Seriously? Only Etherdrone tried guessing who Ikuto was asking for help? Sigh... Well, whatever, enjoy the next chapter.
"Truly, how did you notice me?" The girl in yellow asks.
I shrug. "I seem to have an ability for that. But can you help me?"
Koishi Komeiji nods, smiling. It was really a stroke of luck for me that she intruded on a search for food above ground; if I hadn't heard Remilia complain about missing food, I wouldn't have realized to look for her. With her helping to mask my presence, I think I could last the entire four hours.
"I can't always hide you, however." She speaks into my mind.
This time it's my turn to nod. "Yeah... sooner or later they'll figure out how I'm hiding."
I had no idea of how much time I had before the game started, though a grandfather clock I passed by on the way here about six minutes ago read seven-thirty five, so I have around twenty minutes left.
"Okay, first, I need you to put these around the place, as far from each other as possible." Crouching down, I take out the china cups I took from the dining room and put them on the floor.
"Cups? How will they help you?"
"It's what's in the cups... Nn!" With a small general-use knife I keep in my pack, I cut a deep gash into my left pinky and drip the blood into six cups, putting enough to obscure the design at the bottoms. "Try not to spill them."
"That looks painful." Koishi comments.
With my right, I bring out the key and summon Blaze Revive to heal the wound. "Necessary." I tell her grimly as I endure the pain that comes with it. "When you're done, find me at the clock on the roof. I owe you for this."
The satori nods, her closed third eye bobbing on her chest. "I understand. Good luck."
I don't waste time watching her carry the cups away; I'm already up and running, heading for the stairs and going up. Occasionally, I make detours to cut myself again to draw arrows to throw Flandre off my trail, but eventually I reach the base of a stairs that lead up into darkness.
I can see the outline of a door up there. Man, this is creepy. Breathing heavily, I look around first, and spot a door a few meters away. I approach it cautiously and try the handle. It opens, and I enter it cautiously.
The inside is a little dusty, testament to Sakuya's thorough work in such a large place. Working fast, I check the wardrobe and the rest of the furniture, and find very little which can help me. Damn, this won't do... pillows might be useful... My mind examines and discards ideas one after another, but eventually I realize what I can do. Damn, I need to think faster... and recall how the crimes in Detective Conan went!
For now, I leave the room without taking anything and hurry up the stairs to the roof. But when I try the door, I realize it's locked. Not to be deterred, I summon Wire Performance and ease out the wires.
Okay, first I have to scan through... alright, I figured out how the tumblers work... so the shape of the key... and turn! The lock clicks open, and I quickly pull the door open and go through. Now let go of me, please. I order the wires that sneakily try to wrap around me off my body.
As expected, the place is devoid of any structure but the huge clock face. As I look around the place, a biting cold wind hits my face. Clearly it would be dangerous for me to stay here for long. The clock tells me that it's been five minutes since the game started; considering that I didn't hear any ringing just now, it'll be hard for me to tell how much longer I have left without checking regularly. For now, I settle down near the door to collect my thoughts.
I'm cornered up here... there's no telling who's going to come up first, Koishi or Flandre. Chances are I'll hear Flandre's footsteps while Koishi flies, but there's no telling whether Flandre will break the rules. I shake my head furiously. Focus! I need plans! First, I need... a map! Then the only place for it will be... the library.
But there was a problem with that. I didn't have any idea how to get to where the library is from here, thanks to the huge size of the place. I could ask Koishi for help, but that's only if we have any way of finding each other...
Right, other stuff... escape plans? Judging by the number of rooms around this place, I can pull off decoys and fake escapes. But I need equipment for that... ropes, weight, materials... Best place to get them would be the storerooms. Except... I not only have no idea how to get there, but I have no idea where they even are!
My thread radar suddenly picks something up, and I move instantly, rolling away from where I'm seated against the wall to aim Wavebreaker at the door.
"No need to be alarmed. It's me." I 'hear'.
Relaxing slightly, I lower my weapon. "Sorry. I can't tell for sure, so I'm just being careful. Did it go okay?"
She nods. "I have placed the cups around the place. However, I have some bad news. She's tracking you by the smell of your sweat, not your blood."
Oh, shit. "She's coming here?"
"After drinking from those cups, actually." Koishi smiles, as though the memory of it must be amusing.
"Damn, that idea failed." I curse. "No telling how long I have..." Think! Think! There has to be something!
"Ooh, what a big clock!" Apparently unconcerned, she wanders over to the clock.
Clock? Oh yeah! I quickly dash over it, examining its face and the sides. No door... but certainly there has to be some way it works... Oh right. I recall the main difference between me and the girls, and look up. There.
Near the twelve mark, there's a thin outline which I can barely make out even with the moonlight. Once more I enlist Koishi's help, and she carries me up. While she holds me steady, I bring out Wire Performance to slip tendrils through the small gaps. My eyes widen when I realize the locking mechanism on this one is way more complex, too much so for me to unlock without time.
