> Frown.
> "I'm afraid I cannot do that."
> Shake head.
> "It would not do to back out of my agreement."
> Raise an eyebrow.
> "I do not wish to fight you, but I am not leaving until she arrives."
> "I was actually planning on waiting at the entrance, as I do not wish to enter without her as a guide. She did give me directions, but she mentioned that the pass to get there is easy to miss. Either I have done so already, or I have not come across it yet."
> "Your sentiments are noted, but I believe I will continue my search for the pass she mentioned. Please do not let my presence interrupt your business to the north."
> "I wish you a pleasant afternoon. Please excuse me."
> Move to continue our search, keeping in mind that this person will probably start firing upon us.
> Continue our search for the pass Youmu mentioned.
> Is one of our hands occupied from holding our travel bag, or is it looped around our belt?
> Casually strafe to the left to get out of the way of the shot.
> Continue walking as if nothing happened, but do keep an eye on the woman.
> Walking or flying, whatever we're doing right now.
> "You have made it clear nothing I say will change your mind, and you have insulted me several times over. Unless you are prepared to rectify these things, I see no need to continue engaging with you."
> "What problems have I caused?"
> "Skulking? Are you referring to when I actively tried to get your attention, instead of sneaking around and trying to hide like the thief you allege me to be would actually be doing?"
> "My point is that you would not even have known I was here if I did not grab your attention."
> "If it is so imperative that I not trespass, why not speak up then?"
> "Quite. Anyway, since you claim to be native to this area, if you have some form of direct contact with Youmu, I would be perfectly content to meet up with her elsewhere that does not bother you."
> "Are you willing to wait around here? She should not be much longer. When we parted ways at the entrance to the underground, as far as I was aware, she only had business at a couple of locations down there, and then would return here."
> "That may be, but I have also made a couple of stops myself at other locations, so some time has passed since she entered the underground."
> "Ah, are they at home now?"
> "Should I come with you while you relay your message to them?"
> "If I am a thief, what is to stop me from sneaking back after you have gone home?"
> What's the vegetation like in the surrounding area?
> How close is the nearest forest?
> "Mmm, very well. What is the closest notable location? I would rather not wait in the middle of nowhere."
> Have our face twitch ever-so-slightly.
> "Ah, I am sure this shinigami is a pleasant enough fellow, but perhaps the town would be the better choice for someone such as myself."
> "The public house should be fine, I think."
> "Now, what faith do I have that my message will be relayed?"
> "I do not know where to find you, actually. I do not know precisely where you li e, and I do not know where you were headed before I stopped you."
> "So you are abandoning your trip westward?"
> Purse our lips.
> "If you are going to remain here, then frankly I would rather stay here as well, if not for the convenience, then for the opportunity to learn from a stranger."
> "I would not object to staying with them, if it is all the same otherwise."
> Point at the floating object.
> "Do they have one of those as well?"
> Are these terms we have heard before?
> "...I see. I...believe I know what a violin is, but I am afraid I am not familiar with the latter term."
> "Ah, all right then. If I may ask, how do your sisters compare to yourself in terms of battle prowess?"
> "I suppose this would be why you do not wish to leave me alone with them, then."
> Frown.
> "I must still express displeasure that trust is apparently one-directional here. But...honoring my deal is more important, if it must be this way."
> "It would be preferable to returning to town, yes. I promise I will depart as soon as Youmu arrives."
> "I would not dream of such a thing."
> Follow!
> Quests
> Head to the underground city, keeping an eye out for the girl who's wand we're supposed to be asking Nue about.
> Take a look around everywhere for the bucket.
> Investigate!
> She is still asleep? A shame. Ah well, Miko did just come out of the cave, so such was to be expected.
> How small is she? She must be fairly small if a not-large person such as ourselves would think of her that way.
> Is she larger than a fairy, at least?
> Well, as long as she's sleeping, it would be rude to disturb her.
> Land and continue on through the cave, through that tunnel on the far side that we saw earlier.
> Inventory
> When did we get that money, again?
> "I do not, sadly. Is that what you are searching for there?"
> Is the crack the fairy is reaching into large enough to fit our arm?
> Would using our swords to retrieve the moss be uncouth?
> Make our way toward the fairy in a relatively casual manner.
> "May I see?"
> Would the pruning scissors fit in the crack?
> Kneel down at the crack and have a look at the moss.
> How large is the fairy?
> Given the length of the fairy's arms, about how close to the moss was she probably getting?
> Could the pruning shears reach the moss?
> "Ah, yes, I see. Hmm...I may have something that could help you get the moss. But! It is quite valuable to me, and I absolutely cannot have you dropping it down the crack, so I can only lend it to you if you let me borrow something of value in return."
> If we reached down to get at the moss with the pruning scissors, would we still risk our arms getting stuck?
> "What do you have?"
> Crack a tiny smile of our own.
> "That is true. But I do not think it would be very pleasant for you if I were to borrow your mouth."
> Look slightly taken aback.
> "Um, if I were to do such a thing, you would experience immense pain and lose a tremendous amount of blood. I also cannot guarantee I would be able to return it to you in a usable condition."
> Nod.
> "Indeed. So maybe it is not a good idea if I borrow your mouth. Perhaps I could borrow you yourself instead, though?"
> "Only if you do not agree to it. Which you are perfectly welcome to do, if the idea does not appeal to you."
> "I am not sure. It will depend on what situations we come across. I will say that I have business in the city up ahead, though none of it is with any specific oni."
> "It may be dangerous, but I have a duty to carry out, and an agreement to honor. I can come back here later to help you out, though, if you like, so you don't have to go to the city."
> Nod.
> "Is this agreeable, then? You can continue to work at that moss while I am gone, and if you need my help when I return, we can discuss an agreement of our own."
> "I will have other duties after I have left the city. You may be able to help with those."
> Have we heard of this before?
> "I have not heard of this."
> Have we heard of *this* before?
> Shake head.
> "I am not."
> Do we know what THAT is?
> "Not that either."
> Shake head.
> Shake head again.
> "I am searching for the person who attacked my home."
> "It was a woman named Seiga Kaku."
> "No, she is a wicked hermit. It is unlikely she is in the city. But I have made a deal with one who can help me research exactly what she has done to my home, and my end of that deal involves a trip to the city."
> No matter, it is not necessary that she understand.
> "Anyway, I will return here once I am finished in the city. If you are able to obtain your moss while I am gone, do not feel obligated to wait here for me."
> Nod.
> "I will see what I can do. Farewell."
> Continue down the tunnel toward the city.
> Have we ever been down here before?
> Cross the bridge and head into the city.
> Did Miko tell us where we needed to go, both for her investigation and our redhead?
> Make our way to Nue's place, following Miko's directions.
> Did we ever get challenged to a duel by Tenshi when she had a gang in tow?
> Enter the establishment.
> Make our way over to the bar, studying the foreign sword as much as we can without tripping over a stool or a table or another patron on our way.
> Nod.
> "Yes, I helped in the resolution of that. I believe we also met one other time, when you mentioned that Tenshi was on the prowl with some sort of celestial gang."
> "It is funny you should mention the Taoists. I am here to inquire about a wand, belonging to a girl in a bucket, that has gone missing."
> Frown and jerk a thumb behind us, pointing back at the door.
> "I do not know all of the details, but may I assume I have become wrapped up in this because a certain person caused trouble here earlier?"
> "Well, I did not travel underground to investigate a bucket girl's missing wand. But I am here asking about it now, as it seems that person could not get the job done without causing trouble."
> "Does that mean you know nothing of the bucket girl's missing wand, then?"
> "Ah, my apologies, I misunderstood."
> Frown.
> "Well then, this has been a large waste of both your time and mine. Please forgive my intrusion."
> Are we allowed to drink on the job?
> How often do we usually eat?
> We never actually got lunch back home, did we?
> Visibly ponder for a couple of seconds.
> "What do you have available for lunch?"
> "Ah, that sounds quite nice."
> Pull out 8☼.
> "I would like two, please."
> "Mmm...I don't suppose you have seen Seiga Kaku lately?"
> "Seiga did...something to the giant youkai tree in the Netherworld this morning. I chased after her, but she escaped using that accursed hole-making ability of hers, so now I am hoping she has been seen recently."
> Have a sip of the water.
> "I also ran into Miko briefly on my way here, long enough to air my grievances about the attack. She claims that she dismissed Seiga from her entourage, which is the first I had heard of that. She also offered to inspect the tree herself, to see what Seiga did to it."
> "Yuyuko-sama and Yukari-sama are there right now, so if she tries anything, I am sure it will be stopped immediately."
> Take another sip.
> "I suppose I should let you know that you are likely to see her again in the near future. I originally came down here in pursuit of a task Yuyuko-sama gave me, to recruit actresses for a planned theatrical performance. It is exceedingly likely that both their leader and yours will be involved."
> "What what?"
> "Ah. Yuyuko-sama has written a play, and it is to be performed in the human village at some point in the relatively near future."
> "I will need to go back to her and confirm, now that I have talked to more potential actresses. But she was strongly considering it, yes."
> "I hope it will not be a problem if she confirms her participation?"
> Sip.
> "I think there is an argument to be made that diplomatic leaders make some of the finest actresses."
> Turn to the oni.
> "Perhaps, if it does not interfere with my duties to my mistress. What kind of work?"
> Nod.
> "Is this as a demonstration, or is someone causing trouble?"
> "Ah, a sparring session. I believe I could do this, yes."
