New chapter time! Unfortunately, it comes with some bad news: I think I'm gonna have to move this to a once a week thing for a bit, sorry...writer's block's been hitting me pretty hard recently, and I want to try to build back up my buffer. Hopefully it won't last too much longer. But in any case, thank you for reading!
Previously on The Nine RED Men Incident: The Heavy Chapters. The Heavy, after being taken to Gensokyou by Merasmus' portal, quickly ran into Cirno and Dai. After a rough start which was diffused with magical mittens, they decided to go to the Human Village.
That's um...that's actually pretty much it. Wow, that was shorter than I remembered it being...I mean...um...
*ahem* We now return you to The Nine RED Men Incident: The Heavy Chapters.
As they walked, Dai tried to start up a conversation with the Heavy. "So, you seem pretty unsurprised by all this."
The Heavy shrugged. "Is like this every Halloween. Soldier does something stupid, magic things ensue. At least this time Heavy keeps his own head."
"Wait, you had a different head?"
"One Halloween team's heads became birds. Was confusing. And awkward for meal times."
"That's…weird. How did it get fixed?"
"Halloween ended. Medic say magic wore off. Though some full moons birds come back. Medic say full moons probably trigger residual magic, but he didn't get chance to test." He sighed. "But that not really important. Important thing is Heavy must find teammates and crush wizard."
"What does this 'Merasmus' look like, anyway? We won't be able to recognize him even if we see him, if we don't know what he looks like."
"Merasmus is…wizard-y," the Heavy said, struggling. "He glows green, and wears robe and puny hat that looks like skull with one eye rolling around in it. He also have staff. It look like wooden pole."
"I don't think I've seen anyone like that before, sorry," Dai said.
"I have," Cirno said, having slowed down to let them catch up. "At least I think I have," she continued, putting her hand on her chin.
"You see wizard?" the Heavy asked. He cracked his knuckles. "Tell Heavy where so he can crush puny wizard."
Cirno hovered in place for a few minutes, progressively getting more and more frustrated, until eventually she looked up, frowning, and shook her head. "Sorry, I can't remember where."
The Heavy sighed and patted her on the head. "It ok. Heavy will find wizard eventually."
They walked in relative silence until they reached the crest of a hill and saw the human village spread out below them. Despite its status as a "village," it seemed fairly large, with a plaza (which Dai said doubled as an open-air market), a decent-sized school building, a number of small shrines, and a residential district that stretched on for a ways. There were also some farms scattered around the outskirts of the village. It reminded Heavy of home, though not as snow-covered or prone to bear attacks. He smiled.
As they approached the gates, Cirno began acting fidgety. The Heavy became curious. "What is wrong, blue fairy?"
"N-nothing! Nothing's wrong!"
"She's a bit worried she might run into someone she's pranked recently," Dai whispered into his ear.
The Heavy frowned. "How many people has fairy annoyed recently?"
Dai sighed. "Well, you already know about the whole calling Marisa and Alice wizards, but she's also thrown some ice at Reimu, caused Reisen to slip while bringing medicine to the stall in the village, put ice on one of Nitori's prototypes causing it to become brittle and break, caused Byakuren's tea to freeze as she was about to drink it, and she's been freezing any frogs she finds at the lake."
"Last one not seem like prank," the Heavy said.
"Well," Dai said, sighing, "it tend to piss off the frog-loving goddess when you go around freezing her friends."
"Ah. You must always have things in your hands, helping her out."
"Things in…you mean 'you must always have my hands full?' Yeah she can be a pain. But she's been my friend for a long time, and that's just how she is," Dai said, smiling fondly.
The Heavy chuckled. "She is lucky to have you."
As the Heavy and Dai had been talking, they'd passed a couple farmers who'd started chatting with Cirno, asking who the big guy was and what that flash in the sky was earlier. They seemed to get along with Cirno pretty well, like she was their children's best friend.
"Ciiiiirno," Dai cried, once she and the Heavy had reached the guard post. "We're gonna enter without you if you don't hurry up!"
"Ooooook! Be right there," Cirno yelled back, before giving a hasty apology to the farmers and rushing over. As she approached, they could tell she was still trembling slightly.
"You could just stay out here and talk with Yona and Chi," Dai said innocently. "I'm sure no one will think less of you."
Cirno narrowed her eyes. "You're making fun of me, aren't you? Well, I'll show you," she said and rushed off past the guards, one of whom shook his head and laughed while the other, younger, one stared up at the Heavy.
"Y'know that wasn't really necessary, Dai," the older one said. He had an eyepatch over his right eye, and held a spear lightly in his hand. "She'd never back out of something."
"Yeah, I know," Dai said, smiling. "But now she's not gonna be jumpy the whole time."
