[2]
UNDERWORLD - CHAPTER 2 'Shirase'
JUNE 23, THE YEAR 19[]
THROUGH THE SKIES OF GENSOKYO
[THE SHRINE MAIDEN OF PARADISE'S VIEW]
.
"Marisa! Hold it!" Reimu leapt her hand out, trying to get a hold of her but all she brushed with her fingers was just the air. Again she shouted her name but it was all in vain. Leaving her to whine midair, where no one can hear... probably.
"Gnnh..! That erratic head of hers..!" she muttered the words under her breath.
She floated around the air, checking the environment below her. Only an abundant number of cypress trees and verdure blocking the floor of this forest, the trees weren't as tall as it is in the Forest of Magic, as these were only at least thirty feet high; comparing one from the magic forest it'd just only reach up to its lower trunk. From up here, she can still see the rough surface compiled of the soil, befallen leaves, and sorts of natural rotting litters.
The miko continued pressing forward, watching countless trees pass by as she flew. Her eyes pinning on the meandering roads that sent in waves; avoiding the evergreen overlaying the land.. The monotony sight of endless trees and winding pathways was a reaaally boring sight, but something caught her eye.
Nestled alongside the trail was a wagon overturned on its back, heavily in disrepair. One wheel was conspicuously absent from where its supposed to be and outright abandoned. Curious, the shrine maiden veered off course to the damaged wagon... woosh... clack.. her shoes stepping quietly on the flattened road.
"Now. What happened here?" slapping the gohei on her left hand repeatedly. Analysing the scene, its weary frame had the presence of an intentional assault but it's unclear if it was done by a youkai.
Eyes on the floor, prints were visible; sandals it seemed to her and it looked as if they ran around the wagon a couple of times before it flipped. Had this been done by a human? .. Mayhaps.. But it could've been done by a youkai but if anything it'd be a lot more visceral on the site.. Still, a youkai are still capable of being careful on their approach, if they're smart.
She sized up the sandal marking, and such size can only befit to a girl, almost the same size as her. Reimu thought twice, should she follow to a rumple of leaves straight with no trail and living soul in sight? or should she fly away from this mess. Was this made to test her of her morality or.. probably the villagers most likely.. Ending her examination of this minor incident, she watched the treelines.
"Seriously..." tapping the bottom end of her gohei peering on the roomage of trees, Reimu gruntled, "Hope that you people aren't up to no good.. Otherwise, you'll have quite the journey going back home." she declared, clear enough for anyone in the proximity.
.
.. crnnssk.. crakkkh..
.
The leaves rustled as she walked into the woods, trudging through the small layer of dead leaves. The scattered light coming through the thickage, melting in with the scenery. The empty passageways resplendent with a decent glow. Reimu glanced all over the place, trying to find anything out of the unordinary.
"Again! If you don't come out now, you'll be tainted by a few blunt forces before going home..! probably! depending on the degree.." 'This eerie feeling again..'
.
.. crack.. .. tsssh.. [!]
.
"Eh?" she turned.
A spur of a sparkling glint appeared behind among the trees. Instinctually she ducked before hearing something she had never heard before. KRAK! The spontaneous thunder rang within her hearing, rattling and still chattering, it was an egregious noise to behold. It echoed through the entire forest that it made birds panic in flight, the sounds of wings fluttering.
Immediately after she shot herself up into the air, branches quaked from Reimu's flight, shaking her stupor with it. Finding herself in the dreary sky once more along with the birds flying out in flocks. She never expected something so instant would make her aghast a bit in shock, eyes drooping and wide.
She scrutinised the thicket, the foreign noise still clinging around, "Wha-what the hell.. was that..?" she retorted in only she can hear to herself.
She whipped down below to the understory of the forest and there was something but it wasn't a thing. It was a cloud of smoke arising from the particular tree just fifty meters away from her. Scratching the leaves on the ground, shoveling them with her right foot and at a dash with lightning speed, she flew at an abnormal rate.
Crashing her feet into the leaves by the tree, many escaping high into the air, with an anguished expression turned into a frown. There was no one there but the smoke which had a bleak heady smell, waving them away. No culprit!
Was this some sort of trick to scare her by intentionally missing with a projectile, or a trap? she thought.. The latter most likely, putting the thoughts aside, she kicked the leaves around; drifting far up from their spot as she did.
...
She sighed and cleared her throat, "I swear! Your consequences are going to be a lot more than reprimands. I'm from the Hakurei shrine, you know!"
.
... crack .. [!]
.
With a jump, she can hear the noise of a sizzle once more. Then the same deafening noise that bubbled and rumbled around her ears that differed the peaceful ambience.. Split! The sounds of wood breaking cracked before her ears. Thankfully what was supposed to come after her just missed her by a long shot.
She quicked a look from where the sound was lateral of, another gust of dark festering smoke from another tree nearby, and of course, not a single person in sight; perhaps hiding.
