Stage 2 – Ririsu, Higan
After some time passed, Reimu and Marisa found themselves back at the Hakurei Shrine. Just then, Komachi Onozuka then proceeded to float over to them, looking very annoyed. She then cleared her throat, which caused the two girls to notice her.
"Oh, Komachi. Why are you here?" said Reimu.
"It's Ririsu. She's at it again," said Komachi, sighing.
"Again?! What did she do this time?" said Reimu, annoyed. Ririsu, powerful devil queen from Hell that she was, was convinced she was a supervillain straight out of Silver Age comic books, and as such constantly caused trouble for everyone, usually simply because she could. Both Reimu and Marisa honestly believed that if she wasn't so kind and compassionate, she would've been killed off by angry nonhumans long ago.
"I don't know what her endgame is this time, but she's holding Eiki Shiki hostage and her latest army is keeping the other Yama from taking over. Reimu, Marisa, if we don't free her…" Komachi trailed off.
"…She won't be able to choose what departed soul goes where," said Reimu, sighing. "Damn it. I guess we'll just have to rescue her, then. Where is she?"
"Last I checked? She was still holed up in Higan." said Komachi.
"Right," said Reimu. "Come on, Marisa. Let's go teach that crazy idiot a lesson."
"I'll come with you," said Komachi.
The three girls flew off across the Sanzu River to Higan. Soon enough, they were quickly attacked by Ririsu's army of lesser enemies, but the girls were able to either fight them off or simply avoid them. They eventually made it to Higan, where they saw Shiki Eiki. She said nothing, but just stood there motionless, looking at the ground. Unfortunately, there was no sign of Ririsu.
"OK, Eiki's alright," said Reimu, taking a look around. "Just be careful: You know what she can do."
Komachi ran over to Eiki. All of a sudden, they heard a woman's chilling, evil, maniacal laughter. They all turned around and saw Ririsu, a tall (ten feet, and that's without her heels), buxom, beautiful honey-skinned woman with sky blue eyes, a strapless white one-piece swimsuit that reveals a generous amount of cleavage and a pair of dark red fingerless gloves. A white and pink heart is strapped to her chest with several dark red leather belts and she wears a dark blue thong partially covered with dark blue leather belts with hearts on them over the bodysuit. She had a pair of big dark gray batlike wings, a pair of sharp blood-red five-inch-long horns on her head, and a long, prehensile dark gray tail that ended in a heart-shaped head. She also wears a hot pink opera mask and a large detachable dark purple cape. Her long, razor sharp nails are painted a glossy pink, and her lips were rose red. Her footwear was a pair of purplish black pumps. She descends from above, lounging on a big pink heart.
"So, someone dares to challenge the great Phero-manic?" said Ririsu, as hammy as ever. "Well, we'll just see about that!"
"Ririsu," said Reimu.
"When will you learn, Ririsu?" said Marisa. "This is going to be like all the other times: We beat you in a Spell Card Battle, and then you face the wrath of the people you just brainwashed. Now what's your big "evil plan?""
"Oh, I've learned a lot…" said Ririsu. "And I'll tell you! I plan on using my new influence over the judgment of souls to force the good departed to go to Hell, and all those with malice in their hearts will end up in the good places!"
"Why, you!" exclaimed Komachi. "Eiki Shiki do something! …Eiki Shiki? Boss?"
Suddenly, Eiki's head whipped up and her eyes snapped open, revealing them to be glowing pink. She punched Komachi hard in the gut, knocking her out. Ririsu walked over to her in a sexy manner and started to caress, nuzzle and hold her.
"Oh, my!" said Ririsu, gleefully. "Did I forget to mention that I was going to do this all the-power-behind-the-throne style?"
Ririsu started laughing. Reimu and Marisa raised their weapons and flew up to her. At the same time Eiki Shiki flew up next to Ririsu and soon enough, Ririsu's army surrounded them.
"Marisa, it's time to kick some serious succubus butt," said Reimu.
"Oh, I'm with ya, Reimu! I'm with ya!" said Marisa, excitedly.
"This time, evil will triumph over good! AHAHAHAHA! Judgment Day! Take care of my enemies!" Ririsu laughed maniacally.
She reached between her breasts and pulled out a pink and yellow ten-foot long staff that ends in a hot pink 3-D heart covered in spikes. Reimu and Marisa knew it was actually a cat-o'-nine-tails; the heart and top half of the staff could come apart into segments and were connected by spiked chains. She pointed her staff at them and grinned in anticipation.
