Redo/Reimu Arc 3 - Yester/Youmu Thread 3
Gooboi!WkvVHQzh76 2024/05/07 (Tue) 15:24
No. 208027
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THE STORY SO FAR:
The world has ended, but five (well, four and a half) humans get a chance to do it over, and make things right. Only problem is, for their second go around, they're not going to be 'human'...
Reiuji Youmu, the third of the Immaterial Children, had her past life come to her in a flash, as a psychic message attempted to reach out to and contact her. It seems to have awoken nightmares of the apocalyptic end, and Youmu resolves to rush to the surface and find her friend to consult on her memories.
The hand of the earthen god seems fully supportive of this endeavor. Moriya Suwako has approached Youmu, offering her a chance to become an avatar of the Yatagarasu if she proves abundant in a mysterious quality Suwako is looking for. Moreover, she forced the hand of Chireiden by taking their supply of corpses for the Hell of Blazing Fires, forcing them to find new ones, and driving Youmu towards her goal.
Though, exactly what Moriya’s intentions are in doing so remains to be seen. Likewise are the intentions of a mysterious girl named Go, who cooperates with Suwako… at least for now.
Previous Threads:
Redo/Reimu >>205449 >>205720
Again/Akyuu >>206017 >>206302 >>206595 >>206906 >>207202
Yester/Youmu >>207370 >>207705
Epilogues and Shorts >>/shorts/2804
[14] Tsuchigumo territory. If any spiderwebs got in their way, she’d just cut them down.
[21] Hashihime’s bridge. If any troublemakers got in their way, she’d just cut them down.
Youmu stretched. “If I’m picking, I say we take the bridge. Worst comes to worst, we get in a fight with Parsee on the way there, and she won’t be dumb enough to mess with us on the way back.”
Orin nodded. “Sure, makes sense to me. And there’s only one of her - there’s a lot more spiders if we rile them up. You got everything you need, sis?”
Youmu did one last check. Swords, a flask for water on the trip, a bit of spending money if she needed it, a notebook…
And Suwako’s token. She hesitated for a moment, but reassured herself again. She didn’t have Hakurei levels of intuition, but her danger-sense was pretty good, and nothing about the token had gotten her concerned. She tapped the pocket the token was in, and grinned at the Kasha.
“Ready when you are. Let’s get going - we got a rabbit to find!”
The streets were bustling as ever, in the city of Old Hell. Vengeful spirits and foul youkai of all sorts lined the area, making for a raucous atmosphere. Youmu did her best to steer well clear of the most… festive parties, except when she needed to make a path for Orin’s cart.
As the crowd on the streets started to thin - a sign they were approaching the outskirts - Youmu turned to Orin.
“...Orin. About all the… crazy stuff I’ve been talking about. Do you…”
The kasha nodded. “Believe it? More or less, yeah. Kinda explains some things, actually.”
Youmu tilted her head. “...What sort of things do you mean?”
Rin pointed a single finger skyward. “Here’s one: name one person who, when describing your feathers for the first time, didn’t call them ‘ghostly white’ or something like that.”
Youmu blinked. “...Is it really that common?”
“Oh yeah. Me and Satori talked about it dozens of times. We thought you might have been haunted and people were picking up on that somehow. People call you the Phantom of Chireiden, sometimes.” Youmu stared, as her fellow pet smiled back. “Cause all your feathers are that ghoOoOoOostly white. Well, almost all of them.”
Youmu shook her head. “All of them, right now at least. And Okuu’s the same.”
The Kasha hummed. “It's weird, those feathers. …You said Okuu was still a hell raven in your last life, right?”
“Yeah? I didn’t keep track of her feathers, but I don’t remember seeing any white ones last time.”
“Mmmm. Maybe it’s a genetics thing? ‘Cos, like, Satori said something about the reason your feathers are white is that you don’t have enough pigment in you, right? Maybe you sorta…” Orin waved her hand vaguely. “Only had enough pigment for one raven, and split it between you two in the eggs? And it’s just that Okuu got way more of it than you did?”
Youmu shrugged. “Who knows? I’ve never really kept track of it. …Is there anything else?”
Orin nodded. “Well, it explains a weird tendency you had sometimes. Your memories weren’t buried that deeply, I think. You said some weird stuff sometimes, and it’s only with context from the surface that I knew there was any basis to it.”
“What do you mean?”
“Like… about three months ago? We were just bringing the groceries back home, talking about - I don’t even remember, something about mist I think - and you suddenly turned to me and said ‘I wonder if the vampires are here yet’.” The kasha chuckled. “And by the time I’d regathered enough of my senses to ask
what on earth you meant by that, you’d completely forgotten it.”
Youmu blinked again. She didn’t even remember that conversation now. “Oh. The Scarlets.”
“Yeah, the Scarlets. You predicted like two months out they were coming.” Orin waved her hand around. “Makes a lot of sense if you were actually remembering some alternate timeline.”
Youmu smiled. “Well… thank you, Orin. It really does mean a lot to me that Chireiden seems to believe in me.” She sighed. “...I’m worried if all my friends will get the same treatment.”
The Kasha turned her head, as they came up to one of the gates “Oh?”
“Well… aside from one friend with a
literally perfect memory, I’m pretty sure everyone fared worse than me. The ending was… bad, really, really bad. And even I have… gaps. Big ones. Important ones.” She rubbed her head. “I barely remember the past Koishi at all. And something is bugging me about what the Moriya are donig, but I'm not sure what.”
They were coming out of the city gates, and the spacing began to open up, the area feeling more and more the enormous cavern it was. Without trying to go through the caves of the tsuchigumo (which brought claustrophobia alongside the more obvious phobia it would invoke), there was plenty of space to stand abreast of each other. The bridge stood in the distance.
There was a small crowd, in fact, standing at the near side of it. As they got closer, they could hear the voice they’d expected. Although, it wasn’t in the tone they expected - it was far from it's usual sulky tone.
“Kyahahahah! Nope, can’t let you pass - not with such
amateurish skills!” Parsee’s laugh came with a haughty air to it. She was standing in front of the crowd, proudly berating and posing in front of them. Currently, she had her foot on some hell-fairy's head, and was playfully going back and forth in her pressure between "just barely too little to hurt" and "just barely too much to escape".
The two pets shared a glance. Youmu spoke first. “...Is that Parsee? She sounds- I don’t know if she’s better or worse.”
Orin nodded. “Ugh, worse. Definitely worse. She’s not embodying jealousy right now, she’s trying to incite it. She’s either hungry, or has something she thinks can can cause a lot of jealousy right now. Possibly both. And you’ll miss old Parsee by the time she’s done.” The kasha kept walking, but flexed her claws on one hand. “We should investigate. And maybe teach her a little lesson. It’s
healthy for bridge-princesses to occasionally be brought back down to earth.”
The two of them started making their way into the crowd, as the hashihime’s turd-devouring grin beamed down at them.
“Come one, come all! Come and see your infinite inferiority before the dazzling danmaku! Let me
revel in your pathetic, pitiful posture in destined defeat!”
Orin proffered her cart’s handles to Youmu, and began to slip through the crowd. Before long, she was at the front. “Parsee! What are you doing?”
The hashihime chuckled, throwing her hands wide. “Why, only my civic duty, certainly. Can’t send anyone to the surface right now, not with no knowledge of new nomenclature. I’m protecting the flat-footed fools, honestly.”
Orin folded her arms. “There’s more places past here than just the surface, you know. If you wanted to stop people from going to the surface, you should be at the actual cave mouth.”
“Oh, indeed, indeed, but fie, I am unfortunately unable to unclog this underhall. As a hated hashihime, my bridge is my home, and I can’t provide some other place the steadfast defense needed to protect from perilous passage. Not to mention, I must spread the news of Spell Card Duels far and wide.” Youmu’s eyes went wide, and she shoved the cart, trying to push through the crowd. “Staying on my bridge, blessing beautiful beatings on the bounteous brutes in broad brimstone-light, that’s the only way to keep people safe. And anyone who says otherwise, but can’t muster their money where their mouth is, should just sit and seethe in the shadows.”
Orin groaned. “And what’s with -” Youmu could see Orin physically bite back the urge to ask about Parsee’s suddenly strange speech structure. “- and I suppose you’re the only one who actually
knows how these Spell Card Duels work?”
“Not quite the
only, but definitely the
best.” Parsee oozed smugness like rotten treacle. “My danmaku aggravates the arachnids and stuns the tsurube-otoshi. There’s simply no comparison.” She smiled as Youmu emerged from the crowd. “Oh? Is the Kasha collecting carcasses with a corvid companion?” She tutted. “Non, non, non, there’s no way I can let you pass. If you were merely visiting one of the places past the bridge, maybe I could let you pass with just an honorable humiliation as an easy explanation, but if you intend to get to the surface, you simply cannot go up there without a few spell cards of their own.”
Youmu smiled. “I think we’ll be just fine up there, actually.”
Parsee shook her head, shrugging. “No, no, no, you clueless crow. Surging forth without spell cards is simply sliding-”
“Oh, but we have them.” Youmu kept smiling. “Plenty, in fact.”
At once, Parsee’s demeanor was gone. “What.”
Orin looked at Youmu, uncertain. The swordswoman chuckled. “How do I put this? Well, Spell Cards aren’t the typical name around Chireiden, but there’s a similar game of sorts we play amongst each other. I’m sure I’ve got a spell card that’s just perfect for you.”
The hashihime growled. “Fat chance, birdy. Your game is a poor substitute for the real deal, I’m sure.”
Youmu shook her head. “As the inventor of the game, I think it’ll be just fine.” Orin’s eyes lit up in understanding.
Parsee chuckled. “Ah, the second-dumbest bird in former hell wants to claim they know everything about a style they’ve never fought?” Her spirit began to rally. “I envy the endless exuberance that allows you to be that foolish.”
“If it’s foolish,” Orin said. “Perhaps you’ll be willing to up the ante?” Now it was the kasha’s turn to grin. “You and Youmu declare a spell card each. If she manages to trip you up, then you have to do whatever we say for the day. Like, oh, I dunno… help us carry around the cart today. And if you beat her, but can’t beat me, you have to let us pass, there and back.”
Her opponent scoffed. “Well, that’s a pathetically easy bar to clear. It must be nice to be in infinite ignorance about internalized incompetence. Fine. If either one of you loses to me, the loser must refer to me as
Lady Mizuhashi from now on. And if you both lose…” She grinned malevolently. “If the Chireiden representatives lose completely to me, you’ll have to be
my pets, and betray your beloved Beholder.”
Orin looked hesitant, but Youmu nodded. “Deal. Just give us a few seconds to get set up.” She grabbed Orin, pulling her over. “You don’t know what spell cards are? Don’t you go to the surface?”
Orin shook her head, looking somewhat more nervous. “Haven’t been recently. We kinda were stockpiling corpses earlier - they only decay quicker in the summertime.”
Youmu put a reassuring hand on her shoulder. “Well, it’s not too different from those old games we’ve played amongst each other. If memory serves, she’s not too much of a threat when it comes to danmaku - she’s just a middling fish trying to keep her pond small.”
Rin looked at Youmu, uncertain. “You sure we can take her?”
“Absolutely. We’re both more practiced than she is, and though it is unlikely, if I lose… well, even among our family, your spell cards are very tricky! And you had that reputation in the last timeline, too. I’m sure with the right card, you can floor her.”
The kasha blushed a bit at the compliment. “If that’s the case… you give me as much intel as you can, I can deal with her easily. …But something tells me that I may not have to.”
“Oh, you won’t.” Youmu smiled, confidently. “I’m sure of it.”
Reiuji Youmu drew her shorter sword, pointing it at Parsee. “Mizuhashi Parsee! I challenge you to a one-card duel!”
[ ] Use a Sword spell card. Her classics throughout her present and past life, perfect swordsmanship and endless skill. Excel in close-quarters combat, and good at leveling out difficult terrain, as long as she kept her emotions steady.
Example Name: Twinned Swords “Monochrome After-Image”
[ ] Use a Raven spell card. Focusing more on her instincts and unique skills as a raven, and doing things like scattering feathers. Did much better at longer range than her sword spells, and excelled in open areas, but if she got caught or trapped, she’d be a sitting duck.
Example Name: White Raven Sign “Swooping Black-and-White Talons”
[ ] Use a Twin spell card. Her strongest and best balanced cards, combining the best of both worlds by working together with Okuu as the other half. Using one of those would definitely floor Parsee, she was sure of it.
Example Name: Mottled Dove Sign “Polarised Feather Barrage”
{ } Write in your spell card suggestions here!
Anonymous 2024/05/07 (Tue) 16:06
No. 208029
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Okuu isn't here. Option 3 is void for me.
Anonymous 2024/05/07 (Tue) 16:08
No. 208030
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[X] Use a Sword spell card. Her classics throughout her present and past life, perfect swordsmanship and endless skill. Excel in close-quarters combat, and good at leveling out difficult terrain, as long as she kept her emotions steady.
Always remember: you can give Parsee a hug during one of her spellcards. Ergo, she's lacking in close quarters defense.
Besides that, it's hard to use a team attack with half of a team and using a fast flying attack underground when we're still uncomfortable with fighting winged seems like a bad idea.
{X} Swordplay: "Shining Sword, Subtle Strike"
A technique that requires quick reflexes to properly pull off. Youmu gets up close and personal, making great cleaving slashes towards her foe. However, not every slice will finish it's full arc, as in the middle of some cuts she'll jolt the blade pommel-first against its trajectory to try and score a blunt jab and catch the opponent when their guard is down from dodging.
"A very efficient technique that uses the entire sword as an attack. Let's all thank Youmu for setting a good example about getting the full use of your tools."
Anonymous 2024/05/07 (Tue) 16:13
No. 208031
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I would say the Twin spell card but... it needs Okuu to be done properly, and Okuu isn't here as of now. Using that would just be one-half of a complete spell card.
Anonymous 2024/05/07 (Tue) 16:23
No. 208033
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Option 3 reads like Jenny-say-kwah bait, specifically,
Looking at the other two options and the text given, I’m going to take two guesses:
- We’d be in a fight with Yamame if we went the other path.
- one of the remaining two options will be better at dealing with Parsee, the other with Yamame.
Anonymous 2024/05/07 (Tue) 16:34
No. 208034
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>>208033
Well, when you put it like that…
[X] Use a Raven spell card. Focusing more on her instincts and unique skills as a raven, and doing things like scattering feathers. Did much better at longer range than her sword spells, and excelled in open areas, but if she got caught or trapped, she’d be a sitting duck.
I feel like I’d be much more concerned getting caught by the spiderweb terrain than anything Parsee could throw at us, and this area is much more open than the caves we’d be fighting her in. Plus, Parsee’s pretty weak compared to us, and very weak compared to some of the people we’ll end up fighting, so this seems like a good time to spread our wings.
I’ll see if I can come up with a good one later on, but I’ve got nothing for spellcard names right now.
Anonymous 2024/05/07 (Tue) 16:47
No. 208035
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[X] Use a Raven spell card. Focusing more on her instincts and unique skills as a raven, and doing things like scattering feathers. Did much better at longer range than her sword spells, and excelled in open areas, but if she got caught or trapped, she’d be a sitting duck.
The sword option specifically mentions that she needs to keep her emotions steady. Given that Parsee’s whole schtick is fucking with an emotion that seems like a bad call. And as mentioned, there’s no Okuu to do a twin card with. So Raven it is.
Anonymous 2024/05/07 (Tue) 16:54
No. 208036
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true on 3 being JSK-bait. Thus, it is the true test of character: would the anon hivemind rather vote on the smartest option, or min-max being marshmallow-brained?
>>208034 I'm still in favor of hugs, but happy to drop a Raven card idea.
{X} White Feather: Valkryie Leads The Charge
Youmu takes flight, soaring in high circles above the opponent with stunning speed and letting loose feathers (they're just bullets, don't worry) to drift down on spiralling currents. As her spiral descends closer to the ground, she'll let loose more and more into the storm. If the opponent tries to time out the spell, it'll only end when she finally lands.
"Like a warrior out of a foreign myth, she holds out her blade and flies above the battlefield. Youmu saves feathers after every preening to prepare ammo for this spell."
...perhaps a little less birdlike than I was intending, but I like the imagery of comparing her to a Valkyrie.
Anonymous 2024/05/07 (Tue) 16:56
No. 208037
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[X] Use a Raven spell card. Focusing more on her instincts and unique skills as a raven, and doing things like scattering feathers. Did much better at longer range than her sword spells, and excelled in open areas, but if she got caught or trapped, she’d be a sitting duck.
Anonymous 2024/05/07 (Tue) 17:06
No. 208038
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>>208030
Is that true? does she just not have a hitbox or something?
Anonymous 2024/05/07 (Tue) 17:23
No. 208039
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[x] Use a Sword spell card. Her classics throughout her present and past life, perfect swordsmanship and endless skill. Excel in close-quarters combat, and good at leveling out difficult terrain, as long as she kept her emotions steady.
sword
Kosu 2024/05/07 (Tue) 17:27
No. 208040
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It's hard to decide in this one.
On one hand, we have sword skills which require:
>> "as long as she kept her emotions steady"
while fighting Parsee, that could be hard.
On the other hand, we have Raven skills which specify:
>> "but if she got caught or trapped, she’d be a sitting duck."
and Parsee has many spellcards that can trap you if you're careless
On a third hand (leg?) we have Twin skills which require...
>> Okuu.
Yeah that's most likely bait and more of a certain something that's hard to describe. I really want to use it to see what happens, but I want to win so...
Anonymous 2024/05/07 (Tue) 17:31
No. 208041
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[X] Use a Twin spell card. Her strongest and best balanced cards, combining the best of both worlds by working together with Okuu as the other half. Using one of those would definitely floor Parsee, she was sure of it.
Example Name: Mottled Dove Sign “Polarised Feather Barrage”
We might not have Okuu, but I'm sure Orin can improvise just fine!
Anonymous 2024/05/07 (Tue) 18:01
No. 208042
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[X] Use a Raven spell card. Focusing more on her instincts and unique skills as a raven, and doing things like scattering feathers. Did much better at longer range than her sword spells, and excelled in open areas, but if she got caught or trapped, she’d be a sitting duck.
Anonymous 2024/05/07 (Tue) 18:30
No. 208044
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"as long as she kept her emotions steady" meaning don't pick this when fighting a youkai with the ability to manipulate emotions.
[X] Use a Raven spell card. Focusing more on her instincts and unique skills as a raven, and doing things like scattering feathers. Did much better at longer range than her sword spells, and excelled in open areas, but if she got caught or trapped, she’d be a sitting duck.
Anonymous 2024/05/07 (Tue) 18:36
No. 208045
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unrelated note, but i love how parsee looks in akimaki yuu's style. can't wait for the next couple of fds chapters.
moving on: alright, spell cards!
options 3 is jenny-say-kwah, and usually requires okuu. who isn't here. i'm not going for it, i'm too competetive to intentionally lose for min-maxxing's sake.
so it comes down to options 1 and 2.
i'd love to just pick sword (and give parsee a hug), but
>>208035 has a point. looked up the in-universe spell card descriptions on the wiki (GoM, DS, GoU) to see if she actually stirs up jealousy in her own spell cards- inconclusive on that end. doesn't feel like it, but marisa puts a "jealousy level" during her rating and aya mentions getting jealous in one description but seems perfectly fine in the rest. hatate doesn't seem to be affected by jealousy at all. i'd rather not take any chances, given how youmu's still aching for her second body and parsee has the option to duplicate herself.
jeez, both options have really bad drawbacks. parsee's spellcards make it really, really hard to maneuver around. easy to get trapped if you don't know the way around it. ...but the bridge has a lot of open space, which plays to these spellcards really well. our instinct is still 0, but youmu's earlier fight with suwako showed that she's more receptive to fighting with her wings.
>>208036
sounds similar to another crow's spellcard... maybe i should look for inspiration there. speaking of.
> The wings made a lot of the general stances even more flexible. She’d had a leg up on her opponent that time just by default, but if she kept her whole body in mind, she’d probably be able to match her old speed with even better maneuverability.
if i'm being honest, i'm hoping this means we have a possibility of youmu pulling off an imitation of a soku-style "illusionary dominance".
don't really have an option really picked out, nor do i have a spell card idea. i'll sleep on it and see what happens in the morning.
Kosu 2024/05/07 (Tue) 18:42
No. 208046
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Welp, I couldn't resist (mostly because the other options will probably fare better).
[X] Use a Twin spell card. Her strongest and best balanced cards, combining the best of both worlds by working together with Okuu as the other half. Using one of those would definitely floor Parsee, she was sure of it.
{X} Swallow sign: "A Single Thought and Infinite Feathers"
With this one I took Six Realms Sword "A Single Thought and Infinite Kalpas" as reference.
The meaning of this spellcard's name is basically "A single thought spans eons" or "A singular thought can change you for eternity" in Buddhism teachings. The joke here is that in the twins case (since this is a double spellcard) "a single thought" is shared between them...
Also, I used swallow as a sign because of the very much famous tsubame gaeshi 燕返し "turning swallow cut". A swallow is usually black and white (and sometimes other colors like red), and the sword move is a legendary move which is so fast that resembles a swallow in flight (or can cut birds in flight, depending on the version). So it fits everywhere.
If the "sword" option end's up winning, I have a couple suggestions:
{X} Twin swords: "Turning ravens cut"
Yeah, so instead of "Tsubame gaeshi" it's "Karasu gaeshi", a fast moving slash using two swords, which resembles twin dive-bombing hell ravens.
{X} Black sword: "Crossroad murder"
This one refers to the way some samurai tested their new swords: by killing peasants in a crossroads at night (tsujigiri, "crossroads killing").
So... testing kuroihane in a samurai way... a flock of crows is a murder, so it's double whammy!
If I have any other suggestions I'll be writing them down
Anonymous 2024/05/07 (Tue) 18:47
No. 208047
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[X] Use a Raven spell card. Focusing more on her instincts and unique skills as a raven, and doing things like scattering feathers. Did much better at longer range than her sword spells, and excelled in open areas, but if she got caught or trapped, she’d be a sitting duck.
Option #1 seems fine until you realize her cards largely tend to restrict movement, getting up close with that happening would be BAD.
Option #3 is almost certainly bait, unless Orin just so happens to be familiar with the card.
Anonymous 2024/05/07 (Tue) 19:02
No. 208049
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[X] Use a Twin spell card. Her strongest and best balanced cards, combining the best of both worlds by working together with Okuu as the other half. Using one of those would definitely floor Parsee, she was sure of it.
{X} Atman's Embrace: "True Realization of the Self"
Since Youmu's spellcards have a lot of references to Buddhism (and by extension Hinduism), I thought this would be fitting considering Atman refers to the idea of the soul being unchanging even with reincarnation. Even if Youmu's a different existence ATM, she's essentially the same person.
Gotta thank my grade 11 intro to world religions for this.
Kosu 2024/05/07 (Tue) 19:22
No. 208050
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I wanted to add at least one for the "raven" option just in case it ends up winning.
{X} Itsumade "Hiroari's missed shot"
Based this one on Youmu's music theme "Hiroari Shoots A Strange Bird ~ Till When?".
The strange bird its an Itsumade, a giant monstrous bird/snake thing that fly in circles where there's suffering or death but nothing has been done to relieve the suffering or pacify the spirits of those dead, like battlegrounds (also, its cries sound like "Itsumademo", which means "Until when?"). In the legend, Hiroari shoots the itsumade down, saving the imperial capital (which ended up making him a hero, and granted him his new name Mayumi, meaning "great archer"). Well... Youmu's quicker than that so he would miss a shot against her.
No mental image on this one, though.
Anonymous 2024/05/07 (Tue) 19:30
No. 208051
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[x] Use a Raven spell card. Focusing more on her instincts and unique skills as a raven, and doing things like scattering feathers. Did much better at longer range than her sword spells, and excelled in open areas, but if she got caught or trapped, she’d be a sitting duck.
