> How well does Flan see in the dark?
>Are the youkai far away enough so that we can talk to Flan normally ?
>Wait a bit more in silence.
> Smile at Flan briefly while doing so.
> Take on an equally quiet tone.
> "It is what it is. Do you have any interest in investigating their home? Or shall we continue our search?"
>"Besides, i am fairly sure they wouldn't have told us anything relevant without something to offer to them."
> Take a look back at the woods. Are they still searching around?
> "Hmm, I have an idea. I apologize if I startle you further, Young Mistress."
> "Never, Young Mistress."
> Stop time.
> Make a beeline for the same tree as before and position ourselves 'behind' it so neither youkai can see us.
> Resume time and take on a casual tone.
> "Where is Kyouko, ladies?"
> Couldn't find a position hidden from view?
> Is there a tree right behind us, at least?
> Smile and give a slight wave.
> "Yes, hello. Now, about Kyouko?"
>Straight at us ?
>Are her hands lunging towards us too ?
>Can we stop time right before she gets us and then retreat to the other tree behind us ?
>Stop time.
>Go behind tree.
>Will she slam on the tree that we will be hiding behind if she keeps going that way ?
>Wait for her to get as close as we can confidently let her while still able to stop time safely, then stop time and take shelter behind the other tree behind us from her, then resume time.
> Rather that going behind the tree, circle around her to behind her, getting into a position where we can deliver a solid kick to her lower back to help propel her forward.
> Then deliver said kick, resuming time the instant before it lands.
> How long are her sleeves?
> Is the ground dirt or rock?
> Has her dress flopped to the ground?
>What about her companion ? What is she up to ?
> How loose are the on-the-ground woman's sleeves?
> In our experience, if we shove a knife hard into the ground, how difficult is it to dislodge?
> How many knives do we have, again? (On mobile, sorry)
> How many knives do we have, again? (On mobile, sorry)
>18
> Stop time.
> Begin plunging knives hard into the ground through the grounded woman's outfit to pin her to the ground. Stick one on each side of both of her wrists, a couple of each side of her torso, and one on each side of each of her thighs.
> Forgo her sides and pin down the legs as best we can, then.
> Get one on the left side.
> Resume time.
>How far is she ?
>How fast can we recover balance ?
> Do we have any idea how visible we are to Flan?
>Instead of stopping time, can we just slow the time flow ?
>How is the other assailant coming at us ? Straight into us, on a flank maneuver or from above ?
>How are we positioned right now ?
>Does it look possible to go under her ?
>Can we draw another knife for self-defense ?
>No choice other than to attempt balance recovery and take a breath to recover air.
> Are we in better shape now, at least?
> Do we have enough air to talk?
>Can we sidestep ?
>Can we try to hit her with another kick ?
>Did Meiling teach us body throws ?
>Can we apply enough force on that attacker to send them to the ground fast enough ?
>Would it be possible to do so by grabbing her arms ?
>A risk we might have to take, we do have our own trick up our sleeve too.
>Prepare to do our counterslam and take her to the ground !
>How wide ?
>How about grabbing the nearest arm and her dress, would that make for good points to apply force ?
>Do it.
>Did she fully break free ?
> Are we in stinger range?
> Step back away from the stinger.
> Take on just a touch of concern in our tone.
> "Please, ladies, stop this!"
> "I will defend myself, but I wish you no harm."
> Glance toward Flan.
> "Ah, Young Mistress, I am over here."
> Look to the green youkai.
> "Can we talk peacefully?"
> "We only wish to know where Kyouko is. We will leave peacefully after that."
>"Tengu ? At the peak of the mountain ?"
> Shrug.
> "Anywhere else on the mountain. I do not tend to have business with them."
> Nod.
> "Very well. Thank you for the information."
> Glance back at the tailed youkai.
> "I will retrieve my knives now. Can I trust this will be done peaceably?"
> "I am sorry it came to this, for what it is worth."
> Make our way over to Fatima, keeping an eye on the tail.
> "My apologies, I did not mean to patronize. I simply have no desire to be eaten."
> Once we've retrieved all of our knives, back off out of range of that tail.
> "Perhaps I can make this up to you two somehow?"
> Beat.
> "Besides the obvious, I mean."
> Sigh.
> "Very well. Have a pleasant day. Let us depart, Young Mistress."
> Follow!
> "I was not attempting to getting caught, but they had spread too far out for me to hide properly for any longer. I did not suffer any injuries, though."
> "Perhaps this will teach them a lesson about mindlessly pursuing humans, then. As much as I do feel a bit sympathetic to their plight."
> Small grin.
> "For their sake, it is probably best you did not need to."
>"And i also imagined an lesson coming from an individual of the species that they hunt would have been much more effective."
>"It's possible that the youkai that also live on that village were the ones that taught them that, so it might not have been as effective as this one."
> "Do you think we should ask Kyouko about them? I really do not to want to bother them, but I am rather curious as to why they reacted so."
> "All right."
> Continue onward.
> To the mountain peak
>Investigate carefully.
> Land in front of the building.
>"I have no affiliation to that person or any of her subordinates, so no, the name is Sakuya Izayoi, former chief maid of the Scarlet Devil Mansion, pleased to meet you."
>Courtesies.
>"May i have your name Miss ?"
>"We are looking for another monk named Kyouko, an friend of the Young Mistress'."
>"It is a complicated matter, but basically it's to sign an document to aid in the improvement of a relationship between two factions, it would be easier to explain and authenticate our motives if she were to join us please."
> "Oh. How long does this normally take? I am willing to wait."
>What time is it ?
>"Well the watch would have come handy now..."
>Turn to Flan.
>"Are you willing to wait it out Young Mistress ?"
>"Hm... well have you ever interrupted someone's meditation Flandre ?"
> "Ah, true. Hmm...would you happen to have anything on hand to show your status in the Hijiri Temple? Beyond your habit, of course."
> Frown a bit.
> Look back to the tengu.
