13: Followers

"Route 5 is pretty small isn't it?" I asked.

"There's not much after Caesius." Maribel explained, "Route 5 is just a small strip of land before we head into Murreus Mountain. Or Mt. Murreus if we're going by the locals."

"Can't we fly over it?" I frowned, "You can use Fly can't you?"

"Sadly the only Doll I had with Fly was CMystia." Maribel laughed awkwardly, "And...I lost the badge to use Fly outside of battle."

"How does a badge prevent you from using fly?"

"They're magic."

"So?"

"So I don't know. Ask Reimu."

"Why would I know?" Reimu frowned.

"It's magic and you're a Miko."

"That doesn't mean I know everything!" Reimu barked.

"Does that mean you don't know anything about the badges?"

"Of course I do!" Reimu sighed, "But it's only theories."

"Theories?" I frowned, "You're not sure?"

"I don't care enough to confirm them."

"Oh."

"Can we go over these theories later?" Maribel cried, "I don't want to just stand here while you 2 chat about physics or something."

"Physics is science."

"Whatever!"

"Renko! You're going the wrong way!" Maribel called.

"What do you mean?

"The entrance is this way." Maribel explained, pointing through the tall grass.

"But we can go this way and avoid wild Dolls." I said, pointing towards the northern path.

"But that way has a tree in front of it."

"We can go around the tree."

"Can't. You have to use Cut."

"I'll just have CReimu cut it down then."

"Can't. CReimu doesn't know Cut."

"What do you mean she doesn't know how to Cut?"

"You have to teach her Cut with a HM."

"HM?"

"Hidden Machine." Maribel explained.

"What's a Hidden Machine?"

"It teaches your Dolls moves that they normally can't learn."

"How?"

"I don't know."

"Hidden Machines?" Rikako asked, "Sure I know what that is. It's a machine with combat data stored inside it. The data is then transferred over to a Doll's Magical Source and since that doubles as the brain the Doll learns the attack in the machine. However the data is deeply ingrained in their mind so forgetting it is no easy task. There's also TMs or Technical Machines-"

Maribel kicked me and I had to disconnect.

"Here we are!" Maribel declared, "Murreus Mountain! Finally!"

"What do you mean 'Finally'?" I frowned.

"Well you were so busy with Reimu and Rikako that I thought we'd have to go back to the Center and try again tomorrow."

"I just want explanations."

"I can explain stuff!"

"When have you?"

"I could've told you the myth about the Lunar Phase Forest."

"But that's just a myth. It's not relevant."

"Why not?"

"How would a myth have helped me escape the forest?"

"W-Well..."

I stared at Maribel and sighed, "So...is there any story to Murreus Mountain?"

"Wh...Y-Yes! Of course!" Maribel smiled, "Murreus Mountain is said to have been the target of 2 waring nations in the past. Ownership between these 2 lands have flip-flopped many times during their brutal war. Eventually one of them prevailed and the Mountains have been both a graveyard for those soldiers as well as a place of worship for the generals."

"Why worship the generals?" I asked, getting interested despite myself.

"People said that the attacking nation's general was like a God of War while the defending nation was in fact only a single woman with power that rivaled the general."

"So there was no second army." I frowned, "There was no war. It was just a single army versus a woman."

"B-But a single woman isn't capable holding off an army!" Maribel cried, "So people say that there must've been an army alongside her!"

"What do you think?"

"Personally? I think a single woman sounds cooler." Maribel smiled.

I sighed but looked back at the mountain with new eyes, "Still...how does that help us get through the mountain?"

"W-Well..."

"...Nevermind. The journey's part of the adventure."

"Aren't those the same thing?"

"No."

"Jump Kick."

CReimu frowned as she kicked a CSuika into the wall, "All these CSuikas are giving me bad memories."

"The battle with the businessmen back at the forest right?" Maribel asked.

"Of course! What else could I be talking about?"

"Hey! I knew what you meant. I was just surprised to hear that you thought it was hard."

"It was 3 VS 1. How was it not hard?"

"It was 3 VS 2!" Maribel cried, "And they only had one Doll each anyway."

"Maribel's right." I added.

"You too?" CReimu scowled.

"If you think that fight was hard, what do you think our fight was Sanae was?"

"...Fine. I get it. It just irks me that they played dirty."

"Raphael can't do that anymore. Furthermore we DID beat him."

"You also gave him the badge back."

"..."

Maribel and I traversed the cave. I wasn't sure how far we were in the mountain, but it was growing noticeably darker.

"Oh." Maribel said when I mentioned it to her, "To fully traverse this mountain, you need Flash."

"Let me guess: It can only be learned though an HM and we can't even use it if we don't have a badge."

"Yeah, how'd you know?"

I sighed.

"How are we going to do this?" CReimu asked, "Are we going to continue without knowing where we are? Or should we go back and see if we can find a Flash HM or what?"

"I don't think we'll need Flash." I frowned.

"Why?"

I pointed. There, contrasting the darkness were the light of candles. The light revealed a group of people, moving in a line, heads bowed and muttering a strange chant.

"Who are they?" CReimu frowned.

"Let's go ask."

As I was about to go, Maribel tugged on my sleeve, "I...don't know if that's a good idea."

