, but I wanna go through the story again in real life! I'm not a guide!)
"Because we might get lost and end up too far out?" I said, doubting my reason.
Marisa simply shrugged and put on her witches hat, but not before she put the Hakkero on her head.
"Ok, ze~!! You can improve danmaku against whoever on the way!" said Marisa.
(Ah, back to your straightforward self, now i wonder if she is going to use magic missile or illusion spark)
"In fact, it may be a good time to improve my sparking abilities, ze~!!" cheerfully said Marisa.
(Illusion spark it is!!)
I smiled and put up a thumbs up... then i went ahead and slid open the door leading to the courtyard.
Marisa went outside, mounting broom and patting a spot on it, motioning for me to come.
"Marisa, wait a second." I said.
Marisa nodded, she suddenly began to shiver as the scarlet fog clouded away the sunlight.
"Ooh, c-c-cold~!" stuttered Marisa.
I glanced at Reimu for a second, she hasn't moved nor changed since the last time i looked at her, although tears were falling out of her eyes now, secretly upset.
I ran to the spring to pick up the I-pod and my sword, mounting it on my back. I quickly ran back to Marisa.
I looked at Marisa, she's shivering while she slowly looked at me, crossing her arms.
"She's going to need time to herself....let's go" I said.
I sat on Marisa's broom hugging her on her waist...she's blushing a little bit while i looked past her.
(This doesn't feel as uncomfortable as I thought it would be.)
"O-O-Ok, ze!! Brrrr!!!" stuttered Marisa.
(Wait a sec, it's still cold out here. We need to hurry on out before we die of frostbite.)
Marisa went and pushed her broom to the air, reducing the scarlet fog's effect on us, as it began to be suddenly a bit more warmer.
"Wait. Hold on" I said.
Marisa paused in the air while she began to look at me.
I observed my surroundings, and then I saw a denser concentration of the scarlet fog in front of me because i couldn't see through it.
(This wasn't in the game....But I'm relying on my hunch.)
"Ok Marisa, do you see that dense concentration of the fog in front of you?" I asked.
She quickly looked around and saw it, then she looked back at me.
"Yeah, ze!!! Why?" asked Marisa.
"It seems to be the right direction...Go into it" I said, suspiciously.
Without warning, Marisa zipped on her broom towards the supposed dense concentration of red fog.
I almost fell back for a second because I got attacked by the G's so suddenly.
(Well, we are covering ground fast, the wind is whipping my face so it should be going fast...Wait what's this?)
I looked around, seeing red bullets coming from all our sides while Marisa continued on forward without giving heed to the bullets.
Marisa doesn't seem to notice until one bullet almost hit her in the face, she grazed it, and then it hit my face.
I rubbed my check as that one really hurt, a warm red spot covered the area.
"Marisa!! dodge the bullets!! I'll shoot" I said.
Marisa pulled out two little stars in a circle, then her and the two options were firing lasers...although a little bit weak looking.
"It takes a while but eventually it gets to full power, ze~!!" Marisa yelled. "Hold on~!"
(At least we don't have to pick up little power or point items, that would be really annoying.)
I randomly shot in the air with random red homing bullets with my right hand while I held on Marisa's broom with my left. Marisa made many sharp turns and flips in the air while I quickly scrunched up my legs to the broom and held on for dear life.
The red bullets i shot blended in with the fog, and hit many youkai, distinct by their death howls and screams.
"Is That So~?"
I looked around for the source of that strangely childish voice.
(Usually, someone who says that is........RUMIA!!!)
I decided to provoke her into the open.....challenging her into a battle.
(We better not get eaten...)
"Marisa, go high up, we need to see better!" I ordered, like some drill sergeant.
"Ok, ze~!" said Marisa.
My stomach lurched as we changed altitude, we are able to see better out in the distance, but the red scarlet fog is still distinct, but not as dense.
I immediately noticed a black ball of darkness coming out of the fog, then it slowly contracted to reveal someone.
Rumia, she has red eyes, short blond hair, and is wearing a black vest and skirt, and a white blouse.
A small red amulet is tied to the left side of her hair, making it look like a ribbon.
(She seems to be in some weird crucifix form...stretching her arms out like that and her legs so close together.)
I chuckled, shaking my head.
"Oh god....She must be as dumb as Cirno i am guessing" I said.
Marisa looked at me, confused.
"Who's they, ze?" Marisa asked.
(Oh yeah, she doesn't know yet)
"Uhmmm~, you will see....but do you see that girl?" I replied.
Marisa nodded her head, confirming that while looking at the girl.
"Whatever you do, do not take her ribbon off of her hair" I said.
Marisa then just looked at me like I was crazy.
"Why?" Marisa asked, doubtingly.
(I really don't want to explain anything right now)
"Just don't.....otherwise we will have to waste a lot of energy, and that means no magical books" I said, slyly.
(That should be good enough.)
(I really don't want to see what happens when we fight EX-Rumia right now)
(Jeez, that buster sword....)
"You know, ze! it sorta feels good to be out.....but then only weirdos are around at this time" said Marisa, stretching out her arms towards the sky.
Rumia must have noticed this while still maintaining her crucifix-like pose.
