Loading User Commands:
[X] Custom

---

"Stop lying."

Suika looks at him darkly, waiting for his response. She isn't smiling.

"Well... that is to say..."

Grimnír pauses. For a split-second, Marisa's face flashes in his mind's eye. How long has it been since he has seen her laugh and smile and add the suffix '~ze' to every other sentence? He doesn't have time for this. He has to get rid of this persistent little girl.

"Ah, you can tell if someone is lying?" he says lightly. "That's a neat little parlor trick."

Suika's eyes narrow, but she says nothing. He grins at her reaction. Seems like this one also has a strange ability. But to detect lies? Let's see how such vague abilities work when we throw in a little logic....

"So, tell me, good Oni," continues Grimnír. "If I declare right now that 'I am lying', would this statement be true or false?"

"..."

He claps his hands together cheerfully at the girl's shock and confusion. This should keep her occupied for a while. Or so he thought. Before he could turn around and leave, Suika suddenly starts laughing loudly. Startled, he slowly turns back toward the girl. For some reason, her shadow seems to fill the whole room, despite her small stature.

"The liar paradox," whispers Suika. "I can't recall how long it's been since a human has tried that one on me. Twenty years ago? Two hundred? I really can't remember... ha ha ha~"

The horned girl takes a single step toward him. He takes a step back instinctively. For some reason, he suddenly gets the feeling that this girl isn't as childish as he first thought, despite her appearance.

"The last time it happened, I lost the game. I had to do anything that human wanted."

"Anything? W-what?"

She takes another step forward. He takes another step back. A slight chill makes him shiver, even if there isn't any wind.

"I'll never forget what he made me do..."

"W-wait!"

Suika looks up at him, her expression unreadable. Then, she smiles brightly. Her perfectly cheerful face fills him with dread.

"Doesn't matter now," she says. "That man is already dead."

"..!"

"But I did have a lot of time to think about that riddle, and I think I have the answer now."

"H-hey... I didn't mean to -"

"Why don't we make this a game? If I lose, then I will do any one thing that you say. If you lose, you have to do something for me."

"Huh? Wait... isn't that -"

She raises her hand and points it at him. Looks like the game already started.

"The question itself is the lie."

Suika has a determined look upon her face as he waits for him. She looks almost sober.

"Umm..."

For some reason, he feels that something really bad will happen if he chooses the wrong response.

[ ] "You are correct."
[ ] "You are wrong."
[ ] Custom

Loading User Commands:
[X] Custom

---

"You must be pretty strong, then!" cries the horned girl.

After taking a swig from her gourd, she tugs excitedly at his robes with her free hand.

"Why don't we have a little contest?"

A contest? What is this strange horned girl talking about? Grimnír turns to the others, half-hoping that someone would explain, but not one of them says a word. Yukari covers her mouth with her fan, undoubtedly hiding a cheerful smile underneath. Patchouli doesn't look up and just continues reading, though she might be deliberately ignoring them. Reisen glances periodically between him and the horned girl, a fearful expression upon her face.

"Er..."

This is a bad idea. He has no idea who this drunken little girl is, but by the reactions of the others, he better find a way out of this. Didn't Yukari call her an 'Oni'? Wasn't that some kind of creature like a demon or ogre? Nothing good can possibly come from associating with such a reckless and powerful being. Forcing his best apologetic smile on his face, he turns back to the horned girl.

"Sorry, but I really don't have time for games right now," he says.

"Huh? But a contest isn't a game," insists the girl.

"I also have some urgent business right now," he replies. "Maybe we can have a match some other time, Miss... umm..."

"Suika," says the horned girl. "Ibuki Suika."

"Miss Suika, then," he says. "Let's have a contest some other time. Alright?"

Suika frowns at him, her cheeks a cute pink. Her eyes stare deep into his, as if looking into his very soul and being. He instinctively looks away and laughs uncomfortably. There is something strange about the way she is staring at him. He needs to quickly change the subject. Turning to Yukari, he talks about the first thing that comes to mind.

"So... what is this meeting supposed to be about?" he says.

"About..?" repeats Yukari. "What is it about... I wonder~"

Her eyes flick momentarily toward Reisen, who looks even more nervous now than earlier. The lunarian rabbit simply looks to the ground and stays silent. Then, to his surprise, it is Patchouli who answers.

"... incidents at Eientei," she whispers.

"Please!" cries Reisen suddenly. "P-please don't talk about such things until Dr. Yagokoro arrives..."

"Ara?" says Yukari. "But I'm sure he and the others have already noticed. Why don't you just tell everyone the truth~"

The lunarian rabbit glares angrily at the gap youkai. Yukari only smiles wider at this. Then, after quickly composing herself, she speaks.

"It is best to keep the people involved to a minimum," she says seriously. "Please wait until the good doctor has explained everything."

The room falls silent for a few moments. He takes a moment to clear his throat.

"Well... sorry for intruding," he says. "I think I'll go see how Marisa is doing."

With that, he gives them a small wave before leaving the room.

"..."

It takes him almost a minute before he notices that someone is following him in the hallway. He turns around to see the horned girl Suika looking at him. She isn't smiling.

"I hate liars," she whispers.

"W-what? Wait... I didn't -"

"You don't plan on having a contest with me, do you?"