"Say your prayers." she lanced her gohei, "Because this is going to hurt." with a bright flash, the tip of her gohei tensed in power before a decently large orb of light, the edges red but its entire purely white. A single danmaku in the shape of the tree trunks she aimed for, "Brace yourself!"
.
[!] .. CRAASH! ... [!]
.
The tree shook, rumbling a bit even to the roots. In an instant she flew on over to the roughened tree, closing in. She ran around to see nothing.. confusion struck her, they wouldn't get that far without making loud crunchy shuffling of leaves. Did they fly?
Reimu stood stiff for a good while, trying to at least sense the presence of the figure, or waiting for the next shot... but it never arrived.
"If they can just do that so easily." she huffed, "They could've just gone behind me and kill me with at it.. With whatever that projectile was; it was quick.. If you're still there, remember that I'll be ready when you turn up again. And that a whack would be the least of your worries!"
The shrine maiden scanned her surroundings momentarily till she bolted skyward, leaving the trees to quiver upon her ascent. For a second time, she finds herself in the vast canvas of bright blue and sunshine fiddling with her sight, she inhaled then exhaled the air after that peculiar event.
Sighed, "That was something.. Before leaving, I better adjust that wagon before someone curious gets themselves the same thing I had... or I could not, but..." conflicted with this moral dilemma, she bore a pained expression, ".. Ah damn it! I'll do it."
Flying off, retracing by the surroundings, she finds herself back to the trail but baffled. The very wagon that laid in bad shape and incapable of moving was gone! That would be impossible! No person can just hide the wooden work nor can they repair it in a small amount of time. Even where there to be somebody passing along, they won't have the right mind to transport a rundown wagon, that'd be insanity!
Much to Reimu's chagrin, the prints had been dusted, covered and hidden... maybe she should've just went straight to the human Capital and find Akyuu, Marisa must've been waiting for her for a while.
With that, she fleeted off.
.
JUNE 23, THE YEAR 19[]
SOMEWHERE IN THE SKIES OF GENSOKYO
[THE ORDINARY MAGICIAN'S VIEW]
.
The magician continued on her flight, tittering to herself; a minute ago she left the miko in a noticeable fit and she knew. Her hand was holding still on the pole of her broom as she raised her other hand to cover her mouth.
"heh. Wonder where's she now." she wondered before turning to face the miko to see none in sight, "eh? She's not following? .. That's.. strange, she isn't normally the type to do that." eyes scouring more.. "Where the heck did she go?!" whipping her head back and forth around her back.
She sighed, "Probably got herself distracted back there." snapping back to the front. With a seeming stoic face, "Anyways I have something to attend." saying as she did, something caught her eye, "However! There's something to add more to offer in my tribute!" she beamed.
The ground changed sights of a grandular forestry to a plain area accommodating a few sparses of trees, until meeting before a flourishing city by the one of two largest rivers in Gensokyo; the Kamewari river that connects with the other largest river, the infamous Sanzu river way further up north.
There were other structures of miscellaneous, wooden yagura watchtowers, farmhouses and small (ko)minka houses, spread and dotted all over the rural countryside.
Her fingers traced the river, counting the houses even on the other side of the bank then the two giant architecture that stuck out like a sore thumb, her finger stopping at the bridge that connects the other land. She wasn't alone in the skies though.
There were floating vessels that swam through the skies, a multitude of wooden ro(oars) mounted on both sides propelled them forward, all sorts of bunes soaring. From a taxi boat to a fully-rigged merchant ship. Under the heel of each ship had a brazening arcane sigil barreling around in an animated loop. Some bunes were larger than others, some featured huge folding fans riveted into the back of their ships, the day magic showed up, humans made quick use of improvisation and innovation.
With the Kirisame's knowledge of the geography of Gensokyo, from all her traveling of particular parts of Gensokyo, she knew this isn't the human capital but at the very least one of the largest cities around, and near the capital. The city looked to be complemented by thousands of homes, they were tenement and small; at least to offer one a home to live in and not for luxury.
The wooden machiya settlements built on surrounding the river castle, there's said it had a lot of history to the castle, to which she of course neglected to learn, I mean! What's better than learning magic?
Speaking of history.. she had memories of this place and the first time that was; -was having a minor theft at one of the stalls and that.. seems to be it. But their castle, she never explored the castle personally before. It laid before the river parting with a large wooden arch bridge to the other side of the land; it attained 7 arches before reaching the other side and built on a foundation out of stone.
Across the river had also another castle but looked a bit more lacking than the huge castle that was displayed to her first which also gets to be dominant with other housings albeit a tad more disordered and deplorable, looked like it's been modified over the years as well.
Though she made a face, getting in there was nigh impossible! The kirikomi-hagi walls of the castle were tall and mighty, the garrisons were prepared with bows, and she's sure one of them has spotted her flying around, and ah! To add salt to the wound, she was regarded as a pariah! While she made a name for herself as one of the esteemed, renowned youkai extreminators in all of Gensokyo, I don't think it'd give her an immunity for stealing.
