(in which fluffles are smarter than the average bear)
The day starts soft, and easy.
I am immobile. All that exercise and walkin' around yesterday really did a number on me. It- it probably didn't help that we went nuts on Canadian Boxing Day.
My head and side hurt. Those few times Meiling hit me really hard… go- god damn.
...Able to detect my deceased energy, Genkan starts to gently stack fluffles at my bed's side.
"Hi Genkan…" I greet the snow girlfriend.
She keeps stacking fluffles. She's got a lot of fluffles.
"Hi." Genkan greets me casually. "Get well soon." She puts a fluffle on my face.
"You have run out of strength." I say, muffled by the fluff. "The day has ended."
...Genkan continues to stack fluffles on me in the dark, bullying me at my lowest moment. Ooh, ho ho ho…
"So." Genkan starts up actual discussion! "I take it you plan to run around today too."
Ye. "Yeah. I, uh, got things to do." Not sure if I should take it easy or not- but I haven't taken it easy any other day, so I don't see why today'll be different!
"Do you mind if I come with you?" Genkan proposes it in a way that's hard for me to say no! "...If you still want to go it alone for now, I understand."
"Hmm." I dunno~. "I am kinda nostalgic for wandering around with just me and my freakin' stalker over here…"
Ha-chan is just, in the bed. Instead of being snuggled up to me, she's wrapped up into a bun in her own blanket, keeping super warm.
"Mmm. It can be difficult, can't it? Being around others so often." Genkan nodded. "I felt… strangely relieved, the other day. To have moments on my own, away from you and Maria. It was very… comfy."
She shifted next to the bed, her knees against it as she leaned over me. "Not to say I wasn't relieved to see you, or to spend time with Maria. I just realized that pacing things can be healthy."
Genkan takes the loaf off my face, and places it by my head. Then, she gives me a rock.
I hold it. "Thanks for the rock, Genkan."
"Take my rock." Genkan runs with the joke! "It will remind you of me." Woohoo! Wait- why'd she give me a rock!?
...After she grins a little, she continues! "In seriousness… if you find yourself in trouble on your adventure, Brad, remember that you aren't alone."
Ooh. The rock glows cyan and white! It's also not a rock, it's an ice crystal!
"If you channel it and think of me, I will appear." Genkan makes me feel like a schizophrenic!
"I- I summon my imaginary friend to fight for me!" ...Wait. "Oh shit- you're my stand. Oh fuck."
"I'll be your not-so-imaginary friend." Genkan ignores the low-hanging JoJo reference because she has not yet been corrupted. "We can't do this in summer. In the winter, the cold is powerful enough for this kind of magic to come easy. Just don't get lost in a volcano." Aah, I see. We've asked winter for a favor or something!
You know, I haven't actually even watched JoJo yet.
"What if I got lost in a volcano." We need to get lost in a volcano. Damn it, the only volcanos are miles underground…!
"...I was thinking of Patchouli's familiar summoning… stuff." Genkan explains! "Since we share such a strong connection, this should be very effective."
"How's it work?" Do you just, appear? Is it teleportation?
"It sends a signal to me. I teleport along the snow a bunch until I find you." Genkan declares! "It might take me a few minutes to respond and reach you, so don't try and use me to block an attack or something."
Wait. "Wh- since when could you teleport?"
...Fwish. Genkan's body turns crystalline, becoming polygons. I can see her features lose definition as she's replaced by her N64 counterpart!
CRACK! Then, it shatters quite loudly into pieces!
"Wh- ah…" Ha-chan is jostled by the noise.
...Genkan reappears from the doorway, drifting inside at a constant and slow speed.
"Perhaps… I should've left my remaining form as snow rather than ice." Genkan admits. But I wanna know-...
"How's this- how's that even work…!?" I'm really curious! "Like-... how do your organs come with you!? How's your body reconstructed!?"
"...We're born of ice and snow." Genkan says as if that actually explains anything scientifically! "Truth be told, I never-... well, I haven't yet gotten the hang of that technique. It's often used in desperation. It… kind of eats a lot of my magic. I'm not centuries old like some of my sisters who can do it more often."
Man. "What about the heat inside a' you? How's that come with you?"
Genkan looks casual. "It comes with me." Oh. "We can become mist to evade attacks and snares. This is only possible on cold winter days, when the season is strongest."
She looks around. "Or, in our homes, where we have much channeled frost kept stored." Ah, yes. Your dangling icicle farm. Icicles grown fresh daily.
Oof. "I'm gonna-..." I twist to look at the fluff loaf next to my head. It smells like close comfort. "I'm gonna eat this fluffle."
"...Perhaps I should stop bullying you." Genkan decides! "Actually. I did gather you some things for breakfast. They're only snacks. We have no oven to cook with, unfortunately."
Aaw. Y'know, that might actually be nice…
"Hmm." Genkan held her chin. "Maybe that will be my mission today. Finding us an oven."
...Oouh. I don't wanna get up. I wanna sink.
"That said, I would like my magic I just used back." Genkan approaches me as I lay defeated. "...You just need to lay there. I will do everything."
Yeah okay. "I'm gonna get molested."
...Genkan nods. "Am I that transparent? I do need heat, but… I may as well keep you entertained, as I recharge."
Genkan climbs into the bed with me.
==== FREAKIN GENSOKYO ====
What's the weather like? Well- we're gonna hafta get outta the Forest of Magic to find out…!
Today, I got one big goal.
Get Reimu's blood on this letter so I can get my shiny harpoon gun! I'm half-scared to actually ask her again, so I've got half a mind to cash in a favor instead!
I also wanna see if Meiling has any more advice. Yesterday, she helped me realize how to do the electric slide, and also helped me internalize how to flail wildly in different ways. I wanna see if she's got anything else to say!
Specifically… if I can master weapon arts that don't require me to be the muscular man, I might be in business!
But… hmm. I've got gimmicky magic bullshit that overwhelms foes. I've got… some martial ability, if not much!
What do I not have? What'm I not taking advantage of? Items? Summonable battleships…!?
...Wait. There's one other thing I actually kinda do effectively half the time.
Organizing party members to do stupid shit. When we beat up Miko that one time, we worked together to go freakin' nuts with a big snowball an' Kotohime helped.
When we went and throttled Kiyoko a little, we all worked together to have a much easier time of unsettling her!
An' sometimes, even when we're fighting goons, our abilities together will just blow a dude's asshole out entirely. We like use a Tales Of Fluffmania combo on 'em, and they are promptly erased!
Maybe I oughtta invest inta more support skills! Especially since like, I wanna protect Genkan and Maria. Sometimes the best offense and defense is something that is not directly offense or defense!
But who would I talk about for support skills? Magic- well, I got Maria and Patchy, and I don't need to be particularly good at magic, I just need to nuke the shit outta whatever wants me dead.
Physical-wise, as long as I can hit back hard against meek foes, I'm probably pretty set.
Support… hu~h. What political leaders do I know!?
Yeah man- it's time to go off on a tangential quest! I must find a political leader!
An' one might even wonder… where exactly I am right now. Wait, where am I?
Oh, right. I'm on Marisa's porch. I was gonna ask her something. The fuck was I-
I was gonna ask her for Reimu's blood!
Creak! "Hello~!" All of a sudden, Marisa swings her door open! "So're you just gonna stand there or what, ze!?"
"Hi I need Reimu's blood." I look wounded.
"...I got a vial right here!" Marisa holds up not Reimu's blood. It's like blue!
"Except really!" I draw the letter I had! "See- I found her super grandma's weapon in a cave and I wanna make a harpoon gun outta it but I can't download her car without her permission. I had Reimu write a letter, but I didn't have her sign it with blood so I got turned away."
"Ooh. S'it that Kiyoko bi- witch?" Marisa unnecessarily self-censors! "Wait- I'm a witch, so she's a bitch." Or not!
Also, wat. "How'd you know…!?"
"'Bout the sword? Treasure huntin'!" Ooh. Marisa would also be a world roller, wouldn't she? "...If you mean her bein' a bitch, let's just say I got a little experience. Tusslin' in the sword, all that. Anyone who can remember back that far's had funny stories 'bout her. Don't really know if her weapon ghost is accurate. To the real her, I mean."
...Wait. "What's the weather like? Outside the forest." I can't tell 'cause of the Forest of Magic's stupidly powerful canopy.
Marisa gave me a flat look! "It's snowing, dude. Don't you live with a snow lady!?"
"It was dark out, around the cave!" I argue! "I ah- y'know that's pro'lly 'cause of Zues- I mean, the storm, isn't it?"
Marisa's jaw hung open! "Where the fuck does Zues come inta' the mix…!?"
"Don't ask why I was thinkin' a' Zeus all a' sudden, it just came out!" Aaah! "I misspoke!"
Marisa shook her head! "Well anyway, I don't carry Reimu blood. Do I look that creepy?"
...No! "Admittedly, no, but in Gensokyo being cute is directly proportional to how spooky you might be!"
Marisa gave me a flat look. "Do you flirt with yer snow girl the same way you flirt with me?"
"I flirt with you?" Wat!? "I mean-... am I wrong though!?"
"You just called me cute, dumbass!" Marisa yelled at me! "I'm gonna kick yer ass!"
"What- no!" Aah! "Actually, shit- you're right! I gotta use that line on her!"
"Yh- you fuckin' dumbass!" Marisa laughs at my expense! "Okay. Well, alright. Go on, Jimmy. Off on yer bike. Ask Reimu fer a blood donation. Or, better yet, y'could just ask her to talk to her great-something granny. I never told 'er it was there, 'cause like…"
Marisa pursed her lips. "I dunno. Reimu's a little touchy 'bout her family history. Just one of those things I thought I'd tackle on my own at the time. Wouldn't be bad for her to have her own little experience."
...I wonder. "Do you look at Patchy the same way I look at Genkan?"
...Marisa leans closer to me, intimidatingly! "Did- did you just call me gay?"
I shrug! "I dunno- bi, maybe? I mean…!" Aah, I won't bother to call us similar. Might be a little presumptuous of me- to her. I think anyone watching us would call us weirdly similar!
Marisa shrugged. "Eeh, could be…" She shook her head a bunch! "Anyway- didja just come to creep on Reimu?"
Well, hmm! "I dunno. What, didja expect more?"
"Aren't we neighbors now?" Marisa notes! "...Actually, I oughta stop by your place sometime."
"I'd have baked you a pie, but I do not know how to bake, and we have no food." I nod with satisfaction too! "Genkan's buyin' an oven today, so we can actually make food!"
Marisa leers…! "Ooh. Gonna put some lovin' in her oven?"
"That was Canadian Boxing Day!" Man, what a day. But that's better left unsaid! "We boxed!"
...Marisa nods plainly!
Wait, before this conversation dies! "Hey- Marisa, have you fought in parties before!?"
Marisa nods! "Ooh, yeah. Why? ...In what way!?"
"I mean-" Wait no don't interrupt me aaa-
She steps inside, and gestures fer me to come in! "Also- get yer ass in here, we're lettin' all the heat out."
I meander on inside.
You know, if I lived in a real house, it'd just be Marisa's house.
It kinda smells, and I'm not sure if it's a good or a bad one. It's not strong, 'cause the place is probably freakin' cold. "What's that smell…!?" Not that I can feel the cold right now!
Marisa furrows her brows. "Huh? Oh… yeah. Don't uh, don't worry 'bout it." Oh, okay!
Is it the pile of used clothing? I- I like how many copies of the same witch outfit she has. Maybe it's the fact the place is made a' wood.
There's a warm fireplace though, and Marisa has the brain cells to keep flammable anythings well and away from the open fireplace itself.
woosh, woosh. Two chairs came up from a convenient but disorganized chair repository nearby, positioning before the fire.
Marisa lugged some books offa' one of them. "The~re… we go." She plops 'em down on a nearby end-table, just-... in the middle of the place.
Man. "I remember when we rebuilt this place outta igloo bricks."
Marisa flicks her gaze up. "...That was a pretty good excuse ta redecorate. Already got the place all messy. Not like I had much room ta begin with."
She sat at one of the creaky wood chairs, and I picked the other one. Aah…
Man, that fireplace is warm. Negative fire resist is a trip.
"So…" Marisa spoke up! "Before I go tellin' you what you wanna know, I'm gonna grill you a little."
That reminds me. "I saw a video where a man grilled himself alive."
"Well aren't you fuckin' special." Marisa beamed at me! "So..."
She gives me her first question! "What'd'you want that katana fer? ...Kinda wonderin' why I shouldn't just take yer idea and run with it myself. Take Reimu on down to the sword, that is."
Wasn't that her idea that she just gave me?
Aw. Well, "I mean, you can come with. I wanna make a harpoon gun."
Marisa smiled strangely! "A- a harpoon gun? Why?"
"I was gonna put it on my battleship!" I grin at 'er! "I've pioneered a battleship, see. But basically, I want it to protect me and Genkan. We've got some enemies, and they don't really give a shit about talkin'. They just kinda wanna fuck shit up."
"Enemies? You? Well- I can see that, actually." Marisa admits! "Well, like who?"
"This really strong demon that makes tendrils!" For one thing! "Also, Genkan's friend who went absolutely insane because she's traumatized and hates humans! ...So on the off, I've been preparing things. Or, tryin' to!"
...Marisa had her brows slightly furrowed. A real examining sorta look. "...Shikome, right? That's who yer talkin' about. That tendril demon ya described."
Ooh. "So ya know a' her…?"
"Reimu and Youmu have their eyes open." Marisa nods. "I do too. There may not be a bounty on li'l miss stabby herself, but I'm sure we can work somethin' out. Eientei recently had an upset. Village, too. Between you and me, I think the picture's gettin' clearer. Won't be long before they make 'emselves obvious."
