Rika jerks awake!
Oh no, I did! I did!
I can't believe I forgot! I can't!
Rika scrambles all over the house as she hurriedly yet efficiently goes through her morning routine!

---

SuperDragon screeches to a halt as he finds a particularly heavy amount of mist surrounding a tall, shadowy figure, with a halo atop her head*...
Ugh...
DuskWoman! Please help her, mister SuperDragon, she can't get out!!
Suddenly, a small figure drops down, with pale skin and a pair of sharp wings...
Get away! Go away! Don't get near me!
Go away to where you can't come back!!
You think that's the Navi?
I dunno, wanna go check to see if there are other Solo Navis who specifically-
Okay, okay, I get it!
Battle Routine! Set!
Execute!
Battle Start!
(Common Battle Theme 1 - Moderate Mayhem) ♫ Mega Man Battle Network 3 - Boss Battle! ♫
As SuperDragon and the rogue Solo Navi (now identifiable by the name "Daiyousei") enter the battlefield, Pollen Mist fills the corners of SuperDragon's side of the field!

---

Pollen Mist: (Wood, Object) A cloud of mist that lingers over a panel. Can be passed through, but will temporarily slow down opponents who pass through it.

---

*Design Reference: Rumia EX, a popular idea for a stronger form of Rumia as she appears in Touhou proper.

Holy smokes, she wasn't kidding. I can barely see through this-
Suddenly, a pair of SkyKoopas confront SuperDragon!
Gh! Where did they come from?!
I dunno, but I'm sending the Chip Data right now!
Yoshi sends 5 FastEgg chips to SuperDragon.
...I mean, I know you weren't paying attention much even in fifth grade but-
It all happened really fast, I didn't know which chips to bring! Besides, they're just SkyKoops...
Suit yourself.
As the SkyKoops flutter around, SuperDragon lines up 4 of the FastEggs just right to delete them, and hurries onward!

---

SkyKoop: (Wood) A virus with the appearance of a winged turtle/tortoise. Specializes in aerial physical attacks.
FastEgg(1 = 70, 2 = 90, 3 = 120): (Wood) One of SuperDragon.EXE's own Battle Chips. Summons an egg-like missile that flies across panels, bouncing up and down like a zig-zagging chess bishop, until it hits an opponent or reaches the edge of the battlefield.

As the day begins, another face in the town - maybe 18 or 19? Hard to tell - walks out their door, stretching tiredly. It's been maybe a week or two since he finished moving in, and despite appearances he's starting to fit in.
*yawn* It's good to wake up for the day and just...take a look at the world, y'know?
Sure, because snoozing your life away out in the backyard hammock is "looking at the world".
Hey, c'mon. I wasn't even thinking of that yet. I just want to see people out here, living their daily lives...
...like the one who's running towards me screaming...?
(Event Theme) ♫ Mega Man Battle Network 3 - Incident Occurence! ♫
Help! Help! Someone!!
The panicked child - not a day over 7 - ends up bumping into the new guy, still firmly grasping her PET.
Y-are you-M-Mr. Yoshi, sir?
Wh-uh, yeah, I am. What's going on?
It's my Navi! My name's Rumia, there's another Navi I met and she's hurting my Navi and-
Do you know their operators's name? I could help you contact them an-
They dunnhave one!!
A Solo Navi going wild, huh? Well, hey, now you've got an excuse to stay awake.
SuperDragon, now's not the time.
Do you know where your Navi is?
Kinda close to where everything else is...there's lotsa weird misty thingies that weren't there...
Got it. Don't worry, Rumia, I'll handle this.
SuperDragon, jack in!

After a few moments of silence, Sese speaks up.
...I mean, maybe it didn't matter who I asked...but I still did ask you, didn't I?
Orange says nothing.
Maybe Sese won't find more bones for a while. But I wasn't too worried about who I'd need anyway.
...huh?
If I wanted to keep finding bones on my own, I'd have just given you your baton back and left. I just wanted a bit of help, and, well...you gave me a lot of it.
We worked together with finding the right spots, doing the digging, keeping each other from getting in trouble when we picked a place where an angry person was...
Sese knows a lot of people who don't take them seriously. But you did, and you were being kind of a friend, too!
...I was?
Well, yeah! Sometimes you wanted me to do a thing like give you something to dig with or hurry up, but...it was a lot of bones, so it makes sense.
It doesn't have to be just bone-digging. We can be friends whenever!
...
...sure. I just hope I can be a better friend.

