Disclaimer: Shin Megami Tensei: Persona belongs to ATLUS. Touhou Project belongs to Zun. I have no ownership of the copyrights of either series in any way.
Under recommendations, this is a warning that starting from this chapter, coarser language will be used. Though it will only be used rarely, they will still be used. If this offends you, you are free to leave now. I don't blame you. While this warning may seem trivial, I simply wished to inform you that this change is effective this chapter and all subsequent chapters. Thank you for your understanding and I hope you enjoy this chapter.
Chapter 10: Shifting Glass
Perception; mine has become strange. I close my eyes and see myself in a wonderland. Flying, fantastical creatures, forests, and absurdities, but most of all, happiness and fun permeate my dreams. Ever since she came, a part I can feel is no longer here and yet still there. The part of me that now is living life, I can feel it too, all of it. It's not perfect, but it's better than before. I can't say that I am now all of me though.
I can still say with certainty, I am Minato Arisato. I just can't say that this is my only body any longer. I can see a part of me living in a world so far from here near this Golden Gate, or could it be that I am the one who is just the 'part'.
In any case, it is strange. To dream of something real in my slumber, and wake up to know that it was real rather than just a dream. I wonder if that part feels the same, that when he dreams that he sees what I see. To once again look upon this place and that horrid beast, and wake up, knowing that it is real but still having to live apart from it. To see a dual existence in equal measure and not become insane, am I human any longer? Perhaps not if I was contacted by the ministry… or should I say he was. He and I are still one being, but… no I did meet the ministry. I can truly feel that I did. I am also living the life given to me by her.
Still… I can feel something changing. Each new arcana, adding more to my list, I feel like my sense of self is expanding, becoming something… more. Suwako said something like this, didn't she? A natural law… well maybe I am now, considering my role in this world. Expansion… I can feel it. I can feel myself becoming more. Does the me in Gensokyo feel the same?
Those dreams of my other self… they aren't my only dreams. I don't even know if they're in order or not. If I can recall… then…
Break
I saw a familiar face. She was running, no, flying low, to some place, other than where the other me was. I think she was flying home. At any rate, she managed to get to the top of the hill where a familiar shrine stood, not the one my other was working at. My vision came into focus at this point.
"Welcome home Sanae-chan!" It was unmistakably Suwako. She was kneeling in the middle of the courtyard. Frogs were around her. "Sanae-chan? What's wrong?" The vision re-centered on Sanae.
She was crying.
"Sanae-chan? What happened? What happened at the other shrine?" It seems Suwako was aware of Sanae's outing.
"I'll be in my room!" Sanae yelled and ran into the house, ignoring the worried Goddess of the Earth. It would seem Kanako was out as she wasn't anywhere as Sanae made a bee line for her room.
Upon closing the door, she slowed down and meticulously walked over to the desk. On it stood a proud looking model robot, RX-78-2. It was still well kept and without a speck of dust. She took it in hand and began to hold it tight to her chest. She dropped onto the bed with her back landing on the spread so as not to break her precious, and most favorite, possession.
"Is it my fault?" she asked no one in particular. I was the only one who heard, but I couldn't respond as it was only a vision. Tears were coming out more than before as I could see on her face that her thoughts were swirling in her head like a maelstrom. "Did… did my miracle…" a miracle?
"Did it… kill him?" No… Sanae… it's not your fault. If it's that, then it isn't your fault that I died. I wish I could tell her this, but nothing comes out. Is this really only a dream? She squeezes even tighter, her item that is, and curls up as she lies on her side. She stays like that, sobbing silently.
I feel horrible. My friend is crying like this and there's nothing I can do. It's the same feeling I had when I watched my friends in SEES fight each other. All I can do is watch as only she knows what goes through her mind.
Time passed and the sobbing had died down. It was sunset now. Her body lay still for a moment. Suddenly, she shifted and began to sit up. Once she had sat fully upright, the model in her hands and in her lap, she began to caress the model, rubbing it gently and slightly. Her eyes were red and her face was flushed, but she remained focused on the model robot.
I took a closer look. I was surprised to find that her eyes, though still red, were full of conviction. The only remnants of her sadness were the tear stains and blood shot eyes.
"Minato is still here," she said to herself. "I can still keep my own promise. He won't die again. I'll make sure of it." She began to stare at the robot with greater intent. "Minato, I'll protect you. I promise you that I won't let anything hurt you, even If I have to hunt down every last Youkai I can find. I'll make sure nothing will hurt you ever again. This I swear as your goddess." Sanae…
For a time, she continued to stare at the model with her unyielding intensity, before heaving a big sigh. She then seemed to stare off into space. Is she imagining something? Her expression seems to indicate such. After a few minutes, her face then all of a sudden reddened up like a lobsters as she tried to hide her expression behind the robot, though it was clear she was smiling and seemed embarrassed by whatever thought she just had.
"… Maybe he might pat my head and call me a good girl…" …maybe…
Break
It was a lake. A vast one that was beautiful and untouched by man, save for the mansion that was built near it. This time I saw two fairies, both were at the party my other attended. I couldn't forget the first one.
"Grrrrrr! Eye'll get him next time!" The fairy was none other than Cirno, a moron. She was sitting on a frozen patch of the lake throwing ice cubes that she made instantly (I assume that she simply condensed the moisture in the air to do that) into the rest of the body of water. It was like she was trying to skip rocks, only that the ice she made was too bulky to skip and simply sank. It further continued to rile her as her cubes couldn't skip even once. She couldn't think to flatten her ice creations. Floating just a bit to the side of her was another fairy, slightly more adult you could say.