"It will open eventually, won't it?" My carrier asks with a hint of worry in her voice, clearly picking up my emotions.
Once again, she has given me a way out. Smirking, I let my latest Keyblade take over, and cut through the center of the door. The surface vanishes, and I quickly go through before it reforms, though I manage to throw out some of my dirty clothes before it does.
"Koishi, can you hear me?" I call through the door softly, then repeating it louder when there's no reply.
"Yes, I can."
"I'm not sure where this will lead or how long it will take, but let's meet up at the kitchen. For the time being, just go around the place with the shirt I threw out."
"Okay, but please don't keep me waiting long."
With that, I turn and head deeper into the mechanisms of the Scarlet Devil Mansion's clock. It's so dark I can't even see my hand when it's barely an inch from my face, but with my thread radar, I don't have to worry about running into anything. As I advance, I gradually become aware of the sound of metal moving.
I feel the surface beneath my feet alter. Metal walkway... then stairs leading down. I descend carefully. The sound is getting louder. Wait, I can see something now... whiteness, ah, it's the moonlight shining on the face of the clock! But it's so thick that there's hardly any light coming in. Piecing together that info, I realize that the place I entered through was some sort of tiny corridor, which then led into the inside of the clock, an open area where the gears that made the hands move were.
Let's risk it for now. Blaze Revive, keep your flames low. As requested, the only fire that appears is barely larger than a candle's but it's enough for me to see around the place. There's the rod that extends into the center of the face, and the connecting gears and chains. It's a pendulum clock... but I don't hear that tick-tock sound. Oh wait, I do. The sound is so soft I have to hold my breath and focus just to hear it over the sound of the gears' soft squeaking.
When I peer over the side, I can see a number of chains leading down into the darkness, but I can't see exactly where they end. I descend further, looking around at the barely moving gears. While I have absolutely no idea about the exact mechanisms involved in this clock, I could tell that there was something different, something non-human about this. Or should I say, not of the usual technological level?
I get my answer when I reach the bottom of the metal stairway, where the heavy pendulum is making a whooshing sound as it swings back and forth over empty darkness, while behind me are the surprisingly small weights that drives the gears. This deep, the light from the clock face is no longer visible, so all I have to rely on is Blaze Revive's flame, but it's enough for me to see an odd contraption with a plate extending from it a few meters below the weights. I crouch down to examine it closer, and see something that makes me feel impressed.
These engravings... if I'm reading them right, the moment one of them touches the plate, it signals another contraption up above to rewind the weight right away. I brush the dust away from the rest of the surface; Sakuya probably doesn't come here to clean. "Last date of inspection, about three years ago? Hmm... Next scheduled date... seven years later? What the-?" I say incredulously. So that's it... this clock is maintained by the kappas.
If I recall, most machines in the human world have maintenance done on them every six months or so. It's a testament to the kappas' work that this clock has an interval of a decade. I make a mental note to visit Nitori to see her work sometime.
I shiver slightly. Even though I'm sheltered from the wind, it's still kind of cold in here without the fire actively warming my body. I could probably hide here for the rest of the time, but I have an agreement with Koishi. Getting to my feet, I start looking around for another way out.
And while I'm at it, I need to review my quick escape plans.
"Shit! Shit! Shit!" Why did I leave that place! I can hear her laughter echoing down the stairs behind me as I tear down the hallway towards the kitchen.
I found another entrance to the clock that was on the third floor, behind a section of the wall that was so well-concealed I would have never known if I hadn't come out through it. Just in case, I marked the wall with my blood, but that's when I heard Flandre approaching. Apparently, while she can track the smell of my sweat, cutting myself releases fresh blood, which is like the biggest signal I could ever give. Needless to say, I ran as fast as I could, but the hunt was on.
I spot Koishi up ahead. "Oh, there you are. Why are you-"
Without replying, I grab her hand and pull her along with me. At first there's a resistance, but then it suddenly vanishes, prompting me to look around to see her flying.
"She's catching up, you know." She informs me.
"Ha... Ha... I... Ha... know!" Come on, think! Think of a way to lose her!
"I'm going to catch you, Onii-chan~" Flandre sing-songs from around the corner behind me. "Thanks for all those treats you left~"
"By the way, I found some rope. I sensed that you needed it." The youkai offers me a few lengths of it with a grave air. "Also, I found a few nails. They might be of use to you."
Damn, this girl is a total lifesaver! Time to put my plan into action! I turn another corner and take the stairs three at a time, then head down another corridor and into the first room I see.
It takes a moment for me to see that it is similar to the other room I entered, a clean yet unused appearance. Time to make this work. I toss the ropes up into the air and call Wire Performance to do the work, the wires flying around the place grabbing and setting up the things needed within and without the room for my magic trick as Koishi watches with interest. If I didn't have this one, she'd catch me before I could even build the first part. With all the focus I expend on putting the wires to work, the Keyblade doesn't try to embrace me, for which I'm thankful. It's like I'm running a program I coded in my mind...