"Hey! Who are you calling a weirdo?!" Rumia hollered.
"Nobody was talking about you" carelessly said Marisa.
(This sounds too familiar.)
"Why are you arms out,ze?" said Marisa. "Do you want me to think you are a weirdo?"
Rumia narrowed her eyes before saying, "Isn't this something like The saint was crucified on the cross?"
I raised my eyebrows, surprised.
(What the hell? Rumia being Jesus?! Madness!!)
(How did Christianity end up here anyway?!)
"Looks more to me like Man uses the decimal system" said Marisa.
(Wow, you can be mean sometimes Marisa.)
Rumia seems to have taken offense and puts herself in an offensive stance.
"Either way, I'm going to eat you and your friend!" threatened Rumia.
(Like hell you are, who knows what's in your stomach?)
Rumia enraptured herself with darkness again before letting out apparently surprisingly dense bullets.
Then Rumia let out a wave of more bullets, seemingly mercilessly.
(Crap, bullets like these are hard!!!)
Marisa however just easily dodges the bullets, one almost hit me though.
It was a good thing though that Marisa was keeping up her laser while she maneuvered.
Rumia then moved in front of us, while taking out something from her blouse, it appears that she's taking out her spell card.
She held it out in crucifix form again, opening her mouth.
"Moon Sign! MOONLIGHT RAY~!" declared Rumia.
Then two lasers came from her arms while firing small weaving waves of danmaku.
Then she moved the lasers to each side of us, forcing us to be in front of her, limiting our movement.
(Shit, wait a second. This card is only on hard and lunatic in the games.)
(Marisa is going to need my help too. Even if she is dodging easily.)
She kept up her lasers while grazing.
(I need to get off of this broom.)
(I'll figure out how to graze it when i get off this broom)
I got off the broom, hovering on my own in the air, now observing the pattern.
(Hmmm...looks easy...lasers aren't moving and its only simple weaving danmaku that's going outwards towards us.)
"Marisa~!" I yelled
Marisa didn't glance at me one bit, trying to graze danmaku.
"Yeah, ze?" answered Marisa.
"Distract her. I got a surprise for her" I said, while I sported an evil grin.
Marisa nodded, beginning to intensify her power while her beams are starting to glow, making her beam stronger against Rumia.
I waited for a gap in Rumia's danmaku which are pretty easy to spot in this pattern..
(There! Now!)
I raised my feet, unsheathed my Tsurugi and put it in front of me towards Rumia with one hand, and flew at a slow speed to adjust in maneuvering.
(Is that what people in Wuxia flims call wire-fu? Only there's no ultra thin wires holding my limbs?)
My leg was still bent while my other was fully extended. It felt like I was in a chinese movie against some humble assassin.
(Hmmm this could be a spell card. I always love the element of surprise, the look on people's faces are priceless. Let's spice it up with some danmaku.)
I continually flew slowly towards Rumia as she noticed me going in slow speed towards her.
(Ah, so you just noticed. A bit slow.)
(But she isn't going to notice what i am putting into the sword..)
I smiled as I focused on my sword, the sword gave off a very faint white glow.
i neared forward when all of a sudden she canceled her spell card, lasers and the weaving danmaku disappeared before my eyes.
She then gripped my sword very tightly not noticing the bleeding that is about to take place.
(I know youkai like Rumia are very strong but not like this.....only Yuka could do that, of course easily.)
Rumia glared at me hungrily and licked her lips.
"YUM! HUMEEEEEEESSS~!" Rumia cried, her eyes wide open.
(Did she just turn into an Ork?)
(Either way she's dumber than one of them Ork Boyz)
Then i proceeded to let out the energy that was in my sword...
Now the sword grew really bright for a second then grew dull while Rumia looked at the sword.
"Why is this shiny thing......URK~! uttered Rumia.
A very big danmaku bullet came from the tip of the blade as it hit her straight on in the forehead, knocking her backwards with her bloodied hand flaying on her side.
I took this moment to kick off Rumia back to where Marisa is. I put my feet on her head and chest, bent them, then created a sonic boom, pushing back Rumia and me towards Marisa.
It knocked Rumia really far into the ground as i ended up where Marisa is. Marisa grinned as she put up a thumbs up.
Rumia quickly got back up into the air and pulled out a spell card, assuming the crucifix pose again.
(I didn't expect her to be that stubborn.)
"WAAAGH~! Night Sign "Night Bird!" Rumia shouted, spraying drool everywhere.
Rumia assailed us with alternating left and right flaps of bullets continually.
(This one is easy...you can just usually stay in one place....but it never had that many bullets before....)
I start to observe the pattern as Marisa kept up her fire....her lasers became bigger.
(Hehehe it's like the power icons automatically come to her...SHIT)
I grinned as Marisa concentrated, while grazing a bullet that almost hit my eye then I backed up behind Marisa.
I waited for another gap while Marisa pulled out a spell card from her blouse.
Marisa held it up high in the air.
"Meteoric Shower!" yelled Marisa.
Then she held out both her hands while her card disappeared, then out came many big stars towards Rumia, spreading out easily.
