> Take a closer look at the mountains. Is there anything of interest on them?
>Which of our possessions are currently small enough to go through the gap again?
>Begin travelling around the edge of the forest. Keeping an eye for anything of interest.
> Approach the mountain and inspect the hole.
> Look into the hole. Do we see anything in it?
> Brush the moss with our fingertips.
> Inventory
> Take a flower from the flower bundle and throw it down the hole.
>How much time would it take to imbue a telescope or compass with tool-level magical power?
> Put the flower in the smaller hole
> Put another flower into the big hole.
Idea: Leave Mary here and return through the enlarging gap. Once we're normal size again, we can seek her out and determine where we are right now.
>If we returned to normal size do we feel like we could gap back here easily enough?
>Ok then, let's have a quick look around this immediate area for anything that's escaped our attention then return to searching the rim, and make a mental note to return to that mountain at regular size.
>Approach it.
>Is it in good shape?
>Approximately how much of the rim have we searched so far?
>Let's actually map out things before acting for once, rather than just jumping through every gap we see willy nilly.
>Continue searching the rim.
>Investigate more closely, trying not to step on anything important.
>I assume that the fruits are sized more for our regular size rather than our current size?
>Prepare ourself to be able to return to these trees via gap after we return to regular size.
>The branches don't look like those disturbing roots do they?
>Let's return to the rim and search the last bit just to be sure.
>If we don't find anything return to Maribel.
>Look at her bemusedly.
>"You've been busy."
>"I found three things of note. A mountain with a hole in the top which had a small tunnel inside it. A large gap that we could travel through at our current size. And an orchard of some strange fruit."
> "Unfortunately, there is only one way to find out."
> "Regardless, we can collect them if we so desire. They were nor obviously malicious, as much as I did not recognize them."
>"I found a mountain with something like a crater in the top of it. There was what appeared to be a small tunnel in side of it."
>Come to think of it, would that tunnel be more appropriately sized for smallest sized us?
> "The hole is very cleanly cut. I'm not sure it is a natural formation."
>"If we were anywhere else, possibly. Things don't seem to be so predictable here however."
> "It certainly merits investigation at some point, though, don't you think?"
> Can we tell where the regular-sized gap that brought us here is?
> Can we see the octagonal-hole mountain from our present location?
> Can we at least see the mountain range of which it is a part?
> Let's say we're normal-sized and on the ground in the clearing Mary made. Would we still be able to see it?
>Could we open a giant-sized gap as a normal-sized Yukari?
> "Indeed. However, to aid our exploratory efforts, I wish to conduct a minor experiment, if you are willing to participate."
> "Consider that, were we to return through that gap to normal size, we would be unable to see our current location through the trees, and we would be unable to see the mountain in question from our current location. I could reasonably guess at where I should move us, but I could not guarantee safety or accuracy. If, however, I had some sort of large landmark here, I could return to this spot from the other side of this gap, and if I was up high enough while here, I could still see the mountain range where our destination lies. Do you understand?"
> Nod.
> "If you feel something small bothering you somewhere, please try to not crush it until you've looked at it."
> Return through the gap that brought us here.
> Look up and around. Can we see Mary?
> Inspect the nearby trees. Do any of them look suitable enough for climbing, or for perhaps gapping ourselves to the top of?
> Return to Mary through the embiggening gap.
> "I almost forgot! Please hold these until I return. And please try not to do anything with them."
> Take out the chunks of Materia Prima and hand them over to Mary.
> "I came back because I forgot something. What happened while I was gone?"
> Frown.
> "I'm afraid not."
> Frown.
> "How unfortunate. I suppose we will need to operate with caution at our normal size."
> Where are the fruits relative to the normal-sized side of the gap we're currently next to?
> Can we see the part of the forest where the normal-sized end is from our current vantage point? Or is the canopy too thick?
> "Well. Since our hand has been forced, shall we return?"
> "Well, we do have the Materia Prima for that."
> Open and head back through the gap.
> "We can head toward the mountain with the clean-cut hole, or we can look for those fruits."
> In which direction is the mountain range with the octagon-cut mountain from our present location?
>We should be able to open a gap to the mountain with the hole easily enough right?
> "Very well."
> Let us open such a gap, then.
> Here's hoping for the best!
> Head on through.
>Does this seem like it might function musically if we blew into it while huge?
> Did Mary not follow us?
> Point to the hole in the wall.
> "Ah."
> "Even mountains deserve to be prettied up from time to time, don't you think? For the hole, I suspect our best bet would be for me to boost you up there so you can inspect it."
> "Let us proceed, then. How would you prefer to be lifted?"
> How tall are we?
> How tall is Mary?
> Nod.
> Make our way over to the part of the wall under the hole, then crouch down onto one knee and hold our hands at raised-knee height so the palm of the lower one is pressed up against the back of the upper one.
> "Step here. Use myself and the wall to maintain your balance. Let me know if I need to lift you up so you can see into the hole."
> Do we have anything we can use to light the hole?
>We have the sun disc thing. Could we realistically hand it to Maribel like this?
>Could we stick our top half through a gap to examine the hole ourselves rather than have Maribel doing it for us? It's nice to involve her, but, have to get stuff done in the end.
> "Ah, I have an idea. Step down, please."
> Once Mary is back on the ground, gap our top half up just a little bit so we can see into the hole ourselves.
> "Hmm."
> Reach into the hole for the power.
>"Yes. It's related to the sigil we saw in the shrine."
>Use a gap to send our hand in further. Be slow and careful with reaching in, though.
>Can we accurately open a gap to where the sigil is?
>Could we gap to the gap that makes us smaller, go through it, then gap back here easily enough?
>"I'm going to try another thing, be prepared to suddenly shrink."
>Do what was outlined in the previous post, gapping to the entrance of the tunnel.
>"Alright, come along then, dearie."
>Proceed with the plan, Maribel in tow.
>"Alright."
>Hand Maribel the solar disc.