> "How much do you know of Kyouko's fellow sisters of the Hijiri Temple?"
> Pull out the Sworn Statement.
> "Did those stories contain names?"
> "It will only really make sense if you have been of the Hijiri Temple since it was the Myouren Temple, such as Shou, Ichirin, and Nazrin to a lesser extent, or if you are one of Lady Toyosatomimi's friends, such as Futo and Tojiko."
> "Are those at least names you are familiar with from Kyouko's talk of her Temple?"
> "Futo and Tojiko are less likely than the others to have been mentioned, yes. They practice Taoism, and the two factions have not always been on amicable terms."
> "Regardless, I am here to see if she would be willing to add her signature to those of her friends."
> Exchange glances with Flan.
> Look back at the house and wait.
> Which balcony is this?
>"I did not hear any warnings about that."
>Shrug.
> "I suppose we could, then."
> Land on the balcony as well.
> "Ah, thank you."
> Curtsey.
> "Greetings, Miss Kyouko. I am Sakuya Izayoi, chief maid of the former Scarlet Devil Mansion. You may remember seeing me coming and going on occasion, back many years ago when your Temple cared for Rinnosuke Morichika."
>Do we know anything special about Kyouko ? Something that's not her appearance, but more about her behavior back in the day.
> "It was almost a thousand years ago."
>"Well... some special events happened that allowed me to achieve that."
> Pull out and hand over the Sworn Statement.
> "I have secured a way back to my time, and I intend to bring this back with me, to show to your past selves."
> Pull out and offer our writing utensils.
> "Indeed. I will take whatever time is necessary, but I do not really wish to linger much longer than I already have."
>"I'm glad to hear so, although we did run into a pair of not-so-friendly youkai on our way here..."
>Do we still recall those youkai's names ?
>"Some couple named Fatima and Hitarashi ?"
>"To be honest, i don't see how they would mean well by assaulting none threating looking travelers."
>"Well, the more things change, the more things stay the same."
>"I suppose... although i had to teach them that not all humans that come around are a pushover..."
>"Well it surely didn't seem like it... but i will take your word."
>"Mmmmm.... if i may, would you mind telling me what kind of youkai are they ?"
> Have we heard of these youkai types before?
> Frown in thought.
> "They seem to have much pride. They mentioned not wanting anything to do with you, but you have only spoken kindly of them. They seemed especially offended by what they viewed as patronizing, too."
> Shrug.
> "I did not think I was being patronizing. But that is not how they took it."
> "I suppose that is true. I still do not know why they reacted that way to Kyouko's name, though."
> "Ah, I see."
> "Shameimaru, Himekaidou, or independent?"
> Chuckle.
> "Perhaps I will put in a good word with Aya the next time I see her in my time."
> "Why is she mad about that? She is aware of what she has herself collected over the years, yes?"
> "Ah, I see. I hope you two were otherwise unharmed?"
>"Well, i suppose that's their punishment for thiefing."
> Chuckle again.
> "How long have you two been around, anyway? Perhaps I will meet you past selves."
> "Ah, okay. That is, unfortunately, much later than my time."
> "Perhaps your ancestors?"
> Frown a bit.
> "...No, telling them about you may do more harm than good..."
> "I meant that it may do the two of you harm. You are welcome to join us out here, by the way."
> "You as well, Miss Aka."
> "Truly, I do not mind. To be honest, I am interested in hearing your stories as well, if you have any to offer."
> "Anything about yourselves you would like to share, I mean. Ah."
> Look to Kyouko.
> "If it is not too much trouble, I mean. I realize we interrupted your meditation, after all."
>"Disguises ?"
> "Ah, wonderful, I had been hoping for such. I had heard Haihan intended to invade Tsunkeido today. Has that actually begun?"
>"Drilling ? Drilling what ?"
> "Ah, okay. Hmm...what can you two tell me about Juza Takusan?"
> Adopt a small grin.
> "Do you happen to know where she is right now?"
> "Mmm. Let's say she was defeated there yesterday, a handful of minutes' flight away from Old Hometown, and was making her way back here to report her defeat. How far along do you suppose she would be now?"
> "Unfortunate. I was hoping against hope that I would have been able to intercept her again and re-state my offer to bring her back to my time with me."
> "Why would I not make that offer to someone that matches the description of her that you two provided? I would be remiss to not at least make a token attempt to bring someone of that level of power and talent into my home as an ally, particularly if I am unsure as to the strength of her loyalty to her current mistress."
> Nod.
> "I have come to learn these things about her since, yes. I had honestly never really expected her to take the offer, but at the time, I figured it possible that her loyalties were more borne out of fear of the repercussions of failure than anything else. I know now that this is exceedingly unlikely."
> "How unfortunate, given her ambitions. Ah well, I imagine the Hakurei Shrine will quash any invasion attempts before they do any meaningful damage."
> "Regardless, what about the two of you? May I ask which families you come from within tengu society?"
>"There is also one other person that i would like to ask about, and that would be the daimyo's right hand and closest advisor if i recall correctly."
> Do we know either of those names?
> "I will see if I can find these families when I return to my time, then, and perhaps strike up proper acquaintanceship between them and our house, depending on how insular everyone involved does or does not feel."
> Mental notes: Hanayama, Nyoigataki, Tsukiyo.
> "Tengu society in general is very insular in my time. If I tried to explain the two of you living here, or the existence of Apex in general, I would be met with large amounts of skepticism."
>"There is also one other person that i would like to ask about, and that would be the daimyo's right hand and closest advisor if i recall correctly."
> Pull out the Fairy Pass (Invalid).
> "I am hoping I have enough evidence on my person to convince at least some tengu that my tales are genuine, between this and a private note Miss Shameimaru herself has given me. It is my understanding that Miss Hanayama here has been kicking around since the days of Sanae Kochiya's humanity."
>"There is also one other person that i would like to ask about, and that would be the daimyo's right hand and closest advisor if i recall correctly."
> What did Aya tell us about her already?
