06-15-2015, 12:29 PM
Patience was never a virtue that the older scarlet sister ever took seriously. It was not that she simply didn't know it, after all a centuries old youkai would need it unless they go insane from the tedious day to day over their long lifetime. But one who had been as gifted with willing followers and the power of domination, Remilia was never in need to wait for anything. Moments of inaction were deliberate, done for effect to uphold her image. When you saw and tugged at the strands of fate, she was always in a position to get what she wanted and waiting was merely a formality. A simple walk from point A to point B. Even when she was between schemes and parties, she always had some novelty in reach to keep her entertained. Even if all that amounted to was drawing pictures with her sister.
Now without her servants or vast powers, only a pink and frilly umbrella to her name, and the only normal person she was companion with was a mysterious masked woman. Remilia was now in a metaphorical realm of complete uncertainty she had not know since she was first turned. She had a lot to figure out with little to work with. She thought back to all the times she had mocked Reimu's tendency to solve problems by bumbling through them, but she wished she had the shrine maiden's "intuitions" .
Travel down the path felt like an eternity, although the vampire's wings flew effortlessly above the ground, for the only distraction from the road was the ever persistent bugs that buzz and bit and bite and otherwise be annoying pests. It got to the point that the scarlet devil had started to make a game of how many bugs she could splat, but by the time the two had finally stopped to rest she only manage to get eight of the little monsters.
It was still far more interesting than the silence between the Muse and Remilia.
While it seemed a bit early for small talk, the scarlet devil had thought there would be a bit more comradery or merriment to the singer's travel. But the two had said nothing since the two agreed to travel together. Or rather, Zelda relented when she figured that the vampire was not going to give her a choice in the matter. It wasn't until after a line was thrown to question her legitimacy did she finally bite, and the youkai was pleased with the small hums. Forced? Sure, but she hoped something better will come of it.
Their first encounter had been been with natives as they moved through the burned out ruins of the forest, a freshly scored wound in the landscape that had not even begun to heal. Despite the strange look to these new monsters, Remilia was more focused on their potential destination and would be happy to move on.
Unfortunately, an innocent enough turn of phrase turned first opinions sour, and the two travelers now found themselves in front of advancing spears.
Muse was quick on her feet to get between the hunting band and Remilia, although the vampire could tell it was not to protect her from harm as it was to "cut her off" from the sight of the angry hunters. They largely seemed unconcerned with their offer of aid, but the much more levelheaded leader of the horde held them back when he held his hand up. He had reached the age where rage fed battle and senseless violence no longer held value to him, and he was willing to let the elf woman and the obvious vampire pass by so that the hunters could go back to the task at hand.
Unfortunately for all parties involved, one hot blooded youngster in the goblin's ranks wasn't about to let them go without at least some parting words.
"Heh heh heh, scared children. Go back to your mother's milk, and let the grown ups be" It taunted, wicked and toothy smile split it's face in half.
Remilia couldn't let that go, her pride would not allow it. She stuck her tongue at the offending little blighter. The wiser soldier would have let such childish antics slide, but it was the slight that those that wanted conflict took and the first javelin soared. Muse dodged to the side away from it, and the vampire barely had enough time to drop out of the air and let it sail over her. She bared her fangs in a threatening scowl, and then lost it instantly as the other greenskins followed suit with their own weapons.
"What now?" Muse questioned, her sword half drawn at the advancing horde. She was willing to fight, but it was ultimately down to her "comrade" if that was possible. Remilia didn't need to see fate to know that they would lose that fight, and decided what was the most likely solution to save their hides.
"RUN!" Both bolted immediately as the call went out, and cut a path to the side. Going back they way they came sounded safe, but even the heavily armored of the goblins were light on their feet, more so that they would look at first glance. The path back had nothing to hide behind, and would come down to a game of who tired out first. And neither of the women were built for stamina.
Theirs choice seemed to be left to chance, but the scarlet devil wasn't about to let her fate decided by the fickle fingers of luck. Her mind reached out, in an instant of real time she read the red chains that connected the present to the past and future, and to each person to another in patterns unseen to all but a few gifted. Although her power to manipulate fate has been severely hampered, by observing it she could still change it in small ways. She saw the river that Muse had mentioned before, deep and wide enough that the short and armored creatures could not follow them.
"That way!" Both Zelda and Remilia yelled at the same time and pointed in the same direction. A eyebrow raising coincidence would have been more noted where the severity of the situation prevented anything but survival of the moment, and they zipped across the burned lands before the army could surround them.
