~Hakurei Shrine~ > Patchouli's Scarlet Library
The Oncoming Storm
The Dratini Farmer:
Alight, so since my semester is starting to run down, I finally got time to make my own fic. I have had this idea in my head for a while, especially playing Arma 2. So I'm going to invoke Rule 50. Everything goes with everything. Construct criticism and questions are welcomed.
Prologue
It was cold today. Both the weather and the mood of the city didn't feel welcoming. There was the noise of a city, but no warmth from all the people on their daily business. Maribel Hearn and Renko Usami were surprised at how different New York City was in person than from the movies and television shows that they grew up with. They were near Times Square when they came across a newsstand. Maribel bought the day's newspaper. On this one, the front page headline was what popped out at them. Classified CIA documents leaked about Gensokyo campaign. The article went on to explain that the Central Intelligence Agency had being compromised when a secure document was sent to every major newspaper on the east coast. The document detailed the weaponry being used by Gensokyo. It was a mix of modern, outdated, and even experimental weapons. There was also a picture of what was cited as a Russian SU-47 Berkut fighter taken during a reconnaissance mission.
?Reading about the war, huh?? Maribel and Renko jumped but relaxed when the newsstand owner laughed. ?I didn't mean to scare both of you like that. You two don't look like you're from around here. Where you two from??
Renko thought fast. ?We're students from South Korea.?
?South Korea, huh? My brother's stationed over there. Anyway, what do both of you think about the war??
?We have been hearing a lot of different things. We really don't know what to believe.? Maribel said.
?I know the feeling. Nobody ever heard about this Genskoyo place before any of this. Now we're at war with them. And I don't even know what's with the place. The news said that monsters walk around, people fly like birds, and that there's magic there. Sounds like something from a kids show. Something like My pink pony or something. But let me tell you this. I have never seen friendship turn someone into a frog. So where's the magic in that??
Maribel and Renko sneak a quick glance at each other.
?Anyway, one morning I'm eating breakfast and watching the news when I see them announce that we're invading Gensokyo. It was going to be a fast run and everyone will be home by Christmas and some other stuff. And we're not the only ones there. To think such a small place can hold almost every other country off like that...?.
The rush of lunch hour cut his train of thought as he had to attend to other customers. Maribel folded up the newspaper and put it into her purse. Renko adjusted her hat, hiding the fact that she was scanning the surrounding crowds. She had her hand in her purse, absentmindedly holding a Colt .45 pistol hidden there. Satisfied that they were not being watched, Renko lead Maribel to a pizzeria near the giant televised screen. On the way, a Marine in dress uniform flashed Maribel a smile that caused her to blush. Renko just smiled and shook her head. After they arrived and were eating, they watched the 24 hour news broadcast on the small television above the counter. Renko was the first one to break the silence.
?So far, nobody seems to really know why all of this is happening. Just that a strange land appeared and almost every nation on the planet is attacking it. And they know what kind of weapons we're using. But, I still can't figure out how they can attack.?
Maribel nodded, ?That's the main problem isn't it? Why did Gensokyo just appear, the barrier should have kept it hidden. Either Lady Yukari doesn't know, or it seems like she doesn't want to tell anybody. The latter seems more likely.?
Renko was taking a sip from her soda when something attracted her attention. She saw a glint of light and when she looked closer, it came off a pistol partly hidden under a man's jacket. The hairs on the back of her neck rose and her mind went almost completely blank. Just one thought remained, to protect Maribel and get to the extraction point. From that thought, multiple scenarios were tested and rejected. Maribel noticed her best friend stiffen and knew something was up. She looks out the window and notices the man in the reflection. He reaches to touch his ear and moves his mouth. Deciding to plan for a quick escape, she sends a quick text message. The next few seconds seem to last for minutes until her phone vibrates. She sees a number and gives Renko a discreet nod. Acting as normal as possible, they leave the restaurant and head away from the square. Walking in seemingly random directions for ten minutes seems to have shaken their tail off. They make their way to a certain spot in a subway maintance hallway while looking behind. Seeing the coast is clear, Maribel dials a number. A purple gap appears and a kitsune walks out. She bows to the pair.
?So, have you completed your objective??
Renko nods. ?We managed to find out more than we expected. I have some papers that Lady Yukari would be interest in seeing.?
Before Ran Yakumo could respond, a bullet flies past her head and creates sparks as it ricochets off the wall next to her. Running towards them is the man from the restaurant, along with a group of soldiers in full battle gear.
"STOP!!! Stop or we will fire on you!"
"A little too late for that, isn't it?" Ran snarls.
Renko pulls out her Colt and fires a few shots as she guides Maribel into the gap. As she gets into the gap, she squeezes Renko's hand comfortingly. Renko returns the gesture and gives her the same promise that the always do when in danger, the promise of coming back alive. The shots purposely miss because Renko knows Maribel is still uneasy with the possibility of killing a person. Ran pulls out a Heckler and Koch G36 and drops to a knee. She sprays bullets and forces the soldiers to duck behind the pillars on the sides of the hallway. They return fire but can't aim due to the volume of bullets. Unlike the bullets coming towards them, the ones that Renko and Ran shoot are bright blue with white cores. Once she makes sure Renko and Maribel are safely in the gap, Ran jumps back in. The gap immediately closes, leaving a very angry National Security Agent and a team of soliders in a hallway.
The Dratini Farmer:
Here's the first real chapter. I'm planning on making this a long story. It's a bit slow to start out, but I promise to make it worth it when I finally get done setting everything up. Like I said before, questions and comments are always welcomed.