"I can smell youuu~ Onii-chan!" Flandre's voice echoes, coming through the door behind us.
"Damn, I'm not sure if this will work. But let's hide for now!" Recalling the wires, I dive to the ground and roll myself under the bed, where Koishi joins me.
"Isn't this fun?" She asks happily.
"Shh! Just hide us!"
As I do my best to control my breathing while hiding in the shadows under the bed, I hear footsteps coming down the corridor, coming to a stop outside the room we're hiding in.
"You're in there, aren't you, Onii-chan?" There's a short pause. "I know you are. I'm coming in now~"
Sometimes her voice sounds like a child's... other times... it sounds like that of an axe murderer.
I watch intensely as the door slowly opens, and there is a squeaking sound as she triggers the mechanism I set up on the door with a loosely embedded nail and some rope, causing the huge sheet I took from the bed to fall down and cover her line of sight. I hear a yelp and feel a moment of triumph, already anticipating the next part, which is already in motion from the sound of the ropes rustling.
"No fair! But there's no place to run!" As I watch from my hiding place, the white sheet drops around her black shoes. "Wha-!"
I can imagine what she saw right then; my setup of ropes and nails combined with the chairs in the room would send a bundle of pillows falling out the window and through another one on a lower floor, using a chair as the triggering weight. With the sheet temporarily blocking Flandre's vision, the most she would see is something going out the window. And when she goes to the window like she's doing now, the most she'll see is something entering the room below this by the window and a single chair outside.
"Wow, Onii-chan, you're fast! But I'll catch you eventually!" Flandre says gleefully, and runs out of the room.
I wait for nearly a minute after the sound of her footsteps fade before I can no longer hold my breath, and expel it in one rush. Didn't expect it to work this well. I roll out from beneath the bed and stand up, seeing Koishi do the same on the opposite side.
"How did she not notice us?" I ask curiously.
"She's aware of people beneath the bed, but only subconsciously. Right then, she was focused on following you, so she ignored that." The girl explains. "The moment she decides to track you by smell once more, she'll realize that you haven't left this room."
"Hmm, I see. That means it won't work if she's actually chasing that instead." I muse, but the wind coming through the window brings me back to reality. "And it also means I don't have time to be staying here! You coming?"
"Don't mind if I do!"
As we move down the corridor in the opposite direction the vampire went, with me running alongside Koishi as she flies, I realize she seems to be following me. A clock I pass by tells me it's just around nine, which means I have to survive for three more hours.
"Um, Koishi, do you... know where... the library is?" I pant.
"Why yes. The girl with purple hair takes some delicious cookies there sometimes."
What are you, Nurarihyon? (1) "Can you lead me there?"
"Just follow me!"
This time, I follow her as she takes the lead, going down a few flights of stairs until we reach the labyrinth that is the basement. There's a small degree of familiarity around the brightly lit corridor we finally arrive at, and I can see a few fairy maids puttering around the place. This is the right place, and soon enough I arrive before the big double doors that is the entrance to Patchouli's library.
"You still with me?" I ask again, and Koishi nods. "Alright then, we're going in."
I place my hands on either side of the line and push, gaining admittance into the place. As always, I'm awed by its immensity, but I quash that emotion and continue onwards. Behind me, I'm dimly aware of Koishi flitting around looking from one bookshelf to the next.
First, I have to find Patchouli. Common sense indicates that she would be in the center of this place, where she inspected the Keyblade inside a magic circle. If only I could remember where that was... I look up at the ceiling to get an idea of my location within the place. I think... I just have to go straight ahead and make a right.
With that, I dash down the path I set for myself, my feet making muffled thumps as they hit the carpet.
"Who is- KYA!"
Just as I cut around the corner, I realize I'm going too fast to stop, and right in front of me is Koakuma. There's a brief sense of déjà vu before books go flying all over the place, and I'm on top of the poor girl. The shock of the impact has barely faded before her aura hits me like a ton of bricks, driving my arousal up to the maximum levels.
"Ggk! Gah!" With only a shred of sanity left, I fling myself backwards and off her.
She gasps and starts crawling towards me. "I'm so sorry! Are you okay!"
"Stay away!" I force out through clenched teeth. A girl! Girl! Girlgirlgirlgirl! Take her! Take her now! "Don't come any closer!"
"Why are you holding yourself back?" Koishi asks curiously
Not helping! "This isn't the time or place for it!" I look up to see Koakuma backing away, her succubus aura losing its effect as she puts more distance between us.
"I'm so sorry!" She apologizes again.
"Just... take me to Patchouli." I start thinking of unimportant things to get my mind off that hot-looking body and what I'd like to do to it with what's between my... No! Don't go there!
"Okay, please follow me." She gathers up the books and moves off.
