Scarlet Devil Mansion
"Yukari never told us she was a vampire!" Our human trio answered.
Patchouli sighed. The guests were getting nervous.
It's not their fault really. Having experienced Gensokyo for a total of 4 days, the impression they had received was of an eastern land. Vampires were in essence a western product and so were not high on the list of being expected. Given the powerful nature of the dwellers of the night, one should be nervous when encountering them.
With youkai, Maribel and Renko at least know thy enemy. They however did not research about vampires, thus their nervousness. Dutch, having essentially tagged along, knew barely anything at all. All he knew about vampires were the usual rumors that floated around on the Internet, which was worse than nothing.
"Your fears are unfounded. Remi is not the violent kind. In fact, I can tell you that she looks forward to meeting you all." Patchouli answered.
"I assume she is not the indestructible, sparkly kind?" Dutch asked.
Patchouli laughed and then coughed. "Mukyu! Please don't ask her anything relating to that subject. I have never seen a book ripped and burned so fast."
The four walked down the corridor until they were outside a large set of doors.
"I assure you. You will not be in any harm in this house; As long as you remain on Remi's good side at least." Patchouli said and pushed open the doors.
Before the doors even fully opened, a wonderful smell hit them, almost knocking them out of their nervousness. Unconsciously, our human trio started to salivate. It was just that good.
Inside, a long table stood before them, its top held hostage by plates of food that gave out the wonderful smell. Elaborately designed pillars with bat motifs that reached up to the ceiling, with small enclaves in them holding candles, lined the room. At the other end was another pair of intricately designed doors, similar to the ones that welcomed them at the entrance. Built into walls around the room were small mirrors, strategically placed to distribute light around the whole room, allowing the room's full glory to be seen.
At the other end of the long table sat the lady of the house. Wearing a light red dress with bright scarlet red trimmings, her red eyes gazed over at our trio, with short light blue hair that was covered by a mob cap similar to her dress and a pair of black bat-like wings on her back sat Remilia Scarlet. On any other person, it might have made a somewhat strange sight but on Remilia, but it fitted her. It might have been a frightening sight except she was noticeably short. VERY noticeably short.
As our trio comes to terms with their host height or rather, her lack of it, she spoke. "Welcome, honored guests, to the scarlet devil mansion. Please, take a seat."
As our four take their seats, Remilia spoke again. "I am your host, Remilia Scarlet. I thank you for joining me for this dinner. I have heard a great many things about you."
She focused her eyes on Dutch. "Especially you."
Dutch kept a straight face. "I'm flattered that you feel it warrants a dinner to meet us. I trust your knowledge about me is on the positive side?"
Remilia smiled; one fang visible just peeking over her lips. "Sakuya?" She asked her maid, standing right behind her.
Sakuya bowed and her hand blurred. Dutch's hand did the same and he was now holding a knife in his hand. He threw it back just as quick, sticking itself to a candle on a pillar.
It was fast and it was perfect, almost as if it was choreographed.
Remilia clapped. "I believe our dinner entertainment is finished? Let's commence the purpose for coming here."
A fairy maid flew out of the double doors behind them and up to Remilia and whispered into her ear. Remilia hissed back at the fairy maid. The fairy maid answered in an apologetic way.
And the double door exploded.
Everyone turned their attention to the now nonexistent wooden blockade. Well, at least the inhabitants of the mansion did. Our human trio jerked their heads as fast as they could. Sudden explosions tend to do that.
As splinters and smoke blew inward, Dutch spied a movement in the smoke. It looked like multiple colored light moving in the smoke. And then a blonde girl blasted out of the smoke.
"Onee-sama!" She yelled as she flew over the dinner table.
"Flandre!" Remilia yelled as her younger sister flew into her, knocking over Remilia's chair.
The two sisters tumbled across the room before coming to a stop at the other double doors. Remilia was struggling to release herself from Flandre's arms even as her sister hugged her with great delight.