"But we can always have it some other -"

"Stop lying," she says darkly.

[ ] Tell her the truth. You don't want to get involved with her.
[ ] Talk around the issue. You are really worried about Marisa.
[ ] Lie to her. You will definitely play some other time.
[ ] Custom

Loading User Commands:
[X] Talk to Yukari

---

Grimnír quickly thanks Reisen for her concern. He takes a moment to rub the dust off his robe before facing the others. After giving Patchouli a tiny nod back, he turns toward Yukari. She smiles back at him with the smallest hint of mischief in her eyes.

"So you must be the Grey Wizard," she says. "A pleasure to finally meet you in person~"

"I suppose it was inevitable," he replies. "The youkai master of boundaries seems to be fond of poking into other people's business, after all."

Yukari covers her mouth to hide a chuckle.

"Can't say that I don't enjoy it," she says. "But I find it strange that you would say such a thing."

"Why would it be strange?"

The gap youkai slowly stands up and walks a few steps closer. Then, with a surprisingly refreshing and honest smile upon her face, she says something unusual.

"Because today, you are my business."

"... W-what?"

"I have to thank you for saving me, after all..."

Grimnír feels himself blush at her words. She sounds sincerely happy, and he can't detect any sign that she is lying. But more than that, he can't help but stare at her. The way she is smiling at him right now, the youkai girl looks a little... no, she looks very cute. Definitely.

"Well..." he says as he scratches his head. "If it was just that, don't worry about it. We're friends, right? It was the least I could -"

Suddenly, Yukari steps forward and gently plants a kiss on his cheek. Unsure of how to react, he just stands still, frozen. Then, she moves even closer to whisper something into his ear.

"I missed you too~"

"..."

Then, the gap youkai steps back and returns to her seat, acting as if nothing had happened. A couple of seconds later, Grimnír recovers and clears his throat loudly. He takes a glance at the others, still feeling a bit embarrassed. Patchouli has a neutral expression upon her face, though he finds it strange that she is actually looking straight at him instead of her book. He can't make out her reaction. Reisen, on the other hand, looks nervous as she sways from side to side. She takes passing glances at him and Yukari, but says nothing. As for the two horned girls... they seem to have completely disappeared.

"I thought you came here for this meeting," says Patchouli as she turns back to her book.

"Ah, I guess I came for that too," replies Yukari half-heartedly.

"... hey Reisen," he says. "Where did the horned girls go?"

"Eh? S-sorry! I wasn't really paying attention to Suika..."

Reisen gives him a bow that looked far too formal for just an apology.

"Don't mind that Oni," says Yukari. "She'll show up when she feels like it... like right about now."

Suddenly, someone pulls at his robe from behind. He turns around to see the horned girl from before (the larger one; the tiny version is nowhere in sight). From this close, he can see that she is actually quite short, like a child. In her other hand is a gourd that smells strongly of alcohol. Wait... is this girl even old enough to drink? She grins brightly at him, her cheeks slightly pink.

"You're her friend, right?" she asks.

"Huh?"

"You must be pretty strong, then! Why don't we have a little contest?"

A contest? What is this girl talking about? He turns to the others, half-hoping that someone would explain, but everyone says silent. Yukari smiles far too cheerfully, and he can sense a little malice back there somewhere. Patchouli just continues reading, as is her custom. Reisen, for some reason, looks absolutely terrified and unable to move.

"Er..."

[ ] Custom

Loading User Commands:
[X] Custom

---

"Intruder! Intruder! Intruder!"

Oh shit. If he doesn't do something quickly, this could turn ugly. After taking a moment to focus, he speaks to the tiny girl as calmly as he can.

"Intruder?" says Grimnír. "I think you're mistaken, little one."

"Eh?" mutters the horned girl. "Don't lie to me now! I jush hate liars!"

"I'm not lying!" he says. "I brought a couple of my friends here, two of whom were hurt, one quite badly. I have every legitimate reason to be here."

The tiny girl frowns at him in disbelief. She doesn't let go of his robe.

"Then there is more than one intruder!" she cries out.

"Wa-wait! Just hear me out! Eientei is a clinic right? Strangers who need medical attention visit this place all the time. Even if we don't live here, we do have legitimate business. So we aren't intruders."

"... legitimate?" says the tiny girl slowly.

She pauses to think hard about his words. He considers using this as a chance to escape, but decides against it. This time, he really doesn't have anything to hide, so he needs to end this misunderstanding immediately.

"Ah! I got it!" cries the horned girl.

Grimnír sighs in relief, thinking that his troubles are over. But before he can relax, the tiny girl stretches her arm and points at him knowingly.

"You... are the criminal!" she cries aloud.

"Wait... wha -"

Suddenly, he feels himself flying through the air. In the next moment, he crashes through the living room door and lands painfully on the floor, face-first. He lies still for a minute, waiting for the pain and shock to subside. Then, feeling that none of his bones are broken, he slowly gets up.

"Oh no! A-are you alright?"

"... noisy."

"Ah, so it was you after all. Nice of you to drop in~"

"W-w-wa happen? Who dun what?"

