Holy... sorry guys, too many things IRL happened... I can't focus on writing even though I have the stories in my mind already. It will take me for a while to return to my prime, so bear with me.
Also, posting a Youtube video IS tempting, and I fell for it XD.
Thank you guys for the positive reviews. Here's the next chapter.
A few hours after the thieves were sent to prison cells…
Hieda Mansion. Main office
"Lady Hieda, the Elders sent you an invitation to a meeting." One of the servants holds an envelope in front of the girl, waiting for her to pause writing in her Gensokyo Chronicle.
"A meeting, you say." The Ninth Child of Miare puts down the ink brush and turns her eyes away from the book and looks at the servant with the envelope in hand. She gracefully takes it and asks while opening it: "Is there a chance that you might know what caused them to call me?"
"I was just told to send you the message." The servant replies. "However… we can guess that they might want to discuss about promoting someone to be the Leader."
"Something happened to the current ones?" The girl saw them once, and she could tell they're bad news. That didn't mean she wanted anything bad happened to them.
"They got thrown into jail for breaking into miss Keine's school and stealing items. It seemed that the Hakurei Maiden and her friends helped finding that out."
"That's… quick." Akyu can say that much before reading the letter. "…Hm, your guess is correct. What time is it now?"
"The sun is about to set, my Lady."
"Then I guess I should head to Keine's school now." Closing Gensokyo Chronicle, Akyu picks it up and starts heading out…
"May I ask my Lady, why there?"
"Keine was busy fixing back the school, so maybe they gathered there so she could join the meeting." She recalls the situation being written in the letter. "I guess many are still untrusting the Youkai…"
Keine's school. Main office
"Please tell you there is at least one more Elder." Kuro says, his right hand face-palms while he tries to hide, and fail, his own sarcastic laugh at how 'unlucky' he is to encounter another 'three'. "Seriously, can I work without that number, please?"
"You really think you can escape it while being in Japan?" T.O replies with a poker face, just to mess with his counterpart. "Besides, four is a curse number to them."
"…Yeah. But still…"
"So… any of you find another difference?" Masato asks in a joking tone as he watches the exchange conversation between the two identical individuals. "Also, shouldn't the Elders be here now?"
"They were trying to get as many important residents as possible for this moment." Keine replies. "Mostly it's because 'Lord Kuro is back?' when I told them about the situation."
"Didn't I plead you that I didn't want much attention at the moment?" Kuro joins the conversation, with T.O deciding to disappear so the new people coming in won't be confused.
"With a celebrity like you, you're not going to hide yourself for long." Reimu says as she takes a sip from her teacup.
After the thieves were sent away, the group gathered all of stolen items and brought back to the teacher's school using the three armors Kuro reactivated in the mansion. Then, while they were fixing the school, T.O returned with a few info that he only disclosed with his counterpart through telepathy. Though, the others could tell it being important seeing their split-second changes of expression. That didn't stop the two from making jokes immediately afterward.
"By the way, where did you get the idea to make those armors?" Masato asks, as the group looks out to the window to see the objects standing still in the yard, which gains some curious glares from passing-by residents.
"A lot of sources. With a lot of upgrades so they could withstand that long… Actually, how did they survive that long?"
"You didn't even know? You created them father."
"I mean, yeah, I did. Doesn't mean that they wouldn't find a different way to re-supply themselves."
"You gave them the ability to turn itself into Youkai?"
"You would be surprised how technology could create artificial intelligent beings." Kuro replies, understanding the surprise from the native villager. "You guys knew about Anno… Rinnosuke's armor, right? We aren't even sure which…"
"Hm? Isn't that Akyu?" Reimu notices the familiar figure heading inside the school, which causes the armors to turn their heads to the person for a second before dropping the glance once they see who it is.
Keine quickly walks out of the office to greet the girl, and Masato thinks of an idea: "Hey, maybe that girl can help you Kuro." That earns him the look of interest from the time traveler. "She wrote a book called Gensokyo Chronicle, which records everything she has witnessed. She has a pretty good memory too. And I think you did interact with her a lot in the past."
"That… it is worth a try." Kuro nods in agreement.
A few seconds later, Keine heads in with Akyu following her. The teacher then says: "The Elders are arriving soon, so please take your time and…"
"…The Elders said nothing about the High Lord's return." Akyu interrupts the teacher's suggestion and focuses on the most powerful person in the group. "If they knew, then they could just have elected him back to the spot."
That makes the room turn silence for a second, before Kuro slams his face directly onto the table. "Just… how many ranks are there in this place's system?"
"It's normal until you broke it." Masato laughs while replying to the question. "You're literally the Embodiment of Law Breaker! Like, all records were broken by you alone!"
"The more you know." Reimu sarcastically says with a grin on her face, seen stuffs by her own eyes. "I wouldn't be surprised if he had blown away a mountain with a shout."
