Loading User Commands:
[X] Custom

---

Reisen walks closer, a wicked smile upon her lips. A chill runs down his spine.

"Oh my!" she says. "Now, what am I going to do with the naughty human that stepped into my dream? Maybe it's... a naughty dream?"

Grimnír swallows nervously. He can't see or hear anything apart from this girl, and he can only barely feel Shanghai holding him tight. This doesn't look good. He doesn't really understand what's happening around him, but he does know that this situation is very dangerous. This place seems to be completely under her influence. Well, almost. His barrier seems to be holding up for the moment.

"Shanghai," he whispers. "Listen closely..."

He can't see the doll's face, but he can vaguely see her form nod at him. After carefully whispering some instructions, he feels her stand up and fly deep into the darkness behind him. Hopefully, she'll be able to get some help from the others. But for now, he has to deal with the lunarian alone. He quickly turns back to her. Perhaps he can try to buy some time...

"Reisen, what exactly is this dream you are talking about?"

"What is this dream?"

Her smile widens. He doesn't feel much better.

"What a strange question," she says. "You should know better than anyone else, human. This is just another fantasy world that will vanish at the end of the day."

"A fantasy? What are you talking about?"

There is something strange about this darkness and this silence. He can't even hear her footsteps as she walks closer. It is as if something has muffled out every sound besides their voices. He can't even hear his own heartbeat right now.

"What am I talking about? W-what am I talking about? Ahahahahahahaha!"

Suddenly, she vanishes. Grimnír quickly focuses his energy on the barrier, forming a protective shell around him. He doesn't know where she is going to attack from, but this should buy him enough time to -

"What am I talking about, indeed." she whispers darkly.

Reisen is standing right in front of his barrier, smiling. Slowly, she raises her finger and taps it against his shield. A large crack begins to spread along its surface, and in the next moment, the barrier shatters like thin glass. He raises his hand to restore the barrier, but it's already too late.

"Look into my eyes."

It takes him only a moment to realize his mistake. Just for a moment, her calm red eyes suddenly glow a bright crimson. He blinks. Huh? Her eyes have returned to normal, but for some reason, he can't look away from this girl. In fact, he can't move a muscle! His body is no longer responding to his commands. His eyes widen in horror? What did she just do?

"That's much better," says Reisen. "Now the naughty human will play nicely~"

She steps closer toward him, giggling to herself. No, don't panic! Focus! Think! There is always something that he might have overlooked. He needs to distract her while he tries to understand what's happening to him. It takes him an incredible amount of effort to even speak.

"Why..." he whispers. "Why did you... run?"

"Why did I... run?"

"This... nightmare... You don't... want this..."

"..."

"Let me... help you..."

The lunar rabbit pauses at those words. For just a moment, the smile on her face vanishes. He takes this chance to observe his surroundings. She seems to be manipulating the environment somehow. His senses have dulled, and his body barely reacts to his commands. Did she do something to his nerves? But as long as he can still move, then maybe he can do something. He focuses his energy into his left hand. It might not be much, but this could be just enough to -

"Help me?"

Without warning, she pushes him down. She has surprising strength for a person of her size. This is his last thought before the back of his head slams against the ground, hard. His eyes blur as the pain registers in his head. She seems to be standing right on top of him now. He still can't move. He can't resist against her.

"Feeling pity for the lonely little moon bunny?" she cries out. "Well then, why don't you comfort my lonely heart?"

"Gah! W-what are you doing, Reisen!"

She smiles as she starts undoing his robes. Grimnír tries to resist, but he still doesn't have full control of his body. He can barely speak, and he only has partial control of his left hand. Before he realizes it, the rabbit girl manages to expose his chest. She squeals in delight, enjoying the sight.

"T-this isn't funny!" he cries, perfectly aware that his face must be bright red. "Don't joke like that! Let me go! Let me go! Let me go!"

"How cute," she whispers. "Are you the shy type? Don't worry."

Grimnír feels panic rushing in. She can't possibly mean to -

"I'll be gentle~"

Disregarding his demands, she starts pulling at his pants.

"No! Reisen! No!"

This is looking really bad. He needs to calm her down!

[ ] Reach out to her with lies.
[ ] Reach out to her with logic.
[ ] Reach out to her with love.
[ ] Reach out to her with laser.
[ ] Reach out to her with laughter.
[ ] Let her do what she wants.
[ ] Custom

Loading User Commands:
[X] Both
[X] Continue walking forward.

---

Grimnír takes a moment to think about his next move. This situation seems to be getting dangerous, but can he afford to just walk away? He might not have this chance again. Despite the risk, this event just proves that there is an incident here in Eientei. If he can somehow figure it all out, perhaps he can stop something terrible from happening.

"..?"

His thoughts are interrupted by a gentle tug at his robe. Shanghai looks up at him, worried. She seems to be shaking nervously, like a scared little child. He forces a smile and pats her head for a bit. Then, he gently takes the doll in his hands and places it upon his shoulder.

"It's alright. I'm not going to let anything happen to you."

The doll gasps silently in surprise, but she doesn't resist. She just sits on his shoulder, fidgeting and glancing at him every now and then. Even in the darkness, he can see that her face is quite red. As they continue moving forward, Grimnír quietly wonders if this behavior is still part of Alice's original design.

"..?'

He feels something pop out of his pocket and into his hand. Eh? It looks like a tiny handwritten note.

> "I knew it. You have a thing for cute little dolls, don't you~"

He immediately crumples the note and pockets it before the doll notices. Then, as he continues walking along the dark corridor, he slowly becomes more and more aware of how soft Shanghai feels on his shoulder. He finds it hard to believe that this girl is an artificial construct. Even through their clothes, he can sense the lifelike texture of her body.

"..."

He quickly shakes away those bad thoughts. Dammit Yukari. He isn't that type of -

"Huh? What the!?"

Grimnír stares in shock as he watches his legs start sinking into the floor. Of course, the floor looks completely normal as he sinks into it, nothing like quicksand or water. That definitely doesn't look right. Nope, not at all. He tries to pull his legs out, but it is no use. A few seconds pass, and he is already knee-deep into the floor. Then, to his surprise, he stops sinking.

"Rabbit stew," whispers a voice into his left ear.

He turns to the left, but no one is there.

"Rabbit stew," whispers a voice into his right ear.

He turns to the right, but no one is there.

"Rabbit stew," whispers a voice right behind him.

He turns around, but no one is there.