Grimnír takes a moment to look around. Rushing toward him from the other side of the room is Reisen. She looks really worried as she helps him up. To the right, he can see Patchouli observing him quietly from her seat. The magician gives him a tiny nod before turning back to her book. Sitting across from her is a person who could only be Yukari (normal-sized, he notes). The gap youkai gives him a cheerful and knowing smile as his eyes widen in surprise. Then, all the way in the back, is a larger version of the tiny girl he met outside. The horned girl sways back and forth, as if trying to reorient herself to her surroundings.

"Criminal!" cries someone from behind. "You are the criminal!"

He jumps in surprise as the tiny girl runs straight past him toward the larger version. It jumps up and down angrily in front of the large one, shouting "Criminal!" again and again. The larger one only looks at the tiny one with a glazed look. Then, she smiles.

"Ah~ Reimu~" she says sleepily.

Suddenly, she falls forward and grabs the tiny girl into her arms. The little one tries to struggle, but the large version just closes her eyes and hugs her even tighter.

"Are you sure that you are alright?" says Reisen. "Do you want to go to the clinic?"

"I'm fine..." he replies. "But what about them?"

He gestures toward the large and small horned girls.

"Don't mind it," says Yukari. "She is just being the usual~"

"Inappropriate... but interesting," comments Patchouli, glancing at their antics every so often.

Grimnír rubs his head as he tries to think.

[ ] Talk to Yukari.
[ ] Talk to Reisen.
[ ] Talk to Patchouli.
[ ] Talk to the horned girls.
[ ] Custom

Loading User Commands:
[X] Stay outside and eavesdrop a little longer.

---

Grimnír suddenly gets the feeling that if we walks inside right now, he might get caught up into something quite complicated. But then again... isn't he already? He carefully moves closer to the door to listen a little bit more.

"Umm... alright then," mumbles a timid voice that could only belong to Reisen. "W-well, I need to go and inform Dr. Yagokoro now, so please excuse me -"

"Why don't you stay with us for a while? You look a little lonely~"

"... typical."

"Hey wait.. you leaving? Don't you dare step out of this room, y'hear?"

"E-eh? W-what did I -"

"I'll break you apart if you don't listen..."

"Easy now~ If you scare her, she might not play with you anymore~"

"But she hasn't even had one drink since she came in! Does she think she is too good for us or something? That jush pisses me off!"

"... she's only been here for seven minutes."

"I-I'm very sorry! I'll stay here and a-accompany you as long as you like..."

"Aw... she's shaking so frightfully now~"

"... inappropriate."

Suddenly, he hears someone bang a fist hard on the table. An awkward silence follows. Then, he hears a heavy thud, like the sound of a sack of potatoes falling to the floor.

"Ah! A-are you alright?"

"She's fine. Don't mind her... she's just feeling a little lonely herself. Reimu hasn't been back at the shrine since the meeting."

"Aren't you supposed to be with her at Youkai Mountain?"

"Hmm... maybe~"

"..."

"Don't look at me like that. I just find that her current methods are counterproductive at this point. If she continues acting so selfishly, we won't get the support of the Tengu and Kappa inhabitants. Even the other shrine is hesitating to help out now."

"... unsurprising."

Then, without warning, he feels something brush against his legs. He swallows nervously as he looks down.

"Huh?" he mutters aloud.

He blinks in wonder as he observes a miniature humanoid pulling at his robe. About the height of one of Alice's dolls, it looks like a small, odd-looking girl with knee-length orange hair tied up in a ponytail. She is wearing a tattered pink blouse with a long purple skirt. More interesting are two long horns protruding from her head, decorated with ribbons. Looking closer, she actually looks pretty cute.

Then, the tiny girl looks up at him defiantly.

"Intruder!" she cries out in a high-pitched voice.

She doesn't let go of his robe.

"W-what the -"

"Intruder! Intruder! Intruder!"

Oh shit.

[ ] Try to escape.
[ ] Call out for help.
[ ] Grab the girl and run.
[ ] Cover the girl's mouth.
[ ] Quickly enter the living room.
[ ] Custom

Loading User Commands:
[X] Walk casually in the direction of the living room.

---

"Well... I need to inform the other guests," says Reisen. "Sorry, but I'll have to leave you to your own devices."

She gives an apologetic bow before hurrying off, presumably toward the living room. Wriggle pays no mind to the rabbit girl as she leaves. The firefly seems quite busy with her own thoughts. Her eyes dart up to the cold steel doors of the operating room every so often. She seems really worried about Mystia.

Grimnír pauses to think.

Wriggle looks relatively calm at the moment, and she doesn't act like she might try something stupid. While she could use some reassurance, he doesn't know if he is the best person to talk to her about such things.

Alice, on the other hand, left without hesitation when Reisen told her about Marisa. According to the lunarian rabbit, the black-white magician's condition should be improving. But perhaps it might be best to give the two some time alone.

Heading back to his own room is also an option, but he will lose the chance to meet with the others. However, he can probably read one of the new books he borrowed from the Voile Library in relative peace there. A nap would be fine too.

Then, something in his mind lights up, almost painfully. [i]Other guests[/i]? While he generally doesn't involve himself with the business of others, this is something he can't ignore. Does anyone else know about Marisa's injury? Or maybe there are others getting hurt? Are there similar incidents happening in other places?

Grimnír quickly stands up and takes a couple of steps forward. Then, he becomes aware of a pair of eyes staring at him from behind. He turns around to see Wriggle cock her head slightly to the side, puzzled.

