Di-di~ng.
The miko who came before stepped into Kourindou, clad in her hakama, black leotard and red cloth apron. "He~y."
...Staring up from the book in his hands, Rinnosuke flipped it shut. "Here already…?"
"I sorted my sleeping times out, almost woke up like usual…" Inhaling, Sendai took in the brisk morning air. "Nnn~. Got my outfit fixed, too. That puppeteer was kind of a pain, but she's good about business. Got a discount for her trying to kill me, too."
"I can't believe this is actually happening." Donning a worn out looking backpack, Rinnosuke stepped out from around the counter. A dull looking short sword was strapped to his waist.
Smiling, the miko looked him over. "What're you planning on doing with that sword? You are better built, now…"
"I found it awhile ago. I haven't actually really used it, but…" He patted it with his arms. "It's better than being unarmed."
"If you say so." Sendai looked down at her hands. Promptly, she looked over at Rinnosuke again, this time expectantly…
"Yes, I packed potions." Grinning, he tugged on his backpack straps. "Six regular potions, three ethers, and some panaceas. Some water, food, and a gun."
"A gun?" Sendai gave him a skeptical look. "I almost forgot those existed. Weren't they just pieces of junk when the guard used them for awhile?"
Rinnosuke steps into the midst of the room, glancing around the shop to give his security measures a last once-over. "This one's different. It's from the outside."
"Oo~h. The outside." Smirking, Sendai walked up to the nearest pile, and plucked the toaster she saw before off the top of it. "Known for its useful devices. Like this porta-furnace thing."
"...It does only have one bullet." Rinnosuke concedes. "Its design is rather menacing, though. Some individuals will likely recognize it and respect it."
"Uh huh." Sendai sat the toaster back on the pile… "Oh, right. Doesn't everyone use danmaku now?" Grinning, she realizes how Rinnosuke's small armory contradicts her daughter's preferences. "What're you all geared up for?"
...Rinnosuke adjusted his glasses, looking towards the door. "I'm rather hopeless when it comes to danmaku. I'm not really big on the whole flying thing, either."
'Hopeless at danmaku…?' Sendai rose a brow. 'It's not like you're magically incapable, though.'
...After a few moments, Rinnosuke sighed, his gaze resting on a beam of sunlight reaching into the shop. "Alright. All I'll need to do is lock the front door when we get outside. I've got wards and defense measures set up around the shop…"
Sendai moved for the door. "Heaven forbid someone tried to take your horde." '...Marisa Kirisame, huh?'
SENDAI HAKUREI NO MIKO MODE
ARC 3 - Under the Ayakashi
STAGE 1 - Where Humans Live
Morning in the Human Village, a miko and a shopkeeper stepped up towards the gate inside…
The man at the gate looked up, sighting the miko. At first, he didn't move…
"I haven't been to the village in some time." Rinnosuke admitted. "The last time I was, though, they were… less than hospitable. Keine was nice, at least."
"I'd hope so." Sendai gave the guard ahead a dour stare.
Recognizing the miko, he raised his pike. "St-... stop!"
'Is this the same idiot from yesterday…?'
Woosh. In a moment, the miko closed the distance between herself and the guard.
Eyes wide, he tried to rip his lance back-
Click! His gauntlet-clad hands clicked against the shaft as the weapon was torn from him, the miko stealing it.
She pivoted around-
Woosh! She chucked the pike into oblivion, the nearby trees consuming it.
"Damn it!" Running on adrenaline, the guard moved to punch her side-
She grabbed his fist with her hand.
…
Gritting his teeth, he brought up his other arm-
Adjusting herself, the miko awkwardly crossed her arms to grab the other fist.
…The guard futilely tried kneeing the miko repeatedly.
"Just let us in." Sendai was done toying with the guard.
"Fine…" Dropping his resistance, he relaxed his limbs and progressed towards the reel. "You won't be so lucky inside, though."
"Uh huh." Putting her arms on her hips, she waited for him to reel up the gate.
Cr-cr-cr-crea~k…
...Once it was open, and as Rinnosuke caught up with her, she lunged forward-
Bam!
Thud. The guard fell onto his side, knocked unconscious by the blow to his jaw.
Crouching down, Sendai grabbed his leg. 'I'll just pull him inside so he doesn't die out here.'
"Are… we going to be safe inside?" Rinnosuke eyed the guard owlishly. "Compared to the dirty looks I'd got a few months ago, this is…"
"Me and Reimu were here the other day, and it was all good. Aside from this guy…" Sendai got the guard to the door, and thrust him inside with a powerful tug. "There."
Once inside, the two progressed further into the village…
Gazing idly at the incredibly simplistic, almost plywood houses along their sides, Sendai asked questions. "Where would we look to find Marcus?"
...Rinnosuke scratched his cheek. "Aah. His shop… hrmm."
...Sendai stared at him dryly. "You really don't know where it is?"
"Keine would know." Grinning sheepishly, Rinnosuke gave a slow nod. "She knows the village like the back of her hand."
'...I guess he really hasn't been here in awhile.' At that, the miko looks to the path ahead.
"Akyuu, too." He added. "Her home is rather pronounced, so I'm sure we could find it easily."
"Akyuu?" Sendai raised a brow. "Who?"
...At that, Rinnosuke tilted his head back. "I mean Hieda no Aya. She goes by Hieda no Akyuu, now."
'Oh! Her!' Sendai recalled her instantly. 'She'd remember me, too.'
Guards give them glances, and villagers whisper words about them, but they continue down the middle of the path…
"Keine runs a schoolhouse, now." Rinnosuke states plainly as the progress. "Not on this street, though. If we reach the main street and go straight, we'll find it on the right along the road."
'Sounds simple enough.'
The two passed through the square readily, giving the stalls some passing glances as they went straight.
Clo-clop! Clo-clop! Clo-clop!
Ahead, a man clad in a fancy, dark robe cut straight across the main road, swerving through two different streams of moving villagers to switch from one alley to another.
'A horse!' Sendai blinks at it as it passes by her. '...Where do they come from? I never see horses in the wild around the village.'
"A horse…?" Rinnosuke has similar bewilderment. "I don't think that should be possible."
...The event having passed, the miko and shopkeeper continued forward, not giving it too much further thought.
"Where's the school…?" Sendai held a hand over her face to block the sun.
"Just ahead, about. Not much farther." Rinnosuke provided.
'On the upside, the normal villagers aren't as antagonizing as they used to be. Then again, I was dead for awhile.'
...Eventually, they sighted what looked like the edge of a brick-walled perimeter, a large, open gate connecting it to the road.
"There it is." Rinnosuke pointed to it. "That should be it."
"Should be." Sendai criticized his language. "Then we actually find out it's just a really secretive bakery."
Grinning and shaking his head, Rinnosuke pressed forward with her…
'...Actually, is that Keine at the gate right there?' Sendai sighted the teacher's familiar clothes. A grin emerging on her face, she began to raise her arm-
"Aa- aah…!"
A young girl, clad in a tattered white sundress, darted through villagers on the opposite end of the road. Her messy hair was a curiously light shade of brown.
"Nnh…!" She almost trips as she pushes her way past people, glancing behind her and almost daring herself to make a dash across the road to get on the side nearest the school gate.
Cl-clop! Cl-clop!
From a nearby alley, a horse emerged, the robe-clad rider from before scanning the crowd and bringing the horse to a gait as it waded through the people nearest the alley…
Freezing in place, the stout girl whips her head back to gaze at the horse, before committing to her decision to dash across the road.
...Noticing this, the rider reeled his horse back, and pressed forward-
Clop- clop… clop- clop…
As he aligned himself into the midst of the road, where there was the least villager obstacles, the child dashed straight down the road towards the school gate-
Cl-clop! Cl-clop! Cl-clop!
Shi~ng! The rider drew a long, uneven sword from around his waist.
'Um…' Watching this scene, Sendai began power walking to keep up with the distance between the kid and the rider. 'Is that kid about to get run down in broad daylight?'
"Ow- ow…" Stumbling, continually running, the child neared the school gate, reaching her arm out. "Ka- Kashimawa~! Kamawashi…!"
