Tales of Gensokyo :: Unprecedented and Serious Affair Story [Current: Chapter 2]

[The ⑨th Zentillion]

Made on the idea, that, what if, what if, there were people who wanted to take down the Hakurei Border? It's actually something that's been mulling around in my head for some time. After getting Tales of Symphonia back in April, enough playing through it brought me back to this idea and gave me a general way to pull the idea off.

Basically, Tales of Gensokyo is, in essence, a Touhou story in the spirit of the Tales series, while remaining close to most of the concepts of Touhou. There's no mana, everyone still uses spellcards, don't expect Youmu to use Demon Fang, etc. The question is, will it be any good? Will I stick to writing it, or will it be prone to hiatuses/cancellations like some (okay, many) of my older works (none of which were Touhou-related, this is my first foray into writing Touhou FF)?

We'll just have to see, I suppose. :derp:


Tales of Gensokyo
Unprecedented and Serious Affair Story

by Jason Winter

Prologue Chapter: Raising the Barrier

It all started on a muggy day in one of the hottest summers the land of Gensokyo had ever seen. Even the summertime and fire-elemental youkai were finding the season unbearable, which meant the more mundane residents were absolutely suffering - not even nightfall?s arrival seemed to add much comfort. It would rain on occasion, but it just left sticky humidity in its wake.

Our story begins at that so important place of places that was known as the Hakurei Shrine, but not during this sordid summer, but centuries ago?

?Are you sure about this?? a voice asked, male and grim ?We don?t have to do this yet, if you don?t think this is the time to do it, Hakurei. This whole thing could reverse itself in a few years.?

?The integrity of this place is dwindling, year after year,? a woman?s voice answered, grim, but optimistic ?This may be the only thing that will save Gensokyo from not only a decline, but complete erasure. It?s best to act now, just in case. The question is, are you really willing to do your part in this? I?m willing to delay this if you?re not.?

?If it?s for the fate of this realm, I?ll have to,? he replied ?It?s the only way that? abomination would agree to it. And without her, this won?t work at all. Claiming to love us humans? I find that funny. If anything, she?s doing this for the youkai?s sake? if you could consider her one in the first place.?

?Perhaps I shouldn?t help you after all then, if those are your sentiments, human,? came a voice from nowhere, chaotic, almost feminine ?You said it yourself, this could reverse itself in a few years? but I, for one know it will not. This process, this deal, it?s necessary to ensure the survival of everyone and everything in Gensokyo? but if you want to take your chances, be our guest!?

Cowed by the being?s words, the man was at a loss for what to say, how to respond, but finally spoke with a sigh ?Alright. We?ll do the process? let?s create the barrier. I?m sure you have no objections, Hakurei.?

?None,? the Hakurei woman responded ?We all know the prices of doing this, and not doing this. Maybe someday, Gensokyo can return to the outside world, but until that time comes, this needs to be done. It is  necessary for the survival of not just us, but all who dwell here.?

??It?s too bad this will be the last time we?ll be seeing each other,? she continued, sighing.

?Someone has to stay on the other side to keep watch? this is part of the deal, so it has to be done,? the man replied, before addressing the other entity ?Do you need me to take you to her, or can you do that on your own??

?On our own,? it replied ?Don?t worry, she?ll be with you after the process, just under the conditions. Once we?ve finished the process, we?ll erect the barrier. ?Thanks should be in order, yes??

?You?re the one getting a corporeal body out of this,? he snapped ?You should thank me.?

?We are, foolish human,? it snapped back, before vanishing.

?Damned? damned? youkai?? he hissed angrily.

?Calm down, there?s no point in arguing? you know this, I know this, and even it knows this,? Hakurei chided ?Let?s just do this??

?Alright,? he said ?The others should be here soon? and then we can begin. Let?s just hope our descendants are as thankful about all of this??

And it was thus, that the Hakurei Border around Gensokyo was created, isolating it from the rest of the world until it regained its sanity? but eventually some details were forgotten, and much passed into legend or vanished altogether?

It wasn?t until on this sweltering summer, that some things would come to light again. For the descendants of those who erected the border, as well as those they knew, something was about to begin?

And it would involve the fate of Gensokyo itself.


Note that this was just the prologue, so there's nothing really earth-shattering here. :V

[The ⑨th Zentillion]

Now that we've got the rather underwhelming prologue taken care of, we can start writing actual chapters, boys, girls, and its.