"Err... I'm just going to check something out for a bit," he says. "Will you be alright by yourself?"

"..."

The firefly girl frowns for a moment before slowly looking to the side. Sighing to herself, she waves at him vaguely. It might just be his imagination, but her antennae droop a little as she turns away. Somehow, he feels a little bad inside.

...

It took him several minutes to navigate his way through the labyrinth that is Eientei. While he had been here for a while now, the place was still quite difficult to map out. Three times, he found himself opening doors that lead into the wrong rooms. Of course, he didn't accidentally enter the bath or someone's bedroom while they were changing. Such clichéd events only happen in harem anime and visual novels. Gensokyo was most certainly not such a place.

"... see? Something did..."

"Ha ha... both could... more cheer~"

"... is unnecessary... moderation..."

"Umm... excuse me..."

Grimnír slowly pauses before the living room door. He can hear some voices from within.

"Please excuse the good doctor. She is currently busy with an emergency patient. 'If you have to leave, we can set another time for the meeting', she said."

A probing silence follows. He can almost feel the lunarian rabbit's tension.

"I can wait for a little longer. It would be too troublesome to travel outside again."

"Ara? That's fine with me as well. I have some other business here~"

"Wa-wait... wait! Lemme get thish straight... we were here for a meeting?"

Grimnír suddenly gets the feeling that if we walks inside right now, he might get caught up into something quite complicated. But then again... isn't he already?

[ ] Stay outside and eavesdrop a little longer.
[ ] Enter the living room calmly.
[ ] Carefully walk away.

Loading User Commands:
[X] Tell Alice about the battle with the cloaked figure.
[X] Custom

---

Grimnír takes a few moments to organize his thoughts before speaking.

"Honestly, I'm still pretty confused about everything," he says. "But I'll give you the gist of what happened after I left."

Alice nods slowly. He takes a deep breath before continuing.

"So I followed the trail of explosions and burn marks on the trees until I got here," Grimnír says. "When I arrived, Meiling and a mysterious cloaked figure were already in a heated battle. Apparently, the stranger was the one who attacked Mystia's stand."

"A cloaked figure?" repeats Alice.

"Well, I'm not really sure who it was," he says carefully. "But the person used really powerful magic. She was able to take Meiling down with a single spell."

The dollmaker frowns at this, but says nothing. He makes sure not to mention that the cloaked figure looked exactly like Wriggle.

"Anyway, after she beat Meiling, she started coming after me," he says. "I tried to escape, but in the end I was forced into a corner. Then suddenly, someone who called himself the 'Wolf Knight' arrived and drove the cloaked figure off."

"Wolf Knight," repeats Alice carefully.

Grimnír takes care not to mention that this person was also the same human who who carried a trident around. He isn't really sure how Alice would react to that.

"He left right afterward, so I tended to Meiling and started exploring the area. I found Wriggle tied up and gagged in a cave nearby, so I brought her with me back here. Then, you arrived while I was talking to the gatekeeper."

"Hmm..." Alice says. "I guess a lot happened. Maybe I shouldn't have let you go alone."

He shakes his head quickly.

"Don't worry about it," he says. "In any case, we can talk about the details after we get back to Eientei. We should take Mystia to the clinic quickly. Wriggle should have a quick check-up as well."

The dollmaker opens her mouth, perhaps to argue, but she restrains herself when she glances at Mystia and Wriggle. The sparrow youkai seems to be sleeping a little better now, but her injuries still look pretty bad. The firefly girl looks pretty tired and sleepy, and her antennae twitch every so often.

"Tell me everything when we get back," she says.

...

"Is... Mystia going to be alright?" asks Wriggle solemnly.

"I don't know yet," replies Dr. Yagokoro coldly. "Please stay in the waiting room with the others."

"B-but I -"

"I'm not going to argue with anyone on this," she says.

Then, the lunarian doctor turns to Reisen.

"Escort everyone to the waiting room," she says succintly. "And please tell the other guests that I am with a patient that needs urgent attention."

The rabbit girl nods obediently and turns toward them. She quickly ushers Wriggle, Alice and Grimnír out of the operating room, closing the cold clinic doors behind her.

"I am very sorry," says Reisen with a bow. "It really would be best if we let Dr. Yagokoro focus on the patient."

"But Mystia is my friend!" cries Wriggle obstinately. "I won't leave her!"

"Rest assured that we are doing our best," replies the rabbit girl. "But we can't have too many inside the operating room. Dr. Yagokoro needs to concentrate."

"But -"

Grimnír puts a hand on the firefly girl's shoulder reassuringly.

"It's alright," he tells her. "She'll be fine. We just need to wait patiently out here and give Dr. Yagokoro some time to fix her up properly."

Wriggle glares at him defiantly, but after a few moments, she sighs and takes a seat on one of the chairs nearby. She looks a little calmer, but her face is still full of worry. Apparently, she and Mystia were really good friends.

"Reisen," interjects Alice. "Where is Marisa?"

The rabbit girl pauses to think.

"Ah!" replies Reisen. "We transferred her to one of the rooms at the other wing. Her body started recovering immediately after the doctor administered the medicine."

Without another word, Alice starts walking briskly toward the appropriate direction. Seems like she is much more worried about Marisa. He and Reisen watch her disappear at the corner before turning to each other.