The river itself was not far away, though the dead sprint (or flight) was still a great drain on both the young vampire and the hidden princess. The river was a sight to behold, a raging current that carved its way through the middle of two shores. It was long enough that each second stared at the otherside disheartened the two primes as they wondered how they would get both of them across. They had been lucky to have not been craved up when they zigzagged through the stumps and rocks to avoid the hunters behind them, but now they were trapped if they didn't find a way over.
Zelda let her mind whirl as she thought of every possibility, of every factor and tool she had at hand. Much as she regretted the situation she was in, she knew that it would be useless to lament it or chastise her companion when a split second's time could be the difference between safety and at the mercy of the goblins than encroached on them. Swimming was suicide, as the undertow would be a challenge for even experienced swimmers, and there was a lack in stepping stones that would give an agile jumper a way through. That didn't even consider the hidden threats under the surface, shadows that lurked in the dark that waited for an easy meal. Both travelers locked eyes as they both saw the last option at the same time, and were reminded by the hoots and howls behind that there was no time to debate it.
"Can you fly me over?" Muse asked, and put her faith in the little vampire as much as she wanted not to.
"Yes" Remilia answered in a rare moment bluntness, and moments later both had grasped the other's arm as hard as they could and in a flurry of beating wings the two were over the water's edge and quickly flying over to the other side. It would be a comical sight to behold of a ten year old in a dress with wings than any scientist would deny being able to hold up herself let alone the full grown adult, both of their faces strained in effort to not fall. Were it not for the arrows and spears that barely missed them. The hunting pack were left behind, whom jeered at the two before order was restored via several blows to the head upon the rambunctious curs that broke order.
When they managed to get across, after a few terrorized moments of nearly dropped into the waters underneath their feet, Remilia dropped the bard onto the shore and then crashed into a nearby bush. The singer pumped her hands as she tried to get the feeling back into her arms while the vampire breathed heavily and brought in air in big gulps. She felt she she just ran around Gensokyo a hundred times with a rock around her neck, though the distance was nowhere that far. She really was weaker than before, in every aspect. Three times today she was had close calls, and she just want to sit down with some tea. Not quite depressed, but sure was getting there.
"Is every moment with you like this?" the Muse finally asked after both of them recovered at least most of nerves back.
"Well, I did save your life at least" Remilia was too tired to be angry at that accusation. While the situation was the youkai's own fault, it was also true that the little girl did save her. Zelda, if nothing else, did not want to become ungrateful.
"Yes, you did" the Muse picked the vampire out from the bush, and the two staggered downstream.
Now without her servants or vast powers, only a pink and frilly umbrella to her name, and the only normal person she was companion with was a mysterious masked woman. Remilia was now in a metaphorical realm of complete uncertainty she had not know since she was first turned. She had a lot to figure out with little to work with. She thought back to all the times she had mocked Reimu's tendency to solve problems by bumbling through them, but she wished she had the shrine maiden's "intuitions" .
Travel down the path felt like an eternity, although the vampire's wings flew effortlessly above the ground, for the only distraction from the road was the ever persistent bugs that buzz and bit and bite and otherwise be annoying pests. It got to the point that the scarlet devil had started to make a game of how many bugs she could splat, but by the time the two had finally stopped to rest she only manage to get eight of the little monsters.
It was still far more interesting than the silence between the Muse and Remilia.
While it seemed a bit early for small talk, the scarlet devil had thought there would be a bit more comradery or merriment to the singer's travel. But the two had said nothing since the two agreed to travel together. Or rather, Zelda relented when she figured that the vampire was not going to give her a choice in the matter. It wasn't until after a line was thrown to question her legitimacy did she finally bite, and the youkai was pleased with the small hums. Forced? Sure, but she hoped something better will come of it.
Their first encounter had been been with natives as they moved through the burned out ruins of the forest, a freshly scored wound in the landscape that had not even begun to heal. Despite the strange look to these new monsters, Remilia was more focused on their potential destination and would be happy to move on.
Unfortunately, an innocent enough turn of phrase turned first opinions sour, and the two travelers now found themselves in front of advancing spears.
Muse was quick on her feet to get between the hunting band and Remilia, although the vampire could tell it was not to protect her from harm as it was to "cut her off" from the sight of the angry hunters. They largely seemed unconcerned with their offer of aid, but the much more levelheaded leader of the horde held them back when he held his hand up. He had reached the age where rage fed battle and senseless violence no longer held value to him, and he was willing to let the elf woman and the obvious vampire pass by so that the hunters could go back to the task at hand.