> Nod.
> "That would be appreciated, if you are willing to wait until after I have had my meal."
> "Oh, that would be most convenient if you could."
> "It seems someone has an interest in having me be their sparring partner."
> Sample the chicken.
> "Have I gotten myself into something I should not have?"
> Have some more of the chicken.
> Could we actually die? What would happen to us if we did?
> "I have faith that one will not be necessary. May I ask what sauce this is? It is quite delicious."
> Do we have kasha paw in the store rooms back home?
> "I have never heard of that first thing. Is it indigenous to this underground area?"
> "I see. I will have to keep that in mind for the future."
> Keep working on those skewers.
> Nod.
> "That is good to know. Thank you for the information."
> "Hmm..."
> Have another sip of water.
> "...Will you be attending the performance, whenever it happens?"
> Nod.
> "I imagine you won't be alone in that sentiment."
> Give the smallest of smirks.
> "I would be lying if I said I had not considered that when casting. But I am sure it will be fine."
> "I doubt Yuyuko-sama would appreciate me showing so little faith in her production."
> "Ah. Well, just as I trust there will be no internal problems, I trust there will be no external problems either."
> "I suppose you are perfectly welcome to act as you see fit once the troupe has left the stage for the final time."
> Give a small smile.
> "I do what I can."
> Finish off our meal.
> How is it raining underground?
> Is there a designated place for used utensils?
> Arrange our dirties in such a fashion that they can be easily collected, then stand back up if we sat down to eat.
> "I hope to see you again soon. Farewell!"
> Assuming Nue doesn't try to stop us, exit the establishment.
> Do we have any rain protection gear?
> Are there any nearby overhangs not currently occupied?
> Crud.
> Nothing for it, then. Dash on off to the Palace where the redhead youkai lives.
> Are the front doors under a canopy?
> What do we remember of what Utsuho and Parsee told us of where they came from and who their friends are? What do we know of these things independent of meeting them this morning?
> Make haste to the front doors and knock. (Use a door knocker if one is present.)
> Were we ever told the actual name of this place?
>Do we know the name of the red-headed individual?
> "Is this the Palace of the Earth Spirits?"
> Nod.
> "Greetings. I am Youmu Konpaku, servant of Lady Saigyouji of Hakugyoukuro and gardener of the Netherworld. I am here on a minor piece of business. May I get out of the rain?"
> Maybe this is Utsuho's kasha!
> "No, not at all."
> "Thank you."
> Step inside as quickly as we can without looking like we're trying to get inside as quickly as we can.
> "An interesting set of coincidences, it seems. Are you familiar with Utsuho and Parsee?"
> "Ah, nothing of the sort. I encountered them in the Human Village, while they were looking for someone."
> Nod lightly. Don't want to spray water any more all over ourselves.
> "This person they were looking for, Koishi. We have found her. The three of them are currently having lunch at Hakugyokurou."
> "Yes, I understand that reaction was to be expected."
> "Wh-whoa, hey!"
> To the hall, then, apparently! Let's at least try to keep our feet under ourselves as we're dragged along.
> Are the cords like Koishi's?
> "Um, please pardon the intrusion. I am Youmu Konpaku, servant of Lady Saigyouji of Hakugyokurou and groundskeeper of the Netherworld. I am guessing I have been brought to your door because I was involved in the discovery of a person named Koishi in the Human Village."
>Are we aware of the reason satoris are so hated?
> What sorts of privacy did Koishi request, besides not wanting to talk to Yukari? Was there anyone else she specifically didn't want to talk to, or know about her location or condition?
> "I admit I do not fully understand, but she has the aura of death about her, as though something that has been building inside of her for some time is dangerously close to having lethal consequences. There does not appear to be anything physically amiss, but there is the spiritual issue. She is also having memory problems, where she cannot remember anything she does while alone. Lady Saigyouji believes she is somehow borrowing memories from the people she meets in order to retain at least that much."
> "That is the next thing to figure out. I had brought the small group of underground residents to Hakugyokurou for lunch and further investigation when I was notified that there was a malevolent intruder in the Netherworld. I gave chase, but she slipped away. I have been investigating her whereabouts since."
> Frown.
> "I would not be surprised if Koishi and her friends would were unhappy with me for being gone for so long."
> "That is part of the plan for when I return there, which is the next thing I plan on doing. I have no new information on where the intruder has gone, but I made a deal whereby her former leader will join me in returning home and investigate the damage she caused."
> "Do you wish to come see her?"
>Wait for her to resolve her inner turmoil.
>See if she makes up her mind within a couple of minutes at least.
> "I assure you that you would not be intruding."
> Gesture to the kasha.
> "Your friend is also welcome to come, if it would help."
> Blanche.
> "Uh, assuming you are referring to here, she has already refused to do that, even before I knew it was a thing to ask of her."
> "Is there anything I can do to help whatever the problem is, then?"
> Does she look angry, or pleading, or something else entirely?
> "Very well. I shan't pursue it further unless you provide permission."
> Did Koishi say what she spent her time doing?
> "She seems to have been simply drifting around aimlessly."
> "She did not mention any such thing, and as I said, she had no visible physical maladies."
> Gesture to Satori's corded eye.
> "At the risk of offending, however, I do note that your eye is open, while hers is closed. She seemed adamant that hers was fine as it was."
> "I see. Well, I am sure I will learn what happened if it ever becomes important that I know. Regardless, it does not appear anyone has harassed or is harassing her. Unless her substantial distrust for Lady Yakumo stems from such a thing, though I rather doubt that is the case."
> What do we remember of Koishi's eyes? The ones in her head, not the one attached via cords.
> "I think it best not to dwell on it, then. The only other physical oddity I noticed is that her smile never broke, no matter her words. It came close, once, when Utsuho suggested she be invisible less, but that was it."
> "I wonder if getting her to express herself more would help. Ah, wait, I misspoke earlier. Lady Saigyouji didn't say she was borrowing memories, that was my guess. Lady Saigyouji said she was borrowing thoughts. I apologize for the error."
> Did Yuyuko-sama mention such a thing?
> "She did not really specify, beyond pointing out that she was borrowing them from the people around her, and that there is 'not a lot left to be Koishi' when she has no one around her to borrow from."
> Nod.
> "I believe Utsuho came to the same conclusion, yes."
> "If I may offer one last thing, Lady Saigyouji did suggest that Koishi undoing the things she has done to herself would help her get better. However, it does not seem like Koishi will be fully willing to try such efforts. Even just the suggestion that she make herself unseen less did not go over well, as she claimed she didn't want people to hate her more."
> "We conversed for some time while she remained unseen, and when I asked her if I could take a look at her to see if she had any physical symptoms of her condition, she appeared before me once I promised I would not hate her. As for the other two, it is my understanding that I missed some grant adventure, but I seem to have been able to convince her to give the other two a second chance. They were actually playing Parcheesi together while having lunch when I left."
> "I suppose that when one's very existence is threatened, a gesture of good faith and a desire to help from family goes a long way, regardless of whatever happened in the past."
> "Of course. Please lead onward."
> Follow the kasha to wherever we are going to be waiting.
> Take on an equally quiet tone.
> "I believe Koishi said something about how she did not want to be a burden or a worry for anyone. But perhaps there is more to it than that?"
> "Ah. I suppose that makes sense."
> Would a mindreader be able to hear the thoughts of the Netherworld's ghosts?
> "Yes, she did not seem especially by the crowds in that regard. The most she did was use Utsuho as a shield from the crowd."
> Frown.
> "I'm not sure you want my answer to that question."
> "Well. If the solution to the problem is that Koishi needs to do some painful things that she doesn't want to do, I think the best way to get her to go along with it is if other people do painful things for her sake that they otherwise don't want to do ."
> "But I did give my word that I would not pursue it."
> "I will be sure to do so."
> Smile.
> "Your offer is appreciated, but I just had lunch at the Pressed Rose."
> "There actually is one thing. It is relatively unimportant in comparison to what else we have discussed here, and can certainly be resolved later once the more immediate issue is dealt with, but as long as we are waiting, I suppose I should ask."
> "Lady Saiygouju has written a play, which she wishes to see performed some time in the relatively near future. I have been tasked with casting this play, and one of her requests was a redhead of medium size. Would you be interested in performing?"
> "I am sure you would perform admirably."
> Frown.
> "I see..."
> "We shall see. On one hand, I do not want to force you into something you are not confident in. On the other, I...am not aware of any other medium-sized redheads in Gensokyo. The only other two redheads I know are very tall."
> "It is what it is. I will see what I can do."
> "Understood."
> Quests
> "I don't suppose a blue-haired woman has come by here today?"
> "Ah. That must have been Miko."
> "Anyway, I cannot think of any other immediate issues."
> Does it sound like it's still raining outside?
> "I think it best if I return home. Will you need directions to reach the Netherworld, should that be the decision Satori ultimately reaches?"
> "Very well."
> Provide said directions, making sure to address all clarifying questions as accurately as possible.
> "If you are willing to lend one, it would be much appreciated."
> "Thank you very much."
> "Well then, I wish you both the best in your decision. I shall, perhaps, see you soon."
> Give the kasha a bow.
> "Thank you, and good luck to you as well."
> Step outside, opening the umbrella as we go to cover ourselves from the rain.
> Head back to the surface, with as much haste as we can without risking ruining the umbrella.
> Stop and have a look down the alley.
> Look a little bit shocked.
> "Ah, that was your friend back there, then? My apologies, I did not realize this was going to happen so soon."
