Loading User Commands:
[X] Ask Yukari for advice. She might know something useful.

---

Seems like Reisen and Dr. Yagokoro are arguing about something in the room they just left. For a moment, Grimnír considers eavesdropping on their conversation.

He is sure that they are hiding something from them. Ever since they arrived, Eientei has been oddly empty and deserted. Marisa mentioned that the lunarian mansion-clinic complex has a large rabbit staff with a mischievous leader. Also, a princess from the moon supposedly lives here too, though she is sort of a shut-in. Yet he hasn't seen any others besides Reisen and Dr. Yagokoro.

"..."

Grimnír quickly shakes his head. It isn't his place to decide if something is strange or not, especially in Gensokyo. Even if there was something wrong, it probably isn't anything that the lunarians plan to share with them. He really shouldn't poke around in others' personal affairs when he has quite enough on his own plate already.

He quickly catches up to Alice. Looks like she wants to leave immediately. But still...

"Hey Alice," says Grimnír. "I need to grab a few things from my room. Could I have a few minutes?"

"Move quickly," replies Alice. "I'll wait for you outside."

...

"There are only two vampires known to live in Gensokyo," says Yukari. "Both of them have the usual vampiric traits - supernatural strength, high magical ability, transformation, regeneration, and a thirst for blood. They do have a few weaknesses, such as sunlight and flowing water, but I discourage a direct confrontation with them."

"Why is that?" asks Grimnír.

"Mostly because you can easily end up dead," says Yukari. "And that is completely unacceptable. We haven't even explored the possibilities of your power. I, for one, am quite curious to see what you are truly capable of~"

"I see," he says.

If things get out of hand, he can try using that spell again. Seems like it can easily erase both living and non-living things, so it should work in a fight. It might be dangerous, but it's better than doing nothing.

Suddenly, the miniature Yukari pokes at him with her umbrella to grab his attention.

"Don't even think about it," she whispers. "They aren't ordinary vampires. One of them has the power to manipulate Fate itself, while the other has the ability to destroy practically anything she can get her hands on."

"But you've seen it, haven't you?" replies Grimnír. "My ability should count for something..."

"Not against these two," says Yukari. "You have only started learning to use your power, while they have hundreds of years in experience. They will tear you apart the moment they suspect that you can hurt them."

"Then what should we do, then?" says Grimnír.

Yukari looks up at him with a knowing smile.

"That, little Grim, is the right question..."

...

"Are you ready to go now?" says Alice. "We should hurry."

He gives her a quick nod as he slings the sack behind him.

"Where are we going?" he asks.

"The Scarlet Devil Mansion," she says. "Normally, I would avoid the place, but we don't have much choice. Vampires are quite rare in Gensokyo."

"And the plan?" says Grimnír.

"E-er," mumbles Alice as she hesitates. "I-I don't really have any plan in mind yet, but I'm sure that we can come up with something once we get there."

"You don't sound too confident," notes Grimnír.

"I'm not," admits the magician as she looks away. "I really have no idea how we can pull this off..."

For a moment, Alice turns around and looks up at the sky. She watches the clouds in silence as she thinks. Then, she turns around with a determined look on her face.

"But we have to do it," says Alice. "We have to try."

"Hmm..."

Going directly to the Mansion without a plan might be risky. A short break at that red-lantern stand should give them enough time to discuss and come up with something. Or they can probably pass by the Human Village, though he has no idea what they should look for. They can also try something else...

[ ] Head straight to the Scarlet Devil Mansion. Figure it out when you get there.
[ ] Take a break at that red-lantern stand. They need to come up with a plan first.
[ ] Pass by the Human Village. Maybe you can learn or find something useful.
[ ] Custom

"Thank you very much for the meal," says Grimnír. "The food was delicious!"

Dr. Yagokoro nods with a smile.

"Reisen is quite a good cook, isn't she?" says the doctor. "She has learned much since we arrived here and has grown accustomed to this way of life."

"I-It's nothing special," says Reisen, slightly blushing.

Grimnír forces a smile back. It's too bad that he wasn't able to taste much of it. Every other time he looked away, some food would simply vanish from his plate. He noticed that each time something disappeared, he could feel some movement in the front of his robe. Thankfully, none of the others noticed this discrepancy. Somehow, he just knows that Yukari is also enjoying this meal, too.

