Wind Priestess Quest - Part 2: What has Tobe done.

[Neovereign]

>Back away.
>"S-Suwako-sama h-help. What's happening?"

[Evil_Nazgul0616]

>Oh dear...
>I don't want to antagonize potentially thousands of unidentified orbs of what power I do not know, evasive action!

>Back away.

>You back away from the wall, the artery orbs fall into a wall-like formation and appear to be corralling you towards the center of the corridor.

>"S-Suwako-sama h-help. What's happening?"

>"HOW PITIFUL. THE WIND PRIESTESS CALLS OUT FOR HELP, YET NOBODY COMES." you hear a sinister, monotonous voice call out from seemingly nowhere.
>_

[WodofGar]

_{^{>GOD DAMNIT, FLOWEY?!}}
>"Okay, guess I have to help myself then!"
>FIRE ALL THE BULLETS!
>Actually, maybe that's a bad idea.

[Evil_Nazgul0616]

_{^{>GOD DAMNIT, FLOWEY?!}}

_{^{>"You IDIOT!! I'm not even IN this game!"}}

>"Okay, guess I have to help myself then!"
>FIRE ALL THE BULLETS!

>You point your gohei at the artery orbs and fire a massive, steady stream of danmaku.
>The danmaku strike the orbs, only to dissipate on contact. The orbs are completely unharmed. Behind them, many more orbs begin to sprout from the wall with each danmaku strike, and the orbs begin moving towards you faster.

>"HOW PREDICTABLE. SHE DOES NOT FORESEE THE CONSEQUENCES THAT HER ACTIONS WILL BRING FORTH. SHE IS NO DIFFERENT FROM HER COLLABORATORS." the same voice calls out.
>_

[WodofGar]

>"Well what else do you expect me to do?!"

[Neovereign]

>Douman Seiman
>Back away more.
>"How typical. Of course there'd be a mysterious voice that uses fancy words. Wherever you are, you should be more original. Don't you have anything better to do than mock me?" To our self. "Now how do I get out of here..."
>"Wait, collaborators? Where are Koishi and Eirin?"

[Evil_Nazgul0616]

>"Well what else do you expect me to do?!"

>"SHE SPEAKS TO US AS IF WE WERE A VOICE OF GUIDANCE. SHE IS GRAVELY MISTAKEN."

>Back away more.

>The orbs continue herding you towards the center of the corridor.

>"How typical. Of course there'd be a mysterious voice that uses fancy words. Wherever you are, you should be more original. Don't you have anything better to do than mock me?" To our self. "Now how do I get out of here..."

>"SHE BELIEVES WE ARE MOCKING HER. SHE RESPONDS WITH CRITICISM. WE TAKE OFFENSE TO THIS. SHE NEEDS TO LEARN HER PLACE. LIKE HER COLLABORATORS, SHE MUST BE TAUGHT THE ULTIMATE LESSON."

>"Wait, collaborators? Where are Koishi and Eirin?"

>"SHE CONFUSES HER COMPANIONS WITH HER COLLABORATORS. THIS IS UNDERSTANDABLE. PERHAPS WE SHOULD HAVE BEEN LESS CRYPTIC. WE REFER TO THE ONES SHE WORSHIPS. THE DEITIES, AND THOSE WHO ARE CLOSELY ASSOCIATED WITH HER SHRINE. A DISGUSTING FACTION. ONE THAT IS A FESTERING DEFECT ON REALITY. A DEFECT THAT WILL BE CORRECTED."

>Douman Seiman

>Who?
>_

[WodofGar]

>Doesn't seem like we're going anywhere soon.
>"What do you want from me then? I don't know what your problem is with my Goddesses, either."

[Neovereign]

>"My goddess help those in need. All we ask for in return is faith. We've been helping out some people while I've been trying to resolve this incident as well!"

[Evil_Nazgul0616]

>Doesn't seem like we're going anywhere soon.
>"What do you want from me then? I don't know what your problem is with my Goddesses, either."