Ho~h. "S'that so? What happened in the village?"
"Well, Keine got attacked, lowkey. My dad too. They both got out fine, but still. And it just so happens that this all took place right after some secret project broke outta Eientei."
Marisa has a certain level of joy in her voice talking about this. Man, she wants to go off on some shit! I suppose I would too, if I was as strong as her!
Hoh. ...Right, Eientei got its hands on Shikome, didn't they? I guess that didn't last. Not gonna lie: lowkey forgot that happened! I blame Canadian Boxing Day!
"...I take it yer serious about yer relationship, then." Marisa figured. "If you're goin' this far. Also:"
thump. "Ow!" Marisa hit me with a fuckin' book! "The book attacked me!"
Marisa smiles pityingly! "God, you're softer than me. This' fer holding up Meiling the other day." Holding-... oh. Oh, Marisa must've snuck by while me and Meiling were training.
Ooh. "If it's in anything other than English I'm gonna shit myself."
Marisa snorted. "It's in English. Don't you~ worry. Unlike you, I know how ta use the DDS."
"The huh." Whah.
"Dewey Decimal System." Marisa gave me an intense look! "Ever seen a library before, man?"
"I never went outside!" I knew that existed, but- DDS? Who refers to it like that…!?
Marisa snorted. "I see. Well, I think this book might be of interest to ya. Since you got a place ta settle down, y'might wanna give it a gander."
The title… An Outsider's Guide to Prefabricated Magical Hierarchies. Oh my god it's fucking thick. And-...
Oh. Marcus Kirisame. Marisa's dad wrote it. "...Y'sure you should be givin' this to me?"
"If I want it back, I'll take it back. Long as you don't go breaking it." Marisa gave me a look. A look over her book!"Provided, this is a retail thing my dad did. He didn't print so many copies. Village wasn't a big fan, see. Open magical knowledge in the village just goes poof. So that thing's actually kinda rare now."
No shit? Huh…
"Of course, it won't turn ya into him, but it might jog yer brain. Give you a few simple prefabs to chew through." Marisa provides. "Sorta-but-not-quite like what Maria's doin'." Ho~h…
"Well. Uh. Thanks…" I'm… for some reason, kinda awkward when actually thanking someone!
It makes me sound like a cartoon supervillain, but generosity always sorta baffles me. I'm used to everyone on the outside being like… averse to the idea.
Marisa smiled. "Oh? ...The fuck're you all fidgety for?"
"Y'know- it's just, on the outside, people bein' nice enough to think of other people like this is pretty rare!"
On the outside, you do things for yourself. Reaching your hand out for another person is just asking to be bit, because they will bite. They want nothing to do with you, and presumably the feeling's mutual. So why would you give them anything? They're just 'boutta prove that you're naive and run the fuck away on ya!
Man, this is why naive people're a gift. And it's that reaction that breaks naive people.
...Am I saying that generosity feels naive to me? Yeah, I guess I am sayin' that. Huh.
Marisa gave me a flat look. "I just gave you a book dude. I know I can hold books kinda close, but I don't hold 'em that close…!"
"Yeah- and on the outside, people would not give you books." I grin! "They'd give you lawsuits! Which- I guess is throwing the book at you, as the saying goes, but not literally throwing a book at you!" Which I just realize is really apt, 'cause Marisa threw this book at me!
Marisa sees the parallel too, and grins! "Fuckin'... alright, buster. But yeah, I was just thinkin'. Since you seem like yer not a shithead, I don't mind givin' you a hand."
Let it be known that the average denizen of Gensokyo is probably, at minimum, more developed and well-rounded than the outside world person. Well, on average. Discounting some of the village!
And very few people actually in my state, country- on the outside in general- would actually think of me like that! "Damn. See- it's that kinda thoughtfulness that just- surprises me. People think about themselves."
...Marisa had a brow raised. "Yeah? Well, you remember this. I'm not just thinkin' a' you, I'm thinkin' of your lady too. If you mean well, you got nothin' to fear from me."
Ho~h. "I see. Thanks- uh, again."
Marisa shifted awkwardly too! "Yeah…"
Warm fire. It's warm, and a fire. Man- the magic forest is so dark I couldn't even tell it was snowing earlier. It's so dank in this forest, man!
Man. Marisa's supposed to be my age. She looks a little tiny in that wood chair. Sorta like she's still settlin' into this place. It's such a uniquely weird vibe.
When I pocket the book, Marisa perks up. "Shit, what'd you ask me again?"
"Party dynamics!" I ask 'er! "Do you fight in parties often? As in- as part of one. I'm not asking about actual festivities!"
"Oh, right. Uuh." Marisa's obviously not prepared to talk about this! "I don't fuckin' know. I kick serious ass. I got pick-me-ups for when the others fuck up. But, uh, Reimu's plenty tougher than me. If push came ta shove, I just feed 'er potions 'till she's like... unbreakable. Pretty much always a winning strategy."
With that, she nods. "Never really thought about it too hard. Most of us've already found how we like to fight. We spent all our lives learnin'. Not just how to fight, but how to commit ta fightin'."
I take it she doesn't mean training arcs necessarily. I imagine for her, Reimu and a few others it was just how it kinda shaped up to be. Then again… like, I can't imagine how Reisen and Sakuya got ta where they were.
...Or, rather, I could imagine, but it's so open-ended it could be a lot of different things!
Marisa stood up. "Aah. I'd've made us cocoa, but fuck actually makin' anything…! I'm gonna hit the road, ze. And yer gonna hit it too!"
Uh oh. "Scattered on the way back home…!"
Marisa chuckled! "Wh- what the fuck. Oh no."
==== FREAKIN GENSOKYO ====
Well! Marisa didn't have many ideas about party autism, but she did give me a really neat book. I'll give it a few sniffs later…
Krakoo~m. Dude. Thunder snoho~w! It's thumpin' thunderin' snow man oh god man.
I'm near the Hakurei hillside. I do not have a microphone stand; which I decided I wanted, but y'know fuck it I don't need it!
I have a better idea. I'm not gonna immediately heckle Reimu. I'm gonna go higher.
In the snow under the Hakurei hillside, I dig into it, and-... ah, there. After parting some snow that looked like it was blocking a tunnel, I found the tunnel. The one to the undershrine.
Time ta wedge into the shit under the shrine!
Ohp! Ooh… snuggling into the tunnel, I keep going down. It's so dark. Damn it I shoulda got my flashlight out.
Man, it's so dark what the actual fuck got in the tunnel before me fuck- fuck, fuck…! Oh.
It's a fluffle. Its face is oriented to block my way.
"cultural familiar" It's broad. "you are hole in one"
fwish~. I press my face against the fluffle's, to push it along as I crawl.
snap. It tries to gnaw on my nose. The fluff pinched back, dude.
...Fwoof! Eventually- I pushed my way through the tunnel, and come on out inside the pitch-fuckin'-black interior of the Hakurei hill… hidden shrine… thing.
Fwi- Click! I summon the flashlight. By which I mean, the hanger named One Million Revenants! I need fuckin' night vision goggles, so I can extend their eye things before Genkan's face and freak her out.
Alright, let's see~... what's goin' on down here?
I shine my light around, and- oh.
Down one hallway, Clownpiece is just standing there, looking fucking creepy by not doing anything except standing in the hallway.
...She's not moving, or doing anything. She's not even blinking. I'm shining a flashlight into her face. She has no torch.
"Hi." Are you actually Clownpiece…? Or are you one of the strange things that lurks in the pure dark!?
No reply. I think this isn't Clownpiece!
I turn away-
"HAA- AAA- AAA" Jesus fuck that's fucking loud-
Not-Clownpiece is in my face.
FWASH- FWOASH! ...Oo- oh. She hit me with really powerful ice magic, and I just healed 'cause I was still in my camou-mono.
fwi- shish- shish. Its form becomes crystalline-white, and-
thump. It rubs up against me! "Hshash- haa~!" What the fuck're you…!?
"Wha- get, get…" It's an ice spooky, dude. That is now the scientific name for it.
KLI- KLACK! Oh. It bounced off me, and clung to the nearby wall. The limbs that made up the figure of Clownpiece came apart, revealing that whatever it is, is just… a formless mass of ice polygons and chunks, and ice magic.
"Very cool!" Wait- fuck. "Nevermind, eat me. Swallow my soul."
"hh." The ice spooky hissed at me.
Very cool random encounter! "Hey- turn back into a girl, and I'll let ya stalk me."
...No reply. It does not understand speech. I only get the clicking of ice cubes in response!
Well, I'm sure I can ignore it. I think ice magic is the only thing in its repertoire.
I turn away again-
"HSH- HSH- HSH- HSH!" God- it's so loud! My ears are bein' assaulted!
Flinchin', I turn back to it!
It's still on the wall. It hasn't even moved. How freakin' befuddling!
...I turn away again.
"HSH- HSH- HSH- HSH!" God- let's just find a room! "HSH- HSH- HSH- HSH-"
==== FREAKIN GENSOKYO ====
After finding the shadow gohei nearby, I plucked it up and entered… the entire dimension dedicated to ass fuck.
Standing in the checkerboard duel dimension, with the Hakurei Shrine Commemorative Slideshow in the background, I reach for my bag…
Takin' Lion's Lindwurm, I feel at the three harp strings. Alright dude. I know how I'm gonna convince Reimu's mom to sign the signature in whatever spooky magic inhabits this freakin' weapon.
...Sendai Hakurei no Miko sits on the checkerboard ground before me!
"...Finally." She sighed. "Something... other than ice elementals. Is it snowing?"
I don't entirely remember how this song goes, so I'm gonna wing it man! Yeah- let's go!
twing- twing- twing! "Reimu's mom! Has go~t it goin' on! She's all I want- and have waited fer so~ long! Reimu can't you see- yer just not the girl for me!?"
...Sendai does not emote.
"I know I might be wrong- but I'm in love with Reimu's mom!" I thrash at the harp cords!
...Uh oh.
I slouch. "I forgot how the rest of it went. Hey- if I go look it up on Youtube, will you still be here?"
Wait, where'd she go-
Oh fuck. She's right in front of me!
woosh. Reeling the hanger back, I casually swing it forward at her!
THOOM. Um? Oh. I got hit in the gut so hard I forgot how to see.
Wait, no.
==== FREAKIN GENSOKYO ====
Shoof. Having gone back outside, I slide open the door to the Hakurei Shrine…!
"ka." The ice elemental glued to my ass is slowly dying from being this close to the center of the shrine. "kakakaka" Yeah, klack-klack, man.
Yeah- so basically, Sendai hit me so fast I didn't even see it, and she killed me fuckin' instantly. Just- gone. I wonder if I was punched so hard she disemboweled me! I literally have no clue it happened so fast!
"Hey~, Reimu!" I hold my arm up! She's chillin' at the kotatsu, like usual I assume. "I brought you some ice!"
...Reimu gives me a flat look! "You better not be making a habit out of this."
"Probably not!" I aaha- whah hoo shit-
Woosh! I slip!
whi- whi- whish! After jumping three little times in the air, I do an entire backflip and land on my feet.
Clack! On landing, I huff! "Hoh! Oh, shit! Yeah!"
"hh" The unidentified ice elemental hisses.
tick, tick. Reimu shot a couple gentle danmaku talismans at it.
On impact, the ice elemental slid out the door, making window smearing noises as it retreated.
Clack. I shut the door! "...Yeah, thanks!"
"How'd it go? The sword thing." Reimu knew why I was here!
I hold up the letter! "See, uh… great granny wanted a blood offering too!"
Reimu sighed, flopping her arms on the table. "You know what? Screw it. I didn't even know another phantom weapon thing existed. Let's go find it."
Yeah, woohoo! "Alright! Actually…" You know, I wonder. "How do you fight? With a gohei?"
...Reimu gave me a flat look. "What a random question. ...I don't know. I hit people."
Very helpful! "I was wonderin' if you knew any techniques ya could tell me 'bout. Some one handed stick techniques!"
"Probably not." Aw. "I'm not the kind of person to teach people. I'm bad at explaining things." Oh.
What! "But- it's swinging a stick around! One-handed stick mastery!"
Reimu snorted! "Shut up." Ouh. "I don't think you can make the motions I do, so I'm not even gonna bother. You can't fly, after all." Oh, right. Yeah, that'd totally enable abuse of unfeasible body configurations, huh?
I just realized. With my exploding dart hangers, and what are practically gravity skates, I'm basically the most cancerous Corpus enemy from Warframe.
...Y'know- I shouldn't make Warframe references, I really don't agree with its free-to-play model!
"Reimu- you should start a free-to-play game company." I inform Reimu how to print money.
...Reimu gave me a flat look, before continuing to get up! "Let me get my scarf. And gloves. And-..."
krakoom. Thunder. I grin brightly. "It's thunder, sno~w…"
She sighs. "A lantern, while I'm at it… or, well…" She takes pause! "Do I really want to go anywhere today?"
I wonder. "How likely are you to actually put yer blood on this paper?"
"Never, because screw that." Reimu was not in the mood to cut herself! "Cuts suck. I'm not letting something like that just take its time healing up."
Ooh. "I can put my ice resistant crown on you. Then the walk won't be so arduous!"
Reimu blinked. "...Your what? Also, my scarf already resists ice…"
Taking out the ice-resistant crown wreath thing, I put it on her head! Ooh- she gets skittish when I get close! "Surprise! You're the new holy roman emperor!"
