> Move over to Tenshi and offer another handshake.
> "You're doing pretty well for yourself, too, if what they can do so far is any indication."
> "By the way, if you lot were coming down from the mountain, I assume you passed through Tengu Town. Are they in a tizzy like the human village and oni city are?"
> "Yeah, I figured. It seems like all of Gensokyo's money has been turned into gems. "
> Pull out one of our rose quartzes.
> "No one has any idea how or why. If any of you have any spare change on you, you might want to check to make sure it's still there. Don't know if whatever this was could hit as high as your place."
>"Yeah, I remember that."
> "Wonder if that's why all the tengu gave you the crazy you. You lot stand to lose the least from something like this."
> Do we know of a Youmu Konpaku?
> What do we know of the half-phantom?
> "Yeah, after the fall, I think the last thing you lot'd want to do is actually be responsible for chaos."
> Raise an eyebrow.
> "So who are you shopping for, anyway?"
> "Here's hoping you're looking for jewelery. Goodness knows Gensokyo has enough."
> Look around at the other celestials, then back at Tenshi. Lower voice a bit.
> "Can I talk to you in private real quick?"
> "So. Have you seen...uh...Iku's other little buddy recently? The one from back when you all fell."
> "Yeah, that one. You've seen her at all is the important thing What's up with her? She was skiddish as all hell way back and now she's a sales rep."
> "Well, good for her. I'm glad she's finally gotten over all that, at least to a degree."
> "And hey, when you see Iku again...let her know, if what we did together contributed to what she's doing to herself, that I'm sorry."
> "Good, good, thanks. I hope you're treating her right while she's going through this. She's a great one in an ocean of good ones, and deserves whatever support she can get."
> Give a small smile.
> "Kinda strange that she fell in with the likes of me given all that, for as short a time as we worked together. But I guess the world just works in funny ways sometimes."
> "Hey, she cares about you. Just make sure she knows the reverse is true as well."
> "Hey, she cares about you. Just make sure she knows the reverse is true as well."
> Continue on the path up the mountain
> Inventory
> Do we have anything to disguise ourselves as a fairy?
So no real fairy disguise then? Awesome.
Especially since modifying our dress to be more fairy-like might attract attention from fairies, which will probably just make things harder.
> What normally happens when we're carrying around our trident and we decide to shrink in size? Can we even still carry it around?
> How small can we go?
> What kind of work would we have to do to our black dress to disguise it?
> Would it be permanent?
> The crowd we here from up ahead, is it beyond the woods?
> Are we in the woods right now?
>> If not, move into the woods.
> Move through the woods and closer to the crowd.
> Try and verify what species the crowd is.
> Curse under our breath at the sudden brightness.
> Does there appear to be a leader of the crowd, like there was at the village with Byakuren, or is it just a regular mob?
Yeah, I'm again going to say that I think the best course of action is not to try a disguise.
> Make our way toward the crowd.
What is your reasoning?
> Is there anyone present we recognize?
> If so, head in their direction.
> If not, head over to someone observing rather than arguing.
we draw 'Miz,
> Head toward Maribel. Wave if she sees us before we get to her.
Otherwise, the only reason I'm somewhat wary of not sneaking in first is that, should we alert people that we want in and they don't want us there for some reason, then they'll be doubly on-guard against us trying to get in by sneaking or otherwise. Be very careful whom you ask about getting passage up the mountain.
Fightest: Momizi. She is The 'Miz and she's awesome.
Fightest: Momizi. She is The 'Miz and she's awesome.Some of us spell her name as "Momiji" you know.
> While looking at Maribel, put a hand to one ear and shake our head, then jerk an index finger upward.
> Follow her into the air, getting a little bit closer to her so hopefully we won't be shouting the whole time.
> "Practically? See Sanae, but I found you first. Conceptually, I really don't know. I think I'm playing hero somehow, but that ain't right, because that ain't me."
> Point down at the crowd.
> "I assume they're in a tizzy for the same reason the humans and the oni are? And probably you and Renko as well. Everyone I've talked to's been hit, even me."
> "Right, where it all got turned into - wait, class?"
>Do we know of this 'University'? If not, ask about it.
> "Right, that's cool that's cool. But, uh, when'd this University show up here?"
> "Last I recall it wasn't there at all, so it looks pretty good so far."
> "Anyway, all the kappa are going crazy about this it seems. You hear or see anything from the tengu about this yet?"
> "Say, you didn't feel anything weird just at the moment it happened, did you? Just wondering."
> "All right. I'm going to keep heading up the mountain. Hopefully I can get to Sanae. You should probably let the kappa know that this wasn't theivery in the traditional sense, and that the problem is being worked on. So far it seems that no one was spared, from the oni to the humans. Reimu is out elsewhere, ready to smack some heads together. I'll see you later, and congrats on the job."
> Wonder how freaked out the vampires are right now.
> Get back to the path toward the tengu village and head up it.
> Call out back.
> "What, even if I'm trying to fix your jewelry problem?"
>Reminder: Why did we decide to talk to Sanae about this?
>"I need to speak to Sanae Kochiya. May I be allowed passage to the shrine?"
>Reminder: Why did we decide to talk to Sanae about this?
> Because she's an incident solver and, unlike Reimu, actually likes us.
>Reminder: Why did we decide to talk to Sanae about this?
> "Sorry, relaying a message just isn't good enough. Currently I'm probably the most knowledgeable about this situation and I need to get her assistance. I've already gotten Reimu completely up to speed but in order to cover the most ground most effectively I need to get Sanae on the same page. We don't need any attention focused on the wrong areas."
> Frown.
> "Well then, if you really want whatever information I can offer, let me give you some. I'm sure you've realized this from what I've said so far, but you lot aren't the only ones to get hit. Everyone I've talked to today got hit. Everyone. Some are taking it worse than others. Some don't even understand the concept of jewelry as precious gems with monetary value, only seeing them as shiny rocks and beads."
> Hold out a hand with a palm pointed upward.
> "Now, I don't know how much you know about me. You might know more than I'd know you know, since you lot seem like you make for good scouts. But, all that aside, I live underground. And when I say everyone I've talked to today got hit, I meant it. So feel free to consider some of the types of people I've talked to today, ones whose approach to life make them more likely to be people that see gems as worthless rocks and thus probably aren't too pleased that all their money has been replaced with beads, even after they've been dutifully paying protection money to the higher-ups in their city for a long time. Consider how not particularly happy they must be right now to have had their cash stolen from them. Then consider what might happen if I return home to these not particularly happy people with news that my attempts to solve the mystery and get them their money back were considerably hindered by another group of people, a people who's best explanation for said hindrance is that 'it can't be helped.'"
> "Do you think I want to? I haven't forgotten the fun the two of us had together several months ago, and I have nothing against the tengu in general. But the facts of the matter are that the oni are ready to riot, more so than any other people I've come across today, and they know I'm up here, trying to figure this shit out for them. I have to return home eventually, and if nothing is fixed they're going to want to know what happened. I could tell them the truth, I could tell them a lie, or I could tell them nothing. Two of those three things will result in me being broken into tiny pieces. With all due respect, I don't have much of a choice."
> "I couldn't find either Deva this morning to ask for such a thing. They're out in the town doing their own investigations, for all the good it won't do. They're also probably hiding to a degree, since their people are out for blood. And since I'm sure you'll want to know why I'm here if I haven't talked to either of them, I have a personal stake in this as well. Not all of us were lucky enough to have only their money taken from them, especially when only the money had something of roughly equal value left as compensation."
>"And if you can't 'let me in', then take me to the shrine yourself."
> What do we know about the Moriya Shrine, beyond that Sanae lives there?
> "And I don't suppose an invitation from the Shrine will help at all, will it?"
> "Don't have one. Not yet. But you did say you'd be willing to relay a message to Sanae for me, right?"
> "Okay. Please tell her that I need to talk to her about this incident, that it would far preferable if I could meet her at her Shrine, and that my passage is currently restricted."
> Give a lopsided grin.
> "And please also tell her that, sadly, I do not have a change of her clothes on my person, but I could still do the body pretty well, if she still finds it amusing."
> Will it be just past sunset in a few hours?
> So, if Mokou proposed coming back a bit after sunset, this proposed return to the mountain could take place right before that?
> Whatever expression we are wearing, keep it on for a couple more seconds.
> "So let me see if I understand this correctly. Someone comes along with the intention of investigating and fixing the problem that I'm 99% sure is the reason the mountain is closed in the first place, and the reaction to this arrival is to ask for information, first without offering anything in compensation, then by offering to send a message, an offer that waits until later to reveal it won't be delivered for several hours. Am I just extra irritated because I seem to be the only person in Gensokyo that actually had something outright stolen from them, or is this actually what just happened now?"
