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On The Boundary
The Dawn of this Illusionary Festival.
This Dream-like Paradise,
How long will it last?
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Year 160. Early Spring. 28th of March. Morning. 8:00 A.M
As the Sun climbs higher into the clear morning sky, the world begins to open up.
Life begins to stir.
The crisp morning breeze gently flows through all of Gensokyo.
The remnants of snow banks now dwindle in the shadows, slowly shrinking in the arriving springtime warmth.
Soon, the dormant flowers will wake and bask in the spring sun.
And at that time, Gensokyo will be blanketed in the magnificent color of the Cherry Blossoms.
Yes, Spring is Definitely the time when all of Gensokyo awakes to have fun and enjoy the flowerviewing.
---
8:03 A.M. Location, Hakurei Shrine.
Yukari Yakumo sits atop the Shrine?s grand gate, a smile on her face.
As the seconds pass a light breeze blows past her, ruffling her extravagant clothing gently.
As the breeze comes to a slow stop, she closes her eyes.
Time seems to come to a halt, as if everything had frozen. Not even the leaves make the slightest of sounds.
Then, as if on cue, sound resumes as she speaks.
?Suika?
She says aloud, to the open air. For a moment, nothing happens. But within seconds, a thin mist begins to gather beside the youkai of boundaries.
As the mist becomes thicker, a small girl appears from it. On her head is a pair of large horns. In her hand is a large gourd, one she?s never seen without.
?Oh Yukari, what?s up?? She asks as she takes a drink from her gourd.
Yukari shrugs somewhat, as if avoiding the question. Her eyes gaze out over Gensokyo. Her violet eyes seem somewhat troubled.
Suika glances at her as she takes another drink from her gourd. She lets out a gasp of air as she lowers it from her mouth.
?It?s odd to see you here this early in the year? Suika says as she looks out over Gensokyo without a care in the world.
Yukari shifts slightly, moving into a more relaxed position.
?I?ve got some business to attend to? Yukari says.
?Eeh~ Something that can?t wait till Spring?? Suika asks as she moves into a more comfortable position.
Yukari seemingly doesn?t hear Suika?s question, as if she hadn?t spoken at all.
Then the youkai?s eyes light up faintly.
?Oh that?s right? She says as she sits up and turns her head towards her companion. ?Suika, I?ve got a favor to ask of you?
Suika yawns slightly and stretches as she sits up. ?And that?d be?? The oni asks, taking another drink from her gourd.
?Would you mind gathering the humans of the village at its center??
?Eeh?That?s a new one? Suika says, pondering the request. ??But I s?pose I can do it? She says as she pushes her self off the ground and into a standing position. She takes yet another mouthful from her gourd.
Yukari smiles, reassured by her old friend.
?Well, Is that all ya need?? Suika asks as places the gourd at her side.
?Yes that should be fine? Yukari says looking somewhat bored. She lets out a silent sigh before speaking again.
?I?m feeling tired now, So I?ll be heading back to sleep now? She says. Without waiting for Suika?s response a gap starts to open below her.
?E-eh!? Hey that?s no fair! Leaving all the work to me!? Suika says as Yukari drops into the gap too quick to respond.
Suika frowns slightly and grumbles to herself before taking one last swig of sake and vanishing into a puff of air. From where the small oni disappeared, a thin transparent mist begins to head in the direction of the village, spreading out thinner and thinner as it goes, making it barely noticeable.
-
Glass beads... very, very, very large shirt... five-pound weight... slingshot... rotten oarnge... and the 'traffic cone', as rinnosuke called it. Everything's present.
Laresa closed her pack. Ready to go. She had just gone through its contents, something she did frequently. Not every day, though, simply because of how long it took. She did, after all, have quite a lot of stuff in that bag. It contained not only items from all over Gensokyo, but quite a few things from the outside world, most aquired from Rinnosuke's shop. She was quite possibly his best customer; she visited the shop quite frequently, as the items one could find there were of quite a variety. Which is to be expected when the stuff you have available is 'whatever I find'.
Laresa felt it as she stood up and put her pack on, resting it over the bladed staff strapped across her back. She knew that sensation well. An ability had just been used within her range, and its essence had been copied to her, allowing her to mimic it. And that ability is... gathering? An odd power. And none of my neighbors can do that. I don't know of anyone in the village who can do anything like that. Which could only mean one thing. But when Laresa exited her home and looked around, there were no unfamiliar faces. There were, however, plenty of familiar faces, of people exiting their own homes. And they're heading towards the village center. It's humans that are being gathered, and we're being gathered at the village center. This could be bad. But it wasn't necessarily a problem. There are plenty of non-malevolent reasons one might want us to gather. There was just know way of knowing what the reason was without going.
Laresa set off towards the village center, but she did so slowly and carefully. And she wasn't going to join everyone else in the center itself. She was going to hang back a ways. Close enough to see and hear, but far enough to do so covertly. And if anyone tried to cause trouble, she would just have to deal with them.
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OOC: Yeah, so given Laresa's tendency to obtain random items, it seemed natural that's she'd be a regular customer of Rinnosuke's. I hope that's all right.
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Rrrrrfff. Rrrrrffff. Rrrrrrfff.
He huffs and puffs in exertion as he pumps air into the filled forge; cinders and sparks fly out as he does so.
"You done with that yet, Tetsumaru?" a voice calls from the distance. He wipes his forehead with a sleeve and calls back with a cupped hand.
"Yes! The forge is ready!" he shouts clearly. It's early morning and his day has just begun. The first task of the day is to get the forge going; there's an order for a new set of cooking utensils that needs to be done soon.
"Right then, I'll be there in a sec," replies the voice. The teen lets out a huff and looks out the open double doors.
"Huh...," he blinks, noticing a congragation of people all filing towards the center of town. "...Otou-sama, is there something going on-..."
His question is cut short when he feels the first of the siren call. Gather, gather, gather. A distant whisper, almost too quiet to hear, and almost too strong to resist. Then he sees it, a thin mist, almost too thin to notice, and yet almost too thick to ignore completely. It wafts through the nose and flutters away, dragging the enchanted with it to one location. The town's center. He narrows his eyes, not liking this one bit. 'Some kind of...spell? Youkai?
"Something wrong, kid?" says the voice once more, having finally arrived in the forge proper. It is none other but Jin, Tetsumaru's surrogate father, in his usual attire of worksman's clothing. "Say...do you smell that?" the wizened smith blinks and sniffs at the air. "No...nothing. Nevermind. Anyways, what's wrong?"
The boy looks at his father with a strained smile. "Everyone seems to be gathering in the center of town," Tetsumaru states. 'Otou-sama doesn't seem to notice it... "Some kind of...mist."
Jin blinks, then rubs his chin in thought. "Gathering...mist, huh?" he muses.
"...Otou-sama?" he chimes in, noting the somewhat famliar tone.
"...Boy, go check it out for me. Sounds like an old youkai that started an incident a bunch of years ago," Jin says finally, pulling out his son's shikomizue all the while.
"...eh?" the teenager replies dumbly. Before he knows it, Jin has pushed the cane sword into his hand and pushed him out the door.
"Be careful out there, kiddo! That old youkai is nothing but bad news!" the Smith calls, right before he slams the doors to the forge shut.
"Eh?" he says one last time. Slowly, he turns his head to the town's center. Without the fumes of the forge fogging up the air, the mist is a lot more enticing...
"Eh...."
-
Shuffle, shuffle, shuffle. Every morning, there is quite the pond out by the Yamagishi residence, walled off, naturally, by fences. The pond itself is reminiscent of some ghetto onsen, maintained solely by Senri's mother Youko's sorcery, or at least that is what she wants most people to believe. In the pond this morning is Senri, bathing, this is where the family does their... "rites of cleansing," at least that is what they want most people to believe (it's just legalese for 'taking a bath') and also the fact that Youko herself is crazy about hygiene, believing that Senri should be all squeaky clean before he saunters off to work. Today, he hears a shuffling coming from the house, and he blushes immensely when he spots Aika, his older sister, idly walking in on him without a care in the world. She yawns and rubs her dreary, bleary eyes and points outside. Youko was heard yammering in the background somewhere. "What is that hag's problem? Having someone make people congregate over there like that this early in the morning!" Aika yawned and turned away from Senri and promptly proceeded to walk out the residence like a zombie, as if she were drawn to something. He idly yawns and inadvertedly took in some strange mist that he did not notice, and almost fell into the water. He washed his face thereafter and left, taking a towel and drying himself off, thereby getting himself dressed and ready to set out. Well, where? Well, where else? The place everybody else was going, of course. Youko sighed. "Oh, that's just hopeless."
Senri idly slipped on his geta and for some reason, after stepping out of the mansion after a more dead and blank than usual "Bye bye and I'll be back before dinner," he promptly stared at the tea house he usually worked at for an inordinately long amount of time. "Uh..."
"Hmm..."
"What was I supposed to be doing again?" Senri scratched his head.
-
Sanaya sits with her eyes closed in a secluded corner of her own yard dressed in only a nightgown. Her mind is distant, deeply submerged in a meditative state.
If one was able to look into her body one would find it in a state opposite of the apparent calm on the surface, with her pulse massively accelerated and impressions rushing through her mind faster than crow tengu through the air.
She persists in this state for a few more minutes, processing everything going on around her before breaking her focus and opening her eyes. Her body returns to its normal rythm as she stands up and stretches, a content sigh escaping her throat.
"Haah, that felt longer than usual." She glanced at the sun in an attempt to determine how long she had been meditating. The sun had barely moved, she had not been sitting there for more than fifteen to twenty minutes. "That might be the longest yet."
"I'm probably just being optimistic though." She picked up a piece of red string and begun tying up her hair as she walked inside.
"Now, what was on the schedule today?" She wasn't speaking to anyone in particular but voicing her thoughts felt helpful in keeping track of them.
"Ah right, I was heading in to the village to..." She paused and furrowed her brow. "No, no I wasn't, I went there yesterday."
Making mistakes in her schedule was uncharacteristic for her. She glanced around and noticed a thin stream of mist flowing out of her house off towards the nearby village.
"Strange." She scratched the back of her head. "I guess I didn't actually have any plans today anyway."
She went into her bedroom and changed into her casual kimono, briefly considering if she should wear her combat dress. Showing up dressed for combat would seem overzealous if nothing was going on.
"No, just bringing the naginata should be good, if something happens in the village there would be plenty of other people there."
She made sure that the blade was properly covered up and then swung its harness over one shoulder as she started walking down the small path toward the village, keeping a calm mind in an attempt to once again speed up her figure and get there more rapidly.
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The bright morning sun shone through the small gaps in the blinds, faintly illuminating the dimly lit house.
Haruka slept peacefully in her futon, unaware of her daughter who was watching over her, her eyes full of sadness.
The pale girl gazed at her mother silently, as waiting for something extraordinary to occur.
As the seconds slowly passed without the slightest thing happening, Sora sighed to herself. She gently closed her oddly colored eyes, as if resigning herself to an oath. As she reopened her eyes she rested her face on her hands, making a slightly troubled expression.
Minutes dragged on and on, each second feeling like and eternity. Finally, she let out a sigh, lowering her head slightly as she rose from her seat and walked towards the window of her mother's room. She gazed out it for a moment before covering the tiny gaps that had been allowing light to slip through.
After doing so she turned and looked at her mother who was sleeping peacefully, unaware of her daughter's presence, or the decision she was making.
Without saying anything, Sora carefully moved toward the door and exited the room. After making sure she hadn't woken her mother, she headed for the kitchen.
Sora turned on the tap, allowing the water to flow freely from it. She then proceeded to make herself a lunch to take with her on the road.
She had made her decision. She would travel to the Scarlet Devil Mansion and apply for a job there.
Sora was a little nervous. She had never been to the devil's home before, so she wasn't quite sure what to expect.
The girl took a deep breath, trying to relax her slightly panicked mind. She was determined to do this. And when one has enough determination, nothing can stop them.
As Sora finished preparing for her trip, she packed her lunch into a large bag that sat on the counter. After making sure she had everything, she slings the bag over her shoulder and heads for the door.
As she reaches to open it she stops. Slowly she turns around and rushes back to the counter, putting her bag down, and rushing down the hall to her room.
After nearly a minute, Sora returned. Atop her head rested a hat, and in her hands was a parasol.
She let out a sigh and mumbled aloud her checklist, making sure she had every item on it.
After determining she had all she needed, she smiled faintly and slung the bag over her shoulder once more. This time, she didn't stop before the door.
Carefully, she exited the house, silently closing the door behind her and embarking on her valiant journey.
-
Hotaru finished packing. She had woken up early to prepare. Leaving her family to explore Gensokyo was something she had on her mind for a while. Done with with the pack, she carried it on her back and exited her room. She slowly walked through the house, feeling a bit melancholic about leaving a home that took care of her for so long. However, she was also happy that she can go on her own wishes but...
Hotaru stopped. In front of her was a large bundle of blankets. Crouching, she peeled off one layer, which quickly pulled itself back. Her brother was sleeping yet again, like he did always. Although her parents were more surprised at her gradual improvement of herself, she always felt that her younger brother, always sleeping in the most oddest of places, was more surprising with how he still manages a profit with his small food stand. Eventually, she just concluded that he was more charming when at work. Knowing her sibling can take care of himself, she hugged the blankets (which struggled to get out of the embrace and continued outside.
The sun was shining bright, and Hotaru shielded her eyes from its light. She didn't have a true destination, just pick a direction and go she thought. She walked, unsure of where she would go.
((Hmm, forgot to add a bit about her family. Well I guess her brother could be the only living family member she has perhaps.))
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Knock knock knock knock knock
"Why do they even bother staying open in the morning...?"
Knock knock knock knock knock knock knock
"...there's no one here..."
Knock knock knock knock knock knock knock knock knock knock
Kisei had been sitting on a stool behind the counter, keeping her eyes peeled at the curtain door in front. The windows were latched shut, and only the shadows of people peeked from under the curtain. None of them pointed to her or the shop.
She had been here since sunrise, and, so far, no one had come. She didn't care about getting anything off the shelves. That wasn't going to be her job. No, it was her parents'. She was only obliged to sit here because they asked, and there was no escape from those pesky morals that had somehow stayed in her mind. It was no fun living with guilt.
The rapping of metal against wood drew no attention from the outside.
If there was one thing to describe the shop, it was a general store. Food, mostly snacks; clothes, but nothing eye-catching; and many other things that weren't supposed to be found side-by-side.
The red-hair swiped at a whetstone on a shelf behind her. Pushing a kimono sleeve back, she began rubbing it against the edges of a knuckle duster that was concealed by the cloth. Sure, I'd be getting shouted at, but no one's buying it anyway. The edge of the weapon was never meant to be sharp, but blunt weapons weren't easy to use in swordfights.
Not long after, she pocketed the stone in a small brown purse that hung from her neck down beneath her clothes. Her red kimono was big enough to hide the bulge that it would have made.
She looked back. No one.
I should be sleeping. I've been awake since sunset. That would leave her with eight hours of sleep. She was fine with it, but she liked to stay in bed for a little longer.
Yaaaaaawwwwwwnnnnn-
KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK
Fwip
Kisei sat erect, immediately falling silent. It was just someone brushing past the curtain. Everyone can see the signboard. No one's going to look in.
That's it, I'm going out.
She looked back. Still no one.
She smiled mischievously. Hopefully, there was going to be someone worth stealing from.
EDIT: OOC: "Crow, you suck, so I'll be replacing some of your lines with my thoughts."
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Hyo Daidouji yawns mightily as he pulls the curtains open, letting the sunlight into the room he shares with his wife Yumei. He'd slept in a bit longer than he'd intended, admittedly a little reluctant to get out of his nice warm bed. He doesn't take to winter as easily as his daughter. Neither does her mother, he thinks wryly, grinning beneath his bushy blonde mustache. He wonders where little Kohaku gets that from. The aging man then shakes his head slightly.
You did it again, Hyo. he chides himself, as he knows his wife would. His little girl is hardly that any more. All of 20 years, and even more mature than that, Hyo almost expected her to have the shop opened for him, rather than wake her father. Indulging his curiousity, he opens his window just a crack, and grins again. The sound of an ocarina greeting him from the back yard seems to go along with that. Taking a few moments to dress himself (quietly, so as not to wake his wife), he heads downstairs and heads towards the kitchen. It's his turn to cook, and Mrs. Daisouji gets a little miffed if she has to wait too long for breakfast.
>
This time of year always make Kohaku Daidouji feel a little melancholy. Winter is her favourite season; she was born on a cold, stormy night in the dead of winter, and some say that she'dve been happier staying in that day. While this is not entirely true, although Kohaku does enjoy the sight and feel of a blizzard, she much prefers cool mornings, gently falling snow, glistening of new snow in the daylight, and the clear, clear nights of winter, when all the stars in the sky shine a little brighter...
But those days are fading for another year. Winter must always yield to the onslaught of spring. Kohaku has accepted this; it is the way of the world. But this is not the only reason why she plays a melancholy tune upon her ocarina, as she sits upon a tree stump in her back yard, her faithful malamute Hyozan sitting by her side. It was a day like this-nearly three years to the day, Kohaku reminds herself- that the youkai that called herself Haine blew out of town, almost as suddenly as she'd came, leaving a hole in Kohaku's heart nearly the size of Youkai mountain. After three years, that hole's been patched and filled in, and Kohaku never lingers on the bad, just remembers the good, and Haine brought a lot of good into Kohaku's life.
Kohaku, however, is still only human. And she, as all her kind do from time to time, has her moments. And days like this bring out some of hers.
She pauses her playing, and reaches down to give her large companion a friendly ruffle on the head, smiling bittersweetly.
"We'll find her one day, Hyozan. Both of them."
The dog makes no response, but his companionship is response enough for the young woman, and her bittersweet smiles loses at least some of the bitter part of it. All things in due time... she thinks to herself. Her father will be awake soon (assuming Mother doesn't kick him out of bed first, she thinks with a quiet laugh) and he'll have breakfast prepared in relatively short order, as his meals are always more simple affairs than Mothers'. Time enough for one more song, she thinks, and raises her ocarina to her lips once again.
-
It was just another average day at the old, ramshackle-looking hut out on the farther outskirts of the Human Village, where Youkai tend to prowl.
Or at least, that's what you'd think but...The story of the hut's sole resident was only just starting once more....That is, if he bothered to wake up much further than his current haze.
The sun was poking though even the gaps in the walls...
The place was always somewhat chilly in winter, even with the use of Thurisaz, Which could be attributed to why the hut looked to be in slight disrepair.
Too hot in Summer, too wet in Spring, and too leaf-strewn in Fall.
And on a reed mat could be found sitting, a young man trying to pull himself together. With various articles of clothing, and various other objects, strewn around haphazardly, as if a typhoon had been through. And if one were to see him on the job, you'd be inclined to believe that a typhoon had been through. Or a horde of Oni.
"Blegh....Every morning..it's the same ol' same ol'...get up, dig out breakfast from the icebox, get in a few fights, do some odd jobs, go back to dig out dinner, sleep, and do it all again the next day.."
So he gets up off the mat, and staggers over to a pair of beat-up looking overalls hanging on the wall, and puts them on.
'There...now to find something to eat...I'll have to go into town for anything past breakfast, since I ran out of beef and noodles last night.'
"The marketplace should be open by the time I get there, So I'll pick up lunch there."
So he then sets about his next task of finding something to eat. So he staggers over to a strange object that looks like a trunk, and begins to rummage around in it for a few moments until pulling out what seems to be a roll of bread. "Man...I'll have to get more bread too...Ah well, I'll get more at the market."
'This is such a pain....maybe I'll go pick a fight with some Youkai to let off some steam..'
And with that, he departs the hut, munching on the last of his food. He does feel something urging him to go to the village, but he could care less as he was going there anyways.
OOC: Man, this took a while to get out.
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The morning sun rises early, high up on the Youkai Mountain. And as the sun rises over the Moriya Shrine, a new day beginns for the new shrine maiden aswell.
Amaya, awakened by the first rays of dawn, still lying in her futon. "It's quite bright this morning." She mumbles to herself.
It's usual that she gets up early, to make breakfast and to get ready for the first visitors, that might come to the shrine. Amaya doesn't want to let her duty as the shrine maiden slide.
She rubs her eyes and trys to get up but something seems to bother her. Her hands search for the reason. She pulls out a black thing from under her cloths and futon. It was the tail of Vin, Amaya's small pet-snake.
Vin didn't hibernate this winter and is always sleeping in Amaya's futon or under her cloths. 'This snake is getting more weird with every year.' Amaya can't really figure out what is wrong with Vin, but the snake seems happy. Amaya puts Vin aside and stands up. Vin directly wriggles back under the warm futon.
Amaya is dress in a simply coloured kimono, that she always wears at night. Her first step goes to windows. She checks her clothes if everything is in place, opens the window and takes a deep breath of the fresh morning air. The morning sun shines in her face and she shouts "Rise and shine!" towards the sun.
Amaya is very pleased about the sunny weather and hopes the the last snow, even that here on the mountain, will disappear soon.
She leaves the windows open to let some of the fresh air into her room. She searches for Vin under the futon once more, who is obviously unpleased to leave the warm futon."Come on Vin, you get something to eat too, so don't bristle so much."
Amaya leaves her room, still holding Vin in her hand and takes the way to the room next door. ?Good morning.? She yells while opening the door with her free hand. She look into an empty room. Even the futon is tidy.
?Mmh? Mom's up already?? She leaves the room again and goes straight into the kitchen. ?No one's there either. Seems like she left already. Anyway.? She picks up a glass with dead insects in it, some bread and butter and walks into the living room.
She places Vin and all the other stuff on the table and opens the door in front of the living room to let the sun come in, then she sits down at the table and opens the box with the insects.
Vin waiting impatient for the meal. ?Here, enjoy your meal.? Amaya says and holds an insect to infront of Vin.
-
Why am I still here? Hotaru thought, still walking around the village. She didn't feel reluctant at all about leaving her home, but there's was just this nagging feeling in the back of her head, telling her to stay a little bit more. Did I forget to say any good-byes? Of course she didn't, she kept talking about travelling to her friends for several weeks already, and her brother probably mentioned it to his customers. Did I forget anything in my pack? She quickly made a check on her belongings. She had everything prepared, enough supplies to last a couple days with rationing. She already had her breakfast while packing, so it couldn't have been that, so what was it?
Hotaru scratched her head. This wasn't exactly how she planned this. She wanted to leave quickly, while daylight was still strong. She sighed, and closed her eyes. Maybe she just needs to follow this nagging thought without actually think about it. It does work for protagonists and other helpful characters to go into some kind of coincidence, so why not?
With her eyes still closed, she carefully took random steps, opened her eyes, and continued on that path, which was towards the village center.
-
8:17 A.M. Location, The far outskirts of the Human village.
As time passed, things began to bustle more and more with each minute.
However, there was but a single being wandering about in the desolate outskirts of the village that even the most foolish of humans wouldn?t play around in.
Here, there was a relaxing silence. Ran Yakumo, shikigami of the Youkai of Boundaries, is doing her routine check of the borders near the Human Village.
?All clear around the village?? The youkai says to herself. Her magnificent tails shine under the light of the morning sun as she slowly strolls further away from the Human village. In her right hand she holds a bag full of various food items.
As she lifts her gaze towards the sky she lets out a sigh. She raises her hand to shade her eyes from the bright sun.
??Well, I better head back before Chen wakes up. She?ll be grumpy if there?s nothing to eat?? She mumbles aloud as she turns her attention to the path in front of her. With another small sigh, the fox starts for home.
---
8:20 A.M. Location, The Village?s center.
By now the center of the village is crowded with people. Neighbours and Friends chat up a storm of words that becomes incessant noise. The crowd spreads across the central plaza of the village, filling it so thickly that it would be near impossible to make your way to the center on foot.
Despite the overcrowded court, people still continue to gather, being drawn in like moths to a flame.
---------
---SourFang
As the ocarina?s soothing melody slowly drifts away, Kohaku?s father, Hyo, shouts from the inside of the house.
?Kohaku! Can you run an errand for me?!? He shouts.
Kohaku stops playing, lowering the ocarina from her lips, and looks towards the house. With a slight pause, she gets up and heads inside, ocarina in hand.
As the dog realizes its master was leaving, it also perked up and followed her over to the house, stopping at the door and taking a seat.
?Ah there you are? Her father says as he sets the table. ?We?re out of eggs, would you be able to run into town and get some for me?? He asks as he sets bowls at three places on the table.
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---Dorakyura
Vin happily snaps onto the insects, swallowing them faster than Amaya could deal them out. Despite being a snake of his size, his appetite was sure huge.
As Amaya finishes feeding Vin, she turns her attention to her own breakfast. She spreads the butter across the bread and prepares to eat.
?Ah, Good Morning Amaya? A voice speaks from the direction of the open door. As Amaya turns around she sees the speaker.
A small girl with a large, nerve-racking hat stands outside the room. Her shoulder length blonde hair borders her face, tied with a red string on each side. She?s wearing a short purple dress with frogs printed on it. Her knee-high socks are white and her shoes a black. Sun shines on all but her face, the oversized hat acting as a sun guard of sorts Upon her face is a simple and small smile.
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---Hanzo
Takuma strolls along the beaten path, a terribly bored expression across his face. As he grumbles undecipherable complaints about his boring life, he comes to the wide clearing before the village. A place with little foliage to hide behind.
Not really caring for the change of scenery, he dismisses it and continues forward. As his gaze shift back to center he sees something that makes him come to a halt.
There in front of him a little ways ahead is a woman. She wears an oddly shaped hat and clothes that vaguely resemble a nightgown. On her back are nine large golden tails.
As Takuma is busy gazing at the fox?s features, she notices his presence, turning her golden eyes towards the young man.
?Oh, there was a human wandering around way out here?? She says, sounding like she was talking to herself rather than to the person in front of her. Her expression is plain, neither excited nor aggressive.
-
Tetsumaru walks slowly towards the town's center, contemplating the situation. Like him, many were coming out of their houses. Many were going to the same destination. But as far as he could tell, none were as worried as him.
'Aaaah...could this be an incident? Otou-sama told me about them...they're scary and dangerous and youkai come out of nowhere to eat everyone at the same time during a full moon...wait, maybe he was messing with me. Maybe it's not as scary as he says...but Keine-sensei told me to beware incidents too...but that was a joke...aaaaah, what do I do?'
His grip on the shikomizue was a little shaky as his reverie continued.
'Eeeeh...but if something happens, would I have to solve it? No, no, I don't even have an ability, let alone danmaku or flight...aaah, what a stupid thought. A kid like me solving an incident? That's ridiculous...'
By the time it was over, he was already at the edge of the crowd, trying to peer over the heads at what was at the center...
-
"Excuse me, but what's happening?"
Hotaru kept asking this question to nearby people at the edge of the crowd. Responses were generally drowned out by the words of gossip and other things, but what she could hear were generally like hers: No particular reason to be there. After several similar responses, she stopped asking, and attempting to go near the center, but it was too packed.
Whatever is happening, a lot of characters are here for that... Hotaru thought, attempting to see something past the huge crowd. Again, the huge crowd made it difficult to see what was going on. Among trying to see the center, she saw a boy also trying to see what was going on. Giving up on trying to see for herself, she reluctantly tapped him on the shoulder to catch his attention.
"Excuse me, but I and I presume you can't see, so would you mind if I gave you a boost so at least one of us can see?" Hotaru said, trying to sound helpful, and not as awkward.
Attempting to player interact is a go-go
-
Senri was staring into space when he remembered he needed to go somewhere; he needed to go to the village center, because something was up. He knew that he was being drawn to that particular location for a reason, and he recognized vaguely that he was under some sort of spell. It must have been the influence of his mother Youko and training under his father that taught him to vaguely sense it, yet he lacked the power to break free of the influence of whatever it was that was making him go to the particular area. Sighing, Senri shambled his way to the village center, just like all the other humans who were crowding around there at that point, like cows to the slaughter... It would be a sordid sight for Youko, who was peeking out the door and looking at the travesty that was occurring before her eyes.
Senri made his way over to the center and saw some chick by a familiar face... oh, it's that tetsumaru-san, with some girl i do not know... did they get drawn here by the power of the spell too? oh, it's a bit much for me to think... Senri sighed and stood by the boy at the crowd's edge trying a bit too hard to see what was going on, and a girl had approached him to ask if he needed a bit of help with that. Senri yawned and turned to face the two of them.
"don't you two feel weird? you know, like there's some sort of spell that's making everyone come here. but heck if i know if it's really some sort of sorcery! that's just what my mama tells me, eh?"
-
The outskirts of the village seemed almost completely empty when Sanaya arrived.
"Okay, not good." She raised her hand to bring out her weapon but halted herself when she heard a distant chattering coming from the center of the village.
"What's going on? Is something happening at the village square?" She wondered aloud to herself as the broke into a slow jog down the streets. Moments later she rounded a corner and came face to face with the source of the chattering, a huge crowd of people. She felt like the entire village was here.
She slowed down and cautiously approached the edge off the crowd, scanning it with her eyes in an attempt to find out why everyone was there. No one seemed to be holding a speech and there was no conspicuous gap in the crowd where something of interest could be located.
Unable to come up with any idea about what could be going on she decided to simply ask someone nearby.
"Excuse me, may I ask why everyone have gathered here?" She tapped the shoulder of an elderly woman standing in front of her.
"Hmm?" The woman turned around to face her. "Oh, Sanaya-chan isn't it?" She smiled, Sanaya had a tendency to be liked by the older generation in the village. "I'm not quite sure, I just felt like I should be here and that seems to be what everyone else are saying too."
"Okay, thank you." Sanaya bowed. "I think I'll try to find Keine-Sensei, maybe she can tell me what's happening, good day."
She straightened her back again and started walking along the edge of the crowd, keeping her eyes open for a sign of the village's resident teacher. "Maybe that hat of hers will serve some sort of function for once." She thought as she kept walking around the gathering, her weapon still protruding a fair bit above her head.
-
Laresa held back from the center and watched as people arrived. Before long, she picked her first mark.
The woman turned as Laresa approached. "Oh, hello. You're... it's Laresa, right? I know I said this before, but thank you for-"
"I was doing my job," Laresa said. "I am right now, too. This gathering is the result of a mystical influence. You're under a magical compulsion."
"Under a... wait, so someone's making us all come here?"
"'Influencing' would be a better word," Laresa said. "It is possible to resist a compulsion such as this, especially if you know it's from an outside source."
"But why?"
"I don't know, which is why I haven't taken any steps to break it up. In fact, you're the first person I've told, although there are likely others who've realized it on their own."
"Do you want me to leave?"
"I'm just informing you," Laresa said as she walked away. "You decide what you want to do."
Laresa went back to watching. She picked people she recognized from her work, people who she knew had reasons to trust her, and told them what she knew. Some left, and some stayed. This garunteed that there would be people outside the gathering who knew, and that others within it would know. Which would help if she had to act. They'll react faster and can help lead others to safety.
As the flow of people slowed, Laresa backed off. She remained seperate from the gathering, but close enough to see and hear what was going on. And I'm ready to act if I need to.
-
Well this was a surprise. He'd never seen a woman like that before. Nine golden tails?
'Nine tails? Golden ones at that. She's gotta be trouble, and even I'm not stupid enough to pick a fight with someone like that. I've learned from that time ten years ago..'
She was probably a Youkai on a level beyond the common Youkai he sometimes brawled with while on the job.
'She feels like she's on a whole 'nother level anyhow, I'd better be careful. A damn radiant beauty, but like the saying goes, "Even a beautiful Rose has Thorns".'
Either that or someone playing at being one. Whichever the case may have been, he knew better than to get mixed up with a woman like that.
Because, in his eyes, women can only mean trouble, especially in Gensokyo.
'There's no way I'm getting mixed up in anything now, not when all I've had to eat is a lousy roll of bread. Damn thing was halfway moldy anyhow. Wasn't even tasty either.'
When he hears her comment about there being a human way out here, that solidifies it in his mind that she's a Youkai, and can't help but quirk an eyebrow.
'Yep, definitely a Youkai, Better be careful. I haven't even had much for breakfast, so the last thing I need today is to end up as some other sap's breakfast.'
He then resumes his grumbling and continues on, offering a somewhat polite nod accompanied by a wordless grunt of acknowledgement when he passes by the woman.
'Man...if I'd had more for breakfast, and could use danmaku beyond just the blasts Thurisaz makes- which can hardly be called danmaku anyhow- she might've been a fun opponent. But it looks like it's just not in the cards today.'
After it seems she's gotten out of sight, he slumps a bit, before letting out a small shout of frustration, then launching into a rant aimed at nothing in particular.
"Gaaah! Today's just been one thing after another. First I find that the only food I've got in the house is a halfway moldy roll of bread, then a potentially powerful opponent gets away because of my lack of both a proper breakfast and spellcards!" He then slumps again. "Man...today's just not my day...Maybe I'll just get into a fight with some other person later to let off some steam, that should improve things."
He lets out one more wordless shout of frustration* before going back to making his way to the village.
*The best way I can transcribe this would be "Fnzaahrghraghleghnl!", a shout I myself am prone to uttering in moments of extreme frustration.
(Well, this is the closest transcription of it I can make with letters, and delving into symbols would just be silly. Though a potentiality if Takuma's sufficiently angered.)
OOC: Yes, his day's been utter shit, and the fact that he's got a hair-trigger temper right now means that he could end up fighting with just about anyone over something as trivial as the last slice of cake. (But then again, when does he ever have a solid reason for picking a fight? Don't answer that, he never has.) Anyhow, it took me all day to get this post to my satisfaction, here's hoping you can use it.
-
As Sora walks on, heading for the village's exit, her mind begins to go astray. Various streams of thoughts flow through her head, distracting her from reality. Where was this manor? Who lived there? What were they like? So many questions she didn;t know the answers to. Anxiety plagued her mind. So much so she couldn;t hear the blur of voices as she approached the town's center.
"Ah...! What's going on?" Sora whispers softly to herself as she looks at the crowd in awe. There's so many people...
The girl glances around in an attempt to find a way past them.
After confirming there was no path leading around them she lets out a quiet sigh and decides to wait for them to clear.
As she stands still a short distance from the crowd, she begins to feel a strong warmth seeping into her clothes.
Realizing the Sun's power is awakening from it's winter slumber, Sora glances around, soon setting her eyes on a small shady spot that devoid of presence. She quickly dashes over to the shade. As she feels the strong heat dissipate, she lets out a relieved sigh.
Sora gazes out at the crowd, waiting for them to disperse.
-
"Oh wow, everyone's fair game. Haven't seen that in a while."
Everyone seemed to be moving towards the heart of the village. Very few were still sitting down, and even fewer were watching the whole thing. Kisei followed the crowd, eyeing anyone for any valuables or weapons. Weapons were expensive, too, and an X-marks-the-spot for hidden goodies.
There was also this sharp urge to go to the exact center of the village. What the hell? Where is it coming from? It kept fading in and out of her mind, drowning out like buzzing.
She snapped out of her musing to see her first targets. On the edges of the crowd, there was a boy holding a cane. His arm seemed to be stretched full as he held it, and his shoulder seemed to sag a little. Either something was wrong with his shoulder, or the cane was really heavy. Of course, canes were never heavy.
Another one was a girl with a naginata latched on her back. Obviously, the spear was worth stealing, although Kisei didn't know where it would fit in her room.
One woman had a bag slung over her back. Hooray! Those, by far, were the easiest things to steal, since slipping it off shoulders was a very quick process, if a bit messy.
Yet another, wearing a dark-green kimono, was standing by the boy with the cane. Kisei only noticed her because wow she's big, as well as some other girl (or was it a guy).
Looking back, her exits were getting blocked off by more approaching people. She could slip past them, sure, but she didn't like having to do that unless she was on the run. More cloth pouches entered her sight; it was like a buffet. Pushing her knuckle dusters back, she stretched her fingers.
While there was still space, she walked over to the girl with the naginata, keeping distance. Maybe I'll just look past all these people in front, so she doesn't suspect anything, and- oh, nevermind.
-
Tetsumaru blinks at the newcomer. "Ah, yes. Alright." He doesn't think twice about climbing on to the cupped hands to peer over the crowd. It was to his annoyance that he still couldn't really see what was going on; there were that many people. As far as he could tell, people weren't really gathering for any real purpose; they just were.
It was in this position that his old friend Senri popped by, asking about the strange gathering. The apprentice shrugged awkwardly, still trying to keep himself above the crowd. "I'm not sure, Senri, but I don't like this one bit..."
-
Hotaru kept the boy steady, although he wasn't as heavy as the things she often carried back and forth. "Anything?" she asked. More people appeared to be coming to this one spot, for whatever reason.
At this point, another person came up to them, asking about this gathering. She didn't know this person as well, but he seemed friendly. Hotaru closed her eyes, trying not to raise her hand into her thinking gesture. "Well, this does seem like some sort of plot..." she said slowly. "...But for what I'm not really sure."
-
(Posting for YJ because he's on probation)
"Grasp the phrase I happen to be humming."
The girl lifts her hand into the sky, picturing herself grasp the sun in her hands. Grass surrounds her, waving in the gentle breeze that comes from the north. Smiling to herself, she begins to hum and move her head side to side, her eyes closed. Red ribbons wave in the winds in sync with the blades of grass.
"Spread secret words of the heart into the sky..."
The girl pulls her hand back slowly, before dropping it to her side, her body shaped like a cross. Her eyes open, revealing pupils that don't really fit a human's. With a black, circular center and gold surrounding it, her eyes are beautiful in it's own way. She hums, moving her arms on the grass up and down. If it was snowing, she would be making an angel on the white bellow. Once more, she reaches out to cup the sun in her hands. Her smile widens as she thinks of a thousand scenarios that would happen simultaneously. Her hands soon meet with the soft grass once more.
"I want to tell you... I want to give you..."
The girl pushes herself up, brushing any dirt or rogue blades of grass off her clothes, before looking up to the sky once more.
"Nodes of feelings form a link. Connecting everything. Connecting to everywhere..."
Her head glances once upwards, waving to the sun.
-
Picking up her blade, she makes her way down towards the Human Village from the direction of the mountains. To be exact, Youkai Mountain. Glancing to her right, she can see Moriya Shrine.
-
"Yeah. Me neither, Tetsumaru-san," Senri nodded off as he could not resist a snicker at his childhood friend doing what he did, letting himself get propped up so he could get a better view at things. Well, it's not like Senri was much taller either, but he wasn't particularly interested in what was going on, he was only here by the power of the spell which he could not break, something was forcing him here, regardless of whether he wanted it or not. Fortunately, Senri had not forgotten his weapon, it was wrapped in big white bandages and he had hefted it around his shoulder, it looked a tad awkward to anyone looking at it. Such a petite figure wielding such a weapon. It was most likely unbecoming. But Senri didn't really care. "There's gotta be a reason why we're all gathered here. Once I find out, I'll leave. I have no reason to stay here apart from that."
-
Kohaku nods brielfly. "Certainly, father."
Taking a moment to consider the ambient temperature, she decides to forgo a jacket. It should only be a brief trip between here and there.
Checking to ensure her purse is safely tucked in her pocket, she steps outside again, placing her ocarina around her neck, and looking down at Hyozan with a small smile. "Coming, boy?" The dog gives a quick whuuf and stands up. Kohaku shakes her head briefly as she set off towards the market. The big white dog seemed more intelligent, sometimes, than your average canine. Almost humanoid in its recognition. But then again, he's a strange mutt all around.
The Daidouji heir ruminates on her first meeting with the big white dog. It was a cold winter night two years ago, while Haine and her brother were still here, and although there was no snow falling, a blizzard the day before had left the ground covered with snow, and the high, bitter winds that night had resulting in almost whiteout conditions. Still, Koryu had wanted to venture out, said he wanted to 'hone his powers when he couldn't see well.' Of course this was just an excuse, for Koryu loved those kind of conditions even more than his sister, so the three of them had set out together for a little winter romp.
When they got to the village limits, however, they had a bit of a surprise encounter. A quartet of fairies were harassing a big white dog, either uncaring or oblivious of the fact that the dog was bleeding, wounded on his right foreleg. Kohaku and Haine reacted rather predictibly, and dispersed the fairies with a minimum of effort, largely due to the youkai Haine, who, as Koryu once said, can be "Friggin' scary when she wants to be." and the trio took the dog back to the Daidouji home, where his wounds were tended. None of them knew where he'd come from, but Kohaku's mother assumed he was a wild dog. They weren't unknown in this part of the world, but she didn't want this one lingering for longer than necessary.
If he WAS a wild dog, he didn't return to his old life after his wounds were healed. After realizing the big malamute was determined to stay, Kohaku named him Hyozan, meaning 'iceberg'. Despite his size, and his assumed feral nature, he proved to be a quiet, well behaved dog, snarling only at the presence of fairies. Although it did take him a while learn that 'inside' was a bad place to 'mark territory'.
To this day, Kohaku's not entirely certain why the dog stayed with her. He was just as fond of Haine as he was of Kohaku, she thinks, and seemed even more attached to Koryu. The dog seemed almost as sad as she was after her brother left town. But Hyozan stayed, and even if Kohaku doesn't entirely know why, she loves him all the more for it.
-
"Suwako-chan!" Amaya drops her bread into the table and jumps up into Suwako's direction to give her a big hug.
"Come in. I'm not done with breakfast. Do you want something too? I can bring you something?"
Amaya gets back in. "Oh I should also switch into my miko clothes, please give me minute."
She takes the glass with the insects and brings it back into the kitchen.
Vin, left alone with Suwako, doesn't seem comfortable with his situation. He tries to sneak into safety, but Amaya comes back into the room and takes him with her, before he was able to do so. She also get takes the bread from the table.
She takes an edge of the bread. "Don't worry Vin, I won't leave you alone with Suwako-chan, I know that she doesn't like you." She mumbles to Vin with full mouth, after she left the room again.
Amaya walks back into her room, leaves Vin on the dresser and closes the windows in her room.
She takes of her kimono and put it into an empty case in the dresser. Amaya opens another case of the dress where she can find her miko clothes and her long white scarf.
She takes a bandage out of the case and covers her chest with it. Then she takes a long skirt out of the dresser. It is blue on the top and bottom and white in the middle part. Her shirt and the sleeves are similar colored but the shirt leaves her back and shoulders open.
Last but not least she takes the scarf and sways it around her neck. The scarf is so long that it's close to touch the ground when Amaya is standing.
?Done already :-)? She makes a small twist. ?Come Vin we shouldn't let Suwako-chan wait for too long.? Fully dressed and with Vin hidden under sleeves she comes back into the living room.
-_-
-
8:22 A.M. Location, Village?s Center.
Eventually, the stream of oncoming people slows to a trickle, until no more join the oversized crowd.
People chatter with each other, while others seem to be anxious to leave.
Indeed, this wasn?t normal, but with no cause in site, there was nothing they could do but wait patiently.
As the seconds passed, a crow perched itself on a near by building. It glanced around the way crows do, and quietly observed. Maybe it was looking for some scraps to eat?
---------
---Marou
Sanaya stood as tall as she could to see far over the crowd. She carefully scanned the heads of the villagers, looking for that distinctive house-shaped hat. After a minute of searching, she sighed and gave up her efforts. Keine?s hat was nowhere to be seen amongst the crowd.
---
?Huh?you?d swear everyone in the whole village was here?? The girl spoke with awe.
She was average height for her age of 19. Her build was that of the average female as well. This did well to hide her true strength. Her hair was short and cut straight, colored a dark brown, while her eyes were a light brown with a tint of gold. She wore a pink kimono and a purplish blue hakama. In her hair was a flower ornament tied there with red string. At her side was a sheath for a Katana.
However, there was no sword in it.
The girl wandered closer, trying to see what was going on.
She crossed her arms and frowned. Can?t see anything huh?
With a reluctant sigh, she gave up her search and turned to head back to the Dojo.
Just then, she caught a glimpse of a familiar face.
She turned and looked at the woman she had spotted.
?Isn?t that?? She mumbled to herself. Without finishing her self dialogue, she decided to greet her. She lowered her arms and walked in her direction, a smile forming on her smooth face.
As she got close enough for the girl to hear her, she called out to her.
?Sanaya!?
---------
---Hanzo
The fox watches for a short time as the grumbling human continues on his journey. Soon enough she turns her gaze forward and begins walking again, soon vanishing into the forest.
---------
---Dorakyura and Kat
Suwako jumps slightly at Amaya?s sudden shout. Though she?s always like this, it?s a little hard not to jump in the quiet morning when someone shouts.
?Sanae is out shopping and Kanako is sleeping? Suwako informs Amaya before she can ask her questions.
?Hm?I guess I can have something with you.? She says with an adorable smile.
As Amaya takes the insects back into the kitchen, Suwako?s gaze moves to the little snake on the table. When the snake notices and looks at Suwako, she smiles at Vin, causing discomfort in the little guy.
Soon enough Amaya returns, scooping up Vin and taking him with her into her room, leaving Suwako alone in the room.
?Aauu?? Suwako mutters to herself as the girl leaves.
Eventually girl returns wearing her miko attire. Suwako smiles.
?Welcome back Ama-? Suwako stops mid-sentence, her gaze falling to a wall. She remains silent for a moment, then her eyes light up.
?Someone?s here?!? She whispers just loud enough for Amaya to hear.
Before Amaya can respond however, Suwako turns and jumps outside.
Instead of landing on the ground though, she goes right into it. Only her hat remains, lying on the ground.
Within less than a second though, the hat takes off, heading around to the front of the shrine, its eyes facing forward.
---
As the girl begins her journey away from the shrine, she hears a voice.
?Oh oh! A new face!?
She looks around in an attempt to locate the voice.
Nothing. No one is standing nearby.
Thinking it was just her mind playing tricks on her, she takes another step forward.
As her foot goes down, she feels something unlike normal ground.
?Owie!?
As the girl looks down, she sees a strange hat with eyes on it.
Oh my, This is new.
---------
---Sourfang
Soon enough, Kohaku comes to an extremely large road block.
There in the center of the village is a massive crowd of people, their chatter a garbled mess. It doesn?t look like you can go straight through the crowd either.
---
The crow, still perched on the building, looked around the crowd, as if looking for something, or someone.
It saw many sorts of people. One with long black hair, and one with short brown hair, one who was short, and one who was tall, one that was male, and one that was also male but didn?t look it in the least, and finally, one with flowing violet hair, and one with hair as white as pure snow.
As the crow eyed the crowd, something caught its eye, prompting a sudden turn of the head from the little bird. There it saw a girl with long lavender hair and a dog by her side. Around her neck was an ocarina.
???
As the bird locks onto its target, it takes flight, unnoticed by the village inhabitants.
---
Then Laresa can feel it. Her imprinting reacts, shifting slightly, revealing the true nature of the ability, Why it was able to gather the humans so easily.
It was the Manipulation of Density.
---
As Kohaku looks around for a path around the crowd, she also feels the slightest of shifts in her mind.
But before she has time to contemplate it, the Crow dives in.
With one swift and strong swoop, it grabs hold of the Ocarina, snapping the string which ties it to it?s owner?s neck, and takes off down the streets, flying low enough to keep track of it, making pursuit possible.
---
Within everyone?s mind, the constant nagging that plagued your thoughts halts, disappearing without leaving a single trace.
-
For a brief moment, he felt something flicker out. This being enough to break him from his irate grumbling for the moment.
"..Eh? Feels like something went out."
He stops for a moment to contemplate this occurrence.
'Wonder what it was..? Can't have been my hunger, that's still as strong as ever. Wasn't my anger either, that's still there too....Ah! It must have been that weird feeling that was telling me to go to the village. But why?'
He brushes this off and resumes walking on his way to the village, though he wasn't in a much better mood before that feeling went out.
'Just what the hell was it for anyways? I hardly know anyone there anymore, 'cept maybe the teach, but there's no way she'd be able to do something like that.'
Of course, his grumbling eventually gives way to humming, and that eventually gives way to occasional snatches of song, which eventually gives way to full-on, hotblooded singing*.
*Song has been omitted due to how long it would take to type, but it's basically a lot like this (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P51kRW_CNCw&feature=related).
-
The buzzing in Kisei's mind disappeared, like it had never been there in the first place. Her eyes were still trained on the spear girl, looking for anything to snatch besides the spear. Great, she has nothing. Bleh!
Looking back, she found the boy with the cane hoisted up. The path to him was still clear, but she was on his left, where the cane was obscured from her sight. She'd need to get to his right, because his cane was probably there.
Fine, I'll go with that.
Kisei ran past several people who stood by the edge, deliberately bumping forcefully onto some. This drew their short-lived attention, and they thought nothing of the small girl. Nothing turned up; they didn't have anything hidden under their arms.
Her hands were itching to just take the cane already, 'cause I'm right beside them! And there are two things to steal now! The one who was standing by had a sword- it's pretty much obvious. Look at the shape. It's even wrapped with cloth.
It was tempting, but the risk of being too slow was also evident. The cane was in full view, and she could knock it right off and get lost in the crowd.
Screw that! Who's thinking of all that stuff for me, anyway?
Bracing herself, she smashed one knuckle duster straight on the boy's arm. Then I catch the cane and run like hell, or I bump the other guy's sword off and take it on the way out.
-
Senri literally just saw a girl run up and smack Tetsumaru's arm in an attempt to foist his trusty canesword off him. Now, that person must have had a good eye to try and steal it off the poor kid like that, but she must also be incredibly crazy to just up and do that thinking she could get away with it. Senri eyed the girl and gripped his own weapon firmly, but this time thinking she needed to knock it off, and decided to settle it the way he knew best - intimidating her with making sure she couldn't get away with that ever again. "You blistering thief! Don't think you can get away with foisting something like that off my friend!" Senri cried out, hefting her large blade and bringing down the cloth-wrapped flat of it down by the girl, but not right on her, in an attempt to get her to back off hopefully without her having already taken the cane sword. "And don't think you can take my weapon either, you probably couldn't lift this damn thing!" Senri growled, hopefully he didn't underestimate her strength, though she did muster up the power to... just do what she did. In fact, as a precaution, Senri tied one of the ends of the cloth tightly around his wrist so it could never be yanked off him without taking he himself with whoever it was that tried to take his weapon! "Stealing is bad, you know!"
-
Pain. Sudden, piercing pain. For a second, the grip on his cane loosens. Then immediately it tightens, forced habit after years of training. Never drop your weapon, never drop your tools. The lessons his father smashed into him, almost literally, serve him well. Though he crumples to the floor, he gets back up immediately, shikomizue drawn in a shaky grip. It hurts, it hurts a lot, but it begins to fade. His breaths are short, his eyes narrowed. His chest heaves up and down with sudden, unexpected adrenaline.
He watches his friend Senri draw the ridiculously large sword and threaten the assailant with it...thief? Apparently. Upon Senri's last words, he lamely adds, "Yeah!"
-
Laresa knew exactly what had happened, exactly why the essence of the ability had shifted. Such a thing was normal. When a general ability-manipulation of density, in this case-was being applied in a specific way-in this case, to make people gather-it was the specific application she copied. When an ability was focused in a certain use, that use dominated the essence, but when its use ended, there was a brief period where the use faded back into the essence, leaving the general ability at the front. But whose ability was it, and what was the purpose behind gathering everyone?
Damn it, girl, focus, Laresa told herself. But that was hard, had been hard ever since- No, damn it, don't go there. Focus. Focus. Okay. Manipulation of density. Brief test run. She concentrated, and the pebbles on the ground began to gather at her feet. Her test done, she stopped it. Localized effect. Likely possible but harder at a distance. This strong an effect would be unlikely. Which means the one responsible is here somewhere. But I didn't see anyone unfamiliar. So the one responsible is hiding somewhere. But where? With this many people, someone's likely to stumble on even the best hiding place, so you'd have to hide in... plain... of course. She did another test run. And even briefer and smaller one. She knew better than to attempt any noteworthy alterations to herself with an unfamiliar ability, but she didn't need to. It only took a minor change, a very small application of the ability to her own finger. And it worked; she felt it expand. She reverted it immediately. That's it, then. She-In Gensokyo, it was often safe to assume that an unknown was a female-[/i] is here. All around us. She's simply lowered her density enough that she's not visible. She's spread out all around us.[/i]
Laresa ducked behind a nearby home, not hiding but out of sight of the crowd. "Okay, whoever you are," she said, "I know you're here. And I know you've gathered everyone here. Show yourself. I will not attack you unless I determine your intent to be harmful, but we need to talk. If you fail to do so, I will have to assume that you do indeed have harmful intentions and react accordingly."
-
That strange feeling in Hotaru's head was gone. Unfortunately, there was now another problem to deal with. The boy fell from her hands, but stood up before she could help him up. She instead looked at the assailant, the thief. The boy and his friend (Hotaru presumed) drew weapons. The thief similarly had a knuckle-based weapon that she used to attack. With swords out, she didn't feel like drawing her own knife or sling.
She could only silently nod as the man's comment about thievery while she checked if anything in her bag was gone,
-
Her attention muted by the odd buzzing in the back of her head, Kohaku barely noticed the crow descend upon her. It wasn't until she heard the sound of the string of her ocarina snap, and Hyozan's sharp bark, that she snaps out of her reveire. Blinking and shaking her head sharply, she snaps her head in the direction of the winged thief.
"Hey!" she yells after it, while Hyozan takes a more proactive approach, chasing after the little bastard directly, barking as he goes. Obviously this draws a few eyes, people don't miss Hyozan when he's announcing his presence.
Kohaku for her part prepares to fling a chain at the bird to bring it down. Gentle soul or no, NOBODY touches that ocarina unless she let's them, and heaven help anyone, even an animal, that tries to make off with it. As she produces a chain, however, she hesitates. At that range, given the size of the target, scoring a hit is hardly assured. So she settles for simply chasing after the bird, hoping she doesn't get stuck behind people. She spares a glance up at the roofs around, trying to find a place to fling a chain and draw her up, give her a more aerial view of the thief. But she reconsiders that as well, as she recalls that she always had a bit of an issue getting DOWN under duress or in a hurry, and she's presently both. Koryu never let her live down the time she landed on top of him and broke his nose.
Plus, Kohaku's never been to fond of flinging chains willy nilly when there's people around, just in case a miss tags someone in the head. Getting a length of chain upside the head is no laughing matter, no matter who you are. Well, except maybe Keine-sensei, and that white-haired woman that hangs around her from time to time, but they're an exception to a few rules. So Kohaku has to settle for trying to keep pace with the black-winged thief, and hope that Hyozan, who can move when he wants to, can catch it before it gets away. Or that she can get within range for a clear chain shot before it gets away.
-
Nanaya:
"...Right. A hat." The girl backs away, her shocked face turning into one of happiness. The girl lunges forward, grabbing the hat and tries to pull it out of the ground. The hat whines and tugs back with force, but somehow, eventually, the girl manages to pull the hat out and places it on her head. She spins once in joy, She adjusts the hat, pokes around with it and pats the hat between the eyes. Her smile widens.
"Hello talking hat. Nice'ta meet you. I used to have a hat once. Then I took an ar-"
The ground mumbles. The girl looks down.
"Hat. Why is the ground making noises?"
No response.
"...The ground... Uhh... You're from that shrine there? Moriya." The ground groans and eventually, a girl bursts out of the ground. Nanaya doesn't seem surprised. Instead, she sighs. "You're not Kanako. Kasen-sensei said Kanako was tall and had blue hair." The girl eyes her chest. "And has a big chest. Who're you?"
Amaya:
"Wait Suwako-..." but Suwako is gone, before Amaya can't stop her. "Does she always have to sneak up on visitors, mmh Vin?" she says to VIn while tickling his head.
Amaya gets her shoes on and follows Suwako to the shrines courtyard. She isn't really in hurry so she walks in a normal speed.
Amaya sees a purple haired person. She moves closer. "She doesn't look like a youkai." Amaya says to herself. She notice the sword in the hand of the woman. 'Shouldn't get to close to her, Suwako is nearby anyway'
"Good morning." She says to the person when she was close enought to speak to her. "You look human, we rarly have humans up here on the mountain. Did you came to visit the shrine?"
Amaya smiles at the visitor.
Nanaya:
"Clearly I am an oni like Kasen I...Uhh... Yeah. I'm a human. I guess. I live around the right of here." The girl tilts her head to the right. "I guess I just passed by and found this talking-but-not-talking hat." She fakes a laugh. Suwako is visibly annoyed by having her hat stolen by this visitor.
"Any~Way~ I guess I'm here for a visit. I mean, I wasn't meant to but whatever. Also, who're you? Kasen-sensei never said a girl as tall as me lived here. And who's this other girl who came up from the ground? I thought only Kanako and that taller green-haired girl lived here." She's being cautious. It's there in her voice. There's also just a tinge of fear. And a lot of curiosity.
The girl shakes her head and walks forward, ignoring Suwako. She then reaches Amaya, She rests the back of the blade on her shoulder, smiling. "Also, what am I surposed to do when I visit a shrine? I've never really been to one... Besides that old red shrine what-you-call-it."
-
Obvious exits: back, left, right, and through them. There's always the girl's bag, but they'll catch me. The two don't have anything on them, either. Unfortunately, their weapons were the only baggage they had brought, which were going to cost her new cuts.
"Aw, that's cute," she smirked, glancing at the wrapped sword and at the cane-sword, "Well, it's too bad none of you have anything else for me to steal, so I guess I'll be leaving." The heavy blade was still by her left, and it could sweep her out of the way easily.
Eyeing the woman's bag, Kisei noticed it was a sling bag. Right turn.
In one clean move, the thief dashed that way, lifting the strap of the bag off the woman's shoulders. Obviously, the woman was still holding it. With her side of the strap, Kisei, without looking, pushed it down against the woman's palm and tried slipping it past her fingers.
If she didn't get the bag, she would continue in that direction, into the crowd of people. They won't catch me if I get deep enough. The problem is if their swords could reach her, but who's thinking about that?
-
Hotaru wasn't prepared to be the target. She tried to resist, but the thief made her bag slip from her fingers. "Ah!" she made a sound in surprise. What can I do? knife would be too much, and I can't sling anything with how crowed it is...
In a rush, she tried to visualize people blocking the thief's path. Hopefully she would try to take a different path, or maybe even pause slightly of these images. If she even takes notice...
-
Sanaya turned her head when she heard someone call her name and came face to face with the first person she recognized out of this entire crowd. "Ah Sensei" She gave a short bow. "I did not expect to meet you here."
She glanced around before continuing, feeling like she was just about to state the obvious. "Although it seems like the entire town has gathered so I guess I should have expected that, how have you been?"
Sanaya had a fair deal of respect for this girl. Despite her being younger than Sanaya she was probably a considerably better fighter than her. Not that they had ever seriously duked it out, any time their weapons had clashed it had been strictly for the purpose of practice or as the occasional demonstration that she sometimes participated in on the rare occasion that she visited the dojo.
"Oh?" She now took notice of the empty scabbard at the girl's side. "Did you always carry just a scabbard? You'll have to apologize my forgetfulness, it has been a while though has it not?" She almost instinctively bowed again as she apologized. Resisting the urge she instead posed another question on top of the dirst one. "And I presume you do not know why everyone are gathered here either, I was trying to find Keine but..." Sanaya glanced through the crowd again.
There had been a though lingering in the back of her mind ever since she had come to the realization that the entire village was here. "If that many people are here, then maybe people from outside the village are here too..." Her train of though trailed off as she scanned the crowd once again. This time she was keeping her eyes out for something resembling the faint images from her past. That bright white hair...
-
'This person is annoying...'
"I'm Kochiya Amaya. I'm the shrine maiden of the Moriya Shrine, pleased to meet you.", she introduce herself with a polite gesture.
You can pray and donate to the goddess of the shrine and have faith in her. Buy some amulets and other protective items or try out a omikuji of course.
I can also make some tea if you want something.
Well now would you give me your name?"
-
---Sourfang
The girl and her faithful dog dash after the feathered fiend as it flies off through the streets. It flies high enough for the dog not to be able to grab it, but low enough so that Kohaku couldn?t launch a chain at its small body without hitting someone that was uninvolved. Fortunately for the girl, the crowd had begun to thin, and the crow wasn?t flying fast enough to lose them. As a matter of a fact, the crow seemed to be flying very steadily, so much so that it seemed mechanical. However, Kohaku was too worried about the ocarina to care, or even think about such things.
As the crow comes to the end of the street, Kohaku can see a large gate in the distance. At first she doesn?t think of it, but as she approaches, she realizes where it leads.
It?s the gate that leads out of the village.
---------
---GuyYouMetOnline
Despite Laresa?s negotiations, there was only silence. Nothing appeared before her, nor did anything sneak up on her from behind. If anyone had seen her shouting, they might have thought she had lost her mind. Would they be correct? Well, only time could reveal that.
---
Back at the center of the village, people had begun to spread out, leaving the crowd and going about their days as if nothing had happened at all. With the nagging gone, the villagers regained their free will and began to head to wherever they needed to go.
Just then, the mist began to retreat from the village, sneaking away as silently as it had come in.
---------
---Marou
The girl smiles and laughs a faint and weak laugh.
?I didn?t really expect to be here either? She says. ?Though after no one showed up, I was a little worried? not to mention something was urging me to close up the Dojo? She says, furrowing her brow slightly, puzzled by the urge she had that had now vanished without leaving a trail. After a few seconds of pondering, she shakes her thoughts away and brings her attention back onto the woman standing in front of her.
?Ah I?ve been fine. The Dojo is the same as you remember it, except people have come and gone just like yourself? the girl says with a faint smile.
As Sanaya asks her next question, the girl smiles and waves her hand in a gesture.
?No no, I just don?t like to bring it with me during errands. Carrying a sword at your side is rather intimidating don?t you think? Not to mention there?s a lot of thieves around these days?? The girl says.
With the next question, she gazed out over the crowd.
?Nah, I have no clue. And even if I did, all I have is this? She says, gesturing to her sheath. She seems to show hints of regret and envy, but they are soon overpowered by kindness. She smiles warmly as she turns back to Sanaya
?After all, I?m not lik-?
Just then a commotion starts a short distance away from the two girls. Instinctively they both look in the direction of the ruckus.
There they see two guys wielding swords and one apparently unarmed woman. In front of the trio stands a small girl.
As the girl hears their shouts, her eyes sharpen and her expression becomes dead serious. She places a hand on her sheath, pulling it out slightly. As she does so, Sanaya notices a handle on the sheath.
As two of the three draw their weapons towards the small red one, the girl begins to slink away from Sanaya. Before disappearing into the crowd she whispers to Sanaya.
?Don?t worry?I?ve got this one? She says with the faintest of grins.
With that she vanishes into the crowd, no one else but Sanaya knowing where she had gone.
As the red haired girl mocks the two before her, standing with their swords drawn, she fixates her gaze on the woman?s bag.
And in one smooth sprint, she launches herself towards the group, slipping past the guys before they could strike her down. She heads straight for the woman, slamming into her and forcing the bag out of her grasp.
The red haired grins smugly as she continues her dash into the crowd. As she slips through the first wave of people, she comes to a small clearing. Without paying it any mind, she steps out of the first wave of people and into the clearing.
!
Before the red haired can react, a brown haired girl leaps out into her path.
The girl spares no time. With her sheath in hand, she swings.
In one swift movement, the sheath slams into the red haired girl?s side, knocking her light body to the ground with ease.
The small girl hits the ground with a heavy thud, landing on her right side. The bag slides away from her, lying on the dusty ground a short distance away from her.
Villagers back away, fearing the tussle could cost them a few bruises. This clears the path for the woman to grab her bag.
The brown haired girl looks down at the thief, her eyes sharp and cold. Her expression is stern and unrelenting. She holds the sheath tightly in her right hand, ready to attack if the girl should retaliate.
---------
---Hanzo
As you parade your way into the village, you soon come to a large group of people gathered in the village center. You can see two people with swords drawn, and another standing before a downed girl. People keep their distance from the four, as if scared to stand close to them.
It seems like you?ve missed all the fun.
---------
With the influence of the mist no longer present, people begin to leave, returning to their business. Within a few minutes, the once dense crowd becomes no more than a sparse spread of people.
Now that the crowd has, for the most part, cleared, it is now possible to travel past them to your destinations.
---------
---Dorakyura and Kat
Suwako leaps up from the ground, bugged by the girl?s seeming lack of sense towards the possessions of others.
The goddess ignores the girl?s blunt comments, not paying them any mind.
As Amaya comes around the corner, Suwako glances at her, soon returning her attention back to the hat thief.
As the girl takes her attention off of Suwako, the goddess takes her chance and quietly dashes towards the girl.
Before the girl can turn to meet her, Suwako stops a short distance before her and leaps into the air. She does a half spin, ending upside down as she passes over the girl?s head. She reaches out, taking her hat off the stranger?s head and placing it on her own as she begins to descend to the ground.
Suwako spins the rest of the way around, landing on her feet as she hits the ground. She lands in a frog like position. After a moment she stands and dusts herself off. She lifts her hat off her head and shakes it a bit before dusting it off aswell.
?There? Suwako mutters to herself as she places her hat atop her head and adjusts it. As she finishes, she turns towards the so called visitor.
?I?m Suwako Moriya, the real god of this shrine? She says with a smile.
Upon hearing the girl had never been to a shrine before, Suwako speaks up.
?You?ve never been to a shrine!? Then you need to start praying right away! Don?t worry, we Japanese gods accept all kinds of followers! There?s over eight million of us after all, so we can?t really do any refusing?? Suwako finishes with a weak laugh.
Amaya introduces herself next. As she explains what one does at a shrine, Suwako nods energetically in agreement.
?Amaya makes good tea too! Though she?s still in training? Suwako says as she moves about.
?So we introduced ourselves? Suwako says, slowing down as she looks towards the girl with a smile. ?Now it?s your turn!?
---------
---Sourfang
Kohaku and her faithful mutt chase the crow relentlessly down the overgrown forest path, never giving up. Kohaku was determined to get that ocarina back, whether she had to take the crow down or not.
The crow kept a constant speed and height from the ground, making sure to be far enough off the ground so that Hyozan couldn?t leap into the air and snap onto the bird, and far enough ahead so that the pair wouldn?t lose sight of the feathery fiend.
As the chase dragged on, Kohaku began to notice something unusual about the bird, but before she could think deeper of it, a large staircase came into sight in the distance, and the crow was heading right for it.
As the bird approached the stair case, it swooped lower, giving Hyozan enough of a chance to snap at the bird. However the bird immediately began to rise up the stairs, flying up them with ease.
As it reached the top, it seemed to stop, as if glancing at its pursuers, before it dove off, heading to where the stairs lead.
At the top of the stairs, Kohaku could see a large red gate standing proudly. It was a gate she had never seen before, at least not one of that size and majesty.
As the crow flew on, it began to slow, eventually stopping and resting on a large box that stood on a veranda that was raised off the ground.