"Stop!"
Keine ran forward from the gate side she was stationed at, springing into action after her initial moments of watching the horse approach.
Cl-clop! Cl-clop, clop, clop…
The horse slowed to a stop as Keine marched into the way, the child sprinting past her-
"Anh…" Tripping onto her limbs, the child quickly sprang back up to get inside the gate proper.
...The man riding the horse began to try and bring it around her, only for her to strafe back towards the gate and stand in its midst, denying passage.
"That child is an unholy demon." The man spoke plainly, looking down upon the teacher from his horse. "I'm sending it back to hell where it belongs."
'Pfft.' Sendai chuckled at his words. 'Okay...'
"She's just a kid!" Keine yelled at the horse-mounted, robed man. "Did you even look at her!? She's clearly not older than eight!"
"I am guiltless." Frowning, he sheathes his blade… "She ran, I pursued."
"This isn't how you should be enforcing things…" Glaring up at him, Keine moved her limbs restlessly, before deciding to stay where she was. "You're getting nothing done killing innocent people."
Her words caused him to furrow his brows. "My conscience is clean."
"Sure it is." Shaking her head, Keine allows herself to wind down a little, staying resolutely in place. "...You can lie to yourself, and you can lie to your men. But you never can run from, or hide what you've done, from me."
...The aged man's expression sours, his stoicism finally broken. "Accursed omnipresent beast. If the Hakurei miko still held faith in her people, this town would be no place for glorified infiltrators like you."
'Oh, hey.' At that, Sendai began stepping forward…
Once she approached the two, the man looked down at her...
"Oh…?" He blinked twice, before beaming. "Hmm? What is-" Then, he composed himself, lowering his expression. "...It seems the Hakurei god is on my side today, Kamishirasawa."
Keine's eyes were locked to Sendai's form.
"Miss Reimu Hakurei," The man addressed Sendai, "May you kindly allow me permission to conduct a search of this premises? All of our ethic and work, put forth by the town, points to-"
"Name ain't Reimu." Sendai waved him off. "Go away. I'm not here for you."
...Returning to his stoic expression, the aged man persisted. "Well… if it is Kamishirasawa you're here for, surely I may be of assist-"
"Nope. I'm good. Go away." Sendai shut down the fancily dressed guard.
…
After a moment of not going away, the elder put his thoughts into motion. "What exactly do you mean by… not being named Reimu?"
"Do you guys not get trained to follow directions?" Sendai verbally punished the guard for making her request he go away again . "My name isn't Reimu, and you need to go away."
"Hrm…" Frowning in distaste at her jeer, he began to pull his horse away. "Reconsider your actions, Hakurei. You may do well to find yourself on the correct side of history."
'Who the hell is this old fart?' Putting an arm on her hip, Sendai watched him trod off… 'When I was alive, I don't remember any guards who spoke like that. Maybe he was just some flunky when I was around.'
...After he was gone, Rinnosuke approached the two.
Keine took some steps back. "Kourin? What're you doing here, too…? Do you know what's going on with…" She pointed at the miko. "Who is she?"
...Looking over Keine's shoulder, the miko noticed the child sitting against the gate wall where Keine was previously. She was catching her breath, and wiping her eyes.
Put on the spot, Rinnosuke searched for answers by looking around helplessly. "...She's… how should I put this-"
"What's good, Keine?" No longer focusing on the child, Sendai gave her old friend a wave. "It's me."
Narrowing her eyes, Keine stepped back. "Okay. What do you mean, 'it's me'? How many people would even believe a lie that poor?"
"A lot of people." Sendai informed the teacher, before smacking her fist into her open palm. "Usually takes a little work, but people are understanding."
...Narrowing her eyes at Rinnosuke, the teacher raised her dukes. "Kourin, what did she do to you…?"
"Verbally manhandle me." Rinnosuke monotoned, before fumbling with his backpack. "I'm going to guess there isn't going to be any talking this out."
"Talk." Keine demanded of him.
...Not one to disappoint, he gave an attempt. "She stopped by my shop and exemplified her power. Additionally, Reimu gave her a background check at some point, or so I heard…"
"I never thought Reimu could be fooled by a doppelganger…" Keine began to glower at the miko.
'I never thought I'd be accused of being a doppelganger on a daily basis.' Sendai began to raise her arms offensively… "This is about what I expected."
...Looking back at the child, Keine threw an arm back. "Chiyo! Get inside, and lock the doors! ...And, tell everyone I'll be there in a moment."
"Ah- ah…!" Getting up from her seated position, the child began sprinting for the school's doors.
'A moment, huh?' Sendai grinned.
Facing the miko again, the teacher glared. "For everyone's sake… I'll make a feast of your history!"
Clang. As the woman stepped forward, the school gate behind her slammed shut audibly.
==== Sendai Hakurei no Miko Mode: Keine Kamishirasawa ====
…
Rapidly, the villagers on the road outside the school began to trickle, and eventually, no more came.
'...Things just got quiet, all of a sudden.' Sendai glanced at the road curiously. '...No one's coming?'
She glanced back at the teacher, only to find the gate behind her was replaced with a brick wall. 'Um?'
Rinnosuke leaned against the wall nearby, taking a neutral position in the fight to come.
"This fight is between us." Keine annotated. "To everyone else, this segment of road never existed."
'...That's gotta be inconvenient for a lot of people.' Sendai blinked. 'A segment of a major road just mysteriously disappears? Wait, she said never existed...'
"Origin Sign," Keine's hands began to glow with blue energy. "Ephemerality One Hundred Thirty Seven!"
...One of her arms began glowing blindingly bright, as she slid into the middle of the road, skidding past Sendai.
'Woah. Fast…' Sendai had dodged, believing the acceleration to be an attack at first.
Bwo~mp! As Keine slid into the midst of the road, she cast an arm to the left of her, back at the wall she accelerated from. From this arm came immense, eye-straining waves of light, which roared towards the wall-
FWAM
When the wave of light struck it, it exploded and flourished brighter, an explosion of red danmaku bullets flooding the road.
Sendai began running towards Keine, keeping herself low as to avoid as many of the danmaku bullets as possible. 'Danmaku, huh? I always pegged you as more of a physical fighter, though...'
"Hu- woah, woah, woa~h…!" Rinnosuke scrambled away from the wall, the bright red pellets immediately dissuading him.
Bwo~mp! Before the miko reached her, Keine unleashed another wave of brutal light, the energy floating into the houses to her right-
Bam! Bam!
Two darkness-enhanced fists met the teacher's guarding arms, causing the teacher to take a few steps back-
FWAM
The bright wave of energy landed against the houses, flourishing and becoming a brisk wave of blue orbs, casting the road in a glorious purple between the colors of all the small bullets present
Bam, bam! Sendai tried to strike lower this time, to avoid the teacher's crossed arms.
"Ngh…" Despite being gut hits, the school teacher was only sent sliding back-
Wham! Sliding up to the teacher as she slid back, Sendai delivered a dark uppercut to her chin. 'There…!'
Keine flew limply up into the air. The miko's uppercut threw her even higher than her launched opponent.
...Sendai allowed herself to soar down behind her, passing the apex of Keine's ascent-
Two arms interlocked themselves with Sendai's from behind. 'What-'
Woosh! In a fluid motion, the school teacher flipped around using the miko's arms as leverage, before their torsos slammed into one another's, leaving them almost face to face.
Sendai saw Keine's neck, the teacher's head reeled back, just before their bodies connected-
Bam! Her forehead met Sendai's.
"Nn~..." Sendai shut her eyes for a moment. 'Woah- ow~.'
Thud. The force from the blow threw the miko onto her back, albeit freed from the teacher's arms.
Thud! The miko raised her arms defensively as the school teacher pounced on her, one darkness-accented arm being used solely to stop an incoming headbutt.
Fierce, plain brown eyes glared down into the miko's.
...This entanglement resulted in the two able to do very minimal. Sendai began poising herself to roll the teacher over-
-only for Keine to leap off of her, distancing herself again.
...Sendai thrust her legs up, allowing herself to flip off of her arms and onto her sandals again. 'She's actually gotten pretty good. She was always pretty smart, but I didn't think she'd become this competent at fighting...'
