>"What could that have been...?"
>Exactly how powerful did the change feel?
>"You felt it too? It felt like the balance of nature just changed...Something that I as a Fairy am pretty sensitive to.."
>This could be bad. Maybe Rumia would know...?
>Could it have been that..? It didn't feel like something was being added..
>"No...It didn't feel like something was being added...It felt like something was lost. Like a giant fire finally ran out of power and faded away.."
>"...I can tell there's something wrong...Even Kyouko felt it...And you seem to be feeling sad...I can tell that because of my initial ability.."
>"..Daiyousei. I'm a friend of Rumia's, and Miss Patchouli mentioned I should visit you for more education in support magic and such.."
(Oh.)
>"Okay."
>"Do you... know what happened?"
>"...It felt like something vanished."
>Nod. "...Alright."
>"...Do you need any help? I can help if you need it.."
>"Oh, Kogasa did say she lived around here didn't she...I guess I'll find her then."
>...Would that even work on a Sprite or Fairy? I mean, we don't really die.
>"...I don't know if that would even work on a Sprite or Fairy...But being bit hurts regardless, so I'll keep it in mind."
>"...Good point, I should avoid it all the same."
>Bow politely. "Well, I'll go find Kogasa, and leave you be to pull yourself together over whatever happened..."
>Let's get an aerial view of the place. Odds are good that if Kogasa's around, we'll see her distinctive eggplant-colored self.
>Raise an eyebrow. "Is she seriously going to try to...?"
>We may as well watch. If she gets damaged on the umbrella as a result though, we can patch her up with our magic.
>It's been a while since we played around with someone, so let's use a little wind magic to mask our flight sound, and fly down behind Kogasa while holding a finger to our lips.
>Then once we land, turn off the magic we used. "Hello, Kogasa."
>"I came to learn more about 'white' magic from Byakuren, but then... whatever that was happened, and Byakuren wants a hour to herself."
>A tag over her face..? Didn't the books we read mention something about a dead-looking person with that kinda thing?
>"Yeah..Being a Sprite, I probably had a better grasp of that feeling than most...It felt like something faded away."
>"I have a very bad feeling about all of this...."
>If other fairies felt it so strongly, what would they do?
>"If I know Sunny, her and the others will probably make a move of some kind..."
>Do we know any magic that might be able to help?
>"...What does it look like?"
>"So....it's magic then? I might be able to use that to find it I guess..?"
>So it's magic pretty much? That's something we can do! After all, we're attuned to magic quite strongly, so theoretically an artifact like that would emit more magic than the surroundings. Kinda like how we read that snakes find their prey by figuring out what's a hotter point than the rest.
>"Well, it's not exactly a hotspot of magic per se, but...There is a 'darkspot', so to speak. Maybe it's there?"
>Let's head there and see if it's what we're looking for.
>"Heeeeey! I found it!"
>Let's stare at it a bit more. "It's....Shiny."
>Then visibly shake it off. "Dai, you're better than this! You're smarter than the average Sprite!"
>Then look somewhat embarrassed about our little self-chastising outburst. "...Sorry about that..."
>"Ah, I guess not too many know anymore...Sprites are Evolved Fairies. Back when magic first vanished, they were the first casualties...But now that Gensokyo is around, every so often a powerful or abnormally lucid Fairy comes along and Ascends to Spritehood via dedication to something they like. Cirno, Lily White, and myself, are the current three I know about so far...Lily used to just 'love spring', and when she ascended, she became what we know now. That excitable herald of spring. Cirno....Well, even though we're friends, I can't say that she improved much mentally....And me? Well, I ended up as a Sprite of Magic and Knowledge, since I was always smarter than the other fairies..."
>Nod. "Sprites are essentially the same as a Fairy, only stronger. We're still immortal in a sense, and we still look the same as we always do every day, but the more lucid ones like me get smarter, while the power-minded ones like Cirno just get stronger. She wanted to be the strongest badly enough to ascend to Spritehood..."
>"Wow....That must mean you're pretty strong then."
>...This could be somewhat problematic if Cirno were to find out.
>Sweatdrop with a nervous smile. "...Cirno might want to pick a fight with you if she finds out...When she became a Sprite, she got even more simple-minded..."
>Look at Kogasa with an expression of relative impressed-ness and surprise. "You hear that Kogasa? It has Curved Lasers. Curved. Lasers."
>Then chuckle slightly. "...I bet that's what Rumia would've said if she was here..."
>Nod. "We'll come with you then? I was planning to hear what she had to say to begin with."
>Let's go?
>"Whoa. I haven't seen a Nyuudou since that time Rika captured me a couple years ago..."
>Smile faintly, in that shy sort of way we're so used to. "Um..I don't really do pranks much since I Ascended...You see, Sprites are Evolved Fairies...I already explained all this to Shou."
>Sigh, and take a deep breath. We're gonna have to talk a lot more again.
>"Sprites, as I already said earlier, are Evolved Fairies. When a fairy becomes determined enough to excel at something, they might Ascend, and become a Sprite. Each one has a specific trigger. For Cirno, it was as simple as 'Being the Strongest'. Her desire to be stronger than everyone else sparked the Ascension. For me, it was a desire to learn."
>Let's give her and the Nyuudou the whole speech about fairies and how they evolve to Sprites.
(I did it like this for brevity, because I already type a lot in a day as it is. xD)
>Nod. "The only people who know about that were the ones involved in that incident back then. Which were...Uh...Rumia, Marisa, Reimu, Alice, me, and maybe one or two others. I know Rika had her old base around there, so she might know too. I remember they tried to help."
>Whoa...Wonder if there's a magic that lets us use something like that?