>Proceed down the tunnel.
>Closely examine the markings.
> Does the tunnel continue any further?
> "We can find out. Come."
> Continue down the tunnel.
> Take a moment to calm down.
> "Okay, that's quite far enough. We're going back."
> "Bad things."
> Return to the other part of our wrench with haste.
> Did they move at all?
> "Hmm. It does not seem to have moved."
> Touch the sigil.
>"Yes, we're perfectly safe unless we continue down that tunnel."
>Open a gap to where we expect the other part of our wrench to be.
>Have we told Mary about the roots?
> Could we lean through the gap while keeping a hand on the square spiral sigil?
> "It's nothing too complicated. One of those roots I mentioned to you earlier is embedded into the wall where we turned around."
> Has the other sigil ever appeared in that tunnel?
> "Not beyond what the roots always do, but that is sufficient reason for us to not tread near it."
> Poke our head through the gap. Is the other half of the sigil anywhere to be seen?
> !
> Could we reach out and touch the square spiral sigil using an arm on the non-shrine side of the gap without pulling our head back?
> Keeping the first sigil in our sight, feel around on the other side for the second sigil.
> Keep that hand touching the sigil.
> Maneuver our other hand and arm through the gap, and reach out and touch the sigil we can currently see. Send our hand through a second gap like we did earlier if need be.
> So we are touching both sigils at the same time now, yes?
> Has either sigil ever given off any sort of sensation that suggests how we can interact with it other than just by touching it?
> What is the sigil we can actually see presently affixed to?
> Would it be possible to move our head back through the gap without moving either of our hands away from their respective sigils?
> Do so, then, so we can look back at Mary.
> "I am presently touching the sigil in the shrine as sell as the sigil here. They are two parts of a certain whole. at present, however, I admit I am uncertain as to how to reunite them."
> "The idea occurred to me as a likely solution, but it presents the problem that both sigils are patently attached to their respective surfaces. I do not know how capable I am of touching two wall faces to each other."
>Do we think we can open a gap precisely enough from one sigil to the other sigil? If so:
>"Let me try putting a gap directly from one to the other."
>Remove self from gaps, then close gaps. Open a gap in the middle of the sigil, to the middle of the other sigil.
>Examine hole in wall.
>Close that gap, then open a new one in the same location(s) but aligned perpendicular to the wall(s).
>Close gaps. Open a gap from here providing a view of the humanoid sigil, and another gap from here providing a view of the sigil at the shrine.
>Does it seem realistic to try to remove the part of the wall either sigil is on? Is it possible to slice through things with a gap in a literal manner?
>Try looking at the sigil (the one we're physically next to) through the Solar Disc.
>Also, try holding the disc against the sigil.
>How big is the shrine compared to our normal size?
>Does it seem like we should be able to dismantle it without too much effort whilst at our normal size?
>Could we use our power to seperate the sigils from the wall?
> Given we're now aware that these sigils comprise our wrench, do the patterns mean anything to us?
> Are they all spiraling in the same direction?
> How fast are the spirals moving?
>Open a gap to the shrine perpendicular to, but right up against, the wall.
>Travel through it and try to get the sigil there to follow us like before.
>If successful return through the gap.
>Walk around the shrine a bit, and if it looks like it's started following us then walk through the gap.
> Do we still have our bed sheet?
> Take it out and lay it on the ground.
> Look away from both the sigil and the bedsheet for about thirty seconds, then look back at where the sigil currently is.
> Look away from the sigil and the bedsheet for thirty seconds, then look around for the sigil again.
> Move so our sheet is between us and the sigil, about a yard away from us.
> Look away from the sigil and the bedsheet for thirty seconds, then look around for the sigil again.
> Have we ever seen the sigil on the ceiling or ground?
> Have we ever tried "dragging" the sigil before? Only do the following if we haven't:
>> Approach sigil, touch it, embrace for feeling of being scanned.
>> Slowly drag our finger accross the wall, see if the sigil follows.
> Try again with our eyes closed, drag our fingers across the wall a little and open them up again, see if the sigil has moved.
> Hass the sigil moved to the same place that we moved our fingers to?
> Pick up our blanket
> Hold it up in a relatively clean part of the wall that's close to the sigil, if that doesn't exist, then do the whole touch-the-sigil-close-our-eyes-move-sigil-open-eyes thing until it is relatively close to a cleaner part of the wall.
> Once that's done, with our right hand (we are right-handed right?) hold up the blanket on the wall, try to keep it as close to the wall as possible, with our left hand, touch the sigil, close our eyes and try to drag it on top of the blanket.
> Take the blanket off the wall, is the Sigil on the other side of it? If not, is it on the wall?
>SUCCESS
>Go back through the gap and to the other sigil.
>"Do you remember how the other sigil followed us? I managed to get it to follow onto this sheet." Grin with satisfaction as you display the sigil-sheet to Maribel.
>Place the sigil-sheet against the wall sigil.
> Check the sheet for the sigil.
>Frown. "...I think I'll have to get it to move back onto the wall from the sheet. But, that shouldn't be problematic. It doesn't move if you're watching it, though, so close your eyes for a moment, alright dearie?"
>Move a short distance away from the wall-sigil to some clear wall space, assuming there's some to be found, and press the sigil-side of the sheet against it, closing our eyes. Then, with our other hand, try to drag it back out with the same method we used to try to get it on the sheet in the first place.
>Open eyes, remove sheet, view results.
>Check sheet.
> Put sheet on wall, close eyes, wait for a few more moments and see if the sigil has left the sheet.
> If not... Do we think we could manipulate the uh... border between the sheet and the wall or something?
> What tools would we need to manipulate the border between the sheet and the wall?
>List of acquired tools and their uses please.
>So, uh, the goal seems to be to get these sigils to fit together neatly, right? We've been clever and gotten the sigil onto a bed sheet, and we're able to at least touch them, right?
>What sort of feeling do we get from the sigils besides it being one of our tools?