"Rabbit stew. Rabbit stew. Rabbit stew. Rabbit stew. Rabbit stew. Rabbit stew. Rabbit stew. Rabbit stew. Rabbit stew. Rabbit stew. Rabbit stew. Rabbit stew. Rabbit stew. Rabbit stew. Rabbit stew. Rabbit stew. Rabbit stew. Rabbit stew. Rabbit stew. Rabbit stew. Rabbit stew. Rabbit stew. Rabbit stew. Rabbit stew. Rabbit stew. Rabbit stew. Rabbit stew. Rabbit stew. Rabbit stew. Rabbit stew.Rabbit stew. Rabbit stew. Rabbit stew."

The voice seems to come from all directions. It repeats itself again and again, ominously. It is a female voice, he notes. Grimnír quickly prepares a spell barrier around himself and Shanghai. Then suddenly, silence.

"..."

He looks around him. Everything has turned into darkness. He can't even see where he came from, or where he is going. Even the floor has vanished, and he can't see anything around him. Something soft grasps the side of his neck. He can feel Shanghai holding on to him nervously. He carefully feels for her in the darkness and strokes her hair gently to calm her down. This isn't good. He can't see anything. He can't hear anything. What the heck is -

"Looking for Master?" says the voice. "More humans looking for Master and the Princess?"

Something comes into view. A single person. A girl. She walks along the darkness and silence before him. She mutters to herself loudly as she takes each step.

"No... just a bad dream, ha ha ha. Medicine will make it better. Master said that the medicine will make it all go away. We all took it, even she. A cure for nightmares. A cure to help us sleep. Help us all sleep. Eientei is peaceful now. No need to remember such a bad dream... ha ha."

"Reisen?" says Grimnír slowly. "Reisen, is that you?"

The girl looks up at him, confused.

"Oh, you're really here? Then this must be another dream. Did I fall asleep while working again? Master will be displeased. I will have to apologize later. But, oh my! Now what am I going to do with the naughty human that stepped into my dream? Maybe it's... a naughty dream?"

Suddenly, a wild smile forms along her lips. A chill runs down his spine.

[ ] Tell Shanghai to call for help.
[ ] Ask Yukari for some backup.
[ ] Try to break free with your own power.
[ ] Don't resist. Try to calm her down.
[ ] Don't resist. Try to taunt her.
[ ] Don't resist. Stay silent.
[ ] Use item. This option is unavailable right now.
[ ] Custom

Loading User Commands:
[X] Custom

---

"Hey, you!" cries Alice as she turns to Grimnír. "Don't tell me that you didn't have anything to do with -"

"Doesn't add up..."

The dollmaker stops speaking when she sees him. Rubbing his chin with his eyes closed, the Grey Wizard is clearly in deep thought. There is something very wrong about Reisen's reaction. She never acted this way around him until now. And even if he somehow did anything insensitive, she should have shown signs of embarrassment or irritation, which while cute, would be nothing near the look of absolute terror on her face just now.

"It doesn't add up," he says again. "There must be other factors that we haven't considered. Her behavior is most troubling."

Grimnír stares at Alice for a bit. After a few moments, she turns a little pink.

"Eh? W-why are you looking at me like that? I don't have anything to do with this, either!"

"Nothing at all?"

"Of course not!"

"Ah. Well then, that makes this case a little more complicated..."

He steps closer to the stove and cooking area. Careful examination confirmed that there isn't anything unusual about the kitchen implements that the rabbit girl used. There isn't anything visibly suspicious about the food she prepared, either. Everything looks normal. Everything aside from the plate full of fried eggs. That dish looks like something better made for breakfast.

"Alice, is there anything unusual in these? Some strange ingredient or magical energy, perhaps?"

"Hmm, let me check."

The dollmaker takes a closer look at the eggs. She closes her eyes and mutters a few spell commands. For a moment, her hands start glowing, but it quickly returns to normal. She shakes her head.

"They seem like plain fried eggs with a little salt and oil, but that's it."

Ordinary eggs. For some reason, Grimnír feels like he is missing something here. But that is only a gut feeling. Logically, there isn't enough information to work with for a plausible hypothesis. He frowns as he remembers something back at the Forest of Magic.

> You missed it.

No. He can't make that mistake again. He can't let another clue slip through his fingers! Reisen knows something important. They need to calm her down and question her before something terrible happens.

"We need to find Reisen."

Alice shakes her head. She looks at him sadly.