>"That...Had to hurt..."
>Eep! Time to 'throw magic at the wall and see what sticks!' Let's bash elements together until we get an invisibility spell!
>"Eeep!"
>Well, let's hide somewhere then!
>Poke out from behind the big guy. "Really..?"
>Wasn't there a book we found that talked about that kinda thing?
>"Um....Since you're a Tanuki...Would you happen to know why it all started between the two races...? None of the books I've read have shed any light on it..."
>"I wonder if there's anyone else who would know more..?"
>Smile in our usual shy way. "Since I'm a Sprite of Magic and Knowledge, it's kind of my thing to uncover things like this.."
>Yeah, that's big news. Let's just...Yeah. Sit down. Hard.
>Let's just stare blankly for a bit.
>"........"
>Keep on staring.
>"..............."
>"......"
>Pull ourselves together and stand up!
>"...I'm not much of a fighter but..."
>Let's make a heatless and danger-less flame appear behind us for emphasis! (But make sure we're clear of people, and that we don't catch our wings in it.)
>"...But I can't give up! Rumia wouldn't, and neither would Yukari..."
>Let the flame flicker away as we get to the part about Yukari.
>Sigh.
>"Guess I'd better get to work, then."
>Nod. "I don't like fighting, but if I have to, then I've got no choice.. Those fairies out there are just the first step...!"
>Let's go confront the fairies causing trouble!
>"I should've known that you, Star, and Sunny would be up to something...! Stop causing trouble you guys!"
>Look back at Unzan. "Nice punch."
>Then look back to Luna. "This will only end badly for the Fairies! Remember what happened the last time you tried to recruit Cirno for your schemes? She beat you all up. And right now, even though I don't like to fight, I've got more than enough magic to teach you guys to stop this!"
>Let's see about creating a set of four 'options' of each element.
>Fairy Queen...Didn't we read about something like that in the same book that mentioned Sprites...?
>"How can they resurrect a legend like Queen Titania...? If only it was spring right now..."
>Did we know that? Whatever the answer is, say it.
>"Queen Titania...A legendary fairy, hailed as the queen or goddess of all fairies...The old legends say she was beautiful, and completely in-tune with nature itself. I probably wouldn't be incorrect in saying that she was beyond the level of a Sprite."
>Nod. "Which means if we want to keep the others in check..."
>Make that sort of expression that we make when the gears in our head are turning.
>Then let the fire orb float overhead and flicker like a bright candle!
>"I just need to revive her somehow myself or something! Maybe those fairies would know something!"
>"...I just hope they don't make a mistake and...Uh...I dunno, bring her back as some kinda vengeful fairy spirit or something? Even a Sprite of Knowledge doesn't have all the answers."
>Knowledge...If we weren't so strapped for time trying to keep the fairies in control, we'd ask Miss Patchouli for help!
>"...I need to check on the Lake, make sure all this chaos hasn't gotten to Cirno too...Miss Byakuren, I think we'll have to have that little talk about white magic later..."
>Bow politely, and depart with all haste for the lake!
>About how many different groups of fairies aside from Forest Fairies, Lake Fairies, and Maid Fairies are in existence?
>Let's fly over and use that whirlwind trap spell on all of 'em!
>Stick Sunny and Luna in a whirlwind then!
>"Then I'll have to keep you guys busy! I know you two are gonna try something when Star loses!"
>Let's add a little Water to the whirlwind. Just enough to drench them thoroughly.
>"Then I'll fight Star if Cirno does lose! I don't want the balance to go out of whack anymore than it already has!"
>"You guys all fought her."
>"If you can have help, then so can Cirno."
>"I don't want to fight, but you don't seem to be giving me a choice."
>Do we have spellcards now? And if so, what are they?
>"I don't like fighting, but I'm not just a Lake Boss because I hang out with Cirno. I guess this is a good chance to test out a few things though.."
>How often have we gotten to use each of the spellcards we've created?
>So some of these cards we probably haven't even gotten to use then? If that's the case, of the ones we have on hand, which ones are they?
>"Well, who'll be my opponent then..? Unlike Cirno, I'm not worn out at all."
>Stare at her like she's an idiot. "I'm not falling for that trick."
>Do that air bubble thing we did when all the fairies were going crazy in the mansion before. Trap them all.
>"Okay, I win."
>Declare spellcard: Emotion: Calm. No way she'll stay calm enough to beat it. And if she somehow does, we can just say it was a warning shot.
>"I kinda had a feeling you'd react like that. That was just a warning shot too, I've gotten a lot stronger thanks to learning magic..I'm probably not on the same level of sheer power as Cirno is, but fights aren't always won with just power alone. I've learned that when I was learning magic."
>"Tch..."
>Let's fly over to Cirno and see about restoring her as much as we can.
>Sigh. "I can't believe they pulled it off. If they think that just unifying the fairies will do it, then I guess I'll have to beat them to it."
>Let's use our magic to pull all the lake fairies to our area! We've got an army to raise.
>"Maybe, but. We can still beat the ones who pulled it off...."
>Let's do the same firey-thing we did back at the temple. "...Because I have a plan! We need to team up with some other groups of Fairies to pull it off. I already have one in mind that'll be a big help for things. They might be a bit weird, even for Fairies, but if we can get the Sanzu Fairies on our side, we might be able to turn things around."
>"But! They have one thing we don't have. Information. Power isn't the only way to win, I'm proof of that. With the info they have on Titania, we can beat the Forest Fairies to the punch, and revive her first!"
>"Because the group that revives her, is probably also gonna be the group that goes on to unify and rule the Fairies."
>Let's raise our voice enough for all of them to hear. "Do you all really want those three calling the shots? I sure don't. But I need everyone's help to make it a reality!"