> Frown.
> "I was unaware such things took so little to pass. Please forgive me, I do not venture this way very often."
> Set aside our umbrella and unsheathe both swords.
> "Sorry. I will explain later, if you like."
>Horizontally or vertically?
>Jump backwards out of her range as quickly as we can and adopt a fighting stance.
>How long is her sword?
>Is flying acceptable in Gensokyan sword duels?
> How fast are her sword swings so far? Are they about the same speed as ours?
> From our perspective, is she swinging right-to-left or left-to-right?
> How does the size her katana compare to the size of our swords?
> Are we within the slash path, or is she just swinging to push us back?
> Is she holding her katana with one hand or two?
> Jump back again, but this time, swing our right-hand sword right-to-left, trying to catch her blade on ours and deflect her swing harder and further leftward than she originally intended to swing.
> Is she stepping to her right or to our right?
> Horizontal left-to-right slash with our left-hand sword while pulling our right-hand sword up to get it out of the way.
> Do graduates of the Konpaku School of Swordery tend more toward offensive, defensive, or balanced combat styles?
> Is she holding her sword directly in front of her, or off to one side?
>What conventions do we know of for sword duels in Gensokyo, regarding injuries and what kind of contact would count for scoring a proverbial 'point' or winning a match? Is it poor form to actually injure an opponent rather than merely threaten to do so? Should we try to make contact only with the flat of our blade?
>...and do we have any idea whether the oni would even respect such a polite set of sparring rules?
>We really should have gotten more details from the one who set this up....
>So, that means we can aim freely to any part of the body without risk of actual injury - or general foul play?
>Is this 'disruptive' enough that a strike to a leg might cause a meaningful stumble that could be capitalized upon?
>Or is it safer to assume that any single hit wins a round, at which point we'd square off again? If we had to guess.
>Well, then if she is to be so unceremonious, let us do what we can to best her decisively.
>Charge foward, Roukanken held close before us. But rather than try to meet the oni's blade directly, carefully follow the path of any strike she will make from this frontal position and sidestep swiftly. If she turns he blade into too strong a diagonal, reduce our own profile while deflecting the blade's course with Hakurouken. Do not attempt to match power for power with the oni, but simply redirect her force along an angle just wide enough to slip past.
>Then strike at her side with Roukanken!
>Let's follow in quickly for a follow-up attack with whichever sword has better leverage given our current angles.
>But keep close eye on her blade and take care not to overextend. As before, try to redirect away any counterattacks rather than take them head-on. If she makes a strike that we do not think we can redirect while keeping up our offensive motion, try instead to dash past her range entirely - towards her rear, if we can, then quickly turn around, but back away instead if the former maneuver seems too risky.
>Angle Roukanken to slide her blade aside from us, then pull back and away from the engagement while circling around her a little
>Then take another couple quick steps forward and make a sharp frontal slash with Roukanken while continuing to shift our position laterally to follow in with Hakurouken. Press our advantage in speed, rather than power.
>Pull Hakurouken in crosswise against the jab to push it aside, while we twist our body away from the attack
>Then try to slash with Roukanken again while the oni is committed to this thrust
>Then instead let's quickly step back and aside, and get the heck out of the way!
>Try to get a little distance and resume a defensive posture before making our next move
>"Likewise. There is great strength and confidence in your strikes."
>Slowly approach her again. Try to bait her into making the first move, but make sure we position ourselves to be able to better-dodge any sudden attacks than we could the last one.
>Continue to slowly approach in a defensive stance
>If she does strike low, try to turn the blade towards the ground, then follow forward along the point of contact between our blades. Use both of them crosswise to parry if the angle presented for this is good.
>If she does not strike by the time we are inside our own effective range, make a quick slash or two with Roukanken, aiming high. Do not commit too heavily, but rather try to bait out an unideal response with her own weapon that we can then capitalize against.
>Meet any other less expected attack with our maintained defensive stance.
>Try to pull back slightly and regain our footing, keeping whichever sword is more convenient interposed between the oni and ourselves defensively.
>If she comes abroad of us before we have recovered, respond with a quick slash of our other weapon - the intent less to injure than to dissuade aggressive follow-ups
>Move forward and slash laterally with Roukanken - try to aim beneath her weapon as we bring Hakurouken back around
>Does the terrain near here present us with anything obvious we could use to our advantage?
>Shift forward along the point of contact, keeping our blades crossed. Feel out which direction she wishes to turn the blades, then rather than contest this, turn them with her and make a quick lunge towards the opposite side and strike with Hakurouken
>If we released Roukanken, do we think we could twist away from her charge rather than being forced down by it - and then strike at her side with our other weapon while the oni's momentum carries her forward?
>If so, do this
>Is her slash high enough to duck beneath?
>If so, duck, then shift forward and slash again with Hakurouken. Try to push the oni away from where we dropped our other sword.
>If not, then parry in an attempt to deflect her blade higher so that we can shift beneath it, sliding Hakurouken along her blade as much as it takes to prevent it being battered aside. Then try to sweep this motion into an attack, once we are clear of her blade.
>Can we reach Roukanken from here?
>To use our Companion skill, do we need to have physical contact with the sword we wish our ghost half to wield before it can wield it? Or can we essentially command it to reach out for it itself, if it is very near by?
>Do we think we could tumble forward without heavily exposing ourselves to reprisal as we lose contact with the blade behind us? As in, would the angle make it difficult for the oni to follow us with her sword (or just kick us with her foot) immediately?
>And could we then grasp Roukanken from that position?
>Can we simply pivot around the point of contact between our blades, moving essentially into the inside of her blade, then slide Hakurouken away and slash with it?
>Brief outline of the relative positions of things. How close are we to the oni? What direction is Roukanken from the both of us, and her blade? Is the arm wielding Hakurouken essentially behind us at the moment? Are we even in a position to see what she is doing with her sword?
>Can we perform our Companion skill with a blade that we are currently holding engaged, and have our ghost half manifest holding it in the same position that we were, as we move away? Or does it require a more dedicated motion?
>Can our ghost half do anything else useful on command, normally?
>Do we receive any injuries sustained by it, either while in Companion mode or otherwise?
>Does that mean that a normal sword could pass through it, even in Companion mode, and not cause any injury?
>Can we not even reach her arms with Hakurouken from where we are, or a minor adjustment forward? Legs?
>Does that mean that we have never actually had any mundane physical objects try to attack our ghost half before?
>Isn't 'force her to move unless she wants us to hit her' at least somewhat useful? Is there some other complication?
>Which limb is closest to us?
>Try to bring Hakurouken back around as we shift forward and to the right, while keeping a low profile
>Then slash out at the oni's arms, aimed with the hope of pushing her in the direction away from Roukanken, then quickly lean down, reach out, and try to pick it up again
>How open is the area around us? Is it reasonably possible to circle around the oni without her outright blocking our ability to reach our lost sword?
>Is there anywhere nearly with confined enough space to make it difficult for her to use her longer sword properly while still allowing us to use our smaller one effectively?
>How confident do we feel in our ability to fight with only a single sword? Did our training focus almost exclusively on the two-sword style or do we have reasonable practice with variations?
>Where is this alleyway relative to the both of us (and Roukanken)?
>Let's get back on our feet, assume a stance appropriate for our new state of armament, and circle around slightly so that the alleyway is directly behind us. Let's see if we can draw the oni to approach us without being too obvious about it.
>Back away from the slash, towards the alleyway, as we attempt to parry it lightly. Don't overexert ourselves on the contact, and hope it looks to the oni like we are merely being driven away by her attacks rather than trying to move the battle to a location that favors us more than it favors her.
>Bring our sword back around to try and redirect her attack while we quickly step back from it
>If we see the oni present a good attack opportunity, take it. Otherwise continue to back away.
>Are we actually inside the alleyway yet?
>Then keep retreating in a defensive stance
>"This duel is not decided yet."
>Move back a bit more quickly, and try to turn the blade aside as we twist in the other direction
>Don't let her force an engagement here; move back faster
>Then let's back to the edge of the corner and stay fairly tight to it
>Try to prod the oni into making an attack such that we can use the corner itself to overcome the range disadvantage - she can't attack around a corner without exposing herself at closer range, after all, where our shorter blade should have the advantage
>Can we not evade this by quickly backing around the corner? Her sword presumably cannot bend at hard angles
>Can we just drop our blade beneath hers to disengage? Is her blade actually in a position to hit us at the moment if we move our own?
>Let's try to disengage, then quickly back around the corner and be ready for her to follow after us. Spare a quick glance behind if we feel we need it to be sure of our footing and not hitting a wall, but be very quick about doing so.
>Take up position just around the corner. Try to stand such that she cannot reach her sword around to strike at us without exposing herself at close range.
>If there is even a glimmer of an opening as she exposes herself, take it! Put as much speed as we can into the slash.
>Is the alleyway here narrow enough that we think it could make using her weapon properly somewhat difficult?
>Are there any notable obstructions or obstacles nearby? Or anything at all that catches our eye, for that matter?
>Judging from the speed we've seen from her so far, do we have time to spare a very quick glance behind us without opening ourselves too much, given the distance she currently is from us? Just to confirm the footing behind ourselves.
>If so, do this now
>Is our blade reflective enough that we could tilt it a little to get a rough appraisal of walls or large obstacles behind us, without outright looking away from the oni?
>Or any other reflective surfaces in our current field of vision to glance at, for that matter?
