Reimu Quest (Part 11)

[日巫子]

>"Yeah, and laying out the exact plan."

> "There is an order in which the spells are cast," says Yukari.  "For now, we need to get everyone organized."

> _

[Hello Purvis]

>"I am going to try to find a few more, in a bit. Will you be needing me for anything in the immediate future?"

[日巫子]

>"I am going to try to find a few more, in a bit. Will you be needing me for anything in the immediate future?"

> "No," says Yukari.  "But try not to take too long."

> _

[Hello Purvis]

>"I've got a quick one or two in mind. But first I want to hear what you've got."

[日巫子]

>"I've got a quick one or two in mind. But first I want to hear what you've got."

> The crowd has stopped paying attention as you speak with Yukari, but you figure they've heard what they needed to hear.  You ask Yukari what she has in mind.
> "What we refer to as one spell is actually many spells linked together and activated at the same time by these 'ribbons'," Yukari rambles on.  She furrows her brow, perhaps in thought, or out of stress.  "Casting so many powerful spells at once gives the momentum needed to put up the barrier, but as you may already know, it's very dangerous and I wouldn't be able to get everyone out in time.  For the modifications, I was thinking a buffer around the blood contract that would absorb the shock...oh, but that doesn't have much to do with what we want the Boundary to do.  We still need someone new for the blood contract, but perhaps you were onto something when you said you would volunteer as well."

> _

[Hello Purvis]

>"And what's wrong with my blood?"

[日巫子]

>"And what's wrong with my blood?"

> "Nothing's wrong with it," says Yukari.  "In fact, we might need a drop of it, since it's connected to the current Boundary."

> _

[Hello Purvis]

>"Okay, so why is someone else's needed?"

[日巫子]

>"Okay, so why is someone else's needed?"

> "Yours alone won't be enough.  You're already connected to the current barrier.  Any more would be...straining," Yukari says, hesitating with her last word.

> _

[Hello Purvis]

>"I suppose we should skip to the important part, then. This new barrier will be ultimately connected to me and me alone, right?"

[日巫子]

>"I suppose we should skip to the important part, then. This new barrier will be ultimately connected to me and me alone, right?"

> "And anyone who comes after.  This is why I've been telling you to find a successor, Reimu.  You're not going to be around forever," Yukari sighs.  "This spell is the prime opportunity to take someone under your wing."

> _

[Hello Purvis]

>"Not under these circumstances. But I've put thought into it, don't worry."

[日巫子]

>"Not under these circumstances. But I've put thought into it, don't worry."

> "Good, you better have," says Yukari.  "But I'm warning you right now: taking on the burden of the Boundary by yourself will be dangerous for you."

> _

[Hello Purvis]

>"I'll handle it."

[日巫子]

>"I'll handle it."

> "Confident, aren't you," Yukari says.  "Very well, just go do what you need to do and come back before night falls."

> _

[Hello Purvis]

>"I want to hear what you'll be laying to everyone, first, so I have it all together in my head."

[日巫子]

>"I want to hear what you'll be laying to everyone, first, so I have it all together in my head."

> "We're going to start sorting everyone into groups, and then we'll be handing out instructions for the spells.  I believe we have enough magicians for one to be in every group but the contract, which is fine.  I'm going to have everyone read over what they need to do and make sure they have everything they need before anyone starts anything, and then I'll be presenting blueprints for how the spell is going to be set up and where everyone needs to go," says Yukari.  "Since it's so spread out, I'm going to have Alice use her dolls as communication devices."

> _

[Hello Purvis]

>"That's good. I'll observe, though. "

[日巫子]

>"That's good. I'll observe, though. "

> "That's fine, too," says Yukari.

> _

[Hello Purvis]

>Observe!
>While at this point, we don't expect any funny business, do keep half an ear out for it. But really, the goal here is to just to have a complete picture of what's going on.

[日巫子]

>Observe!
>While at this point, we don't expect any funny business, do keep half an ear out for it. But really, the goal here is to just to have a complete picture of what's going on.

> You sit back on the stool and watch as Yukari steps forward.
> "Everyone, listen up!  I'm going to be splitting everyone into groups by element now!" she calls out, clapping her hands.  "North, stand by the lake.  East, stand next to that big oak over there.  West, go to the path by the lake.  South is at the small field between the mansion and the lake.  That corresponds to which direction you'll be going for the spell."
> You watch as Yukari and Ran start moving people around.  Patchouli, Alice, Marisa, and Byakuren are immediately split up, probably to have a magician in every group.  Koakuma, Orin, and Okuu follow Patchouli to the field right off the bat, while Marisa stands by the water with no one but Nitori for company.  Byakuren and Alice are alone on the path and at the tree, respectively, until Yukari starts finding people and redirecting them to each magician.  As chaos ensues, Chen and Sanae wander over to you, looking lost.  Keine eventually joins you as well.
> As the groups start to get sorted out, you notice that Yukari is sorting based on who she thinks is compatible with each element.  Some choices are obvious, such as putting Mokou in the south group, but others are less obvious.
> By the end, each group is as follows:

> East (wood): Alice, Miko, Seiga, Yoshika, Unzan, Ichirin, Aya, Yuyuko
> South (fire): Patchouli, Koakuma, Orin, Okuu, Mokou, Yuugi, Tojiko, Shou
> West (metal): Byakuren, Nazrin, Remilia, Suwako, Konngara, Futo, Sakuya
> North (water): Marisa, Nitori, Eirin, Murasa, Kaguya, Suika, Kasen, Mamizou

> This leaves you, Yukari, Ran, and Chen in the Center (earth) group, while Keine and Sanae are unsorted.  You think this is because you told Sanae she could go home.  As for Keine, she either got the bad luck of being the 33rd person or she is going to leave to check up on the Human Village.  You don't really suspect foul play here, but if you're sure you could bully Yukari into letting you swap people around if you wanted.

> _

[Hello Purvis]

>Seems good.
>Flag down Marisa, away from the crowd.

[日巫子]

>Seems good.
>Flag down Marisa, away from the crowd.

> You figure this is good enough, so you wave to Marisa to get her attention.  She notices, says something to her group--probably telling them to wait--and glides over to you.
> "What's up, ze?" she asks as she approaches.

> _

[Hello Purvis]

>Gesture for her to follow us, while we head toward and into the mansion.
>"As much as I hate to say it, there's someone else who should be here, don't you think?"

[日巫子]

>Gesture for her to follow us, while we head toward and into the mansion.
>"As much as I hate to say it, there's someone else who should be here, don't you think?"

> You and Marisa fly over the gate and walk to the mansion.  You're sure they could do without your and Marisa's presence for a few minutes.
> "Who are you--"  A light bulb seems to go off in Marisa's head as you walk inside.  "Ohhh."

> _

[Hello Purvis]

>"Mhm. So where did she run off to, anyways?"

[日巫子]

>"Mhm. So where did she run off to, anyways?"

> "I haven't seen her anywhere but the greenhouse, ze," says Marisa.

> _

[Hello Purvis]

>"Oh, I'm not talking about her. I'm talking about someone else you know that's been missing, for a long time now. Though...Yuka was going to be the other person I'd ask..."

[日巫子]

>"Oh, I'm not talking about her. I'm talking about someone else you know that's been missing, for a long time now. Though...Yuka was going to be the other person I'd ask..."

> "If it's not Yuuka, then...uh...oh man, I haven't been able to keep track of everyone during this incident, ze," Marisa sighs.

> _

[Hello Purvis]

>"Your old boss."