>"Because you lost a fight with Star apparently."
>Then look to the other fairies with the full elemental 'options' set. "I don't like fighting, but if I have to knock you guys around to remind you who's the boss, then I have no choice!"
>"Well, they didn't beat me too, did they? To really call the shots, they have to beat me and Cirno at the same time!"
>Ah, fairy logic. Been a while since we've had to use this.
>Sigh. We'll just have to beat Star then, to get the full control back.
>...But we can't go get an alliance with the Sanzu Fairies before we do that. Because if we leave, then what's stopping those three troublemakers from getting everyone else under their control?
>"Alright then. I didn't want to have to do things like this, but I have to beat Star to get you guys to listen then."
>Nod. "Just freeze them in a block of ice without killing them if they show up. If they get captured, we won't have to worry about them anymore. They're trying to knock Gensokyo's balance out of whack, which means they're Incident Causers!"
>How many Fairies were loyal to only us?
>"I think she's probably got other stuff she's got to take care of. Did you feel something weird earlier today? Well, I think she's probably already taking care of that, which means we can't count on her all the time. besides, this is a Fairy Problem, so it's up to us Fairies to resolve it!"
>Let's round up about five of the fairies who are the most likely to follow us no matter what.
>"Alright you five, you'll be coming with me to see about getting the info I need from the Sanzu Fairies. Once we get them on our side, we'll try to get the Flower Fairies to help out too."
>"Since our friend who can make Popcorn is coming along, we're set for snacks too!"
>Look to Cirno, and put a hand on her shoulder with a smile. "Cirno, since you're not quite a Lake Boss anymore, you'll have to settle for being my second-in-command, okay? We're friends after all, so I gotta help you out when I can. I'll leave keeping the lake safe to you!"
>Let's take the group and make for where the Sanzu Fairies have their base of operations!
>Let's fly over with the group and greet them politely.
>"Lily Black, I presume?"
>"I was told about you by Nue. I had no idea Lily White had a sister you know. Would you mind if we talked for a bit in private? I have a couple things I wanted to discuss with you, as a fellow Sprite."
>Nod. "I assume you felt what happened earlier today, yes? Given how the Sanzu Fairies are attuned to death, it stands to reason that you know what happened..."
>Shake our head, as if we were shaking off a bad memory. "Due to that, Sunny, Star, and Luna have gotten a lot bolder, and are trying to forcibly unite the Fairies in an effort to revive Queen Titania. But if they pull it off, who knows what will happen to Gensokyo? That's why I came to find you, so the Sanzu and Lake Fairies could team up, and beat them to the punch. They've already Beaten Cirno, who is also a Sprite."
>"So they plan to get everyone to believe in her again, huh?"
>Beat.
>"...If things go how I'm planning, am I gonna have to start wearing an outfit like Reimu's? That seems to be the typical Shrine Maiden attire.."
>"I guess you have a point."
>Wait, nature...? Could it be possible then that...?
>"Wait, do you think that maybe she didn't actually fade, but hid among the Fairies as a normal one somehow?"
>"...Do you think that someone like me could be that 'standby mode'?"
>Let's form the 'Elemental Options'. "I can do stuff like this, but I haven't found the 'Center' of my Magic Square..."
>"That explains why Fairies have different ages! But if they reincarnate, and Titania did actually die and be reincarnated...Who did she come back as?"
>"Hmm...Wait, if she was linked to nature, and fear-based faith can warp a god...Oooooh dear. This could be a problem..."
>Fretfairy is fretting.
>"What if...*gulp*..What if she didn't actually fade, but somehow became feared enough to completely change...?"
>We know a lot about Yuuka, right? (Who doesn't?)
>"How long ago did Titania supposedly fade away? Because if she didn't fade, then I have a suspicion as to who she might've become..."
>Put on an exceedingly worried expression. "...You know about Yuuka, right? What if...What if Titania didn't fade, but got feared enough to become a Demon instead..?"
>Try not to have a nervous breakdown over the prospect. Because, y'know, Yuuka's damn scary.
>"...This only means that to confirm my theory, I'd have to inquire in person or something..."
>Sigh in a worried way. "At least Fairies and Sprites can just revive..."
>"...Maybe by mentioning a few things, they'll trigger the old memories?"
>"If she is, then it would definitely put the ambitions that Sunny, Luna, and Star have on ice. Since from what I understand, their whole plan revolves around bringing back Titania. So if Titania's already around to begin with, then their plans pretty much fall apart like a house of cards."
>Beat.
>"Those are really hard to do if you're not cautious enough.."
>"Oh? What is it?"
>"...That's not a good sign."
>Look to Lily Black.
>"Sunflowers are kind of Yuuka's thing."
>"So if she really is Titania...Then her getting even more power is definitely not a good thing. Now, if she could be reverted to her original state with enough proper faith, then it'd be a different matter. But with the info we have right now, it points in a very bad direction."
>"...Think we've got enough fairies?"
>Sigh. "So for now, the main goal is beating the Three Light Fairies and halting their ambitions. And then we can resolve the Titania matter. Hopefully with a good end for all. Since Titania's the embodiment of nature itself, it only makes sense for her to stronger than other gods when you think about it. Us Fairies and Sprites only have the barest of fragments of that power."
>Pause with a thoughtful expression.
>"Come to think of it, wouldn't the truth of Yuuka being Titania scare them away from doing that sort of thing? Since even fairies know she's bad news if you catch her attentions..."
>Put on a serious, no-nonsense and determined sort of expression. "Yeah...That's what I'm trying to avoid...Even Rumia wouldn't be able to stop her at that point..."
