Rumia Quest VI: Succession [Complete]

[Raikaria]

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

> You find books starting with B, and swiftly find the Bunbunmaru. It takes a bit longer to sort through the issues, but eventually you find the one mentioned before, with a full body shot of the Yakumo Clan, and the headline 'Interview with Yukari Yakumo'.

> You notice Kosuzu is next to you, also scanning the bookshelf. However, the book she is currently holding has strange markings on... certainly not Japanese... yet they look familiar.

[Hanzo K.]

>Familiar, yet not japanese...Makai perhaps? Let's grab the thing we came for, and slip over for a closer look.

[Raikaria]

>Familiar, yet not japanese...Makai perhaps? Let's grab the thing we came for, and slip over for a closer look.

> You pick up the issue of the Bunbunmaru, and look closer at the book Kosuzu is holding.

> "I don't know why you're so curious about that book. You can't read it. I don't know exactly what language it's in, but this demon book isn't in any language of this world. I can only read it because of my ability to decipher anything."

> Regardless of what the girl says, you understand what the book is. It's a Grimore from one of Makai's residents, either one made by Shinki or one of the magicians who moved there. The written language is certainly ringing bells in your head, from being seen in the past. That said, you doubt she knows you're from Makai.

> You wonder if Alice's Grimoire is in the same language, or Japanese. It would make sense Marisa never tried to steal it if it's illegible to her.

[Hanzo K.]

>"I'm interested because it's from the same place I'm from. That language is Makaian, I'd know it anywhere. There's two possibilities here. Either Shinki herself wrote it, or it's one written by one of the many Magicians who moved there to further their studies."

[Raikaria]

>"I'm interested because it's from the same place I'm from. That language is Makaian, I'd know it anywhere. There's two possibilities here. Either Shinki herself wrote it, or it's one written by one of the many Magicians who moved there to further their studies."

> Kotesu moves her hand to show the author.

> The author is none other than Byakuren Hijiri.

[Hanzo K.]

>"Well, that's a shocker! Hijiri herself wrote this one! Wonder if she knows it's here?"

[Raikaria]

>"Well, that's a shocker! Hijiri herself wrote this one! Wonder if she knows it's here?"

> "She was sealed in Makai for 1,000 years. What else do you think she did for 1,000 years?" Kotesu says. "If I was a magician sealed in a world even more brimming with magic than Gensokyo with nothing better to do, I'd probably write things down too. I don't understand a lot of the terms used in it, however, and it makes a lot of references to other books she wrote before, things that need future research, and some 'Shinki' person. Just because I can decipher books doesn't mean I fully understand them, especially when this is just a fragment of a series."

> Kotesu turns the book, and you see on the spine is says 'Volume XVII'

> "Anyway... how can you read this?"

[Hanzo K.]

>"Whoa. That's one doozy of a set. But about Shinki, she's THE big cheese down in Makai. The one who created it even."
>"Also, you'd have to be a magician to really get the gist of what the book's got to say. Grimoires are pretty useless to folks who aren't magicians. At least, that's what I've heard."

[Raikaria]

>"Whoa. That's one doozy of a set. But about Shinki, she's THE big cheese down in Makai. The one who created it even."
>"Also, you'd have to be a magician to really get the gist of what the book's got to say. Grimoires are pretty useless to folks who aren't magicians. At least, that's what I've heard."

> "Shinki's in charge of Makai. OK, that would make sense then, but it sounds like she taught Byakuren."

> "You still haven't answered my question you know. Is there a reason you're avoiding it?"

[Hanzo K.]

>"Oh, that's because I'm from Makai. I already told you that earlier. It was a part of my answer as to why I was interested in it. 'I'm interested because it's from the same place I'm from.'"

[Raikaria]

>"Oh, that's because I'm from Makai. I already told you that earlier. It was a part of my answer as to why I was interested in it. 'I'm interested because it's from the same place I'm from.'"

> "Oh! I'm an idiot!" the young girl says. "I didn't put one and one together! I spend so much time reading I'm not great with listening, sorry!"

> The girl holds out her hand. "Sorry about all that. Kosuzu Motoori. I work here."

[Hanzo K.]

>Let's shake her hand as well. "Name's Rumia. I guess you could call me one of Gensokyo's 'Prime-time Individuals'. I'm what you call a 'fixer'. Stuff goes wrong on a Gensokyo-wide scale? I'm usually one of the ones at the forefront of things tryin' to set things right."