Like a crow would, it fidgeted slightly, looking about quickly. Eventually it began to nudge the ocarina with its small beak, attempting to shift its position. It slowly nudged it ever closer to the edge of the box, as if it was trying to drop it inside.
As it did so, it silently glanced towards the stairs, as if it was waiting for the girl to come after it.
-
It's the mist. The culprit dispersed herself into this mist.
The mist began to drift away, but Laresa was on to it now. She followed it. She could track it visually, but she didn't need to do so. The manipulation of density was still in use, although at the moment the dispersal was dominating the essence. But that wasn't important; what mattered was that the ability was still in use, and thus Laresa's copy of the essence was being continually refreshed. Using the copying as a guide, Laresa could keep track of the mist's location easily, which would be handy if it tried to lose her by passing through objects she could not, or by dispersing beyond visibility.
The mist wasn't exactly moving at a rapid pace, so it wasn't hard to catch up to it, and she then proceeded forward, passing within it. "Reform yourself, please," she said. "We need to talk."
-
There isn't even any thought to the action. The apprentice swings his sword into a reverse grip and pursues, too slow to prevent the theft. "You're mine!" he yells, chasing after the girl as she dashes into the crowd.
He's too large to get past the first wave. They don't part, for whatever reason. He snarls and narrows his eyes. 'Ideally...these people would get out of my way...but if not, I'll just go around-wait, what?'
Much to his surprise, they begin to seperate. Whether it's because of his severe expression or the gleaming steel in his hands, he doesn't know. Doesn't care. Enough time has already been wasted.
Tetsumaru makes it just in time to see the theif get sent flying. His eyes fly; from the theif, to the bag, to the sudden interloper. Sliding the shikomizue back into its scabbard, he gives this brown haired young woman a look.
"Who are you?"
-
It was worth a try at least Hotaru remarked as the thief simply continued. The boy started to chase, and she followed suit. As she began, the illusions slowly started to dissapate. Hopefully I can stay in sight of her...
The crowd also started slowly leaving. This made it a lot more easier to continue pursuit of that thief. Hotaru didn't think much of this, focusing on getting her bag back.
Suddenly, someone attacked the thief, knocking her down easily. Hotaru's bag slid a short length away. With the other people backing away, Hotaru simply went towards her bag, and held a tigher grip on it.
"Er, um.." Hotaru wasn't sure what to say to the newcomer. The girl had a sheath with no visable blade, and she looked ready for a counterattack. "...Thank you, I think." she finally said.
-
The force of the slam flung the red-hair off her feet, sending her to the side with a disturbingly loud thud. Every part of her mind told her to stay down, and the pain that came agreed. The arm which she landed on didn't hurt as much as it should have, but it still felt weak.
Dang, the bag flew out. The owner of the bag stood where it had fallen. She had probably taken it back. Whatever was inside would remain unknown.
Her right arm now dangling limply, Kisei stood up. The one who had ambushed her- even thieves were prone to being ambushed by others- had a sword drawn.
"...that's not a sword," the thief said in disbelief. There was no hilt or blade; it was just a scabbard. While she wasn't afraid of blunt weapons, Kisei's mind began to imagine how fast she can spank me with that thing. Oh great, magic! I'm not gonna mess with her. She wanted very much for a tussle, but it wouldn't be fair if the other side had magic. That fight wouldn't be worth it.
She smoothed out her sleeves, making sure her hands were hidden but ready to smash the scabbard out of the way. "Who the hell are you?"
OOC: Everything Crow writes is according to what I see. Just thought that I'd point it out.
*Crow shoots Kisei
-
Sanaya made her way around the crowd in an attempt to catch up to the dojo owner. She thought for a moment about how she carried her weapon openly at the moment.
"Well, it's not like I usually take it with me. Today something seemed off after all." She thought to herself as she approached the clearing in the crowd where everyone was standing around.
"Wh- what happened here?" She tried to process what was going on in front of her, wishing her ability would kick in so that she was not just standing around like a bufoon while she did it.
"Three girls and a boy... No, two girls two boys." She took in the details of the people gathered. "I might have seen that boy before. At the smith?" Her eyes switched over to the one she had mistaken the gender of "And he's... from the teahouse maybe? That sword looks rather big for him." Her eyes darted over to the dojo owner yet again. "But what's going on? Why has sensei drawn her scabbard?" She followed the gaze of her sensei back towards the red haired girl just as she spoke.
"I would advise you to watch your tone when speaking to the master of the village dojo." She glared at the red haired girl for a moment before continuing in a more mellow voice. "Now would someone please tell me what happened here?" She tugged on one of the straps to her weapon's cover, making sure that it would not accidentally fly off if she swung it.
-
Sora bides her time as she waits for the crowd to clear. Her mind wanders about frantically, her nervousness growing with each passing moment.
As the girl waits, a commotion is raised near the close edge of the crowd. At first she doesn?t notice, but as her thoughts clear she sees two people, weapons drawn and pointed at a young girl.
The girl mocks the people before her, making a dash forward and into the crowd.
Sora blinks, not quite understanding what had occurred. She tries to see what has happened, but gives up when she can?t see.
As her attention leaves the uproar, she notices that the crowd has cleared enough for her to get through. A pleased smile flashes across her face as she starts to move, walking faster as she moves out of the shadows.
Without further delay, the girl continues on her journey to the Devil?s manor.
-
Nanaya:
"My name...?" The girl mumbles, before shaking her head slightly, looking on the ground. Her arms tremble slightly. What's this feeling? A mixture of fear and sadness? The girl looks back up, a small smile on her face. Her gauntlets hung on the hilt of her blade jingle softly in the wind. They're almost like bells.
"Nanaya." She shakes her head, before sighing. "Yeah. My name's Nanaya. Kasen Ibara's disciple."
Nanaya perks up, remembering Suwako's greeting. "O-Oh! So you're Suwako. Kasen said there was another god here but she doesn't um... doesn't... ahh whatever." Nanaya's smile widens, and she lifts the sword up from resting it on her shoulder, swinging it down. "I thought you would be bigger. I thought all gods were big. Like Kanako!" She then looks at Amaya.
"Amaya... Never heard of you from Kasen. She said only that um... What's her name..." Nanaya mumbles to herself a little while more, before sprouting "Sanae! Yes. That's her name. And also, should'nt we go in if I um... Have to pray or something?"
Amaya:
"Kasen Ibara? Mom never mentioned her in her storys, as far as I can remember. Anyway, Nanaya, just follow me." Amaya leads the visitor to the stairs to the shrine.
"Since you never were to a shrine, you usually wash your hands and mouth at the washing basin. You wash your left hand then the right hand and rinse your mouth."
Amaya leads Nanaya to a water basin on the left side of the shrine.
"The water may be cold, I hope that's not problem." Amaya smiles. "But please don't spit back into the water supply..."
She now points at the front of the shrine. "When you are done, you go to the front of the shrine, you put your hands together and do a small bow. Just think of your prays and your wishes. When you have 100 yen you can also take an omikuji. You want some tea right? I havn't been able to set things up yet so please wait warmly. I may leave you with Suwako now."
Amaya makes a small bow and walks into the shrine.
She takes off her shoes and walk straight into the kitchen. "Such a werid customer, right Vin?" Amaya leaves Vin on the table, fires up the cooking place and leaves the kitchen with a can to get some water from the backyard.
-
The tip of a chain slides out from Kohaku's palm as she mounts the stairs, having caught up to Hyozan. Both he and his owner had paused at the site of the shrine. Kohaku doesn't know why the dog slowed down, perhaps he lost the scent or something, but as for the human....
Even with the task at hand, she had to stop and take stock of where she was. She had never ventured all that far outside the village before, and had never seen any buildings outside its confines, let alone anything quite like the one on the other side of that bigass gate. Or the gate itself, for that matter. Ocarina or no, Kohaku was on strange ground. And more, that crow seemed to come here with a purpose, if such a thing was even possible with simple animals like birds. The young woman's senses were on alert.
Spying the crow sitting atop the box in front of the temple, Kohaku lets out a couple more feet of chain, but also takes a moment to breathe deep a time or two.
"Calmly, Hyozan. We don't want it flying off with the ocarina again, might not catch it this time."
The dogs growl drops in pitch, but doesn't stop entirely. Kohaku interprets this as 'I understand, but I don't like it.' Taking her chain in both hands, she sets off forward, but at a measured pace, not wanting to spook her quarry.
Said quarry, for its part, simply sits atop the donation box, its eyes darting back and forth between its loot, and the female it belonged to. And sure enough, here shecomes, slower this time. If it noticed the big dog, or even cared, it gave no outward indication. It simply gave the instrument one final push, tipping it forward into the donation box. Hearing the clunk of wood upon wood, its task was complete. Giving the human female and the male dog no further heed, the crow spread its wings and simply departed the shrine for the open skies.
At the sight of the crow taking off, Hyozan lets out a sharp bark, and moves to chase after the bird again.
"Hyozan, wait!" Kohaku cries, bringing the dog to a screeching halt. "Look. Look at its talons, it doesn't have my ocarina anymore." She pauses in stride as well, eyeing the box the crow was sitting on. "Wonder if..." she mutters, before raising her voice with a "Wait here." to Hyozan, and walks up to the box. Not seeing her instrument atop the box, she walks closer, now a little worried, and looks inside. Immediately, she lets out a big sigh of relief, nearly disengaging her chain from her body. Wasting no more time, she manipulates her chain into the box, curls it around her ocarina, then reels the chain in, bringing the ocarina to rest in her hand.
Examining it for damage, and smiling when she finds none, she quickly deposits the instrument inside her kimono, in a little interior pocket, and spares a moment to be relieved the crow didn't tear her kimono in the act. Wouldn't have done well for the Daidouji heir to be running across town while diaplaying the goods. "Any guesses what that was about, boy?" she calls back to Hyozan, turning to depart this place, but pauses when she sees the dog. He's still standing at alert, still growling softly. Something still has the big malamute's hackles raised. Kohaku prepares to produce another length of chain. When Hyozan's on his guard, there's almost always a good reason.
-
'Tch, just my luck today. I miss out on another fight. So not the greatest of cools.'
In retrospect, today really wasn't his day. Perhaps tomorrow would be a better day. He'd have to consult the runes before he went to bed if he wanted to know though, that was for certain.
For starters, he woke up to find that all he had in the way of food was a halfway moldy roll of bread. Then the rest of the day up to now had happened.
"Man...today's been a pretty bad day...I figured that rune reading last night was bad news."
He then resumes grumbling and muttering imprecations under his breath as he resumes walking through the square, and towards the market.
Of course, as he passes by the group, he could be heard to be grumbling about how he'd missed out on another fight.
OOC: He doesn't just use the rune tablets for spells, they can also be used like tarot cards. Though it's a completely non-combat(and non-magic) thing, and doesn't always work.
It only has a 5% chance of being right anyhow, like how a busted clock will still be correct twice a day. (So it really can't be considered reading the future.)
-
---Sourfang
?Ah?!?
Kohaku hears a voice exclaim from behind her. As she turns around to meet the voice, she sees a girl with short black hair and red eyes. She?s wearing a simple blouse and a black skirt. In her hands she holds a notebook and a strange leaf-like fan. As Kohaku lowers her gaze she sees that the girl is wearing large red, single toothed geta. As Kohaku brings her gaze back to the girl?s face, she spots a small red hat with red string dangling from it atop her head. There?s a slight sense of nostalgia from those items, as if Kohaku has seen those geta and that hat despite not recognizing the girl wearing them. Upon her face is a shocked and surprised expression. But before Kohaku can say anything to her, she speaks again.
?Ah!? She says, moving into an overly surprised position
?A Thief! It?s a Thief! There?s a Burglar targeting the shrine!!!? She shouts loudly. Before Kohaku can correct her or even move to stop her, she takes off. As she does so a sudden gust of wind blows outward from her former location. Startled, the human shuts her eyes for just a moment.
And that moment was all it took for her to completely vanish from sight.
As the wind subsides, silence returns.
Kohaku and Hyozan are left alone at the building.
The building that girl had called a Shrine.
---------
---GuyYouMetOnline
Laresa raced after the mist, calling out to it in hopes of conversing with the being.
However, despite her shouts, the mist didn?t seem to pay her any mind.
Laresa by now had begun to get slightly irritated. She considered taking action, but before she could do so, the mist began to rise.
Within seconds of its ascent, Laresa could feel the ever refreshing essence come to an abrupt halt as the mist departed the ground.
It didn?t take long to the essence to end as the mist got farther into the sky. Before long, she completely lost its trail, both it?s visual one and the one left by the ability?s essence.
Unable to pursue her lead any further, Laresa was left with a dead end.
---------
8:36 A.M. Location, Village Center.
By now, the crowd that once filled the area was completely gone, as if it had never been there in the first place. If anyone were to just arrive in the village?s center, they wouldn?t have the slightest clue that nearly the entirety of the town had been gathered here just minutes prior.
People continued on with their days, walking towards whatever destination they had in mind. Save but six people, no one remained in the village center after the gathering.
---
The brown haired girl stood firmly, never taking her sharp gaze off of the thief before her.
The bag?s owner, a tall woman with short black hair, promptly rushed over to retrieve her bag. She thanked the girl as she passed by her, heading out of the way incase any further assaults were to ensue.
The young man wielding the shikomizue, slid the blade back into it?s holder, gazing at the girl with cautious interest.
As he asked his question, the thief began to stir.
The red haired slowly begin to rise, lifting herself off the ground with some difficulty
The girl tightened her grip on her weapon, prepared for any sudden counterattacks.
As the thief glares at her attacker, she mutters something aloud.
The girl ignores it, staying alert and focused.
With obvious irritation, the thief smoothes out the wrinkles that had formed from the impact with the ground.
As she finished doing so she turned her annoyed gaze to the girl before her.
?Who the hell are you?? She says, contempt clear in her voice
?I would advise you watch your tone when speaking to the master of the village dojo.? Sanaya snapped at the red haired girl
?Sanaya? The girl spoke up, casting a sideways glance at Sanaya for a moment. ?It?s alright? She said as shifted slightly, relaxing her body for a second. As she did so she shot her sharp gaze at the girl before her.
With a sudden shift she slammed the tip of the scabbard against the ground. A thud rang out from the impact.
?I am Miyoshi Tsukasa, The sole heir to the Miyoshi Dojo!?
---------
---Dorakyura and Kat
?Nanaya huh?? Suwako says, thinking deeply for a moment. ?I don?t remember Kasen having a disciple? Suwako says, a small frown on her face. She shakes it away shortly after however, and brings her awareness to the present.
As she hears Nanaya?s comment she leaps to her feet.
?But I am big!? She exclaims. ?Most gods are only thing big you know!? She says holding out her hands a short distance apart from each other. The space is as tall as her hat.
As Amaya explains the process of a typical shrine visit, she leads the strange girl around to the front most area of the shrine grounds, then to the washing basin to the left of the shrine. As Amaya asks for their visitor not to spit into the water, Suwako pipes up.
?If you spit in it Mishaguji-sama will come after you~? Suwako says with a devious grin.
As Amaya points to the front of the shrine and tells the girl how to go about praying, Suwako pipes up again.
?No no, Amaya!? She says with a faint pout. ?It?s two bows, two claps, one bow!? She says, doing the motions as she speaks.
As Amaya heads off to make tea, Suwako resumes sitting in her frog position. After a few seconds of silence, Suwako turns to Nanaya with a smile.
?So what are you waiting for? Let?s begin!?
-
Okay, then. Unfriendly intent is a distinct possibility. But the gathering ended with no obvious effect. So why was it done? She gave herself a mental shake. Damn it, girl, stop just wondering. Act according to plan. Okay. Review information. People were gathered to the village center for an unknow reason by an unknown culprit. I don't even know what the culprit looks like, just that she has the ability to control density, and she could easily conceal that by simply not using it. I only saw her as mist, and there hasn't been anything like that around here that I can remember. Which meant that asking around for information was out; the odds that anyone would know even the slighest thing were extremely miniscule. None of her usual information sources would be of much use. Of course, she did have plans for such a case. If the culprit was a youkai, and odds were that she was, she could have been alive for a very long time. So it was quite possible that at some point in the past, similar unusual gatherings had happened. Which means looking into history, which means Keine. Laresa had worked with Keine in the past, but she'd never before asked Keine about history. But she knew that Keine was the right person to ask; who would know more about histry than the village schoolteacher, the only person in the village who actually had everyday use for such knowledge?
Keine would be teaching rnow, and the gathering would not have affected this; Keine wouldn't let anything interfere with her teaching. And if any of the kids tried to leave, they'd get a painful lesson. So class would still be proceeding as scheduled. Which means I'll have to wait until the next break for a chance to talk to her.
-
"Okaaaaaaay," Kisei said, unimpressed. She knew better than to pick a fight with this girl, although the show of force wasn't necessary.
Exits were by and behind her, but she couldn't glance at those sides. Maintaining eye contact was important in a contest to intimidate, but there was really nothing to do here. A dead-end alley was probably behind her, the right would lead outside the village, and the left would lead her back to the square.
She yawned. It was about time for her to go to sleep.
"Well," she covered her mouth, "I guess I'll be leaving now. I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't chase me, but I guess that won't be helped, would it?"
Kisei darted to the left. The square had cleared up, so she could pick up the pace, unlike earlier. She prepared to roll, in case the swordswoman would catch up with her and take her down. That would be a fun fight.
-
Tetsumaru blinks, not expecting that answer. There was a sense of awe, then relief. Someone with authority, who'd be able to make some sense of this situation. A strange mist, a massive crowd gathering for no reason, then this strange occurence with a thief. "Finally, someone who can handle this better...," he mutters.
He'd never heard of the dojo's heir. Never really heard of the dojo itself proper, either...wait.
That was suspicious. He'd lived in the village for as long as he could remember, and he'd never heard of the Miyashi dojo having an heir...admittedly he didn't even bother with most of the village most of the time...
The thief ran. "Oi, don't think you can get away!" he cries, breaking into a run after her immediately. Even though he could've easily let this newcomer deal with it...that felt wrong. Somehow. "You're not getting off easy!"
His shikomizue is locked in place already; he doesn't even bother unsheathing it. He's not trying to kill anyone...wait, what is he trying to do? Pick a fight? That's not...that's not like him...was it? Something nagged at him, like a distant echo in the back of his mind.
'...ill...ght...ki....tack...stru...eed...'
It's too distracting. Too...consuming. Before he knows it, before he can even take note of what his body is doing, he's raised his cane in preparation for his first attack...!
-
Hotaru slowly backed away from this confrontation. She couldn't see anything she could do; She wasn't a decent fighter or something. She heard the girl say she was a heir to a dojo. She was interested in learning something more in self defense, but in a later time. Now she had to go. Everyone else left just as quickly as they came, so finally she had break in this delay.
-
At this point in time, Senri had quickly attempted to make chase, he had been distracted for too long, and he mentally chided himself for it, but in the end, he figured that he would at least permit himself to be a little late for work due to this little mishap. Someone had attempted to steal from his friend, and they were going to pay for it. Senri had followed Tetsumaru to wherever it was he was going, and the chase sort of ended abruptly, he could hear a rather powerful voice from nearby, someone proclaiming to be some sort of... Well, Senri didn't care. He caught a glimpse of the thief running into the direction leading back to the square. I just came from there! Ugh. Senri sighed as he decided not to deal with it anymore. He moved on forward to see Tetsumaru with his weapon at the ready... Something didn't feel right. Senri just decided to wait and see how things would pan out. Senri called out to Tetsumaru. "Heyyy!! Control yourself!!!"
-
The human female blinks in surprise a time or two, her hair disheveled. "That was... different." she comments, blowing a strand of hair out of her face. She kneels down next to Hyozan, smoothing down his fur, when the dog gives itself a vigorous shake, making the human flinch. She then smiles and rubs the dog on the head, calming the malamute, at least slightly. "Bit more than eggs we've found today, eh, boy." The dog barks once in reply.
Giving her friend another pet, Kohaku stands and looks at the building that that woman called a shrine. The name rang a small bell, as well, though the Daidouji heir couldn't place from where, or in what capacity. So much happened today, none of which she really understands. That odd sensation in the back of her mind in town, the crow stealing her ocarina, only to bring it here, seemingly with a purpose... and then dumped it into this box, and fly off again? Birds didn't do that, Kohaku thinks, at least none I know of. Taking things to make a nest is one thing, but this was a whole 'nother quentil of fish. She ponders the possibility that the crow may have been a youkai, but discounts that, as she doesn't know of any youkai that can assume animal form in that manner, or if that's even possible. Perhaps the crow was a minion of a spellcaster, though Kohaku's knowledge of that is extremely limited.
And then there's the building itself, which is odd. She'd never even heard of a building like this within running range of the village, which is very odd, given the size and apparent import of the structure. And now that she can focus, free of distractions, the building itself even has an eerie vibe about it. No... 'eerie's' the wrong word, but it's definitely unlike anything Kohaku's ever experienced before. Almost like the building is... bound. Bound to something, something more than the ground. What that something might be, why it feels that way, even why she can feel this, Kohaku doesn't know.
And then there was that black-haired woman that... Well, she didn't really attack Kohaku, per se, just ran off. Or rather, flew off, at a rapid pace. And without wings, no less. Perhaps SHE was a youkai, then. But what was she doing here? If she ran off, which she seems to have done, then she obviously didn't live here. Which makes Kohaku wonder just who DOES live here? DOES anybody even live here? If that crow (or whoever) brought Kohaku here, then for what purpose?
"Too many questions, Hyozan, not enough answers. Not out here, anyway." If Koryu were here, well, he'd be inside that shrine already, gung-ho as he is. His sister thinks that, this time, he'd have the right idea. She looks down at her malamute friend with a half-smile, half-grin on her face, and walks forward, towards the shrine, her friend walking just behind her. Time to see if there's some answers to be found.
-
The cry behind her caused Kisei to look back. She would have stopped dead in her tracks if it weren't for her sprint.
The boy she was trying to steal from was about to attack. Not halting, but turning, the thief jumped shortly, twisting her arm and slamming her knuckles square on the boy's jaw. Using her free hand, she followed it up with a punch to the abdomen. Sadly, Kisei's height wouldn't allow her to hit the more vital parts of the body.
-
Nanaya:
(Gonna take a guess and think the washing basin is like a normal shinto shrine's where there's a large granite square well-ish thing and water laddles/dippers are around it)
Nanaya nods to herself, sighing. She ignores the Suwako that sits in a frog-like position nearby. Her hands reach into the washing basin. Her sword sits beside her on the ground, places in between the gauntlets. She waves her hands around in the basin, feeling the water. It's cold, yet it's enjoyable. Nanaya closes her eyes. It's a shrine, and it should have some sort of divine power around it, or something like that. Just as how Kasen could feel spirits because they had an aura around them, maybe shrines have one too, as places of worship. Nanaya begins to feel calm, serene, perhaps lost within her own mind. Just water from a washing basin would enrob the girl's mind, and she soon drifted into the sea of memories.
It's almost like meditation. People were surposed to use the wooden dipper to wash their hands and drink from it, but Nanaya just didn't want to use them. Soon thereafter, she breaks from her silent adventure in her mind. She scoops water out of the basin using her hands and proceeds to drink it, before swallowing. She remembered that both Amaya and Suwako said that she could'nt spit it out, so it was the only choice left.
Finally done, Nanaya proceeds to the front of the shrine after getting her katana and gauntlets. Truthfully, she has been to a shrine, an old, run-down red building which somehow resembled one, even when nature took back it's original place. Placing her hands together, she bows. At first, it was much like an empty prayer. There was nothing in her mind. And then, she closes her eyes.
"Tracing through the depths of my memories, I fasten together my crumbling heart no place left to go. Come here once again and take my hand, take me away to the ends of eternity..."
Nanaya's chest begins to tighten. Yes, on this day, she had her first conversation with an actual person in a long time.
"Dashing forward I find a way to know the future. Time races ahead and I see tomorrow, but I cannot hide my heart now fraught with anxiety."
Her one and only friend after escaping from her home was Kasen, who she hadn't seen in quite a while. It was a happy life for those who loved solitude. But to her, it hurt without anyone else. She hasn't seen Kasen in a long, long time.
"My thoughts I release in a rasping voice Disappear into an unreachable void; I cannot grasp the heart. Return the memories I've captured in my eyes, Believe one day in the future we'll meet again...!"
The girl opens her eyes, her chest heaving and her hand clutching her heart. Sorrow fills up her very being, and, it finally drips out. Tears emerge from the windows of her soul, and drip onto the ground bellow. She whines softly as she lets the tears flow freely. That was her wish. To find happiness and friends.
-
Sanaya was about to simply let the thief get away. "No need to cause a huge ruckus if she didn't get anything." She turns to Tsukasa. "Not often you see villagers stealing from each other, I wonder where she's from."
Any follow up to the statement was interrupted by the boy with the cane giving chase and his friend calling out after him. "You should listen to your friend, do not start a fight in the vill-" The end of the sentence got stuck in her throat as the loot-less thief swung around and delivered a punch to his face, followed by one to his stomach.
"Hey!" She is halfway through drawing her weapon when she turns to Tsukasa for a moment. "Excuse me sensei." She then dashes towards the two combatants, swinging her naginata out in front of her as she drops its harness on the ground. "This was not what I prepared for when I brought this." She thought as she made sure the sheath was tied properly once again.
With a burst of speed she positions herself in between the girl and the boy, placing the still sheathed blade down towards the thief, leaving the rest of the handle located above the head of Tetsumaru, set to stop any outbursts from either of them. "Okay break it up you two." She looked at Tetsumaru, trying to deduce his state. "Are you okay? I can respect that you want to get back at her for trying to steal from you but I would advice you to not start a fight inside the village proper."
Then she turned to the girl, disapproval written over her face. "And you. We don't see a lot of thieves around here, where are you from?" Her tone was more inquisitive rather than threatening. She did not come to the village often but even so this was the first time had encountered someone stealing in such an open fashion, not counting the occasional shoplifter of course.
-
"Oh, me?" Kisei pointed to herself, "I'm from around here." She placed herself a safe distance from the sheathed spearhead, fearing the wielder might employ some complex move to trap her. It was the only thing stopping her from getting back on the run, although she was already prepared to do so.
This kind of admonishment was par for the thief's course, but the way it was put pushed a button. She wasn't being treated seriously. Getting away with it was more exciting it if she had fought or fled away, rather than just being let off with a reminder not to do it again.
"And if you were afraid of this turning in to a full-on fight, don't worry. I was just fending him off. If he wasn't about to hit me, I wouldn't have done that." She crossed her arms. The latter statement was a lie. She would have swept him off his feet if there was no external interference.
-
Bam. Pow. Floored. As quick as the trance started, it ended. He stared at the floor, holding his jaw, feeling yet not feeling the pain. He was used to getting hit, but what...what was that weird...voice?
He rolled his jaw and spat out a glob of blood. Something might've torn. He didn't really care.
Tetsumaru slowly got up to his feet, wordlessly and silently, and merely looked forward at the thief, eyes narrowed. His fingers gripped his shikimozue tensely, itching to release the catch that kept the blade locked inside the rest of the cane.
"If you didn't run away from the people you stole from, I wouldn't have tried to hit you."
-
Kisei giggled obnoxiously, and very intentionally so. "Uh, hello, have you ever seen someone get mugged? Would I just stand there and wait to get caught?" She placed her hands on her hips, almost irritated by these people's lack of common sense. "Rhetorical question, by the way. Don't answer it."
She grimaced briefly at the bloody spit. It was scary how much damage she could do without exerting much effort. Turning her attention back to the boy, her eyes wandered around his movements. No fidgets, no huffing and puffing, and the only things that moved were his hands. He really wanted a fight, didn't he?
But she had no time for that. She needed some sleep. She would end up being cranky at night if she didn't get any.
-
Senri rolled his eyes as he now leaned against his cloth-wrapped weapon, a loose cloth still tied tightly around his right wrist. "what, do you take us for idiots?" Senri rolled his eyes and looked at this troublemaker who had just socked his friend straight in the face for no discernable reason other than to cause trouble. She knew what she was getting herself into by doing that, it was all part of the thrill, part of the chase. Senri could see that for some reason. It was that "desire" that Senri could feel from this. "maybe if you hadn't given in to your desires and tried to steal from us for your own materialistic needs..." Senri hissed at the thief. "And I'm still considering giving your little hands some medical attention." Senri seethed out loud, suddenly gripping his weapon and staring down at the girl with an incredibly disgusted look on his face. He didn't like thieves at all, especially those who hurt his friends. "After all, I can't let what you did to my friend go unpunished, can I? I work at the teahouse, I have to have SOME form of enforcement." Soon, Senri's expression twisted into something incredibly weird. Almost... vaguely sadistic.
-
Sanaya had kept quiet during the exchange, raising a worried eyebrow as Tetsumaru spat out blood after getting up. "She got a really good hit it seems." She redirected her gaze towards Kisei yet again.
"If you were really just fending him off you would not have needed to deliver a follow-up blow, or even aim for his face." Her look became disaproving yet again. "I might not be a fist fighter like you but sweeping his feet would have been more effective and less damaging."
She shook her head, annoyed at the fact that she was chatting about unnecessary things. Her follow up statement remained unspoken as the boy with the cloth wrapped sword came in, almost seeming like he was out for blood. "The teahouse! I though I might have seen him before."
She repositioned herself so that the naginata was now instead located in between Kisei and Senri. "Yes, and if she was making trouble in your teahouse I would not begrudge you for throwing her out."
She shifted her grip on the weapon slightly. "However this is a public location, there will be no armed conflict here." She raised her weapon and gestured with its blunt end towards Tetsumaru. "I would be more concerned about making sure your friend is okay, that punch could have dislodged his jaw if he was less lucky."
Her weapon swung around towards Kisei yet again, a sneaking feeling of hypocrisy was starting to surface. "I'm the only one swinging a weapon around right now, it is sheathed but still."
"I believe you at the very least owe them an apology. I do not believe an attempted crime warrants punishment but that act of violence was unnecessary." A glance towards Tetsumaru. "And should not have been instigated in the first place."
-
---Sourfang
As the girl and her dog cautiously enter the dusty building, Kohaku can feel it. A powerful chain of binding. A strong force keeping something in the building. However, as she looks around, she sees nothing that comes across as odd to her. Puzzled, the girl continues on.
As she makes her way around the donation box and inside, she sees a small, dusty display with various odd items. It appears to have not been touched in many, many years, making you wonder how old this building really is. After not discovering anything that could give her answers, Kohaku continues on down a hallway, eventually reaching a small kitchen.
As she enters the kitchen, the sudden drip from the faucet makes her twitch. In the sink she sees a single cup. On the counter, besides a thick layer of dust, are a few small boxes and bowls.
Beyond the kitchen is a larger room with a kotatsu in the middle of it. On the sides of the room are two sliding doors, which are currently closed. Hm, odd. Despite this building appearing to be quite old, there are no large tears in the paper. Almost as if maintenance was performed on the building at regular intervals.
As Kohaku moves into the room, she spots various slips of paper on the table. They all have strange writing on them, messy and worn from age. The words are nearly faded past recognition. With no apparent answers in the room, Kohaku continues on her tour through the shrine. Though it?d be nice if she had a guide to explain everything.
As the girl continues down another narrow corridor, she passes a few rooms, either ones that were empty, or rooms that appeared to be bedrooms. Some were messy, while others were neat, making the girl wonder even more about this place and it?s inhabitants.
Sadly, she had yet to find any answers.
As Kohaku came closer to the end of the hallway, she began to feel that strange eeriness once more. With each step she took, the feeling grew stronger and stronger. As she finally reached the end of the hall she came to another door. However, unlike the rest, this one was completely wooden, with no holes in it.
As Kohaku stands in front of the door, she can feel something inside. Something she's unfamiliar with in the slightest. Curiousity rings in her mind, but is soon silenced, as if whatever was inside the room did not want her to enter it, and it would do everything in its power to ensure that she, or anyone else, did not enter it.
---------
---GuyYouMetOnline
After figuring out her next move, Laresa turned and headed back to the village. It didn?t take her long to reach the village?s entrance again. As she entered she noticed that everything was back to normal. People talked to acquaintances as they shopped for their needs. Kids ran about, playing whatever game the village children liked to play. Other adults just lazed about, passing the time idly with pointless chatter. It was as if the gathering had never occurred, and that it was just any other day in the village.
Laresa didn?t preoccupy herself with these leisurely thoughts however. She had things she needed to do, and when she was set on something, it appeared nothing could stop her.
Without hesitating, Laresa headed straight for the road the Schoolhouse was on.
---------
Tsukasa just watched as the thief made a run for it. As she heard the boy with the cane pursue, she let out a sigh, shaking her head slightly.
Slowly she moved her arm, shifting it around as a means to wake up her limbs. She slid the scabbard back into a small loop of ribbon that kept the weapon at her side. With another sigh, she started for the group which had by this point moved away from her. As she walked, she undid the ribbon slightly, making sure to loop it through the handle so the little purse snatcher before her wouldn?t try anything. After retying the ribbon, she picked up the pace slightly as she walked over to the group rather casually.
?Okay that?s enough you kids? She says as she reaches the team. ?There?s no need to make this any harder than it needs to be.? She says with a small smile. She looks each of them in the eye, ending with Sanaya. As her eyes meet with the woman?s, she gives her a reassuring smile, giving the feel that ?It?s alright, I?ve got this one?
Sanaya gazes at her for a moment, before nodding. She lowers her weapon slightly, but keeps it in hand, ready if one of them should attempt to strike the other.
With that, Tsukasa turns her gaze to the thief.
?You?re lucky that kirisute gomen has long been abolished.? She says to the girl with a smile, one without warmth. She places her right hand on her hip as she speaks again.
?Since you failed to steal anything, I don?t see anything wrong with letting you off with a warning? She pauses for a moment, her smile becoming slightly less friendly.
?However, if I catch you the next time you try something like this, I won?t be quite as forgiving? She says, her tone becoming more cold and threatening at the end.
Next, Tsukasa turns her gaze to the boy with the cane sword. Her smile returning to its original feel.
?Now that was quite rash of you don?t you think?? She says, glancing at his weapon. ?She didn?t even get away with anything, not to mention she already got her slap on the wrists per say? She said as she gestured at her scabbard. ?So why did you chase after her? Swinging your weapon none the less? She said, a frown slipping onto her face.
?As for you?? She starts, turning her gaze to the boy with the ribbons in his hair. Her frown deepens as her gaze falls to his weapon.
?Could you please put that away? It?s not only dangerous, but quite unnerving? She says, her eyes narrowing slightly. ?I?d prefer if no blood was spilled, whether it be by accident or not? She says, shifting into a more neutral expression.
---------
---Kat
Suwako hops along a short distance behind Nanaya, overseeing the process.
As Nanaya starts speaking, Suwako frowns, but delays interrupting until the girl has finished.
When the girl finished, Suwako watches as she starts to tremble. The goddess hesitates, but eventually speaks up.
?Aauu?? Suwako mumbles as she raises her sleeve to her mouth. ?You?re not supposed to say it aloud you know??
-
He shakes his head, eyes unsure and unfocused. "There was...something. I...no. Nothing. Like some kind of voice...far away and quiet, but...," he trails off. Confusion is written plainly across his face. "I don't even...it's all a little fuzzy."
The apprentice shakes his head once more, then gives Senri a tenuous smile. "I'm going to head home. Otou-sama will want to hear about what happened. Give my regards to the rest of your family."
Then he bows to the rest. "I apologize for any trouble I may caused all of you. I acted rashly. If you were to stop by my father's forge later, I would be happy to accomodate you."
So with that he began walking home, sword gripped tightly in his hands. It was...scary. The voice was scary. Scary in and of itself...but most of all, it was scary because...
...it was familiar.
-
Hotaru found herself unimpeded to the exit. No bizzare gathering for who knows what, no thief stealing her suppies, nothing but just the short length here. Not like she'll leave here completely; She'll be back occasionally, probably getting things from her brother, who'll no doubt be happy about this reversal of roles.
"...And then I meet a hungry youkai." Hotaru made a tiny chuckle and went on to travelling, unsure about her destination, but a hundred percent certain that it'll be a knowledgable one.
-
Kisei watched the blacksmith's child walk away. She chuckled softly. "Apology accepted, but don't expect me to reciprocate," she called after him, "The same goes for all of you. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'll be leaving. For real."
One cursory glance at all the faces present was all she took before taking her leave. These people would be carrying their equipment and belongings if she saw them again- she herself was a blatant example. If any of them were following her, she didn't know; she just sped up to avert that situation.
The good thing about morning heists was that her parents would be none the wiser when they woke up. Thankfully, Kisei had no injuries that would give her away.
-
Senri sighed and hefted his styled zanbatou, still wrapped in cloth, over his shoulder and did not turn to face whoever it was that asked him to put away his weapon. "Little..." Senri was tempted to spit at the ground at which the petty thief left the scene almost as if nothing happened, though she seemed to be at least wary in case one of those present were stupid enough to give chase. Which they weren't, so she was fine. Senri, however, was going to keep his eye on her if ever she were in the vicinity. "Sorry, sorry. This is part of my uniform, have you not been to the teahouse? It's wrapped in cloth, so it won't cut... that much, anyway. I don't enjoy resorting to bloodshed. I just use the flat of my weapon, blunt force trauma is much more effective in that respect you know?" Senri said calmly this time. He started pacing in the general direction of the village teahouse. "That didn't need to happen. Ah, well. People these days. Anyway, come stop by the teahouse. I'll be there being the waitress, I got drinks for ya. Well, that's what they call me anyway. Have a nice day. Oh, and I think Tetsumaru-san will be OK. Thank you for your concern for him." Senri trailed off as he paced faster and faster until he was no longer visible from the other two.
-
She had kept quiet until everyone else cleared out, quietly contemplating how Tsukasa had handled the situation. "She carries such a sense of authority, I guess it comes from being raised in a family of a high caste."
Her own intervention has been basically ignored and then cut off by Tsukasa's intervention. She was glad that nothing had happened but a vague feeling of disappointment lingered at the back of her head. She shook her head once again. "Cut that out, sensei handled it admirably and that is all that matters."
"Sensei." She raised her voice when the others had left. "Were you serious when you mentioned 'kiri sute gomen'?" The corner of her mouth twitched slightly when she recalled the ancient practice. She could not imagine herself ever making use of it, even if she had been from a family in the samurai caste. "While I certainly could have acted as your witness it would be nice to know if you would have actually done it."
She smiled and gave a halfhearted laugh as she picked up her harness and secured her weapon once again. "Never mind, let us not talk about such grim things now. I have no jobs at the moment and I do not have anything else planned, would you like some help with opening up the dojo? I seem to recall you mentioning that you closed it because of the gathering."
-
Laresa knew Keine's schedule, and she knew the school's schedule. She knew when the breaks were, but she also knew that sometimes Keine had work to do during those breaks, and today, there were good odds that some kids had tried to leave class and get to the village center. Which likely meant a disciplinary session with Keine, not a pleasant experience. So Keine would be busy during the break. Fortunately, Laresa had something she could do while waiting.
As it just so happened, there was a teahouse by the school. It was a smart location; parents bringing their kids often stopped by for some tea. And it did have at least some traffic throughout the day. Which meant people.
While waiting for Keine, Laresa intended to investigate the strange gathering further, but examining the site was unlikely to yield any useful information. But there were people. Laresa had known what was happening thanks to her mimicing ability and had followed the impulse as part of a pre-existing plan. But what experiences did others have?
Laresa waited in the teahouse, and as she waited, she questioned the customers, forming a picture of just what experiences people'd had with the impulse to gather.
-
(Headache :()
Amaya fills the teakettle with fresh water. She goes back into the kitchen and puts the kettle over the fire. Amaya opens one of the lockers and pulls out a can with tealeaves in it. "There are not much left, I hope Mom brings some with her." she says, after she took a look into the can.
She prepares 3 cups with some of the tealeaves and waits till the water has the right temperature. 'If it boils it's too hot for green tea. I better take it from the fire, now', and so she does. She checks the temperature of the water first and fills it into the cups. Vin still sitting on the place where Amaya put him."You are such a good snake Vin" Amaya said to Vin as she pat his head.
Amaya kindly waits till the tea is ready, then she takes out the leaves. She puts all cups onto a small dinner tray. With one finger she taps two times on the table, to give Vin a signal to follow her, before she leaves.
Amaya comes out of the kitchen with the cups of tea and puts them on the table in the kitchen. "Suwako-chan, I made you a cup aswell." she yells to the outside.
As she moves to the outside, because she didn't a response, she notices the tear in Nanaya's face. 'Is she crying' she wondered. "Nanaya-sama, is something wrong?" she asks kindly.
-
As if this place wasn't odd enough... Kohaku muses, standing before the door of ominousness. Given what she's feeling now, even the reckless Koryu wouldn't want to touch that door, whatever's on the other side. Still....
The Daidouji heir slides a chain slowly out of her hand.
"Better back up, Hyozan. Not sure what's about to happen here." Whether it was out of a sense of canine concern for his master, or simple failure to understand the order, the malamute does not move from Kohaku's side. The human smiles faintly, then extends her arm with the chain out slightly away from her. To her surprise, the chain acts almost of its own accord, straightening out slowly and moving towards the door, as if drawn to something on the other side. And then, with a massive PANG!, the chain flies away from the door, almost like it struck an invisible force. The chain disconnects from Kohaku's arm and shatters into shards and links of metal, scattering with a metallic tinkle on the floor behind her. Hyozan lets out a surprised yelp, as does his human.
"Hahhh...." Kohaku breathes. "Well. Glad I didn't use my hand..." Hyozan whines, seemingly in agreement. Deciding that enough is definitely enough, Kohaku turns and walks back down the way she came.
This so-called shrine has left Kohaku with a very odd impression. It feels fairly well 'maintained' but not 'lived in'. Pulling open a closed door at random reveals a bathroom with a similar feel; no obvious signs of dust, or cobwebs, but no obvious toiletries or recent signs of use. Another door a few down reveals one of the neater bedrooms, with a bed and desk that have been taken care of, but no more, and likely have been that way for quite some time. How long? Some years, at least, if the writing on those bits of paper had time to fade as much as they had. Kohaku considers exploring the bedrooms a bit more, looking for clothes or other signs of inhabitation. She doesn't, however, as IF someone is living here, Kohaku's invaded their home too much already, she's not about to do it any more.
Most vexingly of all is that persistent sense binding Kohaku's been feeling since even before she entered the building itself. It's more than whatever was in that room back there, it's like... the building itself that's generating it. As though something is binding it to something she can't identify. Or is it the building ITSELF that is chaining itself to the other thing? Kohaku snarls shortly. She'd known her powers had the potential to extend beyond simply flinging chains around, this is beyond anything she'd ever imagined. She understands that it's only natural to encounter things beyond her. Being essentially in the MIDDLE of one of those things, and failing so utterly to come up with any answers on her own, is rather frustrating for the young woman.
"SOMETHING brought me here." she snaps out loud. "Am I supposed to see something? Meet someone? Have I not found the right bed yet?" She pauses as she reaches the room with the kotatsu in it, and raises her voice in irritation. "A little help would be nice!"
-
"Eh... sorry I'm late." Senri sighed as he had arrived at the teahouse only moments ago, to be chastised by one of the fellow coworkers there for being unusually late; Senri had no issues with punctuality for the most part, until today anyway. "Even if everybody was drawn to the square, that was only a minor inconvenience... But I had to deal with a petty thief, okay? Someone tried to steal a friend's stuff. So that's why I'm late." Senri sighed as he put up his 'game face' and got ready to serve customers who were wandering into the teahouse for some... well, for some tea, obviously. Eyeing someone who appeared to be gathering information from some customers, Senri just shook his head and continued taking the orders of various patrons and delivering their various teas. After some time, Senri had become incredibly good at delivering tea with just one hand on a tray while balancing his gigantic cloth-wrapped weapon. Most of the locals had gotten used to the sight, perhaps treating it as some assurance of security. Or maybe they just liked it. Senri didn't know for sure.
But he was just doing his job.
-
---Sourfang
Just then, as if the perpetrator had heard the girl?s call, a strong gust of wind blew past her and her trusty malamute.
Kohaku shifts herself into a more stable stance and guards her face with her arms. Startled the girl shuts her eyes quickly. Had some all powerful Youkai come to finish her off? Was a storm about to tear the desolate shrine to pieces? Kohaku could hear a flurry of sounds. The violent rattling of the doors, the creaking of the old wood, the papers flutter about swiftly, and the growling of her friendly malamute.
Hyozan let out a sharp bark at the unknown source of this sudden gale.
Before not too long, the wind subsided, and cautiously, the girl opens her eyes.
As she opens her eyes, she sees the chaos that was caused by the wind.
Papers were scattered all across the floor, some still floating towards the ground. Words, scattered all across their pages, seem to be readable.
Kohaku turns her gaze to the Kotatsu, which now has an empty tabletop.
Were there really this many papers on that small table?
Next, Kohaku turns her eyes to the frail doors, only to notice more oddities.
The doors weren?t open, nor were there any noticeably wide openings where the paper windows had been torn. In that state, they would have still kept the majority of the gust at bay, with only a chilly breeze seeping through. Kohaku glances around, to see all the other doors and windows are still closed.
Hyozan gives Kohaku a slight nudge, bringing the girl back to the now messy room.
The dog sniffs at the papers before looking towards its master.
The newly created mess, composed of a variety of scattered papers.
Some were small, others larger. Some were perfectly shaped while others were torn and shredded. Some were severely faded, while others were legible. Some were stained by some sort of spill, while others seemed to have been kept better than others.
Despite all these things, there was one thing that all of the papers had in common.
All of them were visibly aged.
All of them were several years old.
---------
---Marou
Tsukasa watches silently as the others leave one by one. First the blacksmith, then the thief, and then the tea waiter. As the thief spoke before departing, Tsukasa frowned sternly, unnoticed by the girl who had already turned on her heels and headed in the opposite direction.
Tsukasa listened to the tea server?s explanation intently. She had never been to the teahouse, she was far too busy to spend her time on leisure.
?Blunt force can still be dangerous if the wielder is uneducated in its effects? Tsukasa commented. ?Though I imagine for you to choose a weapon like that, you must be quite knowledgeable on such subjects? She says with a small smile. She gives a respectful nod of the head as the waiter departs.
Eventually, Tsukasa and Sanaya were the only ones remaining.
?Sensei? Sanaya spoke up.
Tsukasa turned and looked at the woman, waiting for her to speak.
"Were you serious when you mentioned 'kiri sute gomen'?"
Tsukasa blinked then smiled. She shook her head, not needing to speak her answer.
As Sanaya changed the subject, Tsukasa perked up.
?Oh yeah?! That?s right I?ve got to get back to the Dojo!? She said hastily as she glanced around.
She gave Sanaya a friendly smile and a polite bow before speaking once more.
?It would be much appreciated if you would help me out at the Dojo? She paused as she raised her head. ?I?ve got a few demonstrations today as well, so if you wouldn?t mind?? She said, a faint excitement flashing in her eyes.
-
The girl embraces her wish to the gods. The one standing near her, and the others that roam the heavens above. Suwako said there were over ten thousand of them... Right? Well, around that number. One of them would listen, right? One of them would hear her wish. That was what she hoped for. In a trance, Nanaya swayed slowly, as if being pushed by the wind. Her gauntlets jingled softly as the wind blew.
Nanaya perks up after hearing the voices of both the goddess of the shrine, and the young maiden which would soon govern the place in time. Amaya was daughter of Sanae, one of Kasen's old friends. Yes, the memories of Kasen telling stories, flowed into her mind. How Sanae was amazed to see Nanaya's mentor fly on the back of a giant eagle. How another shrine maiden was picked up by a dragon within swirling thunderclouds. How Komachi had a close relationship with her. Finally, she slouches back, before wiping her tears and standing straight up. A smile forms on her face, and Nanaya turns to face Amaya once more. Her thoughts diminished and her mind beginning to clear, Nanaya smiles wider.
"It's nothing." Little droplets of tears still visible on her eyes, she walks forward. Nanaya's smile returns back into a frown. Her lips quiver slightly at the memories that would pass her by. Her gauntlets sway silently in the wind. Her sword drags across the ground, sending sand up into the air as it grinded on the ground. She tilts her head and smiles again at Amaya, before walking towards the shrine.
"Arn't we supposed to have tea? Let's have it inside, where it's more comfy." Nanaya enters the shrine soon thereafter.
-
Talk about eerie. Kohaku thinks as she assesses the situation around her. This would certainly lend credence to the theory that someone or something was watching her, wanted her here. Someone with skills far beyond her own. Kohaku tried to calm herself, telling herself that whatever force was at work here mustn't want to hurt her, or it would have done it already. Closing her eyes, she listens for a moment, trying to detect any sounds from the outside, signs of that woman that appeared oh so briefly after she retreived her ocarina, or anyone else she might have sent back.
Her ocarina... Kohaku produces the instrument and gazes at it, wishing devoutly that her brother was here right now. Not the least reason for which being that, if all this was because of a youkai, Koryu would be even more excited about the prospect than his sister.
As if sensing his friends' longing, Hyozan sidles up to Kohaku's leg, as though offering some comfort to the human. Smiling, Kohaku kneels down and gives her canine friend a hug about the neck. "I'm glad you're here, Hyozan." she says warmly, while the dog licks her face, just once. Not quite keeping herself from giggling at the sensation, Kohaku disengages from the malamute and turns to the table, while adressing the air around her. "Alright, then, you want me to see these papers here? Fine." She grins. "But they'd better not just be your old love letters." And then she sits, and begins to peruse the papers before her.
-
"Ah, hold on for moment." Sanaya swung the harness over her shoulder and stretched her arms above her head."
"Nn~ahh" A content sound escaped her throat. "All right, I can help out with the demonstrations as well." Her eyes flashed with the same fain excitement that could be seen in Tsukasa's eyes.
"I have been training and meditating daily since the last time, let us do our best in showing what we are capable of."
She checks her sheath on final time before making a motion with her hand.
"Lead the way, Sensei."
-
---Marou
Tsukasa smiles a very genuine smile and nods. She turns and begins to walk forward, with Sanaya in tow, down the road that will eventually lead them to the Dojo.
---------
---SourFang
The girl voices her acceptance of the perpetrator?s challenge and begins to gather up the various bits of paper that lay scattered before her. As Kohaku glances over them for but a moment as she gathers them, she notices some resemble the articles that are in the tengu?s newspapers. Others, however, seem to have been ripped out of a book or something along those lines.
As Kohaku finishes gathering the slips of paper, she glances at her friendly malamute who is sitting beside her, ready to defend its master if need should arise.
With a smile, Kohaku turns her eyes back to the papers and begins to read.
Gensokyo Re ord
This is a remote place in an eastern country, far fr y hu abita ion.
In Ancient Times, this was a pla or. Those who wandered close eaten by youkai.
People called this place
Gensokyo
As Kohaku comes to the end of the first slip of paper, she sets it down on the tabletop where it had originally been. After making sure it wouldn?t be blown away again, she moved her eyes to the next slip.
Over a thousand years passed ?
Humans built civilization. Humans don?t fear dark
even at midnight, grew to point they could produce light
the humans bl followed science unscientific ose things like youkai nd on eventual y excluded su stition
Gensokyo was deemed useless to new world, sealed away Great Barrier never opened again.
As the girl comes to the end of the second slip, she frowns.
These slips appeared to be the most aged, indicating that they were the oldest. Despite the flurry of questions that racked Kohaku?s mind, she set the second slip down and continued on.
With passing time, those who still knew died out.
innumerable years passed since Gensokyo is still home to youkai and humans.
yo kai civilization of magic, the youkai grew powerful enough freely open even the Barrier . However, youkai do not open it. , they actually reinforce the barrier with even stronger power. The seal that once locked Gensokyo away now used to pr e t i n it.
the age of human and youkai began anew
Kohaku puts the third slip down on the table with the first two and picks up the next piece.
a fantasy land of yo kai, but even now, lost humans so times end up ther
They are said by outside to be ?spirited away?.
Those who visit Gensokyo believe it is a legendary paradise looks like utopia ever in favor the living in Gensokyo. no doubt that feels like paradise for humans from outer world
As the girl comes to the end of the fourth section, she glances at the remaining pile of papers. Many readable papers still remain, waiting to be read. As she reaches for the pile she notices the corner of a piece of aged paper sticking out in the middle of the pile. Without thinking about it, she grabs it and carefully pulls it out of the pile. As she glances over it, she notices something different from the last few.
This section was signed.
Gensokyo is paradise for youkai and humans.
It will remain paradise until are destroyed, or it is
The following is a record of the peaceful and fantastic everyday events that take place in Gensokyo.
P.S.
Why is Gensokyo a paradise for both humans and youkai you ask?
That is b-
(Inscribed by the 13th shrine maiden of the Hakurei Shrine)
-
Hakurei Shrine. Is that was this place is.... But who was this 13th maiden, Kohaku wonders. "Who were you, and how long ago did you write this, for these to be in such condition? Who wrote the words before yours?" She raises her voice, addressing the air around her. "And who let these papers go to seed in the first place?"
She shakes her said, her emotion changing to something akin to amusement, as she gives Hyozan a pat on the head. "What have we got ourselves into, boy? And why us, eh? What's this being want with a human and a dog?" Hyozan offers only a small sneeze, to which his friend laughs, before turning her attention back to the papers before her. Needless to say, the information before her being in fragmentary form, there's not a lot the human can glean for certain. This was obviously a record of some sort, from the earlier days of Gensokyo. Perhaps even the origins of this little piece of the world, it's hard to say. But Kohaku finds her eyes lingering on one section in particular:
Gensokyo is paradise for youkai and humans.
It will remain paradise until are destroyed, or it is
Kohaku would have to agree with that assessment. She loves her home, and the fact that youkai and humans live side by side. In fact, she actually wishes the two races were even closer than the are, perhaps not as... fervently as her brother does, but the few youkai she's met (and the one she loves) has only made her want to meet more, to learn more about the other race(s) of Gensokyo. She's listened to as many stories as Keine-sensei was willing to tell, and read every book she has on youkai in general. It hasn't been quite enough.
But then there's other half. Was that line simply the Hakurei Shrine maiden wondering out loud, so to speak, or was it a warning? A warning to whoever else might come after her? And for that matter, if this IS the Hakurei shrine, then where's the current maiden?
Perhaps more answers could be found in the remaining papers. "Wish we had some tea, Hyozan, but, oh well..." Settling in, and hoping that the rest of the papers are in better condition than the elder ones, Kohaku turns her attention to the as yet unread papers.
-
---Sourfang
Kohaku make herself comfortable and takes the topmost paper. As she looks at it, she notices that it?s a newpaper. She separates the papers, and takes the first page to read it. The title appears to have been rubbed out, leaving only faded smudges. Entire lines seem to be missing aswell
O Month O Day, cherry blossoms are still in full bloom at the shrine.
Flower viewing takes place almost every night at the most magnificent shrine.
To report this exciting event, I've made my way into the site of flower viewing and collected information.
Humans, youkai, fairies, and a myriad of other species are enjoying themselves at the shrine.
The only one person who was in a bad mood was the shrine maiden of this shrine,
I took a direct interview with her to discover why she was in such a foul mood.
The banquet is, as one would expect, bustling
Gensokyo's most beautiful cherry blossoms are at Hakurei Shrine. The full bloom seems as if it's going to end soon, so why not visit the shrine while you still can?
(Aya Shameimaru)
The first thing the girl notices, other than the unreadable blobs of ink, is that the name of the Shrine Maiden has been removed from where it appears to have been written. There?s nothing there, not even the slightest of smudge. Like it had been removed with magic or something.
As you move the paper towards the table, you notice that there is something attached to the back of the page.
miko at Hakurei Shrine, which stands on bord b tw e Gens kyo an t out r w r .
Her occupation is t conquer o commit a crime and drink tea t ver .
Once again, the name of the shrine maiden has been removed, though it seems to have been cut off this time.
Kohaku puts the page on the table and picks up the next page.
As she does so, tiny pieces of torn newspaper flutter to the ground. It appears that the page was folded in a way to prevent them from slipping out when held correctly. Kohaku glances at the page to see it?s upside down. Hyozan lays his head down on his paws and lets out a breath, luckily, this action didn?t scatter the bits of newsprint. Carefully you gather the pieces and begin reading the words on them.
the shrine maiden wh-
figure out who's behind it
preserves order in Gensokyo
youkai going to the shrine
An incident on such a massive scale could only
when a major incident occurs
handled by the human sh-
it's up to th-
relied on her intui-
finally arrived at...
a bad omen
to find the missing real mo-
remove the border
On a day in the summer-
the mansion where a red devil resides...
to remove the distiction between-
Gensokyo was
If the culprit behind the problem was not stopped-
scarlet and white.
wrapped up in a disturbing, evil mist.
only the shrine maiden
---
Questions rain down in the girl?s mind, confusion acting as a wind to create a storm. Hesitantly, she puts the slivers of paper back into their makeshift holder. With a sigh, she turns her attention to the next newpage. The next page seems to be in better shape than the others.
The Hakurei Shrine.
Deep within the mountains, seperated from the human village, Gensokyo's only occupied shrine can be found situated on the border between Gensokyo and the outside .
However, while this shrine does have a connection to Gensokyo, it's not a particularly close one.
It doesn't have a close connection with the outside either. This shrine's location is on the very bor .
Many people are fascinated by the cherry blossoms that bloom here in the spring.
But because of th sh ere, many youkai and evil spirits gather at the shrine. Those are always the kind of beings that assemble here.
The shrine has no role other than maintaining the border between Gensokyo and the outside world. This is no longer a place to worship the gods, so those who find sacred areas difficult to deal with have no problem here.
No matter the time, there will always be someone there
As of now, Gensokyo and the outside world are completely cut off from each other because of the Hakurei Shrine.
However, compared to the Hakurei Shrine from before, it was not the brilliant shrine it is now, and I remember that it was unable to perform its functions at all.
I guess that from the outside world, the Hakurei Shrine is probably still seen as the dull, small shrine it was a long time ago.
The youkai who visit the shrine now enjoy the colorful shrine
(Aya Shameimaru)
-
Letting a small sigh, the Daidouji heir leans backwards, cupping her eyes in her hand. Straining to understand exactly what she was reading was starting to give her a headache. Whole sentences leading to partial sentences leading to two words... And then there was the missing name. The missing name of the shrine maiden. Deleted by knives and spells, or the equivalent of both. What was the woman like? Did she have an enemy that removed her from history? Two enemies, given the different methods? She sighs again, and looks towards the doors.
"Yknow, if you're trying to tell me something, a whole book would be a better idea."
She briefly considers calling out to the being(s?) responsible for the goings on here, Kohaku was sure there was at least one powerful sentience involved here. If she were her brother, she would have done that long ago. She herself was not quite as reckless as Koryu, but that hardly means she didn't relish the chance to meet a new youkai. Assuming that this WAS the work of a youkai, but Kohaku was willing to wager that it was. She was also willing to wager, now with a fair amount of certainty, that whoever brought her here didn't want to hurt her, but rather show her something. Except that that something was incomplete, fragmented. Well, suppose it couldn't hurt to ask...
"Or better yet, you could talk to me?"
-
---Sourfang
Kohaku calls out, hoping for a response. As she listens, she gazes at Hyozan, hoping the malamute would be able to pick up what she had not.
Everything remains still and silent, as if time has ceased moving. After over a minute of deathly silence, Kohaku sighed. It seems who ever brought her here did not plan on revealing themselves to her, and even asking for them to do so wouldn?t help. With slight disappointment, she turns her gaze back to the pile of papers. On top there are a few small pieces. She picks the smallest one up. She notices this paper seems to have been either kept better, or was written far more recently than the others. The small slip in her hand reads ?A closed world?. Kohaku puts the slip onto the table and spreads out the remaining snippets of information. The papers are of various sizes, and seem to have been removed from a book of some sort. With a sigh, she begins to read them.
located at the boundary between Gensokyo and the outside world, just like the Hakurei Shrine,
she can
Were it not for the Great Barrier, even Gensokyo itself wouldn't exist.
everything is built upon the existence of boundaries.
create or
Gensokyo as an illusionary world
a place like Gensokyo whenever she
boundary between illusion and reality
destroy
The girl wonders who ?she? could be. Was it the shrine maiden? If so was this woman that powerful? It didn?t seem like Kohaku?s headache would go away any time soon. She places the smaller bits on the table and picks up a larger section.
Gensokyo is separated from the outside by a large magical barrier.
This barrier could be seen as the boundary between inside and outside.
However, the inside world and the outside world are still physically contiguous, so it may be logically said that the barrier created the place that we call Gensokyo.
Placing the section on the table and turning her eyes to next one, she notices that this one has a title at the top, written darker and larger that the other text. However, there appears to be blank sections, as well as the lower half of the text being torn away.
Youkai Expansion Project
This is
The project refers to a plan designed and implemented in order to restore the youkai of Gensokyo, who felt by the increase the
Kohaku glances around for the lower section that had been ripped off, but is unable to find it. With a frown, she puts the paper aside and continues on to the next piece, which is also titled.
The Great Barrier Disturbance
This, of course, refers to the Great Hakurei Barrier (*6)
th youkai w who suggested creation the Great Barrier and created what is now Gensokyo.
It appears this one was ripped as well. As the girl moves to place the paper on the table, she notices something attached to the back. A note of some sort.
6: The boundary separating Gensokyo and the outside world. It is said it is extremely difficult for youkai or humans to pass through, and so logically it creates a separate world.
Kohaku sets the paper down and looks at the remaining pile. Not much seems to remain, but enough to take a while to read.
With a glance at her malamute pal, she picks up the next piece of paper. As she picks the page up she notices part of the top has been ripped off. Then Kohaku catches a glimpse of something.
The next paper in the pile is more newsprint, one that seems to be severely damaged at that. With a moment of hesitation, the girl begins to read the page she is holding.
Divine spirits, not possessing a body, usually live in a Shinto Shrine.
Shrine Maidens
There is a considerable lack of spirits in a shrine, so revealing their forms to people is something that mostly never happens.
They speak so faintly that ordinary humans can't hear them.
For this reason, those who carry the duty of facilitating communication are shrine maidens
Shrine maidens can, utilizing peculiar methods (*14), hear the words of the divine spirits and communicate this to the people.
Shrines
Shrines are not constructed by divine spirits, but by humans.
Simply because it is a place for divine spirits, a shrine looks no different from any ordinary building.
If many people come to the shrine to worship the divine spirit, it will begin to gain power from being worshipped by so many for the first time.
Continuing on without pausing, she picks up the scrap of newspaper. Once again, whole words appear to have been purposefully rubbed away. The title is partly legible.
Mysterious Tr u th Secret History
human and youkai that reside in Gensokyo, and discover the secrets of Gensokyo.
Mr. A (pseudonym)
People nowadays know nothing about things like why do youkai live here, what is Gensokyo, what kind of people were their ancestors, and so on.
When the youkai are chased from Gensokyo and Gensokyo falls under human control, it is necessary they know the truth about Gensokyo, said he.
I listened to the thoughts of one y u a , Keine Kamishirasawa .
"It's not good that some humans have forgotten their fear of youkai and are trying to drive them out of Gensokyo.
Gensokyo is keeping a balance now between youkai and humans.
Just like .
If that give-and-take balance is destroyed, Gensokyo will collapse in an instant.
---
The rest of the paper appears to have been torn away.
There's only one word that has y u a in those exact places.
-
Kohaku's eyes linger on the mention of her former teacher. And especially the half a word that precedes her name. 'y u a '. Could that be... youkai? Keine, a youkai? But... that can't be. ... can it?
The young woman's eyes light up a little almost of their own accord. She'd always been fond of Keine-sensei, as had Koryu before her, but they'd never once suspected she could be anything other than human. An intelligent, attractive human, true, but still only human. But if she's right...
"That... would be so cool!" she mutters to herself, smiling quietly. She makes a note to herself to speak to sensei about this when she leaves her. Somehow, though, that thought gives her pause. Something brought her here, something wanted her to see this. What if that something doesn't want her to leave? Kohaku's obviously stronger than your average human, but she has a strong sense that the force at work here is beyond her.
Well, no sense worrying about it for now, the young woman thinks. There's still more things to see here.
-
Amaya watches Nanaya's mixed emotions. 'I feel kind of sorry for her.'
"Yes the tea is ready, come in." She says and points at the table inside. Amaya turns to Suwako. "Suwako-chan, I didn't know if you also wanted some tea, but I made you one aswell." She turns back to Nanaya "Please take of your shoes before you enter."
The room is quite big, but still quite simple. Except a big table, some zabuton and a big commode. The table had a blanket attached to it. It was still quite cold at so it was comfortable at the table.
"Please take a sit." Amaya says.
"Please tell me, Nanaya-san, you seem very.... fixed up. I don't want to hurt your feelings, but do you want to talk about it?" Amaya isn't completly confident in what she's doing but she's trying hard to hide it. It's able to hear worries in her voice, even thought she doesn't know Nanaya.
-
---Sourfang
With refreshed energy, the girl spreads out the remaining papers. To her surprise, only two remain, and they are both plentiful with words.
The two appear to be from the same book as well. Though one appears to have been ripped. Kohaku picks up the more complete of the two and begins to read.
Hakurei Shrine
Encounterable youkai: None... supposedly
On the eastern edge of Gensokyo lies its only shrine
This shrine exists on the border between the outside world and Gensokyo
To be accurate, the place where this shrine exists is not Gensokyo.
All of Gensokyo can be seen from this shrine, and it is famous for having the most beautiful cherry blossom trees.
The Hakurei shrine maiden, who specializes in incident resolution, lives here
She watches over Gensokyo from here, and when an incident arises, she will go out immediately and ascertain the cause.
Although normally youkai should not approach the shrine, there is a rumor that it has become a den of youkai, and that humans no longer approach.
Just as in the village, one is ensured safety from attacks by youkai while at the shrine; however, as the path between the shrine and the village is an animal trial with poor visibility, and since safety cannot be guaranteed, it has always prevented people from visiting the shrine to worship.
It has other special traits, such as items from the outside world appearing within the proximity of the shrine or people from the outside world spotted nearby.
A human being from outside will become food shortly after encountering a youkai, but if his luck is sufficient to find the shrine, they can return to their own world.
It doesn?t take the girl long to read through the page, and she quickly snatches the last one off the ground and begins to read it. Kohaku notices that there are more empty spaces as well.
Shrine Maiden of Paradise
The current shrine maiden at the Hakurei Shrine, which lies on the border of Gensokyo.
