Loading Commands:
[X] Chase after the stranger and try to get some answers.

---

Before they can reply, the stranger flees into the depths of the Forest of Magic. Grimnír can only blink in surprise as the man runs off with incredible speed and agility. The stranger races into the shadows as if possessed, and soon he disappears from their sight. Is this person really human?

"Alice! Grimnír!" cries Reisen suddenly. "Snap out of it!"

That man is dangerous. Alice couldn't even react to his movements. If the stranger didn't retreat, he could have killed her where she stood. He could have killed all of them with that weapon. It was only for a moment, so he couldn't get a good look at the trident.

"We can't go back without the reading," says Reisen. "And that man is getting away as we speak."

"Eh? W-what... I don't -" mumbles Alice, still confused.

They need to save Marisa.

"Let's go after him," says Grimnír as he stands himself up with his staff. This may be dangerous, but they need to push forward. Perhaps he can come up with a plan as they catch up with the stranger.

...

"Just stay away! I don't want to hurt you!" cries a desperate voice.

Before they can answer, a shower of spears wrapped in black energy fly at them from the trees below. Alice gasps loudly as she evades the attack. Grimnír barely avoids them as he follows. Reisen dodges the projectiles as she leads the chase.

"What the hell?" says Grimnír. "He can use magic?"

"T-that idiot almost hit Shanghai!" cries Alice. She looks positively furious.

"I think we should focus on not getting hit," warns Reisen. "I can't observe the details clearly, but those things seem to be made up of some powerful and dangerous energy."

They continue the chase, making sure to avoid the stranger's attacks. Alice looks quite angry, but even she seems to understand the danger of this situation. She keeps Shanghai close to her as she flies to the left of the lunarian rabbit. Grimnír stays along Reisen's right side. As a precaution, he raised a barrier around them, though he feels that this is a futile gesture against the dark energy.

At the lead, Reisen looks extremely worried for some reason, but she stays silent as they continue after the stranger. Unlike the timid girl he met at Eientei, this rabbit seems to be completely focused on the mission. Perhaps she did things like this in the past? For some reason, Grimnír feels that asking her would be a rude, if not dangerous, thing to do.

Finally, the stranger stops running. He is standing in the middle of a small clearing, and he seems to be waving his weapon threatingly at them.

"Damn your persistence," he cries angrily. "You are nothing but women and children!"

The three of them land a good distance from the stranger.

"Do you think we can kill him with just the three of us?" whispers Alice.

Grimnír shivers at the tone of her voice. She asked the question in a completely business-like manner.

"It's too dangerous," replies Reisen. "Maybe we can try to take the weapon instead. Dr. Yagokoro can easily create a cure if she can examine that trident closely."

Grimnír quickly shakes his head, interrupting both of them.

"I can't explain it right now, but something doesn't feel right," he says. "Maybe we should get some answers before we do anything rash."

Suddenly, the stranger waves mockingly at them.

"It's rude to speak about someone like that," he says. "Don't you have any manners at all? Even if you are girls, you shouldn't gossip about someone right in front of you!"

"Girls?" repeats Grimnír. He looks down at his clothes. He isn't wearing anything like a dress, though he must admit that the robe isn't exactly very masculine.

"And you there!" cries the stranger as he points at Grimnír. "Don't you think that your voice is too low for a woman?"

"What? Wait a sec," argues Grimnír. "I'm not a girl! Are you blind or something?"

The stranger gives him a puzzled look, then squints at him. After a few moments, he shakes his head.

"Well, whatever," he mumbles. "It doesn't really matter to a crazy man like me."

The stranger sneers at them threateningly.

"You all should leave before I lose control again," whispers the stranger. "I can't guarantee your safety. After all, my weapon hasn't tasted blood this day."

The trident glints in the sunlight as he speaks. As he looks at it closer, the weapon seems to be releasing a powerful crimson aura. Somehow, the desire to take the trident into his own hands grows stronger and stronger as Grimnír stares at it.

The bracelet around Grimnír's wrist seems to be growing warmer for some reason.

[ ] Try to kill the stranger.
[ ] Try to steal the stranger's weapon.
[ ] Try to subdue him without hurting him.
[ ] Try to distract him while Reisen takes her reading.
[ ] Try to talk to this "crazy" man. (Specify)
[ ] Use an item. (Specify)
[ ] Use magic. (Specify)
[ ] Custom

Loading User Commands:
[X] Grab Alice and stop her before she does something stupid.

---

Grimnír's eyes widen in horror as he watches Alice gather her dolls around her in combat formation. The dollmaker chants spells under her breath. She carefully augments each of her dolls, as well as her own offensive magic. Her preparations can mean only one thing.