"Well... I need to inform the other guests," she says quickly. "Sorry, but I'll have to leave you to your own devices."

She gives him a bow before walking off, presumably toward the living room. Wriggle pays no mind to the rabbit girl as she leaves. The firefly seems quite busy with her own thoughts.

Grimnír pauses to think.
[ ] Stay with Wriggle at the waiting room.
[ ] Follow after Alice toward Marisa's room.
[ ] Walk casually in the direction of the living room.
[ ] Head back to your room and think.
[ ] Custom

Loading User Commands:
[X] Don't let her escape. Block her path if you have to.
[X] Custom

---

"A-anyway," says Meiling. "I better get back to the Mansion to make my report. That nothing of interest was found, of course! Ahahaha..."

She laughs uneasily as she starts walking away from them. Grimnír hesitates for a moment to think. Then, he gently shakes Wriggle awake.

"Uuu... w-what?" mutters the firefly girl.

"I need to put you down for a bit," he says as he carefully lets her off his back. Wriggle sleepily complies as she rubs her eyes.

"Huh? Where did the bug youkai pop out from?" asks Alice.

"Later," he says.

As the gatekeeper turns around to leave, Grimnír takes to the air and quickly flies in front of her. He raises both of his arms to block her path.

"We need answers," he says sternly. "I can't let you run off like this."

"E-eh?" cries Meiling. "B-but I don't know anything! Really!"

He shakes his head at her obvious lie. Then, he lowers his voice to a whisper so that the others can't hear them.

"I just saved your life," he whispers. "If you know anything that could help us..."

"I-I have no idea!" says the gatekeeper.

"Please," he adds carefully. "This isn't some isolated incident. Too many are getting hurt. We can't just stand here and watch."

A minute passes in silence as Meiling looks away, her face conflicted. For a moment, she acts like she is about to run off again. But then, she answers in a low voice.

"Neither can we..." she whispers back. "But we don't know much about it, either. This was the first time I've seen the enemy face-to-face."

"The enemy?" he repeats.

Meiling nods solemnly.

"The Mansion was attacked," she says. "It was really dangerous. That cloaked figure was only one of them."

"Attacked?" he says. "What the hell is going on?"

She frowns at him.

"As for saving my life, I'll have to apologize. This is all I can tell you. You see, my life already belongs to someone else. I can't betray the master's trust."

With those words, she gives him a low bow.

"I-I'm sorry, sir!" cries Meiling loudly. "I-I really have to go now!"

Before he can stop her, the gatekeeper speeds past him and is soon out of sight. Seems like she won't tell him anything else, and she made it a point to tell only him. Grimnír pauses to think. Are the incidents related?

"Is something wrong?" asks Alice.

He jumps in surprise.

"Eh?" he mumbles. "Ah, sorry... didn't see you there..."

Alice frowns at him and waits patiently for an explanation.

[ ] Tell Alice about the battle with the cloaked figure.
[ ] Tell Alice about the identity of the 'enemy'.
[ ] Tell Alice about Yukari.
[ ] Tell Alice about the Wolf Knight.
[ ] Tell Alice about finding Wriggle in the cave.
[ ] Tell Alice about the attack Meiling mentioned.
[ ] Don't tell Alice anything.
[ ] Custom

Loading User Commands:
[X] Untie her. Ask her what happened.
[X] Custom

---

"Wriggle?" says Grimnír incredulously.

"W-who are you?" whispers the girl. "I-I'm not afraid!"

He pauses before the person. Her short green hair and the pair of distinctive antennae protruding from it are unmistakable - this girl is definitely Wriggle Nightbug. However, she seems to be wearing her usual boyish costume, and she doesn't have a heavy cloak and hood. None of her clothes have any magic runes or symbols.

Wait... is this a trap? But then, how did she change clothes so quickly? And how did she tie herself up? This is getting really confusing. However, he can't just leave her like this.

"It's me, Grimnír," he says carefully.

"Grim?" says the girl. "H-hey, where are you touching!"

"Stop squirming and let me get these ropes off..."

It takes him a couple of minutes to remove the bindings. He notices immediately that the rope is quite durable, and he senses a faint energy coming from it, not unlike his own magical barrier. Was it preventing Wriggle from using energy attacks? As he unties the last knot, he takes the rope and keeps it in his sack, just in case.

"There, I think that was the last one," he says. "Hey, are you alri -"

Suddenly, he feels something tackle him down to the ground. The back of his head hits a rock when he lands. His vision goes blurry for a moment in pain. Then, he gradually becomes conscious of a small, shuddering figure clutching tightly around his body.

"You came to rescue me," whispers Wriggle. "Y-you really came..."

His eyes widen in surprise, and, having nothing to say, he stays silent. Then, he realizes that the girl is sobbing silently. Gently, he wraps his arms around her. They stay together like that until she calms down. A few minutes later, she pulls herself away from him and wipes away her tears.

"So," says Grimnír. "Do you know who did this to you?"

The firefly girl, still sitting on the ground, shakes her head.

"It was so fast," she says. "Something flew up at me, and the next thing I know, I'm tied up and blindfolded. I couldn't even use danmaku to free myself."

"Couldn't you call your insect friends?" he asked.

"I already tried that," she replies. "For some reason, none of the bugs of the forest are listening to me anymore. It must have been that bad man with the trident!"

