['Complete'] Rumia Quest V: The Further Adventures

[Raikaria]

>Heh, we know that old trick.
>Let's do the same as we did before, and move carefully through the shots while keeping a step ahead of the cross. Getting hit by that will hurt like hell.
>But this time, if an opening presents itself, we'll try flinging some shots at the core of the cross. Just a single pulse though, to see what happens.

> You evade the stars moving back in, which gets easier as it goes along. You note the stars are sticking to the outside of the cross.

> You try to shoot at the cross, but nothing happens. It's worth noting Yumemi is below the cross.

> Once all the stars are gathered, the cross stops, and the stars shake, before they all fly out at once at a high speed, like an explosion propelled them all.

[Hanzo K.]

>Ohcrap! Let's try our best to get through them without getting hit too much!

[Raikaria]

>Ohcrap! Let's try our best to get through them without getting hit too much!

> You evade to the best of your ability, but you still get pelted by a couple, and graze quite a few.

> Once the stars have all flown away, the cross disintegrates suddenly, and then the spell cancels. However, you get the feeling something doesn't feel right, as most spells have more than one cycle... and you didn't hit her to spellbreak.

> Yumemi's cross has stopped altogether, and she seems to be struggling to stay airborne, but is glaring at you.

[Hanzo K.]

>Let's fly over and help her out regardless of any protest on her part. "You okay? Looks like that last card was a bit too energy-intensive for ya or something. Either that, or something interfered."

[Raikaria]

>Let's fly over and help her out regardless of any protest on her part. "You okay? Looks like that last card was a bit too energy-intensive for ya or something. Either that, or something interfered."

> Yumemi doesn't speak, she just floats, silent. In fact, it hardly seems that she's even breathing, the breaths shallow, barely audible, and with long gaps.

> Yukari floats over. "That explains a lot... she wasn't using stored magical power for her cards. She was converting her own energy... her own life force and willpower into mana, using her device."

> "She's used everything she has within her, all her energy, all of her willpower, even a large amount of her life force, and committed it all towards her dream."

> The extraction device shuts off, and you hear Rika cry "Success!"

[The irregularities with Yumemi's cards burning up and everything was due to them being effectively Cast from Hitpoints, they were not true spellcards, also why she was getting more and more worn down as the fight proceeded, to the degree of not even dodging. Sheer willpower and desire to bring magic back to her world kept her going.

I've tried to make Yumemi seem like a sympathetic villain, more of a hero who's goals conflict with yours, making you foes to each other. She's not evil, like Rika, and rather would use threats than force.]

[Hanzo K.]

>"Crap, any way we can help her? I can't let someone that determined die on us."

[Raikaria]

>"Crap, any way we can help her? I can't let someone that determined die on us."

> Yukari opens up a gap.

> "The fastest way to get her any help is to get her to Eirin." she says, seriously, before warning, "I'm not sure how much use Eirin will be to someone from another dimension, technically, Yumemi is a species that doesn't exist in our own dimension, her body following different laws of physics. If anyone has any chance of helping, it's Eirin."

> Yuki speaks up next.

> "You could bring her to Makai, along with that Rika person. Everything in Makai is under Shinki's control, Shinki can save her if Rika shuts down the extractor there! Shinki saved Yumeko when you kinda... sorta... blew her up or whatever you did to destroy her body. This should be child's play for her!"

[Hanzo K.]

>How's she holding up? "Yukari, I had an idea involving the extractor. If she could use it to burn her own life to use those cards, then maybe we can take some of the energy the big one's got, and convert that back."

[Raikaria]

>How's she holding up? "Yukari, I had an idea involving the extractor. If she could use it to burn her own life to use those cards, then maybe we can take some of the energy the big one's got, and convert that back."

> Yumemi is the same as before.

> "I'm not sure. It's too risky, we don't know how that device works, and even then, to give her her energy back, we'd need to collect specifically the energy she expended. Any other energy might make things worse."

> Remilia flies over this time, her eyes glowing, as she looks into Yumemi's.