...Reimu feels at her head, where the crown wreath thing awkwardly interacts with her hairbow. "Uuh. Hmm…"
Taking off her favorite hairbow, she pockets it for the time-being. As such, her brown hair actually gets let down a bit more. I never realized it, but Reimu's actually got some like… not long long hair, but it's long-ish. Like, 'beneath the shoulders' length.
She's the holy, blessed Reimu now, dude. I wanna put another fall leaf in her hair.
"I feel stupid." Reimu immediately decides!
"Welcome to maximizing stats!" Yeah man! "How ice-resistant is that scarf, actually…?"
"Something. Like, uuh, fifteen percent, was it?" Reimu notes vaguely. What the fuck- why's it so low. Reimu's playing a different game from me entirely! "...It's just a cheap scarf. Don't give me that look."
"Good, 'cause my ice crown's fifty percent! Like, fif- ty. Five-zero!" I- I make it clear, 'cause fifty and fifteen sound close!
"...Oh. What?" Reimu looks up, as if she can actually see it while it's on her head. "How? ...Can you actually synthesize armor?"
"It was a present, from-... well, Genkan asked for it, but we got it from Santa." I nod!
"Oh." Reimu blinked. "Santa gives things like that? I asked for a plate warmer…" What! Yeah, woohoo!
"Ye- yeah!" A- a plate warmer? Not gonna lie, I'd like one of those too, but I mean… okay!
She huffed. "I can't even keep this thing and feel good about it, since it's a gift." You- you were planning to steal it…!? "From your, uh, girlfriend, no less."
"Yeah, I would be sad, and mad." I couldn't do anything about it, but I would be! "Not like I could actually do anything about it, but…!"
"Yeah, yeah…" Reimu moved for the door, in an attempt to end that train a' thought as fast as possible. "Let's just go."
...Pausing in the doorway, she took the ice crown thing off, and just- is she giving it back? "You know what? I don't need this."
Uuh. "Are you sure? Like uh-"
"I've been fine without it." Reimu affirms! "It just-... it feels wrong. Not just because it's stupid, I mean-... whatever. It's nothing."
I mean, I get the hunch it's not nothing, but I get the feeling Reimu's not the kinda person to just reverse her decisions!
Shoof. She slides open the door. With that, we are free to explore the thundersnow.
KRAK! … ooo~m. Holy shit. Dude- I saw that one! It hit- somewhere past the Forest of Magic entirely, but goddamn it looked so close.
Reimu had also jumped! "...Seems like as good a time as any to just walk there. Not like you can fly." Yeehaw.
Next question! "How does one fly."
Reimu gave me a frown! "Just stop asking me questions. Ones about abilities, at least." Ouh.
Also, fuck the snow is thick. It's a super snowstorm. The world around us is fucking black in the middle of the day.
"I- I feel like some a' these flakes're bigger than my thumb!" Oh god it's snowing so hard. A great day to be me, but…!
Reimu's giving the snowstorm a cynical look.
I never thought I'd see the day, but this is technically a situation that I am better equipped than Reimu for. A massive, fuckhuge snowstorm in the middle of December.
Provided, if I got attacked by a band of wolves, Reimu would probably actually be able to fight them off even while half-frozen and dying of hypothermia. Me, uh, I'd have to get outta there a little… or a lot!
Unless I gave 'em the pap, pap, boom boom treatment. I dunno, I feel like I'd get bit at least once and it'd suck ass, because dogs are good at biting.
WOOSH, WOOSH. While we're being assaulted by evil wind, Reimu walks on over to the shrine's staircase. "I forgot the lantern…" She realizes, but…
click. I flick my light-nunchuck hanger thing on! "I am prepared for adventure!"
"...Great." Reimu gives it a strange look! "What-... okay." Wahaha! "Just, keep it pointed ahead."
You know, even though this light's pretty good, it's just… so dark out. I point it down the stairs, I only get to see like ten steps down. It's hard to make out anything with the snow…
Reimu still floats down the stairs. They're probably frozen over.
Aw.
click. I flick my grav boots on, and- oh man yeehaw.
...Wait. Am I going down? Wait- oh no. The snow is so fucking thick… that the boots consider it as ground and push against it.
So I'm goin' up! Just- up!
"...Where did you go~!?" Reimu yells out for me!
click. I flick the boots off. Oh god I can't see where I'm going it's too thick.
I'm falling to what might be my doom! Wait, the snow might catch me. Wait- how thick is it right now!? Is it enough for a landing!? Aaa-
Pap! Aaa- ooh- fuck. Reimu just- catches me. "Ngh. What'd you do?" Damn she's strong. She just- caught me no problem.
"I botched the speedrun strat!" I have not memorized how to jump off the Hakurei stairs.
...Reimu has another question! "When could you fly?"
"You see- it's a bug!" It- literally is almost like a game bug!
Despite not knowing anything about video games, Reimu then knew. "You can't control it." She says it more like a statement than a question...
"Nope!" I cannot.
...Reimu has an idea. "Turn it on."
click. I do so. Reimu's arms twitch awkwardly to keep me from falling up. ...Wh- then she lets go!
Oh. She grabbed onto my legs. I've become a balloon.
Reimu continues to drift ahead. "Light, forward."
Oh right. She means 'point it forward'. "Ye." We've found the strategy.
...Y'know- this does gimme some ideas. My party needs some ways to do team attacks. Maybe some planned ones, or maybe… I dunno!
"I am the sonar." I announce amidst the snow.
Reimu flies quickly. Once we reach the bottom of the stairs- we turn ninety degrees and just zip off.
"Hfuh…" I can feel Reimu shiver, through her grip on my ankles. We're really bookin' it! But, since we're floating above the snow, there's no struggle with walking anywhere.
This feels like basically cheating, but holy shit is it quick. Despite this, I can't imagine it feels too good to be Reimu right now!
I'd make sonar noises, but the wind resistance is kind of eating me. I feel like I'm eating the snow as it falls, I mean! Aah, Reimu wouldn't be able to hear me anyway...
We reach the human village in freakin' record time. Man, holy shit. How can Reimu be so lazy when flying is this efficient…!? Well, I guess you'd have to walk around inside the village.
"Turn it off." Reimu lands near the front gate. Ooh…
click. Turning my boots off- oh fuck-
Shoof. Reimu lets me flop into the snow. It-... feels good! "Ho~h…"
The guard there moves to open the gate. Just- straight up.
Creak, creak, creak, creak- Klank. Once it's fully open, Reimu starts to stroll through.
I like how Reimu hasn't replaced her hair bow yet. She's still got her hair down, and the blizzard wind kicks it around.
woosh. Ooh. When we're both inside, Marisa catches up with us! "'Bout time you showed up."
"Huh…?" Reimu looks over at her! "Oh."
Marisa's on her broom. "You here ta freeze too!? 'Cause I know I am!"
"It's snowing-..." Reimu can't even think of good metaphor! "Just, so much."
I contribute to the conversation. "I am the thundersnow…"
Man, it really is snowing like fuck. When they give me looks, they hardly have the energy to look sarcastic about it, and I have difficulty even seeing them!
"Maybe-" Reimu's breath is stolen by a fierce winter wind, "ack…"
Marisa chuckles! "Oo- oh no."
Reimu pouts! "Maybe we ought to~... patrol… the place."
Marisa does an exaggerated double-take. "A sense a' responsibility? You?"
Reimu snorted back. "Shut up…"
Aw. I wonder why they'd patrol. Maybe because like every village house has a risk of fuckin' collapsing under the weight of all a' this snow.
I doubt any villagers are even outside right now. Just, gone.
As we crunched through the snow, Marisa spoke, still on her broom. "I think there's more youkai outside than villagers right now!"
"Perfect." Reimu has spooky intent! "Time to make some examples…"
Wait…! "Aren't we here for a reason…!?" Like, the sword?
"Well, yeah." Reimu admitted. "But, after that…"
Ah, yeah. Honh.
...Marisa took pause. "Hey, Brad-guy. You know any shortcuts?"
"Yeah, actually." I have no idea how she found the sword on her own, but I'm gonna assume she used Cheat Engine or those scripted story shenanigans where she just found her way to an otherwise inaccessible area.
"Ooh. Okay." Marisa files on behind us. "Lead the way, dustball."
...Y'know- she probably called me that 'cause the wind has turned my hair into a melee weapon. It's goin' freakin' wild! Freakin'- how's her hat staying on? Oh, right. She's a magician.
Oh. There's a fairy in the air to our right. She looks peaceful, dude. She's got white hair, and a white dress. She's carrying a big, cyan flower…
FWI- CHOOM! Marisa fires a fuckin' laser straight at her oh god-
Pi~chun! Gone. Fairy erasure.
We soon reach the village square. We can see as far as the village stalls, but the blizzard fog obscures even the houses behind them.
Ooh- what the fuck. There's a tengu dude with his weapons sheathed just chillin' in the middle of the road! "Ah…?"
WOOSH! Reimu shoots past me with stupid speed holy shit.
CLING! He guards a smack of her gohei with his shield. "Wha-"
"Hyeh!" Marisa leaps off her broom. Once over his head, she aims her mini-hakkero down.
FWAM! She fired a flash of white light that extended down, into the tengu guy's face.
CRUNCH! He's crushed down into the snow. "Ough!" Freakin'- he's just a crumpled mess now…!
BAM- TICK! A big, danmaku yin-yang flew down into him, piercing his shield and stunning him into submission. "Ghu- aa… aah…"
Wow. I- I like how he just got walked over. Dude wasn't even doin' anything!
Reimu waits for me to pass her before following. Marisa- where the fuck'd she even go? Oh. When'd she end up back at my right side…!?
Well, okay.
Oh, shit. There's Mokou in the very center of the town square, keeping sentry.
"Look ali~ve!" Marisa just chucks a glowing, blue concoction her way.
"Here we go~!" Reimu has entirely too much hype all of a sudden. "Hyah!"
WOOSH! She chucks her gohei, and it's wrapped in white light as it soars for Mokou.
"The fuck-" Mokou slowly pans to face us-
CRACK! Reimu's gohei meets the concoction in mid-air before Mokou's face.
fwump- KAKRACK- KABOOM! It becomes a neon blue mushroom cloud in the village's midst before us. The fog of snow parts briefly from the absolute seismic force.
...When the smoke fades, Mokou is fucking gone. There's a big skid mark in the snow where she must've been launched.
"Why." I- I don't think that was necessary!
Reimu also questions this! "Marisa-... that- that wasn't a youkai."
Marisa snorted. "Sure it was, ze."
"It wasn't any random youkai!" Reimu countered!
"She looked like a random youkai, ze!" Marisa contests! "S'what she gets for loiterin' in a blizzard!"
...Then- Marisa points! "Shit! Reimu- look out!"
Fwish! Reimu summons her gohei back! "Huh!?"
WHAKRACK! Reimu pivoted around, and- oh. She fuckin' clobbered Reisen…!
Fwish! Reisen's energy shield flares and breaks immediately, having done nothing to stop the attack. She faceplants into the snow. "Nngh- nnnh…"
...Reimu turned back around. "Marisa- I'm gonna kill you."
"Pfhehehe~!" Marisa's really enjoying herself!
Then, Marisa perks up, as if her spidey sense was tingling. "Over here!" She swooces on off!
Reimu gives the defeated Reisen a look of mourning, before abandoning her there and takin' off after Marisa.
...Reisen slowly pushed outta the snow. "Ho- holy… fuck. Ow~."
I mean- I gotta keep up with them, so I just kinda get going too! I think Reisen'll be fine!
Crunch. What. Where'd this village guard come from. Why'd he fall over next to me? What the hell's going on…!? This fog of war's too severe!
They went onto the street I wanted to go onto anyway. South main street, that is. Freakin'... where the heck are they?
"Marisa?" Oh. I found Reimu, in the middle of the road.
Oh. Marisa sneaks up behind her, holding a large snow fluff overhead.
whump. She tosses the loaf into Reimu, and it bounces off the back a' Reimu's head. "Wh- ah-"
whump. The loaf comes right back at Marisa with the same velocity, at the same angle, with no rotation, and rams her right in the face. "Gkha- haha- ah-"
shoof- shoof. They both collapse into the snow, Marisa falling back off her broom.
"I'm half-afraid you guys're gonna kill each other before we actually get there!" Y'know, I like how I haven't contributed to any of what's going on!
Reimu shivers, pushing from the snow. "Ffh… I- I sho- shouldn't have- gotten outta bed…"
"Je- jeez…" Marisa quickly hops back onto her broom. "I always forget- how cold snow is. Hehehe…"
Well, we're almost there! Aw…
But before I can do anything, Reimu perks up. "Wait. I sense something." Oh boy.
"Ooh? What kinda something…?" Marisa questions…
"A snow spirit." Reimu moves! "If we beat them up- we might ease up the snow. This could be their doing."
"Oh shit!" Marisa gets hyped! "Hey- Brad boy! Watch and learn, ze!"
fwish. What. Reimu disappears entirely!
Marisa snorts. "...Reimu- where'd ya go!?"
WHUMP! "Aagh!" Ooh! I hear a yell, and an impact!
CRUNCH! Oh! Reimu must've kicked a yuki-onna outta the atmosphere around the village- 'cause that's what touched down just now.
When the yuki-onna springs back up from the snow-
"Haa~!" Marisa leaps off her broom ass-first!
BAM- FWASH! On ass-impact with the yuki-onna, Marisa's body lets out a blast of blue light!
Appearing before the yuki-onna before she could go flying, Reimu sent out a pane of red-yellow energy.
KRAK- ZAP- ZAP- ZAP! The pane dissipated into danmaku energy, stunning the snow woman in place once she flew into it. "Aa- aa-"
Slap! Reimu slapped a talisman onto her head.
