Part 66: Chapter 2S: The Wavering Luna Dial - Part 2

Here's the books I took. You satisfied now?

...This was supposed to be your punishment... Yet you are acting as if you were in the right.

Don't bother trying. She hasn't returned the books she returned from me either.



Ah, hey! You're peeking into my hobbies!

Grimoires aren't a hobby. Let's see... My, aren't these books on elemental magic?

...Bah, yeah. I've gotten interested in it from that fight with Patchouli before.

You've got a long way to go before you can try that.

Eh, she gets fire magic down by Touhou 12.8.

You don't even understand your own element.

That's why I wanted to borrow this book. I need time to grasp it, y'know.

Hmm... It is a good idea to study the styles of the opponents you have faced. But rather than trying to sneak in and away without permission... Wouldn't it be better to just ask normally?



The front door...? What on earth is Meiling doing, letting in such a daring thief like you?

She's likely napping again.

She usually is, but today, she was kinda absent-minded. She never even noticed me. She must be mulling over something serious.

...

And then you entered the Scarlet Devil Mansion and captured Koakuma.

Yes, I was attacked by Marisa while I was making tea. She came at me and forced me from behind...

...You really are the worst.

H-Hey, wait a sec. She's making it sound worse than it really was.



Mm. And make sure to put those books back properly on your way.

...Geez, what's the big problem with me borrowing them for a bit? You'll live a lot longer than I will. Just get them back after I die.

Get them back after you die...? Do you really think that reasoning justifies your selfishness?

Whoops, that's enough of your lecturing. I'm heading out, I'm real busy myself.

*sigh*... You're just like a fairy. You both will never reflect on your misdeeds.

Marisa doesn't have time for silly things like regret.



Wha? Why are you coming along?

We won, so I'll be coming along to take my books back as well.

...You lost in a danmaku battle. Best for you to be obedient and follow the rules.

...Tch, you all like kicking a girl when she's down. Ganging up on me is cruel.

Anyway, we'll be heading back now.

Okay, take care. I hope you get your books back!

Marisa and Alice leave.



...Today was quite the spectacle. Do remember to stay vigilant at all times from now on.

Now that it's over, make copies of those books, please.

Do you mean the books that Marisa was aiming for?

Yes. From the way she looked, she likely hasn't given up on them yet.

Is that really okay? From what she said earlier, she probably will not give it back until she dies.

That's why we'll be making copies. That way, there's no need to worry even if they get stolen.

...



Her selfishness...?

That human does not think about anything beyond what she sees before her eyes.

Well that's a rude thing to say about someone you barely know. And it's totally wrong too.

I believe she proudly feels that since she will die someday... Until then, she is allowed to do as she wants.

Perhaps. It is indeed quite a bother for me, but I do not think she means ill.



It's a very human thing to do.

...Is that what humans are, I wonder.

Mm. Humans are fundamentally all like that, I believe. Aren't you doing what you want by staying at this mansion too?

I am...?

Yes. You may say that you have nowhere else that you belong. But Yuuka did invite you to go with her, didn't she? I'm sure you can find work in the human village as well.



Patchouli is having none of Sakuya's bullshit " I'm only here because I'm an outcast! _{In a magical land where superpowers are the norm.} "

U-Um... Even then, if Sakuya is not around... The Scarlet Devil Mansion's domestic chores will never get done...

...She is right. Furthermore, I continue to work here because Milady deems it so. I shall concern myself with no other thoughts besides the mansion to the end...

...You seem to be slightly mistaken. Allow me to educate you. Remi did indeed bring you here, but she does not demand that you stay.

...! Are you telling me to leave?

Not quite. I just think that you should remember that no one is forcing you to stay here.



Choose the way you wish to live.

...I understand. Please excuse me.

Sakuya walks out.

Um, Lady Patchouli... That was kind of blunt.

...I conveyed what I wanted to her. She appears to be uncertain of herself due to Yuuka's proposal.

But one thing is for sure. We cannot answer for her. Whatever choice she makes, she needs to have decided it herself.

Yes, that may be true, but...

Now then, make the tea in her place, please. The tea Sakuya brought has gone cold.

...Understood. I will go check up on Sakuya as well.

Don't do unnecessary things. Hurry up and go already.

Y-Yes! I am going now!



Ever since we came to Gensokyo, there hasn't been a day where I could relax.

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In the intermission menu I bump up Sakuya's Mobility and MP because I gotta spend these Points on something.



Sakuya hits her first and last WP level. Knife Collect makes her next attack not cost any ammo! It'll still cost MP though. And I can't really see much of a use for having one extra attack in this route.



My final action is to staple on the Rat's Tail to Sakuya.

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Since no new characters were introduced this chapter, I'll show off the other way to beat Chapter 2S: defeating Marisa. This is a fairly simple process right up until you actually have to fight Marisa.



The main thing is that instead of sending Alice east, you should have her follow Sakuya and confront Marisa.



This way, when Sakuya blocks Marisa's path off and forces her to take an alternate route,



you can easily surround her. From there it's just a matter of save scumming like crazy.



Back in the main story I was kind of ragging on Marisa for not being as good as Reimu, but in comparison to everyone in this chapter she's just flat out better. Not only does she hit incredibly hard (if you're not Grazing, everyone will probably die in two hits. And remember, no healing!), but she's also very hard to hit. With 110 Mobility and a two level advantage over everyone in the party, you're looking at about a 75% chance to hit her and a 45% of dodging her counter.



And that's after casting Focus. Which thankfully everyone in the party has.




Sakuya is probably the most important unit if you're trying to take Marisa down. Private Square is very easy to save scum the activation of, and Sakuya's World can actually get a 100% hit rate. Building up her Power is a pain though, and in this run I only got access to those at the very end of the fight.



The rewards for beating Marisa are utterly worthless. A totally unupgraded Sakuya is more than enough to get through all four chapters of her route, and she's mostly ammo-based so the Grimoire is entirely superfluous. And the dialogue changes for winning via brute force amount to



One new line. Yay.

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Next time on FMW E Gaiden: The Knife on her Palm

The sound of an explosion greets yet another day in the Scarlet Devil Mansion. With too much time on her hands, Flandre's playing sends the mansion trembling, and her frank opinion bores a hole into Sakuya's heart. Will Meiling's words of encouragement reach her!?

"I believe you surely have other reasons to remain in this mansion, so..."