No… no no no… I don't want to do this.
I look downward and think to myself.
I can't deny her words. This shadow inside me. These dark powers. I try not to think about them, but they're evil. A terrible evil is inside me…
I clench my fist tightly, and feel the dark magic rush through my hands.
But she's wrong about this. I'm still in control. I can still stop this! If I lose, Arcane goes free, and he'll just come back with another servant. I can't just die. I could very well be the only one who can stop him for good. If she won't understand, then I'll have to go on without her!
I summon Deceiver and take aim at Alice. "You're making a mistake Alice. Kill me, and this thing is just going to come back. I can still stop this. I can seal him again."
Alice lowers her spell card a little and gives me a curious look. "Seal? Knight, you aren't a priest, you're a puppet. A puppet can't kill its own puppeteer. It doesn't matter how strong you are, you'll never get free. If you want to stop this, then give up."
Give up? I wish it was that easy. Just give up and die. But I've come so far now. I can't! "No. You're wrong Alice. I can stop this. I can, and I will. If you aren't going to help me, then get out of my way."
She closes her eyes and sighs. "I see how it is. I was hoping that some part of you was still alive in there; that part of you might still agree with me. It seems you really are just a puppet now, nothing more than a sad shell of a man. I take no pleasure in this, but for everyone's sake, I'll put you out of your misery."
Her confidence is not unfounded servant. With this many spirits and this much fury, there is no telling what she will do to you.
She can try to do anything she wants. I won't lose to her.
I let of a few shots at Alice. The shots fly straight toward her, but are deflected before they can hit. Shanghai's quick block successfully catches the bullets. Her shield makes a flat clang as the bullets spark and ricochet off.
I lower my aim to see what happened. Shanghai's shield isn't even damaged.
Alice pets her doll for a second. "Thank you Shanghai. Now then, I need to deal with your abilities first."
She pushes her doll aside and points at me while muttering some unintelligible words. Before I can react, I am overwhelmed.
The dark aura around Alice flies at me like a spear and consumes me. The forest's shadows grab at my clothes and pull me down to my knees. I can hear the screams of angry ghosts echo through my skull. Any remaining power Byakuren had given me is washed away by their wicked presence, followed by a sickening slump as all of my excess energy is drained away.
"Guh… ah… r-rrr…" I manage to stand up as the shadows lessen and return to Alice, drifting around her like a gentle mist.
Necromancy. You have been hexed. Accursed magician!
I can barely hear Arcane. The terrible screaming from Alice's attack continues to shake me to my very core. I'm seeing doubles, and my hands are shaking like crazy. Ghostly whispers distract my hearing and confuse my movements. I'm distraught all over.
"C-can't stand facing me fair can you? Damn you… ugh, my head." I clutch my head as the curse rips my mind to pieces.
Alice lets out a heavy sigh. "Of course I can't; no one can. When me and Shinki started discussing what to do, we both knew that magic alone wouldn't be enough. I've seen how you can bend reality, summon weapons, and turn spell cards aside like they were toys. They may hate me for resorting to forbidden magic… but to stop a monster, sometime you have to become one."
She raises her spell card into the air. "Now that I've reduced your power, I can finish you off. Goodbye. Puppeteer Sign: Maiden's Bunraku!"
The shadow around Alice parts as multiple lasers fly out and pierce the surrounding landscape.
I try stumbling away from the lasers, but one of them torches my chest, carving out a small chunk of flesh and blood.
I clutch the wound as pain travels through my entire chest. Damn… my head… I can't fight back like this.
You must try. You must not die here. I will not fall back into the hands of these pitiful shades.
I try aiming the pistol at Alice, but I can barely hold onto it. My shots fly everywhere. She doesn't even have to dodge.
No good. I can't! My head is all backwards. There are too many Alices floating around. I can't tell which is which. There are too few places to hide on this road. Alice set this up good. I don't know if I can win!
Another barrage of lasers accompanied by fluttering danmaku flies out. The lasers graze me as I drunkenly dive through them, but the bullets are too difficult for me. I take several danmaku shots all over my torso, each one leaving a painful burn.
I grind my teeth and resist the injuries. I send away Deceiver and summon my katana, Fiend.
Alice does not back away from my charging assault. Instead, she reaches with both arms and gently pushes her dolls forward. The two dolls, Shanghai and Hourai, float down to meet me in melee.
I swing at Shanghai, but her shield responds to my attack. Sparks fly up as my razor sharp blade scrapes her armor.
A metallic whirl then prompts me to step back right as Hourai drives her lance right at my leg. Her attempt to pin my leg fails and leaves her spear stuck in the ground.
Gotcha now.
I take a few steps back and unleash a spell "Explosive Anomaly!"