"True enough," the guard said. He joined his young companion in looking up at the Heavy. "I don't think I've seen you before." He tightened his grip on the spear slightly. "Who're you then?"
"I am Heavy Weapons Guy," he said.
When he said nothing further, Dai spoke up. "He's an outsider Cirno found over by the lake."
The guard whistled. "Hooo…It's been a while since we've seen an outsider here. He's a big one too. What do you eat out there, bears?" he asked, chuckling.
"Sometimes," the Heavy replied. "When available."
"Ah," the guard said, his chuckles fading. "Right."
"It's ok," Dai said. "I know he seems scary, but he's been nice to Cirno and I so far."
"Hmm…well I do trust your judgment Dai. But you haven't really known him that long, have you?"
"Well no," Dai said, frowning. "But he's had plenty of opportunities to be mean, and he hasn't been so far. Besides, he's just a human, he can't be more trouble than some of the youkai who come by."
The guard sighed. "Well, I suppose you're right. But if anything happens, it's coming down on your head, ok Dai?"
"That's fine! I'll make sure nothing happens. Isn't that right Heavy?" The Heavy rolled his eyes at her. "That's how outsiders say 'yes,'" she told the guard.
"Sure it is," he said, and waved them through. As they walked into the village, they heard a soft thump followed by a groan. "What were you doing just staring like that, huh? Fat lot of good you were."
"But he was so big," a timid voice replied.
"So what? There're smaller youkai out there who are much more terrifying. Look, you've gotta get more confident, what would you do if a youkai actually attacked, huh?"
"That's not gonna happen," was all they caught before the voices became too quiet to hear.
"What was that about youkai attack?" Heavy whispered to Dai.
"It's…nothing," Dai said, looking somewhat sad. "I mean, before, humans and youkai like us fairies fought a lot, but it hasn't been like that in a while. Ever since the spellcard rules were implemented, things have been pretty peaceful."
The Heavy wasn't sure he was convinced, but Dai looked uncomfortable, so he grunted and left it at that.
As they walked through the village, people stopped to stare at the Heavy as he walked past. It was a strange sight, seeing the towering hulk of a man walking alongside the kid-sized fairy, especially considering that nobody knew who this man was. Even stranger was the way he was dressed, the likes of which no one had really seen before. Especially the strange belt he kept slung across his body that jangled whenever he took a step. Word spread quickly, and it didn't take long until there was a large group of people following him and gossiping amongst themselves. The young children took turns seeing who could get closest to him before he turned around, causing them to flee. Once, two people were so surprised at his appearance the Heavy ran into them, since they seemed too stunned to move out of the way.
"Heavy feel like circus attraction," he muttered under his breath after turning to see the third kid run back to his peers after letting out a small squeak. "How much further to this Keine person?"
"Not too far," Dai said, laughing. "Though at this rate, she might come to meet us."
"Hey Dai, there you are," said a voice they recognized as Cirno's. They turned to see her coming parting the crowd, another woman in tow. "It took so long to convince Keine to come along, and then we had no idea where you were, and then someone ran up yelling about a strange newcomer, and I figured it must be that guy, so we ran over."
The woman had long whitish-blue hair, and had on a lacy dark blue dress that reached down to about the middle of her shin and had short white sleeves, and a red ribbon around her neck. The woman had her hands on her knees, and was panting and out of breath. "C-Cirno," she said, gasping for air, "did-did we really need to get here this fast? Not everyone has as much energy as you."
"Well, I thought they might be gone if we didn't get here quickly," she said. "Besides, you were looking suspicious, so I didn't think you'd come if I didn't drag you."
"Well, I…" she began, before sighing. "I suppose you're kind of right. But I still would have come, even if I was suspicious." She looked up, having caught her breath, to see the Heavy staring at her. "Oh." She paused. "Well you are a big one, aren't you?" She shook her head to clear it, and bowed slightly. "I am Keine Kamishirasawa, the teacher of this village. It is a pleasure to meet you," she said, straightening up.
"Is honor to meet you," the Heavy said, bowing. "I am Heavy." He finished his bow and pointed towards her head, upon which rested an intricate hat, with a long ribbon tied to the top of it. "Your hat is impressive."
Keine frowned, scrutinizing his face for any sign she was being made fun of, but despite her best efforts, she saw none. "Hmm…you're not joking, are you?"
The Heavy looked affronted. "Of course not! Hats are status. More intricate hat, more status. With such a hat, you must be of highest status."
Keine smiled gently. "In that case, thank you for the complement. A lot of people," she glared at Cirno, who looked away whistling innocently, "make fun of it, but this is the traditional hat worn by those in my…position. It is a pleasure to meet someone who appreciates it. But anyway," she said, looking at the Heavy inquisitively, "I hear you come from outside the border?"