[Raikaria]

>Let's shake her hand as well. "Name's Rumia. I guess you could call me one of Gensokyo's 'Prime-time Individuals'. I'm what you call a 'fixer'. Stuff goes wrong on a Gensokyo-wide scale? I'm usually one of the ones at the forefront of things tryin' to set things right."

> The girl smiles. "Ah, so you're like a youkai Reimu-san then?"

> You have never heard anyone use any honorifics about Reimu,

[Hanzo K.]

>"Uh, I guess you could call it that. You know about those more recent incidents over the past two or so years? I was resolving most of 'em. And in one case, I was actually intended as a weapon in one of them. Shinki was culprit, and thought she could use me as her little 'Attack Dog' like she used to before I ended up in Gensokyo. She soon learned that I turned over a new leaf so to speak."

[Raikaria]

>"Uh, I guess you could call it that. You know about those more recent incidents over the past two or so years? I was resolving most of 'em. And in one case, I was actually intended as a weapon in one of them. Shinki was culprit, and thought she could use me as her little 'Attack Dog' like she used to before I ended up in Gensokyo. She soon learned that I turned over a new leaf so to speak."

> "I'm aware of the stuff that's happened. I do work here, after all, plenty of time to read the chronicles."

> At this point, Akyu re-enters the room.

[Hanzo K.]

>Grin a bit. "So you already know about me then eh? Then again, I'm probably smaller than you expected, huh?"
>We can resume our more mature form while keeping our power suppressed to how it is now, right?

[Raikaria]

>Grin a bit. "So you already know about me then eh? Then again, I'm probably smaller than you expected, huh?"
>We can resume our more mature form while keeping our power suppressed to how it is now, right?

> You cannot resume your adult form unless you let a bit of your power out. You fully suppress it in the village usually, which 're-seals' your form. Still, you only need to release a little of your energy to assume your adult form, and, after all, there's only Akyu and Kosuzu here.

> "I heard Youkai can hold back their powers and take various forms. Humans can't do things like that." Kosuzu says.

> "Anyway, since this is Hijiri's, maybe you should take it to her!" Kosuzu says, holding out the book.

> "Wait, that's Hijiri's book? Wasn't that one a donation by Rinnosuke that he found on the border?" Akyu says.

> "It's from the time when she was in Makai, she probably left the book there and it got back to Gensokyo somehow."

[Hanzo K.]

>Let's let just a little smidge slip out. just barely enough to resume our adult form. It shouldn't be enough to cause Keine to worry since she knows we're with Akyu, who already knows about us. "This here's how I usually look outside the Village, but you probably already knew that eh?"
>Then nod. "If it's okay with you, then I'll run the book to her when I see her sometime. I know someone who'll be visiting her that I can hand the book off to if I run into her. Looks like it's number....17? Mages always did use that old-school system. Wonder how many more there are?"
>Beat.
>"Wait, you said Rinnosuke donated this? Maybe he's got some of the others then. I'd be willing to bet Byakuren's got a few of them already, but she probably lost a few if this one ended up here."

[Raikaria]

>Let's let just a little smidge slip out. just barely enough to resume our adult form. It shouldn't be enough to cause Keine to worry since she knows we're with Akyu, who already knows about us. "This here's how I usually look outside the Village, but you probably already knew that eh?"
>Then nod. "If it's okay with you, then I'll run the book to her when I see her sometime. I know someone who'll be visiting her that I can hand the book off to if I run into her. Looks like it's number....17? Mages always did use that old-school system. Wonder how many more there are?"
>Beat.
>"Wait, you said Rinnosuke donated this? Maybe he's got some of the others then. I'd be willing to bet Byakuren's got a few of them already, but she probably lost a few if this one ended up here."

> You let a small amount of your power out, and assume your real form. Kosuzu looks almost envious.

> "Good. No need to go out of your way, after all." Akyu says, before she sighs. "Kosuzu, I know no-one else but Keine reads the Chronicles. Keep what I put in today a secret until Keine lets the village know, OK? Seriously, I doubt anyone would believe you anyway."

> "OK." the girl says.

> "Knowing a thousand years of Byakuren's knowledge? I'd wager that's far from the final installment." Akyu comments.

> "Yes, Rinnosuke always donates any books he finds here." Kosuzu says.

[Hanzo K.]