In 3.

2.

1.


Tales of Gensokyo
A Serious and Unprecedented Affair Story

by Jason Winter

Chapter 1: Fairy Annoying

Of course, in the present, how the Hakurei Border came to be was the furthest thing from everyone?s minds - it was the aforementioned insane heat wave that had hit this summer. Sitting on the porch of the Hakurei Shrine, in her usual state of dress, although a bit frumped from the sweat and the heat, the shrine?s? well, Shrine Maiden, Reimu. There?s no need to mention her last name, well, because this is the Hakurei Shrine, after all, so what would her last name be? She could have worn less, but red and white weren?t really bad colors to be wearing in these conditions? though she was a hair away from ditching the sleeves if it came to that. She turned her head and grumbled to herself, not only about the heat, but the state of dress of her friend?

That friend being one Marisa Kirisame, who seemed to always wear colors that were NOT good for hot, sunny days, it was always something dark, usually black, in addition to the peppering of white on certain parts of her outfits - but it was not the color choice the miko was irritated with, it was how little she was wearing right now. She had ditched all of the black when she arrived, except for her hat, which did its job of blocking the sun a little bit? if she wasn?t wearing the white shirt she had under her black vest, she would essentially be sitting on the porch of a Shinto shrine in her underwear. Reimu couldn?t help but inform the magician of this ?Marisa, I know it?s hot and all, but do you HAVE to sit on the porch of my shrine dressed like that?! That?s not the image the Hakurei Shrine tries to convey? couldn?t you at least put your skirt back on??

?Zeeee, but it?s too hot for that, Reimu? and besides, no offense, what image?? the Black-White protested, adjusting her hat and took a sip of the watery tea they had made? it had been iced, but the heat had melted all of the ice in no time flat ?It?s not like you?re having a major influx of patrons, Reimu. Besides, these bloomers don?t show anythin?! Now if I was naked or something, I?d understand the fuss.?

?Rrrgh, that?s beside the point!? Reimu huffed at her good friend?s crack at the shrine?s visitor ratio, half-offended ?This is still a shrine, and therefore sacred ground, Marisa. That state of dress is inappropriate for such a place, in the outdoor part of it at least.?

?Okay, okay, but you really need to have that gohei up your butt checked out by a doctor, Reimu,? the magician replied, grabbing her black skirt and putting it back on ?It?s a really serious condition!?

?I do not have a stick up my a-- augh, you almost made me curse? I? ugh, dammit, maybe I do have one. Good thing it?s not literal.?

?Oh, c?mon, Reimu, it isn?t that bad of a word. ?Ass?. See, I said it, and I don?t feel guilty. Ass ass ass. See??

?How many times do I have to tell you, I?m not like you,? the shrine maiden grumbled ?Now stop--?

?Ass, aaaaass, a-- yeowch!? she continued, but was quickly silenced by the thwack of Reimu?s warding stick.

?Now you?re just doing that to annoy me.?

?Sorry. So, anyway, when do you think this heat wave will end? This is the worst one I?ve felt in my life, It?s almost as bad as, no, worse than braving the Raging Hellfires.?

?Hopefully, soon? this has been going on for about a month, and I?m starting to worry,? Reimu replied ?If this goes on for another week, I?m putting this on the list of probable incidents. Sigh, the flying saucer and sealed monk thing was so much more bearable than this.?

?Even though I did most of the work on that one, I agree,? Marisa replied with a nod ?Aaaand on the incident thing, yeah, I was thinking the same thing? in fact, I was planning to investigate tomorrow. You wanna come with this time, or are you going to sit this one out??

?If it is an incident, it?s ruining my comfort zone. I?m tired of baking, and if finding out what?s going on puts a stop to this, then, yeah, I?m going. But do you think we can be ready in a day??

?You just said you were tired of baking. I doubt you?d wait a week now that I?ve put up this offer ze.?

?You?re right. Let?s-- hm??

The sounds of fluttering and mischievous giggles suddenly flew past the two young women, then faded. Then came again from another direction, and this time, something swiped the tea right out of Reimu?s hand. Letting out a shout of anger and protest, the Shrine Maiden quickly tossed a couple paper talismans in the direction of the thief?s disappearance. She got her tea back - right on top of her head with a splash and a bonk from the container, a fit of laughter coming from the culprits?