...shoof. The yuki-onna gently collapsed onto her side. "Nn-... no-..."
"There." Reimu sighed. "...Hopefully things get a little less-... everything."
...Y'know. Wait. Considering how yuki-onna kinda fear the village, and how Genkan was here to buy an oven today…
Coming up, I move around the yuki-onna's side, and crouch down to see her face.
Oh. Right, yeah. Genkan went out in her regular kimono today.
Speaking of Genkan, hi Genkan. She looks up at me, defeated.
"Hi." ...Grinning a little, I look up at Reimu and Marisa! "You know, uh, I don't think this one was causing the snow or anything…"
"I guess not…" Reimu sighed. "I thought it would ease up. At least, locally…"
Marisa chips in to belittle my knowledge! "How would you know? Some youkai just love ta drum up trouble."
'Cause I know so! "'Cause this one's Genkan, and she's here to buy a stove!"
...Reimu at first doesn't even register what I said, before processing it. "Wait…"
"Oh." Marisa finishes the thought! ...Then, she beams! "He- hehehe. Shit."
...Oof. I try to pick up Genkan- but I am really not made for this! "Ho- holy shit…"
"Really…" Reimu sighs, and crouches down next to us. She takes the talisman off Genkan's face. "You could've told us."
Well, maybe, but…! "You guys just kinda went off blowin' people away! We've been in the village for like ten minutes!"
"Well, whatever." Reimu makes an awkward face. "I'm sorry, um… Genkan."
Genkan continues to lay in the snow. She looks up at me. "...This- is slightly convenient."
Oh? "How."
"Before I forget, I should tell you… I- I forgot to bring money." Oh. Yeehaw. She did say 'convenient'. At first I thought she said 'inconvenient' and I misheard.
Reaching into my bag, I take out some yen! "Eeh-... eeh, just carry like a million on ya." Here you go…!
Genkan's brows curl up. "Alright. Um... "
crunch. She lays back in the snow, tuckered out. "Just-... just leave me here. The snow is strong enough that, despite all of what just happened, I should be fine soon…"
Yeah, it is snowing like a motherfucker.
...Reimu's staring me down. "Hi Reimu." I greet Reimu. I must confront her dude-
"Where'd you get that much yen?" Uh oh. She confronted me.
"Joon." I assume this is a good enough answer! "Yorigami!"
"...Of course." Reimu seemed ta like that answer.
I can't believe Genkan was attacked while being peaceful. I wonder if we're gonna mull over this encounter later! For someone really on edge typically, Genkan took this little hustle in stride. I guess it's 'cause like...
Y'know, I'd contest Reimu and Marisa myself, but they're Reimu and Marisa. And Reimu'd probably say something like 'well she was a snow woman in the middle of a blizzard in the village what do you want from me'.
If Genkan wanted to fight them, that'd probably just full and well be impossible. They are anti-youkai. They are the player characters.
In that sense, it's less like Genkan was attacked, and more like she was run over by a force of nature. Reimu and Marisa are just stage hazards…! Insurance policies in this era probably include them!
...While we stand idle, I remind them! "Y'know- we should probably get to the freakin'... sword! So you two can get to your other uh, nefarious things."
"Give me money to buy cocoa." Reimu immediately demands of me.
How much yen would that even be…? "Yeah- uh, take a thousand."
She smiles! "Thank you~. Alright…" Why's she look so genuinely happy? "Where's this stupid thing? Let's get this over with." Why's Reimu so snug when she does smile? We gotta put her with some fluffles.
Anyway- let's not get sidetracked! "It should be, uuh…" Man! "Hey- Genkan, can you do anything about the snow…!? It's kinda in the way!"
...Genkan drifts off the snowy floor, into the air. "No." Wh-... oh.
"Hoh? Nn-... nothing? At all?"
Genkan is casual. "Learn to see in the snow. ...Although, I must admit myself, it is troublesome inside the village. We can drift plains and woods in a storm quite easily, but the unnatural terrain of structures gives even me a lot of trouble. That's why I was in the air instead."
Oh, so basically, you just can't see.
I bet snow women have evolved to sense nature around them during a blizzard, so they can just see all and go wherever they want. A village isn't really nature, and if a building's devoid of life or is just a couple people, it's probably a much more confusing time.
...fwish. Genkan makes a crude umbrella out of ice. "You could use this."
When she attempts to hand it over to me, the wind gently takes it away.
CRACK. It shatters into ice on the dirt road.
"...Huh." Reimu's very impressed dude I promise you. "Good for you. Let's go." Yeah man woohoo!
...After giving me a plain look, then a smile, Genkan leaves to look for that stove. Hoh…
I- I like how we just gave up on the umbrella idea.
==== FREAKIN GENSOKYO ====
Clack. The door to Kiyoko's big ol' chamber swings open. Man- the best thing about this realm? You can fuckin' see. For hundreds a' meters! Not just like, two meters!
It's always a sunny day in the pocket dimension of the rising sun.
We're walkin' on into Kiyoko's home-away-from-home palace thing.
"Hey~, Kinky!" Marisa holds her arms open, calling out as she strolls in.
Kiyoko immediately snaps her gaze up from her vigil upon her throne.
WOOSH. Marisa calmly leans out of the way of a katana-missile. It was meant for the bridge of her nose, but just ended up cutting off Marisa's braid as she slid aside it. "Ehe- hehehe… damn, ze." Don't worry, we're in make-believe land, her braid survived.
Or, uh, the make-believe land within the land of make-believe. Double death. Double trouble…!
Reimu is too jaded to think too hard about the Hakurei-like visuals around us. "So…" I- I think she didn't even see that katana shoot across the room either, it was so fucking fast. "That's-... uh…"
She looks at Marisa! "Do you know who that is?"
Marisa snorts, and also lies. "Beats me."
Reimu calls her out immediately. "You- just called her a nickname."
"Well, I got a nickname for her, but that don't mean I know who she is." Marisa lies even harder! "I know her name's Kiyoko. So, Kinky. Eeh? Eeh?" Ooh, there we go, there's the half-truth that saves 'er ass.
Stepping before Reimu, I hand her the letter. "Here's that letter you were supposed to blood-stamp. Maybe if ya hand it to her in person, she'll be receptive!"
"...Weird." Reimu laments! "When we're done here, we should hit a diner. Marisa, you have money, right?"
"Fuckin'..." Marisa flaps her arms in the air. "Yeah, whatever."
...With that, Reimu strolls up to Kiyoko. Marches right across all like hundred meters of big throne room negative space.
"Hey." Reimu greets her casually. "I know you're my relative, I think. Read this." She just stuffs the letter into Kiyoko's lap.
Meanwhile, Kiyoko takes a good, hard look at her face.
...When Kiyoko just stares at her, Reimu volunteers to open the letter herself, and holds it before her face. "Read faster." I- I like how much Reimu just wants to get this over with.
"...You're…" Kiyoko licked her own lips. "Seinarubeki?"
...Reimu blinked. "Huh?"
Kiyoko took the letter, and skimmed it over. "...This is quite audacious."
"If I have to fight you for it, I'm leaving." Reimu put her arms onto her own hips. "Don't got time for it today. There's a big snowstorm, and I'm kinda more concerned with taking it easy."
"...Such is why you ask for a single stroke of it." Kiyoko figured. "Why should I grant you it?"
Reimu does not care. "Why shouldn't you?"
"This blade is my heirloom, crafted by my hands. You are barely of leading age."
Reimu shrugged. "Whatever. If you're not gonna give it, I'm just gonna go."
...Reimu's absolute lack of giving a fuck seems to pique Kiyoko's curiosity. "You seem quite desperate in this letter."
"Did I?" Reimu probably forgot half of what she wrote…! "Yeah, I guess I was. I mean, I don't actually need this thing, but it'd help."
...Kiyoko nods, after a short delay. "Very well. I can tell you're capable. If you must only use a single stroke… I can overlook that. No more than one. The first serious incision of this blade… will return it here, to its rightful resting place. To give you- and Gensokyo- a chance to know my power. A brief reminder, before you one day perhaps earn the right to use this blade."
Reimu nodded. "Yeah, cool, whatever."
...Kiyoko snorted. "And who are they? Those western rats? Are they yours? Or…?"
"Nobody." Reimu looked away for a moment, before looking at her again. "Can I go now?"
"...I~... guess." Kiyoko looks freakin' perplexed.
Reimu drifts into the air, and floats back towards us. Kiyoko raises a brow as Reimu just goes.
Marisa's about as caught offguard as I am! "That, uh… huh."
Reimu pauses between us, before silently just continuing!
...Marisa gives me a grin! "I- I kinda-... assumed this'd be a little more dramatic. I guess this wasn't really a duel- or the duel- or anything, but still."
"I kinda expected this to be casual!" I admit! Reimu's propensity for not giving a fuck seems to be unrivalled.
Marisa shrugged. "I uh, I mean, yeah, but… I kinda expected a clash. 'Cause I can see this, but like, I expected-... you know, 'cause Kiyoko gives a big shit, I thought like-"
Oh god everything fades to white!
==== FREAKIN GENSOKYO ====
Shink. Reimu casually draws the blade from the tomb's top.
Me and Marisa flop back onto the floor, awkwardly displaced by suddenly being ejected from the sword mental space!
Reimu makes sure not to murder me as she hands the sword over. "Careful. Don't touch the blade, maybe, I don't know. It might explode and kill you or something."
I touch the blade. It does not explode and kill me.
"Huh." Reimu snorts! "...Alright. There you go. If I find out you've killed someone with it, you're in trouble."
Springin' up off the floor, Marisa nods. "Aah… and we ain't talkin' the sexy kind." What.
Reimu bluntly agrees wit' 'er. "Yeah, the 'I'll have to kill you-... or, at least make you really sad' kind. Not sure how I'd seal you up, considering you're just, fully human. Maybe take that stupid bag away. Or, like, make it so one hand can't hold something."
...I hold up a finger! "I'll make sure ta use that harpoon gun in self-defense!"
Marisa jerks her head back. "Oh, right. I forgot about the harpoon gun part!" Yeehaw!
"You better not use it at all. Other than to shoot at rocks or something." Reimu warns me! "Unless you have to. I guess. If you do, you better have a really good explanation."
"Aye aye!" I salute Reimu! "Aaah…" I also let out a sigh. Being in this cave makes me soft and warm to the touch.
"This guy couldn't hurt a fly." Marisa waves me off. "Hell. Maybe he'll start actually warmin' up to real weapons!" Yeah, okay. Even if I did, I dunno 'bout katanas.
Reimu began to move. "Thanks for the cocoa money." Aw.
woash. She left through the out-of-place portal established along the room's back.
...Marisa pivots to look at me. "Went smoother than I predicted, huh? Well…"
As she walks off, she gives me a two-finger salute. "You have fun with that. Keep it warm fer when Reimu actually feels like dealing with it, ze."
Oh, okay. Wait. "In my ass it shall reside." ...I- I can't stop myself from smilin'! "Until the hour divine!"
...Marisa took pause to give me a woesome look, before actually going! Th- that expression…!
woash. Yeehaw! ...With that, she's outta here~.
...I nod at the sword. "Harpoon gun." Man. I'm gonna have to see some kappa about the actual gun, aren't I? Ooeh, we'll cross that bridge when we get to it…
Coming up to the portal, I slip the katana into my bag, and uuh…
WOASH. God this portal travel shit always disorients me aaa-
==== FREAKIN GENSOKYO ====
Back to the realm of no vision, I see. Or wait- I don't see, 'cause it's the realm of no vision!
woosh. Back in the village roads, now on my own, I march around lost. Lost, confused, and hurt, dude.
Where the fuck was I going? Wait- yeah! Eeh. Do I wanna walk to the SDM right now? Meiling did say to take it easy today, and to be honest, some parts a' me are still feelin' a little hollow! A little strained. Drained. Tired. Tuckered out.
That means it's a good day to be the opposite of that! A politician.
...I was kinda hoping Genkan would've snuck out of the snow and jumped me by now, but I guess she is being a responsible human being- I mean responsible snow being and buying a stove. Wait- would she even know what kind to get? Has she ever worked with a stove before…!?
Aah. I think Maria has her back, I don't gotta sweat it too much. Genkan is the smart cookie.
Anyway, this place I'm trying to find would be a lot easier to find if it wasn't like neon black outside right now! How fucking heavy is this storm!? This is like, world-ending scenario conditions of snow!
"Haaaa~!" I just fucking yell into the day-night! "Fuck! Shit! Shitty- motherfuck!" Yahaha~! ...Yeah, uh, I don't yell that loud.
Inhale~... "Mother- FUCK!" Truly, I am twelve on the inside.
Nah- that's too generous to twelve-year-olds. More like fifteen. Yeah. A fifteen year old would shout obscenities into a blizzard.
"Fu- ack-" Ohp- I swallowed a snowball! "Khu- fuck- agh…!"
fwoof. Oh. A villager girl appears amidst the snow, cold yet fluffy.
...fwoof. Upon seeing me, she walks backwards the way she came. Uu- uh oh.
fwoof. A fluffle appears to block my path, snowy and quiet. It opens its shell nose to speak, but for some reason it doesn't.
Crunch, crunch, crunch! Some tengu guy runs past me, just- booking it on outta here!
crunch- crunch- crunch. Some super short kid gets on past me, running into the snow.
Wh- duh, oh. A fox girl floats on past me. She's got four tails, clad in some white-blue kimono, wit' blonde hair.
She's followed immediately after by a small pack of black-haired loli girls in pink kimonos with bowl haircuts.
