3/23

Goro

Seated across from Yuyuko, surrounded by cherry petals scattering about, I sipped some of the otherworldly tea Youmu had prepared for us.

"Thank you for the tea," I said. "Still, this is a bit sudden…"

"I wanted to properly congratulate you on your first incident resolved," she said, "without the distractions of loud girls and alcohol. You've certainly come a long way in such a short time, and I owe you favors in particular for helping me break free from the chains of sin inflicted upon me by an unknown adversary."

"I may have said this before," I replied, "but we believe that your distortion was, for some reason, weaker than those of our other targets so far. Your past would justify one, of course, but you were still able to swing between being distorted and being fairly normal…"

"What can I say, I've always been intelligent and strong-willed," she said. "And so is Yukari. That is why we have been close friends for centuries…" She paused. "...she has not yet shown herself this season. According to Ran, a couple of days ago she just… vanished. Of course, her going away, often to the Outside, for extended periods of time is not unusual, but the timing of this departure is very strange. She has never missed Hanami in the past, and I had assumed she'd go out of her way to meet you as soon as she could, but alas, she has not. In fact, ever since you came here, it seems as though what passes for normalcy around here has been upended."

"No doubt because of whoever or whatever is responsible for these distortions," I said. "Which is why we need to solve this case as soon as possible."

"Yes." She got up. "If you don't mind, there is somewhere I would like to show you."

"Absolutely," I said.

Outside, Yuyuko floated up, and I followed her to the base of the Saigyou Ayakashi tree. It was colossal, with branches spreading up into the air like veins, but completely devoid of life.

"This is the Saigyou Ayakashi," she explained. "Long ago, a poet, knowing his time was near, rested in peace beneath its branches, and soon others, drawn by its legendary blossoms and unrivaled beauty, followed suit, resting under it in eternal peace. However, over time, it absorbed the blood of all those who passed, and became an evil youkai tree with the power to bewitch people on its own and steal their souls. A seal composed of my body and those of many others has kept it from flowering for over a millennia, and now it stands here, in the Netherworld, a lifeless yet haunting presence, and a constant reminder of the sacrifice I made."

I looked up at the tree, at its many scraggly and twisting branches creeping into the air like veins. Simply standing near it was enough to give me chills, and I was not one to scare easily. Between its size, stature, and significance to Yuyuko, it was no wonder that it had been the centerpiece of her fortress.

"If it is so dangerous," I asked, "then why not destroy it?"

Yuyuko shook her head. "If it could be destroyed, we would have long since done so. However, it is so powerful now that, were it not sealed, it could easily attain godhood. Even Yukari, as powerful as she is, cannot meaningfully harm it. So, we had no choice but to seal its power, and watch over it to make sure it cannot again terrorize the land. Over time, however, my memory of whose soul sealed the tree degraded, which was why I had Youmu steal Gensokyo's 'Spring' that one time, to overpower the seal and allow me to see who it was. Upon seeing that it was my own, I instantly halted the plan, but not before Reimu, Marisa and Sakuya showed up to have a word with me. So, I challenged them to a match, and eventually Reimu overpowered me. Since then, I have allowed Youmu to go out and make friends while I continued to manage the Netherworld, guide souls, and host guests."

"You mentioned before that until recently they would not disclose the existence of the Collective Unconscious," I said. "Even then, I find it strange that you did not eventually figure it out for yourself."

Yuyuko sighed. "Perhaps it is the part of me which is still mortal, but you're correct in that I did not know of the Collective Unconscious. All I knew was that souls eventually reincarnated, but exactly how I was not sure. Only after the yama formally confessed its existence to me did I understand the full picture." She smiled. "But, far from being bewildered by it, it has given me a new appreciation for my role. I am the final steward guiding all of these souls into the vastness of the multiverse, weaving between worlds, realities and timelines, eventually reappearing in another form in those worlds. It has aroused my curiosity, and let's just say that Doremy has become a frequent guest of mine, revealing the intricacies of that cycle." She paused. "If anything, I am surprised that you, an ordinary young man, would experience that world by complete chance before I could."