The Hakurei Shrine exists to watch over the Great Boundary which ensures Gensokyo's existence, and the shrine maidens of Hakurei resolve major incidents for a living
The first thing Kohaku notices is that the name of the shrine maiden has once again not appeared. Skipping down the page, she comes to an untitled section. It seems as if the title was faded away on purpose.
powers of the Hakurei shrine maidens
The Hakurei shrine maidens control the Great Hakurei Boundary and protect Gensokyo.
If the Great Boundary were destroyed, either from inside or out, Gensokyo would likely not fare well.
Gensokyo relies on the Hakurei Shrine and its shrine maidens to continue to exist as it does today.
Spell Card Rules
The spell card rules allow both parties to show off their skills in a beautiful competition
*Spell cards are specially-named techniques, and they must be declared upon use.
Following these rules allows for conflict resolution which is almost like a sporting event.
With the introduction of these rules, it became possible for even relatively weak humans to challenge youkai.
Skipping a blank area, Kohaku comes closer to the end of the torn page.
Job
a specialist in incident resolution.
When an incident occurs (*3),
This refers to an incident that involves all of Gensokyo where the perpetrator is unknown. Typically this is due to some youkai's whimsy or the doings of a newcomer.
The final section is untitled.
Since the Hakurei Shrine stands on the boundary of Gensokyo from the outside world, one can go to the shrine from either world.
But it normally isn't possible to pass between the two worlds.
It's said that the Hakurei Shrine seen from outside is a desolate, uninhabited shrine which no one visits.
Before the Great Boundary was created, the shrine was not as empty as it is now, but it was also not built up to the same scale as the Gensokyo one.
It's said that the Hakurei Shrine in the outside world has mostly been abandoned since the boundary was created.
---
As the girl finishes, she lets out a sigh.
Just then, Hyozan?s ears perk up.
As Kohaku turns her attention to the dog, he lifts his head, and gazes towards the way the pair had first entered the building. His stare is strong and unrelenting, as if it was gong through the walls themselves.
Right through to the shrine?s magnificent gate.
-
Instinctively, Kohaku lets an inch of chain slide out of her hand, bringing herself to one knee, ready to defend herself and her friend. If Hyozan's reacting that way, there's a reason. Plus that bit about youkai eating humans from the outside world has her a little spooked. She may not be from the outside world, but she is still a human. And the hakurei shrine maiden, whoever she may be, does not appear to be in evidence to defend people from being eaten by youkai, if that's what Hyozan's reacting to out there.
Of course, Kohaku thinks fleetingly, If that's Haine out there, that's a different story...
REVISION
Letting a few minutes past, neither Kohaku nor Hyozan can detect anything coming from outside; or, in Hyozan's case, nothing more than something worth taking notice of. Perhaps it wasn't a threat after all. Or Haine, Kohaku adds with just a twinge of disappointment, Hyozan'd be almost as excited as Kohaku herself to see that particular youkai again. Still, a little pragmatism never hurts.
Kohaku sends one of her chains out from her, sliding the far door open from a safe distance, slowly, to afford her a look at just what Hyozan heard. And this look reveals.... Nothing. At least nothing that wasn't there before she entered the building. Curious. Reeling in her chain, the young woman stands and heads for the door, to get a better look. Still nothing. She spares a glance back at Hyozan, who's still standing at attention. "You sure there's something out there, boy?" The malamute doesn't answer, but doesn't sit back down either. Shrugging, but deciding to humor the dog, Kohaku coils her chain around her slender arm and takes a couple steps outside, to see just what's got her friends hackles raised.
-
Walking into the shrine barefooted, the girl ignores Amaya just for a sentence - I mean, she never wore shoes in the first place. Entering the shrine, she felt an incredibly nostalgic feeling. The feeling of being home. The room was big, but simple. Settling herself into the place, Nanaya soon sat at the table. Relaxing and sipping tea, Nanaya sighs. She begins to trace her memories back towards her time as a small, tiny child.
How she was forced into things she never wanted to do. How she eventually fought back in her own way. It was like pissing against the tide.
"Please tell me, Nanaya-san, you seem very.... fixed up. I don't want to hurt your feelings, but do you want to talk about it?" Amaya asks.
"Fixed up...?" Nanaya says, leaning back. "Maybe you could call me that..." She sighs and pushes the tea cup away a little. She glances over to her sword; Neatly placed at the side, along with the gauntlets.
"Well... You two are the first people I've talked to in a long time. This is also the first time I've been in a building of any sort. I mean, I live in a cave and all..." She states bluntly. "I guess I'm lonely." Nanaya smiles to herself. Receiving a look from Suwako, Nanaya begins to realize what she just did. She revealed her past without thinking.
"...Um... I should go." Nanaya grabs her sword, and gets off the table, beginning to run out of the shrine. Her gauntlets dangle freely attached to the hilt of the sword. Amaya and Suwako look at her stunned, before going after her. Nanaya is faster, even if just by a little bit. Soon, she stops just for a moment at the shrine's tori.
"Say I said hi to Kanako and Sanae!" She shouts, before running off down the mountain.
-
-
As the girl cautiously ventures out into the morning sun, a gentle breeze blows past her. It?s cool and refreshing, not too strong, and not all too week. Kohaku?s long hair sways softly in the passing breeze. She can feel the sun?s heat clearly even though it is only the beginning of spring.
Kohaku carefully examines her surroundings, looking around for any signs of youkai or otherwise. After thoroughly gazing at the surrounding area, she frowns, slightly puzzled. The girls turns and looks back at Hyozan, who has made his way out of the shrine and is now standing a short distance behind Kohaku. As she watches her malamute, she thinks to ask him again if there was really something out here.
Just then, another, slightly stronger, breeze blows across the shrine grounds.
Kohaku swiftly turns around and faces forward, towards the magnificent torii standing proudly at the top of the stairs, silently watching over all of Gensokyo.
As the wind dies down to a calm zephyr, a woman steps out from behind the left pillar of the grand torii.
Her short hair is golden in color. She?s wearing a white dress with a dark blue, no indigo, colored layer on the front. Her hands are in her sleeves, sitting in front of her chest. Atop her head is an oddly shaped hat with charms on it. However, this is not what draws the girl?s attention the most.
Sprouting from her back are nine golden tails, all shining under the bright morning sun.
As the wind slows to a stop, she opens her eyes, revealing beautiful golden eyes. She turns her gaze to the human before her and smiles invitingly.
?So you?re the one she chose?? She says with a smile of reassurance. She closes her eyes for a moment then opens them, gazing directly at Kohaku with their beautiful golden luster.
?I apologize for all the trouble we?re causing you. I hope you will understand?? She says, looking slightly uneasy for a moment.
Just then a shout rings out from the sky.
?Bunbunmaru Newspaper! Extra big news! Read it or be blown away!?
As Kohaku looks upward in search of the voice, a bundle of paper flutters down towards the ground. As it lands by her feet, she kneels down and picks up the lump of paper. As the girl quickly glances at it, she notices the pages are entirely covered with words, the first page in particular grabs her attention.
The Next Hakurei Miko Appears!
Barrier left in the hands of Amateur?
As the harsh blizzards of winter come to an end, a gentle breeze blows throughout Gensokyo.
At this time, all of Gensokyo eagerly awaits the arrival of spring.
When it comes to spring, there is one thing on everyone?s minds.
Flower viewing.
And the number one place in Gensokyo for flower viewing is none other than the Hakurei Shrine.
X Month X Day, I received a strange report from a certain youkai.
The youkai spoke criptically and her words were hard to comprehend, but this was what she said:
?Do you remember that magnificent shrine to the east?
There will be someone there today, someone special.
Maybe she?s there to take the Hakurei?s great power.
Shouldn?t a reporter such as yourself go check out these things??
As always this youkai speaks in illogical riddles that can?t be understood by normal people.
Uneasy as I was, I reluctantly set out for the deserted shrine.
Upon arrival I observed a most shocking of scene.
There was a human girl ransacking the shrine.
I quickly rushed back to write an article.
On my way back I ran into Gensokyo?s resident oni, Suika Ibuki.
Upon hearing of the thief I caught red-handed, she told me not to worry, that the girl was just the new miko cleaning up.
This was even more surprising than I imagined.
So with renewed energy I headed back to begin writing the article.
It?s been more than a decade since the Hakurei Shrine was inhabited.
The Hakurei shrine which stands on the boundary between Gensokyo and the outside world used to be a lively place that youkai frequented.
The shrine?s only role is to maintain the border between the two worlds. Without a shrine maiden, the shrine fell into a sad state of disrepair, and youkai no longer visited.
Unable to complete it?s function, the shrine was forgotten by Gensokyo.
To believe that the shrine finally has a new shrine maiden.
This is a happy day indeed.
I look forward to a multitude of new material from this new shrine maiden.
(Aya Shameimaru)
*Notice*
To celebrate this joyous event, a feast will be held at the Hakurei Shrine. Everyone is welcome so there?s sure to be plenty of sake and food.
---
As Kohaku finishes reading the article, she looks up from the paper to see that the golden tailed woman had vanished.
It seems her everyday life is going to become anything but boring.
---------
---Time Skip Initiated---
Date: 28th of March, Year 160. Early Spring
9:01 A.M. ---> 5:46 P.M.
---------
As the sun began to sink to the west, Gensokyo was tinted with a beautiful golden hue. Shadows stretched out far across the dusty ground. Slowly, the nocturnal residents of Gensokyo began to awaken.
---------
---Marou
?Hah! That?s all the lessons for today? Tsukasa says as she wipes her brow with her sleeve. She inhales the cool evening air with a smile. She places her hands on her hips and turns to Sanaya who is standing before her outside of the Dojo.
?Thanks for your help Sanaya. I appreciate it.? She says. ?Anyways, I?ve got things to do this evening. Sorry that I can?t keep you busy any longer? She says with a weak laugh. She closes her eyes and takes another breath of crisp air. She opens her eyes and smiles at Sanaya.
?Feel free to stop by any time you?ve got nothing to do. I could always use help with demonstrations.? She shfts slightly, glancing towards her home that stands behind her.
?Well, It was great seeing you again. I hope we?ll get to spar again soon. I need to check on my mother so?? Tsukasa turns and gazes at the house with a frown. After a few moments, she turns back to Sanaya. Her gaze seems to have lost a bit of that energetic aura they previously had,
?So I?ll see you later??
-
It's easy to see where Tetsumaru gets his physical training, if this is what he does every night. Which he does.
Chop. Chop. Chop.
The sound repeats and repeats as the apprentice takes the well worn axe to the trees, slowly gathering wood together. It's a monotonous action that's well suited to the not-so-monotonous thoughts inside his head.
'It's like something was calling me...like...a memory. Was that voice from my past?'
He shakes his heads from the thoughts. After a bit longer, he lets the axe rest on the stump he's using and stares at the afternoon sun. 'What's going on...?'
-
Of all the trips Hotaru took, this one was interesting. She saw nothing interesting at all. She was half expecting something or someone to come up during this. She let out a sigh of disappointment, but quickly reaffirmed herself. Not like events come up in a quick sequence.
Still, it was either amazing lucky, or unlucky to not meet someone in this time. Hotaru padded her legs. Speaking of which, I haven't stopped at all, have I? She looked around, and found a stream nearby. She made her way to it and sat near the edge. She took out a canteen out of her bag, and took to taking small sips to pass the time.
-
Laresa's investigations hadn't turned up any surprising results. As she'd expected, some people had realized that they were under some form of compulsion, but many others had not. And even of those who had realized it, most had gone; Laresa had only spoken to a couple people who'd resisted it. Although many of the others spoke as though they'd decided to go on their own, not because of the compulsion. Of course, the truth of that is hard to determine; the effect of such a compulsion could easily influence such a decision-making process. Laresa knew the compulsion didn't cause her to go; she had been following a pre-existing plan, one she'd made when free of any such compulsions for just such a situation. If her plan had involved resisting the compulsion, she would have done that.
Laresa had spent the entire day since the odd gathering at the teahouse, waiting for Keine to finish with the day's work.
-
As the sun sinks down behind the distant mountains and hills, Sora lets out a relieved sigh.
?Finally?? She mutters aloud.
?Hm??
The redhaired woman standing beside her turns her head and looks down to where the girl is sitting, leaning against the same brick wall as the guard.
?Something on your mind?? She asks the visitor.
?Ah? It?s nothing, don?t worry about it? Sora laughs it off as she pushes herself up to her feet. She stretches her arms into the air, shifting her stiff body in order to wake her limbs. Her journey had came to a halt when she had met the girl standing beside her now.
Her name was Hong Meiling. She told Sora that she was the gatekeeper of the mansion and that the Mistress was currently sleeping. With the girl showing obvious disappointment, Meiling hesitantly decided to let her wait out until the Mistress would be awake.
With each passing minute, the sun sank lower and lower, the light it brought slowly receding with it. A silence hung over the two for a moment, then Meiling spoke.
?Um?Sora was it?? The Mistress should be awake by now?? She says with a small frown as she scratches her. ?I guess I could take you to meet her??
Sora turns her attention to the youkai with slight surprise on her face. She then smiles, trying to hide any sense of excitement from her face. ?Thank you, I?d appreciate it? She says.
?W-well?don?t get too ahead of yourself there?I can?t gurantee you?ll be accepted?? Meiling says, averting her eyes a bit. With a breath, she turns back to Sora with a smile. ?Well, shall we go in??
Sora silently nods and follows Meiling as she leads the girl inside.
?Make sure to stick with me. It?s easy to get lost here and it?s not really advisible?? She says as she opens the large doors of the Mansion. Sora nods again and steps inside. She gazes around with awe at the strange sights. The sheer size of the mansion was already impressive enough.
?Hey! Didn?t I say not to fall behind?? Meiling calls out to the girl.
?Ah?! I?m sorry? Sora says as she rushes to catch up with the youkai.
After confirming Sora wasn?t lagging behind, Meiling turns her attention forward and begins to lead the way. Sora follows silently as the pair journey further and further into the scarlet manor.
-
The word "breakfast" really had no sense of time. Did one sleep at night and wake up in the morning, or did one sleep in the morning and wake up at night? Whatever the answer, he'd still be hungry.
So it was no surprise that the kitchen of the Kyoki household smelled of curry and egg and rice. Shinsui still remembered when it was bright outside when her mother would do this and how her stomach would rumble and how she'd savor every bite and how she'd go out with her father after for a walk and-
SSSSSssssssss...
With a yelp, she mixed the nearly-burnt curry around the pan she held. She almost jerked it off the stove and onto the floor, and she would have done so if the mess could clean itself. It would have been fifteen minutes wasted.
As the food came to place on a large platter, the sharp scent of the spicy food sneaked its way into her nostrils. Her mouth, though closed, was watering. No matter how many times she prepared it, she never got sick of it.
The smell must have spread throughout the house as Tsutomu, her husband, came in from the outside. He was fresh out of a bath, as his wet hair told.
"Ah, curry and..." he guessed, sniffing the air and following the scent, "...egg? Did you buy eggs yesterday, or did you use the spare ones?"
"New ones," she said almost happily.
"Oh boy, don't tell me we're having eggs for the entire week," he gasped in mock surprise, putting his hands to his face.
Shinsui pushed him teasingly. "Call Kisei already. She'll whine if she misses out on this."
If sleeping two hours before midnight was considered sleeping late, a nocturnal like Kisei had slept late, two hours before noon. The cold touch of her blankets was her first clue that she had awakened. Her hands were sore from clutching her knuckle dusters. Now she really felt small.
She tossed in her futon and spun into a bump on the floor. That was a small doorknob attached to the plank that hid her secret stash of stolen goods. It gets me every time. I should move the futon tomorrow.
No sooner had she backed off the knob when her father opened the door.
"Ki-ki," his head peeked out from behind the door frame, "come eat breakfast. There's egg waiting."
"Come on, dad, don't call me that," the red-hair's voice was still weak, since she just woke up then, "It's been seven years since I stopped being a kid."
"Well, with all the tricks you play, you'll always be a kid to me," the girl's father said with a smile. He left without another word.
It makes me sick how he isn't taking me seriously. Does he even take anything seriously?
Slipping out of the bed, she shook the sleepiness off her body. Her arm wagged loosely. No pain came out of its movements. That should tip them off. Ugh. Her kimono's sleeves always swayed loosely; maybe that would hide it.
At least there's egg! Sweet, delicious egg!
OOC: Kisei likes poultry foods. :V
-
Wiping her brow as she leans on the broom she'd unearthed, Kohaku takes a moment to enjoy the sunset. There was a lot to this place, all right. She hasn't given the place a deep clean, but she's tried to put the worst of it in some semblance of order.
She's glad she had Hyozan along the first time she came to this place, and this time as well; his sense of direction is better than hers. Plus, she wasn't exactly paying too much attention to her surroundings the first time, intent as she was on getting her ocarina back. It took her a couple of tries to get Hyozan to lead her back to the shrine, but he did eventually go along with it. Her mother, on the other hand...
"Glad Papa was there, eh, boy?" she asks the dog resting outside the door, on the veranda of the shrine. The big dog whuufs once, seemingly in agreement. Her mother never shared her children's love of youkai, not by a looooongshot. Even at the end of a work day, when Kohaku was on her own time, mama-Yumei Daidouji was none too happy about her daughter traipsing back to some god-forsaken shrine to meet some non-human no-goodnicks that were just as likely to eat her as shake her hand. Yumei didn't like youkai much throughout most of her life, and Kohaku's first love Haine running out on her daughter didn't do much to improve her stance on the species, to say the least. Her father, however, being a bit more easy going, merely laughed and wrapped his arm around his daughter, saying to his wife,
"Lighten up, Mama. She can take care of herself, even without those chains of hers. Maybe I'll even visit this shrine myself, advertise the business."
"At least she didn't object to that. Well... Too much, anyway." Kohaku comment idly, sitting herself next to Hyozan. The rest of the work can wait a bit. Whoever wrote that paper may have been wrong about her, but the folks that are going to show up here for this 'feast' deserve to have a presentable building, at least, once they learn there's no new shrine maiden here. Kohaku hoped there'd be someone coming here that would answer some of the many questions she still has on that subject herself. Like, for instance, what happened to the old one? Nothing on those papers she found seemed to indicate that.
"Why me, Hyozan? Why did that youkai think I was the new one? I've never even heard of this place before. I don't even know what a 'shrine maiden' is, let alone how I'm supposed to be one. I'm a human, a jewelcrafter's daughter. True, I can throw chains around, but... I mean, I'm nothing special. I'm not their shrine maiden. I can't be." The big dog interrupts his friend by laying his head on the human's lap, quite successfully interrupting her chain of thought. She smiles and rests her hand on the dog's head, staring at the dusky horizon, savoring the moment with her friend.
"I can't be..."
-
"It's always a pleasure to help out." Sanaya checks her harness before continuing. "Thank you for letting me borrow a set of training clothes, I'll make sure to return them at the first opportunity I get." She tugs a little on her borrowed outfit.
She wondered for a moment why the dojo master would need to check on her mother but let the comment slide "It is not really any of my business."
"Yes, I will see you the next time I have any business in the village." She waves as she starts heading towards the village exit closest to her home. "Sayonara!"
As she walks through the village Sanaya notices some murmuring going on among the people still moving about.
"New miko... -maru newspaper... at the shrine." Her curiosity piqued, Sanaya starts looking around for a newspaper. "A new miko? Is it that shrine on the mountain, was it Moriya it was called?"
She notices a paper laying next to two elderly women chatting quietly at a street corner. She picks up the paper from the ground and begins reading the first page. As she read the article her brow gets more furrowed the further into the article she gets. "Hakurei shrine? A youkai told the reporter to check it out... is it some sort of shrine for youkai? And an oni, I thought they were no longer around?"
As she keeps reading things start to become slightly clearer. "So the shrine is made to maintain the border but mostly youkai visited it?" She had unconsciously started mumbling to herself.
"Wonderful news is it not?" Says one of the elder ladies next to her after hearing her muttering to herself. "It is such a relief to finally have a new miko after all this time." Responds the other lady. "I can't imagine the state the shrine is in by now though, poor girl is going to have to work hard to clean that place up."
"Would any of you be going to this feast?" Sanaya speaks up after glancing through the article another time.
"I would be surprised if many humans attend it to be honest." Responds the first lady.
"The shrine was mostly visited by youkai back when the last miko lived there." The second lady gestures towards some mountains in the east. "There is a path to the shrine in that directions, probably infested by youkai."
Sanaya looks in the direction the lady pointed before bowing towards the ladies. "Thank you for telling me all of this, let us hope this new miko is competent."
As she starts leaving the village she goes over all the things she just learned in her head. "A shrine with mainly youkai has recently gotten a new miko, and there is an oni involved somehow." When she gets outside the village borders she has made a decision.
"I am going to go to that feast, if nothing else just to see who the new miko is." She did not state it out loud but the mention of an oni had also piqued her interest.
-
Well, at least he'd gotten some provisions for the next week, and a little extra bonus of some sake thanks to a good job he'd done the other day.
"Well, least thing can't possibly get any worse. But this sake oughta take the edge off." he chuckles to himself.
But what he wouldn't have given to have had spellcards, or even be able to fly, so he could take on that youkai he saw earlier today.
She seemed quite strong, she'd probably have made it vastly more enjoyable than the mooks he sometimes had to fight when doing occasional jobs.
Judging by the tails, she was probably one of the higher caliber youkai. Just the thought of fighting a stronger opponent than the weaklings he usually fights has him thrilled!
It'd be a little ways before he got home, but he could see it off in the distance.
Once he got home, he'd crack open the sake and get to work on figuring out how spellcards work. Maybe getting drunk was the key to making one!
...Probably not, but at this point, he was willing to give it a go after today's events.
(Sorry for the shortness, but pressed for time.)
-
Senri had passed most of the day playing his usual waitress act at the teahouse, and then there began to be talk regarding the latest issue of the Bunbunmaru which some of the patrons had gotten their hands on from those who came and went on with their daily lives. A new miko, people were talking about this new miko. Senri had heard the stories of the shrine which was initially made to maintain the Great Hakurei Border from his mother, Youko, who had more often than not recounted her tales of her encounters with the old Shrine Maiden of that particular place and a powerful rascal just like herself; in the end it did not matter so much because Senri had not met those two and probably will not meet those two. Soon, Senri heard a call from a rather rugged, but aged man from another table who wanted to order something. He had just come in to most likely enjoy a cup of tea or two. "'Ey, wench!" the man called out in a rather powerful voice, signalling for Senri, who was holding a tray, to come along.
"Would you like anything, sir?" Senri asked in response.
"House tea, somethin' simple, ya hear me lady!"
"Ah, y-yes, coming right up." Senri retreated to the back to retrieve an ivory pot and an accompanying tea mug with which to deliver to the said man. As he made it to him, he placed the mug by the man and filled it with the tea. Then, he placed the pot by the man. "Feel free to get more if you want, and give me a holler if you run out."
"'ey, before ya leave, ya heard of the news from that one flyin' reporter?"
"Um, yes?"
"Ya gonna be attending the feast? A fine lady such as yerself would fit right in there."
"Um... I'll think about it..."
"Haw haw! You'd do well to think about it indeed!"
Senri bowed and smiled in response, going back to milling about and continuing his business as the closing time was about to close in.
-
5:48 P.M. Location, Schoolhouse.
As the day slowly came to a close, so did her workload for the day.
?There. All done for today?
The history teacher lets out a relieved sigh as she speaks. She shifts a bit, moving her stiff shoulders. She holds back a yawn and breathes in, closing her eyes for a moment.
She exhales slowly in an attempt to relieve her stress. After a few more breaths, she opens her eyes again. She gazes around slowly at the empty schoolhouse.
All is silent, the only noise being made by her own movements and breathing.
?Well?I better go check on that girl?? Keine says as she gets up from her desk and heads for the door. Grabbing her bag, she steps outside and locks the doors.
?That girl?geez?she probably hasn?t even eaten yet today?? Keine mutters aloud as she fiddles with the lock. She pauses for a moment and frowns slightly. After a moment she shakes her head and finishes locking up. Dropping the key into her pocket, she starts on her way home.
---------
---Yog
Hotaru found a large rock near the edge of the stream and took a seat on it, putting her bag down and taking her canteen out of it.
As the girl took a leisurely break, she gazed around at her surroundings.
In front of her was a small clear stream that flowed smoothly, it?s sound pleasing to the ears. Trees stood all around her, reaching high into the sky. The sky, tinted with multiple colors, had not a single cloud in it. Tonight would be a perfect night for stargazing and moonviewing. A cool breeze ruffled her hair gently as it passed, refreshing her. If this scenery were to be described in a single word, Serene would be it.
Hotaru closes her eyes and enjoys the moment.
Just then she hears a rustling in the trees.
As she opens her eyes and gazes upward, she?s met with a falling newspaper to the face.
The newspaper makes a sound that seems to echo due to the lack of surrounding noises. It bounces off her face and lands on the ground at her feet, the peaceful and quiet sounds of the stream becoming the only noise around her.
---------
---Hanzo
Takuma triumphantly marches home, feeling he has overcome what had started as an extremely unpleasant day.
Soon enough he reaches his small shack.
As he reaches out for the doorknob, he notices something not quite right.
The only window in his house was on the door before him.
And in that sole window was now a large hole that had not been there this morning when he had left.
Instead there was sharp edges marking that something had went through the glass.
Inside of the hut, Takuma could see the shattered pieces of glass lying on the floor along with a newspaper.
---------
---Sonae
Eventually the duo came to a large set of doors.
Meiling glanced around for a moment before speaking up.
?Wait here okay?? She said to the girl she had brought into the mansion.
Sora nodded silently in conformation, looking slightly puzzled.
Meiling opened one door wide enough for her to poke her head inside. After a few seconds she pulled her head back out and closed the door.
?Don?t move okay? I?ll be back in a bit. Wait here.? Meiling said to the girl before slipping into the room and shutting the door loudly behind her.
The girl blinked, startled by the sudden noise. It seems she?d been left all alone in an unfamiliar place. Trusting in Meiling?s words, she stayed put, waiting for the Youkai?s return.
---------
---Sourfang
Kohaku gazes out at the evening sky, Hyozan?s head resting on her lap. The sky glowed with the suns warmth, with its powerful light. Indeed, Gensokyo was paradise. A secret place of perfection in a huge world. Not that the girl who sat silently petting her dog, gazing up at the sky knew of its size.
With the passing seconds, the sun slowly sinks further downward, slipping below the horizon.
?My my, so you must be the new shrine maiden.?
Kohaku turns her gaze in the direction of the voice.
There standing before were two girls.
In front stood a beautiful lady, dressed in an elegant light blue kimono with white trim. Her obi is a darker blue, and on her head is a light blue hat with a white veil around it?s back. There?s a strange triangular piece of cloth with a strange red swirl on it sitting on her hat. Her hair is short and pink in color. She?s smiling sweetly, facing towards Kohaku, eyes closed.
Slightly behind her is another girl, one with hair as white as freshly fallen snow. Her eyes are blue and she?s wearing a green dress over top of a white short sleeved shirt. She has a black ribbon tied in her hair and a black bowtie at her collar. Behind her back and at her waist are two swords, one shorter than the other. The most notable thing about her is that she has a large white blob floating around her.
With a second glance at the pink haired girl, Kohaku notices she?s not actually standing on the ground, but hovering a short distance off the ground.
-
Hotaru stared at the paper. It was simply lying there, close to her. It was just a normal newspaper that just so happened to fall on her, in the middle of this place.
Hotaru stared at the sky. Where ever the newspaper came from, it had to be somewhere up there. There was nothing visible that could've done it, so who or whatever it was, it was gone already. Come to think about it, her brother occasionally mumbled about falling newspaper...
She picked up the former projectile. The Next Hakurei Miko Appears! was the headline on the front. She carefully read the article. Oni, a new Hakurei Miko, and a feast, Hotaru thought, putting down the paper. Was this related to earlier? It would've been a interesting coicidence if it wasn't. Although with two large gatherings, she doubted it wasn't...
...Although considering she wouldn't know where said shrine was, it didn't matter at this point. Placing the paper in her pack, she filled her canteen up a little, and continued her small break before continuing onward, now rubbing her nose a little.
-
About time, Laresa thought as she saw Keine exit the schoolhouse. She set down the copy of the Bunbunmaru she'd been reading and exited the teahouse.
Aya had a tendency to exaggerate, but there was usually at least some truth in her stories, and she might very well have access to information Laresa did not. She'd picked it up to see if there was anything about the earlier gathering, and also to see if there was anything else in it worth noting. But the gathering wasn't there at all; the main article was about something else entirely. And the timing is extremely suspicious. A new Hakurei miko showing up on the same day as the gathering? Laresa didn't know how they might be, but there was a very good chance the two events were connected. There was going to be a feast in celebration of the new miko, which Laresa planned to atend, as she might very well be able to learn something. For now, though, she would continue with her plan to speak to Keine.
Laresa called out to Keine as she approached. "Keine, do you have a minute? I need to talk to you about something."
-
He gave the pile of kindling resting on his pack a final look before shrugging. More than he usually got, but he was distracted this particular outing. Time to head home.
Urgh. Heavy loads are always the worst...
Tetsumaru gave the setting sun one final look before heading off. Nothing else to do but think and walk...
-
Oy, now I wish Kohaku was the glomping type. I so love Yuyumyon here.
Floating white blob around her, feet not touching the ground, serious-yet-somehow-endearing expression, katanas akimbo... Plus the other one! Even Haine wasn't as strikingly beautiful as this pink-haired woman, even if there is something... off, about her, something Kohaku can't quite put her finger on. But whatever it is, her companion is exhibiting a similar sensation. Almost like... they're not bound to this world, but to another, would be the way Kohaku would describe it. But that doesn't even make sense. Then again, not much at this shrine has made sense so far. Why should things start now?
The Daidouji heir's mind flickers back to those papers she'd read within the shrine, but she can't focus quite enough to pin down the line she was going for. Too much of her brain was currently being used by being transfixed by this beautiful figure before her, as well as her very, very pretty companion. But then her introduction line (such as it is) clicks, and the young woman starts from her seat, dislodging her dogs head from its resting place.
"I'm... I'm sorry, I didn't mean to stare, it's just..." Clearing her throat and gathering her wits, Kohaku defaults back to basic courtesy, she stands and bows to the two women before her. "My name is Kohaku Daidouji, heir to Daidouji Jewelers of the human village." Which really needs a proper name.
-
---GuyYouMetOnline
As the schoolteacher heard the voice calling out to her, she stopped and turned to face whoever had said her name.
?Oh Laresa. It?s been a while hasn?t it? How have you been?? Keine asks politely out of respect for the woman. She frowns faintly for a moment, then speaks again.
?I guess my business can wait for a minute? She says as she folds her arms. She glances around for a moment before leading Laresa off to the side of the street.
?So what was it you wanted to ask me??
---------
---Sourfang
The white haired girl looks at Kohaku slightly confused by her apology. The pink haired woman just smiles as she pulls out a magnificent folding fan colored with beautiful blues and pinks.
As the human introduces herself, the white haired seems to lose her confusion and steps forward.
?It?s nice to meet you Miss Kohaku? She says with a bow. ?My name is Youmu Konpaku? She says standing upright. She glances at the pink haired woman and then gestures towards her. ?This is Lady Yuyuko, mistress of the Saigyouji clan?
-
OOC: Short post incoming, but only because I have five minutes to write.
Breakfast was thankfully short. Before Kisei's parents had taken a second helping of scrambled egg, the girl had inhaled them all. By the time the curry and rice was finished, air had made its way into her stomach, and now she felt like crap.
But screw that. Walking around will make me feel better. So my dad and I were still sitting at the table, while my mom cleaned things up. She'd take the first shift at the shop.
"We have to pick up some cloth and candles today," Tsutomu said, "so while I get them, I want you to-"
"Listen in on talk?"
"Oh, don't say that. You take too much fun in it."
"Well, that's what it is. Not that I'm complaining," Kisei smiled deviously.
That was precisely what she did. Tsutomu would not be there to see it in person, but the father of perhaps the only red-haired, red-clad girl in the village would be easy to trace. He wanted to go back home and pretended it never happened.
Knocking at the door of one of his suppliers, he was let in after some short pleasantries. His order would come in a short while, but he would stay for quite longer.
"Have you heard? The newspaper's making a ruckus in town today," his host narrated, waving the said newspaper in the air.
Tsutomu snatched it. "A new shrine maiden? Is this for real? I've only heard of the last one when I was still a child."
"Yes, this is for real! I suggest you go get a copy of the news..." Then, leaning closer, he whispered in his air, "unless your daughter's already stolen one."
Shove
"Please, don't remind me of that," Tsutomu groaned. The other just laughed and laughed.
"Take a close look at it. Or, you know what, just take it. Compensation for your troubles."
-
"...then suddenly, she jumped up and run away." Amaya speaks to Kanako. She retold what happend this morning. It's late already, the sun is setting in the west and it's getting cold on the mountain. Amaya, Kanako and Suwako are sitting in the big living room
watching the BunBunNewsFlash on TV.Some dried fruits and a newspaper can be found on the table.
Vin is sitting in front of Amaya aswll. She is playing with him while telling her story to Kanako.
"She was gone before we where able to stop her.She was about my age. I wish she would have stayed for longer." Amaya says with some sadness in her voice. "Her name was Nanaya. She seemed to know you and Sanae. I should say "hi" to you..." Amaya doubt that Kanako knows her in person. Thinking about it, a question comes into Amaya's mind."Kanako-sama, did many people visit this shrine, when you first came here? Humans I mean." Amaya is talking about the time when the shrine got moved to Gensokyo. She never really thought about it, because the shrine never had human visitors, as far as she can remember.
-
>"I assume you know by now that something happened this morning. If nothing else, some of the parents were likely talking about it. I'm sure you felt it, too, the sense that you should make your way to the village center. As far as I can tell, the entire village was affected. It was a cumpulsion created by an unknown individual. This individual, whoever she is, has the ability to manipulate density, and it's that which she used to gather everyone. But the gathering ended without anything seeming to happen.
"When the culprit left, I followed and attempted to make contact, but she didn't respond. I never even saw her actual form; she had used her power to disperse herself into mist. I gave chace for a while, but she got away. Now, I need to identify her. Unfortunately, all I know is that she can manipulate density, whereas I usually have at least something of her appearance to go on. So I don't think my usual methods will work in this case. Which is why I'm here.
"It is, of course, most likely that the culprit is a youkai, which means there's no telling how long she's been alive for. It occurs to me, then, that there may have been incidents of unusual gatherings in the past. And when it comes to events in the past, I don't know of anyone better to talk to than you."
-
The young human takes a moment to think about the names. Neither Saigyoji, nor Konpaku, ring a bell to her. Quite the interesting pair here, she thinks to herself. One of them's all floaty, odd names that probably don't belong to the village, that weird sense she's picking up from them... There's an interesting story here, Kohaku thinks. More than one, even? Perhaps.
"Konpaku-san. Saigyoji-san." she nods to both in acknowledgement. "You'll forgive me, but, I must confess, I've not heard of the Saigyoji clan before. Do you dwell outside the human village?"
-
'.....What.'
The only window he had, broken. And just what was this thing that broke it anyhow?
"...You gotta be kidding me, a NEWSPAPER?! A NEWSPAPER BROKE MY WINDOW?!"
He contemplates just how hard you'd have to throw one to break a window. You'd probably have to not be human to do something like this, it's the only logical conclusion.
After this short contemplation, he picks up the newspaper, and brushes off any shards of glass that might be on it before starting to read it.
---Boys are now Reading/Placing consumables where they belong/grabbing a quick meal, please be patient.---
After reading the whole thing while munching on some dried meat with a roll of bread(that wasn't moldy!), he came to the conclusion that wherever this shrine was, it was bound to be interesting.
He'd have to ask where this 'Hakurei Shrine' was. Regardless of that though, he'd have to clean up this glass first.
"Man...and there's gonna be a party there too! Perfect time to get wasted and pick fights. But first, this glass has to go! I'll need to get a replacement window after all this."
He steps over the glass and tosses the newspaper on his desk casually before picking up a broom that was leaning against it.
He was planning on using this thing to figure out flight, but there wasn't anything stopping him from using it to clean house too.
"I'll just do some work for the glass-maker later on, it worked last time!"
After making this remark, he used the broom to push the door back open fully, and started sweeping the glass outside.
---Boys are now Cleaning, please be patient.---
After a short while of sweeping just about everywhere, he'd finally gotten all the glass out of his little hut, and managed to get it out of the way of anyone that could be heading down the path too.
But he'd sure hate to be any Youkai that finds it by walking on it. He's stepped on broken glass before, it wasn't fun.
He rests the broom on his shoulder before looking inside one more time. "Well, this party's bound to be a good one, so I guess I'll go too once I figure out where it is."
He scratches his head with a puzzled expression. "Wonder where the shrine is? The newspaper didn't really say...Damn thing should've put directions!"
He scratches his head bemusedly, then shrugs it off. "Well, guess I'll head into town to ask the teach, she'd know where the shrine is."
Regardless though, things were looking up for him. Maybe he'd head down to that forest to find a fairy to mess with sometime, they were always fun to get flustered. And they never remembered it the next day, which was half the fun of it. But first things first, he'd have to get a few things together.
---Boys are Preparing(Again), please be patient.---
After getting a small package of provisions set up, including the jug of sake, he decided to sling the pouch on the broom and then sling the broom over his shoulder.
He then walks back over to the door, and kicks it open energetically. This kick ended up dislodging the rest of the glass when it hit the outside wall of the hut.
"Well, that's one way to clean that little problem up!" He remarked with a laugh. And after that, he decided, on a whim, to kick the door closed too.
However, it seems he put a little too much oomph into it, as a slight crashing noise could be heard from inside the hut.
But, being the sort of person he is, shrugged it off and resolved to figure it out after the party. And with that, he decided to make his way back to the village.
OOC: Got some info from the chief that prompted me to edit this post. Don't wanna miss the party afterall! Freakin' time stuff man. Well, this is as much as I can edit it tonight, but this oughta work...I hope. If not, I'll work on it...next time I'm on? Probably tomorrow. I hope this works. :ohdear:
Second OOC: Figured I'd do a continued from last post kinda thing like marou does.
-
"...The town... Huh...?" Nanaya walked into the village, nervousness shaking her body as she began to notice the people. The houses. And everything else. She had never seen so many people in one place. Or generally just people. The lone girl strode unsteadily through the village, half amazed and half afraid. Passing beside the nearby schoolhouse, Nanaya noticed an unfamiliar sight. A woman with a hat. A hat. She had never seen a hat like that. It looked like a blue, house like structure with red symbols. After a few moments of staring, the girl went off deeper into the village.
"...People..." Nanaya muttered to herself, her sword drawing a straight line on the ground, grinding itself between dirt and small stones. Some of the townsfolk gave her weird stares. A girl with a weird dress, a sword and gauntlets hanging from it's hilt. Somewhere inside, Nanaya felt happy that after so long, there were actually people that noticed her presence. She had been away from living humans for a long time.
In some part of the town, a building caught her eye. It was larger then the average house, people were walking in and out of it, and also, there was this smell. The smell was almost exactly like the tea Nanaya had in the Moriya Shrine... Before her abrupt departure. With curiosity growing inside of her, the girl walked closer and closer towards the building. She could see the people inside, happy, talking, smiling, and even the waitress there.
Mustering her courage, Nanaya lifted her blade and placed it against her shoulder, walking into the building.
"...H-Hello..." She mumbled.
-
Chime! Chime! Someone had entered the teahouse. It was quite late, so it was peculiar that someone would want to visit the teahouse for some time. Senri noticed that it was a girl who had entered the teahouse; she was draped in something that looked rather foreign, carrying a blade on her shoulder. Senri had placed his tray at the counter of the teahouse and slowly approached the newcomer, curtseying and letting his twintails sway about, the long sleeves of his furisode kimono flowing about, he had tried to make his best impression of a waiter... waitress... person for this newcomer, fearing that she may be starting something up.
"Welcome to our humble establishment, ma'am," Senri said in a slightly sultry voice, curtseying and gesturing further into the teahouse. "Please feel free to take a seat and consider what teas you would like." Senri bowed once more and pointed to one of the vacant spaces in the teahouse.
-
Silently and a little confused, Nanaya walked deeper into the teahouse, finding a vacant space near a wall. She sits down, setting her blade down beside her, before carefully arranging the gauntlets to face the blade. Leaning back, she sighs and looks up. She had wandered into a strange place. Nanaya shakes her head, her eyes closed. There was one thing about this place which made her feel good inside. Somebody talked to her. The waitress had greeted her the same way how someone would greet her long ago, and Nanaya disliked that one part of her entire... "visit" of the village.
Finally at ease, Nanaya calls out to the waitress. The same one that showed her in. "...I...Um... I'll have green tea. And maybe something to eat if there is anything. Whatever you think will suit me... Uhh... Also..." Nanaya gestures for her to come closer, which she complies to. Once closer enough, Nanaya softly speaks.
"I-I would like to ask you about this town and... well, everything in general. Stay beside me after you've served the tea and stuff. I mean, if you can..."
-
>"I-I would like to ask you about this town and... well, everything in general. Stay beside me after you've served the tea and stuff. I mean, if you can..."
Senri nodded and acknowledged the request. "Alright, I'll see to it as soon as I get your tea and snack." Senri smiled warmly as he pitter-pattered off to get some of the house green tea and started shuffling about to serve it with one of their special snacks, it seemed to be a piece of green tea fluff-bread, it was about the size of somebody's palm. Not quite bite-sized but definitely not large either. It looked like it would go quite well with the tea, in fact. Everybody who ordered green tea with a snack would receive this, and Senri had been getting compliments for it (it was his recipe after all). Senri had yanked a small plate from... somewhere, and brought a slightly larger mug of green tea and went over to serve the two on a tray to the new customer, who had requested that Senri would stay to attend to her; she had questions that needed answering apparently.
Senri placed the tea and snack in front of the girl and stood by her side. "Here is your tea and snack. If there's anything you'd like to know, I'll do my best to answer your questions!" Senri smiled warmly once more as he stood, his arms folded behind his back, he looked incredibly girly and dainty at this instance.
-
Nanaya stared at the weird green piece of bread. It was not completely new to her, as she had once eaten delicacies like this one in front of her. She remembered the magnificent food she once ate, partaking in the feasts of exquisite events. Turning to the mug of green tea, Nanaya leaned forward and lifted the mug, sniffing the tea a little. It smelt different then the tea at the Moriya Shrine... Wincing her eyes and thinking for a moment, Nanaya shrugs and drinks down the whole cup.
The taste was different. Better. Flavourful. After a bit, she puts down the mug, picking up the bread, poking it and examining it. Finally, Nanaya bites the bread in half, pulling it apart and almost devouring it. She had forgotten the manners she had been taught. She had forgotten the ways of the noble. Soon, finishing the last half of the bread, Nanaya leans back and smiles.
Turning to Senri, Nanaya retains the smile she has. "It's good. Very good." The waitress nods, smiling warmly.
"So, um, for the questions... Actually, I didn't know this town existed. Tell me about it. Also this place. What is this place? ...And..." Nanaya looks down before looking at Senri's eyes. "What's your name?"
-
"Well, I made it, so if you want some more, just ask or something," Senri shrugged and soon realized that the girl was literally a newcomer to the town, and really didn't know much. "So, you don't know much about this place... Let alone its existence... Well, this is a pretty quaint place. Has what one normally would expect; the marketplace - that place where you buy stuff, a school, you may have seen the teacher milling about... I dunno, I was never even aware of the actual name of this place, ironic considering I'd been here for almost all my life..." Senri started looking up and then back forward again wistfully. He placed a palm on his cheek like a concerned mother would, and squeaked. "Oh, where are my manners... I droned on for too long. My name? It's Senri, you may call me that. It's been a while since someone here bothered to ask my name," Senri giggled. "I suppose the best way to describe this place would be a center for human interaction? Haha, I don't know, maybe you'd be better off asking Keine-sensei. I think you might have seen her already as you came in here. Pretty woman with the box-hat."
-
Nanaya listened intently, nodding at times. After Senri was done, Nanaya stretched and then realized something.
A center for human interaction.
Waitresses.
The girl shook her head, eyeing her sword lying on the ground beside her. Nanaya sighed. "W-Well, nice to meet you, Senri... My name's N-Nanaya..." Nervousness clouded her thoughts. She was thinking about doing the same thing she did at Moriya Shrine. But this was a village, and not that big of one. If one person would say of a girl running off without paying something, she would most likely be shunned by all. Well, rules were like that long ago. Nanaya looked around, finding an escape route, while pretending to just be admiring the place.
"W-Well... Um... This is a-a... Nice place..." Finally, Nanaya wanted to go. Now. She looked at Senri, eye to eye, before looking on the ground. Her right hand went over to her blade, gripping it tightly. "S-Sorry, S-Senri... But... I-I..."
Nanaya stood up, pulling the sword up with her. She bowed to Senri, tears in her eyes. She was going to run off, and in her mind, be shunned by the entire village soon enough. Money was never a problem for her before, until now. "S-Sorry..." Nanaya took off. Running out of the teahouse, she began to run south.
-
"Aw, hey! Don't run off like that!" Senri groaned and hefted his own weapon and gave chase to Nanaya, who had essentially dined and dashed. Senri was usually instructed to deal with those who dined and dashed... enforce some justice. But Senri had not figured out that this Nanaya had come without money on hand in the first place - she looked well-off enough. There was something odd about her and Senri had to find out. "Come back, you haven't paid!" Senri squeaked out and dashed out the teahouse and followed Nanaya south, hearing various utterances of the other patrons of the teahouse. Senri had quickly mentioned that he will close up later after he dealt with this blatant theft.
-
OOC: Continuing from my previous post.
As per the unspoken protocol, Kisei went about eavesdropping, but the excited and surprised chatter was nothing new. With a stolen apple in hand, she bit into it, causing juice to flow free on to her sleeves. She had created a small scene by a merchant's stall (but not because I stole anything) and managed to get away with only an apple. It could have been the money, but the box had to be behind the table!
But the buzz of the village was one and the same.
Chomp chew chew chew chew
"What shrine? What new something or whatever?" she mumbled to herself. She only knew of the Moriya Shrine on Youkai Mountain, but nothing she heard sounded like "Moriya." It must be a pretty old shrine.
Everyone seemed to have a newspaper, as if someone dropped a giant sack of food and just left it there, and all the bystanders stole it. But hey, it's fun stealing stolen stuff, too! Running up to one of the readers, she got a glimpse of the front page. The emboldened front page header was unmistakably the source of all the excitement.
Chew chew chew chew chew
But eating took precedence over theft. She continued eating.
-
---GuyYouMetOnline
?This morning?? Keine mutters lowly as she listens intently. Upon hearing ?manipulate density? Keine?s expression clears of confusion. The teacher listens thoroughly before answering Laresa?s questions. Keine nods, showing she understood what Laresa was saying.
?Yes, there has been a gathering mist related incident before. Many years ago? She said, thinking back to that time, as if it was just yesterday.
?Unfortunately, I didn?t attend those gatherings. Now that I think about it I don?t think anyone from the village attended?? Keine says as her brow furrows slightly. Shaking the thoughts away, Keine continues.
?Sadly, I haven?t met her myself, and she doesn?t show up in the village often, so I can?t tell you her name or give a detailed description. Sorry?
Keine thinks for a moment then, as if recalling something important, she speaks up once more.
?Oh, if there?s one thing I do recall, it?s that the ?gatherings? she caused were all feasts??
Keine glances up at the sky for a moment. The light has started to fade from the sky ever so slowly, turning to darker blues and violets.
?If that?s all you needed, I should get going, I still have some errands to run before nightfall.? The teacher says with a faint smile.
---------
---Sourfang
Youmu starts to speak up but is cut off by Yuyuko.
?The netherworld? She says simplistically. Youmu nods in confirmation.
Then Yuyuko advances forward towards the veranda. She opens her eyes revealing maroon colored eyes.
?Youmu brought snacks~? She says as she takes a seat on the other side of Hyozan. She smiles at the dog lying next to her.
Youmu takes out the snacks and brings them inside the shrine. She sets the food platter on the counter. Before returning she gazes at the inside of the shrine. A faint frown slips across her face, but is quickly erased. As she looks at the counters she notices there appears to be small amounts of dust scattered around. Eventually, the girl breaks from her reverie and heads back outside.
As Youmu steps outside onto the grass, she turns and first looks at the Saigyouji mistress, who is cheerfully holding her hand out to the dog at her side. Then she shifts her gaze to the human. Youmu opens her mouth to speak, but she seems to hesitate, not quite knowing what to say. Finally, she decides to wait for the girl to speak, not wanting to pressure her any further.
-
The broom Kohaku had been holding falls out of her hands, landing with a clatter. "The Net... The netherworld?" she stammers out. "As... NETHERworld? So that... Does that..."
Hyozan, for his part, seems to be taking the revelation in much greater stride than his friend. He regards the kimono-clad woman with his big blue eyes, taking her measure. If he senses her otherworldly nature, he shows no outward sign of it. He looks at her outstretched hand and sniffs it casually, sticking his cold nose into her palm. Kohaku was half-expecting his nose to go right through the woman's hand, and is somewhat surprised when it does not. The malamute whuufs once, sounding somewhat satisfied, and promptly deposits his big head in the Saigyoji's lap.
Kohaku blushes and starts at her friends' outright boldness, but when her jaw works, she can't quite make any sounds come out. Poor girl seems a touch... overwhelmed? And, perhaps, just a TOUCH jealous of Hyozan. Netherworld resident or not, she's still very beautiful. That thought, however, manages to bring her whirling mind at least partly back under control, and she asks again, in a much smaller voice, "Netherworld? Like... the afterlife?"
-
Well, that's not suspicious at all, now, is it? "Actually, I think that tells me quite a bit. And while the gathering earlier was not a feast, it seems as though there is going to be a feast. This was announced in the latest edition of the Bunbunmaru, which I doubt you've had a chance to find a copy of, but... well, according to Aya, the Hakurei Shrine's got a new miko. There's going to be a feast to celebrate.
"Now, it occurs to me that the timing on this is very suspicious. I think the events are connected, and if the past gathering incident involved feasts, then that's an additional reason to think that it's the same culprit. If you know the name of that individual, I'd like to hear it, although after reading Aya's article, I do have a place to start even if you don't know the name. Does the name 'Suika Ibuki' mean anything to you? See, Aya's article mentions her by name. She's an oni, apparently, and according to the article, Suika's the one who told Aya that the person in the shrine was a new miko."
-
Sanaya's walk from the village had been uneventful and she arrived at her house within a matter of minutes.
The house was nothing impressive, a two room cabin divided into a kitchen and a sleeping room with a small tub for washing herself up after training. There was a sign hanging above the front door that said: Furuika Sanaya: Youkai Exterminator. with another smaller sign hanging under it that said At home.
"Oops forgot to flip the sign." She thought as she reached up and flipped the smaller sign so that a side that said Busy became visible.
As she went inside she headed straight through the kitchen into the sleeping room to clean herself up after the excercise she had gotten.
*Girl is washing up, don't watch warmly unless she is ready.*
A few minutes later she steps out into her back yard wrapped in a simple robe. She glances at the sun for a moment before deciding to head towards the back of the yard where she sits down on the same rock that she had been sitting on this morning.
"I'll be able to meditate for a few minutes before I head off."
She fills up a mug with water and it starts trickling out through a hole at the bottom, giving her an audible way to gague time. She puts the mug down and as the water keeps emptying she closes her eyes and clears her mind. Suddenly she can hear every facet of the sound of trickling water, she can feel every change in the wind and every one of the impressions that enters her mind leaves just as quickly as it is interpreted by it. She enters the state that she always aims to hit during her meditation sessions. Her heartbeat hastens. Her breathing, though hard to notice, speeds up and her body is just overall doing everything it is supposed to do much faster than is normal. As the final dropplets of water run out of the mug she opens her eyes. Only five minutes have passed but she felt like she had been sitting there for 20.
"It certainly is more relaxing when I'm not trying to push the limits for how long I can do that."
With that thought she went inside her bedroom again and changed into her usual kimono, lacking any sort of fancy dress to put on for the feast.
"Well" She says as she pokes her head out the back door. "I guess I should better get going, I might have to look a bit for that shrine."
She heads through the house yet again and checks that the sign is turned the right way before heading back towards the village center, planning to find the trail that the old woman mentioned before.
-
(I apologise for the shitty writing. Incredibly tired. Also written with Trance going "YES WRITE IT" and etc.)
Nanaya didn't want to flee. She was confused, afraid, and angry. Both at herself and at the laws of the world that her parents and old friends had taught her. The world apparently ran on money, and skill. As her father taught her, people with skills far better then the normal folk will go incredibly far in life, and people will money will go even further. Running towards the southmost exit of the village, Nanaya cried, afraid of the consequences of what she had just done - But she thought she had no choice. She had no more money. No more family.
"Aw, hey! Don't run off like that!" She had heard while running. That waitress was chasing her down. To shun her and shame her in front of the whole village.
"Come back, you haven't paid!" Nanaya heard once more. Emotions flooded her heart and soul. Her brain only told her to run. Or more precisely, Run, and never stop. Never return. Nanaya thought that she was from then on, labeled as a thief. A bandit, maybe, or a lunatic, judging from her weird outfit and weaponry. Her skirt fluttered in the wind, and her gauntlets jingled, like the time she was up on the mountain. That was the only good memory she had in the chaos happening within her very mind.
Fear caused her to turn from her original course. Nanaya continued running south, before taking a sharp turn towards the right, heading towards a desolate alley of sorts. Almost ramming herself into the stone wall, Nanaya halted. Her nose was touching the wall and she was standing erect. Craning her neck, she saw the waitress from earlier. Senri.
"There you are."
"...S-Senri... I-I don't... I..."
Nanaya eyes the ribbon-wrapped item that the waitress wields, her already overflowing heart being poured with even more fear. And at that instant, Nanaya raised her own weapon. The katana she was always dragging around. It was a family heirloom, the Arasoi no Ion. It was incredibly disrespectful to be dragging a precious item on the rocks and the dirt all the while, but the katana showed no signs of wear. It was as good as new. Slightly shorter then the average katana, but still able to be classified as one, the sword was unique as it was unable to hurt someone at all with the back of the blade. The back of designed just for parrying and blocking other weapons. The front of razor sharp, a single full-power slash would probably mortally wound a youkai - That is, if the user had the skill to even do that. And in this case, nope.
Nanaya pulls the rope that attached her gauntlets to the katana. Stabbing the blade into the ground for a moment to put on her gauntlets, Nanaya was ready. From a far distance or even from a meter away, the gauntlets would just resemble normal gloves. On closer inspection, it was indeed a glove. A fingerless glove, covered in a spiked gauntlet, the metal and other materials having beasts of Gensokyo inscribed on them. A gem laid in the center of each gauntlet.
Senri unwrapped his own, a blade that looked just like a normal katana. Maybe a little longer, maybe a little heavier, Nanaya didn't know. It didn't matter.
"I-I'm sorry, S-Senri... But... But, I do-don't want to be s-shunned! I n-never wanted to do t-this!"
"...Why would you even do this?!"
Nanaya charged forward, holding the sword in a weird position, which would be much more suitable for an assassin or someone using a dagger. Nanaya brought the blade down, with all the strength she could. Senri retaliates by thrusting his own weapon forward, parrying the Arasoi no Ion rather easily. The force sends Nanaya staggering for just a moment, before she swings the sword towards Senri's side. By just moving his own sword in the direction of Nanaya's attack, Senri's weapon blocks the blade. Senri forces Nanaya's blade back, making her have to begin to move back as Senri continues pushing forward with the momentum of his first block.
Senri delivers a blow using the back of his blade. Nanaya almost throws her own to block it, only to find her sword fly out of her hand and behind her. Taking this advantageous moment, Senri delivers another blow down.
A loud clash of metal is heard.
Nanaya had punched the blade with her fist - Her gauntlet. Jammed in between the spikes was Senri's blade. And in Nanaya's mind, two words echoed.
I won.
Nanaya pulled her arm towards her chest, as if doing a chest-bump. But to her surprise. her arm didn't move. It could not move. The realization dawned on her.
She could not break the sword.
Senri forced himself forward, the sword still stuck to the gauntlet. Getting closer to Nanaya, she essentially just gave up. Releasing her strength she put in her gauntlet, Senri pushed her down. And as every action has a reaction, Senri fell on Nanaya. The duo fell like twin pillars, Nanaya hit the ground first, the sword finally released from her gauntlet. Senri released his hand on instinct, and the sword jammed into the ground beside Nanaya's head. Senri promptly fell on Nanaya.
Shine on me your light of rapture,
As you touch my soul with a warm gesture.
You and I, yet far apart,
Our journey has yet to start.
Trust each other till the abyss,
The end will return with a kiss.
The two's lips met. Tears flowed from Nanaya's face, and her face blushes heavily, even with the chaos happening.
-
Senri's eyes were wide open as he fell down, feeling himself come down on this girl, feigning vulnerability, but in the end tried to resist what could only be termed as cold justice; in the end it backfired horribly and it ended up feeling incredibly awkward too. He felt his lips touch Nanaya's, but as soon as he felt it, he lurched back and propped himself up, ending up sitting next to Nanaya in a wariza position, eyeing the fallen girl as his own unwrapped sword was jammed right next to her head. "Why? why did you let that happen?" Senri sighed and had a faint blush plastered along his face, and he felt a strange ringing in his head. Senri could see that Nanaya was crying, and could not help but feel pity, and sorrow, for this girl, he could feel that Nanaya was not around these parts after all.
"Fine, fine, I'll let you off... I mean, you're clearly not from around here. Is there anything I can do to get you to stop crying...? Please?"
-
Nanaya cried, both inside and out, She had given up all hope on winning once she could'nt break the sword. Her gauntlet could break any normal weapon, and being unable to do so meant the sword was either made to be unbreakable, or that she didn't have enough strength. After the fight, awkward things had happened. But still, even after that, she was crying inside, She had also lost something quite important to a girl. Not her precious thing, but something almost as precious. Nanaya had also gained knowledge of something else.
The waitress was not a girl at all.
But now wasn't the time of that. After the madness settled, Nanaya only heard three words. "Let you off."
Nanaya looked up, tears still flowing from her face. She whimpered.
"I-I h-have no home... C-Can... I... rest?"
-
"You're homeless?" Senri sighed and looked back at the direction of his house. Senri sighed and wondered what this meant. He wanted to offer Nanaya a place to stay, but his sister and his mother and his father would wonder what the hell he would be doing bringing another girl to the house like this. At the same time, Senri just couldn't LEAVE Nanaya here. She was clearly unfamiliar with the social norms of the time; she definitely gave him Hermit vibes, he could tell it from the way she acted and how nervous she looked when she first entered the teahouse (which was a common place for social gatherings). "If you want, I'll try and talk to my parents about setting you up with my place, alright?" Senri sighed and looked at Nanaya with much concern, retrieving his sword and wrapping it with the cloth which was tightly tied to his right wrist the entire time.
-
Nanaya sniffed, before wiping her tears from her face. Pulling over her gauntlet from the ground, she begins to attach it to the Arasoi no Ion and remove the other she wields. The sword and gauntlets show no sign of damage. They still seem brand new. Nanaya soon smiled, a blush still lingering on her face. After Senri was done tying his sword, Nanaya nodded to his words from earlier.
"Y-Yeah... T-That'll be good..." Nanaya stood up, and soon, pulled Senri up too. Nanaya, looked up at Senri's face for a moment, before turning away. The boy seemed to notice, and faced her. As soon as he did that, Nanaya turned back, smiling.
"C-Could y-you... uhh... show me y-your...um...s-sword?" Nanaya blushed harder for some reason.
-
"Alright, so, shall we go?" Senri nodded and soon began to lead Nanaya to his household, the Yamagishi household, which was a fair distance away from their current locale. It wasn't that far but it certainly wasn't close either. Eventually, Senri and Nanaya found themselves at the front door of the house, which was reasonably sized, and of traditional architecture; nothing new, nothing particularly fancy either, though it looked quite sturdy and resilient. Nanaya could see the fence that obscured the onsen. Senri opened the door to the house and went inside, gesturing for Nanaya to follow. "I'm home..." Senri called out and soon was greeted by a shocked face from his sister Aika and a rather bemused expression from Youko. "Who's this you brought with you, dear?" Youko giggled, trying to hide her malicious grin with her hand.
"She needs a place to stay and I couldn't just leave her there..."
"Well, I don't really care as long as she doesn't stay in my room. Or your sister's. She can stay anywhere else though."
Senri suddenly walked up to Youko and whispered something into her ear. "Hahaha, oh wow, really?!" Youko giggled. "Man, sometime you have to let me watch!" Senri sighed and looked at Nanaya. "Well, you heard her. You can stay here as long as it's either the rest of the house or my room... Just don't wreck the place or anything."
-
The house wasn't marvelous. It could'nt compare to her old home. Or to be precise, her first home. The cave was nice still, but living in an actual house after all this time was still an amazing thing to Nanaya. It had an onsen that was blocked off by a fence, sturdy walls and everything traditional. It wasn't a rich man's house. It was one much like the middle classes. Curiously looking around with her sword dangling beside her, Nanaya began to like her new home - Even if it was ultimately going to be temporary. She had met another girl, and Senri's mother. The two seemed like average people at first glance.
Senri sighed and looked at Nanaya. "Well, you heard her. You can stay here as long as it's either the rest of the house or my room... Just don't wreck the place or anything."
Nanaya nodded silently, before exploring the house. It was neat and tidy, like how all houses would presumably be. It also looked as traditional and alright on the inside as the outside was. Soon after her little exploring mission, Nanaya walked over to Senri.
"W-Will you bring me to your room? I-I... um... Want to see... um... Y-your s-sword..."
-
---CONTINUED FROM LAST POST---
---Boys Are Traveling Now(Again), please be patient.---
After a short while, he made it to the village center (which oddly felt like it took less time than last time, likely because he'd gotten something more to eat.), and noted that everyone else was abuzz about something too. Probably that party the newspaper talked about, going by how a lot of people had one. Something about a new Hakurei Miko?
He wondered if she was any good at fighting. He made a mental note to challenge her sometime once he'd figured out danmaku and stuff. In the meantime though, he'd busy himself with looking for Keine, so he'd know where the heck the shrine was so he could go enjoy himself at a party.
It had been ages since he'd actually been able to attend a party, and not act as security, or food delivery, or some other job of some sort.
Out of the corner of his eye, he'd noticed someone he somewhat recognized by way of having at least seen them before. 'That's the girl who was on the ground earlier today.' He couldn't help but grin.
Perhaps he'd be able to have some fun sooner than he expected...Even though it wasn't usually his style to pick a fight with a girl who looked like she should be home eating dinner by now. But he was bored from the walk, She was eating something, he had no clue what though. Probably some kind of fruit.
Maybe he'd see her again at the party, since odds are everyone in the village was gonna be going too. But that won't happen for him if he doesn't find Keine.
He also noted some sort of commotion and clamor coming from another sidestreet. Someone did a dine-n-dash? Heh, it'd been a while since someone tried that. Last person who tried that ended up running afoul of the teahouse's enforcer-slash-top server. He didn't know too much about that person though, other than they were good in a fight when the chips were down.
OOC: Trance, YJ, Takin' it a little fast ain't ya? They only just met y'know. :V
-
---Sonae
The red haired youkai keeps a quick pace as she hurries down the long corridor towards the Mistress?s room.
As she turns the corner, she spots the one she?s looking for.
?Ah, Mistress? Meiling says as she rushes over to the girl.
The small girl raises her hand to her mouth and yawns sleepily, her massive wings twitching slightly.
?What is it Meiling?? She asks dully as she rubs her tired eyes.
?Are you still tired??wait no, that?s not it? Meiling says as she walks alongside the mistress. ?Someone is here to see you? She says as the pair turn around the corner and head down the long hall once more.
?And?? What did they want?? the Mistress says, sounding a hint annoyed.
?She said she?s here to apply for a job as a maid? Meiling says as she lags behind the mistress a bit.
The girl stops in her tracks, silent.
Meiling stops and glances around, feeling the awkward silence push against her.
?Um?Mistress???
Just then as if time had resumed, the girl keeps on going.
?Ah?!? Meiling catches up to her and speaks again.
?Mistress is somethi-?
?Meiling, have the fairies prepare some tea?
?Ah- Yes!? Meiling stands straight for a moment before calling over two fairies, passing the orders onto them. The fairies hurriedly fly off the way the pair had come. With s slight sigh, Meiling turns back to see that the Mistress is far ahead of her. She quickly catches up with her just in time to here her Mistress?s next order.
?Meiling, fetch her for me? She says bluntly.
?Yes!? Meiling responds, picking up speed and heading past the girl.
As the Mistress continues into the large room set with a single chair and table, she takes a seat in a very ladylike fashion before stretching her arms forward.
As if in succession, the girl?s large wings stretch wide before giving a single flap and returning to their default position.
The Mistress sits silently, awaiting her visitor, a devious smirk on her childish face.
---------
---Sourfang
Youmu blinks a few times, startled by the girl?s sudden outburst. After many seconds pass, Youmu opens her mouth to speak. However, before she can make a sound, Yuyuko promptly interrupts her.
?Yup!? She chirps happily as she gently pets the dog?s head.
Youmu nods silently before speaking up.
?Though I?m not completely a ghost?? She says as she turns slightly to look at the white blob floating about her.
With a short pause, she continues to speak.
?Lady Yuyuko is a ghost though.?
Yuyuko cheerfully nods without speaking, still petting the malamute.
---------
---Dorakyura
?Hmm?? Kanako mumbles, raising her hand to her chin in a gesture of thought. ?I don?t remember any humans on the mountain?After all the tengu drive all who venture near away.? She says as she shrugs it off, slouching back a bit into a more comfortable postion. ?Let alone any as young as you Amaya? She says.
Suwako is fiddling with a page of gossip taken from the newspaper, apparently in her own world.
As Amaya asks her question about the past, Kanako raises her gaze slightly, as if recalling events from many years ago.
?Well, ignoring the magician and that miko?? She starts slowly before finishing her sentence. ?There have never been any human visitors here. Though we do get some faith from the hokora? She says with a look of disinterest.
Suwako holds something up slightly near her face.
In her palm is a newspaper frog.
She sets it down and presses down on the back of it, producing an acrobatic flip from the paper amphibian.
Just then, the trio hears the shrine?s front door open and slam shut. Before they get the chance to think anything of it, they hear an all too familiar voice call out from inside the shrine.
?I?m home!?
?Ah!? Suwako says, dropping her paper toy, ?It?s Sanae! It?s Sanae!? She shouts happily as she leaps to her feet and dashes out of the room to meet her.
Kanako gets up and follows silently, lacking the same energy as Suwako.
---------
---GuyYouMetOnline
?Oh there is?? Keine says, intrigued. ?It seems I?ll have to pick up a copy on my way home? She says, glancing to the right for a moment. She then turns her gaze skyward, looking at the quickly darkening sky.