One year earlier...
It was a nice spring day at the Hakueri Shrine. The shrine maiden of paradise, Remiu Hakueri was performing her regular duties, which mainly involved sweeping and drinking tea. She would have preferred to have been alone, but as usual, her closest friend, the ordinary magician, Marisa Kirisame, had decided to come over and pester her. Lunch time finally came around, so Marisa volunteered to make some miso stew. Remiu knew that the witch usually didn't offer to make lunch, she usually shared what Remiu ate. They sat there, enjoying the spring air and idle chatter. Neither of them brought up the uneasy feeling in the pits of their stomachs.
Over at the Yakumo household, Yukari Yakumo's faithful servant, Ran Yakumo was spending a rare free afternoon solving complex math problems. Since she had to deal with her master's usually vague and confusing orders, having something as absolute as math was a great way to unwind. Her natural skill at math also helped. As part of an earlier errand, she had to visit the Kourindou item shop. While she was there, she had spotted an aged textbook that called out to her. When she inspected it, she discovered it was a textbook about projectiles from the outside world. It had calculations for bullets, artillery rounds, and various other weapons. She was intrigued and was able to barter for it. The kitsune was amazed at how much math was required just for little pieces of metal to hit a particular space. Being the math genius she was, she had memorized every formula after half a day of reading. Reading the book, she wondered if there would be any chance at all to put what she learned to a practical application.
Unbeknownst to her servant, Yukari Yakumo was concerned. She felt something off about the Hakueri Barrier. But, every time she had went to inspect it herself, there were no faults. Yukari had also been sensing a atmosphere of unrest from the outside world. She know that the outside was always on edge but, this felt different. It felt as if it were a warning. The youkai of boundaries had always known that the barrier would not last forever and had planned for it. The one thing that she had not accounted for was her attachment. She had originally planned to create another paradise. Now, she would defend this land with her last breath. This would mean that all of her plans would have to change. After a few minutes of thinking, she knew what she had to do. Her first step would to take a little field trip.
To Rinnosuke Morichika, reading a book was the best thing to do in spring. That would be exactly what he would be doing if he hadn't had found a long wooden box when he returned from the village. It had strange writing on the side and was somewhat heavy. The shopkeeper had attempted to pry it open with his hands but ended up having to use the sword that he had bartered from Marisa so long ago. What he found inside made him pause. It was a long piece of wood with metal in the middle. The wood was a dark brown. There was a sling going from the front to the back. There were ten of them, alternating facing the left and right. Rinnosuke pulls one out and inspects it. Somehow, he knew not to point the open end at anything he cared about. He brings it up to and sees that there is a knob that he can move. He messes with it and when he opens and closes it, it makes a noise that promises power. Then it hits him. He remembers reading a book about outside technology. About how they fight without magic. He lays the thing on the table and searches for the book. After a few minutes, he finds it and opens it to the page he remembers. He was right, this was a rifle. A weapon developed to fight from a distance without using magic. And this was not any ordinary rifle. It was known as a Mosin Nagant rifle. He was amazed by it's history. According to Hieda no Akyuu, Gensokyo was founded in the year 1885. The design of this rifle went back all the way to 1891. He decided to keep this under warps for now. He was afraid that if any of them got out in Gensokyo's present state, it would not be pretty. He was sure that there was no ill will, but he wasn't ready to risk it. That left one more question, why would something like this cross the barrier?
It was rare for vampires to be up at this time of the day. But Remilia Scarlet wasn't just any regular vampire. As the head of the Scarlet Devil Mansion, she didn't have to follow any rules. But, ever since the Scarlet Devil Incident, she had been more willing to follow the norms of Gensokyo. Every time Remilia looks back at that incident, she smiles a little. Enjoying a cup of midday tea in her dining room, she remembers every detail of that incident. It was the first time she could use spell cards without having to quit because her opponent either ran away in terror or lost interest and began to fly around in slow circles. And while she was unable to block out the sun permanently, it still solved a very disturbing problem. One that involved her head maid, Sakuya Izayoi. While Sakuya had always been pleasant to the inhabitants of the mansion, she had been cold towards others.
Years before...
Being defeated by the shrine maiden in front of her master, she had expected a severe punishment. When Remilia pulled her to the side after being defeated herself, Sakuya had felt her heart drop. For the first time in years she felt tears in her eyes and dropped to her knees. What happened next surprised her. Remilia, instead of dealing the expected punishment, embraced her. After a few minutes, her master pulled out a handkerchief and wiped her tears away. She then leaned in so their foreheads were resting against each other.
"Sakuya, you don't have to worry about anything. They're not going to kill us like that angry mob wanted to when we had to leave France. Not all humans are like that. I know you did your best. You always do. I saw you trying to fight Remiu off. You pushed yourself so much. But you're still human. You're the same as that shrine maiden and that magician. I want you to promise that you'll do your best to get to know both of them. It'll be good for you. Right now, all you know are youkai. Don't worry, I'm not letting you go. I can't let such a great maid get away. Are you fine with this?”
Throughout Remilia's speech, Sakuya was in a state of shock. Then she realized that her master was wanting her to be happy. To be able to stand by her side and to remember why she had wanted to stay human. She nodded. Remilia smiled and helped Sakuya stand back up. The vampire fixed the maid's hair and gave her a second embrace.
"Remember that promise you made me? The one about always being there for me?”