With her leading the two of us at a safe distance, I soon locate Koakuma's master, except it's not at the center of the place, but a small reading desk in one corner. The desk is so heavily stacked with books, that the only indication that there's someone behind is a patch of light purple that shakes from side to side. Though we barely make any noise with our approach, the owner of that cap looks up as we draw close, peering over the small pair of glasses perched on her button nose at me.
"Now this is an unexpected intrusion. I expected that black-white witch instead." Patchouli observes dryly. "Instead it's you?"
I look behind, but it takes a bit of zoning out to see Koishi off by herself at a nearby bookshelf. Well, she's not hurting anyone. I think as I turn back to face the library's mistress. "I need your help."
"I heard from Sakuya. This match is between you and Remi's sister, isn't it?" Her tone tells me I'm not likely to get much help with that.
Time to play the lawyer. "When I said that, I meant that only me and Flandre would be the active players. Sakuya as the judge can't interfere, but you can provide some assistance, right?"
The ends of her mouth curve upwards slightly. "You're a smart one, Ikuto."
"Thank you."
"So? How can I assist you?"
Yes! "First, I need a map of the mansion. Right now I'm just going around blind."
She turns to her familiar. "Koakuma, do you know where we keep it?"
The redhead shakes her head. "No, Patchouli-sama."
Patchouli indicates to her right. "Go down that route, turn left at the third bookshelf, then right. The maps are on the thirty-ninth shelf of the bookshelf on the end, in the third bin from the left."
Woah, that is some memory. I shift aside slightly as Koakuma goes flying past me, and I walk up to the desk once she's gone. "Do you remember everything that's in here?"
"More or less." She looks down at the open book before her and slots a bookmark into it before closing it and looking back up at me again. "You said the first thing you needed was a map. What else do you require?"
"Something that can eliminate my smell so that Flandre can't track me."
Her nostrils flare a little. "Indeed, even I can smell the sweat on you from here. You've been really active, haven't you?"
I sniff at my armpit, though I can't really smell much. "Haha, yeah... having a vampire chasing after you will do that."
"One moment."
Patchouli gets up from her seat and goes to the wall behind her, gesturing as she approaches it. A glowing sigil appears on it, and fades with part of the wall to reveal a shelf filled with dozens of vials and bottles. She takes one and returns to me, the wall reappearing to cover up the bottles behind her.
"You're lucky that we happened to be so close to one of the places where I stored this mixture." She tells me, handing it over to me. "Here, rub it into your body, particularly over the armpits, neck, and back."
Just as I my hand is about to close over the bottle, I hear something that makes me freeze, and I nearly fumble and drop it.
"Onii~chan! You're in here, aren't you~"
"You'd best hurry." Patchouli advises. "But it'll take a while before it starts to work."
"No need to tell me that!" I uncork the bottle and strip off my shirt.
"Patchouli-sama, I've brought the- Eek!" Koakuma squeaks from my right at seeing me half-naked.
"Sorry!" I apologize, dumping copious amounts of the potion on my hands and rubbing it on my body, splashing some on my back. As I continue to cover myself, I move away reflexively to avoid Koakuma.
"Koakuma, come over here." Patchouli orders, and her familiar complies, also going out of the way to avoid me.
"Are you down here, Onii-chan~?" Flandre's voice is closer now.
Desperate, I upend the rest of the bottle on my head, before donning my shirt and turning to where Koishi is. Or was. Where'd she go? Damn, no time. I turn back to Patchouli, who's looking through the map. Noticing my attention on her, she rolls it up and hands it over to me.
"It hasn't been updated for a while, so you may find some entrances on it that no longer exist." She warns.
I take it and tuck it into my clothes. "It'll be fine." As long as I've got Record Rewrite, I can pull this off!
"Go down that way." She points in the opposite direction she sent Koakuma in earlier. "I'll attempt to delay her as much as I can."
"Okay, thanks!" I set off in the direction she pointed me in. "By the way, I'll find some way to get your books back from Marisa!"
Whatever her response, I don't catch it as I'm soon swallowed up amongst the bookshelves, with the only sounds I hear coming from my feet hitting the floor and my blood pounding in my ears. After a minute of going straight, I hit a T-junction. Quickly I turn right, hoping to follow the wall until I reach the door to the place, but about two minutes later, I find myself in something of a cul-de-sac.
Shit, have to backtrack... or not. I realize, seeing a ladder down one of the rows. Wonder how this library looks like from a higher view.
"You don't smell so much now." Koishi suddenly pops up from behind me saying.
"Geez! Don't scare me like that!" I scold, moving over to the ladder and starting to climb.
"Sorry." She apologizes, sounding insincere. "Will you be taking much longer?"
I pause halfway up the ladder. "Do you have to go already?"
"I'm afraid so." She admits, floating upwards next to me.
I resume my climb, finally passing the top of the bookshelf on my left. "Could you wait until I manage to leave the library?"
"Of course."