"I'll go talk to her," she says. "I don't think that she is in any condition to calm herself around you."

~~~

There is one other person who might know about what is happening. Grimnír quickly makes his way to the hospital wing. Reisen mentioned that she told her Master about the strange waves that she sensed. Dr. Yagokoro must have some idea about this case.

Come to think about it, neither of the lunarians have ever mentioned anything about trouble at Eientei. Despite the different events happening all around Gensokyo, he never heard anything about disappearances, youkai attacks, or anything else around here. Did this place have some special protection around it? Or perhaps something did happen, but they kept it secret, somehow.

He wouldn't be surprised if Dr. Yagokoro is involved in this incident. The genius pharmacist couldn't possibly have let all this go unnoticed. If anything else, she seems to know too much, even when he recalls their meetings. Of course, it could also be due to the nature of her profession. Doctors can't release their clients' personal information for the sake of privacy, after all.

"..."

Grimnír stops walking. Something just changed. He looks around the hallways. There isn't anything odd in sight. In fact, the hallways seem a lot longer and lonelier that usual. And dark, for some reason. Even with the lights on, the place seems dimly lit. Huh?

"Why would the lights be on at this time of day?" he asks himself.

He glances at one of the windows uneasily. It is pitch-black outside, and hardly a whisper could be heard. When he looks up, the full moon shines eerily from behind the clouds. There isn't any wind. He doesn't understand it, but based on what he can observe, it is already night time right now.

"That can't be right..."

When he turns back toward the hallway, he realizes that the path toward the hospital wing has suddenly grown dark. The lights that lead toward it have been shut off somehow. However, the path from which he came is still lit.

Grimnír takes a moment to think about his next move.

Who did he take with him again?
[ ] Mini-Yukari
[ ] Shanghai
[ ] Both

This darkness...
[ ] Continue walking forward.
[ ] Retreat back into the light.

Loading User Commands:
[X] Approach Reisen together with Alice.

---

Alice stares at Grimnír suspiciously.

"I don't have anything to do with this," he whispers.

"Are you sure about that? Could you have done something insensitive or perverted?"

"O-of course not! I didn't have time to do anything like that! Er, I mean that I was out all morning, so I couldn't have possibly been involved in this mess. Ahahaha..."

The dollmaker frowns hard at him. She shakes her head in disappointment before walking towards Reisen. The rabbit girl continues sobbing, unaware of their presence. Before he can argue, something pull at him.

"..."

Shanghai gently tugs his side, then gives him a look, as if asking for permission. He smiles at the gesture and nods. The doll smiles brightly as she lands and sits on his shoulder. She really is cute. Having a doll like her would be fine, too.

"E-eh? Miss Alice?"

Reisen quickly wipes away her tears and calms herself. She forces a polite smile and gives the dollmaker a small bow.

"Ah, forgive me. I didn't realize that you came in. Lunch will be served shortly. So please, go ahead and -"

"What's wrong, Reisen?"

"Wrong? N-nothing's wrong, Miss Alice! Something just splashed into my eye while cooking..."

Alice shakes her head.

"Please," she says, her voice both gentle and firm. "Tell me what's wrong. You're among friends here."

Reisen looks at the dollmaker for a moment. Then, she looks away.

"It's nothing," whispers the rabbit girl. "It's probably nothing, but..."

The rabbit girl lowers her head sadly.

"I've been seeing strange wave patterns the past few days. Most humans and youkai can't sense it, of course. Even Master has doubts about them, since they haven't triggered any of her instruments. But if things continue like this..."

Reisen suddenly falls silent. Grimnír walks closer as Alice waits for her to continue. The rabbit girl keeps her head down, showing no sign of having noticed his presence.

"Maybe Tewi was right," she whispers. "We're all going to be trapped in that nightmare once more. I should have gone with her when she left for..."

The rabbit girl looks up at them. She blinks in surprise at Grimnír. He gives her an awkward wave. She closes her eyes tightly and shakes her head.

"W-wha? It can't be.. n-no! No! N-not again! Iyaaaaaaah!"

Without warning, she runs out of the kitchen. Her hysterical shrieks could be heard as she dashes unceremoniously along the hallways. Both he and Alice are left in the kitchen, dumbfounded. Grimnír carefully recalls Reisen's face when she recognized him.

It was a look of absolute terror.

[ ] Quickly chase after Reisen. Tell Alice to come with you.
[ ] Quickly chase after Reisen. You need to talk to her alone.
[ ] Stay in the kitchen. Ask if Alice knows anything.
[ ] Stay in the kitchen. Perhaps Reisen left a clue.
[ ] Leave the room. Tell Alice to come with you.
[ ] Leave the room. You need to investigate alone.
[ ] Use item. (Specify)
[ ] Custom

Loading User Commands:
[X] Reisen

---

"Hey, isn't that.. Reisen?"

The rabbit girl stands toward the back of the large kitchen, busying herself in front of one of the stoves, it seems. The sizzling sound of the pan echoes loudly across the room. She stays completely silent as she transfers the cooked food to a few large plates. Then, she takes a moment to stare at her work.

At this point, Grimnír hardly notices anything unusual. In fact, the lunch looks quite appetizing, even from here. There is some kind of meat and vegetable dish, and a generous serving of pasta for each person. A large pot of soup lies beside it, with some salad on the side. In fact, there is only one thing that looks unusual.

Standing out from the rest of the food is a plate full of fried eggs. Reisen stares at it intently, and he can't make out the expression on her face.

"I made them anyway," she whispers. "I didn't even realize it. It's..."

Her eyes widen in horror. Her face turns white.

"I-It's.. happening again!? It's the same! It's all the same..."

Suddenly, her eyes start tearing up. Then, she starts sobbing loudly, clearly unaware that anyone else has stepped inside. Alice looks at Grimnír suspiciously. He quickly shakes her head, mouthing that he doesn't have anything to do with this.

"You sure about that?" whispers the dollmaker. "You didn't do anything insensitive or perverted?"

"O-of course not!" he whispers back.

The dollmaker just shrugs at him and starts walking toward Reisen. The rabbit girl continues sobbing, still oblivious of their presence.

"..."

Something lands on his shoulder. He turns to see Shanghai staring up at him. She looks worried.

[ ] Approach Reisen together with Alice.
[ ] Stay here with Shanghai and observe.
[ ] Carefully sneak out of the kitchen.
[ ] Use item. (Specify)
[ ] Custom

Loading User Commands:
[X] Custom

---

"What's wrong? Looking for something?"

Grimnír shakes his head. No point in being too nosy. Curiosity could kill, after all.

"I was looking for you," he explains. "I happened to smell food, so I figured I'd see if you would like some as well."

"Food?" repeats Alice. "Well, I don't really need to eat, and I'd like to finish that quickly so..."

"I see. Sorry to bother you, then."

He shrugs as he turns toward the kitchen. Suddenly, Alice grabs him by the shoulder.

"W-wait!" she cries. "Where do you think you are going?"

"Eh? But I thought that -"

"Hush! I never said that I wouldn't go with you!"

To his surprise, Alice starts walking ahead of him, straight toward the kitchen. Shanghai floats beside her expressionlessly. He scratches his head, confused. She turns around, her cheeks a bit flushed.

"What is it? I thought that you were hungry?"

"Huh? I don't even -"

The dollmaker folds her arms and frowns at him. Shanghai mirrors her movement, doubling the effect.

"Or perhaps you'd rather have someone else prepare a meal for you?"

A chill runs down his spine. He shakes his head and laughs nervously.

"E-er, of course not!" he manages. "I'd be honored to taste something that Master Alice prepared for me."

Her smile widens at those words.

"Very good. The apprentice understands his place perfectly."

Alice leads the way as they walk along the halls of Eientei. She doesn't turn back even once, maintaining her confident demeanor. However, Shanghai floats near him almost immediately after. The doll circles him a few times before finally landing on his shoulder.

"Well, at least you're a little easier to understand," he whispers to the doll.

Shanghai looks up at him, giggling silently. Unsure of what she means, he shrugs and follows after Alice.

~~~

"Hey Grim," says the dollmaker. "What sort of food would you like to eat?"

He jumps a bit in surprise. Her sudden question interrupted his thoughts. Alice turns around and stares at him for a few moments. Then, she shakes her head.

"W-well, it's not like I'm saying that I'd go out of the way to make something like that. It would just be more convenient if I could make sure that you would eat what I could prepare. I don't really know that many recipes, and it would be difficult if you forced yourself to eat something you hate...."

Grimnír blinks a few times as a response. He doesn't get it.

"Huh?"

Alice blushes bright red at this. She turns around quickly with an irritated expression on her face. As she pushes open the door to the kitchen, she glances at him.

"N-never you mind," she adds. "I'll just cook something quick and easy! Don't blame me if -"

The dollmaker stops in her tracks. Something seems to have gotten her attention. Grimnír leans forward to examine the room. The kitchen is large, but for the most part it is empty. That is, empty aside from one other person.

"Hey, isn't that..."

