[COMPLETED] Roll to Dodge - A Multiplayer Game of Chance

[an unmatched sock]

>Smile at them. "You're welcome." Smile fade. "But we're not done yet. Your reunion is step one, and I hate to cut it short. I really do. But we need to get you two back to the Outside World. Only there can you truly be safe. Right now, you're two birds, and Reimu has a s***ton of stones - excuse my language - ready to throw. We need to get you two back now, while she's distracted. And I...don't quite know how to do that."
>Look around at the assembled congregation. "Does ANYONE know of a manner of which to return to the Outside World for these two that does not involve Reimu or her odd, space-slipping companion I've barely seen?"
>After hearing suggestions, quick ping to the Yatagarasu: "That energy I felt before we took off to here...was that what I think it is, or am I being too hopeful?" (Referring to possible revival of its powers with me)

[Patorikku]

> Well, the family's reunited, but so long as Byakuren's out, it's safe to assume the fight's still going on. In any case, you're not adequately prepared to fight if someone invades the temple. Find a weapon somewhere within the boundaries of the temple, preferably outside of the boundaries of the particular room Akina and Haruko are in.
> And put your scarf up. It's a little late to hide your identity and all, but... Just do it to seem cool and distant.

[Failure McFailFace]

>Walk outside tot he front of the shrine. We've might've snooped a little too much here.

>Attempt to fly.

[Zengar Zombolt]

Oh boy, please roll well.
>Give a wide smirk. "But I'm a new-type model! There's nothing old about this one." Then make the smirk wider. Gotta go wider. "Alas, that's not here not there... I'm in your hands, lass. My lack of body is yours to remedy as you see fit."

[Kappa]

> Oh man, oh muffins.  This might be just what you need to get on a competitive level in this realm.  In spite of the Diamond-division battle unfolding before you, you think up some of these "Spell Cards" with which to kick asses:

• "Instantaneous Storm Surge"
  Rapidly Blink around a target, firing spread shots at every stop.  To the enemy, you are surrounding them from a million places at once, and it becomes rather hard to hit you.
  "You're surrounded on all angles, but in reality there's only one of him, moving VERY fast.  The only thing likely to faze him is exhaustion."
• Compression "Magnetic Prison"
  Surround the target in a Magnetic Field, and fire towards the field while continually shrinking said field.  The bullets will be continually attracted to the middle of the field, and the smaller it gets, the tricker and more claustrophobic it becomes to avoid being hit.
  "The walls are closing in around you, and the number of bullets in there with you continues to increase!  Trying to escape is futile, so survive until another hellish prison replaces the old one."
• Force "Herculean Might"
  Magnetically Throw massive bullets towards the target, with their impacts kicking up clouds of smaller bullets.
  "It's not really brute force if it's magnets, right?"
• Superheated "Plasma Pump"
  Hypercondense the air around you, creating localized superhot balls of plasma, and fire them in rings at the target.  The plasma will arc to nearby matter and to itself, forming walls, hitting targets from afar, changing trajectories, and performing all sorts of other unique behaviours.
  "The pinnacle of science - maybe.  Plasma is so often overlooked as a state of matter, it's no wonder these plasma bullets seem to behave erratically."
• Magnetic "High-Speed Field"
  Fire bullet patterns while forming small Magnetic Fields and tossing them at high speeds at and around the target.  The fields will knock the target around on contact, potentially into bullets or even walls.
  "The bullet pattern may be simple, but the threat of flying into it against your own will complicates things significantly."

> Oh yes, your magnetic abilities have made way to the discovery of a means to produce weaponized plasma ON THE SPOT.  You really really want to test out Superheated "Plasma Pump" to see if it's true this this will really work, but realize that knocking around Reimu seems to be a disgustingly effective strategy.  And hey!  Look who's lying on top of a house, dazed, confused, and fresh for the target practice!
"So uh, do I just- okay, I'm going to try to call it.  Force 'Herculean Might'!"
> Either you're about to successfully kick ass, or you're f#cked.  Can one simply synthesize projectiles through means that, for lack of any real explanation, are magic?  Only one way to find out, and that's to live up to your family name and face full-life consequences.

[aUsernameIsFineToo]

[Day: 4]   [Time: Dawn]   [Weather: Light snow]

>"Huh. These dolls are very efficient and quick at their work. I haven't personally seen something like this." Look around the room more, then face Alice again. "So how long did it take to learn this kind of puppetry?"

[3] "Oh... about 75 seasons... maybe more. To be honest, I've lost count."

>Mutter in a extremely annoyed manner
>grumble grumble how are you supposed to convince people by being cryptic grumble grumble
>"Right, this place is too crowded. Anyone HERE know what's going on? What's with the crazy shrine maiden, why are people marked for execution, all that?"
>In event of an answer, play background music for resulting exposition

[2](+1) Its too crowded to set up a stage, but that doesn't matter now, since it seems that most people aren't here to enjoy whatever performance you may have had in mind. Regardless, you manage to glean the following information from the people around you:

• Reimu (the shrine maiden; you already knew that) and Yukari (the gap youkai) are after three Outsiders.
• It is believed that these Outsiders know of a way to permanently open Gensokyo to the Outside World.
• Such an action would result in its destruction.
• One of them has already been executed in cold blood.
• Some people believe that the remaining two are innocent.
• However, they are afraid to voice their opinion about that due to what happened to those who did.
• As such, the village has no other choice but to comply with their demands.