Agree with the reasons behind using a Raven spell card. Not much more to say...
Anonymous 2024/05/07 (Tue) 19:30
No. 208052
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[X] Use a Twin spell card. Her strongest and best balanced cards, combining the best of both worlds by working together with Okuu as the other half. Using one of those would definitely floor Parsee, she was sure of it.
This is the only correct option
Anonymous 2024/05/07 (Tue) 19:50
No. 208053
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>>208033
After thinking on this some more... Not sure how I really feel about it? Maybe it's true, but I feel like the chapter hinted that the threat with the spiders would be a horde battle, more than a spellcard duel. Parsee's show here is suggesting the underground is only just learning of them.
>>208038
Yeah she just doesn't have a hotbox during her midboss spell. Hugs all the way!
>>208047
I will specifically note that option 2 has a warning about getting trapped, so I wouldn't use that as your argument.
Anyways, here's some brief analysis.
Parsee's cards in SA are mostly "big area denial" type attacks imo. She covers a lot of the battleground with bullets, but leaves some wide open spots.
I think a close range fighting style works better if we want to play offensively, since a lot of her cards take a little bit of time to set up big clouds around her. We'd basically be banking on getting in close and beating her down before she can put up hazards, since we'd be far superior in CQC.
Raven style works better defensively over a prolonged battle, being slower to attack but at a safer range, but this is one card vs one card, and whatever that one card is from Parsee will be a big area denial that'll lock down movement options except for a few spaces.
>> "but if she got caught or trapped, she’d be a sitting duck."
Yeah, no. Bad idea. Raven style is good defensively because it's got the advantage of an open airspace. If we're stuck dodging in between tight gaps, we don't have the maneuverability to weaponize that.
Twin sign... Meme option. Looks really cool if we can pull it off but we'd need a card that Orin could realistically sub in for
and deal with Parsee.
That being said, the issue is whether or not we can keep our emotions steady.
>>208045's analysis suggests that she can manipulate human emotions far more than Youkai emotions (Marisa is effected, the Tengu really aren't), so I'd guess that we wouldn't have an issue there.
Youmu also didn't seem too passively effected by Parsee when she was actively trying to incite jealousy, though I will acknowledge she was passively resisting a widespread attempt rather than a targeted one.
Post summary: Swords are probably best tactically, and Youmu can probably keep her emotions in check.
Anonymous 2024/05/07 (Tue) 20:09
No. 208054
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[ X ] Use a Sword spell card. Her classics throughout her present and past life, perfect swordsmanship and endless skill. Excel in close-quarters combat, and good at leveling out difficult terrain, as long as she kept her emotions steady.
Youmu's had two whole lives to practice them, I think she can focus on just keeping her emotions clear while letting muscle memory do the card.
{ X } Twin Swords: "Mincing ingredients for a feast"
Anonymous 2024/05/07 (Tue) 21:01
No. 208055
▼
[ X ] Use a Sword spell card. Her classics throughout her present and past life, perfect swordsmanship and endless skill. Excel in close-quarters combat, and good at leveling out difficult terrain, as long as she kept her emotions steady.
Anonymous 2024/05/07 (Tue) 21:26
No. 208056
▼
[ X ] Use a Sword spell card. Her classics throughout her present and past life, perfect swordsmanship and endless skill. Excel in close-quarters combat, and good at leveling out difficult terrain, as long as she kept her emotions steady.
I absolutely suck at fighting Youmu in pcb. Ike lost upwards of 4 continued to her. Hell god sword alone has claimed and entire continue out of me.
Anonymous 2024/05/07 (Tue) 21:27
No. 208057
▼
Also I’ve got this capta. The plot of keines disappearance thickens
Anonymous 2024/05/07 (Tue) 22:15
No. 208058
▼
[X] Use a Sword card. yada yada close quarters combat
Someone should really check on that hell fairy. Aren't lampads, like, direct servants of Hecatia?
Anonymous 2024/05/07 (Tue) 22:24
No. 208059
▼
In Reimu’s first card declaration, the winning option was the one that didn’t blow her cover. Then in Akyuu’s one, it was the chaotic and frenetic cards (because her opponent was a shikigami). It seems like the winning cards are those which play more to the lore/prompts than to the exact mechanics. And they do not require understanding anything about the games themselves, only reading and understanding what the author wrote. And even then, there’s no guarantee she’d use the cards that leave her exposed. Parsee’s using ONE card, we shouldn’t rely on that one card being the one where it’s safe to get close.
If the author didn’t mention Parsee having area denial cards, I don’t think the authors factoring it in. This threads updating near-daily, I don’t think they’re expecting us to study up on something to understand what to do. Or that this author would make understanding exact spell card traits a requirement in TOUHOU of all things, the fandom infamous for not playing the games.
On the other hand, if we’re talking mechanics, I’ll just point out in the games that calling a spell card is treated as a bomb - and It usually clears the screen. And narratively, in Aunn’s duel, she waited until Akyuu’s card was over to declare one of her own. I don’t think we need to worry too much about opposing Danmaku at the same time as our own cards.
looking at the options:
>Sword
Good with: Close Quarters, Difficult Terrain
Weak to: Emotional Manipulation
>Raven
Good with: Long Range, Open Terrain
Weak to: Getting Caught/trapped
All the sword traits seem like they’d work better in the tsuchigumo lair - it’s described as claustrophobic, and difficult to move the cart through. And emotional manipulation is absolutely a Parsee thing. Not to mention we’d be cutting down the webs.
Conversely, Raven seems optimised for our current situation. We’re in a much more open space (and Youmu’s seemingly not been to the surface, so open cavern is probably sufficient space), so we can stay further away and harass Parsee at range. And the line about getting caught feels more like a warning about getting caught in a spiderweb.
asutnima 2024/05/07 (Tue) 22:40
No. 208060
▼
[X] Use a Raven spell card. Focusing more on her instincts and unique skills as a raven, and doing things like scattering feathers. Did much better at longer range than her sword spells, and excelled in open areas, but if she got caught or trapped, she’d be a sitting duck.
added the kosu suggestion
{X} Itsumade "Hiroari's missed shot"
Also Phantom of Chireiden is a cool title
Anonymous 2024/05/07 (Tue) 23:36
No. 208063
▼
[X] Use a Raven spell card. Focusing more on her instincts and unique skills as a raven, and doing things like scattering feathers. Did much better at longer range than her sword spells, and excelled in open areas, but if she got caught or trapped, she’d be a sitting duck.
{X} Yester Sign "Wipe the Hashihime"
"It's over, Parsee! This is my Yester/Youmu!!1!"
Anonymous 2024/05/07 (Tue) 23:42
No. 208064
▼
>>208053
Admittedly I was more so going on personal experience from the last time I played SA when I said that, getting trapped by Parsee is a nightmare no matter how far away you are but I would still rather be further away then closer.
Adding onto
>>208047 however
{X} Itsumade "Hiroari's missed shot"
On Wings of White
Mew 2024/05/08 (Wed) 00:17
No. 208066
▼
Well, seems we need to paste a hashihime. Shame.
[X] Use a Raven spell card. Focusing more on her instincts and unique skills as a raven, and doing things like scattering feathers. Did much better at longer range than her sword spells, and excelled in open areas, but if she got caught or trapped, she’d be a sitting duck.
We fighting the Jealousy Youkai, we do it this way. Calm will not be an option during combat.
Names....
{X} Raven Sign: 200 Yojana Feather Rain.
A wide rain of ghost white feathers fills the screen, wide enough to litter gardens with white and fell armies with volume.
(Inspired by Youmu's first spell card)
Anonymous 2024/05/08 (Wed) 01:20
No. 208067
▼
▼
[X] Use a Raven spell card. Focusing more on her instincts and unique skills as a raven, and doing things like scattering feathers. Did much better at longer range than her sword spells, and excelled in open areas, but if she got caught or trapped, she’d be a sitting duck.
{X} Itsumade "Hiroari's missed shot"
Anonymous 2024/05/08 (Wed) 01:55
No. 208068
▼
Counting to
>>208067:
Main Choice:
[6] Use a Sword Spell Card. Her classics throughout her present and past life, perfect swordsmanship and endless skill. Excel in close-quarters combat, and good at leveling out difficult terrain, as long as she kept her emotions steady.
Note that >>208058 has been included into the count.
[11] Use a Raven Spell Card. Focusing more on her instincts and unique skills as a raven, and doing things like scattering feathers. Did much better at longer range than her sword spells, and excelled in open areas, but if she got caught or trapped, she’d be a sitting duck.
[4] Use a Twin Spell Card. Her strongest and best balanced cards, combining the best of both worlds by working together with Okuu as the other half. Using one of those would definitely floor Parsee, she was sure of it.
Spell Card Suggestions:
For Sword Spell Cards:
[1] Swordplay: "Shining Sword, Subtle Strike" (
>>208030)
[1] Twin Swords: "Turning Raven's Cut" (
>>208046)
[1] Black Sword: "Crossroad Murder" (
>>208046)
[1] Twin Swords: "Mincing Ingredients For A Feast" (
>>208054)
For Raven Spell Cards:
[1] White Feather: Valkryie Leads The Charge (
>>208036)
[4] Itsumade "Hiroari's Missed Shot" (
>>208050,
>>208060,
>>208064,
>>208067)
[1] Raven Sign: 200 Yojana Feather Rain. (
>>208066)
For Twin Spell Cards:
[1] Swallow Sign: "A Single Thought and Infinite Feathers" (
>>208046)
Miscellaneous Spell Cards (Spell Cards that combine various aspects or may not fit in any pre-existing categories):
[1] Atman's Embrace: "True Realization of the Self" (
>>208049)
[1] Yester Sign "Wipe the Hashihime" (
>>208063)
In an alternate universe, Utsuho learned the ways of swordsmanship from Youmu while eventually getting a portion of Yatagarasu inside of her. Chaos ensues as Utsuho becomes the strongest birb.
Anyways, this should be everything. Please correct me if I'm wrong.
Zzz...
Anonymous 2024/05/08 (Wed) 02:45
No. 208069
▼
>>208059
Agreed on all points.
[X] Use a Raven spell card. Focusing more on her instincts and unique skills as a raven, and doing things like scattering feathers. Did much better at longer range than her sword spells, and excelled in open areas, but if she got caught or trapped, she’d be a sitting duck.
Anonymous 2024/05/08 (Wed) 03:05
No. 208070
▼
Well, seems like Raven's winning this time. Ah well, suppose we'll see if it was the right call. At least I can write a few more card ideas out for it.
Flock Sign: "Unsettling Unkindness"
Youmu caws for aid, bringing down a horde of Hell Raven-shaped slaves that swarm the enemy. When one is shot down, it shoots a few bullets as it bursts into black feathers that swirl back to Youmu so that she can reconstruct them and send them back into the fray. They're relatively quick to put back together, but if they get cut down en masse she might be left on the back foot.
"Be careful when- ow- trying to record- ow- this spell. The ravens like to- ow- peck."
Dead Dove: "Phantom of Chireiden"
Calling upon the feeling of her forsaken phantom half, as well as the hole in her memory surrounding mistress Koishi, Youmu moves so quickly it's as if she disappears, only flickering into view like some kind of ghost as she slows down from moment to moment to fire some shots at her foe.
"A blitzing technique to disorient and terrify slower enemies. She's memorized the blindspots of the eye when training with the blade, so she just has to move fast enough to stay in them."
The first one is just because I like the idea of throwing a swarm of birds at Parsee and calling it an attack. The second is partially just an excuse for a "go fast" card but also I was really interested in that title. The sign name is... maybe not the most fitting? But I like the literal interpretation wordplay.
Anonymous 2024/05/08 (Wed) 03:11
No. 208071
▼
>>208045 here.
finally made up my mind.
[X] Use a Raven spell card. Focusing more on her instincts and unique skills as a raven, and doing things like scattering feathers. Did much better at long range than her sword spells, and excelled in open areas, but if she got caught or trapped, she'd be a sitting duck.
reasons for the decision are found in my previous post. as for the spell card...
{X} Avian Sign "Stymphalian Swoop"
gonna go along with the "shoot feathers" idea here and reference the stymphalian birds in greek mythology- specifically their feathers, which are metallic and are launched towards their targets.
youmu flies overhead and swoops down with a slash, releasing feather bullets along her path. similar to her midboss spellcard in pcb, but instead of going side to side she slashes at her opponent.
there's an odd similarity between some of the spellcards proposed for youmu and some of aya's spellcards.
Anonymous 2024/05/08 (Wed) 03:20
No. 208072
▼
>>208071
I think that's probably just because Aya is about the only reference point we have for a bird Youkai that is actually replicable without being a specific kind of bird or nuclear-powered.
Like, Youmu's whole thing normally is being half phantom (gone) and using swords (not the focus of Raven cards) so if we're leaning into the bird theming we can't pull all that much from her.
I tried to give White Feather & Dead Dove a Youmu-ish flavor of bird but there's only so much to do when you're relying on just the concept of bird.
Anonymous 2024/05/08 (Wed) 03:29
No. 208073
▼
[X] Use a Sword spell card. Her classics throughout her present and past life, perfect swordsmanship and endless skill. Excel in close-quarters combat, and good at leveling out difficult terrain, as long as she kept her emotions steady.
Youmu gets pretty Zen when she fights so it probably would be harder for Parsee to mess around with that. that and if she doesn't have a hitbox then getting in melee would be good.
{X}Jetstream Sword "The One in the Mirror Nods her Head"
I rather liked the Short story with Sam vs. Youmu elsewhere on this site. I dunno how the attack would go, but thought I'd give at least a name a go.
Anonymous 2024/05/08 (Wed) 05:53
No. 208075
▼
[X] Use a Raven spell card. Focusing more on her instincts and unique skills as a raven, and doing things like scattering feathers. Did much better at longer range than her sword spells, and excelled in open areas, but if she got caught or trapped, she’d be a sitting duck.
People already have some pretty good options here. But I'll try something.
Raven Sign "Ghostly Blur"
The only problem with this is that we have poor instinct and are human aligned, but Parsee could fuck us up on something emotion reliant.
Anonymous 2024/05/08 (Wed) 05:59
No. 208076
▼
>>208075 adding
Forgot the vote thingy.
{X} Raven Sign "Ghostly Blur"
Anonymous 2024/05/08 (Wed) 06:06
No. 208077
▼
I actually have a good idea on a pretty JSK thing to do without pushing us into Suwako's favor much, but it'd require being at a shrine.
Anonymous 2024/05/08 (Wed) 06:24
No. 208078
▼
[X] Use a Raven spell card. Focusing more on her instincts and unique skills as a raven, and doing things like scattering feathers. Did much better at longer range than her sword spells, and excelled in open areas, but if she got caught or trapped, she’d be a sitting duck.
Example Name: White Raven Sign “Swooping Black-and-White Talons”
Steady emotions? Against Parsee? That's really not happening. I'd also LOVE to see what the twin card is like without a partner (or with the wrong one), but this feels like a fight we shouldn't throw. XD
Gotta go with a raven card. Come on, Youmu, use those wings, you can do it!
Anonymous 2024/05/08 (Wed) 06:54
No. 208079
▼
Uh, so Okuu has some white feathers, maybe it's genetics since they are sisters and Youmu was born with white feathers, maybe she got the ghost half (if that's the case maybe the sun powers can be split if we get offered them?), anyway regarding the vote.
[X] Use a Raven spell card. Focusing more on her instincts and unique skills as a raven, and doing things like scattering feathers. Did much better at longer range than her sword spells, and excelled in open areas, but if she got caught or trapped, she’d be a sitting duck.
Option 3 is likely to further lead to nuclear Youmu as others have said, but I don't really particularly want to screw up on purpose for it, at least not this time, that said it's also unlikely that we will get many occasions to rise it up without having to pay some sort of price for it (being delayed, losing, better outcome, ecc.....).
Regarding the spellcard, Raven sounds good to me for reasons already said by others and technically it can have the point of maybe being the "neutral" choice regarding jenny-say-kwah, since the goddess said that she believes that Youmu swordmanship is what keeps it down (something that also increases the dilemma on if we should go for it since Youmu swordmanship is one of the big things that keeps her connected to her old life right now).
Anonymous 2024/05/08 (Wed) 09:46
No. 208080
▼
>>208079
Probably worth mentioning, from Youmu's transformation:
>She looked around, to see the phantom half dissipating into a cloud of feathers, and tried to lunge for it. Rather than managing to catch them, though, the feathers swarmed around her, throwing off her vision.
Then, later:
>The feathers had (settled) into an orderly pattern around her, and… and she found she could move them, spreading out and flexing them, experimentally.
Jenny-say-kwah 2024/05/08 (Wed) 14:03
No. 208090
▼
[X] Use a Twin spell card. Her strongest and best balanced cards, combining the best of both worlds by working together with Okuu as the other half. Using one of those would definitely floor Parsee, she was sure of it.
I'd rather piss myself than choose the other option.
Anonymous 2024/05/08 (Wed) 14:44
No. 208091
▼
>>208030 here.
...Y'know what? Raven is clearly winning at this rate, I might as well support the meme and see how high we can get second place.
(if there is a sudden resurgence of sword votes I might redo
/reimu my vote but I'm just having fun here.)
[UNDO] Use a Sword spell card.
[X] Use a Twin spell card.
{X} Partners: "Dance of Yin and Yang"
Youmu tags another person with the spell as she activates it, preferably Okuu. The two users then begin to spin around the target, flying in closer before spiralling back outwards. One user launches quick, small, white bullets while the other fires slower moving but larger black bullets. If the two can keep in sync, it creates a nigh inescapable trap.
"A stunning spiral of dark yin and bright yang, the ancient symbol of duality."
Supersonic Spirit
Gooboi!WkvVHQzh76 2024/05/08 (Wed) 17:07
No. 208092
▼
File
171518802545.png
- (474.22KB,
700x870,
__konpaku_youmu_konpaku_youmu_mizuhashi_parsee_and.png)
[6] Use a Sword spell card. Her classics throughout her present and past life, perfect swordsmanship and endless skill. Excel in close-quarters combat, and good at leveling out difficult terrain, as long as she kept her emotions steady.
[16] Use a Raven spell card. Focusing more on her instincts and unique skills as a raven, and doing things like scattering feathers. Did much better at longer range than her sword spells, and excelled in open areas, but if she got caught or trapped, she’d be a sitting duck.
[5] Use a Twin spell card. Better balanced cards, combining the best of both worlds by working together with Okuu. Using one of those would definitely floor Parsee, she was sure of it.
Youmu stretched, stepping forth onto the near side of the bridge. Parsee backed up until she was on the other side, trying to keep her face level.
“You know, little snowbird, I really don’t know if your little game is anything like Spell Cards, so how about you watch my card first, and you can see what it’s like?” The Hashihime chuckled. “Because I’ve got a special one for you, Youmu. Tongue-Cut Sparrow ‘Hate for the Humble and Rich’!”
Parsee clapped her hands, seeming to vanish for a second. Two copies of the hashihime appeared, side by side, and began firing danmaku - one in pulses of a half-dozen large orbs, the other in waves of tiny bullets.
Youmu kicked off the ground. The bullets of the small waves were more targeted at her, while the big ones were just to make the task of dodging more complicated. Youmu dodged each incoming wave of bullets, keeping her distance from the hashihime. It was a fairly direct card, really, and with only nominal attention paid to the spell’s source, Youmu could pass through it unscathed.
At least physically.
Perhaps she’d only meant it to play off of the fact she was one half of a pair of twins. Or perhaps it was because they were a type of bird, and she hoped the spell would disturb her. Or perhaps she just thought having a spell that’d keep the swordswoman away would fluster Youmu. For whatever reason, Parsee had decided to use this spell card. The one that made Youmu see double.
The one that made Youmu see red. She looked at the twinned Parsee, and she began to seethe, bubbling black rage welling in her. Youmu was still in the middle of an internal crisis, and here was this overbearing self-important knife-ear showing off her clone spell just to rub it in Youmu’s face. She thought she was so clever, didn’t she? That she could just play around and make Youmu squirm? No. No, this smug little snot wouldn’t get away with not. Not a snowball’s chance here.”
As the spell started to settle, Parsee folded her arms. “Not bad, not bad! Yes, yes, you got it. All you had to do was cower in the corner like a clipped-wing crow. Are you understanding your complete cluelessness before me?”
Youmu scowled, crouching low. “Shut up.” The hashihime gave a smug smile that Youmu couldn’t wait to wipe off her face. “My turn. Hell Raven Sign ‘Two Hundred Yojana Feather Rain’!”
For a moment, she didn’t move much. She just… focused, taking a moment.
She heard Parsee scoff. “What, did you-”
Youmu launched herself forward. Parsee’s voice vanished behind her. After a split second, she spread out her wings, braking. The powerful slipstream caught up with her only a second later, blowing a wind behind her.
She heard Parsee yell out in shock. As she banked into a turn, she turned to examine the scene. Where she had dashed, a wave of danmaku trailed behind her, forcing the hashihime to dodge to the side. Parsee looked around desperately, until she laid her eyes on Youmu, and opened her mouth to speak.
Whatever she was about to say died in her throat, when she noticed the danmaku around her slowed for just a moment. Another surging dash launched Youmu past her, kicking up a storm in her wake. The danmaku still in the air from her first dash got caught in the eddy, swirling in her draft. Youmu banked another turn, this time heading out over the water of the bridge itself.
Another dash. She soared over the bridge, across the water over the other side. She heard churning water as the wind under her wings made waves across it. She continued circling, and dashed across again, kicking up a second wave. Parsee’s tone began to get panicked.
“Stop! Stop! Ow-”
Youmu’s fifth dash once again sent waves through the river. Her turn this time brought her to the surface, and she began sprinting the moment she hit the ground, continuing her brutal circling of her target. A sixth dash sent her across yet again.
“Stop, STOP ALREADY!” As Youmu began to line herself up on the bridge, at the far side of where she started, Parsee was desperately waving for her to stop. “You hit me already like a half dozen times, you can stop-”
“Not yet.” Youmu responded. “You started this, Parsee, you’d best be prepared to finish it.”
She tensed herself for one last dash. The hashihime put her arms up defensively, caught up by the wind as Youmu surged past her. The hell raven pulled herself into a brake, landing with both feet right in front of the crowd.
There was a moment of silence. Then, the crowd broke out into thunderous applause and cheers.
“About time that Hashihime got humbled!”
“THAT’S how fast the Phantom is?!”
“I saw it! Green and striped!”
“That was so fast I could barely track it! Did you keep up with it, Unzan?”
“I wanna learn how to do that!”
“Myon’s good, but my Okuu’s better!”
“Serves knife-ears right! She looks like a soaked cat!”
Orin reached out, offering a steadying hand. Youmu took a deep breath, trying to calm herself.
“Youuuuu!” The swordswoman turned. Parsee was drenched in water, helping the danmaku feathers stick to her better. “I was having a great time and you ruined it!” There were tears in her eyes, as she pumped her fists angrily. “Where did you learn to be that overpowered?! It’s criminal to be that good at a dueling format you’ve never even heard of!”
The kasha chuckled. “Heya, Parsee. Glad to have you back with us.” Orin turned to the crowd. “Alright, folks, you’ve seen what these spell cards are like. Don’t head topside unless you’re prepared, alright?”
The hashihime looked around desperately, as the crowd began to cross and disperse. “No, wait-”
Youmu put her hand on her shoulder, still feeling a residual surge of spite. “Don’t you dare. You agreed to the bet, remember?” Parsee looked at her, with an expression of creeping horror. “So you’re doing what we say for the day. And I think we’re both tired of pushing the cart around ourselves, right Orin?”
Orin nodded. “After all your mischief-making here, I think some community service would be just the thing to get your reputation back up. Don’t you agree, Parsee?”
Mizuhashi bristled. “If you think I’m going to go up to the surface just because you two want me to-”
The kasha shook her head. “Well, the other option is that when - and let’s be clear here, not if, when Yuugi finds out what happens here, she’ll come rushing over to find you with no lasting consequences for your troublemaking. …Heck, if you’re staying down here for that moment, we might even stay to watch!”
