MARCH 11, 2025 - 09:00 HOURS (9:00 AM)

The Ginso Tree, The Forest of Magic (Nibel), Gensokyo

Sein spoke, "The waters of Nibel once flowed through this very tree... Now it's all rotten and dried up inside. We shall restore the flow, the Ginso Tree's Heart we must find."

Marisa asked Sein, "You mean by climbing... up there?" as she pointed straight up.

Sein answered, "Correct, Marisa."

Marisa let out a soft sigh, indicating that she was tired. She then asked Sein, "Do you... Do you think this floor is a good spot for me to get a few minutes of rest? I'm tired..."

Sein thought about it and looked around, "Let me see..."

Suddenly both Sein and Marisa realized Ori was not around them, with the latter saying, "Wait! Ori! Where did you go?"

Eyeing around after a few seconds, they saw Ori already get a head start in climbing up the walls of the Ginso Tree. Just what was the child thinking of winging it without notice? Ori is a child after all, however.

Marisa muttered, albeit a little frustrated, "Guess the shut-eye will have to wait."

Marisa got on her broom to fly up to Ori's position, with Sein following her lead. She eventually did catch up to the child spirit so that they both met each other eye-to-eye. Out of kindness, Marisa pointed to her shoulder for Ori, seeing this as a mandatory action this time.

Marisa said to Ori, "Come on, it's too risky for you to climb this hunk of wood by yourself, eh?"

Ori hopped back on Marisa's shoulder, and so their adventure continued normally.

The journey upwards the tree was very... very eye-catching, that is. The tree was filled with the usual spiky obstacles and purple decay, but the interesting part was that the tree had literal portals connected to each of the sides of its interior. Marisa entered each portal feeling awed at what kind of technology Nibel had that the rest of Gensokyo did not. Sure, Gensokyo did have its fair share of portals, but ones in a tree? Color her amazed.

Marisa, Ori, and Sein seemed to have found themselves near a tree... inside the already large Ginso Tree. The area in the vicinity also looked large enough for a mini yard or garden to be made. The tree they were looking at was a reddish-brown color, had branches but no leaves, housed a teal glowing sphere at the top of its trunk, and was around double the size of Maria's height.

Sein spoke, "Cries of dismay I hear deep inside this Ancestral Tree."

Marisa questioned, "Cries?"

Sein explained, "The spirit known as Reem was agile, he dashed through the air."

Marisa asked more, "Wait, spirit? That tree was once someone... Like ORI?"

Sein affirmed to Marisa, "Quite so."

Marisa was fascinated by this fact. The fact that spirits of Nibel, their lives don't just end when they pass away, they can become trees too. Essentially, they get two different lives of the same person. This is what Marisa was thinking, and she really was fascinated, but then she looked at Ori. Would Ori have to suffer the same fate? No, best to let that thought be somewhere else.

Sein then commanded Ori, "Listen to Reem's voice, the wisdom he shared."

Marisa asked Sein about this, "Ori can listen to the tree?"

Sein said, "Once Ori touches the Ancestral Tree, he will gain the power of the fallen spirit. His power will aid us on our quest."

So Ori walked up to the Ancestral Tree, touched it, and soon enough there were streaks of light glowing around him and the tree. A short ritual was completed, and Ori gained a new power, the BASH, allowing Ori to bounce off flying objects with ease.

Marisa asked another question, "That's cool and all but also this place seems good to rest now. Don't mind?"

Sein looked around this time, and with approval, "This is a safe place, you can unwind against the tree for now, Marisa."

Marisa was relieved. She sat down near the tree and rested. Ori would join beside her. They would reawaken around 11:00 hours (11:00 AM)