"I suppose that this time is better than any," Dr. Yagokoro says, the tone of her voice suddenly businesslike.

"Eh?"

"Take this."

She gives him an unusual item. It looks like a medical syringe.

"That syringe is tipped with a special needle made from lunarian silver," says the doctor. "Hang on to it carefully. You two will need it if you want to save Marisa."

"Ah, that's right!" says Alice. "You haven't told us the results yet!"

"The details are technical, but I'll explain it as simply as I can," says Dr. Yagokoro.

As she clears her throat, she motions for them to stay quiet.

"I've isolated the chemical compound we need to create a proto-serum. I was actually quite surprised when I saw the reading. To be sure, I ran several more tests, but all of them confirm the same thing. The cure is something that I had already documented in the past. If I can obtain a sample of a certain substance, I can easily manufacture a suitable drug for Marisa's condition."

"T-That's great then," says Alice as she sighs in relief. "When you hesitated earlier, I thought that it might be something terrible."

"..."

The lunarian doctor looks at her thoughtfully. Then, she turns to look at Grimnír. Finally, she sighs heavily and gives them a sad smile.

"I can't send Reisen with you to get it this time," says Dr. Yagokoro. "Eientei can't be directly involved with this incident anymore. Certain... conflicts of interest may arise."

"What?" Alice and Grimnír cry out at the same time.

"That said, if you can obtain the substance, I will manufacture the cure without asking how you got it."

"I don't understand," says Grimnír. "Is it something rare or dangerous?"

Dr. Yagokoro glances at Reisen, who has stayed silent all this time, before turning back to them.

"Both," whispers the doctor. "To create the cure, I need a sample of vampire blood."

The room falls deathly silent at those words. Dr. Yagokoro looks slightly saddened, but her eyes are firm with her decision. Reisen opens her mouth, as if to argue somehow, but in the end, she doesn't find the words. Alice bites her lip, as if remembering something unpleasant. Surprisingly, it is she who finally breaks the silence.

"We are going," she says simply. Without another word, she leaves the room, Shanghai following close behind her.

Grimnír thanks the lunarians before turning to follow the magician. He quickly walks into the hallway and spies Alice already heading toward the exit. However, he stops when he hears a hurried conversation in the room they just left. Seems like Reisen and Dr. Yagokoro are arguing about something.

But that isn't any of their business, is it?
[ ] Quickly follow after Alice. You have to stay focused on finding the cure.
[ ] Carefully eavesdrop on the lunarians. Something strange is going on.
[ ] Ask Yukari for advice. She might know something useful.
[ ] Wander around Eientei and investigate. They are distracted right now.
[ ] Custom

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

---

"I already explained earlier," says Alice. "Puppetry magic involves infusing a doll with one's own power and will. It is a less known, but elegant branch of magical study that requires much from its practicioners. Few have the ability and patience to master it. Do you understand what I am saying?"

"I still don't understand," Grimnír says. "If that type of magic is your specialty, why didn't you start our lessons with puppetry? You are an expert on it, after all."

Alice sighs heavily. She frowns at him before she speaks.

"You aren't ready for it," she says. "In fact, you are nowhere near ready. You still have to master the basics of magical theory. It took me years of study to even begin moving dolls with magic alone, and even longer to investigate the subtleties of force channeling, energy projection, and materials sorcery."

"I see," replies Grimnír.

"I'll admit you have potential," says Alice. "But these things take time, even for one with unusual talent and skill. If you forcibly attempt such complex spells, you'll either faint from exhaustion or get seriously injured from spell backfires."

He smiles as Alice continues on about the topic. Seems like he had the right idea when he started talking about doll magic. While she was reluctant at first, she couldn't resist describing everything in detail. Somehow, he can sense Alice's mood improve as they continue talking. This topic is something familiar and pleasant to the magician. It's the perfect thing to help her calm down and perhaps feel better about herself a little.

"So, what about Shanghai?" says Grimnír. "You mentioned that she was different from the others."

Upon hearing her name, the doll perks up and turns toward him. Shanghai quickly flies beside him and tugs at his sleeve. As he turns to face her, she gives him a little curtsey before returning to Alice's side.