The hashime blanched. “I, I…” She sighed. “You think you’re so clever, don’t you? F-fine. Let’s get out of here before Yuuji sees us at least, okay?”
Youmu nodded. “Glad to have you on the team, Parsee. Come on, let’s go - even with the extra help, .”
Okuu sighed, squinting into the furnace again. She pushed a few of the coals around, as much to pass the time as anything else.
Today was boring. Youmu and Rin were gone, and Lady Satori had managed to get the muscly big horn lady in for some talk about getting new corpses. And Orin had no idea where Lady Koishi was. Which left her, and the coals. Thrilling.
She looked out over the grounds, sighing. How long until Youmu was getting back? Okuu wanted to do something. Even if she didn’t understand Youmu’s problems… her sister was confused and scared, and Okuu couldn’t do any more to help. Maybe if she was-
A small bird flew into the room. “Okuu! Okuu! Do you know where Koishi is?”
The raven shook her head. “No… what’s up?”
The bird landed. “There’s a scary man in strange clothes by the front door! He’s said he wants to check us pets for something?”
Okuu tilted her head. “...You mean like a vet?” The little bird shuddered, but shrugged. “...So what do you want me to do?”
The little bird turned to Okuu. “...Um, if Lady Satori, Lady Koishi, Orin and your sister aren’t available…? Well… who’s gonna talk to the old man?”
Okuu blinked. …Right, someone needed to manage the actual guests. That had originally been left to Kosihi, but without her around… then that would be…
“...Unyuu? You mean me?”
The bird nodded. “...Please, Okuu. Most of the other animals can’t speak to non-Satoris. Can you… talk to him? At least until we get one of the Komeiji sisters free?”
[ ] Go and talk to the scary man. Okuu had been wanting something interesting to happen, and now it had - no point resisting the call.
[ ] Interrupt Lady Satori’s meeting, and call her out to help.
[ ] Take another quick look around for Lady Koishi. She had to be somewhere, right…? It wasn’t like she could just vanish into thin air, after all.
Anonymous 2024/05/08 (Wed) 17:19
No. 208093
▼
[X] Go and talk to the scary man. Okuu had been wanting something interesting to happen, and now it had - no point resisting the call.
Okay, this is almost certainly Yuuki. We don’t need to interrupt Satori for this. Especially once we tell him that Okuu is Youmu’s sister.
However, I am a bit worried about Koishi, but maybe Yuuki can help us search for her.
Anonymous 2024/05/08 (Wed) 17:43
No. 208094
▼
[X] Go and talk to the scary man. Okuu had been wanting something interesting to happen, and now it had - no point resisting the call.
Mulled it over a bit and decided this is probably the best option. Sure, looking for Koishi would probably be helpful, and I have no doubt Youki is a rather patient man… but on this specific matter I’m not willing to test that patience. Likewise, the only reason to interrupt Satori’s meeting is if we wanted to inform him of the Spring Geyser Incident and Youmu’s potential involvement, which…
A. Satori isn’t even guaranteed to tell Youki about, especially with several of her pets likely nearby
B. Utsuho doesn’t even know about, so she has no reason to do this.
So not really a reason to not go ourselves.
Anonymous 2024/05/08 (Wed) 17:56
No. 208095
▼
[x] Go and talk to the scary man. Okuu had been wanting something interesting to happen, and now it had - no point resisting the call.
It feels like what Okuu would do, even if it might not be the most optimal choice.
Anonymous 2024/05/08 (Wed) 18:05
No. 208096
▼
[X] Go and talk to the scary man. Okuu had been wanting something interesting to happen, and now it had - no point resisting the call.
Not sure this is optimal since Okuu has lots of JSK and Satori would immediately get a sense of what is going on, but I bet that Youki - assuming it's him - would namedrop Youmu.
Anonymous 2024/05/08 (Wed) 18:06
No. 208097
▼
Also...
>>“That was so fast I could barely track it! Did you keep up with it, Unzan?”
I wonder what Ichirin is doing here...
>>“Myon’s good, but my Okuu’s better!”
So that's where Koishi was.
Anonymous 2024/05/08 (Wed) 18:11
No. 208098
▼
>>208097
Koishi might be following us up. If she does, she:s gonna become a slight liability despite her open eye.
Anonymous 2024/05/08 (Wed) 18:36
No. 208099
▼
It's rude to keep a guest waiting.
[X] Go and talk to the scary man. Okuu had been wanting something interesting to happen, and now it had - no point resisting the call.
Also, it's a little late for this raven fact, but oh well! Ravens have incredible control of the way they fly. They do dives, rolls, and are even able to hover in place. They also occasionally hitch rides on other, larger birds, like eagles.
Anonymous 2024/05/08 (Wed) 19:12
No. 208100
▼
[X] Go and talk to the scary man. Okuu had been wanting something interesting to happen, and now it had - no point resisting the call.
Anonymous 2024/05/08 (Wed) 19:47
No. 208101
▼
[X] Go and talk to the scary man. Okuu had been wanting something interesting to happen, and now it had - no point resisting the call.
Anonymous 2024/05/08 (Wed) 19:59
No. 208102
▼
[X] Go and talk to the scary man. Okuu had been wanting something interesting to happen, and now it had - no point resisting the call.
Anonymous 2024/05/08 (Wed) 20:35
No. 208103
▼
[X] Bombard old man with poop.
Anonymous 2024/05/08 (Wed) 21:34
No. 208104
▼
[X] Go and talk to the scary man. Okuu had been wanting something interesting to happen, and now it had - no point resisting the call.
I... just have a hunch that's going to lead to Okuu having her grand debut as accepting Yatagarasu. Which, in turn, would steer the timeline towards "what it used to be".
Well, that's how I see things. Otehrwise, I'm definitely against disturbing Satori. So, trying to find Koishi would be my second guess.
Anonymous 2024/05/08 (Wed) 21:51
No. 208105
▼
[X] Go and talk to the scary man. Okuu had been wanting something interesting to happen, and now it had - no point resisting the call.
Can't stay cooped up forever!
Anonymous 2024/05/08 (Wed) 21:54
No. 208106
▼
[X] Interrupt Lady Satori’s meeting, and call her out to help.
Anonymous 2024/05/08 (Wed) 22:13
No. 208107
▼
[X] Go and talk to the scary man. Okuu had been wanting something interesting to happen, and now it had - no point resisting the call.
asutnima 2024/05/08 (Wed) 22:28
No. 208108
▼
[X] Go and talk to the scary man. Okuu had been wanting something interesting to happen, and now it had - no point resisting the call.
It's okuu time!
Anonymous 2024/05/08 (Wed) 22:46
No. 208109
▼
[X] Go and talk to the scary man.
We MUST have nuclear Youmu. Nuclear Youmu at all costs.
Anonymous 2024/05/08 (Wed) 22:48
No. 208110
▼
[X] Go and talk to the scary man. Okuu had been wanting something interesting to happen, and now it had - no point resisting the call.
Knock Knock
Mew 2024/05/08 (Wed) 23:38
No. 208111
▼
Yay, my card name got chosen! Neat!
Well, someone's at the door. Let's check it out.
[X] Go and talk to the scary man. Okuu had been wanting something interesting to happen, and now it had - no point resisting the call.
Adventure awaits for the other half of the raven sisters. Let's see where this goes
Anonymous 2024/05/09 (Thu) 01:41
No. 208112
▼
Counting to
>>208111:
Main Choice:
[15] Go and talk to the scary man. Okuu had been wanting something interesting to happen, and now it had - no point resisting the call.
[1] Interrupt Lady Satori’s meeting, and call her out to help.
[0] Take another quick look around for Lady Koishi. She had to be somewhere, right…? It wasn’t like she could just vanish into thin air, after all.
Anonymous 2024/05/09 (Thu) 01:58
No. 208113
▼
[X] Go and talk to the scary man. Okuu had been wanting something interesting to happen, and now it had - no point resisting the call.
-[X] Interrupt Lady Satori’s meeting, and tell her that you're going to talk to the scary man.
Even if we ignore the metaknowledge that the old man is Youki, it is common sense to at least notify the Mistress that there is someone that wants "to check us pets for something", even if Okuu ends up being the one to talk to them.
Also, we did something similar with Youmu yelling "Heading out!" before... heading out, and Orin was there to help her after the duel, so Satori might be there to help Okuu in the end if something explodes. Also also, Okuu doing something like this is uncharacteristically wise, decreasing her JSK and making her more equal to Youmu in terms of raw suitability.
!2VXsQ1mzKI 2024/05/09 (Thu) 03:21
No. 208114
▼
[ ] Go and talk to the scary man. Okuu had been wanting something interesting to happen, and now it had - no point resisting the call.
Y’know what time it is people.
Kosu 2024/05/09 (Thu) 03:40
No. 208115
▼
I'm really late, but
[X] Interrupt Lady Satori’s meeting, and call her out to help.
I don't think Satori minds being interrupted if another visitor arrives. Maybe we get to greet Yuugi too.
(Yeah I saw the count, but eh)
Anonymous 2024/05/09 (Thu) 04:03
No. 208116
▼
>>208097
the buddhists were trapped in former hell until okuu went nuclear. only ichirin, unzan, and murasa though. also nue, but i don't know if she counts as a buddhist.
[X] Interrupt Lady Satori's meeting, and call her out to help.
hoping that 1. it is actually youki, and 2. youki sees that his grandchild has a sister in this life and adopts her too. not because she needs it, but because youmu will be really sad if she's gonna be included in the konpaku and her sister isn't.
still, he's waited for this long, he can wait a few more moments. involving satori would allow them to negotiate
custody youmu's circumstances.
also hoping he brought reimu along with him, but that chance is really slim
Anonymous 2024/05/09 (Thu) 05:28
No. 208117
▼
[X] Interrupt Lady Satori’s meeting, and call her out to help.
looks like I was right that Youki was on his way... wonder if i will be 2 for 2 and Yuyuko is there too... wait, uh oh Okuu RUN! Before you end up in the dinner pot!
...wait Youmu and Orin headed out because Chiyuri(?) and Suwako had emptied to morgue/body storage... did they want them to miss Youki's arrival? why?
oh, and Okuu is going to want to be careful what she wishes for! XD
>"I'm Bored, I wish someting would happen."
>"Hello, I am here to take your sister away."
>༼☯﹏☯༽
Anonymous 2024/05/09 (Thu) 06:26
No. 208118
▼
[X] Interrupt Lady Satori’s meeting, and call her out to help.
i see the tide approaching
Anonymous 2024/05/09 (Thu) 07:43
No. 208119
▼
>>208118
Aye, brother. We must piss together
[X] Interrupt Lady Satori’s meeting, and call her out to help.
Anonymous 2024/05/09 (Thu) 08:23
No. 208120
▼
[X] Interrupt Lady Satori's meeting, and call her out to help.
>>208117
If they indeed knew about Youki it's possible that they didn't want them to meet yet because Youmu is currently being tested for THE SUN power, the goddess already said that she thinks that it's the dedication to swordmanship to "hold her back" from being a candidate so it would make sense for her to avoid Youmu meeting the master swordsman, tough of course it could also be a coinvidence, not Youki at the door or another reason.
Now, considering what already happened with the goddess and shrine trespassing I doubt that Satori would mind being interrupted a lot, the mansion should be very wary of unknowns right now.
Gooboi!WkvVHQzh76 2024/05/09 (Thu) 12:20
No. 208121
▼
File
171525724132.jpg
- (407.07KB,
565x800,
__konpaku_youmu_konpaku_youmu_and_kazami_yuuka_tou.jpg)
>the goddess already said that she thinks that it's the dedication to swordmanship to "hold her back" from being a candidate
To be clear, because there are multiple people saying something to this effect: What I meant by that is that Suwako believes Youmu's effectiveness as a candidate is more masked by her swordsmanship than being suppressed by it. As in, Youmu's mastery in swordfighting isn't something you'd normally expect of someone who's got that Jenny-say-kwah at first glance, not that it actively counteracts it.
Updates might be spotty this weekend. Got a new car coming tomorrow and will be using it whenever I can.
Anonymous 2024/05/09 (Thu) 12:35
No. 208122
▼
>>208113 here. Changing my vote because it might actually have a chance of winning:
[UNDO] Go and talk to the scary man. Okuu had been wanting something interesting to happen, and now it had - no point resisting the call.
-[UNDO] Interrupt Lady Satori’s meeting, and tell her that you're going to talk to the scary man.
[X] Interrupt Lady Satori’s meeting, and call her out to help.
Anonymous 2024/05/09 (Thu) 13:15
No. 208123
▼
[X] Interrupt Lady Satori’s meeting, and call her out to help.
WHY DO I KEEP GETTING THESE CAPTAS
Mew 2024/05/09 (Thu) 13:44
No. 208124
▼
It's a Moriya Shrine Conspiracy
Anonymous 2024/05/09 (Thu) 14:59
No. 208125
▼
[X] Go and talk to the scary man. Okuu had been wanting something interesting to happen, and now it had - no point resisting the call.
Everyone's too busy, Okuu can handle this! Probably. Maybe. Hopefully.
>hoping that 1. it is actually youki, and 2. youki sees that his grandchild has a sister in this life and adopts her too. not because she needs it, but because youmu will be really sad if she's gonna be included in the konpaku and her sister isn't.
AUGH, PLEASE, THAT WOULD BE SO SWEET!
Bad dreams - beginning of the end
Kosu 2024/05/09 (Thu) 21:17
No. 208126
▼
>> The figure tumbled through the gap, falling to the ground. At once, all three girls were moving, rushing to her impact. She landed, hard, in between the Komainu’s pedestals.
>> The youkai tried to pull herself to her feet. There was a boring hole through her stomach, and Youmu could see shattered fragments of bone that once might have been a ribcage within them. Worse, there was some kind of… black flames all over her. “S-stay back. Go hide with the others.”
>> Marisa got there first. “Yukari, what happened? What’s with that stuff?” She reached out, trying to quell the fires...
Anonymous 2024/05/09 (Thu) 21:31
No. 208127
▼
>>208126
AAAA!!!! WOW! This might be my favorite of your pieces yet. Thank you for making such cool art. Makes my day whenever I see it.
Kosu 2024/05/10 (Fri) 01:30
No. 208128
▼
>>208127
Hey, thanks!
This means a lot to me!
Anonymous 2024/05/11 (Sat) 10:43
No. 208129
▼
Book
Gooboi!WkvVHQzh76 2024/05/11 (Sat) 11:10
No. 208130
▼
File
171542581289.jpg
- (212.40KB,
850x1202,
__kazami_yuuka_morichika_rinnosuke_sendai_hakurei_.jpg)
New epilogue over at
>>/shorts/2870! After this, Eirin's got some questions to raise, and then we'll probably finish off with Remilia and her very unhappy maido.
I'll try to get an update for the main line out tonight as well (just a short one, in this case).
A Drop of White...
Gooboi!WkvVHQzh76 2024/05/11 (Sat) 16:16
No. 208132
▼
File
171544417947.jpg
- (102.88KB,
850x941,
__reiuji_utsuho_touhou_drawn_by_andy_kobayashi__sa.jpg)
[17] Go and talk to the scary man. Okuu had been wanting something interesting to happen, and now it had - no point resisting the call.
[8] Interrupt Lady Satori’s meeting, and call her out to help.
[0] Take another quick look around for Lady Koishi. She had to be somewhere, right…? It wasn’t like she could just vanish into thin air, after all.
Okuu hopped up. “Okay, I’ll do the talking. In the meantime, can you go see if there’s a chance for Lady Satori to be available?”
The bird nodded in agreement, and flew off. Okuu took a deep breath, and stood up.
Of the big five in Chireiden - the satori sisters, and the three pets who often stayed in human form - Okuu was fully aware that she was the probably the worst option, whether this scary man proved hostile or friendly. She wasn’t a great fighter or a brave one, and she wasn’t the best talker either. Okuu was the one who handled anything the others were too busy to do. But… that didn’t mean she should run away or hide from it. She still had a duty!
She sighed, clenching her hand. She wished she was able to keep up with the others in combat, but… she’d never found a fighting style she’d been happy with. She tried to imagine what that would be like. Something powerful and long range, like an arm-cannon! She could imagine that so vividly, sometimes.
She was up by the front door now. Taking a deep breath, she took a moment to compose herself… and opened the door.
…Huh. The old man on the other side… well, the scariness had been over-hyped, that was for sure. He was wearing western-style clothes - a dark green suit, specifically, with a hat. And while he had two swords at his side, they didn’t seem like they’d get used any time soon.
…There was something about him. Okuu couldn’t quite put her finger on it. But he reminded her of someone. Maybe it was just the two swords…? She tilted her head, trying to figure out what it was, and he seemed similarly slightly puzzled himself. There was just a comforting air about him.
After a few moments, she blinked. …At least, she hoped it was just a few moments. Fortunately, whatever had spellbound Okuu seemed to have done the same to the old man, and he came to his senses only a few seconds later.
Okuu recovered first. “Um, welcome to Chireiden, sir. My name is Reiuji Utsuho. I’m sorry to say that our mistresses are… not immediately available.”
“...Reiuji Utsuho, you say?” After a moment, he caught himself, doffing his hat and bowing before the girl. “Ah, my apologies. My name is Konpaku Youki. I come here hoping to speak to a few people, not least of which is Komeiji Satori herself. Do you have any idea when Satori will be available?”
Okuu took a moment to think. “...Um, maybe? She’s currently negotiating with the muscly horn lady after some fuel was stolen last night.”
Youki nodded. “I see. That is a shame. Well… I would like to speak with one of the Komeijis first… but I suppose I should ask as well. Is there a Reiuji Youmu who lives at this house?”
”Yeah! She’s my twin sister. Oh, but um… she’s out too. Out to the surface." Okuu turned her head. “...What do you need with Youmu?”
The old man chuckled. “Twin sister, hmm…? Utsuho, I have a sword that I believe… belongs to your sister.” He lifted the smaller of his two swords. “I’ve been looking for this sword’s owner… for a long, long time.”
Okuu looked at the sword. Okuu really didn’t know her sword stuff, but it had a big, puffy tassel, where she and Youmu had attached their feathers.
… She could really, really clearly picture it in Youmu’s hand. Almost as clearly as she could imagine her perfect arm cannon.
She looked up at the man. There was something strange about this, she knew it. All the other animals seemed to find him scary, but to Okuu, he wasn’t scary in the slightest, almost… slightly cozy to be around? He seemed to feel like there was something strange, too. But… as much as he was putting himself into an air of polite enquiry, Okuu could also sense something in him. A storm in his heart, aching to break free. A man who… depending on the answers he got today, could very, very quickly do something drastic.
[ ] Just to be safe, Okuu wanted him to stay outside…
[ ] Okuu invited him to step inside and have some refreshments…
{ } …While she asked a few more questions.
{ } …So she could get one of the Komeijis to help.
Anonymous 2024/05/11 (Sat) 16:19
No. 208133
▼
[x] Okuu invited him to step inside and have some refreshments…
{x} …While she asked a few more questions.
Anonymous 2024/05/11 (Sat) 16:29
No. 208134
▼
[x] Okuu invited him to step inside and have some refreshments…
{x} …While she asked a few more questions.
Anonymous 2024/05/11 (Sat) 16:34
No. 208135
▼
[x] Okuu invited him to step inside and have some refreshments…
[x] …While she asked a few more questions.
Curious Okuu :3
Anonymous 2024/05/11 (Sat) 16:38
No. 208136
▼
[X] Okuu invited him to step inside and have some refreshments…
{X} …So she could get one of the Komeijis to help.
While I get the desire to ask for more questions, is Okuu really the best person to do that with? I’d rather leave the information gathering to the mind reader.
And on that note, I’d also rather not leave the very dangerous, very emotionally unstable man outside while we grab her.
Anonymous 2024/05/11 (Sat) 16:51
No. 208137
▼
[X] Okuu invited him to step inside and have some refreshments…
{X} …So she could get one of the Komeijis to help.
Anonymous 2024/05/11 (Sat) 16:52
No. 208138
▼
seems like the theory of okuu also having some of konpaku youmu's memories is true. youki's coming home with two kids after all this! (i hope this statement will age well)
[X] Okuu invited him to step inside and have some refreshments...
we should be polite to guests, after all.
{X} ... So she could get one of the Komeijis to help.
but we really do need someone who can better negotiate with him asap. youki even says himself that he wants to speak to satori. i'm sure yuugi will understand.
Anonymous 2024/05/11 (Sat) 17:03
No. 208139
▼
[x] Okuu invited him to step inside and have some refreshments…
{X} …So she could get one of the Komeijis to help.
Yeah, Okuu probably isn't the person to do diplomacy. And Youki was here to talk to Satori.
Anonymous 2024/05/11 (Sat) 17:05
No. 208140
▼
[X] Okuu invited him to step inside and have some refreshments…
{X} …So she could get one of the Komeijis to help.
Anonymous 2024/05/11 (Sat) 17:29
No. 208141
▼
[X] Okuu invited him to step inside and have some refreshments…
{X} …So she could get one of the Komeijis to help.
Okuu was the real Myon all along!
Kosu 2024/05/11 (Sat) 17:39
No. 208142
▼
I don't have much time to write whatever I'm thinking right now since I have to go out, but:
[X] Okuu invited him to step inside and have some refreshments…
{X} …So she could get one of the Komeijis to help.
Let's be a nice host until the owner of the manor is not busy.
Anonymous 2024/05/11 (Sat) 18:21
No. 208143
▼
[x] Okuu invited him to step inside and have some refreshments…
[x] …While she asked a few more questions.
Grandpa/half-portion-of-granddaughter-melded-with-someone-else bonding time?
Anonymous 2024/05/11 (Sat) 18:53
No. 208144
▼
[X] Just to be safe, Okuu wanted him to stay outside…
{X} …So she could get one of the Komeijis to help.
Anonymous 2024/05/11 (Sat) 19:09
No. 208145
▼
[X] Just to be safe, Okuu wanted him to stay outside…
{X} …While she asked a few more questions.
Anonymous 2024/05/11 (Sat) 20:21
No. 208146
▼
[X] Just to be safe, Okuu wanted him to stay outside…
{X} …So she could get one of the Komeijis to help.
Okuu knows better than to let an emotionally unstable and armed stranger inside. After all, who could stop him if things went south?
Anonymous 2024/05/11 (Sat) 21:47
No. 208148
▼
Wait so if I am understanding, Youmu's phantom half went to Okuu somehow?!
Anonymous 2024/05/11 (Sat) 22:03
No. 208149
▼
>>208148
I don't think so.
I think Okuu was just experiencing some deja vu, y'know?
Anonymous 2024/05/11 (Sat) 22:21
No. 208151
▼
[X] Okuu invited him to step inside and have some refreshments…
{X} …So she could get one of the Komeijis to help.
asutnima 2024/05/11 (Sat) 22:39
No. 208152
▼
[X] Just to be safe, Okuu wanted him to stay outside…
{X} …While she asked a few more questions.
It seems interesting that some essence of youmu is with okuu, I spoke with Kosu several days ago about that topic.
Anonymous 2024/05/11 (Sat) 22:59
No. 208153
▼
[X] Okuu invited him to step inside and have some refreshments…
{X} …While she asked a few more questions.
Butter him up so that he spills easier. Plus, it's polite!
>>208152
I mean, Okuu is Myon's Myon, in a way. If she touched the sword, I wonder if it would awaken anything in her.
Sylent-M 2024/05/12 (Sun) 01:17
No. 208154
▼
[X] Okuu invited him to step inside and have some refreshments…
[X] …While she asked a few more questions.
I think the worst option here would be to leave him outside while asking questions. It would seem like we’re just stonewalling him with inane chatter. Conversely, inviting him in and going to get a Komeiji is probably the best option to appease him. He’s been accepted as a guest and a sister is being brought. His goals are being met in the most expeditious manner. Despite that, I’m going with asking questions. Letting him in should keep him calm for now, and I think it would be nice for both Youki & the readers to see more of how Okuu views her sister. I’d also like to further explore what his presence is doing to Okuu.