The magician's once kind eyes are now filled with fury and rage. Each of her dolls ready themselves in threatening stances. Even Shanghai has an unmistakably angry expression upon her face.

Alice looks ready to kill.

Grimnír glances back at the stranger. Shivering slightly, the man twists to his side and pulls the cloak up his shoulder, eyes still closed. The trident shifts in position, but it still leans upon him. He seems completely unaware of the situation, still peacefully snoozing under the shade.

He turns to Reisen, who shudders slightly as she looks back at him. She looks confused and scared, and her crumpled rabbit ears are noticeably shaking. The lunarian bites her lip and says nothing, as if afraid of making any decision.

"This all ends now," whispers Alice.

In the next five seconds, Grimnír's mind goes into overdrive as it analyzes the different possibilities of this circumstance. Carefully he recalls everything he knows about the Trident Lunatic.

Wriggle said that he was an odd hermit who wandered around the Forest of Magic. He had been living here for a while now, and he hadn't caused any trouble for the forest youkai, so she didn't mind him much. At least, not until recent times.

Keine mentioned that both human and youkai travellers around the Forest of Magic were being attacked by a stranger carrying a trident. She had left warnings on the signs along the paths herself. The perpetrator must have had significant power to cause damage to even youkai.

Marisa was attacked by this human and easily defeated. Her injury was one even Eientei couldn't treat. As such, Dr. Yagokoro sent them to take some readings from the weapon. They were to keep the human distracted while Reisen used the device. It would be too reckless to try to take the weapon from a crazed and powerful individual.

Yet Alice is now preparing to kill this person. Even if one forgets the ethical question of a pre-emptive attack, she might just get herself injured or killed. She is far too emotional at this point. Her feelings are confusing her badly. He could understand this, of course. Marisa is more than just a friend to her.

But he can't just watch another tragedy unfold. He must find some logical way out of this. The facts are incomplete, but with some careful analysis he can-

"This is for hurting my friend," declares Alice. She steps out of the bushes with her dolls and pulls out something from her dress. Grimnír recognizes it immediately.

It's a spell card.

"No! Don't do this!" cries Grimnír. His body moves automatically, and before he realizes it, he finds himself standing between Alice and the sleeping stranger. He raises both his arms to block her path.

"Get out of my way," says Alice darkly.

The dollmaker glares threateningly at him, but he stands his ground. Her cold cruel glare causes shivers to run down his spine. His mind keeps telling him to back off, but something within pushes him forward. There is still something he can do. This is a stupid idea. This is an idiotic idea. This is a completely foolish idea. But even so...

Without warning, Grimnír closes his eyes and jumps forward at Alice to stop her. The dollmaker gasps in surprise, but she manages to sidestep before he can reach her. As he begins to stumble clumsily, Grimnír's hands flail about in panic. Something catches onto his right hand, and he twists and pulls upon it in a futile attempt to regain balance. Unfortunately, he finds out in the next moment that he isn't holding a tree or bush. He grabbed Alice's arm.

The next moment, he receives two consecutive blows. His eyes tear up in anguish as his brain recognizes the first. He landed hard on his back, and to make things worse, something that felt like a rock hit the back of his head as well. But he doesn't have time to cry out because in the next second, something heavy falls on his stomach. He feels the air being forced out of his lungs at the sudden impact.

Grimnír almost blacks out, but he isn't that lucky this time. When the weight of the second object disappears from his chest, it takes him several seconds to even recover his breathing. His brain processes it a bit late, but the object felt a bit soft for some reason.

"W-what are you doing?" cries a voice close by. His vision is blurry, but he recognizes the owner immediately.

Grimnír fights the pain and manages to sit himself up. He cringes for a moment before looking straight into the magician's beautiful blue eyes.

"D-don't do this," he whispers. Before he can speak another word, he coughs violently.

"W-wait, are you hurt?" cries Alice suddenly.

He shakes his head. But before he can argue, Reisen lands beside them. She seems to be looking intently at the stranger. Grimnír carefully follows her gaze.

"..."

The stranger is completely awake now. He takes a couple of confident steps toward them, the trident leaning comfortably against his shoulder. He carries the weapon as if it was a part of him. He seems to be sneering at them. The man licks his lips before he speaks.

"Did these rabbits lose their way in the forest?" he cries loudly. "How rare for the prey to come willingly!"

Without warning, the stranger holds the weapon in both hands and rushes toward them with incredible speed. By the time Grimnír blinks, the stranger is only a few feet away from delivering a fatal blow. Everything stands still. Alice simply stares at the tip of the trident pointed at her heart, while Reisen watches in shock nearby. The stranger stands frozen in place, only inches from striking with his weapon. Grimnír himself, still numb from the pain, can only stare in anticipation.