> Frown for a few seconds, then break into a grin.
> "Ahaha. All right, I yield. The message will be fine, thanks. The earlier the better as possible, though. I have an important investigation commitment in the human village at sunset."
>"If it could be delivered more quickly by someone else, then that's fine; I see no reason it has to be you personally who delivers the message."
> Seriousface.
> "I trust the message will be delivered promptly and accurately."
> "Of course."
> "Also, out of curiosity, did anyone in this village feel an unusual and light sensation right before the gems were noticed?"
>"Well, Yukari's shikigami apparently felt something, although she couldn't describe it worth a damn. Probably something to keep in mind."
> "Alright, I'll be off then. Try and get that message to the shrine quickly please!"
> Head back towards the Kappa University.
> Besides Maribel, how many non-Kappa can we see?
> Do we recognize any?
> What do we know of Nitori?
> How far away is the human village from the kappa village?
> Take flight (if we haven't already) and head back toward the human village.
> Head toward the Myouren temple.
> Enter!
> Check for regular temple residents.
> Remove our own shoes and set them in the shoe space.
> Head to the main part of the temple.
> Give another lopsided grin.
> "'Sup. You sure you want to call what I did 'assistance', though? They didn't look too pleased at the news."
> "Well, all right, if some good came of it. I talked to the Yakumo kitsune afterward, though, and she mentioned feeling some sort of weird light sensation moments before pandemonium broke out. Did you notice anything like that?"
> "Hmm. Well, no one else I've asked about it has, but I guess no one else I've asked is quite as adept at that sort of thing as you or her. She did also estimate that, whatever force is responsible, it isn't magic 'in any sense that we understand it', only close enough to what we call 'magic' for her and maybe you to notice is very briefly."
> "Yeah. I've learned I suck at the hero thing, but my cards got nicked, and I kinda want 'em back, so off I go anyway. So far I've figured out that some rabbit I don't know is visiting my place while I'm sleeping and claiming to be my friend, and that when it comes to territory, the tengu need to chill a bit."
> Grin.
> "Thanks. Actually, did Ichirin tell you message I left her, about the clinic needing extra coverage? Naz is covering the bar because she knows her gems, and it keeps the income flowing into my place as well as the alcohol flowing into the oni. I got the bridge princess to volunteer at the clinic temporarily, but I doubt she'll be happy if she's there for very long."
> "All right. I'll admit I would've liked some sort of topside navigator as well, but I don't think I should drag that many people away from the temple for extended periods of time."
> "Well, I know about the Scarlet Devil Mansion, the general direction it's in, and enough about the residents that I imagine they're not happy about this either. Beyond that, though, I'm not sure where else to visit. I talked to Reimu and she's running around now too. I've check on the kappa and Maribel since she was with them. I have an appointment with Sanae later, then the teacher's friend after that so she can get me to the rabbit house. Don't think Bhava-Agra knows anything, I met Tenshi and some others and they were oblivious to the problem until I said something. Is there anyone else around worth looking into?"
> What do we know of Makai?
> Do we know in which direction any of those places are?
> "Huh. I could hit those up after seeing the mansion. Oh, this is unrelated to locations, but do you know where Yamame or Utsuho are? All I know about either of them is that the latter is topside somewhere."
> "Nah, don't worry about. Curious so I figured I'd ask, s'all. So, uh, how can I get to those places? I think Higan is northish, but that's about it."
> In which general direction is the SDM again? Southish?
> "All right, thanks. I'll check them out and try to report what I know when I come back here at sunset."
> Raise an eyebrow.
> "There's a Magician's Club? Who's in it?"
> "Then someone had best make sure they all show up, eh? Sounds like you lot might be one of our better bets for researching into whatever caused this. Eirin makes my Eientei trip trickier, thougj, since I probably can't bust up the joint to find my friend."
> Pout.
> "You never want me to have any fun."
> "Okay, I'll take a look around, let magic-types know, see how not-Gensokyo-types fared. I'll try to let you know what I learn. Keep an ear out about my cards, if you can."
> Pull out our trident and salute Byakuren with it, lightly rapping the side of our head with the curved part of an outside tong.'
> Grin.
> "You'd better."
> Casually point the trident at Byakuren as a means of indication rather than a threat.
> "I pretty much hold you responsible for me thinking this is a worthwhile endeavor."
> "I figured you wouldn't. Back in a flash."
> Assuming no objection, leave the temple, waving goodbye with the trident after we've turned around to leave.
> In which direction is Renko and Maribel's from the village?
I feel as though I'm starting to dominate the game again, which I don't want to do. I would like to see inputs or ideas from people whenever they arise. The reason I post so much is kust to keep the story going. This is now the 7th adventure in this timeline, and it's been a blast to see play out. So please don't think I'm posting a lot because I want to dominate the game - it's necause I want the story to continue.
> Head northward for Higan
> To get to Higan, fly along the path Byakuren mentioned
> While we're on our way, do some mental research into the details of creating pockets on our body, like we considered earlier when thinking of potential storage.
> Could having Byakuren around as magical support/backup as we practice mitigate potential damage to ourselves?
> Head toward that pier.
> Head toward that pier.
> Check the water around the pier for a boat.
> Before the pier was the field full of flowers?
> Observe the boat off in the distance for a while longer.
> Is it approaching the pier or is it traveling away from it?
> A fat body type, huh? Could we just fill our own normal stature out a decent amount to accomplish this, or would we need even more significant changes so that we start looking like some other creature?
> Wait around for the boat to get within conversation distance.
> A fat body type, huh? Could we just fill our own normal stature out a decent amount to accomplish this, or would we need even more significant changes so that we start looking like some other creature?
> "Then you're in for quite a show!"
> "Actually, I have something I'd like to discuss with you if you're free. Are you aware of the money changing incident that occurred a few hours ago?"
You know, I'd be totally fine with not turning Nue into some horrible Human Centipede experiment. Seriously.
> "Yeah. All of Gensokyo's money has been turned into gems."
> Point at the woman's sash.
> "Looks like you didn't get hit, though."
> "That might explain it. One thing I've noticed is that the gems that have replaced the money are of roughly equal value to the money they replaced. If your coinage doesn't have a real monetary value, then it would be impossible to match it up. Though many of us also found beads that weren't precious stones, and thus had no real monetary value. Huh...I don't suppose there is any actual currency around here?"
> "So you don't keep any set aside from visits into Gensokyo or anything like that, then?"
> "It's most likely gems by now, then. Shame. This is going to sounds rather bizarre, but I don't suppose you felt a light inexplicable sensation a few hours ago? I've had it described to me as something 'akin to the brush of an unseen spiderweb on the cheek', but not exactly that, because it wasn't a feeling of touch, or any of the other four standard senses. Most people I've talked to didn't feel it, but the Yakumo kitsune noticed something, and Byakuren Hijiri isn't certain she didn't feel something."
> "Mmm, I see. The Yakumo kitsune suspects this is the work of something that is barely, if at all, magic as we understand it. But whatever it is, it can't have been that powerful, if there was nothing noticeable here on any level."
> "Well, maybe, but this is Higan, idnit? I can't imagine slouches would last very long here."
> "I suppose. D'you happen to know someone that would be more inclined toward that kind of thing, though? Maybe here, maybe elsewhere that isn't Gensokyo. I'll take whatever I can get at this point."
> "Hmm. Byakuren did mention Hakugyokurou. I don't suppose you could tell me how to get there from here?"
> "Sounds doable. Thanks for the help."
> "Just out of curiosity, do you remember where that coin on your belt came from?"
> "I understand, thanks again for your help"
> Take off towards Hakugyokurou following her directions.
> Would practicing creating buildups of fat slow our flight speed down?
> How quickly could we do a body type with the necessary extra mass to attempt a 'pocket' on our stomach area? How about an arm, or a thigh?
> Is there anything of interest in the immediate area?
> Swoop down to land at the point where the path enters the forest, and start working our way east along the path.
> Since adding extra body weight would slow our flight down, is it safe to assume it would slow our walking speed as well?
> Keep an ear out for anything unusual.
> The mountains are our supposed goal from what we've heard, right? Keep heading ENE along what we can make out of the path.
> Is there anyone around outside the mansion? If so, approach them. If not, approach the entrance.
> Huh.
> Back off a little bit from the mansion. A few yards should do.
> Take flight and head upward until we can just see on top of the roof. Make sure our trident is sheathed and that we don't have a hand on it as if we're prepared to pull it out. (If we need a hand to steady it, then so be it, but don't grab it menacingly.)
>"Um, hello."
> "Hi. Uh. I was gonna ask for some directions to Hakugyokurou..."
> Point at the hole.
> "...but it looks like you three have something more important on your hands. What happened?"
>Follow her gaze; does it look like there might have been a rockslide from there?