>Smile at them. "You're welcome." Smile fade. "But we're not done yet. Your reunion is step one, and I hate to cut it short. I really do. But we need to get you two back to the Outside World. Only there can you truly be safe. Right now, you're two birds, and Reimu has a s***ton of stones - excuse my language - ready to throw. We need to get you two back now, while she's distracted. And I...don't quite know how to do that."
>Look around at the assembled congregation. "Does ANYONE know of a manner of which to return to the Outside World for these two that does not involve Reimu or her odd, space-slipping companion I've barely seen?"
>After hearing suggestions, quick ping to the Yatagarasu: "That energy I felt before we took off to here...was that what I think it is, or am I being too hopeful?" (Referring to possible revival of its powers with me)

[5] BONUS: Your next roll gets 1 added to it.
"Does [...] seen?"
A youkai girl sporting a large striped tail replies after a short while:
"There might be... Despite what you may have heard, especially from the humans, the Great Hakurei Barrier isn't the only way in and out of Gensokyo. As a case in point: I came here by crossing the Sea of Sado. On the other end, there should be an island, which is part of the Outside World."
Just as you begin to heave a sigh of relief, she follows up with some less-hopeful words:
"That was a long time ago, so I don't know if the Barrier has extended to block that path off. Judging from all that's happened, I wouldn't be surprised if it did. If that's what you really want for them, you'll never know unless you give that a try. Oh, and if anyone asks, say that you just felt curious as to what might be on the other side, and don't mention me."
As her words sink in, you carry out a internal conversation with your Yatagarasu half:
"That [...] hopeful?"
"Yes, it is indeed what you believe. Your strength and determination has partially restored my powers, and I forsee a full recovery if you roll a [6] again continue believing in what is good for those that deserve it."

> Well, the family's reunited, but so long as Byakuren's out, it's safe to assume the fight's still going on. In any case, you're not adequately prepared to fight if someone invades the temple. Find a weapon somewhere within the boundaries of the temple, preferably outside of the boundaries of the particular room Akina and Haruko are in.
> And put your scarf up. It's a little late to hide your identity and all, but... Just do it to seem cool and distant.

[2](+1) If you expect to find weapons of any sort in a temple that promotes peace and understanding, you'd be terribly wrong, as your failed search proves. At least nobody seems to recognize you with your scarf on.

>Walk outside tot he front of the shrine. We've might've snooped a little too much here.

>Attempt to fly.

[3] The eastern sky glows a faint orange behind the torii of the Hakurei Shrine, reminding you of the ongoing incident you've heard about (and seen). As you fly towards the Human Village, a danmaku battle in the distance blocks your way. Colorful yet deadly-looking projectiles fly back-and-forth between shadowy figures, and you figure that it's in your best interest to slow down and evaulate the situation before you.

Oh boy, please roll well.
>Give a wide smirk. "But I'm a new-type model! There's nothing old about this one." Then make the smirk wider. Gotta go wider. "Alas, that's not here not there... I'm in your hands, lass. My lack of body is yours to remedy as you see fit."

[3] She holds your head in her hands and walks further into the warehouse. There are mechanical parts lying around in all directions, and a small table adorned with various tools in a corner. You are set upside-down on the table as the girl looks down into you.
"Ahh... There it is!" she exclaims as she finds your backup power supply. "It's probably in your best interest that I turn you off before doing this. You should probably transfer everything in your working memory* to nonvolatile storage* before I do that, unless you want to forget what happened in the last few hours."

Threat level: High

*short-term and long-term memory, for those who are composed only of organic matter.

> Oh man, oh muffins.  This might be just what you need to get on a competitive level in this realm.  In spite of the Diamond-division battle unfolding before you, you think up some of these "Spell Cards" with which to kick asses:

• "Instantaneous Storm Surge"
  Rapidly Blink around a target, firing spread shots at every stop.  To the enemy, you are surrounding them from a million places at once, and it becomes rather hard to hit you.
  "You're surrounded on all angles, but in reality there's only one of him, moving VERY fast.  The only thing likely to faze him is exhaustion."
• Compression "Magnetic Prison"
  Surround the target in a Magnetic Field, and fire towards the field while continually shrinking said field.  The bullets will be continually attracted to the middle of the field, and the smaller it gets, the tricker and more claustrophobic it becomes to avoid being hit.
  "The walls are closing in around you, and the number of bullets in there with you continues to increase!  Trying to escape is futile, so survive until another hellish prison replaces the old one."
• Force "Herculean Might"
  Magnetically Throw massive bullets towards the target, with their impacts kicking up clouds of smaller bullets.
  "It's not really brute force if it's magnets, right?"
• Superheated "Plasma Pump"
  Hypercondense the air around you, creating localized superhot balls of plasma, and fire them in rings at the target.  The plasma will arc to nearby matter and to itself, forming walls, hitting targets from afar, changing trajectories, and performing all sorts of other unique behaviours.
  "The pinnacle of science - maybe.  Plasma is so often overlooked as a state of matter, it's no wonder these plasma bullets seem to behave erratically."
• Magnetic "High-Speed Field"
  Fire bullet patterns while forming small Magnetic Fields and tossing them at high speeds at and around the target.  The fields will knock the target around on contact, potentially into bullets or even walls.
  "The bullet pattern may be simple, but the threat of flying into it against your own will complicates things significantly."