Then, the stranger pulls his weapon away and takes several steps backward. He covers his face with his other hand as he retreats.

"No... not... again..." whispers the stranger. "Not... this time... not... this way... not... me..!"

Before anyone can reply, the stranger turns around and runs into the depth of the Forest of Magic. Grimnír blinks in surprise as he watches the man flee with inhuman speed. The stranger races into the shadows as if possessed by some wild animal. Is this person really human?

Killed us. He could have killed us all. Easily. With that weapon. Couldn't even get a good look at it. But he didn't. He didn't. What the hell..?

"Alice! Grimnír!" cries Reisen suddenly. "He's getting away!"

[ ] Chase after the stranger and try to kill him.
[ ] Chase after the stranger and try to take his weapon.
[ ] Chase after the stranger and try to get some answers.
[ ] Let the stranger go.
[ ] A better plan? (Specify)

Loading User Commands:
[X] Custom
[X] Head straight to the Forest.

---

"Enough talk," says Alice sternly. "We should leave for the Forest of Magic right now. We still have to find the fool who did this to Marisa."

The dollmaker makes for the exit immediately, Shanghai floating nearby. She doesn't seem to be in the mood for small talk. Grimnír quickly follows behind her, taking a moment to make sure that all of his things are in his sack. Reisen rushes after them only after talking to Dr. Yagokoro.

"S-sorry about that," mumbles Reisen as she steps outside. "Just received some last minute instructions."

Alice says nothing in reply. Instead, she starts hovering a few feet above the ground.

"I guess we should go," says Grimnír. He gives the timid rabbit girl a small nod to encourage her before stepping off into the air. Reisen gives him the tiniest of smiles before following.

The trip from Eientei to the Forest of Magic is generally uneventful. Along the way, Grimnír spots the red-lantern stand that he saw yesterday. He manages to take a better glance at the stall as they fly over it. Dressed in odd brown clothing, the owner seems to be humming a tune as she grills some meat. He notes that she has wings. Perhaps the owner is a youkai girl as well.

"Hey Alice," says Grimnír in an attempt to make conversation. "Do you think we should pass by your house for anything? I don't think that it would take that much time and -"

"No!" interrupts Alice harshly. "This all ends now."

...

For the next hour, their small group carefully sweeps the Forest of Magic. The three of them stay together as they move, but the magician and lunarian seem to have other means of searching the area.

Alice summons several other dolls to scout the area. Each of them wield weapons several times their size, but they don't seem to have any trouble moving and floating around. The dollmaker magician sends them in different directions to investigate. Only Shanghai remains to stay by her side.

Reisen peers into the depth of the forest, routinely reporting the number of youkai and animals running about. She even describes their exact distance and heading, as well as their potential threat level. Her eyes seem to be exceptionally accurate when searching from a distance, and by the way she speaks, he wouldn't be surprised if she was once a soldier of some sort. However, this idea seems out of place for a timid girl like her, so he quickly shakes it away.

Grimnír, on the other hand, has no special skills or magic to help in the search, so he simply flies behind the other two silently. As they systematically search the labyrinthine Forest of Magic, he wonders idly if he would be useful at all in this task. He only knows how to fly and create barriers. Apart from his other, extremely risky magic, he has no way to restrain or attack an opponent. Hopefully, Alice has some sort of elaborate plan to create a suitable diversion.

"I-I think I see him!" cries Reisen suddenly. Before they can reply, she dives deep into the trees below.

Alice and Grimnír quickly follow the lunarian into the depths of the Forest of Magic. After a few minutes, they find Reisen crouching behind some nearby bushes. They follow her lead and stay hidden beside her. The rabbit girl beckons them to follow her through the foliage. After a few minutes of careful sneaking, she points toward something leaning against a huge tree.

It takes Grimnír a few moments to recognize the thing she pointed at. Almost completely hidden by the shadows of the trees, someone seems to be sleeping underneath it's shade. From this distance, the person looks like an ordinary, tired traveller. Dressed in a thick worn coat and some old pants, the man sleeps peacefully against the tree. He seems to be using a long hooded cloak as a make-shift blanket as he rests. The man seems very ordinary, and he seems no older than Grimnír. Far too young to be a wandering hermit. There is nothing visibly unusual about him.

Grimnír would have thought that this was the wrong person if it weren't for one thing. Resting against his shoulder is a long trident made of some strange dark metal. Even from this distance, he can recognize several ornate designs engraved all over the weapon. Some of them look like magical runes, but he can't decipher them from this distance.