Like her sister, Flandre eyes were red. She also wore a pink mob cap, like her sister, but that's where the similaries stopped. Flandre had short blonde hair, with a portion of it tied to a short ponytail on her left side. She wore a red skirt and vest with a pink shirt underneath. Unlike Remilia's bat wings, her wings appeared to be iron bars with different colored crystals hanging off it.
It show our trio watching a picture of an over eager hyper-energetic younger sister with rainbow crystal wings, who also is a vampire.
Then Dutch remembered Marisa's advice. You have to watch out for her sister. She is extremely dangerous. Avoid her sister at all cost.
Well avoiding her just went out the window. He thought.
"Flandre! We have guests watching. Get off me!" Remilia said as she tried to fight off her sister.
Flandre pouted and obeyed her sister, while Remilia got up and dusted herself off.
"I apologize for my sister. She can be a bit over active at times." Remilia said.
"It's okay." Maribel answered.
Flandre suddenly sniffed the air. "Onee-sama. Your guests smell nice. Very nice." All this being said with her fangs in full view.
Creepy statement is creepy.
Especially when you count in the fact that the person talking is a vampire. Our human trio started to reconsider ever coming here. Dutch phased in his glove under the table, just in case.
"Flandre!" Patchouli snapped."I taught you better than that. You will treat the guests with respect, you understand?"
Flandre, now facing the might of her sister and tutor, backed down. She closed her mouth and gave a sulky face.
Remilia grabbed her arm and took her out of the room. When they left the room, Patchouli gave our trio an apologetic smile. "My sincere apologies, I did not expect Remi's younger sister to come to our dinner. Her manners are not up to standard yet."
They could only nod in return. There really was no proper answer to Flandre's statement.
After dinner
SDM lounge
"I must say, Miss Scarlet, the food was exquisite." Dutch said as they gathered in the lounge after the dinner. Dutch sat on a chair across Remilia as the two faced the fireplace.
Remilia smiled. "You have to thank Sakuya. She did the cooking. She is the best."
Dutch nodded. "I assume from this arrangement that my companions and I will be staying the night here?" He asked.
"You assume right. Yukari has agreed to let you stay for the night and the night after as well. You will be escorted to your rooms later." Remilia answered as she looked at Dutch.
"I see." Dutch answered as he looked into the burning ember of the fireplace.
Remilia stared at him. "You're...not a normal outsider, aren't you?" She asked.
Dutch chuckled. "Are you a normal vampire?"
Remilia laughed at the answer. "Well played. But you are not the usual outsider that drops across the border. Your skills are a testament to that and since you came here, I noticed something else. Your blood, it doesn't smell like normal blood."
"Really, statements like that are very impolite. One could think that you are planning to attack." Dutch smiled.
Remilia shook her head, her face occupied by a thoughtful frown. "It smells different...there is a slight metallic tinge to it. It's very faint but it's there."
Dutch reached over and waved his hands in her face. "It's probably residual metal in my clothing. Before we got here, we had a very interesting journey." He said.
Remilia nodded and smiled again. "Don't do that again. Remember that I'm a vampire, Mr Dutch. Leaving your appendages in my face is tempting me."
"Sorry." Dutch laughed.
SDM
Voile Library
"Wow." Maribel said.
That pretty much was what could be said about the Voile Library. Standing over the whole library in a walkway; its massive size was displayed for all.
The whole library was the length of two football field. The bookcases stretched upwards, easily within the realm of 20 meters and from side to side, the bookcases could have fitted trucks.
It was all arranged in an orderly pattern. Straight lines crisscrossed the library in a cross like pattern, with a break in the center where the lines met. Occupying the center was a table, encircled by red velvet couches with elegantly designed wooden bases. The library was lit by what appeared to be pages that gave out a small amount of light. It had the library a gloomy feel.
"Koa!" Patchouli called.
From the maze of bookcases flew up her red-haired assistant. Wearing a black dress with white sleeves, Koakuma flew to the call of her mistress. Her wings, a pair on her back and another pair on her head, flapped as she flew up.