As Laresa mentions a new Hakurei miko, Keine spins around, ending her reverie and turning her full attention to Laresa. Her mouth opens slightly, as if to speak, but the woman stops herself. Keine hesitates for a moment before closing her mouth and allowing a faint but pleased smile to slip across her face.
As Laresa asks about the name, Keine nods.
?Yes I?ve heard of her. She?s the only oni living in Gensokyo. Fortunately she doesn?t kidnap humans, which relieves me of worry?
As if finally cluing in, Keine snaps her fingers.
?Oh, you don?t know how to get to the shrine do you? Did you want directions?? Keine asks in a friendly tone.
-
A ghost. Two ghosts. Well, one ghost, one.... not-quite-ghost? What does that even MEAN....
Confidant that her eyes had turned into swirls, Kohaku tries to focus on something solid, so she settles on Hyozan again, something Haine mentioned to her years ago surfacing. "Bu' I thought... I thought dogs didn't like gh...." She swallows. "Ghosts."
The concept of a youkai, something related to a human but more, somehow, had fascinated Kohaku for years. But a ghost, that's something else entirely. This is new, to say the very least, and completely unexpected. The simple human's obviously a touch overwhelmed.
"Then again," she presses on "Hyozan's always been a bit different than other dogs. But a good judge of character. But, uh... Do you two... Haunt, this place?" she asks carefully.
-
Sanaya thought she heard something that sounded vaguely like metal striking metal causing her to snap her head around and grabbing for her back before realizing she left her weapon at home. Dismissing it as coming from the blacksmith's place she continues on.
"I really am on edge today."
She shakes her head before altering her route through the village, leading her towards the school building rather than straight through to the east side of it. As she rounds a corner, bringing the building into view she sees that the teacher is already standing outside talking to a person that Sanaya is not familiar with. Violet hair, carrying a pack and several scars, not an appearance you'd forget anytime soon. However there did not seem to exist any sort of hostility between Keine and the person so she continued walking until she was within speaking distance where she bowed towards Keine as a greeting.
"Good evening miss Keine."
She instantly realized that she was being rather rude by bursting into an active conversation and turned to the unknown woman that Keine had been talking to before Sanaya had interrupted.
"Oh, I apologize it seems you were in the middle of a conversation."
She lowered her head towards the woman.
"I'll be on my way momentarilly, I only need to confirm my directions."
She was about to straighten up again before realizing another thing that made her lower her head again.
"Oh where are my manners? My name is Furuika Sanaya, miss...?"
She let her sentence trail off as to allow the woman before her to answer.
-
"Yes," Laresa said, "where are they? Please allow me to finish my business; it will only take a moment."
Laresa turned back to Keine. "YEs, please do give me directions." The shrine was the obvious place to investigate next. She'd need to be careful, though. She'd heard the stories of how strong oni were, and although stories did tend to have reliability issues, there was usually at least some truth to such things. Hopefully this wouldn't end up turning into a fight, but it could. And an oni was not an opponent to approach lightly. I'll only fight if I have to, though.
"Thank you, Keine," Laresa said. "Hopefully I'll see you at the feast; if things turn ugly, having backup present would be most assuring."
-
"I'm home, otou-sama."
"Ah, good. The gathering?"
"Well enough. A little more than usual."
"Good, good, come in. Always glad to hear that."
Tetsumaru raised an eyebrow at that statement. His father wasn't usually this...excited. "Otou-sama? Is something the issue?" he asked as he set down the wood.
Jin grinned at his adopted son. "Well, you see son, there's this thing going on..."
----
"Haaaa...," the apprentice sighed out after sliding the door to his house shut once more. "Of all the things...?"
A celebration. A massive party. And his father wanted him to go advertise their wares there, while of course having 'fun' of his own. Tetsumaru wasn't antisocial, but...a large party like that...
He frowned at the pouch of money Jin had given him. A new kimono too, just for the party? What was the old codger planning?
-
OOC: I will invoke a title drop (http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/TitleDrop), but unfortunately it's not on behalf of Sonae. And this post states my intention to go the feast. :V
Tsutomu caught his daughter hanging by the other bystanders, eating an apple. No doubt it was stolen, and she was probably going to steal something else again. Not on my watch. Newspaper in hand, he nonchalantly strode her way, bringing down the paper on the back of her head.
The redhead prematurely swallowed, making her hack and cough the apple bits back into her mouth, which ended back down her gut. She whirled about-face, catching a glimpse of her father walking past her.
Before she could voice her complaints, he grabbed her wrist and dragged her along with him. "Hmmm, don't get carried away with gathering information, please? I don't want my name tarnished by yours."
"Then, I want a better alternative to staring at a curtain." This exchange never led anywhere new. In fact, Tsutomu wondered if Kisei had really matured at all, or was taking her actions seriously.
"Well, have I got news for you! Tonight..."
"...we'll be going somewhere!" Tsutomu placed the newspaper across the table, handing it to Shinsui. As she took it, her eyes scanned through the words rapidly, and soon the three of them were on the same page. No pun intended.
She said nothing, Truth to be told, she didn't exactly have any objections or thoughts on her husband's decision. She looked at the article again. "How long has it been since we've ever attended a feast? At the Hakurei Shrine, no less."
"The shrine was bound to have a new resident, but I don't think either of us expected it."
Kisei cut in right after. "What shrine are we talking about?"
A silence followed, with Shinsui breaking it shortly after. "When we were still children, and every year before, I should believe, there would be a shrine maiden taking care of the Hakurei Shrine. The shrine grounds are on the boundary of Gensokyo, but no one could really explain the significance of that. To us, anyway."
Another silence followed. "Well, who cares. At least there'll be food!" Kisei declared.
Laughter ensued.
-
"Can you hold on a moment, Nanaya-san?" Senri sighed and recalled that he had to close down the teahouse. He had forgotten to in his haste to chase down nanaya herself, but in the end, he had let her off, so he was to improvise an explanation for his blatant tardiness today. "I'll be back, I need to close up the teahouse for the day." Senri huffed out before he quickly dashed out of the house, running in the direction of the teahouse, which was now empty, save for two people who worked there; one being the owner. The owner and Senri had a bit of a quick and rushed discussion about the commotion earlier, and Senri procured some money (his own money) and feigned that Nanaya had come up with some money in the end, even if in reality she didn't. He could sense the owner saw through the ruse, but in the end, the damage was done and well, the owner knew that if Senri was paying out of his own pocket that would serve as a minor punishment.
Senri had quickly cleaned up and gotten about to shutting down the doors and checking that the windows were properly secured, and finally shut for the day. Quickly, Senri made his way back to the house, now promptly panting and sweating a little bit. He had remembered what Nanaya asked him - "W-Will you bring me to your room? I-I... um... Want to see... um... Y-your s-sword..."
"My... My sword." Senri sighed and weakly nodded, lowering the sword hanging on his back. Senri ushered Nanaya into his room which was close by to the entrance; it was the smallest of the rooms but still a little spacious. There was a clever use of space incorporated into the house and it showed. Senri placed his blade on the ground after unwrapping the cloth and putting it aside.
"Okay. Here is my sword. Unless you meant something else?" Senri tilted his head sounding incredibly oblivious.
-
Senri had left, went back to close the tea house after a day of work. Work and unexpected events. Nanaya took this chance to explore more of the house. Like the individual rooms. One in particular, closer to the entrance, was slightly smaller then the others. It was a bedroom, and would suit a smaller sized person. Perfect. Nanaya thought. Se also had some suspicions about who could be the one that stayed in it. At first, it was clear that it should belong to Senri's sister.
After a bit of walking around the house, both inside and out, Nanaya settled down in the main room, Right as Senri returned. He was sweating, and panting too. It was clear that he either did not have much stamina, or closing the tea house was really that exhausting.
"My... my sword..." Senri had said, before showing Nanaya into his room. Now, she knew that the room in fact did not belong to his sister's. Senri promptly unwrapped the sword before placing it on the floor. Nanaya curiously examined it, poking it and running her hand down it's length. It felt like a normal blade, and yet, it also felt like it was unnatural. Nanaya pulled one of her gauntlet's out, wearing it.
Placing the blade in between the spikes, Nanaya Held on the blade with one hand and pulled as hard as she could with the other. The blade would not break. It would not even bend. It was not made with normal metal.
Nanaya sighed in relief. For a moment there, she actually thought she lost because this boy overpowered her. ...To think of it, she didn't want to fight him earlier. And she could not use her str- A blush ran over her face as images of their earlier... Event came back. Nanaya looked away for a moment, before facing Senri.
"Um... Uhh... Thanks..." She said with her face red. Nanaya looks over to the bed. It looks comfy. And it would sure beat sleeping on rocks... Nanaya walked over to the bed, pressing her hand on it experimentally.
-
Senri looked at Nanaya, who started to blush a little, and in turn she looked at Senri's bed and pressed her hand on it. Senri's family was one of those who had beds rather than futons, it was part of Senri's father's engineering genius, even though he was more of a smithy than anything, he still had knowledge of carpentry to some degree, and made these beds. Senri tilted his head and fixed his hair, as he plopped his back on the bed and took some deep breaths. "That would be my bed," Senri said casually. "Apparently, mom says you're either to stay outside this room or stay in this room with me, but it's really up to you what you want to do." Senri stretched out before someone burst into the room; it was Youko. His mom.
"HEY! Did you hear the news? Of that festival or some feast or some of that hogwash goin' on at the Hakurei Shrine?" Youko blasted out quite loudly, she certainly didn't seem to have that motherly touch about her as she giggled uncontrollably. Senri weakly nodded in response. "You totally HAVE to go there and cause a stir! Maybe you'll find someone who fancies ya! Haw haw!" Youko giggled and strolled out casually, laughing and calling out for someone, most likely Aika, to help with dinner.
Senri groaned. "There will be a feast at the Hakurei Shrine at some time. I was already planning to go but I guess mother also wants me to go."
-
"HEY! Did you hear the news? Of that festival or some feast or some of that hogwash goin' on at the Hakurei Shrine?" Youko blasted out quite loudly, she certainly didn't seem to have that motherly touch about her as she giggled uncontrollably. Senri weakly nodded in response. "You totally HAVE to go there and cause a stir! Maybe you'll find someone who fancies ya! Haw haw!" Youko giggled and strolled out casually.
Senri groaned. "There will be a feast at the Hakurei Shrine at some time. I was already planning to go but I guess mother also wants me to go."
Nanaya listened intently. The shrine was right in front of her home. I mean, her cave. A feast? That was the first time someone would mention the shrine. So far, it was just a desolate, old building that nature had reclaimed. This was... New. After the commotion had settled, Nanaya arranged her blade and gauntlets on the floor beside the blade. Looking over to Senri on the bed, Nanaya too, went over and laid down on it. The comfy, warm fluffyish feeling overtook her mind, body and soul... And eventually, Nanaya fell asleep, making satisfied moans and Mmms.
-
Senri yawned but was slightly startled to notice that Nanaya had stripped her own weapons off her person and proceeded to promptly lay down on his bed (right next to him, mind) and fall asleep. She began to make rather satisfied moans and started making some strange "Mmm" sounds which veritably disturbed the hell out of Senri but all he was doing at the moment was blushing and shuddering. He had not ever been this close to someone else before that wasn't family; certainly not someone of the opposite gender, yet he knew that she most likely meant nothing so big of it... After all, she certainly had not been a part of human civilization for most likely a long time. Senri sighed and yawned once more, starting to feel sleepy himself. "Hmm... maybe I'll nap a little..." Senri murmured softly, closing his eyes and then promptly napping himself.
-
Floating in a sea of memories, the girl opens her eyes in her mind. Images of her past. Both of the happiness she had enjoyed and of the suffering she had endured. Flashing past the eyes of her mind, Nanaya dreamt of the future as she went by the constant, fast-paced movement of her past. Would there by happiness? Or would there be nothingness forevermore?
If I stretch my hand countless times in this repeating world,
will my ephemeral tears melt this dark heart?
Nanaya mumbled in her sleep, turning over to the right to sleep on her side. Soon, her body curled up into a ball of some kind. Almost like in fetal position, just with her arms not around her legs and her legs not as close to her chest. Her head turned a little more, moans escaping her mouth.
If I pick up this fallen hope and join it with tomorrow,
this entwined and distorted wish can also be set free.
Nanaya muttered to herself, falling deeper into her sleep. She's almost like a philosopher in her sleep. But, just then, Youko had stuck her head in the room. Grinning, she still didn't have all that motherly things a mother should have. She giggled for a moment, before bursting in, smiling. She crept over to the bed, staring at the duo, laughing and giggling all the while. The noise soon woke even the deepest sleeper. Nanaya pulled her head off the bed, looking around.
But surprisingly, nobody was around her. All she heard was something like a voice in her head.
"What would you do when this innocent, cute boy is vulnerable." The voice said. At first, Nanaya was amazed that she even had a voice in her head. She thought to herself, "Hello there, voice! What is your name?" But it came back with no reply. Eventually, Nanaya actually remembered what the voice said... And proceeded to ruffle Senri's hair. It felt nice, for Nanaya, to be actually touching a person after such a long time. It made her feel... Happy.
Nanaya smiled, and closed her eyes, continuing to ruffle Senri's hair.
-
The entire time, Youko had cloaked herself and retreated outside, using her mischievous sorcery to project a voice into Nanaya's head, for her own design. She had indeed walked in on the two sleeping in the same bed, which, while it would have served as an awkward moment for your typical mother, Youko Did Not Give A Damn, and instead took the moment to have some fun of her own. Youko had already prepared dinner with Aika, but left Senri alone knowing that he was tired. Meanwhile, Nanaya had begun to ruffle Senri's hair, who in turn started softly groaning and squirming about like a little vulnerable girl. He could feel the soft touch of somebody stroking his hair, and while he tried to continue napping, his eyes slowly began to open and when his eyes finally opened, he could see Nanaya, now awake, stroking his hair.
Senri blushed madly.
"Uh...? Nanaya-san???"
-
The girl was enjoying her time ruffling Senri's soft hair. His squirming was... Cute, too. A tiny, harmless gir- Well, guy, in a big world. Senri actually reminded Nanaya of herself. Her happy self. Nanaya opened her eyes as she heard Senri's voice. However, the smile remained on her face. It indicated that she thought nothing was wrong. It was further justified when Nanaya said just one word.
"What?"
Then, Nanaya noticed Senri's flushed face, and seeing that, immediately triggered a chain reaction in her mind and body which made her blush profusely - Almost as much as Senri himself. And hell, she didn't even know why.
"...I... Um... Uhh... I..." Nanaya looked away, her hand still on his head. "...I-I'm sorry..." Nanaya pulled her hand off.
-
Senri shook his head as he simply continued to lay down on the bed, looking back at Nanaya, who was also blushing at this site. "Aww, don't say that. You didn't do anything wrong!" Senri squeaked out as he still idly squirmed occasionally, taking some form of comfort from Nanaya's hand on his head, but at the same time, he wasn't so sure if this was okay. Then again, Youko didn't seem to care very much. In fact, it almost seemed like his mother was making fun of him for it, teasing him idly or trying to take advantage of the situation - on his expense. Furthermore, how would Aika react to all this? Senri barely even knew Nanaya. Just that she just randomly visited the town and went into the teahouse. Then this all happened because Nanaya dined and dashed. Senri was still blushing, but then he mustered up the courage to try and actually talk.
"Aw... so... um... Nanaya-san, where... where did you come from? Like... you don't seem to be from here..."
-
"M-Me...?" Nanaya stuttered, looking back at Senri. "Um... I-I'm from somewhere f-far from here..." Nanaya pointed towards the east. "S-Somewhere there... I think... Long ago I was in a mansion and stuff. Rich people. Then I ran away and lived behind the Hakurei Shrine. L-Like in a cave... Then I met some people and then I stopped meeting anyone for a really long time so I was lonely." Nanaya frowned. She could hardly even remember her father's name, yet alone remember the name of the place where she was from.(Do note that it IS in Gensokyo)
Nanaya pointed at her sword. "That's the Arasoi no Ion. My father's sword. I stole it before I left my old home. A-And the gauntlets... They were from somewhere near my cave. Kasen once said that they were from Makai... But I don't know if that's true or not because I don't think I have ever been to Makai..." Soon after, the blush from Nanaya's face settled. She proceeded to stand up, looking around.
"I-I heard a voice in my head and when I tried to talk to it, it would'nt talk back! But before that it said what would I do if you were sleeping. So, I remembered... somebody used to do that to me when I slept so I thought I would do it on you... Um... I-I didn't mean anything wrong... Like, um..."
Nanaya looked away, shaking her head. "I-I'm sorry a-about earlier... Y-You know, that..." Nanaya placed her index and middle fingers on her mouth, looking away for a moment, before putting them down.
"T-To be honest, you're the first boy that I-I've ever met..." Nanaya smiles gently. "...N-Not like I met any other people besides you and Amaya..." Nanaya mumbles.
-
Sanaya raised an eyebrow, partially because the woman had brushed her off without even returning a name of her own, rather rude, but also in response to what she had said after doing so. "A feast at a shrine and directions, could she be...?"
She squirmed for a moment before her curiosity took over and she spoke up again.
"I'm sorry miss... eeh, yes... no introduction, right." She shook her head before continuing. "You said you were going to a feast. Would this be the feast at the Hakurei shrine by any chance?" She paused awkwardly, trying to formulate her next sentence properly. "I just so happen to be heading to the very same feast and I simply took a detour past here to confirm my directions with Miss Keine." She turned her head towards the teacher. "The shrine is located in the mountains to the east correct?"
-
'When no one ever appeared here, why does a human appear on the mountain so suddenly...'
Still in thoughts, Amaya pushes Vin's little head down. "You just wait here ~♥" she says to him. Amaya stands up and follows Kanako and Suwako to the entrance. She follows Kanako elegant.
"Okaasan, welcome back." She says with a smile as they approaches Sanae. "Can I help you?" she asks before she can see what Sanae brought with her.
-
---Sourfang
?Who would tell you such a silly thing?? Yuyuko says as she raises her sleeve to her mouth and laughs.
As Kohaku asks her next question, Yuyuko replies immediately.
?Of course we do? She says with a smile.
?Ah?Lady Yuyuko?? Youmu says with a sigh, a worried expression across her face. ?Please don?t tease those you?ve only just met?
?But Youmu, you need to make a real impression when meeting someone? Yuyuko says taking out her folding fan and waving it slightly in Youmu?s direction.
?Um?I don?t think that?s quite right?? Youmu mumbles with another sigh.
?Youmu~? Yuyuko calls, her voice seeming more distant now.
?Yes milady?? Youmu responds, opening her eyes and looking for the Saigyouji mistress.
?Youmu~ I?m hungry~? Yuyuko says.
?Ah! Lady Yuyuko! Those are for the Feast! You can?t eat them now!? Youmu says, rushing over to the ghost princess.
---------
---GuyYouMetOnline and Marou
Keine turns her gaze to the approaching woman, greeting her with a smile.
As the woman finishes introducing herself, Laresa retorts to a comment the girl had made, casuing Keine to frown, disappointed by her former student?s rudeness.
Reluctantly, Keine sighs and speaks.
?Give me a moment to write them down? She says as she takes out a small notepad and a pencil and begins to write down the directions.
She hands Laresa the directions, receiving a thank you before she begins to depart. However, upon hearing her words, she speaks up.
?I hope you?re not planning on attacking that oni Laresa? She says with an untrusting, almost faintly hostile, tone. Her voice resounds strongly, stopping Laresa from leaving without responding.
As Sanaya speaks up, breaking the awkward silence surrounding them, Keine glances at her and nods, trying not to give Laresa an opportunity to slink away.
---------
---Dorakyura
?Ah, Hello Amaya? Sanae responds with a warm smile. ?How was your day??
?Some weirdo came by? Suwako pipes up, followed by Kanako entering the discussion.
?She apparently knew about you and I? Kanako says, not seeming to worry too much about it.
?Oh?? Sanae says, trying to recall any such weirdos and having no luck.
?So Sanae, what?d you get?? Suwako asks in an excited tone.
?Oh, just some groceries. Bread, tea, rice, vegetables, things like that? She says as she sets the bags she was carrying on the nearby counter.
?Oh! I also came across? this!? She says as she digs into the bag and retrieves a familiar bundle of papers. ?Did you guys hear?? Sanae says with an all too energetic smile.
-
"What happens," Laresa said, "depends on factors beyond my control. I intend to avoid combat if at all possible, but there is still a chance that it will be required. I won't fight if I don't have to. You know me well enough to know that. Thank you for the information, and hopefully I'll see you at the feast."
WIth that, Laresa departed, leaving Keine and the newcomer behind. Laresa's rudeness towards the newcomer was actually fairly normal for her, and deliberately so. She generally wanted people to keep their distance, and rudeness helped encourage them to do so. Keine knew this, and despite her disapproval, she didn't say anything about it. She didn't know exactly what had happened to Laresa-Laresa hadn't told anybody-but she knew it was bad. And she doesn't ask about it. She may not like my attitude, but she accepts it. And that's good enough for me.
Laresa had told Keine the truth; she indeed did not intend to fight if she didn't have to. But if she did have to, she was, as always, ready.
-
Sora gazes around at her unfamiliar surroundings as she waits patiently for her guide to return. She had never seen, let alone been in, a building like this before. Sora wondered what the Mistress was like, living in such an elegant house, sleeping late in the day, even the fact that her servants called her ?mistress? made her seem quite impressive.
?I wonder?? Sora mumbles to herself.
Just then the girl is brought back from her daze by the sudden opening of the large doors beside her, causing her to twitch.
Meiling pokes her head out and glances around. ?Oh, there you are. The Mistress is ready to see you? She says as she steps out and closes the door to only a small crack.
Sora doesn?t speak, and hesitantly nods.
Meiling nods and slowly opens the door, allowing the girl passage into the room.
Sora takes a breath to prepare herself, and bravely steps into the room.
As the girl steps in she notices the large size of the room, as if it could comfortably fit a hundred people or more. Two large windows sit on one wall of the room. Outside Sora can see the residual light of the sun in the sky, darkness having nearly covered the entire sky.
As she brings her gaze back towards the center of the room, she sees her.
There setting in the middle of the room at a small table is a child-sized girl.
Her shoulder length hair is a pale light blue, and her eyes are deep crimson. She?s wearing a light, nearly white, pink dress with a matching mobcap. Her outfit is adorned with many scarlet ribbons. But what is the most noticeable thing about her, is the two large, bat-like wings protruding from her back. She smiles ominously as she looks back at the girl.
Sora is visibly stunned by the girl?s appearance. Her mouth is open, but unmoving, unable to speak in front of the being before her. Silence hovers over the room.
Then, the girl speaks.
?Welcome, Sora?
-
Kohaku is left with the distinct impression that the Saigyoji woman is like this all the time. Flighty, capricious, beautiful... On the other hand, Hyozan was comfortable enough in her presence to plop his head into the ghost's lap. That counts for a lot in the Daidouji heir's books. Maybe she acts like one of those flighty princesses in the stories her father used to read to her when she was a wee lass, but if Hyozan thinks she's a good person, that's good enough for Kohaku. Despite the fact that she's a ghost. She takes a moment to observe the sword wielding Konpaku woman, trying (futilely) to restrain her mistresses' appetite. She feels a flicker of sympathy for the cute yet serious little thing, if that's the way Yuyuko carries herself all the time. On the other hand, she'd wager they're rarely bored.
They seem like good folks, ghosts or no. Kohaku's not sure she'd be able to keep up with that Yuyuko is she was haunting her, but she could imagine far worse spirits to haunt her than a free-spirited, beautiful woman. And her cute little sidekick, to boot. It'll be sad to tell them that that newspaper was mistaken, that she couldn't be the new shrine maiden, but it wouldn't be right to lie to them.
Wait a second here. If she's a ghost... How can...
"How can a ghost be hungry?" she asks out loud.
Hyozan, for his part, rises from his position, looking a little disheveled himself, as though Yuyuko had dissapeared out from under him. Well, she is a ghost. Perhaps she had. He pads casually after the ghost-girl, perhaps looking for a bit of grub himself.
"How did you touch her, Hyozan?" Kohaku asks the dog, then shakes her head, and calls after Yuyuko, "And how was Hyozan able to touch you? I thought ghosts weren't.... y'know, solid? Corporeal." she adds, the bigger word taking her a second or two to recall.
-
The apprentice shifts uncomfortably in his new clothing. A dark brown, long sleeved kimono with a stylized design of coals and rising flame at the hem...it's a little too perfect. 'Otou-sama likely ordered it for me...' Tetsumaru noted offhandedly.
As he walked along the road to where this party supposedly was, he paused. Something...again, from the edge of his conscience...?!
The road was mercifully empty when he pulled out his shikomizue at his reflection at an adjacent window. There, hiding behind him yet not there at all, was...him?
"Yo."
"You-?"
"Oh, don't worry. I don't have much longer."
"Who...?"
"No one. Not anymore. You are all that's left of me...I'm gone. Done for. Kaput. Dead. Whatever pleases you. I wanted to talk to you at least once before I left."
"...so?"
"Haha! Is that anyway to treat your progenitor?...ha, I suppose you wouldn't know better. You forgot, didn't you? It's odd that I only gain back my conscience when I fade away..."
"...who are you?"
"What you were before. What was. A man who sought perfection, in all forms. Who grew disillusioned, and in his attempt to avoid death left a legacy. The self proclaimed Perfect Human, he who chased an endless dream. A man who wished to grasp the so called Holy Grail of humanity. And you are the result. So live on, kid. Show me the product of all my work. Show me the ideals you forge with those hands. I'll be heading on first."
A sardonic smirk.
And before he could even respond, the image faded. His grip slacked on the blade, and eventually he slid it back inside the scabbard. "He..."
With nothing left to do, nothing left to say, and no one to say it to, the smith's apprentice continued on his way to the party, thoughts mulling and stirring. "...so those were my lost years...?" he asks, to no one and nothing.
-
---Sourfang
Youmu had managed to persuade Yuyuko to wait, and she reluctantly let out a cute sigh as she took her seat next to Hyozan again.
?Bourei are no different than humans? Yuyuko says, a sweet smile on her face as she pets the malamute?s head once more.
Youmu nods silently in agreement.
-
"What's a Bourei?" Kohaku blurts, before shaking her head rapidly. "No, wait, hold on, just a moment here." She takes a moment to ensure she has both their attention, before settling a matter outstanding since the two got here. "Look, I don't mean to dissapoint you, and I would hate to ruin your moods, but, I'm afraid there's been some kind of mistake. That newspaper made a mistake; I'm not the new shrine maiden of this place. I can't be."
-
Sanaya followed the woman with her eyes as she left, not quite feeling insulted but definitively not pleased.
"Not the most pleasant of individuals. You would figure that she has at least some grasp of common courtesy."
She was silent for a moment before she realized that Keine was still there and that she had heard her musing to herself. "Oh pardon me. Do not mind my blabbering, I am certain that I just caught you two at a bad time."
An awkward silence settled, she had never been the best at talking about things other than her trade and the thoughts of an oni had re-entered her mind.
"Ehm, anyways I had just meant to stop by to say hello before heading to the feast at the shrine." She looked down the road in the direction the shrine should be according to her directions, the other woman had already gone out of sight. "Well, I should be on my way, will I be seeing you there later sensei?"
-
Amaya approaches Sanae to see what she's holding. "Is this the Bunbunmaru? That crow brought us a paper aswell. Have you two read the newspaper already?" She asks the two goddess.
"Can I take a look?" Amaya takes the paper and unfold it to read it. "Flower Viewing... Hakurai Shrine... new miko... a feast will be held...", she skim through the titel page out loud.
"Mmh? A new miko? What happened to the previous one?" She wonders and gives the newspaper back to Sanae. "I never was at the Hakurai Shrine, will we go to the feast?", she continues.
Amaya turns herself to the bag in the corner: "I'll bring the groceries into the kitchen. Ok?", she says as she pick up the quite heavy bag.
-
Senri looked at the sword and the gauntlets that Nanaya had removed before she hopped onto the bed with him, and then learned that Nanaya came from a cave of some sort by the Hakure Shrine, and then she met some people and then apparently stopped meeting people again, which explained her hermit-like tendencies. She apparently "left" her old home, but Senri wasn't too sure of the authenticity of the story. Then, he heard that Nanaya had heard a voice in her head and was asking her that particular question. Oh, mother... seriously... Senri gave himself a mental facepalm before coughing for a moment to clear his throat. When she looked away, Senri tilted her head and then heard her namedrop a name. To be honest, Senri didn't pay too much attention to what she was talking about when she was talking about her weapon, though the tidbit about Makai did intrigue him somewhat. However...
"I heard you mentioned someone called Amaya...? Who are they?" Senri asked politely as he could, head-tilting included.
-
"...Amaya." Nanaya remembered her impoliteness when she rushed out of the Moriya shrine. She didn't even get to meet Kanako... Or what'shernamegreenhair. Nanaya struggled to remember the original shrine maiden's name, and after a little wincing and thinking, it popped back into her head.
"Amaya is S-Sanae's daughter! Yes, Sanae! You know, like on the Moriya Shrine, with Kanako and... That other girl goddess what's her name..." Nanaya said enthusiastically but the emotion soon died into a monotone when attempting to remember the other goddess' name. A wave of silence flushed into the room once more, before Nanaya looked at the bed once more. This time, it seemed fluffy and... Fluffy... and...
Nanaya dropped herself onto the bed, burrowing her face in it and eventually falling asleep with the same "Mmms" and satisfied moans.
-
Senri looked at Nanaya as she was explaining who Amaya was. Sanae, Sanae, who was that Sanae, Nanaya mentioned something about a Moriya Shrine, but he really wasn't at all sure what it was. Youko only ever told him about the Hakurei Shrine, he did not know of the existence of a second shrine here in Gensokyo, then again, he was not incredibly well-read nor was he incredibly well-traveled. While he wasn't an uncultured lout, he was certainly ignorant about most things in the world. He didn't leave the town very much; Aika his sister may probably know more about it. Senri made a mental note to ask Aika about this Moriya Shrine. However, before he could ask the girl more about her life (not that he really LIKED her in that sense or anything, he was just curious because he had not really met a hermit before) Nanaya looked at the bed and promptly fell asleep again. Senri sighed.
"So, I was the first boy you met, huh... Weird." Senri shrugged as he looked at Nanaya's sleeping figure, burying her face in HIS bed and making some sounds again.
-
---Sonae
?So,? The girl says as she takes the teacup from the fairy that had just brought it to her. She carefully sets it down on the table next to her, soon after resting her head on her head, a slightly ominous smirk spread across her face. She gazes at the human before her, her red eyes seem as if they gaze right through the girl.
?You?re here to apply for a position as a maid correct??
Sora hesitates for a moment, still in a daze.
?Ah?Yes, that?s right?? Sora says, trying not to stutter.
?What are your skills?? the mistress asks nonchalantly as she runs her delicate fingers along the edge of the teacup.
?Um?my skills??? Sora asks, dumbfounded by the sudden informal question.
The mistress casts a glance at the human before turning her eyes back to the cup.
?What can you do? What makes you any better than all the fairy maids employed here?? She asks as she raises the teacup to her soft lips and takes a sip.
As she does so, her face contorts in displeasure. She lowers the cup, a deep, disturbed frown now spread across her face.
Sora blinks, not quite understanding the situation. ??Um???
?Can you make better tea than fairies?? The mistress asks with a hint of irritation.
?Um?Yes?? I believe s-? Sora begins, swiftly being cut off by the mistress.
?You?re hired.? She says as she puts the cup down, pushing it away. The girl then rests her face on her hands, her expression changed to a pout.
?U-uh??? Is all Sora can utter before the girl speaks again in a louder voice.
?Meiling. Show her to her room? She says, annoyance obvious from her tone.
?Y-yes!? Meiling pipes up, seeming to have not been paying attention for a short while. She rushes over to the newly appointed maid and grabs her wrist. She turns her head and gazes at her for a moment before turning forward and speaking.
?Follow me? She says as she begins walking towards a door on the far side of the room.
Sora nearly trips as the youkai drags her over to the exit. She just nods as they head on their way.
As they approach the door, Sora looks back towards the young mistress who is still sitting at the table. Sora watches as another fairy enters the room, bringing the mistress a small gray bundle. The Mistress sits up and takes the bundle from the fairy without casting a glance in the human?s, or the fairy?s, direction.
Sora opens her mouth, but refrains from speaking, and stays silent.
Soon enough, the pair exit into the hallway, leaving the Mistress alone in the empty, and now silent, room.
---------
---Sourfang
The pair gaze at the human before them, still digesting the words she had thrown at them. Youmu has a dumbfounded expression on her face, obviously surprised by this sudden revelation. Yuyuko however isn?t nearly as shocked, in fact, she?s still smiling.
?W-w-wha?? Youmu stutters. Unable to retain her composure. Yuyuko pulls out her folding fan, holding it in front of her face. Her eyes flicker with a perceptive light for a moment, becoming sharp and cunning.
?It?s not good to lie you know?? Yuyuko says as she glances at the girl, the ghostly Mistress giving off an entirely different feel than before.
Youmu looks from the princess, to the human, and back again. She?s wearing a clueless expression, as if she?s been left out of some important loop.
---------
---Marou
Keine gives a sigh as she watches Laresa leave with Sanaya.
?Not the most pleasant of individuals. You would figure that she has at least some grasp of common courtesy.? Sanaya thinks aloud, gaining a side cast glance from the still frowning Keine.
As Sanaya realizes she spoke out loud, she apologizes to Keine who gives a halfhearted response.
?Yeah?? She mumbles loud enough for Sanaya to hear. Her eyes remain fixed on the place where Laresa had vanished from site.
I hope she doesn?t do anything foolish?
Distracted by her worry, Keine almost doesn?t hear Sanaya speak up again.
?Hm? Yeah later?? Keine responds, still somewhat distracted.
Just then, lights flare up.
Keine is awoken from her daze and turns towards the source of the light.
Around the village, the laterns were being lit for the many nighttime businesses that flourished throughout the village.
Then, Keine remembered.
?Ah! I?m sorry Sanaya, we?ll have to part ways here, I have some things I need to do before it?s too late.? She said as she quickly scribbled down the directions for Sanaya, ripped the page from the notepad, and handed it to the young woman.
?It was nice to see you again? Keine shouts as she takes off towards the village?s market, waving her farewell before turning ahead and rushing out of sight.
---------
---Dorakyura
?A-ah, yeah?? Sanae says, blushing out of embarrassment for forgetting that the Tengu always drops a copy of her newspaper at their shrine.
As Amaya asks her question, Suwako nods energetically. Kanako shrugs slightly before speaking up.
?I?ve glanced through it. Aya?s papers are so packed with so little actual value after all?? She comments bluntly, gazing around in boredom.
Amaya casually picks up the papers and begins to read aloud.
?Flower viewing?Hakurei Shrine?new miko?a feast will be held?? She mumbles aloud as she skims the front page. As her eyes find the title, she speaks up with a question.
?Mhm? A new miko? What happened to the previous one?? She asks as she holds out the paper to her mother.
Sanae had begun to reach out for the newspaper, but upon hearing her daughter?s question, stopped, her hand frozen in mid motion.
Her mouth was open, but she didn?t say anything.
Slowly, Sanae?s smile faded away.
?Riibbiiit??
Startled, the two gaze at the space between them.
There, atop an outstretched palm was a large frog.
The mother and daughter stare at it, speechless for a moment.
The frog sits, oblivious to their stares. After a few seconds, it turns its head, and then leaps off of its perch.
?Ah! Kero-chan! Come back!? Suwako shouts as she chases the frog into the nearby living room.
Sanae is left speechless for a moment, but soon enough, bursts out into laughter.
Kanako watches silently, a small but warm smile sliding across her face.
-
It was pretty boring really, searching for the teacher. One would think that since he used to attend, he'd be able to find that distinctive hat of hers easily.
Unfortunately, he wasn't having very good luck...So, he decided he'd swing past the market area to pick up a snack, some steamed chicken buns.
A favorite of his that he'd forgotten to get earlier in the day, and was starting to get a craving for.
---Boys Are Walking to Market, Please be patient.---
As he stepped out of the shop in a relatively good mood with a bag in one hand, and a bun in the other, he caught sight of a familiar-looking blue hat.
He knew that hat anywhere, it was Keine's. He couldn't believe his luck, maybe she'd forgotten to do some shopping too?
So he decided he'd wander over, and maybe walk along with her to get the info he was after as she was doing her business.
"Oi! Been a while teach! Got a question. But if you've got something important going, we can talk as we go."
OOC: This good enough?
-
Now that's uncalled for. Kohaku thinks to herself.
"I assure you, Saigyouji-san, I am no liar. I don't like when people lie to me, and I like lying to people even less. I'm the heir to the Daidouji jewelers of the human village, daughter of Hyo and Yumei Daidouji. I barely even know what the Hakurei shrine maiden is, outside of some damaged papers I found in this building. And nothing in there named ME as any kind of 'savoir of Gensokyo'. Somebody had to have made a mistake, and I'm not going to go around claiming to be something I'm not."
"Okay, it's true, I have some powers that other humans don't, and there's the.... Well, never mind about that. The point is, from what I read, the hakurei shrine maiden has to be some kind of hero, someone very special. That's not me. I'm no one special. I don't know how to be a hero."
Kohaku's malamute pal, for his part, pads over to stand by Youmu, the two 'guardians' flanking each other. His ice blue eyes settle on Yuyuko for a moment, then turn to Kohaku. A low, rumbling sound comes from his throat, punctuated by a sharp 'woof. The sound somehow has a scolding tone to it, admonishing. As if the dog was trying to tell his human friend 'Quit selling yourself short.' in his own way.
Kohaku may not be fluent in canine, but she has been around Hyozan for a number of years, and recognizes most of his tones. She sticks a finger out at the big dog. "And not one word outta you."
-
Amaya talked to hasty without thinking. She saw the expression in Sanae's face and she felt guilty about her question. Something must have happened.
As Suwako chases her little frog and Sanae bursts out into a laughter, Amaya felt a weight lifted from her chest and starts to laugh aswell. Amaya takes the paper, puts it into the bag and picks the bag up. "I will put the groceries away then." She says and leaves the entrance room into the kitchen.
She puts the bag on the table and sighs 'I should thank Suwako-chan later, or stop feeding her frogs to Vin'
She emptys the bag and stow all the groceries away.
-
The human and her youkai tour guide remain silent as they traverse the many corridors of the mansion. Without Meiling leading the way, Sora would more than likely have lost her way. As the pair walk, Sora?s mind begins to wander.
??here?
Sora blinks and forces her awareness back onto her surroundings. She glances around swiftly, finding Meiling standing in the same relative position as before.
??Um?? Sora mumbles, unsure of how to respond.
Meiling frowns slightly before speaking up again.
?We?re here? She says as she motions towards the door in front of her.
?Ah?I see?? Sora says, still feeling slightly uncomfortable.
?Well?? Meiling says as she scratches her head, averting her eyes in the process. ?Make yourself at home I suppose?? She says as she opens the door, motioning for Sora to go in.
The human hesitates for a moment, feeling slightly uneasy as she steps away from her guide.
?Okay, I have to head back to the gate now? Meiling says as she turns and starts to leave.
?Wait?!? Sora calls out to the departing youkai.
Meiling stops then turns to face the human
?Yes?? She says to the girl.
?Um?I don?t believe I caught the Mistress?s name?? Sora says, averting her eyes for a moment. ?Could you tell me what it is??
Meiling smiles slightly, seeming somehow reassured.
?Her name is Remilia. Remilia Scarlet?
Sora hesitates for a moment, digesting the information.
?Remilia?? She thinks aloud. Realizing she was about to fall into a daze, she shakes her head slightly. ?Thank you Meiling? She says with a polite bow.
Meiling smiles at the girl before turning and heading on her way.
After Meiling went out of sight, Sora smiles and closes the door. She turns her back to the door and gazes at her new dwelling.
?Well, I better unpack? She says as she places her bag on a nearby desk and begins to empty out its contents.
-
Sanaya waved at the teacher before turning around and heading off in the other direction. She peeked at the note she had been given and it confirmed what she had already been fairly certain of; to get to the shrine she simply had to head east out of the city and look for a trail, most likely overgrown.
"Well, guess I should get going." She says with a glance at the rapidly darkening sky before breaking into a very slight jog, not wanting to be late and miss something that might only happen once in her lifetime.
-
---Hanzo
Keine turns her gaze in the direction of the approaching voice, a small frown spreading on her face.
?Let me guess, you want directions to the Hakurei shrine? She says, sounding only a little stressed.
Keine sighs and puts the bags she had been holding on the ground at her feet. She pulls out the same notepad from earlier, scribbles down the same directions, and rips the page out in the same fashion as before, albeit with a little more irritation.
By now, there was only the faintest amount of light residing on the western sky. Keine bit her lip lightly.
?Here, these are the directions to the shrine? She says as she hands Takuma the small sheet of paper. As he takes it she puts the notepad and pencil away and retrieves the bags that lay at her feet.
?If there?s nothing else, then I?ll be off? Keine says, ?I?ve got things to do and little time to do it in.? She says as she starts to walk away. As she passes by Takuma she stops and turns back towards him for a moment.
?Oh, and I?d prefer if you didn?t tag along? She says, finally turning and heading off down the street before disappearing into the darkness of the night.
---------
---Dorakyura
Sanae wipes away a joyful tear as her laughter comes to an end. She looks at Kanako with a smile.
Kanako smiles warmly in return.
With some reassurance, Sanae nods and then turns back to Amaya who is putting away the groceries.
Kanako silently leaves the room, heading down the hallway past the living room and out of sight.
Suwako glances up from her antics for only a moment before turning her attention back to catching the frog.
Sanae helps put the remainder of the groceries away, her daughter at her side. As they finish, Sanae mouths a silent sigh. She smiles and turns her gaze to her daughter.
?I?m going to go get ready okay?? She starts as she wanders to the Kitchen?s entrance. She smiles cheerfully at the young miko. ?You should get ready too? Just then her eyes brighten slightly. As she turns to head down the corridor which Kanako had gone, she casts one last sideways glance at her daughter. Smiling happily, she finishes her speech.
?We don?t want to be late for the feast after all?
With that she turns and heads out of the room and down the hall, leaving Amaya alone in the kitchen.
---------
---Sourfang
Yuyuko?s eyes narrow slightly as Kohaku makes her speech. Holding her folding fan up just so her eyes can be seen, she remains silent as Kohaku speaks.
Youmu for her part remains quiet, still looking confused. When the dog at her side lets out a sharp bark, the gardener jumps slightly, her ghostly half twitching as well.
As Kohaku makes a dramatic declaration at her malamute buddy, a short silence comes over the group.
Youmu glances from the human, to the ghost princess, and back again. Her eyes reflect an uneasy light as the girl hesitantly tries to speak up.
??um??
?Youmu?
The gardener swiftly straightens up, turning to face the Saigyouji mistress.
??Yes milady?? She asks earnestly.
Yuyuko?s eyes flicker with mystery before closing for a moment. She lowers her fan, closing it. Finally, she opens her eyes, a faintly devious smile on her face.
?Youmu~? She starts raising her sleeve slightly. A small laugh can be heard from the ghost, but only for a moment. She then turns her maroon colored eyes towards the human.
?Slash her~?
?Y- wait what?!? Youmu says as she reaches back before realizing what the command was. ?L-lady Yuyuko?? She says, worry filling her eyes.
Yuyuko smiles sweetly, an air of innocence in her eyes.
?Use your Hakurouken~? She says cutely.
?U-uhm?Are you s-sure??? Youmu says uneasily as she rests her left hand on the shorter of the two swords? hilt, Her eyes unsure, hesitant and slightly confused.
?Hey now! No slashing until after the feast!?
Just then a voice resounds around the trio and dog.
Yuyuko?s eyes shift to the far right while Youmu turns in that direction, her hand swiftly moved to the longer blade, gripping it?s hilt tightly.
Next, a sound of what seems to be a breeze comes from the right. Within moments, a swirling mist quickly gathers a short distance above the ground. As the mist becomes thicker, a shape begins to form from it.
From the mist appears a small girl with long orange hair. She?s wearing a purple and pink dress. Around her waist is a belt with chains attached to it. Similar chains hang from her hair and wrists respectively, each connected to a shape. She?s carrying a large purple gourd, and atop her head are a pair of large horns unlike anything Kohaku has ever seen before.
The girl lifts the large gourd to her mouth and takes a gulp, letting out a refreshed sigh of sort as she finishes.
The girl stands proudly before the trio, a grin on her face.
-
The man awoke on the house floor, laying face-up and staring at the ceiling. Judging from how he hasn't heard his sister calling him to wake up, she was already gone. He'll miss her, but he was glad that she went to go find herself; Some people just say they'll go out and try something new, and never do after all. She was always someone who just didn't feel alright with staying here, but couldn't do anything until she knew he could take care of himself. Truth be told, he was the one that helped her more often than not, having a steady job instead of working random errands. He slowly stood up, and went into the nearby room. He was already dressed up, he just needed the apron. He went outside the house, and in the nearby shack to get his mobile food stand.
He didn't have an exact place to set up shop. He chose a different place every time, from just outside his house, to even the other side of the village. Some of his main customers were annoyed by this of course, but he always recommend any nearby restaurants to them, which increased profits for them generally. Oddly enough, he always found one or two more customers coming to his stand whenever he did this.
He had a nagging feeling that he should set up shop in the village square. But he already chose a quiet place to organize himself up, but eventually chose to at the very least, somewhere between the place he wanted, and the square. As he began, there was already many in the square, with more coming in.
"Oh, ____, is there a special event today? No? What am I selling today? Oh just making some Yakitori..."
He seemed to have a different menu every time he went out. After preparing one item, anything else felt more easy to make, he thought. He continued chatting with the passerby as they gathered to whatever they were going, as well as making the occasional sale or two. He didn't go in this business for the profit, but since it allowed him to stay in one spot while making idle chat with others. Oh well, it still was an alright trade, and he made a decent amount of money. Moreso after everyone went out of the square, absentmindedly buying something from him as they went back to what they were doing.
"The weather's nice isn't it...Are ___ and _____ dating? Nah, I heard ___ wanted some dating advice from _____ for ____...Is there something wrong? Want to talk about it...Am I available? Sorry, my heart's in this food stand, although I believe ___ has his eye on you...Commotion in the square? Was anyone hurt?...Well if you're looking for a great place, you can always visit this one teahouse I know...I'm sorry, I'm taking a break now, but I'll personally deliver to you, so do you want anything at a later point?"
As the man walked to a quiet alley for a five minute nap after being finished, he caught the flying newspaper before it struck him, causing him to stumble a bit back. Maybe one day he'll go find that reporter and talk about that. He still has a minor headache after one fell directly on his head recently. Still, the paper was a good leisure read, and it only gets delivered once in a while, for him at the very least.
And he could always use the more uninteresting articles as kindling or food wrapping, among other things. He made a quiet mental note to never mention this to the newspaper girl. Although maybe she'll appreciate the number of origami he did; The children seemed to like them at least.
"Let's see, that shrine, a new Hakurei Miko, oni, border between here and the outside world, hmm, a feast to commentate this, maybe I should bring something along?"
He mumbled outloud certain points of interest in the main article as he laid on a wall. It wouldn't be a feast if everyone had to bring something, would it? But it always seemed like he took his own brand of sake to these sort of things. But maybe he'll make up his mind after he cooked some yakitori for some people who wanted it at a different point in time.
He wondered what the Hakurei Miko was like. He didn't catch many details of the previous one from the older men and women, and had to ask for directions to reach it. Not that he was about go immediately, he had his night work to do. Going into yet another part of the village a bit farther from his original location, he set up shop again, this time with his own brand of drink for the feast later, and the lanterns for light. He sat quietly, tending to the food when not closing his eyes, and while wrapped up in his warm blanket.
-
She didn't want him to follow? That was pretty weird. Usually teach was relatively friendly and helpful.
Though she always did have those weird times when she was a little...'off'. Oh well, at least he had what he was after.
He looked at the paper, and found that it was rather detailed, and the writing was quite neat, despite the haste it was done in.
'Teach always was good at this, but I wonder why she's so stressed today? It seemed like I wasn't the only one to ask from how she was talking.'
At any rate, the paper said it was slightly northeast of the village.
Apparently there used to be a path leading there at one point, so one could still find it if they looked hard enough.
He reasoned that this old path was likely the easiest way to do things, so he made for the eastern exit of the village.
OOC: This good enough, or do I need more?
-
So much for this ghost being benign... Kohaku thinks darkly, her eyes not leaving the samurai with the sperm ghost floating about her. Hyozan, if we survive this, you and I are gonna have a very long chat about your sense of character.
She was practically beside herself when that crazy ghost told her partner to "Slash her". So CASUALLY, like she was ordering a goddamn meal! But this Daidouji will be DAMNED if she goes down without a fight, and that horned runt seems to have given her a fighting chance. It's been more than a year since her last spar with another person, but her skills and powers haven't atrophied. And more importantly, she's got the element of surprise, at least for now, with Youmu and Yuyuko being distracted by that girl with the gourd.
Despite the Saigyoji's murderous intent, Youmu doesn't seem to share the sentiment, making Kohaku somewhat reluctant to hurt the swordswoman. But that doesn't mean Kohaku can't disarm the swordswoman.
Kohaku snaps her left arm forward, sending a pair of chains flying out from her wrist, aimed not at the swordswoman, but at her swords. Her goal is to take the two katanas out of her sheathes, disarming her, but not doing any damage to her. That kind of precision takes a great deal of focus for Kohaku to pull off. She is very, very focused right now.
-
As her father disappeared into the kitchen, following her mother, Kisei, who had been doing absolutely nothing but sitting like a sweet little kid, shook her sleeve and let another stolen apple roll off onto the table. She had been saving it for later, but realized that there would be a whole lot of other stuff to steal later and holding on to a measly piece of fruit wasn't quite worth it. Besides, she was going to check out the place and see if there was anything... interesting there, since old places aren't exactly pretty because they're all dusty and rickety and all that.
Thankfully, the kitchen and the way out were totally opposite each other, so she bolted out the dining room, into the living room, out the house, and into an alley. Emerging from the dark, narrow road, she took in the sight of the Human Village getting ready to accommodate the night and its supernatural visitors. Paper lanterns were lit, and candles blazed in the dark, inviting potential customers to the shops that were still open. There was still money to be made.
She weaved through the growing groups of youkai, still going as unnoticed as she was in the morning. Now, these bunch were a hard target. They were faster, stronger, and more alert than ordinary humans. They would know if someone touched them even if only with the pinky finger. They dressed a bit weird, too, like teacher Keine, and it made it harder to find anything of value on them. Speaking of which, that pagoda hat was nowhere in sight.
As Kisei made her way through the thinning crowd to the outskirts of the village, she encountered a tiny problem.
Where is the shrine?
And when she thought "tiny," she was every bit serious. Only darkness accompanied her outside of the village's open gate. She whirled back, but no one was following her. It wasn't the feeling of being stalked that alarmed her; she had weapons with her. Maybe this was the wrong way.
Putting one hand on the walls surrounding the settlement, she followed it north. From there, if she saw anyone moving into the forest, she would follow that person. As far as she knew, no one went out the village at this time of day anymore, and anyone who did now was either an idiot to steal from, a wannabe youkai hunter, a youkai, or someone going to the shrine for the feast.
OOC: Hoping for a run-in with Hanzo.
-
"We are leaving so soon?" she says, but Sanae already left. She stands alone in the kitchen.
Amaya checks her clothes. 'Should I change my dress. It's quite cold at my back...' Her dress is too light and the night can be quite cold too. She leaves the kitchen and goes straight into her room and searches for piece of clothing in one of her lockers.
She pulls out something that looks like a kimono jacket. She inspects the cloth 'That should work'. The kimono jacket is quite ordinary. It's like the top of tranditional miko clothes.
In order to change clothes, she takes of her scarf, the detached sleeves and her vest. She can't wear the detached sleeves under the kimono jacket anyway. She puts the vest and the sleeves into the locker after she changed, then she takes her scarf and throws it around her neck once. Before she leaves the room, she checks if her clothes sits.
She walks back into the living room. "I'm ready." she says as she enters the room.
-
---Sourfang
Within seconds the chains speed towards the half ghost noisily.
Youmu spins around, her eyes gazing sharply at the approaching attack. With almost lightning like speed, Youmu draws forth the longer of the two blades. She swings with deadly precision, deflecting the chains with ease. The chains clatter to the ground a distance away from Youmu. The gardener glares at her attacker, as if threatening Kohaku with her eyes alone.
?My?so hostile??
Yuyuko has risen to her feet, slightly surprised by the sudden commotion. The ghostly princess waves her fan before her casually, her expression showing signs of awe.
The horned girl gazes at Kohaku, her mouth agape, slightly surprised by the human?s unusual display of power.
Youmu?s sharp glare remains fixated on Kohaku, prepared should the girl attempt to attack her again.
Silence hangs over the group for a moment, feeling almost like an eternity.
---------
---Dorakyura
As Amaya enters the room, she sees Suwako and Kanako standing near its center. The pair turn towards the young miko as they notice her walk in. Suwako smiles at the girl while Kanako?s eyes show a hint of boredom. Amaya notices Kanako has her large shimenawa ring on. The goddesses greet Amaya with their gazes and continue to wait for Sanae.
After many minutes of waiting, Sanae came out from the kitchen.
?Sorry I took so long? She says with a bow. ?I was preparing a few things? Sanae says as she lifts her head, a bright smile on her face.
?So, if everyone?s ready?? Sanae starts.
?To the Feast! To the Feast!? Suwako cheers, raising her arms into the air as she dashes outside.
Sanae laughs lightly and smiles at Amaya before heading into the kitchen.
Kanako follows behind Sanae without much of a word.
It seems like tonight will be a fun night.
---------
---Sonae
??There!? Sora says as she finishes unpacking. She lets out a relieved sigh and smiles faintly. Now I should?
BAM!
The door of the room swings open and slams against the wall.
The human feels as if her heart tried to jump up her throat.
?Sora!? A familiar voice shouts out.
Sora slowly turns to face the direction of the voice.
At the door she sees the mansion?s Mistress standing proudly with a mischievious smile on her face.
??Y-yes..?? Sora asks, still trying to calm her frightened heart.
?Get ready? Remilia declares. ?We?re going somewhere?
?Eh?? Sora mutters, slightly dumbfounded. ?At this time-?
?No objections? Remilia says, effectively cutting the girl off. ?Get your uniform on, we?re leaving immediately?
With that, the Mistress steps out of the room, pulling the door shut behind her.
Sora is left speechless for a moment, but eventually heaves out a heavy sigh.
It seems like tonight will be a long night.
---------
---Sourfang
After a few moments, Yuyuko turns to Youmu, her expression changing to one of faint surprise.
?Oh Youmu, what are you doing here?? She says with a clueless expression on her beautiful face.
Youmu nearly falls over at her master?s sudden question. Completely taken aback by the Saigyouji Lady?s question, the gardener lowers her guard unintentionally.
?L-lady Yuyuko?? She says as her confusion from earlier returns. ?W-what do you??
?Aren?t you supposed to be cleaning?? Yuyuko says as she steps down from the shrine?s veranda.
?E-eh?!? Youmu utters, a shocked expression covering her face. ?I was?!? Youmu asks, worry in her voice.
?Yes Youmu, You were.? Yuyuko says with a not so innocent smile.
Youmu seems to panic slightly for a moment, returning her katana to its sheath.
?How mean!? The horned girl laughs in a jolly manner as she lifts her gourd up and takes another gulp. ?You shouldn?t tease her like that you know? The girl says as she makes herself comfortable.
?Oh, who said I was joking?? The Saigyouji mistress says as she raises her sleeve to her mouth.
?Whatever you say? The horned girl says with a chuckle as she raises her gourd to her mouth once more.
Youmu?s face turns slightly red as she lowers her head and averts her eyes. Silence returns, but only for a moment before Yuyuko speaks up again.
?Sho Youmu, you?re getting better at this? She says casually, munching on something
Youmu lifts her head to see that Yuyuko has moved back into the shrine, now sitting at the table, eating some of the snacks that the duo had brought
?Ah..! Lady Yuyuko!? She says as she rushes over to the Ghost princess. ?Those are for the feast!? She says with a whimper of sorts.
?It?s fine isn?t it??
The horned girl speaks up, a grin spread across her face.
?Let her have them. It?s about time anyways? She says as she leaps up energetically. Taking another mouthful from her gourd, she smiles at the trio. Then, she raises her gourd into the air.
?Let the feast begin!?
---------
---Time Skip Initiated---
Date: 28th of March, Year 160. Early Spring
6:03 P.M. ---> 6:32 P.M.
---------
By now, the sun had completely vanished from the sky, leaving only darkness in its wake. A silvery moon hung up in the sky, watching over Gensokyo silently. Stars sparkled from their place high above the heavens, creating a beautiful field of mysterious wonder. If not for the commotion at the once abandoned Hakurei shrine, one would likely think it would be a magnificent night for star gazing.
For the first time in to many years, lights surrounded the shrine grounds, illuminating the area.
Yes, the feast had begun. The first one of it?s kind in more than a decade.
---------
---Orphea
Keine walked along the empty street in the quiet residential sector. She observed her surrounding as she headed towards her destination.
She closes her eyes and thinks to herself as she moves closer to her goal. A warm but faint smile covers her face for a moment. Feeling relieved, the teacher opens her eyes and continues on.
Eventually Keine sees her destination.
On the side of the street, between other, larger homes, was a small house.
Keine glanced into the window to see only darkness.
?Geez?? She mutters to herself, a frown spreading on her face. With a sigh she turns to the door. She raises her hand to knock.
Just then she spots a newspaper lying on the doorstep.
Hesitantly, she picks it up and glances at the header. She mumbles it inaudibly before putting it into her bag. She turns her attention back to the door.
Knock, knock, knock!
?Yumiko! Are you there??
-
Kisei ran around the shrine grounds, inspecting anything she had not seen before. No one thought much of a kid who didn't look like she got past puberty yet. She found nothing worth taking.
The offeratory box was unguarded, but disappointingly empty. Maybe there was somebody watching her peer into it, but none that she could see. There were also her parents, who were not there yet but were probably worried sick at her premature departure.
It was actually a miracle that she got here earlier than they did. She had to circle the village walls twice before someone left, and they seemed to be following a path long erased from the ground. There were dangerous youkai on that path, she heard, more dangerous than those around the village. She swore they were watching her as she had run across.
No one brought money for her to steal. That was fine. There were probably better things in the shrine. A horned girl- an oni, most likely- was sitting by the entrance of the shrine itself, and Kisei tried not to look at her so as to not draw attention.
In the shrine were several objects that would not look out of place in an antique shop. Practically useless, but can fetch for a lot of money.
OOC: Feel free to scare the heck out of Kisei. Her parents won't arrive until my next reply.
-
...Quiet, very, very quiet.
Hotaru went along a gone path, her arms behind her head. This tiny trip gave her much time for thought. Too bad she was too busy focusing on just the scenery. She didn't see anyone else ever since she went out of the village. Maybe they went to the feast?
She made a sigh and continued on. Maybe that mountain would have something of interest.
"So _____ are you going to the feast as well...Ah if you're going that way, mind giving this to...Am I? Of course..." the nighttime shift felt just like the daytime to him, just darker. After a bit of quiet rest with no one buying, he closed shop and went back home.
Hideaki left his stand back home, completely finished with his job. He didn't have much on him, just his personal sake and dish, and of course his blanket. Placing the lock on the door, he made a slow stroll to the exit of the village.
There were many in the path, but he took a more hidden path to the shrine. He memorized the directions enough to go find a different route while staying on-track. He found a couple dead ends yes, but that was just another memory for a later walk.
Eventually, he managed to reach the shrine itself. The feast had already started. He was more curious about the building than what was going on in the feast, so he strolled on in without any real intent. Curiously enough, there was a girl there already.
"Oh, are you the new miko?" Hideaki asked her.
-
---Orphea
Keine walked along the empty street in the quiet residential sector. She observed her surrounding as she headed towards her destination.
She closes her eyes and thinks to herself as she moves closer to her goal. A warm but faint smile covers her face for a moment. Feeling relieved, the teacher opens her eyes and continues on.
Eventually Keine sees her destination.
On the side of the street, between other, larger homes, was a small house.
Keine glanced into the window to see only darkness.
?Geez?? She mutters to herself, a frown spreading on her face. With a sigh she turns to the door. She raises her hand to knock.
Just then she spots a newspaper lying on the doorstep.
Hesitantly, she picks it up and glances at the header. She mumbles it inaudibly before putting it into her bag. She turns her attention back to the door.
Knock, knock, knock!
?Yumiko! Are you there??
(Now that I'm actually home, and not cold and wet and miserable,)
She snapped her attention to the door to her room when she heard the knock sound throughout the house. She could reasonably guess who it was, even before she heard the voice; nobody else visited her. "Yeah, yeah, I'm going." With a sigh, the book snapped shut, and she hurried downstairs to the door, which she slid open. "Evening, teacher." She quickly shifted to the side of the door and gestured for Keine to come in. "Make yourself at home. Something you needed...?"
-
He was going to be late! Late, late! And all because of that girl! Senri was rushing about getting ready past the insistence of his mother Youko who was most likely going to 'stalk' him as well, but at this point, Senri didn't care. He found himself wearing a rather ornate furisode kimono that would almost make someone think "someone's getting married!" but it was that kind of aura that made things all the more festive. In his case, anyway. He pitter-pattered along outside his room, completely ignoring everything else, the clattering of his geta quite audible at this pace. Youko was leaning against the wall by the door when Senri had left his room, and she opened the door for him, uttering only two words.
Have fun!
Senri sighed and scuttled off outside, and Youko had left the door open for a few moments. The boy made his way enroute to the Hakurei Shrine, having received word that a feast was taking place. The sun was already setting and it would be incredibly dark, perhaps the sun would be gone by the time he made it! Youko herself had watched Senri leave the residence, but soon left the house herself after she felt Senri was far enough away from the house. She giggled along the way, and on the other end, Senri had an immediate feeling that he was being stalked.
......
...
..
.
Senri had finally made it to the Shrine, it was indeed very dark; the sun had been replaced by a silvery moon, accompanied by the celestial soldiers that scattered the night skyline. Senri would have taken the time to take a look and go stargazing, but now was neither the place nor the occasion for that. The feast had already begun; purportedly the first one in way longer than a decade, Youko herself could not recall the last one, either she was drunk out of her mind or it was really so long ago. Senri took the time to look around, the long sleeves of his kimono billowing about in the wind, it was white in color, very conspicuous, and very noticeable. Indeed, one would think "are you trying to go guy-hunting?" but it would be the complete opposite. The boy looked about frantically and saw someone fidgeting about with the offering box before looking disappointed and rushing into the shrine. Must be a thief. Senri sighed to himself before simply trying to mingle about.
Meanwhile, Youko had arrived at the shrine too, though concealed, through use of her trickery.
She was watching over him. Definitely.
-
"And here, you'll see, is a perfect demonstration of just how reliable our wares are..."
He didn't want to do this. He really didn't. Despite how cheerful and friendly he looked, Tetsumaru hated being a living advertisment for his dad's merchandise. But alas, he was a dutiful son and would do as told. And his father told him to sell stuff, seeing as pretty much everyone would be there.
'Sitting in seiza for so long is a pain...'
He spotted Senri, distinctive as he was, and refrained from calling the effeminate boy over. It would be bad if he got caught slacking off by his dad. Tetsumaru sincerely hoped someone would relieve him of this boredom.
-
'Just how many stairs were there?!' That was what was going through his mind at that time.
But there was one thing he noticed. Everyone had already gotten set up and the party was already underway.
Well, if there was one thing festivals meant, it was that they were just bigger parties.
And parties meant booze. Booze meant people would be more prone to wanting to fight, which suited him just fine.
After all, he was hoping to find a way to let off some steam sooner or later, he just hadn't thought there would be a festival or anything so soon.
He could tell that there were already some pretty damn powerful folks here already, maybe that lady from earlier would even show up? Who could tell in this crowd though?
But for now, he'd just linger at the massive Torii, and take a few swigs out of the jug of sake he brought along, just because that was quite a walk compared to his usual one.
He did however, notice a few faces that looked somewhat familiar.
'Hey, even some of those people from the square earlier today are here. There's that kid who was causing some kind of fuss, looks like she's up to something. And there's some of the others too.'
He then saw Tetsumaru's predicament, and winced slightly before taking another swig. 'That looks painful, glad I don't have to sit like that all the time, definitely not limber enough.'
-
(PEOPLE LIKE HANZO READING THIS WILL NOTICE SOMETHING. BUT I ASSURE YOU, I DID N-
[18:48] <AzureWraith> I just realised I can recite the entire description for the Eldritch Abomination page on tvtropes.
[18:48] <AzureWraith> I have no life)
Mmmph... Sof~t~! Nanaya mumbles, wiggling around the bed. She had been dreaming for quite some time. Contemplating life and it's mysterious ways. The endless, yonic abysses and complex, alien geometries. From the ways the world would be made, either by fluffyness and explosions, or by some godlike force, she would never know. She wanted to know, but Nanaya herself knew that she would never be able to comprehend the complexities the fabric of reality held in it's vice. For most of the time asleep, Nanaya would dream of these things. The future, the past, and what lies beyond. Other times, involuntarily, Nanaya would begin to dream... Of who she met. Amaya, and Senri. The latter would make her shift around almost rigorously, or even talk in her sleep. The former would make her smile.
"Wake up!" Something in her head said.
Nanaya shifted once more, her arms beginning to ache. Once more the voice called in it's high voice. (VOICE IS NOT SENRI'S MOM)
"Waaaake up!"
This time, the sleepyhead woke. Her eyes blinked, looking around. "Mister Voice? Where are you?" No responce. Nanaya frailed her arms around, calling out for the voice. Nobody answered. Shrugging, Nanaya stood up and began to stretch. Her clothes were somewhat loose and her hair was messed up, but she didn't care much. She almost always woke up the same way. Grabbing a small piece of robe from her gauntlets, she tied her hair up into a ponytail. After rubbing her new tail and playing with it a little, Nanaya grabbed her sword, and set off, Gauntlets dangling from it.
Nanaya looked around the house, noticing that two people still were in it. Senri and his mother had suddenly left. Frowning, Nanaya sneaked out of the house. Once outside, she recalled something important. A feast. Oh yes, that feast at that old shrine beside her home. Setting off towards the Hakurei Shrine, Nanaya sang as she walked through the village, and towards the shrine. For some reason, at the back of her mind, a dreadful, omnious feeling began to sprout from nothing.
.....
....
...
..
.
