Entering those pipes is a kuda-gitsune tactic, which we decidedly are not. She'll have the upper hand if we even think to try. Smash the shit out of them, drop her on her ass!

[X] Fire at the pipes and break them down!

[X] Fire at the pipes and break them down!

why follow someone in a maze when you can just get rid of the maze entirely? cut her off, push her out of her element.

gotta admit i'm confused on the way kosuzu's strikes are counted here. could we get some clarification on what "1/2 grip rounded up" means?

[X] Fire at the pipes and break them down!

Follow the pipe fox into her element? Hahaha no. Let's not.

>>212146
The number of strikes you were gonna start at for this battle was based on half your grip points, rounded up.

So:
1-2 Grip /2 = 0.5 or 1 strike = 1 strike.
3-4 Grip /2 = 1.5 or 2 strikes = 2 strikes
5 Grip /2 = 2.5 strikes = 3 strikes.
And of course 0/2 is still 0, so zero strikes.

[X] Fire at the pipes and break them down!

[X] Follow her into the pipe network!

>The daggers rattled into the loosened tubing, causing the whole room to convulse like a living beast in pain. Kosuzu heard sections clattering down behind her, water gushing from them

I think that Tsukasa is trying to goad Kosuzu into accomplishing her plan to drop water (even if at this point a smaller amount than the whole water tower.) Onto the duel by bursting open a bunch of those pipes with danmaku

>>212150
Better here, away from where Chen and Saki are fighting, than where they are fighting. Remember, Kosuzu is not an actual Tube Fox, and Tsukasa’s been going in pipes for far longer. Entering the pipe network is just ceding the advantage to Tsukasa, while blowing up the pipes is hampering her journey and decreasing the water in the big reservoir Tsukasa plans to swamp the battlefield outside with.

[X] Fire at the pipes and break them down!

[X] Fire at the pipes and break them down!

Unless we've been rused hard and this maintenance room attached to the firing room is also super close to the station (I dont know much about haniwa production factories but id imagine youd want the two to be seperated bcuz of heat management and the station getting in the way of production lines, the fired clay vessel isnt the finished product to be shipped off... I think?)

I've been waiting for this fight for so long

[X] Fire at the pipes and break them down!

>>212151

There's potentially another problem too iirc. The Kilns are not far from this room, and some of them are still active. Thanks to discworld i know that Cold water + red-hot clay = explosion.

[X] Fire at the pipes and break them down!
Fighting Tsukasa in her own environment (tubes) sounds like a bad idea let's try to force her out and hope we can slow her down.

>>212141
>>212142
Thank for the comments! I was not thinking in universe for the costumes so Okuu's was a slip on my part, don't read too much on that detail ^_^U
I might update this drawing when Marisa is eventually chosen/revealed. ("might" being the keyword here).

As Gooboi said, the idea of Marisa being dressed as Mima was his and there are some designs around for her, ready to be chosen. I hope you like whichever origin she ends up with, it's been fun to help design stuff in the "backstage". That's one of the reasons I'd not been posting more drawings recently. I have one or two drawings in the backburner so maybe I'll finish them in the next days. Right now I'm going to take a day or two to relax, that last drawing took like 20-ish hours over the course of the week. Note to self: draw less characters lol

Anyways, the voting:

[X] Fire at the pipes and break them down!

I feel that using the pipes is a trap, and I'm guessing grip is still not out of the question. Maybe we use the pipes and we get 1-2 grip instead of 1 strike, which would be more or less the same?
Still, the pipes are Tsukasa's home turf and it would be easy to wait with an ambush on the other side of the pipe, or sealing the pipe itself behind her, it's safer to fire at the pipes (even if not a good option, it's the better of the two, imo)

[X] Fire at the pipes and break them down!

I do agree with the potential comment that Tsukasa might be trying to goad Kosuzu into doing her job for her, but following her in would be diving into a viper's nest. It's probably best to try and cut her off. Also, don't we still have the hairpin?

Escape is victory...

Bye bye escape! I even have a little write-in as an extra fuck you. Not sure if it's any good, but...

[X] Fire at the pipes and break them down!
- [X] Focus some of your fire on the couplings connecting the pipes.

Just to minimize her options. Especially if there are any three or four way pipe couplings in here.

By the way, this is absolutely a reckless decision since we have no clue if there is anything else flowing in the pipes. I find that I don't care.

[X] Fire at the pipes and break them down!
We might be helping Tsukasa, but following her just feels like a bad move.

>>212161
Huh?

>>212140
>>212156

I like how Reimu is doing Yachie's pose from TH19, especially how that means that her tail tuft is in Youmu's face XD

Also: Yyyyeeeaaahhh Mima representation Whoo!

[x] Fire at the pipes and break them down!
-[x] Focus some of your fire on the couplings connecting the pipes.

Might work.

[x] Fire at the pipes and break them down!
- [x] Focus some of your fire on the couplings connecting the pipes.

[x] Fire at the pipes and break them down!
-[x] Focus some of your fire on the couplings connecting the pipes.

Smashy smashy

To expand my thought on the Kilns, here’s the notable info of the update

>The room they were passing through seemed to be a firing room, consisting of dozens of large kilns aligned in rows. Even though the facility had been defunct for hours, the room was still swelteringly hot, with some kilns broken open and spitting flame.

>but being the pursuer was playing at least partially to Kosuzu’s favor. She could see where they were going and what her opponent was doing at the same time; she could see when it was worth it to try and weave through the bullets, and when it worth just diving through and taking a few cuts. Tsukasa was forced to divide her focus to keep pace, always paying mind to her surroundings.

Being behind is to our advantage

>Kosuzu shot aggressively, off center from her target. Tsukasa smirked as she swung to the side, only to be struck in the back by the spray of ricocheting bullets. The tube fox responded by charging a large orb of light, and throwing it into one of the kilns she was passing. Kosuzu had to dive away, ducking behind another kiln to avoid the worst as it exploded into shrapnel.

The kilns are explosive. Kosuzu also loses sight of Tsukasa trying to avoid getting hurt from the explosion.

>The kitsune saw Tsukasa dash off around a corner of the room, likely for some door she couldn’t see from her angle. Kosuzu rushed to pursue, grabbing onto a conduit built into a corner of the room to try and swing her momentum around. The piping instead broke from its supports with a gaseous hiss, sending the girl tumbling to the ground and struggling to right herself.

The pipes are loose from the damage.

>“Oh no you don’t!” Kosuzu sent off a volley of shots directly at the kidnapper. Tsukasa responded by summoning two yellow orbs, which fired lines of yellow dagger danmaku. The daggers rattled into the loosened tubing, causing the whole room to convulse like a living beast in pain. Kosuzu heard sections clattering down behind her, water gushing from them.

Firing off danmaku is going to cause piping to be dislodged… and there’s no guarantee that Kosuzu is going to be able to keep track in the network of which pipe Tsukasa is in, at which point she’s going to have to break random ones to try to hit which means more water heading either to the very hot Kilns, or towards the main floor that Chen is fighting in

And on the note of hitting Tsukasa, remember everyone Tsukasa already can't escape, her collar is still on. Her only option for escape is for Saki to win.

We have to remember that the fight between Tsukasa and Kosuzu isn't focussed on each other. But on the fight between Saki and Chen. In fact the only combatant whose goal is to beat the other is Saki

-Tsukasa is to disrupt Chen so that Saki wins faster

-Kosuzu is to stall out Tsukasa's attempt so that she can't alter the fight before its end.

-Chen is to keep Saki engaged until Ran arrives. and if she can beat Saki.

Especially right at the beginning we don’t want to compromise Chen’s chances just to get a hit in.

Btw the pipe is comparatively quite a bit larger than that keyhole that Kosuzu got through at the start of this Arc so it's not like it's going to be a difficult squeeze for Kosuzu.

And Tsukasa isn't any more familiar with the factory than we are. If she spends too much time trying to set up an Viper's den that is to Kosuzu's advantage in fact speaking of which:

>>212156

Actually since we don't usually see 2 point gain in a boss fight a grip point over a strike is actually to Kosuzu's advantage. Because it's half a strike per grip point (rounded up that means that it takes 3 GP to make 2 strikes. If we are trading a strike on Tsukasa for a grip point on Kosuzu Kosuzu is going to win. (even if grip 5 is an alternate lose condition, that is still 5 strikes needed to 4, and if it isn’t a auto-fail then that means that at 5 grip there would still need to be a strike on top of that for Tsukasa to win.) Which makes sense because if Tsukasa gets caught up trying to break Kosuzu over her object to disrupt Chen's fight She's going to run out of time.

>>212151

Even putting aside my bit about the Kilns, if that water makes it out to where Chen and Saki are fighting it won't matter that it didn't come from the water tower directly it will still hinder Chen thus accomplishing what Tsukasa is looking to do.

And again that's if the Kilns that Tsukasa and Kosuzu has come across won't do a better job if the water hits them and explodes, likely rocking the already unstable building and compromising Chen's footing at a bad time. (also, the water could be coming from the plumbing rather than from the emergency water tower in the roof, meaning that the water leaking here is in fact not lowering the level above.

>>212157

The hairpin is all the more reason why we should be following her rather than risking Chen. Anything that Tsukasa would be able to come up with to trap Kosuzu will be ineffective thanks to the hairpin

>>212160
And Chen won't care when it cuts off her options in her already precarious fight? (also it was stated in the update, fuel, water and heat.)

>>212161

Quite the opposite, the best move right now is to dog her heels so that she doesn't have time to set anything up. Tsukasa doesn't know the factory at all and has limited time. Being right on her heels takes away any opportunity for her to set anything up. For Kosuzu OR for Chen.

>>212156
>>212167

Your grip only determined your strikes at the start of the fight. You'll gain strikes the normal way in this fight.

So, yes, you could have started the fight with 3/4 strikes. It would have taken monumental mismanagement, but it was possible.

Btw, have a theme for the battle:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5QhRd-iEW5g

[X] Fire at the pipes and break them down!

If we fire at the pipes, we might just hit Tsukasa if we’re lucky. Pipes can be also quite complicated, we don’t want to go in just for Tsukasa to outmanoeuvre and then flank us. If they’re complex enough, Kosuzu might even be able to keep up with Tsukasa due to her having a higher degree of freedom with her movement.

Most other points have been covered, one thing though. I’m not 100% certain, but >>212167, I’m pretty sure Kosuzu can’t use the hairpin in fox form, it is after all, quite a small and thin for her paws.

>>212169
the pipes go out of the room, so in the likely event that Kosuzu can't stop Tsukasa (unless eveyone thinks that narratively the fight is going to stay entirely in this room if we are successful, its either out back through the Kilns, or into the pipes, and once that water starts flowing the Kilns are not going to be a place we want to be!) which means that we're probably going to be going into those pipes sooner or later, and is it going to be before or after Tsukasa has something that she can make Kosuzu blame herself for by causing issues for Chen's fight ?

>I’m pretty sure Kosuzu can’t use the hairpin in fox form, it is after all, quite a small and thin for her paws.