>Put on a determined-yet-worried expression, the sort folks use when they're in a pinch. "That's a problem then. It was Yukari."
>"..Which means, worst-case scenario, all we have to do the job are Kanako, Suwako, and maybe Shinki and a few others. Possibly the Celestials if they qualify. Maybe a few weapons out there too."
>"The question is though, would she even bother with Danmaku? I mean, this is Yuuka we're talking about. When she gets fired up, she gets fired up..."
>Nod. "And then there's the matter of collateral damage...Yukari isn't around anymore to stave that off after all..."
>Sigh. "Sorry about that...I'm just really worried about all this. Worst-case scenario, they pull it off, and she remembers being Titania, but just goes even more off the deep end and sets to blowing everything up. Folks rising to stop her will undoubtedly cause a lot of collateral damage, as well as a lot of deaths..."
>"Yeah, but it could probably outdo even the 60-Year Cycle in scope, if not reach all the way to Higan itself. Since she'd be even stronger than she normally is, breaching to Higan would probably be a small task for her..."
>"Even so, there's no telling what sort of havoc she could get up to. Because I seriously expect that she might snap and go berserk."
>Sigh. "That's what I'm trying for...But how things are right now, it looks like those three will only listen to force, or maybe someone stepping in as Titania's Successor somehow."
>Beat.
>"...Wonder if I have a shot at that..."
>Sigh. "I figured it was a shot though, since i haven't found the center of my Square yet....I should've known a solution like that wouldn't just fall into my lap..."
>Nod. "Right. I guess I should get going. Maybe I can pick up the support of the Flower and Magic Fairies on the way back to the lake."
>Send out a little magic nudge to the wayward ones of our group, to signal we're gonna move on.
>Once they've gathered; "Okay, new destination! We're gonna find the leader of the Flower Fairies next and talk to her! Uh, or them."
>"...Mist...? Maybe it was just my imagination...Let's go you guys!"
>Off to find the boss of the Flower Fairies!
>"Alright guys, stick close now! We gotta find the boss of the Flower Fairies."
>Let's try to find the boss of the Flower Fairies, but if any of the group starts looking bad, then we'll have to pull out.
>Ward ourselves and them with magic if we can.
>Let's fly over to her then, hm?
>"Um, hello? Are you the leader of the Flower Fairies by any chance..?"
>"Ah, sorry, but my group and I are Lake Fairies, so we aren't as resistant to it as you guys, so I had to create it in order for us to have a safe talk..."
>Nod. "Anyhow, you know about Sunny, Star, and Luna, right? Well, they're trying to cause trouble for everyone else, so I'm going around gathering allies to knock them down."
>"Their plan would only make things worse. If you want to support the cause of fairies, let me lead you instead. Those three'll just get us all killed over and over. I can do better."
>"They might have good intent, but they're gonna just make things bad for everyone in the end, not just us Fairies."
>"That's the plan, we've got to find out how to bring her back before they do. If they pull it off before we do, who knows what'll happen? For all we know, they might only be trying to make things better for just the Forest Fairies, leaving all us others behind."
>"I'll give you that one, but there's just one problem there. I wanna keep things balanced, they just want to completely send things all unbalanced and weird. Since us Fairies are embodiments of nature, stuff being out of balance isn't a good thing for us."
>"To simplify, the balance going weird isn't a good thing. Balance goes bad? We go poof. For good. Like a Human."
>"Yeah, but that was when we had a lot more room. If they bring Titania back the wrong way, it could get really bad. As in, Gensokyo goes boom kind of bad. If Gensokyo goes boom, magic's gone. Which means we go poof for good too."
>Bubbletrap time. "That's not what I'm saying! I'm saying that we have to bring her back carefully! Bringing back a lost goddess is a lot harder than it sounds!"
>"That's the problem! We can't just charge in recklessly like we always have! Would Titania want that?"
>It's like everyone's gone mad! Where's Rumia when you need her...
>"Tch....Everyone's gone mad! Even by Fairy standards!"
>Send out a ping alerting the team to retreat!
>"I was hoping things would have gone better than this...We gotta get back to the lake right away!"
>To the lake!
>Crack out into a grin. "I guess that means you win."
>Look back to the fairies milling about. "Got any problems with that?"
>Then look back to Cirno. "We got a problem, the Flower Fairies are on their side too. I called a retreat to hurry back and make sure things are okay around here, and at the Mansion. I'll leave keeping tabs on the Lake to you!"
>Let's beeline for the mansion! We got big news to report!
>"I figured that much...There's gonna be more trouble coming this way too, Fairy trouble, but this could really throw things off balance as the situation is now. I'll just let the others aside from them know."
>Let's make for the Library to find Patchouli! She'll know what to do!
>"We have a problem. You felt the balance change, right? Well, that change made just about all the Fairies go crazy. Moreso than usual. Now they're all bent on reviving Titania, regardless of the damage it might cause."
>Put on a worried frown. "And with the information I obtained from Lily Black, one of the Sanzu Fairies, and a Sprite that, like Lily White, predates the Barrier, I've come to a very bad conclusion about this mess........That Yuuka is actually Titania."
>"And Lily Black told me that if a God doesn't get the worship they want, the more desperate kinds might resort to fear-based Faith, which can even turn them into Demons...."
>"I got some info from the Flower Fairies saying that there's going to be an attack here, they plan to kill all the Fairy Staff to 'free them', so they can all gather and pray for Titania's return. If Titania really did become Yuuka then...."
>"I still don't know who did that just yet, but all the evidence might point at Yuuka. Given the new power void, and how she acts, she might be trying for a gambit to take over completely."