-
"For countless years I?ve looked up at the moon, just out of reach. It won?t end; not my body living in darkness, not my crimson tears."
Nanaya strolled up the hill towards the Hakurei Shrine. Her singing began to soften.
"...These endless memories will not fade. Drowning in this cold rain, I would rather be swept away..."
Able to see the torii of the shrine now, her singing reduced to almost a whisper.
"...I want for his body, his moist eyes so much it drives me insane.... No matter what I might do, my heart far and distant intervenes..."
-
There, she stops, noticing a boy, selling... Or more like, advertising, swords! Walking over, her happy, tomboyish attitude reduced to one of a shy girl. She walked over, dragging the sword across the ground.
"...Um... Ahh... H-Hi..." She pointed at the swords, then back at her own.
-
Tetsumaru couldn't help but stare. A lull in activity gave him some time to relax...which was quickly taken as this girl appears over the stairs. He notices her gesture to her swords, then his wares (which included tools mostly, but definitely featured its fair share of weapons, and tilted his head.)
"Are you interested in anything, ma'am?"
-
...
Since Amaya can't fly, the whole group had to walk down the mountain. Sanae couldn't carry her around, like she did when Amaya was still a kid. Only Kanako could carry her but Amaya was too embarrassed to ask.
Amaya sighs, "This would have been faster, if Sanae had taught me how to fly already." she mumbles to Vin, who's hidden in her sleeve.
Led by Sanae, the small group walks through the forests at the bottom of the mountain. Amaya doesn't really know where they are right now. It's so dark between all these trees, that she can't see a thing. Fortunately Sanae seems to know where to go.
'It is so quiet.' Maybe too quiet? Amaya hasn't really thought about it, but she realized, that she hasn't noticed any Youkai in the dark. Amaya gets scared as a cool chill runs down her spine. She holds the lamp solid in her hands and closes up to Kanako who walks in front of her.
"Kanako-sama?", Amaya asks subdued, quietly so that Suwako and Sanae couldn't hear them. "We talk about the previous Hakurai Shrine Maiden, I don't want to be a burden for mom and you are the only one I can ask." Amaya gets more vigorous as she continues. "Please, I really need to know what happened."
-
Laresa was ready. She hoped she'd only need to talk, that she wouldn't have to fight, but if Suika wanted a fight, she was ready. She was also ready in case Suika attempted to flee, even for her dispersing into mist. One she really should have thought of during her pursuit of the mist earlier, but after what had happened just three days ago...
It had been innocent, nobody had done anything wrong. It was just a coincidence. But...
It was just a man, just a man in the village going about his day. A man who bore a passing resemblance to him, but not enough of one that Laresa had really noticed before, if she'd even seen the man before at all. But that time, that day, he'd worn the same outfit as the one who had... who...
Laresa gave herself a mental slap. Damn it, girl, focus. This is why Suika-or whoever it was-got away earlier, because you couldn't focus. So focus.
The plan in case Suika dissipated into mist was simple: if she did so, Laresa would copy the power, and would then use it on Suika in reverse, increasing her density and re-solidifying her. She'd begin as soon as Suika did, which would lead to them matching against each other. But Laresa was inexperienced with the ability, and liable to make mistakes, but she was ready for that, too. If she did indeed do it wrong, Suika would realize that if she didn't stop, her body would get somewhat messed up from Laresa's botched use of the power. But Laresa didn't want it to come to that.
Laresa wandered through the croud gathered at the shrine for the feast. No sign of Suika. And she'd be easy to spot, too; an oni would stand out. And the new maiden may know something about what happened in the village, too. SO Laresa also looked for the new maiden, but was not able to see anyone who looked like the one. So Suika came first, and it wasn't much longer before Laresa saw a girl with horns. An oni, I believe. That's probably her.
Laresa approached the oni casually, and as she did, she removed something from her pack, a bottle of sake. Top-quality sake, too. Oni were supposedly avid drinkers, so a high-quality drink seemed a good way to start a conversation with one. And as she approached, Laresa took careful note of the oni's reaction. If this was indeed the one responsible for the gathering, then she may very well recognize Laresa. So Laresa kept careful watch for even the slighest sign of recognition.
--------------------------------------
OOC: Yeah, I feel dumb for not thinking of having Laresa use Suika's power to re-solidify her back in the village. Fortunately, though, finding a good reason for Laresa to forget something like that is fairly easy, given her... mental condition.
And yes, Laresa top-quality sake on her at all times, just in case there's a sudden need for it. As I've mentioned before, she's crazy like that. Get used to her having the right item for the situation, no matter how odd it would be for someone to keep that item on them, because, well, that's how Laresa works.
Anyways, your turn, Sonae.
-
Since her encounter with the ghost and her bodyguard had such an.... antagonistic ending, Kohaku Daidouji has spent the last half hour doing her very best to avoid contact with the both of them. In the event Yuyuko decides to have Youmu try and finish the job. Or take matters into her own hands, for that matter. She didn't seem to be carrying any weapons, but then, she's a ghost. She may not need them. Kohaku is curious about that, but not curious enough to track the ghost down and ask her.
Nor is she curious enough to track down that small, horned woman that appeared. Even an idiot could tell she isn't human, but she's not like any youkai Kohaku had ever met before. Still, she seemed at least passingly friendly with the ghost woman, and that's enough to set off a cautionary flag in the back of the young woman's mind. Best to give the woman a wide berth as well. At least, for now. After a few pulls from that gourd, well, that might be a different story.
Kohaku probably hasn't thought about it too hard, but her encounter with Yuyuko has shaken her fairly badly. No had ever tried to kill her before- No one had even seriously tried to hurt her before, let alone slash her with a katana. There was that one night when a robber had broken into the store a few years ago, but between her powers and her brothers, the would-be thief met with no success. Never threatened the kids in the least. But Yuyuko... And she was so casual about it. Like she was telling her bodyguard to swat a fly. And Youmu was willing to do it. And very easily could have, too. The way she knocked Kohaku's chains aside, sheared them straight through. Solid metal, cut as easily as paper. And so quickly... Kohaku has no doubt that if Youmu wanted to, she could kill the young Daidouji.
This is why the young woman has spent the last half an hour in the back rooms of the hakurei shrine, tidying away things, and generally trying to avoid crossing paths with the Saigyoji ghost again. Even though she knows people will soon be arriving at the shrine, and that she needs to tell them about the mistake that's occured, she has pause before trying that again. After what happened the last time, who can say the next person she tries to tell that she isn't the hakurei miko won't be even MORE violent than Yuyuko was.
Kohaku sighs deeply, putting down the tattered book on the battered end table in this dingy room she'd found, and looks down upon Hyozan. She kneels down in front of the big dog and enfolds him in a hug.
"I'm glad you're here, boy. I'm glad you stayed..."
The malamute whimpers once, quietly, in sympathy with his friends pain. He seems somehow proud that he can bring some comfort to the human girl.
"I know, I know... I can't hide here for the whole party. Those people deserve to know the truth." she says quietly, pulling away and looking into the dog's big blues. "Can I at least finish this room? I don't want to have to fight another samurai right now." He rrrfs once, quietly. Kohaku rubs the dogs head. "Promise you'll warn me if you sense that ghost coming?" Another quiet rrrf brings a small smile to the human's face. She stands and turns, taking in the small room. Won't take more than a few minutes. She sighs, and gets back to work.
-
Sanaya arrived on top of the stairs leading to the shrine much later than she had expected.
She was not really sure how the thing that made time move slower around her worked but she really wished she could activate it at will.
Anyway, she had arrived and was now trying to think of what she wanted to do. She scanned through the small crowd that had assembled and managed to find a couple faces that she recognized, interestingly most from earlier this morning. "I guess there's not a lot of people that would put in the effort to get to this out of the way shrine." Her thoughts made their way into her mouth before she had the time to sort them out.
She glanced around to see if anyone was within earshot before returning her gaze to the crowd once again.
"That's someone." She spotted the purple haired woman from earlier, approaching a little girl with horns. She kept walking while keeping her distance constant and her gaze fixed. The problem with walking like that is that you're not looking in the direction your moving.
"Ouwaah." She suddenly lost her balance as she tripped over something sticking out in front of her. Her hands had been tucked inside her sleves but while falling she managed to rapidly pull them free and stop herself from slamming into the ground face-first, ending up in a position similar to a push-up. "Watch where you're going idiot, at least the Kimono is okay." Mentally chiding herself she got up on her feet again and looked to see what had tripped her up.
"A sword?" Her eyes fell on the boy sitting behind a collection of weapons and other metalware. "Pardon me, I was not looking where I was going." Having another look at the boy she suddenly recognized him. "Oh, you are the boy from the square are you not? I am sorry that we met under such circumstances, my priority was to avoid a potential fight."
She gave a bow before properly introducing herself "I am Furuika Sanaya, youkai exterminator. I have seen you before at the blacksmith's I believe?"
((OOC: Sorry if I'm interrupting YJ but I suddenly had some inspiration and there's a bit of pressure on. Hope I didn't ruin something :ohdear:))
-
Tetsumaru blinks at the sudden interruption, then bows from his seiza respectfully. "Ah, a pleasure. I apologize again for my rashness from before. And yes, I am Jin-otousama's apprentice. May I help in anyway?"
The apprentice was growing slightly wary of all this sudden attention. Wasn't often he was addressed personally during work.
-
---Orphea
?Ah, you?re already awake? Keine says as she smiles faintly at the girl before her. As Yumiko moves to the side, Keine enters the home. After courteously taking her shoes off, Keine gazes into the darkness that fills the house. The teacher lets out a disappointed sigh before finding and lighting the closest lantern. She turns to Yumiko and makes a motion towards the table with its two empty chairs around it.
?Sit.? She says in a plain voice. After, she turns and sets her bag on the counter and starts to go through its contents. She pulls out the copy of Bunbunmaru Newspaper and sets it on the table before returning to her bag and pulling out various ingredients.
?I take it you haven?t eaten yet today?? She asks Yumiko, a faintly content expression on her face.
---------
---Yog
The human walks on, her mind focused on the scenery and not the path before her. She moves forwards at a comfortable pace, oblivious to the distance she?s walked and the amount of time that has passed.
---
As Hotaru gazes at her surroundings, she notices a slight change around her.
The girl looks up to the sky to see the moon isn?t visible. Odd, was it a new moon tonight?
Just then, Hotaru hears something in the distance. As the seconds pass, she can hear it slowly, but surely, coming closer to her.
---------
---CrowCakes
Kisei silently searched the first room she could find with stuff in it. It was dark inside, and after opening a large book, she also found that it was dusty as well.
As the little thief snooped about in the darkness, she heard a gentle whistle, like that of the wind blowing. Kisei ignored it and continued searching for any sort of lost treasures.
A faint breeze blew past Kisei, ruffling her hair slightly.
In the next moment she felt something freezing cold right against her neck.
---------
---Yog
The girl spun around at the sudden voice talking to her.
?Ah, Me?? She said pointing to herself. Then she shook her head. ?No, I?m not a miko? She said with a slight bow of the head.
Despite the darkness inside the shrine, Hideaki could see the girl?s features quite well. Her hair was white and cut short and straight. She wore a green vest overtop a white blouse with a green skirt. In her hair was a black ribbon placed off center, and finally, the girl had two katanas strapped to her back.
---------
---GuyYouMetOnline
Suika was sitting on the veranda at the front of the shrine, watching as guests arrived. The oni grinned to herself as she took another mouthful from the gourd in her hand.
As she lowers the gourd and gazes at the crowd, she spots someone moving towards her.
The oni raises an eyebrow at the woman approaching her. She quickly glances over her features, her eyes stopping on the woman?s bag for a moment.
Suika waits for the woman to come closer. Upon seeing the woman pull out the sake, her face lights up.
?A drinking match?!? She chirps as she sits up. Laresa can smell sake just by approaching the oni.
---------
---Dorakyura
Kanako casts a quick sideways glance at Amaya as she hears the girl speak up. Kanako keeps moving forward, not wanting to lose track of Sanae and Suwako ahead of them. She remains silent, waiting to hear the girl?s impending question.
As Kanako hears Amaya?s question, she stops.
The goddess is still and silent, not turning to look at Amaya, nor does she speak up.
?Kanako??
Before Amaya gets an answer, Sanae notices that the two of them have fallen behind a bit. She?s looking in Amaya?s direction her own lantern in hand, her expression seems to be one of worry.
?Hey! Hurry up slowpokes! Or we?ll miss the feast!? Suwako shouts back to them, jumping up and down for emphasis.
---------
The cheerful clamour lights the shrine grounds, making it lively and boisterous for the first time in a while.
?Hmph, Starting the feast without the guest of honor?
There standing at the shrine?s torii was a girl wearing a pink dress, adorned with crimson ribbons, with a matching mob cap. From her back extended a pair of demonic wings, wider than she was tall. Behind her stood a young woman wearing a maid outfit. Her was pure white, and she seemed to stand out in the darkness. Her expression showed nervousness as if she wasn?t used to being the center of attention like her companion.
-
She winced slightly when Keine lit the lantern; she liked it when it was darker in here. It was easier to see. Regardless, she took her seat across from Keine and sighed. "I -have- eaten, I'm not totally helpless. The dishes are in the kitchen, even, you can go and check." Noting the newspaper on the table, she took a disinterested flip through it, committing each page to memory with a moments' glance, before looking over the ingredients that Keine brought. "I suppose you have a reason for bringing this in particular, of all things?" She held up the newspaper, to make it certain what she was referring to.
-
"No thanks," Laresa said. "Humans can't take too much of it before hurting ourselves. It wouldn't be fair at all. You're welcome to have some, though." Laresa offered the bottle to the girl. "I have others, too, if you're interested, including stuff besides sake, although nothing quite as good as this."
"Anyways," Laresa said, "I really just want to talk. You do stand out, after all. Would I be correct in assuming you're an oni?"
"My name's Laresa," Laresa said. "Pleased to meet you."
-
Hotaru became more cautious as it drew closer. In truth, there wasn't much she could do if it turned out to be a hostile youkai. She wasn't completely sure if she could defend herself with the knife. She could probably sling a rock in the general area of where it is, but that would just potentially aggravate whatever is causing that sound, if she even managed to hit it.
It could be friendly. That could happen. It was a chance, but a chance she had to take. She continued walking as if she didn't hear that. She could run, although that might cause the sound to go chase her. And where would she go? The village is quite far from where she is, and she didn't know of any particular locations in the mountain that she was headed. All she could do was hope for the best.
"Excuse me for the identity confusion then," Hideaki made a returning bow to the woman. Her face was unfamiliar to him, so she probably lived outside the village. Or he forgot about her, although that seemed unlikely; He recalled faces and names easily and her hair colour would certainly be memorable. Her outfit was also of interest, especially with those two weapons on her. Well no such thing as being too prepared he thought. "Oh well, I can wait to see what she looks like later". He made a casual shrug as he said this. Judging from what he saw earlier, the feast was just getting started so there was no real rush.
A few seconds afterwards, he held his sake out to the woman. "Want to share a drink with me? I have enough sake to spare. My name is Hideaki by the way", There was no real harm in offering her something. It would've been if she accepted however, chatting while drinking was a relaxing activity, and knowing about more people would be nice.
-
"Ah, no thank you. I simply wished to make sure that there was no hard feelings in regards to that little incident." She put her hands back into the kimono's sleves before continuing. "I will be on my way. Say hello to your otousama from me, I might stop by for a new blade in the not so distant future."
She then turned around and resumed overlooking the crowd. The horned girl had engaged in conversation with purple-hair. By now Sanaya had guessed that the horned girl was the oni mentioned in the newspaper and didn't feel like butting into yet another conversation.
Instead she sat down at the veranda at a respectful distance to see if she could hear anything substantial from their conversation.
-
A cold akin to a metal blade threatened to break through Kisei's skin and neck. With her head unmoving, her shoulders tensed up, and the paper she held floated back down to its binding.
Her tiny fingers squeezed on her knuckle dusters. In her current position, fists wouldn't reach whoever was holding a blade- but it doesn't feel like a blade- to my neck, unless the "blade" was a dagger. Then it could get knocked off.
But screw that, there are no chances.
Bowing low to the floor, Kisei pushed her arms against the floor and slid backwards. Her feet launched against the unknown assailant, aiming to unbalance the person's stance. After that, she would roll to the side and take a good look at the guy who tried to kill me.
Tsutomu and Shinsui arrived at the feast with pounding hearts. Once again, their daughter had vanished without her parents' knowledge, and she was nowhere to be found in the village. The apple that had been left on the table proved to be a red herring as it really said nothing about Kisei's intent.
Everyone who had gathered near the front of the shrine grounds seemed to be engaged in a conversation. Some by the farther end were less busy. One in particular wore a white-purple kimono; in wordless agreement, the couple went their separate ways. Shinsui approached the girl, while Tsutomu searched among the crowd for their daughter.
"Excuse me, miss, but have you seen a girl in red anywhere here?" Shinsui asked.
OOC: Like I promised, Kisei's parents have arrived. Marokuu, please reply.
-
Sora glanced about, her eyes unsure of the new job she would now spend her days working on. Her boss had dragged her out to a festive gathering on her first day. A hint of fear flowed freely through the girl. This was the first time she had been in a place with so many people.
As the girl glanced around, she saw many strangely dressed people. One had orange colored hair with a pair of horns sticking out from her head. A different girl had long, deep violet hair, and wore simple clothes with a large pack. Yet another wore ribbon as foot wear and gauntlets as dangling accessories. There was one ordinary looking girl who just wore a white to purple kimono. Sora could also see two guys amongst the crowd, one of which she thought she saw looking at her and her boss.
Sora remained silent, waiting for the attention to be lifted off of her and placed onto someone else.
-
Wings? Well, he'd seen tengu on occasion, usually slight glimpses when they were looking for news to put in their papers. But these were different.
They looked kinda like bat wings almost, which made him wonder. After all, he'd never heard of a tengu with bat wings before.
Of course, what really struck him as odd was her remark about her being 'the guest of honor'. Wasn't this whole thing supposed to celebrate the new shrine maiden or somesuch?
He found it rather hard to believe that she was the one, because wouldn't the maiden be wearing typical miko garb? Which this girl was most assuredly not wearing.
Though what else caught his eye was how the girl with her seemed afraid, maybe she wasn't used to crowds? It was hard telling in Gensokyo anymore.
But either way, it wasn't entirely important right now. He'd have plenty of time to chat with them if a better opportunity presented itself.
Because for now, he was going to enjoy lingering where he was, and enjoying his treasure. Quality sake, and steamed buns.
'Man, this place sure got crowded all of a sudden. Wonder if any fights'll break out? Heh, sure hope so, it was starting to get boring today anyhow!'
Of course, he noted that quite a few folks who weren't entirely human showing up, including this girl who considered herself the guest of honor.
'Wonder if these fights'll be between Youkai? Those could be fun to watch, if not to join in on!'
Of course, he couldn't help but let out a good and hearty laugh after finishing this thought. Because what sense is there in laughing in your head, where nobody will hear it?
Of course, onlookers would likely assume that he'd already had quite a few drinks today, but the truth of the matter was, that jug was the first of the week.
You see, it had been rather difficult of late for him to get his preferred variety, as it had all been selling out before he could get it. Thankfully, he had a reward that he had put on a rain check, and he chose today to turn it in to get a jug of his favorite. ALl in all, today was a rather good one for him, excluding the newspaper incident earlier.
'If I ever find the tengu who pulled that, I'll have to remember to roast her but good! Or him, if it was a guy. Though I've never heard of any male tengu before, 'sides that Tenma fella. But nobody's sure if it's a guy or a girl, somethin' about bein' a total recluse or somesuch.'
OOC: STRING CHEESE! Y U SO TASTY?! (╯?□?）╯︵ ┻━┻
OOC(Addendum): Also, while I was writing this post, I was listening to this (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YstILpaevkk&feature=related). I kinda consider it a relatively fitting tune for Takuma. xD
-
---Orphea
?O-oh, that?s good?? Keine said, blushing slightly. With her back still turned, she took the ingredients and put them away for another day. She reached into her bag and withdrew a small snack for herself. The teacher then walked casually over to the table and took a seat across from Yumiko.
?Well, I brought it so that I could read it. I heard that there?s a celebration going on tonight.? Keine said as she munched on the snack. She picked up the paper and began to read the front page.
?So, how?s job searching going?? Keine asks as she takes another bite of her makeshift meal, her eyes still scanning the front page of the paper she?s holding.
---------
---GuyYouMetOnline
The oni frowned deeply as the human shot down her offer coldly. Her face showed obvious dissatisfaction.
?How boring? Suika says, her expression lightening slightly.
As the girl offers her the sake, Suika gives a sort of muffled laugh.
?Can?t you see I already have plenty of sake?? She says as she holds up her gourd, a small smile on her face.
Suika takes a sip from her gourd as the girl asks her if she is an oni.
?Of course. The only one in all of Gensokyo. Did you want my autograph or something?? She says with a slightly teasing smile.
?So. What?s a dull and uninteresting fellow like yourself doing at this lively and jolly social gathering?? Suika asks as she lays on her side and makes herself comfortable on the shrine?s veranda.
---------
---CrowCakes
In one swift movement, Kisei had launched herself backwards, sliding across the floor in an attempt to knock over anyone that could be behind her.
The girl?s feet slammed into a hard wall, producing a loud ?thud?.
?My?so hotheaded?? The voice of a woman spoke out in awe.
As Kisei rolled over, she looked in the direction of the voice.
Looking down at her was a woman dressed in a elegant blue kimono with a matching mob cap. Her hair was pink in color, and fell softly around her beautiful face. She held a magnificently colored folding fan in her hand, waving it slightly and slowly close to her face.
---------
---Yog
The girl looked at the sake for a moment, then nodded as she took a cup off the nearby table and held it out for the man to pour some sake into.
?Thanks? She said as he poured it into her cup. ?My name is Youmu? She said softly. She took a sip and let out a refreshed sigh. Youmu started to open her mouth to speak again.
Thud!
Youmu spun her gaze in the direction of the sound, listening for anything else.
Silence.
With a sigh the samurai put her cup down and got to her feet, walking silently in the direction the sound had came.
---
As Hotaru reluctantly trekked on, She could hear the sound of a girl humming aloud.
Curious, Hotaru strained her eyes to see through the darkness.
As the humming got louder, Hotaru could see an eerie bluish luminescence coming in her direction.
-
For the most part Senri had idled around for the meanwhile and sighed, in the end, there was not much of interest to do at present. Either everybody was too busy to sit around and chat, or they were just plain not interested. Well, fine! All this tripe was boring, anyway. Senri sighed softly to himself, dusting off some dirt that fell on his furisode, and decided to try and find a quiet place to sit down and contemplate the events of this night. Youko on the other hand decided to disappear for the meanwhile, having grown bored of the festivities herself. She thought to herself deeply that this was boring if only because there was barely any action, most of it the gregarious part of socialization, which the spiritual entity thought of as "human-like" and thus ultimately mind-numbingly boring. She was now nowhere to be seen. Senri himself decided he would settle upon the shrine's torii, but what he did not expect was the appearance of a seemingly Western-esque dressed girl, accompanied by another young woman in those french maid outfits you'd see in the books or in the telly. Senri sighed and ultimately didn't really strike up conversation with them at first, opting to just stand by the torii himself. After a few moments of silence...
"Um, ma'am, shouldn't you be in there?" Senri sighed pointing at the crowd which was basically the festival itself.
-
"Yes, it mentioned the celebration. Festival. Feast. Thing." She got up from her seat and went to the kitchen, retrieving a pair of cups and filling them with juice, before returning to the table, placing one of them in front of Keine.
"I found something at the library at the so-called Scarlet Devil Mansion... I think you might know a bit about the place, or at least it's residents. I hear you've had a bit of a run in with them before." She sat back down in her chair and took a sip from her cup.
-
"Actually," Laresa said, "I came here looking for you. As much as I might like to simply atend the festival, my job takes priority. I'm investigating something, and my investigation has led me to you. If I'm right, then you may recognize me, in which case you probably already know what I'm here about.
"An incident occured in the human village earlier today. The village was affected by an impulse to gather at the village center. I went to investigate, and as far as I could determine, no harm was done. If that's true, then there's nothing I need to do, but I don't like taking chances. So I want to make sure.
"I encountered the responsible individual in the village, but was unable to get a look at her. She had the ability to manipulate density, and had dispersed herself into mist. I attempted to make contact with her then, but without success. So I investigated, and found that some time ago, similar compulsive gathering had occurred. Those gatherings were done for the purpose of festivals, as I understand.
"Anyways, I saw Aya's article about the new maiden and the celabratory festival, and she mentions you by name as the one who told her about the new maiden. Now, an unexplained gathering on the same day that a new Hakurei maiden suddenly appears strikes me as a bit unlikely. I think the two are related, and thanks to Aya's article, I had the identity of someone I could ask about it.
"Now, I don't think there's anything harmful going on here, but as I said, I like to be sure. So I came to you, in the hope that you might know something. If you do, then please enlighten me."
---------------------------------------
OOC: If Suika wants something from Laresa in return for information, you can just go ahead and assume that Laresa has just the thing, because, well, that's how Laresa works.
-
The first thing the red-hair's instincts put its interests in was the fan. Mine!
Trying to find her footing, Kisei's feet wobbled. They tingled, sending a wave of cold through her skin. It felt like standing on a wobbly pole. The lack of pain confused her mind, but it had more plans to attend to.
"It can't be as bad as your situation," she replied, "It's spring, isn't it? Why keep that hat on? You're letting all your heat in."
Even with a shaky balance, the thief ran for the fan like the light at the end of a tunnel, fearing that it might disappear at any moment. Her arms trailed loosely in her flight, ready to snap at the prize- or at Pink-hair, if I need to- should it move. The woman looked harmless, just a beautiful doll that couldn't harm a fly.
OOC: Kisei is begging for a beatdown again. Formalities come later.
-
Sanaya's focus on the human to oni conversation was shattered when a woman spoke to her unexpectedly her. Her body tensed up in a frustrated manner but she managed to restrain herself and turn her head at a normal pace. "I am sorry. Did you say a girl in red?" Her mind flashed back to this morning. "Could she mean that girl?"
She put a hand to her chin and though for a moment before replying. "Red kimono? Not too tall and red hair in pigtails?" She crossed her arms before shaking her head and looking back towards the crowd. "Well I met her this morning, making a ruckus at the town square, punched a boy across the chin."
The youkai exterminator sighed and turned back towards the woman before continuing. "I have not seen her since then however. Are you a relative of hers?"
-
Shinsui blinked. It was all she could do for her eyes not to widen entirely.
"Yes. In fact, I am her mother." Her breath became shaky, forcing her to put a hand on her chest. There was worry in every thought. Did she get hurt again? Her daughter never complained of wounds, simply because, according to the girl, she did not feel much pain. She was always fine. "O-o-oh my, did you say you didn't see her here?"
Just then, she felt a tap on her back. She looked back as Tsutomu whispered to her. "She's not in the crowd."
Kisei was going to get an earful when she found her.
-
Hideaki looked on as Youmu went. There wasn't much joy in drinking alone he thought. After emptying the contents of his cup, he placed it close to hers and followed suit. "So what was that?" he asked her, catching up to her. He didn't play much attention of the thudding noise himself. Though if Youmu took notice, it was presumably something she had to do.
Hotaru continued. She wasn't good at sneaking, and would've probably caught that person's attention anyway. All she could do was keep on walking, hoping the person coming wasn't hostile.
Maybe the light was a lantern. Well it could happen at least.
-
---Orphea
Upon hearing the girl mention the Scarlet Devil Mansion, a frown appeared on Keine?s face. Remaining silent, she lowered the paper and pushed it to the side. Then, she turned her gaze to Yumiko. Her eyes told of the teacher?s dissatisfaction with the girl?s choice.
?And where did you hear that?? Keine asked, her tone sounded almost like a parent when telling their child to fess up for something bad they did. Her gaze remained fixed on the girl, unwavering and devoid of any sort of playfulness.
---------
---GuyYouMetOnline
Suika took another sip from her gourd as Laresa spoke.
?Your eyes. They have the same look as someone I once knew? Suika says, not wavering and remaining her jolly fun-loving self. The oni took another mouthful from her gourd before rolling over onto her back. She stretches her arms out comfortably, as if she had just flopped onto a soft bed.
?It wasn?t me who brought everyone to this feast.? Suika said simply as she looked at Laresa from her place on the veranda, a playful smile on her face.
As Laresa continues on, Suika tries to take a drink from her gourd without spilling any. She evidentally fails, spilling a little bit onto her face, forcing her to sit up to take a drink.
?Stranger things have happened? Suika says as she lies back down, making herself comfortable. As Laresa finishes speaking, the oni pipes up with another question.
?So how?d you know the ability was manipulation of density?? Suika asks casually.
---------
---CrowCakes
Kisei sprints towards the woman, her eyes glued to the fan.
The pink-haired notices and in an instant, her eyes become sharp. Her arm holding the fan swings back, and her other arm rises. She holds her hand out, as if she were commanding an army to advance, but before Kisei gets the chance to think about this gesture, the area between them lights up with a bright pink light. The light then morphs. Butterflies fly outward from the woman?s outstretched hand, as if they were fleeing from her. In the next instant, the light shoots towards Kisei like a pinpoint spear, it?s speed too fast for her to dodge. The light impacts the girl?s chest, knocking her back and onto the floor with a heavy thud.
---------
---Yog
?I don?t rea-?
Youmu was cut off at the sudden burst of light which shone out from the crevices between the door and it?s surrounding borders, along with any holes that may have been made in the old paper windowed door.
Youmu?s eyes widened in a startled fashion as she let out a faint gasp.
?Yuyuko-sama!? She shouted as she dashed towards the door.
She grabbed the door?s handle and swung it to the side, making quite the ruckus as it slammed into the wall.
Inside the room stood the Saigyouji mistress, looking surprised by Youmu?s sudden intrusion.
?Oh there you are Youmu? She said cluelessly.
Youmu was left speechless for a moment, then heaved out a heavy sigh.
?I was sitting at the table the entire time?? She muttered audibly.
?Really?? Yuyuko said, looking somewhat awed.
?Yes!? Youmu spoke up, seeming a little frustrated with her ghostly mistress.
---------
---Trance
The girl, realizing she had been addressed, turned to the one who had spoken to her. She and her servant both gazed at Senri. The winged girl glanced over his features silently, then frowned.
?Who are you?? She said bluntly, her hands still placed on her hips in a rather proud fashion.
-
Yumiko just tilted her head slightly and stared back unblinkingly. This is not quite the reaction I expected...
"People might not talk to me often, but I still hear things, and you know how I am with books. I've read just about every one I've got my hands on. That's mostly why I want to go there; if the library's as big as it's rumored to be there would be a lot of things I could learn from there. Is that a problem?" She kept her tone light, rather than Keine's serious, almost parental, tone. It was fun to do that, sometimes.
-
"Actually," Laresa said, "I wasn't talking about the feast. There's no gathering compulsion here. I was talking about the gathering in the village this morning. There had to be some reason for it, but I can't figure out what that reason was. That's what I was asking about, if you knew anything about that gathering. I don't think there was any harmful intent behind it, but again, I like to be sure.
"As for identifying the ability that was used, that was a product of my own ability. I can automatically identify any ability used within my range."
-
Sanaya's expression softens as she notices the worry in the woman's face. "Oh, would you like me to help you look? More people can always cover a greater area, in case she is just nearby."
She stands up and bows her head slightly "I am Sanaya Furuika by the way." As she straightened her neck, her eyes fell on a figure by the shrine stairs. "Wings? I wonder how many more youkai will show up at this rate." Before being able to follow up on her thought she hears a dampened thud coming from withing the shrine. She snaps her head around towards the shrine before remembering the two people standing before her. "I am sorry, I think I heard something. I wish you luck in finding your daughter."
She gives another short bow before walking around a corner of the shrine and slipping in through a side-door After entering she keeps her ears open, trying to pick up any other out of place sounds.
-
Senri sighed and looked back at the festival for a short moment before turning back to face the winged girl and who was presumably her maidservant. My my, she certainly possessed ego... Senri thought to himself, wondering what he was getting himself into. Either way, he was a little curious about this individual. He wasn't sure of what kind of being she was; she didn't seem much like a typical youkai... Was she something else? And what of her maid, she didn't seem like an ordinary person either. Senri sensed some absurd energies from these two, though he could not make any sense of it. Youko's introductions to the art only extended towards detection of the energy, and not really how to interpret the energy signatures. "Sorry for being rude, it just seemed like someone of such regal calibre as yourself shouldn't be alone here. I'm just a bystander. Senri. Yamagishi Senri." Senri sighed out an introduction before turning to face the festival and fidgeting about. He procured a fan that Youko had given him before he left and started fanning himself with it. "I am just here because it is too noisy out there. Sorry."
-
---Orphea
Keine retained her frown and remained silent for a moment. Finally, she let out a sigh.
?It?s not you learning things that I?m concerned about? Keine said as she took a drink. ?That place is pretty much a youkai den? Keine spoke as if it was a well known fact. After about half a minute, Keine let out another sigh and continued speaking.
?But?? She started, averting her eyes to the closest window, ?If that?s what you want?I can?t stop you? She said, seemingly lost in thought. After a few seconds, she mouthed yet another, more silent, sigh and turned her face back in Yumiko?s direction.
?But I want you to be careful. Those girls aren?t anything like the youkai you can meet in the village.? Keine said as she gave the girl across from her a strong gaze. ?The last thing I?d want is to see you turn up as a corpse.? Keine said, her voice echoing with concern.
---------
---GuyYouMetOnline
?You?re thinking too much!? Suika said with a cheerful smile on her face as she raised her gourd into the air.
?You need to stop fretting over every little thing that youkai do? She said as she rose to her feet. ?So I had a little fun? There?s no harm in having fun? Suika spoke in a jolly tone as she hopped down from the veranda and strode towards Laresa. ?Everyone needs to let loose every now and again.?
By now the oni was standing infront of Laresa. She held out her hand.
?I think I?ll have that sake you offered now.? She said, her cheerful smile still on her face.
-
The blast vanished as soon as it had struck. Her head rang as she looked up at the woman, then down to where the spear had hit her. Her chest hurt, yes, but there was nothing lodged in it. It's gone. Like magic.
Oh crap. Magic.
Putting a hand to where the spear had struck, Kisei did not feel any wound nor trace of wet blood. There was only the sheer heat from the attack, which had probably seared her kimono. It was impossible to tell in the dark room, but, for sure, there were no injuries.
The girl pushed herself back up. "...who the hell are you?"
-
Hideaki took a glance at both Youmu and Yuyuko. He didn't think much of Yuyuko either.It seemed from Youmu's lines that she had respect of this person, despite the annoyance her tones gave. There was also the bright pink hair the woman had, which vaguely reminded him of cherry blossoms somehow. But commenting on that would be rude, especially with the two talking.
When the two had a pause in their conversation, he decided to enter into it. "So...Yuyuko was it? Would you like to join us for a drink? I have more than enough." It seemed to him that his skills with making his own conversation was lacking. He was more used to answering his customers, who tended to talk about themselves to him. But at least this was a good amount of practice.
At the last minute, Hotaru decided she can at least make up a (valid) excuse if the person heading her way noticed her. Jumping into the bush, would've been quick, but it also would've been noisy. With that in mind, she slowly waded her way into a nearby group of bushes, and when she was carefully done being in them, ducked and only made a tiny viewpoint so she could see if the source of the light disappeared.
-
After a long, confusing, and dead end ridden conversation with this odd girl, Tetsumaru had been through enough. "Excuse me miss, it's time for my break."
He was tired. With quick, practiced motions, he packs up the entirety of his father's wares and heads off deeper into the festival. White knuckled hand grasped around the cap of his shikomizue, he walks and walks. Wandering around and through the crowd, he sighs and samples the food without enjoyment. The apprentice just felt irritable. He didn't like this party, he didn't like having to be a salesman, he didn't like any of this. Immature of him, he knew, but the fact remained that he could not honestly enjoy any of this.
Tetsumaru takes a seat somewhere and sighs, tired. 'I suppose I'll just head home soon...'
-
"You're right," Laresa said. "Having a little fun can indeed be harmless. But some people's idea of 'fun' isn't quite so harmless. And remember, I didn't even know who was responsible. Yes, there was no apparent harm done, but I suppose I'm just a paranoid individual. WHich has helped me on numerous occasions."
So apparently the gathering was indeed harmless, but Laresa still didn't know for sure. The did, however, know what to do next. She'd effectively confirmed that Suika was the one responsible, although she didn't get very specific answer as to why she did it. Further evaluation of Suika is necessary. Fortunately, this evaluation was easy, and she could probably learn something about the new shrine maiden while she did it. The only unfortunate part was that it involved doing something she really didn;t like doing.
Laresa handed Suika the bottle of sake. "Sure, go ahead." She took out a glass. "I'd like to try a little of yours, while we're at it."
"I don't know how long it's been since Gensokyo had an event like this," Laresa said. "And it's quite an occasion, too. This shrine's been without a maiden for far too long. Have you met the new maiden? I'd like to know a little about her, but I have no idea where she is. I don't suppose you know anything about her?"
------------------------
The thing Laresa doesn't like doing ismaking small talk, being friendly (of course, she won't let this show). Also, SOnae, do remember that her sake is top-quality. I don't know what quality of stuff Suika's used to, but even if there's none better, Laresa's will still quite clearly be good stuff.
-
---Orphea
After a few minutes of silence, Keine began to fidget slightly. She glanced towards the window and out into the darkness of the street.
?W-well, I best get going?? Keine said with a slight stutter. She began to gather up her things and headed over to the door. She slowed to a stop a short distance from the door, and hesitantly turned back to Yumiko.
?If that?s what you truly want to do however, ? She started, her eyes met with Yumiko?s, a reassuring and accepting light reflected in her eyes.
?If you want to go there with all your heart and soul,? A faint smile slowly crept across her face, ?Then there?s nothing I can do to stop you.?
With that, Keine turned and slipped her shoes on, and grasped her hand on the door?s handle. She turned her head slightly, giving Yumiko a glance which resonated with a feeling of faith. The teacher, feeling that she had done what she could, turned her gaze forward, and she slid the door open.
?Good night Yumiko, Take care.? She said, casting one last smile at the girl as she closed the door.
Soon enough, the sound of the teacher?s footsteps vanished, leaving only silence in its place.
---Yog
Hotaru watched silently from a little gap in the bushes, making sure she had not been seen by whatever it was that was coming down the path.
The sounds of a girl humming aloud could be heard clearly. Hotaru held her breath for a moment, hoping that she hadn?t already been seen.
Just then, Hotaru spotted the source of the sound.
Coming down the path was a woman, dressed in all red. Her hair was spring green in color and was tied together below her chin with a red ribbon. Atop her head sat a similar ribbon, but much larger, longer, and more elaborate than the one that tied her hair together. A similar ribbon was wrapped around her left arm. An aquamarine swirl adorned a corner of her dress, tied to it with red thread. She wore black boots, cross laced with red laces. Her eyes, despite being hard to make out in the dark from this distance, appeared to be green in color. A strange aura swirled about her, its eerie blue glow giving Hotaru the chills. This girl is bad news.
The girl spun round and round as if she was dancing to a distant song.
?Hm-hm-hmmmm~ hmhm-hm-hmhmhmhm hm-hm-hmm~ hmhm-hmmmmmmmm~ ??eh?? She voiced as she slowed to a stop. The girl glanced around, as if looking for something she had lost. She frowned, looking in the general direction that Hotaru had hidden in. ?I could have sworn I sensed misfortune in this direction?? she said, holding a finger to her mouth, as if thinking of what to do next. Eventually the woman shrugged, thinking it was just her imagination and continued on down the path, resuming the song she had been humming earlier.
---Inside of the Shrine
Yuyuko looked at the girl as she rose to her feet. She blinked, looking slightly surprised by the girl?s forward hostility.
?Me?? She said innocently as she pointed towards herself.
?Why, I?m the evil spirit that haunts this shrine? She says, a bright and cheery smile on her face.
Upon hearing Hideaki speak, the ghost princess turned her gaze to him.
?Yes, that would be nice? Yuyuko says with a sweet smile. As the ghost returns her gaze to the child before her. ?If you would excuse me,? She says politely as she floats towards the girl. In a smooth, graceful motion, the ghostly princess floats around the thief, as if she were a dancer that gravity could not affect. Yuyuko gently lands before the pair at the door. After smoothing out the wrinkles that had formed in her kimono during her jump, the Saigyouji mistress turned her eyes to Youmu and Hideaki.
?Shall we?? Yuyuko said, making a faint gesture in the direction of the other room.
---Outside of the Shrine
Suika glanced at the girl as she spoke, but remained silent on the topic. As Laresa handed her the bottle, she smiled and thanked her. As the human retrieved her own glass from her bag and asked for a taste of Suika?s sake, a wide grin spread across the oni?s face.
?This here?s the Ibuki gourd? Suika said proudly as she picked up her gourd and pulled the small cork out of the top. ?It?s a magical oni treasure, capable of producing an infinite amount of sake? She said as she tilted the gourd up. The sake flowed out into the glass Laresa held. Once it had been filled, Suika put the cork back on it and let it rest at her side.
?Well, if you consider seeing her as a form of meeting, then yes we have,? Suika said simply, ?She took off to clean so fast I didn?t even catch her name?? The oni let out a small sigh as she closed her eyes and recalled the events that had transpired earlier.
Without wasting much time, the small oni shook her head, her jolly smile returning to her face. She turned around, and headed into what could be considered the center of the feast. Once there, she took a deep breath, and held the sake bottle she had received from Laresa up into the air.
?Hey!!? She shouted loud enough to be heard from even the back of the shrine.
---
Remilia gave the human a strange look for a moment, but remained silent. Her crimson eyes gazed at Senri, as if she could feel something strange from him as well.
Sora watched silently, looking over the individual?s features. She had never seen anyone like this around the village before. Sora wondered who this Senri could be. They seemed quite different from most of the other villagers. Was she even from the village? Sora?s daze was cut short by a sudden shout.
---
All eyes quickly shifted onto the little oni who stood in the center of the area. Her face showed a jolly grin as she began to shout again.
?I?ve got sake for everyone! So lets joyously drink to our heart?s content!!!? Suika cheered energetically.
The winged girl was the first to move in.
?Where?d you get this from?? the girl said, doubtful of it?s genuineness.
?A human brought it. She says it?s top quality stuff too!? Suika said proudly as she opened the bottle.
?Hmm, I?ll be the judge of that? The girl said as she took out a cup of her own and held it out.
Suika grinned happily as she poured sake into the girl?s fancy glass. When Suika had finished pouring the sake, the girl brought the cup to her lips and silently took a sip. After a few seconds, she lowered the cup from her mouth and breathed softly. She hesitated for a moment before speaking again.
?It?s not bad? She said, sounding as if she was trying not to show she liked it. Suika raised the bottle into the air again, with even more energy than she had when she had done so before.
?Drinks for everyone!!? The small oni cheered enthusiastically.
?Ah! Sorry we?re late!?
The voice rang out from the shrine?s gate. As the oni and the vampire turned to gaze at the newcomers, they saw four people.
One had long green hair, decorated with a modest hairclip. Her attire was simple as well. To the right of her was a small girl wearing a strange hat with eyes. Her hair was blonde in color, and cut shorter than that of the first woman?s. She wore a purple dress with frogs printed on it. A smile shone on her child-like face. To the left of the woman was another young girl, appearing to be in her teens. Her hair was a green similar to that of the leader?s, and her eyes appeared to be a similar color as well. She wore a scarf as white as freshly fallen snow, its length longer than she was tall. Behind her stood a taller woman, dressed in all red with deep blue hair. Red leaves were fastened into her hair with shimenawa-like rope. On her chest was a mirror. Unlike her companions, she gave off a sturdy feel, as if all the elements combined could not shake her determination.
?Sanae got us lost? the child-like girl said as she hopped forward.
?I did not?? the green haired woman responded, frowning for a moment as she stepped forward as well.
?Well, we?re here now, isn?t that what matters?? The blue haired woman followed suit. The three of them didn?t seem to mind stepping in as they had, and casually joined the feast as if they had been there from the start. With the appearance of these newcomers, the feast seemed to liven up, becoming a bit noisier.
-
Hotaru let a breath of relief when she couldn't hear the humming. She stumbled out of the bushes, dusting off any leaves and twigs on her. That woman was definitely a youkai. One that had something to do with luck. She wasn't deterred by the slightest from her comment however. What's life without misfortune? Boring and makes them unable to react against it if they never been in it. Not that she had any really unlucky times.
She continued on her destination towards the mountain. She had to commit to something.
Wordlessly, Hideaki nodded and went in first, followed by Youmu. "So tell me," he began, motioning to Youmu. "What's the relationship between you and Yuyuko?" He took out his sake and filled his previously empty cup once more.
"I'm Yuyuko-sama's gardener. Although I do other errands for her as well." she took her own cup and fetched another for Yuyuko.
"Well since I've been asking all the questions lately, how about you ask one?" he poured some in both of her cups.
For a moment, Youmu paused, thinking of one. "What's your occupation?"
"I just own a small food stand."
-
Senri noted the commotion going on at the center, due to this recent development of an oni appearing and bringing drinks to everyone, it was definite that his mother was going to try and take some of it for herself. Senri sighed and made his way to the center area, eyeing the sudden increase in liveliness, people definitely were noisier than earlier. Was it the drink? Perhaps it was, but Senri really wasn't willing to find out. He didn't want to come home drunk. Unfortunately, if his mother really were around, it's most likely that he would be coming home drunk. Now, four people had arrived, one of them in white and with green hair, with three companions of her's most likely. He didn't know who they were, but he made a mental note to try and remember their appearance. Suddenly, someone touched his back. Senri squeaked and turned about to see that it was none other than Youko, dressed in the same thing she usually dressed in these occasions, wearing something distinctly Chinese in nature, it was a little weird to see her in that outfit given what everyone else was wearing, but Youko obviously didn't seem to care. Senri's mother trapped him in a headlock and playfully rubbed his head with her knuckle. "That hurts, mother...! Stop that." Senri squirmed about in place as Youko eventually relented, procuring a cup containing some sake. Senri sighed. "Really, mom?" Youko nodded.
"Give it a shot... It's good stuff."
Senri sighed and took a swig of the sake, and tilted his head. It really didn't taste bad at all. "Well... is not so bad." Youko took this opportunity to eventually cram as many drinks into Senri's system as she humanely could without killing her son of alcohol poisoning (even she had her limits) which led to the poor girly-boy ending up being incredibly drunk. Youko began to parade Senri's drunken form around the area at this point. Senri, in his drunk stupor, ended up starting to act uncharacteristically suggestive (perhaps even lewdly to some of the more conservative people around) and showing some actual skin by acting as if he was taking off his bridal furisode. All the while, Youko had been presenting her very own son as her daughter, and trying to play some pranks on people who were interested enough.
"Ehhhh... Mooom, stop it, you're embarraaaaaassing me... What if..."
"Pahaha, you'll be fine! I'm sure they will be 'gentle' with you~"
-
Laresa observed Suika for a while. She definitely seems like someone who'd randomly cause people to gather just because she felt like it. There was likely little more she'd learn about Suika during the feast. From Suika herself, that is; others here may know her. But there was no way to know who knew Suika, and Laresa really didn't feel like asking everyone.
Laresa turned her attention to the other issue. There's still something off about all this. First the gathering, and then the new maiden? And Suika's involved with both? Probably not entirely coincidental. But she was unlikely to get anything more out of Suika. FOrtunately, however, there was someone else she could talk to. If anyone knows what's going on with this new shrine maiden, it's the maiden herself. Finding her might be an issue, though; Laresa had yet to see anyone who appeared to have that role. So maybe she's actually in the shrine. Worth a look, certainly.
Laresa let herself slowly drift over to the shrine's entrance in a natural-looking manner, then walked casually into the shrine. Trying to sneak in would have looked suspicious if anyone had noticed her; by simply walking in, she appeared to be nothing more than a curious individual, wanting to just see what the shrine looked like. But her true goal, of course, was that of locating the maiden.
--------------------------------------
OOC: Yes, Sour, I'd like Laresa to meed Kohaku. If you'd rather not do that, though, I'll just have something keep her from entering the shrine.
-
As the weird lady left, Kisei eyed all the objects in sight. They all looked old, but they looked pretty useless. They're all paper stuff. No one was watching anymore, but the faintest sound echoed everywhere. That wouldn't have been a problem if she had those fancy "quiet shoes," but fur was hard to find, much less a person willing to sow them on to a pair of shoes.
The party outside grew noisier, with a loud "Hey!" catching the midget's attention.
"Grr, they didn't look nice anyway." Kisei tread slowly on her way out of the shrine.
The crowd outside was still easy to slip through, but there were more people gathered around the center of the courtyard. The oni from a while ago, along with some girl with bat wings, was there, holding up a dark glass bottle. Whatever she was doing, she'd better keep it up. More drunk people means more stuff to steal. There was also the option of snatching the glass bottle, since it did look interesting, but MEEEEEEEH. It's probably wine or some watery thing. Useless.
A dangling pouch jumped in the corner of Kisei's vision. Immediately, she made her way to it. Her arm reared.
And then someone hit my arm back down.
Wait. What?
She spun, facing the offender. Staring back at her was her dad. No way.
In more ways than one, of course. She broke out of her father's grasp- he managed to grab my wrist, apparently- and proceeded to her previous target, a girl (?) looking to snag some lovers. Passing by behind her, Kisei grabbed the sleeve and the back panel of the girl's kimono and pushed them in opposite directions.
Nothing flew out of the sleeve.
Oh crap.
Just keep walking.
OOC: Trance, you have been pinged. Go teach Kisei a lesson.
This is for calling me a midget, Crow. :flamingv:
-
Youko had barely seen someone attempt to steal something from Senri's furisode kimono within her peripheral vision, and noticed it was a little runt who thought she was a pro pickpocket. If Senri were sober he would have recognized that it was the girl from earlier, but he was far too drunk right now. In fact, Senri didn't even seem to feel remotely affected by the girl's sneak attack that in fact failed, and he took another swig of sake. Meanwhile, his mother was far more alert and slinked behind the wannabe thief as she was walking away, and began to creepily stroke her back and started to exude an incredibly demonic aura, though it was entirely an act, the intimidation factor needed to be as big as possible. "Why, what makes you think it's right to steal from my cute little daughter, let alone the fact she has nothing valuable on her and the fact that she's drunk?" Youko whispered into the girl's ear venomously, trailing the thief (and subconsciously leaving the drunk Senri to his own devices, though he seemed mostly to be content sitting on the ground acting a little too uncharacterstically whorish for his own good). Eventually, Youko decided that enough was enough and struck the girl's elbows and the back of her calves with two of her fingers, using her ability to instantly paralyze the localized area with she struck, which would surely make the thief fall down and become unable to move. However, the paralysis itself didn't hurt at all. On the other hand, the paralysis would take many hours to settle down and go away. Maybe a day or two if the person didn't have much magical training.
"Next time, little sweet girl, you'd do better to think about trying to steal! Wait for your pops or your momma to pick ya up!" Youko said this like an indignant parent to the naughty child of somebody else.
-
Kisei fell onto the pavement like it was rubber. The only part missing was the bouncing back, which she couldn't. Her arms and legs were dead limp. They got hit in the right places. There was barely any time to register what had happened- well, it did anyway- because shivers kept running up her spine. The woman who had tailed her was a freaking youkai. That's the only reason how she could try to make me feel afraid.
"Oh, screw off!" she hissed, "This party needs a little more excitement, don't you think?" It was strange not being able to even flail in place. Good thing she didn't disable my mouth!
Before the situation could escalate further, Tsutomu emerged from the crowd behind them, pulled Kisei to him, and shut her mouth with one hand, muffling the rest of her grumbles. "I am really, really sorry about this," he said to the youkai.
-
"...Party?" Nanaya mumbled as she strolled through the gathering people. She took note of the shrine, the youkai that seemed to be here, and even some others that didn't have the aura of a Youkai, but more of an elegant figure or something along those lines. She at first, wanted to just talk with that boy that was selling metal items, and swords. It's been a long time since she had the Arasoi checked out, anyway... Even though it showed no sign of wear and tear. Dragging the sword across the ground, Nanaya ventured through around and inside of the shrine. More for the former. There were a few things out of the ordinary, like a pink-haired woman and a sword-wielding girl. Nanaya did see Kanako and Sanae though... However, she avoided them. She didn't really want to see them after what happened earlier today with Amaya.
The more important part was Kase-
Out of the corner of her eye, Nanaya saw a furisode kimono, followed by drunken behavior displayed by the wearer. Oh. Senri.
Wait. Senri?
Senri.
Nanaya cautiously scrolled over, and once in range, poked Senri's cheek.
-
"Oh, screw off!" the girl hissed as she fell over due to Youko's paralyzing strikes, and the bakeneko in return glared at her with a deliciously evil smile. However, her expression turned to that of a neutral, concerned parent's one as a man suddenly pulled the girl to him and covered her mouth with a hand. Immediately, Youko could tell that it was someone related to her, someone who took care of her. "I am really, really sorry about this." he said, and Youko merely nodded in response and impatiently tapped the ground with her feet. She shrugged in the end and sighed. "It's fine, nobody was really harmed, but I do expect that you should keep a better eye out on her next time, she might actually be successful in stealing... I could tell that she's not new to this. She'll be fine, just give it a few hours and then she can start to move her limbs again." Youko affirmed this after snapping her fingers a few times.
***
Senri had been sitting around on a bench for a while after realizing (very slowly) that Youko had left him, and he was incredibly drunk at this point. Hiccuping and trying to slur together coherent sentences, he stumbled about in place. Some people were passing by and eyeing him for a moment, but ultimately ignored him - he was too drunk to be really taken seriously by anyone at all. However, a vaguely familiar figured approached him - it was Nanaya! She was either already here for a while or had just arrived. She poked his cheek. In response, Senri looked at her (his eyes were a little red) and took a deep breath before gently putting one of her hands on Nanaya's shoulder. "Haalllooooo, Nanaya-saaaaan. How's... how's you this woooonderful and young night?" he barely slurred out, hiccuping throughout.
-
(( OOC NOTE TO EVERYONE:: ))
Old Sour says:
Then why did you close the discussion thread?
Himiko says:
No one uses it
no one discusses things
no one submits npocs, or events, or mission, or even ideas for their own characters
All that thread is is me making energetic declarations only to have it met with general indifference
((The following is why I've closed the Discussion Thread. If you guys want it back you only need to ask and I'll happily start a new one. It's likely after things get moving again I'll make a new one too. The last one was closing in on the post count lock anyways. Don't let that deter you from posting though. Things will continue as usual.))
---------
Sora sat silently, glancing around anxiously as her surroundings. The feast had become rowdy, and this fact made her uncomfortable. The small horned girl had offered sake to everyone, and they had gladly indulged. Even her employer sat in front of her daintily sipping her sake from its cup in a refined manner. Sora examined her features. The girl?s blue hair, her red eyes, her child like figure, and not to mention her large demon-like wings, Sora ingrained them all into her mind.
A sudden ruckus drew Sora?s attention from her new master, and to the female that had spoken to the pair earlier. The girl watched closely as the silver haired one stumbled about in a drunken stupor. As Sora watched, she noticed that a youkai companion had joined the girl energetically. Her hair was a similarly brightly colored hue of gray, suggesting a possible relation. Could she?be a youkai?? The newly employed maid wondered, a slight chill sinking in her from a nighttime breeze that had blown across the shrine grounds. Hesitantly, the girl shook the thought from her head, and turned her attention back to the youkai woman. The woman wore a Chinese style dress that accentuated her breasts and diverged to reveal her thighs. Atop the woman?s head was a pair of cat-like ears, confirming that she was a youkai. She appeared to be wise and mature, unlike her own youkai companion. As the human watched the youkai woman, another girl rushed towards the drunken girl and rammed her. The woman was quick to react, using some sort of fearsome sorcery to paralyze the girl. As a result, the girl?s body flopped to the ground, unable to move, however her mouth kept going. She was soon silenced by what appeared to be a parent, who swiftly apologized.
As the human watched the interaction, she almost didn?t notice when a wing had brushed up against her. Startled, she spun around to see that the mistress was holding out a cup.
?You look a little pale,? The girl said as she took another taste of the sake, ?Here, drink some of this? She said as she offered the extra cup to Sora.
-
As the festival drew on, things were getting pretty hilarious. Some chick was clearly drunk out of her mind, which brought a grin to Takuma's face.
'She must not be able to hold 'er liquor!' This single fact had him amused to no end. It was clear that watching the rest of this would prove to be worth it in the long run.
Of course, the following events occurring didn't really escape his eye either, as he had one of the best seats in the house for watching the fun.
Where was it you ask? Well, atop the Torii of course! Where else would the best seat in the house be? He certainly had no small measure of difficulty in doing so though.
After all, he can't even fly yet. Though he has been trying to figure that out, things haven't been working out.
Of course, It can't be said that climbing it was one of his brightest ideas though. But hey, he'd had enough sake to blur the boundary between good and bad ideas.
'Why'd I climb up here any- Oh yeah, drunk. Who cares anyways!? I'm havin' a blast! Though that poor sap clearly isn't. Some kinda stunning spell? Hell if I know.'
That poor sap being Kisei, and her 'unfortunate' run-in with someone that was clearly a Youkai. What she did had him mildly interested, though it was hard to tell just how much was actual interest, and how much was just the sake.
OOC: Sheesh...it took so long to get this done. Feel free to regard his prior attempts to climb up as a Funny Background Event, because they essentially are. I have no doubt that some NPC humans were probably just staring while facepalming over it. For one thing, he has no idea how the heck he's gonna get down. But hell if he's gonna let details like that get in his way. Because that's just the kind of guy he is.
-
Amaya waves back to Sanae and Sowaku and yells back "We're coming.". She turns back to Kanako. "I'm sorry, I will not ask again..." She say and makes a small bow in front of her. After, she immediately turns herself into the direction of Sanae and Suwako and start walking towards them. She tries to hide her glumness and worries, and puts on a happy face when she came close to Sanae.
They didn't have to walk far and the group finally arrives at the edge of the forest. They find themselfs on a paved road with a lot of lanterns to light everything up.
Amaya looks into one direction of the road. She notices that the road seems to end into a lot of stairs that goes up a hill. The stairs are well lighted up and the moonlight gives a good vision too. "Is this the path to the shrine?"
'That was quite a long march, I never was that far away from our shrine' Amaya thought as they came close to the stairs.
She looks around, it was to dark to see alot but she is thinking about how far they have warked. It becomes more noisy as they walk up the stairway.
The feast seems to have lived up even more, as they arrived. Amaya is looking around 'Uh wow so many people here.' She is quite surprised.
-
Kohaku took one last look around the room, and exhaled slowly. She didn't always put this much effort into tidying her OWN room. But there's only so many times you can fiddle with the same battered book on the same natty old desk before the time comes, and you have to say,
"Enough's enough."
Gathering up her nerve, and letting the sharpened tip of a chain poke out of her palm, Kohaku looks towards the door. She's heard voices from down the hallway, and a sound like she'd never heard before, but she wasn't sure any of those voices had belonged to that ghost or not.
"Only one way to find out... Come on, Hyozan." The big dog rrrfs quietly and rises to his feet at his friends' call.
The Daidouji heir opens the door to the room quietly, looking down both sides of the hallway. "Clear so far." she says quietly to Hyozan. "I really hope the other people here at this party aren't as crazy as that ghost." This was supposed to be a simple matter. Clear up a misconception, meet new people (and youkai), maybe spread the word about Papa's business. And that ghost and her youkai had been very interesting. Very cool, even. Up until they tried to kill her... Once again, Kohaku devoutly wished her brother was here.
Especially once she saw that blue kimono in the main room down the hall, with the pink hair. An icy chill ran down the length of her spine. She barely even notices the other figures present before finding the nearest door and scooting through it into the room beyond, before Yuyuko can turn and see her. This one is larger than the last, and relatively well maintained and furnished. Kohaku, her heart pounding, sits herself down heavily on one of the wood chairs present, Hyozan padding silently into the room after her.
"You don't.... mind if we wait till she.... till she's gone?" She asks her canine friend, her breath coming in somewhat more shallow than she might have liked.
-
None of the people within the shrine had the look of a shrine maiden. But there were still things to be considered. As Laresa entered the shrine, she felt something. And she knew exactly what it was; one of her charms had just activated. It was one of several warning charms she had, charms that activated only when what they warned of was nearby. Activating in a manner such that in most cases, only the one they were placed upon would know they went off (although there were, of course, ways to detect or even fool them), they were very handy to have. Most of them she had taken off temporarily, as she expected many youkai to be at the party and didn't want them all going off the entire time, but she'd kept a coule on. And the one that was active now was one tuned to ghosts. At least one person here is a ghost.
Laresa looked over the people present. Her eyes fell briefly upon a woman in green with two swords. There was a white... thing with her. Connected somehow, perhaps. The other who drew her attention was a pink-haired woman in a blue kimono. Something's off about-what the-?
Someone had emerged into the hall from one of the side rooms. She'd come forward slowly, carefully, as though she wasn't sure she wanted to be seen. Then, suddenly, she froze breifly before ducking into another room. Must have seen something she didn't like. Or someone. But who is she?
Laresa made her way to the room the girl'd gone into and entered. The girl was in a chair, a large dog on the floor next to her. "Hi," Laresa said, closing the door behind her.
---------------------------------
OOC: Given how many random things Laresa will be shown to have over the course of this RP, Sonae, if at any point Laresa has and/or uses some item that for whatever reason it is absolutely not acceptable for her to have, just let me know, and I'll change it.
-
The poor Daidouji girl's heart jumped again as the door opened without any warning. Seeing a strange girl with purplish hair standing in the doorway (only a shade or two darker than mine, she thinks fleetingly), her hand clenches in a fist and she nearly jumps to her feet to defend herself. But something stops her, despite her surprise. Hyozan didn't warn her. In the years the girl's known the dog, he's always warned her whenever there was a threat coming, especially something she wasn't aware of. If this girl was a threat, Hyozan would have snarled, growled, got his hackles up. Done SOMETHING to give her a sign. Kohaku knew her own nerves and sensibilities had been rattled by her encounter with Yuyuko, but she trusted her canine friend completely.
None of that, however, does Kohaku's heart a tremendous amount of good. She tries to smile for the new arrival, but the sweat on her forehead and her quick breathing probably makes the gesture rather nervous-looking. "Hello." she says haltingly, doing a fairly good job at keeping her voice steady. Hyozan's instincts or no, she still has to ask, "You're, uh.... you're not, by any chance, a friend of that gho... That woman in the blue kimono out there, are you?"
-
Tetsumaru had perked up when he saw Senri, even if he was accompanied by his absolutely terrifying mother, but noticeably deflated when he saw that strange girl from earlier poke him in the cheek. 'Seems like everyone's enjoying this thing besides me...'
As alone as he was, the apprentice wasn't going to indulge in any alcohol. Bad things had happened last time he'd got inebriated. Bad, bad things. His father and him had agreed never to speak of it again, and so Tetsumaru knew not to even take a sip.
So, logically, the thing to do would be to just leave. There wasn't anything of interest for him here; he had no interest in this 'Hakurei Miko' business. No real desire to interact and sell things to people he didn't know. No real...anything.
"The party has only really just started, you know," comes a voice from behind him, right before he made his way down the stairs.
He doesn't bother looking backwards. "Good, then. It means I won't be missing too much sleep."
"Really now? Not going to stay awake, wondering if you missed anything fun?" The voice takes an amused tone. Somehow, he got the image of a dog of some kind.
Tetsumaru turns to face this person, eyes furrowed. "You...," he begins, then he stops. He was expecteing a human, to be honest. A white wolf tengu, with a sword and shield no less, was definitely not what he was expecting. "...do you have business with me?"
She shrugs, ears twitching a little. She's smiling, just a little. "Nothing really. Noticed another person who wasn't really enjoying all this. Too many bad memories for me. You?"
"Just don't like big gatherings," was his response, even as he gripped his cane a little tighter. He couldn't really tell if this person was actually sincere. To his surprise, she held up her hands.
"Oh, please, don't worry. I'm not planning anything. Birds of a feather, I thought?" He couldn't help but smile at that.
"I guess."
Despite himself, he found himself relaxing. This person seemed reasonable, at least.
-
Ah, so that one's the ghost. "I'm not," Laresa said. "I've never even seen her until about half a minute ago." She's scared of this woman. "WHy? Not fond of ghosts?"
-
A short, choked laugh escapes Kohaku's lips. "Well, I've only ever met the one. One and a half if you count her bodyguard, but, I'm afraid they never explained that all that well. But, that's beside the point. Let's just say..."
She pauses as she sits back down. "I'm not in a hurry to see THAT particular ghost again."
-
One and a half? So there's a half-ghost? Is that what that woman with the white thing is? "I see," Laresa said. "Well, perhaps I can help you with that." She reached into her pack and removed a paper charm. "This is a ghost-detection charm. It signals you whenever there's a ghost nearby. Here." She handed the charm to the girl. "To activate it, simply press it against your skin. You might want to choose a spot covered by your clothing, as the design will remain visible. If you want to remove the charm, simply peel it off as though it was still paper, which it will be when you remove it. Don't ask me how that works. I don't make them; I just use them. You can keep that one; I have multiple spares.
"Anyways, my name is Laresa. May I have yours? And if you're willing, could you tell me what that ghost did to you?"
-
"Sen~ri~. You're drunk." Nanaya looks around, looking out for anyone else she knew. Nope, nope. Okay. Not even the newly-arrived Amaya were in view. "I'm fine. Although you could've at least woke me up before bringing me here, ya know?" Nanaya giggled, setting the Arasoi on the bench, before sitting beside Senri. Her gauntlets dangled in the space under the bench, clanging together sporadically as the wind blew through. Nanaya smiled to herself, before sighing.
"They say a drunk man remembers things that he would forget when he's sober."
"Uwaa?" Senri faces Nanaya, hiccupping and slurring.
"I'll just tell you once more... You're the first booy I've met in a looooong time~"
"...Hic... I sweeeeeeeeeeeeee..."
"And that I'll be with you~ For~ev~er~"
"Naaaanaaayaaa?"
The girl pushes herself forward, placing her index finger on Senri's lips, before kissing his forehead once, and pulling back, smiling softly. Senri blinks, staring at Nanaya, who pulls up the drink in his hand, and begins to gulp it down.
"...Boku ni tsurarete miru?"
-
Sanaya had been in the process of stepping out as a shout rang throught the air, startling her, almost causing her to trip over the threshold on her way out.