Kosuzu seemed to believe that she could use the hairpin during the last confrontation she had with Tsukasa? when she was threatening to put Kosuzu into the tube, which either would trap Kosuzu in there as is but magically small? or she thought that the hairpin was usable at least in some manner in fox form.

Counting to >>212169:
Main Choice:
[1] Follow her into the pipe network!
[16] Fire at the pipes and break them down!

Potential Additions:
For [x] Fire at the pipes and break them down:
-[4] Focus some of your fire on the couplings connecting the pipes. (>>212160, >>212164, >>212165, >>212166)

Apologies to >>212100 for overlooking their suggestion. Will keep a note of suggestions in future votes.
Anyways... :3

>>212169
>>212170

Didn't Kosuzu JUST use the hairpin in fox form literally after our last choice?

>>212172
oh yeah with the Van.

I don't suppose that this info can convince anyone that we can follow Tsukasa and handle whatever she might have on hand (since staying right behind her in a place that she doesn't know and thus is only going to be able to use things that she just came across as long as we stay on her tail. rather than indiscriminately firing at pipes with heat, water and [/i]fuel[/i] that will flow towards red hot and also in some cases broken with open flames? especially since both the water (with red hot Clay) and the fuel interacting with the flames in general will cause an explosion that will rock the building at least and harm Chen's chances at staying in the fight...

which is our actual objective here to prevent?

also if anyone is worried about being able to track which pipe Tsukasa went down if we go after her... just follow the most recently "cleaned" pipe

[X] Follow her into the pipe network!
This is probably a super bad idea but we need Tsukasa focused on Kosuzu instead of Chen

>>212174
a super bad idea at least sounds better than decideding to prefer to helping Tsukasa [hurt Chen] then going into the pipes after her... which we will be likely doing anyways because after rereading that "water" that Kosuzu heard pouring was behind her and she hasn't actually looked to see, and what she noted before was that the pipes were managing the heat an "fuel" so its likely primarily fuel. which the more we knock down by shooting the pipes and connectors, the more is flowing towards the open flames billowing the the Kiln room, which is the only way other than the pipes out of the room Kosuzu is in... so the two options the update gives us whittle down to whether we are going to go into "viper's nest" that Tsukasa has gone in with or without adding fuel to the fire (and thus adding more problems if not resulting in a straight up injury, for Chen), and with or without subsequently giving Tsukasa more time to set up a trap for us.

its by not being gripped by fear of facing Tsukasa in the pipes that we'll avoid getting into a viper's nest, not by giving into to it.

The firing room is where the clay is heated to transform into ceramic.

These are kilns, so they are a kind of furnace for ceramics. Traditional kilns use wood or coal as a fuel source, while modern kilns can use gas or electricity to heat up. The factory was closed for a while now but it's still hot, so that mean it's most likely coal (since it takes a loooong while for it to cool off) and not gas or electricity (when turned off these will cool down quicker) and definitely not liquid fuel.

In short, none of the pipes contain liquid fuel, only water in some cases (water is not used in the firing process because you want the less moisture on the clay as possible). Most of the piping could be for chimneys or air intakes, but no water pipes in the firing room itself (maybe emergency fire systems? yes, but nothing used in the process itself).

The most dangerous stuff that can happen about water entering the still-hot firing room is steam (which is REALLY dangerous). No explosion though (yes, ceramic can "explode" as in "it destroys itself violently" but that's due to a sudden buildup of steam inside itself, no actual explosion happens, it's more like a frag grenade than an explosive).

>>212176

>The room she saw appeared to be a maintenance hallway, designed to manage the heat and fuel of the firing room with a network of now-damaged tubings.

I don't know how you'd transport coal or wood in a network of tubes (Kosuzu didn't mention coal or wood in the room either sooo.), especially considering:

>The daggers rattled into the loosened tubing, causing the whole room to convulse like a living beast in pain. Kosuzu heard sections clattering down behind her, water gushing from them.

there is some sort of liquid flowing through them... that Kosuzu hasn't actually looked at to identify what it was. And on that note, Tsukasa isn't worried too much about dislodging pipes herself since she just did some herself.

also I'm not sure "Awhile" would be accurate here. at most its a couple of hours maybe- actually we do have an estimate about how long the countdown for Ran to arrive! its been less than 57 minutes since the Sargent's last stand., and the focus was on transporting what could be move from the factory. so there is *some* amounts of odds they might not have been shut off properly at all.

>>212177

How would you transport coal or wood in a network of tubes? You don't.
I interpreted the maintenance room having gauges showing the temperature readings of the kilns, and maybe managing the air flow. Workers fill the kilns with coal as needed.

As I said, water tubes are possible! Water is not used in the room itself but piping does have to run somewhere because it's important to other steps in the process.

You do make a good point that it's not been too long since the factory possibly got abandoned, though.
Also yeah, no mention of coal might mean it could be gas powered after all. Still, there's no chance of it being liquid fuel.

With gas power an explosion could happen depending on how concentrated the gas can be. Else, it will be a big fire on a gas tube or worse, a gas main. Still very dangerous but I don't know for sure if it could explode (see gas flares on oil rigs, for example).

>>212178

ehh but its says its managing the heat and fuel with the system of tubings that reads to me that the Fuel in involved with the tubing more that just reading gauges and relaying information to others.

also... this is the Animal Realm... which is not far from the pools that kicked off the whole Oil craze in SFW (TH17.5) since Yuuma hangs around there all the time... and this is a magical army making factory too so traditional methods might not be what is running it.

Furthermore lets looks what happened in the update before getting into the room:

- Kosuzu in close pursuit of Tsukasa and its working out for her

- in the Kiln room Tsukasa causes one of the Kilns to explode which forces Kosuzu to lose sight of Tsukasa and fall behind to avoid the explosion.

-the delay allows Tsukasa to set up an ambush in the next room.

I'd say we're being given a pretty good telegraph of which option to pick. and what is the consequece of the other one.

Tsukasa also, being the one to cause it. the Kosuzu's confidence in tubing is not high and is confident in shooting off Danmaku... knowing that, wouldn't Tsukasa think to set something up to play on that to her advantage?

and Kosuzu isn't as bad at tubing (which is still a part of fox magic, even if its the specialty of a subdivision.) considering that she could get through a keyhole without too much trouble and that is MUCH smaller comparatively to piping

Right. I’m convinced. How do I change my vote?

>>212180

link to your previous vote post, then list your vote with [UNDO] in front of it, and then put the new vote with [X] in front of it

so

>>###### here, changing vote

[UNDO] first vote to be undo.

to

[X]new vote.

[X] Follow her into the pipe network!

>>212181
Thank you. That said, I forgot exactly which post was my vote

>>212183
hm, I have worried about that at times myself, but I am not sure how to deal with that... the important point would be to have your old vote at least listed with [UNDO] in front of it so it could be noted in the count...

oh thank goodness I was wrong!

This feels like the point should have gone to Kosuzu and not Tsukasa.

>>212187

These are strikes, not points. Tsukasa is one strike closer to losing.

>>212189

You’re right. It’s just been long enough since one of these I forgot what they meant. Oops.

[X] Use the silence spell to mask her movements, and rush in aggressively.

I'd say we should push the momentum now that Tsukasa is distracted

[X] Use the silence spell to mask her movements, and rush in aggressively.
The main reason I'm in support of this is that silence magic is one of Ran's techniques, while skulking about is more in line with Tsukasa's training. If we hit her in a rushdown, she won't have time to realize. Also, avoiding the more Tsukasa-like route seems to be the winning strategy. (With only one data point, though, I can't be certain. She could realize what we're doing and switch to anti-Ran strats.)

We're in a battle, which means it seems like it's almost spellcard time... I've been eagerly brewing up ideas.

[X] Use the silence spell to mask her movements, and rush in aggressively.

[X] Use the silence spell to mask her movements, and rush in aggressively.

[X] Use the silence spell to mask her movements, and rush in aggressively.

Normally you want to be cautious against someone who specializes in underhanded tactics, but when they're already on the back foot, you don't want to risk giving them prep time.

... is what I think.

[X] Use the silence spell to mask her movements, and rush in aggressively.

Going by the metanarrative, this is the best choice. Trying Tsukasa tactics is bad tactically as well because it comes from Tsukasa's sabotaged "training" that she knows how to counter.

also have a song! bit late but I think it fits well :))))) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tg0d-M0KqBg

>>212185
[X] Use the silence spell to mask her movements, and rush in aggressively.

[X] Use the silence spell to mask her movements, and rush in aggressively.

[X] Use the silence spell to mask her movements, and rush in aggressively.

agree with >>212196 and >>212198. additionally, tsukasa most likely didn't expect the gap, and would expect kosuzu to have snuck around, therefore she's probably wary of that and looking around for any sneak tactics. a direct attack when she's not ready for one would work to our advantage.

[X] Use the silence spell to mask her movements, and rush in aggressively.

[X] Use the silence spell to mask her movements, and rush in aggressively.

[X] Use the silence spell to mask her movements, and rush in aggressively.

Press the advantage!

[X] Use the silence spell to mask her movements, and rush in aggressively.

[X] Use the silence spell to mask her movements, and rush in aggressively.

Bye bye Tsukasa

>>212198

To add to this, the metanarrative of Kosuzu is also openness to learn new things and grow. For all Tsukasa is about, she is mostly focused on what she had in the past and not where she is going in the future. Kosuzu, by focusing on what she has learned since coming to Animal Hell, is countering Tsukasa solely because she has chosen to embrace knowledge and learning compared to Tsukasa, who fundamentally is the same fox that got dunked on by Yukari and Ran, even if she has picked up a few tricks since that time.

[X] Use the silence spell to mask her movements, and rush in aggressively.

[X] Use the silence spell to mask her movements, and rush in aggressively.

Only thing I fear is relatively lack of combat experience for Kosuzu compared to Tsukasa.
Note that our win goal isn't necessarily to end Tsukasa, but to slow/stop her. But this works anyways so...

[X] Use the silence spell to mask her movements, and rush in aggressively.

My biggest fear for this option is that this might put us in knife range.
But the biggest problem with the other option is that it gives Tsukasa time to think and plan as she looks for Kosuzu which is worse in my opinion.

[X] Use the silence spell to mask her movements, and rush in aggressively.

Counting to >>212211:
Main Choice:
[0] Approach cautiously, and stay out of sight.
[18] Use the silence spell to mask her movements, and rush in aggressively.

:3

[X] Use the silence spell to mask her movements, and rush in aggressively.

I think this is wrong, but we have bells in our hair.

>>212213
No strikes?

[X] …Take it head-on.

>>212219

Ah whoops,
Sorry, been up for a long while.

T: 2/4
K: 0/4

[x] Take it head-on.

[X] …Take it head-on.

[X] …Take it head-on.

Risky as all hell, but I'm sure Tsukasa isn't expecting it.

[X] …Take it head-on.

[X] …Take it head-on.

I think I speak for everyone when I say, FUCK YOU YA DAMN SEWER RAT!

[X] …Take it head-on.

>>212221
[] Take it head on
[X] …Take it head-on.

[X] …Take it head-on.

[X] …Take it head-on.

[X] …Take it head-on.