Unfortunately for all parties involved, one hot blooded youngster in the goblin's ranks wasn't about to let them go without at least some parting words.
"Heh heh heh, scared children. Go back to your mother's milk, and let the grown ups be" It taunted, wicked and toothy smile split it's face in half.
Remilia couldn't let that go, her pride would not allow it. She stuck her tongue at the offending little blighter. The wiser soldier would have let such childish antics slide, but it was the slight that those that wanted conflict took and the first javelin soared. Muse dodged to the side away from it, and the vampire barely had enough time to drop out of the air and let it sail over her. She bared her fangs in a threatening scowl, and then lost it instantly as the other greenskins followed suit with their own weapons.
"What now?" Muse questioned, her sword half drawn at the advancing horde. She was willing to fight, but it was ultimately down to her "comrade" if that was possible. Remilia didn't need to see fate to know that they would lose that fight, and decided what was the most likely solution to save their hides.
"RUN!" Both bolted immediately as the call went out, and cut a path to the side. Going back they way they came sounded safe, but even the heavily armored of the goblins were light on their feet, more so that they would look at first glance. The path back had nothing to hide behind, and would come down to a game of who tired out first. And neither of the women were built for stamina.
Theirs choice seemed to be left to chance, but the scarlet devil wasn't about to let her fate decided by the fickle fingers of luck. Her mind reached out, in an instant of real time she read the red chains that connected the present to the past and future, and to each person to another in patterns unseen to all but a few gifted. Although her power to manipulate fate has been severely hampered, by observing it she could still change it in small ways. She saw the river that Muse had mentioned before, deep and wide enough that the short and armored creatures could not follow them.
"That way!" Both Zelda and Remilia yelled at the same time and pointed in the same direction. A eyebrow raising coincidence would have been more noted where the severity of the situation prevented anything but survival of the moment, and they zipped across the burned lands before the army could surround them.
The river itself was not far away, though the dead sprint (or flight) was still a great drain on both the young vampire and the hidden princess. The river was a sight to behold, a raging current that carved its way through the middle of two shores. It was long enough that each second stared at the otherside disheartened the two primes as they wondered how they would get both of them across. They had been lucky to have not been craved up when they zigzagged through the stumps and rocks to avoid the hunters behind them, but now they were trapped if they didn't find a way over.
Zelda let her mind whirl as she thought of every possibility, of every factor and tool she had at hand. Much as she regretted the situation she was in, she knew that it would be useless to lament it or chastise her companion when a split second's time could be the difference between safety and at the mercy of the goblins than encroached on them. Swimming was suicide, as the undertow would be a challenge for even experienced swimmers, and there was a lack in stepping stones that would give an agile jumper a way through. That didn't even consider the hidden threats under the surface, shadows that lurked in the dark that waited for an easy meal. Both travelers locked eyes as they both saw the last option at the same time, and were reminded by the hoots and howls behind that there was no time to debate it.
"Can you fly me over?" Muse asked, and put her faith in the little vampire as much as she wanted not to.
"Yes" Remilia answered in a rare moment bluntness, and moments later both had grasped the other's arm as hard as they could and in a flurry of beating wings the two were over the water's edge and quickly flying over to the other side. It would be a comical sight to behold of a ten year old in a dress with wings than any scientist would deny being able to hold up herself let alone the full grown adult, both of their faces strained in effort to not fall. Were it not for the arrows and spears that barely missed them. The hunting pack were left behind, whom jeered at the two before order was restored via several blows to the head upon the rambunctious curs that broke order.
When they managed to get across, after a few terrorized moments of nearly dropped into the waters underneath their feet, Remilia dropped the bard onto the shore and then crashed into a nearby bush. The singer pumped her hands as she tried to get the feeling back into her arms while the vampire breathed heavily and brought in air in big gulps. She felt she she just ran around Gensokyo a hundred times with a rock around her neck, though the distance was nowhere that far. She really was weaker than before, in every aspect. Three times today she was had close calls, and she just want to sit down with some tea. Not quite depressed, but sure was getting there.
"Is every moment with you like this?" the Muse finally asked after both of them recovered at least most of nerves back.
"Well, I did save your life at least" Remilia was too tired to be angry at that accusation. While the situation was the youkai's own fault, it was also true that the little girl did save her. Zelda, if nothing else, did not want to become ungrateful.
"Yes, you did" the Muse picked the vampire out from the bush, and the two staggered downstream.
![[Image: XC51JWE.png]](http://i.imgur.com/XC51JWE.png)