> "Unless something changes, her fate is to die here." she says. "The thread of fate is short for her, she doesn't have long left."

> "Can't you do anything about that?" Flandre asks.

> "My power works by twisting and re-directing the 'thread of fate', small twists and nudges, which add up over time. There's hardly any thread to turn and twist. I'm powerless with those near death, and most powerful to the newly born." Remilia says.

[GuyYouMetOnline]

>"Then let's get her to Eirin."

[Raikaria]

>"Then let's get her to Eirin."

> "Through here." Yukari says, indicating to her gap. "I get the feeling Eirin is probably expecting someone to show up seeing as I've opened a gap in her lab."

===
Side note: I found an image that displays pretty much how I see a non-danmaku Dark Energy orb being:

[GuyYouMetOnline]

>Through the gap!
>And remember to bring Yumemi.

[Raikaria]

>Through the gap!
>And remember to bring Yumemi.

> You grab Yumemi, and go through Yukari's  gap, with Kaguya following as a shortcut back home.

> The gapcloses, and you find yourself in Eirin's lab. Eirin looks unamused.

> "What's going on here, and what does Yukari want opening a gap in my lab?" she asks.

> "Reisen?" Kaguya asks, as she walks over to the rabbit, lying asleep on a bed.

> "Not me this time. Someone challenged her to try out something she had been practicing, and she beat Reisen soundly." Eirin says.

> "Gotta be someone pretty strong to beat Reisen." Kaguya mentions.

> "She's also here still, because she got an interest in this place, and, well, Reisen's out cold." Eirin says.

> You note Yumemi's condition is not worsening.

> "Don't worry about urgency with her anymore. I used my ability to make her current condition stable, time won't pass for her until I let it." Kaguya says.

[Hanzo K.]

>Nod. "Thanks."
>Turn to Eirin. "Doc, while I'm investigating that, I'll leave Red here in your care. She ended up burning away pretty much almost all of her own life energy to use spellcards. I can't let someone that determined die so easily."
>Grin a bit. "She's definitely earned my respect for being as gutsy as she was."

[Raikaria]

>Nod. "Thanks."
>Turn to Eirin. "Doc, while I'm investigating that, I'll leave Red here in your care. She ended up burning away pretty much almost all of her own life energy to use spellcards. I can't let someone that determined die so easily."
>Grin a bit. "She's definitely earned my respect for being as gutsy as she was."

> "Ah, it might take a while for Eirin to find a cure. I'm sure putting her in what amounts to suspended animation is better than outright death." Kaguya says.

> "I did warn you that she would be determined to fight at any cost." Eirin says.

> "Any of us would have done the same to defend our hopes and dreams, and our homes." Eirin explains. "Now then, if you would look for our... intruder while I do a diagnostic..." Eirin says, a combination of asking and ordering.

> At this point, a hole appears in the wall, and Seiga leans through.

> "Intruder? Me and the rabbit agreed if I won I could stay here a while~." the hermit says, before realizing you're there.

> "Oh, hi there Rumia."

[Hanzo K.]

>"Oh, hey Seiga. Wasn't expecting you to be the one. I bet you were wantin' to test out something I taught you, eh?"

[Raikaria]

>"Oh, hey Seiga. Wasn't expecting you to be the one. I bet you were wantin' to test out something I taught you, eh?"

> "Half right. I was testing out my application of what you taught me. Then I got interested in this fancy place in the middle of nowhere filled with rabbits..." Seiga says, as she casually forms an orb of dark energy in her hand, before she molds it into a cube, and then a pyramid. "Before I couldn't do anything with this stuff except make orbs. Got boring and old after a while. Anyway, after you told me how you did it, I got an idea from something Yoshika of all people said, which has accelerated my learning far beyond my expectations. I said it would take ten, but it's only been two and I'm this far!"

[Hanzo K.]

>Raise an eyebrow. "Oh? Maybe I should test you a bit, and see how far you've come. So what was it Yoshika said?"