The dark magic begins to gather around me, but something stops it. A shadow rises up and claws at my hands, chasing away the energy. The shadow fades, and so does the spell.
"Your evil magic won't work against me. These spirits protect me from you." Alice declares in the distance.
What? She has negated your powers? Blasphemy! Unforgivable! I will not stand for this! Destroy this girl now!
Hourai frees her lance and rushes at me with it. Being too confused to dodge properly, I trip and stumble sideways. Hourai swings her pole like a club, hitting me from sideways to backwards.
"Gyah!" I weakly stumble away from the shock. I can feel blood forming on my face where her spiked lance hit.
I spin back around, still dazed. The dolls have gone back to Alice's side, and Alice herself unleashes another barrage of lasers and bullets that force me back into the defensive.
Grr! Damn it! I can't fight like this! I have to get closer. I need to get those dolls out of the way so I can get close enough to see Alice.
I dash forward into the lasers and bullets, ducking under the lasers and blocking danmaku with my sword. My movements are wild, and I make several mistakes. I sustain more light injuries before successfully breaking through.
Alice responds with the same trick. As I get closer, she sends her two guardian dolls forward. They aren't my target this time though. I intend to slip past them and catch Alice defenseless.
The dolls both charge forward with their weapons. I wait until right before they strike and throw myself to the ground, diving forward underneath them. The dolls miss and pass over me, allowing me a clear shot of Alice. My aim is shaky, but I can focus on her enough at this range.
I summon my pistol and let loose some shots. The bullets crack against her magical barrier, and she flinches in pain as each shot hits.
"Ah, ow! Shan-ah! Shanghai, Hourai!" Alice calls back to her dolls for their protection.
The dolls fly right over me and go back to their master's aid, turning their backs to me for a second as they retreat to her her.
Wait. Now's my chance! I'll get you now you stupid dolls!
From my spot on the ground, I can see beneath their lowered shields, and I have a clear shot at their bodies. I pick Hourai as my target; I quickly reload and aim at the doll's legs.
Hourai convulses as fiery bullets tear into her tiny legs. She spins back around to face me, but goes limp and falls halfway through. The doll spirals into the ground and erupts into flames. Her weapons also begin to burn along with her.
Alice gasps. "Oh no! My Hourai doll!"
Both her and Shanghai watch helplessly as the destroyed doll burns away, leaving no trace behind.
It burned? What does she make those dolls out of?
She is distracted! Now is your chance. Retaliate and break this curse.
Huh? Oh. Your right! Here I come Alice!
I slowly pull myself up and take aim at the vulnerable Alice. With each shot that lands at her, my vision clears. The hex fades away, and her spell card breaks. The magic in the air vanishes in a bright flash. Her aura of souls becomes nothing more than an accessory now that I've regained control.
Whew. Much better.
I quickly reload and target Alice again, but Shanghai intervenes this time. I hold fire as she raises her shield to protect her master. With her shield raised, Shanghai is completely hidden, and a majority of Alice's thin frame is gone.
Shit! That doll is in the way again. I'll need to get past her again.
Alice glares at me from behind her doll's guard. "You're a lot stronger than I thought. It seems an illusion won't stop you even. But I've had months in advance to prepare for you thanks to Shinki's vision. I have plenty more to go yet!"
She points at me again, muttering a curse in an alien tongue.
I brace myself for the impact. Here it comes again…
This time, the shadows cling to my weapon. I frantically shake it around to try and get them off, but it doesn't work. After a few seconds, the shadows part. Deceiver is left rusty and dirty. The sight is deactivated, and the trigger is jammed. I try ejecting the magazine, but a flat click is all I get as the mechanisms choke and lock up. My weapon is useless.
"What did you do?" I ask in frustration.
"You take from me. I take from you. That one is for Hourai." She coldly replies.
I send it away and summon a different weapon. Shredder and Chaos are the same way. Nightmare's edge is blunted and useless as well. All my weapons are wasting away.
I can't fight without a weapon! I may really lose this time!
You forgot one you fool. The sword I gave you is made from my own flesh. It will not bow to some petty curse. Use it.
I try summoning it, and the blade appears as shiny as always. It seems this is all I have left for now.
Alice gasps when she sees my blade unchanged.
"I still got one last hold out. Looks like you messed up this time." I say to her while I twirl the blade in my hands.
She regains her cool and draws her next spell card. "One sword isn't going to be enough against an army. I'll stop you yet. White Sign: Chalk-White Russian Dolls!"
There are several flashes of light as more dolls appear around Alice. The dolls are dressed in white and wear puffy berets. They appear unarmed, but I'm not about to be fooled either.
The Russia dolls then vanish all at once, fading away like ghosts.
Did they leave? What's going on? I quickly look around for some kind of ambush.