"What the actual fuck is going on." You see some shit in fog of war when you're an unaffiliated unit, lemme tell ya!
Yeah, uh… I can go get the harpoon set up later, definitely. Not like I'm in the biggest of moods to go walking really far. I'm really feeling the fatigue man! ...Well, not like I need ta walk.
Maybe I just wanna see what kinda shit's goin' on in the village, man. And, uh, keep my head out of extreme trouble, maybe. Only the most extreme of trouble will be avoided!
sniff. I'm sniffed by the snow fluffle that's as large as me. Oh god.
...Man, that's a lotta snow, man. Bending my legs, I steal the fluff's tubby legs from beneath it and pick it up. Now I have a friend, dude.
I said the fog was black, but sometimes it's more like grey. That's probably the sun making an attempt. A token effort.
"I bring you fluffle." I announce to the void.
...Instinctually, I feel like sniffing the fluffle after my announcement, and I'm not sure why. It might be a bad idea.
I inhale air instead! "I'm dying! Of hypothermia~!"
...A yuki-onna who is not Genkan immediately appears before me.
"Wait here before you go-" I try and give her the fluffle.
It's too late. She fades back into the cold before I can hand the fluffle off to her!
"No~." Now I'm stuck with the snow womper. It looks around, investigating its cold new world.
Krakoo~m. Yeah~. Thundersnow.
"Hi." I say hi to the fluffle. "You were birthed."
"i gave birth" What, no you didn't…! You were born!
I should be on~ west main street. I think. Yeah. I followed the walls, so I know where I am! As for where on the street I am, that's a good question…
As I pass by a one-story little longhouse thing, I realize where I am; and it's actually where I intended to go too!
"Oh shit." It's time to yell like a motherfucker. "F-" Okay on second thought maybe not!
...I gotta. "Fuu~ck!" Yeah!
Coming around the fogged-up window to the front door- it's snowed in. The door- it's just outright stuck. The snow around us- me, because the fluffle is not people- is like, knee high.
I set the fluffle in the snow. "Stay there, fluffleduster."
"fwshfwshfwsh" The fluffle makes sure to make the noises dusters should make.
...Man. I just want to yell into the blizzard and disturb people. Yeah, screw it man.
"Fuhuhu~ck!" I yell at the door! "Aaaaa~!"
Sometimes, man, ya gotta yell it out man! Yeah man! Didn't have anywhere on the outside where I could just yell at the top of my lungs for no reason!
...Mm- man! "Pfh- heheheh…" Alright, this is stupid, let's just knock.
Knock, knock. I knock with authority. I hurt my knuckles. Ah, well, I'm sure they could use it.
...Wait, fuck, right.
shoof, shoof, shoof. You know, when you're ice resistant, digging into snow isn't too bad. With just my hands, I scrape the gentle snow away. It's like sand but better. Just, better.
Shoof, shoof! Oh- shit, the door's opening. ...It's stuck!
"By the-... ugh." Aw, yeah! Futo's inside! "Curses-... cursed snow…"
Since I am a stick man, once the door's just barely fuckin' open, I start slippin' on in! "Wha- aa-..."
Oh fuck- my head's stuck, but the rest of me isn't. "Ohp-... nngh-"
Bam! Ah- there we go. Kneed the door a bit, finagled myself on inside!
"Ooh, shit!" Alright- we're in business! "Hoh…"
...I look at Futo, as she closes the door!
Futo gives me a strange look! "Art thee the man screaming obscenities to the void?" Oh, right, I did all of that outside the window.
...And then she double-takes! "Better yet- thou hast to explain! Thou-..." She took pause. "The other day. Thou made an effort to sabotage. The plans of the crown Prince and I were dirtied by mere hooligans."
"I think an effort's givin' us a little too much credit there…!" We just kinda~... rolled up, man.
...Futo sighs. Ooh. "Petty child. Still… I know there is to be no reasoning. Thy pretentiousness consumes thee. Dimwit."
"I'm dim." I sure feel like it, 'cause it's such a dark day! "I gave birth."
"Yes." Futo agrees! "Wa- what?" Wahaha! "Nnh." With a little grunt, she shuffles off. "Follow." Ooh.
We go past the reception area, an' we enter the dining room kitchen thing in the midst of this little… taoist outpost? I think that's what this place was. Yeah, it's the taoist front in the village, since they live off in the dimension of ass fuck.
In here, she pauses an' shivers, before giving me a frown. "Thou and I shall discuss this. Thou hast been a bad boy."
"Uuh." I don't like the way she worded that! "Yeah man!" Adding that to my mental list of things to make Genkan say at some point!
Futo stops next to the dining table and gives me an annoyed look! "Don't 'yeah man' me. This isn't party time, dear Brad. It is not time to make fun or jokes. This is a foolish time."
"We live in foolish times." I echo the sentiment…! "Actually, how mad is Miko about the whole thing?"
...Futo takes pause, not expecting an actual question! "Hmm? Ah. Well. Thou hast humiliated the Prince more than anything else. Again." Yeah it has been the second time, hasn't it!?
"Oh no." The prince has been humiliated, man.
Futo gives me a cross look! She's got her arms together in her sleeves, like usual. It's probably warm! "If nothing else, there must be a formal apology. As Kotohime is a trouble to… ask anything of, her burden must fall to thy behest."
But, y'know… "If I'm the fool, what's it say about the prince? Who was fooled…!?"
...Futo just stares up at me! Man, she's short compared to me.
"Thou-... ugh." Futo shook her head. "Thou must speak with the prince." But thou must! "In any event."
Aw. "That's funny, 'cause I was gonna ask about that anyway!" I felt like asking her for team attack ideas!
Futo moves! "Well, come along. I suppose I must thank thy cooperation."
She leads me deeper into the halls of this little outpost thing, and uh, aw.
Click. She opens the door to the portal. "Come."
Y'know, "wasn't that whole plan a' yours to tenderize a buncha dudes fer no reason…!?"
"T'was not for no reason, I-..." Futo shook her head. "No. I am not to argue with thee. The prince would know how to explain his teachings and intent better."
Hoh. I suppose that'd be fitting, since it was probably Miko's idea overall.
woash. Futo steps on into the slightly prismatic portal to uh… wherever the hell the taoist's Datadyne HQ tower is located. Dream-... something…?
==== FREAKIN GENSOKYO ====
Wait, I left my tall fluffle outside. No~.
We are on a yin-yang elevator. Made of stone an' marble an' stuff.
The Great Mausoleum is, as ever, immaculate under the eternal sun of-... hermit land. The temperature's probably perfect, because Futo no longer looks like she's lowkey freezin' up.
There is of course sun cast over the mausoleum of petroleum. By which I mean to say, it looks like a giant lube bottle.
Still, "I forgot my fluffle." I look crestfallen.
Futo's expression is simple and blunt. "Shame."
Oouh. "...Y'know, what do you guys do for fun!?"
Futo was kinda taken off-guard by a sudden real question! "...Hmm. Thy haven't asked me before? ...I also forget. For merriment, I do enjoy the koto. Sometimes, small performances are held in-house. Be it by Kaku or the Prince's merits."
Ho~h. "I mean, like, when yer not going to events and things, and yer just on your own."
...Futo holds her sleeve up to her face. "Oh? Well. Myself, drawing and writing prove to be lucrative. My interests cycle. I've been alive a very long time."
So I've heard! I think.
Y'know, I'm literally having an elevator conversation with Futo. This is just the extremely phantasmal version of the office elevator. Miko's waiting at the top to give me a scathing performance review.
"Though I tend to keep busy more…" Futo admits. "Unlike thyself, I have a duty to uphold. To humankind, to the Prince, and mineself."
Ooh. "What's that?"
...Futo pouts at me! "Hoh?"
"What's that duty!?" I dunno what yer exactly referrin' to!
Futo furrowed her brows a little, but does reply! "Justice. Against filthy youkai, against inferior faiths who favor youkai. Justice for the humans who are deceived by apparitions. Matters of public opinion are to be taken seriously. This is my belief."
Hoh. "Fluffy bluffs." I dunno 'bout any of that.
Futo gives me a sour look! "Waste of breath?"
Wat, no. "I mean-...! Myself, I dunno 'bout changing public opinion. Especially where belief is concerned. Seems like a waste of time to me."
"Because thou art a worthless slacker with no drive." Futo has been fluffified! "If maybe thou held something of value close to thy heart, thou might have been a stable human being."
Oh no man. "Maybe I value the few people I do know, rather than the freakin'... wibbly-wobbly court a' public opinion!"
Futo shrugs passive-aggressively! "Maybe thou art not a born leader, like the prince."
Eeh. "I was born to be led, man. I'm the leader of being led!" I have remembered why arguing with Futo herself is a bad idea! She really firmly believes what she believes!
...Futo just kinda gives me a weird look! "Thy disingenuity shows." Ouh.
Fwish. Instead of an elevator's radio yelling at us, the yin-yang platform glows gold once it reaches its destination instead a' blue. Same utility, but the magic's flashier!
Man. We're high up! Even now I still feel slightly weird at the prospect of falling. Just instinctually, even if I know it wouldn't be too ugly.
Futo gets off first. "Mind thyself." Uh oh man.
"I am mind." Yeah man…! "I am the most mind!"
Up here, on this top floor, Miko's just kinda hangin' out it looks like.
She's ready fer us though. At her desk thing- there's a couple workstations up here, she's got a little map of what looks like the Human Village. At the other workstations, there're more maps. Some just got books. One has snacks!
Miko doesn't look angry, and I'm not sure if that's a bad thing! "...Ah. I see you've actually brought one of them."
Futo snorts. "'Actually'?"
Miko smirked. "They're quite the elusive sort. I figured they wouldn't let themselves be found. No offense to your detective skills."
"In that case, I've brought you the delinquent, crown prince." Futo ascertains! "Though I know you may not reprimand him, as you likely should."
Oh no. "The clown prince of crime…!" She's the Joker! We live in a society!
Futo gives me a slightly baffled look! "Haa- hast thee decreed the prince a clown?"
...After a short delay, Miko continues as if I didn't say anything! "As always, I'd ask you to watch and learn." Miko shook her head, and held her, uh, sword ruler stick thing up. "There is more to other people than fear and respect."
"...If you say so, crown prince." Futo pouts. "While you may be true in some cases, in other cases, especially public ones…"
"We really have no one to blame other than ourselves and the village." Miko supposed. "Gensokyo's balance is a tough nut to crack. Our hearts as a party were not attuned enough. I was irritated by the villagers, and by… our lack of cooperation. We have not been serious about an effort in some time."
Futo seemed willing to listen to Miko since Miko was a freakin' local legend and hero. "I see. Yes… that is true… I am much more used to… being here. Not around the villagers. Around the pious and passionate, around the faithful. Those who already understand. It feels so free in here, and so… bad, out there."
"I understand." Miko nodded, smiling vaguely. "We may need to… do some team building exercises soon, or something. Between you and Tojiko especially."
Futo said nothin' about that, just kinda mulling over the prospect.
Miko continued, "you two don't need to get along. Tolerance is all I'm looking for."
Futo gave 'er a slightly sour look.
"Try to understand." Miko gave her a bigger smile! "Now…"
She looks over at me! "I assume you came here for a reason? You have a question on your mind, maybe two, and it's not just because you're curious what would happen if you came here. Which, might I add, was… brave of you?" I like how even Miko doesn't know!
"Foolish, more like." Futo interjects!
First question before it slips my mind! "You guys were gonna blow up Sanae's windmill! What was that all about…!?"
"It was a land contest by a foreign faith of dubious intent." Miko casted her strongest spell: politics! "Encroaching onto the village's borders. Even under the Spell Card rules, we were in full power to kill and dispose of whoever- or whatever- we needed to in order to protect the village's borders."
Ooh. "Would ya have negotiated with anyone there?"
"...You mean your friends, right?" Miko guessed! "Mmn. We wouldn't have. Upon meeting them on the premises, we would have began fighting on-sight."
Huh. Before I can reply, Miko continues. "Don't take it personally. If you were participating there, you were a member of a rival faith. If you and your friends surrendered, we might've taken it easy on you. ...Not that you needed mercy, evidently."
Futo snorted. "Short work I would have made, of that yuki-onna who drowned thee in snow, that's for sure."
Aw, yeah. Futo would be a bad matchup for Genkan, wouldn't she? Bein' a lowkey pyromaniac and all!
I give Futo a ginger look. "If you killed that yuki-onna, I'd have killed you."
Futo snorts at me! "What is this? Some attempt at mockery?"
"I'm just sayin'. I don't like the idea of this business bullshit hurting someone."
"Fighting words." Futo grins at me! "What to make of this, my prince? He's threatened my life, disposition still violent. May I teach the young man to respect authority?"
"No." Miko replies bluntly!
Futo's expression grows duller. "Prince, you've grown soft."
"Perhaps." Miko admits. "Again. It was simply business. Such an outcome hadn't come to pass, and so, he has no qualm or business with us. We needn't take offense to him laying his terms out for us."
I~ don't like the foreign or objective way they're talking about the possibility of murdering my girlfriend over political land war stuff… but, I guess they're not wrong either; no one did die.
Well, except Sally technically, awhile ago! Actually- does that mean negative people died as a result of that, since she became a zombie? Ooou…
Man, Christmas Eve parties are nuts!
"Be at ease… Brad." Miko takes a moment to recall my name! "You aren't our enemy. You're simply being a man. I respect that."
...There's- something weirdly powerful about the way she said that. Still, I feel like this could've gone differently if she had a reason to be adequately dismissive of me.