---

A golden hat floats down alongside King and Sniper Joe, and guess who pops out of it...
...oh, wait, ch4s3 hasn't really seen her yet. Okay, it's Heavy Magician.
Greetings, your majesty, whatever part of the world you rule under! Boy, I don't think you've been this up and about since your old man told you to*...
Anyway, I heard you're looking for something that...nobody really knows the location of, to be honest. Luckily, I did some looking for you...
A swirl of ashes appears in Heavy Magician's palm!
...and I suppose now when someone says "nobody", they mean me!

---

*Reference: Mega Man and Bass

Konngara blocks the Gust Wind Blows with a Scorched Desire, flies up, and aims a Untamed Visage at the surface area of the entire moon!

---

Only Fang and Gilgamesh fail to get out of the way in time, Rumia preparing a Spell Card to counteract the spiked bed of Green Devil!
Black Banquet "Soul of Sabbat"

---

Windaz jumps down after Soleil and Express, looking down both ends of the hall...

---

As the QCF approaches Mack, he reads the text floating above the machine...


(So that's what it's ready for, is it?)
Mack instead hits the QCF with a quick Flame Ball, knocking the bot back and giving Mack an opening to combo into a flurry of spring-loaded headbutts and an aerial slam!


As the QCF opts to roll to the right, it finds itself being blazed by a Corona as its invincibility wears off!
(Just gotta figure out what they'd wanna do, or want me to do...and get 'em all confused!)
(Hah! Bunsen's a genius!)

---

Scorched Desire: (Shadow/Flame) Konngara unleashes a circle of ethereal, yet infernal flames that destroy most projectiles and deal slight damage on contact.
Flame Ball RECAP: (Flame) The user summons a floating fireball and aims it at the target for moderate damage.
Corona: (Flame/Solar) The user summons a solar orb that releases a wide, rotating ray of light.

Realizing she's out of options as the Crunch Whirls and Reverse Meteors pelt her, Konngara swings one last Soul Flayer before vanishing...to outside the sanctum and onto the moon's bare surface, not about to let her guard down for Vaati's next move, no matter how long it takes.

---

Daiyousei prepares a "Fairy's Army" as she and Gilgamesh wash the Green Devil right back with an Elemental Mask "Shadow Mist" and a Tidal Wave, respectively!

---

I don't know how I'd recognize the sound of someone I've never seen. Unless you mean they-
The sound of valiant, boisterous laughter and splashing water fills the whole fortress.
...sound almost like that...
Express Man groans as Windaz double-checks the hall and gestures for the two/three of them* to leap down.

---

As Medicine staggers and struggles to graze the Looking Glass' bullet frenzy, Dual Alice slowly but surely escapes the Sweet Poison clouds!
I don't care what I have to do to stop your frenzy, I will do it.
Dual Alice prepares a Spell Card...
Green Tale "Fury's Trial"
Will you? Because for once I'm going to be blunt about this...
While still regaining composure from the Looking Glass' barrage, Medicine still swerves around the energy trails with ease.
I have my preferences on who it will be, but one of us is going to die today.
Medicine tries to catch Dual Alice from above with three Venom Novas; even as she dodges each, the toxic trails circle around the blindspots of the lower Sweet Poison spread!

---

Green Tale "Fury's Trial"†: (Weapons, Laser/Missile) A special magic turned into a Spell Card. Dual Alice summons thick energy trails that curve around her and twist to home in on the target.
Venom Nova‡: (Toxic/Shine) Medicine summons a shining drop of poison that erupts into two sharp, toxic waves on contact with a surface.

---

*Depending on whether or not the Met is being carried by Soleil, and if yes, whether or not being carried by someone still includes them among gestures for movement.
†Recap: As the "Seven-Colored Magician Witch of Death", many of Dual Alice's older abilities have been repurposed to better suit the colors of the rainbow; unless stated otherwise, any abilities starting with the name of a color only use the first formatted color as an aesthetic match (in this case, the green is meant to be green and not Nature-type).
‡Reference: Touhou Puppet Dance Performance

Well aware of how tight the area has already become as she swerves around the Gale Beams, Konngara responds with an Untamed Visage!

