Actually Not a Pointless Rambling: Touhou: Double Dealing Character, the 14th mainstream installment in the series, is announced! Big thanks to Ziden115 for telling me about this! Sakuya fans can now rejoice over the fact that she's finally playable again! By the way, this rambling is made on the same day this game got announced, so it's not actually slow news.
Remember what I said in Shizuha: Goddess of Red Leaves that because I am making a series of stories to build up a major story, it would be a good idea if you try to remember some of the details of the previous stories? Just a friendly reminder that I'm sure will be useful in this chapter…
Just so you know… The vocal part of the opening theme in the previous chapter starts at the same time as the "After putting" part starts. Just felt like letting you all know that I really do treat my stories as if they are movies or TV shows, so deciding what part of the BGM fits what part of the story, while not actually important to me, is something I try to put extra thought into.
Chapter 2
Making the Future a Reality
The blond girl and her friend walked out of a police box and met with Nue and Mamizou, who were standing outside. "Sorry for the wait…" the brown-haired friend said. "We're done making records with the police regarding this wallet-snatching."
"Good to know that everything went well!"Mamizou said.
"As promised, we'll be treating you to dinner tonight!" that girl said. "I know a place that's offering a special discount if four or more people are eating together at the same table this Christmas, and we have just the right number!"
"Are you sure it's all right?" Mamizou asked her. "We barely know each other, and yet you're treating us to dinner…"
"It's all right! We want to thank you for helping me get back my wallet!" the blond girl told her. "You deserve it!"
"Where's the harm in letting them treat us?" Nue asked Mamizou. "Isn't eating free dinner a great thing?"
"Well, I was taught that always letting other people treat you isn't a good thing…" Mamizou said to her. "Oh well, I think it wouldn't hurt…"
"All right, then it's decided!" the brown-haired girl said. "Let's go to that place I talked about now! Oh, by the way, we haven't introduced ourselves yet. My name is Renko Usami."
"And I'm Maribel Hearn," the blond girl said.
"I'm Mamizou Futatsuiwa, and my friend's name is Nue Houjuu," Mamizou told them.
"Nue? As in that mythical creature with the head of a monkey, the body of a raccoon dog, the legs of a tiger, and a snake as a tail?" Renko asked.
"Yeah, that nue," Nue said with a nod.
"Her father is a huge fan of creature found in mythologies that he named her after that," Mamizou told the two girls before one of them questioned this odd name.
"I see… You seem to have no problem with it…" Renko said to Nue.
"None at all!" Nue cheerfully replied. "Because I'm a Nue!" What she said made Maribel and Renko surprised, and Mamizou gave her a "you shouldn't be saying that!" kind of look. "Um… I mean… I love nues…"
"Oh… Okay… Glad you like it…" Renko commented.
The group walked down a sidewalk to make their way to the restaurant Renko talked about. "It's up ahead. We're getting close, she said.
As they were walking past a bar, a purple-haired girl was pushed out of its entrance. "And don't come back!" the bar's owner shouted at her before slamming the door shut.
"Why would I want to come back to a bar belonging to someone like you?!" the purple-haired girl shouted at him while raising her fist at the door. "I, Isami Asama, will never come back to your filthy and horrible bar again!"
That girl turned to leave in the direction of Nue and her company, and she said to them, "Here's a friendly advice from me to you: NEVER eat at this place! The service is horrible! They don't even let you have infinite refills!" Then she hiccupped before walking down the sideway in a drunk manner.
"What was that all about…?" Nue asked.
"Just a troublemaking drunkard who got kicked out of the bar for… Well… causing trouble…" Renko replied. "Not a rare right, actually…"
The group finally arrived at the restaurant Renko talked about. It was one that served Western meals, and just like she said, this place was currently offering discounts to groups of four people who ate together at the same table.
"This is so good! I've never eaten anything this good before!" Nue said while enjoying her fish and chips.
"You never ate this sort of thing before?" Renko asked her.
"Well, we don't get to eat stuff like this… often… where we come from…" Mamizou explained to her.
"Where do you two come from?" Maribel asked.
"Sado Island," the tanuki replied.