"Thanks." Looking up, I see I don't have much farther to go.
"Found you, Onii-chan!" Flandre calls from below.
FUCK! I don't bother looking back; speeding up my climb, I clamber over the edge of a railing of a walkway that encircles the library and start running along it.
"She's much faster than you." Koishi observes calmly, looking down from where I got off the ladder. "Much, much faster."
That means running like this is useless! I stop and look around, but the only way is onwards, where she would most likely catch me before I reach the door, or back, which is asking to be killed, or... The bookshelves, they aren't all the same height, and the one over there is low enough for me to run atop of. With my decision made, I step on the railing and jump.
They're wider than I thought, but the more I run along their lengths, hopping from one to another, the narrower they seem to get. In some parts, one is barely higher than the previous one, and I would climb up higher as though taking the stairs, while in others, the difference in height is so great, I needed to slip around the side and climb up using the shelves. I'm gradually going higher and higher, and after a particularly hard climb, I risk a look back.
Flandre is speeding along the same path I took so fast I momentarily forget to breathe, hopping like a child playing an easy game of hopscotch. Shelves that I needed to climb like ladders, she just jumps over like they're barely there. Spotting me watching her, she stops and waves.
"I'm gonna get you, Onii-chan!" She calls cheerfully.
As if I'm going to accept that. Reenergized, I continue moving, running down a particularly narrow bookshelf at full speed. With the training at Eientei, something like this is a simple task for me. It isn't until I jump that I realize that the next shelf isn't just far away, but at a much lower height.
"Oof!" I barely manage to roll with the impact. The map slips out of my clothes, and for a moment I snatch at it as it tumbles away, before catching it just as it goes over the edge. Damn, that was close. Too close!
That's when I realize something about the library. The shelves appear haphazard, but now that I've seen more of it, I realize there is a pattern to it. The entire library is a magic circle, or more appropriately, a magic structure, with the different heights of the bookshelves adding a third dimension for more magic formulas. And right now, I'm at one side of the square that is at the center, the second floor doors that is my exit on the opposite side. Light is provided by the spheres that hang down from the ceiling, and there are couches suspended by cables all around; probably for Patchouli when she doesn't feel like carrying a book all the way back to a desk.
Wait, I don't have time to think about this! I'll come back here to stay eventually, so let's just survive to do so!
"Ooooniiiii-chaaaaaan!" Flandre's voice grows louder at an alarming rate, and I barely dodge as she comes crashing down where I was a moment ago. "Aww~ I missed! But I've got you now!" The vampire tells me confidently.
I chance a peek behind me; I'm cornered on a single shelf, with Flandre on the next one facing me and empty air behind me. If I go left or right, Flandre would catch me immediately, so...
I raise up my left hand in a stationary wave. "Adios!" I say loudly, and I see her expression become puzzled.
With that, I let myself fall back, and over the edge.
Everything. She's going...
Slows. To catch me...
Down. Right here...
NOT! I can see Flandre pouncing, her left hand extended, the lights from above reflecting off her long red nails, her red eyes opened wide with glee in mid leap. Behind her head, some of her blonde locks are streaming backwards, fluttering in the air currents along with her clothes. Bit by bit, time speeds back up and the freefall sensation hits my body.
"I've got you now!"
Grinning, I shake my head, looking upwards past her with my eyes as I pull my right hand out from behind my back, spinning my Keyblade around in my grip so I can grab its shaft with my left. The triumph in her eyes vanishes instantly as a shock runs through my body, causing a sudden change in my momentum, and I can see the surprise in Flandre's expression as I swing out from below her, her fingers barely missing my head as she continues to fall past me.
Pull! A humming runs through my arms in response to my thoughts, as Wire Performance's reels start pulling, drawing me back upwards. And... release! Just as I hit the end of my swing, I open my right hand and uncurl the wires from the various hanging structures around the place, executing a somersault to land down onto the bookshelf opposite from where I started, crouching to disperse the force of the impact. Man! That was exhilarating! Let's NEVER do that again.
"Ow!" I hear from down below along with a loud thump.
"Flandre, you okay?" I can't resist calling down. A normal person would be splattered all over that carpet.
"Auu~ Onii-chan, that was cheating!" She yells back.
"No it wasn't!"
"Yes it was!"
"No it wasn't!"
"Yes it was!" Her voice insists, suddenly sounding much louder because she's flying towards me.
"Now that's cheating." I say, pointing at her as she floats closer. "You're not supposed to fly."
"Ikuto is right, Flandre-sama." Sakuya suddenly appears out of thin air between us. "You've broken the rules by flying."
"But Sakuya-chan!" Flandre shrills.
"He has not broken any rules by doing what he did." The maid informs calmly. "Please descend to the ground and await your penalty."
"Okay..." The vampire gives in and descends.
"So..." I ask, still feeling the rush of barely avoiding capture. "Where... were you... watching from?"
"From the side."