?Fairies?? Reimu grumbled, clenching her teeth as she procured a couple more talismans and stood up from where she was sitting, and quickly grabbed her gohei and looked around, her guest also standing and grabbing a small block of magic fuel or two.

Another giggle, and the culprits showed themselves? a group of six rather generic-looking fairies, one of them now holding the pitcher of iced tea and grinning as he chugged some down, getting a bit of it on the cloth sack with properly-placed holes in it that he called an outfit. One other was dressed similarly, while three more wore more elegant and refined clothes - the last one was wearing nothing at all, and looked like she needed to go on a diet, the Shrine Maiden and magician noticeably wincing.

The make fairy passed the tea to one of his elegant buddies, who took a sip, before throwing it to the ground and breaking it, making a face and complaining about it being too watered down  - and was promptly shot down by Reimu, one of her Yin-Yang orbs launched straight at it.

?That?s for breaking that pitcher? and this? is for the tea you spilled on me!? Reimu cried, tossing the talismans, which caught onto Mr. Cloth Sack and one of the remaining elegant ones, both exploding in bursts of mystic purity energy, though it only took out Cloth Sack, the other one retaliating with a barrage of fireballs in a wide berth, Reimu forming a barrier around herself to stop the barrage, Marisa had to take to ducking under and to the side of it, and then fired off a barrage of her own.

The small block of magic fuel glowed and then ignited as it burst forward and turned into a couple bright star-shaped bursts that took care of Miss Fireballs and an elegant partner. This only left the last elegant one and the one that should never have been seen with human eyes, and this would be a good time to beat a hasty retreat for any other kind of creature, but being fairies, they charged forward, the fat one?s size allowing several talismans to stick and explode, but surprisingly, not enough to take care of her as she barreled into Reimu and sent her flying, but the fun was quickly ended with the magician procuring her favorite item, the two fairies vaporized by the large beam of light that erupted from it.

?Ze? ugh, you alright, Reimu?? Marisa inquired, helping her friend up. Reimu nodded, and then sighed in response? it was too hot for this sort of nonsense. And if she had stated it, Marisa would have agreed ?Well, that was unfun. Now I feel hotter than before ze. What is up with the fairies lately? usually they aren?t this aggressive.?

?Probably the heat? really, it?s not just the fairies, but all the youkai that are restless from this heat wave,? Reimu replied ?You know what? Let?s investigate tonight. Tomorrow isn?t soon enough.?

?Alright, no arguments there? guess I?d better go back to the house and get my stuff now so we can set off when night falls. Hopefully I can get there and back here without any youkai trying to eat m--?

?Watch out!? the Shrine Maiden shouted, pushing her friend to the floor with her in tow as several large spikes of ice flew over their heads, it might have been skewer city if not for Reimu?s quick acting. The ice melted as it flew past, turning into water which fell onto the ground, an irritated shout from a familiar voice, which made the both of them sigh and say ?Oh, great??

?Daaaah, even those won?t even stay ice in this stupid weather?!? the girl shouted? a fairy with green bow-decorated blue hair in a blue and white dress, her icy, crystalline wings fluttering in irritation ?This is the worst summer ever? especially for me!?

She continued to ramble as the two humans got up, Reimu preparing a bunch of talismans and Marisa readying both magic fuel and Mini-Hakkero. Even though Cirno was a fairy, which are rather weak by nature, it was said she was one of the most powerful Fae in Gensokyo, especially at her age. Thankfully, like most fairies, she wasn?t exactly bright.

?Cirno, leave? now,? Reimu warned, eyes narrowing, not in the mood for whatever antics the girl was up to today.

?Reimu?s pretty peeved right now, Stupidest, so I?d follow her advice and take a hike,? Marisa said right after, though her tone showed no malicious intent, in fact it was downright benevolent.

?Not ?stupidest?, Black-White, it?s ?strongest??! the fairy laughed ?Besides, I?d think you?d thank me, I bet you need to cool off! I?m here to help!?

Cold formed around Cirno, although she was noticeably struggling to control it, the heat trying to dispel it, but she persevered and fired off a small, sweeping beam of freezing energy that flash-froze all in its path? sadly, her aim was off and it missed Marisa and Reimu entirely, and the ice was beginning to melt only after about a moment. Of course in that moment, both of the humans were already striking, Reimu serving an orb straight for the fairy, while the magician tossed something to the floor underneath Cirno, that something exploding into a plume of heat.