Push back!

[-20] …Take it head-on.

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE

[X] …Take it head-on.

we still have the hair-pin and thanks to the van we know it can be used in fox form, which hopefully will get us out.

huh, the vote penalty seems to be going off of the Spirit - Youkai stat here.

anyways, let's go!

[X] …Take it head-on.
Lets do this!

[X] ... Take it head-on.

[ X ] …Take it head-on.

We've broken her grip, but Tsukasa's still got one last thing to hold over us; fear. But we've got the hairpin, and with that we can break free.

[X] …Take it head-on.

Such a fence to get this option going means it's correct... Let's do this!

FALLBACK OPTION:
[X] Find something to plug it instead!

Definitely never running though!

[X] …Take it head-on.

I'd bet it'd backfire if we tried to shoot it out of her hand. Hold on... You didn't just condition Kosuzu to fear the test tube... You conditioned us, too!

[X] …Take it head-on.

[X] …Take it head-on.

[X] …Take it head-on.

Less than three hours, and the -20 vote penalty has already been defeated. Nice.

>>212242
Now we just need two more votes to bring it above the fallback option.

[X] …Take it head-on.

Hairpin OP

I sense a second phase...

[X] …Take it head-on.
Destroy smelly fox DESTROY smelly fox

and that is the -20 overcome!

[X] …Take it head-on.

I am usually a Tsukasa fan but this specific incarnation deserves some comeuppance

>>212247

Redo/Reimu is weird. It made me sympathize with Yachie, who I’d normally hate on principle, and soured me on Tsukasa, who I used to think was kind of cute in the girlfailure way, where it’s adorable how she thinks she can do politics and manipulation.

>>212248

Right? Now when I see Chireiden art I'm like "is Myon holding the camera or something where is she?" Or like now when I see Ran and Chen art I think "Kosuzu should be with them..."

There is no other option.

[X] …Take it head-on.

[X] …Take it head-on.

[X] …Take it head-on.

Hm?

[X] Fall back!
- {X} As if. Take it head on!

[X] Fall back!
Somehow I don't think calling the bluff is the right thing to do. We just have to hold out for Ran-mama, and we can't do that from inside the tube.

>>212256
I'm pretty sure the tube is basically just a suck jar. Kosuzu won't simply escape the pull by running away.

>> There was a crackle in the air. It suddenly felt hard to breathe, an indescribable pressure emanating from all directions. Most of the mechanics were suddenly aflutter, looking around frantically for the source of the sudden tension. Chen and Reimu both knew better, sharing a worried look and turning in one particular direction.

>> Towards Yakumo Yukari. The pressure was emanating straight from her, power rippling out in waves. Whatever Ichi had said, it had set the sage off, and now she was utterly furious.

>> Reimu reached out, offering a steadying hand on the nekomata’s shoulder. She flinched at the initial contact, but slowly eased. Chen’s voice was hesitant and unsteady. “Wh-what’s happened?”

>> “Don’t know…” Reimu stepped forward, hearing the cat creep quietly behind her. As they were watching, Yukari started to storm off in some direction.

>> Ichi reached out, grabbing her arm and stopping her. Reimu flinched as a storm of gaps opened around Ichi, but… the fortune-teller remained unharmed. She said something to Yukari, and the latter hesitated from breaking free of her grip.

>> The two young girls watched, as the gaps slowly retracted. Reimu heard the tonal lift of Yukari asking a question, even if she didn’t hear the words - Ichi responded by brandishing some sort of pistol.

>> With a curt nod from the Sage of the Gap, the two split up, taking off in dramatically different directions. Reimu turned to Chen, who was visibly sweating.

[X] …Take it head-on.

Tsukasa no longer has grip on us, and neither should that horrid glass tube.

[X] …Take it head-on.
-{X} Use the hairpin to temporarily disable the tube once you're inside it, then use the element of surprise to land another hit on Tsukasa

don't know if she still has the hairpin, to be honest. if not, feel free to ignore that write-in.

[X] …Take it head-on.

[X] …Take it head-on.

I don't care if this leads to a second phase. I don't care if Saki sees Kosuzu and decides to finally get her fight against a Re/Incarnation.

This needs to happen.

[X] …Take it head-on.

Kick her in the Shins

[X] …Take it head-on.

One day one of these deficit options is going to be a total disaster and we're going to walk facefirst into it.

[X] …Take it head-on.

So I am thinking that after we stop Tsukasa we are going to have to fight Saki or something, since it looks like we aren't going to need Re/Awakening to stop Tsukasa

>>212265

Reawakening is kicking in here though as evidenced by this:

>…Was there an orange glow around her? She saw her tail, half-wrapped around her side. But, wait, her tail wasn’t there-

Counting to >>212265:
Main Choice:
[1] Fall back!
[0] Find something to plug it instead!
[35] [15] …Take it head-on.
Note that this includes >>212255.

Potential Additions:
For [x] ...Take it head-on:
-{1} Use the hairpin to temporarily disable the tube once you're inside it, then use the element of surprise to land another hit on Tsukasa. (>>212260)

:3

>>212258
Looks fantastic!

>>212218
[X] …Take it head-on.

What could go wrong?

>> Kosuzu felt her breath quicken. She shuddered, reaching out slowly, and dug her claws in, with as firm of a grip as she could manage.

>> She lifted the vessel slowly. Every bit of focus she had was concentrated on this task. She dreaded the consequences of failing. But it was fine, she just had to concentrate-

>> Her claws slipped. The vessel shuddered, nearly slipping from her grip, and she tried to correct its angle. But in her haste, she only succeeded in tipping its contents the other way.

>> And spilling the teacup’s water all over her face.

>> Yumemi burst out laughing. Kosuzu gave her a sullen look, glad that her fur could hide her blush, and started to shake herself dry.

>>212258
looks suitably awesome for the moment! the thin lines for a turning scary eye is pretty good there on Yukari too!

>>212269
nice!

[X] …Take it head-on.

How badly does Tsukasa get thrown off by someone being brave despite their weak point being hit?

[X] Suzunaan Signs! Spell cards with intricate order in their design, based on the duties of a book-keeper. The difficulty in them came not from seeing the safe spots in the chaos, but weaving through the narrow gaps in the orderly attacks.

Kosuzu’s eyes have been awakened to the Kudamaki’s true nature. It’s about time we end this.

Alright this update is epic as fuck. Im sorry but I gotta continue the tradition...

{X} Kaizou Sign "Wipe O Floor with Thy Blood!"

"IT'S OVER TSUKASA!!! TAKE MY KAIZOU/KOSUZU BEAM!!!!!!"

[X] Book Signs! Spell cards based on stories and other things she’d read, as well as wordplay and the like. Knowing the stories themselves were often very helpful in figuring out the spell card’s tricks.
- {X} Tamamo-no-mae's Killing Stone

Can't help but feel that a card about the final defeat and sealing of Tamamo-no-mae would be the perfect capstone for Tsukasa's own defeat.

Also, keep in mind Tsukasa's not at 4 strikes yet, so the choice her may actually matter. And on that note, weaving through narrow gaps and techniques common to foxes seem like things Tsukasa is able to deal with. Knowledge of Kosuzu's stories, on the other hand... I doubt she'd be any good with that.

>>212273
I think that having a spell card with the specific weakness notably being one a Tube Fox is skilled in exploiting is a bad idea, personally.

That said:
[x] Book Signs! Spell cards based on stories and other things she’d read, as well as wordplay and the like. Knowing the stories themselves were often very helpful in figuring out the spell card’s tricks.
-[x] Tales of a Humble Reporter.

[x] Book Signs! Spell cards based on stories and other things she’d read, as well as wordplay and the like. Knowing the stories themselves were often very helpful in figuring out the spell card’s tricks.

>>212276

Your probably right, but I’m trying to aim for an Awakening here, and the Suzunaan Sign is the one most closely tied to her past life.

>>212278
If we want to lean into the Re/Awakening, it’ll come naturally. Don’t try to force things when it’s not necessary.

Tsukasa is one hit from going down. I don’t think the Re/Awakening power boost is 100% necessary to win this fight, and that’s assuming that the simple act of using a Spell Card doesn’t trigger it in the first place.

[X] Youkai Signs! Her magic as a fox and her nature as a youkai brought out in its most direct form. Generally based on techniques common to foxes, at least at this point.
- {X} Revolt - Nine Hundred Tails Night Parade

>>212278
If we want to lean into the Re/Awakening, it’ll come naturally. Don’t try to force things when it’s not necessary.

Tsukasa is one hit from going down. I don’t think the Re/Awakening power boost is 100% necessary to win this fight, and that’s assuming that the simple act of using a Spell Card doesn’t trigger it in the first place.

Hmmmm, which spell card type to go with, for the type I would say to avoid is the suzunaan one mainly on account of "but weaving through the narrow gaps in the orderly attacks." considering that the Kuda-Gitsune that Tsukasa is specializes in fitting through tight spaces.

At Gooboi's request I found the Spellcards that were posted a few threads back and brought them forwards, the first one was my spellcard idea (that I updates a word and the name of.), but the two following sets weren't, if those who did post them wanted to touch them up you can see what they were down below. The post numbers were:

>>210724
{X}Notebook Sign ~ Writing on the Walls

Danmaku in the shape of various Kanji characters float around … but more appear when the target looks in different directions, so the more the target jinks about, the more danmaku appear, but if the target moves smoothly in one direction consistently it doesn’t spawn as much. (so in gameplay terms whenever you would change your directional input, it would generate some danmaku in the direction that you imputed, but if you held that input down then more wouldn’t appear. Requiring decisive playing to avoid being overwhelmed.)

>A reference to Forbidden scrollery chapter 18 & 19, so yeah, Reimu sees this Spellcard and she’s going to give Kosuzu some stink eye over it XD

regarding its use now, if it does get used and is the right option, Tsukasa is gonna be defeated by a trick inspired by a Kitsune Kit!

and that one was mine so I will pair it with... I think this one is the type that matches it?

[X] Book Signs! Spell cards based on stories and other things she’d read, as well as wordplay and the like. Knowing the stories themselves were often very helpful in figuring out the spell card’s tricks.

anyways, here are the other ones that were posted soon after my post there:

>>210731

>{X} Tome Sign: Bibliophile's Bookshelf
>Kosuzu pulls out a book, and starts reading through it at a rapid pace, words literally flying off the page with how fast she reads. The words themselves are chains of connected bullets, and they'll dance around in spirals around the target like eels before closing in to try and deliver a wordy walloping.
>"A spell that'll give you the feeling of a book capturing your attention. Careful to not let yourself be surrounded, or you'll go from getting lost in a book to getting trapped in it!"

>{X} Faux Sign: Fox's Duplicity
>Kosuzu changes into animal form and summons a levy of slave bullets shaped like foxes as well, then all of them start running around midair. (The actual movements aren't too complicated, just running in basic geometric shapes, but there's a lot of them.) Kosuzu will try and blend into the waves of foxes, and if the wrong one is shot down it explodes into a wave of bullets.
>"A fanatastical flurry of fluffy foxes fly freely! Kosuzu invented this card to try and burn a few calories to better follow her mother's suggested ideal body type for sneaking through tight spaces."