Huh, where exactly was that? I decide not to press the issue and ask the next question. "Aren't you scared... of someone that can... destroy you without even trying hard?"
Sakuya places one hand on her chest. "My life belongs to Milady." She says without a change in expression, as though it explained everything.
Actually, it does. My breathing finally gets back to normal."Well, thanks for stopping her."
"I'm simply performing my role as the judge of this game. Speaking of which, Flandre-sama will receive a ten minute penalty for breaking the rules." Her mouth twitches a little. "I advise you to use that time well."
So she's not as emotionless as she looks? If I hadn't been watching her carefully, I would have missed it. "Okay, thanks."
With that, she flies down to where Flandre is to give her the news. Ten minutes isn't much, especially when I consider how far I am from the library door, so I start running again.
"That was a big stroke of luck, wasn't it?" I suddenly notice Koishi flying next to me.
"Where'd you vanish to?" I ask as I jump from the end of the last bookshelf to grab onto the railing of a set of spiral stairs.
"I saw the maid some distance away. She looked interesting, so I went to watch her."
Is this related to her power over the subconscious? It's like her attention span is really short, totally prone to random whims. I run up the stairs and emerge onto a landing that leads right to where the doors are.
As I push open the doors, my mind picks that moment to play some music that fits the Stage Clear mood, and I chuckle under my breath. The music stops when the doors bang shut, the sound echoing through the small corridor I'm in. Clearly, it is now the third stage.
And clearly, I have a fucked-up perception; I've just given myself an A rank for my performance.
"Good luck. You'll treat me to good food sometime?"
I nod. "Yep, though I'm not sure if my skills are good enough for a gourmet like you."
"I'm looking forward to it." With that, my first ally takes her leave, flying off from a balcony.
Man, I REALLY owe her for the help she's given. And I also need to find some way to get Patchy's books back from Marisa. But right now... The grandfather clock nearby tells me I've only two minutes left before Flandre comes after me again. She shouldn't be able to track me by smell... but without Koishi to warn me...
I consult the map to find out where I am. There's only two balconies on this floor, and I soon find out which one I'm at. Using my finger to trace out possible routes, I can't resist a grin when I realize there's a part marked 'Secret Passageway' on it. With my destination decided, I fold up the map and go on the move.
Unfortunately.. or not really unfortunately, the entrance to that passageway happens to be in a room which happened to be walled up. Once again, I give thanks to Keine for the Keyblade and get to cutting, revealing the door that existed in the past. Once I'm within the field of the 'echo', as I term it, it won't vanish until I leave, so I enter without any worry.
The inside is clean, since I summoned the room from such a time, but it's still dark since it's located on the inside, so I light a candle I picked up along the way here. I don't want to risk seeing what happens if I swap out Record Rewrite while I'm in this place.
Five minutes later, I find the entrance; the wall the passageway is marked on the map has a painting above a fireplace, and the switch to open it is a well-camouflaged button on the corner of the frame. When I push it, the fireplace shifts to the side, revealing a small opening for me to crawl through.
It's a bit of a tight fit, but once I go about two meters, the passageway opens up enough for me to stand. A slight hum coming through the Keyblade tells me that I've left the echo's area, so I can't go back anymore.
I draw in a light breath. Air's slightly stale and it's very dusty in here. And the darkness... For a moment, I imagine all manner of things that are lying in wait within, starved of their natural prey by the closing of... Okay, I berate myself, now you're just being paranoid.
Steeling myself, I advance onwards through the narrow corridor, occasionally pausing to consult the map. It's a bit hard to figure out how they all connect together, but judging from the map, there is a small area to which all the secret passageways connect, and it's not very far away. I take a left turn, then a right, descend a steep ramp, and finally emerge into a relatively wide room.
Descending a short flight of stairs, I raise up the candle, then lower it in exchange for Blaze Revive. With the aid of the much brighter light, I can see other similar stairs around the circular room I've entered, each leading to a different shadowy corridor, with strange designs on the walls. But what grabs my attention the most is the pedestal in the center, or rather, what is around the it.
Keyholes? Those must be some really big... keys. I look at Blaze Revive, then back at the keyhole. No way... this can't be right. My Keyblade is supposed to be a part of myself. There's no way something that was built way before I was born could have the corresponding lock!
Then why do you sound like you're trying not to believe it? My mind picks that moment to turn rebellious. Try it.
Playing it cautious, I walk around the pedestal and count the keyholes in it. There are ten of them, plus one more on top of it. Closer examination reveals nothing, no writings or anything that can provide a clue about the origin of this pedestal.
Well, why not? I walk another round and eye the holes carefully, finally picking one that matches Blaze Revive. Here goes. I slide it in, and turn to the right.
There's a small click of something opening, but nothing else happens. When I turn it back, the thing clicks closed, and that's it.
Well, that's anti-climatic. Am I supposed to turn all of them at once? But I only have one key... I suddenly realize something about the designs on the walls. What the... more keyholes? Just what IS this place?