"Like I said before," says Alice. "Shanghai isn't completely independent. Her every movement and action is tied to my own state of mind. I used something special with her and Hourai to allow them some limited self-awareness."

"I see," says Grimnír. "So, in a sense, they have a little of yourself in them?"

Alice almost drops her fork when he says that. She quickly recovers, however, and looks up at him seriously. Only after a long moment of silence does she carefully reply.

"T-That is... a possibility," she says without looking him in the eye. "But I'd rather not discuss it. A magician has the right to her secrets."

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

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

---

Grimnír still doesn't get it, but before he can ask Yukari to explain, someone knocks on the door.

"Grim, are you in here?" says a familiar voice. "Lunch is ready at the dining room."

"Ah, gimme a sec, Reisen," he replies. "I'll be right there."

He takes a few steps before realizing that Yukari is still on his shoulder. He turns to her questioningly, but she only returns the gesture with a mischievous smile. Seems like she won't tell him what to do next.

Grimnír pauses for a moment to think.

"Yukari," he whispers. "Can you stay quiet for a while? You can hide in my pocket for the time being."

"Eh?" says Yukari. "Now why should I do that~"

"Well, umm..." mumbles Grimnír.

The tiny girl's smile widens as he hesitates. She seems to be enjoying this. He clears his throat before speaking.

"I believe that we should make this our little secret," he says, keeping his voice as neutral as possible.

"Ara~" says Yukari. "You want me to be your little secret? How suspicious~"

"Err..."

"But I like it," she whispers.

Before he can react, the tiny girl jumps into his robe. His eyes widen in surprise, and he barely remembers to keep his voice down.

"W-wait!" whispers Grimnír. "Where did you go?"

Suddenly, Yukari's head pops out from his left front pocket. He stares blankly as the tiny girl winks at him. A sly smile forms on her face as he watches. Then, he realizes that his robe doesn't have front pockets!

"W-what the -" he says.

"I'll get a better view from here," says Yukari. "Don't worry, I didn't damage your robe."

Before he can reply, her head disappears into the front pocket. Then, the front pocket itself disappears, too. Wait, what did she - when did she - how did she... ah forget it. Thinking too much about it might just end in something worse than a regular headache. Grimnír shakes his head and sighs.

He might as well head out for some lunch.

...

"We will talk about the results after we eat, and that is final," says Dr. Yagokoro.

"But we need to save Marisa right now!" cries Alice angrily. "Don't you care about what happens to her at all?"

"Believe me. I do," Dr. Yagokoro says. "But I am not going to explain anything until you calm down. The last thing we need is someone rushing out and doing reckless things instead of following a well prepared plan."

"W-what are you talking about?" says Alice.

"Reisen told me everything," says Dr. Yagokoro. "You were going try to kill that human in the Forest when I gave specific instructions against it. We're lucky that you all got back alive."

"B-But -" stammers Alice.

"You endangered yourself and everyone around you," says Dr. Yagokoro. "What would you have done if someone got killed? Reisen or your friend could both be in bodybags right now. Would you take responsibility for that?"

Alice glares at the lunarian for a moment. Then, she slowly lowers her head.

"..."

Dr. Yagokoro calmly takes her seat at the table. After a few moments, Alice follows suit, but she takes the seat farthest from the lunarian doctor. Shanghai floats listlessly beside her. Reisen, still shaking slightly, takes a seat across and between the other two. Grimnír takes the next seat, which is across from Alice, with Reisen sitting beside him on the right.

They start eating lunch in silence.

The atmosphere feels very heavy.
[ ] Try to talk to Alice.
[ ] Try to talk to Reisen.
[ ] Try to talk to Dr. Yagokoro.
[ ] Try to talk to Yukari.
[ ] Stay silent and eat.

Optional:
[ ] Talk about... (Specify)
[ ] Attempt to lighten up the atmosphere (Specify)
[ ] Custom

Loading User Commands:
[X] Custom

---

"But... how did you... I can't even... this is really... what the heck... I don't see how..." mumbles Grimnír.

"Don't think about things too hard," says Yukari. "If you keep trying to comprehend things with logic, your brain might explode."

He plants his palm hard upon his face.

"This is... just..."