>Nod. "We need to put the mansion into lockdown before they attempt it. That way the only way in will be them hoping to randomly respawn inside the Mansion, and we can just trap them in some way when that happens. Cirno's already captured Star down at the lake. I could have her brought here for interrogation if you want. Everything seems to stem largely from Sunny, Star, and Luna. So they might hold the answers."
>"I'll help out! I don't like fighting, but I can't just sit back anymore! If we can hold out and keep the Fairy maids safe somewhere, we'll win!"
>What's the most well-secured place in the mansion that we could cram all the Fairy Staff in?
>"I'll go get everyone at the Lake then, you take care of getting the Fairy Maids into Flandre's old basement, that's the safest and most secured place in the Mansion. Once I get back with Cirno, the Prisoner, and the Lake Fairies, we should be fine. I'll be back soon!"
>Let's beeline back to the gate. "Hong, I'll be returning with Cirno and the Lake Fairies to boost the power here in case you can't get all of them. The mansion's going to be on severe lockdown soon, because of what I told you earlier."
>Let's make for the lake to find Cirno!
>"Who are you..?"
>Ninja. Of course.
>Stick her and Star in bubbletraps.
>"Never found a Fairy who had the lucidity to be able to bust my Bubble Trap spell. You're no ordinary Fairy then, are you? If I had to guess, I'd say you're the real culprit, aren't you..?"
>What did the legends say about Titania's Wings?
>"I wonder then...If Titania died as a Fairy, could she have reincarnated like all the others who lose an aspect? You're a pretty interesting Fairy, and a prime suspect for that. As a Sprite of Knowledge and Magic, I'm compelled to discover the truth of things!"
>Let's make a heavy mist appear around the fairy. "Now Cirno!"
>"Tch...This proves it. You're the culprit! Not Sunny, Star, and Luna. You're just using them!"
>Would we be able to beat her with our abilities as we are now?
>"She's on a whole different level than a normal Fairy...She might even be a Sprite..."
>Would we be able to pull it off with everyone else helping?
>But on the other hand, if we do beat her, the Fairies will respect us as their boss again. Provided we get the final hit in that is, or have the others back off so we can finish the job. After all, Sunny, Star, and Luna used the same reasoning when they beat Cirno.
>Perhaps we can even emulate that attack somehow, but with the four elements. It's just a matter of seeing and surviving it.
>"Rumia'd probably take her head-on, like always. If we do go after her, we'll have to fight her like she was on par with Rumia."
>"Lily! This weird Fairy took Cirno down in one hit! She might be a Sprite beyond any known!"
>"Tch...She got away..."
>Look to Lily with a worried look. "Lily, the trouble's bigger than any of us can imagine. They're gonna attack the mansion to take the fairies they have working there. They're trying to upset the balance by bringing Titania back when Gensokyo isn't ready for her yet. And I'm seriously suspecting that Titania didn't actually fade...All the evidence I've got points that she didn't fade, but changed."
>"I...I just want things to stay quiet and peaceful, like they have been...."
>"Yeah...We gotta stop them. She deserves to sleep after all the hard work she's done..."
>"Tch...They're already coming...Everyone, let's get Cirno and make for the Mansion, it's the most defensible place I know. They'll attack there too to take the Maids working there, we have to stop them there, or there won't be anything left! Rumia's already there, but she's apparently in a major funk. Remilia is too. We might not be able to count on them to help just yet."
>Let's drag Cirno along and make for the mansion!
>Use a whirlwind spell to force them back out! "Lily! Gimme a hand with blowing these guys back out!"
>Alright, let's block them off with stonewall magic! "Sorry about this, but we're gonna have to do a little damage to wall them out!"
>Bubbletrap and Whirlwindtrap time! Since that weird Fairy from before hasn't shown up yet!
>Wait, if Remilia and Rumia are in a funk, our calming ability should work to help snap them out of it, wouldn't it?
>"Tch..."
>Let's see....what do we have at our disposal that we don't need to see someone to knock them down.
>Screw it. Fighting isn't going to get anybody anywhere.
>Use whatever spell we have that makes the loudest noise (being sure to aim it away from everyone). Something loud enough to get the attention of every fairy in here. If we can't make a loud enough noise, call out to Patchy to do it.
>If we have anything that can amplify our voice, do so. If not, ask Patchy if she does. If she doesn't, then just speak as loud as we can.
>"Stop this!"
>"Why are we all fighting each other? Don't we all want the same thing? For people to stop looking down on us, to stop bullying us? We won't get that by fighting like this! We all have to work together!"
>Indicate Sunny, Star, and Luna. "These three think we should revive Titania. But let me say this: how does that show the humans and youkai that we're anything but weak? If we try to run to someone else for help, are they going to think we're strong? No! They're going to see it as proof that we're weak! That we're worthless! That we can't even stand up for ourselves! They'll see it as proof of every insult ever thrown at a fairy! Is that what you want? Is that what any of you want to show the humans, that all we can do is run to someone else? That we're as weak and worthless as they say we are? Or do you want to prove them wrong?"
>"If we want people to stop bullying us, we have to make it happen ourselves! Not by crying for help, but by working together, standing up to them, and showing them just how strong we can be!"
>"Summoning her will only show people what she's capable of. It'll show them that we're so weak we have to run to her for help! If we want to show people what we can do, we have to do it ourselves!"
>Gotta finish things here quickly, because we'll need some help with the black one.
>"You guys don't get it! Do you really think we'll be recognized by doing the fairy equivalent of 'running home to mom'? Cirno already knows that to become truly respected, you have to take things into your own hands and make others respect you by your own actions, powered by standing on your own two feet!"
>"..After all, that's what I've admired her for."