>"Well that sucks. What're you planning to do about it?"
> How big is the hole, yardwise?
> What material is the roof made of?
> "I imagine this isn't a common occurrence?"
>It's a couple yards across, in a roughly rectangular shape.
>_
> A wooden base, huh? Do the Myouren Temple crew have any supplies left over from their construction?
> "Rocks don't come rectangular. And if they did, they wouldn't bounce this far. What really happened?"
>The Prismriver sisters give you odd looks.
>"You're kind of dumb, aren't you?" says the one in red.
>_
I'd be surprised if the PrismReznors were trying to pull a fast one. They're pretty, uh, let's say "simple" in this universe. I doubt they have the capacity to concoct such a lie with straight faces that quickly.
> Simple test: can we see the rock from here?
You know what? I've made a series of increasingly derpy assumptions and conclusions, ending with some spectacular derp. Ignore everything I've said since meeting the Prismrivers.
> Pause for a moment, then shake our head quickly, like we're trying to refocus ourselves.
> "Sorry, I'm a bit out of sorts right now. I assume you've seen why, if you have any cash on you."
> Wave a hand in a fashion that indicates the presumed idea isn't what we meant.
> "No, I'm not looking for a loan. All of Gensokyo's cash has been turned into gems. You might want to check on yours, if you haven't already."
> "I don't have the money to do so right now, unless you take precious stones. And, like I said, I came by to ask about directions to Hakugyokurou. But I do wonder if something can't be arranged. I...might have some connections that could help fix your roof."
> "The Buddhists in the human village. They've had plenty of construction practice, what with building their temple."
> "Yeah. I'll need to talk to them first, of course, and I can't guarantee they wouldn't need some time to get supplies, since I don't know if they had anything left over from the temple. But they're a hardy and well-intentioned lot, and there would be a handful of benefits in it for them. Either of you met them before?"
> What is it with poltergeists and 'Um'? Shuuei did that a bit too.
> "Depends on how much work is needed. But I suspect you could get away with measuring their cost in concerts rather than cash."
> Raise an eyebrow while giving a look of being slightly taken aback.
> "Uh...do you...not like them?"
> "Wha...when have you worked for them? I don't think I ever saw you around the construction..."
> Do we know which store this might be?
> "Whoa! Uh, I'll consider it, okay? I have to talk to them about it regardless, since they'd be doing the work."
> Is the blonde one moving back to get out of range of the gesturing, or does she look very nervous?
> Give an uncertain frown.
> "...Do I get to ask what it is?"
> "That...doesn't really tell me what it is, though."
> Why isn't that red one back yet? Argh.
> "River rocks? That doesn't sound right. The rest of us got gems. Did you happen to grab any of what was there?"
> Nod.
> "Onyxes. Worth roughly 10☼ each. You're the same the rest of us."
> "Yeah, they do look like that, don't they? But nah, you'll have a hard time just going out to any ol' river and collecting real onyxes. They're rare enough to be worth a little bit."
> Turn to the blonde ghost and point at the hole.
> "So, uh, what's up with her? Should I ask the Buddhists what happened, maybe find out if whatever the issue is can be fixed?"
> Frown.
> "Huh. I bet I can have a word with Byakuren about that, if it's gonna be a sticking point. She wouldn't make anyone play something they don't want to."
> Raise eyebrows.
>"Whoa. You just found that in the forest?"
> Inspect the object visually.
> What do we know of Kourindou?
> "And...why might it be gone by the time I get back?"
> Oh boy, business time.
> Give an impassive look.
> "Really. Perhaps you could be...motivated to hang onto it until I return?"
> "Well. Not only should I ask the Buddhists before committing them to a project, I'm also doing some investigation into why everyone's money turned into gems, and how to fix that problem."
> Point at the onyxes in the red one's possession.
> "Including yours, of course."
> "Mmm? All right, let me see how I can explain it."
> "I can go talk to the people that could repair your roof in exchange for that thing."
> Point at the sword handle.
> "But I can't agree on their behalf. That would be rude, like if I agreed on your behalf that you three would put on a concert for someone that would pay less than the usual rate. You wouldn't go and perform, and you'd be angry at me for trying to give you away."
> "Now, I need a little bit of time to go ask them, because they're in the human village. If you trade that away while I'm gone, then I can't offer their roof repair services, because you don't want to perform for them. So I need you to promise that you won't trade it away until after myself or one of the Buddhists returns here."
> Nod
> "Good. Now, about those."
> Point at the onyxes again.
> "Like I said, I'm investigating how all of Gensokyo's cash got turned into gems, and how to get it back to normal. Yours and everyone else's. I want to check out Hakugyokurou to see if the is near here, but I'm not sure precisely where. Can any of you tell me how to get there?"
> "I've heard about giant columns."
> "That is pretty weird. Anything else specific I should look for?"
> How long did it take us to gain a passable knowledge of the art of jewelry?
> Turn to the red one.
> "It took me years before I was a passable jeweler. Don't worry about not being able to see a difference, most people won't. You could ask the jeweler in the human village about it if you want, though. And actually, if you go there, you'll get to meet another ghost like you three. She's working through a jeweler apprenticeship there."
> Turn back to the blonde one.
> "You have? Interesting. She used to be super shy, but it seems she's started coming out of her shell."
> So the white-haired one says they're not ghosts, huh? Do we know what they might be, then?
> Turn to the white-haired one.
> "You say not ghosts, eh? I gotta admit, I'm not too up-to-date on some parts of the animal kingdom. Pardon the ignorance, but what do you go by instead?"
> "Huh. All right then. Learn somethin' new every day."
> "All right, then, I think imma head out to Hakugyokurou. The longer I linger here, the longer before someone takes a proper look at your new skylight."
> Have we spent our entire life in Gensokyo? Or were we alive before it came to be?
> Nod, then take flight and head east toward the mountain as the blonde's instructions. Keep a sharp eye out for small paths or large columns.
> We gotta learn how to do that ourselves...
> Approach the columns.
> No time like the present.
> Begin flying up the staircase.
> Give a pout.
> "Well, that's a fine how'dya do."
> Break into a grin.
> "Don't worry, I don't plan on staying. Just investigating a Gensokyo-wide crisis, seeing if it affected other realms."
> "All of Gensokyo's currency has been turned into gems. I presume you visit there off and on, given how not difficult it is to get here from there. If you happen to have any spare change lying around here to be used for visits there, you might want to check it."
> Raise our eyebrows.
> "Really? So it did reach this far. Impressive. Hmm. You say your mistress is not concerned. Do you know of the Yakumo kitsune?"
> "If it's worth anything, I don't think someone actually managed to enter your sanctuary. They may not have even entered your realm. There were two very unique victims underground. A satori youkai, who detected no one near her house when her money was transformed, and a mouse youkai dowser, who was watching her clinic's donation box all night and saw no one touch it in the time when this went down. This brings me back to the Yakumo kitsune, who managed to detect a very light sensation she couldn't readily identify right before this happened. Most of the people I've talked to did not feel this sensation. Only Byakuren didn't deny feeling it, and she only said she wasn't sure. Ran believes the origin of this event to not be of magic 'in any sense that we understand it', whatever that means."
> "I've wondered about that myself. But everyone's cash turned into a collection of gems of roughly equal value. The act itself will probably do a good deal of damage to the various village economies, but ultimately little to no monetary value was lost. I have to wonder why whoever did this didn't just take the cash and leave nothing."
> "If I may ask, was anything else stolen from you?"
>She nods. "I wondered that as well. I'm not sure what was to be gained from this, aside from the infamy of stealing something from under our noses."
>_
> "All right. Mmm. This...might be an unfair question, but I don't know much about you or your mistress. How likely do you think it is that she felt the same sensation as Ran?"
> "It might be worth asking about, while mentioning that Ran felt something similar."
> "All right. Thanks for the info."
> "Something unrelated before I get going. Do you know the celestial Tenshi of Bhava-Agra?"
> "She's leading a small roving band of celestials around Gensokyo. They're equipped with wooden swords and call her 'sensei'. It looks like she's dragging them around on a training field trip. You look like you know a thing or two about weapons combat yourself, so don't be surprised if they come by here. And don't be surprised if she has them go 5-on-1 on you."
> "You don't. They're decent, but not great."
> Grin.
> "And, uh, if they do come by, I didn't warn you about them."
> "Awesome. I'll get out of your hair, then. Let me know if your mistress reveals anything new, if you can."
> Shrug.
> "It is what it is. See you around, and try not to go too hard on Tenshi's students."
Hm. What if this was a test run, and the next thing to be stolen would be much more critical?
> Give a short wave, then turn around and head back out of Hakugyokurou.
> Make our way back through the columns to Gensokyo-side.
> Head back toward the Human Village. We got shit we need to report to Byakuren.