But that person saved his life, Grimnír notes to himself. This is getting complicated. He doesn't know who to trust anymore. He takes a moment to think.

"Wait... how long have you been here?"

"I have no idea," says Wriggle sadly. "I couldn't tell if it was day or night with my eyes covered."

Suddenly, the girl's stomach grumbles loudly.

"But it must have been a while. I'm so hungry..." she mumbles.

"Err..."

Grimnír rummages through his sack, but the only thing that looks edible are the mushrooms. But he isn't going to give her those. They might be poisonous, and he has no idea what they are even used for.

"Sorry," he says. "I really don't have anything to eat right now. We'll have to get out of here. Can you stand up?"

"Of course I can," says Wriggle defiantly as she forces herself up. "I'm not some weak human like -"

Suddenly, she loses her balance and starts falling. Grimnír barely catches her before she hits the ground.

"Umm... maybe I should carry you?" he suggests.

Wriggle looks up at him in surprise. Then, she looks away, her cheeks turning a little bit pink.

"W-well... maybe just a little," she whispers.

...

It took him several minutes to get back. He didn't realize how difficult it was to fly while carrying someone on his back. The firefly girl was actually pretty light, but he needed to exert more effort to manipulate the wind currents. Wriggle herself was pretty quiet during the trip, and he only realized that she had fallen asleep when he arrived at the clearing.

"Is she alright?" cries a familiar voice from below.

"Yeah," he replies. "Just tired and hungry, I guess."

As he lands, he takes something from his pocket. He quickly hands the medicine bottle back to Meiling.

"You look a lot better now," he comments.

"E-eh?" says Meiling as she looks at the medicine. "B-but how did you know about this?"

"Well about that," says Grimnír. "Would you know anyone that -"

Then, he senses someone else approaching. Turning to his left, he can see Alice speeding toward him. Behind her are a troop of dolls carrying some kind of make-shift hammock. He can see a pitiful figure that could only be Mystia resting upon it. She still looks unconscious, but most of her wounds have been bandaged.

"Oh my... what happened here?" cries Alice as she looks at the devastated ground.

"Long story," he says. "In any case, we better get Wriggle and Mystia back to Eientei."

"Ah!" says Meiling. "M-miss Alice? How unexpected, ha ha..."

"Eh? What are you doing here?" the dollkeeper asks.

"Nothing!" replies the gatekeeper. "Nothing at all! Just out for a walk... ha ha..."

Both he and Alice frown at Meiling. What the heck is she trying to hide?

"A-anyway," she continues. "I better get back to the Mansion and report to Sakuya and the mistress. That nothing of interest was found, of course! Ahahaha..."

At those words, Meiling laughs uneasily as she slowly starts walking away.

Grimnír pauses for a moment.
[ ] Don't let her escape. Block her path if you have to.
[ ] Convince her to tell you what she knows. (Specify how)
[ ] Forget about it. You have other things to worry about.
[ ] Custom

Loading User Commands:
[X] Head toward the cave.

---

Grimnír forces himself up and takes another look at the cave. No matter how he thinks about it, the place looks like any ordinary cave. He doesn't even feel any presence from inside. However, he doesn't really have any other ideas. This might be an important clue.

"Ah hell..." he mutters as he walks toward the entrance.

For the first ten minutes, he finds nothing of interest. The cave itself has several cracks on the ceiling to let in light, so he has no trouble walking. There are no turns or small tunnels, and the place seems to be just a hole in the wall. Then, just as he thinks about turning back, he notices something shining in the distance.

Grimnír quickly follows the glow until he discovers a large chamber at the end of the tunnel. On the right, a single beam of blue light is emitted from an electronic device embedded into the wall. From this source, the light collides with a carefully positioned set of mirrors, lenses and prisms at the center of the room. The optical devices reflect and refract the light to form a variety of strange symbols along a circular design. The blue light escapes to the left, where another electronic device contains it.

"What the heck..." he whispers.

Carefully, he walks along the perimeter of the strange circle. As he examines it closer, he recognizes some of the smaller symbols as magical runes. However, he can't read the symbol at the very center of the circle of light. Perhaps if he only leans a little bit closer and -

"CRASH!"

Grimnír rubs his head painfully as his vision starts to clear. That was both careless and stupid, falling over like that. He forces himself up as the pain subsides. Then, as he looks around, he plants his palm upon his forehead.

"Now that was stupid," he tells himself.

The devices have fallen into disarray, and some of them lie in pieces at his feet. Frantically, he tries to put the apparatus back together, but he fails miserably. Damn this luck! He better get out of here before someone finds out that he -

"H-hey!" cries a new voice. "I-Is anyone out there?"

Grimnír tightens his grip on the staff as he carefully walks toward the sound. Seems like it came from a dark corner at the end of the chamber. As silent as possible, he makes his way forward to investigate.

"P-please," cries the voice weakly. "I-I don't like it here! I don't like this darkness!"

Somehow, the voice sounds familiar. As he steps closer, he can hear someone sobbing quietly. He can sense fear as he approaches, and moments later, he recognizes the silhouette of a person lying helplessly on the ground. It looks like a small girl.

"W-who are you?" whispers the girl. "I-I'm not afraid!"