>Use the pliers to bring the power aspects into union (I think that would be pliers?)
>Oh...
>Um, for the plier thing to work, does the humanoid sigil need to touch the other sigil?
>Press the side of the sheet that doesn't have the sigil on it against the wall.
>Attempt to drag the sigil off the sheet onto the wall.
>Hold the sigil side of the blanket up against the wall.
>Carefully screwdriver the sigil off the blanket and then quickly attempt to stick it to the wall.
>Remove blanket.
> Close eyes, drag humanoid sigil to other sigil.
> Look at it.
> If it's our wrench, try our best to hide the smile.
> And if it is our Wrench, get it. Now.
>"It worked perfectly, though you are more than welcome to keep your eyes closed if you so desire."
> "Some people say you see better with your eyes closed."
> Playful tone.
>Could the weakened borders support a few gaps for the sake of messing with Mary?
>Open a few gaps leading to each other around Mary.
>"No no, of course not. Nothing like that."
>Laugh.
>"You're getting better."
>Remove the gaps.
>"Happy now?"
>"The sigils combined to make something of mine that I had lost."
>"We could investigate the fruit before we check out the large gap."
>"First we'll need to return to our normal size."
>Open a gap to the appropriate locale and return us to normal size.
>Open a gap to the fruit.
>Pick a ripe looking fruit and inspect it closely.
> What do we have in the way of sharp objects?
> "I sense nothing that stands out as good or bad. What do you think?"
> Do we think we could make a cut deep enough that any potential juice would come out with our nails?
>> If so, and in case our nails are too dirty, is there any other low-hanging fruit nearby?
> Pierce the fruit with one of our nails then.
> Can we compare the juice to anything we know?
> Compare juice to the fluid the roots gave out when we cut them.
>"I'm going to try this. If I'm not sick after a while, it should be safe for you to have some."
>Is it possible that the fruit could have a certain amount of poison which is high enough to severely harm a human but low enough that a youkai would not feel adverse effects from it?
>Inventory, specifically marked if it could be useful in interacting with the fruit such as cutting it open.
>How hungry are we?
> Grab another low-hanging fruit, take a deep breath and take a single bit from it.
> Another bite, give it a few more seconds and check for any unusual reactions. Prepare for spicy.
> "It's... really spicy, to say the least."
> "Though it seems safe, it would be better if we got some water to go with these fruits."
> "Are you sure, deary?"
> Does storing food in gaps affect them in any way?
>Leave the pierced one on the floor.
> Can we open a gap to that endless water source from here? If not, is it too far away?
> Regardless, pick up as many fruits as we can, store in gap. Except the pierced one and the one we're eating, of course. Leave the pierced one on the floor.
>About how many trees and fruit are here?
>Where haven't we already gone, again? I know there's places, but I forget. Places we've technically been in but not really explored would count. I'm already aware there may be more to do in color land, for that one.
> Why didn't we go through the one in the wastelands, again?
> Which one is closer to that endless water source, the other gap in this place, or the wasteland gap?
> Any streams that we know of nearby?
> "Shall we keep going, then?"
> Open a gap to an easily accessible stream.
> "For now, to put these fruits to good use, next continue exploring. There is one gap around this forest which I have not examined yet."
> Cross over.
> "Are you sure you don't want to eat, my dear?"
> Regardless of the answer, drink some of the stream's water, so that our mouth isn't burning anymore.
> Let ourselves eat as much as we want, though do leave about 4 for later. Drink from the stream when necessary.
> Take a deep breath and look over to Maribel, how is she doing?
> "Yes deary."
> Get up.
> "Are you?"
> Is there any way to store water in a gap?
>Can we store gases in a gap as well? What about plasma?
> "Then let us proceed."
> Open gap to enlarging gap, head on through, make our way to giant gap.
> Have we already used our magnifying glass on this thing? If not, do so. If yes, remind me of the results.
>Considering the one we just used has the effect of making us gigantic, perhaps we -should- examine that one! Yes, do so.
>But then afterwords, make our way over to the untried giant one and examine that.
> ...is it the same gap? Kinda like that paradox we found back at Genfauxkyo?
> "I'll return as soon as I can."
> Make our way back over to the giant gap.
> Open it and head on through.
>Compare sizes of ourselves, Maribel, and... everything else.
>"everything else" involves looking around, which is also important!
> Does the multicolored sky match that of the floating islands? Maybe we're there.
>Examine a floating rock or two, so long as we don't have to walk around to reach them.
>Does it seem plausible that these could be the floating islands? After all, if it is, that means we could just gap to them now that we know about it.
> "I think...we're at those islands of yours. Or perhaps we are those islands."
> Pull out the magnifying glass and use it as an actual magnifying glass to take a closer look at the island in our hand.
> Well. Given we're now GigaYukari...is it possible that giant fold in the field of fronds was a ginormous gap?
> Using that island as a frame of reference, how would our current size compare to our normal size? Are we the same proportionally as we were in the forest, or larger or smaller?
> Look around. Is there anywhere we can walk?
> What of the gap that brought us here?
>"We might have broken the forest, but that can't be helped. We're likely standing on it. How about a look-see?"
>Crouch/bend/whatnot to peek below the layer of clouds...sky...whatever.
> Resurface.
> "Interesting. It seems we're also still in the forest."
> Could we tell if we were stepping on the shrine?
> "There is definitely a border between the islands and the forest. We just happen to presently be too large for one world to contain us."
> "That seems like a good idea."
> Are there any other gaps around that are our size, aside from the one through which we just came?
> ""The temple or the bridge?"
> How can we affect it? Could we force it to remain open? Could we turn it into a normal gap?
> If we made it a proper gap, could we then use it at our normal size? Or would it be too big?
> Could we work on it while standing in it, as we are now?
> Are there any islands currently out of reach?
> Look mildly shocked.
> "Is it really that close? Do I risk damaging it with my hair when I turn my head?"