I looked down. "I wouldn't call it a chance, now that I know that…"

"You were a piece in a malevolent god's game," she finished for me. "I know the full story by now. It's frightening how the cognition of the masses can birth such a grotesque entity out of a desire to be freed from decision-making, and for that entity to choose you, a boy going through tortured circumstances, as the perfect pawn for his bet. Human faith is a tremendous force, able to create youkai and gods, and then revoke their existence just as easily…"

I looked up and clenched my fist. "I made irreparable mistakes in the past because of my rage and loneliness, and I won't attempt to excuse it. Now, I'm focused on redeeming myself, showing others the good I can do, and ensuring that I never lost my sense of justice ever again."

Yuyuko chuckled. "Is that so… I admire your determination, but I will caution you on one matter. Sooner or later, you will have to confess your past crimes and take responsibility for them. I won't force you to do it, but know that part of the process of redemption is finding the strength within yourself to be open about your sins. Many people have led virtuous lives and still went to Hell because they never took accountability for their past actions. Also, don't be afraid to ask for forgiveness, and to forgive others yourself. Anticipate punishment, but never resign yourself to it. It only requires asking… but asking can be difficult to do, especially if you yourself don't believe you can be forgiven."

"Yes…"

…

3/24

Early in the morning, I received a message summoning me to the shrine, where I went after lunch. On the front steps, I found Reimu and Marisa, along with Aunn serving tea and Maruki doing chores.

"Afternoon," I said to them.

Reimu looked over at me. "Oh, yes, thank you for coming. Are you able to stay for a while? I have some important things to discuss with you."

"How long will it be?" I asked her. "I had another matter of my own which I wanted to-"

I felt a drop on my forehead.

"...hm. Well, it seems I don't have a choice." I shuffled over to the shrine as the drops around me increased in number.

Inside the shrine, we were seated around a table. Outside, the rain had become torrential, beating on the roof so hard I realized some of it had to be hail. Maruki was back in his cell reading a book, while Aunn continued to happily serve us.

"So," Marisa said, "what's it like havin' her around?"

Reimu sighed. "I suppose I'm used to having permanent guests by now, but having her around is still a major change."

"Hey now," Aunn said, wagging her finger. "Don't forget, I've been around since the beginning, watching you and your ancestors before you grow and train!"

"Yes, yes, I know," Reimu sighed, "but the thing is you're not a statue anymore. Now I have you, four fairies, and the prisoner to take care of."

"Eh, I don't think it'll be that bad," Marisa said. "You're already pretty good at takin' care of the fairies and your guests, even if the shrine doesn't always have all the food it needs. You'll definitely make a great mom someday!"

Reimu blushed up. "M-mom? L-let's not jump to conclusions please…"

"Getting back on topic," I said, "you said you had something important to discuss with me."

"Yes, right." Reimu took a sip. "So, Yukari missed Hanami for the first time. And Ran has reported that she's gone missing, as though she's actively shirking her job. Now, Yukari might be a bit mysterious and lazy at times, but she would never abandon her duty of maintaining the Hakurei Border. If that's what she's doing, however, then it would put Gensokyo's security in a precarious situation."

"How so?" I asked.

"Okay, this will require some more context. I've already said that humans and youkai need to exist in a balance in order to keep the border up. Specifically, there needs to be some form of low-level conflict between the two sides, more or less at all times. The spell card system was created in order to let people be belligerent without risking anyone's life, and we've enjoyed unprecedented peace ever since its establishment. There have been more incidents since it was established, some serious like the Lunar invasion a couple years ago, but they never really had the potential to endanger Gensokyo's existence, due to the fact that should I die for any reason, Yukari and possibly also her dragon would go and personally rend them into space dust; hell, even just the threat of my death would doom them, since the border relies on my continued existence in order to stay up."

She took another sip. "However, now she might not do that. Not only that, but we're dealing with an incident unlike anything Gensokyo has faced in its long history, one which doesn't care about the spell card rules, or any other rules for that matter. Now, what would happen if I were to die while resolving an incident, and without Yukari acting as backup? Frankly, I don't want to find out."

"Whaddya' gettin' at?" Marisa asked next.

"I'm suggesting that it would be unwise for me to get involved in resolving potentially dangerous incidents unless absolutely necessary, until Yukari comes around, which could take… I mean, I don't know. It's impossible to tell with her." She looked at Marisa. "The only other main incident resolver is you, and I don't want to put too much pressure on you. So I was thinking we could have Goro here serving as my eyes and ears."