"Cirno, you've been like this for days. I think you should just give up." The one who spoke had short green hair with a single pony tail to the side done up with a yellow ribbon. She wore a conservative blue dress with white sleeves. It would seem that she was the calmer of the two and was trying to cool Cirno down… ironically.
"Eye can't, Daiyousei!" was Cirno's obviously intelligent and well thought out reply. Cirno also waved her arms furiously.
"Well can you at least try?" asked Daiyousei once again, this time a little more meekly than before due to being startled by Cirno's loud response. It would appear that despite the two being friends for so long… or at least I assume such, Daiyousei still couldn't voice her ideas as well as she should. "Anyways, what do you make of that weird thing that happened yesterday night?" the calmer fairy asked.
"What thing?" Cirno replied with a question of her own.
"You know, the one where everything turned a weird color and the lake turned into-"
"Oh yeah! Eye don't know, but Eye won't let those blob things get me next time! Eye'll freeze them before they even get the chance to look at me." The fairy began making threatening gestures that frightened no one. She then continued to throw ice into the lake.
"Arrrah!" Cirno became fed up after the umpteenth ice cube sank into the lake without a single skip. In an act that I can only assume came from intense scrutiny and long consideration, Cirno then generated a massive chunk of ice that could easily crush a normal sized adult. Truly a monument to intellects everywhere as she then threw it in to the lake like all the others. "Hyah!" And to the surprise of nobody (nobody is very easy to surprise by the way) it too sank into the lake, but considering how shallow the location was where it landed, its upper half was still visible even though it had hit the bottom.
The resulting wave however was quite massive (to the two fairies anyways). Daiyousei flew up and away in a panic while Cirno foolishly flailed valiantly at it, hoping that the panic and fear she displayed would bring dismay to the approaching tide, but alas it was not meant to be and Cirno was swept by the water. Her body was submerged, but her spirit was not sunk. Moments later, Cirno created another platform of ice on the water's surface and climbed on to it, drenched, and ironically steaming.
"Stupid water!" she yelled. Of course nobody told her that water had no ability to actually make conscious decisions and as such could not be stupid. Unfortunately, nobody was ignored at the time; poor nobody.
"Well, that's what happens when you throw a massive ice block," Daiyousei said, sort of scolding her incredibly intelligent friend as Daiyousei made her descent back down to the lake. "So have you forgotten about that guy now?" she asked.
"What guy?" Cirno asked, trying to cool herself off, thinking that it would help dry her…
"You know the guy that beat you the other day?" It would appear that stupidity is one of the many traits that have helped to prolong the survival of the Fairy race, as demonstrated by Daiyousei.
"Oh right! Eye hate that guy!" Cirno yelled as she wondered why she wasn't getting any dryer. Moments passed between the two before finally she yelled once more. "Eye'm going to go find that guy and challenge him again! Eye'll win this time for sure." Einstein was once quoted saying that insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. Just between us though, Cirno did not know Einstein. Shocking, I know.
She flew off from her platform after giving up drying herself by cooling her own body and could be seen getting smaller and smaller in the distance. Daiyousei was shocked for a moment before she too flew up to follow her friend. One can only imagine the divine mysticism behind the ability of fairy's to determine directions to which their destinies lie.
"Cirno, you're going the wrong way!" Daiyousei yelled. She then began to disappear on the horizon just as her friend did. In actuality, neither of them knew where their true destination lay, but I hope to god that they never get there.
A lone mermaid in a kimono that watched the whole display from below the water's surface said but one thing.
"That was dumb."
Yes. This was one of my dumber visions.
Break
It's weird. All of my other visions are of something in Gensokyo. This is the only one that isn't. I see a teenager in modern day Japan. He has a silver bowl cut hair style and equally silver eyes. He wears his high school uniform but doesn't' seem to take pride in it. He's apparently a first year right now. He simply attends school, emptily; distantly. He looks friendly, but that doesn't look like his real face… It seems that he moves a lot. It reminds me of myself before I met Sanae, or went to Gekkoukan High. I wonder… who is he?
Break
Reimu was looking through her room for something. I remember seeing this room through the eyes my other… though I have to admit the view at the time wasn't … bad. Anyways, Reimu was practically turning her room upside-down in her attempt to find… whatever it was she was trying to find. After a good 10 minutes or so, Reimu sat on the pile of clothes she made from trying to find whatever it was she was trying to find and simply sighed. Whether it was from frustration or exhaustion… it's probably both though.
"Having a little trouble are we?" Yukari appeared in a gap behind the tired miko.
"It's rude to go into a person's room without their consent you know?" Reimu stated with neither surprise nor anger. Yukari simply slacked her hold on her umbrella and relaxed her position. She now looked like she was leaning on a wall like she was from some western comic named after a nut or something. The only thing missing was the beagle.
"Now, now. Is that any way to talk to someone who can help you?" Yukari was as condescending as always.
"Do you even know what I'm trying to find?" Reimu asked with justified incredulity as she raised her eyebrow at the Gap Youkai.
"A gift that a certain Blue haired boy wants to find. Am I right?" Yukari's playful tone was as subtle as a truck the size of about 10% of the observable universe that had strobe lighting effects and played dub step 24/7, 365, standard Earth time at 10 million decibels; in other words, not very subtle at all. In fact it could be considered to be a minor annoyance at the very least; both that and Yukari's tone that is.
"I hate how you seem to know everything. First it was about my shrine, and now this." Yukari knows more about the Hakurei Shrine than the Hakurei Shrine Maiden? Why is that?