[ ] Marisa
[ ] Reisen
[ ] Dr. Yagokoro
[ ] ______

Loading User Commands:
[X] Carefully wake Alice. Offer to walk with her.

---

After a moment of thought, Grimnír gently pats the dollmaker's shoulders. He whispers her name a few times until she groans irritably.

"Ugh, I can find that book later, lemme 'lone..."

"Alice?"

Without warning, she raises her hand and slams it hard on the armrest with a bang. She opens her eyes sleepily and frowns at him.

"Dammit Marisa!" she cries. "I told you to wait till I -"

Alice stops speaking and stares blankly at him. He smiles at her nervously. She blinks again. An awkward silence passes between them.

"A-ah! Grim? I-I didn't know, I'm sorry, I just -"

"Don't mention it. My fault for waking you."

She nervously starts brushing at her hair with her hands, as if to make it neater. Honestly, he thinks that her golden hair is already quite lovely as it is, but he takes the prudent step not to say that out loud.

"Well, I thought that I'd offer to take a walk with you, but it seems that you're a bit busy right now."

"Busy? What do you mean?"

He nods at the materials and designs scattered beside her. Alice takes a glance at the table, then back at him. Suddenly, her eyes widen in horror. Her face turns white and her lips start quivering.

"Iyaaaah!"

"Huh?

"Shanghai, go!"

"What the, MMPH!"

Grimnír gasps in surprise as the doll hops up and hugs his face. The tiny doll's grip tightens as he cries, 'Mmph' a few more times. Shanghai seems intent on blocking his vision, and he can feel no intimacy from her hug. Well, maybe he can feel a little. Despite her grip, the doll seems to be taking extreme care not to injure him. From the side of his eye, he can see a worried expression upon her face. After a moment, he calms down and stops struggling. There doesn't seem to be any immediate danger.

"Hurry! Take that one too!"

He perks up his ears to listen. From the sounds nearby, several things are being quickly moved away. Then, a couple of minutes later, he hears Alice sigh in relief.

"Ah, s-sorry about that," she says. "It was just so messy that I had to clean up and -"

She pauses for moment.

"Shanghai! Didn't I say you could let him go?"

The doll reluctantly pulls away from him. Then, Shanghai does something surprising. She gives him a little wink. Then, she turns around and bows obediently to Alice. The doll floats to her side with a seemingly solemn expression.

"That's better!" she says. "Sorry, I don't know what got into her right now."

Grimnír looks around curiously. All traces of her work have vanished from the area. He frowns for a moment. What would she be hiding?

"What's wrong, Grim? Looking for something?"

He turns to Alice. She smiles nervously as she waits for him to respond.

[ ] "Not really. I must be seeing things."
[ ] "Not really, since I already found you."
[ ] "Not really. But did anything happen earlier?"
[ ] "Yes. I am in search of food."
[ ] "Yes. Where is Marisa?"
[ ] "Yes. What are you hiding?"
[ ] Custom

Loading User Commands:
[X] Look for Alice.
[X] Custom

---

After wandering around Eientei for a few minutes, Grimnír notices someone familiar. Her short blonde hair and distinct blue and pink dress are unmistakable. He smiles as he walks closer. He hasn't really had the chance to talk to Alice today. Their encounter during breakfast this morning could have gone better.

"Hey Alice," he says.

She doesn't reply. As he approaches the puppeteer magician, he realizes the reason. She seems to have fallen asleep while sitting on one of the chairs, a large black book in her lap. Her face is serene and peaceful. Shanghai sits silently beside her. He can't help but smile as he steps closer.

"... eh?"

Lying scattered on a table beside her are several sewing implements: pieces of colored cloth, ribbons, spools of thread, a pincushion full of needles, and a few other odds and ends. Nearby are several woodworking tools, but no wood. He also spots several other strange reagents and materials that he doesn't recognize. There are sheets of paper as well, full of designs and high-level runes. At a glance, it looks like she was working on one of her projects.

"Hmm."

It isn't like her to work out in the open like this. Why didn't she return back to her workshop at her cottage? Curious, Grimnír glances closer at her schematics. Most of it is written in a language that he doesn't understand, but one word catches his eye.

> Valkyrie

He blinks and rubs his eyes. When he stares at the plans again, he doesn't understand a thing. Were his eyes playing tricks on him?

"Ah!"

Something interrupts his thoughts. A refreshing aroma wafts into his nostrils. The kitchen is only a short distance away. Perhaps someone has started cooking lunch? He turns to Alice. She seems to be sleeping soundly.

[ ] Leave quietly. Head to the kitchen.
[ ] Carefully wake Alice. Offer to walk with her.
[ ] Examine her work closely. What is she making?
[ ] Custom

Loading User Commands:
[X] A tiny person.

---

"Ugh... my head..."

He groans. Something seems to be shaking him awake. It feels small and soft. Grimnír slowly opens his eyes. Someone smiles at him. It's a familiar tiny person. Oh wow, it's her again. He blinks a few times to make sure that he isn't seeing things.Then, he turns to the other side and closes his eyes once more.

"H-hey, that's rude! Is that how you thank me?"

He sighs loudly before sitting up. His head still aches a little, but other than that, he seems unhurt. He takes a quick glance around him. Seems like he is back in his room at Eientei.

"What happened?"

"Hmph!" Yukari pouts at him. "Maybe you were kidnapped by fairies? Perhaps you got attacked by man-eating plants? Who knows?"

He stares at the irritated youkai girl. The fact that she could fit in his hand right now only made her angry face look cuter. He couldn't help but smile a little. For a moment, he feels tempted to ruffle her hair, but his wiser side reminded him of several reasons why that would be a bad idea.

"Sorry about that. Still feeling disoriented. Can't remember much after I passed out."

She turns to him, still frowning a little.

"Do you want Eirin to check for injuries?" she says.

He shakes his head.

"I'm fine, I think. I guess you brought me back here after you found me unconscious?"

"Hmph!"

She still looks irritated.

"Er, sorry about the reaction earlier. I thought that you might have been planning something again."

"Plotting and scheming... is that how you all really think?"

He stares back incredulously. She has an almost pitiable expression upon her face. Unsure of how to react, he decides to just change the subject.

"A-anyway, it's good to be back," Grimnír says. "Any trip you can walk away from is a good one."

"..."

"How are the repairs? Is there anything I can do to help?"

Something glitters in Yukari's eyes. She pulls out her fan and covers her mouth.

"The repairs? Who knows? Who knows~"

"..."

"Anyway, I'll be tagging along for a while~"

The tiny girl hops into his 'front pocket' once more. Before vanishing completely, she pokes out her head and winks at him.