>And back to suppressing. "You're still young for a human yeah? There's still a chance you'll grow to be good-looking too."
>"Hmm....If we consider that she might've written a book a year then....There's at least 1000. But, if each book took 10 years to write, then there's....Help me out here, how many would that be in that case?"

[Raikaria]

>And back to suppressing. "You're still young for a human yeah? There's still a chance you'll grow to be good-looking too."
>"Hmm....If we consider that she might've written a book a year then....There's at least 1000. But, if each book took 10 years to write, then there's....Help me out here, how many would that be in that case?"

> You go back to your child form.

> Kosuzu huffs and looks away. You presume she's no older than 14.

> "It would be 100. However, we're assuming she was writing at a steady pace. I assume her earlier ones, when she was adjusting to Makai and coming to terms with what happened, would have been far slower." Akyu says.

[Hanzo K.]

>"So we're looking at a ballpark estimate of 50-100 then. That's a lot of grimoires huh? I'm gonna be busy then huh?"
>Then grin at Akyu. "But don't worry, it ain't any trouble at all. I can pass it off to Dai if I gotta. I know I'll be busy with what I promised Yukari, but I think I can work it in. I'll have to show the new kid around anyhow, so visiting Byakuren's as good a next stop as any after bringing her here. So it's pretty much on the way."

[Raikaria]

>"So we're looking at a ballpark estimate of 50-100 then. That's a lot of grimoires huh? I'm gonna be busy then huh?"
>Then grin at Akyu. "But don't worry, it ain't any trouble at all. I can pass it off to Dai if I gotta. I know I'll be busy with what I promised Yukari, but I think I can work it in. I'll have to show the new kid around anyhow, so visiting Byakuren's as good a next stop as any after bringing her here. So it's pretty much on the way."

> "Maybe." Akyu says.

> "I guess the fairy can deliver it."

> "Wait, a fairy can deliver a book?" Kosuzu asks.

> "Long story." Akyu says.

[Hanzo K.]

>"Let's just say that she's not your average Fairy. Learns magic down at the SDM y'know, sharp as a whip she is. I'm just muscle, she's brains."
>Grin in our usual goofball way. "But that doesn't stop me from having good schemes every now and again, it comes naturally with bein' a Youkai I guess."

[Raikaria]

>"Let's just say that she's not your average Fairy. Learns magic down at the SDM y'know, sharp as a whip she is. I'm just muscle, she's brains."
>Grin in our usual goofball way. "But that doesn't stop me from having good schemes every now and again, it comes naturally with bein' a Youkai I guess."

> Akyu dopeslaps you.

> "You're not an idiot. Cirno's the idiot."

[Hanzo K.]

>Grin. "True. But Dai and Mysty were always the brains of the outfit. That still hasn't changed even nowadays. Dai's just moreso."
>Beat.
>"That reminds me! I need to take those two kids to Mysty's too! No better way to give 'em a good welcome to Gensokyo than treatin' 'em to a Deluxe BBQ Eel Bowl! Gahahaha!"

[Raikaria]

>Grin. "True. But Dai and Mysty were always the brains of the outfit. That still hasn't changed even nowadays. Dai's just moreso."
>Beat.
>"That reminds me! I need to take those two kids to Mysty's too! No better way to give 'em a good welcome to Gensokyo than treatin' 'em to a Deluxe BBQ Eel Bowl! Gahahaha!"

> "Maybe, I don't know too much about the dynamics of your group." Akyu says.

> "That would be a good idea, I guess."

> "Wait, what two?" Kosuzu asks.

> "Two humans who came through the border today, more or less in front of Rumia." Akyu explains.

> "Well, I think I'll go back to reading, there was another book I wanted to look at today, and cross-reference with another demon book." Kosuzu says, walking back to the bookshelfs.

[Hanzo K.]

>Give Akyu an amused look with a raised eyebrow. "Well, I gotta get this picture to those two kids, pick them up to bring 'em to the village, and then deliver that book to Byakuren or Dai."

[Raikaria]

>Give Akyu an amused look with a raised eyebrow. "Well, I gotta get this picture to those two kids, pick them up to bring 'em to the village, and then deliver that book to Byakuren or Dai."

> "Seems like it. Get going then, the longer they're out there without you the more chance something bad happens to them." Akyu says.

[Hanzo K.]

>Nod. "Yeah. "Seeya later you guys!"
>Let's grab that grimoire if we haven't already, and stash it with the newspaper, and book it to the Lake!