There is obviously some deep mystery about this place, but whatever it is, I don't have the ability to uncover it... or maybe I do. I bring out Record Rewrite and swing at the pedestal. Unexpectedly, the thing bounces off with none of the usual strike effect. I try using each of the others, but none of them even damage the thing, not even Life Eater or Wire Performance, and the wires shy away from the keyholes as though blocked by some invisible barrier.
Well, this feels like one of those games where you know there's something of pivotal importance in the current scene... but you can't do a shit about it. Let's just go. But... I stomp on the pedestal with a bit more savageness than I should. I'll be back, and I'm going to find out just what is concealed here. Definitely!
With that last bit of defiance, I go through one of the openings in the room, a different one from where I entered. A few minutes later, I'm back in the room, my defiant exit foiled by the collapse of that particular tunnel.
"Fuck." I express my irritation with that one word.
The next one I pick turns out to be a prizewinner; after I descend yet another level, I notice the sound of voices, and slow down my approach. For the first time since I entered, I'm seeing light. Not the kind that comes from torches fluttering slightly in barely moving air, nor the glow of some mystical light spell, just a single faint beam of light from the right. On closer look, it turns out to be from peepholes inside an alcove, with a small lever nearby.
Hmm, the map says that this is one possible exit. Have to be careful not to trigger it. I slip into the alcove and bend down a little so I can see through the holes. Yep, Remi and her maid. I have to strain my ears to hear them through the wall.
"Sakuya, how is he faring?"
"He is extremely resourceful and quick-witted. Perhaps he might actually be able to win."
Judging from Remilia's expression, she didn't like that. "And where is Flan now?"
"She's running around the second floor, complaining about how she can no longer smell him."
"So he managed to hide his scent. But how?"
"Patchouli-sama assisted him." Sakuya proceeds to tell Remilia about the loophole in my first rule.
"He must have planned that in advance." Remilia finally says after a long period of thought.
You bet I did.
"Sakuya, how much longer does he have?"
Her maid consults the watch she's carrying. "It is ten minutes to ten. He has slightly over two hours left."
"He should be running low on stamina already." The vampire says so softly I almost miss it. "No human can outlast a vampire."
But he can outthink them. I feel my mouth shifting into a grin as I watch Remilia from her right.
"So, where is he now?".
Surprisingly, a blush appears on the cheeks of the perfect maid. "My apologies, Milady, but I cannot find him within the mansion." She replies with a touch of embarrassment
"Has he escaped?" Her mistress demands.
Sakuya shakes her head. "I asked Meiling. She can vouch that no one has gone past her ever since the game started."
"That means he's in here somewhere. But where?"
I'mma in yer house, peepin' as yer thinkin'.
"Find him. I want to know where he went since he left the library." Remilia orders.
"As you wish, Milady." Sakuya curtseys and leaves the room.
I continue watching Remilia for a while longer. She's biting her nail, evidently frustrated about not knowing my location. I suddenly shiver involuntarily when she looks at me, for a moment it seems like she saw me. But then I realize she's probably looking at the wall I'm hiding behind, not me.
"What are you staring at, wolf?" She snarls.
Jiiiiiii~ (2) I wonder what is disguising these peepholes... probably some picture? I watch as she exhales and turns away, bouncing on the couch with a bothered air around her. Well, I think I've seen enough for now. Time to explore further.
I withdraw carefully from the alcove doing my best not to make a sound, and continue onwards. As I follow the passageway, I realize that I'm gradually descending deeper. Once more I consult the map, but it doesn't seem to indicate where I am. For a moment I think I should leave the place to get my bearings, but I discard that idea almost just as quick; I'm in an extremely advantageous position, why should I give it up? That said, it's still boring to spend the next two hours camped out here, so I just continue moving, going deeper into the depths of the Scarlet Devil Mansion.
It's getting colder, I realize, whatever's heating the mansion probably doesn't reach here. And there's a stronger draft here. Then suddenly the surface beneath my feet changes, and the walls on either side vanish; the passage has ended, and I can hear the sound of gurgling water. A candle won't be enough here. I blow it out and turn Blaze Revive on full blast.
"Hyeek!" Something squeaks, and I hear the sound of something falling over.
"Who's there?" I quickly quench most of the fire and turn in the direction of the sound, my Keyblade held up and ready.
"D-d-don't come any closer! Y-you'll regret it!" The voice is young and female, and sounds very scared.
"I'm not going to hurt anyone." I lower my weapon, but don't relax just yet. "Who are you? I thought the only people in this mansion are the vampires, the sorceress and their servants."
"I-I'm just here to check the heater..." comes the reply.
Heater? Is this the place responsible for the hot water and heating? That means... "You're a kappa?"
"Y-yes."
"Well, let me just say one thing..."
"What?"
"You're amazing!" I practically shout.
