The Golden Orchid
joined Jan 19, 2017
The beginning and ending are a little disjointed, since it just refers to pre-windows era Alice's desire to be the strongest, without giving much context for what the author thinks that means. Well it probably makes the most sense for people who finished MS's EX stage, which I haven't, even if I do know she really wanted to beat Marisa then.
The middle part was great though. Having Patchouli personally come out was a nice touch.
P.s In cannon does Alice have rings on all her fingers attached to the doll strings? I Dont think I've seen her wearing them ever before- - In ANY doujin or cannon story I can remember.
She wears rings in 7.5 for sure. You can see them here. It's not directly stated anywhere that the rings help her control the strings, but in IMaP at least, it's consistent that the hand not holding the grimoire (and with rings) is also the hand she uses to control the dolls.
That was good- and I assume the ending was hinting at Alice X Marisa?
I don't think this was meant to be a shippy ending at all. If the ending is supposed to be hinting at ship material, then you'd have to include Patchouli too, because that's what the grimoire and crescent moon signal. I'd conjecture her statement of "what I really wanted back then" is about having friends/equals, not that the author makes it clear exactly.