> "At our size, it could be. I will try to be careful, though. Tell me to stop moving if I put the island at risk."
> Slowly rotate our torso as far to the left as we comfortable can without moving our feet, then slowly keep rotating our head to the left until we can see the island. Stop if we feel any resistance or if Mary tells us to.
> "I would rather not take any steps if I can avoid it, given the circumstances. Let us try this."
> Bend our legs to squat down a bit. Avoid squatting down so far that our chest would crush the large island we just noticed if such is a danger, however.
> Once we've lowered ourselves a little bit, look at the spot Mary pointed at, turning our head a little bit more if we can and it is needed.
> Examine it further with the Magnifying Glass.
> Could we possibly move this island close enough to another so that, at normal size, we could walk between them?
>Attempt to, but cease if the island seems like it's taking damage.
> "It is in a strange state that makes it impossible to travel to via my normal means. I believe it would be best placed next to an island without such prohibitants, so we can travel to that one as we like and proceed to this one on foot."
> We spotted earlier the now-tiny gap that we first used to get here. Is that affixed in space where it is, or could we move it around?
> Let's say we wanted to move the island the gap is "on" a bit, though keeping it within the same world (and not crossing over into the forest's world). How much time and delicacy would that take?
> How long would it take for us to make the pseudogap between the two worlds a real gap, given we're currently standing in it?
> What would be necessary to make such a gap?
> Would we be able to traverse such a gap when normal-sized?
> Slowly and gently, so as to not disturb the contents of the island, bring the temple island over to the large island with the mountain and the lake bed, so that the surfaces of the land masses are touching at point that would be possible to traverse on foot from one to the other at our normal size.
> Does the area of gap inaccessibility around the temple island extend all the way around the big island?
> "Splendid."
> How many other islands are floating around within reach that we could reasonsbly move without causing much damage? Two, twenty, two hundred, two thousand?
> Slowly, carefully, avoiding crashing into any islands, returns ourselves to our regular standing position.
> "All right. I am going to try to create a permanent passageway between the islands and the forest. This may take a few minutes, at least. Since we are positioned where we are, please try to not move too much."
> What do we need to do to begin the process of turning the pseudo-gap into an actual gap? Should we touch it, or just concentrate on it really hard?
> Can we place it anywhere we want? Or are there any limitations?
> Can we not simply use the existing pseudogap?
> So we could create a normal-sized gap in the forest that connects to a normal-sized gap in the floating islands, since we have the giant pseudo-gap currently wedged open with our bodies?
> Let's find one of the larger islands within reach and gently take hold of it. Don't grab the mountain or temple or gap ones, though.
> Slowly, gently, bring the island down, through the bottom of the sky of this world into the forest world.
>"Hmmm. Good question."
>If we try to move our hands down and away from the island that's been moved to the other world, does it float or does rest it in our hands?
> Let's carefully bend down and have a look-see.
> Resurface without smacking into the island we just placed.
> "We seem to have been successful."
> "Now we set another one."
> How big is the island with the gap we first arrived here through a while ago?
> Let's take and move that one, equally as gently as the last one, very close to the pseudo-gap, but keeping it on this side.
> Did the gap go with it?
> "And now the fun begins."
> Begin constructing a gap that connects the island we just moved to the bottom of this floating island world to the island we pulled into the forest world.
> Nod.
> "I believe our work at this size is finished. Unless there is any other part of this place you feel is noteworthy?"
I HAVE THE WEIRDEST BORDER
> "I wish to do minimal damage to this place. If we can leave without moving anything else around, that would be best. If not, then we will only do what is necessary."
> Look around at some of the nearby islands that we haven't closely examined yet. Do any of then have a "weird border' feeling?
> Give a gentle grin.
> "Ah, I see. Are you thinking of procuring another souvenir?"
> "You do realize I cannot guarantee it will change size with you, yes?"
> "I meant more if it comes with you without changing size."
> "I suppose. Just do be careful if you are holding onto it and it doesn't decide it's going to shrink with you. Which one are you thinking of taking?"
> "Pick one, and I will inspect it."
> Inspect it with the Magnifying Glass.
> "That one will do. Can we experiment a little? When you are ready for me to step back through, hold onto it, but do not pocket it. Keep it where it is."
> "Okay. Brace yourself."
> Open and head back through the gigantic gap that brought us here.
> Could we gap ourselves to the island at our normal size, given we can see where it is?
> Make our way back to the gap that will return us to normal size and head through it.
> "Fascinating! These gaps are something else. A shame their effects would be impossible under normal circumstances."
> "Perhaps. Now, are you ready to explore that temple?"
> "Good. Let's go, then."
> Proceed through the normal-sizing gap.
> Look up to find the floating island we placed in this dimension.
> "A brief glimpse into the life of the Myouren matriarch, in a way."
> How is Mary's humanity holding up?
> Well that's ungood.
> "Shall we test our new travel options?"
> Open a gap to the island we placed high in the sky here and head through it.
> Do we remember where on the island we made the gap into the island dimension?
>Do we expect that distortion to have future repercussions?
> Make our way with Mary to the gap we created.
> Do any of the hills in that direction have reasonably level tops? Or are they all sharp peaks?
> Make a gap to the top of one of the rounded-top hills and head through it.
> Can we see the gap we made from here?
> "Hmm...it should be around here somewhere."
> Look around the immediate vicinity.
> Indicate to the west.
> "Perhaps in that direction?"
> "Where do you feel it from, then?"
> "Ah, my apologies. I misunderstood."
> Does the land flatten out before the cliff, or is it all downward slope?
> Let's walk down there and do just that, then.
> "Aha. I believe our goal is down there."
> Gap ourselves to the bare spot, assuming it's not on the face of the cliff or something.
> Gap ourselves to next to the boulder, then.
>"Oh, good. I found the gap I made."
>Walk over to the gap and open it, before, assuming nothing seems amiss, gesturing at it to Maribel.
>"Shall we?"