>"Say we bring Titania back. People would respect her, yes, but only her. The rest of us they'd still see the same way they always have. In fact, they'd likely think even less of us for not even having the courage to fight our own battles! If we want to change how people see us, we have to do it!
>Sigh. "Also, do you really think it's a good idea to bring her back right now? The balance is already in danger. If we bring her back now, she might not come back how she should! Do you really want to bring back a version of her that's all evil and twisted?! You'd just be hurting her too!"
>"The balance is out of whack because someone powerful died! Once it smooths over, she might be safe to bring back!"
>Then look to the side with a sad and worried look. "...Remember how she loved Sunflowers? I've discovered some bad news..."
>"Well, I've discovered that a god, when desperate, might turn to fear as a form of faith. But if they get too much of it, they can become twisted and evil, maybe even change into a demon. Now, how does this tie to the Sunflowers? Well, all the information I have points to one thing.......Titania didn't actually fade. No, she changed, and became Yuuka Kazami, the Nature Demon."
>Let's try to make our way to Sakuya and use our healing magic too!
>Head back over. "You might not think it, but knowledge like that is my business to gather, since I'm a Sprite of Knowledge and Magic. And the facts point in no other directions, as much as you think otherwise....I couldn't believe it at first either, but after doing a bit more research, it all fell into place. Titania loved Sunflowers, went missing shortly after creating us Fairies, and it's generally assumed that Yuuka appeared not too long after Titania vanished, so the only explanation is that when Titania started to fade, she got scared, and resorted to fear as a source of faith. When a god resorts to fear as a means of faith, as I just said, they become evil and twisted....Which accounts for why Yuuka's so mean..."
>"...Then that means...! Someone needs to make sure the Little Sister is safe! That black fairy's on a whole other level compared to everyone else!"
>"Like I thought, she's no mere fairy. She's probably not even a Sprite anymore..!"
>Force another stone wall to stem the tide! Then tend to Hong!
>"Tch...I didn't want to fight, but..."
>Let's turn to face the strange fairy and hover slightly with as many elemental options as we can form. "...You're no fairy, are you?"
>"Everyone....We have to stop them. If they succeed, Gensokyo as we know it will be destroyed!"
>"Alright guys, we don't have any time left! Let's go!"
>Let's charge out and try to trap as many of the fairies in bubbles, whirlwinds, and stone encasements as we can!
>If we're best with support magic, then...
>Buff up the party.
>That'd probably be a strength boost. We'll have to look into that at some point.
>Let's apply the buffs to ourself as well, naturally.
>In theory, the fire magic would increase strength by warming the body, loosening the muscles, and increasing bloodflow.
>"I..I don't want to have to fight, but you're leaving me no other choice!"
>"No, if she comes back as things are now, Gensokyo is in danger! Besides....She deserves to sleep after all she's done. We Fairies and Sprites can handle things from here."
>Let's bring in as many Elemental Options as we can muster, and go for a Four Elements Assault!
>"Then I can't call you a Fairy. You're nothing more than a Demon yourself! Consider yourself lucky that Rumia isn't fighting, She'd wipe the floor with you in a heartbeat!"
>What spellcards do we have right now that would be best suited to fighting an opponent of her evasive skill?
>Which ones would also make it harder for her to retaliate?
>"So, just what are you then? It's pretty irritating that you've taken the form of a Fairy for this."
>"I don't like it, but I'll have to try to beat the truth out of you...!"
>Let's try using Pyroclasm at first then.
>Dodge 'em if we can! Otherwise try to make an Elemental Wall to repel them!
>Arrows....a Javelin...It's almost like she's emulating Rumia, or some of Gensokyo's Strongest...She's a problem.
>Let's try a multi-elemental wall to block her charge, and also as a screen to dodge!!
>"Tch..."
>How long do we think we can keep this up?
>Wait, she said it'll be an issue if the flames hit her...
>Let's combine Wind and Fire to catch her in a blazing whirlwind while she's still charging!
>"Why...? Why are you doing this?!"
>"But that was the whole reason why Gensokyo was made to begin with! By your reasoning, we should just leave the folks on that side of the border alone!"
>"Humans are a part of Nature as well. Destroy them, and you destroy yourselves. By bringing Titania back now, she won't just go after Humans, she'll go after Youkai as well!"
>"Tch.."
>Let's try and beeline straight for the pillar to try and reach Titania herself! We'll have to be careful and avoid Nue's attacks too!
>If we could just calm her down when she does awaken...Maybe that's the key!
>"Nue....You don't understand what you're doing. In all the books I've read about things like this, it never ends well for people like you who think they can use another living being as a weapon!"
>We warned her, we really did. Hoisted on her own petard eh?
>"I had a feeling you were really Titania..."
>"I warned you! I really did!"
>Use our magic to bolster the panicking fairies, and calm them!
>Would our calming power work on her then..?
>Nod. "I'll try it! I'm leaving it to you guys to try to beat her enough to calm her down!"
We'll leave Dai to her support role, it's what she's good at.
>"Okay...Let's go for it you guys! Rumia! I'll leave holding her off to you and the others!"
>Let's get to it!
>"...I've got something to do, I owe it to 'her'. So I can't let her run wild like this..! And I did promise Flan that I'd show her what I'm capable of...So I'm fighting seriously now. Everything up to now was just me testing my limits and seeing what I can do."
>Since we discovered that the gloves don't explode when hit, aside from when we're using them offensively as chargers for Dark Energy, let's make a set of light armor out of Qi-Infused Dark Energy, and use that armor as a conduit to improve our energy draw and control!
>"...Going all out isn't she? You guys ready? Split!"