>"Anything that may be helpful to understand how they think, how did she get to that position and her persona."
>Do we recall her species ?
>"So she has paper familiars all over the place huh... i suppose i will need to keep an eye for those, is she an human from what i assume or another species ?"
>"The general ?"
>Did we hear about said person ?
> Do we recall seeing any such paper?
>"Would you mind talking more about her ?"
>"How the general acts, if a invasion is going to happen soon then we should look to know how their commander thinks."
> Do we know of a Tojiko no Iratsume from history studies?
> "Interesting. How long as the Teru line been around, then?"
> "Hmm. Stopping such ambition preemptively may be difficult, then."
> "The name is not familar, no. Regrettably, I fear I must allow history to play that one out."
> "That is true, I suppose."
>"Well... i suppose... but in the meanwhile i do not have any plans for dealing with the daimyo unless she strikes."
> "That task is better served for a full-time incident solver, I feel, rather than a retired part-timer such as myself."
> "To be honest, once this conversation had ended, I had intended to return to Lady Yasaka's flying chariot and its operator."
>Nod.
>"I was allowed usage of it for traveling across this vastly bigger Gensokyo."
> "Well, it is not every day that a time traveler shows up from a thousand years in the past."
> "Anyway, are there any messages either of you would like to send to your ancestors? I would not recommend anything that risks you never coming to be, of course."
> Give a bit of a good-natured smile.
> "It is admittedly a tricky affair. Not everyone I have asked has had an answer prepared. If you cannot think of anything, there is no shame in that."
> "That is certainly fair. Perhaps I will simply tell them that they can be proud of their descendants."
> "I could tell them to be ashamed of their descendants instead, if you prefer."
> Chuckle as well.
> "Would you mind telling me the names of your parents? Perhaps I will be able to find them."
> "I would not name names, certainly. However, if you think telling them that they will have descendants at all is not a good idea, then I will not do so."
> "Very well."
> "Of course."
> "Certainly."
> Give Aka a curious look.
> Chuckle.
> "You are truly students of Shameimaru."
>"Hmm... although i do not understand one thing, you aaid these clothes were from the daimyo herself correct ?"
>"And there was nobody to guard the spot ?"
>Would we have ever accepted leaving laundry unwatched like that ?
>"Hm, quite lacking in security then."
> "That or you two have Shameimaru's stealth talents as well. Or possibly both."
>Would our maids suffer from that same issue back then ?
> "Good on you, regardless."
> "You're quite welcome."
> Take the letter.
> "I trust you are not encouraging yourself to cause large amounts of mischief."
> "All right. I will see that it is delivered."
> "Now, as charming as this discussion has been, I fear I must return to the flying chariot, unless anyone wishes to pass on any last messages."
> "To me, to be delivered to the past. Unless you have something urgent for the present day that does not require me to go too far out of my way."
> "Ah. Well, my current planned next stop is Apex, for what that is worth."
> "I'm not terribly concerned, as long as they're not a physical hassle, I suppose."
> "My apologies. There is only so much room in that chariot with three people."
> "Very well. I wish the three of you the best in your future endeavors."
> Give a small grin.
> "And make sure to give Teru what-for as only Shameimaru's students can."
> Chuckle.
> "Farewell, all of you. Let us return home, Young Mistress."
> Take flight and head back to where the chariot is.
>Investigate.
>Carefully approach along the stone path from the air.
>Keep carefully approach and land near Mitsu if nothing bad happens.
>"Mitsu, what's going on ?"
> Make sure that question is asked casually, with appropriate casual behavior.
> "Are these friends of yours?"
> "Ah, yes, that would be me."
> Curtsey.
> "Sakuya Izayoi, at your service."
> Nod.
> "We came here to visit another monk, who originally hails from the same Temple as Miss Scarlet."
> "I hope that is not a problem? I am not actually from the area, so if I have violated some regulation with this visit, I apologize."
>"We did, since that's where the other monk was living at, is something wrong about that ?"
>"We did, since that's where the other monk was living at, is something wrong about that ?"
> Don't say this, it's toned confrontationally and gives more information than is immediately necessary.
> Instead:
> Nod.
> "That is correct."
> "It was my understanding that Funsai Mountain is where the monk in question lives."
> Do we still have the letter Kanako gave us to give to Mitsu that allowed us permission to use the chariot?
> "Lady Kanako Yasaka gave her permission for me to use this chariot. And I did receive a couple of warnings about how the mountain is cursed, but as I was told that the monk in question resided there, traveling there was necessary."
>Nod.
>"That is correct Miss Iratsumi."
>Is she armed ?
>How are the guards reacting ?
> Glance our eyes to the tetsubo for a second, then look back at Iratsume properly.
> "I have a letter from Lady Yasaka herself, addressed to this kappa, regarding my use of this chariot. With your permission, I can show it to you."
>Take the letter from our inventory and show it to the general.
> Do we recall if the letter had an official seal on it, or if it was notarized, or if it has an official header/footer/signature?
> "If you believe the header and stamp are forged, then I am not sure what else to tell you."
> What information is contained within the header?
> "The official information at the top of the letter."
> "Indeed."
>"We were planning to leave this region in the flying chariot presently. We have no intention to cause trouble in the Daimyo's realm and apologise for any custom we have unknowingly breached."
>Look at Flan.
>"We were planning to leave this region in the flying chariot presently. We have no intention to cause trouble in the Daimyo's realm and apologise for any custom we have unknowingly breached."
> Hold up on this.
> Look back to Iratsume.
> "We had an amicable conversation wherein the purpose for our visit was addressed. It concluded, so we returned here."
> "Well, it was unrelated and unintentional, but I had a minor dustup with an uwabami and a manticore that seemed intent on eating me. Their pride aside, however, no one was injured."
> Frown a bit.
> "My apologies, I had not brought that up previously because it was not part of my purpose for traveling here. If you are looking for absolutely everything, then I suppose I should mention that I first stopped at a tavern at a nearby town to ask directions, where I also had a meal. The woman whom I presume was the proprietress there pointed me toward the local shrine maiden, who then pointed me toward the mountain. The encounter with the uwabami and the manticore happened on the mountain, and was an unexpected result of my asking them where our monk friend lived."