Sakuya nodded.
"I'm going to hold you to it. Now, come on. We're going to need my parasol. Remiu's having tea back at her shrine and we're both invited.”
With a renewed vigor, Sakuya gave a quick curtsy and went to retrieve the parasol.
The present
Remilia was pulled out of her flashback by a friend's arrival. The One-Week Wizard, Patchouli Knowledge, took the seat next to her. She had her usual book with her but had a troubled look on her face.
"What's wrong, Patchy? You're not one to be bothered by anything.”
"Something has been feeling off lately. Alice was over earlier and said the same thing. It seems most of the youkai have been feeling the same way. There's rumors saying that it's the barrier but that red-white should have already done something about it.”
"So it's even more obvious than I thought,” an unexpected voice said.
Surprised, Remilia jumps out of her chair and jumps away from the voice. Patchouli is too busy having a coughing fit to do anything else. Standing before them is Yukari Yakumo. She has her parasol off to the side with multiple knives sticking out of it and has a very surprised maid behind her. Sensing no bad intent from the gap youkai, Remilia relaxes and Sakuya recovers her knives.
"Forgive my intrusion but I'm on a tight schedule today. And we really need to talk.” Yukari creates a small gap and throws her parasol into it. “So what do you say?”
Regaining her aristocratic upbringing, Remilia offers her a seat and returns to sipping her tea. Sakuya serves them a fresh batch and leaves a plate of strawberry tea cookies.
"You usually don't visit us, Yukari. Last time you needed something, we ended up on the moon.” Remilia shrugged. “But I will admit that it was interesting.”
"This time, it's a little more serious than just a little moon trip. You and Patchouli have already noticed that something is wrong with the barrier. My inspections have not revealed any problems. So I wanted to offer you some advice and some instructions.” She leaned forward. “We all know that the outside world is not at it's best right know. There is an atmosphere of war around the entire planet. If something were to happen to the barrier, there would be nothing to stop the outside from coming into Gensokyo. If that were to ever be the case, the spell card rules would be a hindrance.”
Remilia scowled. “Are you telling us that we may have to disregard spell cards? Have you told Remiu about this?”
"She doesn't need to know about this yet. There is still a chance that the barrier will hold. But I would like to plan for every eventuality.”
"And if the spell card rules don't work, what then?”
"Humans have advanced past the stage of using bows and arrows. While we can't exactly be killed by their weapons as they are right now, they still have that knowledge somewhere. The main point is that we may have to learn how to use their weapons against them to even out the odds.” Yukari pulled out a book from a gap. “Here's a gift. I got this book the last time I went to the outside world. It details many of what we can expect if worse comes to worse.”
It was a field manual. It was over four inches thick. Patchouli began to flip through it and sometimes would frown even more.
Yukari stood up. “Thank you for your hospitality. I wish I could stay but, I have other stops to make before the end of the day. Should this get worse, I want to be able to call upon this household. Can I do that?”
Remilia nodded. “I suppose. If something were to happen, the Scarlet Devil Mansion may be in danger as well.”
"With that, I will take my leave.” Yukari did a small bow and disappeared into a gap.
Langley, Virginia, United States
Two bored looking men were sitting in front of multiple screens. They had boxes of Chinese take out in front of them and were paying more attention to a tablet instead of the satellite images behind it. They only looked up when an alarm went off.
"I hope it's not another bird going on the dish. I am not cleaning that up.”
"I'll rock, paper, scissors you for not doing it.”
"Deal...hold up. Take a look at this.”
The screen was showing a remote region in northern Japan. What had triggered the arm were small dots moving quickly above the region. One of the technicians flips the switch and converts the image to thermal. They zoom in and are astonished at what they find. They see that the dots are human shaped and are too fast to be walking. They are coming up to a ravine and just move over it. The twists and turns they make are impossible for someone walking.
"What is this, I don't even...”
Then they were even more surprised when a large heat blast came from one of those dots. Seeing this one of the men takes the top off of his drink and smells it. He then places it under his partner's nose.
"What are you doing?”
"Just smell it. Does it smell like alcohol? I swear I been clean, man.”
"Get that back on the desk. We need to send this up higher. They probably got a better idea of what this is then we do.” He checks the data readout. “That was some high energy. I don't think you can get that much energy without a jet engine or something. Let me see if I can see what this dot is.”
The screen became blurry then sharpened. The two men received their third surprise of the night.
"Is that a...a witch on a broom!?!”
The Dratini Farmer:
Yukari had just finished having tea at Hakugyokurou when she decided to go on a walk with her best friend, Yuyuko Saigyouji. Both of them were enjoying the cherry blossoms when they felt someone watching them. Yukari takes a discrete glance around her but doesn't spot anything. She reaches in a gap and takes out a spyglass. She looks up at the sky and sees a faint haze. Beyond that haze, she can barely make out something moving. She stares at it and recognizes it. She wore a sad smile on her face as she put away the instrument. Yuyuko sees this and sighs, ?So, it's happening faster than you thought. Have you finished your preparations??
Yukari nodded. ?I did what I could. But I still need to talk to Reimu and Marisa. The tengu and the kappa didn't see it at first but came around. The Moriya shrine figured it out before I finished explaining it to them. The Lunarians in the Bamboo Forest are ready to contribute what they can. Everyone else still needs more time, but should be ready before all of this falls. It's too bad that the barrier is failing faster than I expected. ?
?You do know that the Yama is not going to be happy about this. She's probably going to lecture both of us when she founds out.?