Ririsu's army rushed the two girls en masse, firing off shots or attacking with their bodies, with the brainwashed Eiki hanging back next to Ririsu while blasting them with lasers, energy rings and copies of her Rod of Remorse (not unlike how she fought during her normal battles). As for Ririsu, she hung back, attacking with waves of heart-shaped danmaku that came at them from odd angles, clouds of pheromones to disorient them, energy waves to crush them, and lasers that tried to hit them at point-blank range. She kept her own weapon in her hands at all times, using it to ward them off should they draw to close.
Eiki's own attacks gave them pause as she was stronger than Ririsu on her worst day, but Ririsu's own attacks as well as the attacks of her army were simple enough to dodge. Why? Because they had fought Ririsu that many times. Also, Ririsu was the type to not change up her fighting style, so they usually knew what to expect from her. What made her fights difficult was that she usually had some really powerful brainwashed person fighting alongside her. Like Yuyuko Saigyouji, the very first time they fought. I still can't believe Yuyuko showed her mercy after that, thought Marisa, she really is too nice fer her own good. Though, the fact that Youmu and the other six people she brainwashed beat the crap outta her might'a changed her mind.
The girls continued to blast away at Ririsu, trying to avoid hitting Eiki as they did so, knowing that her body was little more than a meat shield at this point. Even so, they weren't always successful, as Ririsu seemed especially keen on making sure Eiki's body blocked as many attacks as she could this time around. Reimu winced as one blast hit her right in the eye. Sorry about that, Eiki, thought Reimu, Ririsu, you'd better pray the higher ups of the afterlife don't find out about this!
Ririsu meanwhile was really just stalling. She actually didn't even intend to carry out her latest "evil plan," (but she did decide to pull a similar stunt in the future) this was just her way of making a distraction while one of her minions raided Eiki's office for the relic her friends needed to enact their revenge. She should be leaving for Kuroshiro's temple soon, Ririsu's perpetual creepy grin grew, Time to kick things up a notch. Now which Spell Card to use… Ah hah! This one!
Ririsu pulled out her first Spell Card, Love Sign "Heart Beat" She held up her hands, creating a big neon pink heart-shaped energy ball above her and split it in half, causing six waves of energy flying outward, one to the left, one to the right, one smaller one to the center, and two to the left and right. She then slammed the halves together in front of her opponents creating an enormous explosion. Much to her frustration, the two girls dodged it all, even after she repeated the last part three more times. Ririsu pouted. How come they always dodge that move so easily! That was my second strongest Card! Oh well, it doesn't really matter if I lose this fight. Let's see them dodge this!
"Judgment Day!" Ririsu shouted, "Let's combine our powers for this one!"
Ririsu pulled out her next Spell Card, Love Sign "Heart Attack" Moving in front of Reimu and Marisa, Ririsu created a giant red heart that releases nine heart-shaped energy waves, followed by her sending the heart flying at the two girls. However while she was doing this, Eiki Shiki flew behind them and used one of her own Spell Cards, "Charge of Virtue". A large series of dark blue projectiles surrounded Eiki and flew at Reimu and Marisa at top speed. Much to Ririsu's delight, while they were able to dodge her own Spell Card, Eiki's Card hit them. Ririsu started to laugh and gloat, but this just pissed them off and they countered with two Spell Cards of their own. Both of them hit her at once, which shut her up real fast.
Owie… Ririsu pouted, I gotta learn to stop doing that. They'll pay for that… Let's see how nimble they are now! Ririsu then used the Spell Card she liked saving for speedy opponents, Love Sign "Heart Burn". She sent out four large hot pink heart-shaped fireballs that constantly surrounded and circled Reimu and Marisa. They released waves of pink fire on a regular basis. Just to be on the safe side, she made them last until the battle was over.
Reimu was very annoyed by this. I hate these kinds of attacks, thought Reimu bitterly, she really is a nuisance. Marisa on the other hand seemed bored. Doesn't she have anything new? It'd be nice if she changed things up fer once… …I know! I'll just ask her! Reimu won't mind… She's never been much harder than a Stage 2 boss. At best, I'd put her as a Stage 3 mid-boss.
"C'mon Ririsu!" Said Marisa, not stopping her spells as she did so, "Is that all ya got?! Don't ya have anything good fer once, ze?!"
Reimu just rolled her eyes. The last time she got bored during a Spell Card Battle she nearly lost! Oh Marisa, when will you learn? You should never, ever underestimate Ririsu. Oh well… No use crying over split milk. I'll just weather out the coming storm.
Ririsu started laughing maniacally. "AHAHAHAHA! Funny you should mention that, Ordinary Girl! I've got a brand new Spell Card, just for you! Let's see how you like this!"