(The stars seem to prorate big time....but who am I to judge Marisa's Raw Destructive power?)
Rumia quickly canceled her spell card to dodge five stars by moving left...then another 10 stars hit her.
Rumia held her head with both hands, her clothes were singed and her skin seared...her bloody hand dying the blond hair.
"Uuu~..Is that so~!" yelled Rumia, in pain.
(That's starting to get really annoying....)
(You could have just stayed still and get hit by less stars)
She reached for another spell card and barely lifted herself to crucifix position.
(Why would you do that again and again?)
"Darkness Sign "Demarcation~!" declared Rumia, exasperated.
(Doesn't Demarcation mean marking off a boundary or something...)
Rumia made circular spread weaving danmaku waves, releasing them for each second.
(Huh this is easy...where's those aimed bullets I remember from the game?)
Then Rumia flapped her arms to and fro as blue cluster bullets were aimed at me and Marisa coming from Rumia's flanks.
(I shouldn't think of stuff like that....)
I barely was able to graze the blue bullets while maneuvering through the weaving danmaku.
Two blue bullets managed to hit my leg, but I ignored it since if i responded to that, I would be hit with a lot more bullets. I grunted in pain, becoming more alert in this situation.
(Come on Ken....Don't let that distract you)
Marisa on the other hand, made it look very easy with slight movements.
(I can't do this........this is very sad considering it's Rumia!!)
(I gotta end this now...)
When i got past the aimed blue bullets by grazing and seeing a gap in the weaving danmaku.
I rose in altitude as i plan to kick her down to the ground.
Then I rushed forward and used a sonic boom to knock away all the bullets around me.
I extended my leg as i closed in and...
BAM!!!
I kicked Rumia in the chest just below her head straight into the fog and possibly a forest, since I heard leaves being rustled and branches being broken.
The demarcation spell card was canceled as Rumia disappeared.
I simply hovered over to Marisa who was grinning and blushed a little bit while I got close to her.
"You did good, ze~!" said Marisa.
"Hehe..Thanks!" I replied.
I then put my face to Marisa's, her face blushing wildly, and pecked her face before drawing away.
When I withdrawn, a very bad feeling swept over me.
(Why do i have this feeling....)
"Chu~"
I opened my eyes wide while Marisa looked at the source of the pain, her eyes became wide open as well.
"EEK~!" screamed Marisa, with a shrill voice, making me cover my ears.
(Ow....)
Rumia, apparently having survived te kick, was biting down hard on Marisa's Shoulder.
"I wunna wheat you!" said Rumia. "You're tasty."
Anger welled up inside me while Marisa tried to push off Rumia's head, but Rumia bit down even harder, causing Marisa to tear up.
(Why you little PIG!)
I held Rumia by her hair, pulling her up with her blood-soaked hair, making sure she can't bite me.
Rumia continues to snap at me with her mouth trying to reach my arm now.
(You better not have rabies of some kind!)
"Uuu~, But she's deli.."
Then I rushed towards the ground with Rumia going to hit the ground first, an evil smile replaced my frown.
I didn't notice Rumia was scared when she struggled to take my hand off of her hair by banging her fists on it.
Boom!
Dust kicked up in the air as there is a child-sized crater in the middle of the red fog, making me shiver.
Rumia dropped her arms lifelessly as she began to be unconscious.
(Grr~....Why isn't it that you can't just leave people alone....)
The surroundings around me got brighter as daylight finally broke through the fog, but it's still there.
(Huh...I did remember something about Rumia making day seem like night....oh crap MARISA!!!!)
I quickly rushed up into the sky, seeing Marisa with her hand on her bitemark.
Quickly I got up to her level, and saw the bite mark had a black inflammation instead of red.
(What is this?)
"Uuu~...it hurts so much" cried Marisa.
I hugged Marisa as tight as I could, i felt her tears on my cheek as I rubbed her back.
"Marisa...Marisa...it's going to be ok...It's going to be ok" I assured.
Marisa kept on crying as she wrapped her arms around me.
After about five minutes, Marisa let go and looked at me with her cheeks blushing, and her eyes still tearing.
She reached into her blouse and pulled out a small mushroom that was red and white.
(Mushrooms. Of the things you bring, you bring mushrooms.)
She popped it in her mouth and chewed it, albeit slowly.
Then she swallowed, still crying while the mushroom went down her throat.
Then the wound immediately began to get better as the black inflammation lessened, but not by much.
"Uuu~" groaned Marisa, holding her head with her hand.
(We need to solve this incident quickly!!!)
"Marisa...Don't worry....where we are going has a person that could heal that" I said, hesitantly
(I hope Patchy can do that....)
"R-R-Really?" Marisa stuttered.
She appeared to stop crying as hope began to regain.
"Yes....I will MAKE her heal you if I can" I said, with reassurance and false confidence.
(I have a feeling I can't)
"Ken...Let's go, ze!" Marisa said, cheered up now, and no longer making tears.
She immediately began to head in the direction we were going.
I grinned as she got back to her old straightforward self, while I followed her.
After about 20 minutes of traveling Gensokyo on Marisa's broom,
"Hey I see a lake, ze!" Marisa yelled.