Reimu?s attack struck true, sending the fairy crashing into the shrine?s front door, but made Marisa?s attack miss, the magician shrugging it off, her quickly quipping ?Thank you for visiting the Hakurei Shrine. Come again!?

?That?s for me to say,? the miko sighed, the two going over to Cirno to help her up, but that?s when the explosion happened on the side of the shrine? from the inside! Something flew out from it and quickly jetted off, the two attempted to pursue, but it was too late ?What, or who in the hell was that?! How?d they even get inside??

?Dunno, but that was really weird,? Marisa replied ?Only thing I can think of is that they snuck in while we were dealing with the fairies.?

?Can?t be, we had our eyes on the front door the whole time, and the back door is pretty much stuck right in the Border? there?s no way that, whatever it was, was from the outside world? right??

?That would be something, heh?Wait, are there any other entrances??

?None that I?m allowed to discuss with even you, Marisa.?

?Oooh, there some sort of juicy family secrets about this place the public isn?t supposed to know about?!? Marisa asked, her curiosity piqued ?You can?t just check this out on your own! Tell me~ Please!?

?Alright already,? the Shrine Maiden said with a sigh ?Follow me, and remember, nobody else can hear about what I?m about to show.?

??Like Aya Shameimaru??

?Especially Aya Shameimaru. If she got word of this and it got in her paper, someone?s bound to believe it enough to come looking. Plus she?ll pester me about it forever. I just know it.?

?Wow, it?s that secret, huh,? Marisa said as Reimu flew off, the magician following her to what appeared to be an old gravesite, now covered with vines, moss, and surrounded by tall weeds and trees ?It?s a headstone ze. The words are all mossed up or eroded to read, too.?

Reimu said nothing, taking the Yin-Yang Orb and set it into an indentation on the top of the stone slab, as with a sudden rumble, it shot up into the air, revealing a much larger structure, with an open door leading inside ?Welcome to the entrance to the Hakurei Catacombs. The only other place I can think of one could sneak into the shrine.?

?Um, couldn?t we have gone through the shrine-side entrance instead??

?Could have, yes, but I would have had to tell you about it either way. No time in rethinking it now. Come.?

Marisa simply nodded, following Reimu into the darkness. Soon, she created a torch with her magic, which split into two balls of glowing energy that circled around both of them, revealing a hall of stone and wood, the smells of such places rising up, and soon the sound of the entrance closing back up. On they went, unaware that there was a follower who had just barely squeaked through the re-closing of the entranceway.

?This is going to be, like, the best scoop ever,? they whispered to themselves, and began to follow?

Now Saving . . .
End Chapter 1


And there we go. Establishing personalities a little, a more thorough explanation of the current situation, some fighting, a little mystery...

Any input would be great, even if it's the not nice sort. :V

[The ⑨th Zentillion]

New chapter, and all it took was nearly A YEAR AND A HALF. :V

Tales of Gensokyo
A Serious and Unprecedented Affair Story

by Jason Winter

Chapter 2: Gone Under

At first, the journey of the shrine maiden and magician is rather uneventful, just a narrow hallway of hollowed out soil with alternating wooden and stone supports. It smells dusty and musty, as one would expect. It?s rather boring, really, especially to Marisa, who speaks up ?This seems more like a tunnel under the shrine grounds than anything else. Could this get any more ordinary??

?We?re not here to be entertained, we?re here to investigate an intrusion and catch a trespasser in the act,? Reimu grumbles ?Look, it?ll widen soon, if I remember right. As soon as you see the red and white support structure, we?ll be at that point. So until then, shush.?

Marisa sighs and follows. A bit behind them, their unexpected guest is thinking the same things at the blonde about this place,. But she couldn?t turn back around, the way back was shut. She?d have to wait until there was enough space to slip by the other two. Maybe things would be more interesting in this place by then.

Reimu was right, it wasn?t much further, the two soon coming upon the aforementioned structure, decorated with wards and even a pair of miniature Yin-yang Orbs.

?Okay, this is a little bit more like it, Reimu!? Marisa said as she looks ahead past the structure, and sure enough, the path widens a bit, with another structure with the same things at the last, only in a larger scale. She?s quick to squeeze past the shrine maiden and skip over to the second structure, Reimu shaking her head, sighing, and following.