?Those lectures are for your own good. And I wish one of you would have told me before it was already underway.?
?Speak of the devil, and she shall appear.? Yukari bowed slightly. ?I was going to tell you but there was tea and cookies and I lost track of time.?
Eiki Shiki, the highest judge of paradise, shook her head. ?I swear, Yukari, you lie almost as much as Marisa does. But I'm not here to lecture either of you tonight. I know that the barrier will be gone soon. And I know that the outside world will probably attack Gensokyo. The other yamas have already spoken to me about this. They want us to disperse before this happens.?
?What about you, Lady Shiki?? Yuyuko had to address Eiki formally because she was technically her superior.
?I'll say this: Gensokyo has existed as a paradise for more than 150 years. Even in that short of time, both humans and youkai have learned how to coexist and love this land. While the other yamas want to avoid bloodshed, they want us to avoid it like cowards. I cannot do that. I have come to love this land as well. I know that the consequences of this are going to be tough. But as a yama, I must do what is right. So, you can count me and the rest of Higan in for the long run.?
Yukari bowed her head again. ?While I am grateful for your help, won't this put you at odds with the other yamas??
?I'm not worried about that now. If there's no Gensokyo, then who am I supposed to judge? Am I supposed to turn back into a statue? If I have to, at the end of this conflict, I'll turn in my letter of resignation from the office of the yamaxanadu. But, that will be after I can be sure that Gensokyo is safe.?
This was the one thing that Yukari least expected. It was common knowledge that her job was the only thing Eiki loved. She could do without the hat, the Rod of Remorse, but not being able to do what she loved was another matter entirely. Her job was not just about lecturing sinners, it was about helping them avoid the fires of hell and making a difference. It was what made her who she was. Even on her breaks and vacations, she still did her best to lead misguided souls to enlightenment. To be willing to put even that on the line meant that she understood how serious this incident was. Yukari couldn't help but step forward and embrace her.
?Thank you. I know this is a lot for you. But, I only want this on one condition.?
It was Eiki's turn to be surprised.
?I want your word that, after this is over, you keep your office. I may not have met any other yamas, but I think everyone would prefer to have one that they know, rather then one that might not care as much as you do. I will admit that we don't like being lectured but, deep down we know that you're right. And I will give you my word that I would do whatever it takes to help you if the other yamas take exception to this.?
Langley, Virginia, United States
Meetings weren't usually the worst part of the day. Even for the Chief of Staff of the Central Intelligence Agency, waking up and dragging himself out of bed every morning was the worst part. Even with coffee, it never got any better. But, today was different. The Director and deputy director were both late for their early morning meeting. Normally, he would have complained, but a box of powdered donuts kept him quiet. He was almost through the 12 pack when the missing links appeared. The Associate Deputy Director was playing on his cell phone and was visibly annoyed to having to stop. The Director cleared his throat, ?Gentlemen and Gentlewomen, I received a very unusual report on my desk this morning.?
The rest of the room paid polite attention but were more focused on the snacks on the table. The Director pulled a flash drive out of his pocket and inserted it into his computer. He brought up a file on the projector. ?About one week ago, two technicians on the night shift reported high amounts of energy coming from a area in the northern region of Japan. Upon further investigation, they saw what they could only describe as a witch.?
The room was silent. Everyone was expecting some sort of punchline but none came. ?All of you heard right. A witch. The ones that wear big hats and fly around on brooms and cast magic and all of that great stuff. I would have told those two to take a few days off if is wasn't for this data.?
He brought up a recording of a satellite image.
?As you can see, these dots are human sized and are not hampered at all by the thick vegetation of the area. In just a few seconds you will see a high amount of energy being released from one of the dots.? He paused so they could pay attention when it happened. ?After I reviewed this, I took the liberty of asking the Air Force to fly a drone over the area to make sure it wasn't just some college prank. It found what looked to be a haze over the area and something else.? Images from the reconnaissance appeared on the computer. One stood out the most, this one was of what appeared to be two women looking up at the camera. One had a what looked like an antique telescope and was wearing a white ruffled dress. The other had a blue dress and what appeared to be lights around her.
?To be able to spot a drone at night that high up is almost impossible. We would have been able to get more pictures but there was something interfering with the drone. The Air Force has assured me that there was nothing wrong with the drone. That leaves only one explanation: there is someone that doesn't want to be seen in that area. We have asked the Japanese government about that area but they say that it is just wilderness. They cite legends of monsters as the reason that area is deserted. Then we have this next image.?
This one showed what appeared to be two large snakes. There was something that looked like a person with a ring of rope behind them in between them. Facing then was another person with could only describe a high energy sword.
?I can't really explain this. Our detection of other high energy and radiation indicates that there is a credible threat. Our next step is to brief the president on this and see if we can get boots on the ground. He'll probably want to go the diplomatic path. I still want operatives in the middle of this. However, we're going to be on a tight schedule. If we could see this, everyone else can too. The last thing we need are the North Koreans or the Russians taking advantage of this. This amount of radiation can only come from a power source. So here's the underlying point. There could be another unchecked nuclear power on the planet. One that we may have to deal with. May God help us if it's another whack job dictator like North Korea's.?
The Dratini Farmer:
Back in Gensokyo, Reimu was waiting for her water to heat up. A cup of tea always made time go by faster. Since Marisa was off vising Flandre Scarlet, Reimu didn't have to worry about half of her food disappearing. Naps were always great after a cup of tea. When a gap opened in front of her, she barely stopped herself from throwing needles into it out of annoyance.