> Nod.
> "I don't know how long she has been there, but she is there now, yes. Also, for what it is worth regarding the tea house, I ordered meat buns and herbal tea, and Miss Scarlet ordered green tea."
> "Her name is Kyouko Kasodani, and she is a yamabiko of the Hijiri Temple. I must confess that we were only really passing acquaintances before today, so I do not really know all that much about her."
> How are we feeling on energy for stepping out of time?
> "She is more than a casual acquaintance with Miss Scarlet, however, as the two hail from the same Temple."
>"They haven't seen each other in a while, so it was a nice visit to do."
> "Our visit itself was mostly social and not really urgent per se, we are simply not too terribly afraid of curses. That, and it would not do to impose on Lady Yasaka for too much longer than is necessary, but we were already traveling around in the chariot, and such an opportunity is rare for Miss Scarlet."
>"I also have my own set of personal tasks to accomplish, for which she granted me use of it to travel around Gensokyo."
> Give a slight bemused smile.
> "To tell you the truth, I'm not 100% sure myself. It seemed a bit overkill to me, but I was not about to refuse the offer."
> "Anyway, one of Lady Yasaka's fellow Diet members, Sir Ector was with her when I first encountered them, and I offered to deliver a message from him to his son, whom I had just discovered was in True Glorian, an apparently-recent addition to Gensokyo, far to the southwest of the main Hakurei Shrine. The flight is fairly long, but hardly impossible. I suppose they lent me the chariot in order to expedite the trip, though. Perhaps that, and a combination of doing me a social favor when I had mentioned I had never been to such far-off places as Haihan, Enkyo, or Tsunkeido. While I am not aware if they were ever close allies, Lady Yasaka has known the Scarlet family for quite some time, so it is not impossible that she looks favorably upon me."
> "As I said, it appears to be a relatively recent addition to Gensokyo. The land and people appear to be Avalonian in origin. Everyone I encountered spoke our language reasonably well, though for all but Sir Ector's son, it was clearly not their first."
> Shrug slightly.
> "I can only tell you what I have experienced. I have some of their currency, if seeing it would satisfy you."
> Pull out the sack of currency Sir Kay gave us and hold it open so Iratsume can easily see inside.
> "I certainly hope it is, or Sir Ector's son and I are going to have a few words."
> "I don't believe so. Sir Kay, that's Sir Ector's son, gave this to me in exchange for another message delivery, but I imagine the details of such do not really interest you. There was more, but I have spent a bit in my travels since."
> Frown a bit.
> "I suppose if you wish to think of it that way, yes. At the very least, though, if Lady Yasaka did not want me using her flying cart to come here, I imagine she would have said so. I did express curiosity and interest in visiting this and other far-off lands in her presence."
>Wait paciently.
> "...If I may, is it possible to contact Lady Yasaka remotely?"
> "Ah, I must confess I am not the most religious person. Would it be possible to do that to get confirmation that I have Lady Yasaka's permission to ride in this flying cart? All the way to Haihan, specifically, if possible."
> "Would there be consequences worse than your attempts simply not working?"
> Frown a bit.
> "...Honestly, in that case, it may be quicker and easier for someone to fly back to Apex in the cart and ask her directly."
> Look toward Iratsume.
> "With approval, of course."
> Frown deeper.
> "Your subordinate has not yet returned from the tea house, for one."
> Does that tetsubo look like something we could reasonably wield?
> "What compensation will we recieve for being detained when we are shown to be telling the truth?"
>"Are you the leader of the guard of this village if i may ask ?"
> Based on our current time-stepping energy levels, do we think we could run around and retrieve all of the currently-equipped halberds from Iratsume's entourage, returning to our current location once this is done, all within a single stepping out of time?
> How many of them do we think we could get, then?
> How close is the collection of guards?
> What kind of neck coverage does the guards' armor offer, assuming it's the same set for all of them?
> Does a danmaku knife to the neck usually do enough damage to fell a person immediately?
> How many knives do we have?
> How comprehensive is Iratsume's armor?
> How well-versed are we at speaking, stepping out of time while speaking, and then later stepping back into time and continuing where we left off?
>They are 10 in total correct ?
>They are 10 in total correct ?
>"And where will we be taken to if we surrender peacefully ?"
>Make sure to stop time in case any agressive move is done against us.
> How is Iratsume's weapon secured to her back?
> How are the helmets secured to their heads?
>Did we ever reveal our knives to her ?
>We didn't bring any spellcards with us have we ?
> How secure is that chin strap? Could it be untied reasonably quickly? Or, perhaps, simply slipped off of Iratsume's head?
>What about cutting the strap ?
> Would her horns block shipping it off frontward?
> Do we have anything in our hands?
> Sigh.
> "Very well, if that is what you insist upon."
> Step out of time.
> Dash up to Iratsume, pulling out a knife.
> Use the knife to cut her helmet strap, then use our free hand to grab it and pull it up and off of her head.
> What is the helmet made of?
> Swing the helmet around and toward the side of Iratsume's head so that the top (preferably the crown) of the helmet is being swung at the side of her head, but let go so it freezes in time right before it hits her in the head.
> Danmaku-throw the knife we're holding at Iratsume's right eye so that it stops right before hitting her in the eye.
> Pull out another knife and danmaku-throw it at Iratsume's left eye so that it stops right before hitting her in that eye.
> Leave the helmet handing in mid-air above her head, then, rather than grabbing it and throwing it.
> Step back as necessary and do the two danmaku-knife-tosses as described before, though.
> Mostly vertical lines that slope a little bit inward (so the one on our right slopes down and to our left and the one on our left slopes down and to our right)
> Step back to where we were in the same pose we were in before, and step back into time.
> Assuming the knives make contact, be sure to look appropriately shocked, as if we had no idea what's going on.