As he watches, he suddenly feels something strange in his head. The trident seems to glitter brightly in response to his gaze. He can't help but feel curious about how the weapon feels to the touch. Is it cool or warm? For some reason, he can almost hear a tiny voice calling out to him. The weapon itself seems almost.. alive.

"E-er... Mr. Grimnír?" whispers Reisen suddenly.

"Eh?" he replies blankly.

"I-Is she alright?" the lunarian says.

Grimnír blinks blankly until the lunarian points toward Alice's direction. He turns to look at the dollmaker magician. The sight doesn't register in his brain until a couple of seconds later.

"..."

His eyes widen in horror as he realizes that Alice has gathered all of her dolls around her. They seem to be arranged in some sort of combat position. Alice's once kind eyes are now filled with a fury he has never seen before. She seems to be chanting spells to augment the power of her dolls, as well as her own magic. Even Shanghai has an angry expression upon her face.

Alice looks like she is ready to kill.

[ ] Help Alice kill the stranger. This is a good chance to end it early.
[ ] Try to convince Alice to calm down. This isn't part of the plan.
[ ] Grab Alice and stop her before she does something stupid.
[ ] Step out of the bushes and try to talk to the stranger before Alice attacks.
[ ] Stay silent and watch the events unfold.
[ ] Custom

Loading User Commands:
[X] Take the syringe with you. You might need it later.
[X] "How is Marisa's condition?"
[X] "Where is Wriggle?"

---

Dr. Yagokoro pulls out a large syringe filled with a glowing blue substance.

"This will temporarily enhance a human's ability," she explains. "However, it might have a few minor side-effects."

Grimnír pauses to think. He doesn't know what she means by "side-effects", but such a drug might come in useful. Perhaps he can save it for an emergency situation.

"Can I take it with me?" he asks. "I only need to inject it to experience the effects, right?"

The lunarian doctor nods as she replaces the syringe inside a small plastic case. She hands the drug to him with a calculating expression on her face.

"It might take a few minutes for the drug to take effect," she explains. "Make sure that you don't wait till the last moment to use it."

He places the item into his sack carefully.

"How is Marisa's condition?" asks Grimnír. "Any new developments?"

Dr. Yagokoro hesitates slightly before speaking.

"Her condition is still stable," says the lunarian doctor. "But without more data, I can't do much more than this."

"I see," he replies. "We don't have much choice, then."

"Just make sure that none of you get hit with that weapon," says Dr. Yagokoro seriously. "I'd like to avoid having too many patients."

Grimnír slings his sack behind him, preparing to leave, when he suddenly remembers something.

"Oh yeah!" he cries. "Where is Wriggle? I haven't seen her since yesterday."

"The bug youkai?" says the lunarian doctor. "I believe that she left this morning. She said that she had some important things to do."

"I see," says Grimnír. Hopefully, the firefly girl isn't planning to do anything reckless.

"Enough talk," says Alice sternly. "We should leave for the Forest. We still have to find the fool who did this to Marisa."

The dollmaker starts walking immediately, Shanghai floating nearby. Grimnír quickly follows behind her. Reisen, carrying the device in her arms, bows to Dr. Yagokoro before turning to leave.

"Wait," says the lunarian doctor.

"Eh?" asks Reisen.

Grimnír is almost out of earshot when Dr. Yagokoro speaks. However, he catches her final instruction to the lunarian rabbit girl.

"Don't use your eyes."

[ ] Head straight to the Forest of Magic.
[ ] Pass by the Human Village first.
[ ] Pass by Alice's cottage first.
[ ] Pass by Marisa's cottage first.
[ ] Custom

After Alice left the room, Grimnír had a curious idea. He patiently meditated on the word, "Jörmungandr". Perhaps he could learn a new spell. Maybe he could even inscribe it on a spell card. But after ten minutes of concentrating, he gave up.

He can't remember much from the dream, and he has other things to worry about right now.

...

They had breakfast with both Dr. Yagokoro and Reisen. Their conversation consisted of mostly a briefing on a plan that the Lunarian doctor had formulated. She explained that she would need more data to analyze Marisa's injury. Grimnír mostly stayed silent as Alice spoke with her about some technical magic terms that he wasn't familiar with.

"So basically, you need to collect some readings from the source of the injury?" asks Alice.

"That is correct," replies Dr. Yagokoro. "I'm confident that we can find a cure if we closely analyze the actual weapon that did this kind of damage."

The Lunarian doctor nods to herself before she continues.

"Of course, taking that lance from that crazed human in the forest might be too dangerous. I took some time to prepare an alternative."

Reisen brings out something from under the table. It seems to be a long, rifle-like device. Somehow, it reminds him of something from his childhood (Was it a laser blaster?).

"I already instructed Reisen on how to use this. She simply needs to keep this device focused at the target for about 2 minutes to complete the reading. I'm confident that she can handle the task."