I perked up. "Oh really? So you're suggesting I act in your stead?"

"Sort of," Reimu said. "You're a quick study when it comes to spell cards. You have a strong drive toward truth and justice. We know we can trust you with an incident and sensitive information. You've picked up the backing of a Sage… maybe. And, of course, you're leading the charge in solving the Ethos mystery. I'd be hard-pressed to convince anyone else with even half of those things to help me out here. That being said, I'd like to officially recruit you as an Incident Resolver. I've already spoken with Masato about it, he's willing to flex your working hours a bit if needed to resolve incidents. Sound like a deal?"

I smiled. "We already have one, we just need to amend it a bit."

"Excellent." She took another sip. "Oh, by the way, before you ask, Aunn already knows everything. She's been listening in on all of our conversations, so no point in trying to hide it."

"I figured as much," I said. Looking at her. "...it just occurred to me, but have you tried seeing if Yukari-"

"Way ahead of 'ya," Marisa said. "No result. 'Course, no surprise there. Youkai have very skewed morals compared to humans, and hers are about as alien as you can get."

"I see," I nodded. "Well, just because her desires aren't distorted now doesn't mean they won't ever be. We should keep monitoring her, just in case."

"I agree," Reimu nodded. "We can't let this go on for too long."

The beats on the roof began to subside, and a minute later rays of sunlight shone through the windows. We went to the door to see outside, where we were greeted with the largest, most vibrant rainbow I had ever seen in my life.

"Wow…" I said in awe.

"Spring is awesome, ain't it?" Marisa smirked.

"I'm just glad there was no thunder this time," Reimu said.

"Don't worry! If thunder roars, I'll always snuggle up with you when you're scared!"

"Eep!" Reimu blushed up again as Aunn rubbed on her like a dog. "Nonono, it's not like I'm deathly afraid of it!"

I observed the rainbow, rubbing my chin. "They say there is a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. Should we perhaps look for it?"

"Did someone say gold?" Reimu and Marisa said in unison, with stars in their eyes.

I laughed. "That was a joke. It's impossible to get to the end of the rainbow, as it is an optical effect in the air caused by water droplets, and will constantly move away from you and disappear at certain angles."

Reimu's ribbon drooped. "Aww…"

Marisa's hat also drooped. "Killjoy."

"There is also one more thing I would like to discuss before I leave."

"Does it have to do with the mission?" Marisa asked.

"Indeed." I looked up. "We have an in."

3/25

I made arrangements to meet up with the group later that day to go over the fortress infiltration. However, I had some business to take care of first.

Walking up the temple's front steps, I could see the grimace on Kyouko's face as I approached the front door alongside the guest I had with me. I assured her that everything was alright and that the world was not falling apart at the seams. Byakruen must have sensed my presence, because she slid the door open before I had a chance to announce myself.

"Good morning, Akechi-san," she greeted. "How can I help-"

And then she noticed Miko with me.

"A pleasure to see you as well, Hijiri-san."

Byakuren just… kind of stared at us for a moment, before saying with a stilted voice, "...why don't, you two just, have a seat and I'll make you some tea?"

We followed her in, where Miko mused "strange. Usually, this is the part where she smiles at me blissfully while preparing large amounts of firepower. But then, I would expect nothing less from your talents."

Once we were seated around a tea table, I wasted no time getting to the point of the visit.

"So," Byakuren asked. "For what reason did you invite her here to the temple?"

"It has to do with our target, Seiga Kaku," I said. "A wicked hermit who sees others as stepping stones on her path to grandeur, using them as tools and then discarding them when they're no longer useful, who views the world as one, big arena where only the strongest come out on top."

"You appear rather certain about the nature of her distortion," Byakuren commented.

"Because I have seen it," I said. "And so has she."

Byakuren's eyes widened.

"It's true," Miko continued. "He used a key to drag me into a world which was a raucous arena, within which Seiga directs matches. I was faced with her true, unfiltered cruelty within that place, and forced to confront my own shortcomings as a ruler." She looked down. "I realized I was no different from a heartless, mechanical tyrant who saw the common people as little more than sheep to be herded with no desire to change the world on their own power, only rallying behind the charismatic and confident, no matter how corrupt they may be. All those points you brought to me about my failings as a ruler? You were absolutely correct." She looked back up. "But that's when I awakened the will to snap out of that delusion and become the saint and leader that I am revered as, fight back against the corruption, and purge the poison from Seiga's mind. That's… when I awakened to that power."