---

Daiyousei hanga back as Yoshi sprays the Green Devil with an Aqua Breath!

---

As Windaz and Soleil shake hands, Express Man clears the throat he doesn't have in an attempt to get their attention.
Windaz, I asked for updates, not greetings.
Um...
Windaz gently but awkwardly pulls her hand away as she looks again at a hall at the other end of the narrow passageway.
The area isn't nearly as infested as when I got here...actually, all that's really left of anything that'd want to get us is some burnt black stuff.
Which means...?
I mean, I know what happened, Express. Sorta. Lightning just kinda appeared out of nowhere and hit all of them.
Express turns his head to Soleil, seemingly presuming she knows where the lightning Windaz spoke of came from.

---

Gh...where did this come from?! Are you sure this isn't about the dolls, or-
Don't get ahead of yourself; I'm just starting with easy pickings. Reisen would probably try to disorient me in seconds, and obviously Eirin's going to be a pain to kill, being immortal and all...
Wait, I've seen you among them as friends*! What's changed, and why am I involved?
More Sweet Poisons begin to close in, putting Dual Alice's mobility at increasing risk...
Exactly. I know who my friends are, and I'm going to enjoy watching poison take away their lives in every way it can.
As Medicine blasts Dual Alice with a Venom Field, the magician desperately tries to escape the Sweet Poisons with a Looking Glass, casting some simple lasers through it to multiply and briefly overwhelm Medicine!
I don't care where you make it seem it began, you've clearly been turned mad!!

---

Untamed Visage: (Phantom/Dimension) A faint beam emerges from the tip of Konngara's sword, pointing at any surrounding surface to summon a spray of hundreds of energy bullets from each.
Venom Field: (Toxic/Earth) Medicine unleashes a ball of poison that deals heavy damage on contact, and covers the ground around the impact with sludge that Poisons on contact.
Looking Glass: (Shadow/Crystal) Dual Alice uses a pair of winged dolls to summon a reflective "rift". Objects will pass through it, but if it's a projectile belonging to Dual Alice or an ally, it will also create a cluster of small energy bullets.

---

*Reference: Touhou 9 - Medicine's ending

Konngara is launched by the Malefic Impulse, obviously taking damage but saying nothing. More than capable of floating above the Vesta Flames, she simply keeps her distance using a Soul Flayer.

---

Rumia aims a barrage of Dark Arrow at the Green Devil, with Gilgamesh throwing his Shogun Boomerang!

---

The trio find themselves in front of an orange-haired figure; from Express Man's reaction, exactly who they were looking for.
Windaz, this is Soleil. I don't understand why the Met's being brought along, but if need be we can handle it. Any updates on the area?
Pleased to meet you, Soleil.
Windaz holds out her arm for a handshake.

---

Dual Alice flies out of her house to try and reach fresh air, the small ventriloquist doll figure approaching slowly...
I certainly don't understand this! I know you're still bitter about humans, but I thought we had-
That we had negotiated for how your dolls handle the uprising? Ah, I'm not worried about that at the moment.
Truth be told, I've been trying to be more open about things, so if we reach a good middle ground, it may matter less who I target*.
What matters right now, Margatroid, is seeing you succumb to poison until it's corroded you to nothing.

(Character Battle Theme) ♫ Touhou 9 - Poison Body ~ Forsaken Doll (Remix) ♫
Medicine traps Dual Alice in a Sweet Poison, then pelts her with a Poison Bee!

---

Dark Arrow† RECAP: (Shadow/Cutter) The user forms an arrow from shadows and aims it straight at the opponent. Even if it's blocked or has no effect, it will phase through the opponent and turn around to strike again, phasing through them again if the attack still fails to deal damage.
Sweet Poison: (Toxic) Medicine summons a cloud of poison. Doesn't deal damage (or even inflict Poison), but does slow down the target as long as they're in the cloud. Sweet Poison clouds can overlap, amplifying the decrease in movement up to potential immobilization.
Poison Bee: (Toxic/Nature) Medicine releases a small burst of poisonous flower projectiles that swirl in a 5-petal flower shape before dissipating.

