Rumia Quest VI: Succession [Complete]

[Raikaria]

>Let's knock! "Oooi, you home?"

> You hear movement inside the house, before the door opens.


Keine Kamishirasawa
Half-Human Mayor

> "Hmm, what brings you to my house Rumia? I thought you'd be dealing with Rika causing trouble or something, or at Mystia's." Keine asks. She sounds pleasantly surprised.

> Of note is that you are in your child form right now, so you don't scare the human children. A child-like youkai is a lot less scary for them than an adult-looking youkai.

[Darkoda]

>"Already ran into Rika. She built a stalker tank to track me now; she even named it S.T.A.L.K.E.R."
>Are we sure that this isn't Rika being a really crazy form of tsundere? Not that that would be any better though.....
>"But we've got two new humans from outside, and one of them is a spitting image of a younger Yukari. Got her powers and everything."

[Raikaria]

>"Already ran into Rika. She built a stalker tank to track me now; she even named it S.T.A.L.K.E.R."
>Are we sure that this isn't Rika being a really crazy form of tsundere? Not that that would be any better though.....
>"But we've got two new humans from outside, and one of them is a spitting image of a younger Yukari. Got her powers and everything."

> Keine raises an eyebrow, and sighs. "She's getting even more insane, I'm sure of it."

> You think Rika is just completely insane. And determined.

> "Wait, a younger-looking Yukari with the same powers? Are you sure this isn't Yukari fooling around?" Keine says, before she shakes her head. "No, wait, Akyu said she died two and a half days ago, and she's not wrong about these sorts of things."

> Keine sighs.

> "I've still not broken the news to the village. Keep quiet about that around anyone but me and Akyu."

[Hanzo K.]

>Nod. "Hey, I'm no gossip after all."
>"I'm pretty sure that this kid's the one Yukari mentioned before she...Well, you know. 'Her Descendant'."

[Raikaria]

>Nod. "Hey, I'm no gossip after all."
>"I'm pretty sure that this kid's the one Yukari mentioned before she...Well, you know. 'Her Descendant'."

> "I didn't know Yukari mentioned a descendant." Keine says.

[Hanzo K.]

>"Keep it hush-hush. You know how Yukari is, always has a backup plan. And I'd be willing to bet a year's-worth of Deluxe Eel Bowls down at Mysty's that this kid's her 'Final Backup'. She doesn't really behave anything like Yukari though."
>Grin. "She's sharp as a whip though, had Rika pegged within minutes of meeting her."

[Raikaria]

>"Keep it hush-hush. You know how Yukari is, always has a backup plan. And I'd be willing to bet a year's-worth of Deluxe Eel Bowls down at Mysty's that this kid's her 'Final Backup'. She doesn't really behave anything like Yukari though."
>Grin. "She's sharp as a whip though, had Rika pegged within minutes of meeting her."

> "Pegging Rika isn't difficult. She outright admits she is mad..." Keine says.

> "Anyway, you mentioned there were two humans, what about the other one?" Keine asks.

[Hanzo K.]

>"Seemed pretty normal, one of her friends from the outside I think. But if she hangs out with that kid, I'd be willing to bet she's got some kinda ability herself."
>Grin. "The kid that looks like Yukari actually scared Rika off by mentioning how she got here."
>"She said, and I quote." Put on our best Rika impression. "'Well this changes plans, I may be nuts but I know better than to mess with what could be the next Yukari. You lucked out Rumia!'"
>And back to normal. "And then I made her blast off. As per usual."

[Raikaria]

>"Seemed pretty normal, one of her friends from the outside I think. But if she hangs out with that kid, I'd be willing to bet she's got some kinda ability herself."
>Grin. "The kid that looks like Yukari actually scared Rika off by mentioning how she got here."
>"She said, and I quote." Put on our best Rika impression. "'Well this changes plans, I may be nuts but I know better than to mess with what could be the next Yukari. You lucked out Rumia!'"
>And back to normal. "And then I made her blast off. As per usual."

> Keine smiles a little.

> Then you feel the force of her headbutting you.

> "And you didn't think to bring them here?! You know, the safest place for humans?" Keine says angrily. "Where are they now, and why have you left them to come here, you've still not explained that!"

> You hate it when Keine acts happy and kind specifically to make you let your guard down for a headbutt. The worst thing is it works every time.

[Hanzo K.]

>"Owww.....They couldn't fly y'know. They're down at the Lakeshore. They'll be safe there since it's Dai's and Cirno's turf. Plus I think I might've seen that one goddess from the mountain around there, the frog one, Suwako. So I'd say they're safe. It was better than leaving 'em sitting around my place at least"
>"A-anyhow, I came to see if you had an old issue of the Bunbunmaru, or something else that's got a full or in-color picture of Yukari. I was going to show her that."