Keine's previous spell card promptly expired, the purple glow speckling the road coming to an end.
"Land Sign…!" Keine held her right arm up… "Three Sacred Treasures, Sword!"
Fwa-Shi~ng! In her right arm, a short, crudely shaped blade composed of blue danmaku energy flared to life.
"Three Sacred Treasures, Orb!" Keine held both arms out-
Bwoo~m… Pop! A rough looking, translucent green megatama formed before Keine's neck, held in place by a band of green light. After it formed, blue, misty energy began flowing into Keine's form…
"Three Sacred Treasures, Mirror!" She kept her left arm held out-
Cli~ng! A plate-sized, octagonal mirror formed in her left hand, though she held it like a shield. It was red and, like the other artifacts, translucent.
'A danmaku armory?' Sendai grinned at the visual. 'That's actually pretty creative. I'm willing to bet they throw bullets everywhere.'
With the armory complete, Keine slowly accelerated towards the miko.
Sendai carefully, quickly strafed around to avoid directly confronting her for the time being.
Keine swung her sword-
Fwa-fwa-fwa-fwam! Despite the sword being seemingly shorter than even a short sword, the slash radius was elongated by a dense, immense spread of blue, kunai-shaped danmaku pellets.
Sendai was at first unimpressed. The projectiles that neared her turned out to be icy cold, however. 'Ow. That's at least a little more meaningful than the weak stunning that danmaku usually tries to do-'
Keine raises her mirror shield, which glimmers brilliantly bright-
Fwoa~m! Three huge, fireball-styled danmaku orbs roared out, red kunai emerging from them in a spiral pattern.
The projectiles loosely homed in on the miko, but despite their sluggish speed, their size forced Sendai to use an accented leap to get out of the way. "Hup…!"
Fwa-fwa-fwam! The orbs detonated on the dirt road, leaving a huge pool of unrealistically red flames in their wake.
Drawing a yin yang orb from her sleeve, Sendai maximized it. 'I don't think I'll get any farther just punching her in the face.'
Bwroa~r! A spread of huge, green orbs shot from Keine's magatama necklace, forcing Sendai to make an emergency leap back again.
Wham! Sendai punched the yin-yang orb with a dark fist, sending it rocketing towards the teacher-
TI~NG
Keine guarded with her mirror, the orb sent rolling back in the exact way Sendai sent it forward.
Bam! She was forced to sidestep her own projectile. 'Those tools of hers are pretty practical, too.'
Keine began to accelerate towards her again, the air cleaved by her short sword blooming into a malevolent gush of frosty kunai.
Bam! Sendai crouched and leapt, kicking up a cloud of dust beneath herself as she got a height advantage over the armed teacher…
Woosh! With a kick, she accelerated down-
Clank! Her sandal came down on the mirror shield, the teacher guarding against the attack.
Grinning, Sendai slipped a mana molotov from her sleeve as she springboarded off the shield…
Crack! Once the miko had distanced herself, the teacher lowered her guard and ended up ignited by holy flames.
Raising her shield up, the teacher charged it with magical energy while she burned…
Fwoa~m! Three huge fireballs once again rolled out of the shield, spreading out-
Bam! Kicking her legs against the ground beneath herself, the miko propelled into the air over the teacher. Reaching into her sleeve, she readied a yin yang orb…
Keine stared into the blaze, face hard…
Sendai fell past her, dropping the heavy orb behind herself as she did so-
Bam! After falling six feet, it hit Keine's head, causing her to flinch but little else.
'That's a hard head! I didn't think it'd be that hard…!'
...Thud. The orb rolled off the teacher's head, as she began looking around wildly, her shield ready-
Bam! Sendai kicked her in the back, a dark ring flourishing from the point of impact. She was sent twirling forward. "Uah…"
'There. Got a good hit…'
...Coming to a stop near the brick wall again, Keine huffed. "Land Scheme! Three Sacred Treasures, Country!"
Fwoo~m- Froa~r! The forms of the magatama and the mirror began to fade, as the sword grew and took on the colors of its fellow artifacts, the three colors resulting in a brownish combination…
With the completed blade, Keine soared towards the miko, touching down to give herself leverage for her swings. "Hua~h!"
Woo~sh. The massive, wide swing of the blade was slow, but Sendai ran with the blade's momentum to avoid it-
Fwam-fwam-fwam-fwam-fwam! The swing created a huge gush of icy kunai in its wake.
Bam, bam! Closing the distance between herself and the teacher, Sendai delivered a few hits to her side, before striking a pose. "Vol Fulger!"
Zap! Zap! Zap! The electrical sphere that engulfed her clipped Keine from her sheer proximity.
"Nnn~..." Keine shut her eyes, the electricity running up her form and into the solid, earthy danmaku blade.
Bam, bam! ...As the orb of electricity dissipated, Sendai returned to pounding Keine in the side.
"Haa~h!" Bringing the blade up, Keine allowed gravity to swing it for her, tilting it in the direction of the miko-
FWAM
As it struck the ground, a flourish of flaming kunai flared forth.
'Ow, ow, ow!' Sendai was ignited with danmaku flames from the wall that slammed into her. 'This hurts worse than regular fire…!'
Drawing a mana molotov, she tossed it into the air, feverishly darting back from the schoolteacher. "Hydro Storm!"
...Once it reached the apex of its toss, the molotov disappeared.
...Then, it began pouring, heavy holy drops cleansing the village road.
"Aah- nnh…!" Keine's eyes went wide, her eyes shutting as she took a rigid stance in the middle of the road.
The flames running along Sendai's body were extinguished. "There…"
...As it rained, the miko idly patted the places she was faux-burned, the stinging sensation still pulsing in her limbs.
Soon, the water came to an end-
Fwi~sh. Keine's massive weapon dissipated, the teacher kneeling on one knee for a moment. "Ah- ah… ha~h…"
...After a moment, she began to stand up again.
Sendai watched her take solid posture once more. 'Really? She still has energy after all that…?'
Spreading her limbs out, ascending into the air, Keine initiated another spell card. "Pseudo-History! The Legend of Gensokyo!"
...Sendai took an offensive posture again-
FWOAM
Instantly, a deliberate, immense web of thin red lasers enveloped the entire road segment. The beams pulsed, spread, and flowed, all originating from three points around Keine.
Fwam, fwam, fwam! Limbs spread out, all-encompassing spreads of red arrow danmaku roared out from her form.
This resolute, factual display of violence painted the road, sky, and buildings in pulsing, monochrome red. '...Wow.'
Brandishing ofuda, Sendai carefully circulated around her current location, taking care to dance around any actualizing beams or thick arrow walls that came at her.
Fwap- fwap- fwap! She tossed three ofuda through the laser web, into the history teacher.
...From her location, she could see the ofuda begin to glow. 'Huh. Considering what she is, I didn't think ofuda would work on regular days…'
Vzzt! A laser formed in the midst of Sendai, coursing through her.
"Aa~gh!" She was caught off guard by the sudden pain, which slammed her whole body all at once. "Nn~h…!"
'Damn!' She takes deep breaths once she's out of the beam, ignoring the arrow-shaped danmaku pelting her as best she can. 'Jeez!'
Fwap-fwap-fwap! She threw a few more ofuda at Keine, before frowning. 'This card needs to be done!'
"Thousand Talismans!" Ofuda were readily supplied to her hands by her sleeves, allowing her to unload on the stationary Keine.
Fwa-fwa-fwa-fwa-fwap! The lasers consumed some of the holy seals, but very quickly, Keine was overwhelmed.
ZAP
Abruptly, the road was once again shone upon by regular daylight once more.
'...My eyes still see red.'
...Keine softly drifted down, her hair frazzled and expression worn. Ofuda fluttered off of her, only now uselessly, after they'd made their mark on her.
'...That usually doesn't happen.' Sendai blinked at her old friend. 'It's almost always one or the other.'
"Future!" Reeling her arms back, Keine began to drift into the air again. "God's Realm!"
'You're kidding me…!'
