Remilia Quest

[Oldmansour]

I'm not all that restrictive on inventory space. If you'd like to carry all of spear, umbrella and rapier, that won't be a problem as far as I'm concerned.

And for the record, ancient hoplite soldiers in greece used to wield spears one handed along with shields, as did roman centurions, as I recall.

[Hanzo K.]

Well, it's more a matter of when the sun comes up. We'll need something for close-range combat while using the umbrella.
And the Spear, while we're skilled with it, is relatively unwieldy when used one-handed..

[Oldmansour]

Considering Remilia's prowess with that Gungnir of hers, I'm willing to say she won't suffer any penalties while wielding an ordinary spear with one hand. Plus, you can always shorten the shaft to make it easier to handle.

[Hanzo K.]

Well, I was also going for the elegant and charismatic thing too.
(Rapiers are often regarded as a weapon for nobility.)

[Oldmansour]

Assuming there's no objections, I'll roll with the last command.

>Let's grab the Rapier, and go pick up a Parasol as well.
>Now then, where should we start the investigation first? Perhaps Reimu would know something.

>You briefly test the trio of rapiers present, and select the middle one for yourself, belting it around your waist as you return to your bedchamber, where you keep your personals, your money, your remaining spellcards, and of course, a selection of parasols, just in case. You select a nice pale purple one with a white trim that compliments your clothes nicely.
>Pondering where to being looking for your erstwhile maid, your thoughts first settle on Reimu. Considering how trouble usually manages to find the Hakurei miko of its own accord, checking in with her is never an entirely bad idea.

[Hanzo K.]

>Let's collect our remaining spellcards together just in case. When traveling Gensokyo, it's always a good idea to have as many on hand as you can.
>We may as well pick up a little money, just in case we need to bribe Reimu. Poor dear hardly ever gets any donations after all.
>Once we've done that, we'll make for Reimu's.

[Oldmansour]

>Let's collect our remaining spellcards together just in case. When traveling Gensokyo, it's always a good idea to have as many on hand as you can.
>We may as well pick up a little money, just in case we need to bribe Reimu. Poor dear hardly ever gets any donations after all.
>Once we've done that, we'll make for Reimu's.

>It's quite rare that someone carries their entire suite of spellcards at once, not even Reimu, and she invented the system. You know Patchouli does, but she has a special book to allow her that. But you gather up an additional four to compliment the Scarlet Shoot already in your pocket.
>You also produce your change purse from one of your dresser drawers, containing a modest traveling money sum of 75,447 yen.

>You are now carrying:
>Destiny: Miserable Fate
>Scarlet Sign: Scarlet Shoot
>Dark Sign: Scarlet Netherworld
>Divine Punishment: Young Demon Lord
>Scarlet Gensokyo
>Light pink dress with matching cap
>Purple parasol with white trim.
>Coin purse containing: 75,447 yen
>1 vial of magically preserved/fresh blood.
>1 masterwork rapier

>Properly girded for traveling, you close and lock your chamber door, head out to your balcony, lock that door, then take to wing and fly to the west, for the Hakurei shrine. You note that Mei Ling is awake and on guard. At least you can count on her to be.... well, perhaps not entirely reliable, but no worse off without Sakuya around.
>It's a short flight to the shrine from your mansion, about half an hour, and it passes uneventfully. No fairies rise up to challenge you, and any hostile youkai wandering about have long since learned to give you a wide berth.
>The time is now 8:20 PM. The sun will be in the sky at around 6:30 AM.

>Reimu is sitting on her veranda, looking up at the sky, a broom by her side. A short youkai with blue hair and mismatched eyes, wearing a blue over a white shirt with a a short blue skirt, is walking towards her, carrying a tray with two cups of tea.

[Hanzo K.]

>Let's go over to her.
>"Reimu, have you seen Sakuya around?"

[Oldmansour]

>Let's go over to her.
>"Reimu, have you seen Sakuya around?"

>Swooping down towards the shrine maiden, she accepts her tea from the youkai with the weird eyes, and then looks up at you as you announce your presence without so much as a 'hello.'
>"What would that knife-thowing maid be doing here?" she inquires as the other youkai sits down next to her.

[Hanzo K.]

>Sigh irritatedly. "And here I expected that the one person who could defeat me would be able to resolve such an issue."
>"You see, she's been away for five days, when she was only supposed to be away for one."