> Oh yes, your magnetic abilities have made way to the discovery of a means to produce weaponized plasma ON THE SPOT.  You really really want to test out Superheated "Plasma Pump" to see if it's true this this will really work, but realize that knocking around Reimu seems to be a disgustingly effective strategy.  And hey!  Look who's lying on top of a house, dazed, confused, and fresh for the target practice!
"So uh, do I just- okay, I'm going to try to call it.  Force 'Herculean Might'!"
> Either you're about to successfully kick ass, or you're f#cked.  Can one simply synthesize projectiles through means that, for lack of any real explanation, are magic?  Only one way to find out, and that's to live up to your family name and face full-life consequences.

[4] ACHIVEMENT UNLOCKED - Tools of the Trade: Obtain an arsenal of Spell Cards.
The five cards glow with power as your attacks are inscribed onto them, causing nearby people to gasp in awe. If you could, you'd stand there and let all those villagers marvel at your spectacular powers...

...You reach the house just in time to see Reimu flying out through a large hole in its roof. She spots you in the sky and ascends to your height.
"I have to say, for an Outsider like you to hit me, you've got some skills. Too bad they'll all go to waste as you burn in a sea of holy flames~"
Before she has a chance to do anything, you raise your hand above you, revealing a single Spell Card:
"Force 「Herculean Might」!"
A swirling vortex of large metallic balls materialize behind you and accelerate towards the shrine maiden. She flies forward and dodges most of them with unhuman precision, though a significant portion manage to graze her. The impact isn't enough to cause them to expand as you had hoped, and they continue forward into the sky. Sharp fingernails against your shoulder cause you to cock your head in the direction behind you, where you see the golden-haired woman from before, with a ominous smile on her face that reveal equally sharp fangs:
"What are you?"

It's about time I mention what happens when players attack NPCs: It's just the opposite of what happens when you're attacked. Take a look at the list in the very first post and invert the rolls. For example, rolling a [6] would be a [1] to NPCs, rolling a [4] would be a [3], and rolling a [1] would be like a [6].

[an unmatched sock]

>"Well, like you said, we'd never know unless we try. Where is this possible back door to this place?" Please don't say in the direction of the village...
>>If she doesn't remember for some reason, glean the information from someone else.
>"Want to try it?" @ Akina and Haruko.
>>Assuming yes, "Would anyone like to accompany us? More would be safer, but too many is suspicious. So we need a small, strong force." Player characters take priority.
>"And which one of you would like me to take, since you cannot fly?" Whoever answers, take her and lead the team to where the raccoon-girl specified.
>Acknowledge the Yatagarasu's words and keep trying to charge it. Almost there!

[FlamingRok]

>"Seventy-five seasons...so about 18.5 years..." Look out into the forest. "Do you know the general direction of where the incident took place last night?"

[Patorikku]

> Well, there's another player in the temple right now, so you don't need to stick around to defend those two. Take off from the temple and make your way through the streets to find some adequate weaponry. And get yourself a 100%-off bargain on the arms in question.

[Kappa]

> WHOA FUKK Good thing you've got 5 of these dynamos, because without them you're basically boned here!
> Turn to the creepy-ass figure trying to claw you in half and answer her with:
"I guess you could call me an「Instantaneous Storm Surge」!"
> Blink rapidly around the unknown one...
>> ...and if doing so is excessively effective, reserve a few Blinks for the renegade shrine maiden.  Surprise attacks seem to work best on that one.
"Cheez!  Monk person!  Moriya dudes!  I can't keep this up forever, so lay down some suppressive fire!"
>> If the targets do in fact survive the attack, give each of them 7,500,000 points as a Spell Card Bonus.  It's only fair. METAHUMOR WOOOO

# This is basically a survival card, how long is it allowed to last?  I suppose I'll leave that specific detail to your judgement (and my roll)

[LaserTurtle]

>"THANK you. Now I know. Yeah. That makes sense why they're after them."
>"Extremist methods but still logical within the self-contained mental environment."
>Attempt to develop spell cards or other such tool for self-defense.

[Failure McFailFace]

>Get the stolen Kasu's spell card at the ready.
>Same with a knife.
>Slow down

[Zengar Zombolt]

>It is in my best interest to not become amnesiac, so do that! "Hmm... Done, and.... Done. I could use a good nap right now!"

[aUsernameIsFineToo]

[Day: 4]   [Time: Sunrise]   [Weather: Light snow]

>"Well, like you said, we'd never know unless we try. Where is this possible back door to this place?" Please don't say in the direction of the village...
>>If she doesn't remember for some reason, glean the information from someone else.
>"Want to try it?" @ Akina and Haruko.
>>Assuming yes, "Would anyone like to accompany us? More would be safer, but too many is suspicious. So we need a small, strong force." Player characters take priority.
>"And which one of you would like me to take, since you cannot fly?" Whoever answers, take her and lead the team to where the raccoon-girl specified.
>Acknowledge the Yatagarasu's words and keep trying to charge it. Almost there!

[2](+1) "Well [...] place?"
"It should be beyond the Youkai Mountain. That is, to the north of here."
"Want [...] it?"
"Mom... Should we make a run for it?"
"No, not now, Haru. When this man brought you here, did you see Byakuren?"
"Who's that?"
"A purple-haired woman in a black-and-white dress?"
"Uhhh, yeah. I think she was fighting Reimu."
"She hasn't returned, right? Until she returns, it's not safe to leave this temple."
"Bu- but we're going towards the north..."
"No means no... She broke my arm... and almost killed me the last time we met. We're NOT going out there until we hear of her defeat. They'll protect us here."
Haruko seems to comply with her mother's request. At the same time, you feel the Yatagarasu's power increasing very slowly.