"If, in the future, you have to face us down as a man, I'll heed such a challenge." Miko sure has a lot of balls for having had her balls removed. I never actually found out if she had them removed- but on the account of what she just said, I'm gonna assume no.
Somehow, Futo doesn't quip or anything, just kind of letting the prince shmooze me just right to keep me from bein' a bigger problem.
"What was your other question?" Miko asks me. "If you're still comfortable enough to ask it."
What a weird mood.
Y'know- this is what people mean when they say 'friends make you weak'. One month ago I'd've called this shit wack and it wouldn't've left me in any kind of funk. But now that I think about Genkan arbitrarily dying 'cause of it, oouuu now I'm mister angry eyebrows…!
Alright- I think I've dispelled my own funk myself!
"Yeah- I came to ask about team attacks and super C.O. powers and orders from Valkyria Chronicles!" Yeah woohoo!
Miko blinks once! "How-... oddly specific." Yeah woohoo! "Also fitting, when I think about it. You know what? This is a good opportunity."
Miko points her sword ruler thing at Futo! "Futo, would you be so helpful as to fetch Tojiko?"
"Prince, thou aren't being genuine…" Futo looks wounded! "We were about to accost this delinquent for pushing against our authority, and now we're to clown around on his behalf?"
Miko frowns, weighing her options. "Mmm. Yes? Are you saying you lack the humility to do so?"
"Yes, yes I am." Futo nods!
...Miko just gives 'er a shit-eating smile!
"Very~ well." Futo resigns herself! "If I must." With that, she moved fer the elevator!
As Futo marched off, Miko sheathed her gold stick and clapped her hands.
FWI- FWISH! Ooh. She can change the room's configuration easily in the menu, dude! By that I mean- she's turned the room from a planning room into a big empty one!
By the time the room's fully changed, Futo's totally gone. Miko sighed.
"In a thousand years, it's a wonder how that girl can be so stubborn. The era of fear is long over, and the sooner she comes to terms, the happier she will be. She's quite amicable and intelligent, you know? When she's comfortable. I know it's hard to tell."
Ho~h. "I kinda got that vibe in some strange way. I dunno why."
"Really?" Miko raised a brow, smiling wider! "...Hmm. Regardless. Yes, she's quite fun when she wants to be. Eternally naive, maybe, but naivety is appealing in its own ways. Some ways more than others."
Stepping into the center a' the room, Miko twirled ta face me again. "Though I suppose being 'eternally naive' is a bad mark to have on your character. A difficult hurdle to push through, when you can't leap it. A constant blockade in your psyche of mind."
Y'know, it's kinda strange… "I can think of many not-a-thousand people who're eternally naive!"
Miko snorts! "Well, it's more like Futo sees, but for clinging to the era of fear and pure belief, she's a little less versed to the elements than some of us are. I still believe she can change. Some humans, on the other hand…"
After lookin' away for a moment and tiltin' her head back and forth, she smiled at me again! "Team attacks." Ooh.
"I am an entire team, man." I raise my fists meekly!
"You used quite the team attack on me last time." Miko supposed! "Are you sure you need my help?"
"Gimme some ideas, man." I'm gonna think 'till my thinker's sore. "Sometimes, just before a fight's started, it can be weird!"
"Aah. I see." Miko supposed she could see that. "You were prepared for us, weren't you? Sanae didn't want to take us on alone. You were likely organized to perfectly counter that operation of ours. Mmn."
Fwish! Ooh. The elevator's arrived again.
...Tojiko drifts in at static velocity. Futo unassumingly shuffles up next ta her.
"Prince." Tojiko's pretty sedate at the moment. "I know it's strange coming from me. But, the fault in our teamwork the other evening lies with me."
"It lies with all of us." Miko smiled back at her. "I know I've apologized for snapping then, but I'll apologize again."
...Tojiko gently nods. "I don't think the human here cares about you choosing to publicize your generosity."
...Miko smiles sheepishly! "I- ah… probably not."
"My brain is only half-on." I remind them!
"Ever the strategist, Shotoku." Tojiko folded her arms, under her boobs. What is that green dress a' hers? Well… green, and a dress. Beneath the hem a' the skirt is ghost matter. "...Truthfully? I'm tired of big-stick politics. I cannot honestly care about this village. If they wish to bleed, let them."
Miko gave her a vague but still sheepish sorta look! "...If you want to go on a date, you could just ask?"
Tojiko thought about it! "Perhaps. That would not change this lifestyle, however. Tilting a village's politics has never been this difficult for you."
"It's a puzzle." Miko contests! "Many more powers than the humans' are at play, in keeping the status quo at bay. In the end, to the victor goes history. We are not going to allow the weak-hearted command over the people, when I am firm of heart and mind."
Tojiko cast her gaze up. "Like a game. I know politics are your favorite game. I do like to help you out, too. I just don't like when it comes between us."
...Miko huffed. "I'm, um…" Miko runs through ten thousand 4D chess scenarios in her head at once, before coming to the eventual conclusion of, "sorry."
Tojiko snorts. "Was that so hard?"
"More than I'd like to admit."
...Tojiko nods. "A date would be nice, yes." With that, her brain goes offline, an' she gingerly stares into the distance.
Futo didn't really protest during that whole thing, which surprised me! She actually seems somewhat pleased. Lookin' over at me, she smiles!
"See this, sir Brad?" Pft- oh no. "This is a relationship. Have you ever thought about one?"
Uh oh. "No I haven't." Never. Couldn't be me.
Futo didn't give me a cheesy emote or a snide look. She just kept lookin' smug. "Love is timeless. Much of what I say may be dated, but… if you're to learn anything from me, that is one of few things I feel strongest about."
Oh my god, the irony. I'm fuckin' drownin' in it!
I feel like I'm sequence breaking, and this is like, the moment where I'm supposed to realize I love Genkan. And then the big symbolic reveal of irony would be when Futo tries to kill her in some scripted story event or something. I'm going through the plot backwards!
"All of that said…" Miko starts ta move! "Even if it's something small, we should go do something. Not as a mark of business, but as one of pleasure."
Tojiko agrees! "Perhaps we should go see somewhere exotic. The village is a tired look."
"...Agreed." Futo walks alongside the 'prince', an' Tojiko drifts wit' her.
Actually- wait. Hold on! "Yo- Futo! Weren't you there when Santa declared me and a yuki-onna husband and wife…!?" Strangest fuckin' wedding ever!
Futo just gives me the vaguest expression.
Tojiko gives me a flat look!
Miko twists around to look at me!
...I grin at them! "Also- we were here the other week. I stole Miko's outfit and panties, entirely. Genkan was there to watch!" Hold on! "Futo- you cited that today! Ya said I humiliated 'the prince' twice!"
"Santa- what." Tojiko seems worried, for some reason!
"Fhu- ah…" Futo doesn't know where to start!
Miko has a pitiful expression…! "We~... well, for starters, I was recovering from hypothermia, and recoiling from that plan. We hadn't attended." Oh, shit. Yeah, we did beat them up like, just before the party.
"How was I to know thy relationship!?" Futo is indignantly fluffy! "It- aa-... t'were a relationship!? How…?" What. How…!
Tojiko chipped in. "I mean, I could tell they liked each other. Genkan and I shared… something. She was enchanted."
Futo held her own head! "En- enchanted…!? By- him?"
...Tojiko continues, "I'm still more worried about what was said about Santa."
Futo smiled, but looked aggressive. "Santa does not exist. Christian myth is laughably shallow. I'm glad we didn't see this 'Christmas' party." Ohp- shit, we found Ebeneezer…!
Tojiko looked peaceful, fer some reason. "You can keep believing that. Or, not believing, rather. Regardless, belief renders. As such, Santa. Same as the common deity."
"To hell with the faux-divine!" Futo bites back! "They won't be so divine when I burn them!"
Suddenly, Futo beams! "Yes, Brad! Do you hear that!? Are you offended? With fire and sword, Santa shall die!"
...Smiling, I nod. "I am very offended. Miko, I'm gonna sue."
"I'd rather settle out of court." Miko monotoned, but with a smile! "...Alright. We should move. Today, we wine and dine. Brad, come with us. You shall see how it is done." Ooh!
"I like to play mothball." I have an idea.
...No one can respond to this!
==== FREAKIN GENSOKYO ====
WHISH- WOOSH! It's snowing. Like hell. Still.
Miko stands before the door of the outpost. "Oh. Right."
Tojiko snorts, staring out the window. "Good call, my prince. If you wanted to hypothermiate yourself again, you should have simply said so."
Futo just pushes Miko outta the way! "Prince- allow me! Allow me! Mine flame shall do the trick!"'
CLACK! Futo rams the door open-
fwoof. The snow pushes out... onto her! A~nd she's squished. "Eee- aaaa~!" She screams too, 'cause it's probably cold as fuck!
"Excellent." Tojiko quips! "That was the trick, right? Excellent trick." That's like the 'old' equivalent of 'nailed it'.
"Fu- fucketh." I uh, I think Futo said that on purpose! "I- I am being fornicated."
...Tojiko quietly chuckles! "So much for the wine and dine."
crunch, crunch. I crawl out onto the snow pile, and over it! The cold means nothing to me!
shoof. Oh my god, my snow fluffle! He's still here!
It's, uh, a lot bigger now, too.
shoof, shoof. The snow fluff is using its head to push more snow against the door. Upon seeing me, it arches itself back. "hi sam" Oh. Dude- it recognizes me. "yammer"
Cupping my hands, I shout into the void! "Fu~ck, kumbaya~h!"
The fluffle jerks back into the fog, only its decal eyes visible for a moment, before it fearfully advances again!
"Oh my go~d, my go~d!" It's time to work these lungs, man! Stretch them vocal cords! "Aaaaa~!"
woash. Tojiko just drifts through the window to get to me. "What the actual fuck are you doing." Whahaha!
I gesture to the snow fluff! "...Mothball! I'm- negotiatin' wit' the locals here!" I need a mothball.
...When I turn back to the giant snow fluff, it's really close. Close enough to sniff me.
"sniff" So it sniffs me, experimentally.
"Oh- ah…" Tojiko didn't see the fucking huge snow fluff before I pointed it out! "Oh- damn…"
"Fuu~ck!" I yell back at the snow fluff unnecessarily.
...Uh oh. It has grown wise. It's gained acoustics. It just looks around as if weirded out, instead of growing fearful!
"I don't think it works like a normal animal." Miko argues, now out here too! "Shouting really loudly doesn't even work that well against most animals…"
"I am going to make myself intimidating!" I spread out my arms, and walk in place! Yeah- here I come!
shoof. Futo appears, shivering, after having climbed from the snow vault. "She- sh… nnn."
fwoof. Oh. After chattering out incoherent noises, she makes some fire between her hands.
Fwoom! She makes it bigger!
The big snow fluff fixates on the flames.
Now that it's brighter, Futo sees it too. "Oh-..." I- I like how she looks afraid! "Prince-..."
"I know." Miko knows already, however! "Perhaps we should demonstrate team tactics."
"What? No." I protest! "Walter Snowbuckle is cuddly."
Tojiko interjects! "Shut the fuck up." Wh- ahaha! Oh no-
FRACK- KRAKOOM! BOOM! Oh- holy fuckin' shit- ooh! Snow explodes over me!
Tojiko brought down lightning and fuckin' smited it!
...crunch. Miko ascends from some snow. "You know- if we'd done a team attack-... I would not be covered in snow."
Futo is entirely buried aside from a sole middle finger she's poking out of the snow. Oo- oh no.
Wait. Does she even know that expression? How recent is it, or did she just accidentally flip us the bird? I'm so confused!
Tojiko ascends outta some snow 'cause she's a ghost! "...Oops." Yeah, oops!
We need to actually find a restaurant. I have a horrible idea.
You know what? "Miko- how do I summon a mothball?" I need to know right now.
...Miko just stares at me! "You don't." Oh no.
Tojiko looks more drained! "Our political guest of the hour seems to be more obsessed with mothballs than food or beer."
"Yes, and I don't know why." Miko looks slightly worried! "...Um." Then, she looks back at Futo, who is buried still! "Darn."
...I try to take a few steps forward between Miko and Tojiko-
fwish. Oo- oh my god! Genkan appears out of literally fucking nowhere! "Woah!"
"Hello, boyfriend." Genkan asserts herself! "...I couldn't help but notice you screaming at the top of your lungs, again. Why?"
I shrug at 'er! "Whauh- I mean, why not…!?"
"You're probably freaking people out..." Genkan has a mixed smile as she tries to argue! "You're not even remotely in actual danger."
"Let him scream." Tojiko counter-argues! "The village will take it to mean the screams of the damned, and want more protection."
"As fun as terrorizing the village is, I'm trying to find a stove, which has proven harder than I would have thought or liked." Genkan's apparently having a really hard time! "Ironically, not for the lack of snow. The snow is making it harder. A sentiment I never thought I'd have."
"That shit's fucked up." I punctuate.
...Genkan gives me a blunt look, but doesn't even say anything!
"A stove, you say?" Miko has the charismatic smile! "Just give me a few moments. I may find a smith to hook you up yet."
"Oh. It's these people…" Genkan looks slightly worried!
Miko held up a hand. "Don't fret. We don't hold what happened then against you. Our qualms were with the Moriya, not you."
"...I see." Genkan still looks suspicious of them.
fwoof. Futo stops being buried all of a sudden, ascending from the snow. "Ffh- nnh-
FWOOM! She lights a bonfire in the snow before herself, before the blizzard that's still happening puts it out. "I- I want-... t- to go home…"
"Baby." Tojiko immediately taunts her!