"Don't tell the others that I'm here."

Then, she vanishes into his robe. He plants his palm on his face for a moment, wondering what she did this time.

"..."

After grabbing his staff and sack, he heads out into the hallway. Eientei is pretty large, but the damaged portion shouldn't be too hard to find. Alice and/or Marisa might still be working on it. He could also talk to the lunarians first. Then suddenly, his stomach grumbles.

[ ] Look for Alice.
[ ] Look for Marisa.
[ ] Look for Reisen.
[ ] Look for Dr. Yagokoro.
[ ] Look for Steak, er, Food.
[ ] Wander around aimlessly.
[ ] Custom

Loading User Commands:
[X] Try to talk to her.
[X] Custom

---

"Hey, wait!" cries Grimnír.

"Wha?"

Cirno stares back, puzzled. He can almost see a question mark out pop above her head. Wait, that can't be right. In any case, he needs to ask her something.

"Did you see any other weird things around here?"

"Weird things? Whatcha talking about?"

"You know, like that tree you just destroyed?"

"Tree? Whatcha talking about?"

Grimnír stares at her in disbelief. Very slowly, he points toward the broken remains of the Youkai tree behind her. She turns to look at it for a moment before smiling.

"Oh that? That's nothing! Weird stuffs been happening all over the place!"

"Weird stuff?"

"Yep! That's why Dai and I decided to help out! I'm the strongest, after all."

Cirno puffs out her modest chest proudly. Oh wow. Not knowing how to react, he just asks another question.

"Say, have you seen someone with a trident wandering around here?"

At the word 'trident', the ice fairy suddenly perks up.

"Ah, you mean the red man?"

"Red man?"

"He said that he was kinda busy, so he didn't play with us today."

"Play with you?"

"That's right! It's rude to bug busy people, ya know?"

"Wait, could you -"

"Anyway, I'm kinda busy right now! I'll play with ya later, Grim!"

Grimnír takes a moment to consider what she just said. This is getting even more confusing. The fact that she doesn't seem to be lying (is she even capable?) only disturbs him more.

"Ah! Hey, Cirno!"

He blinks stupidly. The ice fairy is already gone. He curses to himself quietly. For a moment, he considers going after her, but in the end he decides to stay put. Yukari might worry if he just disappears.

"..."

After a couple of minutes, Grimnír starts walking closer to the shattered remains of the Youkai tree. Cirno's destructive power is surprisingly thorough, but perhaps he can find some clues. He carefully examines the broken branches and leaves for clues. As he searches the tree stump, he notices something odd. He carefully picks up the item.

It looks like a tiny piece of broken clockwork.

"Ugh!"

Pain. His head is throbbing like crazy. He knows this. This type of mechanical design is exactly like -

"Argh!"

His vision is starting to fail. Crumpling down on the ground, he falls unconscious. But not without one last thought. He has seen this before. He is sure of it.

But where?

~~~

"..."

He opens his eyes. Darkness, all around him. There is nothing in this place.

[Welcome back.]

He frowns hard at the red eyes.

[Been a while, hasn't it?]

He shakes his head. He isn't interested in this.

[Not interested? Well, isn't that cute...]

"I'm going back," he says. "The others will be worried."

[You missed it.]

"What?"

[You almost figured it out, but you let the most important clue slip through your fingers.]

"What are you talking about?"

[Too bad. Now, you won't be able to stop them in time.]

"Stop who? What's going to happen?"

[...]

"Hey! Answer me!"

[Well, not everything goes according to plan.]

"Plan? What plan?"

[Let's see if you really are the one. Let's see if you have it.]

"Have what?"

[A king's luck.]

~~~

Grimnír groans. Something is shaking him awake.

[ ] A noisy girl.
[ ] A tiny person.
[ ] A strange doll.

> Inventory updated. Bug fix E-IM09332962 implemented.

[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 gray robes. It has many pockets.
A small pouch full of mushrooms. Maybe Marisa knows what they are used for?
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.
A large syringe from Dr. Yagokoro. It is filled with a luminescent blue substance.
A small unmarked envelope. Yukari was in it.
An empty syringe. Dr. Yagokoro said that its tip made from lunarian silver.
A mysterious spell book. "Theoretical Boundary Binding and Intervention"
A strange untitled book. Patchouli lent it to you.
A length of rope. You feel a faint energy from it. It was used to bind Wriggle.
A small candy wrapper. It has a design of bright pink and blue stripes.

[X] Option
None.

Loading User Commands:
[X] Thank her for the candy and eat it.

---

"Well, I got something good for ya!"

Cirno pulls out a small pouch from her dress. She takes something small from it and holds it out to him. Wrapped in a pink and blue wrapper, it looks no different from an ordinary piece of candy.

"This'll pick ya up!"

"Oh? Ah, thanks."

Grimnír takes the little gift and stares at it curiously. It seems harmless enough. After all, he doesn't ever remember being told not to take candy from strange fairies. Besides, for some reason, he can't refuse this girl's eager smile. Slowly, he unwraps the candy and pops it into his mouth.

"Hmm... not bad!"

Cirno smiles wider.

"Feel any better?"

"Huh? Not really, what? wait.."

A gentle warmth begins to flow into his body. The feeling is strange, but not uncomfortable. His eyes widen in surprise as he realizes that he has begun to glow. But in the next moment, the glow fades. He blinks for a few moments.

"Eh?"

Grimnír quickly stands himself up. The pain is gone, and his wounds seem to be completely healed. Even his headache has cleared.

"Ya look much better now, Grim!"

Cirno nods to herself and smiles with confidence. Then, before he can react, she does a little hop and starts hovering in the air. She gives him a wide smile and a peace sign.

"I'll see ya later! I'm kinda busy right now! Let's play again some time!"

Grimnír hesitates for a moment. Looks like she is going to leave if he doesn't say or do something.

[ ] Try to talk to her. (Custom)
[ ] Don't let her escape. Grab her quickly!
[ ] Don't let her escape. Block her with your body.
[ ] Don't let her escape. Enclose her in a spell barrier.
[ ] Just let her leave. Follow closely behind her.
[ ] Just let her leave. Follow some distance behind her.
[ ] Just let her leave. Wait here for Yukari.
[ ] Custom

".. awright?"

"Ugh..."

"Hey! Ya still alive, Grim?"

"Yeah, barely. It hurts everywhere."

Grimnír slowly opens his eyes. Someone is standing over him, staring curiously. It takes him a few moments to realize that it is the ice fairy. The air around him becomes chilly as she leans closer. He jumps up quickly and backs away. There are many dangerous beings in the Forest of Magic, and instinctively, he knows that this one is one of them. She falls on her back in surprise.