Insane. No, that word isn't enough to describe the situation. This can't be possible. Forget physics - this is against anything and everything he accepts about reality. Even in a world full of magic and strange powers, this is just crazy. How did she even - no, forget how - why did she do such a - can't see how this can possibly - doesn't make a grain of sense - can't even imagine this in - my god, what is she thinking?

Grimnír's head pounds violently and painfully. Then, something inside cracks.

"Hey, are you alright up there?" asks Yukari as she takes a few tiny steps closer.

He looks down at the tiny girl. She looks small enough to fit in the palm of his hand. As he cocks his head to look at her, his lips begin forming a wide smile. The tiny girl utters a little gasp, then she shuffles her feet nervously.

"Ara~" whispers Yukari. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

This idea in his head goes against everything logical and reasonable in his mind. Perhaps even against his own principles and moral code. But there isn't any other thought that he can focus on but this. Even the other voices in his head grow mute compared to this almost excruciatingly delicious thought in his mind. Until finally, only one thing remains in his mind.

He must PLAY with this little girl.

Grimnír's eyes become glassy as his smile turns into a huge maniacal grin. In one swift motion, he bends down and grabs the miniature Yukari. The girl squeals in surprise as he does so. He raises her up close to examine her.

"Ugh.. don't do that," says Yukari as she regains her balance. "That makes me really dizzy..."

The tiny girl stands herself up and looks straight at him. She is holding her parasol close to her chest. From this close, he can really appreciate the detail.

"The craftsmanship is incredible!" cries Grimnír. "I've never seen anything like it! Even Alice's dolls don't have such realism!"

"W-what are you - HEY!" argues Yukari.

He promptly ignores her as his fingers carefully grab one of her hands. It feels incredibly soft and it's warm too. What kind of technology is in this thing? What kind of magic could support such realism? Before he realizes it, he is holding her hand with two fingers, enjoying the sweet sensation upon his fingertips.

"Wow," he mumbles. "It feels nice. It even smells nice..."

The little Yukari quickly looks away, embarrassed.

"B-but we don't know each other that well yet," whispers the girl.

Suddenly, he finds himself waving her whole arm up and down. The joints on this thing are very well made. He can't even see any seams or creases on the arm. The flexibility is surprisingly organic, and the proportions are all accurate to the millimeter.

"Hey! T-That hurts!" cries Yukari suddenly.

He let's go of her immediately. The little girl sighs in relief before looking up at him angrily. But something else catches his attention. Her hat - her dress - her parasol - even her shoes look perfectly crafted and realistic. What kind of material was used for such accurate miniatures?

Very gently, he strokes her hat to feel the fabric. Yukari lowers her head to hide her face. Then, he carefully pokes at her shoes. She giggles a bit at the clumsy gesture, telling him to stop. For a moment, he feels against the tiny parasol in her hand. She only looks up with a puzzled expression. Finally, he starts poking at her dress. The tiny girl laughs and struggles in vain as he examines her. Her face grows a bit red as he feels over her skirt.

Then, he feels something odd. His fingers move down to the same spot to confirm a very strange sensation. Soft and fragile, it almost feels like pudding as he rubs over it. Very realistic, indeed. He wishes that he had some tools, perhaps a stirring rod or a surgical knife, to examine her more closely.

"Oh my~" whispers the tiny Yukari. "How naughty~"

Suddenly, something sharp stabs into his finger.

"Yeeouch!" cries Grimnír. "That hurt!"

His vision grows clearer with the pain. When he looks down, his hands are already empty. It takes him a few moments to realize that the miniature Yukari is already hovering right in front of his face. Before he can say anything, she smacks his head with the parasol. Hard.

"Oww!" says Grimnír.

"Pervert," says Yukari simply. "The border between your mind and your loins is much thinner than I thought."

"Wait, what was I doing again?" asks Grimnír.

For some reason, his memories of the last few minutes are blurred and unclear.

"Being stupid," replies Yukari. She seems irritated. Did something happen?

She lands gently on his right shoulder before speaking again.

"Anyway, like I said earlier," she says. "I'm here to assist you. You said that Marisa is dying."

Grimnír pauses for a moment, confused. Then, he remembers.

"Yes, she's hurt," he says. "Dr. Yagokoro sent us to collect some readings from the weapon that caused the injury. It was risky, but we got it somehow. She's studying the data at her Lab right now."