>And then ENTRANCE
> Look around in the sky for some other floating islands.
> Can we tell if any of them are the large mountain/drained lake island?
> Is there an immediate obvious path?
> "Ah, good. In which direction did you go to leave this area?"
> "That works. Shall we?"
> Head to the visible edge.
> That's probably them!
> "Aha, there we are."
> Gap ourselves to the larger one.
> "And now the true adventure finally begins."
> Set out on foot toward the edge of our current island that is shoved up against the temple island.
> Let's make our way make our way to the edge and see if we can reasonably climb up onto the temple island.
> Nod.
> "And yet I imagine you are only more excited."
> Gesture to the height difference between the two grounds.
> "We must both get there, first. Will you need some help, or do you think you can climb up this on your own?"
> "All right. Come here and I'll send you over the edge."
> Help Mary get up onto the temple island ground level.
> Does the architecture look at all familiar?
> Let's start making our way toward the center building while talking.
> "It is quite possible. At the very least, there seems to be strong European influence on the design. Who knows how long it has been since anyone or anything was here, though? I have yet to meet any living creature other than yourself."
> How run-down did the shrine look?
> Have we seen any structures in good condition?
> "Indeed. The houses in the fake Gensokyo I found were unstyled and monotonous as well. It rather loudly proposes the questions of who, how, and why these buildings were constructed, wouldn't you say?"
> Stop, if we're moving at present.
> "The fake Gensokyo does not, at the very least. Before we go any further, however, there is something I need to check."
> Attempt to retrieve our magnifying glass.
> We are presently on the temple island, yes? So we were able to open a pocket border to get the Magnifying Glass with no difficulty, despite earlier feelings that such might not work so well here?
> "Good. Let us resume."
> Continue walking toward the center temple.
> "There is something else quite curious on top of what we have already observed. Out of curiosity, when you woke up and found yourself here, did you have anything with you?"
> What would be the disadvantage to taking the direct approach?
> Let's stick to the path, then.
> "Well, for example, were you wearing all of what you are wearing now?"
> And we were wearing nothing when we went to bed before waking up in the cavern?
> "So you haven't found any other clothing of yours, or personal items."
> Nod.
> "When I woke up, I had nothing but my bedsheet. What you see on me now, I have recovered from these various worlds. Undergarments from the cavern, shoes from the forest we were just in, and dress for the fake Gensokyo."
> "Oh, there's no need for concern in that regard. I was not wearing any of this last night when I went to bed. I am more concerned with the scattering of my outfit, as well as several of my personal items that should not have been accessible without my consent."
> Wave the magnifying glass around a little for emphasis on that last part.
> What had we done with our clothes when we went to bed?
> We normally store our tools in pocket dimensions, yes?
> "Where they usually are."
> "I don't know. I would perhaps be willing to chalk it up to a random scattering of things out of spite, but I found this dress at my house in the fake Gensokyo, and despite other garments and linens that I found there being fake, this is the real deal. It even had one of my possessions safely in its pocket, despite all of the other ones I have found so far being horribly mangled and deformed into things like balls of light or clouds."
> "My clothes have been relatively fine. My other non-clothing possessions, not so much. Aside from the one I found in my pocket, of course."
> "Evidently something did. But given what happened to all of my other clothes, and all of my other non-clothes, I find it very hard to believe that my real dress ended up in my fake house, hung where it would normally belong, with a perfectly intact object in its pocket by accident or chance."
> "Nor do I. I wish I had a better idea of what happened here. Hopefully our questions will be answered sooner rather than later, now that we have new places to investigate."
> "The houses had no sense of interior design. They were all the same bland, boring houses, each similar to the last."
> "I asked the Komeiji matriarch to scan myself as a test. During the process, I thought of several things she should have reacted to, but she never did. In fact, she eventually...broke herself somehow, I think."
> "She simply stopped doing anything and went into a sort of catatonic state. I dropped her off with the Lunarians, for whatever good it will do if my theory about that world is correct."
> Recall the circumstances that led to us discovering the gap that led us out of fake Gensokyo in a different location than expected.
> "There was one other thing, yes. When I tried to peer into the Outside World, it was very hazy, and sort of faded away into gray mist, eventually revealing the gap I had used to arrive in the fake Gensokyo in the first place."
> "That is one way to describe it, yes. Where have you seen this sort of thing before?"
> "That is quite possible, given one accepts that the Gensokyo I found is indeed fake."
> Nod.
> "Some of the people there are very good actors if they're fake."
> We haven't, have we?
> "There was one other time, yes. After unsuccessfully trying to take some things out of the fake Gensokyo through the portal,I tried tying a rope to a tree and taking it through. whel it did not follow me through, I looked back into the fake Gensokyo, and saw it dissolving into gray mist-ish."
> "So what exactly did you read about?"
> "So what do you think what I have described means?"
> "Oh, definitely. I'm not sure why it happened that way, however."
>We've been walking towards the temple, right? Are we there yet?
> "Why that gap appeared in two allegedly different places at once. Though I suppose the implication would be that, if that fake Gensokyo is just illusion magic, it was actually the same place and I didn't actually move around the way I thought I did."
> A gap like that wouldn't just move on its own somehow, would it?
> "Hmm, an interesting theory. I do wonder why I was able to find my dress and its contents, however."
> "I meant more in the sense that I moved somewhere, found them, and then moved other places."
> "By more illusions?"
> Have we or Ran had dealings with other fox youkai in the past? Particularly grudges or anything of the sort.
> Besides fox youkai, do we know of anyone capable of making illusions? Especially if they held grudges before. Think even of the people who we think could not have pulled off an illusion of this magnitude.
> Frown.
> "This is most troublesome, to consider that something has the ability to create such an elaborate fake. Particularly given how mindlessly that one sorry excuse for a gap back in the wasteland was created...we may be dealing with more than one perpetrator."
