User:NekoRex/YoukaiForest1

Marisa_Kirisame is flying through the forest, over the river that feeds into the lake, which is deep purple. Marisa hopes her guess is correct, and that the source of the river's pollution will lead them to the source. :Marisa_Kirisame:. *with Alice »	Alice_Margatroid is sitting fairly comfortably on the broom Marisa rides, her dolls clinging to and drifting around her as they go. She watches the river as it twists through the woods, expression a little drab. :>Ambiance<:. The corruption seems to be fairly strong here compared to other parts of Gensoukyou. If anyone was worth their stuffing, they might guess that the source of the corruption is coming from somewhere inside the forest itself. It seems as though all the youkai from the area have left in order to avoid being affected. :Kareru_Mayou:. ((Here, have some mood music. http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&feature=endscreen&v=itMd1_nxfzc )) :Alice_Margatroid:. If you can't tell that it feels different here, then you must've had all those mushrooms go to your head. I'm pretty sure it's not originating in the water, Marisa. :Marisa_Kirisame:. "Man, all the trees around here are lookin' pretty twisted too." Marisa observes as she flies upstream. "Like a twisted version of the magic forest." :Marisa_Kirisame:. "Ya'd probably be right on that count." :Marisa_Kirisame:. "...The atmosphere, not the mushrooms, I mean." :Alice_Margatroid:. See, I told you. It's not the water, it's coming from some source, probably in gas form or the like.. :>Ambiance<:. The feeling of twisted corruption only seems to draw closer, even as the roots from a previously untouched tree slowly begin to change color to match those around it as it is overtaken by the corruption of the forest. Along with that, there seems to be someone nearby, as the sound of a blade scraping across bark echoes out. :Marisa_Kirisame:. "Hope it's not gas, or I might start lookin' like those tree- hold on, ya hear that?" »	Marisa_Kirisame takes out her mini hakkero. That kind of sound could only mean trouble. :Alice_Margatroid:. It would be dangerous, wouldn't it? And yes, I did. Sounded like someone trying to cut down a tree, if you ask me. »	Marisa_Kirisame starts flying towards the sound, one of the few sounds in the eeirily quiet woodss. It's her best lead at this point. :>Ambiance<:. As you fly in the direction of the sound, you come across a lone woman, fairly out of place in the corrupted forest. She seems to be holding a single flower, untouched by the poisonous atmosphere. However, after a few moments, the flower she is holding shrivels and withers into a broken husk as she turns her head to catch sight of her visitors. Releasing the dead flower, she plants the end of what appears to be a reaper's scythe into the ground, sm :Kareru_Mayou:. ((she plants the end of what appears to be a reaper's scythe into the ground, smiling slightly)) »	Alice_Margatroid nearly grabs Marisa's shoulders to try and get her to come to a stop now, seeing as they're flying along pretty fast. Not looking too terribly pleased, she looks over the stranger, a few of her dolls floating forward with their weapons in hand. :Marisa_Kirisame:. "Ho ho, I haven't seen anyone with a scythe that big in awhile." Marisa states as she stops at the sight, tossing her hakkero up and catching it repeatedly. :Kareru_Mayou:. Hmm? Some younglings have come to visit the forest? How nice..But ah, you'd best be careful, things are quite different now. :Alice_Margatroid:. I saw what you did with that flower there.. are you the one behind this? »	Kareru_Mayou leans on her scythe, eyeing the two magicians before her casually, even as a chill begins to flow through the air. :Kareru_Mayou:. Now why would you think that, I wonder? Killing things is different than growing things, you know. :Marisa_Kirisame:. "Ya don't seem like the usual riff-raff ya'd find hanging out in the woods, especially woods that are lookin' corrupted." :Kareru_Mayou:. Clearly, you don't pay much attention. However, I don't think I would refer to myself as riff-raff. If anything, that'd be you two. What business have you here? :Alice_Margatroid:. They certainly look like they're dying, so how can we be so certain you're not lying? :Kareru_Mayou:. No, if they were dying, they would look like this. :Kareru_Mayou:. With a wave of her hand, a small cluster of trees shrivel and twist, becoming a dark ash color. A limb or two fall from the now dead tree before she glances back to Alice. :Kareru_Mayou:. Did you learn anything? :Alice_Margatroid:. Looks pretty similar to me. Are you sure you're not just half-killing them..? »	Alice_Margatroid doesn't look terribly convinced. :Kareru_Mayou:. Half-killing? There's no such thing. If you kill something, it is dead, there is no inbetween state. You're either alive, or dead. Though, curiously enough, a complete stranger bursts in here demanding answers. 