"Uwaaaah!"

"W-what do you want?" he cries.

The ice fairy slowly gets up, dusting off her skirt.

"Geez, don't surprise me like that, Grim!"

"Grim? You know my name?"

She frowns hard at him.

"A-are you stupid or something? Of course I remember you! Anyway, why didn'cha just blast that bad tree away like you always do?"

".. what?"

He notices a strange sight behind the ice fairy. The great Youkai tree has been reduced to frozen splinters of wood and broken branches. Could this fairy really do that much damage? Why did she help him? And why was she speaking as if they had met before?

"Your name was Cirno, right?"

She nods quickly and smiles.

"The strongest! Too bad about poor Dai-chan. She got killed pretty quickly, ahahaha!"

"K-killed?"

"Nothing new. Even if she stays in the back row, she always ends up dead. Gotta wait on her respawn again, I guess."

"Wait, what?"

She turns toward him. Then, her eyes widen in surprise.

"Hey! Yer hurt, aren'cha?"

He stares at her disbelievingly. Did she notice that only now?

"Well, I got something good for ya!"

Cirno pulls out something from her dress. It looks like a small pouch. She takes something small from it and holds it out to him. It looks like some kind of candy.

"This'll pick ya up!"

[ ] Thank her for the candy and eat it.
[ ] Take the candy, but don't eat it.
[ ] Refuse the candy.
[ ] Custom

Loading User Commands:
[X] Custom

---

"A Youkai tree?" repeats Grimnír.

Yukari shakes her head.

"The Forest of Magic is full of Youkai. Why are you acting so surprised?"

"Well, I guess Marisa mentioned something like that..."

"This place is among the worst places for Outsiders to visit. Most of them end up eaten by the forest beasts or man-eating plants. Others get killed by wild fairies or simply starve to death trying to find a way out. The deepest parts contain even more dangerous creatures."

"Err... really?"

The tiny girl on his shoulders smiles at his reaction.

"Did you really think that a normal human could walk around here and survive on his own?"

"I never really thought about it that way."

"Well, you shouldn't worry about it. You aren't exactly an ordinary person, Grey Wizard."

"..."

Grimnír flies closer to the tree. The ice fairy said something very strange. She wasn't just freezing trees. She was freezing only this tree. If she wasn't lying, then it wasn't just some random prank. She must have a reason to do something so strange.

"Hey Yukari, do you notice anything odd about this tree?"

"Huh? It's a Youkai tree. Why would that be unusual in this place?"

Suddenly, something shoots out from the tree and grabs her. He blinks in surprise as a long green tendril wraps around the little Yukari.

"W-what the.. iyaaaah!"

Then, before either of them could react, the tendril swings itself hard toward the sky, throwing the gap youkai high into the air. He can hear her tiny scream as she disappears from sight. Cursing loudly, he turns toward the tree.

"Damn it! You'll pay for -mmph!"

Another tendril shoots out and wraps around his mouth. His eyes widen in horror. He can't utter any spell commands like this! He tries to pull the plant away, but his effort his futile. It has effectively prevented him from casting spells.

"Mmph!"

Several more tendrils shoot out, binding his arms and legs. His sack and staff fall to the ground. Then, the tree starts pulling him closer to itself. He struggles with all his might, but it only succeeds in angering the tree even more. The tree starts to tighten its grip, suffocating him slowly.

"Mmph! Mmph! Mmph!"

He can feel his strength draining. His vision starts to blur and darken. He knows that he is going to lose consciousness soon. He was too careless this time...

"Stupid tree! I'll kill you for sure, this time!"

That voice. It sounds vaguely familiar.

"Taste the strongest blade - Icicle Sword!"

Who was it?

Loading User Commands:
[X] Custom

---

"Flying is faster you know. Already tired?"

"Not really. I just think that we should be a little more cautious."

The apprentice wizard walks along a worn path in the Forest of Magic. The sun shines brightly over him as it approaches noon. Upon his shoulder is a tiny girl that could fit on his palm. She slowly opens her parasol to shade herself from the sunlight.

"Say Yukari, why did you reveal yourself back there?"

"Hmm?"

"Wasn't that a little dangerous?"

"I suppose it was, but I thought it would be fun~"

"Fun?"

"Don't think about it too hard. Just think of me as your partner."

"Partner," he repeats. "Why does that make me feel even more uneasy?"

"Because you aren't stupid."

He stops in his tracks and frowns hard at Yukari. She giggles a bit before shaking her head.

"That is a normal reaction to me, unless you don't think I'm dangerous?"

"You are definitely dangerous, Yukari. I have no doubts about that."

She covers her mouth with her fan mysteriously.

"That makes us a good match, then. You are quite dangerous yourself, Grey Wizard."

A few minutes pass in silence as he collects his thoughts. He couldn't deny what Yukari said. His power seems to be exceedingly dangerous, and his affinity for magic is far greater than any normal human. Perhaps that is the reason why magicians and other powerful beings seem interested in him. Waking up with a knife at your throat isn't exactly normal, after all.

"She said her name was Sakuya."

"Hmm?"

"Why did she react like that? She fled as soon as she realized that you were with me."

"Oh, who knows? The folk of the Scarlet Devil Mansion tend to keep to themselves. Quite a secretive group, even among the other inhabitants of Gensokyo."

She smiles wider before continuing.

"I wouldn't worry too much about her. The elemental magician informed us that they can keep their zone stable now. Besides, they recruited some new talent recently."

"That butler fellow?"

Yukari nods.