"Oh? You put knowledge of the shrine on par with finding something for Mina-chan?" Yukari teased.
"N-no! It's just that he asked me to do it and I just thought that as the owner of this house, I should help in some way." Reimu had her arms crossed, looking at Yukari as if seeking vindication.
"Yes, I'm sure the smile had nothing to do with it."
"How do you know about that!?" Reimu asked immediately.
"Oh he did? I was simply poking you a bit. So how was it? Didn't it just melt your little heart? Oh but that's nothing compared to that time he fell on you and gave you your first kiss." Yukari began to fan herself as she seemed to be holding back laughter.
"Agh… ah… um… that… is… you…I…" Reimu's brain seems to be undergoing malfunction. Please call tech support. Her face was crimson and became progressively more so as she tried to reply to Yukari. Yukari put her fan away with a snap. She simply looked at the miko, but surprisingly, it was with a soft, grandmotherly smile.
"One's first love is such a wonderful thing isn't it?" Yukari said with pensiveness.
"I-I AM NOT IN LOVE!" Reimu finally managed to say something.
"Reimu dear, you can't fool me. I've been around long enough to know what love looks like. In fact you could say that my own first love was very similar; congruent perhaps?" She began to look up at the ceiling, but I'm sure she was trying to look even further into the sky for something. Let me feel what she's looking at… the moon… in the place she is looking at, the moon is beyond that portion of the ceiling. Why is she looking there? "Reimu, you don't go out enough. You keep everyone you know, even your best friends, at a distance. It's like you float away from everything in this world. While that's a fine thing to do when you are out there fighting youkai, it's simply no way to live normally."
"Look, I know you had something to do with my family and our lineage in the past, but that doesn't make you my mother or anything. In fact, stop trying to be my mother." Reimu's words carried anger in them, though it was not overt.
"I know…" Yukari told her. It was unnerving to see Yukari act like a caring mother… "Still to make this a bit lighter hearted, I'm completely fine with you and Mina-chan getting together!"
"I told you that I don't love him! Besides, it's stupid to fall in love so quickly. That sort of stuff only happens in books and stories. Since I've only known him for a few days, it's impossible for me to love him due to the fact that I don't know anything about him. That means I don't love him." Reimu's expression returned to its previous level of indignation.
"Sure you don't dear. Love at first sight is something only in fairytales and lands of wonder."
"That's right…" Reimu seems nervous. It's probably because Yukari agreed so readily… "I don't talk to a lot of boys my age so how would I know anything about love. None of the girls I know talk about it either. Besides, I don't have time for that sort of thing with my shrine the way it is now."
"Ah but that is not the only problem the shrine will have if you don't find someone soon. You're of marrying age Reimu. At least try to live a bit of your youth, and the best way to do that is to give in to yourself and go after love!" Yukari waved her hands as if on stage the whole way through her spiel.
"I told you it's not like that!" Reimu stated once again. Why is Reimu yelling?
"Reimu is everything alright? Did you find the doll?" It was my other. It seems that he came to check up on Reimu. It would be great if she did find the doll.
"E-everything is fine!" Reimu yelled at the door.
"Are you sure? You sound a bit panicked? Are you okay in there?" It sounds weird hearing me. I hope she's alright in there. I think my thoughts are coming together. I can feel more than myself for some reason right now. Why is it that I feel more complete? Why is it that I feel more complete? My thoughts are reverberating.
"Yeah, you don't need to come in. Nothing's wrong." Reimu said in a panic. Reimu seems like she's in a panic. Is she really okay? She does not seem okay in this vision.
"Well if you say so, I'm going to go check on Ruukoto then." I need to make sure she's not making a mess. Yukari has not said anything for some reason. The search hasn't yielded anything. I wonder what's going on. "If you need anything I'm here okay?"
"Yeah! Go get going then!" Reimu heaved a sigh of relief. I think I could hear her sigh from behind the door. I better get going, though. My other is leaving now.
"Yukari, you will not tell anyone this… Yukari?" Reimu turns around… to find that she's the only one there. Reimu falls to the ground out of exasperation and lies there for a good few moments.
"Love, huh?" She whispers as she begins to draw imaginary circles on the ground for some reason. Seconds later, she brings those same fingers to her lips. She begins to feel her lips a bit for another few seconds. She than closes her eyes and looks to be like she's imagining something. Whatever it was, it made her shake her head madly afterwards. "Nonononononono, not happening," she said to herself in an uncharacteristically timid fashion. She got up and went over to her futon and… well, she made sure that what she was wearing was more comfortable and got under the covers.
"It would be nice I guess…" she said before drifting off to sleep.
Break
I see a place that is an endless flower garden. There isn't anything else. There is no sun or moon, just a weird, but soft and inviting, light that envelopes the area, and makes it bright enough to see, but not enough to blind. I can still feel Gensokyo here however… strange how I can feel that.
A man's ghostly silhouette stands hunched in the field as a woman approaches him. I couldn't make out the individual in the strange light.
"Hey there, been searching all over Higan for you." I recognize the woman as Komachi despite the weird lighting. My other met her the other day, and she looks exactly the same now as she did then; scythe and all. "This's for you." She pulls out a piece of paper from her cleavage and hands it to the ghostly form. I hear a voice that I recognize, but can't place.
"About fuckin' time. I've been here for about half a year waiting for something to happen." The ghost takes the paper in a rough manner, almost ripping it, and reads it out loud. "You are to be transferred to the Netherworld immediately. The shinigami who is with you currently will be your escort. Further information will be given upon arrival." The ghost seemed to look confusedly at the reaper.