'Tis odd, no? :Marisa_Kirisame:. "I guess ya could say we're lookin for trouble, heh heh." »	Kareru_Mayou Chuckles to herself, taking a moment to push the owl mask she wears into a more comfortable position on her head. Her manner seems to change, though, going from a slightly amused state to a somewhat eerie one as she gazes closer at Alice, then at Marisa. :Alice_Margatroid:. I don't quite think that matters. There's certainly some reason you're here.. :Kareru_Mayou:. You...Your life span seems stable, but your friend's doesn't. Humans don't belong in a place like this. I'd suggest you go ahead and leave. :Alice_Margatroid:. That's... not answering my question. :Kareru_Mayou:. I didn't say that it did. The answer is none of your business, anyway. :Alice_Margatroid:. It very much is, I'm afraid. :Kareru_Mayou:. Is that so? Come then, tell me why it is so. Certainly, you might believe what you just spoke unto me, but I do not. :Marisa_Kirisame:. "I think you'll find we can go wherever we choose." Marisa says, ceasing to play with her Hakkero. »	Noctis|Elsewhere is now known as Noctis »	Kareru_Mayou sighs twirling her scythe a little, stopping it once it comes to be in a 'ready' position. :Marisa_Kirisame:. "We're trackin down whoever's messing with the forest and the water. It's threatening my research, ya know. Probably not too healthy for humans, either." :Kareru_Mayou:. Is that ereally how this is going to be? Children who don't do as they're told get reprimanded. :Kareru_Mayou:. ((*really)) :Alice_Margatroid:. It's unhealthy for the forest, the village, perhaps even to youkai. Do you see any? I certainly do not. :Kareru_Mayou:. Anyway, I'll not say it again: I think it's best if you leave. I can't say for certain what will happen if you do not. »	Kareru_Mayou The trees around her begin to die, any grass, flowers, or other plants seem to suffer the same fate. Alice and Marisa, too, begin to feel a drain on their bodies. »	Alice_Margatroid cringes slightly at this.. strange feeling, her dolls turning a little aggressive in posture in a threat to charge. She takes a step back, body language turning somewhat defensive. »	Marisa_Kirisame summons two magic circles. "Perhaps we oughta teach 'ya not to mess with magicians. People who get in our way tend not to do it for very long." :Kareru_Mayou:. People who play with death tend not to live very long. :Alice_Margatroid:. That's probably the most obvious statement I've heard all day. :Alice_Margatroid:. What are you going to say next? "Those who live tend to avoid death"? »	Kareru_Mayou retorts as she holds her hand out to the two, fingers splaying as a dark, twisted energy crackles between the digits. :Kareru_Mayou:. Oho? But you're playing with death right now, you know? :Kareru_Mayou:. I suppose if you wish to die, then I will grant your wish. :Alice_Margatroid:. You.. don't get it, do you? :Alice_Margatroid:. It's as easy as telling us what's wrong with the plants, and where it's coming from. :Alice_Margatroid:. That's not difficult at all. :Kareru_Mayou:. Sorry, I can't do that. I gave you your chance to walk away, time's up. :Alice_Margatroid:. And why not? :Alice_Margatroid:. I swear, all of you youkai are the same. Causing trouble and avoiding easy conclusions... »	Alice_Margatroid floats back before waving her hand out in an arc -- three of her dolls charge ahead at Kareru, holding pointed scimitars the size of steak knives. »	Marisa_Kirisame starts firing lasers from her magic circles, and adds a spray of star danmaku in between. »	Kareru_Mayou Without seeming to listen to Alice's words, she fires five thin lasers from her hand, one from each finger tip as she strafes to the side in order to dodge the incoming attacks, causing the lasers to swipe towards Marisa. Several magic circles of her own begin to form in the air, each one making a deep hum as though in preparation for an attack. »	Alice_Margatroid looks to the lasers as they start to form, but they focus on Marisa and not herself-- despite her good intentions, she decides to figure that Marisa can take care of herself. Instead, she focuses on offense, starting ahead and adding a fourth doll to the charge »	Alice_Margatroid looks to the lasers as they start to form, but they focus on Marisa and not herself-- despite her good intentions, she decides to figure that Marisa can take care of herself. Instead, she focuses on offense, starting ahead and adding a fourth doll to the charge-- the other three fly at Kareru rather aggressively, attempting to stab her. :Marisa_Kirisame:. "Not the first time I've had to fight Death, you can't be too tough, either." Marisa says, floating upwards to avoid the lasers. She pulls a spellcard out of her hat, not a Master Spark card for once, since she doesn't want to destroy Alice's dolls. She adds some magic missiles to the mix as well, quickly accellerating towards the target, and aimed at where Marisa will think the reaper will dodge. :Kareru_Mayou:. �ACTION Doesn't seem to pay any heed to the dolls as bursts of danmaku come from a different direction-- somewhere among the trees-- to