> Head to the Myouren Temple.
> Nod.
> "'Sup. You girls wouldn't happen to have any leftover construction material, would you?"
> "Nah, not right now. But there might be a service project in the near future. A rock punched a hole in the musician ghosts' roof."
> "They're not making anyone take care of it yet, but they're aware of people I know that might be available to help.
> "Not like they could pay you now regardless, what with cash not being cash. But there's other stuff surrounding the situation, stuff I wanna discuss with Byakuren."
> "Oh, okay. Thanks. I'm gonna head back out here way, then."
> "I might as well. My spellcards got lifted, and I want them back. That, and the oni don't know gemstones from cobblestones, and the last thing I want to do is live in a city full of raging drunks that could cave my face in with a finger."
> Follow her out.
> "Not too sure. A rabbit came by my place while I was asleep. Claimed to be a friend of mine to the oni I heard it from. Waltzed in, waltzed back out a few minutes later. And then the cards weren't there anyway."
> "Eientei is what I'm thinking, yeah. The school teacher's friend is gonna show me how to get there after sunset."
> Oh, did we terrorize the Eientei princess as well?
> "Maybe? I don't recall going after her."
> Shrug.
> "I guess it's possible. We'll find out tonight."
> "I'm pretty sure I didn't. Maybe I should, though, once I get my cards back."
This is certainly possible, though we could only blindly speculate what that might be, I think.
> Grin.
> "Well, she doesn't have to know."
Organs. Replace everyone's kidneys with, dunno, bees, and sell them for a tidy profit. That's got to be it. :D
> "Bit of a shame you're needed here, though. I kinda wanted a traveling partner for this."
> "Reasons anyone would want a traveling partner. Bounce ideas off of each other, watch each other's backs, talk with each other when you're both bored. I think the two of us in particular could have some fun."
> Nod.
> "Here's hoping."
> Continue on to Byakuren.
> "Few things. Most important is that it looks like Hakugyokurou was affected. Can't tell with Higan, the ferrywoman's coins weren't real currency, apparently."
> "I found that a rock punched a hole in the roof of the Prismriver house. I also found that one of them is apparently completely traumatized by the idea of working for the Myouren Temple, I guess due to some bad experiences in Shou's place."
> "The interesting thing is, the traumatized one found the blade of some weird sword, just lying around the forest. It had some weird glyphs on it. Looked like writing. How does that sort of thing just get left around the forest for any old person to find?"
> "Really? Huh. Well, shoot. And here I thought it was something special."
> "I hope so. I'd like to know what it says, if nothing else. Regardless, she'd be willing to give it away for roof repair work. Your lot's name has been brought up as potential, but I obviously haven't committed anyone to anything. If you did it, though, I bet you could probably get a concert out of it, too, if the white-haired one is told she'd be able to play what she wanted instead of whatever Shou made her do."
> "Well, yeah, I don't expect it could be done immediately. Do you know who else might be able to take care of it, though?"
> "Mmm. The kappa are in a tizzy as well, like everyone else. Not sure what I'd be able to do to get one distracted enough to swing by, to be honest."
> Give a sheepish grin.
> "I don't suppose I could convince you that it might be worth clearing up the white-haired one's issues?"
> Where did we/they get the construction materials for the temple?
> "There are ways to do is without you leaving the village. I don't have to stay here, for one."
> "Where exactly did you buy your wood from, anyway?"
> "That's handy. Maybe I can drag one or two of them here to the village, to go shopping for wood."
> "All right, I'll see what I can do to corral me some ghosts."
> Give an unsure look.
> "Well...the whole thing is kinda complicated. I'm not gonna lie to you; I thought this out with the intention of asking you girls about the repairs first rather than just volunteering for it myself. Not that I can't finance it if need be, but still, that's me avoiding the manual labor. But I also see it as an opportunity to maybe get you more regulars, if you can patch things up with the white-haired one. I'm sure I'm preaching to the choir here, but it's really frustrating to see your place not get more use than it has been, after all the heart you girls put into it, as well as all the money I put into it. So I saw their situation and figured it was a chance worth taking. But then there's also the sword, and I'll admit that one's a good deal of personal curiosity, more than anything else, really. So, I dunno. Maybe I'm being some sort of good girl here, but I still think a good chunk of it is my own personal interests."
> "I guess so."
> How has Murasa been reacting to this whole thing?
> "Well, I'll be back in a bit. Hopefully with some poltergeists in tow."
> Nod.
> Take flight and head back toward the Prismriver house.
> Approach the entrance to the manor and knock.
> "Whoa! Sorry. Uh, hi, I'm back."
> "It's a bit more complicated than that. To put it simply, as far as we can tell, those gems are your money. They've been transformed somehow."
> "Still working on that. Remember, I ran off to see what could be done about fixing your roof."
> "Right. I'll try to summarize as best I can. The Buddhists can't leave the village right now, since the humans are in a tizzy about their money being turned into gems. But what can happen is you three going to visit them, to get some ideas of what fixing the roof could entail in terms of gathering supplies. The leader, the really big woman named Byakuren, would also like to be able to clear the air surrounding your sister's nervousness. And, of course, you can talk to the human village jeweler while you're there, if you still want to do that."
> We remember these three having been underground in the past. Do we remember anything about them splitting up temporarily, or have we only ever seem them as a cohesive group?
> "Have your sister bring her sword blade, too. I can't guarantee anything, but the big woman might be able to read what's written on it."
"Let's take care of it now. The sooner we get you three over there, the sooner I can resume investigating the money problem."
> "Do what you need to do."
> Wait around for the poltergeist crew to round up.
> "Not if you don't want it to be. If it was, though, you'd be able to play what you want."
> "All right, let's move on out."
> Assumimg no objections, take flight and head back to the human village.
> Head to where Byakuren was.
> Turn to Byakuren.
> "Ah, yes. Our white-haired friend had a traumatic experience at Shou's place once. Probably best to reconcile that first, eh?"
> "Dancing, huh? I wonder if we could drag Iku down from the sky for that."
> Give Byakuren a sideways glance, then turn back to the white-haired one.
> "Oho. Wouldn't mind seeing some crowds drawn around here for something happy. Happier than what they've gone through, anyway."
> Raise an eyebrow.
> "Now, now, no need for infighting. I'm sure all three of you are good at making people happy in your own ways. Though I'd certainly guess you're at your best when you're all together."
> Frown.
> "Funny thing, though, is that you said you didn't want to play a concert. You seem awfully confident in what you can do for someone that didn't want to play a concert."
> "Not even if you get to play what you enjoy playing?"
> "Hmm."
> Turn to Byakuren.
> "Should Shou be spoken to about this, maybe?"
> "All right, then. I think I have an idea, but since I'm not any of you, this is obviously only a proposal. At the very least, though, we can use it as a starting point."
> Turn to the white-haired one.
> "First of all, do you still have the sword blade? I'd like you to show it to Byakuren, so that maybe she can read the glyphs that are on it."
> "Yeah, I figured the same thing. Hell if I know what it says, though. Maybe the Circle could figure it out."
> "But that's getting ahead of ourselves. My idea for an exchange of services is thus."
> Look at and gesture to the poltergeist group in general.
> "The patrons of the Myouren Temple will repair your roof..."
> Gesture to the white-haired poltergeist specifically.
> "...and you will get an apology from the clothing store owner for making you play music you didn't like."
> Give another sideways look at Byakuren, then turn back to white-hair.
> "In exchange for this, you will let us borrow your sword blade there so that the Magician's Circle can try to decipher what it says. We can then tell you what it means, if you like. In addition, the three of you will play a concert at the Myouren Temple. One that will consist of music entirely of your choosing, of course."
> Turn to Byakuren.
> "Is this acceptable?"
> "Perfect. Now, do we have any spare hands to lend toward at least looking into what supplies will be needed for that roof repair? I know you want to keep a solid presence here in the village."
> "Huh. What about just names of sources? If Murasa's still nearby I guess she might know."
> "Well, no, I imagine not, but we can still assess pricing."
> Frown.
> "And they wouldn't want to take a look right now anyway."
> Turn back to the poltergeists.
> "How about that, then? I'll get back to work on getting your money back to being money, and once the town has had a chance to calm down, we'll send someone out to look at that hole proper."
? ?Okay then.?
? Turn to the white-hair.
? ?Could I borrow your blade now, or would you prefer to wait and give it to Byakuren later??
> Nod.
> "Thanks."
> Look to Byakuren, then back to the poltergeists.
> "I'll head out, then. I think what I can contribute to your arrangement has finished regardless."
> Distracted by what?
> Stow the blade package into our purse.
> "No probs. Back later."
> Take flight and head toward Renko and Maribel's house.
> "Hoy."
> Wave when Renko looks up.