>Let's try to get a rough appraisal of the terrain behind us by looking at our blade. Just the very coarse details like whether there's a wall or a pile of crates or such close behind us
>Shift to try and maximize the degree to which the oni risks battering her sword off the walls when she slashes at us without also pinning us directly against the wall
>If she has still not yet attacked, make a quick lunging attack of our own once she draws just into range
>Try to sidestep clear to the right, then counter with a slash of our own
>Do we think we have a particularly clear shot at any part of her body, if we take a quick step forward?
>I meant in terms of any limbs or other targets that are particularly exposed given her current angle and distance from us (and our ability to strike at them from our position)
>Launch as quick a slash as we can manage at her right leg. Be ready to immediately shift forward and snap our blade around to slash at her torso, if she tries to step away from our first attack - don't give her enough time to properly recover.
> Where is her sword now?
> Is she still between us and Roukanken?
>Keep up the pressure and follow her as she retreats. Launch another slash at whatever part we feel she will be least able to adequately defend or strike back from. If we can, try to push her away from the line between us and Roukanken.
>Does it look like she may be preparing to ram us with that shoulder, or is she just narrowing her profile?
>Do we, by any chance, think we have a good shot at her shoulder, or is her blade close enough to defend it?
>How close are we to Roukanken, and how easily do we think we could dash and grab it if we tried to now?
>Let's step back and to the side as we level a vertical slash at the oni's shoulder. Let's give her something unpleasant to ram into.
>Then, whether this attack connects or she manages to evade it, (provided we are not threatened by something more immediately) let's make a dash for Roukanken.
>Did we actually hit her with that slash?
>Quickly reach out with our main hand as we come into reach of it, pick up Roukanken, then spin to face the oni, in a defensive stance
>Step forward and make a lowish horizontal slash with Roukanken, ideally beneath her raised guard, while using Hakurouken to fend off an attack of her own
>Follow after her with another slash from Roukanken, but rather than contest against any effective defensive maneuver with her blade, pulls ours back and circle around her, then repeat, testing her defense from different angles and trying to force her to make use of her impaired footwork, and possibly create an opening we can capitalize upon
>Continue to circle for another few moments before making a sudden vertical cut with Roukanken. But as she brings her blade to parry, quickly sidestep while keeping Roukanken extended, then step inward and slash in with Hakurouken from the other direction - at an angle that would be hard to defend with her blade alone without also changing her footing.
>Follow after her, thrusting with Roukanken (if our blades are still engaged, adjust the angle so that we can slide it threateningly inward still), while making a second deeper slash with Hakurouken. If she's going to pull back, let's make sure she needs to use both feet to do it.
>Shift inward and quickly reverse the direction of Hakurouken to pursue her with another slash
>If she manages to shift away from this one again, disengage Roukanken from her blade and try a wider horizontal slash, bringing Hakurouken around to try and preemptively fend off a parry or attack on her part, even for a moment
>Seize that opening with whatever blade is best-positioned to do so
>Do we think we have time to quickly sidestep out of the way?
>How well are either of our swords positioned to divert the attack?
>What if we dropped into a crouch to fall beneath the blade while trying to bring Hakurouken around to divert the oni's blade upward/away?
>Then do so
>Additionally, try to bring Roukanken around for a low horizontal cut in the vicinity of the oni's legs, as we do so - try to either stave off her momentum a little or make her pay for it
>Quickly get back on our feet again, reassert our grip on Hakurouken, and prepare Roukanken to strike again
>Has the oni managed to resume a proper stance by now, or is she still faltering from her last maneuver?
>Let's assume a defensive stance and take a step back, as she approaches. Try to stay just outside her weapon's effective range for a moment, and see what she plans on doing.
>So she's moving quickly again now?
>How wide is this bridge, anyway? In terms of room to maneuver? And how's the footing? Any elevated segments around us (aside from the railing itself?)
>Let's back up another couple feet, and if she still hasn't struck or made any movements besides following us, reverse direction with a sudden lunging thrust with Roukanken, angled high towards her torso, while keeping Hakurouken medium-low to try and guard from reprisals
>Disengage Roukanken from her blade, then make a quick diagonal cut towards her left side
>Immediately after this, shift inward and thrust Hakurouken at the exposed spot on her hip
>Bring both our blades back in a cross formation to catch the top of her own between them and try to turn aside and delay its forward momentum just long enough to spring backwards and away from the attack. Give it all the power we've got!
>Where did Hakurouken land, relative to the oni? Do we need to cross past her to reach it, or just move away?
>That attack of hers didn't, by any chance, leave any openings we think we can still exploit in our present condition?
>Does that mean we have an open path to go retrieve our sword at the moment?
>Take a step back, then shift in the direction of Hakurouken, keeping Roukanken interposed between the two of us defensively. Try to move before she can move to block our path, but take enough time so that we don't expose ourselves too openly
>If we step away from this attack, will that let her reach our sword first? If it possible to step away in a direction that is still closer to our sword than she is now?
>Is her attack direct enough that it would be difficult to turn it slightly aside with Roukanken while continuing to move?
>Step back from the oni's attack, then once it has safely passed, move forward again quickly while making a horizontal slash with Roukanken aimed to interfere with her moving in on Hakurouken
>Duck, while raising our sword to fend off hers
>Do we think we have enough of an opening to scramble for our fallen sword now, without receiving another nasty attack before we reach it?
>If Roukanken is in an acceptable position to try this, make a quick jab towards her torso as we straighten up
>Then dash for Hakurouken
>Then just dash for our sword
>But try to bring Roukanken back around into a useful defensive position as we do so
> Does a duel count as over if we are separated from both swords?
>Glance back over our shoulder at the pursuing oni as we close in on Hakurouken, and be ready to take defensive action if she tries something
>Otherwise pick up our fallen weapon as fast as we can, then turn back around in a defensive stance
>Sidestep away from the blade and try to get open ground behind us again, in whichever direct provides the easiest escape
>Use Roukanken to parry only if we have to, and with as little direct force as we can manage. Try to move away from it instead
>And double-check that our grip on Hakurouken seems correct. We don't want to try anything fancy with it unless we're sure we've got a proper handle on it
>At least the oni's got to be aching worse than us by now. Hopefully.
>What's she doing now?
>Ready Roukanken for a lateral slash, and make it as soon as the oni is just coming into range, but immediately pull our blade back from any defensive contact with her own and sidestep quickly in the same motion, reversing the direction of our blade to make a quick thrust at her torso from the opposite direction
> What kind of physical condition are we in?
> Does protocol state we may and/or should sheathe now?
>Sheathe our weapons and bow politely to the oni
>"Well-fought. It is rare that I have the chance to cross blades with such a fierce and skilled opponent. But here I am afraid I must apologize for I... have no idea who you are."
> Would it be patronizing to offer our hand to help Kay up?
>"I am Youmu Konpaku, retainer to the mistress of the Netherworld. And I am pleased to make your acquaintance, Kay."
>"I fear the oni who arranged this left at least one of us largely in the dark. She said there someone wished to spar with me, but not who or when or where or anything else of the terms of this arrangement. So I apologize again if it appeared I was attempting to renege on a commitment."
>"Only just barely fast enough at the end, I think. And in any contest of strength alone, I should surely lose."
>"Perhaps we might spar again sometime? In somewhat less... abrupt circumstances, hopefully."
>"Is there anything else, then, before I return to my business?"
> Did we actually retrieve Hakurouken?
> "Hmm...a curiosity, actually. How many human swordswomen have you duelled down here recently?"
> How aware are we of a magician's club in Gensokyo?
> With Miko, Meira, and Kay here, what other swordswomen do we know of, if any?
> Nod.
> "I met a reclusive human swordswoman in a forest on the surface today. I cannot guarantee anything will come of this, but if you like, when I see her again, I can suggest she pay this city a visit in the name of a proper duel."
> Watch with interest.
> "There is also the Taoist hermit that was just in this city, though she claims her sword was stolen this morning."
> Nod and accept the box.
> "Thank you very much. Did she ask you about her missing sword, then?"
> "Interesting. If nothing else, that at least tells me she was not lying to me."
> Is she heading back toward the city?
> Is she headed toward or away from us?
> "It is possible, but she does not seem the type to lie to one such as yourself. Ah, may I ask one more question before you leave?"
> "Where does the Komeiji family stand socially in this city?"
> Oof. That's not the answer we were hoping for.
> Frown.
> "That sounds like a rather undesirable lot in life."
> "I suppose that is true, though I was thinking more the satori themselves."
> "I see...very well."
> Retrieve our umbrella.
> "I...hmm. If I may ask, how often do you meet any challengers? Not just humans, as I asked that already."
> Nod.
> "I thought as much. I am aware of scant few capable swordswomen in our lands. This is why I am thinking that perhaps those few of us should make duelist meetings a more common occurrence."
> "I can gauge the interest of the Taoist hermit and the forest recluse and then let you know what they think, if you like."
> Nod.
> "I will do this, then. Where can I find you when I return?"
> "Very good. I will keep you informed as soon as I am able."
> "Farewell!"
> Open the umbrella to protect us from the rain again, then resume escaping from the city and heading back toward the surface.
> Oh, right, that fairy. Ah well.
> We've got an owl lady to wrangle. Let's head on home!
> Head on over and have a listen.
> Frown.
> "Another one? Where is she?"
> Nod.
> "Let me see."
> Follow!
> "Ah, most likely not. My friends and I are rather new arrivals here. We are still acclimating to this land. It is...quite an experience, to say the least."
