The Let's Play Archive

Fantasy Maiden Wars E

by BlitzBlast

Part 62: Ending

Music: The Rippling Scarlet Sea of Emotion

The first and second to last scenes of the ending change depending on whose route you're on. I'll be starting with Reimu's.



(The ... day of the ... month. It is clear again today. The fierce sunlight is slowly abating as Gensokyo prepares to welcome autumn.)



(It will remain as a major event in the history of Gensokyo. But thanks to Reimu and her allies, the threat was averted. The village then returned to its normal liveliness.)

Oh, Lady Akyu Hieda. You have grown so much since I last saw you.

Good afternoon, ma'am. It is a splendid day today.

(A): ...Hey, that's Lady Akyu. You don't see her outside often.

(B): We're lucky toady, we get to lay our eyes on a pretty girl that we almost never see. Those arms and nexk that make no unnecessary movements... And on such a petite girl... I like it.

Holy shit .

(C): She's so small, yet she's still so studious. I wonder if she'll teach my litte sister how to study...



(In the process, I acquainted myself with several youkai. With the bonds between humans and youkai deepening... The occurance of incidents may no longer be an eventuality.)

In other words, maybe some day humans and youkai will be totally equal.

(I may have the power to remember everything I see. But I am not able to predict the future. Even then, living in such a way is enjoyable in itself.)



Now on to Marisa's intro.



(The cicadas' short journey has ended. Silence envelops the store in the afternoon. Gensokyo is slowly approaching the end of summer.)



(Marisa, who had boasted so proudly about her involvement, is not present today. She's always in her best mood when she talks about her activites. She must be pleased with her newly developed special technique.)

(Ahh, seeing her so overjoyed made tuning that hakkero all worthwhile. It has given me even more ambition to create my own...)

Huh, it's not working. I'm pretty sure I pit it back the way it was...



Ehh? I haven't found the parts I've been looking for. My invention won't ever be completed at this rate.

Oh? You look like you've been having lots of fun taking apart all my products. I've had to trade more because of you.

Bah. Don't the presents I bring when I come make up for it? Speaking of which, here you go. The usual cucumbers.

...



(The silent afternoon has been shattered as I nibble on this cucumber...)

Rinnosuke, are you there? I'm looking for some sealing wax...

Ahh, yes I am, welcome! You've arrived at a good time, I've just received several rare items.

..His attitude really is entirely different from when he was dealing with me~...

It's called salesmanship.



(But still, having a lot of excitement can be fun as well. And it's all thanks to Marisa's adventures.)

(I'm counting on you to keep it up, Marisa.)



...

Green light!

...Okay, now!

Nope! Ice Sign "Perfect Freeze"!

Hey, what are you doing~!?





If we can't move, there isn't much of a game left...

Cirno, what are you doing?

Ah, Dai. We're playing Red Light Green Light! It's getting more popular than hide-and-seek lately. Our goal is the next Red Light Green Light tournament, got it? We're definitely gonna win!

Red Light Green Light, huh... That sounds fun. I'll sit here and watch.

No way. You're gonna be playing too.

Ehh, me...? I'll be really bad at it...



Whether it's adventuring, or playing Red Light Green Light... We've always gotta stick together!

...Yeah. We'll always be together!



Cirno, we're in the middle of playing~!

Geez, I'll start again soon, so just wait a bit! Okay, let's go Dai!

Yes!



That sure is some bamboo.

Someone knocks on a door.


Heeey, are you there? I'm going to let myself in if you don't answer, okay?

...Good grief, I see no signs of livelihood anywhere. I don't pay attention for a short time, and this happens...



...So you're here, Mokou. My apologies, the settling of the incident took quite a bit of time.

It's fine, I know you're always worrying about the humans. It's okay not to come here if you're busy too. As I've told you countless times, I don't need to eat...

The quick low-down on Mokou is that she's immortal, so she doesn't care about her health at all.

Absolutely not. You must eat and sleep properly. The constant repetition of trivial processes is what living is all about. I'll start preparing dinner, help me out.