> Are they using their swords, their hands, or something else?
> Are they pursuing us, or staying where they are?
> Where is the jet relative to us?
> How dense are the fans?
> Is there anything coming right at us?
> How much of it is going up?
> Where is the closest soldier?
> Fire a horizonal line of arrowheads, centered at the third soldier from our right. Make it waist-high.
> Did Iratsume actually get a grip on her club?
> Is Iratsume at risk of friendly fire?
> Is there a clear path between Iratsume and ourselves?
> Don't take that moment just yet. We need to free-action-check some stuff first.
> Given Iratsume is behind the fans, does that mean she is behind her soldiers as well?
> Whatever the answer to the previous question, how far is Iratsume from us?
> Are there bullets in the air up above the straight-line path between Iratsume and ourselves?
> Step out of time again.
> Take a quick moment to judge the bullet density between us and Iratsume. If it looks navigable without losing too much speed, run through it up to and behind Iratsume. If it does not look navigable without losing too much speed, then fly up and over the spread toward Iratsume, getting behind her that way instead.
> Whichever way we head toward Iratsume, take whatever fraction of a moment is necessary to check if her hand has closed around her club.
> Do we know how long we have before the laser sweeps?
> Did we actually run up to Iratsume or no?
> Given the wave of dizziness we just felt, do we think we could run over to Iratsume before hurting ourselves?
> Are we a faster runner or flier?
> Get a running start, weaving around whatever bullets we come across, and then jump and take to the air, heading toward Iratsume. Prepare a flying heel kick along the way.
> If we do not get any dizzier from these efforts, aim the flying kick for Iratsume's nose. Kick our leg out once we get in proper range, and resume time right before it connects.
> How high up would we need to go to avoid that giant laser?
> Nothing for it, then. Step back into time and head straight upwards.
> So above us is now safe to fly into?
> How is immediately in front of us looking?
> How are our sides looking?
> Can we tell if anything is coming directly for us?
> Do we know how long Flan has to wait between those sweeps?
> "Understood, Young Mistress!"
> While speaking, glance back at Flan to check both on her and the bullet spray behind us (to make sure we're not about to get hit in the back).
> If everything behind us seems okay, return our focus to what is in front of us.
> There is still nothing coming directly at us, yes?
> Where are the two soldiers that are 'not in good condition' from being lasered?
> Are they in the company of other soldiers?
> Are there bullets between us and them?
> Are Flan's leftover bullets thick enough that getting around them to the two injured guards would be a hassle? Or are they reasonably simply to dodge in our current physical state?
> Fly toward the two injured guards, then, firing horizontal waves of round bullets at them. In terms of speed, prioritize being able to dodge Flan's bullets over getting there as fast as possible.
> Cease fire.
> Head upward while focusing on Iratsume and the remaining soldiers.
> So all the soldiers are down now?
> If so, check over to where Mitsu and the shrine maiden were to make sure they're okay.
> Is the jet taking any damage?
> Fly around the battlefield, giving it a sufficiently wide berth as to avoid stray bullets, and toward Mitsu.
> Grin.
> Watch the battle.
> "The best the Scarlet Devil Mansion had, even when she had less control than she does now. Did the shrine maiden head inside?"
> Look up above to make sure Flan is okay. (If we can't see around the building, maneuver so we can.)
> Keep watching while still speaking to Mitsu.
> "My apologies that this has befallen the two of you."
>"That cow youkai woman right there is the general of Haihan's troops."
> "It would seem so. They certainly wouldn't the only ones we have encountered today that were. Regardless, the Young Mistress wishes to take care of this by herself, and unless Miss Otari is several levels higher than Miss Takusan on the combat scale, I imagine she will do so. If you would not mind, please tend to the shrine maiden to help calm her down while I keep watch."
>One can modify their spellcards if they wish correct ?
> Where'd Flan's umbrella wind up?
> "If I can still watch the battle from wherever we go, then that would be fine."
> "All right."
> Head toward the shrine maiden's voice.
> Have a seat ourselves.
> Nothing we can do but wait this out. Let the spellcard battle proceed onward until a winner is decided or either Mitsu or the shrine maiden prompts us for conversation.
>Can we determine the soldier's species ?
> If Flandre is somehow defeated, would it be proper form for us to surrender as well, or would we be allowed to have a go at Iratsume?
> Given the soldier a small, casual smile and beckon her over to us.
>"Surrendering would interfere on the affairs i must do, and they are very important ones, i can't just let myself be taken prisoner because i cannot satisfy the demands of someone that isn't even of this village."
> Gesture to somewhere on the porch where the soldier could reasonably sit down.
> "In the interest of fairness, however, I would have no objections if you wished to join her in a hypothetical battle against me."
> Resume watching the fight.
> "Truth be told, I did consider surrendering, since I knew ourselves to be innocent. But I couldn't trust that I would not have my possessions confiscated."
> Give Yuki a small grin.
> "And, well, honestly, I'm still a little miffed over having to thwart Miss Takusan's attempts to loot my property."
> Nod.
> "Charming woman, in her own little soldiery way. I can see where she gets such a nickname, as well. I must confess that I tried to pry her away from Haihan, but she was having none of it. I imagine she's no more than a day away from returning here to report her failure."
>"I ran into her during my own affairs, hence we had an confrontation, although she was an good opponent, i succeeded in the end."
> "It is a little story in and of itself. I assume you verified my story at the tea house? The fact is that almost all of my entire story was indeed true. Only my reasons for being allowed access to the flying chariot were fabricated, and then one because the truth would have been far more outlandish."
> "As you wish."
>"I apologize for the inconvenience Miss..."
> "...Yuki, was it?"
>"I have my own share of experience as an retired incident solver, so that gave me an advantage."
> "I have solved a few incidents in my time, if you can believe it. I needed to pull from my personal bag of tricks more than I would have liked, though."
> "Indeed."
>Glance at the ongoing battle, how are they faring ?
>"I suppose your general was not expecting the Young Mistress to prove to be such an opponent."