?Dammit, Yukari. Why do you always have to come by to ruin a perfectly good nap??
?You were taking a nap? Don't you usually have a bit of drool on the side of your face when you fall asleep??
Reimu couldn't stop herself from blushing in embarrassment and anger. She turned away and began to wipe at the side of her face. ?How do you know I drool? I mean, I don't drool. Not that I've ever drooled before in my life. Never. Have you been watching me when I sleep!?!?
?Aw, you're so cute when you're like that. And even more cuter when you're asleep. Anyway, we need to talk. It has something to do with the barrier.? Yukari's face darkened. ?It might not last too much longer.?
Reimu stopped her sputtering. ?The barrier feels find to me. And I'm still here.? Her eyes narrowed. ?Don't tell me you been messing around with the barrier again. Ever since that spring incident-?
?The spring incident was different. I messed with that because Yuyuko asked me to. There was no real danger. I told you all this before, remember? I've been having a strange feeling about the barrier. I've inspected it a few times and haven't found anything wrong. I thought it was nothing, and it really seemed like it. Until a few nights ago. Yuyuko and I were out for a walk when I found evidence that the outside world could see us. If they can see us, then the barrier won't be able to keep them out for much longer. I'm surprised that you haven't noticed anything yet.?
?I noticed. I had a feeling in my gut, but I thought it was that bird that Marisa cooked the other day. So what now? If there's no barrier, then won't Gensokyo cease to exist??
?The land we're on won't disappear. We'll still be here. It really won't be any different except for the fact that anybody can just walk here. But what I'm worried about are the people outside. They have advanced a lot since Gensokyo was sealed off. But they still fear anything different. Look around you, Reimu. All of your friends, the vampires, the ghosts, the Lunarians, all of them are different. You're different. Do you think we'll all be accepted with open arms? There is a lot of conflict outside, and we will be drawn into it. Especially with that crow youkai underground.?
?You talking about Utsuho, aren't you? What does she got to do with this??
?The outside world is very suspicious of nuclear power. Only a handful of people have access to it. And they really don't like sharing it. And I wouldn't put it past them to know that we have nuclear power, too. They may come to take it by force. We have to be ready.?
?We have the spell card rules. So we should be good, right??
Yukari shook her head sadly. ?They don't play by the spell card rules out there. They have weapons that will kill. And they don't hesitate to use them. Right know, we're at a disadvantage. Since you're the one that really controls the spell card rules, I wanted you to know that we can't relay on it if this happens.?
?Then what? What could we possibly have to defend against this? It's not like we can use magic to kill.?
?That's exactly what we have, Reimu. We're going to have to use our magic to kill. The youkai won't have any problems with this. But I know all the humans will. That's why I have something else. I know that Kourindou has got a shipment of just what we need.?
One gap field trip later...
Rinnosuke couldn't catch a break. But it wasn't all bad. Even though he was a little afraid that Flandre would have crushed him without a second thought, she really was a nice kid when it finally came down to it. He was sure that as long as she kept herself under control, that she would get to know more people. As soon as they left, the shopkeeper had started to lay back. He was smiling a little because of Flandre telling him to stop at the mansion anytime he wanted. So much for the fearsome image of vampires, he thought. How can she be so friendly when her sister-
?Rinnosuke, you got two customers standing in front of you and you're off daydreaming?, a familiar voice rang out.
He almost fell out of his seat but wasn't surprised to see Remiu and Yukari in front of him. He sighed and put his book down. At this rate, he would never finish. ?You just missed Marisa and Flandre. They're heading back to the Scarlet Devil Mansion if you want to catch up with them.?
?We're here for something else.? Yukari had a smile that Rinnosuke found somewhat disturbing. ?We're here to see that crate you found a few days ago.?
He could have slapped himself. How could he have forgotten who was in charge of the barrier? ?So it was you. You're the one that brought that crate over the barrier. What exactly do you plan on doing with those rifles??
Remiu was confused by all of this. ?You promised me an explanation, Yukari. Is this what's going to replace the spell cards??
?Rinnosuke, why don't you be a gentlemen and bring that crate out here for us?? Yukari added a wink for good measure.
The besieged shopkeeper could only sigh as he went to the back. When he returned, he had a large crate on his right shoulder. Yukari opened a gap and pulled out a dark green metal box. She opened it and took out small pointed metal cylinders. She then went to the crate, opened it and pulled out one of the rifles. ?I think we should do this outside.?
She leads Reimu and Rinnosuke outside and looks around. She sees a tree about 500 yards away. ?Remiu, do you see that knot on that tree down there??
It takes the shrine maiden a few seconds to make it out. At that distance, it was almost too small to see. She nods and looks at the rifle in Yukari's hands. The gap youkai smiles and puts one of the bullets in the rifle. ?What I put into this rifle is called a bullet. This is what they use in the outside world to fight at long distances. This weapon will kill most humans with one hit. Youkai can take a bit more shots to go down, but will feel terrible pain. Remember that knot over there? I going to hit it with one shot. But first...? She reaches into another gap and pulls out what looks like a long knife. ?This is what's called a bayonet. Whenever someone would get too close, this rifle can be used as a spear. It also makes it more accurate.? With some trouble, she manages to attach and twist it. She brings the rifle up to her shoulder. ?Both of you may want to cover your ears for this.?