"They'd definitely try to shoot me down! Well, maybe a first volley of handshakes and praises first then shoot me down." she joked, "Welp, talking to the locals might give help, I guess Reimu's right, curiosity is sumthing when the right moment comes."
The broom sped up forward, she grabbed tightly on her hat whilst gaining a smile because ahead, two ships that differed body structures blocked her way, the first ship had one huge sail and the second did not but she couldn't make of it. They were showing their broadsides and the passengers looked to be terribly miffed.
With her left hand holding tense, she pulled the broom upward, causing her to go over the vessel. From a closer look it was a kitamaebune, a trading cargo ship and its crew were definitely surprised looking at her. Just missing the mast by an inch. Outwardly she closes in the other bune, a yakatabune; something she hasn't seen but by the looks and small ins it was a passenger ship which amused the magician.
After successfully flying over the cargo ship, she was close to the edge of the passenger ship and a small shock from the magician herself; a lot more to the passengers, she maneuvered a twirl around before going under. Safe to say, she was impressed with her reflexes and happy to say the passngers cheered for her display.
Descending, some small other boats waved and some were busy on their travels, she hoped not to be found out by a patrol ship and thankfully she wasn't caught. Making her way down graciously and reaching a footbridge over a moat, stopping her broomstick with a click of her shoes.
"While I love flying and all, but I think it's best for me to walk.. hup." jumping off her broomstick, while doing so she received a few side-eyes which of course she did not mind, magicians were rare and.. not well-treated in human settlements, but she didn't care, "Ah, what a town." she soared her arms and brandished a smile.
She laid her arms down, grabbing the broomstick and marched her way in. Looking at the dosojin on the ground while at it. The footbridge was a funny feeling but she can't say it was new, walking onto the lower streets of Kimochi was, though. So what the sign says.
"Ki-mo-chi-ku, Tsu-yaya-ka-machi, Ka-ke-masu?" she froze some words, she read them aloud again with perfect pronunciation, "Kakemasu district eh?" guessing that's the name of this city.. or district. The province was big enough to hold another city down south of here. Despite stealing here from a long time ago, that was a long time ago. She never considered remembering the name nor at least scrutinise the signs.
Going in she was greeted with strange looks, probably by the foreign eccentric look she wore but there were a few detested scowls in the crowd in which she did not mind again.
The place was teeming with all sorts of activities, from the games of children and the bargaining of merchants, the elderly conversing and the men and women walking side by side. Lights donned in many parts, the place cleaned aside from the dirt paths but excluding that it was nice to visit.
Then a small tug from behind got her to act, turning, Marisa finds a child of what appears to be seven by best. She looked at the kid then the kids behind her, prattling.
A small voice arose, "Uhm.. onee-san? why.. why are you dressed like that?"
"Oh, um." she lowered down to the kid, presenting with a bubbly attitude, "That's because I'm a magician! ze~"
"wow? really..? You look so cool, onee-san!"
"Well that's how a magician should be!" her face made a sparkling face, eyes-closed and smiled.
"wooaaah.. I want to be like you when you grow up!"
She chortled, "Ehe, right. Are those your friends back there?"
"Yeah.. they're scared of talking to you, so.. they dared me to talk to you.." she fiddled her fingers.
Marisa's head tilted, mused, she answered resolutely, "Ah, I see. Tell them I'm the greatest magician! ze~"
"Hehe, okay! I will!" the child running back with a smile, glamouring with the group; subsequently making amused reactions and looks from them.
She chuckled softly, saluting as she turned and walked away, "Now, where was I?" Marisa trudged along the road, passing through the lively townhouses; many serving as a shop which was no big surprise, it was commonplace in the outskirts of a city.
She continued walking along.. and continued... and continued for a solid two minutes wandering..
"Right!" she suddenly exclaimed, drawing a few looks to which she uttered a small, "Sorry.." in return.
"I completely forgotten what I was supposed to do..!" Marisa gazed on the floor, "Eemm.. what was it..? what was it?" eyeing the skies. Then she snapped her fingers, "Oh! Something for Nitori! I actually forgot that..? .. reeeaaal odd.. I suppose it doesn't matter.. Though, the question is.. where am I, and what to get?"
Her eyes looking around the city, she heard flying around, was forbade in every part of any city unless she breaks those rules now for easy navigation.. but maybe as a last resort. Marisa walked by multiple shops and houses, but she noticed the elevated slope and the gradual change of style structures.
She found herself in what appeared to be a marketplace, it was abundant with merchant stalls and vendors of any kind. Sellers and consumers all alike convene for their own benefit. All though her keen eyes say the right place for items but not many suited to her taste, for Nitori that is.