>"However, since none of the illusions were able to travel through the gap to the adjacent world, I feel confident that who or whatever designed the fake Gensokyo is not also responsible for these other worlds, or for bringing us here. "
> "It even successfully faked my shikigami connection with Ran. I'm not sure I like what that being an illusion implies."
>What do we know about the Saigyouji Ayakashi tree?
> Now that we're up closer and personal, let's have a better look at this temple.
> "Regardless, now that we're here, let's get back to the matter at hand."
> Make a sweeping gesture to indicate the temple with a soft smirk.
> "Is it everything you dreamed it would be?"
> "We can find out the old-fashioned way."
> Head into the hall-ish area, aiming toward where the floor seems to descend.
>Examine white tile. Is it exactly in the middle?
>Cautiously approach the white tile and then examine.
>The borders are less unstable, but there's a gap?
>Are they stable enough to calibrate instruments?
>Examine the gap. Is it usable?
> "Interesting. Amidst all of this chaos, we have a functional gap."
> Take out the Magnifying Lens and examine the gap.
> "It is difficult to notice, and it will need some work before it is ready for use, but it is here, yes. Of course, this assumes we want to use it at present. There is still plenty of temple left unexplored."
> How much of the temple have we examined so far?
> Recall other notable buildings on this island that we've seen so far.
>"We might as well poke around this temple while we're here, right?"
>wings, huh? How good would it be to have wings?
>Explore the east wing.
> How big was our glass-ish sun thing again?
> Let's try to retrieve it, then.
> If we successfully do so, lay it in the indentation.
> "Ah, look. Shall we see what happens?"
>Shield our eyes with our fingers and look through the cracks, while backing up.
>"Considering the disc didn't feel magical in the least... your guess is good as mine."
>Since the disc was found shattered in the other world, and we broke through the sky into this one when we got huge... if we had jumped off the floating islands at any point, does it seem like we could have just dropped into the other world? It probably doesn't matter, but it's a curiosity.
>"Agreed."
>Retreat to a safe distance with Maribel.
> Give ourselves a moment to get adjusted, then turn back around and head back up the stairs to look at the disc.
> "Well! How fortuitous. Let us investigate, hmm?"
> Let's make our way over to the light source.
> "Aha. That is one way to make that eye-searing light worth it."
> Restrain ourselves from flipping the fuck out as we head over to it to retrieve it.
> "Yes. Such a large amount, too."
>"Ironically, something so versatile gives me the inclination to save it for an emergent situation, thus preventing its use until then."
>"Well, that was interesting. Let's check out some more of this temple."
>Explore the south wing.
> ...Huh. We haven't either, have we?
> "Indeed. Neither have I. I wonder what significance that holds."
> Let's aim for that less unstable area, then.
> Smile.
> "Very perceptive, dear! There is, in a way. Can you determine where it might be?"
>"Yes, but try feeling it out further, or more completely. "
> Did we ever go through the gap in the bizarre statue room in the caverns where we first awoke? If so, where did it lead?
> "It is indeed very big. What do you know of in this place that is that size?"
> "It is indeed."
> "Any of the other what?"
> Could we use the giant gap fold ish thingamabob for interisland travel by holding onto it? Or do we need something more solid to attach ourselves to in order to overcome gravity?
> "I can try to find out."
> Let's see what we can feel along the giant gap fold, then.
> "Ahh, what do we have here?"
> Look in that direction. Can we make out said island?
> Do we recognize which island it is based on its position in the sky?
> Point in the direction of the island in question.
> "There. Do you see that island?"
> "Yes. There appears to be a gap on that island as well."
>"You're right, we haven't finished exploring this temple and the gap in the middle of it."
>The long gap also leads somewhere, right? Would it be difficult to go through it?
> What part of this temple have we not explored yet?
> "Well, shall we then?"
> Proceed to the northern wing.
> This isn't our doing, is it?
>Is any of the debri high enough we could get up to the hole in the roof? The borders are too unstable to gap there, right?
> How stable does the pile look?
> Could we at least see out onto the roof if we climbed the pile, even if it would be an adventure getting through the hole?
> We don't sense anything unusual either, do we?
>"I was debating how I might get onto the roof through that hole."
> "Oh, it certainly is, and I wouldn't blame you for staying on the ground. I think it is scalable with enough caution, however."
>Carefully attempt to climb up enough to be able to look out the hole in the roof.
>Do we think we could get up onto the roof? I suppose if our shoulders are through the hole it should be pretty managable, though.
>For that matter, could we safely balance ourselves and move about on the roof if we managed to get onto it?
> Can we tell, having now seen it from above and below, what material(s) the roof is made of?
> And what material is supporting that clay? Surely not just the stone columns?
> Grab the roof in preparation to pull ourselves, but don't actually pull ourselves through the hole yet. Let's give the strength and stability of where we're grabbing a quick test first.
> Let's pull ourselves up onto the roof, then, and hope for the best.
> Head toward the peak of the roof, taking ginger steps along the way and testing each step to make sure it's sturdy enough that we won't put a hole through the roof.
>Approach the stability area, assuming there is no issues with doing so
>Examine the stability more closely with the magnifying glass.
>Put our ear inside the stability.
>Are we above the gap inside the temple?
> What were the other two sound bubble instruments again?
> Where is that bubble? Do we have it in our inventory, or did we leave it back in the forest?
>Could this be what is providing the stability for the gap in the temple?
> What could we do with this drumbeat gap, given the current state of environmental affairs?
> How would we go about moving the bubble?
> Could we perhaps lift it?
> Does keeping the bubble intact and tactile require anything other than focusing on doing so?
> How secure is our footing currently on the roof?
> Let's try to lift it with both hands, then.
> Let's keep that tactile feeling in our hands as we turn around and face the way we came.
> Head back along the peak of the roof to the point where we first reached it coming up from below.
> Could we put the bubble down and have it hold itself together?
> How steep is the grade of the roof?
> How much damage would we do to the bubble by walking into it and then out of it on the other side?
