Disclaimer: Touhou belongs to Zun.
A/N: I wonder how Mystia scratches an itch, wouldn't she just hurt herself? Those claws of hers seem like they would make tieing bows hard, as well. ...Could that be why she has nothing that needs a knot? How would those even make effective claws at that length? Wouldn't they just get ripped off when slashing? Bold italics are my arm speaking, which only I can hear. On with the show!
Early morning, Empty lake of blood:
All around us was evidence of battle, did Mokou fought that nice lady? She did look slightly scary, but why would they attack each other? Shouldn't Mokou have returned, and gotten us? ...Could it be that she thought we would only get in the way? If she could accidently kill Cirno, she had to be strong! ...Maybe we would only get in the way, but to not help when one is able to seems selfish!
My arm pointed towards the bottom center of the empty lake, where there was still a shallow pool of blood.
"From here on you must swim. Wait, we have to dive into the blood to get through...? Yes. Are you sure? ...Probably. Well, only because you sound ever so sure about it..." My trust, while laced with sarcasm, was quite strong. I trusted the the strange fog as much as I trusted myself... It was like I was compelled to belive every word it... said? The 'voice' of the thing was non-existant. It was like I heard nothing, while still understanding it. Not particularly unexpectedly, everyone gave me a surprised look, while Aya gave the wrong person said look. ...I wonder how long untill that disorientation of hers fades?
"But how will we know which way to go? One can't see through blood, like one can water." Aya had a good point, plus it would probably end badly to be around a pair of ice fairys while soaking wet, even in blood. ...I wonder if the blood is still war- wait what am I thinking? Why would the blood be warm! ...Why does that make me sad that it isn't fresh?
Thankfully nobody in our group was afraid of blood, seeing as a good portion of the group had seen a great deal of the stuff, while I myself had no particular qualm over blood.
"Perhapse I may be of some use in this endeavour, I could guide you. Realy? Well, I guess that would work. However, we need to figure out a way to not get drenched in blood..." Everyone looked at me with a questioning look. None of them seemed to have any problem with soaking in blood, infact, Rumia looks forward to the sensation of blood on her skin. The Youkai missed such simple pleasure.
"Usa's right, guys. If we do just jump in the two of us would probably be fine, but the rest of you might freeze to death. I'm sure you all can imagine what being drenched around us would be like." Cirno's words rung true, and nobody could think up a valid counter argument. Rumia looked rather sad, and simply pouted. She had been looking forward to diving head first into the blood.
"Well, what do you suggest we do? We havn't much of a choice..." Wriggle had a a point, how could one swim without getting wet? Rumia's face lit up once more, maybe she would get to dive into the blood after all!
"Why not just freeze the blood, and tunnel through? It doesn't look all that deep, really." Aya had her back to us, while talking. How could one stay like that for so long...?
"Good idea, Aya! Hear that, Usa? Looks like we got work to do!" Cirno grinned, while rubbing her hands together. I'm not sure of how much use I would be at this, but I could... Wait...
"Err, why don't I just do that thing I did to the water at the lake? It seems to make a perfect hole to the bottom, and if it explodes, all we have to do is run... Clever, but do be careful. Blood is thicker than water." Everyone but Cirno had no idea about what I spoke of, but Cirno looked like she liked the idea.
"Good idea, Usa! Alright, I guess it's settled. I'll leave our path to you, and warn us if your control slips." Cirno nodded to herself, while giving me the go ahead. Rumia went back to being pouty, now that her hopes were dashed.
I began to float about, finding where the fog hand was pointing at exactly, before I focused on a spot. Slowly the entire blood pool began to swirl. That... wasn't what the water did at all! Could it be that the thickness made it harder to do? I'll just have to try harder!
I focused intensely on the surface of the blood pool, and the sea of red stopped spinning as a whole, and instead began to lower, and spin, in a single spot, directly towards the gate. The pool of blood was far deeper than it looked, my little drill hole must have gone down about 50 meters, before before the bottom was cleared away. At the bottom what a swirling vortex of energy, which just screamed 'magical gate' like it was in pain.
"Alright, everyone in! Usa, slowly follow us, and be sure to stay focused untill youre in as well, got it?" I simply nodded, not able to do much more due to the great deal of concentration this took. Everyone quickly flew into the blood shaft, Rumia rubbing a finger over the side of it, so as to get a taste. After sticking her finger in her mouth, her eyes widened in terror. The blood was Celestial blood. The girl was sure to spit it all out, lest she die. Rumia didn't like the thought that followed. Just where does one get this much Celestial blood? There couldn't be enough blood in all the Celestials in the heavens to fill a lake of this size!
After everyone had entered the portal, I began my very slow descent. My already slow flight speed, went down to a snail's pace. If you have to go this slow, why not just... not fly? The voice had a point, actually. Following that bit of advice, I simply let myself fall. However, I hadn't planned for somthing. At this speed I couldn't concentrate on the blood anymore, and it would soon turn into a cannon. I began to shake in fear once I realised my folly. If I didn't make it, the force of the impact would tear me in half, and that's if I was lucky!
20 meters
The bottom of the shaft was beginning to fill with blood, and swirl angrily.
10 meters
Behind me, the shaft was collapsing in on itself. While it was educational, watching just what happens before the detonation, I seriously regret taking the advice of the voice at this point.
5 meters
Could it be that it explodes once the entire thing fills up? If so, that makes this a free fall race against the blood that was about a meter behind me. Its odd how much time one has to think about thing, when you have no control over your fate.
1 meter
As I neared the gate, its color began to change, and fizzle out. Could the gate be... turning off? At a time like this? !
As I hit the portal, it turned off, just in time so as not to be filled with an explosion of blood, but just late enough that I wasn't cut off. Another thing I had not factored in, was a lesson I had once learned, yet was unable to remember due to the amnesia. Speedy thing goes in; speedy thing goes out. As I left the other side of the gate, I went flying out of the gate, passing my friends by, flying towards a very angry looking girl with a scythe. She never saw me coming, and was hammered in the gut by my head. She was instantly knocked out, and went flying with me, before we both collided with a wall. My first fight, ending in record time due to a double KO. Thankfully my wings missed the girl, or else she may have been cut in half by the sheer force of impact. Once again I'm knocked out cold. I hope this doesn't become a bad habit.