"Ss- so be it." Futo crouches in place, lookin' ice cold! "I- I'm dying…"
Tojiko snorted. "You'll simply reincarnate. Lucky you."
...After Miko looks awkward, she shook her head! "Perhaps we should hurry somewhere so Futo can warm up. Alright, you two- come along." Oh?
==== FREAKIN GENSOKYO ====
We enter a dimly-lit store, with two frost-kissed front windows, and a lot of metal decorations. It was weirdly far- all the way on the south end of town, when we were in the firm west earlier, but here we are!
Clack. The door closes when Futo gently slams it. It is pretty warm in here, so-
fwump. Futo quickly just sits in a corner, her nose runny. "Nghu- uh…"
...This bald dude's behind a counter, arms just rested on it. He looks slightly alarmed!
Miko smiles as she strolls up to the counter. "Hello, sir. We're here to buy your finest stove. To treat stale bread with fresh bread, for our fine friends-..." She gives me and Genkan a look fer some reason! "...Brad and Genkan."
The man glowers at her. "We're out of stoves."
Miko gives him the flattest look. "You can't be out of stoves."
"We're out, of stoves." He affirms! "And on that note, I'm takin' it easy today. If you want a shovel, I can hook ya up, but nothing else. Storm's too fierce for that."
Miko is confused! "Do you not sell stoves?"
He shook his head. "No, I sell stoves. I can't curate 'em and manage my stock today. Holdin' house is iced shut. Pulled the shovels I had on hand out, made a few more, that's all."
...Miko held her head. "So what if we opened your stock? Could we buy a stove then?"
"No."
...Miko gives us an expression that looks like one of mine!
Tojiko replies! "Prince, I think the wining and dining is a wash. Or, in this case-... hm." She can't think of a way to phrase it with snow!
"Snowed over." Genkan adds, standing next to her.
...Tojiko looks at Genkan. After a silent moment, I realize they emit similar energy for some reason!
Miko twists to look back at the smith guy or whatever he is. "Please? You'd really be doing me a favor."
He nods. "And what're the youkai for? Muscle? Get out of my store."
...Miko stares at the wall to our left! Then, she double-takes, drawing a card ooh man a card. "I am on the village council."
The man chuckled, with balls of solid brass. "And I make half the swords 'round here. Nice to meet'cha."
Miko slouched. "I- I know, that's why I came to you."
I turn to Genkan. "Y'know, we should probably just get an electric stove instead."
...Genkan turns to me, eyebrows raised! "Electric…?"
Tojiko looks at me, eyebrows raised! "Electric…?" Unfortunately, Tojiko is not as cute as Genkan.
Miko gives us the happiest 'done' look ever. "Today's just not shaping up to be my day apparently."
Tojiko smiles. "Perhaps we should've just spent a quiet day. Maybe we should take a break from this village entirely."
"And lose our presence and pressure?" Miko asserts herself! "I think not. Eventually, this village's ethereal protection will fold. When it does, we'll have a domain of peace. True peace."
"...I just want to relax and read books." Tojiko gets fluffily aggressive! "I see value in your ideals, but can't we take this one step at a time? You're not getting anything done today. The village will be snowed over for the next few days."
...Miko sighs. "Well-... probably…"
This is like the inverse of the heart-to-heart me and Genkan had yesterday. Powerful.
Wait. Oh shit. I know.
Genkan looks at me in the silence. "Don't become a politician, Brad."
"What- oh no." Yeehaw! "But wait, there's more!"
Moving aside the counter the dude was at, I move through one of the doors into the backrooms.
"Fuckin'-..." He doesn't like that! "What the fuck're you-..."
Ooh. There's a whole second room.
Ignoring all the metal what's-its and doodads, I move fer the closet on the left!
Creak! Casting it open, I get down on the floor.
And, there it is.
...It moves slowly. Gently, it pans its head to look up at me.
It's a fluffle. A fluffle being consumed by moths. I found it.
It's hiding beneath some tall coats that're draped over it. It looks so freakin' depressed. It's missing an eye decal, and chunks of its head. It looks diseased, even more than normal fluffles do.
"Oh my god…" Beholding it, I reach down.
The moths go fucking nuts when I lift the fluffle, all fluttering around! It sort of freaks me out- but I honestly can't care at this point!
But- some of 'em, the moths, they don't move. Most of them are still dormant, hugging onto the fluffle...
Folding it into a loaf, very slowly, I lift it overhead, and move for the main room.
The smith takes pause, beholding what I'm carrying, before letting me pass! "Uh."
...I come back into the main room. Everyone looks at me gingerly, not really assuming anything.
I face Genkan. "Mothball."
Genkan blinks. "Mothball?"
I toss the mothball at Genkan.
fwump. The fluffle bounces off her collar, and the moths are unleashed. "What the-" She's surprised! "Aagh!" Wahahaha~!
thump! Genkan flops onto the floor on her butt, holding her face! "Aa- aah…" Then, she starts brushing her kimono off!
...When she gets up, I beam at her!
"Waha- aah- ooh- oh- oh- oh!" Genkan starts aggressively shakin' me around!
==== FREAKIN GENSOKYO ====
We were kicked out.
With nowhere else to go, and Futo rapidly suffering the final heat death, we returned to the taoist front on the west half of the village.
"We'll just have to eat out, tonight." Genkan wants fast food to make up for the fact I ruined our stove efforts with a mothball.
Miko is dejected, her hair-ear things droopy. "I bet half the stores are closed today. We may as well not bother…"
"You are paying, Brad." Genkan demands! "Even if we must go to Eientei, we will get you fed, and you will buy it."
"Aa- as if you needed to buy it!" I just gave you that million yen!
"You threw a mothball at me." Genkan begins ta grin intensely! "It's the principle. You will buy me food too." Aw. I get to feed Genkan with all of this totally legitimate money that I have earned.
...Not that she needs to eat food-food, but still!
Tojiko drifts in the air with similar chill energy. "Prince, never become fascinated with mothball. It seems like a very unfun sport."
Miko scratched at her cheek, under one of her purple earphone things. Yeah- I bet those start to itch like a motherfucker eventually. "I'm-... off the wall on occasion, but I'm not borderline schizophrenic."
"Throw a mothball at her." Genkan recommends! Man- I'm having freakin'... deja vu.
"Are none of us going to talk about how surreal and horrible a ball of moths is?" Tojiko felt the need to bring this up! "Despite my age, I still find things that horrify me. On a simple visual level, even."
"How do you think I feel?" Genkan is really making an active effort not to smile too hard! "I had it thrown at me. I thought they got on me."
Miko voices a sentiment I began to form! "You know… the both of you are effectively immune to any effect moths would even have? Right?"
Tojiko shook her head! "You don't get it, prince. It's a ball of fucking moths. What the fuck."
Genkan chuckles from the sudden profanity! "...They're creepy. Or rather, unsettling."
"I want mothball to be an attack in my arsenal." I decide.
"No." Genkan does not want it to be so…! "That would be worse than the pillow with-... with your dried semen on it."
Tojiko suddenly looks really worried! "I'm fucking sorry- what?" Wahaha!
...Genkan retracts her statement! "In- in retrospect, the crusty pillow remains worse."
Tojiko shook her head in vague horror! "How-... how do you date him? How did a snow woman-... what?"
Yeah- just… end thought. "Jocker." I interject!
But before that develops, Genkan poses the sentiment back! "How do you date a politician?"
...Tojiko grasps the challenge, dude. "Shotoku is nice. He's the master of romance. Well, to me. He's sort of a bumblefuck when his charisma misaligns, so to speak. It can be cute... when he's not too retarded."
Genkan contests this point! "Brad is nice. He's… well, in um- in private, and when we talk on a deeper level, he's quite insightful. And for a definition, even romantic. When he's not slowly going insane. I suppose he sometimes rambles… but I think I'm a good listener."
"Mothball." I restate the premise.
"Yes, we know." Genkan gets closer to me, except aggressively!
...Miko gives me a strange, examining look. "Why did you even come here to ask about team attacks? If you ask me, you and Genkan seem quite in tune already… and- and I just said this to you earlier, too."
I hold my arms out! "Whau- I dunno, man! I thought you had some cool strats like, standin' on one another's shoulders and shooting shit at enemies!"
Semi-incredulous, Miko held out her own arms! "That's-... just, team ingenuity is something that happens in the moment! You can't just force it. You have to just- understand your friends, and yourself. Whenever me and Tojiko and Futo have had our brightest moments, our expectations are in sync with one another."
Oh. "Y'know, maybe that's a skill I already have, actually…"
...Miko thrusts her arms out again, as if trying to strangle the column of air holding me!
Tojiko comes to a realization. "Brad is anti-charisma. Prince, look out."
Genkan contests! "Brad is uncharismatic to the point he can be charismatic. The prince- or, whoever- puts me off with their continuous efforts to look composed."
...Tojiko looks thoughtful. "Hmm. Perhaps it's a difference of eras. Intent too. I doubt you and Brad plan to lead a social and spiritual revolution."
"...You're right, we don't." Genkan and her have come to an agreement, dude.
Behind the main counter here in the realm of taoist clerical operations, Futo seems to finally pay attention. She's bundled up on a chair in the back, in a big fluffy blanket.
"I- I take it back. Romance- is trouble…" Yeehaw! "It is unknowable and therefore horrifying."
Tojiko looks fair and plain, dude. "You're just saying that because you're unlovable."
"Tojiko, I shall end you." Futo threatens her! "Lightning bitch."
"Pfheh." Tojiko snorts off the insult.
We just not gonna backtrack and speak of how Futo wished she'd killed Genkan like an hour or two ago, just on the basis of slighting the beloved prince? ...No? Yeah, Futo's petty enough to just forget about the gravity a' something like that…
Mentally noted!
"We plan to lead a social and spiritual revolution." I decide. "A revolution of dance." I start to jig in place next to Genkan, with all the grace capable of a daily talk show host, which is none.
...Wh- ah. Genkan grapples me to stop me from movin' around so much…! "I think we'll be going now."
Wait before we go! "Miko- do you know any team buffs!?"
"Not off the top of my head, no." Shit!
I can't believe, instead of learning anything useful about team combat, which is all purely conceptual, all I did was throw a fuckin' mothball at Genkan and jostle her!
...Hmm. Do we go to Eientei and get the stove and food, or do we just… hmm. We could hit Maria's for snacks.
"Would you two like to stay for dinner?" Tojiko suddenly proposes. "We do have rations, and food we can eat."
"As opposed to the inedible food." I lament the inedible food…
"As opposed to the inedible food." Wait.
Me and Miko look at each other.
"We will never speak of this again." Miko suddenly announces!
==== FREAKIN GENSOKYO ====
No, wait, shit. I've just realized.
I've got like, two primary sizes of hanger. Club-size, and hanger-size. Greatsword-size, vs. tonfa-size. So my methods of combat, on a personal level, would be semi-evasive small arms, numb and dumb big arms, and wild-ass super evasive magic spam.
...So basically going to ask Miko about anything team-related was a huge waste of time, but it was still pretty fun so whatever! Also, confirmed that Miko isn't that big of an antagonist person. I mean Seiga might still be, we didn't see her at all, but Miko and her closer buds forgive easily enough!
"Omh." I crunch into the fried chicken. It's really rich in flavor holy fuck.
It's a simple family dinner meal of fried chicken. We're in the dining room that I saw earlier, and to my surprise, it's actually being used as a dining room.
"Prince, why doth youkai dine upon our grounds?" Futo proposes a question!
Tojiko is spooky. "Because no one gives an actual fuck what you think, now shut the fuck up and eat." I- I like how she just occasionally just goes off for no reason.
...After swallowing a bite, I wonder. "Y'know. Is this even dinner? What time is it?"
"It's more like lunch." Miko admits!
"Food is food." Genkan doesn't really care! "Brad has at least eaten once today. That's enough for me. ...For now."
Miko looks slightly put-off! "You imply he doesn't eat all that often…"
Futo snorts. "Look at the man's arms. Skin and bone."
So, the day's not really over yet. ...Although, now that I'm getting food, I do feel a little more whole after yesterday's shenanigans!
"Om- omh, om." I freakin' scarf down this chicken. "...Mmm."Holy shit this tastes good. Man.
So, so far I've been training big ass clubs-type weapons mostly. I've noticed, it's a lot more awkward to use the same attacks with my smaller hangers! So…
Maybe I should devise some unique techniques with smaller hangers. Ones a little unlike what Meiling proposes, 'cause those are all relative to weapon arts and stuff. And at base, as fun as weapon arts might be, I am a plant hanger man through and through.
"Genkan, I need to go fight Mario." I decide.
Genkan gives me a look. "After you eat." Aw.
"Delicious dinner meal." ...Aw dude. "Genkan, you should make a delicious fluffle meal."
"Fluffles aren't meals." What, no. "I don't want to even think about the prospect. I can't unsee that mothball you found."
"Yeah- I can't either!" Freakin'- mothball…!
But, man. Thinkin' about combat with the actual imminence of threat is weird. And y'know, stylin' on fairies is fun and all, but like…
I think my actual position on combat's obvious. I'm more a fan of the wackiness of magic and dumb weapons than I am actually hurtin' people. Unless they deserve it, but I mean, that kinda situation feels uncommon.
I mean, it's more common in Gensokyo as a whole! But still… it's so weird.
Hmm.
As I sit here, snackin' on a chicken leg, I kinda observe the taoists doin' their thing.
"Om- mmh- mm…" Futo's got two legs at once. Yeah, she seems like the type ta chow down.
"...You were Genkan, right?" Tojiko strikes up a spark a' conversation with Genkan. "Just making sure I haven't forgotten your name."
Genkan gives her a plain look in return. "That is me, yes."