Yeeesh, fine... I can't say no now that you've come all the way here...



What!? You've not been eating rice!? You could have easily gotten it and the other things at the village...

It's fine, that's too much work. I just burn and fry things to solve that problem. I'll be heading out back to catch some birds.

Mokou walks off.

...*sigh* She's really something. I wish she'd try to associate with more humans besides myself...



Mokou is playable in the sequel.



Lady Yuyuko, Lady Yuyuko... Oh, so you were here.

Yes. Something caught my attention, so I was doing some investigating.

About how to "make unblooming cherry blossoms bloom", I take it? I am afraid I have not found anything yet. The living world had some related literature, but the exact topic was a little...

It's fine, Youmu. That doesn't matter now.



I am currently researching on how to make pickled vegetables. It's quite hard to preserve their taste in the netherworld though.

The works-in-progress are in the kitchen right now. Can I rely on you to finish it up?

Pickled vegetables...? Why was I investigating all that for...

Cherry blossoms are a reminder of spring. The answer will naturaly emerge as the seasons go round.



Please do your best to make the vegetables as delicious as possible.

...Very well...



Mother, have you been well? I have been doing fine as always.



I went to investigate an incident with several humans. I was reluctant at first, but the result was quite positive.

I visited a library which had many magical grimoires from the outside world. I also ended up meeting a lot of new people. Though I also ended up meeting that flower youkai again, so it wasn't all good...



And it only took Marisa dragging you out of your house.

Gensokyo's summer will soon be over. The trees will soon become more colorful. I will start sending beautiful autumn leaves with my letters when that happens.





...*hic*



Yeah, well said! You aren't called a fairy for nothing Sunny!

...Actually, what is it we can't stand for?

You know~, what the vampire did awhile ago?

Hm... You mean how she covered all of Gensokyo with scarlet mist?

Yep yep, that. It made a sunlight fairy like me worthless.

Like you're ever useful.

I'm more fearful of that storm that happened before that. I thought the winds would blow my house away.



Somewhere Sanae is sneezing.

Ohh, thanks...

Suddenly, there's a loud crashing sound.

...Eek! What was that!?

This movement... Something's outside!

Ooh, oww... So there was a huge tree here...

At the moment, the three fairies live in a tree in the Forest of Magic. They'll eventually move to a tree in the Hakurei Shrine though, because Reimu is cursed to never have a moment of peace.

Oh, it's you Rumia. That crash of yours made me sober up.

Hm, I smell lots of good stuff. If you're drinking sake, then let me join in.

Oh yeah, don't we have leftover food too?

Oh, fine. Come on inside, I'll start preparing them.



Whew, that is today's work completed. I wonder what Lady Patchouli is doing with this many books... Oh?

...This looks interesting. ...This one's no good, it doesn't have pictures.

Good afternoon, Lady Kurumi. Are you reading?



Huh, Lady Yuuka reads books to you?

Yeah. It's just for a little bit before I go to sleep, though.

I see, I see. In that case, I recommend "East Side Story" to you. It is a short and satisfying love story. A twist of fate brings two people together through the power of pure love and...



Yuuka is the best role model.

Is that so? But if you read this book before bed... You will end up so absorbed in it that you will forget to sleep... Oh yes, that reminds me. Lady Patchouli was looking for you.

...Eh?

It was something about a list you made having some inconsistencies in it...

O-Okay. My stomach's suddenly hurting... Sorry Koakuma!

Um, Lady Kurumi!? Did you not want this picture book?



*yawn* The Scarlet Devil Mansion is peaceful today as usual...

It's not likely for people to come this late at night anyway. I didn't eat anything in the afternoon either, so I'm all out of energy...

Meiling.

Gah! Sakuya!? U-Um, er... I was not yawning just now, I was just meditating a little and...

...I did not ask about that to begin with. I brought this since I remembered you were on the night shift. But I will go back if you don't need it.

I-I never said that...



Sakuya's finally repaying the favor from Chapter 11.

I figured this would be better than letting it go to waste.