[Oldmansour]

>Sigh irritatedly. "And here I expected that the one person who could defeat me would be able to resolve such an issue."
>"You see, she's been away for five days, when she was only supposed to be away for one."

>Reimu seems unfazed by your vexation, and takes a sip of her tea. "Nearly a week without her around? Have the fairies colored the place pink yet?" The youkai next to Reimu giggles.

[Hanzo K.]

>Keep calm, we can keep calm at least long enough to not tear something apart until after we get out of the area....
>"Thankfully, no, but they are shirking their duties. They don't even obey Koa now."

[Oldmansour]

>Keep calm, we can keep calm at least long enough to not tear something apart until after we get out of the area....
>"Thankfully, no, but they are shirking their duties. They don't even obey Koa now."

>You maintain your composure. Plenty of time to fly off the handle later, when you're disciplining Sakuya for being absent so long.
>Reimu nods in agreement. "That's about all you can expect from fairies, really. But, they work for pretty much free, can't complain about that."
>The young youkai next to Reimu nudges her in the side a couple of times. Reimu looks at her curiously, then makes an 'oh yeah' face. "I'd forgot, you've never met her have you, Kogasa?" Reimu gestures at you with her hand. "This here's Remilia Scarlet, the one in-"
>"The vampire?" the youkai interjects, her expression becoming a touch fearful.

[Hanzo K.]

>Smile ominously. "Oh? So my reputation precedes me to even those such as you, has it?"

[Oldmansour]

>Smile ominously. "Oh? So my reputation precedes me to even those such as you, has it?"

>The young youkai identified as 'Kogasa' by Reimu works her mouth for a moment, before popping up and quickly ducking behind Reimu. Only to place her hands on Reimu's shoulders and pop her head up mere seconds later, sticking her tongue out and declaring, "BOO!"
>Reimu sighs slightly.

[Hanzo K.]

>.....
>She seriously thinks that will work? "...Brave, aren't you?"

[Oldmansour]

>.....
>She seriously thinks that will work? "...Brave, aren't you?"

>Kogasa seems somewhat despirited for a moment, then smiles, evidently taking a second to take that as a compliment. "Hehee, the vampire praised me."
>"Don't mind her, Remilia." Reimu advises you. "She's like this with everyone."

[Hanzo K.]

>"....I can tell. At any rate, I suppose I've done what I can here. Until next time, Hakurei!"
>Batcloud on outta there, and make for that Bamboo Forest we visited during that one incident.

[Oldmansour]

>"....I can tell. At any rate, I suppose I've done what I can here. Until next time, Hakurei!"
>Batcloud on outta there, and make for that Bamboo Forest we visited during that one incident.

>Reimu gives you a wave as you turn to depart. "If I see your maid, I'll tell her you were here."
>Kogasa's wave is much more energetic. "Bye bye, vampire lady!"

>Turning to the northwest, you set your course for the bamboo forest where dwell the refugees from the moon. You decide to circumvent the human village for now, though. The sight of a vampire flying over the village might lead to a conforntation with Keine, and that's not what you're interested in at the moment.
>Eight minutes out from the shrine, however, en route to the bamboo forest, a flash of movement on the wooded path below you catches your eye. A youkai is flitting in and out of the trees below you, a short figure with green hair and a cape. It's the same insect youkai that assaulted you and Sakuya during the False Moon incident. But it's her persuer that really catches your eye. Chasing the bug-girl is a tallish woman with pale blonde hair and pale skin, wearing a long cloak. The most interesting thing, however, is that she is a vampire.

[Hanzo K.]

>How can we tell she's like ourself?
>Let's follow them for the time being.

[Oldmansour]

>How can we tell she's like ourself?
>Let's follow them for the time being.

>Vampires can sense another vampire when in proximity to one another. A vampire sets off a kind of 'psychic recognition' to her own kind, although older, stronger vampires learn how to suppress this when needs be. You yourself learned that trick centuries ago.
>Your curiosity piqued, you fly closer to the ground to keep a closer eye on these two, while masking your presense from the vampire below you. There is no elegance in Wriggle's flight, she seems to simply be fleeing blindly from this vampire. Curious again. Wriggle fled from you, as well, but only after you bested her at danmaku. And yet, there doesn't seem to be any evidence of a danmaku battle taken place between these two.
>With your closer proximity to the vampire, you can smell that the woman is bleeding, not a lot, but definitely bleeding. A vampire can tell from the scent of blood how long ago another vampire was turned, and by the smell of it, this one was turned only around two weeks ago, give or take a day or two either way.