"Excuse me! Excuse me!" a distraught man came running up to her, roughly dressed in a jinbei, "Majishan-onna?" he cried out.
"Eh?"
"So sorry but I need your help!" the man apologised, "Please, I lost my shigetō.. My short bow! A heirloom, it is a relic I was to keep! It has been maintained since the age of antiquity." he devastatingly says, "Please help me."
"Oh, ano.., what can I do to help?" Kirisame listened intently.
"From how you look, you look like, or maybe one from Mahoshū?"
Taken aback, she had a resurgence, "I.. From my father's side, yes.. until..." she stopped for a bit, "Anyways I sort of am. Why?"
"I've heard a lot from Majishans, powerful people of pride and magic, and great minds of innovation."
"ehe, great minds." she whispered to herself.
"Huh?"
"eeto, right. Don't mind me. Your bow, how'd ya lose it?"
"My horse! It was on my horse, someone must've took it, I kept asking my neighbours, my friends, and strangers.. They have not seen my horse that has my shigetō!"
"Right, right! I'll try to help you in any way that I can, what was the colour of your horse?" Marisa tried to calm the man.
"Would be quite difficult to spot!" he loured, "Just like every Kiso breeds here, a reddish shade of brown!"
"Have you ever asked the guards around here?"
"I have but never those men take up arms for a man from a lower family like me!"
"Ah.. Then don't fret, I'll help ya!" she reassured. Hitting the end of the broom from its vertical stature.
He rejuvenated in high spirits, "aahh... Thank you so much..!" pressing his hands together, bowing in an incline, "I owe you so much."
"No big deal! Really, it's fine!"
"I promise that I shall!" he said determinedly.
"aha.. okay..? I'll get on my way to find that bow of yours! ze~"
"Yes, of course! Thanks again.." he bowed once more, Marisa thought it was getting a bit tiresome..
"Right, I'll come back to you after I do, just please go around this area so I can locate you more easily!" Marisa instructed the man.
"I will." he bowed again, leaving her finally.
The magician watches him disappear into the bustling crowd but his gait was more a passive demeanour than distress. Marisa took a deep breath, refocusing her attention on the task at hand.
"Oh man, it shouldn't have come to this." slapping her right hand by the forehead, "But I did tell him I will, so.." she sighed, "-I will."
.
JUNE 25-26, THE YEAR 19[]
CHIREIDEN, OLD HELL
[THE GIRL EVEN THE VENGEFUL SPIRITS FEAR'S THIRD EYE]
.
Deep beneath the earth's crust, where no roots of vegetation and flora can live, the surface was alight with the traditional-esque villages, festive of many of lights around. A realm of subterranean splendour, where the underground youkais go in revelry and echo the caverns with their resonance of drunken hymns.
By the cavernous world, wrought from the old managers, and rebuilt by the ones who remained. A sanctuary, a refuge, a world unbeknownst of human societies, onis for a new home, tsuchigumos hidden and casted, and the satoris obligated away. The war before the war was what banished them, except the onis but were still mostly compelled to stay in Old Hell; they didn't complain.
But either way, they all have a place for themselves. The treaty allowed a few freedoms in the overworld but with heavy restrictions. The allowance of leaving the Underworld.. entitles them to stay permanently on the surface, but the law have never been operated in justice and has been disregarded since. But even so, lesser onis never came about outside; for their safety, and the superior onis stayed to frolic.
In the heart of this subterranean sanctuary, chambers lie veiled in a close but light darkness. With an eerie sensation bathed in the radiance of emptiness.. Chireiden, the Palace of the Earth Spirits.
racc... clink... clink.. thud.. racc.
"Woah! Watch it, watch it, watch it!" the gruffy onis warned, they pulled up the furniture strenuously.
"Easy with that thing," the tallest says, "You'll shatter it. We're within the premises of the palace, you might scrape something here."
"W're onis! What's the difference?!" one of the onis says, blundering his words a few.
"I'd not have my secrets splayed out? Does that answer for you?" the oni annotated harshly.
"I guess.. yeh."
"Anyways we owe it to her, she's made things possible and a whole lot easier for us, ain't that right?"
"True that!" one of the onis cheered, which was followed suit by another applaud.
"You know!" the oni remaining lifting a wardrobe, "It'd be great if we're done with this! We ain't finished yet with this y'know!"
"Yeh, yeh. We're oon it." said the oni with a drooly tone.
"Oi, ever since the yama and the kishins left the place, why did they decide for the satoris to lead us onis." he curiously asked, "We stayed for a home without sway when the yamas left."
One of the lanky onis told, "Not sway of authority. More like.. guiding, ay? She doesn't really command us but the animals."
"Govern the affairs for us more likely?" the tallest oni answered.
"Aye." affirmed the same lank one, "Chireiden and the Old Capital are two different separate entities."
"She's weak, but her presence is unsoothing I can tell you that." the short bristly oni says with a firm say.