T-Thank you very much! I've always been running on an empty stomach for a while now...



Hello Meiling, I'm here for a night chat.

Lady Yuuka, your hands are dirty. Would you like something to wipe your hands with?

Ah, don't worry about that. I've just been taking care of the flowers. In particular, the Queen of the Night that blooms only one night... It is a strong, transient flower. Just like a human.

It was really pretty. You two should go take a look too.

Ooh, that sounds good. Do you want to see it together, Sakuya?

...You are in the middle of your shift, remember? I am returning to my job as well.

My, that was a little harsh. Would you like me to go with you, then?

...No, thank you, I'll just stay here...



Hey Patchy, I want to use this space here for a game room. There can be billiards and roulette and such. What do you think?

Where will you get those things? You won't find them in shops around here.



Or are you tired of that already?

I'm not tired of it yet. I'm preparing in advance, as autumn showers tend to be long. Hehe, once my home is complete. I can have fun even without going outside...

Lady Flan, the dining hall is this way...



...? That voice...

Oh, Patchouli and my "big sister". Hello there.

...Flan.

Umm, I am trying to guide her to the dining hall. But she does not want to listen to what I say...

The dining hall is at the end of this corridor here. Sakuya did say that the food was ready, I believe.

Hmph, since you don't know, I suppose I have no other choice. I'll show you where it...

No, I'll find it myself. I don't want your help.

Wha!? What did you...





...She went off on her own...

...Patchy, forget what I said earlier. I'm going to visit the shrine.

Ah, okay...



Reimu might have to force the two to get along if she ever wants peace of mind.

The Scarlet sisters make a brief cameo in FMW2, and from what I can tell their relationship improved.




I would now like to invite the members of the mountain gods onto the stage. Please welcome Lady Kanako Yasaka and Lady Sanae Kochiya.

Youkai of the mountain. I am the patron deity of the Moriya Shrine, Kanako Yasaka.

I believe everyone knows the Morya Shrine has made its home in Youkai Mountain. There were conflicts at the beginning, that much is true. However, our aim from now on is to gather the faith of the youkai.



The faith you provide can result in divine virtues for the believers. Sanae shall now elaborate on how this works henceforth.

...Good afternoon. I am Sanae Kochiya, a modern-day god and a member of the mountain gods.



Namely, through Lady Yasaka who will...

...

A camera goes off twice. Guess who?

Ehehe, this is a historic scoop! The gods that attacked Youkai Mountain have joined forces with us tengu... What societal effects will the power of those gods have on the mountain youkai? I won't be lacking for material for a while.

That seems to be the case. Anyway, I shall be taking my leave.

Oh, you have things to do? There's a party after this, you know.



I was the one to challenge them, yet I failed to defeat the humans... As a member of the tengu, I bring shame to my kind.

... I guess so. I wouldn't call them normal by any means though. So I don't think it's anything to feel so frustrated about.

I realize that. But still, I will become stronger. I must ensure that I will not be defeated by opponents like them again.



Youmu was the one who dueled you.

I will definitely return the favor someday...!



Let us all join our hands together and work towards a common goal.

With the speech over, everyone starts chattering.

(A): Huh... She looks just like a normal human, but her refined nature makes her cuter.

(B): Oh yeah, I heard there was another god who won't be showing up at this ceremony.

(A): I wonder what kind of person he or she is?



Suwako's been watching from afar.

They both look good up there, though. This should bring peace back to our life on the mountain.

We've come so far to this remote land. This is our final playground. Let's enjoy it to the fullest, Kanako!



... This summer heat is pretty fierce. Hey Reimu, is there anything to drink at this shrine besides warm tea?

Feel free to leave if you have problems with it. Water isn't free, you know.

...Water and tea's all the same, I just wish it was cold. There's gotta be a way to cool off somehow...

Why don't you visit a graveyard? It'll be cooling with all the ghosts around.

Ohh, that sounds good. I'll bottle one up as my personal air-conditioner...

...

...Right, you're already in my bottle.