>The fledgling vampire is faster than the short youkai. You suspect will only be a matter of minutes before the vampire catches her prey.

[Hanzo K.]

>Well, it isn't Sakuya then, the Timeframe doesn't match up. This is quite a relief.
>We may as well fly closer in Bat Form, and attempt to perch ourselves on the fledgling's shoulder.

[Oldmansour]

>Well, it isn't Sakuya then, the Timeframe doesn't match up. This is quite a relief.
>We may as well fly closer in Bat Form, and attempt to perch ourselves on the fledgling's shoulder.

>Converting yourself from swarm form to single-bat form, after taking a moment to feel relieved that some other vampiric interloper had come along and claimed your maid, you swoop down and aim to land at the younger vampire's shoulder. It's been a number of years since you've seen a vampire so freshly turned, and just how quick they are had slipped your mind. Nevertheless, it only takes you about 20 seconds to adjust your speed accordingly,  and land your talons upon the fledgling vampire's shoulder.
>Needless to say, the woman does not react entirely positively, and her head snaps around quickly as she hisses at you, her fanged mouth agape.

[Hanzo K.]

>Smack her across the face with a wing, and then disengage from the perch to revert to our true form in midflight.
>"Well, is that any way to react to someone who is your better?"

[Oldmansour]

>Smack her across the face with a wing, and then disengage from the perch to revert to our true form in midflight.
>"Well, is that any way to react to someone who is your better?"

>Giving the snarly little twit a swat with your wing, you launch yourself from her as she stretches her neck forward and tries to bite you. This impertinent act on her part reveals where the scent of blood is coming from: one of the two fang marks on the left side of her neck is bleeding. Opened by her own hand, by the looks of it. You shake your head. Young vampires intoxicated by the scent of blood, even their own. Shameful to think you were ever that young once.
>Transforming back to your human form to admonish the fledgling, the woman pauses as well, Wriggle seemingly forgotten. The look she gives you is a mixture of outrage and confusion. "That's no way to treat your big sister. I was the first she turned, and you don't go around smacking your elders. And how'd you do that bat thing? I can only manage rat yet."

[Hanzo K.]

>Let out a short, derisive bark of laughter. "You? My elder? Fool! My legend began in the 16th Century!"
>Ratchet up our presence to full blast, complete with wrapping ourselves in a crackling scarlet energy. If we are going to show her who is dominant, we should do it properly!
>"You look upon a vampire of over five-hundred years! You, one of a mere two weeks, cannot even dream of being my elder."



EDIT: (And for those of you who got the joke there, I present this.)

[Oldmansour]

>Let out a short, derisive bark of laughter. "You? My elder? Fool! My legend began in the 16th Century!"
>Ratchet up our presence to full blast, complete with wrapping ourselves in a crackling scarlet energy. If we are going to show her who is dominant, we should do it properly!
>"You look upon a vampire of over five-hundred years! You, one of a mere two weeks, cannot even dream of being my elder."

>Displaying your awesome might in its glory, the neophyte blonde vampire blanches and recoils backwards through the air, raising her arm across her chest in surprise. Young though she may be, even she knows power when she sees it. She stares at you blankly for several seconds, before her eyes narrow in suspicion. "How is that... possible?" she manages to stammer out.

[Hanzo K.]

>Smirk. "You are in the presence of Remilia Scarlet, one of the two strongest vampires in Gensokyo!"
>Dissolve into batcloud, and then reform right behind her.
>"You are still far too young you be able to catch up to one such as I."

[Oldmansour]

>Smirk. "You are in the presence of Remilia Scarlet, one of the two strongest vampires in Gensokyo!"
>Dissolve into batcloud, and then reform right behind her.
>"You are still far too young you be able to catch up to one such as I."

>Declaring your identity proudly, you bat-a-port behind the neophyte vampire with a taunt. The sound she makes next is one that galls you to no end: she chuckles.
>"We'll see about that." she declares, before pulling her arms in around her. A spread of giant icicles erupt from her back like a porcupine, leaving you less than a second to react before getting punctured.

[Hanzo K.]

>Batcloud again, but this time reform right in front of her, and then grab her by the collar.