"I see," Renko said with a nod. "They have Western restaurants there, however."
"Well, we live in the more rural areas, so you don't find them there…" Mamizou told her.
"So what brings you to Tokyo?" Maribel asked the two.
"I want to… I have never left Sado Island before, so I really want to come to Tokyo…" Nue said, and Mamizou nodded.
"Coming during Christmas is the right time!" Renko said. "There are a lot of attractions during this time of the year, but places are also more crowded…"
They continued to eat dinner, and then Maribel brought up a new topic. "Nue, you said your father is really into mythical creatures, right?"
"Yeah," Nue replied with a nod. "What about it?"
"Have you ever heard of a place called Gensokyo?" Maribel asked.
Mamizou and Nue were surprised, but because they didn't want to expose the truth behind where they came from, they tried not to look too surprised and shook their heads. "Nope…" they both said.
Renko looked at her friend and said, "Um… I don't think there's a point in bringing that up… Barely anyone believes in the existence of that place, and chances are likely that they're going to think we're crazy for believing it…"
"It's all right," Mamizou told her. "Learning new things, whether or not they're real, is nice, so why don't you please go ahead?"
"You want me to?" Maribel asked her. "Well, for starters, Gensokyo is a place located somewhere in Japan and is hidden from view."
"Even satellites cannot find that place from outer space," Renko told the two. "Supposedly, it is a protected by a magical barrier that keeps it from being seen from the outside."
"It is a place where creatures that are believed that exist only in myths, such as fairies, ghosts, and demons, are found," Maribel continued. "Sounds strange, but I am very that it exists!"
"What makes you so sure that this place called Gensokyo exists?" Mamizou asked her.
"Because I actually went to that place before," Maribel replied, and it surprised those two. "Not physically, but mentally…"
"What do you mean?' Nue asked.
"You see, sometimes when I sleep, I dream of going to Gensokyo," Maribel said. "Normally, I would shrug them off as merely a dream, but it is so real that it's like I'm actually there! I got attacked by demons before too, and I usually wake up out of fear and return to the real world when that happens."
"It might sound bizarre and nonsensical, but Maribel can actually visit places in her dreams," Renko told them. "She even took me to an abandoned space station through her dream! She never took me to Gensokyo through her dreams, however, but because I experienced being taken somewhere through her dream myself, I am one-hundred percent sure that Gensokyo without doubt exists and that Maribel really did visit that place!"
Maribel then told Mamizou and Nue about her experiences in Gensokyo, about how she visited a large scarlet mansion and also a bamboo forest. After hearing her story, Mamizou and Nue looked at each other in silence and disbelief. Seeing their expressions, Renko asked them, "Unbelievable, isn't it? It's all right if you don't believe us, since we don't have physical evidence to make other people believe. Whatever the case it, we both believe in the existence of that place and will try our best to find it! Visiting Gensokyo in person is our dream!"
"Well, then I hope you succeed someday!" Mamizou told her. "As for whether or not we believe it… Well, the world is a large one, so anything can happen!"
"Yeah, there are lots of strange things in world, so I'm sure that place called Gensokyo does exist!" Nue said.
After finishing dinner, the group exited the restaurant and decided to part ways. "Thanks for the great meal!" Nue said to them.
"You're welcome!" Maribel said to her. "Thank you very much for getting back my wallet today! I'm very grateful!"
"It's nice knowing the both of you!" Renko said to them.
"We can say the same thing, too!" Mamizou said.
Both sides waved good-bye to each other, and then they parted ways. Mamizou and Nue walked down the street, and the latter stretched her arms into the air and yawned. After that, she said, "Boy! Am I tired! Had a whole day of fun today! I could really get a good rest now!"
"We better find an inn to turn in the night now," Mamizou said. "Let's hope it's easy to find a cheap but comfortable place around here…"
A few scientists were gathered together inside a lab, analyzing a device the size of an iPhone that had lines and circles on one side of it.
While they were doing so, a red-haired woman dressed in red came into the room and approached them. "Are you able to find out anything about this?" she asked.