>{X} Recollection: Claustrophobia
>A disorienting spellcard about fitting into tight spaces, the target is bombarded with fox magic in order to throw them off balance, before tight (like, approaching LOLK-level tight) rings of Danmaku appear around them. Unless the target is a master of highly precise dodging, the far better option is to get exactly in the middle of all the bullets and hold yourself in a small safe spot. The current bullets fade away after the ring tightens enough, and a new ring appears, forcing them to move to the new safe spot. (Harder difficulties also add Kosuzu firing some lines of bullets sort of like Danmaku Paranoia to make the shrinking harder.)
"You will learn how it feels to be trapped."

>>210733

>{X} Poison Sign: Illustration of the Sessho-Seki
>Kosuzu throws out a piece of paper with a section of the myth of Tamamo-no-Mae written on it. Wherever it stops, a huge bullet is positioned. A barrage of the dreaded curvy lasers, designed to evoke Tamamo-no-Mae's nine tails, attempts to drive the targets into the faux-killing-stone. Just before the spell ends, the 'stone' splits in half and attempts to 'crush' the target.

>{X} Ancient Tale: Kuzu-no-Ha's Farewell Poem
>A series of kanji from the poem appear, and burst into masses of ivy that move away from Kosuzu. Kosuzu spends the entire spell card moving around to make herself harder to hit, make the ivy less predictable, and evoke the image of Kuzunoha fleeing back to Shinoda after being caught.

>{X}Fox-Dragon: The Telling of Masaki's 999 Lives
>Kosuzu produces eight prayer beads with "Even thus can a beast conceive a heart to know truth" written on them, as in the Hakkenden, the novel Masaki comes from (although they're not actually connected to Masaki at all). More pop up at random and burst into fast-flying bullets, representing the 999 lives she saved. Finally, an image of the fox-dragon she became as a reward spirals into the centre of the target area and then bursts into a pattern evoking a splash.

__________________________

>And then, since one of Kosuzu's running gags in Forbidden Scrollery was misunderstanding news from distant countries, we could probably throw in fox tales from elsewhere, too.

>{X} Water Sign: Fox Confessor's Flood Song
>Kosuzu pretends to read aloud from a Ukrainian bible, evoking the image of the fox posing as a priest. The spell card works similarly to Knockout in Three Steps, but moving downward instead of outward. Bullets appear in sequence from near Kosuzu, attempting to force the target away, then a huge flood appears at the 'bottom of the screen' (as it were), thus putting the target into the role of the wolf who is fooled into throwing itself into the ocean.
>(I really only know this one from a song based on it, hence the name I gave the card)

>{X} Fox Sign: Fabill of Lowrence and the Lion King
>Kosuzu and danmaku in the image of a wolf chase the target around, leaving bullets in their wake (think Green-Eyed Monster). When the spell is about to end, or Kosuzu successfully corners the target, a huge danmaku lion 'eats' her, and ideally catches the target as well - thus recreating Henryson's story, where a wicked feudal lord of an animal kingdom dies and his equally wicked bastard son inherits his land, but before he can enjoy his reign, he's summoned before the king's court, sent alongside a dimwitted wolf to track down a fugitive, and ultimately executed for his crimes.

[X] Book Signs! Spell cards based on stories and other things she’d read, as well as wordplay and the like. Knowing the stories themselves were often very helpful in figuring out the spell card’s tricks.

Agree with the majority here- we need to catch her at her weakest. Tsukasa's never bothered to take interest in our reading hobby as far as I remember, but she's good with narrow gaps and definitely knows a thing or two about fox magic.

Now, for the fun part...
Some preliminary ideas. Consider these all as book signs, I just like slightly fancier flairs.

{X} Murder Mystery: And Then There Were None
Kosuzu takes on the appearance of her previous life's human form, and summons nine danmaku slaves with the same appearance around the area, before scattering about and mingling with her duplicates, leaving trails of bullets in their wake. You can try shooting at them all to find the real one, but if you shoot them all you'll be left with none. The real trick being Kosuzu swapping out with a tenth copy partway through.
Never trust a Kitsune to play fair. ...Wait, what do you mean this name's already taken?

{X} Historical Wave: Fall of the Berlin Wall
Kosuzu splices the arena in half with a stone wall that rises from the floor, before pushing it down to crush her foes like slamming a book onto a bug. If you can manage to focus your fire, you may be able to create a safe space to stand in, but she'll keep summoning walls while the debris will just keep piling up on itself.
I guess it was pretty poorly constructed, after all...

{X} Atlas: Weight of the World
When this spell starts, you'll find yourself burdened with the weight of a heavy tome of maps strapped to your back, slowing your movements tremendously whilst Kosuzu hovers above and tosses some real doorstoppers down to clobber you with.
Spells that mess with your controls are no fair! I'm going to look in this book you gave me for a map to the Hakurei Shrine, and complain to the maiden!

I do plan to write more after some sleep but I just had to throw a few down now.

[X] Book Signs! Spell cards based on stories and other things she’d read, as well as wordplay and the like. Knowing the stories themselves were often very helpful in figuring out the spell card’s tricks.

The choice says the book signs have obvious weaknesses... to those who've read the original stories. I haven't gone back to check, but I recall Tsukasa being pretty dismissive of Kosuzu's reading habit back at the beginning. I suppose that could've been feigned, but it seems like a better option than directly foxy magic that she's probably familiar with or narrow gaps that she now specialises in.

And oh, hey, there's my old spell card suggestions. Thank you, >>212282! Hm. The Kuzunoha one was my favourite, but a spell card based on running away seems unfitting here. Lowrence doesn't seem thematically quite right either, but could be played for irony. Mae, considering what we've since learned, would probably be a nice mirror-punishment (although, uh, I don't think the stone splitting open should have happened yet in this timeline, oops). So would beating Tsukasa with a flood like she's been trying to cause, but that could be... counterproductive. Masaki seems nicely appropriate to Kosuzu's desire to rise above and be more proactively heroic. So it comes down to Mae or Masaki, I guess? But maybe Lowrence or Kuzunoha...

Well, fiddling with the names a little now that the primary categories have been established...

[X] Book Signs! Spell cards based on stories and other things she’d read, as well as wordplay and the like. Knowing the stories themselves were often very helpful in figuring out the spell card’s tricks.
- {X} Book Sign: Illustration of the Sessho-Seki
- {X} Ancient Tale: Kuzu-no-Ha's Farewell Poem
- {X} Book Sign: The Telling of Masaki's 999 Lives
- {X} Book Sign: Fox Confessor's Flood Song
- {X} Book Sign: Fabill of Lowrence and the Lion King

And then five is already quite enough, but I've been reading up on Ainu fox myths lately and might have the beginnings of something there... but it'd involve a rainstorm, which we still probably don't want, and anyway I was thinking I might work with that basis to try my hand at an omake at some point. What's the proper etiquette on that, by the way?

(Also, looking back, it annoys me that I've structured some as having a timer-end finishing move instead of repeating patterns like Spell Cards normally have. At least it takes only a little imagination to rework those as the end of each iteration of the pattern instead of the Spell as a whole...)

Hitting a tube fox with "predictable but frustratingly narrow gaps" is a laughably bad idea, and I'm not 100% confident Kosuzu can outfox her (yet), so...

[X] Book Signs! Spell cards based on stories and other things she’d read, as well as wordplay and the like. Knowing the stories themselves were often very helpful in figuring out the spell card’s tricks.

What I can gather from here, is that (as many have pointed out) Suzunaan signs with narrow gaps against someone that specifically can bypass very narrow things, would be the wrong call.
Fox signs would fare more or less the same since its techniques common to foxes, so keeping that in mind:

[X] Book Signs! Spell cards based on stories and other things she’d read, as well as wordplay and the like. Knowing the stories themselves were often very helpful in figuring out the spell card’s tricks.

I like the other names, especially the ones related to Tamamo no Mae and Kuzunoha. The former because of the irony of Tsukasa being metaphorically defeated by her own mother. The latter because of Abe no Seimei, allegedly Kuzunoha's son and very powerful mage/onmyodo.

- {X} Book Sign: Illustration of the Sessho-Seki
- {X} Ancient Tale: Kuzu-no-Ha's Farewell Poem

I'll add:

- {X} Book sign: Legend of the Night Parade
(Could arguably be Suzunaan Sign too, another callback to Forbidden Scrollery)

- {X} Ancient Legend: Abe-no-Seimei's Divination
A spell card that wouldn't be out of place in Megumu's arsenal: lots of stars forming the shapes of constellations and then traveling everywhere at random.
(Based on Abe no Seimei, again, son of Kuzunoha. He could command shikigami, use magic, exorcise spirits, dispel curses and predict fortunes and future events. I like thinking that Kosuzu could eventually become something like Abe no Seimei: descended from a kitsune, and possibly proficient in shikigami and magic usage?)

- {X} Heirloom: Hyacinthoides Scripta
Columns of bullets form in the forms of vines with bluebells dangling from them, "breaking" after a couple seconds so they rain from above.
(More or less self-explanatory if you've been following the story so far ^_^)

For "Suzunaan sign" spellcards, I add:

- {X} Infinity: Library of Babel
Composed of a static hexagonal grid (think Yachie's spellcard) where books appear and disappear gradually around the edges of the screen. The books shoot in a fixed circular pattern, think about the "books" in the EoSD stage 4 and you know what I mean.
(Reference to Argentinian author Jorge Luis Borges. The "Library of Babel" is a (basically) infinite library that contains every possible book in existence: every possible combination of letters and punctuation signs. The joke is that most of it is indecipherable, incoherent and useless, but could contain a book that holds the truth of the universe, the same book in every known language and in every unknown language, the autobiography of an archangel, everything. As long as it's possible, it exists in the library.)

For "Fox sign" spellcards, I add:

- {X} Mystic Sign: Fox's Wedding
From the center of the screen, a big static bullet shoots short lasers every couple of seconds (think Unzan's lasers in UFO). Meanwhile from the sides of it, danmaku falls mimicking rain (similar to Nitori's second spell card in MoF, Kappa's flash flood or something like that)
("A Fox's Wedding": it's said that a fox is marrying whenever rain falls while the sun is visible.)

And as a bonus:

{X} Yin Yang "Seiman-Daimon"

This one is weird, but let me explain:
A) It's Chen's first spellcard in PCB (That's the name in lunatic)
B) It might be contained in Ran's grimoire itself?
C) Seiman can either mean pentagram or can refer to Abe no Seimei.
D) A daimon is a type of large family crest (usually displayed during war).

So: related to Abe no Seimei (as I said above, I hope Kosuzu can become a powerful spellcaster like he was), related to Chen, and with a "family crest" meaning (probably Seimei's but still.)