Grimnír's eyes widen in surprise, shock and confusion. The person lying before him, tied up with ropes and blindfolded, is most certainly Wriggle Nightbug. Green hair and a pair of distinctive antennae - there can't be any mistake. However, she seems to be wearing her usual clothes, and he can see no magic runes or symbols on them.

[ ] Untie her. Ask her what happened.
[ ] Untie her. Carry her outside.
[ ] Untie her. Don't say anything.
[ ] Don't untie her. Ask her what happened.
[ ] Don't untie her. Carry her outside.
[ ] Don't untie her. Don't say anything.
[ ] Leave the place quietly. Don't get involved.
[ ] Custom

Loading User Commands:
[X] Use the medicine on Meiling's wounds.
[X] Search for Yukari.

---

As the trident-wielder vanishes into the forest, the crimson energy field disappears with him. Left alone with the unconscious gatekeeper, Grimnír pauses to think. The dangerous wanderer of the Forest... Marisa's unusual injury... Wriggle's appearance at Hakugyokurou... Dr. Yagokoro's analysis of the reading... Remilia's unexpected generosity... and now an attack on Mystia's red-lantern stand. Is everything just a coincidence?

He shakes his head in frustration. There isn't enough data here to come up with an acceptable conclusion. All he can do now is make the best decision for the present. First things first - he needs to help Meiling.

"Hmm..."

Grimnír quickly examines the gate guard. Her injuries are very similar to Mystia's, if not a little less severe. She has deep cuts and burns all over her body. Thankfully, nothing seems broken, and she is still breathing.

Having no better idea, he opens the bottle the stranger gave him. It is full of an ointment that smells strongly of herbs and mushrooms. With a shrug, he starts rubbing some of the medicine on Meiling's wounds. The girl shudders slightly as he does so, but she doesn't wake up. After putting the medicine, he lays the gatekeeper in a more comfortable position before preparing to head into the forest once more.

"That should do," he says aloud. "Now to find Yukari..."

...

After flying and searching the area for a while, Grimnír lands and leans against a tree to rest. He couldn't find any trace of the girl, even when he checked the last place where he left her. Searching for someone so small is an impossible task in this labyrinthine forest. He looks up desperately at the clouds as he catches his breath. This is a futile gesture.

"Where the hell are you?" he asks aloud, half-expecting Yukari to pop out beside him.

This time, however, she doesn't, and Grimnír finds himself alone in the forest. Time passes, both slowly and painfully. The sky is starting to turn orange as the sun sets. To the right, he can see a small cave, almost hidden by the trees. That must be what the stranger was pointing to earlier. To the left, he can still see the clearing where he left Meiling. Perhaps he should check on her as well.

"I just want to see her again..." he whispers.

The moment he says that, he realizes that it's true.

[ ] Keep searching the forest.
[ ] Head toward the cave.
[ ] Return back to the clearing.
[ ] Custom

Loading User Commands:
[X] Let her escape.

---

"Are we going to let her escape, Serpent Knight?" says the trident-wielder.

Grimnír pauses to think. Wriggle seems to be chanting the spell commands for a teleportation spell. They only have a few seconds to stop her. But, for some reason, he can't bring himself to recklessly attack the girl. There are too many missing pieces in this puzzle.

"Yes, I believe we are," he says firmly.

"Alright then, so shall we... what?" replies the stranger.

"She seems quite powerful," says Grimnír. "There is no guarantee that a couple of humans can take her down so easily."

"..."

"Besides," he adds. "I'd rather make sure that everyone is alright. Mystia needs medical attention, and that gatekeeper took a beating earlier."

With a flash of green light, Wriggle suddenly vanishes. The stranger gives him a shrug and a sigh.

"Well... I guess that it has nothing to do with me," he says.

Then, before he can ask him some questions, the trident-wielder quickly heads back toward the ground. He stops slightly when he spots the wounded the gatekeeper. After a moment of hesitation, the trident-wielder rushes down beside her. He seems to be examining her clothes for something. Maybe he is searching for something? But by the way he is moving his hands...

"Hey!" cries Grimnír. "Don't even think about taking advantage of an unconscious woman!"

The stranger ignores him and continues his work. He doesn't seem ashamed of touching certain sensitive places as he moves his hands hurriedly.

"Are you some kind of sicko?" he cries. "This girl needs medical attention, and you are still thinking of -"

"Found it," says the trident-wielder.

Suddenly, the stranger stands up and shoves a small bottle into his hands.

"Apply a small amount on her wounds," he says. "This will speed up Meiling's regeneration."

"Wait... what?"

"She makes the medicine for herself," says the stranger. "I don't think it works on others."

Without another word, the trident-wielder gives him a small nod before walking away.

"Hey!" cries Grimnír. "Who the hell are you anyway? Why are you helping us? And why am I the Serpent Knight?"

The stranger pauses for a moment.

"Your other friend is being kept in a nearby cave in that direction," he says, pointing toward the right.

Then, the trident-wielder disappears deep into the forest with inhuman speed. The crimson energy vanishes as he leaves, and soon there is no trace of him left. Even if Grimnír wanted to follow, the Forest of Magic is far too large to search.

Grimnír pauses to think.
[ ] Search for Yukari.
[ ] Return to the others.
[ ] Approach the nearby cave.
[ ] Use the medicine on Meiling's wounds.
[ ] Custom

"You have come out on your own?" says Wriggle. "How unexpected."