Byakuren looked at her for a second, then clapped slowly. "Well done. Seems as though I'm not the only one who has been graced by Akechi-kun's magic." She took a sip. "We may have our differences, you want to guide humans while I lead a 'youkai temple,' and our faiths may conflict with one another, but I'm sure you'd agree that both of our positions were tainted with the miasma of distortion which prevented any sort of reconciliation. For me, I was in so deep in the abyss of sin, born from my grief over losing my family, that it took him and his friends intervening in order to free me from it. In your case, however, it seems you were able to find that strength on your own."

Miko chuckled. "Indeed. I suppose I allowed my status as the famed 'Prince' Shotoku to get to my head and convince me I was incapable of doing any wrong. The world has changed in the millenia I spent resting, and I must rise up and be a leader for a new age, one in which man has given up hope and requires someone to show them the way to regaining their strength of will and desire for change. And in doing so, I must start over and re-earn the trust and fame I had taken for granted back then."

I looked over to Byakuren next. "The reason I brought her here today is because I wanted to make sure that you specifically were alright with working alongside her, given that you two are adversaries."

"No need to worry." Byakruen smiled. "We may indeed be rivals, but if our goals are the same, if Miko has finally seen through Seiga's deception and wants to bring an end it, and if she wants to help solve this mystery of Ethos, I don't see why we can't work together."

"The first step in mending hostile relationships often involves facing a common enemy," Miko commented. "And if that enemy threatens not just Gensokyo but all of humanity, all youkai, all gods, everything, then it would be foolish not to accept all the help you can get to challenge it."

"Splendid." I looked at the time. "We should head over now. I'm sure the others are waiting."

We arrived at Nitori's cave, where the others were seated around waiting for us. Nitori opened the door as soon as I drew near.

"Oh, welcome-" Youmu started to say, before seeing who I had at my side.

"This is quite the place," Miko said, looking around. "I cannot say I've ever been inside a kappa's cave before."

"I just think it's interesting seeing the two of you together," Reimu grinned. She looked at me. "And, you know, you've got quite a bit of political power gathered here, mister. It reminds me of that time I had to break up the meeting because the villagers and lesser youkai were scared a no-good plot was brewing."

"Yeah, I mean, we got three of the five people there present," Marisa shrugged.

"Not only that, but he has dealings with the yama, Yuyuko, and even a Sage," Aya added. "We definitely have a rising star in Gensokyo's pecking order right here."

Miko turned to Mamiko, who was sitting in the corner. "Oh? I can't say I've ever met you before."

Mamiko stood up. "I am new to Gensokyo. My name is Mamiko Shinshou, faithful servant of Alice-sama, and formerly a shadow imprisoned within Ethos."

"She took possession of one of Alice's dolls," Marisa explained. "Now she fights along with us in that world."

Miko thought for a few moments. "A shadow in the…" She shook her head. "I apologize, but I have much to learn about the Metaverse, so forgive me if I am slow on the uptake." She then chuckled. "My, I have the ability to read hearts, yet I struggle to grasp this concept of shadows…"

"It's not like any of us really got it at first either," Nitori said. "You'll figure it out as we go along."

I decided to step in and take center stage. "Anyway, we have discovered a new fortress, and one which promises to be much different from the three we have so far conquered. I think it's prudent that we sharpen our skills, upgrade our weapons and take inventory of our supplies." I looked over at Nitori. "How about we try out a Battle Memory?"

"Which one do you want?" she asked, pulling out the two that we had, one of Kaneshiro and one of Sphinx Wakaba.

"Let's try Kaneshiro's first," I said. "I think he'd be a great introduction for Miko to the sort of scum we fight."

"I'm sorry, who now?" Miko asked.

"There's a group like ours which also took down big, corrupt targets in that world," Reimu said. "Goro used to be a detective investigating their case, before cooperating with them to bring down a corrupt politician."

"Indeed," I said. "However, during the escape, I got separated from them, and when his fortress disappeared, so did I. You could say I was wiped from cognition as a result."