> What musical instruments were most common in our time?
> Did we have any sort of musical preferences?
> "Do you mean as a musical group, or just in the natural flow of things?"
> Nod.
> "Perhaps some day we will have the chance to properly meet each other on more normal terms."
> Have a look over.
> Youmu: Frown. "You are the thief?"
> Miko: Shrug with a small grin. "A simple misunderstanding, I assure you. I suppose this is karmic retribution for not asking you to expand upon the minor details of this area when providing your directions, though. I must apologize for wasting everyone's time like this."
> Miko: Nod. "Yes, I did promise to leave as soon as Miss Konpaku arrived."
> Youmu: Keep frowning. "You're going to have to explain this 'thief' business to me on the way, though."
> Miko: "Of course."
> Youmu: Which incident was this? Did we tell the Prismrivers about Seiga?
> Youmu: Nod. "Your diligence is much appreciated. Thankfully, at least in this case, I have asked her to be here, so there is no need for further concern."
> Youmu: Side-eye Miko.
> Miko: Put on a slightly amused face and give a quick, quiet chuckle.
> Youmu: Look back to Lyrica. "Right. I believe Lady Yakumo is there as well, so I do not expect much in the way of shenanigans."
> Youmu: "Regardless, I believe it is time for us to leave. I am sorry this situation worked out for you this way."
> Miko: Nod. "Indeed. And I apologise for my earlier rudeness."
> Miko: Wave a hand dismissively. "Think nothing of it. You were only seeking to defend a friend's home."
> Miko: Nod, then make our way over to Youmu. "Shall we?"
> Youmu: "Yes." Look to Lyrica and Merlin as best we can. "Thank you for your patience with us."
> Youmu: Is Lyrica typically hotheaded?
> Miko: Have we properly met Yukari Yakumo?
> Both: Leave the manor and head off for the Netherworld, with Youmu taking the lead.
> Both: While on the way...
> Youmu: "So tell me. What really happened?"
> Miko: Shrug. "Just a misunderstanding, as I said. I spotted the one in red at a distance and asked for assistance in finding your home, and I was met largely with the attitude you saw on display. There were many insults and even a small attempt to stop my progress by force, but nothing serious."
> Youmu: Frown. "Yes, Lyrica is usually like that. I would not be surprised if she paid a heavy price for it some day. Please do not think too ill of her, though."
> Miko: Wave a hand dismissively. "Her embarrassment at being so wrong is sufficient repercussions for her actions, far more than if I had actually engaged her in combat. Consider the matter forgotten. There are more important tasks ahead."
> Youmu: Nod. "Very well."
> Both: Complete the trip to the Netherworld, up to the Saigyou Ayakashi.
> Miko: Nod to the jiangshi. "Good day, Yoshika."
> Youmu: Blanche a little bit. "Ah, not...quite yet, Yuyuko-sama. It seems no one I have met so far knows where Seiga has run off to. I have returned with her master..." Gesture to Miko. "...in the hopes that she can offer some advice, being able to investigate up-close."
> Miko: Have we heard of this 'Yuyuko-sama'?
> Miko: Give a bow with a smile to the women at the table. "Good day, ladies. I am Toyosatomimi no Miko, a simple Buddhist hermit. I apologise for what my former subordinate has done to your home. I will do what I can to help Miss Konpaku in her resolution of this incident."
> Miko: "I can understand your wariness. Unfortunately for myself, if my possible involvement in this incident becomes a sticking point, I have no particular way of proving that Seiga has been cast from my home. But I will do what I can to help regardless, Miss...Yakumo, may I presume?"
> Miko: Can we sense anything from the tree or the surrounding area?
> Miko: Would a closer inspection possibly glean more information?
> Miko: "I can investigate in more detail, if I am permitted to approach the tree."
> Miko: Nod, then turn to Youmu. "This will probably take a few minutes. Is there anything else you need to do here?"
> Youmu: "Mmm...I should probably check in on my guests. Please do not leave without finding me again, however. There is another separate matter I would like to discuss, once your investigation has concluded."
> Miko: "I can do this, barring unforseen circumstances."
> Youmu: Nod. "Thank you, Yukari-sama." Give Yuyuko a bow. "By your leave, Yuyuko-sama."
> Miko: Head to the tree and give it a proper investigation as much as we can without touching it.
> Youmu: Head to the Chrysanthemum Garden.
> Youmu: Do all three of them seem to be enjoying themselves, at least?
> Miko: How difficult would it be to restore the tree's life force, once it is discovered?
> Miko: Where could Seiga have stored such a life force? Herself? if so, could she possibly harness it to enhance her own power?
> Youmu: "Apologies for leaving you alone for so long." Smile. "Especially since I seem to have missed out on the fun."
> Miko: Frown deeply. "This...is not good. This tree is not long for this world. A couple of days, at best. Seiga will need to be found as soon as possible."
> Youmu: "Be careful. One must not get distracted in combat."
> Youmu: How does Koishi look?
> Miko: "It appears Seiga employed a method similar to the basic rituals for transmigration, though notably cruder. It should be a simple matter to restore the tree's life force once she is found, at least."
> Miko: Is Yoshika still wearing a talisman? If so, what would happen if we removed it?
> Youmu: Is Parsee taking part?
> Miko: "I see. I am...not quite sure why I have been summoned, then." Take a look back at the ladies at the table with a suspicious look. "Unless you intend to turn one hostage into two."
> Youmu: "Anyway, feel free to make yourselves at home here. I cannot guarantee it will happen, but the rest of your family may be on their way to join us here."
> Miko: "I suppose that makes sense. And no, I would rather not be taken hostage. If nothing else, I cannot perform in your theatrical presentation if I am incarcerated."
> Youmu: "Satori seemed very conflicted in her worry and excitement. She was debating whether or not she should come here when I was requested to leave."
> Miko: "Indeed. It seems an interesting enough prospect, as long as rehearsals do not actively hinder my personal training."
> Youmu: Nod. "Yes, Orin described the major issue to me. I am honestly not sure if the Netherworld's citizens would have the same effect on her as the oni in the city."
> Miko: "That is good to know." Make our way over to the buried Yoshika. "YoshikA, dear, how have you been?"
> Youmu: "That says something about the importance of the situation to her, then, does it not?"
> Miko: Nod with a small smile. "That is good to hear. Do you know where Seiga has gone?"
> Youmu: "I suppose one has extra impetus to do the unthinkable when one's family is in such danger."
> Miko: Do we have only a general idea of what would happen if the tree's life force were set free? Or can we tell anything specific?
> Miko: If Seiga is storing the life force inside herself, how much danger is she putting herself in? Could it kill her?
> Youmu: "Anyway, can I trust you three have been treated properly and left to your privacy as needed?"
> Miko: Put on a very serious face. "Yoshika. I need you to be completely truthful with me. What Seiga has done has not only put this tree and this land at great risk, she has put herself at great risk. She could seriously injure herself, or...worse. We must save her from herself before that happens. Do you truly have no idea where she may have gone?"
> Youmu: "I imagine they are quite curious, yes."
> Miko: "Not even to save her life? Because her death is a non-trivial possibility."
> Youmu: "Has their curiosity been bothersome, Koishi?"
> Miko: Grit teeth in frustration. "...Seiga, why must you do things such as this..."
> Youmu: Have we ever been aware of the stares of curiosity upon us from large groups of people?
> Miko: Are there any cherries in the immediate vicinity?
> Miko: Look back to Yuyuko. "Is this permissible, Miss Saigyouji?"
> Youmu: "Ah. I hope it has been no more than curiosity, at least."
> Youmu: Give a sad frown. "I see. I apologise for my inability to provide you with properly comfortable accomodations."
> Miko: Nod. "I thank you for your hospitality toward those who have wronged you."
> Miko: Obtain a cherry and gently drop it into Yoshika's mouth.
> Youmu: Are we aware of any desire-hearing ability the owly Taoist hermit has, and/or any function the earmuffs serve that is related to such?
> Miko: If Seiga were indisposed, would we be able to take the tree's energy into ourself in order to return it?
> Youmu: "Hmm...I wonder if the Taoist hermit that can hear people's desires could help somehow."
> Miko: Is there any sort of way we could track Seiga's location using Yoshika as a medium?
> Youmu: "It is my understanding that her earmuffs can block her from hearing the desires of those around her, I do not know quite how they work, but I wonder if something similar could be crafted for a satori."
> Miko: What if they burned Yoshika's talisman instead of Yoshika herself?
> Miko: If we removed the talisman, could we stick it back on to restore Yoshika to her current state?
> Miko: Could we write our own talismans for Yoshika? Or are we not necromantic enough for that?
> Youmu: "What do you mean that 'they are still there'?"
> Miko: "You are most welcome, Yoshika. Please tell me, though; do you have anything that belongs to Seiga in your possession?"
> Youmu: "Ah, I see what you mean. But if there was a chance that feeling could be dulled or even erased without outright removing it, would that not make the public perception of satori better if it succeeded?"
> Miko: How self-aware and/or sensitive is Yoshika of her talisman and what it does for her?
> Miko: Frown. "And nothing else?"
> Youmu: Wait, Koishi actually stopped smiling for a moment?
> Youmu: Nod. "That may be the case, yes. But, for all that I am not an expert on the subject, I think it would be the preferable course of action in the long run. Ah, also, if I may divert from that subject for a moment, at the risk of offending, I think this is the first time I have seen you not smiling."
