Touhou Doujin: Grimoire of Dawitsu

The Youkai of Darkness: Rumia

Rumia is a strange youkai with the power to manipulate darkness. If you are a human mimicker, it is best you stay out of her way until you know how to deal with danmaku as she tends to eat humans. I'm strictly non-humanoid in my diet, however she most certainly isn't. Okay, Yutaka, put in the Personality Section.

Personality

I haven't had much time to speak to Rumia, as it's so very hard to. She was very much visible when I observed her through my screened device that outside-worlders call Computers, but I can't seem to find her anywhere. It's like she just isn't there at all.

I did once see a deep-black blob around the Hakurei Shrine at late night one time, though. I tried to speak to her, but she instantly reacted to my presence and hid behind a tree. She obviously thought I couldn't see her from behind there, but I clearly could. It's strange how darkness is the absence of light, yet is quite clearly visible. The colour Black is not a colour, merely the brain's way of filling the void caused by a clear blockage of light (indicating opacity) and the lack of light entering the eye (causing the brain to interpret the object as one that reflects no light).

Anyway, all I can gather from this encounter is that Rumia is slightly dim (no pun intended) and obviously isn't aware that humans (her main prey) can in fact see an absence of light. However, she's smart enough to only attack at night. I also know she was once stupid enough to try and eat Reimu Hakurei, which is a foolish thing to attempt indeed. Reimu is necessary to Gensokyo, whether the Youkai like it or not. Okay, next section, Yutaka.

Notes on Mimicry

While Rumia isn't powerful enough to be considered a mimic routine for keeps, she's definitely good for getting the hang of basic danmaku manipulation. Her attacks are simple, to the point, and are almost always aimed at the enemy.

'Moonlight Ray' is a good example of how Danmaku users close the gap that their enemy can actually survive in, so they don't have to focus so much on making bullet patterns difficult to dodge. She does this by creating two lasers that curve downwards and leave an arc sized about one radian for her enemies to dodge her relatively simple bullet pattern in.

She is weak for a youkai, but if you want a practice at a simple pace, try and confront her. Ask for her to move out of the best human-hunting territory, and she'll soon attack you. Oh, and don't move too much when she uses non-spell attacks... or she'll fill the whole air with aimed-at-you danmaku.

Okay, Yutaka, I'm going to make some noodles, you type up your notes. Do you want some too?

Typist's notes: I would like some noodles, thanks. Hold on, that wasn't meant to be typed up... oh, Typewriters are a nuisance, not being able to backspace. Anyway, I think Rumia's sort of cute, with her little thing with the stretched-out arms... my Boss says it's something to do with the Kanji for ten, but I can't read Kanji. To me it reminds me of the crucifixion of Jesus of Nazareth... if you believe the medieval artwork to be true. Actually, from what I've heard, it wasn't necessarily a crux he was killed on, the Romans also killed criminals on trees and posts, depending on whether they were available...

Oh, no, now I'm going off on tangents too...