[Raikaria]

>"Owww.....They couldn't fly y'know. They're down at the Lakeshore. They'll be safe there since it's Dai's and Cirno's turf. Plus I think I might've seen that one goddess from the mountain around there, the frog one, Suwako. So I'd say they're safe. It was better than leaving 'em sitting around my place at least"
>"A-anyhow, I came to see if you had an old issue of the Bunbunmaru, or something else that's got a full or in-color picture of Yukari. I was going to show her that."

> Keine grumbles about fairies, although when you mention Suwako might still be there from fixing the lake from last night, she calms down.

> "You'll have to ask Akyu, she's the one who chronicles everything. Failing that, maybe the library has one." Keine says.

[Hanzo K.]

>Nod. "I'll be sure to do that."
>Even if we're one of Gensokyo's Greatest, it still hurts. Bet Yukari even hated getting bopped like that.

[Raikaria]

>Nod. "I'll be sure to do that."
>Even if we're one of Gensokyo's Greatest, it still hurts. Bet Yukari even hated getting bopped like that.

> "Good, Akyu will most likely be in her house. Oh, and if anything happens to those humans, I'll seek you out on you-know-what-night. And I'll bring Mokou too." Keine says.

> You swear it's a trait of hakutaku that their headbutts hurt anything. You'd wager Keine could headbutt Yuyuko or Mima and they'd get hurt despite being ghosts.

[Hanzo K.]

>Wince. "Ouch. Don't worry, I'm sure they're alright. I think Dai would've sent a messenger by now if something did."
>Nod. "Well, I'll get outta your hair and go see Akyu now. She was one of the other folks I figured would have what I'm after anyhow, I just figured to visit you first. Seeya again some other time. Or not, who knows? Later!"
>Let's wave back at her as we make for Akyu's.

[Raikaria]

>Wince. "Ouch. Don't worry, I'm sure they're alright. I think Dai would've sent a messenger by now if something did."
>Nod. "Well, I'll get outta your hair and go see Akyu now. She was one of the other folks I figured would have what I'm after anyhow, I just figured to visit you first. Seeya again some other time. Or not, who knows? Later!"
>Let's wave back at her as we make for Akyu's.

> Keine just nods, and merely says 'Good'.

> You head off to Akyu's when you recall you don't actually know where she lives. You look until you find a house with 'Hieda' on it's door, which you presume is either hers or a relative's.

[Hanzo K.]

>Let's head up to the door and knock then.

[Raikaria]

>Let's head up to the door and knock then.

> You knock on the door, and it opens, revealing a young woman.



Hieda no Akyu
Perfect Memory of 1,200 years

> The woman raises an eyebrow. "What would bring you here, I wonder. The last time I saw you, was when Heida no Aichi saw you killing Reimu's Grandmother, and being sealed by the Late Mistress Yakumo."

> You note that the statement conflicts with itself, as she claimed she saw you, yet didn't give her name.

[Hanzo K.]

>"Uh...Wha..? I'm confused now."

[Raikaria]

>"Uh...Wha..? I'm confused now."

> "Oh, every time I die I reincarnate several years later, and I recall everything I have seen across all my lives. I am the ninth reincarnation, or 10th altogether. The downside is my lifespan is shorter every time, but it is still multiple times that of a normal human." Akyu explains. "The previous incarnation of myself saw your rampage when you entered Gensokyo. I have technically lived for about 1,200 years."

[Hanzo K.]

>"...Oh. So then you're Akyu, right? Keine said you might have what I'm looking for then."
>Beat.
>"Oh, don't worry about me going crazy again though, I have Yukari to thank for me essentially becoming who I am today. I don't really even need the seal anymore to keep balanced, I just use it so the kids don't get scared when i visit."

[Raikaria]

>"...Oh. So then you're Akyu, right? Keine said you might have what I'm looking for then."
>Beat.
>"Oh, don't worry about me going crazy again though, I have Yukari to thank for me essentially becoming who I am today. I don't really even need the seal anymore to keep balanced, I just use it so the kids don't get scared when i visit."

> You don't use the seal, you just transform yourself back into your child form, and compress your own power down. Youkai know how to suppress their own powers to sneak up without detection. Especially the strong ones. Byakuren is almost constantly suppressing her vast powers, or else she'd scare almost everyone away just by existing in her temple.

> "Yes, I am Akyu, and don't worry, I know about the events in-between when I last physically saw you as well. Now then, what brings you to my doorstep?"

[Hanzo K.]

>That strong....Wonder how she'd be if she decided to not hold herself back once? She'd probably give even Yuuka a run for her money in the sheer strength register.
>"I was wondering if you had a full-color picture of Yukari or something of the like. Someone showed up that looks almost exactly like her, and I'm pretty sure she's the one Yukari told me about in her last moments. Her final backup plan. I was planning on showing it to her."