> That's different from her usual outfit, isn't it?
> "Yeah. Found her on the mountain with a crowd of kappa, angry with their not-money. Lissen, I've been talking with Byakuren, and she's a bit worried that the Magic Club might not have everyone present tonight, given the circumstance. I'm here to make sure you two know not to no-show. I'm looking into it myself, but it sounds like you lot are our best bet at finding out why this happened."
> "Why would you lot decide to meet somewhere some of you don't like going?"
> "The dolls can be a little creepy but them aside what's wrong with her place?"
> "Even with all those other people around? I'd be surprised. Still, I'll be there too. I wonder if she thinks she can outsneak me."
> "If there's an official process, I doubt I've gone through it. It was basically Byakuren asking me earlier if I wanted in this one time, since I'm looking into the money problem."
> "Oh. Naw, I wouldn't do that."
> Grin.
> "At least, not while telling people I was coming."
> How close are we to sunset?
> "So have you talked to Patchouli, or been around the Scarlet Devil Mansion recently? I'm planning on heading there next to see if they've blown their stack too, but if someone's already been and come back, that saves me some time."
> "Damn. Oh well, maybe I'll get a good show. I still have several rounds to make, so I'll leave you to what you're doing, unless you need anything of me."
> What do we know of Utsuho and Yamame in terms of who their friends and other common hangout acquaintances are?
> "Oh, I did happen to notice that Yamame and Utsuho weren't around underground. Do you know where they are?"
> "Huh. Didn't see them earlier when I was at the Kappa Village."
> Shrug.
> "Eh, oh well."
> "Might've been. Maybe they just hadn't noticed yet. I'll be back up that way soon enough, I'll check on them then."
> Given we have Renko right in front of us and have known her for a little while, how long do we think it would take to do a passable impression of her?
> Give a very faint grin.
> "You two really don't like each other, do you?"
> "Right. I won't pretend I know what's gone down between you two, or what really happened that day at the mansion, or why any of it came to pass. And I'll keep what you've said in mind. But I will say this. Speaking strictly from my own experiences in mischief, and as someone that was honestly kinda worried she'd get blamed for what happened today, if I were to do something like this and I had an obvious motive to do so, I would not do it on a day when a sizable group of my peers and betters were planning to visit my house."
> "We'll see. I won't rule it out entirely."
> Take to the air.
> "Tell Maribel I said congrats on the new job again."
> Assuming no objections from Renko to our leaving, head south.
> Do we have any idea in which direction the SDM might be from Turtle House?
> Fly south approximately along the road, then.
> If our trident is not sheathed, sheath it. The last thing we want to do is fly into a buzzing hornet's nest looking like we want a fight.
> Fly toward the person outside the cabin.
> "Eh, kinda and kinda not. I'm out this way to check on the Scarlet Devil Mansion, see if they know anything new about Gensokyo's money problem since I figured they're one of the angriest about it and thus one of the most likely to get up and try to fix it. But if either if you two know anything about it, or simply want to know what's going on, well, I figured it could be worth swinging by here."
> "Well, there aren't many details yet. Money's gone, obviously, turned into gems of roughly equal value. Everyone's angry. You should've seen the oni, hoo boy. They don't even know how precious stones work. Seems like rocks are all the same to them. I've found out that Hakugyokurou was affected, and that Higan can't tell. A satori youkai got affected without noticing a culprit, and a donation box got hit while a perceptive dowser mouse youkai was watching it the entire time. The Yakumo kitsune mentioned sensing something very faint the moment before everyone in the human village. She also thinks that the force responsible 'isn't magic as we understand it', whatever that means."
> "No prob."
> Point at the woman in blue's hands.
> "If I can ask, then, what're you making?"
> Take a better look at the piece of wood the woman in blue is whittling.
> "Oh. Huh. All right then. Ah, would either of you happen to know Patchouli's schedule? I'm also out here headed to the SDM because I have a message for her regarding some meeting tonight that she's involved in."
> "Oh. That sucks. Hopefully I can just relay the message through someone else, then."
> "Oh. That works. Thanks for the info."
> "All right, I'll head on over there and leave you two alone now."
> Assuming no objections to our departure from other woman, take flight again and head around the lake to the Scarlet Devil Mansion. Do not head directly across the lake; we have no time for fairy shenanigans.
> Is there anything else notable about the little blonde girl?
> If we haven't stopped flying yet, do so. Either way, look over to 'Miss Hong' with an expectant expression on our face.
> Nod.
> "Figured. I'm guessing the top is just as unhappy about what happened to their money as everyone else?"
> Frown.
> "It happened to me too. Of course I know. It happened to everyone."
> "Humans, Kappa, Oni, Tengu, hell even the ghosts in Hakugyokurou got hit. The worst part is that no one seems to have any idea how it happened."
> Shake head.
> "That's fine. Don't need to go in. I'm looking into fixing things, so I'm here to see if you know anything I haven't found yet. So far, I've learned that the origin is on the surface, and that, whatever it is, it worked across realms. Higan and Bhava-Agra didn't notice since I guess they don't use money, but Hakugyokurou was affected."
> "I see. Well, I can tell you a couple of interesting things just from underground. A satori youkai got hit without detecting anyone around her house. A perceptive dowser mouse youkai's donation box got hit while she was staring at it the entire time. And then, on the surface, it seems the Yakumo kitsune detected a very faint sensation or some sort. She couldn't really describe it clearly. Most everyone else I've mentioned it too didn't notice anything, though Byakuren Hijiri wasn't sure one way or the other. Whatever happened, the kitsune doesn't seem to think the means were magic 'as we know it', whatever that means."
> "I don't suppose any of you noticed anything strange? Maybe that sensation the kitsune mentioned, or perhaps someone was looking at some currency when the culprit struck?"
> "Is Sakuya or the mistress sister out investigating right now themselves? It'd be nice to exchange information if we see each other."
> Frown.
> "Huh. Shame. Well, I can't say anything for sure, but I'll be honest, I don't know how much an in-home inspection will accomplish. I get the feeling whoever pulled this off did it from one centralized location, rather than going around to each residence and picking them off individually."
> "Oh, that reminds me. The other reason I'm here is to let Patchouli know that her meeting tonight is still on. Byakuren is worried that not everyone might show up due to the circumstances, but we're thinking having everyone attend and study the problem might be the fastest way to work toward solving it."
> "If it comes to it, someone should make sure the head of house knows that this is her best chance of getting her money back."
> Frown.
> "This kinda makes me wish I had a chance to speak with the head of house myself. But I know."
> Hold up an open hand, as if signalling something to stop.
> "No admittance."
> Grin.
> "You sound like a certain tengu I know."
> Rub chin.
> "Hmm. I may not be allowed in, and Patchouli may not be explicitly allowed out, but if there's two of you here, does that mean I can ask one of you to run something in to her for me, then run it back out when she's done? Or maybe you could get one of the maids to do it?"
> "Well, this was found in the forest. Byakuren and I aren't sure of it's importance, but it has some glyphs on it that we can't read, and I think it's strange enough to be worth looking into. Byakuren thinks Patchouli might be able to read them."
> Pull out the sword blade bundle and unwrap it while talking. Show it to the two gate guards once it's unwrapped (without holding it in a threatening manner).
> "Really? I wonder if that might help identify it."
> "Huh. Well, still, that might give us a clue as to the blade's origin. If they're that similar, they might have come from the same place."
> "So, uh, yeah. Could someone run this into Patchouli and have her take a look at it, then run it back out to me once she's done? That way no one leaves that isn't supposed to and no one gets in that isn't supposed to."
> Gently hand over the blade, walking up to Flan if need be.
> "Be careful with that. Don't wanna hurt yourself."
> Grin.
> "I guess this is the last time I give away info for free."
> Take the sword back carefully.
> "Naw, you were fine. Don't worry about it, I'll bug her again at the meeting later. She'll probably be disappointed that I haven't drowned, but life is full of little disappointments."
> Rebundle the broken sword and put it away.
> "What was Patchouli busy with? Did you get to see?"
> "Figures. Ah well. Thanks for the help."
> Turn to Meiling.
> "I don't suppose you remember anything else about that other sword?"
> What time is it?
> Do we know where Kourindou is relative to where we are now?
> "All right. I guess this attractive corpse will just have to hit Patchouli up for info later, when she's at that meeting. Catch you two some other time."
> Point our index finger at Flan gun-style, flash a toothy grin and wink.
> "See you later, Little Miss Wings."
> Assuming no objection to our departure, take flight and follow the road north, keeping an eye out for any unfamiliar buildings.
> Fly in toward it, then land when we get close so we can get a better look from the ground.
> Head to it and enter.
> "Yes, that's me."
> "Have you heard about what has happened to all the money yet?"