>"Seventy-five seasons...so about 18.5 years..." Look out into the forest. "Do you know the general direction of where the incident took place last night?"

[3] "I don't know too much about the exact location. Besides, I only noticed something wrong when I saw a streak of green light with one end in this forest. The sun's coming out, so I guess it shouldn't be too hard to find."

> Well, there's another player in the temple right now, so you don't need to stick around to defend those two. Take off from the temple and make your way through the streets to find some adequate weaponry. And get yourself a 100%-off bargain on the arms in question.

[4] You make it to the Human Village to see a aerial battle taking place. It looks like everyone's out in the streets watching that, so nobody sees you when you enter a store and pocket several throwing knives.

ITEM ACQUIRED: Throwing knives (x20)

> WHOA FUKK Good thing you've got 5 of these dynamos, because without them you're basically boned here!
> Turn to the creepy-ass figure trying to claw you in half and answer her with:
"I guess you could call me an「Instantaneous Storm Surge」!"
> Blink rapidly around the unknown one...
>> ...and if doing so is excessively effective, reserve a few Blinks for the renegade shrine maiden.  Surprise attacks seem to work best on that one.
"Cheez!  Monk person!  Moriya dudes!  I can't keep this up forever, so lay down some suppressive fire!"
>> If the targets do in fact survive the attack, give each of them 7,500,000 points as a Spell Card Bonus.  It's only fair. METAHUMOR WOOOO

# This is basically a survival card, how long is it allowed to last?  I suppose I'll leave that specific detail to your judgement (and my roll)

[2] Despite the fact that you're literally approaching Yukari from all directions and firing as you do so, she dodges the sphere of projectiles quite easily. Four others surround the collection of bullets and fire into the center. Suddenly, gaps revealing blinking eyes from within form a larger sphere around the sphere of bullets you've created. As millions of balls of light converge upon the figure in the center, similar gaps around her absorb them, which come back out from the gaps behind you and the others. Before you even try to understand what just happened, you're hit by your own attack and sent free-falling towards the ground...

...You're seconds away from becoming part of the ground before you regain altitude. It doesn't look like your assistants did well, because they're nowhere to be found. The red-white shrine maiden flies up to the gap youkai, who speaks to her in an annoyed voice:
"Should we kill her now? She's weakened, and she shouldn't be able to survive if we both attack her at once."
Someone's approaching from behind them, and you can't help but smile once you see who that is. Reimu waves a bundle of needles in front of Yukari as she implies a "yes":
"Look at that smile... Do you think she'll still be smiling when these go through her face?"

(read bigyihsuan's scenario for what happens next)

>"THANK you. Now I know. Yeah. That makes sense why they're after them."
>"Extremist methods but still logical within the self-contained mental environment."
>Attempt to develop spell cards or other such tool for self-defense.

[3] After searching for a while, you find a blank piece of paper that looks like it can be made into a Spell Card.

> Think of a fitting Spell Card Attack.

>Get the stolen Kasu's spell card at the ready.
>Same with a knife.
>Slow down

[6] By the time you and Kappa can make out each other's faces, you're literally within point-blank range of Yukari and Reimu...

..."Tsukumogami's Elegy 「Lantern's Requiem」!"
By the time the two of them turn around to see you holding a glowing spell card, it's already far too late to do anything. Kappa darts out of the way as red bullets fly forward. The first wave strikes them right in the chest, knocking them backwards. Just as they regain their balance, large red bubbles appear around you and shoot forward, exploding on impact. Finally, small red dots ablaze with golden flames that leave a spectacular trail in their path pepper your targets, causing them to disappear in a flash of bright, white light.

pichuun.wav
pichuun.wav

>It is in my best interest to not become amnesiac, so do that! "Hmm... Done, and.... Done. I could use a good nap right now!"

[4] "Okay, then... 3... 2... 1..."
Everything goes dark...

...do robots dream?

[an unmatched sock]

>Yeah, keep crying, Haruko almost got killed and I actually died twi- wait..."...Wait a second, you said Byakuren wasn't here, she was fighting? As in, the owner of this temple is currently fighting the two who have it in for you?!" Widen eyes. This is serious. "No, no no no, we need to leave. Now. Whether those two win or lose, fighting Byakuren puts a red flag over the temple. They'll come here to check it out. We need to leave immediately before they get that chance. If anything, Reimu and...whatever her accomplice's name is fighting Byakuren couldn't be a better distraction."
>Please comply...
>Continue mentally charging Yatagarasu. If only there was a little battery or percentile of charge to know just how close I am to finishing...

[FlamingRok]

>"That's a good point, very well." Head out of the house, and head north, looking for anything interesting.

[Zengar Zombolt]

>Electric sheep count start!

[Failure McFailFace]

>"huh. didn't expect that much damage to happen."
>Greet Kappa.
>Inspect the remnants of Reimu and Yukari.

Hey Kappa, do you mind me following you? I've been pretty much out of the story since the beginning.

[Patorikku]

> Take a good look around and see if you can spot where the fight is taking place. Have a throwing knife hidden in your supposedly long sleeve, despite the only clothing you can safely be confirmed to be wearing throughout any given point of this adventure would be a slightly ripped short-sleeve shirt and your scarf.