"So we can simply sneak up on the human and use this on him?" asks Alice.

Dr. Yagokoro shakes her head.

"The range of the device is pretty short. You two will have to keep the human occupied until Reisen completes her reading."

Grimnír sighs. This sounds really dangerous.

"Of course, I can try to find another way," the lunarian doctor says. "But I will need a few more days. I can't guarantee that Marisa will -"

"We'll do it," says Marisa suddenly. "She would have done the same for us."

A solemn moment of silence passes before the doctor speaks again.

"I'll leave it to you three, then," Dr. Yagokoro says. "However, I do have something that might be of interest to our human friend here."

She pulls out a large syringe filled with a luminescent blue substance.

"This will temporarily enhance his abilities," she explains. "However, I can't guarantee that it won't have a few minor side-effects."

Grimnír pauses to think. She is the best known drug developer in Gensokyo, but the way she said that last part troubles him. Alice seems a little concerned, but she says nothing. Reisen, on the other hand, seems to be concentrating on the floor as she avoids his gaze.

[ ] Have her administer the drug now. You need all the help you can get.
[ ] Take the syringe with you. You might need it later.
[ ] Refuse the drug. You don't need it.
[ ] Custom

Optional (up to two):
[ ] "How is Marisa's condition?"
[ ] "Where is Wriggle?"
[ ] "Who exactly is the target?"
[ ] "Do you have other drugs?"
[ ] "Why are you helping us?"

Loading User Commands:
[X] Custom

---

Alice frowns at Grimnír, her expression grave.

"D-did you see Yukari again?" she whispers.

At hearing the word "Yukari", his head begins to ache. He can recall everything clearly, but his brain is reacting badly to it, as if telling him that their meetings didn't exist. Technically, the two of them never actually met. Perhaps having her step into his mind causes inconsistencies that his logical sense can't resolve. Either way, he is sure that their method of communication can't be doing his mind (and possibly his body) much good.

"Yeah, I met her," he replies carefully. "Though not in the way I expected."

"What happened?" she asks quickly.

"A case of bad timing I think," says Grimnír. "She visited after I went unconscious during our training."

"W-what? Did she hurt you? Are you alright?" cries Alice.

"Ah, I'm fine, so don't worry about it," he says. "I have to thank you for catching me back then. Sorry for troubling you."

Alice lowers her head.

"That was all my fault. I-I'm so stupid!" she begins to say as she covers her face with her hands. "I'm such a horrible person!"

"It was an accident. It wasn't your fault." says Grimnír.

"B-but I almost killed you!" she cries, looking up at him with damp eyes. "Marisa was right. I'm no good at dealing with people. I should have never -"

Grimnír places a single finger on her lips to silence her.

"I'm fine," he says. "Besides, some good did come out of it. I might not have met Yukari if that didn't happen."

"Eh?"

"Well, she did mess with my dream a little bit, but no harm done," he says. "We were able to talk, and I think that she is going to help us. Seems like Marisa is still necessary to her."

"She messed around with your mind?" she asks carefully, frowning.

Suddenly, he recalls her words. "It wasn't an illusion," Yukari had said. Somehow, the way she said this worries him a little. She sounded honest.

"Well, maybe not exactly," he says. "I suppose that she just came to visit or something along that line of thought."

"So, she started teaching you spells?" asks Alice.

"Huh?"

"You were muttering command words in your sleep," she says. "High level ones, if I might add."

Grimnír shakes his head.

"I didn't see her again last night," he says. "That might have been just me."

He doesn't need to tell her that she was in his dream. That might just cause unnecessary complications.

"Then that is even more troublesome," she whispers darkly.

He finds that he has nothing to say in reply. The two of them stay silent for a few moments. Finally, the atmosphere is broken by a loud gurgling noise. Grimnír blushes as he rubs his stomach. Alice giggles lightly at him.

"Maybe we should have breakfast?" she suggests with a smile.

"That might be good," he mumbles.

[X] Inventory
A neatly handwritten note. Alice wrote it.
A short pamphlet. "A Draft of Spell Card Rules"
A small sack. It can hold a lot of items.
A long walking stick. It looks sturdy.
A hooded cloak. It can cover your head from the rain.
A set of grey robes. It has many pockets.
A small pouch full of mushrooms. You have no idea what they do.
A beginner's magic book. "Basic Magical Theory and Simple Applications"
An ornate silver bracelet. Engraved on it is a serpent biting its own tail.
A spell card. "Logos Sign, 「Calculated Risk」"
(5) Several blank spell cards. You can inscribe spells on them.
A small calling card. The name "Yukari Yakumo" is written on one side.