"This'll take a few days. Ready to leave whenever you are." Komachi told the form. The ghost pocketed the paper and placed both of his hands into his pockets.
"So it aint hell I'm going to, huh?" the ghost asked her.
"Guys upstairs need ya somewhere else." She told him.
"Tch. Fine. Let's just get this over with."
"Aw come on, how about a little chat?" she asked as she began to lead the ghost to their destination. The ghost was in no mood to talk… and something in me told me that it was just like he usually was.
Break
This time was a vision of the Velvet Room. I saw a vague figure. As hard as I tried, it was difficult to even perceive her. She had been here for the past few days. She somehow made it in here despite it being a world of the subconscious. I tried my best to take note of her, but even then it took all I had to even acknowledge that she was even there. It was so bad that I couldn't even tell what she looked like, only that her voice sounded young and girlish. Just who is this? My other is also getting visions of her. Who could come to the world of the subconscious this easily?
My vision darkened before I could think on this more. The last I saw was the girl meeting my other again.
Break
This time Youkai are gathering. They stand before something; a seal I think. One that was quite different from my own. They talk, but I can't hear what they're planning. They place their hands on the seal. I can see shifts. I can feel them. They're trying to break it. I sense that they have enough power for it too. They try again; nothing. The youkai disperse, but I suspect they will try again later. What could be sealed in there?
I hope my other will be able to handle this. Knowing me though, it will be as easy as causing Armageddon.
Break
A warm home, that's what it was. It was a warm looking home. It was however, peculiar. Everywhere, in every room, every corner, and every shadow, dolls occupied the spaces. No, that could be normal in some places. I know there are homes back in the outside world that were like that. No, what truly made this place strange was this: the dolls were moving. The dolls, without any apparent help, were performing chores, sweeping the floors, tidying the rooms, cooking a nice stew, and were generally just being helpful. Strangest of all, all the dolls look just like the one that my other received from a fan… is this the fan's house.
Suddenly, I spotted a movement from the big chair in the living room. It seems that someone was here the whole time, but was so still that even I couldn't even tell that the person was there. Once the figure came into my vision, the person that appeared was a girl. The girl had blonde, hair that ended just after the neck and had also had a red headband. She wore an ornate, well stitched blue dress with white sleeves. Pink ribbons were tied around her neck and waist, and in her hand was a book that was tied in a ribbon of its own. Her skin was pale, so much so that she seemed to look almost doll like. It was like looking at an aged up version of my Persona Alice.
She went over to a table where a Crystal Ball was perched on top of. Sitting down, she performed a few hand motions. Her mouth seemed to move, but I couldn't exactly hear what it was she was saying.
"Now let's see what's happening with that doll now…" Just what is this Alice-like girl doing? Over the next hours or so, her expression changed. At some times, she seemed mirthful, at others she seemed to be quite shocked, despite the changes though, her focus never wavered as she continued to chant and move her fingers in odd, almost puppeteer like motions.
"Now's a good time to move. The roof should be a fine vantage point." For a few moments it was business as usual, but a few hours later, her expression made the most dramatic change for no apparent reason.
"That moron! Just what the hell does she think she's doing? I told her not to interfere." The girl was clearly angry at whatever she had just seen.
"I'll have to straighten this out in person. I hoped I could stay out of sight for longer, but I need to stop her before it goes too far." The girl got up from the table and snapped her fingers. At once, all the dolls stopped whatever they were doing and simply stared at their master. "We're heading out. Quickly put away whatever it was you were doing and follow me." The dolls complied with their order and were soon in step with their master out the door.
One doll was not fast enough though. The door slammed shut, and the doll walked straight into it. X's could clearly be seen on the poor creature's face in place of its eyes. It was not going to be moving any time soon.
Break
Now I see the inside of a house… or is it a tragic war zone… the place is a complete mess. Things such as books, clothes, parchment, pens, mushrooms, and even swords and other weapons were strewn all about in a nightmarish pile of trash. Who in the world could live here?
*Click*
The door opened… I didn't even see that there was even a door in the first place. Now who could it be?
…Marisa? Yeah, that's Marisa, the witch my other met. She hurriedly runs to… a desk apparently. That's what it was. She flung her broom somewhere and was now sitting at, and removing even more junk off of by meticulously moving it to the floor (and by that I mean just doing a haymaker and sweeping it all off). Seriously this place is so messy I can barely even see the furniture. Some of it I can't even tell if it is furniture or another pile of junk.
Anyways, she grabs a piece of paper and a brush from somewhere in the junk pile and begins to write on it furiously. At times she scratches her head and every now and then grabs a new sheet after either throwing the previous one away or setting it aside. She continues to do this constantly for about a good twenty minutes or so. During the whole process, she seems frustrated, and sometimes she seems to be on a roll. She fluctuates between these emotions. I guess she's trying to work something out. After the thirty-something-eth paper, somebody decided to show up.
"Working hard, I see?"
"Wah! Yukari! I have a door, ya know," Marisa replied, finally breaking her intense concentration.
"So what are you working on?" Yukari asks without even a lapse in pace. Marisa lets out a sigh, giving up on her question, and begins to lean back in her chair, balancing the brush she was using on her lips now. After a few seconds, she takes the brush off and sets it on the desk.
"And why should I tell you?" Marisa stated incredulously.
"Maybe I have an answer? Maybe I already know?" Yukari teased. Marisa just gave another sigh. More time passed and she just handed over her notes to the Border Youkai.