And so Ririsu used Love Sign"Heart Break", her final and strongest Spell Card. She made a heart shape with her hands and fired a humongous heart-shaped energy beam that got bigger as it grew, spinning around in a circle rapidly as she fired it while shooting off smaller hearts in a ring-shaped pattern. After they had dodged the beam and smaller hearts, Marisa started fuming. This clearly was a blatant rip-off of Love Sign "Master Spark", her favorite and signature Spell Card! How dare she! Granted, she herself had stolen that Spell Card, but that was beside the point! Besides, if Yuuka had a problem with it, she would've done something by now, right?
"Hey, you can't do that, ze!" screamed Marisa, "Only I can use those kinds of things!"
"I'm a supervillain, Marisa! Was all Ririsu said, "Theft is part of the job!"
"Y'know, I hate to admit it," said Reimu, as blunt as ever, "But she's got a point. Besides, Marisa, what about all the stuff you've stolen-"
"SHUT UP!" Shouted Marisa, "Those things were just borrowed! Ya can borrow whatever ya want, whenever ya want as long as ya give 'em back before they're missed! I'm really mad now… Let's see how ya handle this, RIRISU!"
Marisa then prepared to use the actual Love Sign "Master Spark" but much to everyone's confusion, she held it out behind her and dropped the recoil-preventing magic she used during her fights and drew back her fist. Marisa then used the Card, the force of the blast sending her flying straight at Ririsu throwing a magic enhanced punch to her solar plexus as she flew right at her, the resulting collision hitting Ririsu so hard, she instantly lost the Spell Card Battle and caused her to fall from the sky. The force of the blow nearly knocked her out on the spot.
Note to self, thought Ririsu to herself as she fell from the sky, holding her gut in pain and flapping her wings to slow her descent, Add Ordinary Girl to the list of people I shouldn't steal from.
"WHY!" shrieked Ririsu, pounding the ground with her fists as she cried, "Why does good keep winning?! It's not fair! It's not-!"
Suddenly, Ririsu heard someone clearing their throat. She slowly turns around to see Eiki and Komachi glaring down at her. At the sight of them, she immediately went pale.
"Er… Uh… YOU'LL NEVER TAKE ME ALIVE!"
Ririsu tried flying away, but Komachi used her distance manipulation powers to keep her from leaving. Once Ririsu realized what was going on, she began to pout.
"Oh… Blasted distance manipulation!"
Ririsu began to scream in pain as the two pissed off women savagely beat her. After the beating was finished, Ririsu was lying down on her stomach, groaning in pain.
"Yes, you have committed your crimes a little too much," spat Eiki, glaring down at Ririsu.
"OK… That was an eight," said Ririsu, suddenly smirking. "But… Evil hasn't completely lost… I still got what I came here for."
"Uh, what are you talking about?" said Reimu.
Ririsu began to heal herself and immediately stood up and grinned widely.
"This was all a trick!" declared Ririsu. "You played right into my hands! You see, before I started on this plan I had one of my minions break into Eiki Shiki's office and take a certain something. And she did it! The Seekers of Vengeance are going to win this! AHAHAHAHA!"
"Huh? Ririsu, what are you talking about?" said Reimu, very confused by what Ririsu was saying.
"Ah, ah, ah… That would be telling," said Ririsu, wagging a finger at her.
Ririsu immediately used her shape shifting powers to turn into Aya, and used her super speed to get away.
"HEY!" screamed Reimu. "Ririsu, get back here! RIRISU! Oh… She got away…"
"Calm down, Reimu," said Eiki, "At the very least, you freed me and stopped her. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to find out what Ririsu took."
"I guess… Wait," stumbled Reimu. "Eiki Shiki, could you please tell me what she took?"
"Well, I don't see why not."
After leaving for her office for a few minutes, she returned looking very confused.
"Strange," said Eiki. "This is very strange. My office has so many valuable and important things in it, and all they took was a broken, worthless piece of stone."
Reimu's eyes widened at the prospect.
"Eiki!" said Reimu. "Was this piece of stone a small, flat gold disk, inlaid with red and black stones, with the kanji for "give" on it made with silver paint?"
"Well, yes. Is it important?" said Eiki.
"…I don't know," said Reimu, rather skeptical. "But these "Seekers" seem to want it, just like they did with the one Remilla had. Marisa, Eiki, Komachi, do you think…"
"This is an Incident?" asked Marisa. "I dunno. But we don't know who the other Seekers are, where to find them and what the relic does… So what do we do? What can we do?"
"I don't know…" said Reimu. "But you're right: There's not much we can do about it right now. Let's just go home. We'll just… Have to keep an eye out, that's all."
Reimu and Marisa immediately left, leaving Eiki and Komachi to wish them good luck and farewell.