---

*Reference: Touhou 9 (apologies for the long spoiler formats, it's a lot of lategame info) - With two exceptions, each character's Story Mode leads them to the same final boss, who judges a particular flaw of theirs before the fight. Medicine's flaw is considered to be her narrow outlook, to the point where she's compared to the humans she despises in this regard. Her ending involves her gradually opening up to others, with her having more friendly interactions with Eirin, Reisen, and (in a later piece of side material) Alice. One of the two aforementioned exceptions is the route of Eiki, who is otherwise said final boss, where she sees all of her opponents have failed to take her advice. However, Medicine is NOT among her Story Mode opponents, implying - intentionally or otherwise - that Medicine did in fact take what Eiki said to heart.
†Reference: Touhou Puppet Dance Performance

Kogasa rushes to the scene to find Spooky already gone. Sulking, she pulls out her device and calls Rika.
Rika, the traces are already gone...

---

*sigh* Yeah, and you're making that face again. For the moment I guess we just have to focus on the brainwashed - or mind-controlled, who the hell knows - mobs down on the ground. Just double-checking, you don't have any friends besides us, do you?
Wait, hold on, that sounded really bad, I didn't-

---

No, it's fine, I knew what you meant, and no. Closest thing would be the kids in the Human Village who don't think I'm scary, or the people at the Myouren Temple...the temple at least probably doesn't have a computer.

---

Yeah, think you're safe on that end. Shark and Torch are over at the Moriya Shrine helping with their evil mob problem, so while I check the village I'd suggest you go find Orange. She's the only one who hasn't called me back or left a status note or anything, and I'm getting worried because I'm pretty sure even if she did watch the stream she'd be calling us to taunt us or something.

---

Hey, be nice. She doesn't get to act much, I think it's been getting to her...definitely gonna check, though.
The call ends, and Kogasa flies off to Gensokyo.

---

Dual Alice has taken some time to relax in her Gensokyo home, Dual Lamia already having departed to her own home area.
Gradually enough for her not to notice, a purple haze begins to fill the room...of course, her lungs begin to notice the toxic mist soon enough.
*cough* *cough*
What on-*cough*...where is all this *cough* poison coming from?
Hm. Who do you think it could be, Margatroid?
!

Disregarding the alarm, Express Man notices a perpetual gust of wind being pulled down a large hole.
There it is.
Express Man prepares to drop down, turning to Soleil to tell her one last thing:
Don't panic about her face. She told me that's just how it looks.
Express Man leaps down the hole, the gust speeding his descent.

---

Descant immediately aims a Shredding Shot at the Green Devil to pierce its slimy outer body as Fang loads it with Triple Corks!

---

Shredding Shot RECAP*: (Missile/Cutter) Inherited and re-invented from a UKR soldier. The user fires a plasma shot capable of tearing into armor, but is knocked back by the recoil.

---

*I've already recapped it on the thread but just being on the safe side

Express Man thinks over Soleil's question for a second, but decides not to say anything before continuing down a quick path.

---

The Marvelous Queen is now out of sight, and the group of five is being led by Descant. Apparently a few stories have been shared along the way...
Wait, how much like Sanae's was her hair?
Just like when she wakes up in the morning, but with her frog hairpin too. And orange colored.
Hrmmm.... (...hold on, what does that name mean? Because I think iX's name is how you say X in German, and Nichts is also like-)
I think it's Proto-Germanic? I looked it up a bit because I was curious but it seemed a bit weird. Then again, so was that place I found when I searched up "wind" with a t like in German...
So is she like a Sanae 2? Like how iX is X 2 and Nichts is scary Zero-
...
...it's a little...deeper than iX or Nichts. But I trust her, and she trusts me, so I feel like it'd be rude to tell you.
The sextet pauses as they hear the Green Devil alarm blaring overhead.

---

Well, that's the last spot. You find anything?
Just a femur, but Sese's just glad they've been able to get this much so fast!
Sese notices Orange sitting quietly with her arms around her knees, glancing at nothing in particular that isn't Sese.
...Sese, how strong do those bones make you?
Dunno; I've never found them all. But I think pretty strong.
...cool. Have fun, I guess.
...huh?
You've got like twice as many bones as when we started, don't you? You've gotta be crazy good. Like, good enough you could take on that scarecrow guy with just your bare-bones moves.
...maybe?
Then you don't need me. I'll head back to Gensokyo and keep being some weirdo with a stick, and you go on and be whatever cool skeleton you are.
...
Sese sits down next to Orange.
...why would that mean I need you or not? And why would I care?
You just needed me because you needed someone who knew Gensokyo. It could've been the birdie at the food stand, the mouse with the sticks, the fish girl at the lake*...I just got lucky that you asked me.
And now I'm outta that luck, and you can go your...marrow-y way, I guess, and I can go back to being the girl with the baton who got exterminated† back in the 90s and nothing else.
...