Meeting the Family
Mew 2024/05/12 (Sun) 01:36
No. 208155
▼
Well, seems Old Man Youki finally made it here. No sense to keep him outside. And...let's have the mistress deal with him, that desperation never bodes well.
[X] Okuu invited him to step inside and have some refreshments…
{X} …So she could get one of the Komeijis to help.
Additions...none yet. Let's see where this goes
!2VXsQ1mzKI 2024/05/12 (Sun) 02:44
No. 208156
▼
[X] Okuu invited him to step inside and have some refreshments…
{X} …So she could get one of the Komeijis to help.
Anonymous 2024/05/12 (Sun) 02:57
No. 208157
▼
[X] Okuu invited him to step inside and have some refreshments…
{X} …So she could get one of the Komeijis to help.
Anonymous 2024/05/12 (Sun) 05:41
No. 208158
▼
Counting to
>>208157:
Main Choice #1:
[4] Just to be safe, Okuu wanted him to stay outside…
[17] Okuu invited him to step inside and have some refreshments…
Main Choice #2:
[8] …While she asked a few more questions.
[13] …So she could get one of the Komeijis to help.
Kosu 2024/05/12 (Sun) 06:54
No. 208159
▼
Regarding Okuu: I do think she somehow got some scattered, really distant memories of how things used to be as a side effect of being Youmu's twin (well, viceversa really) but I don't really think she absorbed Myon or something like that. Like many people have posted before, I like to think there's a possibility for Okuu joining Youmu's family but we have to see how things turn out yet. There are many loose ends before anything happens.
Regarding Youki: even with Okuu's intuition, I don't feel like Youki's the type of man to really do something drastic, nor I see him as "emotionally unstable". The man's just so close to finally seeing his missing granddaughter but alas, he missed her by a couple hours so he'll have to wait yet again. "So close yet so far" might be the thing that's currently on his heart.
I just hope he doesn't end up kidnapping the birbs to train them in the way of the sword lol
(Joking aside, I really want to see how this all unfolds).
asutnima 2024/05/12 (Sun) 07:58
No. 208160
▼
>>208153
I don't think okuu has myon but more like a sixth sense between twins or youmu's intuition something like that
Anonymous 2024/05/12 (Sun) 12:04
No. 208162
▼
[X] Just to be safe, Okuu wanted him to stay outside…
{X} …While she asked a few more questions.
Caution is best when armed strangers are involved.
Yeah we know Youki is harmless but Okuu doesn't.
Nobody.Nemo 2024/05/12 (Sun) 12:08
No. 208163
▼
X] Just to be safe, Okuu wanted him to stay outside…
{X} …While she asked a few more questions.
Caution is best when armed strangers are involved.
Yeah we know Youki is harmless but Okuu doesn't.
A Drop of White in a Pool of Black
Gooboi!WkvVHQzh76 2024/05/12 (Sun) 15:46
No. 208164
▼
File
171552878842.jpg
- (104.12KB,
850x1071,
__reiuji_utsuho_touhou_drawn_by_that_kirisame__sam.jpg)
[5] Just to be safe, Okuu wanted him to stay outside…
[17] Okuu invited him to step inside and have some refreshments…
{9} …While she asked a few more questions.
{13} …So she could get one of the Satoris to help.
Okuu decided to let Mr. Youki inside. She didn’t want to be rude, after all, and after the party last night, there was no small amount of refreshments. It also made it clear that she wasn’t trying to just stall him out.
He’d been curious about the refreshments procured so suddenly… until Okuu had said Youmu had been the one to prepare them, and prepared way too much. That seemed to get him chuckling, and the storm in his heart… didn’t dissipate, but became less… stormy. More focused.
Having plated a set for the old man, she scampered off to find one of the Komeijis for help. She still couldn’t find Koishi… but when she’d flown past the window outside the meeting room Satori was using, she saw they were finishing up, and flew in to get her attention.
Satori looked over at Okuu as she entered, smiling. “Oh? What do you need, Okuu?”
“Um… There’s a man asking about Youmu. And he’s got a sword for her, too.” Satori’s face blanched. The muscular woman she’d been talking to looked over at Satori’s paling expression, and chuckled.
“This related to what you were telling me about earlier?” Komeiji just nodded. “Alright, well… I’ll go get some of our reserve rations ready for the Hell of Blazing Fires. In fact, let me take care of that from here, alright? You all just deal with this.”
Satori took a deep breath. “...Right. Thanks, Yuugi.” She steadied herself, taking a moment to tidy up her clothes, and smiled at her sisters pet. “Okuu, could you lead the way?”
Okuu kicked her feet. Now, she was even more bored.
At first, there’d been a moment of excitement. Satori had taken one look at the old half-phantom man, and sighed, muttering about familial resemblance. Then Mr. Youki had pulled out the sword Hakuken - Hakuren - Hakuroukanken - the shorter sword, and said that only members of his family could wield it. And that he wanted to see if Youmu could.
Unfortunately, that was when Okuu had been locked out. Satori had been completely, one-hundred-percent adamant that the hell-raven couldn’t listen in on the conversation. Utsuho was used to it - after all, Satori’s conversations with someone else could be hard to follow at the best of times, when the mistress of Chireiden sometimes responded to things that Okuu couldn’t hear. …Satori had given an unusually guilty look at that, like Okuu had misunderstood her again.
So they’d moved back to the meeting room, and once again, Okuu was left to her own business. Some of the other pets had been asked to look for Koishi, once Satori had realized she didn’t seem to be around. But apparently, Satori and Youki both thought the hell raven might become important to the conversation later, so Okuu was back where she was before. Though there was one difference - as a gesture of good will, Mr. Youki had left his swords outside of the meeting room; the super long sword, and Hakamehamehaden. And… aside from that, Okuu was left to her own devices.
She really, really wanted to listen in. But… she knew Satori would know if she was. And… and she didn’t want Mr. Youki to think of her as a bad girl. For some reason, that impression felt super important.
She looked over at the two blades. It was the only thing about the room that had changed since she was last in here. She walked over, deciding to pull the shorter one out.
…It was a very pretty blade. Polished to perfection, with a slight blue hue. Even holding it in her hands, she could tell it was powerful, and potent.
…And strangely familiar. She supposed that made sense, probably - it was supposed to be Youmu’s sword, right? Somehow?
But it’d probably do nothing for Okuu. She gave it an experimental swing. It felt a lot like Shiroihane, when she’d tried to swing that. But still… she knew full well, just holding it. She just wasn’t a sword-y sort of bird.
Still, it was fun to imagine, at times. And if this sword wouldn’t sword for anyone but Youmu, then she was fine to play with it, surely? She took up a stance she vaguely remembered Youmu doing, and swung at a nearby curtain to one of the outside windows. Of course, the blade passed through harmlessly, and Okuu turned, preparing to defend herself from an incoming attack of the desk lamp-
Whumph. The hell raven hesitated, looking back at the curtain… and feeling her heart rate begin to increase. Half of the curtain was lying on the floor, and there was a long gash through the glass behind it, too. As she watched, the lower chunk of glass fell lose, exposing the room to the outside air. She gulped. Okuu’d pulled an Okuu again, and misunderstood however the sword was supposed to work, probably. Oh… if they saw what she’d done… What would Satori think? What would Mr Youki.think?
She hurriedly put the sword back in position, wracking her brain on how to apologize for her carelessness. She’d grabbed someone else’s sword, and she’d ruined the whole window with it… Okuu already feared for her pocket money…
And then she heard a voice from outside.
“Lady Satori! Lady Satori!”
Okuu ran to the window, opening it (out of instinct, not that she really needed to). One of the birds who’d gone out looking was flapping around, panicked.
“Call Lady Satori! Koishi’s gone to the surface!”
Okuu felt her heart stop. Koishi? Why?!
“I’ll get Lady Satori!” She turned and rushed inside, scooping up the two swords. They’d likely have to go straight out, and they wouldn’t come back to this room again. And if they were going to the surface, chances are Mr. Youki would come too.
But in her rush and worry… the damage she’d done slipped from her mind.
“You know,” Orin said, stretching. “It’s been a shockingly easy trip so far for me. Normally I’m huffing and puffing to pull the cart up to the service, but it’s just been a breeze!”
“Mrgrgrrrr…”
Youmu smiled, catching on quickly. “Oh, I’m just glad I could be of so much assistance, Orin. I can’t blame you, honestly - trying to haul a big, metal cart up these sorts of inclines would be a nightmare!” She gave a haughty laugh that resembled lady Yuyuko’s, feeling a venomous glare aimed at her back.
The kasha chuckled. “Well, I’m glad for your assistance, Youmu. Especially when dealing with that uppity ruffian over at the bridge.”
Youmu shrugged dramatically. “Oh think nothing of it. It’s just the burden one expects from being the best spell-card duelist in former hell.”
“That’s a load of BULLSHIT!” The two pets turned to see a very red-faced Parsee. She’d returned much to her usual self, and per the terms of their bet, was now the one tasked with the dirty work of hauling the corpse-cart up to the surface. “You must have cheated somehow! How did some birdbrain get so good at Spell Cards?!”
Orin stopped to let Parsee take a moment to catch her breath. “It’s a long story, Parsee. And I don’t think you’d believe all of it, anyways.”
Youmu smiled. “I’m not supposed to tell it, but… It’s why I’m coming to the surface, anyways.” After a moment, she paused. “...Actually… you’re bound to have heard some news, right? After all, your bridge is vital to Old Hell’s connections to the surface, and to other places too.”
Parsee sighed. “Yeah, I suppose. So what, now you’re gonna squeeze me for stories as well as my labor?” She let go of the cart, approaching the two of them. “Well, I’ve got some news for you two.”
She leaned in close, and her voice came out in a low, menacing whisper… but not with the sort of words Youmu expected. “We’re being followed. Play along.”
The two pets shared a glance. Orin took a glance around, trying to spot what Parsee had seen. “Oh yeah? That’s really what you think, huh?” The question sounded like a response to whatever Parsee was supposed to have said, but it seemed to work as a logical sequitur too.
Youmu took a moment to think back. “Now that you mention it… I feel like eyes have been on me a few times on the way up. I thought that might have been Kisume or someone.”
Parsee shook her head. “Nope. Whoever they are, they're jealous of all three of us for some reason. I’d like to just let it fester, but you never know if it’s gonna end in a stabbing, and I’m at the back of the pack, so…”
Orin leaned back in, putting a hand on Parsee’s shoulder. “Well, I'm not picking up anything, but if both of you are sensing them... Let’s see if we can draw them out with a quiet conversation.” She stood up, shrugging. “I’m sorry Parsee, but rules are rules. You should have known this would happen. So come on, spill the beans, any interesting stories?”
Parsee folded her arms, huffing. “Ohhhhh... fine. I guess I could talk about something - that gossip Yamame always seems to have some story or other she’s picked up somewhere.” She rubbed her chin in thought.
“Well, the tengu on the surface have been getting uppity recently. They really don’t like the idea of the Immaterial Children hiding right under their enormous noses. …In fact, strangely, the Animal Realm’s been more peaceful than the surface these days, since the big battle at Dragon Miko Park.”
[ ] “What have the tengu been doing?”
[ ] “I- I’m sorry, Dragon what Park?”
{ } Try and spot the stalker, and sneak up on them instead.
{ } Call the stalker out when they get close.
{ } First sign of movement, cleave the stalker’s cover in half.
Anonymous 2024/05/12 (Sun) 15:56
No. 208165
▼
[x] “I- I’m sorry, Dragon what Park?”
{x} First sign of movement, cleave the stalker’s cover in half
Anonymous 2024/05/12 (Sun) 16:04
No. 208166
▼
[X] “I- I’m sorry, Dragon what Park?”
{X} Try and spot the stalker, and sneak up on them instead.
Anonymous 2024/05/12 (Sun) 16:44
No. 208167
▼
[x] “I- I’m sorry, Dragon what Park?”
[x] First sign of movement, cleave the stalker’s cover in half.
Feels like Youmu.
Pavise 2024/05/12 (Sun) 16:54
No. 208168
▼
[x] “I- I’m sorry, Dragon what Park?”
{x} First sign of movement, cleave the stalker’s cover in half
What are the odds someone sneaks into Chireiden through the hole Okuu just cut? I hope she gets that arm canon even if Youmu becomes the nuke; an Okuu without her skillset feels wrong
Anonymous 2024/05/12 (Sun) 16:55
No. 208169
▼
[x] “I- I’m sorry, Dragon what Park?”
{x} First sign of movement, cleave the stalker’s cover in half
Anonymous 2024/05/12 (Sun) 16:55
No. 208170
▼
[X] “I- I’m sorry, Dragon what Park?”
I feel like I should be more worried about what the Tengu are doing, but this has got me curious dangit.
{X} Call the stalker out when they get close.
I don’t want to scare Koishi too badly, that would just encourage her to close her eye.
Anonymous 2024/05/12 (Sun) 17:17
No. 208171
▼
... there's really no denying it at this point, guys. it's like. right there. might be a bit more complex or nuanced than simply "okuu is youmu's phantom half" (we'll see later on), but konpaku utsuho is confirmed.
(plus, notice how the story is following both okuu and youmu now? we're supposed to be following the immaterial child. and if we're following both... that's just more evidence to the pile.)
asking about the tengu is the metavote, but youmu would probably pay wayyy more attention to the mention of a miko in the animal realm. if they weren't already heading to the surface, i'd say that it would probably open an alternate path to go look for her instead of risking a lot of trouble by breaking the treaty between the surface and former hell to look for akyuu. i'll refrain from this vote until there's some good arguments from later voters, but i won't lie and say that i'm not tempted by that tengu vote.
... i was going to vote for cutting the cover in half, but yeah, that's probably koishi. hmm. the fact that she's jealous of all three of them... for going to the surface, maybe? was one of the reasons koishi closed her third eye was because she couldn't go up?
cutting the cover in half is definitely a youmu move, though. gonna have to refrain from this one as well, at least until i see more arguments trickle in.
Anonymous 2024/05/12 (Sun) 17:19
No. 208172
▼
Mmm, we know what's going on with the park. And i am curious what's going on with the Tengu... But the park option does sound like it would be what grabs Youmu's attention.
[X] “I- I’m sorry, Dragon what Park?”
And yeah, pretty sure this is Koishi so i don't think cutting at her will be good... And Youmu is still pretty straightforward as a hell Raven. Maybe have Orin do the sneaking?
{X} Try and spot the stalker as Orin sneaks up on them instead.
Kosu 2024/05/12 (Sun) 17:38
No. 208173
▼
From thread 1, Reimu's memory
>> Youmu: "But if anyone else tries to wield it, the blade passes through without cutting anything. It’s only in my family’s hands that it’s solid enough to actually cut anyone.”
>> Okuu could cut the curtains, and the glass behind it.
Okuu is worthy!
[X] “I- I’m sorry, Dragon what Park?”
Hearing "dragon miko" in the animal realm is a big enough "what?" to ignore.
{X} Try and spot the stalker, and sneak up on them instead.
Anonymous 2024/05/12 (Sun) 17:40
No. 208174
▼
>>208168
> I hope she gets that arm canon even if Youmu becomes the nuke; an Okuu without her skillset feels wrong
Yeah, I totally forgot that Utsuho isn't all powerful in her first POV.
[X] “I- I’m sorry, Dragon what Park?"
Tengu gives plot but I want to see if the gang can rally up sooner.
{ } Try and spot the stalker, and sneak up on them instead.
If this is Koishi: lol, lmao even
{X} Call the stalker out when they get close.
She should know that they know
Anonymous 2024/05/12 (Sun) 17:43
No. 208175
▼
[X] “I- I’m sorry, Dragon what Park?”
I don't think I have to explain this choice of mine...
{X} Try and spot the stalker, and sneak up on them instead.
Peek-a-boo!
Anonymous 2024/05/12 (Sun) 18:42
No. 208176
▼
[X] “What have the tengu been doing?”
{X} Try and spot the stalker, and sneak up on them instead.
Anonymous 2024/05/12 (Sun) 19:01
No. 208177
▼
[X] “I- I’m sorry, Dragon what Park?”
{X} Call the stalker out when they get close.
!2VXsQ1mzKI 2024/05/12 (Sun) 19:17
No. 208178
▼
[x] “I- I’m sorry, Dragon what Park?”
{x} First sign of movement, cleave the stalker’s cover in half
Anonymous 2024/05/12 (Sun) 19:19
No. 208179
▼
[X] “I- I’m sorry, Dragon what Park?”
{X} Try and spot the stalker, and sneak up on them instead.
Dragon deez nuts
Anonymous 2024/05/12 (Sun) 19:52
No. 208180
▼
[X] “I- I’m sorry, Dragon what Park?”
{X} Call the stalker out when they get close.
Pavise 2024/05/12 (Sun) 20:06
No. 208181
▼
>>208168 here.
Changing the second half of my vote to
{X} Call the stalker out when they get close.
Lets us not bully the Koish while still being anime AF. Keeping the Dragon park vote though.
Anonymous 2024/05/12 (Sun) 20:26
No. 208182
▼
[X] “I- I’m sorry, Dragon what Park?”
{X} Call the stalker out when they get close.
Do not cut the Koosh
Anonymous 2024/05/12 (Sun) 20:48
No. 208183
▼
[X] “I- I’m sorry, Dragon what Park?”
{X} Call the stalker out when they get close
Anonymous 2024/05/12 (Sun) 20:52
No. 208184
▼
I’m about 80% certain that cutting the cover gets us JSK. And it does specify only the cover - I doubt Koishi will get cut too.
Anonymous 2024/05/12 (Sun) 21:58
No. 208185
▼
[x] “I- I’m sorry, Dragon what Park?”
{x} First sign of movement, cleave the stalker’s cover in half
asutnima 2024/05/12 (Sun) 21:59
No. 208186
▼
[X] “I- I’m sorry, Dragon what Park?”
{X} Try and spot the stalker, and sneak up on them instead.
If okuu goes to the surface I guess he meets youmu to look for koishi together maybe?
Anonymous 2024/05/12 (Sun) 22:19
No. 208187
▼
[X] “I- I’m sorry, Dragon what Park?”
{X} Try and spot the stalker, and sneak up on them instead.
Youmu should get the details on what Reimu’s been up to and it’ll be interesting to hear what the battle looked liked from an outsider’s perspective (other than the one in the epilogue).
Regarding the second vote:
“I’m right behind you!” Stab
Also, we get to have Okuu too? That makes 6 immaterial children for the price of 5, what a bargain!
Shrine Maiden of Hell
Mew 2024/05/12 (Sun) 22:57
No. 208188
▼
Huh, Hello Reimu.
[X] “I- I’m sorry, Dragon what Park?"
Yeah, this seems right. As for the stalker...let's not do something we regret just yet.
{X} Call the stalker out when they get close.
Just go: "Show yourself" like in anime. That's pretty cool.
Anonymous 2024/05/13 (Mon) 01:39
No. 208189
▼
Counting to
>>208188:
Main Choice #1:
[1] “What have the tengu been doing?”
[20] “I- I’m sorry, Dragon what Park?”
Main Choice #2:
{7} Try and spot the stalker, and sneak up on them instead.
{8} Call the stalker out when they get close.
{5} First sign of movement, cleave the stalker’s cover in half.
{1} Try and spot the stalker as Orin sneaks up on them instead.
Very close votes for the second set of choices...
Please use [UNDO] if you're switching votes to make it easier on me. :(
Anonymous 2024/05/13 (Mon) 02:18
No. 208190
▼
[X] “I- I’m sorry, Dragon what Park?”
{X} First sign of movement, cleave the stalker’s cover in half.
Anonymous 2024/05/13 (Mon) 02:22
No. 208191
▼
[X] “I- I’m sorry, Dragon what Park?”
{X} Call the stalker out when they get close.
It'd be dishonorable to sneak up on an enemy or strike them without warning.
Anonymous 2024/05/13 (Mon) 02:41
No. 208192
▼
>>208171 here, casting my votes:
[X] "I- I'm sorry, Dragon
what Park?"
reimu.
{X} Call the stalker out when they get close.
best to err on the side of caution in case its koish.
Introductions
Kosu 2024/05/13 (Mon) 03:03
No. 208193
▼
>> ...Huh. The old man on the other side… well, the scariness had been over-hyped, that was for sure. He was wearing western-style clothes - a dark green suit, specifically, with a hat. And while he had two swords at his side, they didn’t seem like they’d get used any time soon... There was something about him. Okuu couldn’t quite put her finger on it. But he reminded her of someone. Maybe it was just the two swords…? She tilted her head, trying to figure out what it was, and he seemed similarly slightly puzzled himself. There was just a comforting air about him.
>> After a few moments, she blinked. At least, she hoped it was just a few moments. Fortunately, whatever had spellbound Okuu seemed to have done the same to the old man, and he came to his senses only a few seconds later.
>> Okuu recovered first. “Um, welcome to Chireiden, sir. My name is Reiuji Utsuho. I’m sorry to say that our mistresses are… not immediately available.”
>> “...Reiuji Utsuho, you say?” After a moment, he caught himself, doffing his hat and bowing before the girl. “Ah, my apologies. My name is Konpaku Youki. I come here hoping to speak to a few people, not least of which is Komeiji Satori herself. Do you have any idea when Satori will be available?”
Anonymous 2024/05/13 (Mon) 08:56
No. 208194
▼
[X] “I- I’m sorry, Dragon what Park?”
{X} Call the stalker out when they get close.
We can't cleave Koishi. If it's not her than Youmu is fast enough to handle an ambush. We also have Orin and Parsee. Our odds are good.
Anonymous 2024/05/13 (Mon) 12:30
No. 208195
▼
Realized that this could easily be Aya or some other Tengu given that they're all uppity about the immaterial children. Koishi can get a read on us, too. If it is her, she should be able to tell that we know we're being followed.
Not sure if I want to change my vote, though.
Parsee's Gossip, Parsee's Council (1/2)
Gooboi!WkvVHQzh76 2024/05/13 (Mon) 14:38
No. 208196
▼
File
171561113173.jpg
- (237.53KB,
850x1206,
__kicchou_yachie_touhou_drawn_by_jizeru_giselebon_.jpg)
[1] “What have the tengu been doing?”
[24] “I- I’m sorry, Dragon what Park?”
{7} Try and spot the stalker, and sneak up on them instead.
{11} Call the stalker out when they get close.
{6} First sign of movement, cleave the stalker’s cover in half.
Youmu started considering the options… until her train of thought was suddenly, messily derailed.
“I-I’m sorry, Dragon what Park?”
Parsee shrugged. “Don’t blame you if you haven’t heard of the name. It’s only been called that since that big battle.”
She looked up, trying to recall the sequence of events. “So, bit of context. You know the three big gangs of the Animal Realm? Kiketsu, Gouyoku, and Keiga?” Youmu nodded. “Apparently Yachie - the boss of the Kiketsu - has been keeping some big secret under wraps until recently. So secret that people didn’t even know she was keeping it, until she got caught protecting a very particular piece of land closely, even when it got cut off from everywhere else.”
Youmu leaned in, eager to hear more as Parsee continued. “So she tries to get it out, all sneaky-like - and it doesn’t work, because Yuuma’s been feasting on Otter Spirits.” …huh. That rang a distant bell. “So there’s a big chase across the Gouyoku territory, but the secret seemingly goes missing, and nobody knows where it is. But that means it’s evaded capture, and is making its own way across.”
Orin raised an eyebrow. “The secret can move itself?”
“A-bup-bup-bup! Let me finish… Anyway, Yuuma sets up this big blockade, designed to force the secret to go directly past her… in hopes of unmasking it herself. And that’s when the secret’s revealed; Yachie’s secret weapon, the Dragon Miko.”
Youmu narrowed her eyes. Could it be…? No, it had to be, hadn’t it? She saw something move, in her peripheral vision.