Reaching to another corridor, stopping in front of a large, double door, some of them questioned its height and size, and it was left unanswered. The two free onis pulled the knobs, widening them inch by inch, the door squeaking as they did so, letting them all in. Leading to a huge hall of columns hewed to the floor and roof.
The tallest oni shuffled around his papers and checked, "Okay sooo, just straight ahead and that should be her quarters."
"Finally." they exhaled.
Loud footsteps were coherent enough that the doors of the quarters opened. The onis paused. The Mistress of the Palace, short but daunting at a sight, stoic and calm, dressed in her ordinary garbs of a petite colour of blue, the frilly cuffs and slippers pink and the skirt along too. Bearing a purple short hair with a headband keeping it in place, and the third eye with its queer cords around her loosely laced. Satori Komeiji.
"Please come in." Satori's words were anodyne and disciplined. Absolute if you should add.
With all of them acting a quick nod, they surged forward carefully with the cargo. The middle of the room owned a long desk with some paraphernalia and a stack of papers at the centre of it. Behind was a display cabinet of fancy but basic objects and a window at the left side of the room.
"Oka-"
"No. Over there."
They tried again, "So-"
"Thank you." Satori interrupted again.
The onis turned on one another with a look before shrugging and doing as what they're told. Placing the furnitures on the left side of the room, the onis falling out the room one by one.
"Uh, Lady-"
"Yes, we'll contact you soon."
"Right." The foreman(fore-oni?) tipped. Walking out last.
The satori watched them leave, closing the doors, she sauntered back to her office. Took one glance of the wardrobe and drawers emplaced before she sat down on her chair, closing her eyes momentarily including her third eye, then reopening them to see the same papers fixed on her desk. A stack of official washi papers.
She read, held the top of the pile, then propped it aside. Satori looked down on the drawers of the desk, pulling the knob back and took out a notebook before pushing the drawer back in. Planting the open notebook by the side, for a second the pages scattered ambiguously before finding the right page and she got to work.
Satori realised she was hearing someone, by thoughts. Was that Orin? She looked up from her work and saw the small opening of her quarter doors, the same crimson eyes intruding in her room.
Sighing, "Orin. Please come in."
The kasha, surprised that she was caught in the act, apologising, "Ah! Sorry, lady Satori for intruding on you!" swinging the door forward.
The satori remained silent for a while, "... It's fine.. Orin." she asked, "Why are you here?"
She stood right before Satori, "Oh..! I can't help but notice the troubles you've been having!" her spry nature pushed on.
"This matter doesn't concern you."
"Why not?!" she said, concerned, "You have so much work to do! Let me help!"
"Orin. This type of work is only for my eyes only." her third eye blinked, "Such matters will excruciate you."
"Eh? Isn't this just only for Chireiden and the Old Capital? I don't think-"
"No. It seems the Gaido-court has forwarded us some difficult attachments and their apologetic expressions. From what I understood yesterday, they won't be intervening."
"Intervening in-"
Satori interjected, "The matters of the overworld clans, yes. Their messages infer disinterest and opposition to the whole affair."
Orin seemed gloomy from her response, her tail swaying behind her, "But why wouldn't they intervene? Isn't that what they're for?"
Satori sighed, "They have their own interests to attend to. Sometimes, our well-being is not their priority."
"But what about the treaties? The agreements?" Orin asked.
"The agreements are fragile, Orin. They're bound by convenience, not commitment. They wouldn't risk their own for the likes of us youkais. We must handle our own affairs alone, regardless of their 'promises."
Orin's ears drooped slightly, staring downcast on the floor, "I see... So, what can I do to help then?"
Satori hesitated for a moment, contemplating Orin's offer. She knew the kasha meant well, but involving her in the intricacies of politics and diplomacy would be a lot of her and her clumsiness might lead to a terrible thing. However, she also understood that she could use all the help she could get.
"You can assist by keeping an eye on the situation in the Old Capital," Satori finally responded, "Gather information discreetly, listen to rumours, observe the movements of other youkai. Anything that might affect us down here. I also heard that the other pets have been noticing unrest and weariness in the residences, especially the oni clans."
Orin's eyes lit up with enthusiasm, "Consider it done, Lady Satori! I'll be your eyes and ears above and under -ground!"
Satori nodded, a faint smile tugging at the corners of her lips, "Thank you, Orin. Your assistance is much appreciated."
The kasha turned around, walked by the doors and shut them with a vague 'Thud!' on the way out. Her smile fell as she delved back into work, focusing on the papers, extremely absorbed in her work. She didn't notice the hours passing by and the candle flames flickering. Satori meticulously poured over the documents, sifting through them one by one.
The day strolled to evening, she was halfway done with this chaotic inventory of official papers, Satori remained steadfast in her resolve to finish the work. Time continued, evening to midnight. Eventually, as the night wore on and the first light of 'dawn' of the Underworld began to filter through the windows, her eyes slumped till she awoke once more.