[Kappa]

> Retroactively grant your two aggressors 7.5M points, in spite of their heads being pwned.  On second thought, fuck them.  They SO cheated.  Subtract the points.
> Return the greeting: "Well, so much for my first fight going smoothly.  Thanks for the assist... big-yee-soo-on?  Am I getting that right?  That was an impressive display of firepower back there."
> Agree to investigate the two defeated, but not without advising plenty of caution be exercised.  These two almost murdered your face, so even if they're deader than dead, I mean... they could explode for all you know.
>> IF the aggressors don't retaliate: Find Cheez, Ms. Monastery, and the Mighty Moriya Power Rangers.  Shuffle through the strange deck of cards you wrought only two turns a short while ago.  What makes them tick? you wonder.  It seems like magic, but any sufficiently advanced technology... so on, so forth.  There has to be some sort of mechanism, even if it's universal in nature and relates to this specific realm (which is most definitely not the Earth you know)... yet you can't shake the feeling that there is in fact some Magic of the Gathering variety going down here.
# mfw the canon of this story dictates that I am female
# I guess my profile info doesn't really help any, does it

# If you deem me the best candidate to follow, feel free.

[LaserTurtle]

>Whimsical Melody "No Foresight"
>Music-themed! Let's do this! Bullets that bounce off everything with reckless abandon! Also applies "distracted by irritating music" debuff to everyone within radius.
>Go to where Haruko and her mother are hiding currently.

[aUsernameIsFineToo]

[Day: 4]   [Time: Early morning]   [Weather: Light snow]

>Yeah, keep crying, Haruko almost got killed and I actually died twi- wait..."...Wait a second, you said Byakuren wasn't here, she was fighting? As in, the owner of this temple is currently fighting the two who have it in for you?!" Widen eyes. This is serious. "No, no no no, we need to leave. Now. Whether those two win or lose, fighting Byakuren puts a red flag over the temple. They'll come here to check it out. We need to leave immediately before they get that chance. If anything, Reimu and...whatever her accomplice's name is fighting Byakuren couldn't be a better distraction."
>Please comply...
>Continue mentally charging Yatagarasu. If only there was a little battery or percentile of charge to know just how close I am to finishing...

[6] You feel an intense surge of power run through your entire body, so strong that you have absolutely no doubt as to where it came from. Filled with confidence, you explain to the worried woman that now is the best time to attempt the escape...

"You're right... Haru, you're right. We should leave now while it's still easier and safer."
The three of you slowly step out of the temple. You fly up and survey the skies above, where no sign of any battle is going on. Just then, Byakuren arrives, slightly beat-up and mildly injured.
"They got them. Both. They're both down..."
Her eyes spot Akina and Haruko standing behind you.
"Ahh... Watsuki-san, looks like your daughter made it!"
"If you don't mind, can you help us get to the Sea of Sado? It should be to the north of the Youkai Mountain." She points to you. "He may be strong, but I don't know whether he'll be able to carry both of us."
"Of course I can. Here. I'll fly your daughter across, and he can fly you across."
Byakuren walks up to Haruko and kneels down in front of her.
"You're Haruko-chan, right? Here, I'll fly you to your home. Ichirin, you're in charge of making sure nobody enters the temple with malice."
As she climbs onto the monk's back, Akina requests that you give her a "ride" across the mountain...

...It's easy to carry others when you've got the power of a Yatagarasu, right?...

...The Sea of Sado is a vast body of water that stretches towards the horizon beyond the Youkai Mountain. As the four of you soar across the endless blue expanse, a dazzling city skyline materializes beyond the fog. For some reason, you can't help but compare the mostily-19th-century landscape of Gensokyo to that of the modern world you see before you. You didn't notice until now, but it seems that LaserTurtle had been following the two of you this whole time. It doesn't hurt to have someone watching your back in case something happens, right?

---Sado-shi, Japan---
As the sun rises above the eastern horizon, three shadowy figures fly in the southern skies.
"We're there. This should be the island on the other side of the sea. We're in the Outside World now, and I think you two should be safe."
"Thank you. Thank you so much. I don't even know your name, and you didn't know me or my daughter... Why did you put your life at risk to save us?"

>"That's a good point, very well." Head out of the house, and head north, looking for anything interesting.

[4] As you walk along the forest path, you notice that there are bushes to either side. Further along the path, there's a patch of bushes to the right that look like they were violently chopped down. On the side opposite that of the bushes are the skeletal remains of two humans. Assorted scraps of torn meat lying near them tell you that something literally ate their remains. You turn your attention to the bushes once more, where you find at least fifty steel needles stuck into the ground.

>Electric sheep count start!

[6] Several minutes and several sheep later, a bright spark lights up the interior of the workshop...

Code: [Select]

Human-Machine Interface [Version 6.22]

Loading COMMAND.COM...
Synchronizing real-time clock... done!
>Current time is 07:14:34
Calibrating gyrometer... done!
Calibrating envirograph... done!
Initializing motors... done!
Initializing Auto-Target System... done!
>A.T.S. loaded into working memory, 13.2 TB remaining.
Enumerating weapons......... done!
>2 machine guns installed
>1 rocket launcher installed
>1 beam cannon installed
Initializing Weapon Monitoring and Analysis Program... done!
>W-MAP loaded into working memory, 13.1 TB remaining.