"Why not?"

"I...didn't want to mention this...because I don't want to think about it myself...but this place technically is a graveyard, both for humans and Dolls. If thoughts remain there is always the chance that...g...ghosts haunt this mountain."

"Ghosts?" I said, surprised, "Is that even possible?"

Maribel nodded, "Of the 17 types, the most enigmatic and dangerous is the Ghost Type. Rikako recorded Ghost type Dolls before."

"So ghosts actually exist..." I said, surprised, yet interested.

"That's right. So if those people are-"

"They're not ghosts." CReimu scowled.

"Eh?"

"They're not ghosts." CReimu repeated, turning around, "Take a good look at them."

And with that, CReimu returned to my orb.

With that, Maribel and I were left stunned by CReimu's action. Determined, I began to make my way towards the group.

A man noticed us coming and broke from the group, "Ah, you are fellow travelers are you not?"

"Yes." I bowed politely, "Me and my friend were lost in the dark until we saw your candlelight. We were relieved to see others in this mountain."

"To enter this mountain in such youth. It is admirable."

The group had stopped moving and chanting once the man came over. As I spoke I took the chance to study them. They were dressed in traditional religious garb and at first glance I understood what CReimu meant.

"Um...If I may ask, what are you doing here?"

"Oh us? We are simple worshipers paying respect to the many men and women that died in the age old war. Have you heard of the history of this mountain?"

"I have." I said, "You all dress the same. Do you come from the same shrine?"

"Why yes. We are all worshipers of the Shrine of Moriya."

Maribel gasped.

"Is something wrong?" The man asked noticing the change in our expressions.

"Oh. We simply thought you were from the Hakurei Shrine."

"Hakurei?" The man's nice demeanor cracked, "You are mistaken. The Moriya Shrine wears the regal and respectful garbs of Blue and White. The Hakurei has not a single worshiper in their Red and White boundaries."

"No worshipers?" I asked, "I find that hard to believe."

"There is but one shrine maiden in the Hakurei Shrine. A worthless swine of a woman. She is rude and cares not for human life, preferring a life with youkai. There is no wonder that they have no real worshipers."

"Is that so?" I said.

"What do you mean?"

I looked towards Maribel. She gulped but nodded.

"...We are worshipers of the Hakurei Shrine."

The Moriya worshipers gasped and stepped back. Talk began around us.

"Hakurei worshipers?"

"Inconceivable!"

"Wait. I have heard Lady Sanae mention a group of 2 who work under the Hakurei Shine and plot to destroy us."

"There is no doubt. These 2..."

They turned back to look at us. The man that we talked to no longer had a shred of kindness or sympathy.

"If what you say is true...we cannot allow you to leave."

Moriya Worshiper wants to battle!

"Enlighten the fools that have strayed from the path, Hoshizako!"

A green star appeared.

"Sorry about this. Go, CReimu!"

CReimu smiled as she appeared, "It's fine. I'm honestly shocked you did this."

"There she is!"

"The spawn of the Hakurei Shrine!"

"It truly is them."

"Looks like we can't escape huh?" I said.

Maribel pulled out her orb, "Come out, CMarisa!"

"Quite a predicament." CMarisa smiled as she came out.

"Hoshizako! Tackle!"

The green star charged at CReimu.

"Seal Needle."

CReimu pulled out her Ofudas and fired them at Hoshizako, knocking him out of his attack.

"End it quickly. Jump Kick."

CReimu jumped into the air and kicked Hoshizako, sending him crashing and tumbling several feet in the ground.

"Look like that's over."

"We're done here too!" Maribel reported as CMarisa electrocuted another Hoshizako.

"Go! Hoshizako!"

"Get out there, Hoshizako!"

"Don't let them escape! Hoshizako!"

"Hoshizako!"

"Hoshizako!"

"Hoshiza-"

"Hoshi-"

The Moriya Worshipers all sent out their Dolls at the same time until we were surrounded by all sides and even the ceiling was full of green stars.

"T-This is at least 20 VS 2." Maribel gulped.

"We can endure this." CReimu called, "They're all weak!"

"Don't underestimate us Hakurei scum!"

"That's right! The Moriya Shrine is capable of miracles!"

"Let's show them!"

And with that the entire Moriya group dropped to their knees and began praying.

"W-What are they doing?" Maribel asked.

The chanting continued in perfect unison until,

"Great gods of Moriya! We offer to you our bodies and lives to your service! Grant us a miracle!"

One of the Hoshizako began to glow. Then another. One after another the Dolls began to glow until the room was filled with blinding light.

"What's happening?" I cried.

"It's...evolution..." CReimu said, stunned.

The light began to die down. Sure enough the greens stars were gone. Replaced with what looked like floating missiles. Behind me I heard Maribel pull out her Dolldex.

"Mimi-Chan. INTER CONTINENTAL BALLISTIC MISSILE."

"Inter continental?" I repeated, surprised.

"This is the miracle of Moriya!"

"Don't you dare mock us!"

"Face the wrath of Moriya! Mimi-Chan! Explosion!"

The missile began to crack and glow. There was nothing we could do but watch as the innumerable missiles exploded and the ground gave way beneath us as we began to fall.