"We should worry about our own trouble."

~~~

Grimnír carefully walks around a large tree. It looks little different from the others, aside from the fact that has been frozed solid within a large block of ice. Then, he looks around the area.

"She isn't here," he says.

"Who are you looking for?"

"Sakuya and I met someone here earlier. Some ice fairy named Cirno, I think. She said something strange, though I don't really remember now."

"If it's that Cirno, then she probably went around freezing things randomly again."

"Sakuya said the same thing earlier."

"Besides, why would anyone want to freeze a Youkai tree?"

[ ] Return to Eientei.
[ ] Pass by the Human Village.
[ ] Wander around in the Forest of Magic.
[ ] Custom

Loading User Commands:
[X] Use 'Option' (Type: Yukari). [Unknown]

---

"This is my problem, and I'm not letting anyone else get hurt because of me."

"Wait, what?"

"Wounds from my weapons can heal. Don't worry. I'm not planning to kill you."

"So you're going to attack me because you don't want to hurt me?"

Sakuya shakes her head as she walks closer. Grimnr quickly prepares himself. He doesn't understand her motives, but he isn't going to stand around and let her transform him into a human pincushion.

"There are some things that a trip to Eientei can't cure," she whispers.

This isn't the first time something like this happened to him. He remembers other similar encounters. When he first met Yukari, she tried to kill him in his dreams. Alice seems to have a violent side as well, as he had observed first hand during their training. And Marisa? The scary part is that the black-white doesn't seem to have any sense of caution at all, whether it be for herself or any other person. This doesn't even include the encounters with Wriggle (?) and those crazy fairies.

What the heck is wrong with the girls in Gensokyo?

"What the hell," he mumbles once more.

The chief maid stops walking. A dozen knives materialize around her.

"Could use a little help this time, Yukari," he whispers to himself.

No answer. Oh wow. He curses as he creates another spell shield. Several of the knives smash hard against the barrier. However, he doesn't feel twelve impacts. Perhaps only seven or eight of them hit his shield. Then, his eyes widen in horror as he realizes that the other knives are bouncing chaotically against the ground and the trees. They are moving too fast! He gasps as he turns his head. One of the knives is flying straight for his -

"..."

Grimnr slowly opens his eyes. Eh? The knife is gone. In fact, all of the knives are gone. He looks around, confused. Sakuya also seems surprised. Then, without warning, several tiny holes form around the chief maid. In the next moment, knives shoot out of the gaps toward her.

"Ugh!"

Sakuya barely dodges the projectiles. One of the knives gets too close for comfort. A few of the hairs from her bangs are sliced neatly off.

"What was that?" she cries out. "How did you -"

"Use your laser now!"

Suddenly, he finds his arm already stretched toward at the chief maid. A small beam of light and heat shoots out from his palm. Sakuya leaps backward to dodge the attack. Her eyes narrow angrily at him. Then, he realizes what he just did.

"W-wait, I didn't -"

Another gap opens up to the right of the chief maid. A familiar beam of light shoots out of it, heading straight for the chief maid. Sakuya barely avoids it. The attack grazes the side of her skirt, burning off a small portion of fabric.

"You," whispers the chief maid darkly.

"Oh, did we miss again? How careless~"

Grimnr jumps in surprise. Hovering beside him is a small and familiar figure. The tiny Yukari smirks confidently as she covers her mouth with her fan.

"Yukari? Aren't you supposed to be at Youkai Mountain. Why are you with him?"

"Isn't that obvious?"

She lands on his shoulder and takes a seat.

"This human is my friend."

Grimnr raises an eyebrow at the gap youkai. Yukari just glances at him and winks. Then, she turns back toward Sakuya. She closes her fan and points it at the chief maid.

"This form might be weaker, but I won't let you hurt this Wizard."

Sakuya grits her teeth. In the next moment, both of her hands are holding knives.

"What are you plotting this time? Is this another one of your schemes?"

"Not at all. I'm just looking out for my friends. Is there something strange about that?"

The gap youkai smiles at her.

"But then, why are you here?" she asks. "Remilia never mentioned anything about the trident wielder. Did she send you out on a secret errand, I wonder~"

"..."

Sakuya's expression turns cold.

"Stay out of it. This has nothing to do with you."

Without another world, the chief maid vanishes. Grimnr waits a few seconds, but she doesn't reappear. He sighs loudly. That didn't really go as planned.

"Hmm..."

He turns to the tiny girl sitting on his shoulder. She smiles gently at him, but she doesn't say anything.

[ ] Return to Eientei.
[ ] Pass by Alice's cottage.
[ ] Pass by Marisa's house.
[ ] Wander around aimlessly.
[ ] Custom

Optional:
[ ] Talk to Yukari about something. (Specify)
[ ] Use an item. (Specify)

Loading User Commands:
[X] "Yes, I know how to fight."

---

Sakuya stares at him thoughtfully.

"Say, can you defend yourself?"

Grimnír pauses to think. After surviving Alice's training and Marisa's extra lessons, he can safely say that he can hold his own against the dangers of Gensokyo. At the very least, he should be able to defend himself until he can flee to safety.

"Yes, I know how to fight."

She smiles at him cheerfully.

"It's been a while since I've met an Outsider with such confidence."

Without warning she vanishes. He blinks in surprise. Three knives are floating in mid-air in front of him. He quickly chants the spell commands for a barrier. As soon as he has it up, the knives fly straight at him, smashing themselves hard against the spell shield.

"Damn it! What the hell?"

"Interesting."

He turns toward the chief maid's voice. She seems to be flying several feet above him. A dozen knives materialize beside her, each aimed toward the ground. Grimnír curses as he strengthens his shield. As expected, the sky immediately drizzles blades and steel. He closes his eyes to maintain focus on the barrier until the attack is over.

"Ugh..."

He looks up at Sakuya. She nods at him with a smile.

"You are not bad with defensive spells. However, you will need more than a barrier if you want to survive."

Grimnír frowns hard at her.

"I offer to help you, and you try to kill me? What the hell, Sakuya?"

She pauses for a moment, biting her lip. Then, she slowly descends, landing a few feet away from him.

"I need to gauge your ability," she says. "The man with the trident is dangerous. If you are unsure of yourself, then you better head back."

"That doesn't make me feel much better."

Sakuya sighs sadly. A few knives materialize in her left hand.

"Thank you very much for bringing me this far, but I won't risk taking you if this is your limit. This is my problem, and I'm not letting anyone else get hurt because of me."

She starts walking closer.

[ ] Use barrier. [Defense/Earth]
[ ] Use laser. [Heat/Light]
[ ] Use gate. [Defense/Unknown]
[ ] Use 'Option' (Type: Yukari). [Unknown]
[ ] Use an item. (Specify)
[ ] Flee from the battle.
[ ] Custom

Loading User Commands:
[X] Hide Yukari in your pocket. Tell her to stay quiet.

---

"Just enjoying the ride~"

Grimnír scowls at the miniature gap youkai.

"A-are you nuts? What are we going to do if she sees you?"

"Ara? Now that is a problem. What are we going to do, I wonder~"

Grimnír covers his head with his palm as he stares at the tiny girl. She pulls out a tiny fan to cover her mouth. Surely, she is enjoying this.

"I have half the mind to -"

"Oh, she's looking this way~"