Taking a similar posture to before, Keine spread her arms out. This time, she looked exponentially more worn than before, her clothes disheveled and her limbs heavy…
Fwam. Fwam, fwam, Fwam, FWAM
The pattern emerged similarly to the previous card. Lasers of glorious blue streaked across the village road. Unlike the red ones however, these did not flourish; their entire length always at full power or no power.
FWAM FWAM FWAM
Very quickly, sunlight was blocked out by the blue and white lasers, the road immeasurably bright.
'Okay…!' Drawing a Chronicle of Gensokyo, Sendai blindly tossed it into the air, posing. "Holy Spark!"
The tome became nine, all copies whirling to form a octagram above the miko's form, spinning through the almighty blue lasers…
Red, solid bullets that Sendai never saw in this fight began feeding themselves into her form, but she kept her stance despite the growing ache.
VRRRRRRR~
The rainbow beam of holy annihilation pierced the blue beams. Instead of demolishing them, however, the beams merely passed through one another.
RRRRrrrr~...
The holy spark began to fizzle out into the similarly holy web of lasers. 'I'm still blind!'
Reaching into her pocket, she feverishly drew a mana molotov, before reconsidering. 'If holy didn't work…'
Carefully avoiding the paths of the lasers, Sendai realized there was a pattern…
'They cross through the middle, but only once do they go straight down, unlike last time…'
The only obstacles were the actual projectiles coming from Keine.
Maximizing a yin yang orb, Sendai held it before herself and began running ahead. 'Let's go…!'
FWAM, FWAM, FWAM
All along the way, she darted and leapt through quickly alternating flares of holy beams, the mighty magic making navigation of anything except the beams themselves impossible.
Red bullets pattered off the orb, as the miko did her best to close the distance…
FWAM FWAM FWAM
As she got closer, she found herself blocked by a massive, orb-shaped complex of generating beams.
'I can get around it if I time it…' Sendai stared into the bright white energy with wide eyes. 'No wonder they don't go down the middle often, if they generate right there.'
...Once she gets her opportunity- 'Now!' -she takes it, dashing through the point where two large beams met before they actualized into their spread cycle again.
Finally nearing Keine, she kicked into the ground-
Bam! -and rocketed up towards her in the air, charging her arm with dark energy as she neared her, her other arm still holding the orb up with assistance from her momentum. 'You want history!?'
FWAM. The proximity to Keine allowed Sendai to hear just how loud the spread of basic red bullets itself was-
BAM
Sendai punched the orb into Keine's face and upper torso, the Hakurei relic spinning as it tore into her. 'If your head's hard, I just need to hit it harder!'
Bam! Sendai punched it again-
Bam! -and again-
Bam! Bam! Bam!
Bam. She began to fall, and got one clumsy last strike in, causing the orb to roll up and off the teacher's face.
All the danmaku vanished.
...Thud. Sendai landed on her legs. They immediately buckled, and she fell onto her side awkwardly. "Ah- shit, shit…"
...Thud. Before her, Keine landed on her back, unconscious.
Thunk. The Hakurei yin yang orb embedded itself into the soil near the two girls.
…
==== Sendai Hakurei no Miko Mode ====
…
'I should've used a potion…' Sendai reflected. 'I didn't really have a good moment to, though...'
…
Rinnosuke casually stepped up to them, casting aside a large panel of plywood he was using to defend himself. "I see you two had fun."
"Sc- screw off…" Sendai was cranky. "Feed me."
"Mmm." Reaching into his backpack, Rinnosuke drew a health potion. "Here." He tossed it into the air-
Fwi~sh, di-ding! It faded out in the air, before appearing over Sendai's form as a drop of mint green liquid, splashing onto her form.
…Slowly, the miko began to crawl onto her limbs. "Aa~h. Thanks…"
Pulling out another potion, Rinnosuke stepped up to Keine. "No problem."
He made similar tossing motions-
Fwi~sh, di-ding! The potion's contents became one with her.
…
"Nn-nnh…" Keine groaned.
...There was a flux of villagers due to the sudden re-instatement of the road's history. They gave the two wiped out girls passing glances, but most seemed indifferent.
Stumbling into a standing position, Sendai breathed. "Haa~h… hnh- ah…"
'I was feeling remorseful about not being able to get back into my daily training, but if I keep getting into these crazy fights every day I'll probably make up for it and then some.'
Keine shakily raised to her own legs, rising slowly so that they'd keep balance… "Nh- aah...!" Rinnosuke intervened to make sure she didn't fall back over.
Once the two girls composed themselves, they faced one another.
"So…" Sendai exhaled. "Lemme ask you again. What's good, Keine?"
Keine snorted. "...I feel like I got trampled."
"Good." Nodding at that, Sendai began to unsteadily tread towards the school. "Place has seats, right?"
"Why wouldn't it?" Grinning, Keine took deliberate steps towards the gate. "...Kourin, could you get the gate?"
"Sure…" Rinnosuke proceeded towards the school gate…
==== Sendai Hakurei no Miko Mode ====
Inside the plain school building, the two women sat themselves down in one of the back rooms positioned at the front of the building.
"It took you an entire fight to realize who she was…?" Standing near the table, investigating the room, Rinnosuke broke the ice.
"...I got a little carried away." Keine held her hand to a glass of water, which was on the wood table before her. "That, and she took some time to pull out her tricks. I should've realized from the beginning…"
Sendai waved it off. "It's no big deal. Skepticism can be a good thing." 'Especially in Gensokyo.'
"...Yeah." Lifting up her glass, Keine took a greedy gulp from it. "Nnh…"
...Setting the glass back down, she began asking the miko questions. "So… you're just back now. What happened?"
"No clue." Sendai shook her head. "Asked Yakumo. She supposedly doesn't know either."
"Aa~h." Keine furrowed her brows. "So she says."
"Right?" Sendai grinned. "Whatever. I'll find out sooner or later."
"How did Reimu take it? You being back and all." Keine wondered, setting her glass back down on the table… "When I saw her with you, she seemed to be taking it well enough."
"Pretty regularly." Sendai supposed. "When I'm around, anyway. She's probably some kinda mixed about it. Especially after she was so certain I was a doppelganger for awhile..."
"Oh? So I'm not the only one who made that mistake…" Glancing at Rinnosuke, then back at the miko, Keine continued. "How did you convince her?"
"We hit eachother really hard." Sendai grinned.
...Keine sighed.
Holding up a book he'd found on a wall-mounted counter, Rinnosuke idly thumbed through it.
"Why'd you come here, anyway?" Eying her glass, Keine continued her questioning. "Did you just feel like stopping by?"
"Pretty much." Sendai admitted. "Also… I'm tryin'a get the gang back together. Do some exploring again."
...Keine smiled. "I would love to, but I can't."
...Sendai nodded at that. "It's alright."
Rinnosuke snapped his head from the book. "Say what?"
...Both girls turned to him expectantly.
"For what reason does she get off scot free and I don't?" Casting the book back onto the counter, he held an arm to his chest.
"I can see that this school's actually useful for something." Sendai remarked dryly. "Your shop's more like a glorified house."
"Well-..." Rinnosuke tried to counter that, before stalling…
"Please…" Keine gave the miko a dry stare. "Kourin does his best, you know. It's not like he could get a job at the village… especially nowadays. I manage this school, but I pretty much always have to be alert when it comes to the town council. Our leadership isn't necessarily in the greatest of hands, right now."
...At that, Sendai stared down at the table. 'True.'
Looking back up at Keine, then at Rinnosuke, she smirked. "I mean, sure that shop's a way of stayin' afloat, but I'm pretty sure if ya stick around with me, you'll make some good coin a lot faster. These really big name muggers or something have been coming up to me recently…"
Keine's eyes lit up in recognition. "Oh! The shakedown artists, correct?"
Sendai rolled her eyes. "'Shakedown artists'. I was a shakedown artist. These people just go around pretending to be oni."
...Rinnosuke stayed quiet, unsure of who they were exactly referring to.
"Anyway, I made like, thirty thousand yen." Sendai nodded. "It was a good day. Helped me pay for this fixed costume, too..."
"Um…" Keine spoke up. "Seven thousand of those were mine. You see, those shakedown artists… every hit they inflict on someone disarms them of their money."