As soon as they step out of the archway, the magician can?t help but hasp as she looks around. The small hall has suddenly opened up into a much larger area with a small bunch of stairs, due to the floor being lower. The ceiling is a bit higher, and very little of the hollowed out rock can be seen due to the polished stone walls and thick, wooden supports. More wards are wrapped around those, and more Yin-yangs are panted virtually everywhere, now joined with trigrams, runes, and writing. Various relics and assorted items litter the floor, Marisa?s eyes darting back and forth. So tempted to ?borrow? a few of those things.

?Keep your hands off anything takeable, is that clear?? Reimu is quick to say, almost as if she can read her friend?s mind. Marisa just looks at her with an expression of mock innocence as the two look around. As for their guest, she?s already moving past them, going fast enough that she escapes notice. ?In any case, let?s look around. Don?t go too far without me, there?s a guardian sleeping in the next chamber, and it won?t let anyone, and I mean anyone without Hakurei blood pass. There are ways around it, but they are very few and little to no one knows them unless they?ve been down here or been taught them by someone who has.

Marisa nods, and the two look around, the shrine maiden keeping ever vigilant to make sure the magician doesn?t swipe anything. Luckily, she doesn?t seem to give into temptation, things go pretty smoothly. That is, until they get near the other side and hear a woman?s scream ?What?s that?! Could that be our intruder??

?Don?t see who else it could be. Heh heh, looks like the guardian probably got ahold of them. I?d just go now, but that thing uses lethal force, and I don?t feel like having that sort of guilt on me. ?Besides, can?t get any information if they?re dead. Come on!?

They rush down the next tunnel, which is thankfully a bit wider than the previous, and also thankfully a very short passage. On the other side, a larger room, within which are a stone and metal giant with a long, broad katana, said sword swinging at the other person in the room - a young-looking brunette with her hair tied in a pair of longish pigtails; a violet, hexagonal wooden hat on top of that head. He wears a white and lavender blouse which has been slashed into twice, one simply tearing the clothes, the other having a trickle of crimson, marring the white even more. Short, black and violet checkered shirt, long, lean legs, black socks and violet wooden sandals with single, insurmountably long pegs on the bottom that also have attached waps going along said socks. She notices the two, and with frightened lavender eyes looking at them, she shouts ?Help me, this thing?s trying to, like, kill me!?

?Hey isn?t that--? Marisa begins

?Ugh, there?s no doubting it? it?s not Shameimaru, but still, it?s another paparazzi Tengu and that?s just as annoying,? Reimu says with a scowl ?What are you doing here, Hatate? I?m seriously wondering why you would come down here and how? Also, where?s your friend that blasted out of here??

?I don?t know what you?re talking about, Reimu!? she whimpers managing to duck just before she becomes a head shorter ?I followed you in from the cemetery after I saw what happened! Was, like, doing some fairy photographing beforehand! Please believe me!?

??What do you think, Marisa? Think she?s lying??

?Zeee? I dunno, she does sound like she?s telling the truth, especially considering the circumstances.?

Reimu simply nods and turns to the guardian and chucks her orb at it, smacking it upside the helmet. It lets out a metallic bellow and turns, looking at the shrine maiden for a moment, then the orb, then Marisa, then Hatate. It sheathes its katana and kneels at Reimu for a second before heading back to the center of the room, standing tall, and then stays unmoving ?So, even if you aren?t the intruder, you?re still in trouble! I expect any photos or notes you took on this place to be discarded. Or I can tell your friend here you?re not an ally.?

?Oh, fine,? Hatate whines, brushing herself off and giving Reimu her notes before deleting the photos she?d taken on her phone, making sure the other two could see. She?d only taken three, one of the graveyard, one of the big room, and one of the guardian ?So, um, can I come with you guys? I promise I won?t take any pictures or anything, but you?d, like, probably not want me out of your sight again, right??

?Ugh, yes, that?s the only solution, really,? the shrine maiden responds ?Here?s the rules: No pictures unless noted, no notes, no telling your friends about this, not telling Aya about this, and lastly, if we have to fight the intruder, you will fight alongside us. Understood??

?Crystal, Miss Hakurei.?
 
?Now, let?s find the other intruder if they?re still here instead of hanging around doing nothing, as much as I?d love doing so this isn?t the time.?

?Yes, onward, ze!? Marisa cheers. Reimu sighs and hakes her head and begins to move down the next hallway, magician and reporter hot on her heels. The place returns to its ordinary state until a split, the split and the paths are once again decorated almost like a temple.