One of the scientists shook his head. "No, Professor Okazaki, we are unable to find out much about it. From what we've gathered, this is likely a storage device of some kind, and there are actually lots of data stored in it. However, those data are written in a language that we have never seen before, and we cannot find out what language it is. We also can't figure out how to use or activate it…"
"I see… At least we know a little about what it is…" the red-haired woman said. "Eyewitnesses claim that this thing popped out of a vortex in the air… What exactly is this thing? Is it something of alien origin?"
"Oh, c'mon! You know that aliens don't exist!" one of the scientists said.
"I actually think it's possible that they do exist," another scientist said.
"Well, there are several unexplained stuff seen the sky, so I guess there's a possibility," said yet another one.
A debate about whether or not aliens exist started, and the red-haired woman eventually decided that enough was enough. "All right! All right! Whether aliens exist or not isn't important now! Anyway, it's pretty late now, so I think it's time that you all go home. Enough work is done for today, so you all deserve a rest! Also, remember that we are having an exhibition tomorrow, so make sure that you all have enough energy for the busy day tomorrow."
With that, the scientists started cleaning up things and then left the room, and the strange device was put into a glass box so that it wouldn't get stolen.
Nue tossed her back onto the bed and bounced once on it. "What a comfortable bed! Sure beats sleeping on a mattress back home!"
Mamizou looked around the room they were staying in and said, "Can't believe that they have a cheap inn with such a good quality! We'll stay here until we go back to Gensokyo."
Nue turned over on her front and used her elbows to raise and support her upper half part of the body before asking her friend, "What's tomorrow's plan?"
"I was thinking of going to the science exhibition at Ota Tech tomorrow," Mamizou replied. "I saw a poster about this while we were out there."
"Science exhibition?" Nue curiously said.
"You know that the outside world relies on science to prosper, right?" Mamizou asked her. "The exhibition tomorrow will likely show us cool scientific stuff that the people of the outside world invented. Chances are likely that most or all of the stuff there are things that you've never seen before in your life!"
"Really? Sounds fun! Let's go, then!" Nue said with a nod.
"And also… Those two girls know Gensokyo's existence… Never thought that there would be humans in the outside world knowing the existence of that place…" Mamizou said in disbelief.
"It's not strange, actually," Nue told her. "The wind priestess at the Moriya Shrine knows about Gensokyo too, but it's likely that the goddesses at the shrine told her about this. Speaking of this, do you think we should let them know the truth? About us living there and that we're not humans?"
"I think it's best that we keep this a secret," Mamizou replied. "It may not be a big deal if they believe in the existence of demons, but Gensokyo isn't the kind of place where you go to for vacation and then return to your home safely. Whether or not Maribel really did visit Gensokyo in her dream, it's not the same if she goes there physically. For the sake of their safety, I think we should avoid telling them these."
"You have a point," Nue agreed.
The next day, the duo from Gensokyo did as they said they would: they visited a towering building called Ota Tech. It was one of the leading science and technology companies in Japan and had invented various high-tech products that one usually could only find in science fiction medias. It was called by everyone the company that made the future a reality.
When they entered the building, they saw several high-tech machines and equipments that they had never seen before. There were also 3D holograms of flying machines seen moving around in the air.
"Wow! Look at all those… all those… thingamajigs!" Nue commented in awe. "I have never seen anything like these before! Those see-through things flying in the air… Are those spirits of airplanes or what?"
"Those are 3D holograms, but I've only seen them in movies and TV shows," Mamizou said. "Never thought they could actually make this a reality! The outside world sure has progressed in ways that even I don't know!"
"Mamizou! Nue!" shouted a familiar voice. The two turned to the source of the voice and saw Renko approaching them, and Maribel was just behind her.
Nue called out their names in surprise as she ran up with Mamizou to them. "Wow! What a surprise to see the both of you here!" Nue said to them.
"I can say the same too!" Renko said to her. "You're here for the exhibition, right? We came here for that reason too!"
"Yeah, we want to see the new inventions here," Mamizou said. "Visiting this place made me realize that I really should see the world more!"
"We are surprised by the things here as well!" Maribel said. "Ota Tech managed to invent several things that are thought impossible to be made. People aren't kidding when they said this place is capable of making the future a reality!"