"It's that guy you brought over," Marisa finally revealed… wait me?
"Oh? He's single."
"No! Not that! That's not what I'm talking about"…wait, am I single? "I'm talking about what he did during that duel with the idiot." I didn't break up with them. On the other hand I am technically not really going out with them any more on account of having died… but I'm still alive... "Using a card straight out like that? Fine, it can happen and it's possible. That's what the cards are for when someone else is using them. Changin' it up like that on the spot without any effort? Even I can't do that." Fusion raids have saved my ass more times than you could believe Marisa. And they've nearly leveled Tartarus more than you could believe too. I'm talking about one in particular. "If I can copy what he's doin, my danmaku's going to go up a whole new level!"
"I see that you've got your eye set on something, again," Yukari exclaimed.
"Yeah, but I just can't figure out what he's pullin'. I went over the things he did and I've got a few thoughts and theories as to what happened." Marisa said with her hand to her chin.
"I believe you mean 'hypotheses', not theories," Yukari corrected.
"Same thing!" Not really Marisa.
"So how are you going to go about this then?"
"Well, I was going to borr-"
"Now that I can't allow, Marisa," Yukari said, cutting Marisa off, unexpectedly.
"Aww, come on! I just need that weird 'L' thingy he had for just a sec!" Marisa cried.
"You will not lay even the tip of your fingernails to fall upon his Evoker, or else I will promptly remind you of the power that borders hold, am I clear?" Yukari's voice came almost immediately after Marisa's, and it boomed in the small space, filling the entire house with sound. Her visage darkened and an aura of darkness surrounded her. Her eyes began to glow an eerie power and became cold and unfeeling. I'd never seen her so… monstrous. I think my other is right to play along with her shenanigans.
"U-uh, y-yeah, I g-got it! Won't even think about it! Off limits! Crystal!" Marisa became panicked and was sweating profusely. Her smile was now rigid and any confidence she had was more than likely shot to hell.
"Well, then you're free to do as you please." Yukari's smile returned scarily fast. Truly she's a Youkai amongst Youkai, worthy of the legends and stories. Marisa relaxed when it looked like she felt that she was no longer in any danger and let out a deep breath that she was holding in. After managing to calm down, Marisa continued.
"Seriously, are you, like, going after this guy or somethin'?" Marisa asked… I hope that isn't the case. I've got enough suitors as is… or do I?
"No, but if you're in the market, then I suggest you move now as he's probably going to be taken up quite soon." Yukari, why are egging her on? "He's very gentle, from what I here; perfect for someone as rough as you. He'll probably, take things at a slow, but wonderful pace, and be oh so passionate."
"H-hey, I never said anythin' about that, ze!" Marisa seemed to be a bit flustered, her previous panic completely gone now. "Magic is the most important thing to me right now!"
"Right now you say that, but it will not always be that way. It will be quite tragic. By the time your heart aches for companionship, you'll be old and all alone. You'll only have your magic to provide you company, and I'm sure you will find it to be quite insubstantial when compared to someone who will be by your side and look at you with eyes for you for the rest of your life," Yukari said in a sort of dramatic fashion.
"S-so what, ze? When all's said and done, all us humans are just worm food. Besides, I can just find one in the next life!" Marisa replied defensively… oddly enough.
"If you say so, but I'm surprised that you would give up such a golden, no perhaps, platinum opportunity to pass you by."
"What are you gettin' at?" Marisa's tone was cautious, but curious.
"You're always one step behind Reimu. She's always beaten you at every turn."
"So? Reimu's the only one that beats me! I'm the Number 2 in Gensokyo!" Marisa exclaimed with pride.
"Ah, but how would you like to be at the top?" Yukari offered.
"I don't like where this is goin',ze." Now Marisa was beginning to turn hostile.
"How about this, I give you a bit of help in your research, and in exchange, you will hear my proposal out completely. Deal?" Yukari twirled her umbrella a bit.
"Hmm" Marisa looked to be seriously considering whatever Yukari was offering. To be honest, I wouldn't trust Yukari, but the deals she has given me have been pretty good. Who knows, maybe what Yukari has in mind isn't so bad.
"This better not bite me in the ass…" Marisa replied. I guess that means she's taking the offer.
"Wonderful. Now, to bolster your hypotheses into a theory, you'll need much more data to look at than just the simple two samples you have there." Yukari began a mini lecture.
"More data…" Marisa seemed to be thinking on those words.
"I won't let you take his Evoker away. However anything else I will allow, in fact, I encourage it." Yukari then began to turn away from the pensive witch and made a gap in front of her. "Don't disappoint me." She disappeared into the gap, leaving Marisa behind and alone in her messy home.
"I need more data… how do I get more data…?" Marisa returned to leaning in her chair…
Break
"Enjoying the view Mina-chan?"
Break
I can feel it again. I'll just close my eyes once more…
"Okay, here goes. I, Marisa Kirisame, challenge you to a spell card duel! Ze!"
…joy… For some reason I felt like this was going to happen and it isn't because I know life doesn't like to stop screwing with me. I genuinely felt like I could sense that this was coming from a mile away.
"Um… that's great and all, but that's not really a favor. I think challenge would fit better." I said, trying not to sound annoyed. It's been a long day can you blame me?
"Haha! I guess you're right, ze." Marisa took her arm that wasn't holding her broom and began to scratch the back of her head in mock embarrassment. "Still though, are you gonna to take me up on my offer or what?"
"I'll take 'or what' if you don't mind." I'm too tired for this.
"Aw, come on! I even made a cool challenging pose to extend my challenge to you. The least you could do is go along with it, ze."