Now she was wandering around the shrine grounds holding a dish filled with precariously balancing sake. She was not quite sure of why she had accepted the dish when she had previously thought to herself that she probably should avoid getting swept into the festivities. Still, it seems like it would be a shame to drop it now that she had it so here she was, walking towards the shrine stairs in search of somewhere to sit, occasionally taking a sip from the dish.
Partially because she was so focused on her dish and partially because the occasional sips were starting to reach her head she did not notice the person in front of her.
*splash*
"Oh I'm so sorry!"
During a lapse of attention her arm had bumped into a green haired girl, spilling some of the sake onto the white scarf wrapped around her neck. "I'm sorry I wasn't looking where I was..." her gaze now fell on the women accompanying the girl as a tinge of recognition ran up her spine. "Aren't you from the mountain?" Her mind flashed back to a description she had heard from her teacher a few years ago. "You're Yasaka Kanako and Kochiya Sanae aren't you?"
Her eyes widened when she realized the similarity between the girl she had spilled sake over and the previous shrine maiden.
"Ah. I'm terribly sorry, I wasn't looking where I was going." She tried to bow down in apology but she did not trust her ability to keep the dish upright in that position so she ended up simply lowering her head and leaning slightly forward.
--
OOC: Pinging Dora, I'm bracing for impact.
-
"... Yeah. Good night, teacher." She sighed and took the now-empty cups to the kitchen, washing them before leaving them out to dry. She had other things to do.
Keine knew now, so it was time to go.
The house was still silent as ever while she took each stair step, one by one. She could still remember the times when her mother used to have to help her up this staircase. She enjoyed those times. Sometimes she missed them.
Inside her room, just beside the doorway, her bag waited. She'd packed it not too long ago, intending to take it with her when she went to see Keine, and then leave. Turned out that Keine got to her first. She simply picked up the bag, shouldered it, and walked out the door with a book in hand. She needed -something- to do, after all.
-
"Ah, yes, excuse me." Remembering her manners (and slightly embarassed at forgetting to introduce herself before now), Kohaku stands and bows to the young woman before her. "I am Kohaku. Kohaku Daidouji, daughter to Hyo Daidouji and heir of Daidouji Jewelers." She straightens and gestures to the big white malamute. "And this is Hyozan." The dog makes no response, but he does keep giving Laresa the eye.
"As for the ghost, she reacted.... badly, to something I said. There was a misunderstanding, a story that seems to have gotten out of hand, that she took to be true. A story regarding me. I tried to set her straight, tell her the truth of the matter, and she.." Kohaku pauses, only for a moment, before getting down the gory details. "She told her bodyguard, the samurai, to kill me. Just like that."
She shakes her head slightly, still at a bit of a loss for words over the event. "The samurai seemed almost as shocked as I was, so I took the opportunity to try and disarm her. I failed. But after that, the ghost changed her mind, went looking for snacks, and her bodyguard followed her."
Kohaku gives Laresa a small shrug. "Don't ask me to explain any of it, but that's what happened, in a nutshell."
-
"I see," Laresa said. "Well, that charm should warn you when she's close-although it occurs to me that if there's also a half-ghost, I can't actually be completely certain the charm reacted to the full ghost and not just the half-ghost. The odds are low that it wasn't reacting to her, though; it's the more human-like ones that it usually can't detect, and she was quite clearly otherworldly. There is a chance, though, and I thought I should let you know that.
"Anyways, if I might ask, what 'story' is it that got out of hand?"
-
---Yog (Co-op Update)
Wordlessly, Hideaki nodded and went in first, followed by Youmu then Yuyuko.
"So tell me," he began, motioning to Youmu as the two sat at their respective spots around the small table. "What's the relationship between you and Yuyuko?"
"Ah, I'm Yuyuko-sama's gardener.? Youmu said as she picked up the cup nearest to her right hand and poured sake in it. ?Although I do other errands for her as well." She said as she began to raise the cup to her lips.
?Uh, Youmu? Hideaki says.
Youmu lowers the cup a bit, looking slightly surprised. ?Yes??
?That?s my cup?
Youmu blinks, then her face fills with bright red. She nearly drops the cup out of embarrassment. She puts the cup down onto the table and slides it towards Hideaki. Her head is lowered, but the man can tell her face is still deep red.
Yuyuko, who had been silent during the interaction, poured sake into the empty cup that had been sitting on the table, and lifted it off the table.
?How kind of you to prepare me a cup Youmu.? Yuyuko says as she raises the cup to her mouth.
?A-ah! Yuyuko-sama?! That?s my-?
The cup met the ghost?s lips, the sake vanishing from the cup as she drank its contents.
?.....cup?? Youmu breathes, her expression is one of dismay. The Half ghost let out a disheartened sigh, her head lowering for a moment before she reluctantly rises to her feet and goes to get another cup.
As Youmu returned with her new cup, Hideaki spoke up.
"Well since I've been asking all the questions lately, how about you ask one?" Hideaki said as he poured some sake into her new cup.
Youmu bowed her head politely and nodded in a gesture of thanks.
As Hideaki finished pouring the sake, he placed the bottle back onto the table. Youmu took a sip, and let out a refreshed sigh.
?Well, since you asked,? Youmu started, pausing for a moment to think of what exactly to ask the man. "What's your occupation?"
"I just own a small food stand.? Hideaki answered plainly.
?Do you deliver?? Yuyuko asked suddenly, catching Youmu off guard for a moment.
?What kind of food do you make??? Youmu asked hesitantly, watching the Saigyouji mistress as she reached for the sake bottle and smoothly poured some into her cup.
?Would you happen to have brought any along?? Yuyuko asks after taking a small sip of her sake.
---------
---Yog (Hotaru)
As Hotaru continued on, she could hear the sound of rushing water in the distance ahead. Curious, she kept going forward.
Eventually, the forest cleared, and the river opened into a large pond. The thing that caught Hotaru?s eye however, was the magnificent waterfall that poured down from the mountain. Despite the darkness of the night, the waterfall seemed to sparkle as it fell into the pool. The sound of the waterfall drowns out the silence, as if imposing its superiority on the night. Moonlight shone down on the clearing, creating a dim luminescence around the pool. All seems peaceful, as if the creatures that lived here were already fast asleep. The reflection of the moon in the pool wavered, never staying still, as if caught in a wild dance. Above was a star speckled sky which brought a sense of reassurance and peace to the world, as if it was saying ?everything will be alright?.
---------
---Sonae
Sora looked at the cup for a moment, speechless.
??N-no, I couldn?t?? She said, shaking her head and making exaggerated back and forth movements with her hands.
?Come on! A little bit wont hurt!? cheered the little oni sitting across from the pair.
?But it?s my first day of work?? Sora muttered in protest. The human averted her gaze, changing its focus to the sidelines of the shrine grounds. Geez?Trying to get me drunk while I?m on the j-
It was then that the girl had caught a glimpse of something moving in the bushes.
Sora?s eyes darted to the place where the bushes had rustled. Her vision sharpened, fixating on that sole location, waiting for whatever had disturbed the branches to make another move. Seconds passed in silence. Whatever had been there moments ago had either left, or knew they were being watched. Reluctantly, Sora convinced her mind of the former, and slowly, turned her head back towards the youkai.
?Oh come now, just a taste won?t hurt you? The vampire spoke with a faint air of charisma as she spoke.
Sora began to open her mouth to object, but the vampire had planned for this, pushing the sake toward Sora.
The sake splashed out onto the maid uniform the human adorned. Despite this however, Remilia?s efforts were not in vain. Enough sake had landed in the girl?s mouth to give her a taste of it. Both of them were silent for a moment.
?Well, how is it?? Remilia asks nonchalantly.
Strong.
Sora?s mouth moved into a deep frown as the word echoed in her mind. It was a strange taste, powerful and relentless. The girl glanced over the shrine grounds swiftly, in search of something to dilute the taste. Her search turned up no results. In dismay, she breathed a soft sigh and rose to her feet slowly. For a moment the world span round, as if she had fallen back to the ground, but after a few seconds passed, the human had regained her balance. She turned her head towards the two youkai to see them both staring at her.
?U-um?I?m going to look for some water?? She said softly, keeping her eyes from meeting with the pair. The oni let out a disappointed murmur, while the Vampire; with one eye closed, sipped her sake in a refined manner and nodded faintly at the girl before turning away from her.
Seeing this gesture of approval, Sora gave a slight bow to the girl before turning and heading in the direction of the shrine.
---------
Ch-Chick!
The sound of a camera, muffled by the surrounding foliage, is unheard by the drunken partygoers.
Huhuhuhu~ I knew this would be the perfect opportunity to gather material~
From the darkness, the tengu reporter watched the feast, a wide grin on her face. Through a space in the bushes she would snap pictures occasionally of the shenanigans that were occurring.
For her, sake wasn?t necessary to have a good time.
---------
---Amra
The white wolf tengu smiles. ?The name is Momiji.? She says, extending her open hand towards the boy. ?You are??
((Sorry for the short response, I wanted to give you the chance to answer/shake her hand if you wanted to. I?ve got a bit more planned for her to say though, so I?ll write Momiji?s next response.))
---------
Suwako had been silent since they had joined into the feast. Sanae and Kanako were quick to acquire some sake, and were now talking casually amongst themselves. Amaya was gazing about, visibly surprised at the amount of people that had gathered for this event. The girl had never seen so many people at their own shrine, so it was understandable for her to be in awe.
Suwako, for the most part, had stayed put and carefully examined all the partygoers. She had seen a few familiar faces in the crowd. The white wolf tengu, the oni, the vampire, and the strange girl from earlier were all among the various visitors that had come to welcome the new miko.
The frog goddess however, didn?t pay them much mind. They all seemed to be absorbed in their business. The girl frowned faintly and for a moment, her mind began to wander.
Just then, Suwako caught sight of something in the corner of her eye.
As the goddess turned her gaze upward, she spotted something standing on top of the torii.
It was a human. A human was standing on top of the torii.
Suwako gazed at him, wondering how a human had managed to get up there, let alone without being noticed at all.
Suwako continued to stare, a hint of curiousity in her eyes. She didn?t say anything, but kept her gaze fixated on the boy.
Finally, the frog goddess decided to move.
The girl swings her arm up, her hand outstretched and pointing towards the human. As she does this motion, water spouts forth from the earth, shooting upward like a geyser, aiming straight for the human.
Before the drunken human has a chance to react, or even to see the water gushing towards him, the blast connects, slamming into him with enough force to knock a sober person over. The human stumbles backwards and falters, falling from the top of the torii.
---
Hah..! Finally arrived. I hope I?m not too late for anything?
The woman had just reached the top of the stairs, standing on the other side of the torii, her breathing slight heavier than usual due to the long climb up the shrine?s stairs. Her white and blue hair seemed to glisten faintly in the moonlight. Atop her head was the strange, house-shaped hat she always wore.
With a faint smile, Keine gazed at the feast. It was lively, very lively. The teacher felt a relieved sense of warmth in her heart as she saw the merrymaking of a kind that had vanished from Gensokyo long ago.
That was merrymaking between humans and youkai, each getting along and having a good time. Keine closed her eyes for a moment, allowing a feeling of nostalgia to overcome her. A small smile began to form on her face?
Just then, a sound similar to that of a geyser erupting rang out around the shrine.
Slightly startled, Keine quickly opened her eyes. It didn?t take her long to notice the sudden jet of water that rose above the shrine. Keine gazed at it with empty eyes, not understanding what exactly was going on. Her eyes followed the geyser up to the torii, and as she looked up, a familiar face came crashing down on her.
A loud crash echoed outside of the shrine, drawing the attention of the partygoers and quieting their clamour.
-
Kohaku nods as Laresa informs her of the limits and abilties of that charm. "Thank you for the advisory."
"As for the story, well... I'll try to make it simple. Last thing I want is someone ELSE thinking the wrong thing of me. I came to this shrine a few hours ago today, to retreive something of mine that had been stolen from me. While I was here, I met a pair of... well, one of them was definately a youaki- a kitsune, I believe- and I assume the other one was as well. After our all-too brief meeting, one, or both of them, starting spreading the story that I was... Well, something I'm not. I don't know why they thought what they thought, I don't know why they felt the need to spread something about me that can't be true."
Kohaku pauses for a moment, glancing at the malamute sitting beside her, before taking a slow breath. Normally, she would have told Laresa the whole story with little hesitation. Normally, she hadn't had a ghost order her execution earlier in the day. She's a bit hesitant about a repeat.
-
Wait, is she talking about... "Kohaku," Laresa said, "this thing you're not that they're saying you are. Are you the one they're saying is the new maiden?"
-
Gack.
The Daidouji heir swallows visibly. She'd been halfway hoping Laresa wouldn't ask that. But, since she did, time to be honest.
"I'm afraid so."
"And I have no idea why." she presses on. "I barely even have an idea what a 'Hakurei miko' is- I never even knew this shrine existed before today, and now all of a sudden, I'm supposed to be its keeper? And not only that, some kind of... hero?" Kohaku sits back down again. "I'm no one special. I'm an apprentice jewelcrafter, that's all."
-
This just keeps getting more and more complicated. "There's more going on here than I thought," Laresa said. "It seems there's far more to this story than I expected." Despite the unexpected twist, though, Laresa did, of course, have a plan. "Listen, Kohaku. I want to know what's going on here; do you? DO you want to know why you're being called the new Hakurei miko? Why this is happening?"
-
It should be noted, that Kohaku is a very even tempered person. She has a big heart, and it takes a lot to get under her skin. Today, however, had been anything but ordinary. First a crow steals her ocarina, then she chases it halfway across Gensokyo (or so she felt at the time), then she finds this ancient creepy shrine with a creepy room at the back of it, then she finds a bunch of damaged papers talking about how Gensokyo came to be and something about the end of the world, and then a pair of youkai declare her the new Hakurei miko, and start spreading the story all over creation, and then she met a ghost and her bodyguard, and then the ghost ordered her bodyguard to try and kill her, and then seemed to forget about the whole affair, and Kohaku has not had the best of days. At all.
She doesn't share her brother's temper, but something about those questions made something snap inside her. "Do I want to know? What kind of question is that, OF COURSE I want to know!" she fairly shouts, drawing a startled yelp from Hyozan as she rapidly comes back to her feet. "I didn't ask for this, any of this! And if I ever find either one of those two youkai again, I'll sling them in chains, if I have to, to get some answers out of them."
-
"Hardly the most effective response, I'd think," Laresa said. "As it happens, though, what I'm really asking is if you'd be open to cooperating with me in order to figure this out. See, there's more going on than you may know. This morning, there was a minor incident in the village. As far as I can determine, no harm was done-in fact, most people probably didn't even realize it was an incident-but the fact that both that and the whole 'new shrine maiden' thing happened on the same day made me suspicious. And as it turns out, the one responsible for the village incident, Suika Ibuki, is also the one who identified you as the new maiden to the tengu reporter Aya.
"I met Suika outside, and she really doesn't strike me as the problem-causing type-although I'm told she did cause endless feasting once. But the point is, I don't think she's behind whatever's happening. I think there's more to this than either of us knows about, and like it or not, you're at the center of it all. Which means that if I want to figure this out, the best option is to remain with you.
"What I propose is this: for the time being, I will remain with you. This will most likely aid in my investigation. I would live with you, ideally here at the shrine-we'd be more likely to find information that way. I would accompany you at all times, acting as a bodyguard of sorts-I am a youkai exterminator, and quite a capable one, if my record is any indication. We are far more likely to discover what's going on if we work together than if we investigate independantly.
"That," Laresa said, "is my proposal."
-
He blinks at the gesture. "Ah...Tetsumaru," he replies finally, taking her hand. It's callused, like any warrior's had the right to be, but also surprisingly smoothed. He found himself smiling back anyways.
-
Amaya is looking around. The area looks quite similar to her shrine, just with more trees. But she's still surprised on how many people gathered at the feast.
She takes a few steps forward and ...*clash* "Aah" Amaya makes a strange voice when the sake spilled on her. The smell of sake gets into her nose immediately. She feels kind of dizzy from it.
Visibly annoyed, Amaya takes off her scarf. "It's ok." she says, "I wasn't looking either." She takes a look around to see if there is somewhere a place to wash the sake out of her scarf.
Her view jumps back to Sanaya "My name is Kochiya Amaya and yes, these two are Kanako and Sanae."
-
Naturally, he was enjoying the view, so of course he didn't see the geyser coming for him.
He did hear it though, but he paid it little mind until it made impact, knocking him off the Torii entirely. "Whaaaaa?!"
Of course, the arc of his path led him into a rather close encounter with a certain someone who was just arriving. Keine.
And, as luck would have it, his face found a rather comfortable landing pad. Her chest. If he knew what had happened, who knows what would result?
'Well, at least something broke my fall...Something warm...n'squishy. Wonder what it is? S'comfortable though.'
OOC: Blegh, short-ish post. But eh, It's all I can come up with.
-
Kohaku was somewhat... befuddled, by Laresa's request. Here was a woman she'd known all of five minutes, or less, and she was basically saying "I want to move in with you." Even Haine wasn't that forward. At least, not until the two of them were alone together. And she was grateful for the girl's additional information- now she had someone else to grill about this debacle. An oni, no less. Kohaku's knowledge of them was limited, to say the very least. Wasn't even sure what one looks like, but if Laresa's right, this Suika probably wouldn't be all that hard to find. Might even be here now.
Truth to tell, Kohaku was actually grateful for Laresa's offer. She seemed a decent enough person, and was generous and helpful. And not too bad looking, either. Kohaku might well have accepted, or at least strongly considered it. Right up until Laresa mentioned her occupation.
The Daidouji heir's face goes flat at that point, as does her voice. "I'm sorry, did you say 'youkai exterminator'? As in, someone that goes out and kills youkai?"
-
"Only if necessary," Laresa replied, "and it rarely is. I only target youki that are causing problems, and usually, all it takes to get them to behave themselves is defeating them in battle. I have killed before, yes, but only a few times, and only when it was the only option remaining, when they gave me no choice. I don't like to kill, and prefer to settle things without death."
-
?Ah!?
The tengu that had been observing quietly lept up to her feet in a flash upon seeing the geyser erupt. She immediately began snapping pictures of the geyser?s upward climb. This is when she noticed the human that had been standing on the torii. What? What?s a human?-
Her thoughts were cut off when the human fell onto a new arrival. Aya?s eye lit up with opportunity.
---------
---Amra
?Tetsumaru huh.? She says as she shakes the boy?s hand. ?So what brings you here to the feast? You don?t quite seem-?
The sudden sound of water gushing forth makes Momiji stop mid-sentence. The white wolf tengu turns her head with a twitch of her ears. She to follows the geyser with her eyes, but with much more speed than the humans. She casts a quick glance at the frog goddess who caused it then to the tengu who had jolted up from the bushes. Momiji sighs as she sees the latter, turning her attention back to the human before her.
?As for me, she dragged me over here by force.? She says with a frown as she points to the crow tengu.
---
?Ahhhhhh!!!? Aya shouts as she speeds over to the torii, causing a gust of wind in the process. She reaches the torii in seconds, and begins to take pictures just as fast.
---
At the sound of the tengu?s shout, Takuma raised his head to see what the fuss was about. As he lifted up, he saw Keine?s face, flustered and red from embarrassment and anger. The slightest sign of a tear could be seen in the far corners of her eyes, which themselves burned with rage.
The teacher?s head then leaned back, away from Takuma. However, before the gesture could be processed by the boy?s mind, she swung her head forward with all her might.
---
Aya, who was standing nearby watching the scene unfold, winced in response to the sight.
Ouch?that musta hurt.
-
"Huh?" Sanaya was a bit taken aback by the calm response, she had expected something much worse to happen from discracing someone who was evidently in the company of a god and their former shrine maiden.
"Wait..." What the girl had said just made its way through her slightly muddled mind and made something click. "Did you say Kochiya? As in..." Her eyes went back to Sanae who seemed to be simply watching what was going on for the moment. Another jolt of realization coursed through her as her brain finally made the connection. She knew that the Moriya miko had been doing quite a bit of youkai extermination of her own, at least if she remembered Keine's lessons correctly. She also had no reason to believe that the miko was not still a decent fighter. "What have you managed to do now you fool!"
Everyone seemed pretty calm about it for now however "Just don't do anything else stupid."
She stopped herself from taking a reflexive sip from the dish before continuing. "So you're Sanae-san's daughter? Pleased to meet you. I'm Sanaya Furuika, youkai exterminator from the village." Her gaze sways between the two green haired females before her as she speaks. "I'm sorry about the scarf, if there is anything I can do to make up for it I'll do whatever I caaaaugh!"
Her sentence is cut short by a geyzer of water erupting from the ground in the direction of the torii. "What the~?" She peers at the torrent of water, trying to make sense of what is going on as she unconsciously takes another sip from whe dish which somehow didn't spill when she was startled.
-
Laresa managed to say enough right things to defuse Kohaku's temper before it popped. Mostly. But the thought of someone who considers it their job to go out and put a hurtin' on youkai does not, exactly, endear that person to the Daidouji heir. And thank god she wasn't dealing with Koryu, or her brother would have probably taken her head off right then and there.
Though pacified, Kohaku's still not completely returned to her usual even temperment yet, and might not, until someone gave her some answers to this affair. And ghost or no ghost, staying in this room wasn't getting her any closer.
"I should start by saying," Kohaku opens, "that I've no intentions of staying at this shrine. My home is the human village, with my parents. I do intend, however, to get to the bottom of this mystery as soon as possible. I am grateful to you for your offer of safeguarding my person, but as for living together? Frankly, I am surprised by the.... audacity, of your request. I will not dismiss it, at this point, but neither shall I accept. I shall consider it. Nothing more, nothing less."
"However, that said, I would welcome your assistance in solving this mystery. As a matter of fact, you've already given me one clue that I did not have before. This Ibuki-san. If she is at this feast- and if she is involved as you say, I suspect she is- then we should find her, and question her." She pauses as a thought occurs to her. "Come to think of it, didn't you say she was present at this feast?"
-
"I did," Laresa said. "If you want to speak with her, then we can certainly do so. However, I don't think now is the best time. She's enjoying the party right now, and didn't seem to be in the mood for any sort of serious discussion. I would recommend waiting until the festivities are winding down. But it is your choice.
"On another note, I will say one more time that I think it best for you to stay here at the shrine, at least for a day or two. If denying that you're the maiden caused that ghost to order your death, actively trying to deny the responsibilities that she and others believe are yours would only serve to antagonize them. There may very well come a point at which the best move is to do just that, to draw them out, but I do not think that's the best move at this time. And that's in addition to the other reasons I gave you. Although simply returning home at night and then coming back here in the morning may be okay. Again, it's your choice."
-
Kohaku shakes her head slowly, but she does smile faintly. "It's time to settle the issue, one way or the other. Hiding isn't going to solve anything. Yeah, I admit, I'm still a bit afraid of that ghost. But that won't stop me. Besides, that oni, those youkai, I think they might be more understanding. And what's more, I need to know. I NEED to know why they've said this about me, why they felt the need to spread it around the world. And the sooner I know, the sooner I can set them straight."
Looking back over her shoulder slightly, she intones "Hyozan." firmly, and the big white dog rises silently and pads over to her. She then returns her gaze to Laresa. "I do appreciate the advice. But I have no intention of staying here longer than I have to. I will not be afraid anymore. I'm willing to listen to those that told the tale, to hear why they did it. I don't hate them for it, but I need to know why this happened, as you do. And I need them to understand that I'm not as special as they think." She smiles that faint smile and shrugs slightly. "Maybe I'll tell them about my brother. He'd jump at the chance."
Kohaku takes a step closer to the door, then pauses before reaching out to open it. "And, incidentally, Laresa... Thank you." Kohaku gives her a slightly broader smile. "Not only for your offer, or your information. But for helping me work up the nerve to face that ghost again, and to try and get to the bottom of this. It helps to know I'm not alone in that desire as well. Now, come, my friend. We've an oni to see."
Sliding the door open, Hyozan exits first, Kohaku close behind her. Despite her words, she still draws a deep breath as she and her dog, new friend presumably behind them, and marches down the hallway towards the exit. While she does not say anything to Yuyuko, or Youmu, as she enters their presense, she does give both them, and their new companion a wide berth. Fortunately for Kohaku, Yuyuko seems distracted by the strange male, and does not seem to notice her as she makes her way past.
On the veranda now, Kohaku pauses, to take in the scene, and the people before her. It is at this point, however, that she realizes she's made a slight oversight. With a bit of a sheepish look, she turns back to Laresa. "So.... which one was the oni?"
-
Hideaki looked at his cup, thinking over the questions. "Well, people on occasion have asked if they wanted me to deliever some food later, although I try not to get too many so I can take a break. As for what I make, it probably sounds odd, but my menu changes by the day. Managing the ingredients is diffcult sometimes, but I like the change of what I cook." he rubbed his cheek as he stopped. All of the injuries were gone, but another reason was that his face landed on the grill once when he was less focused on cooking the same food over and over. Since then he'd been a little more careful, but not before his sister hounded for that, with a bit of worry in it.
He shrugged as he continued. "Only thing I brought was my personal sake; Didn't think about bringing my own to this feast". He heard some noise, appearantly coming from outside. He didn't think much of it, probably some rambunctious goers out there.
Hotaru perked up when she saw it. She never actually ventured far from the village, so this was a beautiful sight to behold. After looking at it for a while, she moved closer to examine. She wondered if there was anything in it, like in the stories.
((You know what's fun? Procrastination on good times to type, and having problems like a massive headache when you want to./rant))
-
Sora carefully made her way towards the shrine, making sure to not get too close to a staggering drunk that was stumbling about the shrine grounds. She had never been to such an event before, so she was naturally uneasy about the whole thing.
The girl?s mind continues to wander about as she goes around to the side of the shrine.
That was when she heard the roar of the water spout behind her.
The girl froze, holding her breath for a moment. Her gaze remained forward as she tried to process what, or even why, a geyser would be erupting on the shrine grounds during this feast. For a moment, Sora?s mind became a speedway, her thoughts racing through her mind trying to form a conclusion. She didn?t even notice when the sound had died away.
A loud shout of pain brought Sora out of her daze, startling her back to reality. Instinctively, the girl turned around.
As she turned around, she saw something that made her heart skip a beat.
Standing there at the torii was an all too familiar face.
Keine.
The woman dusted herself off, still frowning sternly. She retrieved her fallen hat and placed it back onto her head. She then proceeded to examine her surroundings.
Sora felt a sense of panic and spun around, dashing into the shrine for safety.
However, in her attempted escape, she forgot to watch out for any obstacles that may have been in her path.
The girl managed only to get onto the veranda before she ran into someone.
?Ah?!? Sora mouthed instinctively as she lost her momentum and stumbled back a step, all the while trying to keep her balance. Ow?, the girl thought for a moment, seemingly unaware that she had run into another girl in the process of her escape. As she turned her gaze in the direction of her collision, she noticed the girl standing before her.
?A-ah??, She mouthed as a sense of embarrassment arose in her mind. She glanced swiftly at the girl?s features. Long lavender hair, pale blue eyes, a white kimono adorned with cherry blossoms, and a silver, lotus-like hairpin. She appeared to not be too much older than Sora herself.
?Sorry??, Sora tried to regain her composure as well as her words. ?I didn?t?I wasn?t?watching where I was going?? The girl stuttered shyly, her gaze facing downward, avoiding direct eye contact. ?It was an accident?? She said quietly. Sora?s body remained tense, paralyzed by a sense of awkward nervousness. She waited silently, hoping that the woman before her would not be too angered by her reckless behaviour.
-
Upon reaching the veranda of the temple, Kohaku pauses in her search for thie Suika person to ask her companion a question. In doing so, however, Kohaku failed to notice the young white haired girl barreling down upon her, until it was too late. The white haired girl's impact upon her body elicits a slight 'oof' from the taller girl, who takes a half-step backwards out of instinct, more so than anything else.
Straightening herself, Kohaku appraises the younger girl before her. Quite the change from the past few girls that have come her way in the past few hours. Crazy ghost, samurai bodyguard, self-confidant youkai hunter, and a nervous, timid young thing with a quiet voice. If Kohaku didn't know any better, she'd say the little thing was scared of her.
A breath that sounds like a small laugh passes from the Daidouji woman, and she smiles a warm little smile as the white-haired girl apologizes.
"It's quite all right, think nothing of it." She pauses a moment, in the hopes the young thing would stop looking so nervous, then she continues, "You're not hurt, are you?"
OOC: Editing has been applied upon request from the DM.
-
?I-I?m fine?? Sora stuttered, still feeling awkward. The girl glanced at the girl?s companion for a moment. The woman was tall, with long, deep violet hair. She stood confidently, making her presence alone seem rather intimidating.
As the girl turned her gaze back to the girl she had run into, she remembered the sense of urgency that had plagued her earlier.
??If you?ll excuse me?? Sora said as she bowed her head slightly. The girl rushed into the shrine without another word, leaving the pair to return to their business.
-
Kohaku draws in a short breath to say something to the retreating female, but stops herself. The girl seemed in a hurry, not just because something was making her uncomfortable. Kohaku lets her go without holding her up.
Besides, she's got her own problems, too. She and her current companion have got an oni to find. And so, hoping that Yuyuko won't harm the girl or the young man that was with them, The Daidouji heir sets off for the main grounds of the temple, in search of some answers.
-
Laresa wasn't seeing Suika. The last she'd seen of her, the oni had walked right into the middle of the crowd, and although an oni was fairly distinctive, Suika was short enough that spotting her would be difficult when she was surrounded by others. Fortunately, she wasn't the only potential information source present. That's Aya. I thought she'd be here. Looks like Keine's here, too. Good. She'll be nice to have around if things turn ugly. Even though the biggest worry of that, confronting Suika about the village incident, was past. Could easily still happen, though. "Kohaku. I don't see Suika, but I do see someone else. Aya Shiameimaru, the tengu reporter who broke the story about there being a new maiden. She may well know something. In fact, she's probably more likely to know something than Suika, since she seems to like to take it upon herself to 'investigate' things. I recommend we see what she knows. What do you think?"
-
He holds up a hand to his mouth and laughs, despite himself. "You too? My dad asked me to sell things. I work at the blacksmith in the Human Village?" The tilt of his voice is fishing for recognition, even if it was a long shot that a tengu would know anything of the human village's residents.
The wolf-tengu blinks back and smiles. "Ah, explains all the tools and weapons. Hmm...," she starts, then sighs and visually braces herself. "Excuse me. I should manage my...colleague. She's probably going to get into trouble, at this rate."
To her surprise, he grabs her arm. "Let me follow?" he asks pleadingly. "I'm hopelessly bored here, and you're the only person here who hasn't treated me like a merchant."
After a moment's thought, she smiles back. "You'll have to follow on foot then."
"Right!"
-
---Orphea
After a lengthy walk through the darkness of the forest path, Yumiko had come to a lake. A faint chill filled the air, and mist danced about the lake?s surface with slow graceful movements. The human gazed about her surroundings carefully. From where she stood, she could see a sleeping fairy lying at the edge of the lake. In the distance beyond the lake, she could see something that stood out faintly amongst the evening shadows. The girl silently proceeded around the lake and in the direction of the building.
A few minutes later, Yumiko found herself standing before a gate that stood in front of a large mansion. She had made it to her destination, the Scarlet Devil Mansion.
---------
?Now then?? Keine muttered to herself as she finished dusting herself off, retrieved her hat from the ground, and took a step forward, entering the shrine grounds. She gazed about at the many faces that filled the crowd. After a few seconds, her eyes came to an all too familiar face.
It was Laresa, standing beside another former student, Kohaku Daidouji.
Keine smiled as she saw them, and started towards them.
?Hello Laresa? Keine said as she approached the pair. She gave the pair a friendly smile before turning to face Kohaku. ?Hello Kohaku, it?s been a while hasn?t it? How have you been?? The teacher asks politely.
Remembering her earlier encounter with Laresa, she turns to her and speaks.
?Oh, Laresa, did you manage to meet with Suika?? Keine asks the woman casually.
-
"I did," Laresa said. "She is indeed the one responsible for the gathering this morning, but I'm fairly sure she did so without hostile intent. What benefit she gained from the action I do not know, but I do not believe it was harmful to anyone. I still think the timing is a bit much of a coincidence, but I find it unlikely we'll get any more information out of Suika, although Kohaku still wants to try."
"'We'?" Keine said. "What's your interest in this, Kohaku?"
"Long story," Laresa said. "Short version: she wants to know what the deal is behind this whole 'new maiden' thing even more than I do, so we have agreed to cooperate." She can decide if she wants to say anything more than that. "I was just telling her that Aya, whom I just spotted, is likely a better person to ask about it than Suika." She turned back to Kohaku. "On that note, what do you think. Shall we approach Aya? Or, if you'd like to talk to Keine for a bit, I can approach Aya on my own."
-
Kohaku smiles when her eyes fall upon her tall former teacher. She always likes seeing Keine-sensei, the tall teacher having earned her respect, and her admiration, years ago. The Daidouji heir gives her a polite bow in greeting. "Kamishirasawa-sensei. Always a pleasure."
She then waited, politely, while Keine and Laresa exchanged words, not voicing her surprise at the contents of their conversation. Nor her gratitude that Laresa didn't out her as the victim of this mistake. Laresa's spoken to Sensei-san before about Suika? Why here, what does Sensei-san have to do-
Her thoughts are cut short when a memory surfaces in her mind, bubbling from her subconscious. Keine. Keine's name was on those papers she found before. With everything that had happened since, she'd almost forgotten about those. Her mind tracks back, reviewing what she'd read there, and what she'd been thinking at the time. ... youkai. Keine is a youkai. Or, so I thought at the time. Is that why I'd always been fond of her? No, that... That can't be right, I'd never suspected before. No one did, no one I knew. And Haine would have told me. Wouldn't she? I mean, unless Keine didn't want anyone to know, but why would she hide it?
Lost in her reverie, Kohaku almost didn't hear Laresa talking to her, until the second time she mentioned the name Aya. Kohaku's head snaps back up, and she looks around for the tengu reporter. "Aya..." she mutters, her eyes falling on the crow youkai after a few seconds. "So that was her name." She turns her head back towards Laresa and says, "I completely agree, Laresa. Shameimaru-san could be a very good person to ask about that story. She was the other youkai I met when I was here the first time, but I never knew her name at the time. I'd gladly join you, but, as you said, Kamishirasawa-san and I have some... catching up to do."
-
"Then I shall speak with Aya by myself while you do so." Laresa turned back to Keine. Not sure if Kohaku wants Keine to know this, but she can be trusted, and if I'm going to be occupied with Aya, then she needs to be prepared. "Keine, just a warning: there's a woman in the shrine. Pink hair, blue kimono, otherworldly presence. She's a ghost, and apparently she and Kohaku had a... hostile encounter earlier today. Specifically,I'm told that she ordered her half--ghost-and no, I don't know how that works-servant to kill Kohaku. So if she comes out, make sure Kohaku isn't harmed."
Keine seemed to think about that for a moment. "That sounds like Yuyuko."
"You know her?"
"I wouldn't say that. We simply met once, a long time ago. And she had a half-ghost, Youmu, accompanying her. I'm afraid I don't know much about either of them, though."
"I see. Well, you know who to look out for, then. And if they do target Kohaku again, yell for me."
"Um... all right."
"Thanks," Laresa said.
Laresa left Keine and Kohaku to their conversation and made a beeline for Aya. "Aya!"
Aya faced her. "Oh, hi! You're... Laresa, right?"
Laresa nodded. "I am."
"Of course you are. I always remember my sources."
"I'm hardly a 'source'," Laresa said. "You've 'interviewed' me a couple times, but that's it."
"Right, so you're a source. Besides, you remind me of someone."
Suika said that, too. Well, whatever. Not relevant. "Anyways, I saw your article about the new shrine maiden."
"Oh, yes. Quite an occasion, isn't it? It's been far too long since we've had one."
"Right. The thing is, the person in question insists that she's not a shrine maiden, and she has no idea why people are telling her she is."
"Because she is."
"Well, she has questions about this whole thing, and so do I. I was hoping you might be able to help with that. So, first wuestion: what, precicely, is it that makes Kohaku the maiden?"
--------------------------------------------
OOC: Hope the thing with Keine remembering Yuyuko (from Imperishable Night, of course) was okay, Sonae. Also, by 'interviews', I basically mean that she just happened to be in the right place at the right time to get asked questions by Aya.
-
Kisei was going to be stuck on someone else's back for the rest of the feast . Even as her parents moved through the feast, socializing, the now and still limp girl struggled to move her numb muscles, only to get no response from them. Her head was the only part of her body moving around, searching for loose valuables. How long had it been already; an hour? Ten minutes?
Well, the woman- the youkai- said it would take hours for the numbness to die. If only she hadn't shown up...
The view above everyone's heads was tantalizing. She'd only have a view like this when she was still a kid. It would be sunrise when her dad would let her sit on his shoulders and walk down the village streets. She'd stare at canopies for hours on end and look down at stall owners handling money. The temptation to steal would have made her blood boil, but that didn't happen then.
So when her dad turned around for a while and gave her a vantage point of Keine and two other girls having a talk, Kisei's nerves jolted.
"Kiki, do you want some eggs-"
"Dad. Do you see teacher Keine in front of you?"
Tsutomu looked to his left.
"In front of you, dad, in front!" Kisei would have shook Tsutomu's frame from containing her voice, if she weren't numb.
It wasn't long for him to see the telltale pagoda-shaped hat peeking out of the sea of heads.
"I see it. Is there something you want to talk to her about?" he looked up at Kisei.
Yes, she wanted to sneak towards Keine. The teacher probably had a conversation worth listening in on. Between her and her dad, only Kisei saw the conversation going on, but barely. One of the girls left, and after tracking her walk, it seemed that another conversation was struck, This time, a red tokin was the only clue she had of who the girl was talking to. Not that it mattered.
The problem now was how subtle she had to be to her dad.
"Yeah. I wonder if she's seen the new Hakurei miko."
OOC: I suppose I should be getting myself involved again.
Sour, if this means anything to your next replies, Kisei and her dad will be heading towards you and Keine. Kisei will be eavesdropping on you to kill the time.
-
Well... here we are at last.
For a while she simply stared at the gate, wondering why there was nobody here to watch it. It sort of eliminated the point of a gate in the first place. Then again, even knowing what little she did about this place's inhabitants kind of made the gate more or less for show regardless. She came here for a reason, though; so without further stalling, she ignored the lingering feeling of trouble in her gut and, with some effort, managed to shove the gate open just enough for her to slip through it, and straight up to the front steps.
"...I am going to get in so much trouble for this..."
-
Sanaya snapped out of her dumbfounded state and, about ten moments too late, started looking around for whatever might have caused it. Instead of finding the perpetrator she notices an all too familiar hat making its way through the crowd, presumably with it's owner somewhere under it.
"I don't really think I want to see her right now..." She mumbles to herself before slipping away in the other direction through the crowd, not feeling like meeting her old teacher in her lightly intoxicated state. As she makes her way through the crowd, gravitating towards the shrine once again, she finishes off the last of her drink and lets the dish simply hang down in her hand as she does not need to balance anything in it anymore.
She still does not pay complete attention to her surroundings however and almost walks straight into a person of fairly small stature in front of her. At the last moment she swings to the side, avoiding the collision but instead getting her sash snagged on the person's...
"Horns?" It takes a moment but suddenly she realizes who she's looking at, not to mention the fact that she saw the girl earlier at this very party. "You're the oni who was supposed to be here aren't you? From the newspaper." She un-snags her sash from the oni's horn who does not seem too bothered by the whole thing.
"I aint heard of any other Oni 'round here so I suppose I am." The horned girl straightens out Sanaya's dish and fills it up with sake from a gourd she had hanging around her wrist. "Come on ya shouldn't be walkin' around with an empty dish at a party, drink up!" She says with a big smile on her face.
"I really shouldn't... I, ah, err..." The dish is full before Sanaya manages to deny the oni's invitation. "Well it would be rude to just pour it on the ground wouldn't it?." She thinks and takes a small swig from the dish. "So I've gotta ask this..." She pauses to reassert her balance again. "I've never seen an oni before but I thought you were supposed to be you know, more imposing. Like, taller or something?"
-
---Orphea
Yumiko looked at the grand doors that stood before her. After a moment, with a bit a difficulty, she managed to heave the doors open just enough for her to slip inside.
As the doors slammed shut behind her, the light receded, and darkness filled the girl?s vision. After a few minutes, her eyes adjusted to the poor lighting.
The darkness obscured the details of the mansion?s lobby, making it all the more mysterious to the girl. She could hear faint sounds, like whispers, coming from the shadows of the corridors which led to who knows where. Eyes filled with curiousity fell upon Yumiko, their forms indistinguishable from the darkness. Despite the beings? curiousity, they did not come any closer, which was at least a bit relieving, for the moment at least.
A dark outline was drawn across the center floor of the lobby, its? purpose unknown to the girl. The atmosphere was faintly eerie. It lacked the apparent flamboyance that Yumiko had read about. Perhaps there was no one home at the moment?
Even then, It wouldn?t be good to turn back now, with no results.
---------
---GuyYouMetOnline and Amra
?She just is,? Aya responded simply, ?If an oni said so, then it should be true. Oni don?t lie you know.?
?Aya!?
The crow tengu turned in the direction of the voice to see two people coming towards her.
?Oh, Momiji. What?s the matter?? The reporter said, as if she was oblivious to her rambunctious behavior.
Momiji?s ear twitched slightly, her expression seemed to be visibly annoyed. As she begins to open her mouth to speak, she notices the woman standing beside Aya.
?Oh, I?m sorry. I didn?t see you there.? The white wolf tengu said with a faintly friendly smile.
---------
---Sourfang
Keine watched as Laresa headed in the tengu reporter?s direction, calling out her name as she approached. After a moment, Keine gave a faint nod and then turned her attention back to Kohaku.
?You said we have some catching up to do right?? Keine said to the girl, a friendly smile on her face, ?So what did you want to talk abou-?
Just then, Keine was cut off by a sudden shout.
---------
---Marou
?Taller?!? The small oni shouts, as if she was completely taken aback by Sanaya?s words. Remilia, who had still been sipping sake with Suika, awaiting Sora?s return, glanced at the human, but said nothing. After a second, Suika leapt to her feet and shouted again.
?How?s this for tall!?? The oni said as she whips out something, apparently a card, and holds it high above her head, a wide grin spread across her childish face. ?Oni Sign!?
Remilia reacted instantly. Her expression became sharp and she swiftly started to move. She shifted her body, and her large wings spread open, making one great flap. In a split second, she jumped backwards, so fast that she had blurred out of focus, appearing as if she had vanished. Before Sanaya could figure out why the vampire had done so, Suika finished shouting.
?MISSING POWER!?
In an instant, the small oni exploded with a sudden and startling growth spurt. Her entire body multiplied in size in less than three seconds. The air that had closely surrounded her was ejected from its place, causing a burst of pressure to fly upward and a gust of wind to fly outward.
---------
---Sourfang
Keine watches the Oni?s display of monstrous power in silence. She doesn?t appear to be too concerned, nor did she appear too surprised by the scene. When the oni stopped shouting for a moment, the teacher took the chance to propose a change of location to her former student.
?Well, It?s gotten noisy out here, maybe we should head inside to talk.? Keine says to the girl at her side, a friendly smile on her face.
-
Out of the frying pan, and into the freezer.
Or more accurately, out of the bright light and into almost total darkness. It was strange; even given what she'd read about the people here, she expected there would have been a little more light that this, at least. Low-light conditions weren't exactly alien to her, but even so, after this long in sunlight she'd grown a little accustomed to normal light. The strange atmosphere utterly bewildered her, however; she'd expected the place to be more... elegant, majestic, grander, one of those fancy descriptors. This place felt simply off... the eyes she could feel staring at her, probably weren't helping, nor were the whispered words about her. It didn't seem to be anything significant, so she turned her attention back to her original purpose.
"Come this far, I'm already in trouble... may as well finish the job." She sighed and glanced about her surroundings, trying to get a feel for where the library might be. She didn't exactly have a map, of course, so she was left to her own devices.
"Let's see... no signs, no hints, no directions, as expected... Well, let's start with this way." Yumiko picked a direction at random, and simply started walking. It wasn't a great plan and nor was it exactly well-thought out, but she didn't have time to do guesswork on the layout of the place and she certainly didn't want to be caught here if she could avoid it. By her knowledge, they were more than likely to try to throw magic at her in a very impolite way if she was caught.
As she moved through the dim hallway a long while later, she knew she was lost. It was simply a matter of fact. She couldn't find her way out of this place if she wanted to; without a distinguishing landmark on each hallway, even her memory would be of only marginal use. And yet even as she berated herself for allowing herself to get lost like this, she came upon a stairway down, with a pair of large wooden doors, not unlike a smaller version of the ones at the front door, at the end of them. It was her best shot so far, so she pressed herself hard against the door, pushing it open centimeter by centimeter until it was just open enough for her to slip inside. As soon as she saw the sheer scale of the library, though, she froze in awe. She'd read about how it contained so many books, but... seeing it in person, it was truly more massive than she could have imagined. The shelves were higher than she could hope to reach, containing a countless number of books in various sizes, colors, and thicknesses. When she regained her composure, she slipped the rest of the way through the door, easing it shut behind her before wandering towards one shelf, walking down the length of it while scanning the titles, stopping a moment later and picking one gently from the shelf, leafing through it's first couple pages before she sat down, and started reading through it.
... Before she knew it, her eyes closed and didn't re-open; her now inactive body slumped over to the side onto the floor, slightly curled up with the book in one hand, quite peacefully asleep.
(good lord how did it get this long I swear I didn't mean it)
-
Kohaku opens her mouth to reply to her teacher, before the little oni transforms herself into a not-so-little-oni. The Daidouji heir does not react as calmly as her teacher does, her jaw hanging open as she gapes at the suddenly massive horned girl. On another day, she'd probably find that cool, but today, her emotions are a touch strained. She raises her right arm pulls it back, preparing a chain in case the giant oni suddenly headed her way, but Keine stops her with a touch on her shoulder.
"You needn't worry about her." the teacher says softly. "She doesn't mean any harm, she's just showing off. Oni are rather prone to grand demonstrations."
"But..." Kohaku stammers, still surprised, though her arm does lower. "She's...."
"Huge. Yes, she does that." Keine gestures back towards the Hakurei shrine. "Shall we step inside for a moment? It'll be quieter inside."
Her vision, and mind's eye, filled with the gigantic oni before her, Kohaku's encounter with Yuyuko and Youmu, who are still within, has completely slipped her mind. She simply nods a couple times in agreement with Keine's suggestion. Keine chuckles quietly, and steers the young woman back the way she came with Laresa.
As the pair re-enter the shrine, Kohaku recovers enough from her stunned sensation to grin a private little grin to herself. Koryu would have loved to have seen that. she thinks to herself. Thoughts of her brother help pull her further together, and she organizes her thoughts as she and Keine walk past the ghost and her companions. She could be a youkai, if those papers are right. Or not. But if she is, she hasn't made it public knowledge, and that means she has a reason for it. I'll respect that. But she may know something about this shrine, what it's here for. I should ask her.
But she came here to see the new miko. She had to have, that's what they all came here for. But she doesn't know it's me- Well, that that tengu said it was me, anyway. I suppose I should tell her. Meeting Laresa helped assuage her fears that her experience with Yuyuko would be repeated, and she was certain Sensei-san would be more reasonable than that ghost.
"Either that or headbutt me, eh, boy?" she mutters to Hyozan, the faithful malamute ever by her side.
"What was that, Kohaku?" Keine asks her, as she pulls open a door down the hall from Yuyuko.
"Nothing, sensei." Kohaku replies, noting that her teacher has guided her to one of the empty rooms she'd tidied earlier. Kohaku crosses the room, Hyozan silently at her side, as Keine slides the door shut behind them.
"Now, then, I gathered you had something you wanted to talk to me about." Keine asks her former student.
Kohaku nods slowly, not yet turning to face Keine. "A few somethings, actually. But I suppose the most pressing one is as good a place to start as any. There's a story going around that I need to clear up, before it goes on any longer. The story that brought everyone here, actually."
"You mean the story of the new Hakurei miko? What about it?"
"Well, sensei, the tengu that wrote that story, Aya, was wrong. There is no new miko, or at least, it's not who she thinks it is. Because she, and the kitsune that was with her, thought it was me, and that's just not right. I'm afraid you, and everyone else out there, were fed a tall tale."
*bunnying of Keine performed with persmission of DM*
-
>"It's no problem," Laresa said. "I was simply asking Aya what she knew about the new shrine maiden." She turned back to Aya. "I wasn't expressing doubt about her being the shrine maiden. She's the one who doesn't believe it. So perhaps I should rephrase the ques-"
A sudden commotion cut Laresa off, and she and the two tengu looked for the source. Which wasn't exactly hard to find. "Suika," Laresa said.
"Yes," Momiji said. "Just showing off, I think. You know her?"
"No, but I did speak to her earlier. Aya's article cited her as the one who told Aya about the new maiden, so I spoke to her first. Had some other business with her, too. This morning, she, for no apparent reason, used her ability to cause most of the villagers to gather in the main square. Didn't offer me any explanation besides 'I just felt like it'. Wasn't really in any mood to talk. More interested in partying."
"That's her, all right," Aya said.
"Well," Laresa said, turning back to Aya, "if she wants to go giant just for the hell of it, she's welcome to. I don't think I'd be able to get any more out of her, anyways. So, as I was saying, perhaps I should rephrase the question. From what little I've gathered, it sounds like not just anyone can be a shrine maiden. What I want to know is what factors determine who is and is not able to be a shrine maiden. Something about our new maiden makes her the new maiden; I want to know what this 'something' is. Do you-or you, Momiji-have any idea what it might be? And if not, can you think of anyone who would?"
--------------------------------------------
-
---GuyYouMetOnline
The two tengu looked at each other as if it was something that they hadn?t thought about. Momiji shrugged and remained silent while Aya tried to think of what to say.
?Someone with power.? Aya said.
?And someone that can solve incidents.? Added Momiji.
?Someone that is capable of protecting the Great Hakurei Boundary,?
?And Gensokyo.?
?They can?t be some scaredy cat or weakling? Aya said after a short pause. Taking a breath, she continued to speak. ?And they can?t be someone that say, wants to destroy Gensokyo?
?Or doesn?t care if Gensokyo is destroyed.? Momiji added.
((Fastest Reply in ever))
-
"Well," Laresa said, "if she has power, I have yet to see it. And although I don't think she qualifies as a 'scaredy-cat', my impression is that she does not have a suitable mentality for a defender of anything. If the things you listed are the only criteria, then any number of people could qualify, myself included, but the one being called the new maiden, by my impression, does not."
"She is the new maiden, though," Aya said.
"And there's the other thing. We're not just talking about someone who is able to be the new maiden, are we? She's not 'able to be' the new maiden; she is the new maiden. I'm looking to find out why this is, but I need some place to start." Perhaps Keine could give me a lead, either because she knows something herself or by pointing me somewhere I might be able to find the information.
-
Inside the shrine, the three of them, one and a half humans and one and a half ghosts, drink to their hearts content, disconnected from the commotion that plagues the shrine grounds outside.
By now, Youmu is already far past drunk. Her speech is slurred and her balance is shaky. Her mannerisms have become more lax and carefree, as if she could jump up and dance at any moment. Yuyuko is still the same as she had been before she began drinking, as if the alcohol had not affected her at all.
As the three continue to talk amongst themselves, two people enter the shrine. Interrupted from their idle chatter, the group looks towards the two people who had entered the building. One was dressed in a Kimono with long lavender colored hair, while the other was dressed in a white dress with an odd blue dress overtop it. The second woman?s hair was long and silver with blue highlights. Atop her head was a strange looking blue hat that sort of resembled a house. The silver and blue haired glanced at Yuyuko, and then Youmu, as she passed them by, heading further into the shrine.
Yuyuko watched as they went, still gazing to where they had gone several seconds after the pair has disappeared from sight.
Youmu however didn?t do the same, she had returned to her drunken discussion without much regard for her mistress?s odd behavior.
After a few seconds though, Yuyuko also turned back to the conversation.
Yuyuko.
Yuyuko blinked for a moment, looking around. She glanced at the wall beside her for a moment.
Bump.
Youmu turned her head in Yuyuko?s direction to see that the ghost princess had leaned to the side, resting her head on the wall. It appeared as if she was trying to eavesdrop on something that was on the other side of the wall.
?Um?Lady Yuyuko?? Youmu said, trying to hide her drunken stupor.
Yuyuko had an optimistic expression across her face, which held a hint of non-understanding. After a few moments, Yuyuko nodded.
Youmu twitched slightly, not comprehending her master?s strange behavior. ?Um?Lady Yuyu-?
?I?m sorry, but if you could excuse me for a moment, I need to use the ladies? room, to freshen up.? Yuyuko said as she bowed her head.
Youmu, with her mouth slightly open, just nodded in response to the Saigyouji mistress? words.
With a faint smile, Yuyuko rose to her feet and headed deeper into the shrine. Soon enough, Yuyuko disappeared into the darkness of the building?s interior.
Youmu watched as the ghost princess left, in the same way that Yuyuko had watched Kohaku and Keine go.
---------
---GuyYouMetOnline
Momiji and Aya both shrug at Laresa?s request, appearing to have no leads. Though Aya fidgets a bit before shrugging.
?Anyways,? Momiji started, ?Aya, you should learn to control yourself better. If you don?t some day you?re going to annoy someone you can?t handle.?
Aya paused for a moment, as if she was irritated with the white wolf tengu?s condescending tone. ?I?m the fastest in all of Gensokyo. If things get tough, I can just flee.? Aya replied.
Momiji?s ear twitched as she listened to Aya?s words. She let out a faint groan at the crow tengu?s attitude. ??If you?re going to have that attitude, then I?d be better off back at the mountain.? Momiji said with a frown.
?Oh yeah, aren?t you supposed to be on guard duty? What are you doing slacking off around here?? Aya spoke casually as she rolled the film in her camera.
Momiji almost let her temper snap, but the white wolf tengu stopped herself before she lashed out at the reporter beside her. Without another word, Momiji turned and stomped off in the direction of the shrine?s torii.
---------
---SourFang
Kohaku crossed the room, Hyozan silently at her side, as Keine slid the door shut behind them.
?Now then, I gathered you had something you wanted to talk to me about?? Keine asked her former student, a friendly smile still on her face.
Kohaku nodded slowly, not yet turning to face Keine. ?A few somethings, actually. But I suppose the most pressing one is as good a place to start as any. There?s a story going around that I need to clear up, before it goes on any longer. The story that brought everyone here, actually.?
?You mean the story of the new Hakurei miko? What about it?? Keine asked, looking slightly puzzled as she gazed at her former student?s back.
?Well, sensei, the tengu that wrote that story, Aya, was-?
?Ms. New Hakurei Miko~, I believe you?re forgetting something~?
A sudden voice resounded from behind Keine. A voice too familiar to Kohaku.
Keine spun around quickly to see who had entered. How?? There was no sound of the door opening. How?d someone get- Keine?s thoughts were cut off as her gaze fell upon the intruder.
Yuyuko.
The ghostly mistress of Saigyouji smiled innocently at the two beings that stood before her. She stood with one hand raised and the other behind her back. In her hand was a bundle of aged papers.
-
"Wait, wait, protect the Hakurei border? I don't recall there being a miko until just now, and considering the lavish nature of this party, I doubt she's just been keeping low profile," Tetsumaru states, clearly skeptical. "And she has a point. Why are you so sure that she is the miko? This entire thing just popped out of nowhere, and you're expecting me to believe this without a grain of salt?" He was really speaking more to himself at that point, but it was a rant long overdue.
"I apologize if I sound abrasive right now, I really do. But I've been having a bad few days. What with the gathering in the village, this random party, personal circumstances I don't really want to discuss, and...this," he manages, eye twitching at the sight of the massive oni. "I really, really have my doubts on this."
He turns and bows to his company up until that point, very aware that she was leaving as well. "Thank you for the conversation, miss. It was probably the highlight of my day, but I'll be taking my leave now." Another bow, this time at Laresa. "It was a pleasure to see you again." And then one last bow, more shallow this time. "Miss."
And with that he sets off, heading towards what he thought would have the most answers.
'The oni probably knows something, though I don't savor the thought of weaving through the party to get at her. Then again, she didn't get any answers out of her...let's go straight to the source then. Always did want to see the interior of that shrine...'
-
The new voice in the room draws a low snarl from Hyozan, and makes the hair on the back of Kohaku's neck stand on end, despite herself. Even though the ghost was here without her bodyguard, she was the one that ordered the attack on Kohaku in the first place.
But as on guard as she was against the ghost, and as confidant as she was in her aim, the proximity between Keine and Yuyuko doesn't guarantee Kohaku's teachers' safety, were she to fling a chain at the ghost. Still, doesn't mean she has to let her guard down.
Clenching her fist to bind the element of ice to her chains, Kohaku lets the sharpened end of a chain slide out of her right palm, glittering blue with ice and frost. She gestures with her left hand at the papers in Yuyuko's hand.
"What are you doing with those?"
-
"Right," Laresa said. "Guess I'll have to look elsewhere for answers."
"I'm sorry I don't know more," Aya said, "but even I can't know everything."
"It's not a problem. I already have someone else in mind to talk to."
"Oh?"
"I'm thinking Keine may be able to point me in the right direction. I left the new maiden with her. They should be right over-" Laresa noticed that the two of them were no longer where they'd just been. "...Never mind."
"Oh, the miko went back into the shrine," Aya said. "I just saw her go in."
Unexpected. Even so, however, Laresa did, of course, have a plan for it. "Then I'd best reenter the shrine, as well. It might be to your benefit to find a place to covertly observe; this may be about to get interesting."
Laresa made her way back into the shrine. Yuyuko was not in sight, but her servant was. Okay, that may not be a good sign, but there's no garuntee it's a bad one. Step one: find Keine and Kohaku. Laresa headed further into the shrine.
--------------------------------
OOC: Sonae, Sour, any objections to Laresa joining in?
-
Suika's sudden increase in mass caught Sanaya completely off guard. She fell on her back out of sheer surprise, her inebriation probably didn't help with staying upright.
"Sh-she's huge! The first thought that entered her mind was a fairly obvious one, as was the second. "Now I've really messed up."
She clumsilly scrambled up on to her feet and instinctively reached for her weapon, yet grasping nothing but air. She mentally chastised herself for even thinking thought, What's a naginata going to do against an oni, let alone a gigantic one. "Okay, calm down. She doesn't seem too angry just a bit insulted, and with all right."
She dusts off her kimono before cupping her hands around her mouth and shouting up at the huge figure in front of her. "Hey! That's a pretty impressive height! I'm sorry I doubted the abilities of an oni so could you come down here again so we can talk normally?" She let her hands drop as she took another look at the huge body of the oni. "I hope she doesn't try to pick me up, I've never been that high up before."
OOC: Just going to note this here but I'll be in the process of moving from the next week forward so I might not have a lot of computer time. Not that I think there are a lot of players that'd be concerned about that in this position :3
-
As Keine and the purple-hair walked away from their spot, Kisei remembered that she didn't tell her dad not to blab about anything at all. Even without looking at his face, the thief could tell from the heave of Tsutomu's back that he was going to call for her teacher. The amount of excuses she would have to concoct would snowball and probably earn her Keine's infamous headbutt.
So when a giant sprung up from nowhere, everything was well and good. Except that dad stopped dead in his tracks and just stared at the oni.
"Uh, dad, teacher's walking away." The only reply Kisei received was an even deeper heave from her father's back. Thump thump, thump thump. Still looking at the giant thing, was he? "It's not going to kill us, you know."
That let out an remarkably audible sigh from Tsutomu. "...I guess so. I almost thought it was a real fight." He stiffened up, but just as quickly relaxed. "Well then, where is your teacher?" he mumbled to himself.
The tall blue hat led the way to the shrine proper. The crowd bogged the Kyoki shopkeeper down, so when he finally got out of it, the only thing he was able to catch was purple-hair disappearing into the shrine. Predictably, dad stopped again.
"Kiki, do you want to meet your teacher tomorrow?" Tsutomu asked, "It seems she has some business to attend to."
No duh. "No, she probably needed some space and went in there." Kisei imagined shaking her arms and legs up and down in impatience. "Now let's go in the building before we lose them." Kisei's lips slipped at the last line, causing all the words to stumble out in quick succession.
At this, her father turned around to look at her. "Is it really that important?" There was the faintest trace of a stern glare and a firm voice. The festive mood did not need a public reprimand going on.
Kisei did not catch on. "Yes yes yes now let's go! I don't think anyone would know about that Hakurei lineage or whatever you call those things as much as she would." Still no movement. She really really wanted to move again because this hold-up was taking too long and that meant more lost time and that meant more lost conversation. In fact she'd rather go pickpocketing than listen in on some possibly boring discussion. But that was all there was and it was annoying.
One eyebrow was raised. "Okay, I'll agree with that point, but I'll only go in on the condition you won't talk unless you're told to. Are we clear?"
Parent talk yada yada I'll regret it later but not now! "Yes yes YES now let's GO!"
So they went in. Immediately, the first people that they happened upon were apparently drunk.
"Excuse me, have any of you happened to see Miss Kamishirasawa enter the shrine?" the Kyoki shopkeeper asked,
OOC: Kisei c/o father is entering the Hakurei Shrine in search of Kohaku and co. Sonae, I am begging for trouble, and I want it bad. :]
-
---Sourfang
?Why, I?m holding them of course.? The Saigyouji mistress says with a cheerfully innocent smile.
Once silence had returned, Yuyuko made a slightly clueless expression as she gazed at the faces in the room.
Across the room stood Kohaku and her dog, their threatening expressions and tones emanating an air of faint hostility. Keine had moved slightly off-center of the room, and stood silently, her pose indicated that the teacher?s guard was up. Keine?s expression was stern, and her gaze was fixated on Yuyuko, monitoring the ghost?s every move.
Yuyuko blinked, looking surprised by the pair?s behavior. After a moment, Yuyuko smiled sweetly.
?And now I?m delivering them!? She said as she swung her arm upward, letting go of the papers at the height of her movement.
The papers leapt into the air from where they were in her hand. In less than a second, the pages spread out, dancing through the air and scattering everywhere with a distinct fluttering noise.
Keine, startled by the ghost princess?s actions, instinctively gazed upward at the gliding slips of paper that swung back and forth across the room. The teacher quickly realized it was a distraction and shifted her gaze back to the place where Yuyuko had been, only to find that the ghost was gone.
Keine furrowed her brow for a moment. What was that about?? She wondered as she frowned and turned back towards Kohaku.
By now most of the papers had descended onto the ground, leaving only a few floating downward.
The teacher let out an exhausted sigh as she began to gather up the papers from the floor. As she did so, she glanced over the pieces, noting some familiar phrases. Keine frowned slightly in confusion.
?Kohaku, what are these?? She asked as she continued to glance over the various slips of paper that she collected from the floor.
---------
The Saigyouji mistress smiled and chuckled to herself as she quietly slid the door closed behind her.
?Delivery made~? She whispered softly to herself as she began to head back down the dark hallway and back to where Youmu and their Human drinking companion were located.
-
Sliding her chain back into her hand, this time with an audible metallic *clink*, Kohaku clenches her fist around empty air.
"That, I'm afraid, was a ghost I was rather hoping to avoid meeting again." She punctuates her sentance by stepping forward, and snatching one of the errant papers out of the air, giving it a once over.
"And these," she continues "are the documents I found the first time I was here today. Although I'm at a loss as to what Yuyuko was doing with them." Noting that this does nothing to alleviate the confused look on her teachers face, Kohaku smiles somewhat sheepishly. "I should probably start from the beginning, shouldn't I?"
Keine simply nods.
Gathering the last of the papers Keine had not, Kohaku takes a quick look around at the walls, just to make sure the ghost's hat wasn't sticking out from somewhere, and then starts in on her story.
"Well, it all started with a crow..."
OOC: Pausing to allow Laresa and/or Kisei to involve themselves in this scene. And save me the trouble of typing out the story twice. :P
-
Laresa saw Yuyuko exit a room. What was she doing in there? Is that where Kahaku is?
Laresa made her way to the door Yuyuko had passed through and entered the room to find that Kohaku and Keine were there, as she'd thought. "Yuyuko was just in here," she said. "What happened?"
"She threw these papers into the room," Keine said, showing the one's she'd gathered, "and then she left. But not before calling Kohaku the new miko."
"Yes, she does believe that," Laresa said. "That's what I was referring to earlier. Apparently, it was denying being the new miko that led Yuyuko to order her servant to kill Kohaku."
"And you didn't want to tell me?"
"I left it up to Kohaku to decide how much she wanted you to know. Can I see those papers?"
"Sure," Keine said.
Laresa took the papers and examined the first one. Let's see here... 'Gensokyo is separated from the outside by a large magical barrier. This barrier could be seen as the boundary between inside and outside. However, the inside world and the outside world are still physically contiguous, so it may be logically said that the barrier created the place that we call Gensokyo.' She flipped to the next paper. ' The Hakurei Shrine. Deep within the mountains... has no role other than maintaining the border... No matter the time, there will always be someone there.' Well, there hasn't been for a while, at least not that anyone seems to know about. 'As of now, Gensokyo... now enjoy the colorful shrine.' And written by Aya. I should show this to her. Maybe she can fill in some of the unreadable bits. Looks like there may be some useful information in there.
Laresa flipped to the next paper. Another one I can't read all of. Let's see here... '...human and youkai that reside in Gensokyo, and discover the secrets of... are chased from Gensokyo and... I listened to the thoughts of one y u a , Keine Kamishirasawa...' Well, that could make things interesting. "Kohaku," she said, "have you read these?" The supposed new maiden just nodded. "All right. We should keep them. There may be some useful information in them." She then turned to Keine, holding out the paper that held her name. "You should look at this one. Part of it is about you."
Keine took it and read it, and her expression became one of shock. "This is-"
As I thought. "It tells me nothing I did not already know."
"You know? About..."
Laresa nodded. "I do. And it doesn't matter to me at all. Nor have I said anything about it, and I have no intention to change that."
"Um... well, thank you. Um, how..."
"Some other time," Laresa said. "I would worry about Kohaku right now. I doubt she knew before seeing that paper. I'll be outside the room. Talk to her about it, and then let me know and we can focus on the rest of what's written on these." Laresa set the papers down. "Until then, I'll position myself outside and ensure that you are not disturbed." With that, Laresa left the room. She took position at the door, staying alert for any who approached.
------------------------
OOC Sour, if you want to talk to Laresa right now, just have Kohaku call her back in right away rather than waiting until after speaking with Keine. And Sonae, as always, let me know if I need to change anything.
-
---Crow
Yuyuko didn?t pay any mind as the violet haired woman stepped into the room behind her. She kept going, with the intention of returning to where she had left Youmu.