Loading User Commands:
[X] Create a new possibility.

---

Grimnír pants heavily as he catches his breath. He doesn't have much strength left, and Alice isn't stopping. As he watches, the magician draws another spell card and begins chanting. He won't be able to block this attack. Is she really going to kill him this time?

"No," he whispers. "I'm not going to die here!"

His bracelet begins glowing strangely. Engraved upon it is a serpent biting its own tail. The eyes of the snake flash bright red as he watches. Then, he begins to understand.

Grimnír raises his staff as he chants a new spell. He can feel the power of the elder gods fill him as he utters each command word. This once forbidden magic is in his hands. The possibilities are endless.

He smiles confidently at the dollmaker. Alice doesn't stand a chance.

"Hey, are you alright?"

...

"Whu-what?" he mutters sleepily.

"Are you alright?" asks a familiar voice. "You were talking in your sleep."

Grimnír opens his eyes to see Alice standing over him. She looks a bit worried.

"I'm fine, I think," he manages. "I guess I was dreaming..."

"What was that spell?" she asks suddenly. "You were muttering command words."

"Huh?"

Grimnír closes his eyes as he tries to remember, but he can't recall much of the details. But he can remember something else. A single word.

"Jörmungandr," he whispers.

"..."

"Er... sorry, I don't really remember, ahahaha..."

Alice frowns at him. This time, her expression is grave.

"D-did you see Yukari again?" she whispers.

[ ] Custom

Loading User Commands:
[X] Alice
[X] Well she can probably stay, it couldn't be all bad.

---

"Magic Sign, 「Artful Chanter」!"

Grimnír doesn't have time to avoid the attack. He raises his hands and quickly chants a barrier spell. As he is bombarded by explosions, he focuses his mind on reinforcing the spell shield. Every second passes painfully as he blocks the attack. At any moment, the barrier can break.

The last time she broke through his shield, he spent two weeks recovering at Eientei. While she is usually calm, Master Alice can become exceptionally dangerous at times. And it seems like this is one of those moments.

After a few minutes, her barrage ends. He sighs in relief as he catches his breath. The normally timid dollmaker changes into a completely different person in battle. But it isn't necessarily a bad thing. If his life wasn't in jeopardy, he would probably admit that he finds this Alice quite attractive as well.

"W-what the hell, Alice? Are you trying to kill me again?" he cries out.

"Do you think so? What makes you think that?" she replies coldly.

Alice frowns at his puzzled expression. It lasts for only a moment, but her eyes glance at the firefly girl watching below. Then, he remembers. Master always trains him in secluded, quiet places, away from prying eyes. The noisy and energetic Wriggle Nightbug is the perfect foil to her visit.

"Damn it, Wriggle!" he whispers under his breath.

At first he thought, "Well, she could probably stay". While a little nosy, she is far more well-behaved than the stupid ice fairy or the darkness youkai. She and Alice seem to be civil enough around each other. It couldn't be all bad. What could possibly go wrong?

"You can do it, Grim!" cries Wriggle suddenly. "She isn't that tough! The black-white could do better than that!"

"Ahahaha..." he mumbles uneasily.

Alice smiles grows wider at her words. Her left eye seems to be twitching slightly. Oh wow, Wriggle. Is that bug really trying to get him killed? By the looks of it, he'll be looking at another trip to the hospital. Or worse. He better try to get Alice to calm down before she starts going spell card crazy.

"Hey Master," he says, as calmly as possible. "You said earlier that you wanted me to try another kind of magic?"

"So you were listening?" she replies. "I couldn't tell because of a certain uninvited guest."

"What did you mean when you said, 'use your own magic'?" he asks, ignoring the comment.

"I meant it exactly as I said it, 'Grim'," returns Alice. "Focus on your own unique powers. I've seen you do it before."

"B-but you said that it's too dangerous to use," he argues. "You told me never to use it."

"Your awareness and control has greatly improved," she says. "You should be able to imbue the magic into a spell card this time."

Grimnír pauses. He always wondered about how to use his powers, but is this the right time to try it? He doesn't even fully understand how they work, and he almost got himself killed last time.

"Like I explained earlier, you seem to have the ability to alter materials in ways that go beyond known magic. Patchouli said that your skill with the elements was far greater than that of most magicians. Even that Black-White said that you could dodge her spark attacks even when there is no possible direction of escape. You can cause subtle changes between planes, with unexpectedly powerful results."

"But I almost got killed last time," argues Grimnír. "And I only succeeded because I was trapped and cornered!"

Alice only smiles at him. A cold and calculating expression, this only makes him shudder. She can't possibly be thinking...

"I'm tired of waiting," she says. "You are going to learn how to use that power, or die trying. Slowly and painfully, if you choose the latter."