"And because Gensokyo is a place where things which are forgotten or disbelieved in turn up," Aya continued, "logically, he ended up here as a result."

"I fabricated my story of how I seemingly died in a fire, in order to hide the existence of the Metaverse," I said. "That kind of information can't be disclosed to just anyone."

"Understandable," Miko nodded. "I cannot imagine the kind of damage that would be done if a corrupt tyrant gained the ability to meddle with the public's cognition."

"Indeed…"

We made our way out to the Metadeck by having Miko use her key, whose beaming, sunny yellow color contrasted with my own key's golden amber. After briefly introducing her to Ethos, whose towering facade could be seen through the mountain gap, we stepped up to our grand Metadeck, and took a moment to sort out an important detail before we entered.

"I am somehow not surprised that your idea of a hero is a knight in shining armor," Byakuren said.

Miko looked around. "Ah, so that's how it is. These costumes reflect our differing opinions on what a hero looks like."

"Precisely," I nodded.

Miko smiled. "Well then, I'm surprised that a Buddhist nun like you would don the attire of a rebellious biker."

"That's because I no longer delude myself into believing that I am a pure and righteous nun," Byakuren replied. "If I'm going to possess some kind of 'bad' streak, then why not fully embrace it and use that rage to take on those who lurk in the dark?"

"Well, at least you admit it," Miko smiled. "I can tell your character has significantly improved as a result."

Nitori clapped her hands. "Alright, let's get the simulation rolling."

"Hold on a moment," I said. "She still needs a codename."

"A 'code name?'" Miko asked.

"It's something we do to avoid people in the real world potentially learning our true identities," Youmu explained.

"And besides, what kinda heroes go around usin' their real names?!" Marisa said.

"I'll start with myself and go in a circle," I said. "Crow, Starburst, Seraph, Fury, Doktor, Bull, Priest, Raven. We will trust that you remember those names."

"Understood," Miko nodded. "Now, as for my own 'code name…'"

"We could just go with the obvious and call 'er 'King,'" Marisa suggested.

"But can a lady be King? What about Queen?" Mamiko asked.

"Queen's already taken," I said. "Besides, she did pose as a male ruler, and certainly exudes a 'kingly' air, ready to lead us all into battle. Which means you must have real-life experience in that regard."

"Indeed I do," Miko said. "I am skilled in all manner of tactics and weapons."

"It'll be great to have an actual battle strategist on our side," Aya said, "because honestly, so far you've all been just kinda charging into battle without much thought, like a real-world incident, and the number of times in Megumu's fortress where I wanted to shout out how to approach the enemy better was just insane."

"She's right," Mamiko said. "I was born from the shadow of a war god, but it's difficult to maintain form around amateurs, no offense."

"None taken," I said. "The extent of my combat knowledge boils down to standard police training and what I've figured out here in the Metaverse."

"Which also means that, should he become incapacitated, it'll fall on her to help us continue the fight," Nitori added.

"Alright then, sounds like we've settled on King," Reimu said. "Now then, let's go show that hologram a thing or two."

"Allow me to strike him down!" Miko tore off her mask, mounted her Persona, and rode straight in.

"Aw, come on, she got a HORSE?!" Marisa exclaimed.

"Why can't any of us get the cool stuff like you, Crow?" Aya pouted.

"I don't even have one, and I am not complaining," Mamiko said.

"That's because you basically are a Persona," Nitori said.

I sighed. "Let's just get this over with."

Inside, Nitori booted up the simulation, which showed the leadup to the Phantom Thieves' fight against Kaneshiro. Again, I discreetly glanced at the spot from which I watched the real fight, and again I was absent. Also, these simulations were ending right as the foe was defeated, so he likely would not be able to talk about the intruder using Palaces to do what they pleased. With that in mind, I was able to just focus on the fight.

I wondered what the curveball this time around was going to be. After he finished jive-talking, he wasted no time revealing Piggytron and getting inside, rather than engaging in a brief, on-foot scuffle before doing so. We narrowly dodged one March of the Piggytron, and when he got back inside the mech, Aya followed him in, beat the shit out of him, then tossed him out and hijacked the mech to squash him flat before crashing it into the other vault door, causing it to explode and scatter money everywhere.