Parsee chuckled. “She’s some super-powerful human Miko, despite being a kid. She’s blessed with the power of youkai extermination, and able to channel dragons. Usually dressed in red, with a big cloak - and these days, she wears a face mask as well. And they say her weapons are made from jidiao horns… possibly even Yachie’s own.”
Orin’s ears flicked back. “...Wait, are you saying that the invincible Toutetsu was beaten by a child?!”
The hashihime snickered. “About time, too. She got absolutely humiliated in the fight, in fact - in the end, Yachie came over and roasted the goat from the inside out. Though it wasn’t all the Miko’s doing - apparently some old fart swordsman was there too - the park was named in her honor by Yachie.”
Youmu… couldn’t believe it. This had to be Reimu. And supposedly she hadn’t been idle either - while Youmu had been out fetching groceries, Reimu had been learning to channel dragons. “...But, wait - why’s this Dragon Miko working with Yachie?”
Parsee chuckled. “Well, that’s why she was keeping it secret. Apparently, Yachie was keeping the Miko someplace, and brainwashing her into believing Yachie’s her mother.” Youmu’s jaw dropped. “If Yachie managed to keep her secret for as long as possible - long enough that she fully believed it, body and soul - she’d be Yachie’s perfect agent for beating Keiki, and even spearheading an assault on the surface.”
Youmu… clenched the handle of her blades, growling, almost missing a small figure darting between the rocks. So Reimu was being brainwashed into being Yachie’s faux-daughter, was she? Well… one good cut with Hakurouken would fix that right up. “...Is she still being kept by Yachie?”
Parsee shrugged. “Apparently the Yama got involved at that point, and it seems like they’re acting to pull the Miko out. So Yachie’s prize is seemingly a one-off, unless the Miko still thinks of her as her mother.” The hashihime leaned in conspiratorially. “Actually, the rumour is that the Dragon Miko is the Immaterial Miko. But that’s just gossip, really… would line up well on the timeline, though.”
“Despicable.” Orin looked at Youmu in alarm, the little piece of gossip finally giving her context to Youmu’s darkening expression. “Next time I see that jidiao, I’m stewing her.”
The hashihime cocked an eyebrow at Youmu’s expression. “You… uh, dealt with the Kiketsu before?”
“Yeah. Before I joined Chireiden. That tortoise-dragon’s a snake - and even then, I’m disgusted by her stooping this low.” The Hell Raven gripped her swords, glaring in the vague direction of the Animal Realm. “As soon as I can… I’m gonna go down there, give her a piece of my mind… and take a piece of her flesh.”
Parsee stepped back. “...Woah. What’s gotten into you?”
Youmu straightened up, looking around. Her eyes settled on a wide-brimmed hat, with a yellow ribbon on it, poking out of the rocks. She pulled one of her swords, pointing it at the hiding spot.
“You. The one behind the rock. Look, I’m in a bad mood, and I don’t want to hurt someone who doesn’t deserve it. So what I’m asking you is this; do you want to come out in one part or thirty?”
Slowly, two hands came up in surrender, and then the head underneath that hat revealed itself-
And Youmu’s bad mood was gone, immediately replaced by guilt. “L-lady Koishi?!”
Jenny-Say-Kwah remains at 1.
Parsee's Gossip, Parsee's Counsel (2/2)
Gooboi!WkvVHQzh76 2024/05/13 (Mon) 14:47
No. 208197
▼
Orin folded her arms, looking down at her master’s sister with evident disapproval. “So. Why were you following us?”
Koishi was kneeling on the floor, surrounded by the trio. She was wearing a poncho that completely covered her third eye and its attached cables. Youmu was bowing before her guiltily, while Parsee was smirking at her temporary position of disciplinary authority.
“I-I was just checking if you two were alright…”
“Now, now…” Parsee squatted down, giving a sly grin to the satori. Koishi turned away. “That’s not true, is it? You were bountifully bubbling over with jealousy, weren’t you?”
Koishi couldn’t look at the hashihime. “Jealous of what?”
“Maybe… of us going to the surface?” Parsee grinned at the resultant flinch. “You wanna go up there too, don’t you, Koishi?”
Orin looked over at Parsee, then back down at Koishi. “...Is this true, Lady Koishi?”
Koishi made a strained noise, before she finally broke. “Okay… fine! Fine! I wanted to come to the surface, okay?!” She looked up at the three of them. “Everyone hates us here!”
Youmu shook her head. “We don’t hate you, Lady Koi-”
“Not what I mean! Nobody wants us satori around anywhere!” She jammed a finger at the reveling hashihime. “The only reason she likes me is because she can feed off me being jealous of everyone else with only two eyes!”
She looked up at the pets, tearing up in her pleading. “I just… I just want one place where people don’t know me as Koishi the Satori. Just one place where Koishi is just… Koishi. They don’t even need to think I’m a good person - just… not someone who’s trying to steal their brains.” She tugged at the poncho.
Orin and Youmu shared a glance. It was the hell raven who spoke first. “...Still, Lady Koishi… you can’t just come up to the surface…”
Orin nodded. “It’s really dangerous up there right now. And if they found out one of the Komeiji sisters just strolled up and about…”
Parsee put a hand up. “Now, now… let’s not be too hasty, shall we?”
The kasha’s head snapped up. “Stay out of this, Parsee.”
The hashihime shook her head. “Well… if you wanna just kick this can down the road, it’s your funeral. Or maybe it’s hers.” The two pets shared a glance. “Oh? Are you actually curious about what I have to say?”
At length, Youmu nodded. “Sorry, yes… what are you thinking?”
“She’s already been planning to sneak up for a while, right Koishi?” The girl in question nodded. “Now, if you send her off now, you’ve solved the problem… for a moment. But she can definitely get to the surface if she retraces her steps to get here, so it’d only be a matter of time before she comes up later.”
Orin looked up at her. “But the surface isn’t just some quick place for her to visit-”
“All the more reason,” Parsee interrupted, “for her to experience it with you, rather than by herself. If she snuck up on her lonesome, or she sneakily followed you up again, what happens if she gets lost, or someone spots her secret? She’d be all alone on the surface, and then…” The hashihime gave a gloomy grin. “Who knows what would happen?”
Youmu paled. …It didn’t take long for her mind to start drawing connections. If Youmu hadn’t been here, then… then there was a very good chance that whenever Koishi followed Orin up, she’d have done so alone. And then it was all-too-easy to imagine Koishi getting separated from Orin…
And even easier to draw any number of horrible events between Koishi losing her ‘escort’, and her lacking presence in many of Youmu’s past life memories.
Seeing the worried expressions on their faces, Parsee chuckled. “Now, there's no skin off my back if we turn her around. More juicy jealousy for me, after all! Buuuuuut… if you actually care about her, it’s more important to let her have a supervised taste, wouldn’t you agree?” She chuckled haughtily at the pets worried glances. “My, my, seems like I know more about helping Koishi than either of the Chireiden pets here, hmmmmm…?”
Orin glared at Parsee, but sighed. “...Alright, you’ve made your point. Lady Koishi, we’re gonna let you come with us.” As Koishi’s face began to brighten, Orin raised a finger. “But! The only reason we’re letting you come is because Parsee’s telling us you’ll cause more trouble if we don’t, so when we come to tell Lady Satori, we’re pulling absolutely no punches in describing your conduct here, or on the surface. Got it?”
Youmu leant in. “And please, stay with one of us at all times. I’m… worried about you.”
The satori beamed, nodding furiously. “Got it! Thank you!” She surged forward, pulling the three around her into a hug. Youmu did her best to return it, despite the sounds Parsee made at her every move - one would think she was being choked.
At length, the Kasha backed up, pointing her finger to the surface. “Now, best we be off, yes? The surface awaits!”
Anonymous 2024/05/13 (Mon) 15:30
No. 208198
▼
and koishi joins the party!
youmu. youmu, no. youmu, put hakurouken down, wait-
secondary arc where youmu goes all doomslayer into the animal realm to "save" reimu would be pretty fun ngl
Pavise 2024/05/13 (Mon) 15:41
No. 208199
▼
So it was Kosihi after all. Being considerate about her feelings definitely trumps JSK. Hopefully we can prevent her self-harm.
Seems like we might get Youmu Vs Yachie/Reimu if Youki doesn't get to her+explain things in time.
Anonymous 2024/05/13 (Mon) 16:08
No. 208200
▼
>>208198
Poor Youmu actually reaches Reimu to learn that, no, Reimu is actually a jidiao and Yachie is her current mother.
Anonymous 2024/05/13 (Mon) 17:27
No. 208201
▼
Her JSK is only 1 and she's already this meat-headed? Did she forget that they're all supposed to be reincarnated in different places as youkai?
I think I want to lower her JSK back to zero because her "logic" and conclusion here kinda piss me off. It's just a shame that I won't be able to vote for any funny chocies anymore if it is this bad from just one point in the stat.
Anonymous 2024/05/13 (Mon) 18:09
No. 208202
▼
Eh. There's plenty of incidents caused by misunderstandings. As long as Youmu keeps things to Spell Card rules it probably wouldn't be that big an issue even if she does go for Yachie.
Anonymous 2024/05/13 (Mon) 18:22
No. 208203
▼
>>208201
Eh...
Youmu (and most others) doesn't know what type of youkai Reimu actually is. In fact, Youmu
just learned that:
>>Apparently, Yachie was keeping the Miko someplace, and brainwashing her into believing Yachie’s her mother.
I think anyone would be quite concerned (in their own way) if their friend was presumably being kidnapped & brainwashed.
Additionally, Youmu dislikes Yachie (presumably because of Touhou 17) & with the animal spirits possessing them:
>>That tortoise-dragon’s a snake - and even then, I’m disgusted by her stooping this low.
So yeah, her reaction is quite reasonable.
Anonymous 2024/05/13 (Mon) 18:25
No. 208204
▼
>>208200
> Y:I'm here to save you from Yachie's brainwashing Reimu!
> R: Brainwashing?! my motyher hasn't done that!
> Y: That is the brainwashing speaking! after all, if she is your mother than where are your horns!
> R: ...
> R: ...
> OS: oh s**t the boss is pissed, run for your lives!
> R: ...
> R(K): (not going to comment about caring too much about my horns?)
> R(H): (Eh, she deserves what you're about to give her in my book for some reason or other, go right ahead.)
> R: ...#####
> Y: Sorry Reimu, I didn't quite hear you, what did you say?
> R: I said that I don't have horns because your grandfather cut them off! So! I am going to drop these Yin Yang Orb on your head, Understood?
> Y: ... oops?
... And then the Danmaku ensues.
Anonymous 2024/05/13 (Mon) 18:27
No. 208205
▼
To be fair, Youmu is probably thinking that Reimu is a youkai child brainwashed to work for Yachie.
Anonymous 2024/05/13 (Mon) 18:37
No. 208206
▼
Youmu also probably has little idea who her parents are this time around, so she has no reason to believe Reimu reincarnated as Yachie's daughter. Instead it just seems Yachie found her and took advantage of that.
The idea that Yachie brainwashed her wasn't even the conclusion Youmu jumped to. It's literally from the rumors based on incomplete information. And it fits with what Youmu knew about Yachie.
asutnima 2024/05/13 (Mon) 22:47
No. 208208
▼
Oh Youmu if you saw the truth that Yachie is Reimu's mother and loves her very much (although she is a little overprotective) unlike the original timeline.
Anonymous 2024/05/14 (Tue) 01:49
No. 208209
▼
The circumstances of Youmu's birth are interesting. With Reimu & Akyuu, Keine's power seems to have gone the route of slight nudges. Give Keiki an alternate idea on how to win over Yachie. Push a lunar higher up or two to consider trying Reisen's gene-warren again. There's no obvious analog for Youmu's situation. In the first place you can't really decide to have twins. And twins amongst birds are also very rare. You need an egg with two yolks, and for one of the offspring to not horde all the resources. In that regard, my best guess is that Keine's power symied embryonic Okuu's instinctual urge to siphon off her twin. That's why Youmu remembers her being so much taller in the OTL. She had double the resources to start from.
Rumours
Kosu 2024/05/14 (Tue) 03:38
No. 208210
▼
>> "And that’s when the secret’s revealed; Yachie’s secret weapon, the Dragon Miko."
>> Parsee chuckled. "She’s some super-powerful human Miko, despite being a kid. She's blessed with the power of youkai extermination, and able to channel dragons. Usually dressed in red, with a big cloak - and these days, she wears a face mask as well. And they say her weapons are made from jidiao horns… possibly even Yachie’s own."
>> Orin’s ears flicked back. “...Wait, are you saying that the invincible Toutetsu was beaten by a child?!”
>> "About time, too. She got absolutely humiliated in the fight, in fact - in the end, Yachie came over and roasted the goat from the inside out. The park was named in her honor by Yachie."
>> Youmu… couldn’t believe it. This had to be Reimu. And supposedly she hadn’t been idle either - while Youmu had been out fetching groceries, Reimu had been learning to channel dragons. “...But, wait - why’s this Dragon Miko working with Yachie?”
>> Parsee chuckled. “Well, that’s why she was keeping it secret. Apparently, Yachie was keeping the Miko someplace, and brainwashing her into believing Yachie’s her mother. If she managed to keep her secret for as long as possible - long enough that she fully believed it, body and soul - she’d be Yachie’s perfect agent for beating Keiki, and even spearheading an assault on the surface.”
*Image from Youmu's imagination. Might have never happened.
Actually, Yachie has been a good mom so far (she's trying her hardest to be. Even if she's strict sometimes. Talk about a literal dragon mom, right? ^_^U). Happy belated mother's day to her. And Reimu's other mother Haru. And Reimu's other mother Keiki...
Anonymous 2024/05/14 (Tue) 03:53
No. 208211
▼
>>208201
I don't think the JSK stat actually affects Youmu's intelligence, I think it just reflects how obvious her bird-brainedness is to Suwako
radim 2024/05/14 (Tue) 04:01
No. 208212
▼
So I guess this is how it's gonna go:
We either get to have a peace of useful information
OR
we get to increase our what-was-that-about-Jenny thing
I see whatcha playing at...
Gooboi!WkvVHQzh76 2024/05/14 (Tue) 04:29
No. 208213
▼
Anonymous 2024/05/14 (Tue) 07:39
No. 208214
▼
>>208212
There may be some exceptions, but yeah, the kind of thinking that would lead to increase JSK usually would cause people to miss opportunities or get into trouble by acting too fast with little thinking, makes sense that to increase it sacrifices will have to be made.
Anonymous 2024/05/14 (Tue) 15:49
No. 208215
▼
>>208210
holy SHIT that background looks insane. also, love me some good puppet imagery. you just keep getting better and better with every work you draw for this series. every time i think you've peaked, you come out with another banger of an art piece. keep it up!
The Fire of Life...
Gooboi!WkvVHQzh76 2024/05/14 (Tue) 16:14
No. 208217
▼
File
171570326529.jpg
- (0.96MB,
893x1253,
__konpaku_youmu_and_konpaku_youmu_touhou_drawn_by_.jpg)
It wasn’t much further until the light of the surface began to filter down to the group. Koishi’s voice began to get noticeably excited, only seeming to irritate Parsee, and worry Orin.
Youmu, for her part, remained quiet. Thinking. Brooding, really.
Kicchou Yachie… that was a name that brought back bad memories for the swordswoman.
When the Animal Realm had false-flagged an attack on the surface, Reimu, Marisa, and Youmu herself had been the ones who stepped up to deal with the issue, each of them with an animal spirit as a companion. Youmu had paired up with the otter spirit, and together they’d sojourned into the Animal Realm.
Youmu had actually been the one who’d made her way to the depths of the Realm first. Along the way had been her first meeting with Kicchou, who had… done something to her senses. Slipped past her will. Made her, however briefly, an unquestioning flunky, to charge into the lair of Kicchou’s opponent, Keiki, and attempt to defeat her.
…It hadn’t gone well. Youmu had been forced into an out-and-out retreat, and whether she’d intended it or not, she’d ended up in front of the Jidiao again.
…And then… Yachie’s response had been blunt, and brutal. She idly discussed Youmu’s worthlessness, and talked about killing her… like she was a worthless piece of trash, to be disposed of. The battered and bruised half-phantom, who’d only just escaped death a matter of minutes beforehand, had ended up prostrating herself before the jidiao. Begging and pleading for her life, to prove herself again. And ever-so-coldly, Yachie had spared her.
Not that Youmu would get that chance to prove herself. Reimu had managed to defeat the supposed evil god, and when the coastal operations began shortly thereafter, Marisa had been the one to lay the rampant Kurokoma low. Youmu never got a chance to wipe off the shame of having groveled before the Kiketsu Matriarch, nor to prove she was capable of defeating the sculptor goddess. It had lingered in her, a scar on her pride. On her heart.
The idea of Yachie, who treated the living and dead as just resources to be used, taking an impressionable reborn Reimu under her talons and manipulating her, just made all-too-much sense to Youmu. She didn’t seem to care for anyone, an utterly cruel and brutal person… and she’d already proven she was willing to sink her claws into living humans before - making a strong, young youkai believe she was Yachie’s own daughter was just a longer version of the same game. Powerful… and disposable-
She smacked her head on a stalactite, letting out a yelp. The trio in front of her looked back, Parsee chuckling at her misfortune.
Koishi climbed back down a bit, to check on the hell raven. “Youmu…?”
The swordswoman shook her head. “I’m fine. I’ll be fine. …I’m more worried about Reimu.”
Koishi took her hand. “I’m sure she’ll be fine. We’ve already heard about Lady Eiki getting her out, haven’t we?” She smiled at Youmu. “Have faith, she’ll take care of your friend.”
Youmu nodded, slowly. “Still… When I see that jidiao… I’m cutting her in half.”
Koishi looked up. “No time to think about that now. Come on - we’re almost to the surface!” She pulled Youmu along, as the sun began to shine down on them.
Youmu stumbled after the eager mind-reader, a part of her skeptical. What was the big deal, anyways? She’d seen the sky almost all of her past life. It wasn’t anything special…
…It was the breeze, that got to her first. It was a rush of cool air, shocking her system like a bucket of ice. In Former Hell, it was always - always - dry, and hot, and usually stagnant as well. Something like a cool breeze was something Youmu hadn’t felt in years.
She went from focusing on keeping her footsteps together to looking up at the cave’s exit, and saw… green. Lining the mouth of the cave. Surrounding the cave on all sides. The warm greens of the grass, and the darker greens of the trees.
More green than Reiuji Youmu had seen in her entire life. A beautiful natural bounty, of an endless viridian she’d all but accepted seeing was a pipe dream before her memories returned.
As she came out of the tunnel’s mouth, she found herself looking up, up, up… at the endless sky. It seemed they’d gotten lucky on their timing - clouds from a morning rainfall were dispersing, revealing a field of utterly fathomless blue, marked by a rainbow crossing the sky. It was reflected in the small puddles around the cave mouth, framing the plants and the sky above them in fluid mirrors.
And framing everything, in glorious light and cooling calming shadows, bringing all this colour and life to the world, was the sun. Youmu shielded her eyes from the glare as she looked up… then stared at the glare peaking around her fingertips.
She’d forgotten just how intense the sun was. How it was so radiant, it’s very light and heat could feel like it was pressing on her hand. And Suwako seriously thought…? …Slowly, the hand blocking the sun from her gaze… closed its fingertips. As she pulled her hand down, and stared at her palm - naturally, there was nothing there.
Not yet. Possibly not ever... But possibly just not yet.
At length, she heard Koishi’s voice, excitedly peppering Orin with dozens of questions, about the sky, about the rainbow, about the grass. Parsee was watching her, and grousing about her envy at Koishi and Youmu being so utterly overwhelmed by something so simple.
As Koishi started to ask about the various plants and flowers around them, Youmu had chuckled, and stepped closer to start explaining them to the bedazzled young mistress…
And then… it started.
+Youmu? Do you ++++ me, Youmu?+
Pavise 2024/05/14 (Tue) 17:23
No. 208218
▼
Yachi is definitely the Silco of this story; a ruthless and cruel gangster but a very loving mom.
We've finally made contact with Akyuu! Choosing to make her a moon rabbit really paid off with the telepathy.
Anonymous 2024/05/14 (Tue) 17:37
No. 208219
▼
wouldn't it be fun if okuu and myon had their signature weapons reversed this go around? okuu with swords and youmu with an arm cannon... nope. too weird. i'm good with leaving the jenny-something at 1.
really looking forward to meeting akyuu in person from youmu's perspective.
Anonymous 2024/05/14 (Tue) 23:15
No. 208220
▼
Youmu v Reimu misunderstanding scene when?
Anonymous 2024/05/15 (Wed) 01:44
No. 208221
▼
Koishi & Flandre friend side-arc when?
Anonymous 2024/05/15 (Wed) 01:59
No. 208222
▼
actually, isn't old hell connected to the animal realm via the former hell of blood pools?
if the final confrontation for this arc doesn't end up on the surface with the moriyas or the tengu (don't think it's the former, there's a chance of it being the latter given what parsee mentioned, but since we chose to ask after reimu, it mightve changed that), i think there's a chance akyuu and the others will send youmu, okuu, and youki in as a strike team to extract reimu from the animal realm and bring her to ther surface to meet up with the rest after meeting with akyuu.
lunar military rabbit or not, i don't think the others are gonna risk akyuu going there, and who better to send than the person who discovered reimu in the first place, accompanied by another immaterial child (children? okuu's situation is kinda iffy at the moment.)?
please let us meet akyuu soon i've been wanting a reunion for so long-
radim 2024/05/15 (Wed) 07:22
No. 208224
▼
>>208219
I think Youmu NEEDS to get Yatagarasu power honestly
Because that would make her one of the most powerful youkai in Gensokyo
Which, well... MIGHT come in handy in what's to come in whatever Yukari has done again
Anonymous 2024/05/15 (Wed) 09:01
No. 208225
▼
I want Youmu and Utsuho to somehow share Yatagarsu's power, and become essentially a binary star duo, greater than the sum of their parts; although I'm not really sure how well nuclear power can generally synergise with swordfighting. Superheated blade? Explosive speed bursts for lunging?
The spell cards can be a bit more creative, like adapting Soul Sign "Ghostly Wheel of Pain" into something like Fissile Sign "Nuclear Wheel of Decay". Maybe a spell card that has Youmu charge at the enemy, symbolically represent a neutron cracking the enemy in half, and a fusion-themed combination spell card where the two Reiujis stand next to each other and synchronise their attacks.
Anonymous 2024/05/15 (Wed) 09:15
No. 208226
▼
Anonymous 2024/05/15 (Wed) 11:40
No. 208227
▼
>>208224
Do we though? Utsuho still exists & we now know that Utsuho somehow is a honorary Konpaku (through whatever schenanigans occurred).
The issue on getting Yatagarasu is that Youmu has to essentially sack her intelligence. One Okuu is good, two is too many.
Additionally, we already have a pair that are identical (Akyuu & Reisen).
Instead, why don't we do this:
Youmu deals with close-mid range.
Akyuu & Reisen deals with mid range.
Utsuho deals with mid-long range.
Reimu deals with close-long range.
And now we have a perfect team :D
Who is Kosuzu & Marisa? Never heard of them.
Gooboi!WkvVHQzh76 2024/05/15 (Wed) 11:51
No. 208228
▼
File
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- (201.59KB,
850x601,
__kazami_yuuka_and_reiuji_utsuho_touhou_drawn_by_n.jpg)
Just to reiterate, the Yatagarasu isn't an either/or thing. One raven getting it doesn't mean the other can't.
radim 2024/05/15 (Wed) 11:51
No. 208229
▼
>>208227
I guess you're right
But still, Youmu being a core of a nuclear power plant and being able to create Suns like it's nothing sounds really funny
Anonymous 2024/05/15 (Wed) 14:04
No. 208230
▼
>>208227 here:
I just want to state something:
I love the idea of Youmu & Okuu being a Yatagarasu duo, with each of them supporting the other, firing suns upon their enemies. I really do.