"I would never!" A comical whining is the response. "That would be Uzume or Kurome!" A portal suddenly opens up above his head and a black-blue microphone is thrown through and hit his head then it disappears in another one. Said hit causes a bulge on the person's head. "Ouch."
"…That does sound like the High Lord." Akyu concludes as she accepts the seemingly impossible truth before her. "When he's not working, of course." She then heads in and takes one of the seats for herself when Keine repeats her suggestion, then questions Kuro: "When did you return, High Lord? And where is…"
"I'm not the same High Lord you knew." Kuro cuts her line. "Due to the reactions we got from some people, I told Keine to not mention anything about me when she went and gathered whoever necessary to vote the new Leaders. But… what is the High Lord stuff about?"
"People back then couldn't call you an Elder due to, well you know why." Masato explains. "And even it didn't fit you, and 'Lord' sounded better, so that's that. The Elders part is no longer applied though…"
"What do you mean?" Kuro asks back.
"Well… you can see it for yourself."
Kuro turns to where Masato is pointing at… "So… basically it's just a title."
"Correct."
…
A bit later. Somewhere between Yokai Mountain and the Human Village
"Wait! We can't just rush into the village like that!"
"What you have written is nothing to joke around. But I know you enough to not make something completely out of your own ideas."
"But you ignored it this morning! Also Lord Tenma…"
"I was busy not noticing the title. And Lord Tenma's opinion means nothing to me in this matter. You said before that he's in the village, correct?"
"The instant after this morning, then yes. Now…"
"If it's really him, he wouldn't leave the village that soon."
"Just wait please! And don't…"
…
Back to Keine's school. After the meeting
"Thanks for the information." Kuro slightly bows down to the Elders. "About the position, I'm afraid I can't accept it yet. I'm sure some people would not like the idea of some random person promoted to…"
"The 'random' part is exactly why the Elders that time picked you." One of the Elders, Asano Tsugiharu, responds. "Your change of personality was so unpredictable that those who didn't know you much had to always be careful, and that's why the underground activities had to keep their works in the fine line if they didn't want you to come and obliterate everything up."
"You make it sound like they feared me instead of respected me." Kuro grunts while making a pouty face.
"I read a report that one gang tested the limitations of your patience and turned up vow to never cross you again." Another one, Yadama Fuuko, reminisces. "I think they even had worshipped you at one point before you told them to stop with a red face of embarrassment."
"That doesn't help much… And I'm guessing one of them is whom I was planning to vote as the next Leader?"
"That's correct." The eldest out of three who just entered his fifty, Funai Iwao, confirms. "Even if you are not 'you' yet, I can tell that you both are no different."
"Looks like you get the approval from the higher-ups." Reimu notes. "Though I sense a 'but' here."
"Obviously." Slightly leaning back, Kuro concludes: "Like I said, I won't get the position for the moment. Until I can fix the problems between the Youkais… Well, I can try talking with those who can be the next Leaders in your place."
"We understand." Fuuko nods. "And thank you for considering the work."
"Just like old times, heh?" Masato grins. "You fixing stuffs around the village while helping the peaceful Youkai, while…"
A huge noise interrupts him as everyone looks outside to see the armor trio fly up to the air. Kuro doesn't care that much as he takes a sip from his drink, but when his watch announces that the armors are in attack mode… "So… does Youkai get over the wall often?"
"Not with me still in the village." Keine replies, understands what he's referring to.
"Even the strong ones?"
"That is… hard to say." Reimu stands up and fixes her outfit and pulls out her gohei. "Let's see who just spooked the armors that much."
"Possibly one of the Tengus." Akyu theorizes. "I'm not talking about the ones who write the newspapers if you are wondering."
"You mean like Momiji? I doubt she would find a reason to attack human unless they're anywhere near the Yokai Mountain…"
"If it's the Ootengu, then it's a different story." Iwao warns. "He and the Tengu's bosses rarely show up, and he never bows down to any human before. Except the High Lord. If he is near us now, then he must be after you."
"…And I thought T.O was joking." Kuro sighs.
"You already knew?"
"Did some scouts before, miss Fuuko. Let's greet him before he flips the whole village up just to get me out."
"Woah! I thought those armors are immobilized!" Aya exclaims in surprise as the duo is stopped by the approaching armors. "Lord Ootengu! Should we just ignore them? We just need to find mister Kuro and…"
"No need. He's heading straight to us now."
The moment the two Tengus enter the space above the Human Village, Ootengu feels somehow familiar energy heading right to them. And once the armors are in his view, he now can confirm what Aya said and wrote are true. However, he needs to witness it by himself…
"Sounds like we had such a 'healthy' relationship in the past if you knew what they are." One of the armors slightly drifts to left side to reveal Kuro behind it, floating in the air with no wings. "Unfortunately, if you are planning to break something in the village, then I would have to ask you to leave immediately. It's near dinner time, and the people are…"
"You just saved us the time." Pulling out his feather fan and his khakkhara, Ootengu points the staff directly at Kuro's face. "I will not allow anyone to impersonate the deceased High Lord and try to take over this village."