>After you finish asking your question, you suddenly feel a wrenching sensation, and your body is forcibly jerked to the center of the corridor and rotates so that you are once again looking out towards the star-filled horizon.
>Within seconds, space itself begins to distort at the center of your field of vision, and five, bright, shiny lights materialize out of thin air.
>The spacial distortion unfolds into a massive, grey platform that extends into the walls, a large line of square pits is present on the front of the platform. The five lights move to positions on top of the platform. A pedestal sprouts from the platform beneath each light. Several blood vessels snake out of the pedestals and stab into the center of each light. The lights coalesce into opaque, silver orbs, which sit upon the pedestals.
>The blood vessels begin pulsating, and the entire void is filled with a sound akin to five hearts beating in unison.

>"My goddess help those in need. All we ask for in return is faith. We've been helping out some people while I've been trying to resolve this incident as well!"

>The central orb glows a brilliant blue, and the featureless silver becomes a shimmering, cloud-like pattern.
>"SUCH AN IGNORANT GIRL. SHE BELIEVES THAT HER FACTION HAS A GOOD CAUSE. YET SHE OVERLOOKS THEIR GREATEST MISTAKE!" says the sinister voice, which appears to be emanating from the orb.
>_

[Neovereign]

>"What mistake? We've done nothing wrong besides the recent incident. And even so, the original purpose was intended for a good cause."

[Evil_Nazgul0616]

>"What mistake? We've done nothing wrong besides the recent incident. And even so, the original purpose was intended for a good cause."

>The central orb glows blood red, the shimmering pattern disappears.
>"THE MISTAKE IS THE INCURABLE IMBALANCE THEY HAVE CREATED!"
>The other four orbs glow red.
>"THE IMBALANCE WILL NOT BE TOLERATED!"

>The pits on the front of the platform that are closest to the walls begin firing large, continuous, straight lasers ahead of themselves. In a fraction of a second, the next pair of pits fires their lasers, creating an ever shrinking corridor of consecutive lasers. If you stay here, you will definitely get hit.
>_

[WodofGar]

>Dodge, 'nuff said.
>Don't get hit.
>Avoid being damaged.
>Evade.

[Neovereign]

>Graze for score
>Fly onto the platform. If we're up there, we shouldn't be able to get hit by the lasers...right?
>"Gensokyo has been getting along just fine with my Goddess' appearance. Explain that as an imbalance."

[WodofGar]

>BECAUSE REASONS!

[Evil_Nazgul0616]

>Dodge, 'nuff said.
>Don't get hit.
>Avoid being damaged.
>Evade.

>Graze for score
>Fly onto the platform. If we're up there, we shouldn't be able to get hit by the lasers...right?

>You attempt to move, only to find that you can't!

>"Gensokyo has been getting along just fine with my Goddess' appearance. Explain that as an imbalance."

>You try to speak. But no words leave your mouth. You are forced to float there helplessly as the lasers close in on you. When the pits in front of you fire, you can only watch as the beams get ever closer until...
>Everything goes white...

>BECAUSE REASONS!

>EXACTLY!

>...

>You jolt awake. You are sitting on a bed in a room you've never seen before. You're covered in sweat and breathing heavily. Your entire right leg feels numb.
>"Hey. Hey. Take it easy." you hear the familiar voice of Eirin say, "You were having a nightmare."
>She pauses, "You should consider yourself lucky. Not many humans get struck by lightning and live to tell the tale, let alone survive without lasting damage to the central nervous system..."
>_

[Hope ♦ Metal]

>"I don't feel lucky..."
>Look around the room.

[Evil_Nazgul0616]

>"I don't feel lucky..."
>Look around the room.

>You look around.
>There are no windows in this room. However, you do see a nightstand and a wardrobe. Your winter clothes are folded neatly in a pile on top of the nightstand. You see Eirin to your left. Behind her is an open door that appears to lead to a hallway.
>Aside from that. There is nothing notable. This seems to be a generic bedroom.
>_

[Neovereign]

>"Where am I now? Where's Koishi?"
>Check on our right leg.

[Evil_Nazgul0616]

>"Where am I now? Where's Koishi?"

>"I believe they call this place the Palace of the Earth Spirits." Eirin replies, "You're in one of their guest rooms. As for Koishi, well, she's with her sister."

>Check on our right leg.