Guess so. It's the ideal pet; It doesn't make a fuss and it doesn't eat.

Can something with those characteristics really be called a pet?

It's more fun when you don't know exactly what it is. I've been testing lots of food on it to see whether it eats any of it.

Have a look for yourself. If I bring this mushroom I picked up a bit ago close...

...!

Shiro freaks out.

My, it doesn't seem to like it. Put it away already.

A pet that doesn't understand its master's love has gotta be a bad pet. I'll use it for my magic experiments.



Mmhmm. Don't tease your pet too much~.

...All right, now that the noisy one is gone, it's time for a spot of tea... Hm?



The routes split after this line.

...!

Yukari Yakumo, and...

...Ran Yakumo, Lady Yukari's shikigami.

We last met during the establishment of the spellcard rules, correct? How have you been?



I'm not that free myself, but I've heard much from Ran. You repelled a powerful vampire and resolved a major incident. You have fulfilled your duty well.

Well then, what are you here for? I resolved the incident, so you have no right to make any complaints.

I have no complaints whatsoever. The way you battled, and the way you dealt with the incident... They were all handled superbly.

You led several humans and youkai to resolve the incident.



Pffft, Reimu can practically solo FMW2 on Normal.

Future... Incidents?

Yes. A large wave is descending upon Gensokyo. Foes even fiercer than the ones you faced will emerge.



...So that's all you came here to say? I certainly wasn't expecting that. I'm a shrine maiden. If incidents occur, I'll resolve them. Whatever you might say, that's all that matters.

Indeed, you are the Hakurei shrine maiden. Leading Gensokyo to harmony and maintaining the barrier is your duty.



Yukari warps away.

...A large wave is descending, huh? I can't imagine what it would be right now...

Well, there's no point in mulling over it. I'll just make some tea and relax.

Now if you were playing Marisa's route, you'd see this instead:



Whew, here we go. The Forest of Magic really is more cooling. Alright, it's time to start my experiments again...

...!

Hm? You're scared? I was just kidding earlier. I know. I'll show you some of my magic stuff. Come over here.

......

This is called a grimoire. It's where you write discoveries and ideas. You could basically call it a research notebook.



It's like the book she's always holding.

...This part is my most recent research. I'll never forget how I felt when Master Spark was completed. And this magic is...

...

It's thanks to all the magic that I resolved this incident. These steps towards greatness are beginning to pile up.

Someday, for sure... I'll create magic that's like a shooting star, reaching as far as my heart desires.



Mima is the person who taught Marisa magic, and she's the one Rinnosuke and Yuuka were talking about in Chapter 2M and Chapter 10. She's also one of the biggest running gags in the Touhou fandom: despite having an incredibly important role in the PC-98 games, she completely vanished from Touhou 6 onwards.

The final scene plays no matter whose route you're on.




The keys to the resolution were Reimu Hakurei and Marisa Kirisame. They performed brilliantly throughout the entire affair.



She possesses a mysterious charm that stands out from everyone else.



She exudes vigor that spurs all around her on.

Incidents started by non-humans will be resolved by humans... Incidents join humans youkai together, and preserves the harmony between them. It is the reason why Gensokyo is a paradise.



They may well lose their lives in the midst of battle when facing youkai. My involvement was based on a whim. But my strength may be necessary in the future...

...



To ensure that the humans will welcome the days and nights with peace of mind. And to ensure that the peace and harmony in Gensokyo will be sustained...

So if you haven't figured it out yet, this mysterious voice is the kedama Marisa picked up. Once again it's highly likely that it's just an original character, but the possiblity exists that it's a Touhou character from a future game. Let me get my hat on.

(Everyone who isn't already familiar with Touhou can just skip the next few lines.)