Before he can think of anything else, his eyes are drawn to the spell card in her hands.

"War Command, 「Doll's War」!" cries Alice.

... What the hell is she so pissed about anyway?
[ ] Create a new possibility.
[ ] Manipulate an existing possibility.
[ ] Destroy a future possibility.

Loading User Commands:
[X] Go to sleep.

---

"So tell me why you came to visit," Grimnír says.

"Eh? Do I need a reason to visit you?" replies Wriggle. She grabs another sweet biscuit and munches on it hungrily.

"... I suppose not." he says.

Since he moved out of the Human Village into the Forest of Magic, he hasn't received many visitors. While the place is a little lonely, he doesn't mind. Here, he can practice magic and develop new spells without disturbing anyone else.

He can still remember the time when he accidentally blew up the school house (thankfully, no one was hurt). Man, Keine was pissed! Somehow, he got away with only a few cuts and bruises. Who knows what would have happened if he caught her during the full moon...

In any case, he moved into a small cottage in the Forest of Magic. Here, he would be free from the daily disturbances of the village. However, another daily disturbance replaced it instead.

This youkai girl in front of him.

He doesn't remember when, but before he knew it, Wriggle started visiting him regularly. The firefly girl seemed a bit interested in his experiments, but it couldn't possibly be just that. In fact, he should just ask her straight out.

"Hey Wriggle, why do you keep visiting everyday?" he asks.

Wriggle pauses for only a split-second before replying.

"It's because I like bothering you!" she says.

He slams his palm against his head. Hard.

"..."

Suddenly, he remembers something important. Master is coming to visit today.

What was her name again?
[ ] Alice
[ ] Marisa
[ ] Yukari

You should get rid of Wriggle.
[ ] Ask her to leave politely.
[ ] Tell her to get the hell out.
[ ] Drive her out with spells.
[ ] Kill Wriggle.

Loading User Commands:
[X] Cover her with your blanket.
[X] Leave the room silently.

---

Alice is sitting on a small chair beside the bed. She cushions her head with her folded arms as she sleeps peacefully. Shanghai sits beside her, unmoving. The magician looks especially vulnerable right now. Grimnír quickly looks away, very much aware that his face must be bright red. He can't just wake her up, and staying here and staring at her sleeping face makes him feel like some stalker or pervert.

After a few moments of contemplation, he carefully gets off the bed from the other side. He checks his things, then slings the sack behind him. He probably won't need anything, but he is starting to develop a habit of carrying his stuff with him.

He takes a moment to look at Alice. Very carefully, he pulls his blanket over her shoulders. She might catch a cold, after all. With one last glance at the sleeping dollmaker, he gently closes the door and walks into the hallways of Eientei.

Before long, he finds himself lost within the labyrinth that is Eientei. Keeping his head, Grimnír carefully maps out the immediate area in his head. If he approaches this logically and consistently, he should be able to find his way to the dining room or main clinic. The thought of opening a door and running into someone changing is enough to discourage him from entering rooms randomly. He would ask for directions if he could, but he hasn't met anyone in the halls. Is it possible that the mansion staff is busy with other duties?

It takes him the better part of a half hour, but he finally finds his way to the dining room without incident. He sighs in relief as he sees a familiar face smile at him. Grimnír takes an empty seat and starts to eat dinner. Hunger is good motivation, he notes.

...

During the meal, Dr. Yagokoro explained that he had no major injuries. It seems like Alice used her dolls to catch him before he hit the ground. However, his body was severely strained by the training. She recommended that he avoid acting recklessly in the future, as he may not be as lucky the next time it happens.

She also mentioned that she developed a drug that would slow down the effects of Marisa's injury. After careful testing, they managed to stabilize her condition (he did notice that Reisen shivered slightly at the word "testing"). They have bought her at least a few more days, which is very good news.

Dr. Yagokoro did ask a single, strange question, though.

"Did you have any unusual dreams?" she asked.

Grimnír gave her a nod, but stayed silent.

"Interesting," she said. "I suppose that you'll be able to explain it better in the morning, so I won't push any further."

...

Reisen escorted him to one of the mansion guest rooms. She said that it is too dangerous to travel at night, especially during these troubled times. There is another room prepared for Alice, and Marisa's condition seems to be stable, so they need not worry. The bunny-eared girl told him that he should focus on resting.

"Doctor's orders," she says with a kind smile.

"Hmm?"

"Please don't do anything reckless," explains Reisen. "While Dr. Yagokoro's patients are generally hardheaded, I'm sure that she would appreciate it if you would be an exception."

"Is that so?"

"I would appreciate it, too, if you would take care of yourself," adds Reisen in a whisper.