Soon enough, Yuyuko reached the room. The ghost strode out of the darkness and instinctively headed for the spot where she had previously sat. As she approached, she noticed someone had entered the shrine.
?Oh?? She mouthed as she slowed to a stop. She examined the man in silence, a curious expression on her beautiful face. As she shifted her gaze towards his face, she noticed a second person. A small girl that the Saigyouji mistress recognized.
?My, it?s the little thief from earlier.? Yuyuko said with a small smile.
-
Kohaku seemed nearly as lost as her teacher did about that exchange between Laresa and Keine. It's like she was watching half a conversation. Come to think of it, she probably WAS watching half a conversation. Still and all, it brought the girl some comfort to see Laresa show up so shortly after Yuyuko did.
Keine shifted uncomfortably as she digested the situation. The teacher frowned deeply. Kohaku knew. ?Where to start?? Keine muttered aloud as she carefully studied Kohaku?s body language.
"Why not start with whatever you and Laresa were just talking about?"
Keine sighed. It was inevitable, she supposed. She pointed to the paper in her hands. "You've read the part in here that has my name in it, yes?"
Kohaku nods. "Yes. ... Wait... You mean I was right? You're a youkai, sensei?"
The village guardian sighed again, nodding her head slightly, only to shake it in negation a breath later. "... Yes. No. ... It's a little complicated." Keine takes a moment to compose her thoughts before continuing, while Kohaku merely waited patiently for her to say her peace. "I'm not a true youkai, but it wouldn't be unfair to call me a HALF youkai. You see, on full moon nights, I transform into... a more bestial form. No, that's a bit misleading. Perhaps I should say, a slightly less-human form. A were-hakutaku, that's what I am."
After everything that's happened to her today, the revelation that the teacher she admired, and respected, for years, was actually a youkai (partially, true, but still) didn't come as an extraordinary shock to Kohaku. If anything, this is a pleasant, if perhaps minor, surprise. "So that's why you never seem to be out during full moon nights."
Keine nods, still a bit dejected that at least two more people know her secret now. "It's not that it's a big secret, or anything, it's just not something I see the need to advertise to everyone in the village. I don't want people overreacting to what I am only part of the time."
"Does anyone know?"
"Only a few people, very few, whom I trust implicitly. If the people of the village knew that the person responsible for keeping the village safe from youkai was part youkai herself, things could become complicated." Keine locks eyes with her former student, making sure Kohaku knows how serious this is to her. "I'm trusting you now, too, Daidouji-san, to be among those people I trust with this information."
Kohaku responds to her mentor with a gentle smile. A lot of things have been difficult today. This is not one of them. "Of course you can trust me, Sensei. I would never betray your trust." Hyozan rrrfffs once, the tone of his 'voice' almost admonishing.
Keine holds her student's eyes for a moment more, and slowly nods. "I believe you."
"You can come back in, Laresa." the Daidouji heir calls out to her fellow purple-haired woman.
-
Laresa reentered the room, once more closing the door behind her. "I take it the issue was settled."
"Yes," Keine said. "Kohaku was understanding."
"Good. And you know me well enough to know that I won't reveal your secret."
"Yes, I know I can trust you," Keine said. "I would like to know how you found out, though."
"You fly like a youkai," Laresa said. "Almost all youkai can fly, and you fly in the manner they do."
"I see," Keine said. "I guess that's something only you would be able to know."
Laresa nodded. "I'm a mimic," she explained to Kohaku. "Whenever an ability is used within a certain distance of me, I copy it and can use it temporarily. Keine and I have worked together on several occasions in the past, so I'm fairly familiar with her abilities. If you and I are going to investigate this whole maiden thing together, then it would be best if I was to become familiar with your abilities, as well. But for the moment, that can wait."
Laresa turned back to Keine. "Keine, you just heard from Yuyuko that Kohaku is the new miko. Kohaku, on the other hand, is certain that she is not. She and I both want to get to the bottom of this, so we are working together to uncover the truth. The first step, I think, is to learn more about the nature of the Hakurei maiden. I spoke to Aya outside, but she didn't seem to know much about that topic. These papers, though, may hold more information on the topic, although they seem old and faded enough that deciphering them may be a challenge. Certainly worth trying, though. I also wonder if you might have any ideas of where to look for such information."
-
Great. Pandemonium erupted within the minds of the two Kyokis.
Tsutomu looked from the pink-haired woman back to his daughter. "Have you two met earlier?"
Kisei would have loved to deny ever seeing the ghost, but that would just force her into a corner. Even just talking was going to uncover the previous encounter. "Yes," she said as innocently as she could, "I did."
"Would you mind explaining yourself, then, young lady?" the father asked smoothly.
He could have said anything but that! Why that one? There was no time to formulate an excuse that was going to get her scot-free from this questioning. There was only one bet: half-truths. "I was just curious of what was inside the shrine. I've never been here."
OOC: Waiting on a reply from Sonae.
-
?Before that Laresa,? Keine spoke as she casted a sideways glance at the woman. She then turned towards Kohaku with a faint smile. ?Kohaku, you were going to tell us how she came upon these papers, and how this whole hakurei shrine maiden issue began in the first place. From the very beginning, right?? Keine asked the girl with an inquisitive stare.
---------
---Crow
?My, is that so?? Yuyuko said as she took out an object and held it close to her. Her expression became one of interest, as if she was hearing the girl?s story for the first time instead of having experienced it herself. The pink haired let out a muffled laugh and smiled, moving her hand which held the item in the process. As she flicked her wrist, the magnificent colors of the folding fan once again waved in plain sight of the girl, as if mocking the red head for her failed thievery attempt. ?Was that also why you kicked the poor wall so hard, even though it did nothing to you?? The Saigyouji mistress asked sweetly, as if feigning innocence. She smiled as she waved the fan back and forth, creating a faint wind that ruffled her soft pink hair slightly.
-
And there he was, right outside the shrine. The oni wouldn't have the answers he really wanted, so he figured asking the new 'miko' herself would work out best. If he had to be, he could certainly be a little...aggressive. He was getting very tired of all this nonsense; people gathering in town, random parties out of nowhere, and other such...things.
...there was an eerie feeling coming from the shrine. Maybe that was normal? But he always felt a little eeriness when someone of power was around, and with this sort of feeling someone of power was definitely around. Maybe it was the miko? Someone else?
He shook his head and frowned and, upon hearing the barest hint of voices outside, decided to wait. Trespassing upon the shrine now would be...probably a bad idea.
----
OOC: Tetsumaru is now outside the shrine, gathering his wits and trying to get enough courage to enter. He's free to interact with or distract.
-
?Is it safe yet??
The white haired girl wondered as she peeked around the corner and out into the shrine grounds. She cast a cautious glance to where she had previously spotted Keine, only to see the schoolteacher was gone. Sora began to let out a sigh, but held her breath for a moment thinking that Keine could still be nearby. ?I can?t let Keine see me like this?
Sora recalled her former teacher and caretaker?s view of humans going near youkai. She doubt that the woman would be exactly happy to find out that the young lady had fled the village to work for the scarlet devil. The girl shivered at the thought of Keine?s reaction, rubbing her forehead as if she could feel the punishment that awaited her if Keine found her.
Sora heaved out a sigh. She frowned, still able to taste the small drop of sake that had landed in her mouth earlier. In her panicked state, she had forgotten to grab a glass of water before slipping into the next room. Should I go back for one?? As she questioned herself, she recalled the pale light-blue haired girl who had brought her along to this feast in the first place. ?I should really get back?
With that thought, the girl turned and headed out of the shadows and into the main shrine grounds.
?And it didn?t take her long to nearly collide with another person.
?Oh, Sorry about that.? The girl in front of Sora said as she took an unnaturally smooth step backwards.
?A-ah, I?m sorry?I wasn?t paying attention.? Sora said quickly as she glanced at the girl?s features.
Her hair was short in length and black in color. She wore a simple white blouse and black skirt. The most notable things were the large red geta she wore, which had made her appear taller than she really was, and the red tokin atop her head. A tengu? She thought as she gazed at the girl?s accessories. Then the girl noticed the camera and distinctive tengu fan. Yeah, definitely a tengu?
The black haired girl smiled and tilted her head slightly as she looked at the girl. As she was about to speak up she recognized the uniform the girl was wearing.
?Oh? It?s a maid!? She said with energy as she raised her camera.
?Ah! No!? Sora gasped as she rose her hands to try to block her face. However, the girl wasn?t fast enough, and failed to hide her face before the flash indicated that the shot had been taken. Oh no?
The tengu smiled as she lowered her camera. ?Do you work at the Devil?s mansion? How come I?ve never seen you there before??
Sora hesitated, startled by the tengu?s bombardment of questions. ?I?m, uh, new?? Sora mumbled audibly as she lowered her gaze towards the ground.
The tengu?s smile lit up. ?Wow! Today?s just full of surprises! First a new Hakurei Shrine Maiden, then a new Maid for the Scarlet Devil Mansion!? She said loudly, snapping another picture much to Sora?s objections.
?Could you please?not?? Sora let out a heavy sigh, realizing resisting the tengu?s camera was futile.
?Anyways,? The girl started, ?Did you see a woman with long purple hair enter the shrine?? She asked as she took out her notebook and scribbled something into it.
?Um?no, I haven?t.? Sora spoke slowly, unsure of how to act around the girl.
?Eh?Well that?s too bad, Thanks for your help.? She said as she headed for the inside of the shrine. Just before disappearing from the white haired girl?s sight, the tengu suddenly stopped and turned back to the girl.
?Oh, and by the way, I?m Shameimaru Aya? She said with a smile and a wave. ?See ya around!?
With that, the tengu vanished into the darkness of the shrine.
Sora paused for a moment, then let out an exhausted sigh. See you around? What does she mean by that? After nearly a minute had passed since the tengu had left, Sora slowly turned around and headed out into the shrine grounds in search of the vampiric mistress she now served.
-
'A mimic...' Kohaku thinks to herself. Wondering just how far that extends, but she puts the thought to one side for the moment. Like Laresa said, it was an issue that can wait, for now.
"As I said, this whole affair started, at least as far as my involvement goes, when a crow stole my ocarina in the village." She waits for the expected confused looks from the other two women. "I know, it sounds odd even to my ear, but, that's what happened." She produces the instrument in question. "The crow snatched it right off my neck, and made off with it. Obviously, Hyozan and I chased the thing, but we never could quite catch up with it. Almost before we realized, the crow had flown up to this shrine. It dropped the thing in the donation box outside, and then flew off."
Hyozan barks once. "What?" *bark* Kohaku grins a bit sheepishly. "I don't think he's too fond of the fact that the crow got away. I'm just glad it left my ocarina behind."
"Anyway," she continues, "That was when I met Aya for the first time, although I didn't know who she was at the time, of course. She seemed to think I was some kind of theif, and then flew off at a remarkable speed. Needless to say, I didn't get any answers from her as to what was going on, so, I decided to investigate this shrine here, to see if that crow, whatever it was, brought us here for a reason."
"I should point out that, prior to today, I didn't even know this place was here, let along who lived here or for how long, so, I didn't know if I was intruding on someone's home or not. The impression I got from this place was that it hadn't been lived in for quite some time, although someone had been making an effort to maintain it. I'm at a loss to explain any more than that."
"Anyway, when I was on my way out of this place, I came across those papers that Yuyuko just... delivered. Most of what they said, I couldn't make heads or tails of, but none of them offered me any answers, either. So, I left. Tried to, anyway." Kohaku corrects herself. "When I got outside, Aya was back, talking to a beautiful kitsune youkai whom I didn't recognize. Aya took off again, and just after, the newspaper started circulating."
"And here we are."
-
Kisei's heart rocked against her ribs. She knew better than to react. Even with the fan in plain sight, she would not have wanted to get it, unless she wanted to get creamed, but the urge to beat the living daylights out of this woman flared up. She denied her a fan, but she was not going to beat her at this game.
"...what?" the red-haired girl responded cluelessly. "What are you talking about? All I was doing was looking around..." she cocked her head to the side while asking. Her father was giving her that angry look- the one that doesn't look angry but is getting ready to skin you.
It was not long before he spoke up, anyway. "What did I tell you before we left, Kisei?" She was not going to reply, of course.
-
Within the dark, maze-like confines of the Scarlet manor was Voile, the great magical library, which was located in the building?s basement. From the outside, one would never expect a library of this size to be under the devil?s home. Thousands upon thousands of books stocked the high shelves of the great library, not only allowing for much more room, but also denying access to a fair percentage of books to beings that could not fly. Perhaps this was just another safety mechanism to prevent intruders from raiding the place. However, one thing that is true about this mysterious archive, is that the library?s entire existence is meant for it?s one sole occupant, Patchouli Knowledge.
Silence fills the expansive room, as if everyone was sound asleep or away for the evening. The library?s usually dim lighting glowed eerily amongst what was obscuring darkness. Despite being nighttime, the library was lit quite well when compared to it?s daytime counterpart, which was even darker than it was now. Above, the occasional winged being could be spotted floating along, shelving and organizing books. Their movements were devoid of sound, making it seem like they were walking on air.
In the main area of the library sat a table surrounded by a countless number of books, divided into towering piles that got progressively shorter the further they got from the center. Upon the table?s top were various notes strewn about in an unorganized fashion. At the center of the table was a lamp which illuminated the pages, making the words that covered them readable. Other objects, such as pens, ink, and a teacup sat among the mess of papers and books.
Any visitor would likely call the place unorganized, but for her, it wasn?t.
The asthmatic magician sat silently, her eyes moving over the words with astonishing speed.
??Finished.? She muttered as she closed the book. She reached for her cup of tea. Taking a sip, she gazed at the silent library. For a moment, she wondered why it was so quiet, but immediately recalled the answer.
Oh yeah, Remi went out tonight... She thought as she remembered what her friend had told her earlier.
---
?Patchy!?
The purple haired magician looked up from her work to see her friend, Remilia Scarlet, standing before her with a smile on her childish face.
?Ah Remi, what is it?? Patchouli asked as she put down her pen for a moment and shifted her attention to the vampire.
The mansion?s mistress held up a newspaper.
Patchouli squinted to try and read the title. ??Bunbunmaru??
Remilia nodded, still retaining her smile.
The magician is hesitant for a moment, trying to comprehend why the vampire was smiling so cheerfully. ??What about it??
The girl grinned for a second, then put the newspaper on the table.
Patchouli gazed at the title, mumbling it aloud as she does so.
?The next Hakurei miko appears?? Patchouli gave a dull look for a second, various thoughts crossing her mind, only to be put to rest a moment later. ??and??
?There?s a feast to be held at the shrine tonight.? Remilia says confidently. ?To celebrate the event.?
Patchouli?s gaze sharpened. She knew what would come next and decided to give her answer before the vampire could ask.
?I have more important things to do than sit around and consume alcohol with a handful of anonymous drunkards.?
Remilia?s face contorted into a frown that bordered on a pout. She opened her mouth to speak, but breathed a sigh instead. ?I guess I?ll have to go alone then.? The vampire spoke as she turned and made her way towards the large main doors of the library.
?Take Flandre with you if you?re lonely.? Patchouli said as she returned her gaze to the book in front of her. She could hear Remilia grunt from behind her, but didn?t turn to look back. Soon enough the magician could hear the grand wooden doors of the library shut.
And with that she was left with peace and silence.
---
Patchouli let out a sigh, sitting her now empty tea cup down on the table. She pushed herself up out of her chair and to her feet, weaving through and around the towers of books.
?Hmm?? She muttered to herself as she scanned the titles of the books on one shelf. She shook her head faintly for a moment, then turned the corner to go around to the other side. ?It should be around here somewh-?
Patchouli stopped mid-sentence and gazed at the floor.
There, lying on the floor was a girl, sleeping peacefully with a book within her reach.
The magician grimaced for a moment. A certain gate guard and familiar crossed her mind, but she cleared her head of anger. Patchouli approached the girl slowly, as if in caution. She gazed over her features, examining them thoroughly. I don?t sense anything from her?and she doesn?t appear to be a youkai? The magician?s expression flickered with irritation for a moment before changing into a frown. What is that so-called guard doing?letting humans walk right into the mansion?
The girl moving faintly brought Patchouli out of her daze. She watched the stranger for a moment, as if to confirm the human was still asleep.
After doing so, Patchouli turned her attention the book that was within reach of the girl. She picked it up and began to scan its pages.
For a moment, the magician looked surprised, shifting her gaze to the girl.
Then, a smile slid across her face.
---------
---Amra
Tetsumaru stood just a few steps away from the shrine?s front entrance. He had seen Aya enter casually, and another girl exit cautiously. Now here he was, standing in front of the entrance, yet lacking the guts to step forward and enter. He continued to stare forward, his gaze fixated on the shrine.
?Something troubling you??
Tetsumaru nodded silently, his eyes still glued to the building before him.
?Wait a second, that wasn?t a voice inside his head. It was the voice of a woman.
Tetsumaru, realizing that someone had spoke to him, snapped out of his daze, and turned in the direction of its owner.
On the shrine?s veranda sat a woman, dressed in dull colors. She wore an odd shirt and a skirt that was a tad too short, compliantly revealing her bloomers. Her hair was short and a rosy-brown color. Glasses stood before her brown eyes, obscuring their deep color slightly. Atop her head sat a leaf which, while occasionally wobbling precariously, did not seem to fall. The most noticeable things about the woman however, were her ears and massive, fluffy, rosy-brown to brown, striped tail.
The woman took a swig of sake from a small cup that she held in her hand as she patiently awaited for the boy to respond.
---------
Keine listened to Kohaku?s story silently, occasionally looking deep in thought for but a moment. Once the girl had finished speaking, the schoolteacher spoke up.
?To address you concerns, Laresa,? Keine began as she shuffled through the papers, scanning them for pertinent information. After about a minute, the teacher spoke up again. ??These pages entail the Hakurei Shrine Maiden?s duties, while these mention other details related to the miko?s job.? Keine says as she hands two small separate piles of papers to Laresa.
As the violet haired woman began to read them, Keine turned her to the remaining papers. As she did so, she noticed the loose slivers of paper amongst the pile. She separated them and began to read.
!
The schoolteacher?s eyes widen. Her mouth opened slightly, as if to gasp, but she stopped herself before drawing the attention of her two former students. She carefully looked over the words again, digesting the meaning of why they were there.
?Located at the?? ? ?Were it not for the Great Barrier?? ? ??she can create or destroy a place like Gensokyo whenever she?? ?
Keine?s face twitched with a faint hint of annoyance. She had to consciously stop herself from raising a hand to her head and letting out an aggravated groan. She could feel a headache beginning to form in the back of her mind.
What is that woman thinking?!
The school teacher thought about sliding the slivers of paper into her pocket discreetly, but then realized that Kohaku was still looking in her and Laresa?s general direction. If she were to attempt to pocket them, she would likely be caught in the act and need to explain herself.
Reluctantly, Keine breathed a silent sigh and returned the slips to the main pile. A faint frown had forced its way onto the schoolteacher?s face without her knowledge. She glanced at Kohaku for a brief moment, then turned her gaze towards Laresa, waiting for the woman to finish reading.
-
'The current shrine maiden at the Hakurei Shrine, which lies on the border of Gensokyo... The Hakurei shrine maidens control the Great Hakurei Boundary and protect Gensokyo... The spell card rules allow both parties to show off their skills in a beautiful competition... a specialist in incident resolution... There is a considerable lack of spirits in a shrine... a shrine looks no different from any ordinary building...' This reads like it's from a reference book. Looks like there's a lot of information here, but some of it seems incomplete. Naturally, these missing parts seem to have the information I'm after. Okay, what does this second pile have... 'On the eastern edge of Gensokyo lies its only shrine... The Hakurei shrine maiden, who specializes in incident resolution, lives here... A human being from outside will become food shortly after encountering a youkai...' This is written in the same style. Probably by the same author. As for the other pages... no, these are different. Aya's name is signed; it would seem she wrote these. Not likely to tell me much, then. Let's see... 'Deep within the mountains, seperated from the human village... The shrine has no role other than maintaining the border...' As I thought. Nothing new about the maiden. And the last page... 'Flower viewing takes place almost every night at the most magnificent shrine... The banquet is, as one would expect, bustling...' This is just a report on a specific event. Not what I'm looking for.
"Some of this may have useful information," Laresa said. "The ones written by Aya don't seem to have any of the information I'm looking for, but these others may. Unfortunately, the parts I am most interested in seem to be faded. However, I think it's quite likely that other copies exist somewhere. These look to me to be part of a reference text, although not one I'm familiar with. If we can find a complete copy of this text, it should be possible to learn more. But an even better possibility is that of speaking to the author directly, assuming that whoever it is still lives. If it was a human, then most likely the author is dead-these pages aren't exactly newly made-but if it was a youkai, there's a good chance that the author is in fact still alive. Unfortunately, even if this is the case, I have no idea who it is. I think the first step should be to attempt to identify the reference text in question, as not only will that help us learn more, it will also likely enable us to identify the author. Unless you have some idea of who it might be, Keine."
-
Upon mention of the text?s unknown author, the schoolteacher?s eyelids flicker for a split second, unnoticed by the two girls. Her frown changed to a scowl as she thought about all of the things that were going on. Once Laresa had finished, Keine spoke up.
?Laresa,? She started, crossing her arms and making sure she was facing the both of them. After thinking for a moment, then letting out a faintly irritated sigh, she began to speak again. ?Firstly, I think that going after the source isn?t the most practical course of action at this moment. Kohaku?s issue about being the Hakurei miko is likely more important than what the miko does at this point.?
Keine paused and glanced around the room, her eyes lingering for a second longer on the pile of papers, and then started to speak again.
?Secondly, there is one bit of information about the miko that I know that is not in those papers.? The schoolteacher paused, drawing in a breath before continuing. She looked towards Laresa, then turned her gaze to Kohaku, as if confirming that the two were listening. Their eyes were glued to their former teacher, waiting intently for her to speak once more.
Keine closed her eyes, exhaling in the process. For a second, she appeared lost in thought, but then she inhaled and opened her eyes, and then she began to speak.
?As you know, myriads of youkai live and thrive within Gensokyo. If it were not for the Great Hakurei Barrier, youkai would likely not exist today.? Keine breathed a sigh as she uncrossed her arms slightly. ?Youkai rule Gensokyo. It?s basically their world. However, youkai cannot not survive without humans. Youkai need humans. Without them, they would cease to exist entirely.? Keine paused for a moment, her scowl now changed into a faintly worrisome frown. ?This is why Gensokyo must have a balance between human and youkai. Youkai attack humans, and humans fight back. If this equilibrium were to collapse, it would lead to the downfall of Gensokyo.?
-
"You speak," Laresa said, "as though you have some idea what the missing text says. You seem sure that finding the complete text or its author will not give us any new information as to the nature of the Hakurei maiden or why Kohaku may or may not be one. Keine, if you know what text this is from, and who wrote it, then please tell me, and tell me how you can be so sure that nothing it would contain is of use to our investigation into the current situation.
"I think, though, that a few things have become, if not clear, then at least less unclear. It may explain, for instance, why Yuyuko ordered her servant to attack you, Kohaku. If she knows this about the Hakurei maiden's role, then it's possible she wanted to test your ability to fulfil this role.
"Stay with Keine," Laresa said. "It seems that Yuyuko may very well have useful information. I'm going to go find her."
Laresa, papers still in hand, exited the room to look for Yuyuko.
-
'Tanuki,' Tetsumaru's mental voice screamed. 'Danger. Run. Get away. Or fight.'
He quelled the thought and grit his teeth, hands gripped tightly around his cane. But this...this was a chance to vent. "Indeed, something's troubling me. I've been forced to go sell wares at a massive party I've had no prior warning to, not to mention I dislike parties in general. A new miko is apparently going to be revealed, again with no prior warning. Voices in my head and hallucinations suddenly happen and stop, once again with no prior warning. In fact, the entirety of the past few days for me have been one extended surprise, including your sudden appearance, and I'm a little miffed, to say the least."
A sigh, then a groan of frustration. "I don't suppose you have any answers for me? Who this miko is, why she hasn't appeared before, why the suddenness? Why and how did this," he starts, gesturing to the entire celebration around him. "Start? How does one just...gather a party, just like that?"
Another sigh, this time of relief, after a moments breath. "Sorry...I'm just...this entire situation has been very stressful for me."
He didn't really expect actual answers, but all the same he was a little more relaxed.
-
Kohaku watched Larsea leave, and called after her, "Good luck, and be careful!" The last thing the Daidouji girl wanted to see was Yuyuko attempt to murder someone else. On the other hand, Laresa probably knew her way around people like Yuyuko better than Kohaku did. The only sentient non-human she'd had prolonged contact with (that she was aware of, anyway) was Haine, and Haine was a lot more... down to earth than Yuyuko was.
So that left Kohaku alone again with her teacher. Kohaku with a declaration of the state of Gensokyo. One which she did NOT like. At all. "And is that what this 'Hakurei shrine maiden' does? Ensure that humans and youkai never have peace with each other?" she asks in a midnight voice. "This is what I'm supposed to do now?"
-
Laresa stopped. Damn it, I'm being stupid again. Guess my head's still not quite in the game. She turned around and reentered the room. "Hello again. I just realized that I overlooked something completely obvious." She looked at Keine. "Keine. Just how do you know all this?"
-
---Marou
?Hey! That?s a pretty impressive height! I?m sorry I doubted the abilities of an oni so could you-?
Before Sanaya could finish her sentence, the oni had shrunk almost as quickly as she had grown.
??come down here again?? Sanaya?s words trailed off in sound until they became nothing but a whisper on her breath.
Suika exhaled a puff of air before taking another swig from her prized gourd. As the now small oni looked towards Sanaya, she gave the woman a jolly smile.
?No hard feelings right?? She said cheerfully as she retrieved Sanaya?s dropped sake cup, dusted it off, and poured the girl another drink.
---------
---Amra
The tanuki listened closely, giving the boy the feeling that he was actually being taken serious for once during the last few days.
?Ah, you have my condolences.? The woman said with a reassuring smile. ?However, it does no good to let such things vex you.? She advised in almost an elder sister-like tone.
The tanuki?s expression showed a faint hint of alarm when the boy had asked his questions.
?Er, my sincerest apologies, I know not of the new Hakurei shrine maiden?s identity.? She said with a weak smile, ?Although, about the suddenness, I would also say that I am astounded by this unforeseen turn of events.? The woman pauses, excusing herself before taking a sip of alcohol from her cup. ?Hmm, I?d assume by hearsay,? she said as she calmly pondered the situation.
Upon hearing the boy?s apology, the tanuki smiled brightly. ?Well now, there?s no need to apologize!? She spoke in a tone devoid of negativity, ?We all need to vent our frustrations, one way or another.?
Just then, the tanuki realized she hadn?t introduced herself.
?Oh, please pardon my rudeness. I am Futatsuiwa from Sado.? She said with a bow of the head followed by a friendly smile.
---------
---Crow
?And your rush at me? Was that also looking around~?? Yuyuko chimed with a beautiful smile, her gentle maroon eyes closed. She opened her eyes and gazed at the young girl?s father. After nearly a minute, she smiled and looked back to Kisei, chuckling lightly to herself at the girl?s new method of travel. How cute~
The ghost princess waved her fan slowly, as if beckoning the girl to respond. ?Well, to me,? She began, putting a finger to her mouth and gazing up slightly, as if recalling what had happened. ?It appeared that you were about to attack me?? She said in a soft but slow tone, as if she was choosing her words more carefully than she had been before. Her eyes shone with an air of innocence, as if suggesting that the red-haired thief had victimized the poor woman.
---------
Aya trotted on into the shrine, her camera in hand and ready to snap a picture should the chance have been presented to her. She hummed a cheery tune to herself as she strode into the main room of the shrine. As she closed in, she heard the familiar voice of the ghostly mistress of Hakugyokurou speak, causing the tengu reporter to slow to a stop. The tengu turned her focus to the pink haired woman, curious as to what was happening.
In the middle of the room, she could see Yuyuko speaking to one, no two, humans that stood before her. The first was an adult male who carried the second human, a young female, around on his shoulders.
Aya watched the scene, unnoticed by both parties, closely examining the features of the humans and taking note of the ghostly woman?s body language and tone. The reporter remained silent and still, waiting for the situation before her to unfold.
---------
Keine let out a sigh, her irritation clear from her face. ?You seem to be missing the point,? she said to Kohaku, her arms crossed below her chest, ?It?s not a matter of war and peace, it?s a matter of keeping the balance in check.?
As Laresa re-entered the room, Keine glances at her for a moment before turning her focus back to Kohaku.
?Just because there needs to be fighting, it does not mean that there has to be bloodshed.? Keine said, her expression dead serious, ?That is why the Spell Card Rules exist.? Keine paused for a moment, her tone seeming a touch lighter than it had previously been. However, her expression remained unchanged. ?The Spell Card Rules allow for safe, friendly, and competitive battles. They also allow for bloodless conflict resolution, not to mention that they remove the dire tension that would corrupt relations between human and youkai.?
Keine breathes out another sigh as she uncrossed her arms, letting them fall to her sides. ?So to answer your question Kohaku,? the teacher paused for a moment, taking in a breath. ?No, it is not the Hakurei Shrine Maiden?s job to ensure that relations between human and youkai are constantly rough. It is the Hakurei Maiden?s job to make sure that Gensokyo?s balance is kept.? Keine paused once again, exhaling this time around. She gazed at the two woman before her, each of them eager for knowledge, eager to understand.
They both desired answers.
Keine closed her eyes for a moment in an attempt to relax her stressed mind. After taking another deep breath, she continued.
?Think of the Hakurei miko as the mediator between humans and youkai.? Keine said, the faintest of smiles passing over her lips.
With that, Keine turned her attention to Laresa.
?Now, to answer your question Laresa...? She began, taking a moment to recall the woman?s words, ?Why do I know all this? Well, it?s because I?m a historian.? Keine said, a small, neutral smile upon her face.
-
Well, that didn't sound so bad. Kohaku still had questions about the nature of so flawed a system that forced conflict upon its inhabitants, but there was no hurry to address those right now. She was living proof that humans and youkai could coexist peacefully just fine, thank you very much, and that little nugget proved to be a very welcome touchstone right now.
"So if this Hakurei shrine maiden is so vital a role, why have I never heard of it before?" Kohaku asks the half beast before her. "Or, for that matter, why would someone mistake me for it?"
-
"That's why I'm looking into it," Laresa said. "Obviously, there's something about you that's making them think you're the new maiden. That's why I'm trying to learn the nature of the Hakurei maiden. There's something, some defining characteristic or characteristics, and the ones who first called you the new maiden believe that you have said characteristics. If we can learn what these characteristics are, we can determine whether or not you do, in fact, have them.
"Which brings me to an important point. Kohaku, there's one thing you absolutely have to realize here, and that is that there is a chance, however small, that the people calling you the new maiden are correct. If our investigation turns up evidence to support their claim, you need to be willing to accept that evidence. An unlikely scenario, perhaps, but it is still possible. You must keep open to all possibilities, or you may overlook or dismiss important information. It's okay that you believe yourself to not be the maiden; you just need to set that belief aside while investigating. Can you do that?"
Laresa turned to Keine. "And Keine, I would like to know where you got your information on the Hakurei maiden. If it was from texts, then I want to examine those texts myself, and if it was a person who still lives-or a text written by someone who still lives-then I want to know who it is, because I want to speak with them directly."
-
As the two women spoke, Keine?s frown returned. She listened in silence, a stern expression on her face, waiting for them to finish.
When they had finished, the schoolteacher heaved out a sigh. She first turned to Laresa. ?Yes, I got it from texts,? she said, placing her hands on her hips. ?However, these texts are under strict supervision as a means to ensure they are not stolen or destroyed. With that said, they are not easy to access.? Keine let out another sigh as she scratched her head briefly. ?I can try to bring you some of the material when I?m free, though you wouldn?t be able to keep it for too long.?
The teacher allowed her arms to fall to her side. She exhales and turns her focus to Kohaku next. ?You haven?t heard of the Hakurei Shrine Maiden before because of a few reasons, the main one being that there has been no miko for over a decade now.? Keine looked around the room briefly then brought her gaze between the two.
?Now then?? She spoke slowly as she inhaled deeply, as if trying to rid herself of tension. ?There isn?t some sort of template, Laresa.? She spoke in a faintly annoyed tone as she crossed her arms again. ?When there is the need for a miko, the youkai take matters into their own hands.? The schoolteacher pondered it for a second before speaking, ?It was likely the youkai sages.? Keine glances at Laresa swiftly, as if she was preparing to counter an attack. ?And no, I don?t know who these sages are, nor where to locate them for that matter.? Keine paused for a moment, taking in a breath before continuing.
?So, if it really was the work of the Youkai sages, I highly doubt it is a mistake? She said, shifting her eyes to Kohaku.
As Laresa?s and Kohaku?s earlier words flash through Keine?s mind, her expression darkens. The schoolteacher?s head lowered slightly and she expelled an aggravated sigh. ?I think there?s something you?re misunderstanding here Kohaku.? She said, her voice dark and serious. She glances at each woman. First Laresa, then Kohaku, then back, repeating the pattern until she found a spot where she met the both of their gazes. Keine sighed again, looking solemn for but a moment. She inhaled, and exhaled.
Then, she spoke.
?Gensokyo is already on the verge of collapse.?
-
Oh, for crying out loud. This was quickly going downhill. Kisei had no idea what would happen if she attempted to lie, which she desperately needed to do if she was going to ward this woman off. Sooner or later, she would run out of questions to ask, and, quite obviously, her father would find out and probably escort her out of the shrine for some old-fashioned lecture. It occurred to her that she could just ask to pass through, but that thought was quickly shaken off. This woman was proving to be very dangerous.
Then she remembered she was currently limp. "Um, miss," she addressed the pink-haired woman steadily, "I think you're talking about a different person. I can't really, uh, move by myself. Maybe you scared her away?" An important lesson in answering questions: do not agree more than once, and do not deny more than once.
She knew, of course, that her father was still listening. Trying to get this past him would not work at all, but, hopefully, the woman would be stumped to retort to the girl's denial. The woman did not know why she was limp, did she?
-
"I don't mean to doubt you, Keine." Kohaku starts, abandoning the formality of her last name. "But if that's the case, why haven't there been any obvious signs of that before now?"
Hyozan growls once. "And, for that matter," the Daidouji heir continues. "why were things allowed to get that bad? Why wasn't a new maiden 'chosen' before now? Actually, why hasn't the previous maiden handled the problem, if there is one? Or has she retired from her duty?"
-
Most people would likely have... reacted strongly to hearing something like what Keine had just said, but Laresa wasn't most people. What she'd been hearing from Keine was... surprising, but compared to what she had to deal with on a daily basis, to what had happened back then, suppressing her emotional response here was simple. It was easy for her to ignore the shock of Keine's revelations and focus on the practical end of things.
"I will need to see those texts, Keine," Laresa said, "and as soon as possible. In the meantime, it would seem that there is a new lead to follow. But there is a complication.
"Kohaku," Laresa said, "I think Keine's right. I think it's unlikely that you are not the maiden. But I do think that you are not prepared to take on the role Keine just described. At the same time, however, it is, given what Keine said, important that you take on that role immediately. But you aren't ready to, so you'll need help. And if you think that there have been no signs of what Keine's saying being true, well, actually, I suppose it's not too surprising that you haven't noticed, but those in my line of work are well aware that youkai activity has been on the rise. That's why there are so many of us these days.
"You need to being immediately," Laresa said, "but you aren't ready for it. I have already agreed to act as a bodyguard for you, so it's sensible, I think, to take that a step further and have me act as your partner in this. I can certainly teach you how to fight, and until you are capable of doing so on your own, I will accompany you during your duties. I admit that I will have to learn the spellcard system alongside you, but this will be far simpler together than on your own. In fact, Keine, if you would demonstrate spellcards at some point, it would aid me greatly. I would not be able to copy them, but I would be able to sense them, to learn the feel of them, which would be a great aid in learning to make and use my own.
"The problem, of course, is that if I am acting as your partner, Kohaku, I will have less of a chance to look into the identity of these 'sages'. I can think of a few colleagues to ask about looking into that in my place, though, so it shouldn't be an issue. Your thoughts?"
-
Keine listened as Laresa spoke, nodding in agreement with her points.
?Yes, as Laresa said, there are signs. However, most of these are amongst youkai, so living and working in the village with mostly humans would mean you likely wouldn?t see the signs nearly as much. If at all.? Keine spoke calmly and clearly, her expression remaining rather neutral. The teacher paused, taking in a breath before answering the next question.
?A new miko was not chosen before now because the previous generation lacked power.? Keine said simply, ?You see, not everyone is born with a special ability. There are many who do not possess any ability whatsoever. Because of this, there is never a guarantee of how many children capable of gaining power will be born.? Keine inhaled and continued. ?The generation prior to your own had very few children born with abilities. Thus, there wasn?t someone considerable for the position I?d imagine.?
As she recalls Kohaku?s last question, her neutral expression shifts into a faint frown. ?She has??retired. Yes.?
Keine let out a small sigh as she turned her attention to Laresa.
?I?ll see what I can do. I can?t make any promises though?? She cautioned as she took one last look around the room before turning her attention to the pair of humans.
-
Kohaku took a very long breath out, and placed her hand to her head. Hyozan looks up and the girl, who shakes her head in response. "I'm all right, boy. I'm just getting a headache." Perfectly justified, considering everything that had happened before, and everything she was being asked to accept.
Headache or no, Kohaku knew to handle things one at a time, so first, she turned her attention to Laresa, who, to her credit, seemed to be handling the matter a lot better than Kohaku herself was. Kohaku admired her collected nature in the face of such news and confusion.
"I realize that this is Gensokyo, Laresa, and that strange things happen here all the time, every day, even. But consider what Keine's saying for a moment. I'm supposed to save the world? ME? You're damn right I'm not ready; how the hell am I supposed to save the world? Especially when I don't even know what the problem is." She casts a glance in Keine's direction. "That would be a good place to start, by the way, since you seem to know what's going on here. At least, for me. If I'm supposed to save Gensokyo, a bit of direction would help in that department."
"And about these sages. I'd actually like a word with them myself." Kohaku can feel the bile rising in her gullet, so she takes a moment to breathe, settle herself down again. "I want to know why they've apparently chosen me without giving me any say in the matter. Did it never occur to any of them to ASK me first?"
She straightens up, and turns her attention to Keine. "But there's something I want answered first. You're hiding something, Keine. If the last shrine maiden had simply retired and stepped down, you wouldn't have paused like that. I've known you well enough to know that, and you me well enough to know that I don't like it when people hide things from me. I want to know what happened to her, and why she isn't around. Why I, apparently, have to do what she isn't around to do."
-
"Ah," Tetsumaru blinks, realising he hasn't introduced himself either. He bows deeply. "Tetsumaru, of the Human Village. Smithing apprentice." Raising his head, he smiles. "Thank you for listening. It seems these days that everyone knows something I don't, and I'm being left in the dark."
The apprentice tilts his head, thinking. "Well, left in the dark or just in there by default. I doubt I'm quite important enough to even be considered for these kind of matters. I'm just a human after all."
He smiles again. He likes this woman, even if she is a potentially dangerous youkai. She seems very friendly. "May I ask what you're doing here?" he says rhetorically. "And what many of the youkai are doing here, really. I thought the miko was suppoesd to exterminate them? Why celebrate?"
He's curious, above all. Frustrated, yes, but even then he's only barely a man. Curiosity is driving his actions at this point.
-
"I might hazard a guess," Laresa said, "but I think you've probably had the thought yourself. It is likely, I would think, that the previous maiden died. I wouldn't immediately assume it was death in combat, though, not if combat was done using a non-lethal system. That is a possibility, of course, but there are also others. Perhaps you would know, Keine?"
-
Keine shrugged lightly at the girl?s initial response, ?Well, first of all is to make sure things don?t get out of hand, on either side really. Keep youkai from eating humans, make sure they don?t weaken and vanish because of humans,? Keine gave the girl a small smile as she finished, ?Basically, make sure they play nicely.?
A subtle frown creased the schoolteacher?s face as she listened to Kohaku continue. ?I?m sorry Kohaku, but there?s nothing I can do. The sages are very elusive, even more so than hermits, which is a feat.?
As Kohaku turned her full attention to her former teacher, Keine closed her eyes, her frown deepening. Upon hearing Laresa?s voice speak out once more, the half beast opened her eyes, casting a sideways glance at the violet-haired woman for a moment. When Laresa had finished, Keine let out a lengthy sigh before speaking once again.
?Sadly, I wouldn?t.? She began, her gaze focused on the floor for a solemn moment before returning a neutral stare in Kohaku?s direction. ?I?m sorry, but I don?t know any more details. I?m not even sure what exactly happened to her.? She said, her voice stronger than before, ?It was mainly an educated guess. The last shrine maiden, that girl was remarkably powerful. She could fight on equal terms with some of the strongest beings in Gensokyo.? Keine paused to take a breath, turning her gaze to Laresa in the process. ?I highly doubt that girl would die easily.?
With another sigh, Keine placed her hands on her hips and looked at the two girls. ?Well, there?s not much we can do about it right now.? Keine started in a calming tone, ?The sages will hopefully reveal themselves to you soon Kohaku. I doubt they would just leave the issue unresolved.? Keine frowned, raising her hand to her head and scratching it lightly for a moment. ?We can only wait until they make their move. Until then,? the schoolteacher paused briefly, focusing her eyes on Kohaku. ?I think it would be best to go along with it. At least for now.?
With that, Keine gave the girl a small but reassuring smile. ?Don?t worry Kohaku, you?d make a fine shrine maiden.?
---------
---Crow
The Saigyouji mistress lets out a mock gasp, as if what Kisei had said had surprised her. The ghostly woman?s body language emulated shock and awe, but her eyes tell a different story. For just a moment, her eyes flicker with a sharp cunningness before returning to an innocent cluelessness. Her gaze, which had been focused on the red thief then shift a second later to the girl?s father.
?Oh my, is that true?? She asks, clearly directing her attention towards the man standing before her.
---------
---Amra
Mamizou smiled at the boy. ?Tetsumaru, what a unique name,? the tanuki said as she poured herself another cup of sake. ?A pleasure to meet you.?
As the boy thanked her, she smiled. ?It?s the least I can do for someone who is troubled. As for being left in the dark,? She paused, taking in a breath as she thought, ?I think it isn?t just the humans that are being left in the dark. I myself haven?t the faintest clue as to what is going on. Several youkai I have spoken with also seem to be unaware of this affair. Some didn?t even know there was no miko until now.?
Taking another sip from her cup, Mamizou listened to the boy?s words with a polite silence. ?Well, in the past there were several parties held at this shrine that many youkai attended. Though I would think of this occasion as a welcoming party for the new miko.?
Then, as if in realization, the tanuki?s ears twitched. ?Now that I think of it, has anyone seen this rumored shrine maiden yet? I know I have yet to see the girl.?
The woman took a swig of alcohol then looked down to the bottle of sake tied to her wrist, and finally to the boy she had been speaking to. ?Oh, please pardon me for not asking sooner, but would you like some sake?? She said, gesturing to the small cup in her hand.
-
"Kohaku," Laresa said, "let me tell you a couple things. First, I don't think we need to take any sort of action tonight. I would recommend, though, that we begin tomorrow, as there is likely a lot to do. If Keine's right about Gensokyo's current state-and she's not wrong very often-then you'll likely need to jump into the maiden's duties right away. I know you don't want to, but people often don't want what life gives them. And given what happened with Yuyuko, a refusal to begin those duties might result in additional attacksagainst you.
"We'll likely have to focus on the maiden's duties-Keine can probably tell us what they entail-so we won't be able to search for these 'sages' ourselves. One or more of them might come to you, but if they don't, well, we can always have someone else work on locating them. In fact, I already have someone in mind. You and I will have our own work to do."
Laresa walked right up to Kohaku. "Kohaku, listen. I know this all seems overwhelming. It's that way for me, too, and I'm not the one being called the new maiden. For tonight, those feelings aren't likely to get in the way of anything, but if they persist tomorrow, you're going to have to push them aside, like I'm doing right now. Whether or not you truly are the new maiden, it seems as though circumstances give us little choice but to play this out. Can you do that, Kohaku?"
-
It was totally expected that her father would eventually call her out on this. She did not even know why she tried. So Kisei could only listen, watch, and hang her mouth in dread as Tsutomu began cracking down on her facade.
"Oh, I know exactly what's going on here," he said as he began to walk out of the shrine. Kisei turned to look back and glared at the pink-haired woman. While the girl was only doing this for fun, it was infuriating to be denied by an adult. She would never know why the teacher was talking and what she was talking about.
The party outside was still well in its way. Talk was very much there. More bottles of wine seemed to have sprung up, though, but they were nothing she wanted to try; they were only good for snatching practice. It was easy to snatch them under the nose of drunk people, but she'd only seen one so far. Come to think of it, she had not thought to check that drunk's other arm before that-
"-was very wrong. Not only did you disregard what we told you before we came, but you also tried to weasel your way out of it. And look what that got you! Your mother will hear of this..."
The words were barely registering while she stared blankly at the partygoers. Quite fortunately for her, she did not care the slightest bit what her father was saying because it was so routine. She could guess the next few lines: more store duty, no going out, and no sneaking out.
"...and you were quite a bad liar, I might say."
The next moment, Kisei had to bite on her tongue- literally.
-
Kohaku, by nature, was not a doubting person. She wanted to give people the benefit of the doubt, if she could. Just because Keine had been hiding her... unique biology didn't make her a liar. And Kohaku could see where she was coming from with that one. If she said she didn't know what happened to the last girl, then Kohaku was willing to accept that answer. But someone had to know. One of these youkai sages, that kitsune, Aya, SOMEONE. But if she couldn't learn now, well, that was all she could do.
Despite Keine's claim that Gensokyo was about to be destroyed, she didn't tell Kohaku that immediate action was necessary. In fact, she advocated patience, on all fronts. This led Kohaku to believe her claim was made to get Kohaku's attention. If Gensokyo really was in some kind of immediate danger, Keine wouldn't gloss over it if the one who was supposed to fix it was standing in front of her.
Especially if that one had help, and Kohaku did, in the form of Laresa. Help, she thought, that knew how to handle herself in conflict with youkai better than Kohaku herself did. That thought burned in Kohaku's mind. As far as she was concerned, it should have been the shrine maiden's duty to stop those conflicts from happening in the first place. But maybe.... Just maybe, staying here would give her a chance to learn how to accomplish just that. Youkai and humans, right now, were segregated from each other, Keine herself was proof of that. (Maybe I can change that), the Daidouji girl thinks to herself. The idea that, in accepting this role now might mean she was deceiving everyone involved still didn't sit right with her, but if these damned sages were too lazy or inconsiderate to enlighten her now, what could she do about it? But maybe it was worth the risk. She didn't know how she was supposed to do this, had no idea why these youkai would pick her, above all others. But a chance to bring human and youkai closer together was one she really couldn't pass up.
"No, Laresa. You're wrong." Kohaku starts, looking her new friend in the eye. "I DO have a choice. We both do. And I'm not going to make your choice for you, but I CAN make my own. And I have now." She takes a deep breath for herself. "And I choose this path, for good or ill."
"But that doesn't mean I'm going to just abandon who I am, either." she adds quickly. "My parents deserve to know about this. I know what mother will say, but, I have to know what Father will say. And he needs to know this isn't forever. I'm still the heir to Daidouji Jewelery, and my parents daughter. My brother abandoned his home, but I won't. Not without an explanation why, and not without father's blessing."
With a glance at the door on the wall in front of her, Kohaku continues, "Of course, since father isn't here right now, that means there's something else that needs to be resolved." She looks between the youkai hunter and her teacher. "What you have me do now? Walk out of this shrine to stand in front of the crowd, and declare myself the savoir of Gensokyo?"
-
?That?s perfectly fine,? Keine said in reply to Kohaku?s declaration, ?I completely understand. I agree, your parents deserve to know about the overall situation.?
As Kohaku finished her speech, Keine frowned slightly. ?Well, not quite as ?the savior of Gensokyo??? Keine began, trying to figure out how to phrase her next sentence. ?Just, introduce yourself as the new Hakurei Shrine Maiden.?, she said calmly, ?That should suffice for now.? Keine glanced towards Laresa for a brief second before continuing her speech. ?And, considering what you?ve told me about Yuyuko?s reaction, it might be a good idea to just state what we know and leave the possibility out.? Keine?s brow furrowed for a moment as she spoke. ?I?m not saying you should lie to them, but to separate your personal opinion from the situation.? The half-beast?s face flickered momentarily with worry. ?This would be for your own safety, Kohaku, so could you please do that??
-
"'My opinion' meaning my doubts about this whole debacle, you mean." Kohaku asked, somewhat sourly. She rubbed the ring on her finger for a moment. "I hadn't planned on mentioning those, anyway. If I'm going to do this, announcing my misgivings to the whole of Gensokyo wouldn't do them, or me, any good. Throwing more doubts around would probably only serve to obfuscate the truth of this affair more than it already has."
She spares a glance down at her faithful canine friend. "And we WILL get to the bottom of this, Hyozan. In case you were wondering."
The dog holds his tongue, and simply stands again. Kohaku bends just enough to rub the male on the head, and takes another moment to straighten out her kimono. Nothing wrong with looking close to presentable.
"All right, then. Let's get this over with." Setting her face and steeling her will, the Daidouji girl strode towards the door of the room. To face the crowd. To lie, or at least to give them a story that may not be true. Until she found the truth herself, it was all she could do.
-
"Ah," he says a little dumbly, unsure of how to answer. On one hand, he was a little worried about his age in regards to the alcohol, but on the other...
He smiles and holds a hand out. "Why not. I've been having a bad enough day."
(ooc: been kinda busy. Tetsumaru has bad alcohol tolerance, so feel free to use him as a drunken side in any future posts or events.)
-
Date: 28th of March, Year 160. Early Spring
Relative Time: Night
---End---
------------
Date: 29th of March, Year 160. Early Spring
Relative Time: Morning
---Start---
-
Kohaku was in a surprisingly pleasant mood as she headed down the wooded path back towards the Hakurei Shrine.
"Or is it 'Daidouji Shrine' for now?" she asks of the big malamute walking along besides her. Hyozan does not comment on her theory.
The young woman had a small cloth sack slung over her shoulder, carrying a few of the things she would be needing, in the event she had to stay at the shrine for a while. Strictly speaking, she wasn't sure if that was necessary, but she felt it best to be prepared. She'd have to ask Keine about that later. She would have asked her then, but after the conversation she'd had with her parents, she wanted some time to herself. Well, away from humanoids, anyway, Hyozan was an exception.
She hadn't got a great deal of sleep, having got in somewhat late. Or early, depending on how you looked at it, after the party had broken up and she and Hyozan made their way home. She didn't feel entirely right leaving Laresa at the shrine, but they talked about it, and Laresa understood. After everything that had happened, Kohaku was, admittedly, a bit aprehensive about leaving the shrine to go home. For all she knew, these thoughtless sages had sent someone else to waylay her and send her back. But this did not materielze, and Kohaku made her way safely, uneventfully home. And she considered herself somewhat fortunate that her mother was asleep when she got home, too.
Most of the walk back to the shrine, Kohaku had spent unwinding from the heated words her mother had leveled at her. Kohaku knew it was coming. She'd seen her mother level her lashing tongue and Koryu many times before. She'd been on the receiving end heself, when she tried to defend her brother. But this was the first time since Koryu ran away that her mother had laid into her. And even though she had experienced it before, even though she had been expecting it, it still hurt. It always hurt. But this was necessary. Kohaku told herself that a lot. She HAD to believe it. It didn't make it hurt any the less.
Leaving her father wasn't any easier. He was kind. He was understanding. Even more understanding than Kohaku had expected. She hated to leave him. Hated to leave him alone to deal with his wife's anger. But it was necessary.
"It... IS necessary, isn't it, Hyozan?" Kohaku asks her friend as the pair reach the steps of the shrine. "I really did have to do it, didn't I?"
The big malamute turns to his side and quietly walks over to the human girl. Kohaku takes a knee in front of him and embraces her friend with her free hand, the dog quietly, gently nuzzling the girl's face and neck. The girl takes a great deal of solace in the companship of the dog, enough to put a smile back on her face. "No more doubts." she says, more to herself than Hyozan, pulling away from him. "I told Keine and Laresa that I was going to do this. I'd dissapoint them both if they saw me still waffling now, wouldn't I."
Hyozan barks once, and Kohaku laughs, rising back to her feet and starting up the stairs, the dog by her side. She flexes her right hand, the tip of a chain appearing and disappearing from her palm. "I wonder if Laresa will be able to help me get stronger. I never wanted power, but if Keine's right, I might need it. And I'll definately need to start learning danmaku." She shakes her head somewhat wryly. "Should have tagged along on those lessons you gave Koryu, Haine." she muses, sighing. The invocation of the youkai's name brings her grinning, beautiful face back to Kohaku's mind's eye. "If you could see me now..."
-
"Urgh..."
Pounding. That was how his head felt. Like he just went 10 rounds with some Oni down in the Underground. And the hangover wasn't much better either.
'...Hold on, how'd I get back home...?' Well, he certainly didn't know. Last thing he remembered was gettin' to the shrine, and having some of the booze he brought with him.
...The booze. He must've really gotten drunk if he couldn't remember all that happened after- Oh yeah. There was that thing with Teach, wasn't there...?
'Damn...I can only hope that was just a booze-induced dream.' Well, only time would tell if it was. So he elected to just stay in his bed for a little while longer, at least until the hangover abated at least a little more.
-
Kohaku had returned to the village for the night, but Laresa had not. She was always ready to be away from home for an indefinite period of time, so there was no reason she had to return. And there were reasons to remain at the shrine. Once everyone had left and the grounds were, aside from her, deserted, Laresa had gotten to work. She'd done a thorough survey of the immediate area, familiarizing herself with it. She'd also placed several charmes around the grounds. These were very simple charms that functioned as a warning system. Whenever anyone got too close to one, it would make a loud noise. It was, of course, possible to fool them, but being so simple, they weren't the easiest to detect, though again, doing so was quite possible. And, of course, they could be flown over; one could easily do so without even knowing they were there.
Laresa did place a different charm at the entrance to the grounds, and another at the entrance to the shrine itself. These were less-simplistic charms, and thus easier to detect, but it would be bad form to have a loud noise occur every time avisitor arrived. Instend of sounding a noise, these charms were connected to two others. Laresa had one of these for herself, and would give the other to Kohaku. Their charms would react whenever someone drew near to one of the charms at the entrance. They were just as easily tricked, though, and a bit easier to detect. Still useful, though.
Laresa exited the shrine and waited; Kohaku would be arriving shortly.
-------------------------------------
OOC: Feel free to have Kohaku arrive now, Sour.
-
Though she had agreed on staying, Kisei quickly learned that parties were absolutely no fun unless she drank herself drunk or had someone to talk to- things she watched as she hung for the next few hours. Her skin itched, but there was nothing that could be done. The stench of alcohol and the fact that she was resting on someone made her quite drowsy, something she did not expect to feel that day.
The sun had already risen when the Kyokis were back in their house. The morning breeze wafting through tiny gaps in the walls kept Kisei's eyes open, to her dismay. During the walk back, she had considered finding teacher among those behind them, but no dice.
Before she knew it, she was lying on her bed. As she was ready to doze off, that was when it came back. That being nerves- literally.
"Uuuggggggghh...!" the girl groaned roughly. "Really, of all the times it comes back, it was when I didn't need it anymore! Gee," she held up one hand into sight, "thanks a lot."
Shoving herself off the bed, she trudged towards a lone window, which had remained closed for the past two days. The red-hair fumbled with the woven screen, and light flooded into the room, but, more importantly, she could see what was going on outside.
"From a storey up," Kisei mumbled. No one noticed her. She reached for the window frame, and her elbows ground against bone as she moved them for the first time in many hours.
"Now, where should I go? I don't know where teacher i- did she even get back to the village?" she looked to the left; not there. "Okay... her house, or the shrine? Either way, I'd be climbing up the roof..."
It was not likely that she would be missed, anyway. No one would be the wiser.
The shrine was actually more fun, she decided. Using the window sill as a footstool, she clambered and crawled up the curve-tiled roof. With a view of the waking village, she ran across the tightly packed roofs. She was soon standing on the last one, looking down a drop of two floors to solid pavement.
"Yeeaaaaaah- that will take a while." To climb down, anyway.
OOC: Kisei's not done with dredging up the identity of the new Hakurei shrine maiden. She'll be heading back to the shrine.
-
Two steps up the stairs leading up to the Hakurei shrine, Kohaku had a thought. If during the course of this interruption in her life, she truly had to confront a number of youkai, then she should start mastering her own powers as soon as possible. And there was no reason not to start now.
She slid a pair of chains out of the back of her wrists and set them circling around her body as she climbed the stairs, then added a third chain to the circle. And promptly winced in doing so. Manifesting more than two chains for her was doable, but it got uncomfortable, even painful. Haine, though, speculated that, given enough time and practice, Kohaku would get used to slinging multiple chains at once. The Daidouji heir had never really had the desire to do so, though, as she never expected or desired that kind of confrontation with anyone. That time would seem to be approaching, if Keine was right.
Having three chains out at once, spinning diagonally around Kohaku's body, understandably drew a reaction from Hyozan, who started sniffing the air, seemingly more on guard than before.
"It's all right, Hyozan, there's no threat." Kohaku assured her friend, grimacing slightly at the uncomfortable sensation of employing three chains at once. "I'm just starting something Haine told me I should have been doing long ago." She cracked a somewhat-depreciating grin. "In hindsight, I probably should have listened to her sooner." The mention of Haine's name seemed to mollify the big malamute, and he lowered his guard again.
Kohaku's eyes fell on the large torii gate at the top of the stairs. Well, I've got my chains out already. Why not? She stuck her right arm forward, pointed at the top of the gate, and sent one of her chains out towards it, wrapping itself the top section of the gate. Kohaku reeled herself up the chain, swinging under the gate like a violet-haired spider momentarily before landing on the other side.
Nobody sing the song.
-
Laresa felt her ability take effect; someone was using their ability within her range. Chains? An interesting ability. Is that Kohaku's? Her suspicions were confirmed when Kohaku swung into the grounds. She formed a couple chains of her own and swung them around breifly before unforming them, then approached Kohaku. "Good morning."
Laresa pushed back the sleeve of her shirt, revealing a design on her right arm. "This is part of a warning system," she said. "I have charms at the entrances that are linked to this one. Whenever someone gets close enough to one of them, mine reacts." She let go of her shirt and took a paper charm from her pocket, handing it to Kohaku. "This is the same one I have on myself. Put it on, and you'll feel it, too. That way, you'll know if someone's at the shrine. It's not perfect-nothing is-but it should be quite helpful in preventing anyone from entering the shrine without our knowing. It's applied and removed in the same manner as the charm I gave you yesterday. You can choose whether or not to put it on; I'll be using mine regardless of whether or not you use yours."
"Now," Laresa said, "as I imagine you're aware, we have a few things to do today. I noticed your use of your ability as you arrived. I would assume you were practicing, and that's smart. I can help you learn to master it-I may not have it myself, but I've become fairly good at learning the ins and outs of people's abilities. I'll need to practice with it myself, but I do not doubt that I can aid you in realizing its full potential. We can train with it together. In addition, you should consider carrying a weapon. I won't make you, but I would recommend it.
"First, though, we have a trip to make. There are a couple things we need to do in the village. Yes," she said, halting any obections Kohaku might voice, "I know you were just there, and yes, I know I could have returned to my own home and met you in the village this morning instead of here. But I wanted this trip to start and end here at the shrine. You should start thinking of this as your home, Kohaku. I realize you have one in the village, and there's no reason you shouldn't still think of that as a place you can call home, but like it or not, a shrine maiden's home is her shrine. If you are indeed the new maiden, as seems likely, you'll need to adjust to that. And using it as the starting point for a trip into the village today should help with that.
"We don't need to set out for the village immediately. Before we go, you should, if nothing else, take your things inside and set up a room for your use. Make yourself at home-and yes, I'm using the phrase to emphasize the whole 'a shrine maiden's home is her shrine' thing. Rest a bit, if you need to. Have something to eat if you're hungry. The trip does need to be made today, but you shouldn't feel like you need to rush. We'll leave when you're ready."
-
"There's an old saying my father taught me years ago, Laresa." Kohaku started in answer to her...
Come to think of it, she wasn't entirely certain how she should think of Laresa. Co-worker? Partner? They weren't friends, not yet, anyway, but they were indeed working together to get to the bottom of this mystery. Even if Laresa was a bit pushier than Kohaku particularly cared for. Settling on 'partner', at least for now, Kohaku finished her thought.
"'Home is where the heart is.' Some people would call that corny, but I happen to agree with it." Gesturing vaguely at the derelict shrine in front of her, Kohaku continued, "THIS is not where my heart is. It's simply the building that I've been told is mine. And so it will be, at least until this mystery is solved. Personally, I'd just as soon find the previous shrine maiden, if Keine's right and she's still alive, and let her have her job back."
"But, in the meantime, I'll make the best of a bad situation. And I think I will do just as you say, and at least set my bag down before we leave. No need to carry this back and forth between town. But after that, I can leave whenever you're ready." She smiled a somewhat depreciating smile. "I'm fitter than I look."
The young woman, malamute in tow, began to walk towards the shrine, but slowed her pace to ask Kohaku. "About weapons and my powers, though. Well, for one..." She holds out her hand, palm out, and lets the sharpened end of a chain poke out, and then back in. "CARRYING a weapon would seem a little redundant. But there is one thing I should learn, probably before I spend too much time working on my chains. Point of fact, I should have learned years ago, but, since I didn't... That thing being danmaku. As someone who... Confronts youkai, I presume you are well versed in that area?"
-
"No, actually," Laresa said. "Apparently, the danmaku-based 'spellcard system' was created by the previous maiden. If so, it has fallen out of use to a significant extent since her dissapearance. I've seen it before, but its use has been fairly uncommon, and I have yet to find myself in a situation where I needed it. I have learned to produce basic shots, but I've only ever done just a few of them. Danmaku is something I've intended to learn-it may have been unlikely that I'd need it, but I like to be prepared-but there have been higher priorities, although given the current situation. I'd say that learning it has just become a fairly high priority. That being said, however, I shouldn't actually have any difficulty teaching you. I won't need a teacher myself; I have a lot of experience learning new abilities, thanks to my own ability. I can already teach you how to fire basic shots, and I can teach you more as I learn it myself. And I expect I'll learn it faster than you will, anyways, simply because I am good at learning new abilties.
"Also, I was using 'home' to simply mean a place where one lives. If it helps, you can think of it as simply a residence."
"Please let me know when you're ready to leave," Laresa said.
-
There was a ringing sort of sound in the recesses of Tetsumaru's ears, and a haze that clouded his thoughts. He couldn't really remember anything that had happened. Was this one of those fabled hangovers? If so, he wasn't...
Tetsumaru's eyes widened. Where was he? Was he home? Where was the merchandise he had with him? Oh, he was so in for it if he lost all the stuff...
He looked around. He was in his room, in his bed. There wasn't a single sound in the house, which was disconcerting; father would've been working by now. Where was he? And...an examination of the house was disconcerting. The merchandise was gone. His father was just...missing.
Ugh, he couldn't really think straight, but it wasn't that bad. He grabbed his cane and walked out, locking the door behind him. He had to find his dad, and also figure out how the hell he got home. Not to mention the stuff put under his responsibility...
-Tetsumaru's ability is mitigating the effects of the hangover.
-
"All right."
That's odd. Kohaku thinks to herself as she heads to the temple. Haine didn't say anything about danmaku falling out of style. She seemed to enjoy it. Although... That might explain why she seemed so happy about Koryu being willing to learn. If she hadn't had anyone to play with in a long time. The Daidouji heir frowns slightly. Now I wish all the more that I had taken her up on her offer.
"Oh, don't give me that look." Kohaku says aloud to her canine companion. Hyozan had perfected his own 'You're wallowing again' look and whine, which Kohaku had learned to anticipate by now. Probably because she'd heard it a fair number of times over the past couple years.
Drawing on her memory of the place from yesterday, Kohaku takes one of the smaller rooms for herself. She drops her small satchel on the table in the room, then retrieves the futon from the closet, spreading it out on the floor. She'd dusted it off yesterday, but she wanted to give it some air. She would have liked to have hung it up, but her efforts yesterday failed to yield a clothesline of any sort. So this would have to do, until she could come up with one, which she'd probably do in town with Laresa.
Kohaku took a few minutes to put away the clothes she had brought with her, but left her remaining items in the sack. Nothing left could wrinkle, so leaving them there for a while would be no thing. She made a note to see if she could dragoon some kind of lock for this door, though. Everything that was of great value to her, she carried on her, but leaving her belongings out here in an abandoned shrine didn't give her much peace of mind. But there didn't seem to much she could do about it at this point.
As satisfied as she could get with the arrangement, for now, she exited the room and beckoned to Hyozan, who'd been standing guard at the door. Kohaku let her hand linger on the door handle for a moment, though, wishing her chains lasted for more than an hour after separating from her body, but there wasn't much she could about that at the moment, either.
So she simply closed the door as securely as she could, and walked out of the building to rejoin Laresa.
-
---Yog
Weary from travel and mesmerized by the Waterfall of Nine Heavens, Hotaru decided to stop and rest for the night within a short cave located at the waterfall?s base. After making herself comfortable, the woman closed her eyes and let the dull, monotonous rumble of the waterfall sing her to sleep.
---
The next thing her conscious mind registered was the birds greeting the morning sun. Their serene lullaby was melodic and calming, making the amateur nomad wish for more sleep. However, a slight cold sensation that hovered just above her arm demanded otherwise. The woman slowly opened her eyes and shifted her gaze to the left.
Hotaru was greeted by a fearful sight. There standing over her was a white-haired girl brandishing a sword and shield. Her expression was faintly stern, as if she was about to reprimand a child who didn't obey the rules. Atop her head was a pair of white, dog-like ears. Despite this, the girl's inhuman appearance wasn't the first thing on Hotaru's mind. It was the sword, it's sharp blade pointed right at her.
-
Laresa and Kohaku left the shrine, heading for the village. "The woman we'll be meeting," Laresa said as they walked, "is Vaxla Senekes. You may have heard of her, and if so, please allow me to explain myself before rejecting the idea of asking her for aid. And if you haven't heard of her, well, she is somewhat notorious, thanks to her attitude. I won't lie to you, Kohaku: Vaxla is extremely hostile towards youkai, especially those that appear human. I do not kill youkai unless I have to; Vaxla kills every youkai she targets. I know you don't like that, but let me assure you that she will not kill any youkai while aiding us.