However, I don’t want Youmu to gain the power of Yatagarasu at the expense of her intelligence. Youmu’s personality as a diligent, straightforward (whether it may be good or bad) individual & is something that should be valued quite a lot in my opinion.
Just like how Reimu’s quick thinking or Akyuu’s unyielding wisdom are portrayed in their respective stories, Youmu’s diligence & relative intelligence (Youmu managed to find out a way to steal spring after all) should be shown in this story.
Of course, character development is necessary for any story to grow. However, Youmu becoming dumber (even if it’s only by a bit) in exchange for massive amounts of power isn’t really a great way of developing her as a character.
I would rather have Youmu retain her intelligence, possibly fight Kanako & Suwako so that Utsuho (and Satori & Koishi) can have a say on the specifics of how Utsuho’s power can be used, and possibly help Koishi & Utsuho on their respective problems.
Of course, this is entirely my viewpoint which may diverge greatly from most others.
There may even be a better solution than the one that I’m providing (that I haven’t considered).
...and the Pyre of Death
Gooboi!WkvVHQzh76 2024/05/15 (Wed) 14:33
No. 208231
▼
File
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- (304.48KB,
850x1203,
__motoori_kosuzu_touhou_drawn_by_himajin_noizu__sa.jpg)
Compared to the pulse from the night before The psychic pulse was stronger, oppressively so, to the point that the words became overwhelming to comprehend. Youmu staggered to her knees, clutching at her head.
+Konpaku Youmu, this is Akyuu, do +++++ead me? Wait, there’s a ++ng?! Are you a+++ally in Gen++++o?!+
The swordswoman felt something trickle from her nose, and the taste of blood enter her mouth. “A-Akyuu, stop, slow down…” Youmu was vaguely aware of the others surrounding her, of Koishi trying to look around for the source of the psychic pulse. But the force of the psychic pulse was overwhelming, and it was all she could do to hold on and hope the pulse would pass.
Unfortunately, the psychic voice redoubled in power and excitement. +YOU+++I’M++++GLAD YOU’RE++KAY I’VE B+++++++RIED!+ Youmu put her hands to her ears, but it did nothing to stop the psychic assault. +COME++VILL+++++LIVERY+++RAB+++TEI+++UNCH!+ It was too much, too much, a maelstrom threatening to swallow Youmu’s consciousness whole.
And, inevitably, it did.
Screaming.
Kosuzu was screaming. Youmu and Reimu rounded the corner, their feet pounding on the wood. With Reimu’s hands cradling the little yellow spark, it was Youmu who was leading the charge. She threw open the door, where the gardener had left the two non-combatants.
The sight nearly broke her. Right by the door, where the chronicler had been sitting, there was a figure so utterly consumed by black flames as to mask any true details beneath it. Behind her, Youmu could see the quivering, fallen figure of Kosuzu, staring in abject horror at what had happened to her friend.
There was no time to waste. Hakurouken left its sheath, slashing through the flames. They dispersed under the slashes, leaving only a small, purple mote. Reimu surged in after Youmu, throwing talismans down at the remaining embers with one hand, and scooping up the mote with the other.
As Reimu fought down the last few fires, Youmu ran through to the bookkeeper. She was shivering, still staring at the space where Akyuu had once been. Youmu reached out for the Kosuzu, drawing a flinch as she took the girl’s hand.
“Kosuzu… are you al-” She stopped, and started again. “You’re not hurt, are you?” The bookkeeper turned to look at Youmu, wordlessly nodding and letting out a weak sob. The gardener reached around her, pulling her into a hug.
The ghost half spun around, scanning for possible threats, but finding none. The Shrine Maiden finished her duties, and turned back to the others.
“Kosuzu… we’re back on the surface. Yukari’s plan got us this far, but the danger’s not over yet. Can you stand?” With another nod, the bookkeeper slowly got to her feet, with Youmu’s assistance. Reimu cupped the two motes, and handed them over to Kosuzu.
Slowly, the bookkeeper spoke. “Are… are these…”
“They’ll be okay. Yukari told us we could save Marisa, and I’m sure we can save Akyuu too.” Reimu nodded. “But now the task of Remembering falls to you, Kosuzu.”
Kosuzu gave a ragged breath, seeming to crumple from the weight of the world on her. “I… I can’t-”
Youmu rubbed her shoulder. “You can. Yukari wouldn’t have brought you with us if you couldn’t.” She did her best to give a reassuring smile. “And you don’t have to do it for everyone. Just enough that we can put these two back together. Maybe even just the sculptor god?”
Reimu nodded, picking up the edition of the Chronicle Akyuu had been reading from the table. “She can fix them. We’ll save them, and then we’ll save everyone else.”
Kosuzu gulped, but took the book. Slowly, she began to flick through the pages. Youmu tried to empty her head, and steady her shuddering nerves. They’d taken a disastrous loss already, but… they could still do this. They could still bring everyone back.
A thump on the ground snapped everyone to attention. At once, Kosuzu was flat with her back in a corner, the two more experienced warriors guarding her. Through the paper-thin walls, they could see figures moving, casting dark, flickering silhouettes.
The bookkeeper’s voice was barely more than a whisper. “What… what are those things…?”
Reimu took a deep breath. “Yukari… called them Pyres, I think. They’re either the source of these black flames… or they just take a lot longer to burn than we do. And now you know as much as us.”
Youmu turned to the others. “I’m gonna send my phantom half to scout. Don’t worry, I’ll be careful.” Reimu hesitantly nodded, and Youmu pushed her other half skyward, gliding through the roof. Slowly, the phantom inspected the area, looking to spot any Pyres that were close. There were three of them, each humanoid with burning wings, only vaguely discernible by what counted for their silhouettes. A burning figure over by the Torii gates with fire trailing like spurts off the top corners of its head… another with spiralling flames framing what counted for its face incinerating an apple tree on the grounds just by touching it.
And a third, with flames resembling long, trailing hair, about to strike the building from outside it.
Right where Kosuzu was.
“Kosuzu!” Youmu’s human body turned to the bookkeeper, thrusting her arm out and trying to grab at Parsee’s collar. Her desperate yank brought a yelp out of the hashihime, and it took a few seconds for her to realize what she was doing, and release her.
She felt a chill go through her. First Marisa’s death, then Akyuu’s and Kosuzu’s… if these flashbacks went on… she’d remember her own death. And the thought… she felt her skin crawling. She did her best to swallow the fear down, deep, deep within.
Slowly, she sat up, groaning. Koishi and Orin were looking at Youmu with abject concern. Parsee was sat behind Youmu - more specifically, it seemed like Youmu’s head had been in her lap - and was straightening her dress.
Orin spoke first. “Youmu, are you good to keep going? You just straight-up passed out there for a few minutes.”
The hell raven took a moment, then nodded her head. “I-I think so…” She groaned, rubbing her head. “But we gotta find Akyuu before she decides to do that again. I think next time she does it, I’ll be leaking my brains out my ears.”
Koishi sat back. “That psychic power… I can’t imagine… basically anyone being able to produce that much force by themselves… at least not without being close enough that they could just punch you in the nose instead.”
Parsee scoffed. “So that was a psychic effect that KO’d Youmu? Maybe whoever did it’s got some kinda thing that buffs her brainpower or whatever.”
Youmu started to get to her feet, waving off an Orin that started to move to her aid. “Would that be safe for her to do?” Everyone turned to Koishi, who… only gave a doubtful look. “All the more reason to get to her quickly then.”
Koishi took a moment to think. “I couldn’t get much of what she said… but I heard something about… the village, and a delivery?” Youmu nodded in agreement. “So… maybe she needs to meet you there?”
“The village…” Orin’s face was tight-lipped with concern. “Well, I was only planning to skirt along the edges on the way to get the corpses, but… if this Akyuu wants to meet you there, then… its gonna be hard to move as a group. And we still need to get those corpses, too.”
Parsee shrugged. “Well, as someone who doesn’t want to be up here a second longer than she has to, there’s an obvious solution. We split our forces, two and two. Orin goes gathering corpses with Koishi, and I go with Youmu to track down this rabbit that’s accidentally mulching her brain.”
“Hold on!” The satori interjected. “Why do you get to go through the village? I wanna see it too, and I bet I’d be able to find Akyuu quicker! Besides, who’s to say you’re not gonna cause trouble?”
Parsee shook her head. “The bird with the two swords? You might be able to get to the target quicker but you don’t know how to move around humans all too much - the chance of you getting exposed goes way up. And spotting anyone who might act as a witness to the corpse-carting is probably more important.”
Orin looked up at Youmu, looking bluntly stressed. “...Ugh. Well, Youmu, you’re the one who’s gotta bring them right into the center of town, so… I’ll let you pick your poison.”
[ ] “Koishi, you’re with me. You need to listen to what I say, alright?”
[ ] “Parsee, if you cause any trouble, I’ll make sure you live to regret it.”
[ ] “Orin… I still feel like I had a headbutt contest with Yuugi. Who do you pick?”
Just going to make a crystal clear clarification here:
The Jenny-Say-Kwah stat measures something entirely outside of Youmu's head. That stat has no effect on Youmu's suitability or anything else about her - it is entirely a stat about Suwako's impression of her. In fact, if Youmu were to seek training to formally prepare herself for the task, that would increase Jenny-say-kwah as well in an entirely different way to the main methods discussed so far.
Anonymous 2024/05/15 (Wed) 15:06
No. 208232
▼
Good to know more about the stat.
[x] “Koishi, you’re with me. You need to listen to what I say, alright?”
Telephone
Mew 2024/05/15 (Wed) 15:08
No. 208233
▼
Well, we have a very eager rabbit on our hands. Time to go see what she wants. As for who we're bringing...
[X] “Koishi, you’re with me. You need to listen to what I say, alright?”
Koosh is friend. Also...
{X} Put a cloak on her. Her eye shouldn't be seen, else it would be a dead giveaway where they were from.
Stealth.
Anonymous 2024/05/15 (Wed) 15:09
No. 208234
▼
>>208233
It's been mentioned that Koishi's in a poncho, presumably to take care of that issue.
radim 2024/05/15 (Wed) 15:13
No. 208235
▼
>>208230
I think Youmu has always been dumb, just go see her dialogues from games (and endings) and the way she is in mangas
Anonymous 2024/05/15 (Wed) 15:19
No. 208236
▼
This is actually a really tough decision. On one hand, Parsee would probably be more likely to listen to us and not cause too much trouble. But she would also begin to incite Jealousy in the middle of the village.
Koishi might listen to us… however she only really listens to Satori, after all we’re their pets. But she’ll run after us the second Orin’s back is turned and it is her first time on the surface. Can we really say no to that adorable face?
>And spotting anyone who might act as a witness to the corpse-carting is probably more important.
Also, Parsee can literally sense jealousy, it’s how we found Koishi. Sure, seeing someone carting around corpses may not inspire too much jealousy, but there might be some. Koishi’s third eye is currently covered anyway so she can’t really read minds and doesn’t seem to be able to right now (unless it can see through objects).
Thus,
[X] “Koishi, you’re with me. You need to listen to what I say, alright?”
- {X} “I will be telling Satori if you misbehave.”
Anonymous 2024/05/15 (Wed) 15:25
No. 208237
▼
interesting note about the jenny-say-kwah there. if it's about suwako's impression of her rather than her suitability for the role of being an avatar for the yatagarasu, then there's a few implications that i'm interested to see if i read right.
[X] "Koishi, you're with me. You need to listen to what I say, alright?"
koosh time!!!!! given our past life knowledge and koishi being actually capable of concious thought, we should be able to give her enough pointers on how to not draw attention to herself. we're probably stealthing around anyways to avoid drawing attention to the fact that we're from former hell, with the tengu guards and other mentioned "security measures". if anything, we're probably the ones who need a dectector to see if anyone sees us.
>But things could go bad if people discovered Chireiden was the first to break the treaty for… what most people will see as a literal flight of fancy. Orin is a very explicit exception, with a job that requires her coming to the surface.
orin's gonna be (mostly) fine if people catch her sneaking around grabbing corpses. it's literally her job. if they catch parsee with her, there might be some complications, but orin goes up to the surface regularly- i think she knows how to avoid people for the most part.
i was about to write-in something about getting a cloak for ourselves for extra disguise points, but if we're stealthing and get caught by a wolf tengu patrol, we might be able to bluff being a crow tengu.
or not. dunno if youmu's able to bluff, actually. and they might go "hey, wait a minute, i've never heard of a crow tengu like you before..." hm. something to ponder.
Anonymous 2024/05/15 (Wed) 15:37
No. 208238
▼
[X] “Koishi, you’re with me. You need to listen to what I say, alright?”
- {X} “I will be telling Satori if you misbehave.”
Anonymous 2024/05/15 (Wed) 15:51
No. 208239
▼
>>208232 here:
Assuming Akyuu has cash...
-[x] You can pick a treat when we meet Akyuu, ok?
Carrots are better for Koishi than sticks.
Anonymous 2024/05/15 (Wed) 15:54
No. 208240
▼
[X] “Parsee, if you cause any trouble, I’ll make sure you live to regret it.”
There are so, so many reasons why I feel Akyuu and Koishi meeting up could go wrong in like five different ways? Because Akyuu knows about koishi shutting her eye, and satoris are like the ONE type of person who can get the knowledge of The Button out of her head.
Anonymous 2024/05/15 (Wed) 15:57
No. 208241
▼
[X] “Koishi, you’re with me. You need to listen to what I say, alright?”
- {X} “I will be telling Satori if you misbehave.”
Anonymous 2024/05/15 (Wed) 16:08
No. 208242
▼
[X] “Koishi, you’re with me. You need to listen to what I say, alright?”
- {X} “I will be telling Satori if you misbehave.”
Hopefully the threat of sisterly disapproval will be enough to keep Koishi in line.
Anonymous 2024/05/15 (Wed) 16:13
No. 208243
▼
[X] “Koishi, you’re with me. You need to listen to what I say, alright?”
- {X} “I will be telling Satori if you misbehave.”
Kosu 2024/05/15 (Wed) 16:30
No. 208244
▼
>>208215
Thank you, as I said before I really appreciate your words of encouragement!
Ok, long time since I posted what I've been thinking.
First, I like the possibility of both Youmu and Okuu gaining the power of Yatagarasu, even if it makes Okuu "redundant" I think there could be a way to make it work.
I also like the possibility of Okuu being one of the possible candidates to inherit Hakurouken.
Both are interesting options that completely flip the board on anything we might know or expect (and even if I like those posibilities, that doesn't mean I necesarily want them to happen. I'll just let things flow, since for me this story is part game too and I'm really enjoying the experience).
Youmu's and Reimu's side story potential is also really good: a misunderstanding based on Youmu's memories about Yachie means that even if they find Reimu, they might not even be sure if she's to be trusted beacuse of the small posibility she's a sleeper agent/hypnotized/brainwashed/whatever (even when we know she's not)
Also, I can already picture a scene of Reimu arriving to the Hakurei Shrine:
a self-concious Reimu arriving to the shrine, embarassed because of all the bodyguards arriving with a whole haul of furniture to better accomodate Reimu (on Yachie's insistence, of course). That and Reimu's reaction on people seeing her mountain of plushies which were included by mom between said furniture.
And I really want to see Reimu and Haru interact. I can picture Reimu being shy or even a little intimidated around Haru at first.
Maybe I'm looking way too much into the future, though.
I still wonder how does Koishi being here changes things, or how does she fare. I don't know if we avoided the whole "she closes her 3rd eye" thing just yet, but I'm confident based on what I've been reading that Youmu at least delayed that.
I chuckled at the thought of Akyuu basically using Cerebro from X-Men to contact Youmu. I chuckled a lot less at the implication of it possibly damaging the recipient of the message...
!2VXsQ1mzKI 2024/05/15 (Wed) 17:40
No. 208245
▼
[X] “Koishi, you’re with me. You need to listen to what I say, alright?”
- {X} “I will be telling Satori if you misbehave.”
— [x] You can pick a treat when we meet Akyuu, ok?
Anonymous 2024/05/15 (Wed) 18:08
No. 208246
▼
[X] “Orin… I still feel like I had a headbutt contest with Yuugi. Who do you pick?”
Orin is sensible. I trust her opinion.
Anonymous 2024/05/15 (Wed) 18:28
No. 208247
▼
[X] “Koishi, you’re with me. You need to listen to what I say, alright?”
Kosu 2024/05/15 (Wed) 18:46
No. 208248
▼
On one hand, taking Koishi is the kind option, frees Orin from having to babysit her while she works and let's Koishi see what's in the village, win-win.
On the other hand, the "meta" option is Parsee, because to enter the village we have to get through a tengu checkpoint and she seems to know how to actually enter this human village ("seems to" is the keyword), but we leave a bored Koishi with Orin
[X] “Koishi, you’re with me. You need to listen to what I say, alright?”
- {X} “I will be telling Satori if you misbehave.”
I say let's trust the goober, she hasn't been lobotomized yet so she should be able to behave well.
I'm curious to see how we enter the village. Maybe Akyuu gave a heads-up to the gatekeepers for a certain Youmu arriving today?
Anonymous 2024/05/15 (Wed) 20:57
No. 208250
▼
[X] “Koishi, you’re with me. You need to listen to what I say, alright?”
- {X} “I will be telling Satori if you misbehave.”
— [x] You can pick a treat when we meet Akyuu, ok?
asutnima 2024/05/15 (Wed) 21:39
No. 208251
▼
[X] “Koishi, you’re with me. You need to listen to what I say, alright?”
- {X} “I will be telling Satori if you misbehave.”
I'm looking forward to Akyuu's meeting
Anonymous 2024/05/15 (Wed) 21:48
No. 208252
▼
You know, something just hit me.
[X] “Koishi, you’re with me. You need to listen to what I say, alright?”
- {X} “I will be telling Satori if you misbehave.”
— (X) You can pick a treat when we meet Akyuu, ok?
If we end up meeting Akyuu with Koishi in toe, then she could possibly warn Koishi of what would happen if she closed her third eye, possibly preventing that whole thing from happening.
Anonymous 2024/05/15 (Wed) 23:05
No. 208253
▼
[X] “Koishi, you’re with me. You need to listen to what I say, alright?”
- {X} “I will be telling Satori if you misbehave.”
— (X) You can pick a treat when we meet Akyuu, ok?
I do vote for this, but I can see Koishi possibly getting a touch annoyed and pointing out (I do believe this is the case.) that she is older than both Youmu's lifespans
combined and we're treating her as a kid. XP
Also the explanation of Jenny-Say-Kwah is interesting, I do hope we get a chance of training together with Okuu! ...though the bit that its based on Suwako's impression of Youmu does hint that either
A: Suwako was able to observe us in the interaction of discovering Koishi,
or B: had someone that she has influence with observe and would report that back to her... I wonder where Parsee's little act/temporary accent came from...
though if the slice the rocks option was the one to raise our Jenny-say-Kwah I'm not sad to have missed it, I wouldn't want to have done that to Koishi when she's already had a bad day (or yesterday? has a day passed?)
>>208244 heh, it could go even further if its during the reunion with the others, Akyuu could be commenting on it and accidentally let loose a 'Pyon' and join Reimu trying to convince everyone that they didn't see(Reimu)/hear (Akyuu) anything
Also we have our first look at possibly our enemy here, or possibly some of its victims… if it is the latter, the first one sounds like horns, so possibly Seija or Kasen, spiraling flames around its face doesn’t have anything come to mind for me, and the last with looong hair… Byakuren, Tenshi, Yuugi?
And Akyuu message… first, either just the situation in general, or being turned into a (moon) bunny and certainly made Akyuu rather excitable! And second… I wonder what part of the message we missed, hopefully its wasn’t “I’m going to do deliveries at the village, meet me at ein*tei*” though a better one for our interpretation is “I’ve been at Eintei” or perhaps a little concerningly, “watch out for T(w)ei” or something like that.
Gooboi!WkvVHQzh76 2024/05/15 (Wed) 23:35
No. 208254
▼
File
171581615896.png
- (70.46KB,
670x480,
__kazami_yuuka_touhou_drawn_by_dora_ita__cc03d94d6.png)
>>208253
For anyone who's curious about the Pyres seen so far, I'll give you two hints.
1: They are real, canonical touhou characters.
2: If you can guess any one of them, you can infer the others.
Anonymous 2024/05/15 (Wed) 23:51
No. 208255
▼
>>208240 here
>>208252 The problem is Inaba Akyuu is also the person who ABSOLUTELY has something to hide from pet-collecting mind readers. She's the one person who, even without Koishi being in disguise, might treat her the way Koishi is trying to avoid.
Anonymous 2024/05/15 (Wed) 23:58
No. 208256
▼
Anonymous 2024/05/16 (Thu) 00:04
No. 208257
▼
>>208255
I think Akyuu could be like that, but there's many other things that could go right with an Akyuu & Koishi interaction. Especially since Akyuu does know of Koishi's fate (From Symposium of Post-Mysticism) in the original timeline.
Not sure how Gooboi would portray such an interaction, but I highly doubt that it would be purely negative.
Anonymous 2024/05/16 (Thu) 00:33
No. 208258
▼
>>208254
The one with spiraling horns has to be Yuuma, and the other horned one could be Yachie, which makes the third... Saki?
Anonymous 2024/05/16 (Thu) 00:42
No. 208260
▼
>>208258
Wouldn’t Yachie have an explicit tail or shell?
Anonymous 2024/05/16 (Thu) 01:14
No. 208261
▼
>>208258
She does have the hair length for it...
Anonymous 2024/05/16 (Thu) 01:29
No. 208262
▼
Counting to
>>208253:
Main Choice:
[15] “Koishi, you’re with me. You need to listen to what I say, alright?”
[1] “Parsee, if you cause any trouble, I’ll make sure you live to regret it.”
[1] “Orin… I still feel like I had a headbutt contest with Yuugi. Who do you pick?”
Potential Additions:
-[1] Put a cloak on her. Her eye shouldn't be seen, else it would be a dead giveaway where they were from. (
>>208233)
-[11] “I will be telling Satori if you misbehave.” (
>>208236,
>>208238,
>>208241,
>>208242,
>>208243,
>>208245,
>>208248,
>>208250,
>>208251,
>>208252,
>>208253)
-[5] "You can pick a treat when we meet Akyuu, ok?" (
>>208239,
>>208245,
>>208250,
>>208252,
>>208253)
A calm round of votes with good potential additions, nothing much to say.
Anonymous 2024/05/16 (Thu) 01:30
No. 208263
▼
Hear me out, I can think of a trio of characters where one has long hair, one has face-framing curls, and one has high pigtails, plus as a bonus they also have wings and might reasonably be the sort of people who don't burn out quickly. True terror!
Anyway, either companion is liable to cause their own kinds of problems, but then that's the nature of storytelling. Having Koishi meet Akyuu really could go very south, but... it still seems nicer than leaving her looking at stiffs with Orin (who herself is probably better at handling Parsee's quirks) and it makes sense for Youmu to want to guard her firsthand right now.
[X] “Koishi, you’re with me. You need to listen to what I say, alright?”
Anonymous 2024/05/16 (Thu) 04:50
No. 208264
▼
[X] “Koishi, you’re with me. You need to listen to what I say, alright?”
I'm worried for Koishi somehow and Orin can deal with Parsee just as good tbh.
Anonymous 2024/05/16 (Thu) 05:59
No. 208265
▼
[X] “Koishi, you’re with me. You need to listen to what I say, alright?”
If we take Koishi around on a fun time with Akyuu instead of sticking her on corpse duty, she'll be more satisfied and less likely to sneak out again so soon. Or maybe it'll make her want to sneak out More. Who can say, really?
Anonymous 2024/05/16 (Thu) 10:39
No. 208266
▼
Should we be bringing Koishi to Akyuu? Didn't they say that a mind reader could pull the information out of her head to mimic the button?