Sendai's brows rose. "I need this ability."
Grinning, Keine shook her head. "Apparently, the drawback is that when they're beaten, they drop all of their money. I got hit once in that last encounter, and…"
'Still need that ability.' Sendai was indifferent to the drawback. 'If I lose all my money in a stupid fight I can just go punch some people and make it all back.'
Reaching into her pocket, Sendai took the seven thousand yen Keine requested. "Here."
"Thanks." Keine received it, the money sliding across the table to her.
...Standing up, Sendai stretched. "Aa~h. Also, 'cause I've been late to the party for awhile, it'd be nice if there was someone with us who kept on the up and up."
"Hieda no Akyuu's published some new editions of the Chronicle of Gensokyo in your absence." Keine smiled. "You should get an updated copy."
'Oh, yeah! Hieda…'
Meandering towards the door, Sendai asked a final question. "Do you know where I could find Marcus?"
Keine blinked. "...South main. Near the end, watch the left. It's pretty obvious."
'Oh. I thought it'd be harder to find than that.'
"He's not as limber as he used to be." The teacher cautioned her. "He's not up there, but surely he's even more vulnerable than he used to be."
'Oh, boy.' Sendai took this information in… 'He was plenty vulnerable before, too.'
"Alright. See ya, Keine." Smiling, Sendai gave her friend a wave. "Maybe we'll catch up some time."
'Just a week ago, she was still a kid…'
"Will do. Make it a weekend!" Keine gave the miko a polite wave as she stepped out.
…
Rinnosuke slowly trotted after the miko.
"If you guys ever need a hand in a matter pertaining the village…" Keine spoke to him as he left, as well. "I wouldn't mind tagging along then. It is my duty to defend the village at all times, and… strength in numbers, right?"
Rinnosuke looked back at her with a smile of his own. "I'll be sure to keep that in mind."
==== Sendai Hakurei no Miko: Marcus Kirisame ====
The sun hung high in the air over the village, not a cloud in the sky.
'I'd've asked Keine what her history powers were about, but that can come later.' Sendai quietly examined the storefronts as she went along the road. 'If I stopped and questioned everything, I would've been dead a lot sooner.'
...She came to an abrupt halt outside of a certain storefront.
Neon, glowing, blinking shapes were hung on a sign above the shop. The shapes were neon outlines; a neon yellow star, a blue crescent moon shape, and a red arrow pointing down at the shop's door.
Just below that was a long banner along the storefront, reading 'Kirisame Magic Shop'.
…
Sendai pointed up at the blinking, glowing neon sign. "Kourin. Can you use your purpose-detecting powers on that?"
With dry amusement, Rinnosuke shook his head. "I don't think I need to. I have eyes."
She marched up to the shop's door-
Di-di~ng. A bell rang as she swung the door open, proceeding inside.
"Ooh?" The aged man at the counter perked up, grinning widely. "Good business today-... aa~h, huh." He trailed off, seeing who entered the store.
"What's goin' on, ya old windbag?" Sendai marched into the store confidently.
Gaining an enduring grin, Marcus shook his head. "...I don't think I'm old enough for the dementia to start kickin' in, am I?"
Rinnosuke stepped into the store behind the miko. "I don't think so."
Marcus chuckled at the newcomer. "Oh, wow. They got one 'a you now, too? Hahaha!"
...Rinnosuke reconsidered. "On second thought, yes, you have dementia."
"So~..." Clapping his hands, Marcus looked over the two. "What's the story this time? Gensokyo under attack by really aggressive leaves're somethin'? Reimu step into a big bear trap an' ya came back from the dead to run to me 'n' request I give 'er CPR or somethin'? Yukari takin' a nap again?"
Sendai gave him a dry look. "Would you believe us if we said we weren't doppelgangers?"
"Fuck no." Marcus grinned, shaking his head. Then, he pulled a big, grey tube from under his desk. "And fuck you."
Fwoa~m!
Sendai ducked under a solid blue laser that was fired from the tube. Reaching into her sleeve, she drew a mana molotov.
She stood again-
Bam! Rinnosuke elbowed her out of the way, allowing himself to fall to the floor as he did so.
'Woah what!?' Sendai blinked at the sudden sensation of movement-
Fwam! The laser Marcus fired rebounded from the opposite wall and returned to the tube. "Hahaha~! That one's a fun one!"
Glancing between Rinnosuke and him, Sendai realized what happened. 'Oh, right. This is Marcus we're talking here…'
She lunged forward-
Crack! -and smashed the mana molotov on the desk.
Flinching back, Marcus's eyes widened at the holy flames that resulted. "Aah…?" Curiously, he reached his hand into it, allowing it to ignite. "...No shit?"
"Want a holy spark up your ass, too?" Sendai pulled out an outdated Chronicle of Gensokyo. "Because I can do that."
...
Waving the holy flames from his hand, Marcus dropped the laser bazooka tube and extended his arms to his sides. "What the hell happened…!?"
Sendai grinned. "I don't know! I'm alive again."
…
Shaking his head, Marcus leaned over onto his counter, resting his head on an arm. "Every time I think I can just stop questioning things, something ridiculous happens. What is the story this time? And if you say anything about Yukari, we're gonna have problems."
"Honestly?" Sendai tilted her head. "Woke up in a field."
...Marcus blinked. "And?"
"I went to that mansion and fought people." Sendai added. "I have no idea what came before that."
Marcus let his arms flop to his sides. "...That's so scarily mediocre that I believe it."
Rinnosuke got up from the floor rubbing his elbow and side…
Marcus smirked, pointing at him. "What's his story?"
Sendai capitalized on this opportunity. "He got his furniture stolen by a witch, then tried to attack me because I was a doppelganger, so I destroyed his security system. I got him a chair back, though, so it's all good."
"Hah. A witch, huh?" Marcus nodded grandly. "You oughta invest in a witch protection plan. I got just what you need!"
"No thanks." Rinnosuke shook his head. "I think I'm protected enough as it is."
"You know, your daughter turned out exactly how I expected her to." Sendai put her arms on the counter, leaning onto it.
"Is that so?" Marcus reinforced his nod. "Hehehe. She's a real rebel, ain't she?"
The miko snorted. "Being thrust into the atmosphere by a broom wasn't on my to-do list." ...Then, she followed up. "Speaking of thrusting, it's pretty impressive you actually managed to have sex with someone."
"Pfft- hahaha~!" Marcus laughed grandly at that. "I know, right!? Hahaha~!"
'Jeez…' Sendai chuckled with him. 'As unfazeable as ever.'
"...So~." Marcus stood upright, placing his hands on the desk. "You guys makin' your rounds? Y'see Keine yet?"
"Saw her, fought her." Sendai provided. "We're cool now."
"Oo~h?" Raising a brow, Marcus nodded. "Not a day dulled, huh?"
"...It's really something just suddenly seeing everyone older." Sendai admitted. "I feel out of the loop."
Marcus snorted. "'Cause ya are! Y'even get the color 'a the wagon that hit'cha?"
Sendai wasn't sure what he meant. "Say what now?"
"Plannin' on kickin' the ass 'a the asshole who offed ya?" Marcus rose a brow. "Whoever that was."
Sendai blinked. "...I don't actually remember how I died."
Marcus let his eyes drift to the ceiling. "Oo~h, here we go. The fun part, huh?"
"Right?" The miko shifted her posture, her arm on her hip. "...I remember the day before, though. It... wasn't even anything special."
Marcus's eyes locked with hers. "What did you do that day?"
"Fed Reimu. Trained. Fed Reimu. Bed." Sendai recalled. "Then, I woke up in that field near the lake. I knew I'd just come back from death, too. At the time, though… I didn't even remember the month before I died."
…
"I was the one who found your corpse, y'know." Allowing his grin from earlier to become lopsided, her continued. "It wasn't pretty."
'Oh, good. That just makes me feel more frustrated about it...'
"At the same time…" Marcus looked down at the counter. "I never had the drive to look much into it, but… it didn't particularly look like you put up a fight, either. Y'were all bent up, but there were no tears, no cuts're blood outside 'a where your limbs were all smashed."