"W-what the -"

He looks up to see Sakuya still staring at the forest with her back against them. Yukari giggles quietly at his reaction. He frowns hard at her.

"That isn't funny..."

"O-of course it isn't, fu fu fu~"

Grimnír sighs to himself as he plants his palm upon his face.

"Nevermind, I won't ask. Just stay hidden in my pocket, alright?"

"Our little secret?"

"Yeah, whatever."

She winks at him before disappearing into his front pocket. The pocket vanishes from sight as well, though he can tell that she is still with him. Well, she might come in handy later on, but he can't get used to carrying her around like this. She isn't some kind of item, after all.

"Hey, Wizard."

Sakuya turns around and walks closer to him.

"Have you noticed anything weird?"

He shakes his head quickly.

"It's peaceful, isn't it? Besides that ice fairy, we haven't encountered anything strange or dangerous in the Forest of Magic."

The chief maid nods grimly.

"Exactly. The Forest of Magic is never this peaceful. It's as if all the fairies and youkai have left or gone into hiding."

"... sorry, I don't get it."

"If my guess is right, we must be getting closer."

"Closer to what?"

She stares at him for several seconds, as if appraising his ability.

"Say, can you defend yourself?"

[ ] "Yes, but I'd rather not."
[ ] "Yes, I know how to fight."
[ ] "Yes, I can crush my enemies."
[ ] "No, I'm just an ordinary human."
[ ] "No, my magic is still weak."
[ ] "No, I dislike violence."
[ ] Custom

[X] Status
Alice - B
Yukari - B
Marisa - B
Wriggle - C

[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 gray robes. It has many pockets.
A small pouch full of mushrooms. Maybe Marisa knows what they are used for?
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.
A large syringe from Dr. Yagokoro. It is filled with a luminescent blue substance.
A small unmarked envelope. Yukari was in it.
An empty syringe. Dr. Yagokoro said that its tip made from lunarian silver.
A mysterious spell book. "Theoretical Boundary Binding and Intervention"
A strange untitled book. Patchouli lent it to you.

[X] Option
A miniature version of Yukari Yakumo. She is hiding in your 'front pocket'.

Loading User Commands:
[X] Custom

---

Two figures soar across the Forest of Magic: a silver-haired girl in a maid uniform and a young man with gray robes and a walking stick. Their search remains fruitless. The man turns to the girl with a frown.

"This isn't working," says Grimnír.

The girl sighs heavily. She gives him a sad smile.

"Let's take another break," says Sakuya.

The two land under the shade of a great tree. The sun shines brightly above. It is nearly noon. Grimnír leans with his back against the tree to think. There is something strange about what she had said.

"This weapon that you mentioned," he says. "Would it happen to be the legendary spear Gungnir?"

"Why would you say that?" she says carefully.

"No reason in particular."

"..."

Sakuya stares at him carefully. There is something very cold about her eyes. He turns away and clears his throat.

"W-well, if you don't want to tell me, then that's fine too. Let's just forget I asked."

She shakes her head and sighs once more.

"It isn't the Gungir," she explains. "The Scarlet family owns several strange and wonderful artifacts. In fact, the trident he carries isn't very special at all. Not to ordinary humans and youkai, anyway."

"Then why do you need it back?"

"..."

The chief maid turns away and says nothing, ending the conversation. Grimnír shrugs as he seats himself on the ground. Flying is more draining than he expected. Might as well have a good rest before wandering around the Forest again. He takes a glance at the sun once more.

"I'm gonna miss lunch," he says idly.

"That would be disappointing~"

"..."

He slowly turns toward the voice, which seems to be coming from the front of his robe. Grimnír stares blankly, unable to react. Her pink and purple dress and long blonde blonde hair are unmistakable. The head of a tiny girl pokes out from his front pocket. Of course, the front pocket was certainly not there before. She gives him a wink as she motions for him to stay quiet.

"W-wha-what the hell?" he whispers angrily.

"Just enjoying the ride~"

He looks up to see that Sakuya is still distracted with her own thoughts. She hasn't noticed mini-Yukari yet.

[ ] Throw Yukari into the woods. This is no time for games!
[ ] Toss Yukari into your sack. You can't let Sakuya find her.
[ ] Hide Yukari in your pocket. Tell her to stay quiet.
[ ] Let Yukari sit on your shoulder. She can pretend to be a doll.
[ ] Have Yukari sit on your head. Act like she isn't there.
[ ] Tell her to fly beside you. No need to hide anything.
[ ] Custom

Wizardry

In another place, someone steps out of a strange purple door. She takes a moment to dust off her clothes and hair. After straightening her cape and antennae, Wriggle Nightbug starts walking down a small path. As she goes deeper into the forest, the plant growth gets thicker and wilder. The firefly girl does not pause as she steps into the darkness. Soon, only a faint glimmer of light shines from above. Then, she stops.

"I've come to collect your report," she says.

Something glints in the shadows. It is a strange grin in the darkness. As she turns to face it, it begins to grow wider. She immediately notes that there is nothing good-natured about this grin. Without a doubt, this grin is full of malice and deceit, and its owner even more so.

"We have waited warmly. We have much news for your Master..."

A pair of white gloves clap excitedly from the darkness.

"But where shall we begin? Oh, such a difficult choice~"

Wriggle shakes her head.

"I have no time for games. How is the operation at Youkai Mountain?"

The clapping stops.

"Youkai Mountain is in chaos. Oh, wonderful chaos! The tengu and kappa have all but taken arms against the Hakurei maiden, and the negotiations with the Moriya folk are progressing smoothly."

"And Hakugyokurou?"

"The hellcat has almost completed the ritual. I must say that the preliminary results have been extremely entertaining. We should hear from her success this evening."

"Noted. And how about the Scarlet front?"

The grin grows wider.

"There were some complications over the past few days, but nothing too difficult. Our agent has successfully infiltrated the Scarlet Devil's home during the confusion."

"Eientei?"

"They are still incapacitated, as we predicted. Without the moon princess, they will be only a minor inconvenience."

Wriggle pauses to think.

"This report is acceptable. I shall return with Master's next orders."

"Always a pleasure~"

She turns around and prepares to leave. However, the voice from the darkness calls out once more.

"Forgive our indiscretion, but there is one more thing that we must mention."

"... speak."

The grin chuckles softly to itself before speaking.

"We have noticed a certain ice fairy moving about..."

"Master already explained that the idiot is nothing to worry about."

"And that is exactly what puzzles us," it whispers darkly. "You see, we have discovered that the ice fairy's meddling has already hindered our operations at least twice in the past week. Her movements are very much suspect, and we believe that she may prove to be a threat."

Wriggle shakes her head.

"Like Master said before, we only need to focus on the operation. There is no reason to waste time and resources on that idiot. Do you understand?"

"Of course. Forgive our indiscretion."

The firefly girl returns the way she came. She closes the purple door behind her, and it soon vanishes from the path. The grin in the darkness chuckles softly to itself.

"Now I wonder," it says. "Were the orders to ignore the ice fairy from the Master, or yourself?"