"No." I'm hungry, where's Youmu?
"Pretty blunt and to the point aren't ya?" Marisa said, still somewhat taken aback from my reply.
"Well I don't want to. It's as simple as that." Seriously I am starving.
"Come on! Please? I need ya to do this with me. I can't ask anyone else! " Marisa asked, or more like begged.
"Answer's still no, and you're skirting the line there. Pick your words a bit better." Maybe there are some snacks in the kitchen.
"What are you talking about, ze? Anyways, come on bro! A sweet, good looking girl comes asking for a little favor from you, and ya turn it down? What kind of man are ya?" Ad hominem attacks huh?
"Marisa, he said no. He doesn't have to duel you if he doesn't want to. Besides I don't want it done here if I can help it. I just had the place cleaned after all." By me of course. I was already making my way inside the shrine and nothing's going to stop me now.
"Well I'm not leaving until I get my duel." Marisa began to follow me.
"Then I hope you've got the patience of an eternal seal, because you're going to be waiting a long time." I told her as I stopped in my tracks and faced her. I tried to sound as if I didn't really care rather than hurtful or anything. She hadn't expected me to stop so suddenly so she tripped a bit, and because she was so close to me when I stopped, her face fell onto my chest. For a while, nothing happened. After that, nothing continued to happen. She just seemed frozen in place; her breathing could be felt on my shirt. I placed my hands on her shoulders and lifted her back up. Her face was pointed downwards, but what little I could see of it, more red… She quickly stepped away, backing off just a bit. She held her hat downwards so that the brim of it covered her face.
"Thanks, for that. Lost my footing when ya stopped so suddenly." *Bam* "Ow!" Reimu suddenly hit Marisa from the back.
"If you're done can you get moving? Springs ending and it's getting hotter outside." Reimu seemed angrier than that phrase would imply for some reason. I could make a guess as to why, but that's presumptuous. Ruukoto, who I almost forgot was here, opened the door for me.
"Thanks." I told her. She smiled and said-
"You're welcome master," in quick return. I can get used to this.
"Well I'm coming too. I'm a bit winded from flying and yelling. You do still have tea don't ya, Reimu?"
"Marisa, I'm not that poor." Reimu replied, seeming a bit insulted.
"How would I know that? Every time I was here before, this place looked terrible." I'd put it as 'pristine' in its own way Marisa.
"Come on, I'm thirsty and there's a cup of tea with my na-" before I could finish that statement though, a sound of bellowing wind made its way towards the shrine. Somebody was flying here. Everyone and myself looked to where the wind came from. A mass seemed to be flying towards the shrine. I looked at the Reimu and Marisa and saw that their expressions were calm. I looked to my side to find that Ruukoto's face perhaps matched my own face that was filled with caution.
I re-centered my view upon the mass to find that it was much closer than before and in fact had just made landing right as I turned to view whatever just landed. To my surprise, it was someone I recognized… I don't know from where but I felt I had seen this girl before.
"Hey Alice watcha doin' here?" Marisa called out to the girl named… Alice. I don't know why, but I felt as if I'd already met her from somewhere; in more ways than one mind you. I would make the comparison to my persona, but I feel as if I've already done it.
"Come to take back your doll Alice?" Reimu was the one who said that one.
"Reimu, I see you're doing well enough." Alice gave a greeting to Reimu, but turned her attention to Marisa. "Marisa!"
"Ye-yeah?" Marisa was surprised by Alice calling out her name so angrily. I was also surprised to see Marisa become so meek in Alice's presence.
"I thought I had told you not to interfere. I explicitly stated that you were to not do anything to him. I thought that I made myself clear when I handed you the doll to give to him!" Alice lectured.
"I haven't done anything though!" Marisa cried.
"I saw through my doll that you challenged him to a duel." Wait, what?
"And he refused." Marisa cried again.
"She's still trying to get me to duel her." I chimed in.
"You're not helping!" Marisa was now yelling at me.
"Will everyone, JUST GET INSIDE ALREADY!" Reimu's outburst quickly ended the tirade. All of us stared at her; Ruukoto included, and then simply nodded our heads. This conversation was going to continue inside if the Miko had anything to say about it.
Break
All of us were sitting at the table in the living room. We had just had our tea served by my maid… which luckily went without incident…. I'm going to be looking out a bit more for a while. Ruukoto decided to simply stand by the entrance.
"So let me get this straight, the doll you gave me to give to him; you've been using it to spy on him this whole time?" Marisa asked.
"It's research Marisa. Something that I'm sure you should be concentrating the bulk of your efforts on instead of your usual thievery," Alice rebutted coldly. She then turned towards me. Oh right!
"Um… I'm Minato Arisato." I held out my hand. "Pleased to meet you."
"Alice Margatroid." She shifted her book, took hold of my hand and began to shake. "It's nice to see that you have manners unlike a certain someone I know," she said as she began to eye Marisa.
"Says the voyeur," was Marisa's quip.
"My actions have legitimate reasoning. Yours on the other hand are just your kleptomaniac desires running forth." Alice began tapping on her grimoire with annoyance.
"I keep telling you, it's just borrowing 'till I die! How many times do I have to say it!" Marisa yelled back.
"Until you stop stealing, perhaps?" Alice fired in return.
The two continued on to give back and forth insults towards each other. Reimu seemed to simply ignore the whole thing, drinking her tea in blissful ignorance. I wish I could do the same, but the conversation seemed like it would go on forever unless I do something about it. I guess I have to get this over with as soon as possible.