> Gently put the bubble down on the slanted part of the roof, but not in a place where it crosses over into the exact part of the roof we traveled up the first time around.
> Start making our way down the slant of the roof along the support path we took up the slant earlier, but do not go so far that we can no longer reach the drum bubble.
> Turn back toward the drum bubble and gently pick it up again.
> Turn back around and gently place the bubble lower on the roof, not obstructing our path down the support.
> Make our way further down the support path, but not so far that the bubble is out of reach.
> Repeat this process of moving the bubble until we arrive at the hole in the roof again.
> "Yes, as it turns out. I discovered a new instrument, possibly to be added to those we left in the forest."
> If it isn't already, gently place the bubble in a place where we could reach it through the hole from the rubble pile.
> Climb back down through the hole onto the rubble pile.
> Is our footing at least secure now?
> Let's get more secure, then, shifting around the peak if needed. Don't want to grab the bubble only to fall down.
> Nothing for it, then. Let's gently take the bubble off the roof.
> Make our way down the debris pile the same way we made it down the slanted roof, picking up and putting down the bubble as needed to keep it coming with is.
> "There we are. Have a listen, if you like."
> "Yes. I think this would be worth bringing to the other stringed instruments back in the forest. It is a bit delicate, though, so it would be best if we were able to get to a place where I could store it for later use."
> About how long did it take to get from the edge of this island to this center temple?
> "All right. Disconnect from the drums and I will take it again, and we can be on our way back the way we came."
>So, has the quest's database been updated with DDC information yet?
> What do we know of Raiko Horikawa?
>A relative of Kogasa who happens to resemble a palette-swap of Yuuka
>Mentally compare Kogasa and Yuuka.
> Does this bubble float in mid-air?
> So we could conceivably just push it along instead of carrying it?
> How disruptive would casual conversation be to our ability to concentrate on not popping the bubble?
> Take up a position that will allow us to push the bubble along, and start heading back the way we first came to this central temple.
> "So it seems we have several exploring options available to us. What do you think we should investigate first?"
> Nod.
> "This is true. In that case, I think it may be best to deal with our new drum here before investigating either of the new gaps we have found."
> We're presumably bringing the drum bubble with us, yes?
> "So we are then left with the question of which of two gaps to explore, the one in this temple, or the one on the other island I noticed."
> Nod.
> "I was thinking of that one for that reason, yes."
>Proceed to area with more stable borders.
>Store drum-bubble in gap.
>"That's that dealt with, now let's investigate this other gap then shall we?"
>Open a gap to gap-island.
> Blink.
> "Right, yes."
> Close the gap we just opened and open a different one to the forested island that has the perma-gap we made that will lead us back to the forest region.
> The instability is? Well, that's not good.
> Let's head through the gap, though. We can worry about the instability later.
> "Oh my. Are you all right?"
>After making sure Maribel's okay, check for what she could have tripped on.
> Frown. "Ah, my sympathies. You will be okay to keep going onward, I hope?"
>"Very well, this isn't exactly the best place to incapacitate yourself; as I'm sure you're aware."
>Where in relation to where we are now is the area with the music bubbles?
>Could we gap there?
> Do we remember where the gap on this island is?
> Nod.
> Head on through the gap back to the forest dimension.
> Gap ourselves on down to where the music bubble is.
> "Now, let's see here..."
> Pull out the drum bubble.
> "I certainly hope not."
> Give the drum another listen, and then give the shamisen/lyre pseudo-combo another listen. How do they match up rhythmically?
> While combining the drums with the stringed instruments, could we adjust their tempos at all?
> Unfortunate. Let's combine the drums with the strings in the same matter that we combined the strings earlier, then.
> Let's have another listen.
> Pull out, smile and gesture toward the bubble.
> "It seems the composition is starting to come together. Would you like to have a listen? Be gentle entering it, though."
> Pardoning the pun, how well-versed are we with musical knowledge?
> "Can you think of anything that might be missing?"
> What, in our pseudo-professional opinion, might be missing, then? Perhaps a flute or other woodwind, like Mary suggests? Maybe vocals? Something else entirely?
> List of unexplored gaps.
> Nod.
> "A flute might be nice, yes. Or perhaps some brass, or even a voice. But I suspect we'll find the answer sooner or later. Shall we resume our exploration?"
>Obtain the sphere of music.
> Didn't we obtain that giant Kosan machine thing? Are the environmental circumstances different enough now that we're no longer capable of doing that?
>Would it be easier to move it without obtaining it?
> "I would have liked to have taken this with me for safe-keeping, but I fear it may be too unwieldy in its current state."
>"Now there's an idea.I knew I kept you around for something *cackle*"
>Would our magic gap-wielding ability be more able to handle large things if we were large?
> If we embiggened ourselves and added the music bubble to our inventory, and then returned ourselves to normal size, would this process shrink the music bubble?
> Frown.
> "It does some with the unfortunate side effect of shrinking the music, however."
> "If we come across another instrument and we want to add it to the song on the fly."
> "I doubt it would be a problem if we came across another small instrument. It could be a problem if we came across a regular-sized instrument, though."
> Is that possible?
>Would it be possible to replicate the effect of these size affecting gaps?
> Could we do that without risking damage?
> Would we be able to store it if we made it long and thin?
> Would such a transformation harm it?
> How would such a transformation be done?
> List of said ways.
>Examine music box with magnifying lens.
> Let's say we make the border long and thin, as previously desired. Could we then safely bend it back and forth, as in a repeated S pattern?
>Which would be more helpful: having all but one or two of our tools in our inventory, or one of them being used by Maribel?
>Would we be able to use the pliers to alter the shape of the music bubble?
>Could we compress it with the pliers?
>Attempt to make the music bubble small enough to fit in a storage gap using the pliers.
>Stow music.
>"There we go, now we won't have to come back here every time. Let's investigate that gap on the floating island shall we?"
>Travel to the floating islands.