Anonymous 2024/05/16 (Thu) 10:53
No. 208267
▼
>>208240 here
>>208266
This is what I've been saying! I can't help but feel this is the EXACT situation we've been warned about.
Anonymous 2024/05/16 (Thu) 13:54
No. 208268
▼
>>208266
I'm pretty sure that Akyuu would have to think of the button for Koishi to even know about it.
At this point, Akyuu is probably thinking about Youmu right now.
Of course, even if the button issue isn't completely fixed, Koishi isn't the person to do that type of thing. She isn't evil, she's just very curious
and a bit lonely.
Anonymous 2024/05/16 (Thu) 14:06
No. 208269
▼
>>208266
Of course she's thinking of Youmu right now. She has no clue Koishi's on the surface yet.
Peony for Your Thoughts
Gooboi!WkvVHQzh76 2024/05/16 (Thu) 16:18
No. 208270
▼
[18] “Koishi, you’re with me. You need to listen to what I say, alright?”
[1] “Parsee, if you cause any trouble, I’ll make sure you live to regret it.”
[1] “Orin… I still feel like I had a headbutt contest with Yuugi. Who do you pick?”
-[11] “I will be telling Satori if you misbehave.”
-[5] "You can pick a treat when we meet Akyuu, ok?"
“Koishi, you’re with me. You need to listen to what I say, alright?” The satori’s face immediately brightened, and she pumped her fists in excitement. Youmu folded her arms, doing her best to look stern. “But I will be telling Satori if-”
“Myon…” Orin interrupted. Her face was writ plain with concern. “I already said that, you know? Back when we caught her following us?” The hell raven stuttered, her momentary composure lost. “...You sure you’re gonna be right, Youmu?”
Parsee tched bitterly. “She’s made her choice. You two better find your rabbit or whatever, ‘cos we can only go off what you’ve told us.” She turned, storming off.
Orin watched her walk away, before turning to the others. “Well… guess we should be off, then. It’ll be a ways away before we have to split, so we might as well walk together for that part, eh?”
The quartet kept moving, towards the human village. It wasn’t at all hard to see where it was - the cave they’d exited from was already fairly close to it, and the roads and paths through the foothills all seemed to congregate at one point. As the pounding of her head began to ease up, Youmu and the others started to get into a more relaxed, even jovial mood.
Parsee was sulking a bit, not talking to the others, but Orin, Koishi, and Youmu were doing their best to get Koishi acquainted with the surface, and its plant life. The latter two had stopped to take a look at a clover patch, but not found the lucky charm they had sought, and ended up having to run to catch up with the graveyard team. Now, the smell of smoke and other scents were beginning to fill their nostrils, and the talk moved from plants and rivers, to rice and sauces.
…Then, as they got closer, the topic changed again. There was constant flying over the human village, normally a place that, if not no-fly, was at least kept to a minimum. Presumably they were the Tengu that Parsee had mentioned earlier - presumably, at least, because the hashihime in question had clammed up in her sulking, and was steadfastly rebuffing even Koishi’s probing just out of spite. It turned out Parsee could stick with quite the one-track mind, if she wanted to.
Still, Youmu wasn’t too worried about that. Parsee was… you had to sometimes squint to see it, but she wasn’t a bad person. Just someone compelled to, for whatever reason, bury any good intent as deep as she could. The needling she’d done earlier, for example, most likely masked genuine concern for Koishi not getting lost and overwhelmed on the surface. If there was a reason to believe they’d be under genuine danger just for getting close, Parsee would find some way to pass the warning while nursing her wounded pride. …Probably.
Youmu was more worried about… other things. Her memories. They were coming back, bit by bit, but not at all in a pleasant way. And… was there anything left to see, really? Surely she could just… not have to go through any more.
She sighed. As far as ages went, she was the eldest of the reincarnators by most measures. When they’d first been sequestered away, Youmu had done her best to act as the stalwart guardian of the team, keeping the others safe and breaking up any fights that were at risk of turning for the worst. She’d done her best to reassure them all - that she’d protect them, fight off their enemies.
Instead… she’d been the last one standing. She presumed that, at least - she’d definitely been in a better state than Reimu at the end there, she’d never forgotten her own last name. And the Pyres… her skin crawled just thinking of them.
At length, she’d announced she was scouting ahead, telling everyone to hang back while she spotted the best route. Everyone saw it for what it was - a chance to take a moment away from the mind-reader - and left her to do it.
And so, Youmu had gone ahead, cresting the last hill before anyone else. Past a few more pastures, the walls of the human village stood, with two obvious entrances nearby. For a mercy, neither seemed busy or closely guarded, even by the hawkish tengu looming over the city. Though… there was a pair at each set of gates, engaged in vigorous conversations.
One pair was absolutely unmistakable, a tale as old of time, really. The two short figures arguing over what appeared to be some sort of trading agreement were all too recognizable, even at this distance, thanks to their unique clothes - one in watery blue, one in camo green - and of course their caps. Youmu had always wondered whether or not kappa truly did have that dish in their head, but the one time she’d managed to knock a kappa’s hat off, she’d beaten Youmu unconscious before the swordswoman got a good look. In fact, she was pretty sure that was the same kappa arguing with the yamawaro, there. Even if Youmu couldn’t remember her name.
The other pair… brought no particular memories to mind. Humans, seemingly. One was a classic noble lady archetype, with vivid red hair and purple robes. She was talking animatedly, in a way that reminded Youmu of Lady Kaguya, vaguely. Though, admittedly, she paid the ladylike figure little attention.
Instead, her eyes were drawn to her companion, a dashing swordsman type, with a purple flowing ponytail. He was wearing red and white, making him a color counterpart to his companion, and topped off the look with a long-suffering expression that reminded Youmu far too much of her own when dealing with her teasing mistresses. …Perhaps they could get a cup of tea and discuss it, sometime.
She lightly clapped her cheeks, to refocus herself. Either pair could work for asking a few questions - they were likely to be the mobile types if they were out and about. Perhaps the mountain youkai would know more about the Tengu’s actions, and the villagers might have spotted Akyuu more often, but it wasn’t like… like… like whatsherface didn’t have an ear out, or that the villagers couldn’t just look up and see a decent amount of the tengu.
While she was deliberating, she realized she was standing in a clover field. Remembering her earlier attempt to find one with Koishi, she squatted down to take a look.
She muttered to herself, not really paying attention. “Four leaf clover, four leaf clover…”
All of a sudden, the field of clovers parted, as if blown by some wind. In the center of the parted patch, a single sprout emerged from the ground, quickly growing into the exact requisite size. Youmu stared at it for a moment, unblinking.
“...Huh?”
There was a familiar laugh, emanating from her pocket. “Keh heh heh… one four leaf clover, as requested.” Youmu reached into the pocket in question, pulling out Suwako’s knobbly talisman. “Izzat what you needed, Youmu?”
Youmu’s eyes narrowed. “Lady Suwako. You’ve been spying on me?”
The talisman jumped from her hand, settling among a pile of petals. Slowly, they rearranged themselves, forming a crude figurine of the goddess herself.
“Well… yes. Squeezing it will get me in contact whenever you need, but I can also tune in too. Sorry, was that not clear?”
Youmu folded her arms. “Why are you revealing this now? And… for that matter, why did you steal all our corpses?”
“Second part first, and I’ll skip the usual platitudes… I guess you could call it my impatience. I want to get proper measure of you, Youmu, but it’s all too easy for someone’s true potential to get buried in routine. This has already driven you into a situation you never would have before - a genuine spell card fight with that hashihime girl.”
The pebble-frog kicked a small rock. “Now, for the serious question… Cos part of me overhearing you was overhearing your screaming in your sleep a few minutes ago.” A stony digit reached out, poking at the squatting raven’s forehead. “You alright in there, kid?”
“...No.” Akyuu looked away. “I’m… getting memories of how it all ended. Of how we all died, last time. And… and it’s terrifying me. Seeing everyone go, so suddenly. Knowing… my turn is coming.”
The figure looked up at her. After a moment, it cleared off a patch of dirt, growing a whole flower in the cleared space. “Peony for your thoughts?”
Youmu bluntly looked at the flower. “...That’s a poppy, Lady Suwako.”
“Ah, sorry. Don’t know all the newfangled names sometimes.” The makeshift idol sat down. “Still… you poor thing. That’s not a burden anyone should have to bear, is it?”
Youmu sighed. “But… I might be the only one who can. I have the second most-clear memory, after the one with literally perfect memory… and Akyuu got taken out from behind, so she missed the actual things that killed everyone. So… I have to remember at least some of it. And maybe if I get all the core memories… nobody else will have to remember their own deaths. I already couldn’t spare them the pain last time… maybe I can take care of it this time.”
The stone sculpture reached out an arm, resting it on Youmu’s knee. “...Kid, that’s… I know it’s not the same, but I know the feeling all too well. Of seeing your friends… your family…” She took a deep breath. “Still! Don’t go moping too hard, just yet. They’re all alive again, aren’t they? That means you did your job, doesn't it?”
Youmu nodded, weakly. “Yeah, but… I don’t know where two of them are, and a third is in that tortoise-dragon’s clutches…”
“One thing at a time.” The goddess patted her knee. “The sooner the better, of course, but the more friends you have, the better your odds get. Especially if you get a certain power boost. Can’t imagine some sneaky yakuza lasting long against a slash that can split atoms.”
Youmu took a look at the rock figure. “...I’ve got a few more questions, if you don’t mind.”
“Shoot! I’m all ears, birdy.”
“...Are you avoiding the Komeiji sisters?”
Suwako nodded. “Haven’t got the proverbial… business proposition ready for them yet. And I don’t know how well this little trick of mine masks my thoughts when I’m actively transmitting it. Just need to get all my ducks in a row, first. Got some other matters to hadle. They seem like good kids, though. …Tip from an old hat, don’t try to go too hard on Koishi when you get in there. She’s at that age, by my reckoning.”
Youmu snorted. “She’s older than I am.”
“Yes, but… youkai’s bodies often age with their minds. Like that 500 year old newcomer who still acts like a brat, so she is still a brat - yes, I know, I’m a bit of a special case. Anyway, point is, don’t be too strict on her, or she’ll start to want to defy you just to make a point. Was there anything else you wanted to ask, before your friends catch up?”
{ } “Any tips for laying low in the village?”
{ } “Have you heard of Pyres, and black fire that can… eat people?”
[ ] Sidle around the bickering Kappa and Yamawaro.
[ ] Go past the Lady and her swordsman.
Anonymous 2024/05/16 (Thu) 16:33
No. 208271
▼
[x] “Any tips for laying low in the village?”
Doubt Suwako would know who/what Pyres are (given that the incident hasn't happened yet).
{x} Slide around the bickering Kappa and Yamawaro.
Interested on how Nitori & Takane will act.
Kosu 2024/05/16 (Thu) 16:39
No. 208272
▼
{X} “Any tips for laying low in the village?”
Not the time to ask for the future culprit yet.
[X] Go past the Lady and her swordsman.
We don't have money with us (I think) so speaking with the Kappa and Yamawaro might not give us answers. Seeing that Youmu is pulling a Reimu right now, let's go talk to bunny cop princess and the dashing mysterious swordswoman the human duo.
Anonymous 2024/05/16 (Thu) 17:24
No. 208273
▼
{X} “Any tips for laying low in the village?”
[X] Go past the Lady and her swordsman.
Time for more characterization of old characters!
Is Youmu going to react to Meira the same way Reimu did?
Anonymous 2024/05/16 (Thu) 17:40
No. 208274
▼
{X} “Any tips for laying low in the village?”
More immediately useful info.
[X] Sidle around the bickering Kappa and Yamawaro.
If we pass the humans, we're obligated to play our societal role of menace. We can just pass on by this duo without having to put on our scary faces.
!2VXsQ1mzKI 2024/05/16 (Thu) 17:59
No. 208275
▼
{X} “Any tips for laying low in the village?”
- [X] Go past the Lady and her swordsman.
I wanna see Youmu shoot her shot :3 I think talking to the human duo might be a wise decision.
Anonymous 2024/05/16 (Thu) 19:54
No. 208277
▼
{X} “Any tips for laying low in the village?”
[X] Go past the Lady and her swordsman.
Let's see what these OCs will say.
Anonymous 2024/05/16 (Thu) 20:49
No. 208278
▼
[x] “Any tips for laying low in the village?”
[X] Go past the Lady and her swordsman.
PC-98 Characters! Whoop Whoop!
asutnima 2024/05/16 (Thu) 21:37
No. 208279
▼
{X} “Any tips for laying low in the village?”
[X] Sidle around the bickering Kappa and Yamawaro.
maybe they have something interesting to tell about the youkai mountain
Anonymous 2024/05/16 (Thu) 21:57
No. 208280
▼
{X} “Any tips for laying low in the village?”
[X] Go past the Lady and her swordsman.
Anonymous 2024/05/16 (Thu) 21:59
No. 208281
▼
>>208277
they're not ocs at all! they're characters from pc-98! from the descriptions, "the lady" seems to be kotohime from phantasmagoria of dim dream (touhou 3), and "her swordsman" sounds like meira from story of eastern wonderland (touhou 2). no idea why she's described as male here, though that could simply just be a mistake on youmu's part.
>“...No.” Akyuu looked away.
typo here lol. pretty sure she hasn't shown up yet.
{X} "Any tips for laying low in the village?"
meet up with akyuu first. we can always ask for information about the pyres later, now that we know suwako can listen in on us.
[X] Go past the Lady and her swordsman
with ichi and go being
heavily implied to be yumemi and chiyuri, did podd even happen? when akyuu asked about the "training incidents" while in the village, kaguya was gonna say something but decided to get back on track before they got too distracted. anyways, since we're not disguised, hopefully we can bluff through the humans by pretending to be a crow tengu. nitori and takane might call us out, but the villagers should be fine, right?
Anonymous 2024/05/16 (Thu) 22:30
No. 208282
▼
>>208281
Why even pretend to be a crow? We're a white feathered bird in human form. These humans aren't going to be ornithologists.
"Hi there, I'm Myon, a hell- er, a heaven... dove. A heaven dove youkai. I'm... a taoist's pet bird and I'm new in the area, can you help me with directions?"
Anonymous 2024/05/16 (Thu) 22:47
No. 208283
▼
{X} “Have you heard of Pyres, and black fire that can… eat people?”
We have the opportunity to quiz the goddess of curses. And they seem to be something she might now something about.
{X} “Any tips for laying low in the village?”
It's not either, it's both - to be honnest. It's a small question that won't make great conversation - unless that rises up the differences between this Human Village and the previous timeline's.
[X] Sidle around the bickering Kappa and Yamawaro.
You know them - even though you might not remember their names. So, if we are familiar already, less risk of screw ups.
Anonymous 2024/05/16 (Thu) 23:06
No. 208284
▼
>>208283
We’ve been told that Suwako’s avoiding Koishi for now. Presumably thats why we have to choose between the two questions, Koishi will catch up before we get to ask the second one
OPs mentioned he’s fine with occasionally doing both parts of a choice, but it’s gotta be more clever than “do A quickly then do B”
Mew 2024/05/16 (Thu) 23:20
No. 208285
▼
Eh....not much to see yet. Let's go talk to the frog.
{X} “Any tips for laying low in the village?”
We probably should ask for Koishi's sake. Having a floating eye is kind of a giveaway you're a youkai. As for the duo we will be talking to...
[X] Go past the Lady and her swordsman.
I do not know who these people are, but hey, it's not like Nitori is gonna give us a free pass.
Welp, no additions today. Let's get some answers
Kosu 2024/05/16 (Thu) 23:31
No. 208286
▼
>>208281
About the swordsman...
PC-98 spoilers? I guess?
Meira is a masculine woman that looks like a pretty man.
Reimu actually mistakes her for a man and gets flustered after Meira tells her that "I will make the Hakurei mine" that she misunderstands as some kind of proposition (Meira thinks that by defeating Reimu, she can obtain the power of the Hakurei).
Anonymous 2024/05/16 (Thu) 23:47
No. 208287
▼
{X} “Any tips for laying low in the village?”
[X] Go past the Lady and her swordsman.
- [x] Ask Suwako to make her one of those tengu hats, from a flower, or clay. It would help sell her disguise as a crow tengu, who has dyed their feathers and hair fashionably white.
I'm not sure if we'll be able to sell a netherworld disguise, PCB events never happened - the border of life and death seperating the realm from Gensokyo wouldn't have been breached - so I think it wouldn't hold water - The warrior-servant of the Princess of the Netherworld would reasonably be able to pass, but some random raven? Please. Plus, this could earn us some major Jenny-Say-Kwah, damned be the consequences...
Also, PC-98!!!!!!! Kotohime and Meira!!!!!!
I'm gonna theorycraft here. First of all, pretty sure those pyres were the three fairies of light. What this reveals about the nature of the soul-eating black flame apocalypse is unknown to me.
Second, I'd like to talk about the nature of the pyres themselves. I'm pretty sure, reading back, the extent of our knowledge on them is this:
1) They showed up with little forewarning. Youmu mentions that Yuyuko sent her to the shrine, but says that she didn't tell her why. The time elapsed between Yuyuko telling Youmu and her getting to the shrine would be very little, I'd imagine, and from thereon we don't know jack because we are in Gapistan.If I'm interpreting it right, they were knocked out and gapped quickly after Youmu arrived. How Yuyuko knew - whether she found out herself, or was told by Yukari, might matter. Yukari likely coordinated it because they're gapped quickly after Youmu arrives. If we could recollect what Yukari or others told us about the incident, and when, we could gleam a much clearer timeline of it on top of what she tells us. Could have been that we were in that gap for a few days or even a month. Time is crucial. Imagine if whatever brought an end to Gensokyo remembered yester-timeline, or worse yet, Re/Awakened, and got to work early... Imagine that!
2)The black flame is able to control creatures it immolates. It doesn't immediately render to ash any Youkai that comes into contact as it does mortal men, as can be gleaned from the injured Yukari. The extent to which it can use the powers of its victims is shaky, but I'll take a stab. We have context from what we've seen from the pyres on the shrine grounds. As I've said before, I'm sure the pyres we saw were the three fairies of light. It is stated that "a third [pyre], with flames resembling long, trailing hair, [was] about to strike the building from outside it." Luna Child has the ability to "detect moving things", apparently described like a radar, workingthough walls and solid objects, if the wiki I'm reading from is correct. This would line up with the description of the attack, being positioned exactly to strike Kosuzu without direct line of sight, and also with the appearance described - "flames resembling long, trailing hair" and wings. After considering this, I'm pretty sure pyres are able to use the abilities of their victims. For now, what is shown is just fairies being taken over, if I'm correct. I'm pretty sure if Yukari was immolated and acting out the flame's will we'd have known about it, so that's still up in the air.
My suspects for the culprit of the incident are one:
The Abrahamic God with a capital G. This could be His Judgement Day, bringing souls to be judged by Him, and away from the cycle of reincarnation - maybe Gabriel's Horn can't be heard through gapspace? If this is the case I don't know if we could even fight against it. Is God uppercase G just an extremely powerful "normal" god lowercase g, or something more innate? This is probably utter stupidity on my part, why would the souls "deteriorate" if this was the case? Where were the other signs of the Biblical apocalypse? I just think it would be cool to have to fight angels and saints - a healthy heaping of sublime horror.
THOU. ART. UNCLEAN. I. SHALL. BAPTISE. THEE. IN. HELLFIRE.
and my second suspect:
Rin Satsuki, the forgotten Touhou. The souls of the humans fade until they are nought, like the state you can find Rin Satsuki in your copy of Touhou 6 (You have played the games, right?) - just a few hexadecimal digits encoding her name and some shot types. Just a wisp. This is also a very cool scenario for me. Imagine if Satsuki Rin also reincarnated as a yokai, or hell, went the other way round - since its implied she's a kirin through wordplay, she could have been reincarnated as a human. Also I'd love Satsuki because I love TakerFoxx's Imperfect Metamorphosis starring her, edgy mid-2010s razor scars and all.
I don't know what scenario is cooler and which I'd prefer. Maybe both? Jesus the begotten son and Satsuki the forgotten daughter? I don't know.
Anyways, sorry to longpost, I am thoroughly enjoying your story Gooboi. Thank you!
Anonymous 2024/05/17 (Fri) 00:23
No. 208288
▼
{X} “Have you heard of Pyres, and black fire that can… eat people?”
[X] Go past the Lady and her swordsman
Anonymous 2024/05/17 (Fri) 01:45
No. 208289
▼
>>208282
forgot youmu had white feathers oops
>>208286
ngl i find it hilarious that two out of the five reincarnators are somewhat attracted to meira. if she's met akyuu, then that could possibly a 3/5. would be funny if that happened.
Anonymous 2024/05/17 (Fri) 01:49
No. 208290
▼
Counting to
>>208288:
Main Choice #1:
[13] “Any tips for laying low in the village?”
[2] “Have you heard of Pyres, and black fire that can… eat people?”
Main Choice #2:
[4] Slide around the bickering Kappa and Yamawaro.
[10] Go past the Lady and her swordsman.
Anonymous 2024/05/17 (Fri) 02:21
No. 208291
▼
{X} “Any tips for laying low in the village?”
[X] Go past the Lady and her swordsman.
Anonymous 2024/05/17 (Fri) 02:46
No. 208292
▼
File
17159139829.png
- (195.71KB,
1416x1011,
Koishi and Youmu (source is pixiv 102346927).png)
{X} “Have you heard of Pyres, and black fire that can… eat people?”
I'm not voting for the laying low question because we already have a way to lay low: A small white bird is way less conspicuous than a white-winged avian youkai. We've got Koishi here who can communicate on our behalf if necessary.
[X] Go past the Lady and her swordsman
The swordsman is probably Meira. Is Youmu going to pop a ladyboner just like Reimu did so long ago?
Anonymous 2024/05/17 (Fri) 02:47
No. 208293
▼
>>208287
... I was going to say likely not... but... actually it does sound like them more than the animal realm bosses like I had thought before... huh. =( not the fairies! They must've been right on top of the shrine's return just because they hadn't gone far from their home after being burned...
as for the vote...the village is the immediately important part, and furthermore if Suwako had information regarding the Pyres, wouldn't they have gotten it out somehow during the incident? so... focusing on information that would help Koishi not get caught and enjoy her time.
[X] “Any tips for laying low in the village?”
for the other? I dunno, we've got Kotohime (whom I still suspect is in fact Kaguya sneaking into the village though that's more headcanon for the game lore itself and might not be the case of Redo/Reimu canon.) and the swordswoman with poor wording... or the Kappatalists... that's a really hard decision...
[X] Slide around the bickering Kappa and Yamawaro.
A rough night and a new friendship
Kosu 2024/05/17 (Fri) 03:02
No. 208294
▼
>> The girl did her best to strike an intimidating pose. “S-stay back, Miss Ha-I mean, human! I am Keine, a powerful youkai! One more step, and I’ll smash you flat!”
>> Haru paused mid-step. “...And what kind of youkai are you supposed to be? A were-something obviously if you’re doing this tonight, but a were-what?” There was a long, long, awkward silence, as the girl in front of Haru wracked her brain for an answer. “...Didn’t put much thought into this, did you?” She resumed walking.
>> Keine did her best to get into a fighting stance. Haru had seen better from some fairies. “I-I know why you’re here. You’re here to kill me, aren’t you?!”
Anonymous 2024/05/17 (Fri) 03:18
No. 208295
▼
>>208294
Now that's just adorable.
10/10
Anonymous 2024/05/17 (Fri) 09:07
No. 208296
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>>208281
Like Persona series begins with Persona 3, Touhou begins with EoSD.
Anonymous 2024/05/17 (Fri) 10:45
No. 208298
▼
{X} “Have you heard of Pyres, and black fire that can… eat people?”
[X] Slide around the bickering Kappa and Yamawaro.
Getting in an easy postion for a duel/fight is no way to lay low. I feel like we can go without the advice. Information would be helpful.