?Great, now we?re at a crossroads,? Reimu grumbled ?One leads to an inner sanctum, the other leads to another large room just before the shrineside entrance. They could be down either one, sadly.?

Then, suddenly, very hushed, coming from the tunnel to the right?(♫)

Nagareteku toki no naka de demo kedarusa ga hora guruguru mawatte Watashi kara hanareru kokoro mo mienaiwa sou shiranai?

?Hm? Hey did you guys, like, hear that?? Hatate asks, her sharp hearing picking the noise up.

?Yeah, I hear it, sounds like someone?s singing,? Reimu mumbles in response ?And that?s not a woman?s voice, I don?t think. I think we?ve found our intruder. And thankfully, he?s by the shrine exit-entrance-whatever. Move it.?

The other two don?t argue and begin going down the right hallway. The next part of the song is louder and more distinct, they?re getting closer.

Jibun kara ugoku koto mo naku toki no sukima ni nagasare tsuzukete Shiranai wa mawari no koto nado watashi wa watashi sore dake

?What is that song, anyways, Reimu, I?ve never heard it before and yet, somehow, it?s oddly nostalgic, and maybe a little? sad,? Marisa whispers, blinking in confusion.

Yume miteru? Nani mo mitenai? Kataru mo muda na jibun no kotoba Kanashimu nante tsukareru dake yo nani mo kanjizu sugoseba ii no

?Not me? what about you, peppy paparazzo?? Reimu replies to her friend and asks the tengu journalist in quick succession ?You seem to be someone who?d be up with the more trendy things, Hatate.?

?Sorry, I, like, have no idea what song that is, and I?ve heard some interesting song lyrics before. If I knew what it was, well, I?d like it pretty well, to be honest, guys,? is the response as she twirls a ponytail around her fingers and adjusts her tokin with her other hand, not letting go of her camera for a second ?So, like, what are you gonna do, give him the same song n? dance as you did me after you got that? thing to not try and eat me??

?Dunno yet; first, let?s see just who this guy is, I think he?s just around the corner.?

?I have to agree with Reimu ze,? Marisa confirms ?Too soon to tell. Aaaanyways, here go-- whoa now, would you look at that strikin? silhouette.?

?How striking is-- hoo, forgive me for saying this, but it seems we?ve, like, got some beef in the ruins, guys!? Hatate whispers excitedly, pointing to the figure that even at a glance appears to be a bit well-built. Reimu rolls her eyes in response as she looks as well, though she agrees a little. Good looks to add to a fine singing voice. The trio moves closer, keeping things as stealthy as possible until they can get a closer look.

Tomadou kotoba ataerarete mo jibun no kokoro tada uwa no sora Moshi watashi kara ugoku no naraba subete kaeru no nara kuro ni suru

The man continued to sing to himself, eventually just humming to whatever the odd song was,  he was probably not going to stop until he was interrupted, which was going to be the case momentarily. Hatate seems to get away with snapping a photograph when he?s in view, his back turned; long, light dirty blond, yet almost a light green as well hair going to the small of his back; just above the sash on his sandy-colored kimono, obi sash itself a dusky green to add an interesting bit of contrast. He stops humming, and begins to sing aloud again.

Tomadou kotoba ataeraretemo jibun no kokoro tada uwa no sora Moshi watashi kara ugoku no naraba subete kaeru no nara kuro ni suru

To add to this there seemed to be a coiled pattern on the part below his obi on the right-hand side, large enough that it took space on the rest of the kimono itself, the pattern a jade green and dirty yellow? a coiled serpent, perhaps? Couldn?t completely tell from this angle, but one thing was certain, the sleeves were tattered just above the elbow, and a gleam of iron shackles around his wrists was also quite apparent. If the shape of his figure hadn?t been enough to show it, said exposure of his arms showed whoever this intruder was? He was fit, arms were muscular for certain, though not too extreme. A serpent tattoo, same colors as the design on his robe coils around his right arm, though details are somewhat construed by angle and distance.

Ugoku no naraba ugoku no naraba subete kowasuwa subete kowasuwa Kanashimu naraba kanashimu naraba watashi no kokoro shiroku kawareru?