"Um.. excuse me…" I tried to intervene, however the two continued their pissing contest.
"At least I go outside and talk to people!"
"Talk? Is that what you call it? I'd rather die than talk the way you do."
"Hey! Nothin's wrong with what I say, ze!"
"Ze this. Ze that. Stop using such a manly particle. It's unbecoming of a girl."
"I will say ze as much as I want to. ZEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE-"
"Will you shut it?"
"-EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE-"
"Um… I think we were here to talk about something else?" I tried to get in once again.
"-EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE-"
"Stop that before I stop that for you!" Alice made a gesture and all of a sudden, several dolls like the one she gave me came out as if out of nowhere.
"-EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE-" *Breath* "-EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE-" Okay. This has got to stop. [Change]
"Mada!" *Bang* "Foolish Whisper!" A blue being with four arms sprang from my mind. Fire adorned the crown of his tall elongated head and at his waist was a bowl of fire that burned with the same intensity as the flames on his head. At his back was a wheel like thing with thin spokes. This Persona was from my new Magus Arcana. It's not the best one (I'll be getting that later), but I just had to try it out since it's thanks to Sanae that I could even get this one.
Mada made a gesture and strange green shackles enveloped everyone but me in the room. Marisa, Alice, Reimu, found they were unable to speak and began to glow a slight green color now. They turned to me with accusatory glares. The only one to escape was Ruukoto who seemed to dodge my spell at the last moment, as seen by the fact that she had managed to get out of the room before I completed my summoning.
"Now that everyone is quiet, I'd like to remind you two that we're here to talk about something else," I told the two blondes. "I'm going to lift this if I can get an agreement from you two that we're going to concentrate on what we came here to talk about, okay?" I got a reluctant nod from the two of them. I turned to Reimu. "Sorry. I can't exactly choose and pinpoint with that spell. I'll be sure to work hard to make it up to you later okay?" I flash an apologetic smile to try and get her to forgive me. It seemed to work as she just turned her head, though rather quickly, and made a gesture that seemed to say 'fine, just don't do it again.' [Change]
"Messiah!" *Bang* "Salvation." I bit over kill, but it's the most convenient one to use right now. A light surrounded everyone in the room and the three lost their greenish glow.
"That's one nasty spell you got there. Taking a person's ability to speak can mean that they can't declare their cards. It's like easy pickin's. That is totally gonna be banned in our duel Minato." Marisa was the first to speak.
"I'm still not dueling you," I told her.
"Meh, worth a shot," She said with a shrug of her shoulders. I turned to Alice who seemed to be checking her larynx. When she looked satisfied, she turned her head to me.
"Well I suppose that is one way to end an argument," I'm glad that she isn't crazy like the other Alice I know. Her dolls that were floating in the air began to recede to where ever it was she had them originally.
"So on topic then," I proceeded. "I don't think you've told me just what it is you're here for Margatroid-san."
"Alice is fine, and I came simply to stop this idiot of a mage from interfering with my research." She once again made a cold glare towards the other blonde.
"Alice…" I said, preparing to fire my evoker once more.
"Oh, I won't start anything. In fact I won't say anymore on that matter."
"Alright, so would you like to explain just what it is you're here for… and why you gave me that doll?" Spying on me… just what would she know about me that would warrant spying?
"Plainly, I won't tell you why I was spying on you through that doll; which reminds me, I need to fetch it now that I am in range." She made a gesture at the ceiling. Moments later, a tapping could be heard one of the rooms exits to the outside. I was about to get up to get it, but Alice made another gesture and which sent one of her hidden dolls to the door. The doll slid the door open to reveal the doll I had lost earlier. The doll followed Alice's gestures completely and, under her control, flew towards me before sitting in front of me at the table.
"So it was outside. I was wondering where it was." I thought I lost it for good. It seems that wasn't the case at all however.
"It was on the roof," Alice said simply without much emotion.
"No wonder I couldn't find it then."
"Still trying to spy on him?" Marisa said while noting just where the doll was placed.
"Research Marisa; I'm conducting research."
"Again, it just looks like voyeurism to me." It seems that they were starting again, even though they had just stopped. I turned to Ruukoto and gestured her silently to get something to eat for us. She made a nod and took leave of the room. I then turned to the other side to see how Reimu was since she's been awfully quite since I accidently silenced her…
"Reimu?" I asked cautiously as I saw that Reimu was looking downwards at her cup. "Reimu, are you okay?" I ask, trying to get her attention.
"Huh? Uh… yeah… I-I'm fine honey."
"Honey?"
"I-I mean darling! I mean…" she struggled for a second before finally saying "I mean Minato!" Reimu seems confused. "…stupid Yukari…" I heard her say under her breath… great. I feel like I know what's going on for some reason too…
"Reimu it's okay. We all slip up some time," I assured her. All Reimu did was curl up into fetal position, and just seemed to ignore me. I think I should give her some space. I turned back to the two blondes to find that they were still going on for the second time, but seemed to at least be drawing to a close.
"Look Marisa, this isn't getting us anywhere. Let's just get this over with alright?" Alice said while attempting to reconcile.
"And I already said I'm not backing down from this. I made the challenge. I'm going to keep trying 'till I get my duel." My answer is still no by the way.
"Marisa, I have told you before that while it's fine to just go in and destroy things, I can't let that slide this time." Alice and Marisa have an intertwined have a history of destruction apparently.
"This time is different!" Marisa cried.
"How so, Marisa? Tell me how this is any different to the hundreds of other fights you get in every other time?" Alice seemed more sarcastic than genuine.