After she leaves, Grimnír finds himself alone in his assigned room. After a moment, he realizes that he doesn't know where Alice's room is. Also, neither of them mentioned anything about Wriggle. He wonders idly if some information was purposely being kept from him.

"..."

But in any case, rest seems to be in order, for now.

[ ] Explore Eientei.
[ ] Try to find Alice's room.
[ ] Go to sleep.
[ ] Custom

Grimnír opens his eyes. He stares blankly at the ceiling for several minutes as he tries to clear his mind. Turning his head from side to side, he finds himself lying on one of the hospital beds in Eientei. There are curtains drawn around him, so he can't see much else.

He takes a couple of minutes to feel for his limbs. He sighs in relief when he finds that they are all intact, though he still feels pretty exhausted from the ordeal. The last thing he remembers is plummeting down toward the ground after casting that dangerous spell a second time. Under normal circumstances, he should be dead from a fall at that height.

"..."

Grimnír blinks blankly. He can feel a presence. Someone else is nearby. Only after a few minutes of scanning the area does he realize that this person is right beside him. He still doesn't understand how he didn't notice her earlier.

Alice is sitting on a small chair beside his bed. She cushions her head with her folded arms as she sleeps peacefully. Shanghai sits lifelessly against one of her arms. She looks especially vulnerable (and cute) like this.

A glance at the other side tells him that his sack is lying beside his bed. He can probably leave without waking Alice if he is careful enough.

[ ] Gently nudge Alice awake.
[ ] Pull a prank on the sleeping dollmaker.
[ ] Continue watching her sleep.
[ ] Cover her with your blanket.
[ ] Leave the room silently.
[ ] Custom

Loading User Commands:
[X] Custom

---

Yukari opens her mouth, as if to argue, but she closes it after a few moments, unable to find the words. Slowly, she lowers her eyes in apology.

"I-I didn't know," says Yukari. "I'm sorry."

Grimnír mumbles something in reply as he looks away to think. This is beginning to turn into something complicated. The strangest part is that she sounds sincere, but it could be another one of her tricks.

"I'll be going now," whispers Yukari. Her voice is barely audible. Slowly, she turns around to leave.

"Wait," he says. He has no idea why Yukari created that illusionary world, or what other devious plans she might have, but he did accept her invitation. If he plays his cards right, she might be able to help Marisa. At the very least, he doesn't want to make her his enemy.

"..."

"I guess I shouldn't have snapped at you like that," he says. "I'm a little frustrated right now, with everything falling apart and not going as planned. I'm just feeling angry because of how helpless I feel in all of this."

Yukari turns her head to face him. Grimnír clears his throat before continuing.

"W-what I'm trying to say is that I'm sorry, too," he mutters. Carefully, he looks away to hide his face. "I suppose that I did have fun with you, even if it was an illusion."

"It wasn't an illusion," she says with a smile. "And I'm glad that you enjoyed it too."

"What?" he replies. "What was that place, then?"

Yukari winks at him mischievously.

"Now that's a secret~" she returns. "No fun if I tell you right away."

Grimnír sighs in exasperation. He is beginning to tire of these games.

"Anyway, I did have a good reason to accept your invitation," he says seriously.

"And here I thought that you just enjoyed my company," returns Yukari as she looks away and pretends to wipe away a tear.

"I never said that I didn't," replies Grimnír. "But there is something else. We need your help."

Yukari's smile widens, as if she was expecting something like this. For some reason, he feels really irritated. Does she enjoy confusing him?

"Marisa is dying," he finishes.

"Huh?" mutters Yukari blankly. Whatever she was expecting, it wasn't this.

"She was attacked by someone in the Forest of Magic," he says. "The injury isn't natural. Even Dr. Yagokoro can't figure it out."

Yukari pauses to collect her thoughts. She looks quite serious as she thinks. Somehow, such an expression doesn't seem to suit her. After a few minutes, she finally speaks.

"The black-white is still needed," says Yukari solemnly. "She can't be allowed to fall just yet."

Grimnír sighs in relief. Perhaps this is the best course of action, after all. A Youkai as powerful and influential as Yukari should be able to easily resolve this incident.

"However, I can't go over to Eientei right now," she says. "It will be dangerous if Reimu finds out about Marisa. Even more so if she discovers your abilities."

"I see," he answers. He hasn't heard much about the shrine maiden, but he does remember hearing about her reckless way of doing things.

"There is another way I can help," she says. "But I need someone to do the legwork for me. And I know of the perfect person to do it."

Without warning, she raises her fan and points it toward him. He doesn't like the way she is smiling. Not at all.

"W-what?" he stammers. He has a really bad feeling about this.