Passing Checkpoint 98
Gooboi!WkvVHQzh76 2024/05/17 (Fri) 15:59
No. 208299
▼
File
171596159417.png
- (690.69KB,
500x500,
__meira_and_kotohime_touhou_and_1_more_drawn_by_na.png)
{15} “Any tips for laying low in the village?”
{4} “Have you heard of Pyres, and black fire that can… eat people?”
[6] Sidle around the bickering Kappa and Yamawaro.
[12] Go past the Lady and her swordsman.
- [X] Ask Suwako to make her one of those tengu hats, from a flower, or clay. It would help sell her disguise as a crow tengu, who has dyed their feathers and hair fashionably white.
“Any tips for laying low in the village? Maybe you could make me a little tokin hat?”
The frog statue rubbed its chin. “Ehhhh… Iunno if that’s a good idea. Yeah, don’t go in trying to call yourself a Tengu.”
“Why not? It’s not like the humans would know the difference.”
“The humans wouldn’t, but the tengu will absolutely spot a fake tengu among their ranks, especially one that’s ghostly white.” …Huh, now that Orin had pointed it out… “And they’re keeping close track of their numbers, trying to track down… well, you kids. Even got that Asakura lady working with them now.”
Youmu hummed. “Asakura? Not familiar with her.”
“Well… it’s a long story.” The frog goddess hummed. “She’s a mage-scholar, and was one of the investigators in the original Immaterial Children Incident. She was the one who found out what became the accepted truth at the time; That Kamishirasawa Keine was the culprit.”
Youmu blinked. “That’s- well, that’s technically true, but-”
“Not enough time, birdy. Anyway, things went really sour between her and the Shrine Maiden, who was best friends with Keine at the time. Between that and just… how poorly the whole thing ended, Asakura’s been a bit of a controversial figure ever since.”
The rocky figure began to pace. “But recently, the situation’s started to change. The Shrine Maiden’s been saying that some of the children have been found, and there’s new evidence that exonerates Keine… but they’re keeping everything under wraps for now. For example, apparently the Hieda’s child is within Gensokyo, and even doing some work on the Chronicle, but she’s still not been to her old family’s residence yet.”
The frog idol paused. “And Asakura’s one of the people who are absolutely, completely on the outside of that conversation. Which means her reputation’s on the line again, but she has no idea in what way, and so… she’s taken it upon herself to unearth the truth by any means necessary.” Suwako let out a sigh. “I can certainly sympathize, but I’m rather firmly of the opinion that the families take priority here. And for you specifically, if she’s developed some device that lets her find you kids… it’ll be hard to keep your little lady under wraps. So… if you see a woman in a lab coat with purple hair… might be best to steer clear of her, as well as any Tengu wielding tech you don’t recognise.”
Youmu nodded. “Good idea, but… where should I say I’m from, then?”
“Well.. you do have that ghostly look about you, but your young lady is… ah!” The statuette stuck a finger up. “Say you’re from Makai. They’ve got a very favorable tourism contract with Gensokyo right now, and there’s no small amount of white-winged Makaians. It’d also work smoothly with your young lady being a wide-eyed gawper type; you can just say she’s visiting, and you’re escorting her. And of course, make sure that poncho of hers doesn’t shift around.”
Youmu smiled. “I can work with that. Thank you, Lady Suwako.”
The figurine took a small bow, and crumbled. Youmu picked up the badge that had been its face, and plucked the four-leaf clover from its patch.
As she stood up, the other three were approaching her position. She started walking back down the hill, over to them.
“Lady Suwako just got in contact with me.” Orin’s eyes narrowed, while Parsee looked merely curious. “She actually gave some good tips for sneaking about the village.”
Youmu showed Koishi the four-leaf clover, then began to tuck it into the bow on the young lady’s hat. “We’re probably best off acting as if we’re Makaian tourists. Apparently I’ll make for a rather unsubtle fake tengu.”
Parsee mulled it over, then nodded in agreement. “Yeah, and after the Makai Incursion Incident, those guys can go just about anywhere they please. So, this is where we part ways, is it?”
Orin looked over at the two of them. “Sure. Let’s agree to meet back here when we’re done, by sundown, alright?” The kasha smiled at the other two. “Please be careful. Lady Satori’s surely noticed your absence by now, Koishi, and she’s undoubtedly worrying herself sick already.”
Koishi stopped looking at her newly-adorned hat, and nodded to Orin. “We’ll be careful. See you later, guys!” She waved, as the parties split two ways.
At Youmu’s direction, she and Koishi made their way over to the entrance that was being covered by the two more humanoid idlers. Perhaps speaking with more humans would get them more information.
As they got closer, Youmu started to examine the two figures more closely. The maiden appeared to be talking rather animatedly with her guardian - or rather, at her guardian, who was staring off into the middle distance. He did look rather fetching, all pensive like that… and now she could see Koishi’s sly smile in her peripheral vision, forcing Youmu to bring herself back down to earth.
“So, after that I went and threw Kana in the cell, but the moment I turned away, she was gone again! She just floated through the wall! It was like magic!” The little lady huffed. “It’s a complete violation of laws to escape like that, isn’t it?! I should check what the appropriate punishment is for violating the laws of physics.”
The swordsman’s voice was flat. “Kana’s a poltergeist. She can do that.”
The lady continued, unabated. “And then! And then I went to get that Ellen girl, and her cat, but I could only get the cat. So I put the cat in the cell, and went to hide so Ellen would see him and go in so I could catch them both. And guess what?” There was a long pause, as the lady waited for a response that evidently wasn’t coming. “She somehow got the cat out without ever passing my notice! And she drank my glass of milk, too!”
The purple-haired guardian let out a long, and long-suffering, sigh. “I said this the last three times you told me this story; the bars aren’t small enough to hold a cat, Lady Kotohime. And he most likely drank your milk, too.”
“Don’t be silly, Meira! Everyone knows cats only eat cheese-” The swordsman saw the two from hell approaching, and began to draw his blade.
“Halt, outsiders! Where are you from?”
Youmu began to respond, but Lady Kotohime cut her off. “Why, isn’t it obvious, Meira? They’re humans, so they have to be local residents, I’m sure of it!”
Meira - odd name for a boy - sighed again. “Lady Kotohime… humans don’t have big white wings.”
The Lady inspected them again. More specifically, she inspected Koishi first, then turned to Youmu and her wings. “Oooh, good catch. Thought those were velcro or something.”
Youmu did her best not to look at the… eccentric lady. “Greetings. I am Youmu, and this is Koishi. We’re visiting from Makai.”
The eccentric looked at them. “You’re visiting from Former Hell?”
Youmu briefly felt a chill over her heart, but Meira made a frustrated noise. “Makai is not Former Hell, Lady Kotohime. We’ve been over this.”
The hell raven took a momentary glance over at Koishi, who… was staring at Kotohime. Slowly, she tilted her head, abject confusion on her face.
At length, the hell-raven decided to speak. “May I ask what you two are doing?”
“Officer Kotohime reporting! We’re looking for suspicious perpetrators! So we can lock them up!” Kotohime fished a pair of handcuffs from the folds of her kimono. “You wouldn’t happen to have seen any suspicious people, have you?”
Meira’s hand got dragged down her face. “...I can see some right now, you know.” Kotohime’s head started whirling around, trying to spot what Meira was talking about. “But I’m not the one playing law enforcer. I am acting as Lady Kotohime’s… second opinion, as it were. Trying to make sure she doesn’t perform any… unjust arrests.”
Lady Kotohime saluted. “There’s been even more trouble than usual, recently! Just yesterday, we apprehended a couple of little green suspects, but they snuck out when I wasn’t looking!”
“...Probably got out the same way Kana did. I told you locking up spirits was a waste of time.” Meira was openly frustrated. “Have you ever managed to lock someone up?”
Kotohime took a few moments to think back. “Last time was… that blonde ‘Darcy’ girl, I think. Or was it Za de?”
Koishi smiled, offering her hand to Meira. “Lovely to meet you both!” The swordsman, after a moment, took her hand and shook it. “My guardian, Youmu, is here looking for a certain someone, and I was simply so curious, I insisted on accompanying her.”
Meira nodded. “Well, can’t guarantee we know everyone, but we might be able to answer some questions. Who are you looking for?”
Youmu nodded, stepping forward. There were a couple of things she wanted to ask, actually. But first, she needed to try and parse what Akyuu was trying to tell her earlier.
...Well, Koishi might have her own interpretation, but they hadn't discussed that beforehand, so...
[ ] “Is there maybe… a purple-haired youkai rabbit that makes deliveries in the Village? We were meant to meet for lunch, but she didn’t tell me where.”
[ ] “Do you know of… a place where youkai rabbits are delivered to be made into lunch? I believe my friend might be one of those rabbits.”
And there was something else they’d said, that had stuck in Youmu’s mind, and stirred a bit of her old memories.
{ } Little green spirits? …Could those be…
{ } The blonde ‘Darcy’ girl… Did she mean ‘da ze’?
Anonymous 2024/05/17 (Fri) 16:24
No. 208300
▼
[x] “Is there maybe… a purple-haired youkai rabbit that makes deliveries in the Village? We were meant to meet for lunch, but she didn’t tell me where.”
The second option is very funny.
{x} Little green spirits? …Could those be…
????
Apologies to >>208287 for not counting their write-in (Thankfully Gooboi spotted it :3).
Anonymous 2024/05/17 (Fri) 16:55
No. 208301
▼
[X] “Is there maybe… a purple-haired youkai rabbit that makes deliveries in the Village? We were meant to meet for lunch, but she didn’t tell me where.”
{X} The blonde ‘Darcy’ girl… Did she mean ‘da ze’?
Anonymous 2024/05/17 (Fri) 17:08
No. 208302
▼
[X] “Do you know of… a place where youkai rabbits are delivered to be made into lunch? I believe my friend might be one of those rabbits.”
I swear I'm not just fishing for JSK here. Kotohime speaks nonsense, we can communicate in her native tongue and probably get actually valuable information.
{X} Little green spirits? …Could those be…
Gotta save our friend from the evil silver-tongued dragon turtle!
!2VXsQ1mzKI 2024/05/17 (Fri) 17:28
No. 208303
▼
[x] “Is there maybe… a purple-haired youkai rabbit that makes deliveries in the Village? We were meant to meet for lunch, but she didn’t tell me where.”
- {x} Little green spirits? …Could those be…
Anonymous 2024/05/17 (Fri) 17:30
No. 208304
▼
[X] “Do you know of… a place where youkai rabbits are delivered to be made into lunch? I believe my friend might be one of those rabbits.”
{X} The blonde ‘Darcy’ girl… Did she mean ‘da ze’?
I'm not fishing for JSK either - I just find the question too funny to resist. The second choice was really tough. I want to hear about the otter spirits, but we know so little about Ichi and Go that I just wanna get a wee bit more.
Anonymous 2024/05/17 (Fri) 17:33
No. 208305
▼
[X] “Is there maybe… a purple-haired youkai rabbit that makes deliveries in the Village? We were meant to meet for lunch, but she didn’t tell me where.”
{X} Little green spirits? …Could those be…
Anonymous 2024/05/17 (Fri) 17:50
No. 208306
▼
[X] “Do you know of… a place where youkai rabbits are delivered to be made into lunch? I believe my friend might be one of those rabbits.”
Please. We've been avoiding silly options because there have been stakes, but this is a perfect harmless chance for a laugh.
{X} Little green spirits? …Could those be…
Otters!
Kosu 2024/05/17 (Fri) 18:00
No. 208307
▼
[X] “Do you know of… a place where youkai rabbits are delivered to be made into lunch? I believe my friend might be one of those rabbits.”
I couldn't resist. I know this is obvious bait, but it's just too much to pass, sorry.
I wonder what's the threshold for JSK...
{X} Little green spirits? …Could those be…
Reimu is fresher on our minds than Marisa is currently. And to be honest I want to see our first interaction between reincarnees.
Anonymous 2024/05/17 (Fri) 18:04
No. 208308
▼
[x] “Is there maybe… a purple-haired youkai rabbit that makes deliveries in the Village? We were meant to meet for lunch, but she didn’t tell me where.”
About this option - I wonder if you could make infinite broth by just endlessly boiling the shit out of some yokai? Since some of them never die, and are able to regenerate, to my knowledge. Would it die and fade away from the humiliation of being used as an infinite stock pot? Or would it just become a super powerful soup youkai? We must put a stop to this folly, afore the vilage is awash in hearty, nutritious, scalding rabbit liquid!
But seriously now, this option also reveals less, we don't know if Kotohime and Meira are to be trusted. Someones asking around town for a rabbit with short purple hair? Might draw unwanted attention. I don't know the extent to which knowledge about Akyuu have gotten around, but I want it known to as few people as possible what we're doing. Worked the last time(s).
As well as this, its implied that Lady Yuyuko partook of youkai dishes... could well something interesting up. Also, we'll appear more disarming to the guards, and more like a Makai resident, who to my knowledge are pretty eccentric.
{x} Little green spirits? …Could those be…
I can see this maybe going in a dark direction. Thankfully Parsee isn't around to exacerbate it. I'd personally like to know more about this mysterious cloaked figure, but this plays more into what I think Youmu would realistically focus on.
Reimu "under the thumb" of the jidao who'd manipulated and humiliated her and her friends last time around... I'd feel the same. Meet with Akyuu, and then we can go and extract Reimu. Hopefully find the opportunity to make turtle stew along the way.
Also no hard feelings >>208300 , thank you for your service!
Anonymous 2024/05/17 (Fri) 18:07
No. 208309
▼
[X] “Is there maybe… a purple-haired youkai rabbit that makes deliveries in the Village? We were meant to meet for lunch, but she didn’t tell me where.”
{X} Little green spirits? …Could those be…
Anonymous 2024/05/17 (Fri) 18:10
No. 208310
▼
>>208308
Um. Just to be sure. Your vote is the serious one, but the body of your explanation talks about the silly one.
Anonymous 2024/05/17 (Fri) 18:43
No. 208311
▼
>>208308 Here.
[UNDO] “Is there maybe… a purple-haired youkai rabbit that makes deliveries in the Village? We were meant to meet for lunch, but she didn’t tell me where.”
[X] “Do you know of… a place where youkai rabbits are delivered to be made into lunch? I believe my friend might be one of those rabbits.”
I'm being affected myself. My own Jenny-Say-Kwah is increasing. Thank you
>>208310 .
Anonymous 2024/05/17 (Fri) 19:03
No. 208313
▼
[X] “Do you know of… a place where youkai rabbits are delivered to be made into lunch? I believe my friend might be one of those rabbits.”
{x} Little green spirits? …Could those be…
Anonymous 2024/05/17 (Fri) 19:10
No. 208314
▼
[X] “Is there maybe… a purple-haired youkai rabbit that makes deliveries in the Village? We were meant to meet for lunch, but she didn’t tell me where.”
{X} Little green spirits? …Could those be…
Anonymous 2024/05/17 (Fri) 19:18
No. 208315
▼
You know what… fudge it.
[X] “Do you know of… a place where youkai rabbits are delivered to be made into lunch? I believe my friend might be one of those rabbits.”
{x} Little green spirits? …Could those be…
All of the silly!🤪
Anonymous 2024/05/17 (Fri) 19:30
No. 208316
▼
[X] “Is there maybe… a purple-haired youkai rabbit that makes deliveries in the Village? We were meant to meet for lunch, but she didn’t tell me where.”
{X} Little green spirits? …Could those be…
Anonymous 2024/05/17 (Fri) 19:39
No. 208317
▼
[x] “Is there maybe… a purple-haired youkai rabbit that makes deliveries in the Village? We were meant to meet for lunch, but she didn’t tell me where.”
- {x} Little green spirits? …Could those be…
>>208315
Little green spirits isn't the silly choice for the second part of the vote lol. Youmu thinks they might be
otter spirits from the Kiketsu Family.
The other choice might be
Youmu thinking that could be Marisa when it is actually Go. Which will have silly results.
Anonymous 2024/05/17 (Fri) 19:41
No. 208318
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>>208317
No, no I’m aware of that. The silly part of that answer is the potential for it to lead to the awkward misunderstanding conversation.
I have a dark sense of humor you see.
Anonymous 2024/05/17 (Fri) 20:10
No. 208319
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>>208308
>Also, we'll appear more disarming to the guards, and more like a Makai resident, who to my knowledge are pretty eccentric.
That's actually a pretty good point.
>>208305
[UNDO] “Is there maybe… a purple-haired youkai rabbit that makes deliveries in the Village? We were meant to meet for lunch, but she didn’t tell me where.”
[X] “Do you know of… a place where youkai rabbits are delivered to be made into lunch? I believe my friend might be one of those rabbits.”
asutnima 2024/05/17 (Fri) 21:39
No. 208320
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[X] “Do you know of… a place where youkai rabbits are delivered to be made into lunch? I believe my friend might be one of those rabbits.”
{X} Little green spirits? …Could those be…
Uhhhh.... okay guys big brain time
Anonymous 2024/05/17 (Fri) 22:02
No. 208321
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[X] “Do you know of… a place where youkai rabbits are delivered to be made into lunch? I believe my friend might be one of those rabbits.”
{X} Little green spirits? …Could those be…
Anonymous 2024/05/17 (Fri) 22:08
No. 208322
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I’m wasn’t going to vote on this one because I was on the fence.
But it seems I can’t trust democracy.
[X] “Is there maybe… a purple-haired youkai rabbit that makes deliveries in the Village? We were meant to meet for lunch, but she didn’t tell me where.”
{X} Little green spirits? …Could those be…
I personally thought that these spirits might be vengeful spirits as I’m pretty sure they’re a black and green fire skull, but most people seem to be agreeing that they’re otter spirits.
But we need a scene where Youmu has to dive underwater while chasing one of the otters or maybe even Reimu. Then again, would a bird who lived in hell know how to swim? And if not, would a phantom gardener who lived in the netherworld know how to swim?
Anonymous 2024/05/17 (Fri) 22:11
No. 208323
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[X] “Is there maybe… a purple-haired youkai rabbit that makes deliveries in the Village? We were meant to meet for lunch, but she didn’t tell me where.”
No opinion on this choice besides "that's what we're here for".
{X} The blonde ‘Darcy’ girl… Did she mean ‘da ze’?
...just because I know this one will win in advance. The other one will greatly surprise me if it wins.
Anonymous 2024/05/17 (Fri) 22:33
No. 208324
▼
Counting to
>>208323:
Main Choice #1:
[9] “Is there maybe… a purple-haired youkai rabbit that makes deliveries in the Village? We were meant to meet for lunch, but she didn’t tell me where.”
[10] “Do you know of… a place where youkai rabbits are delivered to be made into lunch? I believe my friend might be one of those rabbits.”
Main Choice #2:
{16} Little green spirits? …Could those be…
{3} The blonde ‘Darcy’ girl… Did she mean ‘da ze’?
:3
Anonymous 2024/05/17 (Fri) 22:42
No. 208325
▼
Autosage my beloved.
[X] “Do you know of… a place where youkai rabbits are delivered to be made into lunch? I believe my friend might be one of those rabbits.”
Youmu saying this doesn't immediately mean she's being empty headed, she could also intentionally be saying nonsense. And if she is, it still might raise JSK because it's measuring an outside opinion.
{X} Little green spirits? …Could those be…
We gotta stop those monsters! They're clearly the enemy, right?
Anonymous 2024/05/17 (Fri) 23:40
No. 208326
▼
[X] “Is there maybe… a purple-haired youkai rabbit that makes deliveries in the Village? We were meant to meet for lunch, but she didn’t tell me where.”
I... don't know where the other option even came from, she knows that Akyuu wasn't under duress from the message, maybe she just gets thrown off by Kotohime and had the words get scrambled from her mind to her mouth?
for the second vote... we know it isn't Marisa... how did Chiyuri get caught? (either that or it is a red herring and it in fact WAS "Za De") but would the possibility of it being Marisa get through the Rip and Tear the Kicchou mindset Youmu is in... hmmmm. nah.
{X} Little green spirits? …Could those be…
also with the Makai Tourism, I was wondering how that incident went this time around... though what does that mean for Alice I wonder?
Anonymous 2024/05/18 (Sat) 00:53
No. 208327
▼
Another reason why I think it's safe to go with the more nonsensical option is the last line:
>...Well, Koishi might have her own interpretation, but they hadn't discussed that beforehand, so...
So I feel like this one is pretty safe to risk saying something stupid on, because if it turns out to be unsuccessful, Koishi can correct us.
Anonymous 2024/05/18 (Sat) 01:16
No. 208328
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[X] “Do you know of… a place where youkai rabbits are delivered to be made into lunch? I believe my friend might be one of those rabbits.”
{X} The blonde ‘Darcy’ girl… Did she mean ‘da ze’?
Anonymous 2024/05/18 (Sat) 01:39
No. 208329
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[X] “Do you know of… a place where youkai rabbits are delivered to be made into lunch? I believe my friend might be one of those rabbits.”
{X} The blonde ‘Darcy’ girl… Did she mean ‘da ze’?
Anonymous 2024/05/18 (Sat) 02:13
No. 208330
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x] “Do you know of… a place where youkai rabbits are delivered to be made into lunch? I believe my friend might be one of those rabbits.”
{x} The blonde ‘Darcy’ girl… Did she mean ‘da ze’?
Anonymous 2024/05/18 (Sat) 02:18
No. 208331
▼
[X] “Do you know of… a place where youkai rabbits are delivered to be made into lunch? I believe my friend might be one of those rabbits.”
Honestly, I think Youmu is capable of better, but she's still Miss "It's completely dark when I close my eyes!", this option is funny, and we haven't been indulging the JSK grind so we're entitled. And it's funny.
{X} Little green spirits? …Could those be…
And the thread of Yachie's dastardly manipulations is a good one, I want more of it.
Anonymous 2024/05/18 (Sat) 02:50
No. 208332
▼
[X] “Do you know of… a place where youkai rabbits are delivered to be made into lunch? I believe my friend might be one of those rabbits.”
{X} Little green spirits? …Could those be…
Anonymous 2024/05/18 (Sat) 03:21
No. 208333
▼
eh, I am fairly convinced with the silly option, but its far enough ahead that I not to worried to change the vote.
and it looks like we might be getting what I was hoping for when I voted for the Wolf Tengu. We seem to be getting a chance to be in the village right in time for the Great Crimson Slasher Incident!
Anonymous 2024/05/18 (Sat) 04:35
No. 208334
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[X] “Do you know of… a place where youkai rabbits are delivered to be made into lunch? I believe my friend might be one of those rabbits.”
Having Youmu speak the language of gods idiots might unironically be the smarter play here.
Meira looks to be the more cautious of the two and would give us a straight answer and nothing more. She's more likely to respond to the first, more serious option.
Kotohime, on the other hand, probably thinks "opsec" is a type of alcoholic beverage and has already blurted out important information about 'green spirits' and 'Za de' even without our prompting. She's more likely to respond to the second, sillier option with a location and a few interesting rumors sprinkled in related to the... rabbit processing facility? We'd probably have to decrypt the meaning out of whatever silly thing Kotohime tells us.
{X} The blonde ‘Darcy’ girl… Did she mean ‘da ze’?
Anonymous 2024/05/18 (Sat) 14:43
No. 208335
▼
▼
[X] “Do you know of… a place where youkai rabbits are delivered to be made into lunch? I believe my friend might be one of those rabbits.”
{X} Little green spirits? …Could those be…
Anonymous 2024/05/19 (Sun) 03:37
No. 208336
▼
[X] “Is there maybe… a purple-haired youkai rabbit that makes deliveries in the Village? We were meant to meet for lunch, but she didn’t tell me where.”
{X} The blonde ‘Darcy’ girl… Did she mean ‘da ze’?
Gooboi!WkvVHQzh76 2024/05/19 (Sun) 06:18
No. 208341
▼
File
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New thread over at
>>208337!
While you're at it, check out the Miracle Maiden's Mistake! It's a brand-new story focused on ReiSana!
>>/youkai/31792