Miko is staring at me. She's paused her eating. She can tell I've been grasped by a fey mood.
As fun as making a game outta combat is, I can't forget why I'm giving this train of thought any attention at all, instead a' just roamin' around.
I've got somethin' worth protecting now. The opportunity to spend more time together with Genkan, and I guess Gensokyo as a whole.
Y'know, mortality- of others, let alone myself- has never really been something I've thought about. Not until just recently. When Genkan was threatened, and that prospect tickled me just the right way.
I didn't care how weak I was. Even the weak can be cruel and give it their all. Humans may be fragile, but drive goes a hell of a long way. Unless, y'know, the enemy is entirely insurmountable.
That's where the weapon comes in. The bomb, the vehicle, the gun, the sword. The body, if honed right. And uh, I guess magic too!
Miko's eyes remain locked on mine once I look up from the table. She's been watchin' me this whole time.
She raises a brow, as if questioning me. She can probably read my strange food-time emotions.
"...Hey, Miko." I speak up amidst the small murmur of others talking. "Why'd you choose to reincarnate?"
...Futo looks at me. Tojiko takes pause. Genkan looks at me too.
Miko smiles. "Reincarnate? ...Ah. You mean the faux-immortality we've imparted ourselves with."
"Yeah." I nod. "Why'd you decide on that?"
...No one else interjected, also curious.
Miko let both her brows raise, smiling. "Isn't it obvious? Immortality is a fierce appeal for any man. Or, human. Or, person. Life's goal is to live, after all."
"I guess." Yeah.
...You know.
"What makes a man?" I pose the age-old question!
Miko snorts. "Getting philosophical, are we?"
"No, really." I'm curious.
"Ah." Miko searched the table for a moment. "...That's not the same answer for everyone, see."
"I figure." Yeah… "But…"
"Money." Futo interjects with the obvious. "Many a man values money in this world. We'd lie if we said otherwise. Money is food. Money, though not happiness incarnate, enables happiness in a society. Without it, you do not exist. Those of purest minds towards society would deem thee worthy only to die."
"Power." Tojiko provided somethin' similar. "Am I wrong, my prince? Without the status accrued from your cunning style, you'd have been denied many things. Being able to get to even know me, your beloved, included. Money is power when used correctly, but knowledge and intellect are fellow pieces of the power puzzle. Any puzzle is incomplete on its own."
Genkan took her turn next, as this seemed to be the trend. "Love. Family." She stared at me when she said this. "Friends, perhaps… but love seems the most powerful to me. Passion between others. Understanding one another. Engaging in art and fun together. Love is so simple, yet so complicated. Risky, wounding, but fulfilling on a... pure level, when it goes right. The most important thing is when the both of you can understand one another. That is the true magic."
...Eventually, everyone looked at me.
Normally, I'd have to think this kinda stuff out. Normally, I'd be like, 'what's left'? Or, 'how'd they find their answers so quickly'?
For some reason, I'm on the ball wit' this one.
"Memories." I decide.
I think a man's made by his memories. Environment shapes people, right? Everything we do is to make some happy memories. Memories are what we see and saw.
There're stories, y'know. About how some tribes still look at time differently, or 'backwards'. They say we walk backwards into the future. 'Cause we can't see the future, but we can see the past, right? And, if you're walkin' backwards, you can only use what you currently see to predict where you're goin'.
We don't go into the future blind, we go into the future with a guesstimation. Yeah!
I guess, in that sense, 'memories' as an answer is almost so effective it's cheating. It encompaases all of the above, depending on how much a' the mind we're talking about.
Memories aren't just what makes us happy, like our friends or lovers or the fun stuff we do. It's how to make friends. It's techniques of socialization, techniques and knowledge of power and wealth in the first place. Memories are both knowledge and understanding.
Setting down my food, I lean forward, resting my arms on the table.
"Like, let's start with old age. In time, you might lose and forget. And sometimes it's really bad. Like, forgetting how doors and walls spatially work. Forgetting what the next few rooms in your own damn house look like. When you're that fucked up, imagine life with your loved one. The kind of new hell they have to live through, now that you're forgetting who they are, and the love you shared."
I'd imagine this is especially pertinent for the Taoists here. Guess who opted for immortality to avoid that shit? These people…!
"Personally…" My gaze pans 'round the table. "I'd never want to look at Genkan, and just not know why she says she loves me."
Silence sets in. My words have an effect on the, uh… taoists? Our hosts? Our sponsors…!
Miko's gold eyes just kinda bore into mine.
Tojiko examines me intently.
Genkan's plain stare has a similar taken-aback quality as to a couple days ago.
Futo actually just turns to me, since we sit at the same half a' the table. She stills looks pretty casual though!
...Yeah. I've always feared getting trapped. Being trapped with a shitty life 'cause of other people. Being trapped with a shitty life 'cause I wasn't prepared enough.
If I'd committed to the wrong life, or acted too rashly, I'd be denied sweeter memories. Such is how the society-driven world works. It traps ya.
But, you know, memories are important for other reasons. They ain't just chips you can lose.
"We use the memories that are behind us to see forward. Mechanical memories, sweet memories, bitter memories. Burning memories."
Burning memories is a descriptor that touches me fer some reason. Hot to the touch, but eventually to burn out. In the future I'll look back on stuff, like my time outside the barrier, as nothing more than some burning memories, fizzling away at the end of the wick.
"When we think of the future, we're thinking of the unknown, and we're trying to command it to become like the memories we see as sweet. Without memories, you fly blind. Blinder than blind.
"Some people can fly a little blind. Shamble their way into and through fortune or poverty. But ignorance binds. Binds and blinds. Bein' stupid just limits you. Myself, I'd say bein' limited is like living less.
"Some people are fine with bliss, with seeing less. I'd say that bliss comes with a price. If you can't command the future, you're gonna get trapped. When that bliss becomes hell, you're never gonna even see it coming."
If you think hell is inevitable, then y'know, good for you, be dumber. But, if you think it's possible to live in comfort at all, then at least strive for wisdom and cooperation. A token effort, even.
Being a good person, be you wealthy or poor, is a test of character both ways.
I remain silent fer a little while. I remember to grin a little after a moment.
Miko grinned back. "You seemed to be on a roll there. I'm just happy someone other than me went on a long-winded philosophical tangent." Wait you do that?
Futo decides to challenge my stance! "However, I may ask… to what end is the memory valuable? Should thy memories become bitter, sad or rotten... perhaps the blissful nothing is to thy preference?"
She says that... "If I don't know what bad looks like, I won't know how to avoid bad. Even if I don't think bad exists, it does, and if it does bite me, it'll be the big freakin' sad. And to think I wouldn't even know why." Ain't that funny?
Futo just looks kinda befuddled by how that all flowed together!
"As for Alzheimers, it wouldn't just take the bad memories. It takes all the memories. S'like it all gets flushed down a toilet bowl!"
Futo snorts! "Disturbingly apt descriptor..."
Anyway. "Even if I have bitter memories about love, like from death or loss or whatever, I'll always remember what it can feel like. Love feels too good to not bother. Even if it bites, even if random bad luck leaves me heartbroken and all-resentful… for awhile, I'll never forget how good it can feel.
"I might not forget the pain, even if it would burn less over time. But… I dunno. I know it'd hurt like hell."
Aah. Dread. S'this existential dread? Well- no, yeah, I guess it is. Teenage stereotype fulfilled? Is that a stereotype in 2020? Eeh, pro'lly applies to 2015 too. The internet lets everyone realize how munted society's become. School does nothing to educate people on how to have some soul, to not be depressed over society's obligations. 'Cause it is society…!
You know what, next time Genkan asks me about the outside, I'll summarize it like that. Everyone's dumb, alone and depressed!
After mindin' her own business, Miko looked back down at her own fried chicken. "Mmn. You're… as I expected, more complicated than you let on."
"Quite." Tojiko concurs…! "I'm reminded of you." She says this to Miko herself.
"Was I that incomprehensible…?" Miko has her brows furrowed! "I don't think Japan would've tolerated me if I was him."
"No, but you do exude a similar energy." Tojiko decided. "...If you were a teenager let loose in Gensokyo, I don't imagine you'd be all that different."
...Miko shrugged a little, smiling cockily. "Mmn. Maybe not. It's been nearly a thousand years, so it's hard to say now. See…"
She looked up at me again. "Even in immortality, the memory will begin to slip. The strength of a relationship may be built, but it may also become old and snap if left idle. People get bored."
Yeah, like a wick. If you spend too much time or distance apart, if you only sleep together but never talk between your jobs… the passion that found your relationship might just fizzle away at the end a' that wick.
"That's why, should you and your lady's love last, it is a fire that must keep kindled. One fed by connection and understanding. Love isn't automatic. Love isn't magic. Sometimes it will be luckily easy, and for others it will be rough. Even with your most ideal partner."
I smile. See- Miko kinda gets it. "Like the end of a wick. If you don't move those memories up to the base, they'll burn away."
Smiling assuredly, Miko nods. "Exactly. Never forget why you love one another.
"Write it down, reenact it, I don't care how. Just remember your passion. Love and mutual understanding is like a narrative. It must be written with your actions and decisions.
"As long as you use your actions to understand one another, to remain close, as long as you share this will, and your understandings, then… I would believe you're all set. Give or take."
...Yeah. I see.
I look at Genkan.
She looks small, having compacted in her seat. When I look at her, she fixes her stare on me.
It feels a little awkward to say it here, but I don't care. "I love you."
She gives me a plain expression, which becomes more gentle after a moment. After failing to form a response, Genkan holds a hand to her heart, face reddening.
I may've shown up ta learn team attacks, and I might not've exactly got it, but y'know, I think this more than makes up for it…!
This wasn't a waste of time after all. Far from it.
"I-... love you too." Genkan doesn't want to leave me hanging, so she stammers out a reply. I- I didn't expect her to reply in this moment, but, hoh…
Also, I gotta get this straight.
Taking my empty plate, I turn to Futo. I'm'onna get even for earlier.
CRACK! I smash the plate over her stupid fuckin' head!
"Wh- aaaa~!" She yells as my leftovers and food debris scatter all over her!
"Pffft…!" Miko spit-takes the wine she took a sip of!
==== FREAKIN GENSOKYO ====
After the meal session wrapped-up, we kinda gave one-another some meandering partings. Not much to say 'bout it, but it was pleasant! I'm glad Miko doesn't want to fuck my head offa' my neck!
The blizzard is now just a gentle snowfall over a dim evening in Gensokyo.
I stand at the eastern gate of the Human Village, along the Hakurei trail.
Genkan pecks me on the cheek. "Don't drown yourself in the lake, now. I'm sure it'd be a sad memory forever."
"I'm gonna get one-shot by a pack of fluffles." I see her off, for now! "Even if I'm spent later- I'll see what I can do!"
"Mmn. We'll see..." Genkan gave me the big smile. "See you later. I love you."
Oo- oh shit. "I- I love you too." I got caught off-guard a little!
Her smile growing stronger from having caught me off-guard, she floats on off.
Instead a' just a stove, I asked her if she could get even more stuff. Some lamps, whatever portable consumer energy options Eientei has ta offer. Stuff to make her cave into a home.
She wants me to return home with some energy ta spare to help with the decorating and stuff. I can't really guarantee I'll have energy, but… I definitely don't wanna just not help her decorate and stuff either!
...Me? Well, I'm gonna do what I do best.
As Genkan leaves, I flick my gravity boots on.
Whish! An' then I fuckin' book it down the trail.
Right past the Hakurei Shrine. I just keep on truckin' ahead.
"Alright…" I lick my lips. As I accelerate, my ice immunity makes me feel lukewarm, but I know I am Coldsteel the Edgehog temperatures, considering the snow whipping past me and through my hair. Wind resistance, woohoo.
Here I come, son. I'm going to prove the justice of our culture…!
==== FREAKIN GENSOKYO ====
END OF CHAPTER 114
NEW SKILLS (BRAD):
AUTHOR'S NOTE:
the conversation between miko and brad at the end of the chapter took more dev time than i'd have liked, but i don't mind how the iterating process went (even if that's the part that took the most time)
long story short: alzheimer's is pretty conceptually disturbing, and the first draft is mostly focused on that… but then i was like "you know that train of thought doesn't really affect anyone related to brad in gensokyo"
so i still mention it a little, it's definitely worth mentioning, but brad instead talks more about actual memories, and a little more about general human forgetfulness; the little things we all can forget
that and he proves why memory- or perhaps cognisance and learning- is more important than the aforementioned values (even if love is something he also holds very close)
and i know i take it not everyone's a wild raving fan of these slow serious grounded moments, but hey at least it's not brad going "genkan butt hott" for the fortieth time
but i do gotta say it
genkan butt
hott
ANYWAY…
this's an interesting meandering chapter, and i like the places brad went amidst the village, illuminating some little things and interactin' with the taoists a bit more
it was a long one, and i think the contextualization was needed the moment we stepped into the house of tao
could we have not gone into taoist land in search of random wisdom? perhaps not, but brad just kinda likes ta go, yo
that said, narratively this is all fairly impactful and good, but i can't help but sorta wish i did something sillier this chapter
i think we got other chapters to do that though, and this is shaping up to be a pretty restrictive batch as a whole, considering the reduced screen time for brad (two matt chapters) and the need for brad to achieve a few certain goals here or there…
but don't worry, this is probably going to be one of the more top-heavy batches in terms of progression elements! that means later batches should feel a little more natural, overall
...it's also another big chapter batch 'cause of the awkward seating of the brad and matt chapters, wal
anyway yeehaw
as always, see you all next time!