[X] Book Signs! Spell cards based on stories and other things she’d read, as well as wordplay and the like. Knowing the stories themselves were often very helpful in figuring out the spell card’s tricks.
-{Book Sign: Was it all the work of Youkai?}

Sort of unoriginal in the naming (As it just the name of the book the Akyuu wrote as Agatha Chris Q. in chapter 40) but I did like Forbidden Scrollery. Kosuzu might not remember this story since most of her past memories are still locked but if she did it would be the perfect counter to Tsukasa, since the story it is about hasn't been released yet in this timeline. I also find the fact that the time travel that Tsukasa was so dismissive of and punished Kosuzu when she mentioned it to her is the very weapon that defeats her (or at least stops her here) to be refreshingly ironic.

As for how the spell card looks... not sure but it probably should have something to do with the vanishing body case with the maid witness and various different youkai who might be able to do it, including Bake-danuki and Tanuki (not sure the difference between them to be honest). If someone can describe how this spell card would look I would be very interested in reading it as I don't think I could come up with a good description of how it would look.

To everyone voting for a spell card related to Tamamo-no-Mae, please remember that Tsukasa is her daughter, and as such, probably knows what happened. Given the weakness of Book Signs, I suspect using the tale of how Tsukasa’s mom was defeated against her is a Bad Idea.

>>212289
On the other hand, a part of it that probably hasn't even happened yet - the stone splitting open - might catch her off guard.

But yeah, that is a really good point.

>>212289

I'm pretty sure it was literally just me who brought it up? Plenty of people are voting for book signs, but I don't think anyone has actually seconded my Tamamo-no-mae write-in.

[x] Book Signs! Spell cards based on stories and other things she’d read, as well as wordplay and the like. Knowing the stories themselves were often very helpful in figuring out the spell card’s tricks.

{X} Ancient Tale: Kuzu-no-Ha's Farewell Poem
{X} Murder Mystery: And Then There Were None
{X} Ancient Legend: Abe-no-Seimei's Divination

Some awesome Spell Cards! I'm going to throw my own into the pool (Despite them being wildly unfitting... but hey, the more out there they are the less likely Tsukasa's going to know how to dodge them! JK...)

Meridian Sign: (Ko)Suzurainty

Based off of Blood Meridian's The Judge, this spell would focus on "capturing the essence" of the target in some way in a book and using it against them. Reference to The Judge's book, wherin he catalogues what he finds in drafts and destroys them afterwards. Not too sure what would fit... Maybe Kosuzu fires danmaku that tries to coax the target into standing still for a portrait - and if Kosuzu succeeds in drafting the portrait, the timer extends and the danmaku becomes much more difficult and focused? (Knowledge is power and all) Danmaku could be themed around Blood Meridian itself, like a "legion of horribles" descending as danmaku firing arrows and charging with lances.

Sumer Sign: Bull of Heaven

Based off of the epic of Gilgamesh, the most ancient (surviving) story written down on earth! This one is based off of Ishtars threat as well as the bull itself. In the first part, many danmaku spirits float around and go about business like the living, like a crowded party. They cant be killed because, uh, they're already dead. danmaku passes through them. Then comes the bull from heaven, whose first set of attack is danmaku fissures cause by his snorting. the fissures cause the spirits to "Fall", killing them and mkaing them release danmaku. The bull then charges wildly around. After receiving enough damage, the bull is killed, but its heart is removed from its body and continues shooting streams of danmaku in a pumping pattern.

and finally:

Total Tsukasa Death: Kill Tsukasa. Behead Tsukasa. Roundhouse kick Tsukasa into the concrete. Slam dunk Tsukasa into a trashcan. Crucify that rancid tube fox. Defecate in Tsukasa's food. Launch Tsukasa into the sun. Grill Tsukasa at an Izakaya. Toss Tsukasa into an active volcano. Urinate into Tsukasa's gas tank. Judo throw Tsukasa into a wood chipper. Twist Tsukasa's head off. Report Tsukasa to CPS. Karate chop Tsukasa in half. Curb stomp Tsukasa. Trap Tsukasa in quicksand. Crush Tsukasa in the trash compactor. Liquefy Tsukasa in a vat of acid. Eat Tsukasa. Dissect Tsukasa. Exterminate Tsukasa PC-98 style. Stomp Tsukasa's skull with tengu geta. Cremate Tsukasa in the fires of former hell. Lobotomize Tsukasa. Drown Tsukasa in The Sanzu. Vaporize Tsukasa with a master spark. Kick Tsukasa down the stairs of Hakugyokurou. Feed Tsukasa to Rumia. Slice Tsukasa with the hairpin.

>>212282

Oh, hey! Forgot I posted those designs. Faux sign was actually a beta for ATTWN. Neat seeing it!

anyway, more book signs:

{X} Chivalrous Tale: Hero Fights the Wind Giants.
Kosuzu summons a veritable army of nyuudo to rain down fists upon her opponent while firing a few simple patterns of bullets, each giant strong enough to brush off any retaliatory fire. Unfortunately, they're really just an illusion barely capable of causing any harm, style over substance, meant to trick the opponent into focusing on them instead of Kosuzu.
It's all well and good to tell a famous story, but how are we supposed to fit windmills indoors?

{X} Story of Peace: Beast that Broke War
The area becomes a warzone as clashing bullets shaped like warriors fly towards each other from opposite sides, breaking upon contact. It's messy, but there is a safe spot near a grand wooden horse slowly rolling from one side to the other. However, it's unwise to stick too close to it, as a torrent of bullets form inside of it until they burst out at the end of the spell when it reaches the other side.
"If you're going to throw your lot in with a horse spirit, why not take a horse of your own as a gift?"

{X} Labyrinth: Lost in a Good Book
A survival spellcard. Kosuzu summons a maze with walls of paper arises around the enemy, seemingly folding space to create it, and then the walls begin to slowly tighten around you. To escape, you can't just blindly rush through. You need to carefully study the words written upon the walls, as they contain instructions to the path to freedom.
What a scam! I got trapped in a maze and there wasn't even a Minotaur, just this lousy t-shirt!

something I've been trying to do with most of these cards is finding ways to cross books with foxlike elements, like guile heros, disadvantaging the opponent, or trickery. Seems like a good intersection between her two natures.

[X] Book Signs! Spell cards based on stories and other things she’d read, as well as wordplay and the like. Knowing the stories themselves were often very helpful in figuring out the spell card’s tricks.
- {X} Tamamo-no-mae's Killing Stone

x] Book Signs! Spell cards based on stories and other things she’d read, as well as wordplay and the like. Knowing the stories themselves were often very helpful in figuring out the spell card’s tricks.

spellcards that I like from other comments
- {X} Ancient Tale: Kuzu-no-Ha's Farewell Poem
- {X} Poison Sign: Illustration of the Sessho-Seki
- {X} Tamamo-no-mae's Killing Stone

It's not the best idea I've had but it made me want to write one while reading all the comments

- {X} Mistic Sign: The Legendary Kitsune of Tsugaru
Based on the story chen told about how Ran and Yukari won against shirohime.
Sacred fires fall from the sky, which when they collide create a large amount of danmaku in a random and very quickly, while zigzag lasers appear that cut the sacred fires that are in the air, creating the same effect as on the ground, all this while Kosuzu creates a wall of danmaku ready to finish off Tsukasa.

[X] Book Signs! Spell cards based on stories and other things she’d read, as well as wordplay and the like. Knowing the stories themselves were often very helpful in figuring out the spell card’s tricks.

Destroy smelly fox
Kill smelly fox

[X] Book Signs! Spell cards based on stories and other things she’d read, as well as wordplay and the like. Knowing the stories themselves were often very helpful in figuring out the spell card’s tricks.

Just going to signal boost some of my favorite suggestions:
{X} Murder Mystery: And Then There Were None
{X} Ancient Tale: Kuzu-no-Ha's Farewell Poem
{X} Infinity: Library of Babel
{X} Sumer Sign: Bull of Heaven
{X} Chivalrous Tale: Hero Fights the Wind Giants.

I liked all of these, I just tried to pick my five favorites. Great work to everyone so far. Loved seeing the literary and mythological references to some famous stories!

[X] Book Signs! Spell cards based on stories and other things she’d read, as well as wordplay and the like. Knowing the stories themselves were often very helpful in figuring out the spell card’s tricks.

{X} Murder Mystery: And Then There Were None

Flandre hasn't used spellcards yet in this timeline, we can claim the copyright first!

>>212282 here

I have an alternate name for my suggestion (Notebook Sign ~ Writing on the Walls)

{X} Scrapbook collection ~ Taunts for the Shrine Maiden

(might even count as a name for the higher difficulty version or something. XP )

and hopefully this isn't jynxing it or anything, but I hope if we do manage to pull off another shut out on Tsukasa that we get a scene when Ran arrives, but its with both Chen and Kosuzu sitting together as the conquering heroes atop their fallen foes

{X} Murder Mystery: And Then There Were None

[X] Book Signs! Spell cards based on stories and other things she’d read, as well as wordplay and the like. Knowing the stories themselves were often very helpful in figuring out the spell card’s tricks.

Cmon.... We're so close to another perfect clear. I need to think on what kind of spell card to use, but I think the Suzunaan cards are the way to go.

We should try to push Kosuzu into a reawakening by highlighting the contrast between her current life and past life.

>>212303

Scratch that. I forgot about the whole pipe-fox thing.

>>212303
I'm reminded of the first (spellcard) duel in Y/Y, vs. Parsee. If you remember, there was some back and forth between Sword Sign vs Bird Sign, but what ultimately won out was the descriptions of each one's specialties (Sword was obviously better vs Spiders, Bird was better vs Parsee, so we went Bird.)

The descriptions here have an evident winner. Tsukasa is a bonafide master at getting through tight spaces, and she probably knows every vulpine trick from her past. Books, on the other hand, are something she's never really focused on, so she won't get the references to famous stories like Don Quixote.

I might do some cards for the other two types though, just for fun and in case we have a chance for them later!

Counting to >>212302:
Main Choice:
[1] Suzunaan Signs! Spell cards with intricate order in their design, based on the duties of a book-keeper. The difficulty in them came not from seeing the safe spots in the chaos, but weaving through the narrow gaps in the orderly attacks.
[17] Book Signs! Spell cards based on stories and other things she’d read, as well as wordplay and the like. Knowing the stories themselves were often very helpful in figuring out the spell card’s tricks.
[1] Youkai Signs! Her magic as a fox and her nature as a youkai brought out in its most direct form. Generally based on techniques common to foxes, at least at this point.