[Raikaria]

>Raise an eyebrow. "Oh? Maybe I should test you a bit, and see how far you've come. So what was it Yoshika said?"

> "Testing me won't be necessary. If you hang around for about... I'd say ten minutes, you'll get to see me fight off a Shinigami. I'm a hermit, after all, by all rights, I should have died years ago, yet I retain my life by beating up Shinigami who come for me, but I'm not a Celestial." Seiga says.

> "Wait a second, you're not fighting a Shinigami in my lab!" Eirin protests.

> "I know. I need the room to dodge the scythe." Seiga says simply. "Anyway, Yoshika was reciting a poem about desires, and how you should follow them, and let them flow freely. I don't recall the exact words, but, I started doing that, and suddenly... poof. I desire with my being for the dark energy to change, and, after some practice, it did."

> Seiga looks around.

> "See you outside if you wanna see how far I've got."

> The hermit withdraws to the other side of the wall, which repairs.

[Hanzo K.]

>Chuckle a bit. "I see why Keine likes teaching. It's kinda fun, seeing how far your students get. I'll keep an eye on how that works out while you guys work on restoring Red."
>Fistpalm. "Wait, wouldn't that Shell work to rejuvenate her? Since you said it regenerates stuff, expended life energy would be restored too, wouldn't it? Well, either way, I gotta keep an eye on Seiga."
>Let's walk through the shadows to find her.

[Raikaria]

>Chuckle a bit. "I see why Keine likes teaching. It's kinda fun, seeing how far your students get. I'll keep an eye on how that works out while you guys work on restoring Red."
>Fistpalm. "Wait, wouldn't that Shell work to rejuvenate her? Since you said it regenerates stuff, expended life energy would be restored too, wouldn't it? Well, either way, I gotta keep an eye on Seiga."
>Let's walk through the shadows to find her.

> "I'm not too sure if it would work... I mean, lifeforce?" Kaguya says.

> "Actually, it might. Another name for the Swallow's Shell is 'Life Spring Infinity' after all." Eirin says.

> "I guess I could try, but it's gonna take a while at least, I mean, it would have taken me two hours to fix the doll-maid, fixing lifeforce? No clue how long." Kaguya says.

> You go into the shadows of the hallways, until you reach outside.

> You see Seiga standing there, looking at, judgeing by the scythe, what you reckon to be a Shinigami. You've never seen one before.



> "... Komachi, they sent you this time, eh? Been what, sixty years since they last sent you to try and get me?" Seiga says.

> "Ah... why do I have to even do this, I retired from the reaping and became a ferryman..." the red-haired Shinigami says. Her tone gives the instant impression that she's lazy. "But Eiki will have my head if I don't try, so... I might as well."

> The reaper swings her scythe, and you see Seiga evade, even though the scythe was nowhere near her. Then you see the bamboo behind Seiga cut along the line the reaper slashed.

[Hanzo K.]

>Let's keep watching this then. Seems like this is gonna be a good show.

[Raikaria]

>Let's keep watching this then. Seems like this is gonna be a good show.

> You keep watching, from inside the shadow, you don't want to risk being hit by the reaper's scythe, as rumor has it doing so kills you even from the slightest wound.

> Seiga evades a few more slashes, and, by this point, you notice the reaper hasn't even moved off her spot, instead, it seems she's somehow making the range of her swings far larger than normal.

> "How troublesome, you've gotten faster." Seiga comments nonchalantly as she dodges, before she comments, "Except you're still easy to read."

> She coats her right hand in dark energy, like a glove, and slams it in the air randomly. The reaper staggers back, as if recoiling from hitting something hard with her swing. Seiga then blasts the glove at the reaper like a fist of dark energy, which the reaper blocks.

> Seiga takes advantage of the distraction to pull out her chisel and slash the ground, vanishing into it, with the hole closing almost instantly.

> A few seconds pass, with Komachi taking to the air, ready to react. Suddenly, the ground starts to rumble, and you hear something:

> "I call upon the desires of the fallen warlord... and meld them with my own, to spread the might of Toaism far and wide..."