>"Yet is it true ?"
>"Hm... then why have you come ?"
> "Ah, that is true."
> "Hopefully that will not be too much of a problem for you personally."
> "I was thinking more what will happen after you all return home. But I suppose that is all true."
> "True, true."
>"Well i do not completely blame Juza though, her task was a very tough one from what i could tell."
>Nod too and return to the battle watching.
> Put a stoic look on.
> Stand up and walk out toward Flan.
> Bow to Flandre.
> "Of course, Young Mistress. Please forgive my impertinence. Please also forgive my inability to properly prove us to be innocent and forcing your involvement so."
> Glance over to Iratsume. If she is still conscious, say the below.
> "I suppose. It certainly did not help that the real reason I have access to this jet is far more outrageous than what was stated."
> Look back to Flan.
> "I believe we are done here, unless you wish to rest for a bit."
> Look back to Yuki.
> "Unless you need our assistance with something quick? It is the least I can do, I believe."
>"I apologize, but we have no time to wait for you to bring more people to stop us."
>"I apologize, but we have no time to wait for you to bring more people to stop us."
>Look towards Flan.
>"Shall we depart Young Mistress ?"
> Don't say this.
> Get ourselves back into our seat in the chariot.
> How close was this chariot able to bring us to the entrance to the Netherworld?
> "I think Apex is our best option. Seiga aside, Lady Yasaka should be told about what has happened here."
> "Ah, whatever you just did feels much better."
> "Distractions aside, we accomplished what we came to Enkyo and Haihan to do, yes."
> "Perhaps we should not disappoint them, then."
>"If I haven't misunderstood the situation, I would be surprised if Lady Yasaka appreciated a general being sent as a welcoming party for what was assumed to be Sachiko."
>"Given that, it might provoke a response."
> "Or at least a simple visit from Sachiko."
> "I will suggest the idea to Lady Yasaka, at least, and let her make that decision."
> "Though I admit I hope they will not require this cart immediately, as I would rather not be forced out of it before returning to the Netherworld or your home."
> "Here's hoping."
> Wait out the remainder of the ride, unless Mitsu or Flan prompts us with further conversation.
> "Excellent. Out you go, Young Mistress."
> Exit the chariot once Flan has done so as well.
> Oh. Well then.
> Delicately rub our nose a bit and exit the chariot.
> Look to Mitsu.
> "Will you remain here, or do you wish to report to Lady Yasaka yourself?"
> "All right."
> Look to Flan.
> "Lead us head upward, then, Young Mistress."
> Follow (in the air as well)!
> Take an audible breath and brace ourselves for the noise and chaos.
> Cross over the threshold into Apex.
> Do we remember how to get to Apex from here? We did it once...
> Whoops, not Apex, the Diet building.
> Head toward where we think it is, then.
> "This is rather morbid, but I am partly thankful that I will never need to get used to this."
> Head to and enter the Diet building proper.
> "It is simply not something I am used to. Perhaps I would grow accustomed given enough time."
> Is there anywhere that looks like a place for visitors to check in?
> Where did we meet Kanako the first time?
> Head to the kappa pair we spotted.
> Take out the official letter from Kanako regarding our use of the jet.
> "Good day. I am here to report a minor incident in Haihan that Lady Yasaka may wish to know about."
> Frown a bit.
> "I have her flying chariot. Does that count?"
> Sigh.
> "Very well. Where may I find Sachiko Kochiya?"
> "Very well. My apologies for disturbing you."
> "Is that something I need to do to see Miss Sachiko?"
> "Not if it requires an appointment. Speaking with Miss Sachiko should be fine."
> "How long would that take?"
> "All right, yes, I would like to do that, please."
>"Mine is Sakuya Izayoi."
>Nod.
>"Thank you."
>Do we know where the North Wing is ?
>Do we know which direction is the North from where we are standing ?
> Smile.
> "Thank you very much. Have a pleasant day."
> Head north into what seems like it is probably the 'North Wing'.
> Knock.
> Enter!
>Nod.
>"That is correct, it is a pleasure to meet you."
>"Thank you."
>"Oh, and her name is Flandre Scarlet. My companion, I mean."
>Enter.
>"may i ?"
>"Indeed Lady Yasaka, and it has to do with Haihan, may i ?"
> Leave off this, she already agreed to hear us out and this will just waste her time.
> "We had a scuffle with General Iratsume Otari, who wished to arrest us on the grounds that our using your flying chariot was suspicious. Our guess, from the conversation, is that she and her soldiers were expecting Miss Sachiko, potentially due to their alleged invasion plans."
>Nod.
>"It would appear so, i was fortunate to have the Young Mistress by my side, she personally defeated the General."
>The tengu duo said that the invasion was going to be delayed correct ?
>If so: "It seems however that their move is being delayed, i met an pair of reporters that told me that their troops were still making preparations."
> "Regardless, I apologize that this conflict happened at all, as I do not know if Haihan will take it as aggression in your name or with your blessing."
>"Neither can i say if this will make them delay their plans further or speed them up."
> "Very well. In that case, regarding the use of the flying chariot, would you prefer a donation now, or in the past?"
> Nod with a bit of a grin.
> "My apologies. Where shall I do so?"
>"Despite my atheism, it would be rude of me to take something of your ownership without repayment."
>"Despite my atheism, it would be rude of me to take something of your ownership without repayment."
>Don't say this.
>Are we truly an atheist ?
>"Ah, forgive my rudeness... I'm simply unsure how to go about it in this day and age. Perhaps I should stop by the Moriya Shrine on my way back."
> "Quite well. I actually have everything I need at this point; I am merely wrapping up a couple of loose ends before returning home."
> Frown in thought.
> "Actually, in that regard, would your staff know how to find someone in Apex by name alone?"
> "Ah, excellent. Would the kappa at the desk do that for me?"
> "That would be the first youkai in the other room?"
> "I will do so, then, and stop taking up your time."
> Curtsy.