"Back from dinner, Patchouli-sama?" Koakuma asked.
Patchouli nodded. "Ladies, meet Koakuma, my assistant. If you have any question regarding the library or need assistance finding a particular book, fell free to ask for her help."
Koakuma smiled and flapped her wings.
"Now, I wish to ask several questions. Do you mind?" Patchouli asked as they walked down the stairs.
"Not at all." Maribel answered as she and Renko followed her.
"First things first, are you a magician?" Patchouli asked as they came to the center of the library.
"No, I'm not. I had this ability since I was born. It allows me to see boundaries and to perceive any changes. For example, I can tell the difference between clean water and poisoned water, even if they are colorless, due to my eyes picking up the changes in the boundaries. And please, our host shouldn't be so formal." Maribel explained.
Patchouli nodded. "I see. What about you, Renko? Do you have any abilities?"
"My ability also comes from my eyes. I can find out where and when I am currently aim by looking at the sky. It's not as useful as Mary's through." Renko answered.
Patchouli smiled. "Don't look down on your ability. It sounds very useful. One of the powerful youkai in this land has control over flowers and plants."
"That would be a sight; being defeated by flowers." Dutch said as he walked down the stairs.
Patchouli glanced at him. "I thought Remi was keeping you company."
"She retired to her room. I was directed here." Dutch answered.
Patchouli looked at him and smiled. "Dutch, meet my assistant Koakuma."
This should be interesting. She thought.
Dutch gave a small head bow and sat on one of the couches.
"Koa, can you serve our guests some tea?" Patchouli asked. Koakuma, realizing what her mistress was thinking, nodded and picked up a nearby teapot and three cups. She served Dutch first, making sure that she was as close to him as possible.
"Do you feel anything strange?" Patchouli asked.
He should be a bumbling idiot from her presence. She thought.
Dutch gave Patchouli a raised eyebrow. "Did you poison the dinner?" He answered, his voice not changed whatsoever.
Koakuma gave her mistress a secret look of disbelief behind her back. Patchouli managed to hide her own but she was also in disbelief.
"Nothing. Just a bad joke." She answered.
A fairy maid flew down the stairs. "The mistress wishes to inform the guest that their room are ready." She said.
Dutch nodded. "Well then, I'll be going."
Maribel and Renko followed him.
When the trio left the library, Koakuma burst out wailing. "Uuuwah! I can't even affect him with my presence. My honor as a succubus is broken."
Patchouli gently smiled. "There there. I don't think it's your fault."
Koa continued wailing.
SDM
Guest room
Holy shit. Dutch thought as he looked at his room.
Having stayed at his fair share of five star hotels, Dutch could say one thing, his room could be rated as one.
Right in front of the door was a king-sized canopy bed that took up half of the room. Through a door on his right, a bathroom could be seen with a hot tub. A table took up the rest of the room and a window with a view of the garden held the wall.
Taking off his clothes, he headed to the bathroom.
Boy was he glad he was out of that library. Koakuma's presence was affecting in a strange way. When she was near him, he had the strong urge to gravitate toward her, to listen to her every word. Thank god the training he gone through in the past trained him for this.
Lying on the bed, he looked up at the canopy. And closed his eyes.
Vault
Map room
The fins stopped flashing and Dutch was back in the vault.
Heading to the room where the girl was sleeping, he entered to see her still in her unconsious state. He left, not wanting to wake her just yet.
Walking to the interface, he sat down on a chair and just looked around, and yawned.
He was going to need a new way to enter the vault. This was playing hell with his sleeping.
Typing into the interface, Dutch decided to access the vault past setting and find out what he could obtain.
5 minutes later...
A dead cow…
What the hell. Dutch thought as he looked at the screen. Of all the things one could store in a pocket universe, why a dead cow. That simply did not make sense.
Shaking his head at the screen, Dutch went back to the main menu, and had an idea.
Typing into the keyboard, Dutch accessed his gun's magic conversion template.
This would take some time, and a lot of math.
After an hour or so of typing...