> Inventory
> How does his Broken Sword Handle compare to ours?
> Inspect Iron Key, Small Knife, Jeweler's Scope, Lockpicks and Black Arrow.>Iron Key
>Examine glove, blank scroll, marble set, glass tube, and wolf ears. Ask about the scroll if we don't see anything special about it.
> Examine and ask about Broken Sword Handle
> So the Broken Sword Handle and Broken Sword Blade don't seem to match with each other?
> Compare our Broken Sword Blade to the Broken Sword Handle.
> What kind of relationship do we have with the blacksmith in the human village?
> Show Rinnosuke the Broken Sword Blade.
> "Looks like we match. You have any idea what's written on this, or what it might do beyond being a sword?"
> Do we follow any sort of procedure for bartering, like we have for when we enter a jeweler's shop?
> "I see. What's the going rate for that broken handle, then?"
> "A whole bunch of precious stones. And a few not-so-precious ones. A free drink or two, as well, if you're ever in my pub's area."
> "Yeah, they have. But given where they came from, devaluing them could wreak further havoc on Gensokyo's economy, even after things get fixed."
> What alcohol do we have to offer in the 15☼ to 20☼ range?
> Grin.
> "Don't worry about that. Sherlock Houjuu is on the case. It'll get done."
> "But I understand your concern. Would it be possible to use some precious stones in a temporary exchange, where I promise to return later to take them back in exchange for something you'd find more useful, such as a bottle of alcohol?"
> "Depends on what you like. Got some bottles of sake about yea."
> Indicate the approximate height of a 20☼ bottle of sake.
> "Or, if fruit wines or shochus are more up your alley, I got some of those too."
> Indicate the approximate heights of each of those bottles as appropriate, again assuming 20☼.
> "For a broken sword handle?"
> "Would that count go down without the precious stone in-between?"
> Frown, then sigh after a couple of seconds.
> "Will tomorrow afternoon do for a delivery? I expect you might be ready for sleep by the time I could get back here tonight."
> Shrug.
> "All right, then, I'll see what I can do for this evening."
> Pull out a red spinel and rose quartz.
> "The original market value of these combined is worth about four bottles of my fruit wine. If I'm involved I'm sure I can get even more than that value for them, so you can be sure I'll be back for them."
> Hand the gems over.
> "Yeah, which makes it all the more important that I get whatever this was reversed. Don't worry about me not coming back, Byakuren would have my wings if I tried to run off on you."
> Nod.
> "I'll do my best to get here, assuming things don't get dicey."
> It's still another couple of hours to sunset, right?
> How far is the mountain from the human village?
> "To later, then."
> Leave the store, take flight and head to the human village.
> Head for the Myouren Temple. We're on a time budget.
> Enter and look around for Byakuren.
> Are the not-Ichirin people people we recognize?
> Quietly back out of the room. No need to bother these people.
> Head back outside and toward the last spot we saw Byakuren.
> Head her way until we're in casual conversation distance.
> Do the town residents have any distinguishing features?
> Keep moving toward her until we're in her line of vision.
> Pull out the Broken Sword Handle and wave it around. In an attention-grabbing manner, not a threatening manner.
> Give an emphatic shrug, then find the closest person that isn't Byakuren or busy looking at things that aren't us and walk up to them while putting the Broken Sword Handle away.
> "Hi. Do you know where the blacksmith is?"
> Look at the crowd. Is there anyone that stands out as a blacksmith?
> "Thanks a bunch."
> Head over to the indicated group.
> Get closer to them and see if we can't hear what they're talking about.
> How many glyphs were on that blade, anyway?
> Is there anyone else involved in the conversation?
> Could we possibly change the skin coloring on our arm to mark it up with copies of the glyphs?
> How much energy would it take?
> Move over right next to the blacksmith.
> Nod at her and gesture back at the man with which she was conversing, but make no indication that we're going to go anywhere yet.
> "Only if you are finished with this gentleman. Wouldn't have imposed, but it's too loud to do anything else."
> "All right. Yeah."
> Pull out the two broken sword pieces and show them to Ami.
> "You think these went together once? Found 'em separately."
> Didn't we try that earlier and weren't sure ourselves?
> "I took a quick look at it earlier and wasn't too sure. But I guess trying's the best way to find out."
> Try to fit the two pieces together at the broken parts of the metal. Remember to flip the blade over to try both sides of it if the first attempt doesn't fit.
> While holding the two pieces of the sword together, tilt them so Ami can see the hole at a good angle.
> "Looks like it's a match. Doesn't look like it met a happy end, though."
> "How much time you think it'd take to fix that? Is it even possible?"
> "That's a lovely thought. Now I really want to find out what's written on it. I don't suppose there are any scholars in town?"
> Do we know where the Charms shop is?
> "All right, I'll take a look. Thanks."
> Give Ami a small wave, then head on over to the jewelry store, keeping an eye out for the charms store. Enter the charms store if we see it along the way.
> Enter the charms shop.
> Nod in his direction.
> Keep a low voice ourselves.
> "Hello. I'm looking for a village scholar, and the blacksmith directed me here."
> Pull out the broken sword blade.
> "There are glyphs on this broken blade. I'd like to know what they mean."
> "...Really? Wow."
> Do the glyphs look like a language from the old outside world?
? Check around. Anything interesting in the shop?
> "That's more than I had earlier, at least. And it would explain why the blacksmith didn't know how to repair it."
> "I tried, but since it's broken, even he couldn't make hide nor hair of it. This thing just gets more bizarre by the minute."
> "I can think of one other, but she's busy looking into the jewel mystery right now and doesn't want to be bothered. I should probably get back to directly investigating it myself, really."
> "Got one specific lead, and a few connections looking for more info. I've scouted around a bit, and I've found some pretty unsettling things. The damage wasn't even restricted to Gensokyo, for one. The Netherworld got hit too. And the Yakumo kitsune believes the force behind it isn't 'magic as we know it', and I'm inclined to believe her senses, weird as they may be sometimes."
> "It's some weird stuff, alright. But whoever did this made the mistake of annoying me in the process."
> Grab our trident, but don't unsheath it.
> "One way or another, I plan on seeing this fixed."
> "Never expected to be solving one myself."
> Give a lopsided grin.
> "There was a time when I'd be the one causing this sort of problem every week. I think I've lost my touch over the years."
> "Anyway, thanks for your help. Got a few info appointments I need to keep, so I'll quit wasting your time."
> Nod and exit the store.
> Head into the jeweler's shop.
> Nod.
> "Yeah, I figured. That might make things easier for me, though. Can you tell me where your apprentice is?"
> Does said etiquette still apply even when the shop is closed?
> Look around at a few nearby rings. Give a closer examination to a few that look well made at first glance.
> "I was hoping to speak with her again. But I don't know where she lives, so I guess that's that."
> "So I've seen."
> Pick up one of the exceptional rings and continue giving it an examining eye.
> "It seems she's found herself a good lot, in life, though, if she's an apprentice here. This is exquisite craftsmanship."
> Oh, that poor little ghost, getting caught up in this business...
> What's the procedure from here? We're not exactly in a position to buy stuff right now.
> Give a small grin.
> "So much does she really know, anyway?"
> "Yeah, I imagine she'll be a tricky one. She's real secretive and shy, sure, but she's also real close with Nagae."
? ?And how has she done??
> "I suppose that is true."
> Put the emerald down, and pick up and take a look at one of the other better-crafted rings.
> "I wish any of us knew more about her. Still, she's come a fair way. The first time we met, it took Nagae a lot of coaxing and the better part of a minute before she even appeared."
> "I presume Nagae sent her your way, then."
> Give a low chuckle.
> "If only the ol' oarfish knew."
> "Yeah. 'Tis a shame. But it's still a living, I guess. At least until today."
> "I guess it'll have to, if people want to bring any sense of stability to their economies. Of course, when I fix things, it won't matter, but still."
> "Oh. I was thinking of the other side of the coin."
> Frown.
> "Byakuren often has me thinking of the lighter half of things these days. I've really lost my touch."
> Do we remember where we met Shuuei for the firsy time, several months ago?
> "I'm with them off and on. I don't think I could do full-time Buddhism. That much piety just isn't me, even without this. I spend my days underground. It's home enough for me."
> Put the second ring back, if we haven't already.
> "I suppose I should move along, then. The money issue isn't going to fix itself. It's good to see the craft hasn't died, though."
> "Nue. Nue Houjuu. And you are Mister Ichiro, I presume?"
> Smile.
> "It's been a pleasure. It's not much, but if you ever find yourself underground and manage to dodge the oni, feel free to stop by my pub."
> "Regardless, I expect we'll see each other again at some point. Until then."
> Give Ichiro a wave good-bye, then leave the shop and head back to where we last saw Byakuren. Hopefully she's done talking to whoever that was earlier.