---

*Referring to (in order) Mystia (Touhou 8), Nazrin (Touhou 12), and Wakasagihime (Touhou 18).
†If you're wondering why Orange is alive, "exterminating" a youkai in Touhou is often non-lethal; to date, the only noticeable on-scene extermination to involve killing happened in the Forbidden Scrollery manga and arguably the Wild and Horned Hermit manga, and Chaos Zone hasn't raised the body count significantly (so far only SinGyoku from Touhou 1 were killed when it wasn't confirmed so originally)

Despite her height*, Konngara swerves past and between the Reborne Lasers, the closest they get just grazing the ethereal trail below her torso!
Just warning you, I don't really have much to say. Just trying to be direct about this, and frankly the situation's been speaking for itself a while now.
Konngara slashes the now-open miniature eyes with an Acolyte's Blade!

---

The Marvelous Queen appears in a flash of energy, with Fang, Yoshi, Daiyousei, Rumia, and Gilgamesh all clinging on for dear life...
...until the out-of-control airbike is slowed by a...Force Field?
*huff* *huff* Hurm?! (*huff* *huff* Did you need to hit every boost panel†?!)
Look, it was a shortcut, it worked, let's just-
...wait, how did we stop?
Fang's eyes dark around the area, briefly glancing at a green figure...and doing a double-take upon realizing Descant is right in front of him.
...uh...hi, guys.
Hi!
...ppptpth. (...please tell me you told Doppler about this.)

---

Acolyte's Blade: (Cutter/Space) Konngara swings her sword down and to her side, slicing opponents close enough and releasing a barrage of small energy bullets.

---

*For clarity: I am not going with her being several times Reimu's size like in Touhou 1, but twice the size seems good enough.
†Reference: I don't remember for sure which Sonic games do and don't have half-pipe special stages with boost panels, just that Sonic 2 for Genesis/Mega Drive is not one of them and that Sonic Rush is.

I mean, I dunno how much I actually spend quality time with my group; spending nearly two decades being as petty as Coda didn't do much for my social skills.
But hey, now that you said that, maybe those kinds of people are gonna start showing up. Or not, I dunno. We'll see how jinxing works.
Anyway, looks like I'm going first, so...
Konngara aims Astral Rays at Vaati's eye and each of the "orbs" surrounding him!

---

Astral Ray: (Space/Laser) Konngara raises her sword and fires a spread of lasers.

Okay, as much as the comfort and safety don't apply, I'm pretty sure you're right about how much people stick to Earth.
Thing is, when you grabbed the fruit you caught someone else's attention along the way, so now at least a handful of people who'd be here by now are busy dealing with that.
But hey, that means less hero banter for you to listen to.
Konngara stands idle, not over-prepared for anything in particular...

I've been asking that myself.
Express Man suddenly rushes down the best path he can make, light enough on his feet to minimize sound, but eyes wide open for anything that may be nearby.

---

Rika frantically types a keyboard shortcut on her computer.

---

EMERGENCY GROUP CALL
DIALING 14 PEOPLE...

---

Wh-Rika, what's going on?!

---

Did any of you watch that livestream on Vaati's YouTube channel?!

---

I saw him open his cloak and closed it immediately after. I reported it for bullying, though, that should-

---

I told you never to trust social media reporting systems, but whatever, I'm glad you're all fine. Is anyone you know acting bloodthirsty?

---

Kanako has the camera pointed down the shrine's stairs, Sanae and Suwako holding off a couple of hundred of humans, youkai, and fairies.
...please tell me that doesn't include worshippers.

---

Hoo boy...okay, a bit before the stream began Yoshi sent me a message about the Golden Fruit; anyone see a-wait, Schmitt, you've got way too much background noise, turn on your cam-

---

Schmitt is standing in front of gigantic clusters of floating debris, trying to yell through chaotic winds.
IS THIS WHAT YOU WERE GONNA ASK ABOUT?!?!

---

Holy crap, yes. Listen, the last guy alive who solved that mess is MIA right now‡, so I dunno how much we can do, but we gotta at least help control the areas we can while we figure out this rampage.