Success! He internally yelled.
After an hour or so of modification and test firing; the non-lethal setting for his weapon was done. Dutch could now fight back without killing by accident.
It feels great be finally be able to shoot back. He thought.
"Now to finally get some sleep." Dutch said as he entered the platform and left the vault.
Back in the room, Dutch looked up at his ceiling and closed his eyes.
Block vault access. He thought before lapsing into a deep sleep.
SDM
Hallway
Flandre sulked.
Her Onee-sama had given her a fine lecture and then taken her back to her room.
Luckily, she managed to cast four-of-a-kind when her sister was not looking and hide. Onee-sama had bought the clone back to her room without any clue at all.
She flew down the hallways, carefully avoiding the fairy maids. And then she caught a whiff.
A scent of blood. The smell was different through. There was something strange in the blood.
But it was blood and Flandre was a bit hungry. She followed the scent until it bought her to a door. As she was about to enter, a sound of footsteps made her fly up and press against the ceiling.
Sakuya passed under her without a single glance up.
Once Sakuya turned the corner, Flandre dropped and quietly turned the door.
Dutch awoke.
His eyes still closed, his mind sent him a feeling.
Some else was in the room.
His hand under the blanket, Dutch phased in his glove. The thick jet managing to hide the light.
Opening his eyes, Dutch looked up.
Flandre looked back.
"Hello, onii-san. You smell nice."
Hello, my readers. This is radioactive arbiter speaking. Why am I writing this segment? Because I decided after 11 chapters that I would do a self review of my work and ask my readers about it.
First off, I would like to highlight a failure of storyline. In chapter 5, I wrote this.(Yukari continued,"It fuses itself to your soul and adapts itself to the form that it find most reflects it's owner. Don't be surprised if you get something that has the shape of a book or something even stranger. Once, an owner had the vault shaped as a pen.") However, if you read chapter 10, I also wrote this.(The device has never bonded with the soul of any impurity before. If I recall correctly Princess Toyohime,it is recorded that it's shape has never changed for any of the impurities that touched it.) Meaning that in two different chapter, I effectively went into completely opposite different directions. As you are reading this, I would be trying to fix the problem. What I am currently considering is information failure of the lunarians part, some parts of the information being lost in transition, as an explanation why. Or I could re-write certain parts.
Another part I would like to highlight, was my relatively slow pace that my story is going through. Compared to other stories, my story(in my view), is rather slow. Ten chapters and not even a spell card obtained yet! So I am asking you, my readers, for your advice. Should I:
a)Accelerate
b)Proceed as normal
c)God forbid... Go even slower
The reason I wanted to go at such a pace initially relates to the storyline. Having read my fair share of touhou fanfic(Ajibh, the sukima series, for some), I wanted to show(in my view) what if you went through Gensokyou trying out the hospitality of the places in Gensokyou. I wanted to try out and see what happens when a journey through the lovely universe of touhou well, happens. The slow path seemed most suitable to such an idea.
There will be fighting. Touhou isn't touhou without that. But it won't be the main medium for first impressions. At least for non-antagonists.
The third part I would like to highlight was the way the story line is going. Right now, we are proceeding through the SDM arc. I have a few arcs planned out(not fleshed out, just planned), including a Makai arc, a lunar arc and an earth arc. Given my slow pacing, it is very likely that I might break the story into different fanfics altogether. Since you, the readers, are the ones actually reading this, I ask what is your opinion about the storyline.
Lastly, I would simply point out my shortcomings. Firstly, I have problems doing interaction with certain events. This chapter was a real slog to write but it was necessary. Another slog was the Hakurei part. I frankly had problems generating a way to proceed the story. And I again don't want fighting to be the main medium for first impressions. And from my proofreader, my Writing in certain areas could use some work. I agree.
Well, that's all of it. I apologize if you have read through my ramble, if you have any thoughts you can post them on the review section. Or Pm me.
This is radioactive arbiter, signing off.
~A big thanks to all who have read through this humble newbie author work~