>Dodge out of the way, and retaliate with Qi-infused Dark Energy Javelins!
>"Sakuya! Flan! Here goes!"
>Let's send a crushing wave of Dark Energy at the vines using the armor as a conduit to charge and direct it!
>He'll be here soon enough though. Guy's surprisingly fast for a big guy after all.
>"Alright, let's get ready to welcome the last member of the dance! Let's hit her where it counts girls!"
>Let's focus some energy in the gauntlets, and then throw a rapidfire assault of Dark Energy bolts as quickly as we can form them!
>Heh, using both hands eh? Not bad, but a plant can't grow without the sun! So let's flood the area with as much Darkness and Dark Fog as we can!
>Then, start charging a thin Dark Spark! We'll focus and refine the raw power into a thin, piercing beam! And with that, we'll sweep the beam through the sunflowers!
>"Ha-HAH! I could do without the extra genocidal nutcase, but I guess this was just what I needed to snap out of my funk!"
>What ever happened to our old ribbon by the way?
>Dodge out of the way of the sparks, and charge towards Yuuka, then when she thinks she's got us, boost straight up and bombard her with a barrage of Dark Javelins, tipped with high-yield explosive Dark Energy!
>"I know, but this shook me out of the funk I was in. I can't keep my promise to 'her' if Gensokyo's destroyed."
>And Yukari's the only way to get a replacement, huh? Sealing Yuuka like we were sealed would definitely be a good way to put an end to this.
"Remilia! Flan! The only way we can hurt her is your weapons! We can't win without forcing her to spend her energy on recovering!"
>Let's try bombarding her with Danmaku-type Dark Energy!
>So the only option is to keep her busy, and beat her into submission enough to keep her busy recovering long enough for that day to come.
>"Tch...How long are we gonna have to hold her off...?"
>Well, we'll have to just break a path open then! Let's try focusing some Dark Energy with a little Qi to give it form and stability, and and shape them into cutting boomerangs to fling them at a point beyond Yuuka!
>Then, follow it up with a barrage of Dark Cutter Beams!
>"Oh crap!"
>We can't take anything like that head-on can we?! use qi-infused dark energy to fling everyone to safety while trying to escape ourselves!
>Looks like she's slowly returning to her old power level then, if those wings are smaller.
>"Heh, I think I can handle this."
>Let's match 'em shot-for-shot!
>Let out a whistle. "Wow, you two make a pretty good team. Looks like I need to work harder to keep up!"
>Let's gather Dark Energy all over the armor, and focus it into Dark Cutter Beams which we then launch straight at her! Since they're made of Dark Energy, we should be able to curve them!
>"Hey, whatever works, works! I couldn't care if Aya had the ability to make cheese appear out of thin air, as long as it gets results!"
>"....Speaking of cheese, I could go for some after all this." Even a Youkai gets hungry working up a sweat like this!
>Let's charge up for another Dark Bomb! Use the armor as a conduit to refine and focus the Dark Energy so we can put more into it!
>"If this doesn't work you guys, then...Well, it's been fun! So let's put everything we've got into this!"
>Push the bomb past the limit, and unload!
>Sigh with a smile of relief. "Now that's the Yuuka we know, eh? Angry, but not crazy."
>Let's float on over. "Need some help up? You kinda went crazy for a while, so it's no surprise that you don't know what happened. I guess this shows why a group like the Big Five is important. But I guess I should also kinda thank you for it too, since that snapped me out of the funk I was in. It's weird like that."
>Sweatdrop, and help her to her feet. "It's a long story...Suffice it to say, you had some crazy-awesome wings, and were a totally different person. I gotta tell you, I haven't seen anyone that strong in a long while."
>Flash a thumbs up, and try to hoist ourselves up as well, then spit out the dirt. That is, if we can.
>Look up. "Nah, just showing you guys I'm alright. It was a nonverbal cue saying 'I'm okay!'"
>Sigh. "Yup, that's the Yuuka we know alright. Good to see you're back to bein' you. To be honest, the you we had to team up against was so...Eerie. It's like it was you, but wasn't. Creepy, even by my standards."
>Let's try and pull ourselves to our feet.
>If she's standing on us, then her shadow's on us. Meld into it, then emerge.
>"That was kinda scary, but it looks like everyone's back to normal. Even Rumia seems back to her old self for the most part."
>"Oh dear..."
>Do we have a magic that can restore the lost water and repair the damaged terrain?
>Frog person...Maybe that's something to look into. Kogasa would probably call this a Sequel Hook or something weird like that.
>Come to think of it, where the hell did Nue go?
>"Right. Um, how can we make sure that doesn't happen again?"
>Sigh. "Trust me, it would've ended badly for everyone if things went further than they did. Even you. Because you would've lost the you that you are now. Things are better this way."
>"That's good. Just remember that it's not just worship; thinking you're a god while being afraid of you has a similar effect."
>"The problem is that now that we've been given the idea of calling to a god, a lot of fairies are still going to want to do it. I'll have to find a way to do something about this."
>Maybe we can direct their attention to something else. It might be a good idea to find a current leader for fairies, whether it be ourself or another. If they follow us (or whoever), they won't be following Titania.
>"According to Nue though, she initially did it to get rid of the Humans. You can see that it backfired on her though. You'd have to be crazier than Other-You to try using Yuuka as a weapon."
>Beat.
>"...Admittedly, that goes for everyone in Gensokyo who's extremely strong. But that goes without saying."
>Pause. "You know, she sounded almost like Rika for a moment. I wonder what would happen if she ended up Human, like how Rika ended up a Youkai for a while?"
>Beat.
>"As a Sprite of Knowledge, I can't help but feel compelled to know the answer!"