First and foremost, no it's not Mima. Besides the fact that she would already know who Marisa and Reimu are, to be blunt she was kind of an asshole. We're talking about Marisa's rolemodel here; there's no way she'd give a damn about the humans of Gensokyo. Second, remember all of those "hints" I brought up earlier? From the dialogue alone you can gleam a bunch of facts about the voice, namely that it's new to Gensokyo and cares about humanity. Its actions also say a lot about it: somehow it was able to detect where the mist was originating from as well as communicate that knowledge to Marisa through a dream. I think it's safe to say that it did this through magic, since it does first appear in the Forest of Magic and is being associated with Marisa after all. Finally, "Shiro" clearly isn't the voice's true form. Assuming it isn't just a ~Sanbondo Original~ with a penchant for being a kedama, it's a reasonable assumption that the voice didn't have a choice in the matter. Something must be blocking it, like maybe a seal.

Let's add this all up. If I'm not just reading way too far into this, Mysterious Voice is a kind but powerful magician whose true form is in some sort of seal outside of Gensokyo. You could say that it's a... Sealed Great Magician.


Music: Towards the Clear, Blue Sky



Cue the staff roll!

-A bunch of names later-



If you're viewing the ending after an actual clear of Chapter 15, after this screen you'll see



a bunch of statistics. Since Ryza obviously couldn't send over a quicksave, I had to play through Chapter 15 again to get this. And since this was literally the sixth time I had to play it in a day, I decided to just hack Flandre's HP to 1 and speedrun the chapter. That turn count should be a bit higher.



Afterwards is some trivia about your playthrough. Note that the 0% hit and 100% miss are from story scenes, specifically the Black Kedama from Chapter 4R (I guess it just had really bad aim?) and Sakuya's Private Square in Chapter 3. By the way, both Ryza and I are totally mystified as to what an Up press is supposed to be. I'm pretty sure it's not actually talking about pressing the up arrow, because I definitely didn't do that over 30,000 times.

Now what happens after this? Normally you're taken to a save screen to save your clear data, but if you've beaten both routes a short scene pops up first:


quote:





Once you've seen that, a new option will appear in Start.



See that arrow? Press down twice and



voila.

------

Speaking of beating both routes, the following Suspend conversation can only be seen after you do that.

Music: Orange Fancy

U-Umm... Thank you for playing, everyone! You must be tired, so rest up well at the heated table, okay? And Lady Yukari, and Lady Ran too...

...Ah, but this isn't the season for that, huh...

(...What am I gonna do, the scenario I was given was supposed to be for winter... I have to ad-lib it!?)

Chen here debuted in Touhou 7, which featured an endless winter.

(...Fight, Chen! Do your best! You can do it!)

Hold it a second, Ran. Chen's completely flustered. I'll give her a new script.

Lady Yukari, you mustn't! If we help her out now, she will not learn anything. We must harden our hearts and watch by the wayside for her sake...

Chen, here's a new script for you.

L-Lady Yukari! Thank you very much... Um, you really are nice, Lady Yukari!

Hehe, it's fine. I didn't want to see you worrying so much.

...

Making yourself alone look favorable like that... I cannot agree to that at all.

My, are you jealous? You should look at your own teaching policies. Being strict simply won't work in this day and age. The style now is to be thorough and attentive.

...I have been keeping quiet about this the whole time, but I will tell you now. Lady Yukari, you are always...

Um, please stop fighting!

!

!

...Lady Yukari, thank you for the script. But Lady Ran is trying her best to train me... So I will do it without looking at the script. I'll do it well this time so please... don't...

...

...Lady Yukari, I offer my deepest apologies. I was not thinking properly.

It's fine, Ran. I was the one who was too kind to Chen myself. But that is not what is truly important... The feelings Chen has for us... That is one thing that can never be replaced.

Lady Yukari...!

...Um, so everyone. Lady Yukari and Lady Ran and everyone will definitely be involved in the next game. So until then, please play this game lots. It's a promise!

...Good job, Chen. You really did your best.

It's because both of you were cheering me on!

Ran, let's have hamburger for dinner tonight. Add some of Chen's favorite fish as well.

Understood. I have already prepared the red rice for auspicious occasions.

Anyway, our time here is up. Train your skills for the next time we meet. The upcoming Fantasy Maiden Wars P will be delivered to you via a gap.

See you then~!