It doesn't take me long to find one. One of the dolls fades back in at my side and unleashes a burst of danmaku. I easily avoid the scattershot of danmaku, but that's not the last one. More dolls fade in around me and threaten me with their magic. Without any ranged attacks, they are all out of reach, and I'm forced into a frantic defense.
These are just puppets. Fighting them will not aid you. Turn your attention to the girl.
R-right. Here we go… run run RUN!
I duck down and make a mad dash towards the Alice. The Russia dolls continue to appear around me and haze me with their attacks.
I reach Alice, and so do the dolls. They materialize alongside Shanghai, and they form a defensive wall in front of their master.
"Haaaa!" My sword cackles with concentrated energy as I throw myself at them.
Three of the Russia dolls line up in front of Shanghai and start to fire Danmaku. A few shots fly at me, but I reach them before they can really attack. My concentrated slash splits all three in half, and clears the way between me and Shanghai. The guardian doll meets me with a straight thrust of her sword.
I barely manage to twist my neck away at the last second. Her blade grazes my shoulder, leaving a clean tear in my jacket shoulder. But I don't let it phase me. Shanghai's lowered guard paves the way right towards my target.
Shanghai raises her shield, which is exactly what I expected. I dive right into her, slamming her with the hilt of my sword and tackling her into the ground. Shanghai falls down, giving me a clear view of Alice.
"Ah! Dolls, to me!" Alice's composure fades as she calls to her defenders at the last moment. All too late.
I quickly hop over Shanghai and strike Alice with my sword. I work on cutting down her barrier with fluid strikes.
It doesn't take long for Shanghai to recover though. She quickly zooms back up and brings her sword down back over me.
Servant, behind you.
"Whoa!" I dive out of the way, letting Shanghai's attack continue downward. Right into Alice.
The sound of her spell card being destroyed silences the forest, making Alice's agonized cry the only sound to be heard.
There is the sound of flesh being cut as the doll accidentally slices right down the middle of her own master. The doll instantly stops, but not before cutting a narrow gash right between her breasts.
"U… ugh… S-S-Shanghai… how could you be so careless?" Alice shudders as she pulls her own doll's blade out of her wound. The doll just does nothing. The wide-eyed expression on it indicates it too is shocked.
At first, I'm a bit horrified. But then, I blink in confusion. Wait a second… how come she got hurt? I though her magic was still protecting her?
Magic acts like armor against hostile forces, but not against one's own power. A careless fool can still kill themselves with their own attacks.
I suddenly feel a slight sense of irony. "See Alice? A puppet can defeat its own puppeteer. You just have to know how to deceive each other."
Alice finishes removing the blade and turns to me. Her voice is still as cold and accusing as before. "You're an idiot Knight. You can't stop this. The only way to stop this is for you to die. This is the only way."
I grimace as I listen to her harsh words. Alice is completely convinced herself that my death is the only resolution. I can't reason with her.
Come on! Listen to me for just a second at least.
Alice winces as her wound bleeds a little more, but she maintains her composure. Her wound appears to be pretty bad though…
She isn't too far away from me; just a few steps or one quick lunge away. Shanghai has once again taken to her defense, and she continues to hold her place in front of Alice in spite of the grievous mistake she just made. She stays ready with her shield and protects her master.
Alice takes a deep breath and tries to chant a new curse, but in the middle of a word, she lurches forward and coughs up a bit of blood.
Alice wipes the blood off her lips and looks at her now red sleeves.
"Nnngh. I shouldn't be fading like this… is it already taking a toll on me?"
I try talking Alice down again. "Alice, stop this. I understand your trying to do what you think is right, but please, give me a chance. I can fix this. I know I can."
Alice stops for a moment and thinks. "You truly believe you can stop this don't you?"
"I do."
"Then you know how I feel. This is my home. This is a wonderful world of magic. It's a place free of war and darkness. A darkness that you threaten to bring here. I can't risk it Knight. I know it's not your fault, but you can't go any further." My remaining hope of stopping Alice dies with her final words.
I growl in frustration. "Alice, listen to me! I am not the bad guy! You are making a mistake here!"
She goes back to her battle stance. "I can't trust you. Sorry, but you're still my enemy."
Damn it! Why won't she stop?
Negotiation is worthless now. Look at her. She is losing control of her powers. She will disintegrate if she keeps going. Either she will kill herself against you, or retreat. Either way, this fight is yours. Be patient a moment longer.
I peer over Shanghai and look at Alice's wound again. Arcane is right, she is falling apart. What was a little gash is now grown into a wide laceration. Her wound is worsening.
Alice coughs on blood again as she tries resuming her magic. "Guh… ack! N… no… why? I thought I could handle it. Why is this happening?"
Magic is natural, but power corrupts. The wicked power of necromancy is killing her. Foolish.