Sendai raised her eyebrows. "You didn't have the drive?"
He got a small grin off of that. "Not like I knew where to start. I couldn't let it haunt me, either."
"Where'd you find me?" Sendai furrowed her brows. "We could start looking from there."
"On the shore off the lake." Marcus provided. "Not in the water or even near it, though. Patch 'a grass right next to the shore. None 'a the grass was kicked up're nothin', just you lyin' back first in a puddle 'a blood."
'Good.' Sendai's expression was dry. 'I typically always kept energy on my limbs while on patrol. It's not like something could just instantly kill me without totally blowing me apart. I woke up with the lake in view, but not right next to it, so it's not like I woke up where I died.'
"That helps. I guess." Sendai tilted her head back and forth… "Anyway, I've been going around gathering the gang back up. Keine can't come with though."
Marcus jerked his head back. "Oh? What, we gonna beat things up again?"
Sendai nodded. "Well, yeah. Shoot the shit, try to find out what happened to me…"
…
Marcus broke into a grin, moving to go around the counter. "Ah, what the hell? Might as well!"
Rinnosuke felt the need to interject. "What about your shop?"
The mage shrugged. "Eeh. What about it?"
"Aren't you going to lose customers?" Rinnosuke pressed. "Closing indefinitely cannot be good for business."
Marcus rolled his eyes. "What'm I runnin', a diner? 'Sides, I don't get consistent customers anyway. Only place that sells good magic crap, too! I'm like the second hand of second hand shops. People only come in 'cause their favorite thrift store was outta sparklers, 'cause magic is sca~ry!"
Once around the counter, he was the first to progress towards the front door. "Now get out so I can lock the place up, 'n' arm the mines."
Sendai snorted.'The mines...?'
==== Sendai Hakurei no Miko Mode: Hieda no Akyuu ====
The three walked up to the gate of the Hieda estate. It was situated in the midst of a tall, beige brick wall which surrounded the entire estate, but was the tallest in the front. The estate's entrance itself was situated upon a pleasant looking side road, separated from the hustle and bustle of the main roads.
Instantly, the guards there tilted their lances in the way of the already shut gate. "What business do you have here?"
"We're here to see the Child of Miare." Sendai announced. "I am the Hakurei miko."
"And them?" The left guard tilted his lance forward in gesture to Sendai's party members.
"Cohorts. Villagers." Sendai stated plainly.
The rightmost, armored guard spoke up. "One of you is a youkai." He narrowed his eyes at Rinnosuke. "What are you playing at?"
'So much for the proper way.' Sendai began to crack her knuckles…
Reaching into his backpack, Rinnosuke sighed. "Hold on."
...Sendai glanced at him curiously, before he pulled out his pistol.
The guards tensed up. The one on the left furrowed his brows… "A gun?"
Frowning, the rightmost one held his lance offensively. "Firearms are seldom used outside of guard squads, and by savvy tavern owners. All we have to do is keep him out of range."
Determined to put on a show, Rinnosuke smirked, putting more variance into his voice. "That is what you think. I'll have you know that this is a multi-shot life silencer, youkai forged and kappa engineered."
"Kappa…?" The right guard was now wary. "Shit. They always said this guy was good with objects..."
'Good with objects.' Sendai's expression became vain at the extremely generic intel…
Rinnosuke aimed the pistol at the left guard. "And it doesn't miss."
"Ah- rgh…" Locking up, the guard raised his lance half-heartedly. "So what!? You gonna shoot me!?"
The right guard cautiously stepped forward. "Never forget, Toyoaki! We took this job knowing we would be expected to lay down our lives for lady Hieda!"
...Sendai raised her arms behind her head, staring into the sky. Marcus grinned ahead at the scene, standing back unassumingly.
Rinnosuke wore a cheesy sneer. "With this weapon, the amount of my fellow youkai I've punctured is on par only with…" Pausing, he looked over his weapon. "The tengu!"
Bending his arm, he shows off a small splotch of rust on the side of the gun. "This is the blood of the twenty seventh tengu I've encountered."
…
The guards had jaded expressions.
Rinnosuke pointed the gun at them again. "Seriously though, if you don't drop your weapons, you're both gonna die. And then more people will die anyway."
Cla-clack. The lances clattered on the dirt floor.
Rinnosuke looked over at Sendai, tilting his head towards the guards.
With that, the miko stepped up to them…
"What… what do you want?" The right guard scrunched his face. "What do you want with-"
Clonk! In one smooth motion, the miko slammed the guard's heads together.
Thu-thud. They fell to the ground in a small pile before her.
"You really need to work on your acting skills." Sendai looked back at the armed shopkeeper. "You're lucky that was probably the most action they'd ever see in their careers."
Exhaling, he began to put away his gun… "I thought I'd give it a shot."
'A shot.' Sendai realized there was a veiled pun there. 'Oh, no.'
Marcus chuckled. "That gun even loaded?"
"One bullet." Rinnosuke restated. "I don't plan to use it, either. As you can see, it can be distracting, though."
'It's distracting alright.' Stepping forward, the miko touched the gate-
Cla-clang. The gate was locked.
'Really.'
Noticing this, Rinnosuke moved forward. "One of the guards probably has-"
Cla~ng! Sendai struck the lock with a darkness-enhanced fist. The gate whined and squealed as it swung open.
"-the keys…" He finished, slouching. "Nevermind."
Moving forward into the estate front lawn, the miko felt no remorse for devastating the gate lock. 'Hieda's got money to spare. Just look at this place…'
The house itself was long, ornate and decorated. The front lawn held multiple hedge creations, as well as a plethora of smaller ornate hedges arranged symmetrically; their axis of symmetry being the front path leading up to the long, sectioned house ahead.
'She was probably a gardener for one of her lives…' Sendai stopped in the midst of the path inside, looking around.
"Follow me." She began walking into the house. "I know where she should be." 'This place doesn't look like it's changed much.'
A maid dressed in pink stepped into the midst of the porch ahead. "Oh! Hello~!"
...While the shrine maiden's allies caught up with her, she waved at the maid. "Hey. We're here to see Hieda."
...The maid bowed. "Sorry~. No can do!"
'Cool.' With that, she kept pressing forward-
Woosh! As she neared the maid, the girl stood up straight and unleashed a wide kick through the air, just short of the miko's face. "Hehehe. Mistress isn't accepting visitors right-"
Bam! The maid was blown aside by a similar kick, except this time it came from Sendai, and didn't miss the maid's face.
...Thud. After spinning limply through the air, the maid flopped onto her back on the side of the porch.
Rinnosuke flinched. "Uhm… is she alright?"
Sendai snorted. "Yeah. These maids can take a beating, if you don't knock 'em out right away."
'Still into ninja maids, I see.' Giving the fallen maid a passing glance, the miko continued further inside…
==== Sendai Hakurei no Miko Mode ====
The three came to a wide room, with an open view of the outside yard, some cherry blossom trees, and a big fireplace.
"I shoulda come here with a bag." Marcus nodded at the paintings and vases. "This place is loaded."
"...I don't think we should be stealing from the Child of Miare." Rinnosuke recommended skeptically.
In the middle of the room, Akyuu was seated on a big fluffy chair, eyes shut and legs crossed.
"...Hello." She opened her eyes, smiling at the three. "I was told we had… visitors."
Sendai stepped forward, and held a sleeve open with her hand-
Thunk. An outdated Chronicle of Gensokyo fell out, flopping to the floor. "Here. Book."
Thu-thu-thunk. Five more rolled out from her sleeves-
Thu-clunk-thud-thud-clunk-clunk! Sendai created a pile of identical copies of the Chronicle. "Books."
Akyuu sighed in relief. "...So it really is you."
Smiling, the miko propped her arms on her hips. "Good. I would've felt bad if I had to fight you." '...Also, she's a little girl now. I was dead so long that Hieda had enough time to get killed and reincarnate.'
"...Truth be told, I was a little nervous." Akyuu smiled widely. "I don't really do fighting…"
'That probably contributes to you dying inconspicuously every time you hit thirty.'
"Akyuu now, was it?" Sendai stepped up to the little girl, and kneeled next to her. "How old are you, little girl?"