> So where did we meet Shuuei the first time, anyway?
> Walk on over to her, pulling out the broken sword handle as we go along.
> "Don't worry about it. I learned a couple of new things and met a kindred spirit. But I'll spare the latter details."
> Pull out the Broken Sword Blade and fit the two pieces together like last time.
> "Rinnosuke had the handle. The blacksmith isn't sure how it was made, and doesn't believe she could fix it. The charms shop guy says the glyphs aren't Gensokyo writ."
> Frown.
> "Something nasty happened to this sucker, and now I have even more questions about it than before."
> "We'll just have to find out later. Anyway, Maribel and Renko know to show up tonight. I left a message at the door for Patchouli, too."
> Roll eyes.
> "I guess she was busy shoving a stick up her ass or something, I dunno. Either way, she'll be disappointed to see later tonight that I haven't drowned myself in the lake yet."
> Wave our hand dismissively.
> "It's not important, just a bit of irritation on my end. Don't worry about it. The important thing is that the message has been left with the people at the gate. Presumably she'll be there tonight. I know I would hate to found a group and then be the only one to not show up at the first meeting after something significant actually happens."
> "Beyond what I've already mentioned, no. They're tighter-wound than even the tengu, but stopped before coming to blows. I liked the little blonde one, she's a wing sis."
> Shrug.
> "I was regaled with tales of her wanting to help and being sent outside to help the redhead with the gate because those inside were too busy looking into the mystery. Shame to hear it's unusual, I wouldn't mind seeing her again some day."
> Grin.
> "She's dangerous to you in that she might give you a heart attack from all the cute. But, like I said, we didn't come to blows, so who knows, maybe she is."
> Point a thumb back out toward the main street.
> "So is our band just playing on their own out there? I'd hate for this to be considered the concert I got for your place. It's nice and all, but there's no draw for you girls specifically."
> Frown for a couple of seconds, then sigh.
> "If you say so."
> "I guess."
> "Anyway, I think I'm going to head out again. I want to make a stop at one specific place to see if I can't drum myself up a travel companion for later; it'll be a huge long shot, but better to try and fail than to not try where I would have succeeded. After that, I'll be heading back to the mountain, then back here to hitch a ride to Eientei, then back to you to head off to that club meeting of yours."
> "It'll depend entirely on what happens at Eientei, but I'll try my best."
> "Renko knows I'll be there, at least, and others might be able to guess given I'm delivering the message."
> Give Byakuren a short wave.
> "See you later tonight."
> Assuming no objection to our departure, take flight and head toward Renko and Maribel's house, taking the detour south toward the river as necessary to get to the site where we first met the poltergeist.
> Descend through the canopy and look around for any streams.
> Turn to the fairy.
> "Hello."
> Grin.
> "So I've been told. You seen anyone else around here recently?"
> "Shoot. All right, thanks."
> Work our way back up through the forest canopy.
> Probably a lot easier to find our way through the forest while actually in the forest.
> Head back toward Renko and Maribel's house, then land and head south in the forest, looking out for streams.
> Is this abouts where we first saw Shuuei?
> If so, look around the area a bit, on the off-chance she's visible.
> If she's not visible, give a call out.
> "Hey, kiddo? You out there?"
> Look around a bit more, then shrug.
>?Damn. Oh well."
> Crest the canopy, then head off toward the mountain.
> Do we know where Nitori is?
> Do we know WHO Nitori is?
> Do we know what species she is?
> Keep heading on up the mountain to the kappa village.
> Head down to the crowd of people and find someone that doesn't seem too busy arguing or otherwise talking with someone else.
> Flag that long-haired kappa down.
> "I've noticed. But no, I'm not here for classes. At least not right now. I'm looking for a kappa named Nitori. Do you know where I can find her?"
> Frown.
> "Joy. All right, thanks for the info, miss...?"
> "Nue. It's a pleasure."
> Give a nod.
> "Anyway, thanks again. Good luck in your reorganization. Hopefully everything will be fixed sooner rather than later."
> Assuming no objection from Yua, take flight and head south, looking for a big warehouse.
> Head to the main doors.
> How long would it take to tack about a foot of height onto our normal selves?
> Would our current dress still cover what it needs to if we do this?
> How much height could we add while still being modest?
> How about adding a little bit of muscle mass all over our body? How long would that take?
> Walk over to the humanoid door and knock on it while calling out.
> "Utsuho?"
> Bang on the door a bit louder.
> "Got news for Utsuho, whoever's in there!"
> Frown and raise our voice.
> "Well, fine! The bridge princess is shitripped and the kasha is pretty frightened, but I guess that doesn't matter around here!"
> Take flight and head toward the tengu village, where we met Momizi the first time.
> "Even if I have an invitation from the Moriya Shrine?"
> Pause for a moment, then frown, but nod as well.
> "Don't really have a choice, do I?"
> "Here's fine. If she wants to go somewhere more comfortable, we can decide that when she gets here."
> Cross our arms and frown some more.
> "Don't really have a choice, do I?"
> Shake head and wave our hand dismissively.
> "Don't worry about it, I'm not going anywhere or starting anything. Do what you need to do."
Sorry Vic. Blame the tengu for being jerks. :V
> Well we've probably got several minutes to kill. Let's work on filling our torso out enough so that we could reasonably make a small pouch there.
> Shoot. We'll have to practice that some other time.
> Begin the process of slimming our midriff back down.
> Wave back and wait for Sanae to arrive.
> "Yeah. Just experimenting with new ideas. Sorry I couldn't greet you as you, but I'm not in the best of moods, even in comparison to everyone else around."
> "Yep. Here's the lowdown."
> Breathe.
> "The gems in place of the money are roughly equal in old market value to the money they replaced. Everyone everywhere in Gensokyo was affected, all at the same time, and even adjacent realms like Hakugyokurou didn't go unscathed. Satori was affected and didn't hear the perpetrator. Nazrin's donation box was affected and she watched it the entire time, where no one touched it. The source is somewhere topside, but Nazrin's dowsing can't get more of a fix on it than that. Too much weird interference. Ran felt a very small, very light sensation at the time of the transformation, one she couldn't solidly identify. Byakuren's not sure if she sensed something. No one else has mentioned feeling anything. Ran also thinks the source isn't magic 'as we know', whatever the hell that means."
> "And now I'm here, hoping that you aren't like most of the rest of the assholes in Gensokyo who are happy to take the information I have and slam the door shut in my face without giving me anything in return, information or otherwise."
>"Can you give me any details about this god?"
> Frown.
> "That's what we're up again? Wonderful. I don't suppose it was possible to tell where this manipulation came from?"
>Do we have any seeds of non-identification handy?
>Were all of the ones we own or know of accounted for, and where?
>Would it be possible to use Seeds in a way to pull off this coin-to-gems conversion, or at least make it look that way?
>Is there a specific aspect of our Nue-like powers/skills that makes it unrealistic for others to use the Seeds, or is it some aspect of our nature that can't really be described? Would we be able to recognize that potential in others that might be able to pull it off?
>What kinds of youkai do we know that can switch between set shapes? And/or individuals?
Should mention Reimu's activity to Sanae at least. Uh I don't have any other good ideasWe could, but we don't really know anything about them aside from "Reimu's looking into it"
> "So if they think it came from within Gensokyo, does that mean they've ruled Bhava-Agra out as the source?"
> "I suspect they would have said Bhava-Agra if they meant it. But ask them about it anyway, ruling Bhava-Agra out as a suspect is important."
> "Nah, neither of us have the time. Just a good idea for the near future. As much as I highly doubt Bhava-Agra's responsible, they're a force to be reckoned with if they put their minds to it."
> "I should probably also say that Reimu is on the hunt for the responsible party. If you or your goddesses find anything new and important and you can spare some time, try to get in touch with one or both of us. Maybe you can ask a tengu to run message delivery if you personally can't be dragged away from your business."
> How close are we to sunset?
> "Awesome. On a potentially related note, how good are you with glyph reading?"
> "Came across this recently."
> Pull out the Broken Sword Blade and angle it so the glyphs are visible to Sanae.
> "I have the handle too. The break isn't pretty, and the human village blacksmith doesn't think she could put it back together because she doesn't know how it was made in the first place."
> "Western, huh? That would verify the charm shop owner's claim that they're not of Gensokyo. I don't suppose you know anyone that could read Western script, other than Patchouli and your goddesses?"
> How's the defattening coming?
> Slap ourselves on the forehead.
> "Damnit, of course. Should have made a beeline for them as soon as I learned it wasn't from Gensokyo."
> "Those two are full of surprises. And believe me, I know surprises."
> "How much do you know about Eientei? Do you think they could be responsible for this somehow? I'm not ready to accuse them just yet, but I'll be paying them a visit later, due to some extra circumstances."