"Wriggle Nightbug," says Grimnír. "Why are you doing this?"

"I told you already," she says. "I have to save this world. It is my duty."

"So you are saying that I am an enemy of this world?"

Wriggle pauses for a moment to think about it.

"Perhaps not," answers the firefly. "But your existence is extremely dangerous. We can't take the risk that you present to the balance."

"Kill the innocent few to save the many," he replies. "I'm assuming that you are thinking along those lines?"

"This game isn't as simple as that."

"Then why?" says Grimnír. "Why are you willing to kill your own friends?"

Wriggle looks at him with a solemn expression.

"In this game," she says. "There are no winners. Only ways to lose a little bit less."

"..."

"I'm sorry," says Wriggle. "Please don't hate me."

The firefly youkai raises her arm and fires several green darts at him. Slowly he closes his eyes to focus. Then, he generates a great barrier in front of him, defying his self-calculated limits. The impact of the attack is incredible, but somehow, he survives. Wriggle gasps in surprise as the dust clears. He is still hovering in front of her, unharmed.

"E-eh?" she mumbles. "How did you?"

"If that is how this game is played," Grimnír whispers darkly. "Then I will bend and break all the rules to change it into something else. Something more."

His bracelet starts glowing with an eerie light. He can feel an incredible energy flowing through his body. With this power, maybe he can call upon...

[ ] A legion of loyal and heartless servants.
[ ] A burning and cleansing luminescence.
[ ] A destructive and unpredictable anomaly.
[ ] A fearless and -

"I-It can't be..." cries Wriggle. "No... I can't let you awaken!"

She suddenly pulls out a spellcard from her clothes.

"Verdant Force,「Endless and Infinite Night」"

Everything starts to turn dark. He can feel an incredibly powerful energy emanating from her. She only needs a few seconds to complete the incantation, but he already understands. This attack... there is no way he can counter it in time. Grimnír sighs heavily as he waits for it to land. Though, for some strange reason, he has no regrets.

"Iyaaah!" she cries suddenly. "W-what the -"

A familiar figure floats in front of him. Dressed in a thick worn coat and some old pants, the man turns around slightly to glance at him. In his right hand, the man holds a long trident made of a strange dark metal. From this close, he can recognize some of the ornate designs on the weapon as high-level magical runes.

"You really are crazy," he says. "Diving head-first into a battle you can't win."

"Y-you!" Grimnír cries. "W-what are you -"

"Don't misunderstand," says the trident-wielder. "I will have nothing to do with you or your friends."

Then, he points the weapon straight toward Wriggle.

"But for once," he says. "We both agree that this person is a nuisance. A bug that should be squashed."

"S-squashed?" says Wriggle. "W-who do you think you are?"

The stranger then strikes an imposing pose in mid-air as he points at the firefly girl.

"I am the Wolf Knight," he says. "And you are already within my territory."

Suddenly, Grimnír becomes aware of a familiar field of influence. He can feel a terrible crimson energy around the whole area.

"This forest shall be painted Scarlet with your blood..." says the stranger.

"W-wolf knight?" repeats Wriggle. "This isn't part of the plan... damn it..."

Suddenly, the firefly girl starts chanting some spell commands. Grimnír recognizes it as a high-level teleportation spell. Then, the stranger turns toward him.

"Are we going to let her escape, Serpent Knight?" he says.

[ ] Let her escape.
[ ] Attack her together.
[ ] Custom

Loading User Commands:
[X] Custom

---

"Leave me here and run," whispers Yukari.

For the past few days, he felt nothing but suspicion and fear of this girl. After all, she had already tried to force her will into his head once. And while she didn't harm him on their other "meetings", he certainly didn't welcome her in his mind. It felt unnatural and dangerous. One's mind is one's world, and only a fool would accept a stranger into it so freely.

When she offered her help, he hesitated. What would she want in return? Was this a honey-laden trap? Was she involved in everything that happened, in some sort of conspiracy? There were too many questions, and he couldn't trust her.

Even now, after she had saved his life, his heart feels cold. This isn't an issue of trust or friendship, but that of logic. He must select the course of action that has the most reasonable chance of success.

"Yukari," he says. "If you die here, what happens to the rest of you?"

The tiny girl coughs violently before looking up at him, her eyes turning glassy.

"This really isn't the time to ask questions," she says. "But you aren't going to move unless I answer, are you?"

"..."

"Like I said before," says Yukari. "This self is also myself, unlike a mirror-image or a familiar. That is why my awareness exists here. That is why I can use my powers. This isn't an extension, but a true part of myself."

"But doesn't that mean..."

"I've never died this way before," she says. "But I don't really mind losing a part of me. After all, this is to protect something important."

"What?" he says. "I don't understand. Why would you risk so much?"

"Gensokyo needs you," says Yukari. "And maybe I do, as well."

Grimnír hesitates. There is still a good chance that she is lying.

"Don't worry about me," she whispers. "We will see each other again, one way or another."

Slowly, another voice starts to drown out his calculated logic and rational thought. Something pulls tightly at his chest. A warm and powerful feeling, he can feel it pump through his veins. Grimnír stands up and takes a glance at the clear blue sky.

"I'm sorry... my friend..." he whispers.

Without another word, he takes off into the air.