Rinnosuke covers his ears but Remiu doesn't. She can't see how a piece of metal with a knife and cylinder would want her to cover her ears. It's not like it's going to sing or-
BOOM
Remiu could only stand in shock as the rifle basically exploded. Out at the end away from Yukari, a huge fireball appeared, it was strong enough to cause a shock wave to appear in front of her. Her ears were ringing so she couldn't really hear what Yukari was saying. After a few more seconds, it finally went away.
?I told you to cover your ears didn't I? Didn't you notice how careful I was with this thing? Now do you understand what we're dealing with? Take a look at that knot down there. Go on, you'll have to get closer to see.?
Remiu flew closer to the tree and saw that the knot had a hole dead center. It had gone straight through. Yukari landed next to her. She still had the rifle. Remiu couldn't help but feel a little uneasy.
?Don't worry. You'll get used to it. Here, have a go at it.? She handed Remiu the rifle. ?Hold it like this.? She stepped behind Remiu and adjusted her stance. The shrine maiden couldn't help but blush at how close Yukari was. It helped her get over the uneasiness too. Yukari whispered, ?Keep a firm grip on the front. When you pull the trigger, do it gently. Try it now. Don't worry, it can't fire until we cycle the bolt.? She opened the bolt and Reimu jumped when the shell casing was ejected. ?Don't be so jumpy, Remiu.? Yukari placed a new round in the chamber. She closed the bolt and guided Reimu's hands. ?Now try to fire the shot.? Since Reimu knew what to expect, she was better able to handle the shock wave and fireball. The rifle did kick against her shoulder a bit, but it was a lot less then she expected. She then cycled the bolt herself.
?See? That wasn't so bad, was it? What do you think?? Yukari took the rifle from Reimu.
?It's strong. So we just aim and shoot??
?That's about it. The crate has ten, and I can get more. I'm planning on arming most of the areas around here. The kappa probably know how to modify some more weapons when I get it to them. And we do need someone to keep track of them.?
Rinnosuke knew he couldn't get away. But, he was interested in all of the technology from the outside world. He nodded and went back towards his shop.
Situation Room, White House, Washington, DC, United States
It was quiet all around the table. All eyes were on the screen at the very front. On that screen were readouts and maps. The Director of the CIA was pacing in front of the screen, armed with a laser pointer. ?That's the extent of all of our information. Since the Japanese government don't know anything about the area, I suggest that we get them to allow us to send our investigators in. We all know that Japan is a responsible nuclear power, but since they claim not to know anything, that may be a problem.?
The Secretary of State stood up. ?I hope your not suggesting that we ask all of our allies for detailed information about every little thing. Do you know what kind of international incident that could cause? Out foreign policy would take a severe hit. Most everybody is suspicious of us already.?
This time the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff hopped in. ?We all now that Japan is one of our closest allies. They are a proud and honorable people. I don't see them lying to us about something like this. They know that we can find out as soon as that thing comes online. We have to be open to the possibility that maybe another entity has created nuclear power in that area. You did say that the area was deserted.?
?Fine points all around, gentlemen.? The room's temperature fell dramatically. It was the CIA director that was speaking. And he was going to remind everyone in the room why he was the United State's spymaster. ?Recently, my agents have uncovered startling new evidence that this area may be housing a threat.?
He produced a file. It was a thick file, almost 2 inches thick. He slammed it down on the desk. ?We have intercepted communications from the area that point to a large scale military buildup, one that is equivalent to an army. Our satellites have taken pictures of what appear to be factories and training grounds that were hidden. I believe that it would be reasonable to consider that we may have a rouge nuclear power.?
?Director, I hope you have solid proof for these accusations.? Every eye turned to face the President of the United States. ?If you don't, I have the feeling that you may have overstepped your boundaries.?
?Mr. President, I have readouts that show a disturbingly high level of energy coming from the area. This image, which was what first alerted us, shows an energy and heat signal that was equivalent to
several atomic bombs. And it was being used multiple times against a moving target. A moving target that happened to be human.?
The room was even more silent then before. ?Are you telling me that this could be a civil war? One with both human rights violations and nuclear weapons?? The President asked.
?It looks that way, Mr. President. We are morally obligated to take action. I suggest that it be soon. Since we can see it, everyone else can as well. It won't be long before the media runs away with this.?
?We've to tread lightly. I'll have to talk to the United Nations about this. We may have to send troops in if that doesn't work. We gone so long without another war, and now with this happening.?
Since everyone was looking at the president, no one noticed that the CIA director had a small smirk on his face.
The Dratini Farmer:
Scarlet Devil Mansion, Gensokyo
The master of the Scarlet Devil Mansion always enjoyed having gatherings. But this one was different. It wasn't a party, it was a meeting to determine what would happen to Gensokyo's future. Even with such a somber atmosphere, the service was impeccable. Head Maid Sakuya had managed to train the fairy maids well enough so that they were able to cook and serve without constant supervision. Every part of Gensokyo was well represented in the crowd. The court of Hakugyokurou, the Lunarians of Eientei, the bureaucrats of Higan, both the Hakueri and Moriya Shrines, the tengus from the mountain, the administrators of Old Hell, the Buddhist monks, the Taoist magicians, even the Celestials and some from the human village were in attendance. Such a gathering had not occurred ever since the last moon expedition, or invasion, depending on who was asked.