>Gap to where we remember detecting the gap.
>The one that wasn't in the temple that we detected from a distance away.
>Take a deep breath, put on our brave face, and make a very thorough mental note to watch our step.
>Can we detect the gap from here?
>"No, at least not other than more of those damnable roots."
>Compose ourself.
>Look for the gap.
> Keep our composure.
> "This way."
> Start carefully making our way to the gap, avoid roots like death itself. Because they probably are death.
> Are we in a position and close enough to use the pliers on it?
> Would using the pliers risk us getting too close to a root?
> "Ah, here we are."
> Do everything our willpower allows us to hide our dread of the roots from our voice.
>Apply pliers to gap.
> Apply Magnifying Glass to gap. Can we see what's on the other side?
>"Well, let's see what's on the other side."
>Quickly step through.
> Do our absolute darnest to keep composure.
> "I am here, deary."
> Carefully try to extend our arm in Mary's direction and touch her, don't do this in case our hand is trembling due to roots.
> "Be careful, we seem to be surrounded by these damnable roots."
> Can we see a path? At all?
>Just remember Yukari, we cannot let Mary see us frightened.
>"There's a corridor over this way."
>Lead the way, carefully.
> We were in an earthy rooty place once before. Does this look like the same place?
>"Hmm, you raise a fair point. Would you mind if I went ahead by myself for a bit? I don't really want to leave any stone unturned, so to speak."
>"Very well, hopefully this doesn't take too long."
>Proceed down tunnel.
> Is there a safe walking passage to said metal?
> But we don't have to step on any roots to get there?
> Let us gingerly make our way toward the shine, then.
> Do we think we can acquire it without touching any roots, just by extending our arm and getting it?
> Well great.
> Do we have anything we think would be sharp enough to cut the roots at a reasonable distance?
> Do we think we can manipulated the borders in here in a such a way as to "cut" them?
> Deep breath to calm ourselves down.
> Pull out magnifying glass, examine roots more closely.
> So basically, the roots are all part of one big entity, made essentially out of memories, the most fundamental form of faith and a desire to destroy without reason?
> With all of this in mind, can we hazard a guess at why these roots... Bleed when damaged, so to speak?
> The desire to destroy was described as "simple and human". Is it possibly this is human-made?
> Given these roots hurt us due to overwhelming faith, could Mary safely touch them in her current state?
> Look deeper into this corridor of roots, do they seem to get even more concentrated in that direction?
> Is it possible that this "entity" has a sort of "heart"? Where most of the roots are located?
> Now that we have a better idea of what these things are, could they be the cause of this screwed up dimension?
> Do we think this entity could've caused that completely-screwed-up-not-border that we examined with the Magnifying Glass before? I believe it was right before we finished with the Color World.
> Can we tell what any of those memories are of?
> Are the roots simply physically holding our vice grip in place? Or is there something more supernatural than that going on?
> Could we circle around it and see it from the back, or are there too many roots and/or an earthen wall in the way?
> Given what we now know about the roots, could we sever them, as previously considered?
> How would we go about doing this?
>Could we open a very precise gap to gap-storage so that the item would fall into it but not any of the roots?
>Let's go stabbity stabbity with the screwdriver at the roots then. Erm. Using gaps between their borders to break them, that is.
> Could we now grab them?
>Attempt to pry the root-bits off the Vice-Grips with the end of our screwdriver.
>Can we have it fall into a item-storage gap?
>Do so.
>Can we tell what it would take to cleanse the taint from our tool?
>Gather up our things and return to Maribel.
>"We're done here let's go."
>Escape from this personal hell.
>Gather up our things and return to Maribel.
>"We're done here let's go."
>Escape from this personal hell.
> Did we hear whining?
> Retrace back our memories, do we think we may have slipped and whined without really noticing?
> If not: "I didn't hear anything, deary."
> We did mention about our tools to Maribel, right?
> "I managed to find another one of my tools entangled by the roots, I managed to retrieve it, but it is - unfortunately - still covered by them."
> List of unexplored gaps.
> "Though...hmm. There was a point where I had to sever a couple of roots. When exactly did you hear this noise?"
> Which one of these gaps did we need the Vise-Grips for?
> From here, do we know a way to the Crystal Palace?
> Would it be faster to go from here to the rocky wastes, then?
> When we were in the possibly-fake Gensokyo, did we ever see any roots?
> Does the cavern we woke up in connect to the forest with the size-changing gaps?
> Does the cavern we woke up in connect to the floating islands?
> Does forest with the size-changing gaps connect to the field of fronds?
> How many of the starting cavern gaps have we not gone through?
> How many of said gaps have we gone through, and where did they lead, aside form the wrecked buildings?
> How did we first get to the earthy rooty area, and what object was there?
> Gap to messe-up temple gap, or as close to it as we can.
> List of tools that we have yet to recover.
> List of clothes and related articles that we have yet to recover.
>De-root Vice-grips with Screwdriver.
> Retrieve vice-grips from inventory using our sleeve or the skirt of our dress to pick up and hold them, then use the screwdriver to peel off the roots.
> Take our hand out and look inside the gap. Try not to look too much in pain.
> And we didn't even touch anything?
> Close the gap, and look back at the temple. Is there somewhere we can shelter ourselves from the wind, like a doorway or an overhanging roof?
> "Why don't we step out of this wind for a moment?"
> Gesture for Mary to follow us towards the nearest column.
> Discretely inspect fingers before wiping them on the inside of our sleeve.
> Do we know what we touched?
> Now that we're out of the wind, let's try opening the storage gap again, and see if we can tilt it slightly towards the ground. Maybe we can shake out some of our items.
> Agh....put everything back save for the screwdriver and the items that have been tainted by the roots.
> Pick up the screwdriver with our good hand and start scraping away the ichor and roots from the vice grips.
> Continue prying the roots away, and when that's done, start scraping off the ichor.
> "Hm?"
> "Oh?"
> Pause and take a look at the ichor.