Akyuu gave her a dry stare. "Twenty two, actually. While this body doesn't grow quite like some of my others… it's rather cute, don't you think?"
"I suppose so." Standing up, Sendai put her arms on her hips. "So… you were like two when I died then. What age was I when you first died?"
"You were eighteen." Akyuu nodded, smiling. "That was the year where, once I hit thirty, half of the village's bandits organized a coup on my estate and plundered my corpse. Fortunately they left the books intact, almost in their entirety. A few of my favorite maids died, though I doubt they'd have remained employed in my absence anyway. It's still a shame they got caught up in it."
"Aa~h, yeah…" Raising her arm, the miko scratched her cheek. "That was so long ago. I'd only just remembered the whole 'dying at thirty' thing earlier that night, so I came running. I made a lot of money that night, but I was pretty pissed I couldn't save you."
Akyuu waved her hand. "Oh, don't be. I'm pretty sure if you saved me, I would've tripped and broke my neck before the night was over. It wouldn't be the first time that happened."
...As Marcus and Rinnosuke stepped up, the young looking girl turned to them. "Marcus Kirisame. Rinnosuke Morichika."
Marcus smiled, extending a hand. "Hey there, little lady. How goes the chronicling?"
Akyuu shook his hand. "Well enough. Is your shop still faring well?"
"Quite!" Nodding, he propped his arms on his hips. "I have once again managed to make just enough to pay the property tax for this month!"
"...I see." Akyuu promptly followed up. "Such is how you've managed to gather the money to decorate the place."
...Smirking, Marcus gave a knowing shrug. "Well, if we ain't talkin' above the table deals…"
...After a moment, the Child of Miare asked a more pressing question. "Why is the miko who came before alive again?"
Marcus shrugged. Rinnosuke scanned the room idly, and Sendai responded. "That's what she'd like to know."
...Closing her eyes, Akyuu exhaled. "It is regrettable that I was absent during the time you expired. Perhaps I could have given it more proper investigation, but as things are, all I've managed is to amass a brief summary of your passing."
"A brief summary?" Sendai rose a brow. "How's it go?"
"You died." Akyuu summarized.
...Sendai blinked. 'Oh.'
Grinning, the chronicler followed up. "Sorry, there's more than that. Your body was found thirty to fifty feet from the Misty Lake. Every limb connector was broken, bent purposefully to the snapping point, including your neck. Aside from the broken joints, you sustained no other visible injuries. In the condition you were brought back in, you had just lost enough blood to be dead, even though you died far sooner. Your body experienced a natural decline of mana after death, hinting that you didn't participate in combat before you died."
Rinnosuke's face was focused. "Do you know of many things from that era that could so readily inflict instant death?"
Akyuu shook her head. "Anything with abilities so severe and subtle hadn't, and wouldn't have been, seen around the lake during that timeframe. The miko who came before was also known to be good about retreating from problematic fights, surprise attacks, and ambushes, making it unlikely that she was destroyed by a heavy physical attack. Her body was warm the following days leading up to her burial."
Marcus looked up from the floor at that. "...Now that never really sat right with me. Bodies don't just stay warm like that."
"She was buried two days later, following brief examination. Dark energy remained in her body up to the burial." Akyuu finished. "She's… currently buried to the right of the Hakurei hill, in the woods." She looked over at Sendai. "Allegedly."
'This is surreal.'
...After a moment, Sendai looked around at her party. "We should go find my grave."
"That's what I was thinking." Rinnosuke agreed.
Marcus grinned. "Payin' respects to the fallen, huh?"
"Before you go…" Akyuu stood up from her fluffy chair, and began moving across the room. "Let me give you the latest chronicle. I've made some updates…"
==== Sendai Hakurei no Miko Mode ====
Outside the human village gates, the miko flipped the latest Chronicle of Gensokyo open as she proceeded down the path with her party. In the sky, the sun was starting to hang in the later half...
"Whoo~ie…!" Marcus spread his arms out. "First time gettin' outta the village in awhile…!" Looking at a nearby tree, he pointed at it. "Kourin, use yer uh, purpose-detectin' power, tell me what those are!"
Rinnosuke shook his head. "...You know, I actually tried to detect the purpose of a tree once. I really just ended up with a feeling, rather than an actual describable intent."
"S'probably 'cause trees're grown, not made." Marcus remarked.
"I have similar results with other plants and living beings." Rinnosuke added to that idea.
'...There's a lot of new people in this book.' Sendai had her brows furrowed as she thumbed through the pages. 'This used to mostly be about youkai types and places, along with some lore, but now…'
...Holding up the book, she also noted its size. 'This thing's at least twice as heavy, too. I could probably club a guy to death with it. She's gonna have to start releasing in volumes at some point.'
As they neared the Hakurei Hill, Marcus and Rinnosuke began to move to the right of it, ignoring the incline.
'Guess my grave's somewhere over here.' Sendai followed behind them. '...I should visit my mother's grave at some point, too. If the rock's still around, after all this time.'
"It's about time I visited this grave." Marcus spoke as they moved in the direction of it. "Went awhile without payin' my dues, yeah?"
Rinnosuke snorted. "We will never forget the life she is currently living."
...Within moments, the three reached the grave-
"Holy shit!" Blurting out, Marcus bolted forward. Rinnosuke ran after him.
'Ah…?' Sendai looked up from the chronicle.
In the late day's sun, she could see a large, circular and rather neat looking hole. At the very edge of it was an uprooted stone, her name inscribed on it.
...Darting over to the two, she looked at the large pit in the soil. Grass hadn't begun to overtake it yet, indicating its freshness.
Rinnosuke let out a deep sigh. "...It's not like I didn't expect this… but this isn't very promising."
...Marcus held his arms out, staring into the deep, fresh hole with wide eyes. "Fuck!"
...Sendai quietly stared at the large pit. 'A little big for a body. Also… really deliberate looking, too. This wasn't done with a shovel.'
A moment later, Rinnosuke shared this idea aloud. "It's rather precisely dug, isn't it?"
Marcus still had his arms held out. "Fu- actually, yeah. I was thinkin' they just didn't know where ta dig at first, but…"
...As they grew silent, they stared at the hole.
A fresh breeze rolled through the trees. The shimmering of leaves provided quiet, subtle background noise.
SENDAI HAKUREI NO MIKO MODE
Sendai Hakurei No Miko, the Shrine Maiden who Beats People Up
==o==
WEAPON: Unarmed.
==o==
INVENTORY:
Magic Replicable Mana Molotovs - A Marcus Kirisame invention. A simple prefabricated spell that allows the user to conjure holy/water elemental mana molotovs. The liquid creates a swath of holy flames on contact with any non-treated surface.
ITEM CRASH: Hydro Storm - Holy/water elemental rain, though it doesn't burn like the molotov's mixture. Basically a modified rain spell; it lasts a few seconds and can only be used outside. Deals holy damage to youkai.
Hakurei Yin-Yang Orb - It makes a mean pinball when maximized! When at terminal velocity, the orb also does magical damage.
ITEM CRASH: Fantasy Heaven - Tapping into her dark mastery, Sendai temporarily becomes more youkai-like at the expense of her sub-weapons and becoming more vulnerable to holy damage. Her attacks become partially darkness elemental.
Hakurei Talismans - Throwable projectiles. Also referred to as ofuda. Deals holy damage. Most effective on youkai or other greater dark/moon beings.
ITEM CRASH: Thousand Talismans - Sendai throws a lot of talismans at once straight ahead. Cheapest item crash for Sendai to cast, but leaves her vulnerable and is difficult to aim.
Hakurei Axe - An origami axe created from folded talismans and reinforced by holy magic. A heavy weapon that breaks easily, but can deal high physical holy damage when used well. Also able to be thrown as a makeshift heavy projectile.
ITEM CRASH: Thousand Blades - Sendai floats into the air and creates a revolving ring of Hakurei Axes.
Updated Chronicle of Gensokyo - A copy of the Chronicle of Gensokyo, lended to Sendai by the Hieda family. Some magic work from Marcus let Sendai replicate it as a projectile to throw at enemies. Spins around and flails its pages everywhere, which deal holy damage when they cut foes.