Alice tries to curse me once more, but gives up when more blood stops her.
She lowers her hands from her mouth and shoots a hard glare at me. "I can't keep this up anymore. Looks like you get an easy victory today. I think I sorely underestimated your abilities."
It looks like she's backing down… but do I just let her walk? If she's going to come back, shouldn't I try to finish her off? I still have so many questions though.
Alice continues. "I don't intend to die yet, so I'm going to go now. Don't think I'm going to give up on you though. Even if no one believes me, I'll never stop until I know Gensokyo is safe again."
This is one determined girl. Why does this have to happen to me?
Alice floats backwards and starts putting distance between us.
"Wait. Alice! Please! I have so many questions! What is Arcane? Who is Shinki? Why is this happening to me? Please, tell me something at least." I call out to her while following after her.
She does not answer my questions. "Arcane? So that's what it's calling itself. I'll remember that name from now on. Now, it's time for me to leave you with a parting gift."
She holds her hands in front of her, and another blue light appears as a new doll is summoned. The light grows brighter than the others. Brighter and brighter, until I am forced to shield my eyes.
When the lights fade I look to see what Alice summoned. What I see shocks me beyond all reason.
It's a giant doll. A huge one that's at least as tall as a house. It has the same look as Shanghai: blonde hair tied back with a red bow. Her dress is light blue, and armor plates are woven into the chest and skirt, along with armor greaves and gauntlets. It is intimidating, beautiful, and impressive all at once.
Alice looks up at her creation. "My goliath doll. My most powerful creation. It used to be a lot larger, but a catastrophic malfunction during a test run almost completely destroyed it. I've learned since then. A three story tall doll is a bit out of the question, this is much more workable."
It's still a one story tall weaponized doll! Man, this girl loves her dolls.
She floats up and gently pets the goliath doll over the head. The doll's giant eyes close as it relaxes. "Dolls are alive you know. They feel, and think like humans do. They have emotions and dreams too. Of course, they can't act on their own because they are dolls. But with my magic, they are alive. My dolls are all loyal to me. So, should I tell this one to destroy you at all costs, it will do so with every fiber of its being, until I tell it otherwise."
Alice's look saddens a little as she talks to her giant doll. "I know I will be sending you to your grave against this man. But I need you to try your best for me. I'm counting on you. "
The goliath doll opens its eyes and gives a firm nod. Alice turns away and heads down the path, back towards the human village.
Don't let her escape!
I call out and head after her. "Alice! Alice wait!"
The Goliath takes a mighty step between me and her. The doll flicks her wrists and materializes a pair of giant sized longswords. Each blade from hilt to tip is half as tall as her. With her standing tall, sword at each side, she takes up the entire width of the road.
Unable to pass her, I have no choice but to watch Alice drift away into the distance and vanish. The summoned phantoms retreat with her, leaving me alone with Alice's massive doll.
Hmph. Troublesome pest. She will certainly return later, no doubt stronger than before.
She's gone now… I tried and tried, but she just wouldn't listen.
I have a lot of questions. None of which got answered. All I know is that Alice Margatroid is now my sworn enemy.
Questions questions and more questions… Gah! To hell with this. I don't know what to make of all of this anymore. All I know is that I'm still on errands for a magician in the Scarlet Devil Mansion. I have to get this medicine back to Patchouli!
I materialize Shredder and aim the machine pistol at the armored behemoth.
Alright. Let's get out of this forest. Out of my you oversized doll!
The doll begins to slowly advance on me. I hold my ground, and let loose the first stream of shots into the goliath doll.
A/N
Thank you for reading my latest chapter. I hope you enjoyed this one. I certainly had a hard time writing it.
Alice is currently Knight's physical antagonist, as opposed to Arcane who is a more subtle one. Alice is often depicted in anti-social roles, be it tsundere, yandere, or just a quiet cool-headed shut-in. More interesting to me though, is when she shown to have a strong or hidden emotional side. i find it entertaining when Alice's cool composure breaks down, and is shown to have heart, or at least some kind of realistic emotion. Going with that, I think that the fact that the vision of Arcane would be enough to send her into a rage emphasizes Knight's situation; something he's been avoiding.
The Alice I wrote here tries to go with the typical strong attitude, but also has an emotional side that isn't just there, but that easily overtakes her. In the end she tries to be cool and calm, but is really reckless and emotional; like when she was about to be hit, or when Hourai was beaten. Alice's emotional resolve is meant to be a match to Knight's logical resolve, and her sacrifice and desperation helps meet that somewhat. Knight, who is still trying to make sense of things, tries reaching out to that similar other that he sees in Alice, which is what causes him to hesitate so much, and what makes Alice such a difficult opponent for him.
Anyways. On to the next one. Goliath doll is up next!
Thank you again. The next chapter will be ready soon.