Following this, Kaneshiro snapped his fingers twice to summon two humanoid fly bodyguards, one with a baton and the other a pair of riot shields, to protect him. Any attack aimed at Kaneshiro was blocked by one of the two, but we also noticed that some of the money scattered around disappeared whenever the guards did anything. We realized he had to be paying them, so I sent Marisa with the bag gun to stealthily collect the money while the rest of us kept Kaneshiro busy. Once all the money was gone and he tried to order the guards to attack, they instead left due to a lack of funds. The look of dawning comprehension on his face as we all went in like a pack of hungry wolves was one for the history books, and he quickly crumpled into a pile of cash and treasure as the simulation ended.

Miko walked over and picked up a coin. "What a sad man, so obsessed with material gain that he would discard decency and goodwill to squeeze every last cent out of the people around him."

"Using kids to push drugs and then blackmailing them? What a shitty thing to do," Reimu commented.

"I have no sympathy for criminals who prey on the ignorant and weak," Mamiko said.

"Yeah, at least go after guys who have a fighting chance," Marisa said. "That's what I do."

I shook my head. "Unfortunately, criminals like Kaneshiro are a pragmatic bunch, and will always take the path of least resistance to get what they want, even if that means targeting children."

"Unforgivable," Byakuren scowled. "Unforgivable how someone like him can allow Mara to poison him so thoroughly that all he thinks about is money, how to get more, and how to spend it. I do understand the pain of living through poverty, as you said he had as a child, but to completely give into that weakness is still unacceptable."

"I hope he got what he deserved in the end," Aya said.

"He confessed to his crimes on national television," I said. "It was big news, and came as a major shock since even the police had trouble exposing his ring, although he was a member of the conspiracy trying to get Shido elected which also had elements in law enforcement, which was why he was able to avoid arrest for so long. It also turned into a bit of a scandal, since it was his Palace's heist which put the Phantom Thieves in the spotlight, both at home and abroad. If a group of shadowy vigilantes was able to easily do what the law could not, then obviously that is a major bit of egg on the face of the police, especially here in Japan where they are supposed to command complete and total respect. I will guarantee you that if the Phantom Thieves had started in a place like the United States or Europe, where people are more skeptical of law enforcement, that they would not have become a sensation nearly as quickly."

"Right, because here in Japan we're conditioned to respect authority," Youmu commented. "So any act of exposing corruption and wrongdoing, just generally taking them out by the collar to dry, even if justified, will cause a major upset. That's why I didn't object to Yuyuko-sama's actions for so long…"

Reimu thought for a moment, then said, "you know, on that subject, Seiga kind of breaks the pattern on our targets. Up to this point, every other major target has been a major figure in Gensokyo's politics, whereas she's the opposite, a hermit who doesn't involve herself in such things."

"But does she?" Byakuren suggested. "Perhaps whoever or whatever is causing all of this, perhaps their true target was King, but they found they could not corrupt her heart, so instead they targeted a proxy who could influence her actions."

"What do you mean?" Miko asked.

"We're fairly certain by now that some force is making select individuals into fortress rulers," I said. "Most likely, that force is residing at the top of Ethos, but to get to the top, we have to eliminate fortresses. That's where you come in: with more power on our side, our mission becomes that much easier."

"I see. In that case, I will not let you down."

"Excellent." I fixed my tie. "Now then, we should break for the day and prepare for the mission. Let's all focus on collecting supplies. Seiga isn't as pressing of a target, so three days should be fine."

"Alright then," Nitori said. "Gimme your weapons, I'll have them all upgraded and ready to go by then."

"I'll harvest some more tea leaves," Youmu said.

"Looks like it's potion-brewin' time," Marisa said.

"I'll hit up the shops and see what I can find," Aya said. "There's stuff in Tengu City that can't be found anywhere else, you know."

"And I'll help Alice-sama create some more goods for us," Mamiko said.

"Would you mind if I came to visit?" I asked her. "I have some questions for Alice."

"Certainly," Mamiko said. "I will let her know you are coming."

"Thank you. Tomorrow, I'll come to visit."

Nitori looked around. "Well, if we're done here, we should probably break for the day. I have to do some system maintenance, so we can't use the Metadeck for the rest of the day anyway."

"Alright then, let's bounce," Marisa said.