NOTES: Right now this is a tentative story, depending on the feedback received and general response hopefully this will advance past the actual pool selections and into the actual battles...which will hopefully be decided through mass polling. Well, with that out of the way, enjoy.
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The kappa gave a quick lookaround of all the equipment and put her hand up, "And we're rolling in 3...2..."
The cameras came on for all of Gensokyo to see some of the most powerful beings in existance together at Hakurei Shrine for a currently unknown reason. Nearly every powerful faction was fully represented, from an ice fairy to the shrine's caretaker to some gods themselves. Finally, the cameras centered on a man and a hatted woman with a parasol behind her.
"Good afternoon, Gensokyo!" the man gave a smile towards the camera as he straightened the papers in his hands, "and welcome to the first annual Gensokyo Grand Battle!"
"I hope you all are enjoying your new TG's, everyone."
"TV's, Miss Yakumo, they are called TV's."
"Close enough, we basically worked all the kappas half to death to get all these out to all of residents and hell if I know if they know how to work the damn things..."
"Anyways, I'm Rinnosuke Morichika, and this is Yukari Yakumo, goddess of borders, and we here to bring the pool picks for our great 48-compatant Gensokyo Grand Battle thanks to our recent discovery of this little network exchange called the--"
"Intra-netting! and seattop compers!"
"Internet, Miss Yakumo, thanks to that little device you found called a laptop computer. We have learned that the exploits of this world have been greatly recorded and celebrated. And between celebrations of various Gensokyo residents, a great debate has been ongoing about who is the strongest resident of this great world."
"I'm putting my money on myself."
"Well you are one of the favorites, yes, but that's why we are having our tournament, hosted right at Hakurei Shrine plus with matches at other famous Gensokyo locales like the Scarlet Devil Mansion and the Moriya Shrine. What we are doing today is selecting the positions for the first part of the tournament, the pool play section. Our 48 combatants will be placed in 8 groups of 6 to compete in a round-robin style danmaku fighting tournament. The top four fighters of each group will then advance to the Knockout rounds where they will be fighting in a two-round single-elimination tournament and the eight survivors will advance to our championships where they will finally play for all the marbles and the title of "Master of Gensokyo". It'll be an exciting time, full of twists and turns and our best residents giving it their all, isn't that right...Miss...Yakumo..."
Yukari was leaning back in her chair "resting her eyes" as she tells people, but it was obvious that she was using Rinnosuke's exposition as naptime. A quick nudge from the shopkeeper allowed the goddess to slowly wake up without obliterating anyone in the general vicinity.
"Y...yes, and with the host of this event is our work jock--field reporter, Aya Shameimaru, Aya?"
The camera switched to the tengu and a very familiar red and white clothed shrine maiden in front of her shrine, behind them was a massive board set up to show the pool play standings.
"Thanks Yukarin, I'm here with Reimu Hakurei, the host of this grand event. Any words to say to our audience about the tournament and our fighters?"
"Well I just hope we have some great battles, some exciting times, come-from-behind victories, more donations to the Hakurei Shrine, and--"
"YOU'RE MAKING ME FALL ASLEEP DA ZE!"
The blonde magician nearly tackled Reimu as she grabbed the microphone away from Aya and shoved herself right into the camera.
"What we have here is a battle royale of epic proportions, ze! Faction against faction! Hell, Intra-faction battles! Goddess against goddess! We have combatants unlocked from CAPTIVITY in order to participate in this great event da ze! Ghosts, Oni, Youkai, Fairies, Vampires, Maids, NUCLEAR RAVENS! We got it all in the first annual Gensokyo GRAAAAAAAND BAAAAAAAATLE!"
Reimu nudged herself into frame in an attempt to keep Marisa at bay, trying to get in voice range of the mic.
"M...Marisa, move...anyways, we'd like to thank everyone for coming here and tuning in, we will start our lottery for the Pool Play rounds, so be sure to watch for the fun drama and matchups and--"
"ASSKICKING, DA ZE!"
The camera returned to a once-again slumbering Yukari and Rinnosuke, who was at a bit of a loss for words from the shrine maiden and magician's actions.
"Well...thank you Aya, Reimu....and I guess Marisa...anyways, once a pool is filled out, we will to a quick little segment called Suika's Sure Shots. The oni will use her destiny powers to predict two of the four that she considers locks for advancing to the Knockout Round. So how are things over there, Suika?"
The camera switched to an individual desk with a familiar drunk oni laying slightly over it. "Ish going well, Rinrinyukarin. I'm shorry I didn't get my name into the tournerrent, but I'll do my besht to help ana--hic--ana--hic--talk about the fights and whosh gonna win. And then we're all gonna get druuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuunk...cuz I'll drink all y'all under the table!"