She continued creating notes, finishing off documents, and resuming her evaluation of the papers. The windows slowly traversed in colours... Placing the last paper on the newly organised pile on her left... She checked the clock, it just hit midnight.. again? Another day passed without her notice, it seems like the papers placed for last took a lot of her time than she was going for.
Satori rose from her seat, she made her way towards the bed, a feeling of languid descended upon her, the weight of her work leaving her from her shoulders. Moving out her quarters, the echoes of her footsteps reverberated throughout the corridors of Chireiden, a constant reminder of the lonely desolation of silence that permeated the palace.
Reaching her room and her sister's room, Satori paused for a moment, her gaze lingering on their room. She entered, 'Koishi isn't here today', she thought. She was alone. With a heavy sigh, Satori pushed aside the thoughts and focused on the current. She needed rest, her mind and body encumbered from the long hours of work.
Satori approached the extravagant bunk bed, her movements slow and deliberate, slipping beneath the sheets and feeling the weight of exhaustion and drowsiness overtaking her. Closing her eyes, Satori finally put herself to succumb to the embrace of sleep.
.
JUNE 23, THE YEAR 19[]
THE MARKETPLACE, KAKEMASU DISTRICT
[THE ORDINARY MAGICIAN'S VIEW]
.
Marisa took a deep breath, she scanned the marketplace, her keen eyes darting from stall to stall, searching for any sign of a reddish-brown horse. This was going to be one long journey to find a bow.
"Where could it be?" she muttered to herself, her brow furrowing. The marketplace was just too vast! Filled with merchants peddling their wares and shoppers milling about. Finding a horse shouldn't be this hard! But Marisa's repetition shows, she was not one to shy away from a challenge.
She approached one of the nearby vendors, a middle-aged man selling various trinkets and baubles, "Excuse me," she called out, her voice carrying over the din of the crowd, "Have you seen a reddish-brown horse around here?"
The vendor pondered, casting a look around the bustling marketplace, "Hmm, can't say I've seen any horses lately," he replied, shaking his head, "But I'll keep an eye out for you, miss."
"Thank you," Marisa said with a grateful smile.
She continued on her way, weaving through the maze of stalls and vendors, her eyes peeled for any sign of the missing horse. Marisa was just not familiar with the place.
For the past 20 minutes, she've been asking all kinds of villagers. Merchants, artisans, farmers, and ordinary townspeople. Occasionally she found patrolmen wearing a haori over their kimono. Hakama pants and footwear made of straw. All of black. They held on their sheathed katanas and their blunted jittes. Successfully, Marisa hid clandestinely with no sweat.. except for the few times she was almost caught.
Around the street of a new area she wasn't in before, something espied her eye near the edge of the market. It wasn't the horse, but rather a gleaming object tucked under a vendor's table. Curiosity piqued, Marisa approached the stall, weaving through the throngs of people.
"Excuse me," she called out to the vendor, a middle-aged man with a face wandering the market, "Mind if I take a look at that?"
The vendor glanced up from his wares, eyeing Marisa with a mixture of curiosity and suspicion, "Depends on what you're interested in, miss."
Marisa pointed to the object under the table, "That, right there. What is it?"
The vendor hesitated for a moment before reaching down and retrieving the item. It was a beautifully crafted bow, intricately carved with swirling patterns and lacquered.
"Ain't she a beauty?" the vendor said with a proud grin, "It is one fine bow, must've been crafted by a great bowyer. Quite old too."
Marisa's heart skipped a beat as she examined the bow on the display. Could this be the missing shigetō? It could be but.. it's worth a try.
"Do you mind if I ask where you got this?" Marisa inquired in a casual tone.
The vendor shrugged nonchalantly, "Someone sold me it, they said they found it abandoned by the roadside, just outside of town. He looked strange but the bow he gave me was quite the deal."
"Ah.. eto.. Is there any way possible for me to get the bow? I don't have any money on me."
"Tell you what," the vendor continued, "You seem a bit troubled about it and the man sold me it anyways was cheap." he pointed a finger by her right, "There's a sakaya establishment over there, I have been waiting for the new supply of shōchū and I saw them received it this morning."
"A.. liquor store?"
"Yes. There's no need to pay for it either." the vendor searched his venue, "I'll just lend you the exact amount of mons for my drink."
"Eh?! You trust me?" this shocked Marisa, never in a million years would someone trust her, a thief, with their money, "Eh?! You trust me?"
"Of course, ever since you came in here, you seem like the humble type. Along with that costume of yours. As many say, a Majishan. We merchants know of your kind."
"Ahaha. That's great, ze~" said Marisa, instantly the copper coins was given to her. She caught them, "Oh." she counted them to be twenty.
"Just around the corner, not too hard to miss."
"Right, thanks!" she left with a wave.