"WAIT WAIT WAIT!" Aya flies in front of her Lord and shouts. "Can we just consider talking please!? We wouldn't want Hakurei Maiden to…"
"Step aside, miss Aya." The girl feels some sort of force pulling her out of the way, and she turns to see Kuro materializing a green spear in his right hand. "This isn't just something you can solve by words. Direct confrontation will solve 'my' mystery."
"Well said. We will see if your strength can back those words up."
With the last claim from Ootengu, the two quickly clash their weapons against each other in a split second, causing an impact force that pushes away Aya and the armors. The fighters quickly exchange attacks with their weapons colliding and creating sickening metal sounds that crack the air surrounding them. The wind starts blowing violently as the two move around the sky with near sound-breaking speed. Even the people below start feeling the wind kicking up despite the fight being way up in the sky, and if it's not enough, clouds are getting cut away everywhere on sight.
"First Remilia's place, and now right above Human Village." Behind the excited-feared-confused tengu, the tired voice of a certain Hakurei Maiden can be heard. "At least this time we have a proper warning."
"You are okay with this? At this rate, their attacks would end up heading to the village." Aya asks in concern.
"It's more of his problem than mine. Also, maybe your Lord can give my father some info that he never shared before." Occasionally some accidentally attacks send straight to the girls, but they're blocked by some sorts of field forces. "And seems like even Ootengu is not enough to divert all of father's attention… Or other-him got us covered."
"Who?" The Tengu is confused at the last statement. Though, her curiosity diverts when the armors gather around the girls. "Hey, did mister Father make them work again?"
"…Really? That's not going to work." Reimu deadpans at how lame of a joke Aya addresses Kuro. "Those armors? He didn't even to. They just waited for his order to make themselves alive."
"Oh, sounds like hibernation." The Tengu starts writing in her note while taking some pictures of the fight. "You know, not many people have pushed Lord Ootengu to fight seriously. Maybe Mokou can, but I don't think he would find a reason to do so… Lord Tenma on the other hand…"
"What did he say?"
"He just joked about dragging Lord Ootengu back if he is knocked out… Yeah, that's maybe the case why Lord Ootengu got worked up. Lord Tenma never joked like that in the previous times."
"So he might already know what's going on." Reimu then notices the fighters have stopped fighting. "Looks like they're done beating other up."
The girls move closer, and they both see the fighters NOT looking like they just had a fight. Or maybe because Ootengu used a staff weapon, and Kuro didn't have any attempts of hurting his opponent. Though Ootengu's wings seem to lose a few feathers, and that goes the same with the fan.
"I guess your boss knew already, but you still wanted to confirm it by your two hands, correct?" Kuro speaks up and he puts the spear away. "Reports of you 'dealing' with the 'imposters' don't sit well with me, however."
"…Other Tengus might not care, but I won't let anyone stain what good work you have done." Putting the fan away, Ootengu replies. "And traumatization will teach those unworthy a good lesson to not mess around others' work."
Kuro knows well the Tengu before him has good will, but he can't help but sigh at how he works. "You could just leave it be. Like anyone would believe how they work being similar to me."
"I have seen too many foolish human. Their own rules make them dumber."
"Can you blame them?"
"If you are you, the answer is obvious."
"Alright, that's enough you two." Their concentration's snapped out when Reimu swings her gohei in front of them. "If you have blown off the steam, we can have conversation during dinner. We want to know every hint that could lead to the Youkai Raid years ago."
"…That event, huh?" Ootengu takes a deep breath, then says: "I hope it isn't too much of a nuisance."
"You are invited too, Aya." That earns the Maiden a cheer. "I don't think normal villagers will like seeing you guys here, but Father insisted."
"You can't just sue away your guests, Reimu."
"Coming from a host who just fought the guests, that's rich father." The maiden retorts back, earning a laugh from the younger Tengu. "Now let's go before the food gets cold."
"I don't think they would dare to serve if I am not there yet though." Kuro jokes as he gestures Ootengu to come, quickly changing the entire mood. "Though we can't keep them waiting. Let's return."
"That power… it can only be him."
"Lady Hieda, did he… the High Lord we knew, leave something to you?"
"Unfortunately no, miss Fuuko. He wouldn't leave any secrets in just one item, and obtaining them would require knowledge from both reality and fantasy realms and combine them someway. And even if we can do so, his marks would only open when a requirement is reached."
"And from the look of it, not even Lord Kuro himself could predict what he will do next."
"And that's why the Elders still existed while he was in his position, Asano. He only did what's necessary to keep the village safe, not to advance it. We will be the ones doing so."
"Do you have any suggestions on where we should suggest Kuro to find the clues, sir Iwao?"
"Lord Tenma of the Tengu Tribe might know, miss Keine. We can ask Lord Ootengu first since they're returning back here now."