> Miko: "I see. That is most unfortunate." Look back to the women at the table. "If I may ask your opinion, ladies, do you suppose, for a magician's purposes, that a jiangshi's talisman would belong to the jiangshi? Or would it belong to the master?"
> Youmu: "...I hope I have not said something inappropriate..."
> Miko: Smile in return and nod. "Very good. Thank you for your advice."
> Miko: Obtain another cherry and feed it to Yoshika. "Here you are, dear. One last treat before we part ways."
> Youmu: Is Koishi still frowning, or has the smile returned?
> Youmu: Look to Koishi. "...Or, perhaps, is this a sign that things are improving?"
> Miko: Smile. "Believe me, I would dearly love to. But Seiga is in grave danger, and I must do what I can to save her."
> Youmu: Give an uncertain look. "...Koishi, are you all right?"
> Miko: Nod. "I will do this, I promise you. I hope to see you again soon. Until then, know that you performed your duty admirably, and that you have nothing to be ashamed of."
> Miko: Swiftly snatch the talisman off Yoshika's forehead.
> Youmu: Start a little bit. "Ah, okay. Apologies, I did not mean to push so hard."
> Miko: "I'm sorry, Yoshika."
> Miko: Now that Yoshika isn't going anywhere any time soon, turn properly to the women at the table. "Now then. If I may, do you have any recommendations for anyone qualified to use this to locate Seiga? Aside from the black-white, I am aware of the vampire's librarian, and a puppeteer, though I have not yet witnessed either of them in action."
> Youmu: Nod. "Still, it seems this is an uncommon occurrence."
> Miko: "That is good to hear. I suspect I will have the easiest time with her." Glance in the direction that Youmu went in. "In that case, I believe it is time I chased Miss Konpaku down and found out what other business she has with me, so that I may waste as little time as possible in bringing Seiga to her senses."
> Youmu: "Anyway, I will go and fetch the Taoist hermit, so we may at least look into how her earmuffs work. It seems the worst that will happen is that the idea won't work, in which case we are still no worse off than before."
> Miko: "I will do my best to help reclaim what has been stolen from you. Ah, but I am afraid I am not aware of where this Chrysanthemum Garden is."
> Youmu: Nod. "I shan't be long."
> Youmu: Make our way back toward the Saigyou Ayakashi.
> Miko: "Thank you."
> Miko" Follow that ghost!
> Youmu: Nod. "Understood, Yuyuko-sama." Turn to Miko. "I was just coming for you, actually. Please, follow me."
> Miko: "As I you. I hope this will not take too long, however, as I am otherwise ready to pursue Seiga, and I fear time is of the essence in that regard."
> Youmu: "I believe we can make it brief, and revisit it later if need be."
> Miko: Nod. "Very well."
> Both: Head to the Chrysanthemum Garden, Youmu leading Miko on the way.
> Youmu: Are there any ghosts nearby?
> Youmu: "Yes?"
> Miko: Who is Youmu talking to?
> Youmu: Grit teeth. "Where did they go?"
> Youmu: Groan internally.
> Youmu: Nod. "Thank you very much." Look to Miko. "Sorry, no time to lose. Please follow me!"
> Youmu: Take off to the east.
> Miko: "What? Ah, wait!" Follow!
> Youmu: "Pardon! Did anyone see living ones come through here recently?"
> Miko: If Youmu has stopped, that will at least give us the chance to catch up. Take it!
> Youmu: "Thank you!"
> Miko: "Stop!" Grab Youmu's nearest hand.
> Youmu: "Ack!" Jump a bit and turn to look at our assailant.
> Miko: "If you are going to request I follow you, you cannot run off at a pace I cannot possibly maintain."
> Youmu: Could we possibly physically drag Miko along with us?
> Youmu: "Oh, um, sorry. I'll try to match your speed. This way!"
> Youmu: Make our way down the southern corridor at a tad-slower pace, glancing back every so often (when we're confident we won't run face-first into something) to keep track of Miko and adjust our pace accordingly to allow her to keep up.
> Miko: Inwardly sigh, then keep following as fast as we can.
> Miko: Could we fly instead, to alleviate the pressure a bit?
> Miko: Let's at least make it to the next intersection before we catch our breath.
> Both: Get to the next intersection and have a look around.
> Youmu: "Pardon! Did anyone see living ones come through here recently?"
> Miko: Catch our breath. We can do this in a slightly exaggerated fashion so that Youmu notices, but not so much that we look weak or out of shape.
> Youmu: Look around at the hallways. Do any of them look notably different than any of the others?
> Youmu: "Drat." Look to Miko. "Do you have any-oh, sorry. Um, when you're ready, do you have any ideas for finding who we are chasing?"
> Miko: From how far away can we hear desires?
> Miko: Shake head. "If you are wondering about listening for their desires, it would cause a tremendous amount of pain for results that are far from certain."
> Youmu: "I'll take what I can get."
> Miko: "That is because you are not the one who would be dealing with the pain."
> Youmu: Frown. "Oh."
> Miko: "As much as I sympathize with your plight, I really must see to finding Seiga. Perhaps we could split up, with myself going in the direction that leads back toward the entrance to this realm? I will at least keep an eye out for other living beings on my way."
> Youmu: Which direction would that be?
> Youmu: "The entrance to the Netherworld is to the southwest, but you would need a guide to lead you there, unless you simply left the building altogether."
> Miko: Frown. "That is quite inconvenient."
> Youmu: Sigh. "If you help me with this, I will assist your search for your sword."
> Miko: Ponder for a moment, then nod. "This is agreeable, if we can slow down just a tad more."
> Youmu: "Done. This way."
> Both: Take the left path at a slightly slower speed than before.
> Youmu: Are there any ghosts visible?
> Miko: We'll give her this one more intersection before making a point of how fruitless this is. Perhaps she will luck into something.
> Both: Get to the intersection properly.
> Youmu: "Pardon! Did anyone see living ones come through here recently?"
> Youmu: Grit teeth again. "Damnit! Where could they have gone?"
> Miko: Clear throat. "If I may, I must express distrust that randomly selecting hallways will bear fruit for your search."
> Youmu: "I know, but I must do something!"
> Miko: "May I suggest searching the open rooms in the hallway two hallways ago? I am thinking of the one after the last time one of your ghost friends appeared to give you serviceable directions, and before the first time you appeared lost."
> Youmu: "...We might as well. I haven't a better idea."
> Both: Return to said hallway.
> Both: Are there rooms on both sides of the hallway?
> Youmu: "I'll inspect the left-side rooms. You take a look through the right-side rooms. Let me know if you find anything."
> Miko: "Of course."
> Youmu: Look through the rooms on the left side of the hallway, visually checking each for anything out of the ordinary.
> Miko: Look through the rooms on the right side of the hallway, visually checking each for anything out of the ordinary (using this place in general as the standard for "ordinary").
> Both: Of the rooms that had doors on the other end, how many had those other-end doors open?
> Youmu: Turn to Miko. "Anything?"
> Miko: "One open door and some ghosts, but nothing else."
> Youmu: Quickly inspect Miko's rooms for ghosts, particularly ghosts that look distraught, or are at least not having a conversation.
> Youmu: Give attention to the curious couple. "Pardon me. Have you seen living ones pass through here recently, other than my current companion?"
> Miko: How tall are we?
> Youmu: What are the walls around here made of?
> Youmu: Mentally orienting ourselves as if we were coming down this hallway the same way as we first traveled down it, list the left-side rooms via their notable features (whether or not there are any ghosts, status of any ghosts present in the room, whether or not they have doors, status of any doors they may have) in the order of as we would go by them traveling down the hallway. Do the same for the right-side rooms.
> Youmu: Nod. "Thank you." Turn to Miko. "To the next room."
> Both: Go to the second sitting room, the one with a single ghost and an open door.
> Youmu: "Pardon me. Have you seen living ones pass through here recently, other than my current companion?"
> Youmu: "I see. Very well, thank you." Turn to Miko. "This ghost only just arrived here. All of the other ghosts in places where they could have gone have established that they did not see anyone. It seems our best bet is through this open door."
> Miko: Nod. "That seems to be the only logical choice, yes."
> Youmu: Turn back to the ghost. "Please pardon our intrusion."
> Both: Head through the open door on the other side of the room.
> Miko: How much taller than Youmu are we?
> Youmu: Do the ghosts use the doors? Or can they just pass right through them?
> Miko: Frown. "I do not suppose your ghosts use the doors as non-ghosts would?"
> Youmu: "Some do." Poke our head back into the sitting room at the ghost there. "Excuse me again. Did you come into this sitting room by the hallway or this gallery room?"
> Youmu: Frown. "I see. Thank you for your help." Turn back to Miko. "This ghost entered through the hallway. That exhausts all possibilities, unless those we are chasing were thoughtful enough to close the doors behind them, which I rather doubt."
> Miko: If Youmu is being truthful, and whoever we're chasing did not go through either open doorway or down to the next intersection, are there any other places they could have gone?
> Miko: "Why would they have not closed doors behind them? Who exactly are we pursuing, anyway?"
> Youmu: "Some guests from the underground, including a satori that's trying to not be a satori anymore and is sort of subconsciously killing herself in the process. The satori trying to run away for some reason, and her companions are chasing her down."
> Miko: Opinion of satori youkai.
> Miko: "I see. Was this the only door on your side, then?"
> Youmu: "The only open one, yes. There is another room that has a door, but it is closed and has no ghosts."