intercept them as well as the magic missiles. Thus, Kareru focuses on her own attack, each of the magic circles lighting up before spinning around the shinigami, each one firing oval shaped danmaku in a loose spread pattern designed to cover a large area, yet have most of the shots land where the target is lo :Kareru_Mayou:. (( where the target is located. (The target in this case being Marisa as an add on to her previous attack.) )) »	Alice_Margatroid keeps a keen eye on the magic circles and the general trajectory they fire the danmaku at, keeping herself out of the way of the pathways she assumes they'll follow. She's too busy orchestrating her dolls to pay too much attention, which impact the danmaku aimed at them-- two of them fall fairly harmlessly to the ground and seem to lay there, dead, and the four others lunge again at Kareru :Alice_Margatroid:. ((*diving and dipping through the danmaku to try and slash at her.)) »	Marisa_Kirisame doesn't need to do much more then start strafing to avoid the attacks, hardly impressed by something that simple. She starts using the danmaku to try and "trap" Kareru, her lasers now aimed to the sides of her position, to keep her from avoiding Alice's dolls. »	Kareru_Mayou Swipes her scythe at the dolls, releasing a few floating spirits from the scythe blade, which then fly over to the dolls and explode. She is disappointed at their ability to pay attention to more than one thing, however, as the glint of metal flashes beside Marisa. Death finally makes itself visible as it fades into sight for a brief moment out of the gloom, swinging a scythe of its own at Marisa's throat, hoping to decapitate her. »	Alice_Margatroid narrows her eyes as some of her attacking dolls are struck in defense, but she doesn't seem to worry just yet -- in the exploding spirits, the dolls position themselves so the blasts fling them at Kareru, and they explode in a burst of sudden ignition and gunpowder. Only just setting this up, she turns her attention away as something catches out of the corner of her eye. »	Alice_Margatroid sends one of her remaining airborne dolls after the figure that's suddenly emerged near Marisa, the little doll boldly charging the spectre and attacking with its handheld lance. »	Marisa_Kirisame thankfully notices in time and 'falls' backwards on her broom to avoid it, now flying upside down. "Whoa! Almost had me there!" she says. »	Marisa_Kirisame fires a rather thick laser from her mini-hakkero at the new combatant, still keeping up her other attacks at Kareru, while she prepares her spellcard. :Kareru_Mayou:. �ACTION Death hardly seems to care about the little doll, continuing its strike with full force. Unfortunately, it appears that its target evaded. Now, the lance pierces its black cloak, though not much seems to happen. Rather, Death seems to fade out, reappearing near Kareru. Meanwhile, Kareru leaps backwards to dodge the fresh exploding dolls, mindful of Marisa's lasers as she does so. Holding her hand out, a spectral card forms in her palm :Kareru_Mayou:. (( mindful of Marisa's lasers as she does so. Holding her hand out, a spectral card forms in her palm before glowing brightly.)) »	Alice_Margatroid just seems to get a bit frustrated as her dolls' charge and explosions don't seem to do all that much.. how on earth is this person able to avoid everything being thrown at them? Starting to have that anxiousness and irritation get the best of her, she removes a card from her cloak and tosses it rather showily into the air-- one of her dolls catches it, and a few more emerge, as well »	Marisa_Kirisame notices the spellcard as she flips back upwards, and says haughtilly "Heh, if it's a spellcard duel you want, I hope you're packing something pretty good! Love Sign 「Nondirectional Laser」!" :Alice_Margatroid:. ((*, from beneath her poncho-cape, and they all begin to twirl about, forming colorful red patterns of danmaku that swirl outwards in concentrated mobs.)) »	Marisa_Kirisame forms a large cloud of danmaku around herself as she summons 8 more magic circles around her, which fire off large lasers outwards in pairs. These are joined by lines of large star danmaku which fire in a helix pattern between the lasers, a rather dangerous trap for anyone caught between, and a finally she continues her spray of smaller star directly at Kareru. »	Marisa_Kirisame makes sure none of her chaotic lasers and star go anywhere near Alice, of course. :Marisa_Kirisame:. ((*and stars)) :Kareru_Mayou:. �ACTION Activates her own spellcard as Death seems to grow to a very large size, moving in front of Kareru and begins absorbing the blows with a sort of veil. Of course, it isn't able to block every shot, some of the bullets lancing through Death's cloak to strike the reaper's main body in the shoulder and her thigh, causing blood to splatter onto the forest floor. Finally, the card she was preparing activates fully. Despair ï½¢Knowing Painï½ :Kareru_Mayou:. (( Finally, the card she was preparing activates fully. Despair ｢Knowing Pain｣. With that, all the energy that Death had caught is shot back in the form of billowing clouds of hazy red danmaku that flood the field and inhibit movement. Despite being injured, Kareru keeps a neutral sort of expression, seemingly detached.)) »	Alice_Margatroid lifts further up into the air as everything quickly becomes danmaku and nothing but, and she takes advantage of the space still between herself and Kareru's attacks so that she can get away for the time being. Her dolls still spinning to and fro as they toss danmaku haphazardously all about, she doesn't seem too bothered, watching the flowing pattern of the incoming danmaku. »	Marisa_Kirisame grits her teeth and starts weaving through danmaku, changing her roll and her pitch repeatedly to avoid it, although her own cloud seems to absorb quite a bit of it. :Kareru_Mayou:. �ACTION Now takes her scythe and swings it horizontally, sending out a wave causes the danmaku to flow from the side rather than from the front. Then, stamping her scythe into the ground, spirits begin to flow from it, some going towards Marisa while some drift towards Alice. They seem intent on hitting their mark, changing directions to match the movements of their targets. Luckily, the spirits are rather slow, but they seem to be trying to  :Alice_Margatroid:. Ugh.. see, this is why I don't like to go out often, we already run into idiots.. »	Alice_Margatroid grumbles to herself, hands lashing back and forth as she directs dolls that aren't busy following predetermined spellcard behavior. Through the flurry of color and light and energy, they swerve and dive about like dragonflies, homing in on Kareru to their best degree. Alice herself pays little mind to enemy danmaku, drawing back and taking cover from some attacks amidst the branches of a tree. »	Marisa_Kirisame starts preparing a Love Sign 「Master Spark」after all, her mini hakkero beginning to glow brightly as it charges. Her current spellcard continues the assualt, however, her attacks turning, centered around her, forcing anyone who doesn't want to get hit by a thick laser to start moving to the side. She warns Alice "You oughta be the one doing a spell to keep her still, and keep yer dolls away!" »	Kareru_Mayou Takes this opportunity to flee, allowing Death to fire more danmaku back at the magicians once or twice and engage the dolls once they get too close. Just before Kareru's card ends, the spirits form a circle around the two targets, glowing brightly before self destructing as a good bye gift. :Alice_Margatroid:. How on earth do you think I'd be keeping her still? I'm trying to-- »	Alice_Margatroid catches a glance as Kareru seems to dart off into the forest, and she shifts out of the tree rather quickly, letting her danmaku pattern drop as to not have to expend much more energy. Noticing the spirits as her spellcard ends, she frowns, and then practically tosses herself from the tree's limbs, swooping down over the ground as she catches herself with flight magic in hopes of avoiding what :Alice_Margatroid:. ((*whatever these spirits might be up to.)) :Marisa_Kirisame:. "Shit!" Marisa yelps, knowing explosive magic when she sees it. She pitches upwards with a burst of speed, magicing a weak light shield so she doesn't run into any danmaku, as the spirits burst behind her. »	Marisa_Kirisame stops her spellcard to do this action, focusing on not getting hit rather then offense »	Kareru_Mayou Steals away towards Daraku no Rakuen. She suspects that they might have seen her, but fighting two against one is no way to win against opponents like these ones. Upon entering the staircase that leads down to Rakuen, she places a sort of barrier at the entrance to give herself some time. With that, she hurries along down into the forest. »	Alice_Margatroid gets to her feet, looking to the handful of dolls strewn across the ground-- she strides over to them, checking them and looking for any damage to them that would make them unusable. These ones, still intact, seem to be just fine, so she soon pockets them, putting them gently into her bag as she looks around. :Alice_Margatroid:. I'm not sure what she seems to be thinking, but one thought would be that she certainly cannot hide. »	Marisa_Kirisame shortly flies back down towards Alice and lands, saying "Even if she isn't behind it, I bet she's runnin' off back to whoever is. We oughta see if we can't persue her." :Alice_Margatroid:. Yes, I agree. She didn't yield information, so surely, she's important to the perpetuation of this whole thing.. »	Alice_Margatroid takes a few seconds to fully catch her breath after her rather sudden dive, then lifts up into the air again, drawing her other dolls close around herself again. Looking once to Marisa, she goes and goes to comfortably climb onto the back of the broom, looking a bit impatient to get going. »	Marisa_Kirisame takes off after Alice hops on, noting that with the forest so quiet, it shouldn't be too hard to follow her. ((I'll end it with this I guess))