---

Gotcha. You think Vaati had this in mind?

---

I mean, it's Vaati, there's no telling with the freak.
I'm ending the call, be sure to check on everyone who didn't pick up for whatever reason. And Revolts, I'm gonna stop calling all six of you because your feedback was almost as bad as Schmitt's audio.

---

*Reference: The location of Rockman & Forte: Challenger from the Future, according to Thread 1, Page 230, Post #7.
†Reference: Pac-Man World 3
‡RECAP (Current Arc): Pac-Man was last seen helping(?) fight Shake King on Thread 2, Page 170, Post #6.

We take the high path and get ready for the signal.
Express Man leaps up the wall, dropping a Carry for Soleil to use as a platform.
We should be fast enough to get past quietly but they'll be tracking any footprints we leave. Unless I say otherwise, destroy on sight.
And I'm going to have to remind you that I preemptively implied otherwise about the girls in orange or green. Believe me, I've worked with dumber*.

---

As Dr. Doppler and Enemice HL clean up what was left from Sonic Man's repair, two figures warp in.
Dr. Doppler, if this is a bad time I'm really sorry-
Dark Elf, it's fine. Everyone's focus was somewhat scattered by the incident at Joyous Tower, but thankfully Sonic Man is functioning again, and we've been able to keep in touch with everyone.
...
Dark Elf clears her throat after a minute of silence (and a nudge from Lulu).
Anyway, you came here from a world known as "Dimension L", didn't you?
...effectively, yes. The specifics I don't know enough to clarify, but-
Dark Elf places the broken metal fins, Shark Boomerang, and golden shield on a nearby table...
What exactly did it look like?
...

---

*Recap (Thread 2, Beta Diablo Arc): Express Man was part of an improptu team formed by Metal Sonic (I generally call them "wanderers" now for brevity's sake) just as awareness of Beta Diablo was spreading. Among those he worked with was Reverse Man, who he not only had a bad history with to begin with (having a petty battle with him early in the Grey Matter Arc), but had also been wanderering around with one broken wing like it wasn't a big deal (said wing was fixed during a training mission with Demyx).

The sun low, Takane returns to Rika's outside desk to find her practically slaving herself away on stacks on Pulse Stopper Ability Cards under a lamp running on just electric magic.
Things have been goin' along great! The scalpers are just about gone - startin' to wonder if one of the shrine gals did somethin' - and business is booming!
Just gonna talk a bit more with the kappa and we'll prob'bly be stable enougho-
Rika instinctively slams her fist on the desk upon hearing the word "kappa".

...*sigh*
Takane pulls up a chair next to Rika and sits down.
...ya wanna talk?
Just...how? How do you put up with them?
I don't care if I wasn't showing my face for decades, the moment a bit of tech falls into their hands, they've got the whole industry in the palm of their-
Rika.
Rika begins almost pulling her hair.
...look, I can get how it'd look like it sucks. I dunno if the Moriya Shrine even knows about what we did with the cable cars*.
Thing is - and hold the death glare - our business is actually pretty important to each other.
Explain.
...well, the rest of the yamawaro and I actually end up doing some important last-minute tweakin' to kappa tech, and if there was no kappa tech...well, we'd be broke.
How, though? I swear, every two days or so I hear your friends spouting off stuff that's just short of the P-word†, and they get words hurled right back at 'em.
...yeeeah, it's not as hostile as it sounds, but it ain't perfect.
Thing is, though, whenever I ask my pals why they feel like I'm good for leadin' the business, they say it's because I at least try to be polite. I could probably say a thing or two, but I shouldn't. And sometimes I feel like I wanna know how not to, y'know?
"Know how not-"...what does that even mean?
I dunno. Try and get a fresh view of 'em, I guess, see if I can wake up, see one, and have the first thought in my mind be "oh hey, it's a person". Without all the stuff I gotta tell myself ain't right.
...
Takane slowly gets up.
...well, if the schedule works out, you can probably head back to your place tomorrow. You've been a big help, thanks.
...no problem. I guess I'll keep in touch, pretty sure I remember which number called me last month.

---

Pulse Stopper: (Vital/Shield) The user channels pulses from their body into a glowing ring that can be held up to damage surrounding enemies, or thrown. Available as an Active Replica Ability Card.