Clearly, that's a reaction she wasn't expecting. "Fueh?"
"The stuff you built is really high quality, and it's totally impressive!" I speak honestly.
"Really?" I hear her shuffle closer.
I nod, even though she probably can't see it in this darkness. "Yep. But how did you get in?"
"Um, there's an opening I swam in through."
"Woah, that's amazing... but don't you live near Youkai Mountain? Isn't it fair to come all the way down here? And I thought they don't need to be maintained so often."
"Oh, not at all!" She replies earnestly. "I like working on this heater to make sure it's functioning fine, and adding some new functions to it."
"Nice work ethic. By the way, what is your name? I'm Ikuto." I introduce myself.
Hearing my name seems to shock her greatly. "I-I-Ikuto? Th-th-that human that was in Aya's newspaper?"
Uhh, what did Aya write about me again? I can't really recall. "Yes." I admit. "And you are?"
"Ni-Nitori. Kawashiro Nitori."
Woah, what are the chances? "Nice to meet you. Uhm, could you on the lights or something? I can't see you at all."
"Just a moment." I hear the clinking of metal. "Where is it... umm... there!"
Bright light explodes throughout the entire place, forcing me to shield my eyes. I can hear Nitori apologizing, but the emotion running through my body seems to dull my senses as I come to an epiphany of sorts.
"Are you okay?"
"I don't believe this..." I breathe, lowering my hand.
"What?"
"An. Actual. Electric. Light." I pronounce each word slowly.
Nitori looks at the item in her hand. "Uh, yes, that's correct."
Though it's my first time seeing her, I know how she looks like thanks to the pictures in Akyuu's scrolls. A blue dress with lots of pockets and a green hat, with a matching large green backpack, plus the key at the center of her chest. Her small face framed by light blue hair reminds me of a puppy in a sense, given how nervous she looks.
"It's been so long since I've seen one." I extend my hand. "Could I take a look at it?"
"Yes, of course." She hands it over.
It's really well made, I can't even tell where's the power source. I marvel at the design of the rectangular piece of equipment. "Did you make this yourself?" Seeing her nod, I smile. "You really are amazing, Kawashiro-san!"
"Ah, no, I just tinker around with things to see how they work..." Her voice grows smaller with each progressive word.
"You really have a gift for this." I lift it up higher to shine the light around the place. "What's that?"
I can't really call the place I'm in a room, it's more like a cave, with rough walls and all, and a large part of it is occupied by water. The thing I'm referring to is a giant machine on top of a sturdy-looking metal frame a few meters behind Nitori, with lots of gauges, levers and switches. I can see an open panel with some wires and stuff, probably where Nitori was working. Extending out from the top are a large number of pipes, and I can hear the sound of water flowing through them.
"This is the boiler. It provides the mansion with hot water and heating." Nitori explains after looking at what I was referring to.
"And you handle this all by yourself?"
Her cheeks color slightly. "Not really, there are some others..." Once again, her voice dwindles with each word.
"Amazing..." I repeat, and she peeks at me with a slight smile on her face. "Wait, you were working in the dark? How can you see?"
"Oh! I was using these." She digs into one of the pockets on her dress and pulls out a set of goggles. "They help me see in the dark."
"Night vision goggles. Awesome..." I remember the light I'm holding. "Ah, here. Thanks for letting me take a look."
The kappa takes it back, keeping the goggles back in the same pocket she took them from. "You're welcome."
We stand there for a few minutes just taking peeks at each other, afraid to be caught staring and unsure of how to find a way to excuse ourselves. Eventually, I break it first.
"Um, could I... could I see how you work? I confess, I'm very interested."
"U-Uh, ah, s-sure." Her expression is flustered, but then she turns and heads for the machine.
I follow at a distance, careful not to intrude into her personal space. We climb up the metal steps, stopping in front of the open panel. I sit down behind Nitori, while she sets the light up so that she can see what she's working on.
"Um, okay, this pipe here? It's responsible for the..." And so, the mechanic starts explaining how the machine works.
This will be a good way to pass the time. I settle myself in for a lesson on the workings of a kappa machine. And it's always nice to befriend someone new.
(1) Nurarihyon is a youkai that intrudes into people's houses to eat and drink the food of that house.
(2) Typical staring SFX in Japanese anime or manga
Once again, I'm writing this totally randomly. I'm half falling asleep as I type, and I just anyhow came up with the Keyhole pedestal and meeting Nitori. Probably won't bring them up again for a long time...
Anyway, I was in the middle of writing the library scene when I realized there were some errors, and had to go back to check. Turns out the library is located in the basement according to Perfect Memento in Strict Sense, but when I looked at the fighting stage from Touhou 10.5, I realized there was a set of doors higher up, so I altered the description accordingly.
The secret passages and the boiler room? I made those up, seeing as we don't really know enough about the SDM, it's quite fun to come up with all of that.
Look forward to the next chapter, folks!