> Miko: "Perhaps someone on the other side of that door closed it after they went through?"
> Youmu: "That is...possible, I suppose."
> Youmu: Do we know where the closed doors in our current room lead?
> Youmu: "Let us try that other room, then."
> Both: Head to the empty sitting room with the closed door and open that closed door.
> Youmu: Where would that eastern door lead?
> Youmu: Give a single pound to a nearby wooden wall (or the floor, if no wooden walls are withing immediate reach) and grunt in frustration. "Where could they have gone?!"
> Miko: Frown. "I do not mean to state the unpleasant but obvious, but if all of your ghosts at the other intersection have truly not seen your other companions, then I fear further searching of closed doors and unknown corridors is random guessing at best. I believe the best course of action would be to report this to your Mistress."
> Youmu: "I have already failed her once today in letting someone escape me through our halls. I cannot do so again."
> Miko: Take on a gentler tone. "Miss Konpaku, please listen to me."
> Youmu: Look over at/up to Miko.
> Miko: "I can understand your frustration. Your Mistress is fortunate to have a servant as dedicated as you. But it is for the best that you let her know what has happened. Speaking personally, if Futo and Tojiko suddenly found themselves unable to complete a task, I would much rather they tell me as soon as possible, instead of wasting time chasing faint possibilities. I imagine your Mistress is probably of the same mind."
> Youmu: Consider for a few seconds, then sigh. "I suppose you are right. Let us return to the Saigyou Ayakashi. Please, follow me."
> Both: Make our way back to the giant tree.
> Miko: "It seems that one of Miss Konpaku's guests has scampered off, for some mysterious reason. Her remaining companions gave chase, quickly vanishing from ghostly attention. We were unable to track them down."
> Youmu: Grit teeth. "I grow tired of being made a fool in my own home."
> Youmu: "That may be for the best. They could be just about anywhere by now."
> Miko: "May I assume expediency is necessary? It seems that they must come this way eventually if they ever wish to travel home, unless there is another entrance to this realm of which I am not aware."
> Miko, with the smallest hint of a smile, to Youmu: "Perhaps you could ask your friend in red to keep watch for your other guests."
> Youmu: Would Lyrica actually do that?
> Youmu, to Miko: "...Maybe. I'm not really sure if she would. It has never come up before."
> Youmu, to group: "Regardless, yes, expediency would be preferred. I would really like to know why Koishi ran off like that."
> Miko: Is that a name we know?
> Youmu: "It seems so. I also pointed out an instance where she had a facial expressed other than a smile, and it nearly shocked her stiff." Frown. "Maybe I shouldn't have said anything..."
> Youmu: Nod. "As you say, Yuyuko-sama. How shall we begin, then?"
> Youmu: Did we ever get confirmation from Byakuren if she would be up for the play or not?
> Youmu: What was Yuyuko's description of the play again?
> Miko: Are we aware of any animosity between this realm and the vampire manor?
> Miko: "Ah, excellent, this alleviates the awkwardness of my departure in the middle of this search." Turn to Youmu. "I believe one of your tasks is to find Seiga and restore your tree, yes? I am headed to the vampire manor now, to ask their librarian for assistance in finding her. Perhaps you could join me there."
> Youmu: Blanche. "I...do not think I would be of much assistance. Patchouli, and that entire household, does not have the highest opinion of me."
> Miko: Raise an eyebrow. "I see." Glance over at Yuyuko quizzically.
> Miko: Nod sagely. "Ah, political intrigue. Understandable. Very well, I will visit the vampire manor on my own." Turn to Youmu. "But I do wish to meet up with you again, so you can fulfill your half of our new deal."
> Youmu: Give a slight frown, but nod after a second. "Do you have any particular location in mind?"
> Miko: "I will be visiting the Hakurei Shrine once my business at the vampire manor is concluded, so that would be best, I think. I previously made plans to meet Futo and Tojiko there. I am hoping they will arrive soon, if they are not already there."
> Youmu: Opinion of Soga no Tojiko.
> Miko: Are we aware of what opinion Futo and Tojiko hold of Youmu, if any?
> Youmu: Relative to the Netherworld entrance, consider the locations of the Human Village, Kirisame House, Scarlet Devil Mansion, and the Hakurei Shrine.
> Youmu: Of those locations that are not the SDM, which is closest to us, and which is furthest from us?
> Youmu: "Understood. I need to stop at the Human Village, to address Miss Byakuren's questions and confirm her participation in our play." Raise an eyebrow. "Should I give her your regards?"
> Miko: Give a short chuckle. "That will not be necessary. I imagine she will wish to know that I am indeed participating, however."
> Youmu: "Of course. I will also be formally asking Marisa if she wishes to participate before making for Reimu's home, so you may arrive first."
> Miko: "Please try not to dawdle. If we find that Seiga is on the move, I will wish to waste as little time as possible."
> Youmu: Nod, then turn to Yuyuko. "Yuyuko-sama, you should know that there is a possibility we will have two more visitors from the underground. One of them is Koishi's sister. The other is her pet kasha, who is a redhead of medium height. I have already asked her about taking part in your play, and while she does not fancy herself an actress, I believe she will reconsider if I cannot find anyone else that fits the role."
> Youmu: Did that sound like a disapproving 'very well' or just an acknowledging one?
> Youmu: Give a bow to Yuyuko and Yukari. "I will begin at once. By your leave, Yuyuko-sama. Farewell, Yukari-sama."
> Miko: Smile and give a slight bow of our own, enough to be polite but not so much as to imply servitude like Youmu. "It has been a pleasure, ladies. I expect I will see both of you tomorrow, if not sooner."
> Both: Make our way back out of the Netherworld, toward the PrismRiver manor.
> Along the way...
> Miko: "So what is it that you wished to consult me about, that was separate from everything else?"
> Youmu: "Ah. I was duelling with the oni swordswoman underground, and had the idea that perhaps we should do this more often. There are scant few swordswomen in this land; I think we could benefit from some friendly sparring on a regular basis, keeping our blades and wits sharp. And a little socialization never hurts, either."
> Miko: Given our pre-existing training, could we reasonably devote some time to such an activity?
> Miko: Would once every fortnight be reasonable?
> Miko: "Hmm." Nod. "Yes, I can see the benefits of such a thing. I will participate as long as it does not interfere too greatly with my training. How often would these duelling gatherings take place?"
> Youmu: What kind of availability do we have?
> Youmu: "Hrm...Honestly, I am not quire sure. We could not meet too commonly, as all three of us have plenty of prior commitments already."
> Miko: "If it helps, I expect I could commit to once every fortnight without hindering my training too much."
> Youmu: Would Yuyuko be okay with that?
> Youmu: Nod. "I believe I could do that as well. Hopefully it will also work for the other two."
> Miko: "Indeed. Once the matters of Seiga and my sword are resolved, please let me know any other organizational details you have in mind."
> Youmu: "Certainly."
> Both: Continue on to PrismRiver Manor.
> Miko: Presumably we can find our way back to the vampire manor from here?
> Miko: "If you have business here, then I believe it is time we parted once more."
> Youmu: "Actually, could I bother you to stay for just another moment? If Satori has arrived, I am curious to see if it would be possible for her to wear something similar to your earmuffs to alleviate concerns the general population has about satori youkai being mindreaders."
> Miko: ...Is that a possible thing? The earmuffs-having-an-effect-of-a-satori thing, not the staying-for-another-moment thing.
> Miko: "I see. Interesting. I suppose I can spare another moment."
> Youmu: Nod. "Thank you."
> Both: Head toward Lunasa.
> Youmu: "Hello again. I realized after I left earlier that I forgot to inform you about two more possible visitors headed to the Netherworld. Has anyone else come by since we left?"
> Youmu: Nod. "That is fine. In that case, if any of you see a pink-haired satori or a red-haired kasha, please let them through. They have my permission to enter the Netherworld."
> Miko: When Lunasa was describing that new musical group earlier, did she mention any redheads?
> Youmu: "Thank you for all of your help. Please give your sisters my regards as well."
> Youmu: Turn to Miko. "If you wish to split up now, that is fine. I apologize for wasting more of your time."
> Miko: Wave a hand dismissively. "Think nothing of it. I understand quite well that you have your duties to your Mistress. But yes, I believe it is time we went our separate ways. I shall see you again at the shrine. Do your best to avoid this great fairy war."
> Youmu: "And you as well. Until then."
> Miko: Head back to the Scarlet Devil Mansion, giving all fairy skirmishes a safe berth.
> Youmu: Head back to the Human Village, giving all fairy skirmishes a safe berth.
> Land and make our way into the village proper, heading for the Myouren Temple.
> Make our way to the nun and the green-haired youkai.
> Return the wave.
> "Good day. I had some business with the temple matriarch earlier today, and I have come to complete it. Is she in?"
> "Ah. Do you know when she will return?"
> How long was the flight here from the PrismRiver Manor?
> So only a couple of minutes, then?
> What about the time from here to Kirisame House?
> Nod.
> "I see. Very well. There is one other piece of business I have to conduct, so I will take care of that first before returning here. Please let her know I stopped by if she returns before I do."
> "Youmu Konpaku. I have come to provide the information she requested regarding her possible participation in an upcoming theatrical production hosted by my mistress, Lady Yuyuko Saigyouji."
> Take a look over.
> Would this person qualify as medium-sized?
> Nod.
> "I was looking for someone this morning, and it involved a lot of dashing about, yes."