ITEM CRASH: Holy Spark - Summons multiple copies of the Chronicle of Gensokyo, creates a magical circle in the air, and fires a huge, rainbow colored laser. Takes awhile to set up…
Rusty Stopwatch - It doesn't seem to work anymore.
ITEM CRASH: It's probably best not to experiment…
Dragon Palace's Flintlock - Shoots a weak stream of electricity which arcs into an enemy. More useful as a distraction or last resort accuracy weapon.
ITEM CRASH: Vol Fulger - Generates a ball of lightning around Sendai's form defensively.
Rebound Stone - A magically replicable stone that bounces off surfaces. Doesn't work well with soft surfaces or open spaces. After awhile, it breaks, too. Deals physical holy damage.
ITEM CRASH: Evil Sealing Circle - A series of rebound stones are cast into the air, creating a shaft above Sendai which is filled with powerful holy energy. Once the attack ends, the holy energy splashes through the entire room. May seal foes.
Holy Salt - It's holy salt. Deals holy damage when you throw it in someone's eyes.
ITEM CRASH: Sodium Geyser - Creates a geyser of holy salt. Sendai'll never run out of cooking salt again!
Eye of Truth Talisman - A talisman used for the Eye of Truth ability. The magical programming it has allows it to probably work for anyone, as long as they're not youkai.
ITEM CRASH: Unknown
Hi-Potion - A potion used to restore health. Unlike the health potion, this one acts far quicker and heals far more, making it useful for even higher tier youkai. Can heal grievous injuries, too.
ITEM CRASH: Leaf Bracer - Gives Sendai invincibility for the duration of the potion's drinking or quick-cast application, preventing enemies from interrupting her healing. Eats mana, though.
Elixir - A rare and expensive potion that heals all health and mana. Works best inside Gensokyo, but a human couldn't really tell the difference. Acts nearly instantly.
ITEM CRASH: Once More - Adds a buff to the elixir's normal healing effects, which allows the user to survive one fatal combo within an inch of their life. Does not stack, can be dispelled. Effect runs out when battle ends. Cannot be applied if the user has auto-life resistance.
Ether - A simple potion used to restore a small amount of mana. For Sendai, this is about the equal to a fourth of her mana.
ITEM CRASH: Mana Gift - Forces the potion to work on the whole party, like a Mega Ether. Sendai doesn't really benefit, since this item crash uses about the mana an ether restores anyway.
Invincible Mushroom - A synthesis item, which enhances physical capabilities drastically. Makes young women taller, bustier, and overall more mature. Duration is shortened by how drastic the mushroom changes the body, making it last awhile for already mature women albeit with minimal increased strength or bodily changes. Changes the user's clothing to accent their new features. Enables Marisa Kirisame to use star punches.
ITEM CRASH: Unknown
Thirty two thousand, seven hundred yen - Money used to purchase goods.
ITEM CRASH: Midas' Rain - Makes it rain money in a wide radius. Value of currency is proportional to damage done on impact. Does more damage the wealthier the user is, up to a cap of one hundred thousand yen. Has more range and duration the wealthier the user is. Deals non-elemental physical damage. Not fun to clean up afterwards...
==o==
GROWTH ABILITIES:
Dark Uppercut - Sendai can uppercut to get to higher places, and also deal high dark damage on impact. Launches foes.
Tengu Rush - An old Tengu technique. It's a charge accompanied by two whirling wind blades, propelling the user forward ten feet.
Slide Leap - A sliding kick that Sendai can transition to if she's sliding on the floor. Only rarely useful…!
Flash Step - Unlike actual flash step techniques, this one simply lets Sendai move forward while being immaterial to intruding entities for a short time. She can only go at a set distance and speed when she does this, and she's vulnerable afterward. Does not let her pass through walls. Probably some mangled version of the regular Hakurei teleportation technique...
Dark Power - Sendai can reduce damage taken, boost damage dealt with unarmed attacks, as well as micro-manage her blood flow with her dark abilities. Grants fifty percent darkness resistance.
Eye of Truth - With the aid of an enchanted talisman, Sendai can observe ambient mana flow of objects. This lets her detect certain stealth attacks, hidden paths, barriers, as well as treated surfaces and all sorts of magical trickery. If used in magically inundated areas, it just makes her unable to see. Toggleable.
Sub-Weapons - Sendai's gathered a lot of stuff over the years that she can throw at people when she's out of ideas. Most of it is just prefabricated spells and basic Hakurei utilities.
Item Crash - Draining attacks that create stronger casts of Sendai's sub-weapons. Usable with any item in Sendai's inventory, although if she's not ironed it out it can be unpredictable...
==o==
PARTY:
=o=
Rinnosuke Morichika, the Unmoving Used Goods Seller
WEAPON: Single-Fire Pistol - A really powerful pistol with only one bullet. Allows Rinnosuke to hold people up.
INVENTORY:
Iron Shortsword - A short iron sword. Rinnosuke doesn't really know how to use it.
Four Potions - Low tier restoration items. Provides high health regen for thirty seconds.
Three Ethers - Low tier mana restoration items. More than enough for most humans.
Three Panaceas - Cures all statuses.
Food and Drink - Some perishable survival supplies.
Magic Wood Wand - A simple magical instrument that Rinnosuke uses to cast his preferred spells. Not a prerequisite for spell casting, but he finds it helps. Crafted from the bark of trees in the Forest of Magic.
(eightteen slots remaining)
=o=
Marcus Kirisame, the Middle-Aged Magician
WEAPON: Various Gimmicks - At any time, Marcus carries a myriad of toys and trinkets that can act as nasty surprises. In serious combat, he goes unarmed and purely casts magic.
INVENTORY:
Magic Bazooka - Collapsible magic bazooka. Can fire lasers in a variety of elemental flavors, but works best with non-elemental magic.
Enchanted Dreamcatcher - A trinket that halves the effectiveness of debuffs when held in the inventory. When equipped directly, can be charged to provide immunity to incoming debuffs.
Gap Rod V-5-and-a-half - An experimental device created by Marcus Kirisame. Operating on only ambient mana, the device allows the user to teleport short distances once per day. Has to recharge using ambient mana from the atmosphere; direct infusion of mana into device causes unintended side effects and spontaneous space-elemental detonation.
Two Hi-Ethers - Expert mana restoration items. Restores enough mana for even high-tiered youkai to be able to appreciate.
==o==
AUTHOR'S NOTE:
keine fight, marcus "fight", akyuu """"""fight""""""
a lot of authors post-chapter guff but this was already 10 k words without it so - w - i'm fine with big post-chapter summaries past certain word limits
keine won't always be excluded but she's got things to tend to that are a bit more pressing than the other party members - w -
we got our akyuu """"fight"""" yo, which consisted of sendai pouring books on the floor :3
the hieda lineage has some shaky background information but i'm generally choosing to have her reincarnate rather frequently
historically hieda no are was supposed to reincarenate every 100-150 years but uuuhh gensokyo's only 130 years old and has had multiple generations of hieda (unless those listed were supposed to be the generations between years 700-2017 but how tha fuck did she wind her loli ass up in gensokyo in like 1880-somethin' then)
although considering the estimates by our timeframe gensokyo is either very late 130s or 140
...now that i think about it akyuu probably reincarnates a lot less frequently than i interpreted but i still feel like that'd kinda make the chronicle of gensokyo business really weird if she pretty much only existed in gensokyo as akyuu
honh
rinnosuke will be able to do more than hold people up, but generally he's less capable than sendai and marcus; good ol support class yo
marcus is the magical artillery of the operation yo; fragile but hits like a tractor trailer if you don't do anything about him
and sendai is in fact a tractor trailer
...and by that i mean team tank XD
oh yeah the exchange with keine / poofy robe man is reminiscent of the exchange between the pastor and judge claude frollo from disney's variant of the Hunchback of Notre Dame, up until a point - w - mostly because that was a fun movie and parodying it here a little was fun (and i listened a lot to Jonathan Young's metal covers of The Bells of Notre Dame and Hellfire).
as always, see you all next time!