>You throw over the blanket and inspect your right leg. You also just now notice that your shoes and socks are missing.
>The leg feels completely numb, and there is a small, roughly an inch in diameter, burn mark on your ankle, the mark is unique in that there is a jagged, electricity-esque pattern on its edges.

>"Don't worry about your leg. While the lightning strike did overload several nerves in that area, there's no permanent damage. It'll feel numb for a while, but it should gradually return to normal."
>_

[WodofGar]

>"Oh thank goodness, glad I can still walk. No way am I trying it now though, I feel exhausted."
>"So, have you seen Satori?"
>"I'm guessing you know why it's so cold now, don't you?"

[Evil_Nazgul0616]

>"Oh thank goodness, glad I can still walk. No way am I trying it now though, I feel exhausted."
>"So, have you seen Satori?"

>"Yes, I've seen her. And I've already treated her. She'll..." she pauses for a moment, "survive..."

>"I'm guessing you know why it's so cold now, don't you?"

>"Hmm? Why would you ask that? Does it have something to do with whatever your goddess is hiding? I've questioned her a few times about how Satori ended up in her condition when she came to check on you, but she always dodged my question before heading off somewhere. I was actually about to go try and track her down to demand some answers, but apparently you know something. Would you care to enlighten me?" she smiles, "Oh, and speaking of your goddess, I'm sure she'll be relieved once she finds out you're awake."
>_

[Neovereign]

>Oh crap face.
>Start crying. "You weren't supposed to find out. This shouldn't have happened!"

[Evil_Nazgul0616]

>Oh crap face.
>Start crying. "You weren't supposed to find out. This shouldn't have happened!"

>Tears begin to stream from your eyes.
>"Find out what? What's going on down here?" Eirin questions, "And please, stop crying."
>_

[WodofGar]

>Stop crying.
>Eirin is super intelligent. If anything, she can help, even if she's just medically talented. She won't tell anyone, probably.
>"I don't really know how to explain it. Lady Kanako was doing an experiment with the reactor and something went wrong. Now it's pulling heat from Gensokyo and they're trying to revert whatever they did."

[Neovereign]

>"You can't tell anyone. If everyone knows, we'll start to lose faith, then Kanako and Suwako might not survive, and... "
>Wipe face

[Evil_Nazgul0616]

>Stop crying.

>You sniffle and wipe away your tears.

>Eirin is super intelligent. If anything, she can help, even if she's just medically talented. She won't tell anyone, probably.

>You think for a moment, about Eirin's intelligence, and how she can be useful. Even though she's more knowledgeable about medical practice and pharmaceuticals, she might be able to assist with coming up with a solution. If so, she could be a valuable asset, especially if more accidents like Satori's occur.
>Provided that she can keep a secret, of course....

>"I don't really know how to explain it. Lady Kanako was doing an experiment with the reactor and something went wrong. Now it's pulling heat from Gensokyo and they're trying to revert whatever they did."

>"You can't tell anyone. If everyone knows, we'll start to lose faith, then Kanako and Suwako might not survive, and... "

>Eirin stays silent for a moment.
>"So, I'm guessing that reactor is what caused so much damage to Satori... Anyway, your secret is safe with me. Consider it 'doctor-patient confidentiality.'" she pauses, "...but I don't think your secret will last forever. If what you say is true, that the reactor is pulling all the heat from Gensokyo, then the people investigating the incident will find their way here eventually."

>Wipe face

>You wipe your face once more. It feels dry now.
>_

[Neovereign]

>"Eirin, you're old right? you know some of Gensokyo's history right? Have my goddesses do anything...severe, in the past?"

[Evil_Nazgul0616]

>"Eirin, you're old right? you know some of Gensokyo's history right? Have my goddesses do anything...severe, in the past?"

>"Yes, I'm old... And yes, I'm not decrepit and wrinkly. Now quit thinking such idiotic thoughts and stop wasting my time."
>"Well, yes. But you forget that you and your goddesses only came to Gensokyo relatively recently. Therefore, I would not know much about their history. Maybe Keine could help you with that. She can see anyone's history." she frowns, "Why are you asking me this, anyway?"
>_

[Neovereign]

>"It was about the nightmare I had. Something involving my Goddesses creating an imbalance or something..."