An unexpected trio of guests were in the house. Ones that would have taken exception to that question. The heads of the Lunar Defense Corps were visiting their former teacher, Eirin Yagokoro, when they tagged along. Yorihime and Toyohime no Watatsuki were feeling somewhat out of place but were surprised when Yukari Yakumo and Yuyuko Saigyouji had both engaged them in friendly conversation. The events of the Second Lunar War were still in their minds, but neither side bore any ill will to the other. Their pet/bodyguard, Reisen, was beginning to interact with the inhabitants of Gensokyo and was feeling more comfortable.
About after half an hour after the last guests had arrived, who happened to be the Three Mischievous Fairies, Yukari moved to the stage in front of the room.
“I want to thank all of you for coming today. I know that some of you have traveled far so, I'll try to make this worth your time. First, I want to thank Remilia Scarlet for letting us hold this gathering at the mansion.” A round of applause rang through the room, with Remilia giving a small nod of acknowledgment. “And I would like to thank Sakuya Izayoi for providing such a great selection of food for us.” Another round had Sakuya giving a small curtsy. “Now to our main topic. Some of you may have noticed that the Great Hakueri Barrier has been experiencing some problems. After several inspections, I have concluded that the barrier will soon fall.”
The room went quiet. Everyone knew that the barrier was what protected their way of life. And some remembered what occurred when youkai and humans had encountered each other.
“The outside world has advanced greatly since the creation of the barrier. They no longer rely on weak magic. They have a higher degree and skill with technology. They are also going through a period of conflict. One that has drawn in every nation on the planet, except for us. But with the fall of the barrier, that may soon change. The spell card rules that we all live on and know as part of our lives are soon to be liabilities. The outer world has weapons that can kill the humans living here in one hit, and that can bring youkai to their knees and possibly kill them.”
She motioned for Rinnosuke and Nitori Kawashiro to join her. The shopkeeper carried the same crate he had the other day.
“The outsider world will be coming to Gensokyo soon. In the outside, they have an energy source that causes more problems then it solves. This energy source has the potential to start wars and has been proven to end them as well. The nuclear power that Utsuho Reiuji has harnessed and uses has not gone unobserved. To the outside, nuclear power is a rare resource, one that some guard jealously. They may come to Gensokyo to take that away from us. We have to be ready for that. This is what we can start to counter the outsiders.”
She had Rinnosuke open the crate and hand her a rifle. Yukari lifts the rifle for all to see. “This is a rifle. It fires a bullet at a high rate of speed. This rifle is called a Mosin Nagant and is almost as old as Gensokyo. If all of us move outside, I can demonstrate how it works or...how about one of our visitors?” She looks at Resien, who was standing next to Yorihime. “Come on up here. You're part of the Lunar Defense Corps aren't you? Don't worry, I'm not going to embarrass you or anything like that.”
Reisen is nervous when she meets up to Yukari. The youkai gives her a reassuring smile and leads her outside. When everyone is outside, Yukari aims at a target about 300 yards away. “See that target over there? Try to hit it. Here's a round and a bayonet. Use the bayonet if you want to make it accurate. Everyone else, move back a little and cover your ears.”
Reisen brings it up and fires in one fluid motion. Almost everyone in the area jumps when the round goes off. She then cycles the bolt and activates the safety.
Yukari was surprised at how much skill the moon rabbit had with this rifle. “This rifle is an earth made rifle. How did you know how to do all of this?”
“This rifle feels so familiar. It reminds me of the ones back home. The feel, the weight, the recoil...Could it be that this rifle was inspired by our designs?”
“My, that was quite a summary. It would make sense that such a long lived and well made weapon wouldn't be just human in origin. Anyway, do all of you see what power they have? But this is not the only type of weapon that we will come up against.” She turned to see that Rinnosuke had brought out even more crates.
“But first-”, she pulls out a spyglass. “A perfect shot. Well done, Reisen.” The moon rabbit bows her head slightly. Yukari takes the rifle and puts it back in the crate. She opens another and pulls out a shorter weapon. One that was a combination of wood and metal.
“This is the standard rifle for most of the world. This is called the AK-47.” She hands it to Reisen and points to the target again. Reisen aims and pulls the trigger. The first shot was off slightly but every other shot was going everywhere else. “The main problem with the AK-47 is it's lack of accuracy. This is more of a distraction maker then an attack weapon. It also has the quality of being common, cheap, and reliable.”
She pulls out another weapon. “This one is more accurate, and is used by one of the stronger factions. It is known as the M4.” The moon rabbit fires a few shots and nods. “The design allows it to be customized to suit the user's tastes and needs. ”
She then pulls out one that is even shorter than the others. “This one is the Heckler and Koch G36. The faction that makes it is well known as craftsmen and for their quality work.” Resien shoots a few rounds and falls in love with it. Yukari feels a pang of guilt as she takes the G36 back.
“Maybe later, little rabbit. Now for another class of weapons.” Rinnosuke handed her what appeared to be a tube. “This is called an AT4. It is basically a bigger rifle.” She hands it to the moon rabbit and motions others to get out from behind her. When the coast was clear, she pats her twice on the head. Reisen fires the round, which flies downrange and explodes. No one had made a noise since the first round was fired. “I think that explains itself.” Yukari could almost sense Marisa about to grab the tube when no one was looking. “And it's only one time use. The tube's useless after the rocket's fired.” The youkai took the tube back and broke the iron sights. “Anytime you see the iron sights broken, the tube's already been fired and is useless.” She then threw it to the side.