"I see," says Yukari. "I'll do what I can to help. Just remember that this form has only a fraction of my power, so I can only do so much."

"This form?" repeats Grimnír.

"I got the idea from a friend of mine," she says. "This method allows me to exist here while being with Reimu at Youkai Mountain at the same time. She won't notice anything unusual this way."

"I don't get it," he replies, scratching his head. "Did you split yourself or something?"

"Not exactly," says Yukari. "All you need to understand is that I'm here with you now. I'm also with the shrine maiden to investigate that other problem. There isn't any real issue with that, I think."

"..."

He still doesn't get it, but before he can ask her to explain, someone knocks on the door.

"Grim, are you in here?" says a familiar voice. "Lunch is ready at the dining room."

"Ah, gimme a sec, Reisen," he replies.

He takes a few steps before realizing that Yukari is still on his shoulder. She smiles mischievously at him, but she doesn't tell him what to do next.

Grimnír pauses to think.
[ ] Hide Yukari in your sack. Leave the sack in the room.
[ ] Hide Yukari in your sack. Bring the sack with you.
[ ] Hide Yukari in your pocket. Tell her to stay quiet.
[ ] Let Yukari sit on your shoulder. Tell her to pretend to be a doll.
[ ] Let Yukari sit on your shoulder. Act like she isn't there.
[ ] Let Yukari sit on your shoulder. No need to hide anything.
[ ] Custom

Loading User Commands:
[X] Return to your room and open the envelope.

---

"Huh?"

Grimnír carefully pulls out a small sealed envelope. He is sure that he never placed this thing inside his sack. Where did it come from? He examines it closely and notices a few tiny words written on the back.

"For your eyes only," it reads. The handwriting is unremarkable.

He doesn't know where it came from, but for some reason, he feels that it is extremely important to open this alone. He quickly pockets the envelope before slinging his sack behind him. After thinking for a bit, he starts heading for his room in Eientei. The envelope might contain something important.

The trip back to his room is completely uneventful. In fact, the hallways of Eientei seem to be oddly deserted. Marisa said that the place was usually full of activity, with the rabbits running about everywhere. But ever since they came here, he hasn't met anyone aside from Reisen and Dr. Yagokoro. He wonders idly if Marisa was exaggerating when she told that story.

"..."

After making sure that he is alone in the room, Grimnír drops his sack and slowly pulls out the envelope. He hesitates for a moment. What if this is a trap? He will have no way of getting help in time. Or perhaps this might contain a shocking truth? He may not look at the others the same way again. He spends several minutes considering the possibilities. A letter laced with poison? An anonymous death threat? A secret location for the best coffee in Gensokyo? A message from his future self? A spell of untold power?

"..."

This is stupid. All this guessing is a waste of time and energy. He might as well open it and find out. After nodding to himself one last time, he quickly rips the top of the envelope open.

"Huh?" says Grimnír aloud. "There isn't anything in here but..."

"Hi there!" says a tiny voice.

He blinks stupidly as something strange crawls out of the opening. Then, he drops the envelope and steps back.

"W-w-what the hell?" cries Grimnír.

A tiny girl quickly crawls out of the envelope and looks up at him. Looks like she can fit in the palm of his hand quite comfortably. She is wearing a pink and purple dress with a pink, poofy hat upon her long blonde hair. Her deep gold eyes blink curiously as he stares at her. A few moments later, she smiles brightly and waves her arms energetically at Grimnír.

"Nice to see you again," says the tiny girl.

"Y-Y-Yukari?" stammers Grimnír.

Is he losing his mind?

"Looks like it worked perfectly," she says.

She motions for Grimnír to wait. Then, she pulls out a familiar pink parasol out of a tiny portal beside her. After examining it, she looks up at Grimnír again. She has a mischievous smile on her face.

"Surprised?" says mini-Yukari. "I told you that I'd help out. I can't just watch Marisa get killed, can I?"

"But.. how did you... I can't even... this is... what the... I don't see how..." mutters Grimnír.

"Don't think about it too hard," says mini-Yukari. "If you keep trying to comprehend things with traditional logic, your brain might explode."

He plants his palm hard upon his face.

"This is... just...."

Insane.

[ ] Custom