Spell Card Suggestions:
For "Suzunaan Signs" Spell Cards:
-{2} Infinity: Library of Babel (>>212287, >>212298)

For "Book Signs" Spell Cards:
-{3} Tamamo-no-mae's Killing Stone (>>212275, >>212294, >>212296)
-{1} Tales of a Humble Reporter. (>>212276)
-{1} Notebook Sign ~ Writing on the Walls (>>212282)
-{6} Ancient Tale: Kuzu-no-Ha's Farewell Poem (>>212282, >>212285, >>212287, >>212292, >>212296, >>212298)
-{5} Murder Mystery: And Then There Were None (>>212283, >>212292, >>212298, >>212299, >>212301)
-{1} Historical Wave: Fall of the Berlin Wall (>>212283)
-{1} Atlas: Weight of the World (>>212283)
-{2} Book Sign: Illustration of the Sessho-Seki (>>212285, >>212287)
-{1} Book Sign: The Telling of Masaki's 999 Lives (>>212285)
-{1} Book Sign: Fox Confessor's Flood Song (>>212285)
-{1} Book Sign: Fabill of Lowrence and the Lion King (>>212285)
-{1} Book Sign: Legend of the Night Parade (>>212287)
-{2} Ancient Legend: Abe-no-Seimei's Divination (>>212287, >>212292)
-{1} Heirloom: Hyacinthoides Scripta (>>212287)
-{1} Book Sign: Was it all the work of Youkai? (>>212288)
-{2} Chivalrous Tale: Hero Fights the Wind Giants. (>>212293, >>212298)
-{1} Story of Peace: Beast that Broke War (>>212293)
-{1} Labyrinth: Lost in a Good Book (>>212293)
-{1} Scrapbook collection ~ Taunts for the Shrine Maiden (>>212300) Assumed you wanted to group it into the same section. Feel free to correct me if I was wrong.

For "Youkai Signs" Spell Cards:
-{1} Revolt - Nine Hundred Tails Night Parade (>>212280)
-{1} Mystic Sign: Fox's Wedding (>>212287) [I assumed that you meant "Youkai Signs" & you wanted to put it into this section, but feel free to correct me if I was incorrect.]

Miscellaneous Spell Cards (Feel free to correct me if you wanted your spell card to be in a particular set):
-{1} Kaizou Sign "Wipe O Floor with Thy Blood!" (>>212274)
-{1} Tome Sign: Bibliophile's Bookshelf (>>212282)
-{1} Faux Sign: Fox's Duplicity (>>212282)
-{1} Recollection: Claustrophobia (>>212282)
-{2} Poison Sign: Illustration of the Sessho-Seki (>>212282, >>212296)
-{1} Fox-Dragon: The Telling of Masaki's 999 Lives (>>212282)
-{1} Water Sign: Fox Confessor's Flood Song (>>212282)
-{1} Fox Sign: Fabill of Lowrence and the Lion King (>>212282)
-{1} Yin Yang "Seiman-Daimon" (>>212287)
-{1} Meridian Sign: (Ko)Suzurainty (>>212292)
-{2} Sumer Sign: Bull of Heaven (>>212292, >>212298)
-{1} Mystic Sign: The Legendary Kitsune of Tsugaru (>>212296)

Should be everything...? :3

>>212306
I'm shocked you actually tallied up all of these things holy crap.

-{X} Ancient Legend: Abe-no-Seimei's Divination

Anyway, I'm late to the party, here are my ideas:
[X] Book Signs! Spell cards based on stories and other things she’d read, as well as wordplay and the like. Knowing the stories themselves were often very helpful in figuring out the spell card’s tricks.
-{X} Hyakki-Yagyo: March in The Capital
A confusing, chaotic attack based on the chaos of the Night Parade. Apparitions spring forth, firing off small patterns that add up and overlap to create a chaotic, confusing wave of danmaku emulating the chaos of the Hyakki-Yagyo.

- {X} Onmyo sign: Seimei's Pentagram
A pattern of pentagrams based on the legends of Abe-No-Seimei. Utilizing lesser shikigami (the OG paper dolls), the opponent should be wary, lest they find themselves boxed in at the center of Seimei's pentagram.

- {X} Onmyo sign: Doman's Lattice:
A pattern of lattices designed to box in the opponent, leaving them open for a central strike (a laser, maybe?)

A lot of these, I got inspiration from Nioh 2, which coincidentally has all of these elements in the story; the Night Parade causing chaos in the capital, Abe-No-Seimei, and Ashiya Doman. And when you fight him, Doman loves spamming a lightning laser from his lattice.

>>212306

>>212300 & >>212282 here.

yeah, Its a rename so it goes in the same category as Notebook sign.

Though book sign is basically the closest fit of the three choice for the spellcard. it fits in the 'you have to know the story to see the trick' part... but its from Kosuzu's own experience rather than something she read. (and so right now only 3, maybe 4 people could have at least a clue on what the trick is from the name: Reimu, Akyuu, and Kosuzu who were there at various points. Marisa and Youmu might've heard about ti from Reimu and Akyuu respectivly, but those two didn't have the full picture and thus the second-hand explaination would be similarly lacking...)

Though funnily enough despite being on the short end of it when it actually happened... the way I envisioned the spellcard Reimu (Talisman.) would actually have the easiest time with it.

Hello I made art for this series, I thought it looked silly with the immaterial children, Marisa isn't there cause she's jumping Reimu after Youmu

SMELLY FOX DESTROYED

Woohoo! Incredibly fititng she finishes her fight with Tsukasa with the Hyakki Yagyo. Now the only thing I'm wondering...will there be another Pyre?

[X] The Grimoire.

I mean, what else is Kosuzu gonna default to.

[X] The Grimoire.

Agree with previous anon

[x] The Grimoire

I can already see how the scene goes in my mind’s eye.

[X] The Grimoire.

Yeah this sounds like the Kosuzu default. And the one she's least likely to start being negative about herself in at least the time it takes Ran to recover anyways.

>>212317
To expand on this, I can picture Kosuzu rambling about all the different things she’s learned from the book, how helpful what she’s learned has been, and all of that until Ran finally recovers enough to hug her.

[X] The Grimoire.

>>212310
Youmu’s deadpan face is hilarious here.

[X] The Grimoire.
B O O K

[X] The Grimoire.

Man, isn't it super weird how the last three votes have only had one option? I jest, of course, but...

Fuck y'all.

[X] Chen

[X] Chen

Normally, Kosuzu/book would be obvious, but in this particular case, I feel like Chen should be more on her mind. Girl did just put her life on the line buying time for her, and she is starting to settle in to having her for a sister.

[X] Chen.
Just to have a little more challenge.

>>212310
Always great to have more art!

[X] Chen.

[X] Chen.
uh...

[ X ] Chen.

the grimoire is important, but it's also not going anywhere, while Chen's gotten fairly roughed up for our sake; time to see if she's doing okay.

>>212318 here

I'm changing my mind here, while B O O K is a Kosuzu default... I feel like the chance for Kosuzu to talk about her big sis is probably better. So:

[UNDO] The Grimoire
[X] Chen.

[X] Chen

This is >>212320

[UNDO] The Grimoire.
[X] Chen.

[X] Chen.

[X] Chen.

[X] Chen

[X] The Grimoire

This is the easiest choice for me, since Kosuzu is all about books. I think Chen can handle herself for now, but we'll see.

[X] Chen.

Get that girl medical attention!

Also, Kosuzu's spell card was incredible!

[X] The Grimoire

[X] The Grimoire

Chen would be my 2nd choice as all these options seems like they all could be talked about but by priority.

>>212337
Give her some attention, sure, but in 24h, she'll be just fine. She's a youkai after all. If she had been human, I would have agreed 100% with you.

I'm basing myself on canon where Satori got stabbed in the heart by Flandre in FDS (don't remember the exact chapter by heart). So, that's why Chen's arm will be just fine.

Feel free to disagree if Canon should still apply to an extent or not.

Both sides seem reasonable. Anyways...
[x] Herself.

>>212339
In 24 hours she'll probably be fine, but right now she's hurt and could use palliative care to make those 24 hours easier. Just because she could tough it out doesn't mean anyone should let her.

Counting to >>212340:
Main Choice:
[1] Herself.
[13] Chen.
[8] The Grimoire.

:3

[x] Chen
Shes hurt all over not thinking about her just seems wrong

[X] The Grimoire

[x] Chen

Chen deserves the love, she's felt so guilty for not being there for Ran when she was in trouble, and saw herself as a replacement for Kosuzu, she doesn't even think she's Ran's own daughter and just her Shikigami, I think it'll mean a lot to Chen if Kosuzu tells Ran how great of a big sister she's been

A simple sketch I made while waiting for Kosuzu's hits on Tsukasa.This series really got me in a chokehold and it took me out of my artblock lmao

>>212346
the sketch looks cool

[X] Chen
Big sis deserves some love right now, no?

>>212346
Always nice to see more art!
This series was my reason to start drawing again (and still is), so I can totally relate!

[X] Chen

>>212346
this looks really amazing!

>Chen selected
>Kosuzu not caring about herself
>Grip set to 100
>???
(This is a joke)

Anyway, what da Seiga doing?

>>212352
Being imprisoned by Keiki/Yachie because she got knocked out by Yukari.

I wonder what will happen to Yoshika now that Seiga is going to be imprisoned or something...

[X] The Grimoire.

I think Kosuzu is a bit tunnel-visioned right now. Chen might be sitting right next to her, but all Kosuzu sees is Ran.

He does it again, ladies and gentlemen…

Can we throw Tsukasa into the Sanzu just to make sure she doesn't ruin this

>She cried, and cried, and cried… because, at long last, it was all over...
... And then she woke up.
"Morning Ko-Ko!"

This is probably one of the shortest updates in all of Redo/Reimu, but I think I speak for everyone when I say that making it any longer would make it worse.

Bravo, good sir, and thank you. This is everything I wanted.

>>212359
with all due respect, take a long walk off a short pier over a deep harbor

And all that talk over getting Chen some attention was just to get Kosuzu to get started to talk to Ran. If I'd known, I wouldn't even argued about youkai healing in 24h and chosen Chen and it wouldn't had been a question. (or "herself" would've work too)

Now, I hope "Grip" is -5 - even though it was not mentionned.

>>212359
The door is over to your right. Please open it and leave.

>>212359

Kosuzu is probably going to be getting those butterfly pills for a loooonnnnnggg while for dealing with nightmares involving exactly that scenario.

>>212358

I second this, I'm getting phase 2 suwako boss fight flashbacks right now

>>212364
Suwako’s second phase was set up during the update Youmu reunited with Youki, and they didn’t have time to hug it out then. I think Tsukasa, if she wakes up soon enough to escape, will prioritize saving her own skin over any form of revenge.

>>212365
This is why I think we should drop her in the Sanzu then.

Hmmm...Seal (with Hakurei Seals) Tsukasa in a Bottle, finish off by melting the glass shut, then bury the bottle in a cushioned lockbox.

At the bottom of the Mariana Trench.

Either that or just off her and send her to Shiki.

...I wonder if Reimu will mention a certain Crown Prince...

...Oh dear, the Captcha decided to weigh in. It said "YUUKA"

> because, at long last, it was all over.

It better be, Gooboi, it better be.

Now for our perfect run reward could we get a double, triple, quadruple check that Tsukasa is definitely dead and not coming back any time soon actually, ever. Make sure she’s not coming back, ever.

>She reached out into the gaps again. Slowly, they appeared around her, each one revealing different scenes. A different train station, with bisected haniwa crawling to support each other.

yay! it seem Bishop and the other Haniwha from the earlier part are... well alive!

>A group of rabbit spirits, completely unaware of her eyes upon them.

Well there's Tewi crew! I wonder what they were up to in all of this.

>A taotie, who saw the gap and stared at her with a slack jaw.