“These are just some of the weapons that we will have to fight with. Rinnosuke Morichika, Kourindou's shopkeeper, has agreed to house and supply the weapons while Nitori Kawashiro and the rest of the kappa have offered their services to maintain and modify them. We can have an even bigger assortment of weapons, but I sense that all of you will need some time to get used to them. We're going to need everyone we can get to help defend Gensokyo. I have already talked to almost all of you individually. Now I need to know if we can count on you. Anyone that doesn't want to is free to leave. I give my word that I won't bear any ill will. I know that some of you would prefer to stay out of this. That's fine.”
No one moved. Everyone knew that they had a duty to the land that they loved. And they were going to fulfill that duty.
“Then that's settled. I want all of you to get some time with the weapons here. But always remember two rules. First, be aware of what you're pointing at. This weapons are deadly and we do not need anyone getting hurt or killed. Second, treat these weapons with respect. Some of them may not appeal to you. That's natural. I can always find something that you like. Just give the ones here a try first.”
Everyone steps forward to test them out for themselves. Yukari is about to reach insider her gap for a cup of tea when Reisen walks up to her. “Lady Yukari, can I ask you a question?”
“Now, now, you don't need to address me so formally. You did such a good job demonstrating all of our toys. So, what is it?”
“You seem to know a lot about these weapons. I had been told that the spell card rules had been in place for a long time. Was there an incident that required them?”
“No incident has ever required outside technology. Well, maybe the Second Lunar War. But I spend a good amount of time in the outside world. I picked up some things there. Would you like to take a short walk? I'm sure Yorihime and Toyohime won't mind.”
Reisen looks over to her masters. Yorihime is busy talking to Eirin. Toyohime makes eye contact with the moon rabbit and gives her a quick smile and a shooing motion.
“I would be happy to.”
Northern Japan
A CH-47 Chinook was flying all alone in the middle of the night. The aviator was humming a tuneless song, much to the annoyance of his copilot. In the back, a team of CIA and Special Forces Operators were sitting quietly. The operators were still in the dark about their mission, and the agents weren't being helpful. There was almost a tense atmosphere between the two. Seeing as how they had basically snuck into Japanese airspace in a lone helicopter, some of the operators weren't exactly excited for their mission.
“JESUS TAPDANCING CHRIST!!!”
Everyone in the back jumped. None of them had ever heard their warrant officer sound like that. One of the operators rushes to the cockpit and can only gape at the sight in front of him. On the other side of the glass, there was what looked like a little blonde girl with a red ribbon in her hair. She reminded everyone of a bug that was splattered on the windshield. The copilot, out of instinct, activated the windshield wipers. The thing little rod of plastic slide across the glass and stopped when it reached the side of the girl's head. It then backed up and tried to move forward again.
“Where the hell did she come from!?!”
“Does it look like I got a damn idea!?!”
“Chief, I hope you got insurance.”
“Dammit, we ain't in no school zone.”
“Is that so?”
Everyone slowly turned back to the glass. The little girl had a blank smile on her face. The copilot reached forward and tapped the glass. The little girl blinked and began to slide to the left. Both the aviator and the operator ran back to open the left door and brought her inside the helicopter. The copilot had known to keep the aircraft stopped. When she was brought inside, she still had the blank smile and surprised everyone else in the room by floating above the floor.
“I'm hungry.”
She went around sniffing everyone. One of the operators pulls out a candy bar and gives it to her. She sits down and eats it. Another operator drops to a knee in front of her and questions her in a soothing voice. “Hey, what's your name?”
“I'm Rumia. I'm the youkai of darkness.”
“Youkai? So you're not human?”
“That's right. I eat humans. Well, if I could catch them...”
“How do you catch humans?”
“I do this.”
As soon as the words left her mouth, she disappeared into what could only be described as concentrated darkness. She moved forward and stopped when she crashed into the wall. The darkness then dissipated.
“I'm still hungry. Can I have another one?”
The CIA agents were on edge and were nervously holding their weapons. The operators weren't really seeing a threat, they felt kind of sorry for Rumia. To them, she didn't seem to be the sharpest knife in the drawer. Since some of them had children that were around the age that Rumia was, they were hoping that she wouldn't be a threat. Another operator gave her his candy bar.
“This is good. Is it made out of humans?”
“No, it's made out of chocolate and peanut butter.”
“I never seen anything like this in Gensokyo before.”
“Gensokyo? Is this what this place is called?”
“Yep. Did all of you come across the barrier?”
“The barrier? Yeah, we came across it. Could you tell us more about Gensokyo?”
“Gensokyo is where the youkai go to have fun. There's this barrier that keeps the outside world out. There's this shrine maiden that keeps everything the same. And now Yukari told us some mean people are coming to take it all away.”
“Who's Yukari?”
“Yukari's the boss around here. She's the one that fixes problems. But she sleeps a lot. She has a fox and a cat for pets. I know the cat. She's one of my friends.”
“That's interesting. Here, have another one.” He hands her another candy bar. “How long until we land, Chief?”
“About 3-4 minutes. You might need to rappel out if we can't find a spacing wide enough. The map they gave us is way off and our radar is messing up. Almost like we're being jammed. We might need to call up to higher about this.”
“There's no need to call up your chain of command.” One of the agents stood up. He gave both the operator and the warrant officer chills. “This is a CIA operation. We're the ones that decide what happens. Remember that your team is only here for security. And that you and your copilot are our drivers.”
Every operator wanted to invite the agent to the nearest body of water with a new pair of concrete shoes. But they had another, much more pressing problem: what was their mission. In the back of all their heads was the feeling that there was something wrong.