NOTES: Bah, left my cheat sheet with the group setups in my apartment 100 miles away so Group Five might not be for a little while (around a week hopefully)
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"We're nearing the halfway point of learning our pool play selections here in the first ever Gensokyo Grand Battle. I'm Rinnosuke Morichika and with me as always is—"
"CALL MY NAME ALREADY!"
"the very strained border goddess, Yukari Yakumo. We have a very likely candidate for this set's Group of Death with Group Three, featuring two EX bosses, two top fighters from Eientei, and our event host, Reimu Hakurei. Do you think that there will another group with a lineup as fierce. Miss Yakumo?"
"I hope so, that I will be in this time. Watching those names pulled for Group Three made me realize that I want to face the best of the best from the first match of Pool Play to the finals of the Championship Round."
"Well it's good that you don't want to compromise, Miss Yakumo, but a break or breather match or two isn't going to kill you. Anyways, we return to Marisa who will pick the members of Group Four."
The magician reached into the box, clearly enjoying the chaos she had already created and anticipating the chaos she plans to create. She chuckled as she looked into the ball she pulled.
"NUMBER 16! RAN YAKUMO!"
The usual applause came over the group as Aya swooped towards the kitsune.
"Ran, your master was just complaining at how she hasn't been picked yet. How would you feel if her or your own shikigami were pulled in this group as well?"
"Well, I'm not worrying much about it really. I have trust in my strength, my master's strength, and Chen's strength." the fox chuckled a bit at a thought that popped into her head, "I would absolutely love if the three of us in fact went all the way to the Championships and went 1...2...3..."
"So you want to say that the three of you would sweep the top three positions?"
"Mmhmm..."
"And Yukarin would be the champion?"
A coy smile emerged from Ran's face, "Now I didn't say that..."
"Heh...uh oh Yukarin, looks like a mutiny might be on your hands. Let's see who else shows up to attempt to through a wrench in the Yakumo sweep plan..."
"NUMBER...four? Seriously, Reimu, she's #4? I could've been sure she'd be...er...uh...CIRNO!"
A round of laughter was heard at Marisa's expense as the tengu scoped out the ice fairy, giving victorious poses to the sparrow and firefly with her.
"You already have a competitor that's aiming for the top in this group, how do you think you'll do?"
The fairy just laughed as she tried to steal the mic from Aya, however the tengu kept her grasp as Cirno settled for bringing the microphone and camera to her face.
"What you're looking at right now, viewers, is the future Grand Champion. Remember this as I ascend to the top of Gensokyo: I am Cirno. I am THE STRONGEST!"
The animal spirits applauded her but not anyone else as Aya finally wrestled herself free in time to hear the next name in the group.
"NUMBER 33! MOMIJI INUBASHIRI!"
"MOMOOOOOOOO!" Aya blazed through the crowd to find her fellow tengu for a tackling hug. "Momo, you're in! You've got some interesting opponents so far, how are you gonna beat them?"
"W-Well Aya, I ju--"
"Oh now don't be modest, Momo, just get out there and kick some butt!"
"I...I guess.."
"Tengu titles, baby. Tengu titles!"
"If y-you say so, Aya..."
"Oh I know so, let's see whose butt you're gonna beat."
"NUMBER 30! MEDICINE MELANCHOLY!"
Some light applause came as Aya searched to find the next combatant...with no avail. With a quick whisper of "Aya..." coming from near the main stage, the camera focused on Alice Margatroid pointing behind her. Another humanshape was behind her, trying to hide behind the dollmaker. Aya made an attempt to get an interview with the shy doll.
"Miss Melancholy, how do you see yourself doing in this tournament?"
Medicine just gave a quiet slight shriek and tried to bury her face in the back of Alice's dress.
"Any reason she takes to you, Alice? Especially since I don't think you've really met either..."
Alice just shrugged, "I really don't know aside from the...I guess magnetic attraction considering her being...well...a doll. I'm actually quite surprised she entered considering...well yeah..."
"Well maybe this will be her attempt to break out of her shell..."
"I really hope that shell doesn't break considering what's in it..."
"uhhh....ok....Marisa...please...new name...."
"NUMBER 36! KANAKO YASAKA!"
The usual applause came through as Aya made her way back to the Moriya Shrine group, approaching the sky goddess still in a wrestling match that she was in when Sanae was picked.
"Kanako, you have a nice balanced group so far. Any words for what you're expecting from this tournament?"
Kanako stood up with her wrestling opponent still holding on to the top of her shimenawa, "well hopefully I can get a lot of faith from the residents of Gensokyo and help bring the Moriya shrine to prominence an--"
"Gero~"
The mountain goddess dropped from the top of Kanako's shimenawa, throwing her hat down on the sky goddess's head, pulling down to blind her.
"AAH, STUPID FROG! Get off!"
"Well...this has been an interesting group so far...no lacking in character, that's for sure. Let's see who rounds out this group..."
"NUMBER 24! KAGUYA HOURAISAN!"
Aya went over to the Eientei group to a seemingly dissappointed princess...
"Last spot in the group full of colorful characters, how do you feel about your opponents?"
"Well....they're fine...but...." Kaguya looked around the crowd, searching for someone. She seemed to be unable to find anyone of interest. She sighed sadly, "where is she? It's hard for me to get ready without her around..."
"...who's 'she'?" Aya was confused especially as the Eientei group was all present and accounted for with the two rabbits and the pharmacist.
Kaguya gave a quick death stare to Aya and the camera before scanning the crowd again, "......Mokou...where are you..."
"O...k...anyways, Yukarin, Rinnosuke, got an very nice group for Group Four. How do you feel about this set with kitsune, fairies, and princesses?"
"Thanks Aya, well...not in this group, Miss Yakumo, but one of your shikigami made it into this group and she wants you, herself, and her own shikigami to sweep the top three spots. Do you have the same confidence in your group?"
Yukari just chuckled and gave a coy smile similar to the one Ran gave to Aya. "Well we'll just have to find out..."
"W...well...anyways, Suika, you've got some fun fighters to check out...any Sure Shots here?"
"THE SCHTRONGEST!" Suika yelled the second the camera went to her. For once she was actually in her seat, but still leaning towards her desk in a drunken lull. "Fluffy'll go through...uwaaa...those fluffy tails....naptime soundsh fun. A-and...prinny princess Kaguya goesh through too...but she isn't fluffy..."
"D...Did she just call my shikigami Fluffy? Oh she's gonna get it..."
"Well I'll let you do that, Miss Yakumo. Anyways, we're halfway through the pool selection and we still got plenty of fighters left. Miss Yakumo still needs a spot, as does Marisa Kirisame and plenty other hard-hitters. Be sure to keep tuning in for more of the Gensokyo Grand Battle!"