"Heh, well thank you Suika...and now we are prepared to pull the first group for pool play. We now go back to Aya on the floor, Aya?"
In front of the shrine, board, and a box holding 48 numbered balls. The crow tengu looked over to the camera that is focusing on Reimu, who is moving over to the box. "Reimu is moving over to the box and will pick our first and second pool. Who will be our first fighter to know her place in the tournament?"
Reimu reached into the box and quickly pulled out a ball, with a quick glance, she announced to the crowd "NUMBER 29! AKI SISTERS!"
Light applause filled the area as Aya and the camera flew over to the two harvest goddesses, Shizuha and Minoriko.
"You're one of the two tandem entries in this tournament and the first to know your pool, how do you think you two will do?"
The younger sister humbly talked into the mic, "Well we hope to do our best and meet some new people and see some great danmaku..."
"Well some nice selfless words from our first participants, and Reimu is ready for the second entry..."
"NUMBER 43! RIN KAENBYOU!"
"ORIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIN!" A scream followed by applause came from the back where Aya started to fly where she found the kasha with a raven spirit playfully on her back.
"Well, there was a nice yell coming from here, was that you, Rin?"
"No, that was Okuu here," Orin nodded to the yatagarasu riding on her back, "She's excited for this tournament and hopes we both do well..."
"Hope we both bring a BEATDOWN to everyone!" Utsuho lunged towards the mic as Orin giggled but struggled to match the change in weight on her body.
"Well here's hoping you all go deep. Let's see who you else you be facing..."
"NUMBER 10! LETTY WHITEROCK!"
The usual applause came with some childish yells as Aya raced over to the winter spirit.
"We have some Fall spirits and now we have a Winter spirit, how are you seeing this pool play out?"
The spirit nodded and quietly spoke to the tengu, "I just want to do my best and hope that my friends and I can do well."
"Who're your friends?"
Letty pointed to the ice fairy dancing with the sparrow and firefly spirits, "namely the fairy, Cirno, but her friends as well. For some reason they look up to me, so hopefully we can all do well."
"Well good luck to you all, and now for our next name, Reimu?"
"NUMBER 35! SANAE KOTIYA!"
Some gasps of awe came with some louder applause as it appeared that the first big name was called. Aya raced over to the other shrine maiden, innocently watching as the two people she was with were in a wrestling match with each other.
"Sanae, caretaker of the Moriya Shrine, you know some of your combatants already, what do you think are your chances to advance?"
"Oh I think I can do quite well, considering I've already had some good training making sure that at least for now my goddesses play...nice...ish..." she pointed to the two wrestling.
"Do you think Pool Play will be easier than...well...keeping your gods in line?"
"I dunno yet, the kasha seems like a challenge, but I think I'll do well..."
"Well good luck to you, now to find another challenger..."
"NUMBER 5! Hong...who is tha-OH! CHINA!"
A roar of laughter came from most of the crowd, but one member stood up with her arms outstretched in a "you have to be kidding me" position. It wasn't that hard for Aya to find her.
"Well, China..."
"Meiling...MY NAME IS MEILING! Reimuuuuu, why did you just embarrass me? I thought if I got my name called by you and not the witch that they'd actually use my name..."
"I...uh...well I'm sorry...I'll call you Meiling from now on..."
"Th-thanks..."
"Well with China in the fifth spot--"
"HEY!"
"We have one last spot in the first pool. Reimu, who's got it?"
"NUMBER 31! HINA KAGIYAMA!"
The usual applause came as for the last time in the pool as Aya rushed to the spinning goddess.
"Miss Hina..." Aya's head began to try and follow Hina's spinning as an attempt to her attention. "You know who all's in your group...who are you excited to face?"
"Well...I'd like...to face...the kasha...and the shrine...maiden...most of all...and maybe...the China girl...as well..."
"Well there we go, our first pool is set. Rinnosuke, how do you see this group?"
The camera returned to Rinnosuke and a now awake Yukari...except now she has her attention to something in her hands.
"Oi, Rinnosuke, where do you catch a Seel?
"Now's not the time, Miss Yaku---er, well it seems like a great group, Aya. A nice healthy balance which can bring up some great upsets. Now Suika, who're your sure shots?"
Suika was now completely over her desk, but still somehow conscious. "Oleeeeeeee Ole Ole Olee...Oleeeee Oleeeee...Oriiiiiiin is gonna kick some butt! Also the frog snake lady will definately get enough wins to advaaaaaance..."
"Heh, thank you Suika. We'll take a short break before announcing the second pool. There are still many big names to be picked. Reimu and Marisa are still in the box, as are all final and extra bosses. Where will they go? Will the two main characters be in the same pool? Will we have a group of death? Find out after the break."