>Nod. "I guess that's true, most Humans these days are pretty accepting of Youkai, Rika excluded. Because she isn't really a human anymore."
>Beat.
>"Wonder how she made herself like that...?"
>Shrug. "Oh well, the truth of things always comes out in the end, and as a Sprite, I'll live more than long enough to find out."
>Pause.
>"If Titania created the Fairies...And the Sprites evolved from them...Could it be said that Titania's the 'Original Sprite'? Fascinating..."
>"...So it's like I initially suspected. Maybe someday the old Titania will split off of Yuuka....Or maybe that's the true Center to my Magic Square..."
>Let's do the false fire backdrop, to show our enthusiasm again. "So many possibilities! So much Unknown Knowledge to discover and re-discover!"
>"Well, if it's empty, maybe somehow replacing her is the true reason for me not knowing what it is? I can really only speculate at this point. I do know that the Fairies need someone they can put their trust in, and will keep them from getting in over their heads like today."
>"...So I could use the Elements to perform a spell like your Spark...? That's kinda scary really...I don't think Gensokyo's ready for a Fairy or Sprite who can throw a Spark..."
>"I think it might still be where you live, because you didn't have it when you got teleported here."
>Bow politely. "I'm Daiyousei, Lake Sprite of the Magic and Knowledge domains."
>Look to Yuuka. "Well, what she said is proof enough about you having been teleported here, isn't it?"
>Nod. "Specifically, a Sprite, an Evolved Fairy. We Sprites are somewhat more mature than Fairies, and have more ability. In my case, since I was already intelligent to begin with, I got smarter, and better with magic."
>Demonstrate by making a few Elemental Options float around.
>"Cirno on the other hand.....Well, she certainly got stronger, but she didn't improve at all in the way of mental ability."
>Lower our volume a tad, just low enough that Cirno wouldn't hear easily if she's in the area, but everyone else can. "If anything, I think she might've gotten a bit worse."
>Stare in the direction Elly just got launched. "I think you just made her a twinkle in the sky."
>Wait for it....there it is.
>And to think, she was once Titania. People sure do change over thousands of years, huh?
>"That was....Wow."
>Look to Rumia. "Hey Rumia, try that on Rika sometime?"
>Poke at the Kogasavatar. Poke. poke-poke. Pooooke.
>Hmm...Well, it's not SCIENCE! But magical progress is magical progress!
>"I wonder what it feels like to be used as a spark-firing tool...? Wait, if she uses a spark...does she always get that sort of feel afterwards?"
>Pause.
>"No...It's probably the power put into it..?"
>"....Good point."
>Hmm...Maybe we should use something as a focus. Since Yuuka was once Titania, and she was firing the sparks barehanded as Titania then maybe...
>Let's try focusing our energy, and try to fire a small spark upward!
>"...Nothing. Not even a fizzle."
>Sigh. "Guess I need to practice or something. Or get something to use as a focus. But what..?"
>"Hmm....Since the center is likely pure energy, as Yuuka said...Aha! I have to use the other four elements as amplifiers! With each element supporting the next, creating a Loop!"
>"Well, looks like I found my next project! I don't have quite as many elements to my Square, so it should go a bit easier for me, right?"
>Beat.
>"...Oh dear. They've left already...I was considering asking them advice on Wind Magic too...."
>"Well, the concepts should be roughly the same, right?"
>Beat.
>"Ah! I almost forgot!"
>Fly over to Byakuren if she's still here.
>Wow...She looks so serene and peaceful...It's a shame to disturb her almost...
>"Um...Sorry to disturb you but...I think we can finally do what I originally came to visit you for in the first place now..?"
>Nod. "Yes. I hope Nue calms down after this little mishap. Humans are a part of nature too after all. If they're gone, it'll backfire on everyone else...."
>"If there's anything I can do though, please let me know. Magic's only a side ability of mine. My true ability is to calm people via contact."
>Nod. "Yes, but it should be able to alleviate it when it does. By calming her, someone like yourself should be able to get her to open up, and that's when we can get her to rethink things."
>"True, but it is a possible starting method though. We have to use every method we can find to help her out after all."
>Look towards the lake. "...I don't want to have to have her as an enemy again..."
>"....But she seemed nice when I met her earlier..."
>Be adorable.
Just a moment. Wanted to tie up a few minor loose ends, such as the initial matter we were at Myouren Temple to begin with.
>"Ah...She did mention something like that..."
>Nod. "So, when should I visit again for more advice on Support Magic? I don't want to impose after all.."
>She didn't feel that strong did she? She seemed a lot like Hong in a way. Slightly goofy, and just a little slow on the uptake at times.
>Is it past midnight?
>Nod. "Alright. Thank you for agreeing to help." Bow in a really polite way!
And now I think we're good.
Wow, the Rumia-Verse sure is getting interesting, eh?
>Smile. "It's just something that comes naturally to me. I've always been polite for the most part.."
>Smile in a slightly impish way. "I can prank too you know, I just don't do it often. I got Kogasa a little while ago in fact. I snuck up on her."
>Join in! "I don't know."
>Beat.
>"But you know what I always say, 'It's my business to find out'."
>"Maybe. But I'm sure I'll find out someday!"
>Pause.
>"Oh, is anyone injured, or feeling too overexerted and sore?"
>"It's a start!"
>Well, that's good then I guess? At least we know that the only damaged person can just be fixed normally. Either that or she's just out cold from the shock of it.
>Nod with a smile. Then fly over to give Rumia a hug. "Yeah. I'm glad to see you're out of that funk you were in though."
>"Yeah...But I'm sure things will get better someday. It's always darkest before the dawn, like the old saying goes."