The group of four then traveled together throughout the exhibition. They saw things like computers with 3D hologram interfaces and motion-sensor controls, antigravity devices that allowed people to float in air a few feet, robots with human-like behavior and movement, hoverboards, and more.
After touring the place for a while, they saw a tour guide speaking through a megaphone. "We are now offering a tour to the higher floors of Ota Tech. There, you will be able to listen to some of our more renowned scientists speak!" she said. "When you came in here, surely you have received a number tag. If you hear your number being called out, then you can join the tour!"
"Number tag?" Nue curiously said.
"I think she means this one," Mamizou said as she took out a small paper tag that had the number 1308 on it.
Maribel and Renko took out theirs, and their tags read 1212 and 1211 respectively. Nue looked at hers, and it was the number 1309. The tour guide began calling out the numbers, and when the people who were nearby heard their numbers being called out, they approached her and showed her their tags.
"One three zero nine!" the tour guide said using her megaphone.
"Wow! It's me! I get to join the tour!" Nue happily said while looking at her number tag.
"Good for you!" Mamizou said.
The tour guide kept on calling out numbers, and Maribel and Renko's numbers were eventually called out. Eventually, the tour guide stopped calling out numbers and said that the number of people in the tour was enough.
"Guess I wasn't lucky enough…" Mamizou said while looking at her tag. "Enjoy your tour, then! I'll be waiting for your return."
"Don't worry; I'll surely tell you about my experience there!" Nue told her.
"Let's go," Renko told Nue. "The tour guide is starting to leave." So Nue and Maribel left with her to start the tour.
The tour guide took them to the fifth floor of the building and brought them into a room that was filled with scientists moving around and working on machines, computers, and various lab equipments. There were also small animals caged up. "This is the floor where they study biotechnology," the tour guide explained. "Here, the scientists are trying their hardest to make people's lives better through the usage of technology. The head of the biotechnology division, Akihiro Machida, will be speaking with you shortly."
As soon as she said this, a man wearing a lab coat approached her. He had a small moustache, and his hair was grayish in color and looked somewhat curly and messy. "More like right now!" he said.
"Oh, you're here!" the tour guide said in surprise, and then she turned to the participants. "Everyone, this person is the one I mentioned just now, Doctor Akihiro Machida!"
"It's nice to meet you all!" the man said to them. "I welcome you all to the biotechnology division of Ota Tech! As the tour guide said just now, this division is dedicated to improving the lives of people using technology. Genetic is one of the main subjects that we are studying. Surely most of you know that DNAs are what defines each and every single one of us here! For people who have limited knowledge regarding this, I will now offer a quick explanation about DNAs." And the scientist did as he said.
Nue, who was lacking knowledge in this subject, wasn't able to understand most of what he said, but thinking that this subject was supposed to be common knowledge in the outside world, she tried not to show it.
"Currently, our division is researching on how to make a person use his full potential," Dr. Akihiro said. "Imagine being able to use one-hundred percent of your brain or having your strength be at peak level! We are working on a kind of medicine that we believe will allow one to achieve that kind of state, and the progress, while not complete, is going very well!"
"Medicines that allow people to achieve peak capabilities? I guess only Ota Tech can make this a reality… Not saying it's a bad thing, mind you," Renko quietly said to Maribel. "I actually think it's cool!"
"But something tells me that this may not necessarily be a good thing… Imagine if an evildoer gets his or her hands on it…" Maribel told her.
"You have a point…" Renko said with a slight nod.
"We have a video that offers more explanation on this," Dr. Akihiro said. "I will now lead you to the room where the movie will be played!"
They headed in the direction of the room, and when they were close to it, Nue approached the tour guide and said to her, "Excuse me… I need to go to the bathroom. Do you know where it is?
The tour guide was going to answer her, but Dr. Akihiro heard her and replied to her instead, "See the bathroom sign over there? There it is. When you're done, come back here and take the hallway on the right to get to the room with the movie."
"Okay! Thanks!" Nue said before rushing off in the direction of the bathroom.