"That is what Heavy has been told," the Heavy said, nodding. "Heavy and teammates fell-" he began, before there was an uproar from the crowd, all discussing what his teammates could possibly be like, and where they could have ended up.
Keine looked at the Heavy apologetically, and said, "Would you rather continue this someplace with less people?"
The Heavy nodded, relieved. "Please." Keine led him, along with Cirno and Dai, back towards the school building, the crowd following behind until they reached the school gates and Keine told them to get back to what they were doing, ending by saying that they might get the chance to see some of his teammates if they waited nearer to the town entrance. Some people stuck around, but since they were still afraid of what Keine might do if they entered school property, they stayed outside, trying to hear snatches of conversation.
Once most of them had dispersed, Keine led the Heavy, Dai, and Cirno to an empty classroom, and took a seat behind the desk at the front of the room. "Sorry about the fuss," she said, grabbing a teapot from a cabinet and filling it with water, then putting it on a gas burner. "We don't get a lot of new people here, so whenever anyone new shows up it's a pretty big deal. Especially someone who, well, stands out as much as you do."
"Heavy understands. Was like this when first met team as well," the Heavy said, trying to sit on a student desk. It began to creak dangerously, so he simply leaned against a wall.
"Yes, about these 'teammates' of yours," Keine said, searching for some tea leaves, "you said they came with you?" The Heavy nodded. "How many?"
"Well, Heavy only saw three other teammates come, but wouldn't be surprised if all followed. So eight. Possibly puny wizard Merasmus too," the Heavy said, clenching and unclenching his fists.
"Merasmus?" Keine said, confused.
"Merasmus is reason we fell," the Heavy said. "He created portal, portal sucked us in."
"Hmm, I see," Keine said thoughtfully. "So you're not here of your own volition. I assume you want to find a way back?"
"Yes. Though Heavy wouldn't mind finding Merasmus too," he said, cracking his knuckles. He relaxed his shoulders and hung his head. "Teammates first, though."
"A good sentiment," Keine said, nodding. "And I'd like to help you with that. But first, I have a question for you." She narrowed her eyes. "Do you or your teammates pose a threat to the continued existence of this village?"
The Heavy folded his arms in front of his chest, his eyes closed. "Heavy cannot guarantee responses of others," he said, after a while. "Heavy is not them. But, Heavy, at least, wants village to exist. And unless village attacks Heavy or Heavy's friends, Heavy will not attack village."
Keine stared at the Heavy for a moment, looking for any indication that he was lying. Eventually, she nodded. "Alright. I'll accept that answer." As soon as she finished speaking, the tea began to boil, and Keine and Dai took a couple cups from a nearby cupboard and poured teas for everyone. "So," Keine said, taking a sip of her tea, "I will try to help you out as best I can."
The Heavy took a sip of the tea, and made an expression at the taste. "Heavy thank you."
"The only problem is I'm not sure how much I can do," Keine said, bowing her head. "Without any knowledge of where they are, we have no real way of knowing where to start."
"Well, I kinda thought they'd probably be either coming here or being taken to the Hakurei shrine," Dai said, taking a sip of her tea as Cirno made frost drawings on the windowpane out of boredom.
"That's probably true, Dai," Keine said, nodding her head. "But I haven't been told about anyone coming here recently. I don't know about the shrine, though I would assume someone's contacted her about the situation. We might want to try heading there," she said, as Cirno, getting bored of making frost drawings, flew over to the Heavy and started poking around him. "The only problem," Keine said, letting out a slight laugh and turning towards the Heavy, "is that I'm worried she'd automatically blame you for the incident and try to resolve it by attacking you."
The Heavy raised an eyebrow. "She would attack me? She must be brave woman to attack Heavy."
"Well, she's pretty much invincible," Dai said, while Cirno mumbled something about "mean stupid-heads." The Heavy took another sip of his tea, and reached into his pocket, pulling out his sandvich. As he did so, a piece of paper fluttered to the ground, unnoticed by him.
"But is best lead for teammates' location?" he said, through a mouthful of sandvich, as Cirno reached down and picked up the piece of paper.
"I suppose it is," Keine said, nodding reluctantly. "I can take you to the shrine as soon as we're done with the tea. I suppose-" she said, before being interrupted.
"Hey, what's an 'S'-'P'-'Y'?" Cirno asked, spelling the name with difficulty.
The Heavy looked at Cirno, surprised. "How does blue fairy know name of teammate?"
"It's on here," Cirno said, waving the paper she'd picked up around. "It fell out of your pocket."
"Let Heavy see," the Heavy said, reaching out and grabbing the paper, making Cirno pout. His eyes scanned over the paper, as his expression changed from confusion to surprise to anger. "Well," he said once he was finished, "Heavy now know where one teammate is. And he need Heavy's help."