"Vaxla was at the shrine last night." Looking for potential targets, I assume, she thought but didn't say. "I talked to her shortly after you spoke to everyone. She agreed to assist us in our investigation, and she also agreed to not kill anyone while doing so. She wouldn't have done so normally, but she agreed to as a favor for a friend-yes, she and I are friends despite our difference of opinion in regards to youkai." Or the closest thing either of us has to friends, at least. "She agreed not to kill, and I know her well enough to know she'll keep her word.
"Even with that guarantee, I'm assuming you're not sure you want to have her as the one aiding us, so let me tell you why I chose her. Vaxla is one of the best at identifying and tracking down youkai, if not the best. And the youkai sages will no doubt be extremely difficult to identify and locate, so we'll likely need the best. You don't have to like her, and you don't have to approve of her actions-and she won't care about what you think of her. Hell, you don't even have to talk to her beyond this initial meeting if you don't want to. But she's our best bet at finding the sages-hell, I'd probably bring her in on this even if I wasn't working with you. She'll find the sages for us, and she won't kill anyone while doing so. I know you probably still don't like it, but she's our best bet, so please, trust me on this. Can you do that much, at least?"
--------------------------------------
OOC: Yes, Sonae has approved Vaxla. Her profile will be up in the discussion thread shortly.
-
Kohaku stops dead in her tracks. Hyozan runs into the back of her legs, and scampers backwards in canine surprise. The Daidouji heir's face has gone absolutely flat.
"Laresa, I am not one for exaggeration. So believe me when I say, I believe I would sooner swallow acid than associate with someone like her."
-
"If you knew what she's been through," Laresa said, "you wouldn't be so quick to say that. I knew her, you know. Before. When she was nice, and friendly, and had no desire to hurt anyone. You'd probably have liked her. But then... well, I'm not going to tell you what happened to her. Who knows is her choice to make, not mine. But believe me when I tell you that if you did know, you would understand. You wouldn't agree, but you would understand."
-
"I understand this. The world I envision is one where youkai and non-youkai coexist peacefully, happily. I believe in that world, that ideal, very strongly. So you can understand why I don't want to be anywhere near someone like her, let alone work with her."
-
"Yes, I can," Laresa said, "but refusing to have anything to do with her is not going to make her vanish. You can't work towards an ideal if you ignore anything that doesn't fit it."
"I would advise you," Laresa said, "To look at it this way: any time Vaxla spends aiding us is time she's not spending killing youkai. And the task of identifying and locating the sages is one that's likely to take quite some time."
-
"And when she's done? What then? Back to murdering every youkai that crosses her path? That sort of hatred is poison to Gensokyo. And believe me, I do understand hatred. My brother's heart was consumed by his hatred; all his life he hated himself, hated his human weaknesses. For 16 years, I lived with that hatred. I was one of the only good spots in his life, but it wasn't enough. Not nearly enough. I saw what that hate, that anger, did to him, to those around him. Hatred is a toxic, hollow thing. It brings nothing but misery to everyone."
Hyozan barks once in agreement.
"And have you considered that she might just be using this as an opportunity to track down bigger targets? Assuming she's able to track down one or more of these sages, what's to stop her from-"
She pauses in mid sentance. It hit her like a bolt of lightning dropped from the sky. Her jaw drops in amazement, then snaps shut, and she smiles. A wry smile at first, but then it spreads into a more genuine one. Like a child who's just figured out a puzzle before him.
"I understand. Now I understand." she whispers, her mind reeling from the thought in her mind. "I'm to stop her."
She walks forward, turning her face away from Laresa and up towards the sky. "That's it, isn't it?" she cries upwards. "That's why it's me, isn't it?! Because I want a world of peaceful coexistence! Because there ARE people like Vaxla, humans that hate youkai like she does. And because there are youkai that feel the same way, that hate humans, that think nothing of their lives. That's what the Hakurei does, isn't it?! She keeps them from killing each other, from everyone around them, keeps the peace in Gensokyo!"
Hyozan takes a half step backwards and tilts his head to the side, and whines once, confusion in his voice. This does nothing to stop Kohaku's rant, though, her eyes positively glow as she shouts her revelation to the world. "That's my dream, my vision! I've believed in it my whole life, and now you want me to make it real!"
She pauses at last and laughs, a joyous sound, the laughter of one that's had the clouds pulled back from her eyes. Heedless of dignity or composure, she drops to her knees right there on the ground. "I finally understand..."
-
'Bluh...Well, at least it's now a dull roar. Should be able to go about the 'usual business' now.'
Indeed, though the headache was still present, it had slowly abated to a more tolerable level of pain. Which enabled him to finally get out of bed, though his body still protested quite a bit.
'Oh that smarts...Someone remind me to not drink that variety again, it'll just end the same way...Ugh.'
Looking in the mirror he had hanging off one of the walls for the sake of keeping at least remotely presentable, he saw that he looked to be quite the mess. And despite the headache, he managed to croak out a snarky comment to himself.
"Ugh, I look worse than I feel. Which really says something."
So thus, he resolved to go and wash himself up, clean the stench of the booze from his hair, and get a fresh set of clothing. Luckily, he wasn't wearing the Kappa-Gifted Overalls the other night. Merely one of a group of backups that he'd managed to procure over the course of a past job.
---Boys are Cleaning Up and Such, Please Wait Patiently.---
'Well, that helped quite a bit, I gotta say.' Indeed, having cleaned up and changed to a fresh set of clothing did indeed help alleviate some of the matters that were causing him grief.
He then decided that today would be a pretty neutral day, going by how he'd started the day. 'Maybe someone in the village has a job ready for me. May as well check out there, and confirm if what happened was a dream or not while I'm at it.'
Of course, he never leaves home without his Rune Gloves, and his pouch of Rune Tiles. Couldn't defend himself against Youkai without 'em after all. So with all his affairs in order, he departed for the village, taking the extra time out to put some extra Warding Runes in place before doing so of course. Which, sadly, did take the wind out of his sails for a bit, but he would soon recover over the trip.
OoC: He'll be en route to the village, so there's a shot he'll run into Kisei, or anyone else heading to or from the village.
-
Diurnal youkai were not unheard of, but running into a bloodthirsty monster in the morning was still very possible. Kisei had run through the shrine road as fast as her legs could carry her. While the feast had been her first time at the shrine, the worn-out, ruined structures by the roadside were a giveaway that nothing had set foot there for a long time. A perfect trap for youkai- being a friend of one didn't change anything about being their next meal, really.
Her body ached only slightly from running all the way, which she didn't find surprising anymore, but she was gasping for breath while stopping to rest on the fringe of the shrine's entrance. The torii was still a few paces away, and the shrine compound was dead silent; the shrine maiden must have been inside, probably sleeping. The party seemed quite tiring, after all, with the standing and walking and talking.
Then she moved to the red arch itself, resting on it as she searched for any signs of life nearby.
-
When Yumiko's vision returned to her, blurry though it was, she was graced with the surprisingly comfortable surface of the floor... Oddly, it looked a bit more dusty from this angle. No matter. She tugged the blanket tighter around her and--
...Wait.
Blanket?
Immediately, she tossed the blanket to the side and hurried to her feet, her eyes hastily scanning her surroundings for anyone that wasn't her. When she found nobody in the immediate area, however, she calmed down somewhat. It seemed she'd been found out sometime during the night, and the consequences of it were not nearly as severe as she had thought. Still, by now it was probably better to stop trying to hide herself, at least; now that whoever it was knew she was here there wasn't a point in trying. She picked up the closed book she'd been reading earlier, slid it back into it's proper place on the shelf, and took to folding the blanket into a neat square, keeping it in arm as she made her way towards the front of the library, keeping her eyes and ears quite open for anyone who might be nearby.
-
In general, Laresa preferred honesty to deceit. Telling the truth was just so much simpler. But sometimes honesty was not the best policy, and this, Laresa knew, was one of those times. Kohaku wouldn't be able to change Vaxla, but she didn't need to know that.
Laresa walked over to Kohaku. "That is... a distinct possibility. But even if it's not why you are the new maiden, you can still work towards that ideal. Nothing is stopping you from-"
"Remember that charm I told you about?" Laresa said. "The one that'll alert me when someone's entering the shrine grounds? It just activated. Someone's at the shrine. It may be just an ordinary visitor, but we are away from the shrine at the moment, which makes now a good opportunity for a theif. I can set up measures against such things once we return from the village, but this will take quite some time, which is why I wanted to go to the village first. And I did not expect anyone to return to the shrine so soon.
"I have nothing of value at the shrine; everything that might have any value to a potential theif is in my pack." She indicated the pack on her back. "What of you? Did you leave anything there that might be of value to a theif, and if so, do you want to return to the shrine?"
-
Thud!
The sudden impact with the floor woke the albino girl with due haste.
?Ow?? she muttered lowly as she rubbed her head.
What hap?pened... Sora thought as she slowly inspected her surroundings. After a few seconds had passed by, the fog in the girl?s mind cleared.
?Oh yeah, a party?that I was dragged to?? Sora frowned and, after a moment, sighed. ?I wonder if this job is always like this?? she spoke under her breath once more.
Just then, a sudden knocking at the door brought the albino out of her daze.
?Ah.? She mouthed as she hurriedly got herself up off the floor and back onto the bed. As she finished doing so, the door opened, revealing a familiar face.
It was Meiling.
?Sora-san, the Mistress wishes to see you.? Meiling said with a small smile.
?Eeh? I thought you said she sleeps during the day?? the girl spoke hesitantly, afraid to offend her new boss.
?I don?t think she?s slept yet.? The redhead began, ?The Mistress had some-? Meiling?s mouth came to a halt. The woman?s expression held a touch of worry mixed with sadness. After a lengthy moment, she continued.
?She was?busy.?
Sora blinked as she tried to comprehend the youkai?s body language, but her drowsy mind was unable to make heads or tails of it, so without considering it for much longer, the albino shrugged it off and moved on.
?Okay,? she mumbled as she pushed herself off the bed and stood up. After a bit of stretching, the girl sauntered over to Meiling.
?If it?s not too much to ask?? She said softly as she approached the redhead. ?Could you?escort me to the meeting place? I?m uh?not very confident in my navigation skills as far as this mansion goes??
Meiling blinked, then smiled at the girl. ?Sure, follow me.?
With that, Meiling opened the door fully, turned, and headed down the hall.
Sora bowed her head hastily as she paced after the woman.
-
Hyozan walks over slowly to face her friend, whining quietly and curioously as he sits himself down before her face. Kohaku, smiling broadly, tears in the corner of her eyes, reaches out to her canine friend and grasps him behind his head. "I'm fine, Hyozan. Better than fine. I feel like a huge weight's been lifted off my shoulders." She leans forward and embraces the big dog.
Lost in the moment, the Daidouji's mind whirls with the potential that comes from her revelation, so it takes her a few moments to realize that Laresa was talking to her. "Oh... I'm, I'm sorry, I was merely... Lost in thought.... Did you say something about a thief?"
-
"A potential theif," Laresa said. "That charm I told you about before went off; someone is at the shrine. It may be a theif, but it may simply be an ordinary visitor. I myself have nothing of value there, but what of you? If there is nothing of value there, then there is no reason to worry about returning, as even if the visitor is a theif, he or she would find nothing worth taking. But if there is something of value there, then a theif would likely take it, and so a return might be warrented. Is any of what you left at the shrine something a theif would have an interest in, and if so, do you want to return to the shrine?"
-
Kohaku swallowed her initial reaction of disgust at the idea of a thief at the shrine- it was still THE shrine to her, not HER shrine, THAT will take a while to get used to saying- as the Daidouji had an issue with that particular brand of parasite. But this wasn't the time to act on her own personal issues, not when she has bigger fish to fry. She shakes her head and stands, Hyozan backing with a slight jump.
"This is one case where you and I are alike, Laresa. The things I hold most dear, I keep on me at all times. The only things I left at the shrine are a pair of yukatas, a small mirror and my hairbrush."
"Personally, though, I wouldn't think the odds of it being a thief are very great. That shrines' been abandoned for years, wide open. I didn't find anything of value when I arrived, apart from those papers we went over with Keine yesterday. If you haven't left anything behind, I really don't think there's anything of value left at the shrine that's worth stealing; it'd have been stolen years ago. And even if I'm right about why the sages chose me, finding them is still more important than dealing with one thief who doesn't have anything to steal." She chuckles briefly. "I still want to have words with them about asking me first."
-
"Then let us continue," Laresa said.
--------------------------------------
OOC: Yeah, Laresa doesn't really have anything more to say here. I'm ready to arrive at the village. Sour, I'll want to do Vaxla's introduction, so maybe you should do our arrival at the village. That work for you?
-
The return to the village went without further incident from Laresa and Kohaku. If there were any youkai around, they kept their distance from the two girls and the big dog.
The being at the shrine issue having brought Kohaku back down to earth, she and Laresa compared what they knew of danmaku, and spellcards. As she mentioned before, Laresa's knowledge on the matter was a bit skeletal, and didn't extend a great deal beyond what Kohaku had seen and learned from Haine and Koryu. Laresa did have one thing Kohaku didn't, however, and that was first hand experience. She had actually formed shots before, and Kohaku hasn't.
The two girls and their canine escort arrive at the outskirts of the human village before Kohaku can try out making bullets, but the Daidouji girl's mind is working, the ideas of working her chains into the art of weaving danmaku. Perhaps, as an unconscious distraction from the person she was about to do business with.
(OOC: Sorry for the delay, had a couple hang-ups past couple days.)
-
Laresa led Kohaku to the village center, where she and Vaxla had agreed to meet. She nudged Kohaku and pointed out a woman standing by herself, a good distance from any others. In fact, it looked like many people were staying away from her deliberately, choosing not to come near her. "That's Vaxla," Laresa said.
"Okay," Laresa said as she led Kohaku over to Vaxla, "Vaxla's not one for small talk; expect her to get straight to business. Don't try to be frendly with her; she won't appreciate it. Expect her to be very blunt, and if you bring up the issue of killing youkai, don't be surprised if she gets insulting. Don't get any closer to her than I do; let her choose how closely to approach you. And do not, under any circumstances, make physical contact with her."
"Hello, Laresa," Vaxla said as the two approached her. "And the new maiden."
"Yes," Laresa said, "this is Kohaku."
"You two want me to search for the 'sages' you mentioned last night."
"Well, I do," Laresa said. "I don't think Kohaku wants much to do with you, though."
"You also mentioned that." Vaxla looked at Kohaku. "I hope you understand how large a favor I'm doing for Laresa."
"I told her about your... views towards youkai," Laresa said. "Without you agreeing not to kill, she wouldn't have wanted anything to do with you. In fact, I was barely able to get her to agree to this even with that agreement."
"You want to coexist peacefully with youkai," Vaxla said to Kohaku. "Such a position shows ignorance of reality. What woud you do if a youkai attempted to kill you, Kohaku? If you had to kill it or be killed yourself, if those were the only two possible outcomes, what yould you do?"
-
"I'm not really interested in having a hypothetical debate with you. Suffice it to say, your views and mine are different. Let's just leave it at that."
-
"You choose to avoid the question, then," Vaxla said. "You are unsure of your answer. That's good. It wasn't a question to be answered quickly. And it wasn't a question of your values, either. It was a warning, Kohaku. You have found yourself in the role of the Hakurei maiden. You now live a dangerous life, whether you want to or not. And your ideal will not survive long. It does not exist in this world. Work towards it if you want, but right now, conflict is inevitable. You will have to fight, perhaps even kill. If you try to live by your ideal, you will die. You will have to act against it if you want to live long enough to make progress towards it. If you lack the resolve to do so, you will die soon, well before you can make any progress towards it."
Vaxla approached Kohaku more closely, stopping just in front of her face. "If you lack resolve, you will die, and there will be no point in aiding you. I will not aid you if you lack enough resolve to survive. Can you fight for a goal of peace? Can you do battle towards the goal of ending such things? Can you accept that the world does not yet match your ideal, and can you work towards it despite this? Tell me, Kohaku. Tell me your resolve."
-
Kohaku rotates her head and neck, working the muscles in the area, but takes no motion away from the hate-filled human. She stands her ground.
"You want to hear my resolve? Okay. If I think I have to, before this day is over, I'll fight YOU. Or any other day. And anyone else who stands between coexistence between human and non-human. I never wanted to sling my chains at anyone, but if I have to, have no doubt in your mind that I will."
A bit more of an edge slides into Kohaku's voice as she adds, "Now, if you'd be so kind as to get out of my face, I'd be a great deal happier."
-
Vaxla backed off a couple steps. "Good. That's what the answer needs to be. But saying it and doing it are two different things. When the time comes, can you live up to those words? I'm not looking for you to answer; you do not yet know the answer, and will not until you truly see battle, until you must fight."
Vaxla turned to Laresa. "I am satisfied for now. You want me to identify and locate these youkai sages, correct? Do you have any leads?"
"An oni named Suika Ibuki," Laresa said. "She was responsible for the gathering yesterday morning. I spoke to her at the shrine last night, and she said that she did it basically just for kicks, but I'm not satisfied. You likely saw her at the shrine yourself; she's the one who suddenly grew giant. Her ability is manipulation of density. So far, she's used it to change her size and to disperse herself into a mist."
"Where would I find her?"
"No idea."
"Still worth investigating," Vaxla said. "Anything else?"
"Keine apparently has some texts that may contain relevant information. She's already offered to let me look through them when she gets a chance, so I'll handle that. I doubt she would be quite so willing to show them to you."
"Agreed." Vaxla looked over at Kohaku. "Like you, Keine does not approve of my approach to dealing with youkai." She turned back to Laresa. "I will allow you to look into that, then. If you learn anything, inform me as soon as possible. Anything else?"
"No, unfortunately," Laresa said.
"So, the term 'youkai sages' and an oni named Suika. Not a lot to work with."
"There's a reason you're the one I asked for help on this. It took some work to get Kohaku to agree to this, but I think you have the best chance of anyone in the village of identifying any of these 'sages'."
"I agree," Vaxla said. "I'd best get started, then. And Kohaku, remember: you will not truly know your resolve until you must show it in battle." And with that, she turned and walked away.
"Well," Laresa said after a moment, "that was Vaxla. I know you don't agree with her, but she is our best chance of finding the sages, so I thank you for allowing me to cooperate with her.
"Anyways, now that we've met Vaxla, there are a few other things I think we should do while we're here. First, I would like to meet you family. Would that be alright with you?"
-----------------------------------------
OOC: Your choice on that one, Sour.
-
Tetsumaru simply stumbled into the village center, disoriented and lost. There wasn't any particular direction to his wandering, nor any energy. He...he never realized how much he relied on his father, but here he was. Entirely alone and without a single thing to do, nor a single clue of where to begin to look for his dad or the missing merchandise.
A lady from a tea shop he and his father visited somewhat frequently didn't have any idea where Jin was. Neither did the baker, or any of the other merchants Tetsumaru knew. No one had seen him since the party had begun, which was odd because Jin didn't even go to the party. Had his father lied to him and snuck away so as to enjoy himself? Did something more sinister happen? What about the goods? Ugh, thinking about it made his head hurt.
It's when he came across three girls in the midst of conversation, one heavily scarred and another accompanied by a dog, that he paused his derailing train of thought.
"Excuse me, have any of you seen my father?" he asked, walking up to them.
====
OOC: Hi GYMO and Sour.
-
OOC: Vaxla left. It's just Laresa and Kohaku (and Hyozan) now.
-----------------------------------------------
Laresa looked the newcomer over. Not anyone I know. "I don't know who your father is," Laresa said, "or even who you are. I don't suppose you know who this young man is, Kohaku?"
-
Really, there was no point in trying to find anyone near the crummy old shack. No one's watching, Kisei thought, and the "ghost" from last night could not possibly show up again. That would be terrible.
The shrine maiden would not mind if someone took a walk around the shrine grounds, anyway, and it would be her fault for not being awake or whatever it is that's happening to her. So the girl walked down the stone path to the shrine building; she would check there first.
-
"I've never had the pleasure." The Daidouji girl smiles at the male before her. "My name's Kohaku, and this is my... companion, Laresa. What's your name?"
-
He tried smiling, but it was a little difficult. "Mine is Tetsumaru. My father's Jin, the blacksmith? I'm afraid I got...disoriented yesterday at the party, and now I have no clue where anything or anyone is. I somehow ended up at home, but, well...that might be a problem in and of itself. I don't recall ever heading home." He fidgeted in place, nervously handling his shikomizue. "I'm honestly getting very worried."
-
'Disoriented'. Drunk, I'd assume. "You may just not remember coming home. That can happen with sufficient 'disorientation'. As for your father, I haven't visited a blacksmith in some time-I have the tools and skills necessary to maintain my weapon myself-and there's no guarantee that your father's the blacksmith who made it, anyways, so I wouldn't know him. I would recommend checking with any friends or colleagues of his, and especially with any women he may know or have recently met. If you still can't find him after that, you might consider making a job posting."
-
Stifling a quick scowl at Laresa's use of 'women' there, Kohaku maintained her composure. "Of course, if you'd like, I could help you look around for him."
-
Tetsumaru narrowed his eyes at the obvious implications there, but didn't really put it past his father. "I...suppose. If he isn't back by the end of the day I guess I will send something out." After a moment's contemplation he blinked, then bowed frantically. "Ah, sorry! I must have been interrupting something. I didn't mean to intrude, I hope it wasn't anything too important," he apologized.
-
"It is, actually," Laresa said, "but even so, Kohaku is not one to refust aid to someone. That being said, however, I doubt that either of us would be of much help, seeing as how neither of us even knows what he looks like. We couldn't even split up to cover more ground, as you would be the only one who would recognize him. You would be best served by going to friends, colleagues, anyone he knows. If even after that he is nowhere to be found, if he is likely not in the village at all, that is when you should post a job, as that is when one such as I could effectively aid you."
-
"Laresa and I do have a... bit of a task to attend to, yes. But she's also right about me." Kohaku smiles despite herself. "I live to help." Laresa and she may have had a mission to complete, but Kohaku wasn't about to just send the young lad off with a 'good luck'. It just wasn't in her.
"If you'd like, we can keep you company until we find him." Kohaku offered the boy before her.
-
He shook his head. "That would be asking too much," he replied, smiling. "I'll ponder on it and try later; I'm still somewhat hungover. I'll have to find that tanuki later..." he trails off.
Then Tetsumaru blinks. "Ah, what were you two doing again? I've already delayed you so much, and I'd be glad to help out. You've already helped me a lot." He says it with the sincerity of a child and without any obvious ulterior motive.
-
Oh, nothing much. Kohaku thought to herself in a tone that would have sounded a great deal like her brothers'. Just trying to track down a few impossible youkai and yell at them for dropping this on my lap without so much as buying me a drink first.
"We're actually trying to find someone ourselves. Several someones, actually, or at least one of them. A group of youkai, to be precise. Which, in this case, is more Laresa's field than mine." She turned her head slightly to level her eye at her companion. "To that end, Laresa, I have to say, I fail to see what possible gain could come from speaking to my parents. Everything they know about this incident, I told them this morning. I have no idea what they might have to tell you, if anything, that would help us."
"And besides," she adds, turning her eye away and lowering her head slightly. "My mother probably still won't have... calmed herself. She was irate when I left." She shakes her head softly and smiles a smile bereft of joy. "Her yelling may well have woke you, Tetsumaru. I apologize on her behalf."
-
Tetsumaru started waving his hands in somewhat of a panic. "Ah, no no, I wasn't woken up by anything like that." After a moment's thought, he blinked again. "A group of youkai?" he parroted late, tilting his head. "...Is there any particular reason? Might it be related to this...shrine maiden business?" he added. He couldn't forget his own suspicions, his own frustrations at all of the madness that had gone on before. If this was related, then, well, his dad could probably wait. Jin was a grown man, he could take care of himself. "Sorry to interrupt again," he added quickly.
-
Kohaku being the shrine maiden was no secret, given that she'd spokem to the assembled crowd the previous night, so Laresa saw no reason to hide that fact. But she didn't see any reason to reveal everything. "It is," she said. "The appearance of the new maiden isn't as simple as one might think. There are numerous issues surrounding it, not the least of which is the fact that that strange mass gathering in the village center also took place yesterday. The timing is extremely suspicious, and my investigation into this has only amplified my suspicions. And the maiden herself," she indicated Kohaku, "has quite a few questions about the whole thing, too. I won't go into details, but suffice it to say the situation is far more complicated than one might think."
-
The apprentice blinked for a moment, though he somehow managed to keep a straight face even when the other girl's identity was revealed. Another question to ask later, specifically if there had been a public address and if so how he had missed it, when he had time to be pursuing personal interests...well, to be honest, this was a personal interest too. Somehow he felt obligated...no that was the wrong word. He felt eager to offer his services for whatever reason; it was as if there was an unspoken sense of anticipation, of desire boiling inside him. "I understand this is pretentious of me to ask, but is there anyway I could help? The more that gets mentioned the more I feel interested in assisting you. I don't have any powers myself, but, well...," he trailed off, clicking the head of his shikomizue once or twice in an obvious manner. "I wouldn't be dead weight, if it came to that. "
He realised he sounded a bit blood thirsty, but he figured it was just a byproduct of his curiosity. It wasn't often he got childish bursts of energy like this.
-
He could indeed be useful, Laresa thought. "I don't think it will be necessary for you to fight, but there is something you can do. I would ask you to simply keep your eyes and ears open. If something significant is indeed happening, people will be affected. It is often possible to learn much simply by paying attention to the people around you. I will not be able to spend much time in the village, so if you want to give your assistance, this would be an ideal method of doing so."
-
"I think you're a little young to be looking for a scrap with youkai." Kohaku said gently. She's not the patronizing kind, but she does worry for those younger than her. Even those wielding bladed weapons. "Besides, with any luck, it won't come to that. If these youkai really do see me as a shrine maiden of anything, they wouldn't attack me or any of my friends."
"On the other hand... There is more than one way to fight, if push comes to shove. Have you ever used danmaku before?"
-
He's not particularly offended by Kohaku's statement. He's gotten that comment before, but going out into the wild to get fuel for his father's work was dangerous sometimes. He felt confident in his own ability to defend himself...even if he was still feeling that punch from the other day. Tetsumaru was still admonishing himself for leaving himself open like that simply because he had gotten caught up in the moment. "I'd be happy to do that," he responded to Laresa first. "It'd let me figure out where my father went at the same time, at least."
Then he turned to Kohaku and, rather oddly, began to fidget a bit. "Ah, I've never considered it. I thought you needed some sort of power to use it," he said truthfully. Magic was never something he ever really considered. It was always for other people, but now that he thought about it danmaku may be useful. Not everyone deserved a sword wound for everything.
-
"I'm hardly an expert myself in the field. But from what I've been told, it doesn't require having a special power, or magic, or anything of nature, to employ danmaku. The woman who showed it to me a few years ago told me it was more about 'feelings' than any kind of power. Something like.... Oh, how did she put it again?" she asks herself, then closes her eyes, thinking back to those days when she followed Haine and Koryu, the times she observed her lover and her brother practice what seems to be a forgotten art of Gensokyo.
"'Putting your will and your heart into physical form.'" Kohaku said aloud. She didn't really watch them battle, so much as she went along to provide a bit of moral support for her brother. And she did enjoy their company. In more ways than one, as Haine was always more than a little frisky after a good workout... Kohaku shook her head shortly, quickly. Plenty of time to enjoy those memories later, she told herself, trying to focus on what Haine and Koryu had told her of danmaku and how it was produced.
"It's easier for those that do have power of some sort, I was told. And it makes sense, as manifesting an in-born power would give you some experience in the area. But that to one side, danmaku was a way to resolve a conflict with someone, without inflicting harm upon that person, or that person inflicting harm on you. That's the emotion, the thought, that one needs to externalize and project in order to make danmaku. And the rest is just practice." She pauses, then smiles and adds, "At least, that's as I understand it. Keine might tell us all something different."
She glances at Laresa after she mentions her teachers' name. "That's something we should ask her, while we're in town, now that I think about it."
-
"I think that's a good idea, yes," Laresa said. "Keine does have experience with danmaku. I do still want to meet your family, Kohaku, but if Tetsumaru wants to come with us, we can go see Keine now."
-
Tetsumaru smiled. He hadn't seen the teacher for sometime now. "I'd like that a lot. Sorry to intrude," he said in the usual gesture, bow included.
-
"It's no trouble," Laresa said. "I would have taken Kohaku to see Keine about danmaku anyways."
-
Kohaku let out a long breath. "Why, though?" she asked of Laresa. "What do you think they could tell you? What do you hope to learn from them?"
-
There were many reasons Laresa wanted to meet Kohaku's family. For one, they would likely be more willing to provide aid to their daughter if needed, and Laresa didn't want asking for their help to be the first time she met them. In addition, seeing Kohaku's home and family would be quite likely to reveal much about Kohaku herself; much information could be gleaned from such things. And without the need for invasive questioning that might cause her to distance herself from me. There was also the fact that there was a very real risk to Kohaku's life, and Laresa did not want to risk her first meeting with Kohaku's family being informing them of her death. And there were other reasons, as well, and it was one of these which Laresa answered Kohaku's question with. "You're looking at it the wrong way," she said. "I want to meet them because they deserve a chance to meet the one who is now responsible for your safety."
-
The Daidouji woman's cheeks flushed slightly pink at Laresa's declaration. Laresa hadn't quite put it that way before, and the boldness of it struck her.
Getting back to her centered, Kohaku had to admit, she hadn't considered that one. And it was a very fair point. Laresa had declared herself Kohaku's bodyguard.
Still, that didn't change change the mindset of Kohaku's mother, who wanted absolutely nothing to do with this entire situation. If truth be told, Kohaku was slightly surprised Yumei, her mother, hadn't cast her out like she did Koryu. This was most definitely not the time to be raising the issue again, not until the elder Daidouji had had time to cool off. And Kohaku didn't want to be there if Laresa decided to try anyway, that would only make the situation more explosive.
"That makes sense. But, trust me when I say, you REALLY don't want to meet my mother right now."
-
"Should I assume, then," Laresa said, "that she does not approve of what you're doing? That may be all the more reason to meet her; I might be able to ease some of her concerns. Unless there's some other issue, in which case it's likely best if you inform me of what that issue might be. That can wait until after we meet with Keine, however."
-
---Orphea
Yumiko strode alongside the nearby bookshelf, carefully watching for any sort of movement.
As she came around the corner, she noticed the many piles of books that stood tall around a table.
Then she saw movement.
Sitting in front of the table was a girl, dressed in light purple robes with long purple hair. Atop her head was a hat with two bun-like shapes to it. Many ribbons were placed on her outfit, including two red and blue ribbons that were tied in her hair. Her face was that of a neutral, almost frown-like, expression.
The human girl was silent and still as she gazed at the purple woman before her. Hesitantly, Yumiko turned and began a slow retreat.
?I see you?ve awoken.?
Yumiko froze. It seems she wasn?t going to get out of this situation easily.
The purple girl glanced at the human intruder for not even a second. After a moment of silence, she spoke again.
?Come here.? She commanded.
Yumiko hesitantly and silently complied, slowly making her way to the table at the center of the maze of books. Once she had made it in, she cautiously sat across from the purple haired woman.
The robed girl had continued to read the text before her as Yumiko glanced around nervously. A somewhat pleasant silence hung in the air, making the library seem like a peaceful place to spend one?s time.
Finally, the purple woman let out a sigh and shut the book in front of her. She shifted her violet eyes to the human before her, giving Yumiko an apathetic gaze.
?Now,? she began, ?Why are you here and how exactly did you find this place, human.? The woman said, her tone as blunt as could be.
---------
---Sonae
The Scarlet Devil sat at a table, sipping her tea elegantly.
Hm. Meiling?s tea could use some work, but it?s far better than the fairies? tea, so it will have to suffice. The Vampire thought to herself as she awaited her new servant?s arrival.
No more than a minute later did the large wooden doors of the room creak open, revealing Meiling along with the young albino.
Remilia smiled at the human. ?Good Morning, Sora.? She said, her smile shifting into a faint smirk.
The girl shifted uncomfortably as she tried to gain composure. ?Um?Meiling told me that y-you want to see me??? Sora said in a quiet voice.
?Indeed I did.? Remilia said with flawless confidence.
The girl began to wonder what the Mistress wanted with her specifically, but only a second later did her question get answered.
?Today is a very special day for you, Sora,? Remilia said, her smirk becoming more prominent with each word she spoke. ?Today is the day you officially begin your duties as a maid of this mansion. Starting today you are my servant, and you shall do whatever I order you to do.?
Sora stared at the vampire, her face showing a mixture of confusion, anxiety, and incredulity. At a loss for words, the human just stood there, dumbfounded.
?Now,? Remilia continued in a haughty tone, ?Your first task for today will be to clean the mansion.? The vampire?s wings flicked as she pushed herself out of her chair. Now standing, the young mistress stretched and let out a lengthy yawn. ?It?s late, so I?m going to bed. I?ll meet with you after I wake up to see how you?ve done for the day.? Remilia said indignantly as she turned for the door. ?Meiling will show you to the supplies room. If you have any questions, ask her. I?ll be in my room.? With that, Remilia made her way out of the room quickly, leaving behind the redheaded gate guard and an overwhelmed human girl.
Silence hung over the pair as they waited for nothing in particular to happen.
I have to clean the entire mansion?? By myself?! The albino?s mind erupted into panic. T-there?s no way I can clean this huge place alone! That?s impossible!
Sora?s speeding thoughts were halted when she felt a hand on her shoulder. The girl turned her head to see Meiling standing behind her, giving her weak and empathetic smile.
?Well, let?s get to work shall we?? Meiling said in a defeated tone as she gestured to the door.
---------
---Crow
Several minutes had past since Kisei had reached the shrine. Discovering that no one was around, she quickly found her way into the shrine, resuming the digging, snooping, and rummaging that yesterday?s ghost had interrupted.
As Kisei finished searching the current room she was in, she heard the sound of voices in the distant.
?Are you sure about this?? one voice asked. ?What if she?s really scary??
?Then we?ll run, of course.? said another voice.
?Don?t worry! With all of our abilities, there?s no way she?ll catch us!? spoke a third.
Kisei became still and silent, slinking back into a dark corner as she tried to figure out where the voices were coming from.
?Well, I guess?? the first voice replied.
From what Kisei could tell, it sounded like the voices were coming from outside of the shrine.
?Mhm, mhm.? the second voice sounded.
?Come on! Let?s go inside!? cheered the third.
-
The young mage-to-be was, of course, lounging casually against one of the walls of the countless nearby buildings, when he happened to catch note of that little group's doings.
'So to summarize, they're after those 'sages', and are looking to get Danmaku goin' again, in addition to various other things.'
Well, he'd make sure to keep his ear to the ground about anything those people might be getting up to. If anything, it'd provide him with something to do to take his mind off the hangover that was still gnawing at the back of his mind.
Of course, he'd managed to find his favorite snack cart in the interim between arriving at the village, and the current time, and had even managed to haggle a little for the special of the day, Shrimp Buns! Not precisely his favorite, but he was partial to them all the same. Especially the sauce in the filling they used for them. So rich and flavorful! It's easy to see why they were the special of the day most days he came to the village.
Either way things were sliced, seemed they were heading to the same place. Teach's place. For now though, he'd just relax. He'd have plenty of time to find them again.
'I just hope the find the Special of The Day, It'd be a shame if those girls missed out on today's. They're Shrimp Buns after all, everybody loves those! But either way you slice it, these folks are getting to be more and more interestin'. Maybe I'll tag along with 'em sometime in the future, but for now though, I'll just enjoy my meal, and then look for something to do cashflow-wise. There's always stuff that needs doin' after all, that's just how this place is.'
So of course, he just kept on leanin' and snackin'.
(OoC: Of course he'd have some cash on hand by nature. it's just something I felt didn't really need much mentioning. Though it does fall under the 'all his affairs in order' part, so yay? I just hope this is okay enough. Slight writer's block, but this should do the job, yeah?)
-
"Should I assume, then," Laresa said, "that she does not approve of what you're doing? That may be all the more reason to meet her; I might be able to ease some of her concerns. Unless there's some other issue, in which case it's likely best if you inform me of what that issue might be. That can wait until after we meet with Keine, however."
"No, Laresa, she most definately does not approve. To be perfectly honest, when it comes to youkai, she'd get along quite well with Vaxla." Kohaku didn't mean that as insult, and was surprised by the trace of heat in her voice. Perhaps meeting the youkai murderer had left her more rattled than she'd thought. She took a moment to breathe, collect herself, before continuing. "When I told her that the youkai had chosen me to keep the peace between their race and humans, she reacted very badly." She paused for a just moment, and Hyozan whined ever so quietly, in sympathy for the memory Kohaku was about to speak of. "She nearly hit me. She's never hit me in all my life, and she nearly did today- she would have, too, if Papa hadn't been there."
The big malamute padded over to his human friend and whimpered slightly. Kohaku crouched and rubbed the dog's head. "And you would have come to my aid, I know, my friend."
*woof*
Kohaku smiled and scratched the dog behind his ear, before straightening up and looking at Tetsumaru. "I'm sorry you had to hear that. My family's had it's... issues, when it comes to youkai."
-
The apprentice shakes his head. "No, it's fine. To be honest, I'm...well, let's not get into that. I'm sure your parents love you a lot, and my father has had his issues with youkai as well. It's why he needs me so much nowadays, but in any case perhaps seeing your parents wouldn't be the best of ideas." He tried to smile, as he really didn't know what else to do...and then a thought occurred to him.
"Could dad be missing because of the party yesterday? With all the distraction, it's possible...ah!" he muttered softly to himself, but then he realized he was talking out loud. "A-aah, in any case, I don't think seeing them would be a good idea, but I'll follow the both of you regardless of where we go!" he said quickly. 'Hope they didn't hear that...'
-
Kohaku did not, in fact, catch the young man's mutterings, merely nods in agreement to the sentiment, and looks to the third humanoid member of their little group. "Then, unless you have something else in mind, Laresa, we should pay a visit to Sensei."
-
"We can go to Keine now," Laresa said. "Perhaps meeting your parents should wait until tomorrow, if your mother was that upset." Give time for concern to overcome anger. And if she doesn't have concern for her daughter's safety, then she's of no use anyways, and it doesn't matter what she thinks when we turn up. "There is something else I'll want to do while we're here, but for now, yes, let us go to Keine."
-
"...I, um... had read a few books about the incident with the mist, and they all mentioned an enormous library with its magician attendant... I've exhausted every book that interests me that I could get my hands on in the village, and I thought that maybe if I came here, I could learn something.." She went silent for a moment as she debated with herself whether or not to ask her... and eventually gave in to it. "...and maybe I thought that I could... work here, possibly..." That's it, she thought, after this I probably won't ever be able to come in here again...
-
---Orphea
The magician stared at the human, her violet eyes cold as ice and sharp as a blade. She remained silent as the human spoke, giving off an almost hostile vibe. Once Yumiko had finished speaking, a unnerving silence set in.
After almost a full minute of eerie silence, the purple haired woman spoke up.
?And why precisely should I hire you, human?? She said standoffishly as she examined the girl?s features.
-
Kisei bit down on her lip, muffled giggles escaping. Three dopes - they did sound like idiots - were standing outside of the room. Between laughing out loud and charging blindly into the door, she would have just burst out the screens, but that would be steeping down to their level, and she was not a master of idiocy. And she had to give it to them; they figured out someone was in the room.
She only had a few choices for her next course of action, since the dark corner that hid her could not stand a chance against three pairs of eyes. Sneaking across to the door was going to give her away; her feet were already shaking badly when she heard the inevitable "let's go in!"
The thief pushed herself off the floor. She bolted towards the door, stomping heavily on the tatami floor. Her hands tensed into fists. At the moment before she hit the door, she twisted about and landed back-first on the walls beside, backhanding the door instead.
Ready to attack the first dope who entered, Kisei drew her fist back to her chest.
-
Led by the sounds of youths at lunchtime, the quartet of adventurers consisting of Kohaku, Laresa, Tetsumaru and Hyozan make very good time to the schoolhouse where Keine educated minds and dented the occasional skull. The children outside gave the four of them a wide berth, as the armaments borne by two of them made a bit of an impression on the youths. Plus, young people seemed almost naturally repelled by Hyozan, despite his quiet nature and handsome appearance. Kohaku had quietly wondered about that for years now, but this didn't seem the time to investigate further.
Knowing Keine had her lunch inside, barring the odd time Mokou was in town and they ate together outside, the quartet made their way inside in search of Sensei.
-
---Crow
?I wonder what this new shrine maiden is like?? Said the first voice.
?I dunno. I guess we?ll have to wait and see.? Replied the second.
??! Wait!? the third voice shouted, interrupting the idle chatter of the other two. ?Someone?s in there!? the voice exclaimed.
?What!? Luna hurry, use your ability!?
?Aahhh!?
With that, the shrine fell silent. Not even the faintest sound could be heard from beyond the door that Kisei stood beside.
---------
Upon hearing the door to the schoolhouse open, Keine looked up from her papers to be greeted by a few familiar faces.
?Oh Laresa, Kohaku, I didn?t expect to have you two visit me here.? Keine said as she examined the two women, ?Oh, and Tetsumaru too.? Keine puts down her pen and looks at the group. ?So what brings all of you to the schoolhouse??
-
"Danmaku," Laresa said. "You know a good deal more about it than any of us. You've actually engaged in danmaku battles, whereas none of us have. I'm confident that I could teach myself rather well-I am quite good at that-and fully intend to lead our efforts to learn it, but having you provide a demonstration and some basic lessons will likely speed the process a bit, give us something of a boost at the start. You already know why Kohaku needs to learn danmaku, and I believe I should also do so. And Tetsumaru here expressed interest, as well."
-
Tetsumaru couldn't help but rub the back of his head in an embarrassed manner. "Sorry to bother you with this kind of request, but, well...I just felt like it would be important to learn how to defend myself without having to resort to steel. It's been a long time since we've really talked, hasn't it Sensei?"
-
Now that the voices had disappeared, a deafening silence fell on the shrine - no footsteps, no breathing, no nothing. Kisei dropped her stance, relaxing her body. With the looming threat of still being discovered, however, she decided to move to a different room rather than stay in this one.
The girl took one more glance around the barely furnished room. She kicked at the partitions. "There really is nothing in this crummy old shrine."
-
'So, they've headed to Teach's place already, huh? Guess I'll follow suit. They were talking about that Danmaku stuff too. Danmaku's connected to Spellcards so...Danmaku=Spellcards=Magic=Magician=Me! If I follow them, I'll be able to do what I plan to!'
So after polishing off the last of the shrimp bun he was eating, of which he still had a backup that he'd save for when he needed it later, and chose to follow along.
-Boys are Taking a Shortcut Now, Please Wait Warmly.-
Thanks to the shortcuts he knew from his time as a student, it wasn't a problem to reach the schoolgrounds at all. In fact, he was quite proud of his intimate knowledge of the Village's layout. If anyone knew the place better than him, it'd probably be Teach. Or the Village Elders. Hell, maybe even his old man, but who knows where he got to.
After all, when he wasn't in school, he was usually on the run somewhere in the village, hiding out from the fallout of his latest escapades.
"Now...what to do next...Seems recess is in session, and those three are probably already in there by now." 'It'd be rude to just barge in, but since when did I ever case about that? ...Eh, I'll just linger around for a while, reminisce about my school years....Wonder if that hidden spot I made is still here..? Well, I guess I'll find out sooner or later. Maybe some other kid found it and started using it.'
OOC: It's nothing much, just the sort of thing you'd expect a kid to make. A little nook to secret away toys and the like in.
-
A small frown creased the school teacher?s face as Laresa spoke.
?Umm?I?m kinda of busy right now?? Keine began as she glanced towards the doors leading out of the school house and into the classroom. ?I?m only at my desk right now because the students are having their lunch break, which will be over soon.?
The historian rose from her seat and turned towards the group, arms folded.
?I?m sorry, but I don?t have enough time to give you three a brief lesson in danmaku.? Her eyes reflected a sympathetic light as she gazed at them. ?Perhaps it would be best for you to find someone else to teach you danmaku.?
As Tetsumaru spoke up, Keine turned towards the boy, flashing him a faint smile. ?Yes it has?how have you been? Your father isn?t overworking you is he??
-
This did not surprise Kohaku all that much, she knew that Keine was a busy woman. On the hand, she was at least a little surprised, considering that, if the fate of Gensokyo is apparently at stake, the Daidouji heir would have thought she could spare a bit. But then, she knew how passionate Keine was about education. Kohaku could have gotten annoyed at it, but that would have been pointless.
"Would you have any references, then, sensei? If I'm supposed to confront youkai, then I want to do it in a way that doesn't force me to kill any of them."
-
The midday sun hung in the sky, emanating a gentle warmth. The air was cool and refreshing, with little wind. Up in the sky, a few clouds had begun to form, as if warning of a coming rainstorm. Other than the insinuation of a coming rain, the afternoon had turned out to be rather peaceful.
---
The girl let out an exhausted sigh as she trudged on through the village streets. Her long lavender hair flowed behind her. Her attire was professional in appearance, and on her back she lugged a large square pack. Atop her head were a pair of long, crooked rabbit ears. She kept her gaze down, trying to avoid eye contact. Lost in thought, the girl kept on walking.
---Hanzo
Takuma stood outside the schoolhouse, reminiscing over fond childhood memories, waiting for the right time to enter. He grinned slightly as he mused to himself, not paying any mind to the world around him.
Thud.
Takuma was brought back to the present by the sudden collision. He turned around to see a young woman. Her lavender hair reached to her knees. A second later, he noticed the bunny ears on her head, which were unlike any rabbit ears he had seen before. As he shifted his gaze towards her face, the girl swiftly averted her eyes. Perhaps she was shy? Taking a step back, the girl spoke up.
?Um?Sorry. I wasn?t paying attention to where I was going.?
---------
Keine raised a hand to her mouth and thought. ?Hmm?references?? the schoolteacher?s brow furrowed for a moment. The half-beast?s gaze drifted to the violet haired youkai exterminator. After about a minute, Keine returned her gaze to Kohaku.
?Well, there is someone who could probably teach you the basics and give you a good demonstration.? The schoolteacher paused, lowering her arms and glancing back towards the classroom?s entrance briefly. ?She?s quite understanding of humans, and she?s not known for hostility?? Keine glanced at Laresa and Tetsumaru for a moment, then continued. ?A woman by the name of Alice Margatroid. She?s a magician that lives in the Forest of Magic, but she often comes to the village to display her skill.? Keine gave Kohaku a faint smile. ?You can probably find her near the village center or the marketplace if she?s in town today.? Keine turned to her desk and retrieved a small piece of paper. Taking hold of her pen, she jotted something down on slip, then held it out to the group. ?She has short blonde hair, wears a blue dress, and is always accompanied by one or two dolls. I?ve written it down just to be safe.? The historian said, giving the group a small, supportive smile.
-
Whoa, that was a surprise. The impact jolted him out of his little reverie just enough for him to register her and her statement.
"Oh, uh, I wasn't really paying attention myself I guess. Fond memories of school and all that." He commented in an absent-minded seeming way.
After a few seconds, he shook his head to clear the cobwebs out. "Got business with Teach?" he questioned while gesturing towards the schoolhouse with his thumb. "Pretty sure she's already busy with someone else." 'Nice ears. Never seen ones like that before. All crooked and such. Wonder how she gets 'em like that without hurting herself?'
It was then that he took note of the clouds forming, and quickly fished around in a pouch at his hip to produce a small tile. That tile had an odd symbol on it. Ur (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ur_%28rune%29), a Rune that could mean Auroch, or Rain. This particular tile was the Rain version. A faint glow from the tile confirmed much of his suspicions before he slipped it back into the pouch. That there was likely rain on the way. "Better mind the weather, s'probably gonna rain later y'know. Personally, I can't stand gettin' caught in the stuff myself. Y'wouldn't believe how much effort it takes to get all my clothes dry after a good rain."
It was idle chatter, but it was the best he could think to say. "Oh, name's Takuma. Freelance Odd-Jobs Guy, and Magician-In-Training. You got a job that needs doin' around here, I'm usually the guy to ask. Don't charge much either. I also do Rune Divinations if people ask. Don't get much call for that though."
OOC: It's not much, just a little cantrip to make it easier for him to guess if there'll be rain or not. That's what most of his single-tile spells do. Little, mundane-utility things like this.
-
Dolls? The mention perked Tetsumaru up a bit. His dad made parts sometimes for dolls, especially around birthdays; probably didn't make any for this particular lady, but in any case it was something he could sorta relate to. "Ah, no, not really," he responds offhandedly.
"Should we go look for her then?" he asks the other two. "Seems like our best option for now."
-
The name rings a small bell in Kohaku's mind, but it takes her a moment or two to connect the dots. "The puppetmaster? I had no idea she was proficient at danmaku." Kohaku accepts the paper from Keine. "I know her, at least a little."
I just hope Laresa doesn't know she's a youkai.
"She's never made her danmaku knowledge public, though." Kohaku continues. "At least not to my knowledge. Do you think she'd be willing to teach us?"
-
The dollmaker youkai, hmm? Worth a try, I suppose. She's not dangerous; there should be no harm in simply asking her. "A good question," Laresa said. "I don't think it would hurt to ask her, though. She's hardly hostile." Wouldn't stop Vaxla, but the doll army-and her general level of power-does that well enough. "And if she declines, then, well, as I've said, I am quite capable of learning it without instruction."
-
---Hanzo
The bunny girl glanced over the human?s features as he spoke, her mind seemed to be in another place at the moment.
?Uh?yeah.? She muttered in response to the boy?s first question, followed by a muffled ?Oh? when he told her that Keine was busy.
When Takuma retrieved the tile from his pouch, the girl?s ears perked up. She gazed curiously at the item, observing the rune?s faint glow closely. The girl glanced up at his face, a faint trace of surprise on her own. She snapped out of her reverie when Takuma turned towards her again, immediately averting her eyes.
?Ahh?! I-I?m?My name is Reisen.? The girl stumbled over her words for a moment, making sure she spoke with common courtesy. Upon the mention of the word ?magician?, the rabbit?s ears perked up. ?Magician you say?? She mumbled as she furrowed her brow in thought for a moment. After a few seconds, her expression shifted into one that looked as if the girl had just gotten a good idea.
?Actually?? She began, pausing to figure out how to properly word her next statement. ?There is something that needs to be done? Uh, it?s not something I need done, but that my Master needs done.? The rabbit made a gesture as she spoke to emphasize the fact. ?Usually I do the errands, but I can?t do this one, so she needs someone else? someone that isn?t a youkai? to do it. Perhaps you could? I mean, if you?re interested that is? maybe you could, um, assist us?? Reisen said apprehensively, trying to petition for the young magician?s aid.
---------
Keine smiled warmly at Kohaku?s inquiry. ?I think she?d be more than willing to at the very least give you a demonstration.?
The schoolteacher glanced towards the clock for a moment, then turned around to face the group once again.
?Now, if you could excuse me, I need to get back to work, it?s time for the next class.? The teacher gave the group one last smile and a polite bow of the head before turning and heading into the classroom.
-
We weren't here for very long, Laresa thought. The boy following us is likely still around.
Laresa'd noticed him right away. He was being careful to remain unseen, but Laresa was a professional youkai exterminator. Being able to notice such things could quite often make the difference between living and dying. One could not allow one's self to be approached unaware in her line of work. Her skill at spotting such people had saved her more than once. Not that this boy is likely a danger; no doubt he's simply curious. Kohaku was the new shrine maiden, after all; it was likely that the boy simply recognized her from last night and became curious. She would be sure to remain aware, of course, and she was quite able to do so without him or her companions knowing she was doing anything. And telling Kohaku of this wasn't necessary. Such things are my concern, not hers. She doesn't need to know about a simple curious boy. Only if it looks like something more will I need to inform her.
"Let's go, then," Laresa said.
-
He raised an eyebrow in a slightly curious way. "Oh? Someone that isn't a Youkai eh? Well, I do end up doing odd-jobs as it is. What's the job?"
He then grinned in his usually lopsided and slightly reckless way. "First time's free of charge. Gets people to be more likely to call on me when something needs doing after all."
He was somewhat puzzled by what sort of job specifically needs someone not a Youkai, but he'd learned to not quibble too much on that sort of matter. A job's a job after all.
Even if he's rowdy, somewhat violent, and quite reckless, he's got a certain work ethic he's gotta follow. And that means doin' the job he's hired to do.
-
Kohaku gave her teacher a polite bow. "Thank you for your time, sensei." she adds before she, Laresa and Tetsumaru take their leave of her, and make their way towards where Alice can, hopefully, be found.
Kohaku was, by nature, not a suspicious person, but she was a curious person, and the encounter they'd just had with Keine left her puzzled. The day before, Keine had said that Gensokyo was on the brink of collapse, despite there not being any signs of it. Kohaku believed her teacher wouldn't have said that if it wasn't true. Now, however, she was less certain of that assumption. If she really WAS supposed to protect Gensokyo, somehow, then Kohaku would need all the information, all the help, she could get. And yet Keine had not been willing to take time away from her school to do that, in this case. Which meant... Kohaku wasn't sure. Either Keine didn't believe danmaku was really important, or she had been exaggerating about Gensokyo being doomed and was only trying to get Kohaku's attention at the time. As much respect as Kohaku has for Keine, she found herself uncertain which one of these to believe.
It is an introspective Kohaku who, in the company of her new companions, arrived in the center of the village in search of one Alice Margatroid.
-
((I apologize for the lack of a full update recently. Shit went down and life got complicated. Fast. I'd explain further but I have little time to spare right now. Here's half an update.))
---Crow
A dampened thud sounds from the partition. The shrine was just as desolate as it had appeared. Nothing was nestled into the abandoned shrine other than dust and cobwebs.
Kisei muttered to herself quietly, still aware of the threat of being discovered, as she took a final glance at the room she was in. After a moment, Kisei turned towards the room?s entrance.
?!
Just then, a frigid sensation akin to the one from last night assaulted the girl?s neck.
---------
---Hanzo
?We can discuss the job on the way to Eientei if that?s okay with you.? Reisen said as she glanced at the schoolhouse. The girl noticed a group of people coming out of the building. She observed them as they left, carefully examining their features closely.
A few seconds passed before Reisen snapped out of her daze. ?A-ah. Well, I need to deliver this package to the school house, so it you don?t mind, I?ll just run this over to them.? Reisen said as she gestured to the pack she was carrying. The rabbit glanced about anxiously for a moment before speaking once more. ?I?ll be back in just a moment, please don?t go anywhere?? She said, lowering her head as she finished. A second later, Reisen started towards the schoolhouse in silence, leaving the boy standing in the middle of the street alone.
---------
((As for Sour, GYMO, and Amra; I apologize for not having an update complete for you all. I'm really sorry about this, but please be patient, an update will come soon. If you have anything to say on the matter, please post in the discussion thread.))
-
Eientei huh? Well, he hadn't really needed to go there before, but since it's part of the job, he had no reason to complain.
'Wait right here eh? What am I, some kinda kid? Well, she does seem to be a Youkai, so to her I probably am! Well, guess I'll just sit here and wait. Ain't polite to abandon a lady like that after all. Doubly so since it's part of a job. Got a reputation of bein' reliable to keep up after all!'
So of course, since a job was on the line, he decided to meander over to the nearest fencepost sit down with his back against it. "Man...been a long time since I sat here..."
-
---Orphea
The magician stared at the human, her violet eyes cold as ice and sharp as a blade. She remained silent as the human spoke, giving off an almost hostile vibe. Once Yumiko had finished speaking, a unnerving silence set in.
After almost a full minute of eerie silence, the purple haired woman spoke up.
“And why precisely should I hire you, human?” She said standoffishly as she examined the girl’s features.
"...In.. truth, you probably have no reason to. With a home like this, I am sure that its owner keeps the library well supplied as far as working staff... in honesty, I am mostly here to offer what little help I can, in return for what little I can understand of the library's knowledge."
-
---Orphea
The woman's eyes narrowed. "And what makes you, a human, better suited to this job than a fairy or a demon?" The purple haired magician spoke sharply, her violet eyes giving the girl a piercing glare. The air around them, thick with a musty smell, was heavy with intimidation. The magician wanted a reason why she should hire a mere human over a youkai.
-
---Orphea
The woman's eyes narrowed. "And what makes you, a human, better suited to this job than a fairy or a demon?" The purple haired magician spoke sharply, her violet eyes giving the girl a piercing glare. The air around them, thick with a musty smell, was heavy with intimidation. The magician wanted a reason why she should hire a mere human over a youkai.
"... if you'll pardon my assumptions, my lady... Fae are notoriously forgetful and whimsical... I cannot speak for how I compare to a daemon, but I am rather certain that any one of them would be more suited to your work than I. I... will not lie to further my chances. " As much as she tried to fight herself to keep staring back at the purple-clad woman before her, she had to fight herself from biting her lip in anxiety. "... But I want to work here, if you'll let me. I... I have nowhere else I can go to for new knowledge, and any book I have read already I call to mind immediately, and it is a very boring existence..." Having reached her limit of being able to return that heavy, all-seeing gaze, however, she lowered her head slightly and looked to the side. "... and I'm tired of being alone, there."
-
---Crow
A dampened thud sounds from the partition. The shrine was just as desolate as it had appeared. Nothing was nestled into the abandoned shrine other than dust and cobwebs.
Kisei muttered to herself quietly, still aware of the threat of being discovered, as she took a final glance at the room she was in. After a moment, Kisei turned towards the room?s entrance.
?!
Just then, a frigid sensation akin to the one from last night assaulted the girl?s neck.
Kisei did not bother keeping her voice down. It was the pink-haired lady from last night again. "Just my luck," she snarled. Not looking back, she held her hands up in mock surrender, "I'm not even here to steal today. Who are you, anyway?" She then proceeded to go through the door.
-
After a short journey through the village, the trio plus dog arrived at the center of the village.
The heart of the village, as per usual, is full of life. Villagers are scattered about, chattering lowly. Stalls and shops eagerly advertise their wares in an attempt to attract the nearest consumer. In the heart of the plaza, the magnificent Dragon god statue stands proudly, as if acting as the guardian of this center of commerce. Looking at the area now, it becomes a tad hard to fathom that only yesterday, a mass gathering of individuals occurred here.
As the three humans made their way further into the square, they spotted a somewhat concentrated group of people gathered around one part of the plaza. Curiosity perked, the trio approached the crowd.
At the center of the crowd was a sole woman. Her blonde hair, adorned with a red headband, shone a brilliant gold in the afternoon sun. She wore a blue dress decorated with pink ribbons and a pair of boots. Her eyes were a beautiful shade of blue, lit with a vigorous light. However, what caught the eyes of the crowd most was what stood before her.
Dolls. Excellently crafted and extremely detailed. They moved fluidly, as if alive, operated by invisible strings controlled by the puppeteer?s hand. The arms of the woman moved with grace, her slender fingers danced on air, as if she was the conductor of a magnificent orchestra. The doll maker?s dexterity mesmerized her audience, capturing their minds within the story she weaved.
------
((I apologize to everyone for the severe delay. I'm currently finishing my school year. So I'll be busy a short while longer. I'm just posting what I had for now, as I have planned out a scene with Sour. Hanzo, Crow, and Orphea, I apologize for not having an update for you all. Please forgive me and I shall get it done as soon as I can.))
-
Something about that story seems vaguely familiar to Kohaku, as she watches Alice's puppet show. The purple-clad figure called "The Magician" dances around two smaller figures, which Alice calls "The Witches." And just before that, a blue-clothed doll called "The Spirit" fought a pitched battle with a small mirror-carrying doll with a black bow called "The Girl". It is when Alice returns to one of the other heroes of her story, "The Priestess", that the memory clicks in place for Kohaku. Haine told her a story once about her old home, which she was uncharacteristicly vague about, about a time when a number of adventurers- they called themselves heroes, of course- came into her homeland and wreaked all kinds of havoc, even confronting a God, or maybe THE God, Kohaku wasn't sure. Haine assured her that things were eventually settled and everyone went home, but Kohaku got the impression it was a rather tummultuous time for her girlfriend and her people.
Distracted, Kohaku finds herself wondering if that's where Haine ended up after she left the village. Or how far away it was. Haine was never that specific; her homeland could have been outside Gensokyo, for all Kohaku knew. That was frankly a depressing thought. Her brother, she knew- somehow- was somewhere in Gensokyo still. Her first lover, however...
-
Posting for Guyyoumetonline
"She is quite talented," Laresa said as the three of them watched Alice's show, "isn't she? Of course, someone such as Vaxla wouldn't care. Not that you need to worry about her trying anything. She knows when she would be outmatched."
Laresa carefully observed Kohaku's reaction, as she knew it would reveal how much Kohaku knew about Alice. In addition, if Kohaku didn't know, she should be able to figure it out, and if she did know, she was now aware that Laresa also knew. And to anyone else, including Tetsumaru, it would mean little.
"Well," Laresa said, "let us wait for her to finish before we approach her."
-
The crowd?s attention remained fixated on the puppeteer?s story, their gazes following the dolls? dance intently. Children, their eyes alight with excitement, awaited the story?s finale with baited breath.
Alice smiled faintly as she continued on to the next arc of the story.
A green-haired doll clad in red, called ?The Youkai? fought a tense battle with a blonde doll wielding swords called ?The Maid?. The puppeteer gave a small smirk, signifying the approaching climax.
The purple haired one, referred to as ?The Priestess?, came to a stop, as if she had reached a dead end. The doll glanced around before looking upward. There hovered a white haired doll, dresses in red robes, which the puppeteer titled ?The Goddess?.
With just a moment?s pause, the dolls engaged. They moved vigorously, even Alice?s own hands were swooping through the air, directing the dolls? wild dance with astonishing precision and dexterity. The purple haired girl wove in, out, and around the goddess? attacks valiantly as the white-haired doll gained six large, purple wings. However, the priestess did not falter, the goddess? assault becoming heavier. The crowd silently cheered on the hero as she continued to advance on the goddess. Further and further, until the goddess was on her final attack.
Alice smiled as her fingers orchestrated the climax of the story.
With a swift, final retaliation, the priestess struck down the goddess.
Alice swung her arms high into the air, holding them there for a moment, before bringing them down into an elegant curtsey.
The crowd was awestruck for but a second before erupting into cheers and clapping. Praise was shouted out to the puppeteer, making her give a modest smile. Some even whistled for the girl. The children jumped about enthusiastically, wanting the story to continue further.
?That?s the end of the story.? Alice said to the children who looked at her expectantly.
The kids vocalized their dissatisfaction with this fact, to which the puppeteer only gave them a sheepish smile.
Within a few moments, the crowd that had surrounded Alice to watch her performance begun to disperse.
---------
---Hanzo
After what felt like twenty minutes or more, the purple-haired rabbit exited the schoolhouse. She glanced around for a bit, before spotting Takuma and hurrying over to him.
?Sorry about that. Let?s go shall we?? She said as she gestured towards a road that lead away from the village center.
---------
---Orphea
The magician listened to the girl as spoke, having an emotionless fa?ade about her the entire time. It was only when the girl finished speaking, that the magician gave her a small, albeit very faint, smile.
?You said something about recalling anything you have read instantly?? Patchouli asked with intrigue. ?So you are blessed with a photographic memory then??, she said, leaning in a bit and resting her chin on her intertwined hands in a way that made her appear to be contemplating something thoroughly.
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---Crow
As Kisei exited the room, she heard nothing. Seconds passed in silence, but nothing happened. Puzzled, the girl turned to look.
Nothing. No pink haired ghost lady, no anybody for that matter. Strange. Perhaps this place really was haunted?
A faint wisp of sound, too faint to be made out from the thief?s current position, can be heard coming from the room Kisei has previously been in.
-
Away from the village center, eh? Well, a job's a job, and he did pride himself on his work ethic after all. "Wasn't much of a problem waiting, took a little trip down memory lane to pass the time."
Having said that, he stood up and started heading in the direction indicated, though he soon paused, and would follow along when she took the lead. "Well, let's get going then. Job's a job after all. Fill me in on the details as we go, like you said earlier."
-
With his human lost in her thoughts, Hyozan nudged Kohaku in her leg as the crowd around Alice started to disperse. The cold nose of the malamute jerked Kohaku sharply out of her ruminations and she let out a short gasp.
Looking around, she managed to look a touch abashed as she looks down at her canine companion. "Thank you, Hyozan." The dog merely sniffs the air. Setting aside the thoughts of Haine for now, Kohaku straightened her kimono and picked her way through the crowd, heading towards the showman puppeteer.
-
Posting for Guyyoumetonline
Laresa pushed her way through the crowd.
She hated it. Too many people. Too close. At that impromptu gathering yesterday, she?d remained outside the crowd, and been fine, but here, she was in the middle of it, pushing her way past people.
A glance at her chest. A gaze on her behind. A hand passing too close.
Images. Memories. Old sensations. Her back pressed against the wall, his hands holding her arms to her sides. The warm splatters on her face. The touching of his flesh to hers as his-
Laresa pushed past the images, the memories. Okay, girl, you know how to deal with this. Focus. The current goal. Kohaku and I asking Alice about danmaku Don?t think about- damn it, girl, you know better than that. No telling yourself what not to think about. Just focus on the current goal. On the encompassing job of acting as Kohaku?s bodyguard and investigation all this with her. Current task: Alice. Danmaku. Okay. Okay. Okay.
Anyone watching would have seen no sign of Laresa?s internal difficulties, not even a hind of her discomfort. She was good at keeping her thoughts and emotions contained within herself. She?d had to be.
Laresa assumed a bodyguard?s proper position by Kohaku as the new shrine maiden approached Alice.
-
The magician listened to the girl as spoke, having an emotionless fa?ade about her the entire time. It was only when the girl finished speaking, that the magician gave her a small, albeit very faint, smile.
?You said something about recalling anything you have read instantly?? Patchouli asked with intrigue. ?So you are blessed with a photographic memory then??, she said, leaning in a bit and resting her chin on her intertwined hands in a way that made her appear to be contemplating something thoroughly.
"I... well, yes, although I'm not sure if I would have called it a blessing... usually it also means that I can remember every conversation with someone, as well, since I can read their lips without concern for error." And yet she had to admit that the way the librarian's barely-present smile was the tiniest bit concerning; then again, it was probably wholly appropriate to be, given the circumstances. To the girl's understanding, Patchouli had little reason to be smiling at her, after all...
-
((My sincerest apologies for the lack of an update recently. I have been swamped with school work. I currently have 6 assignments ongoing, 3 of which are due in less than a week. I know, I'm a bad GM. I wouldn't blame you for being upset with me. All I can do is apologize and hope things will clear up and that I'll be able to get to replying soon.))