...yanno I am wondering how much was Yuuma keeping up with the situation at large. Just a bunch of rumors floating around, the Keiga do a suicide charge into the Haniwha Territory*... then all of a sudden a Gap opens and you see a 9 tails that looks REALLY close to an old buddy of yours suddenly looking at you...

>>212369
I sincerely hope that at least one of the remaining chapters or an epilogue is Yuuma showing up to see just what the heck is going on.

Bonus points if she hears about the whole Tsukasa debacle and decides that Tube Fox is on the menu.

>>212370
Hoping Yuuma shows up just for interactions with her and Ran.
Old gang friend leaves and then next time you see them, their a mother of two

> A sodden red-haired woman with a dripping scythe, examining a winged girl who was twitching on the ground.

komachi and... my first thought was youmu getting beat after trying to make her way to the animal realm to 'save' reimu from yachie, but on second thought that's probably kutaka after getting bulldozed by mama ran.

>>212370
i'm looking forward to kosuzu's epilogues the most out of all the arcs ngl

You know, I’m kind of hoping that one of the epilogues involves Megumu in some capacity. She’s the first person Kosuzu remembers being friendly to her in recent times, and it’d be interesting to see her reaction to everything.

D’aww. Glad Tsukasa and Seiga are under lock and key. I feel Yukari is going to be especially inventive with Tsukasa’s interrogation. But, honestly, who cares?

Looking forwards to what happens next

I can't wait to cause chaos as Marisa

>>212380
Give it some time. Tsukasa hasn’t been subjected to Ran and Yukari’s tender mercies yet.

Finally caught up to the front and, great story Gooboi! Just also had a thought about my favorite character from the fighting games: Sumireko. Since it wasn’t her actual body in Gensokyo, but instead her dream world self, when the last timeline fell apart would she have burned like the humans, or simply vanished like the yokai? Would the her on the outside wake up in a cold sweat from a nightmare she can’t remember, or be comatose? Just thoughts because the story has been extremely interesting so far!

Reimu acting like an overcuddled neko miko with the tail slaps is hilariously cute. and Poor Yumemi, just overwhelmed by everything. and She made Ruukoto a bit back!

as for Tsukasa: a lot of the option are attempt to seal her and then place her somewhere unobserved, which might open up the possibility of her escape despite how deadly they sound... I personally would banish her from Gensokyo, and just be observed as the fading of Magic means that she slowly fades away herself until she is less than even forgotten.

See you again, Yumemi.

Of course Kosuzu and Reimu both jump to the Fortune Teller when asked about finding a fortune teller.

>She paused, then seemed to realize something. “Oh, and of course, we’ll need a real fortune teller. And a good one, at that.” She turned to the trio. “Any of you girls got any ideas?”

>]Reimu and Kosuzu shared a long, slow glance. “You… could say that.” The jidiao offered, with a guarded tone.

"Oh yeah, I still need to kill him in this timeline :D"

"You do me this favor... and maybe... just maybe I won't burn you from the inside out when you try to become a youkai."

> Marisa wakes up for first time
> First vote is to go to the SDM

About older Yumemi's (aka Ichi) plan, I hope it's defeating the Pyres only. Because, outside of Reimu (solely for her job), I (personally) wouldn't want any of them to return to being a human. Maybe I'm mixing up a plan with another character in a previous character arc. My personal mains reason is that, for most of them, it was like some kind of dream to them. They knew it was a line they shouldn't cross for Gensokyo's stability and leaving their humanity behind is also quite taboo as well.

Akyuu: she has probably the most to benefit to stay youkai. It lengths her life so much. The downside is that (probably), the yama will refuse to a 10th rebirth.

Youmu: probably the one with the least reasons to stay youkai besides Reimu. She had already the advantage of staying in a pure land with Yuyuko and already only being half-human to begin with. She was over 60 years old already even though she looks like a teenager. So, staying a Hell Raven, outside of breaking Okuu's heart (and maybe the rest of Chireiden), it's a hard justify. However, I'd see her stay a Hell Raven because, well, to be honnest, only Gooboi could find a reason why.

Kosuzu: The other one with the most to gain to stay a youkai. She loved youma books and being a youkai already, not only allows her to recollect them without any repercussion but also create them. If memory serves, at the end of FS, she actually wanted to learn from Reimu or Marisa (don't remember which - might be both). So, remaining a kitsune will allow her to basically live her dream and actually be part of the heroes. Also, Ran could probably become heart broken to lose her kit only after 60-80 years when she, herself, has lived over 900.

Reimu: In my opinion, the only reason why she'd prefer to stay a jidiao is only the potential lifespan and stability it could bring Gensokyo as a whole. Otherwise, it could be seen as "why are you taking the humans' side while you're a youkai yourself?!"

Marisa: We don't know yet what she'll be (although that'd be pretty soon) but, assuming it's something that'd allow her to be strong (like an oni) or legally become what she wanted to be (ie. a full fledged magician like Alice and Patchouli). I think she'd rather stay a youkai than becoming human again. Anyway, that remains to be seen.

Sanae and Tenshi: We know they are going to be involved as they are the Paradox. Tenshi is obviously not included in what I am talking about here. I wouldn't see Sanae accepting to stay a youkai - if she becomes one that is (probably). Tenshi, I think she'd just prefer to gtfo Heaven for good if given the opportunity.

Of course... that's what I personally wish to happen. It will probably not reflect anybody else's point of view.

>>212391

Oooh if you want some reason why Youmu might wanna stay a youkai, her and Utsuho share the same genes(so like a part of Myon is inside Okuu) if Youmu becomes human again what will become of Okuu? Will she keep the genes or will a big part of her be missing, cuz the Okuu we know is very much entangled with Myon, so if Youmu chooses to become human again she should probably be aware of the unknown consequences to her own twin sister. Otherwise I don't think Chireiden will mind too much if Youmu becomes a human again cause Youmu will always be Youmu to them, not to mention she can just visit between Former Hell and Hakugyokurou

>>212391

In fairness, as far as we have been told Ichi's plan does leave the new lives of the Immaterial Children intact. Whether this manifests as them actually remaining intact or their being 2 copies of the same souls running around isn't 100% clear, but it depends on whether or not San/Ichi are working together or not (San is instead promising that the Immaterial Children will return to their old lives, so either San/Ichi are temporary allies and have split about the aftermath, or they are collaborating and are trying to end up with everyone happy.)

To fill in Sanae and Tenshi, I would say Sanae is the only one of the two that may be willing to stay a Youkai (contingent on her being able to maintain her relationship with Moriya Shrine, I wouldn't expect she would have too many objections.

Tenshi, given the context we have, is apparently a completely mess as a Youkai and would jump at the opportunity to be Human the most of the group... assuming having more of her friends around wouldn't be enough to stabilize her mentally.

>>212393

Her name is Go, not San.

>>212394

Oops, you are right. Too much Sanae messing with me obviously (but must stick with the plan to deal with Marisa shenanigans).

Ichi/Go's exact relationship and plans are currently unknown, just that they are saying opposite outcomes for the IC. Assuming Kosuzu's arc gave us the reason for Yumemi's investment in keeping the IC immaterial, we likely will have to see Chiyuri to see why Go is trying to restore them.

>>212393

I've been running on the belief that the ichi-go plan was to split the previous life and new life of each of the ICs out, not only do we have what ichi and go have been saying, but who has been saved or mentioned so far

- Youki, who is coming close to being able to cut anything, including concepts.
- Koishi without closing her eye, so someone that can read both the conscious, and the unconscious thoughts of people,
- then we have the plan for as many of the power magicians of Gensokyo

so yeah, even at the end of arc 1 I was thinking that was the plan.

>>212396

Not gonna lie, spitting the IC sounds really convenient in a storytelling perspective, but also I don't know if that's the best opinion since some of them are really ingrained into their youkai forms, like as much as the Hieda side of Akyuu wants her to become human, clearly she herself wants to stay a youkai, and youkai Akyuu and human Akyuu feel basically like the same person

>But… don’t you think she should make this decision herself?
No
[X] Stay with the Yakumo family.

[X] Stay with the Yakumo family.

I think that, if Kosuzu was asked to choose, she would choose to stay with the Yakumos, simply because her memories of the Motoori family, while pleasant, are not quite the constant stream of affection that the Yakumos have shown her.

Also, being a Motoori would probably involve more subterfuge training and less combat training, and I think Kosuzu is more inclined to want Combat training now that she's capable of standing side by side with Reimu.

That said, I can understand why she might go back to her old family. They're her parents, and she probably misses them a lot. I personally think she would end up regretting that decision because of how much she would be smothered by her parents, but at the same time, they're her parents.

It's a messy situation that will leave Kosuzu feeling terrible no matter what happens, which is why I have a few thinks I want to suggest:

-{X} Ask Grandfather for advice on what to do.
-{X} Ask what the difference in training would be.
-{X} Ask if she would be able to visit the family she doesn't choose.

Damn Yukari really told us this was a family decision, go ahead Kosuzu, you choose

…you know what, Yukari. You’re right. She should make this choice herself. But at least allow me give her one piece of advice.

Don’t feel tied down by a desire to be safe from this danger. You’re likely gonna be in the thick of this no matter what Kosuzu, and if you go back to your old family just to try and stay away from it, you’ll ultimately just be the person your false mother was trying to make you.

At the same time, the inverse is true. Don’t go to the Yakumo’s simply to be in the thick of the action, for that mentality will foster reckless decisions that will ultimately come back to bite you.

I guess what I’m trying to say in all my rambling is, if you are going to make this decision, make it your decision. Chase after what your heart truly desires, and don’t tie yourself to the desires of others.

[X] ...Yes. Yes, she should.

Yanno, combined with Aunn's comments about Marisa having a Village choice over in epilogues... why do I get the feeling that the Youki of the village arc will be the fortune teller? ...And considering how it went with her daughter in canon, will that mean that Marisa might need to save him from HARU?

>:(
[A] Akyuu: Go eat lunch and be cooler than some responsible sage.
If we're not wanted here, we'll just take our services elsewhere and wait for you to come back begging for our services (of bossing around the ICs while they do all the actual work).

...in all seriousness, though, fascinating seeing the diagetic representation of anon! Clearly, we're the actual source of the pyres but we just tripped and hit our collective head and forgot that.

In other news, any last minute guesses folks want to make on origins for Marisa? Basically anything is fair game, except for I believe fairies (can't really be born, plus not really youkai) and various forms of undead (you can't really reincarnate as a ghost or a jiangshi or whatever.)

My personal three guesses-

Flower Youkai - In a similar vein to how Youmu became a bird because Satori was similar to Yuyuko, Yuuka shares similarities with Mima. (Plus, Master Spark!)
explanation for red hair is just that she dyed it.

Rokurokubi - Red haired, creeping around in the human village? That's a bang bang for a Banki! Sometimes, occam's razor applies.

Tsukumogami - Raiko's thunderous soul would be a great match for Marisa. Does raise the problem that she shouldn't be able to be born yet, but there are ways around it.

reasons I disqualified other options:
any magician - too easy, I feel like if Marisa had to take a youkai form it wouldn't even be up to a vote if she could just be a Magician.

redheads - Koa/Meiling are too recent to Gensokyo, Orin and Komachi are already known factors, the humans are out by default, and Gooboi is definitely too afraid of the devastation we would cause if we were somehow related to Hecatia.

any other non redhead - I know I made the argument myself for the Yuuka origin that she could dye her hair, but I admit to it being somewhat of a stretch, and the other parts of the justification were pretty strong.