She hurried down the path, clutching the coins in her hands. Still dumbfounded from the man's act but she wasn't about to question it. She turned in the crossroads and may have found the place she was looking for. A building of static with nobori banners that hung down on the entrance. She went beneath it, entering the shop, Marisa scanned the interior quickly, spotting an old man behind the counter. Surrounded by many sorts of beverages on shelves.
"Excuse me," she began, "I heard you received a new supply of shōchū this morning?"
The tender looked up from his task, eyeing the magician, "Yes, we have." he replied with a convenient tone, "I haven't seen you before."
"Oh. Just a magician passing by."
"Mm? Passing by? A magician passing by to buy a drink? That's unheard of."
'Believe me, that is definitely heard of on that island!' "Just here for a merchant's order." she responded.
"Ah, I assume it's not for you?"
"Mhm! A merchant asked me if I could buy it for him."
"Ah, I see," recalling a certain variable, "Yes, I do have his parcel of two. He favours them a lot. One second." the old man lurched down, seemingly rummaging his counters and sounded of multiple arrangements before delivering up two prominent shapes of bottles wrapped in washi paper, "It should be this."
"Thank you." she placed the coins on top of the counter.
"Yes, yes. Come again."
Marisa grabbed on the bottles tightly, feeling its rough but weirdly smooth structure, she ducked under the nobori banners once more before retracing her steps back. A turn, the contents of the bottles shook, tightening her grip more. She finds the vendor back but in a busy negotiation with a customer, bartering. The vendor's eyes fixed on her for a second and nodded lightly.
"-One second." he told the customer, "Welcome back." he greeted.
"Heya, got them for you." Marisa delivered the bottles by the wall.
"Many thanks, let me.." the vendor brandished the bow out, "Here. Prepared it for you."
"Thanks! Uh, why do you not need this?" she asked.
"Already told you, I have no use for it. Well, monetary-wise I did lose money but if anything perhaps you can do good about it. It's good karma." he explained.
"Ah., thanks."
"Good luck, Majishan-shi." the merchant waved her goodbye, setting his eyes back on his customer.
She couldn't make out the merchant's words, slowly turning inaudible as she walked, joining in with the garbling of the crowds. She continued walking away, hoping to finish this odyssey.
Clutching the heirloom bow tightly, carefully in her left hand and the broom on her right. She can't say but how weird and must be weird for the villagers for a magician doing.. quests? She could say that.
She walked around the marketplace once more, looking like it's going to be another ride to find the man.. or she thought. He found him in an instant, or found her first per se. His mouth was ajarred, lightly, before affixing his expression normally, but with a jovial one.
"That's the one! Thank you so much! So sorry if it costed you any trouble, I'll pay you back but I can't say when.." Marisa gave the bow carefully.
"Right, it's no big deal. Sorry if I couldn't find your horse though."
"It's fine, really. I'll try to search for her. Thank you many, again! My name is Homare Yoshida."
"It's all good, really! Also, you can call me Marisa Kirisame! ze~"
"Marisa? That.. magician? By gods! We've heard of you but never how you looked!" his face melted in astonishment.
'Wow, is this how it feels to be praised in public by a stranger, in a city? despite my actions thievery, in a city?' "Right..! Thanks." she shied yet accomplished
"Also please remember this name. Maybe when you recognise the name in months.. or years, perhaps I can pay you back finally?"
"Ehe, that's oka-aayy" she slid her words, something past her overhead, she looked up to see.. a figure! Adorned in a red and white shrine maiden clothing..
"Ah! Reimu!" she shouted, "Oi Reimu! Wait up!" she prepared her broom, the man had also looked up in the air
"Reimu? The Hakurei?" he realised, "It must be important, safe travels then. Thank you again."
"Again, it's no biggie." she attempted to get on her broom, "Also! Someone apparently stole your bow, and horse probably! They sold your bow to a vendor but they were kind to barter! Catch you later, uh, Homareh! maybe!" she successfully got on. "Wait up, Reimu!"
"... Hmnn, so they did." the man whispered under his own breath.
Utilising her broom, she moved astoundingly fast out from the area, "Hopefully no pa- Eek! Spoke too soon!"
Conveniently a ship of ordained military officials appeared; scouting the district, as was the norm. Its black and white nobori banners bearing the kamon crest of their clan, a crescent-shaped maedate misplaced on overlaying the eye level of a kabuto, they were both coloured an argent white on a black background. It was obvious they spotted Marisa but just as she flew out of the marketplace, they definitely suspected she did something criminal or mostly known in a economical sector, stealing.
She watched the sekibune heading towards her, speeding up, it's actually faster than she thought! 'They weren't this fast before!' Her words stuck around her mind during the heat of the moment. But even if the ship was decently fast, she was still faster.
The magician sighed, "Looks like another sentence under my belt." her eyes shot back at Reimu's speck of a figure. She was abnormally distant now, "I'm gonna lose this race..!"