[Raikaria]

>That strong....Wonder how she'd be if she decided to not hold herself back once? She'd probably give even Yuuka a run for her money in the sheer strength register.
>"I was wondering if you had a full-color picture of Yukari or something of the like. Someone showed up that looks almost exactly like her, and I'm pretty sure she's the one Yukari told me about in her last moments. Her final backup plan. I was planning on showing it to her."

> Youkai can be detected by their simple power compared to humans, and the different aura they give off. Youkai tell youkai apart from humans with it. Without it, Byakuren could probably be felt from miles away, and would scare away anyone who was capable of feeling her power. Pretty much the only youkai you know who doesn't stop their power from flaring out like a lightbulb is Yuuka... but as you found out last night she technically isn't even a Youkai... and it's probably a good thing she doesn't hide her presence.

> If you were not suppressing your power right now, regardless of youkai being allowed in the village or not these days, people would probably be running from you out of sheer instinct.

> "Well, I don't keep them in my house, I have limited room after all, but I do make a point of chronicling them in the library. I believe there was an article with an 'interview' with the late Yakumo about a year and a quarter ago, although, Yukari was hardly clear with anything she said." Akyu says.

[Hanzo K.]

>Yeah, that was a big shocker about what she really is. But at least she's back to being just the usual overly-hammy and enigmatic sadist we've always known her as.
>...We'll have to figure out some way to deal damage to the divine, on the off chance there's a repeat, or some other Lost Divine shows up and has a freakout.
>Nod. "Keine said that would be another place to check. I figured you'd have the answers if she didn't. Guess it paid off."

[Raikaria]

>Yeah, that was a big shocker about what she really is. But at least she's back to being just the usual overly-hammy and enigmatic sadist we've always known her as.
>...We'll have to figure out some way to deal damage to the divine, on the off chance there's a repeat, or some other Lost Divine shows up and has a freakout.
>Nod. "Keine said that would be another place to check. I figured you'd have the answers if she didn't. Guess it paid off."

> You're not sure if Yuuka counts as hammy, you know far hammier characters. Like Rika. And Cirno.

> You guess you should ask Shinki if she has any artifacts she made or something next time you see her. Or if she can even un-create and re-create you to make you a product of herself, and not the Heart.

> "Yes. Shall I save you the time of looking and come with you? While I have little use for reference myself, remembering everything I see flawlessly, I do have to put some more scrolls there." Akyu says.

[Hanzo K.]

>Nod. "Alright, I guess we'll both go then. Seeing as we both have reasons to be there. I'll wait for you to grab the scrolls then."
>If she has to go get them, then we'll wait for her.
>Otherwise, if she already has them, we'll get going with her.

[Raikaria]

>Nod. "Alright, I guess we'll both go then. Seeing as we both have reasons to be there. I'll wait for you to grab the scrolls then."
>If she has to go get them, then we'll wait for her.
>Otherwise, if she already has them, we'll get going with her.

> Akyu walks back inside for a few moments, and comes back holding three scrolls.

> "Luckily, I live almost right next to the library." Akyu says as she starts to walk down the street, and pretty much leads you around the street corner and the library is right in front of you.

> Akyu takes you into the library. It's not Voile, but that's only so huge because of Sakuya messing with space-time, for humans, this building is pretty impressive in size.

> Despite this, there are not too many people in the library, in fact, you can only see one. She looks over, and, after seeing Akyu, quickly puts the book she was reading down and picks up another one from the pile she likely previously made on the ground.



> "Welcome to Suzunaan." Akyu says.

[Hanzo K.]

>"Wow...It's not as big as Voile, but man is it big by human standards. Wonder if Dai knows about this place...It's just the sort of quiet, out of the way place she'd like y'know."
>"..So, uh, where's what I'm looking for anyhow?"

[Raikaria]

>"Wow...It's not as big as Voile, but man is it big by human standards. Wonder if Dai knows about this place...It's just the sort of quiet, out of the way place she'd like y'know."
>"..So, uh, where's what I'm looking for anyhow?"

> "I'm surprised you're impressed by this place. It's a bit run-down, to be fair, because not many humans have an interest in readying these says, except myself, Keine, and Kosuzu over there." Akyu says, before adding, "You know fairies are not allowed in the village, since they have bad habits of causing havoc wherever they go and have little to no self control, I doubt Daiyousei knows of this place. Even if she became the exception to the rule, it would inevitably cause many more fairies to ty and enter if they found out she could."

> "Things here are ordered alphabetically, unless someone moves things. Look for bigger things starting with 'B' and you'll find the Bunbunmaru. It's in issue order from there." Akyu says. "Now, I need to go and put these scrolls in the Gensokyo Chronicles."

> Akyu walks off into another room.

[Hanzo K.]

>"Okay...now to get to looking."
>Let's do as she said, and search for stuff sorted in the B section.