> Are we aware of any sort of law enforcement system in the village?
> Pull our arm away and take a step or two back. Try not to back into Kyouko or the nun, though.
> "On whose authority?"
> We are aware of what "arrest" means, yes?
> "You claim law enforcement authority over this village. Who granted you this?"
> Can we turn our ghost half into a mirror of ourselves without one of our swords? Or is a sword require?
> Circle in place, making sure not to give this woman access to our back. Try not to make any threatening or sudden motions with our ghost half, however.
> "Myouren Temple sisters, is this woman familiar to you? Are her claims true?"
> Would we be able to keep an eye on Kotohime and sudden advances from her, and also keep rotating in place, while transforming our ghost half into our human look?
> "I would think an actual law enforcement official would be better known than that in a village of this population. Would you like my phantom half to take on a less enigmatic form so you can stop worrying about it?"
> Does her reach seem to be threatening?
> How sensitive are we to having our ghost half touched?
> Sigh.
> Brace ourselves for being touched, keeping a wary eye on the curious woman but not moving to stop her.
> Okay, that's kinda weird.
> Glance over at the Myouren Temple sisters, to see if their facial expressions betray their thoughts on the subject, before looking back at this woman.
> How malleable is our ghost half, anyway?
> Might as well see where this goes, then. Put a slightly weirded out look on our face, though.
> "Um...if you must poke and squeeze me like this, please do not press too hard."
> "As I said, please do not squeeze too hard. You are fine as you are now, but too much pressure would be painful."
> Raise an eyebrow, but as long as she is acting in a non-threatening manner, let this happen.
> "Well, I am a half-ghost. And you've always become intimately familiar with that half of me."
> Give the smallest of grins.
> "It can get even better, if you would like to see."
> Is it easier to hold our ghost half in humanoid form when our ghost half has a sword?
> "Okay. This takes some concentration, though, so I will need you to step back a bit."
> Assuming the woman steps back, expend the necessary energy and concentration to humanize our ghost half.
> Are we capable of making our ghost half move around and act like a normal humanoid?
> Are we capable of handing our ghost half a sword, or, if we are capable of moving our ghost half around like a normal humanoid, could our ghost half take one of our swords?
> Let the woman touch our ghost half's cheek. Can we feel her touch?
> Can we direct our ghost half to speak?
> Direct our ghost half to smile, and then gently raise the arm further away form the woman and wave at her.
> Direct our ghost half to hold a hand out to Kotohime for a handshake. Use the same hand that was just waving.
> Are the touch sensations we're feeling similar to if our human half were experiencing all of them?
> Once Kotohime lets the handshake go, direct our ghost half to walk over to Kyouko and offer the same, and then the nun after that.
> Direct our ghost half to return the nun's bow, then turn around and face Kotohime while still smiling.
> Once our ghost half has stopped moving, walk ourselves over behind Kotohime.
> Do we have enough control and concentration to perform non-complex actions with both our human half and our ghost half at the same time?
> When either in the humanoid form or the normal form, is our ghost have strong enough to support people on top of it?
> Smile and let her turn her head. Once she is looking at us, direct our ghost half to tap her on the shoulder, using whichever arm is on the opposite side of her body from the direction in which she has turned her head. Do not try to tap until she is properly looking at us, however.
> Direct our ghost half to pull her hand back a bit.
> Once our ghost hand has been pulled back a bit and Kotohime's focus has been turned toward our ghost half, reach a human hand toward the shoulder of Kotohime that she is not currently looking toward and tap that shoulder gently.
> Maintain our smile.
> "Last thing?"
> Hold out our human arms for a hug offer.
> Whilst maintaining as much of a human-half grip as we can, direct our ghost half to hug Kotohime from behind. This may also involve hugging ourselves to a degree, but that's fine.
> With what kind of tone did she mutter those words?
> Unfortunate. Oh well.
> Release the hug, if we have not done so already.
> "I hope you have enjoyed this demonstration. It is not often I do this; perhaps I should do so more in the future."
> So it wasn't because she was squished, or afraid, or embarrassed, or anything like that?
> Give a polite bow to our impromptu audience. "Thank you for your kind words."
> Would Kotohime qualify as 'medium-sized'?
> Look to Kotohime specifically.
> "Hmm...I actually have a proposition for you, if you are willing to listen."
> "Yes. My mistress, Lady Yuyuko Saigyouji of the Netherworld, is looking to put on a play here in this village some time in the future. I have been charged with casting. One of the roles requires a 'medium-sized person with red hair'. Would you be willing to be that person?"
> Give Kotohime a slight bow.
> "Excellent. Thank you very much. I will meet with you again once casting is complete and Lady Saigyouji is ready to meet with everyone. Is there somewhere specific in this village where I should go to find you?"
> "All right."
> Look back to Kyouko and the nun.
> "I will return to speak with your matriarch when I can. Hopefully, by then, I will have found our last player."
> Follow!
> Toward what general region of Gensokyo do we seem to be headed?
> "I did not realize you lived this far outside the village."
> "Not to the Garden of the Sun, surely?"
> Raise an eyebrow.
> "If you must try, I would be exceedingly careful when you do. She is very, very dangerous."
> !?
> Get a quick look around the surrounding area, trying to pick out anything useful for identifying when we're at least in this area again, if/when we need to return to this place.
> Once our observation is complete, head into the trap door. (Obviously, do not run Kotohime over while doing this.)
> Are there any swords here? Boy, the look on Miko's face if she found that this is where her blade wound up...
> "This place is...quite impressive. You would not happen to be from the moon, would you? The architecture has a rather Lunarian feel."
> Well, that's an unexpected answer. Give a look of mild shock.
> "Ah, I see. Oh, wait, your name. Hime. Of course. Please forgive my impertinence. What brings you to our lands, princess?"
> What do we know about the Watatsuki Sisters?
> "Well, um, yes. I meant, what prompted you to leave the moon?"
> "Ah, yes, certainly. Thank you."
> Head over to one of the shelves of death and inspect the contents more closely.
> Make our way over to the part of the table with the cup Kotohime has left for us and have a seat ourselves.
> "That is quite the collection you have there. Where did you obtain all of those things?"
> "Some of them seem to be tools. Do you ever use them yourself?"
> Sip.
> Well, if she actually is a Lunarian, it's not hard to see why she lives here now.
> We should at least be polite and get all the way through the tea over the course of the conversation, though.
> Nod. "Out of curiosity, have you found anything interesting today?"
> Sip.
> While drinking, gently float our ghost half across the table to Kotohime's side. Let's see what she does with us.
> "Unfortunately, I am already in the employ of another. It would not do to try to serve two mistresses."
> Chuckle a bit. Bob our ghost half up and down a little bit as well.
> "Your enthusiasm for my presence is appreciated. Lady Saigyouji and I will be together for a very long time to come, however."
> How often are people mesmerized with our ghost half, and how okay are we normally (that is, not under possible threat of arrest) with people touching it?
> "Ah, thank you. I think she will like you when you two meet."
> Sip.
> "She is the playwright for the play I asked you about earlier, so you are going to meet her eventually."
> Gesture to our ghost half with a free hand.
> "By the way, you may continue your examination of my ghost half if you like, as long as you are not too rough."
> Can we reshape our ghost half beyond making it look like another version of ourselves?
> Try not to fidget too much from the sensation.
> Have another sip of tea. How close are we to finished?
> Okay, allow ourselves to fidget a little bit. But only a little bit, not enough to be disruptive.
> "I must admit another curiosity. How often do you keep in contact with your fellow Lunarians?"
> "You know, saying hello, talking about your lives, things like that."
> Blink.
> "I...did ask you earlier if you hailed from the moon, and you said yes. Perhaps I misheard?"
> Blink again, then shake our head. We'll never get a straight answer out of this woman; we can just ask someone from Eientei about her the next time we see one of them.
> Return to working on our non-tea drink while Kotohime futzes with us.
> We have presumably never dwelled much on the half-ghost reproduction process, have we?
> "I have always been this way, actually. My father was also a half-ghost."
> Sip.
> "I am, perhaps unfortunately, not aware of any other half-ghosts. All of the other residents of the Netherworld are full ghosts. Mmm...I should probably say that they will not terribly enjoy having their entire bodies molded about, so you should probably restrict such activities to my ghost half when you are there."
> Nod.
> "The same could be said for most sentient beings, I imagine. You seem genuinely fascinated, however, and you have not tried to harm me, so I do not have a problem with you indulging your curiosity."
> What would happen? Could they take it as far away as they like, or is there a point at which our human half will start being dragged along with our ghost half?
> "They would drag my human half along with them. Forced separation is..." Frown. "...not a pleasant idea for me to dwell on."
> Sip.
> "It is hard to describe. The best I think I can offer is that it feels like a clumsy massage. It is not painful, only strange."
> Put our cup down and out diplomat face on.
> "Thank you for the tea. It was sweeter than I am used to, but still quite tasty."
> Stand up.
> "Unfortunately, I have duties for my Mistress that I must carry out, and so I must be onward. You are welcome to join me if you are not busy, though."
> "We will be headed to the Kirisame residence before returning to the Human Village. Do you wish to retrieve anything before we leave?"
> "Very well."
> Head back out to the surface.
> Head outside, then get out of the way so Kotohime can exit as well.
> "Try not to poke or squeeze too much while we're in the air, okay? Let's head off."
> Take flight and head to Kirisame residence.
> Along the way, shank Kotohime with Myon.