> The ground cracks, and Seiga emerges, in a massive aura of dark energy, shaped like a warrior with a halberd. You recognize the figure from some things Miko and Futo taught you, it's in the image of Guan Yu. You recall a similar image on the doors to the Spirit Mausoleum too.



> "Aw fuuuu..." Komachi starts, before she's smashed into the bamboo with the dark energy halberd.

[Hanzo K.]

>Whoa, now that's a new trick. Seems she's learned well. Especially that Dark Energy Rocket Punch! We'll have to remember that one.

[Raikaria]

>Whoa, now that's a new trick. Seems she's learned well. Especially that Dark Energy Rocket Punch! We'll have to remember that one.

> Indeed, you think you can emulate the punch, but the titanic warrior aura? You're not too sure.

> Komachi comes out of the bamboo, and swings her scythe at the dark energy aura, which bounces off.

> "W-What? Just energy is deflecting my scythe?" she stammers, before she backs off and slashes the ground, bringing forth spirits, which rush at the titan to restrain it.

> "Do you think I care about the sanctity of innocent spirits?" Seiga asks, before she simply states; "Yin De Dao" [Dark Virtue Way], before she breaks free of the spirits binding her, and launches a blast of dark energy from the titan's outreached hand. The explosion is pretty large, and Komachi, while she doesn't get blasted away, clearly can't fight anymore.

> "OK, I think if I go back in this state I'll only get a lecture from Eiki..." Komachi says, before she slings her scythe over her back, and starts to walk off.

> Seiga, however, has other plans, and, with a smirk, says; "I'll give you a head-start.", before launching Komachi into the air with her halbred, blasting Komachi mid-air with another dark energy pulse, sending her flying off.

> After Komachi is out of sight, the figure dissolves, and Seiga floats down to the ground, sweating a little, and fixes her hair. "Can't be too sure with a Shinigami, can't let my guard down until I know she's gone."

[Hanzo K.]

>Poke out of the shadows nearby. "Wow, you weren't kidding when you said you'd improved. Nice touch with the remote punch, gonna have to remember that one."

[Raikaria]

>Poke out of the shadows nearby. "Wow, you weren't kidding when you said you'd improved. Nice touch with the remote punch, gonna have to remember that one."

> "Ah, you were watching. If anyone asks, the rupture in the front garden is the reaper." Seiga says, before thinking for a few moments.

> "Despite what you saw, I know I'm capable of so much more... did I tell you something else that gave me power through desire? I trained in the Divine Spirit Mausloeum, where all the divine spirits are gathered. I think that they aided me in becoming this powerful with dark energy."

> The hermit chuckles. "Of course, I'm still plenty powerful without using dark energy, I've been beating up Shinigami for nearly 1,800 years, after all."

[Hanzo K.]

>Smirk just a bit. "Heh, you might just get to the point where there's nothing more I can teach you. Since that Aura trick you pulled was already something I'm not sure I can pull off."
>Let's try and at least replicate the Halberd as closely as we can though. "But I know I can do this much."

[Raikaria]

>Smirk just a bit. "Heh, you might just get to the point where there's nothing more I can teach you. Since that Aura trick you pulled was already something I'm not sure I can pull off."
>Let's try and at least replicate the Halberd as closely as we can though. "But I know I can do this much."

> You make a smaller version of the Halberd.

> "I wouldn't expect you to be able to create something like I did. I'm a bit more in tune with Taoism then you are, and I channeled the power of a Taoist legend and god." Seiga says, before adding; "Even if my personal way of Taoism, 'Yin De Dao' isn't exactly the largest school."

[Hanzo K.]

>Dispel the halberd, and laugh some. "Ahaha, that's true! You're better at that stuff than me. But I make up for it with being somewhat inventive, and just plain strong."
>Then grin a bit. "I actually learned a few new tricks today myself, though they wouldn't really mesh with how you and the others do things. I just class them as additional Dark Energy Weapons though, just because I've seen similar stuff in action."