Vital: An Artificial Element. Represents attacks that make special use of the user or target's basic internal systems (circuits, veins, etc.). Exceptions include muscles when it comes to physical attacks (most often suited for Impact) and the brain (usually suited for the Mind Artificial Type).

---

*Reference: Touhou series - An aerial tramway was installed during the events of the Wild and Horned Hermit manga allowing easy access to the Moriya Shrine (which, for reference, is near the top of Youkai Mountain); the yamawaro were involved in its construction, which wasn't revealed until Touhou 18, namely in Sanae's pre-battle dialogue with Takane. Since Sanae was absent for the Chaos Zone equivalent of Touhou 18's story (being busy at Joyous Tower), she still doesn't know this.
†Recap (probably should've recapped this a while ago but oh well): "Pongak", a made-up word from the Donkey Kong Country cartoon used there by the Kongs to negatively refer to the Kremlings. Rika's similar use of the word towards the kappa is treated much more like the slur that it basically is in practice.

The slender robot pauses for a moment before reluctantly returning the handshake.
...the name's Express Man.

---

Demyx is slouched over on the edge of the tower, Reverse Man sitting right next to him.
...Demyx?
It's just stupid. Some guy screwed up a bunch of girls' lives, and now one of them just has to live with it, and we can't even get to the jerk behind it?!
...
...she seemed kinda sad at the Inventory, but...
...if she's not there where it happened, it can't happen anymore, can it?
...
...I...guess?
I mean, you said you came here - whatever that meant - because stuff was weird and confusing where you came from, didn't you?
But now that you're here, you're just Demyx, and we're cool friends, and you aren't worried about those weird things. Maybe that girl with the gem is being like that, too.
...dang, I didn't even think of that. Like, I dunno if she meant to, but I guess she could do something like that...
Let's just spend time having fun, and if we see her again maybe we could tell her all this.
I mean, I probably freaked her out a bit talking about the whole Organi-Idon'tcareanymore, but...I guess if it's her life, she can just...live it, y'know?
Of course I know! I told you!
Demyx chuckles.
Thanks, Rev.

Hrnnnnngh... (For 's sake...)
A mildly injured Gilgamesh lies on the ground, turning his head to Yoshi.
*cough* Yoshi, I beg of you, not in front of the children...
Fang fires a blank right next to Gilgamesh's ear, shocking him out of his melodrama.
Wuh? (Is this even worth it? Like, last time I dealt with a plan this dumb and complicated the mastermind was pretty much demanding things go exactly what they want*, and something tells me King isn't any different.)
...wait, if that Mouse King could just go to the fortress, can't we?
An awkward silence fills the air.
*sigh* Fine. We ain't about to do it without a shortcut, though.
Fang presses a button on his Marvelous Queen, and three seats expand out behind the main driver's seat.
Just hold on and mind the red spheres.
Fang tosses a Portable Warp Ring on the ground, and blazes his Queen right through the resulting portal.

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The purple blur skids to a stop upon reaching a wall, instantly becoming more recognizable.
Well, I'm glad someone else thought to take out this operation from the inside.
You all keep your eyes open, but let me know if you see a girl in orange or green. I approached one of them about this, but whatever she'd been through, apparently it took the other's suggestion to get her in on this too.

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Portable Warp Ring: (Dimension/Speed) A ring roughly the size of a U.S. quarter. When thrown, it transforms into a fully-sized Warp Ring, though upon entering it, the ring shrinks back to its portable size and returns to its owner.
Warp Ring (Dimension) A special ring that serves as a portal to the Special Stage. Will disappear after being entered. If the attempted entrant has 7 Chaos Emeralds, they will instead instantly be granted 50 Rings (save for special circumstances†).

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*Recap (Grey Matter Arc): While Yoshi was initially willing to follow through with Konngara's plan to make him fight her makeshift minions on Dinosaur Land, he changed his mind after learning Rumia was severely injured at the Gemini TV Tournament. Konngara, on the other hand, wanted to see Yoshi follow the "story" through how she wanted, forcibly preventing him from leaving until fighting her (at which point Yoshi took the soonest possible opportunity to rush to Rumia's care).
†Reference: Sonic 3 and Knuckles, the Sonic 3 Warp Rings when all Chaos Emeralds are collected vs. the Sonic & Knuckles Warp Rings when the Chaos Emeralds are collected but the Super Emeralds are not.