"I need to do this for my own research. You keep going on and on about how your research is so important and how I should be conducting my own, but here you're interfering with my research when I actually am doing something." So what do you do when you're not researching Marisa?
"That's because you're interfering with mine!" Alice snapped.
"Look!" I yelled, grabbing both of their attentions. "You know what, Marisa. I'll take your duel if this will get the both of you to make peace okay? Friends shouldn't be fighting."
"We're not friends!" The both of them yelled at me.
"Yeah, not buying that. Point is, will it get you two to stop?"
"Yeah! Man this is going to be great!" Marisa excitedly stated.
"You're not doing it here," was Reimu's only comment before she became unresponsive again.
"We know Reimu." Marisa replied. Alice was grinding the bridge of her nose with her fingers in frustration now.
"Alright, fine. Have your duel. However I will only allow it on two conditions." Alice said with a bit of resignation, but far more menace in her voice.
"Aw come on Alice. He already said yes. This doesn't have anything to do with you anymore!" Marisa told the other Blonde.
"Actually Marisa, it does. I was going to wait for such a viewing opportunity later, but I suppose now is just as ripe as any other." Alice turned to me. "I saw your duel with that Ice fairy the day of the party, and I saw your battle today with your maid earlier." My eyes widened. She saw both of them? She used her doll to see my battle with Ruukoto today?
"It seems to me that while you don't lack battle sense, your abilities with Danmaku is extremely… lacking." Alice told me bluntly. "This is especially so since you nearly lost to a Fairy, the weakest species in all of Gensokyo." Ouch…
"So what are you getting at Alice?" Marisa asked her colleague.
"I'm saying that your opponent is not ready to handle the number 2 in Gensokyo in a duel," Alice sharply told Marisa
"Well he accepted the challenge so the duels going to happen anyways. You know, honor and that stuff, ze?"
"I know that, I won't be stopping that." Alice replied coolly.
"Then what are your conditions?" Marisa just wanted to get this part over with.
"Here are my conditions. The Duel is to be held in one week from now." Alice's first condition isn't so bad.
"Okay and what's the other condition?" Marisa asked hastily.
"The other condition is that I teach Minato proper Danmaku." I'm lucky I just swallowed my tea before she said that. She turned to me after seeing Marisa's jaw drop. "Starting right now, you are under my tutelage, and you are not allowed to refuse, otherwise, please die for me."
Author's Notes: Well so it's a little later than I had hoped. Oh well. I still got it done.
Some musings over the writing process this time.
There is a difficulty in writing from a first person perspective is that it limits the range that you can display to the audience. You can only get one side of a story and one opinion of it if you simply stick to one character. Most other fiction circumvents this problem by creating characters from multiple points of view, just as I had done in earlier chapters. I however also realize from personal experience that I would much rather have my time spent with the Main character rather than with a bunch of side characters. Alongside this problem here was that I needed a way to show off just how much Minato is evolving and changing from a normal human being into something else. He is a natural part of the Universe now (at least that is how I interpret his current existence); a station far higher than simply a Fool with a completed Journey. I had then thought of a few ideas, but I had just decided to settle on the structure used for this chapter. This chapter serves to show just what is becoming of Minato, just what is changing, how his thoughts work now in his current state, and even a clarification of what his existence is like now. It also allows me to show other things that are happening while still keeping it from Minato's point of view. I personally find it to be a nice bit of writing in that regard, though to what degree of how well I pulled it off I'll leave to reviews.
Another thing I realized while writing is that there is a slight problem with Minato to begin with. Given the parameters that I have given him, I have no choice but to write him as a Gary Stu. When I began writing this story, I wanted to avoid the bad tropes of fan fiction, or fiction in general, such as excuse plots, poor grammar, OOC instances, and of course making Mary sues. However when I look at the things I have to establish to make this story, I'm just stuck.
To explain, I've established that he has Orpheus Telos for one thing. That means that he has completed all of his social links. The implications of completed social links are that Minato is good at scheduling, has perfect stats in Courage, Charm, and Intellect, can understand people perfectly enough, and is a pimp. To write him with jerk ass tendencies or other flaws would undermine and counteract the fact that he has Perfect Social Links. While there is the part where I could write that he was simply faking those feelings, but that would weaken his likability that I'll discuss in just a bit.
There's also the implications from the fact that he has also survived an SMT story, and Bonus Boss. There's just this level of Bad ass that comes with that, and I think I can leave it at that.
So as you can see, all these implications on his character simply leave nothing to write but a Gary Stu. That doesn't mean I have to write someone who isn't entertaining however. I realized after chapter 5 and around the middle of chapter 6 that Minato's personality for the most part was a bit on the bland side. I knew I needed to spice it up a bit and the only thing I'm good at is sarcasm. I just decided to inject my own thanks to a few other interpretations of Minato in other stories, while trying to keep his messianic tendencies so as to show that he is multifaceted and would be fun to read; a nice guy who could give a good sting. Whether I succeeded or not is still up in the air I think, but I believe that I did the best I could, given the situation.
Anyways, I hope that you enjoyed the chapter, and if there's anything that I missed or did wrong, please make a review to tell me so. I won't get any better if you don't tell me that there's something wrong, so please yell it as hard as you need to. Again, thanks for reading and I hope you have a great day.
Ps. I had Morgan Freeman's voice in my head, March of the Penguins style, when I was writing Cirno's bit. Try it out for yourself.
Pss. I am so excited for Mighty No. 9.
Well until next time, See ya!
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Kogasa: SURPRISE!