When did it start raining...?

If we exist diegetically as Hollow Psyches, does that mean we can legally draw fanart of Tallyanon and have it depict canon?

>>212406

maybe for the redhead side of things we could count some that seem to have (sometimes) red highlights too? or would that be too far would you say?

>>212408

XD

>>212399
Pretty much this. We should choose and the answer is very obvious:

[X} Stay with the Yakumo family.

She'll learn to defend herself. Going back to the Motoori is just the easy and lazy way out. It also won't help defeat the Pyres at all.

[A] Akyuu: Go eat lunch and be cooler than some responsible sage.
Seconded.

>>212408
I want to see the Tallyanon fanart now. What other notable anons are there? Gooboi in disguise, maybe? Obviously got to pick some of the name bearers for this hypothetical like Kosu.

>>212409
The only one I can think of with red highlights is Tokiko's wing-hair, but that doesn't feel like a particularly likely connection.
Maybe orange hair?

>>212391

to be honest, it seems to me that there's a ton of pressure on the IC to remain Youkai as is; simply speaking, I think they have gained substantially more than they lost in the transfer, and thus stand to lose so, so much more if they return to being human.

I guess it does depend on how the restoration would be handled but depending on the approach it could effectively shatter say, the relationship between Reimu and her surprisingly supportive, loving Yakuza Oyabun mom or her sculptor goddess other mom and possibly even the mom she was supposed to have, depending on how the three work out the time sharing agreement; while Okuu existed as an independent entity in the past timeline, given how interconnected she seems (and the speculation that she may actually be Youmu's ghost half) restoring Youmu might injure her in this cycle, or far worse. And that's just considering the two who have the most pressure so far to return back to being human, since I largely agree with you on Kosuzu and Akyuu; as for Marisa, well... I guess we'll see - it kinda depends on what her situation is like, though some of what Gooboi has said in the past about her circumstances has seemed... not favorable.

The reveal of we anons being the little spirits was something else, it had me smiling like a dumbass.

Yukari blocking the vote so Kosuzu can choose for herself, literally breaking the 4th wall, was so brilliant that I actually broke from smile to a full laugh.

I look forward to seeing the epilogues for this arc and especially to see where Marisa ends up. I want to read all the theories and reasons for the votes, for I enjoy that as much as reading the updates proper.

>>212413
Honestly, this. There's a reason that voting for an origin took up a whole thread for the past two ICs. It's very fun seeing the discussions, debates, frog photos, and absolute chaos.

I am definitely looking forward to the epilogues too, but the craziness is something special.

>>212411
I was thinking more what colour shows up when the hair has light on it, so a black or brown hair that looks reddish in lighter conditions (see pic for example... and my theory for villrisa's mother.)

>>212404

> Yukari has blocked the vote. This time, you can't influence her decision.

No. No! Bad Yukari! Bad! Bad! Bad!

>>212416
Join the "make Akyuu eat a sandwich instead of focusing on Kosuzu" movement. Our coalition will stand strong!

>>212415
Actually, that does have some interesting implications. Too hard to categorize, and that might be a bit out there, but perhaps! I can't think of anyone I'd be confident in raising for it, though.

Also, I'd like to bring this bit up from the QnA! Nice to finally have an answer on it.
"[?] if it does turn out that Aunn has come back in time, granted that there won't be a origin vote, but will we get an Aunn arc?"
"There will most likely not be an Aunn arc. Neither one where she's the focus, or one where she's playable.
There are actually very, very specific reasons why the IC's are CYOA, and the non-IC's aren't. Eiki's description at the end of A/A is part of that - their identities are somewhat fluid due to having two sets of memories.
What's happening with Aunn is different. You may find out in Youmu's epilogues."

> Yukari’s appraising look… slowly formed into a smile. “For a moment there I thought you’d be asking to rush out to battle.”

changes the way i read this line while looking for prior mentions of the little spirits. yukari definitely saw us trying to get kosuzu to fight.

>>212406
i feel like koa/meiling wouldn't be too far of a stretch. one of akyuu's origins was going to be a scarlet, and i vaguely remember gooboi wanting at least one outsider character. meiling in particular- if gooboi goes with the fanon that she's a dragon, then she technically meets one of the criteria of marisa's options: "beastly in mythology but not in touhou". i'm hoping for the flower youkai, though! marisa might just be a youkai from a different flower than yuuka.

>>212413
as soon as the votes on youmu's thread started up i knew that any future origin votes were going to be rough. and then when we were voting for kosuzu i knew marisa's was going to be a veritable bloodbath. there won't be any youkai mountain option so i won't be shilling hard for that, so it'll really depend on what i like the best out of the three. i'm really looking forward to being in the trenches with yall.

Counting to...
>>212404

Oh.
Wait a minute... This only applies to Kosuzu so...
Counting to >>212411:
Akyuu?
-[2] Akyuu: Go eat lunch and be cooler than some responsible sage. (>>212406, >>212411)

If we're drawing ourselves, Gooboi and Kosu should be drawn first. :3

Wait, you mean this whole time, we are by some technicality the baddies?

>> Warmth.

>> Gentle, warm arms had wrapped around the two girls. The grip was tight, but managed to snake its way past every bruise and scrape, comforting without hurting in the slightest. Kosuzu blinked, confused and disoriented even as a sense of security washed over her. Ran was… she was hugging her?

>> “You beautiful girls…” Kosuzu felt her shoulder getting damp, as the older kitsune started to weep. “You beautiful, beautiful girls…” Even Ran’s scent was so familiar… Kosuzu’s cheeks were getting damp too. “You’re safe. Oh, thank goodness you’re safe…”

>> One word sprung to Kosuzu’s lips, and she tried desperately to fight it down. If she said it, and it was wrong, then she’d never recover from the mistake. She couldn’t say it. She had to stop herself, if she fooled herself, she-she couldn’t let it- couldn’t get caught in the- she- she- couldn’t stop-

>> “M-mommy?”

>> Yakumo Ran just gave a gentle nod into her shoulder, still holding her close.

>> “Mommy…” Every last restraint, every single measure of control Kosuzu had… in an instant, it felt like they had never existed. “M-mommy…” Even in her dream with Yukari, she’d managed to talk, to try and explain what she was feeling, but she couldn’t even manage that anymore. “Mommy… mommyyyyy…!” She bawled, repeating herself over and over.

I should have finished this a couple days ago, but found myself purging heretics and xenos with my battle brothers, apologies for the delay.

>>212411
>>212420
Thank you for the mentions. I don't like drawing self portraits, so if there's art of 'Kosu' I'd like it to be made by someone else ^_^
As for other anons, Tallyanon is for sure one. Other is the fabled tidepisser. And maybe the one that wants "current-arc-named" attacks? Also, the other artists.
For the "named spirits", from the top of my head and in no particular order, there's Asutnima, Lost Soul, Pavise, Bulb, Jahoth, Vanilla Enthusiast, Lord Hylia, Lebon and probably many others I can't remember just now.

>>212406
>>212421
All I will confirm at this time is that your current state resembles the Hollow Psyche spell's victims, as well as the victims of Pyres. How you ended up in that state remains to be seen.

>>212420
>>212411
>>212408

As long as the art is of a basically microscopic, nearly-featureless mote of light... then yes, it'd technically be canon. XD. though i'm sure adding some small features like a spectral clipboard wouldn't go amiss.

I may add a poll for what are people's favourites colours into the marisa vote. Just to help anyone who wants to do something like that.

wow... that the little spirits were us all this time, I didn't expect it.

Since some are also talking about the youkai that Marisa could be, I created a list a version 2.0 list to make it easier to see what type she could be too.
They are without names because it would take me forever and I wanted it to be something simple xd

>>212422
D’aww. Thank you for this lovely art.

>>212424
Wasn’t one of Akyuu’s unchosen options an Amanojaku, not a Lunar God?

>>212425
It's sort of iffy. The species was Amanojaku, but Lunar God is in reference to Sagume, since she would have been the actual mom figure.

>>212425
>>212426
with Sagume election I had quite a few doubts since in the wiki it mentions that she is a lunar goddess but she also has relations with the amanojakus so I didn't know where to place it

>>212427
Ame-no-Sagume is sometimes portrayed as a Heavenly God and sometimes as an Earthly God, which Touhou reconciles by portraying her as mixed, and is also the metatextual inspiration for and/or actual ancestor of amanojaku, which Touhou seems to have kept in place. I'm pretty sure Seija at one point calls Sagume the origin of all amanojaku, or something like that.

>>212428
>>212427
Which, to complete the thought I accidentally posted early, means there's no particular contradiction. Sagume is a god, her children are youkai - although arguably Sagume sits on the fairly fuzzy line between.

>>212391
>>212393
>>212412

I'm entirely on team Yokai, at least for some of the Immaterial Children. I think it's the most interesting option that leads to the most interesting conclusions.

I'd be OK with the idea of them getting split into human and Yokai versions - that's the kind of thing that sparks creativity. Like, what would happen to Utsuho? Would Bnnuy Akyuu lose her other characteristics, such as perfect memory? Would the halves have no memory of being the other? That kind of thing.

TBH, I was hoping early on in this arc that I could push for a sneak-thief Kosuzu, but after the theories started becoming more plausible, it just became unconscionable. TBH I'm sorta hoping we get a boisterous, shameless Yokai Marisa, but then again, that's just my take!

[X] I mean, sure? Is there any reason she needs to choose one or the other, though? There are viable systems for letting her be with both, you know.

>>212431
It’s not that simple. She can’t really split the middle between officially being a Yakumo or not. Trying to be both would effectively turn into being a Motoori, simply because a never-seen-before Yakumo can’t really associate with a family known to be affected by the Immaterial Children incident without blowing the secrets of what happened wide open.

Even if Kosuzu decides to become a Motoori, she’s still going to be training with Ran and Yukari, she’ll just be renouncing her official relationship with them for a somewhat nebulous(Yukari claims that the Motooris will welcome her as eagerly as Ran, but I’m withholding my judgement on that until Kosuzu meets them.) promise of a return to her old life, which, as has been said before, isn’t something Kosuzu remembers particularly fondly.

Sorry about rambling, but the TL;DR is that your suggestion would either cause massive chaos by inadvertently revealing Reimu as a yokai or turn into Kosuzu becoming a Motoori in practice.

I'm looking forward to the madness that the Marisa species vote is sure to be. Personally, I'm hoping we end up with Inchling Marisa. Just picture it. Cute, tiny Marisa flying around on a toothbrush, firing giant laser beams from a tiny magical honeycomb. It would be so funny!

Really looking forward to the Marisa vote! It'll be the first one I can actually participate in as I only got into this fic during this arc...

Thank you for this perfect ending. Kosuzu’s thought process got called pretty quickly, but it still feels so impactful because she chose, in the end.