Nue came back out of the bathroom after she was done, and she headed back to where the tour participants originally were. "Let's see… I'm supposed to take the hallway at the right…" she said to herself. She headed for that hallway and then saw a scientist carrying a cage containing some white mice heading in the direction of a hallway that was on the other side of the one she was heading for.
Seeing those white mice, Nue became curious. Wanting to know why there were small animals caged up here, she decided to follow the scientist into that hallway, despite there being a sign saying that only staff members were allowed. Nobody saw her following the scientist.
Nue secretly followed the scientist and then saw him stopping in front of a door and entering a password onto the number panel on it to open it. Nue took note of the numbers he pressed, but she didn't go to the door right away after he went inside. She waited for a few seconds, and then the scientist came back out and headed in her direction. However, he walked past her as if he didn't notice her, because all he saw was a small beetle clinging to the wall.
After smirking at the fact that the scientist didn't see through the illusion she used to conceal herself, Nue headed over to the door and inputted the password on the number panel: 1988. The door opened, and then Nue went inside and saw various large machines, lab equipments, and a few cages containing white mice. "What is this place?" she wondered.
She walked through the place while looking at the various things and mice found there. She also looked at the computer screens and saw they had 3D models of DNA strands, but she didn't know what they were. She eventually set her eyes upon a large machine that was attached to the ceiling, and underneath it was a holder containing several test tubes.
Nue walked up to the test tubes to look at them. Some of them were empty, but some contained what appeared to be blood. "What's this?" she wondered as she walked around the machine, and then she spotted a pad and a control panel. When she saw the words "Place specimen here" printed on the center of the pad, she curiously placed her hand there. However, nothing happened.
She noticed that the switch was turned off on the control panel, so she turned it on using her other hand. Once the switch was turned on, the machine activated with a loud engine-like sound. Suddenly, a needle that was attached to the bottom of the machine came down on top of Nue's hand and stabbed it. She screamed in shock at the sight of this, and when the needle rose back up into the air, she quickly pulled away her hand and looked at the wound inflicted. It was a really small one, however.
The needle moved to an empty test tube and drained the small amount of blood that it sucked up from Nue's hand into it. The nue looked at the test tube containing her blood curiously, but then she heard the door opening.
A scientist came into the room and looked in the direction of the machine, but instead of seeing a person standing there, he saw a trash can. He gave no thought to it and then went in another direction. While the scientist was looking away, Nue quickly floated towards the door and quietly opened the door before slipping out.
Nue rushed out of the hallway before anyone saw her, and she arrived at the room that was filled with scientists, she sighed with relief that she managed to make it out safely. "Phew… That was close…" she quietly said to herself, and then she looked at the part of her hand which got stabbed by the needle. "That thing took a bit of my blood… Let's hope nothing bad happens because of this…" Then she remembered that she was supposed to meet up with the others in the room playing the movie Dr. Akihiro talked about, so she quickly headed there.
Back in the previous room, the scientist was picking up each of the test tubes and analyzing the blood samples by putting the former into a scanning machine that resembled a rectangular box with an opening at the side for putting the test tubes into. The test tube containing Nue's blood was getting closer and closer to the scientist by the moment…
TO BE CONTINUED
In case you didn't realize, the trash can the scientist saw is actually Nue hiding behind an illusion. Speaking of illusions, she has her trident disguised as a pair of skis when touring Tokyo the first day.
Akihiro Machida is my OC. "Akihiro" means "bright prince".
In case you have a hard time trying to imagine what those 3D hologram computers look like… Ever seen the Iron Man movies? If so, then you should know that Tony Stark sometimes work with "pictures floating in the air". Yeah, that's what I'm talking about. I know that other medias have these kinds of 3D hologram computers, but I think the aforementioned movie series offers the best example.
So you people guessed that VIVIT would be the other outside world character? It's actually Isami from Uwabami Breakers. That game is implied to take place in the same universe as Gensokyo. Isami's profile in the game says that if one stays at Twilight Bar and drinks long enough there, they can see "a mysterious world of curtain fire".
Ota Tech is named after ZUN's real name Jun'ya Ota.