>"Yeah, I know her, too. It's not her that roused my suspicions, though. A rabbit-not Reisen-was seen entering my place last night."
> Frown.
> "Mmm. All right, then. I'll keep that in mind. I might as well tell you, though, since you're one of the few that doesn't have their head up their ass about everything and is actually trying to think things through and get to the bottom of the problem. My cards were nicked at some point while I was sleeping. As far as I can tell, it happened around the same time that the money problem occurred. Might be related, might not. Regardless, I have it on good authority that that rabbit got into my pub by claiming to be my friend. I don't know too many rabbits, and I'm pretty sure I don't call any of them 'friend', so yeah, I'll be paying them a visit right after sunset. Is there a way to get in contact with you in case I find something there, a way easier than waiting several hours for a tengu patrol officer to get break time?"
> "If people haven't resorted to looting, of course. I hope my pub is holding up okay. You think the tengu were shitripped? You should have seen the oni."
> We completely back to normal (ignoring the enhanced chest) yet?
> What gods in Gensokyo are we personally aware of?
> "Hmm. I don't suppose you could maybe even just name a few more topside gods? Might give me some leads with which to work, since I'm not tethered to the mountain like you and your folks are."
> Frown.
> "Guess the outer world kids and the rabbits are my best bet, then. Regardless, thanks for all your help, you're a sanity saver."
> "I'm gonna head back out to the kids, I think. Got deadlines to meet. You need to know anything else?"
> Put a contemplative expression on our face in a couple seconds of silence.
> "...Wanna come with?"
> "Figures. Oh well. I'll wrangle somebody."
> Give Sanae a small wave.
> "Good luck then. Keep me posted if you can. I'll try to do the same. And if you see Lord Tenma, feel free to let him know that the oni wouldn't mind borrowing his wall."
> Grin.
> "No fun in that. Later."
> Do a little flip to turn around, then head back down the mountain toward Turtle House.
> Head over to the door and knock.
> "Oh. Sorry. Uh, I came by to ask what knowledge of Western writ you two might have."
>"Then I hope this is English."
>Pull out the runesord and let her see.
> Do we know any of those proper nouns?
> "Uhhhh..."
> "That makes three of us."
> Blink like we're trying to regain focus.
> "You lost me at greek."
> "Oh. Well, uh, would this help?"
> Pull out the Broken Sword Handle and fit it against the Broken Sword Blade.
> "All right. Wonder if Byakuren knows anyone German."
> Snort.
> "If Patchouli graces us all with her presence tonight, maybe I'll ask her then."
> "Nothing you need concern yourselves with. I'll deal with it when the time comes."
> "Anyway, thanks for the help, and sorry for showing up unannounced. I should go off and find some food of my own, I haven't had any all day."
> "I'll find something. See you two later tonight."
> Assuming no objection from either of them, take flight and head back to the human village.
> Head to the Myouren Temple.
> If nothing is out of the ordinary, enter it.
> "Hey there."
> Give a sheepish grin.
> "This is kinda embarrassing, but is there anything to eat around here?"
> We're a decent cook, right?
> Nod.
> "Thanks."
> Do we need to remove our shoes before heading up to the kitchen? If so, remove them, then head up to the kitchen either way.
>Take off shoes
>Head up to kitchen.
>Take stock of available ingredients, particularly any meats.
>Whip ourselves up a meal using the rice and veggies and make a few rice balls for the road
>How close to sundown is it now?
> Wrap up our riceballs in something so they won't smack up against our other belongings and get ruined, then stick them in our purse for later consumption.
> Head back downstairs.
> Head over to the side room where we hear sweeping and poke our head in.
> "Thanks again for the grub. Headin' out to Eientei, if Byakuren asks."
> Retrieve our shoes, put them back on, then leave the temple and head to the tavern.
>Walk over to Mokou
>"Evening to ya."
> Look around the bar. Anyone we know?
>"Suppose I can't blame her. I didn't get a reputation for nothing, y'know."
>"But really, I just want to get to the bottom of this and get my stuff back. And, well, keep the oni from burning my place down along with half the rest of the city. If you think these guys up here are upset about all this, well..."
>Do we have bad history with Hakutaku or something?
>"So, what does this mean for you? I'm glad that you're being straight up about this, though."
>"Yeah, can't say I'm completely resentment free here, yanno. But, I ain't got no reason to be starting old wars again. Hopefully she don't either. So, how does this affect our trip?"
>"Never outright said it. You just said that Keine has decided I'm up to something. I'd guess that that means no trip to Eientai, but don't hurt to make that clear."
>Mokou already said the trip was still on when we first spoke. This might read as kinda antagonizing her, and we do need the help.
>"Well, if you don't have a problem with it, all the better. Whatever beef me and her might have with each other, this situation's got nothing to do with it."
>Do we know anything about Mokou's connection with Eientei?
>For that matter, do we know anything of how they've regarded in general?
>Grin just a little
>"I suppose you wouldn't lose any sleep over delivering a problem onto their doorstop instead?"
>You lie through your teeth, as you'd be just as happy to knock a hakutaku on her ass if she gave you the excuse.
> Keep it calm, Houjuu. The last thing we want to do with the one person willing to get us to Eientei is speak ill of her friend. Forget about the beast and concentrate on the here and now.
>"Well, I guess we'll see then, eh? Depends on what that rabbit's got to say for herself."
>"Let's."
>Follow her on out
> Like, actual pushing? Is she shoving people out of her way?
>Follow along behind her
> "So you've been around a while, then? This might sound off, but what gods around here do you know of?"
> Stare directly into the sun
> "Do you think Eientei had the abilities to pull off a heist of this magnitude?"
> "What do you know about Eientei for that matter?"
> "I'd like to know what I'm getting into as best I can, y'know?"
> "Sounds like I probably want to get in there and get out as soon as I can."
> "Well, I'd like to think I have some experience in the art of subtlely, so I think I may be able to handle myself. I do have a spare rabbit dress handy, though. How're they for letting their own in?"
> "But those that sneak out are presumably let back in, unhappiness or no."
> "Huh. Well, that leads to a decision. I could try to get in as I am, where they'll know I'm me, or you could throw me back at them after I disguise myself as one of them."
> Are we at the bamboo forest yet?
> Frown for a couple of seconds in silence.
> "...Probably best to try the normal way first, I guess. I can fall back on the disguise if they don't let me in."
> Look around. Anyone else nearby?
> "I suspect that rabbit of taking my cards. Can't prove it, but can't imagine anyone else that would have done it. But the gems? Not sure about that anymore. I talked to the mountain shrine maiden, and her goddesses have figured out the transformation was due to a tremendous act of faith. Apparently there could very well be another deity out there. They haven't located this mystery deity yet, but if Nazrin's dowsing is worth anything, that deity's somewhere here on the surface. But it sounds like you know plenty about Eientei, and you didn't say anything about any gods they might be housing, so..."
> "Oho, really now. That could prove significant."
> "Wonderful. It just can't ever be easy."
> Continue on to the bamboo forest.
> Can we go invisible or rapidly change to give the illusion that we're invisible?
You can't reproduce things you can't understand, which is why you haven't just poisoned people in the past, you don't know how to make venom sacs that actually work, they're too foreign to you (though you can make something that certainly looks like venom sacs)
>Does this suggest that if we were to study biology and anatomy, we might be able to eventually mimic such a thing? By learning from someone who did understand how they worked?
Could we really fool a lunar doctor with a fake injury, though?
> Yeesh, are we not at the Bamboo Forest yet?
> Frown.
> "I'm having a hard time seeing it. Not that I don't believe you, it's just the night and this bamboo and...yeah."
> Move forward a few feet and try to focus on the distance in front of us.
DEATH TO HAKUTAKU
A full moon softly sheds its light.
> "All right, then. But how do you know your way around here that well, anyway? It's all looked the same to me for some time."
>Did we bother to remember the path we took?
>Did we bother to remember the path we took?
> "Huh. All right then. Well, thanks a bunch for your help."
> Nod.
> "Later."
> Face forward again and start walking through the bamboo. Keep a sharp eye out for buildings.
>Is the barking coming from the building ahead, or another direction?
>Does it seem to be approaching, or staying still?
>How far away from Eientei are we?
>Look in the direction of the noise. Can we see anything coming, or is it too obscured by bamboo?
>Hold our ground, and keep an eye on the direction it's coming from
>Be ready to dodge if it's genuinely aggressive, rather than just territorial, but don't yet do anything that might be provocative.
>If we end up moving, make absolutely sure not to lose sight of which way Eientei is
>Congratulate the parser on continuity skillz
> Shank the wolf.
> And Mokou.
> And Patchouli. Seven times. Once for every day of the week!
> Shank Yossarian.