HUMAN: FRIENDLY
"Did it work? Are you okay?"
You can't help but notice the glowing green text in the bottom left...

LEFT GUN: 2000/2000
ROCKETS: 25/25

...and right...

RIGHT GUN: 2000/2000
BEAM CANNON: 40?C (NORMAL)

...corners of your visual field.

You raise your hands notice that there is a side-mounted port that opens up to reveal a machine gun in each of your forearms. Furthermore, the gun in your left arm can swap out for a rocket launcher, and the gun in your right arm can swap out for a plasma-beam cannon. After you've cycled through your weapons, you let them go back into their slots and close up the ports. Despite the fact that you're perfectly capable of normal human-like speech, you respond to her in a monotone mock-robot tone as you give a two-thumbs-up:

"WEAPONS CHECK COMPLETE... ALL SYSTEMS GO..."

>"huh. didn't expect that much damage to happen."
>Greet Kappa.
>Inspect the remnants of Reimu and Yukari.

Hey Kappa, do you mind me following you? I've been pretty much out of the story since the beginning.

[5] BONUS: Your next roll gets 1 added to it.
Reimu and Yukari are nowhere to be found. It's as if they disappeared in that flash of light from before.

> Take a good look around and see if you can spot where the fight is taking place. Have a throwing knife hidden in your supposedly long sleeve, despite the only clothing you can safely be confirmed to be wearing throughout any given point of this adventure would be a slightly ripped short-sleeve shirt and your scarf.

[6] Wait... when did you have a jacket? You must've picked that up somewhere along the way and put it on, yet it feels so comfy you didn't notice it until now. Regardless, you stick a throwing knife in each sleeve, ready to pull out when the situation demands so. You place the rest in your pocket and walk up to the place where the fight that had just ended took place.

> Retroactively grant your two aggressors 7.5M points, in spite of their heads being pwned.  On second thought, fuck them.  They SO cheated.  Subtract the points.
> Return the greeting: "Well, so much for my first fight going smoothly.  Thanks for the assist... big-yee-soo-on?  Am I getting that right?  That was an impressive display of firepower back there."
> Agree to investigate the two defeated, but not without advising plenty of caution be exercised.  These two almost murdered your face, so even if they're deader than dead, I mean... they could explode for all you know.
>> IF the aggressors don't retaliate: Find Cheez, Ms. Monastery, and the Mighty Moriya Power Rangers.  Shuffle through the strange deck of cards you wrought only two turns a short while ago.  What makes them tick? you wonder.  It seems like magic, but any sufficiently advanced technology... so on, so forth.  There has to be some sort of mechanism, even if it's universal in nature and relates to this specific realm (which is most definitely not the Earth you know)... yet you can't shake the feeling that there is in fact some Magic of the Gathering variety going down here.
# mfw the canon of this story dictates that I am female
# I guess my profile info doesn't really help any, does it

[3] The shrine maiden and gap youkai are nowhere to be found. Whatever bigyihsuan did seems to have expelled them from the Human Village and the skies above it.
Kanako speaks to you telepathically once again:
"We barely made it, but I guess it's over now, isn't it? Feel free to come by when you've got time."
You can tell that they're at the Moriya Shrine. On the other hand, you find it hard to locate the other two.

Your gender is determined by two things: either the "gender" field in your profile or what I can gather from your avatar at the time of your first post. Keep in mind that you can always resurrect with a different gender (or species) if you die.

>Whimsical Melody "No Foresight"
>Music-themed! Let's do this! Bullets that bounce off everything with reckless abandon! Also applies "distracted by irritating music" debuff to everyone within radius.
>Go to where Haruko and her mother are hiding currently.

[4] The card glows as you enchant it with your powers of ROCK before dimming to reveal the finished product. You slip it into your pocket and fly off to the Myouren Temple, just in time to see an unmatched sock flying towards the north with a woman who he referred to as "Byakuren". The former is carrying the mother on his back, whose daughter clings on to the back of the latter. Whatever they're doing seems to be risky, so you follow behind them to serve as defense.

(read an unmatched sock's scenario for what happens next)

[Patorikku]

> The hell? Where are they? The fight's over already? Well, in that case, there's no point in sticking around here... Do a quick scan over the area for other players outsiders. You'll need information off of them to see what you need to do next.

> (no nearby players) Or uh, should you head back to the temple? If the fight's not taking place here, you should check on Akina and Haruko.

[an unmatched sock]

>"Oh, well, I apologize for not introducing myself sooner. You may call me Sock. As for why I helped...well, the shrine maiden seemed slightly off, and Haruko and her were about to butt heads, but Reimu was obviously going to win that. I tried to calm her down, but when that didn't work, I just...grabbed Haruko and flew off to safety. From there, I made a promise to help her find you and get back home. And, well...this may not exactly be where your home was, but you're at least safe here. I may have died twice and Haruko may have been seriously injured twice, but in the end...we made it." Smile. "I didn't let you down."
>Turn to the younger of the Watsukis. "Haru...please be safe, and keep your mother safe as well. I don't think I can really coexist here in the Outside World anymore...rather obviously." Flap wings and heft gamma-ray gun arm. Huh, never actually got to use that. A shame. "I don't want to be corralled as some freak with weird explosion powers, kept in some creepy secret facility where I will be tested upon to find out my powers. So I will be returning to Gensokyo. Besides, someone has to rub it in the shrine maiden's face that you got away. That being said, it probably wouldn't be advised to come back to Gensokyo, at least in your lifetimes, or as long as Reimu lives...I doubt she'll forget this, unfortunately."
>Allow them to say what they want to.
>Turn to Byakuren. "We probably shouldn't hang around for too long. People might start to miss us." Back to the mother and daughter. "...I guess this is goodbye. I won't forget you, don't worry."
>*At this point, go with Byakuren back across the sea, back to Gensokyo.