> "Thank you, and you as well, Lady Yasaka, Lady Oduduwa."
> Head back out to the fox youkai
> "Thank you for your assistance, Miss. I do have one last request before I leave, however. Would you be able to tell me where one Seiga Kaku lives here in Apex?"
> "It would be appreciated."
> Follow!
>Nod.
>"Indeed."
> Frown a bit ourselves.
> "That...was my understanding, yes."
> Look to Flan.
> "Unless she goes by something different now?"
> "Yes."
> Blink.
> "Oh, I suppose it is possible you would not have any information on where she lives, as she is a hermit."
> "...I suppose either is possible..."
> Nod.
> "Very well. Thank you for looking."
> "No worries, it is not a problem. I apologize for wasting your time."
> "Do you think Nue would know?"
> "That would be fine as well."
> "We can try Shou first."
> "I do not believe so."
> "As you as well!"
> Head back out of the Diet building.
> Do we remember how to get back to where Shou is?
> "Young Mistress, will you lead the way? I only generically remember where to go..."
> Wave.
> "Greetings again."
> Head over.
> "Progress has been very good, actually. I do not plan on being here for too much longer. But I need your assistances in finding Seiga, if either of you are able."
> "Oh, nothing. But I would like to try to add her signature to that statement from yesterday."
> "I am not surprised, the Diet building office had no information on her. But I have a little bit of time."
> "Ah. Well, if she is uninterested, that is fine. But I would like to at least try, if possible."
> "Such seems to be the ways of a hermit to me, at least, though I imagine you would know much better than I would. To be honest, I consider myself very lucky that I have located both you and Miss Mononobe."
> Allow this line of conversation to continue uninterrupted.
> Give Flandre a questioning look, then return to watching the conversation.
> "Please forgive my interruption. But hopefully at least one of you knows where Seiga may be?"
> "So this fu xi would be our best bet?"
> "Seiga or the fu xi?"
> What part of Apex are we in now?
> Nod.
> "Understood. Thank you for this information."
> Do we know who or what a fu xi is?
> "I assume both of you will be staying here?"
> Nod.
> "And, ah...I am afraid I am not familiar with xi fu in general."
> Nod.
> "And, ah...I am afraid I am not familiar with xi fu in general."
>Say it Fu xi.
> "I see. Here is hoping Haihan is put down before that comes to pass, I suppose."
> Do we actually know what Seiga looks like?
> Watch the conversation with an amused expression.
> Smile a little wider.
> Continue watching, this is not our place to interrupt.
> Chuckle.
> "Are you ready to head back out, Young Mistress?"
> "I cannot think of anything else."
> "Thank you both again."
> Head southwest.
> "Ask the bakery for any information they may have."
> "Oh. I figured you might know..."
> "...Well, I suppose we can ask around."
> Continue heading southwest.
> Is this area still reasonably busy?
> Are there cross roads in this area?
> Do any pedestrians look not-busy?
> Who are they?
> Walk up to the nekomata.
> "Pardon me, but would you happen to know to get to Kottos Breads from here?"
>Do we ? Inventory.
> Did Shuuei/Spectre happen to mention of the jewelry shop she once worked at in Old Hometown was still open?
> Frown a bid sadly.
> "Ah, I'm afraid not. The closest thing I would know is that there was a jeweler's shop in Old Hometown, some time ago. Perhaps it is still there?"
> How much of the Avalonian currency do we have?
> Is the Avalonian currency gold, or at least golden?
> "Now that, I may have. Perhaps I could spare a little, if you could guide me to Kottos Breads."
> Pull out a shilling, keeping it close to ourselves and NOT offering it to the dog, but still allowing her to see it.
> "If you guide me to Kottos Breads, then I will give you some gold."
> Shrug.
> "It is some place in southwest Apex. Unfortunately, that is all that I know. Neither of us are very familiar with the layout of Apex."
> "Well. Take me to the bakery I named, and I will be glad to give you several of these."
> "Excellent. Please, lead the way."
> Follow!
> "Kottos Breads."
> Follow more!
> Look around. Does anything look like a bakery?
> "Hmm, no sign yet..."
> Step out of time.
> Look behind us, checking for either the bakery or anything suspicious.
> Look forward, resuming our previous position.
> Step back into time.
> Adopt a skeptical look.
> "Behind me? The only thing of interest behind me is that robed youkai with the headdress."
> "...Huh."
> Watch with curiosity.
> Inventory, to make sure we weren't picked again
> "Everything seems in order...perhaps we should simply ask at that market."
> Head to the Crow Mart. If there are windows in the door, look through to see if we can find that dog. Otherwise, simply enter.
> Enter the store.
> Look to the tengu.
> "Ah, pardon me, Miss. May I assume she was asking you about Kottos Breads?"
> "You should stop hiding and do as the lady says, young Miss."
> "Ah, my apologies. May I assume she asked you about Kottos Breads?"
> What do we know about kobolds?
> "I am looking for it myself, and had sort of enlisted her as something of a guide. I am sorry that this ended in chaos within your store."
> "Would you happen to know where it is, then? I must admit that neither my companion nor myself are familiar with much of Apex."
> Nod.
> "In which direction?"
> "Thank you very much. And, again, my apologies for the intrusion."
>How many Crow Marts have we seen up until now ?
> "Have a pleasant rest of your day, then."
> Look over to the kobold and beckon.
> "Come along now, young miss. We should not bother the nice lady any longer."
> Exit the shop, making a note of whether or not the kobold follows us.
> "Well, shall we continue?"
> Is it in the direction the tengu indicated?
> Head in the direction the tengu indicated, but at a reasonable walking pace.
> Are we actually just going down the street from the Crow Mart? Or are we meandering through alleys?
> Continue following, keeping an eye out for anything that looks like a bakery.
> Give a small smile.
> "Ah, so you did. Thank you very much."
> Shake our head.
> "I'm afraid not."
>"Only that gold i showed you, why do you ask for that if i may know ?"