They just passed by the castle, over the river, and then the other side of the bank. She has flown on over to where the capital nears. Still a small but long way, she can see the lines of the Moriya ropeway heading to Youkai Mountain, but the silhouette of the capital, or citadel was humongous. She still can't shake off the grandiose feeling around it.
Looking at her back, the sekibune cut chase. They just pulled after reaching the end of the river and realised how quick she was. Grinning, she looked around the familiar landmarks. There were a whole lot of villages around, housing a good number of eight-hundred to a thousand, probably. They were everywhere with their own rice fields.
She located thin sprouting smokes of smiths, dojos, earthwork fortresses, hamlets of a house of six or more, and all kinds of sorts. The land was quite hilly but mostly plains. She finds dirt paths of these villages trailing to the road that connected from the city she was just in, to the capital. It was abundant with many people, but unlike the countryside of ox carts and wheelbarrows, probably to save the wear and tear, they were largely people on foot, porters, villagers, and kinds of samurais.
She reached the roads, she remembered learning about them when her mom was still alive and her dad was still about the magic.
The Vajra-roads, the roads down south, the Tatara-roads, the long roads up north in between Youkai Mountain and Kamewari river, the Toneri-roads, roads of Kakemasu that interconnects with the last two mentioned roads, and finally the Hageshii-road, the road to the west.
Reminiscing about her childhood days, Marisa learnt all these in a book with her mom. Remembering to call it the Dōmyaku of Gensokyo or simply known as the Safe Roads of Gensokyo or arteries if you're technical. Such knowledge was engraved into her juvenile mind, just right before the fall-out.
Just as she was at Kakemasu, the skies were abundant with ships, she just realised now after looking at their shadows on the ground. Various sizes and a ton of variety, she was getting into hostile territories with the authorities. There was a tremendous patrol fleet, or home fleet? That lurked around the capital, and fast speedy kobaya patrols, those small crafts that could probably get up to her unless she did some maneuvering tricks to throw them off, last time she checked they can't go upside-down and quickly turn.
But even so, she flew low out of sight while maintaining her speed with Reimu. She felt a dash of cautiousness after that chase with that sekibune back at Kakemasu. They're just right off the edges of the human capital.
"Well. Here we are again, can't say no to the sight." she complimented the visual scenery of settlements, "The good ol' human capital of Shin'bukyō." she muttered.
"It is the same as ever, except for the giant swabs of ships flying around." she took another look at the fleet before snapping back at front, "Well.. I think I passed through them," she procrastinated, "-and if I remember correctly, our target.. should be... the Hieda manor!"
The magician held onto her hat, speeding up once more, the villagers down below might witness a fast-moving object but I don't think they can describe her appearance in time. Despite her distance between Reimu, she flashed a grin.
"You're not going to win so easily, ze~"
GENSOKYO, THE DENIZENS GRASP STERNLY.. PLEASE WAIT WARMLY...
[GLOSSARY]
[1] Yagura - defensive components. A turret, keep, or towers with varying uses.
[2] Kominka - traditional old folk architecture.
[3] Ro - sculling oars, either mounted on the sides or on the bune's(4] stern.
[4] Bune - boat in Japanese, from civil to warships. Meant to be used on a source of water now used to scour the skies.
[5] Machiya - a generic traditional townhouse made of wood.
[6] Kirikomi-hagi - smooth sloped stone walls that importantly serve as the foundation of a castle.
[7] Dousojin - tutelary roadside icon of carved stone, placed at intersections, sides, and ends of roads, also by the foot and end of a bridge.
[8] -ku - a suffix of division of a city, or a ward.
[9] -machi - a suffix of a local governing town, or block of a city.
[10] Majishan - magician in Japanese.
[11] -onna - a suffix for "woman" or be used alone, onna.
[12] Shigetō - a laminated(of wood and bamboo) recurved(usually in Japan) bow wrapped in rattan, constructed around the Heian to the Muromachi period.
[13] Kiso - one of eight native horses in Japan, commonly used by samurais to form cavalry units.
[14] Kishin - powerful onis or oni kamis for their strength and wrathful deities as termed in Japanse Buddhism.
[15] Kasha - vague humanoid cat youkais that steal corpses that have committed wrongdoings. Our kasha seems to be.. quite the opposite in that manner..
[16] Haori - a traditional coat commonly worn over the wearer's kimono.
[17] Kimono - traditional Japanese clothing, that varies in many and used commonly.
[18] Jinbei - traditional garment for summer. Sleeves shortened and pants put to knee-level.
[19] Hakama - wide pleated skirt pants. Reaching up to the waist and tied.
[20] Jitte - a blunted weapon that is similar to the usage of a baton.
[21] Sakaya - just liquor store.
[22] Shōchū - a distilled drink of typically rice.
[23] Washi - Japanese paper used for all kinds of things.
[24] -shi - a suffix of city of a place's name.
[25] Kamon - the heraldy or icon of a clan or family.