*Note: I might have some retroactive comments, depending on what Haruko and Akina say.

[Zengar Zombolt]

>Monotone some more. "All systems nominal. This unit sees fit to praise you for your work..."
>Then break out in laughter. "Pffthahaha, I always wanted to do that! Say, what kind of person is so interested in science within Gensokyo like that? It is a bit dangerous, y'know."

[Kappa]

> Turn to bigyihsuan:
"Hey, do you have any place to be?  Basically the only other people I know are MIA or at the "Moriya shrine", so I'm probably headed back there.  Would you care to join me?"
> If bigyihsuan joins your party: Blink with him to the shrine.
> Else: Blink alone.
> query@("bigyihsuan" OR "Moriya party"): the mysterious woman accompanying Reimu, nature of spell cards
> Commence Rocky-esque training at the shrine.  Cue copyright-friendly, royalty-free MIDI.
> Search shrine grounds for questgivers and other players.

[LaserTurtle]

>"Well, that's one problem solved without much of my own input! Glad to know."
>Turn back, search for Yukari or Reimu to see what they're up to. Be prepare to meet bullets with vague attempts at negotiation and half-truths.

[Failure McFailFace]

> Turn to bigyihsuan:
"Hey, do you have any place to be?  Basically the only other people I know are MIA or at the "Moriya shrine", so I'm probably headed back there.  Would you care to join me?"
> If bigyihsuan joins your party: Blink with him to the shrine.
> Else: Blink alone.
> query@("bigyihsuan" OR "Moriya party"): the mysterious woman accompanying Reimu, nature of spell cards
> Commence Rocky-esque training at the shrine.  Cue copyright-friendly, royalty-free MIDI.
> Search shrine grounds for questgivers and other players.

>Yes, blink with Kappa.
>>Is the spell card "used up at all?

[FlamingRok]

>Grab the needles and retreat back to Alice's house. We'll see if either Alice or Marisa know about the origin of these needles.

[aUsernameIsFineToo]

[Day: 4]   [Time: Morning]   [Weather: Snow]

> The hell? Where are they? The fight's over already? Well, in that case, there's no point in sticking around here... Do a quick scan over the area for other players outsiders. You'll need information off of them to see what you need to do next.

> (no nearby players) Or uh, should you head back to the temple? If the fight's not taking place here, you should check on Akina and Haruko.

[5] BONUS: Your next roll gets 1 added to it.
You head back to the temple, but the people you're trying to find aren't there.
"You're too late. They left for the Outside World a bit over an hour ago... Don't worry, the mother and her daughter will make it home. They're under the care of two very capable people. If you stay around for one more turn a few more minutes, they should be back."

>"Oh, well, I apologize for not introducing myself sooner. You may call me Sock. As for why I helped...well, the shrine maiden seemed slightly off, and Haruko and her were about to butt heads, but Reimu was obviously going to win that. I tried to calm her down, but when that didn't work, I just...grabbed Haruko and flew off to safety. From there, I made a promise to help her find you and get back home. And, well...this may not exactly be where your home was, but you're at least safe here. I may have died twice and Haruko may have been seriously injured twice, but in the end...we made it." Smile. "I didn't let you down."
>Turn to the younger of the Watsukis. "Haru...please be safe, and keep your mother safe as well. I don't think I can really coexist here in the Outside World anymore...rather obviously." Flap wings and heft gamma-ray gun arm. Huh, never actually got to use that. A shame. "I don't want to be corralled as some freak with weird explosion powers, kept in some creepy secret facility where I will be tested upon to find out my powers. So I will be returning to Gensokyo. Besides, someone has to rub it in the shrine maiden's face that you got away. That being said, it probably wouldn't be advised to come back to Gensokyo, at least in your lifetimes, or as long as Reimu lives...I doubt she'll forget this, unfortunately."
>Allow them to say what they want to.
>Turn to Byakuren. "We probably shouldn't hang around for too long. People might start to miss us." Back to the mother and daughter. "...I guess this is goodbye. I won't forget you, don't worry."
>*At this point, go with Byakuren back across the sea, back to Gensokyo.

*Note: I might have some retroactive comments, depending on what Haruko and Akina say.

[4] "Oh [...] down."
"Thank you, Sock... I don't know what kind of miracles it may have took for this to happen, but we've made it past the worst. You may have revived, but I can't imagine the pain that you must've endured to see this day happen... You're a hero, and we'll always remember you as one."

BGM

"Haru [...] obviously."
"Don't worry. We'll be able to get home safely."
"I [...] unfortunately."
"If you're able to, please do! And tell her I said 'hi'!"
"Haru... don't get this guy killed again..."
"No, mom. It's just a joke!"
"If I were you, I'd hold off on that. The way I see it, it's not in Reimu's best interest that Haruko and I left Gensokyo. I don't want her to take her anger out on you. Besides, who knows what that crazy girl will do to you once she finds out? I'm only wishing the best for you and your friends, so please consider my advice." (She is a mother, after all...)
"We [...] us."
"I'm surprised that we haven't caught anyone's attention yet. Still, you're right. We should probably leave this place before that happens."
"...I [...] worry."
"And we'll never forget you, either. From now on, every waking moment will be proof of what you've done for us."
Akina and Haruko bow at you and say their final words of gratitude before disappearing into the city streets:
"Arigatou... gozaimashita..."