> "Ah. Well, unfortunately, I do not."
> Pull out 3 shillings and show them off.
> "Certainly, for services rendered."
> Hand them over.
> "You're welcome!"
> Enter Kottos Breads.
> Do we recognize the jiangshi?
> Are we aware of any connections between Seiga and jiangshi?
> Make our way over to the jiangshi.
> Does her look match what we've heard about Seiga?
> "Pardon me, Miss Kaku?"
>"I was active in the same era as you, but I don't believe we ever met."
>"Ah, forgive me. I am Sakuya Izayoi, head maid of the Scarlet Devil Mansion and a visitor from approximately a millenium past. I would not find it very surprising if you have no memory of me."
>"I apologise for interrupting your meal but I have a small matter that I wish to speak to you about."
> Give a small wave to the jiangshi.
> "Hello."
> Nod.
> "I will keep this in mind. Thank you."
> Look back to Seiga.
> "Anyway, it is certainly possible our paths never crossed, but Lady Toyosatomimi was an honored guest of the Mistress, and it is my understanding that you are one of her companions."
> "Ah, I refer to Mistress Remilia Scarlet of the previously-mentioned Scarlet Devil Mansion. Our house has admittedly not stood for many of years, but it held a fair amount of influence in Gensokyo before Lady Toyosatomimi's arrival, before she ascended to Bhavagra."
> "Excellent. Now, I have to admit that this is where things will take a turn for the strange. I am...not actually of this current time period. An arcane accident, nearly one thousand years ago, flung me forward in time to yesterday morning."
>"In the sense that i experienced nothing of what happened through the years, then that is correct, at every moment i keep seeing newer things that i never had before."
> "Relative to Gensokyo, however, it would seem I simply vanished from existence. I have actually already secured a passage back to when I belong, so it seems travel in both directions is possible."
>"Undo a nap ? If you mean reject death, then i am fairly sure that wasn't the case."
>"Undo a nap ? If you mean reject death, then i am fairly sure that wasn't the case."
> Don't say this.
> "Perhaps 'asleep' is the incorrect word, then. Imagine it more as if you suddenly appeared a thousand feet in the air higher than you were a moment ago, except in terms of time instead of distance."
> Nod.
> "My apologies for the confusion. However, since I am able to return to my time, and will be doing so shortly, that presents a unique opportunity for those alive both then and now. Among other things..."
> Pull out the Sworn Statement.
> "...I have been collecting signatures from both those in Lady Toyosatomimi's companionship and Miss Hijiri's disciples, noting how relations have changed over the course of time, in the hopes of bringing about peace more quickly."
> "Lady Toyosatomimi is an honored guest and valuable ally in my present, and Miss Hijiri's temple has taken in the Young Mistress and helped her blossom into a wonderful lady in my future. It is the least I can do to bring peace to two allied factions that dislike each other. I would rather our house's friends not be enemies."
> Give a slight grin.
> "That, and frankly, the more evidence I have that this actually happened to me, the better."
> "With that being said, would you be interesting in adding your signature to those already there?"
> "Ah, I see."
> "Perhaps it would be worth signing for their sakes as well? Not to pressure you, of course, as I can understand not wanting to sign a statement one does not truly believe in."
> "Well, as you can see, they have both already signed it."
> "I plan on asking Lady Toyosatomimi as well, if I am able to run into her again before I head back to my time."
> "It would be much appreciated."
> Offer the Sworn Statement and our writing utensils.
> "Thank you very much, Miss Kaku. If you like, I can let your past self know in private that you signed it out of solidarity rather than because you truly believe in the message."
> Nod.
> "Is there perhaps something else you'd like to tell your past self, then?"
> "Understood. In that case, thank you again."
> Store our Sworn Statement and our writing utensils.
> "I suppose part of it is a desire to see it through to the end, too. It has not been easy getting this far."
> "Ah. Well, Mistress has been gone for many years, and any time period without Mistress is unacceptable."
> Glance toward Flan.
> "With all due respect, of course."
> "Well, Apex is still overwhelming in many ways. Even Old Hometown, back in Gensokyo, feels rather alien. But I imagine I would eventually adapt. And, truth be told, I am a little sad that my time will come long before most of this will come to pass. It is just as much fascinating as it is overwhelming."
> Shrug lightly.
> "The Mistress supersedes all of this, though."
> Did we see any empty seats when we arrived?
> Can we tell roughly what time it is?
> Do we know what baklava is?
> Look to Flan.
> "What do you think, Young Mistress? Should we try the baklava as recommended?"
> "It is the least we can do, I think."
> Look back to Seiga.
> "Have a pleasant day, Miss Kaku."
> Give a small wave to both of them.
> Find an open booth and sit.
> "Ah, an order of baklava, please."
> "Thank you."
> "I thought it would be rude to at least not take the recommendation."
>"...or perhaps it's just that, with the time I've been having the last day or two, I could use a little treat."
>She giggles. "No need to guess about that one being true!"
>_
> Smile a bit ourselves.
> "Have you ever had baklava before, Young Mistress? Here or anywhere else?"
> "Ah, I see. I suppose this will be a learning experience for both of us, then."
> "I have a very rough idea. I have never had it, though."
> "Thank you."
> Give it a try!
>"This dish......it's...it's wonderful!"
>Is the baker still here?
You're going to have to figure this out and make it for Mistress!
> Continue eating, with an examining 'eye' as to the necessary ingredients as well as how it might be prepared.
> We can probably fill in the blanks ourselves later if we want to. It's not as though we're required to recreate it exactly.
> Continue until we're finished. If flan finishes hers before we do, though, share ours with her if she wants.
> "I would say this is certainly a success."
> Check around for a menu, either at the table or on the wall. Is there a price listed anywhere?
> "Ah, I may need your assistance determining price, Young Mistress."
> How much mon do we have?
> "No. Well, maybe. The immediate issue is that I am not actually sure how much the bill will be."
> "Oh. Well, I have 7☼, 50 Shillings, and 5 Mon."