...Not a single word was spoken on the way back to Gensokyo. As the two of you fly over the Youkai Mountain, you notice Kappa and bigyihsuan standing in front of the Moriya Shrine. Sanae notices you and greets you from below:
"Hey! Over here!"
Byakuren speaks in a voice loud enough that you can hear, but soft enough that those at the shrine below can't:
"Looks like you've got some getting-together! I'd love to come with you, but I have to rest up and check in with the rest of those at the temple. Come visit us the next time you're around!"
As she flies off towards the Myouren Temple, she says one more thing:
"If they ask, tell them what I just told you."

>Monotone some more. "All systems nominal. This unit sees fit to praise you for your work..."
>Then break out in laughter. "Pffthahaha, I always wanted to do that! Say, what kind of person is so interested in science within Gensokyo like that? It is a bit dangerous, y'know."

[5] BONUS: Your next roll gets 1 added to it.
"Well, I guess it's time to introduce myself... I'm Rika, Gensokyo's finest engineer beyond the Kappa Valley! Most of the people left in the village are hardline adherents of the Hakurei Shrine, but that doesn't mean everyone is!"
Rika quiets down:
"In fact, most of the believers of science are hiding in this village. To answer your question, think of it this way: what would you do if you were born into an average human family in a place like this? The gods and youkai have their supernatural powers, the magicians have a whole arsenal of spells at their disposal, and that red-white inherits her powers without any effort on her part. Without harnessing the power of science and technology, normal humans would never stand a chance against threats."

> Turn to bigyihsuan:
"Hey, do you have any place to be?  Basically the only other people I know are MIA or at the "Moriya shrine", so I'm probably headed back there.  Would you care to join me?"
> If bigyihsuan joins your party: Blink with him to the shrine.
> Else: Blink alone.
> query@("bigyihsuan" OR "Moriya party"): the mysterious woman accompanying Reimu, nature of spell cards
> Commence Rocky-esque training at the shrine.  Cue copyright-friendly, royalty-free MIDI.
> Search shrine grounds for questgivers and other players.

[4] You arrive at the Moriya Shrine and grab the attention of its residents.
In response to "the mysterious woman accompanying Reimu":
"That would be Yukari Yakumo, the youkai of boundaries. Quite fearsome, and definitely someone you'd want to avoid as much as you can. If she doesn't flat-out eat you, she'll drive you to mental insanity. Oh, and she's one of only two in Gensokyo who can freely cross the Great Hakurei Barrier without any opposition."
In response to "nature of spell cards":
"Spell cards are nothing more than a easy way to recall spells, whether they're offensive, defensive, or utilitarian. Most people use them to recall lesser-used or complicated ones, and only select a few out of their entire collection when engaging in battle. Once you've selected your 'deck', you must pick the right spell to use at the right time, because it's generally accepted that you'll only use a card once in a battle. Once you're out of cards, you can either surrender or resort to your most basic attacks. Most people just surrender at that point, especially if their opponent has undeclared spells."

Your training enhances your abilities, allowing you to make four more spell cards.
> Make your spells!

>"Well, that's one problem solved without much of my own input! Glad to know."
>Turn back, search for Yukari or Reimu to see what they're up to. Be prepare to meet bullets with vague attempts at negotiation and half-truths.

[1] Your gut feeling tells you that they're probably at the Hakurei Shrine, so you fly off towards it...

...Voices can be clearly heard coming from inside by the time you land, and you confidently slide open the door. Reimu charges towards you and pins you against the wall, pressing her gohei against your neck:
"I trusted you. If those two escaped... I'LL KILL YOU RIGHT NOW!!!"
Yukari responds from behind:
"Then do it, and I'll explain the rest."
A dull crack sounds as she pushes the hard wooden rod forward, leaving your body to fall to the ground.
"They escaped. Right under our eyes, they ESCAPED!"

You are dead.

>Yes, blink with Kappa.
>>Is the spell card "used up at all?

[2](+1) You successfully Blink to the Moriya Shrine with Kappa, though you're not used to traveling at such extreme speeds. Furthermore, you didn't brace yourself, so you end up with an intense headache that causes you to collapse shortly after your arrival.

(read Kappa's scenario for what happens next)

>Grab the needles and retreat back to Alice's house. We'll see if either Alice or Marisa know about the origin of these needles.

[4] You collect as many needles as you can, holding around half of the total amount in each hand on your way to Alice's house. Marisa doesn't look too surprised to see them.
"These are exorcism needles, Reimu's weapon of choice against humans. Just one can cause terrible pain, but with the amount you've got here, I'd say she was probably trying to kill someone instantly."
Alice takes one and carefully inspects it:
"These are designed to inflict as much pain as possible. See the barbed tips they have? Once these are stuck in your flesh, the only way to remove them is to push them out the other side or pull them back out. Either that, or you hope that she fired them right through you. Even then, you'd probably black out."

ITEM ACQUIRED: Exorcism needles (x66)