Where that kimono ends, just a little below the knee in fact, an armored tabi-and-greave combo covers his legs. Just who was this strange guy? He seemed to encompass prisoner, soldier, and nobleman all in one in how he was dressed. Hatate?s camera probably got a closer look thanks to zoom, but until he turned around it didn?t mean much; and Reimu, the photographing of the guy had not escaped her sight, but she didn?t care, as long as the tengu girl didn?t take pictures of the ruins. In the end, the time had come, the Shrine Maiden clearing her throat ?Excuse me, sir, if you?re done singing, well, even if you?re not, now?s the time to stop, because you have some explaining to do. Like why you?re trampling sacred ground. So! Please, turn around and get to working on that. Okay??

?Omoi mabuta wo aketa no naraba subete kowasu no nara kuro ni nare~, there you are, I was wondering when you were going to speak up, madam,? he replies, his voice silky smooth even when not singing, a slight laugh adorning the end of it. Seems he?d noticed them at some point while they had been looking at him, whether picked up from something extrasensory or not. He simply turns to face the three, his turn seeming to make sure they saw the serpents on his clothing and arm. Indeed, his wrists are shackled, the chain on the left broken after a few links, the one on the right is actually attached to a blade of some kind, he keeps it dangling above the ground in front of him. A single silver coin helps hold the string around his obi together, much like a certain lazy shinigami Reimu and some of her friends are familiar with. His dirty-blonde-green hair frames his thin, angular face perfectly, ears hidden underneath it. He gives a little smile, showing a little bit of tooth as well, they gleam and yet are also slightly yellowed. Lastly, his eyes, greenish gold and gleaming, almost like a cat?s or a snake?s look over Reimu, Marisa, and Hatate several times ?Reimu Hakurei, I presume?.And this must be? Kirisame? I?m afraid I don?t know of the Tengu, however.?

He gives an almost apologetic grin mentioning Hatate, it just went to show how unknown she was compared to Aya. She puffs her cheeks and turns her head in response, crossing her arms in irritation ?Hatate, and don?t you, like, forget it, dude.?

?Yep, that?s us alright,? Marisa says, seemingly ignoring Hatate for the most part and focusing on the mystery man instead.

?So you know who we are, then, that?s a good start, but just because you seem to know who we are doesn?t mean we know who you are, Mr. Intruder, so let?s finish these introductions by you telling us who you are. Please, out with it,? Reimu says completely flatly, she doesn?t feel like dealing with any more problems today, though she has a feeling they may have only begun.

The man considers it for a second, before shrugging and giving a slight bow ?Yes, no need to get off track, Lady Hakurei, is there? There?s no reason to delay things any longer. I am? ah, I am called The Akumatsuki no Orochi. It is a pleasure to meet the current Hakurei maiden, for certain? I wasn?t sure if you were going to come or if I?d have to leave, well, eventually,? there was something a little more smug in his tone all of a sudden, especially with a name that basically meant ?orochi of the demon moon? made him seem just a tiny bit ominous. But, then, he pops up a quirky smile and his attitude goes back to something a little more whimsical, taking a few more bows ?But I got to meet you after all, hooray~!?

??So you were waiting for us to show up, then. Usually an intruder or a grave robber would want to get way when they?re found out, but you don?t seem to be the case, Mr. Orochi,? Reimu replies, unfazed and unimpressed ?So, please, tell me, why are you here, desecrating this place, a place that you shouldn?t be able to get into in the first place with your presence and making me bring people who also have no business down here, hm? Oh, and just because you?re cute doesn?t mean I?m going to let you just go about all this so casually.?

Reimu was already going for a spell card or two, deciding on which ones to use just in case it came to that, Marisa had taken notice of this and was doing the same. Akumatsuki no Orochi, whether attractive or not was trespassing, and if he had to be removed from the premises by force, then so be it. As for Hatate, she?d probably just sit back and take pictures - she?d already taken another picture of the guy while the conversation had been going on.

The man simply shrugs and continues giving a goofy grin, he?s aware of what the shrine maiden and the magician are preparing for but doesn?t seem too, too frightened; though he does look nervous ?Oh, I?m just looking around, Lady Ha~ku~rei~ How I got in here, I cannot tell you, though I will say I definitely couldn?t have gotten in here on my own. Maybe I?m just here because it?s cooler than it is on the surface. Seriously, it?s like Gensokyo?s been transferred to Hell itself with how this heat wave is. Almost like someone or something?s messing with the season?s extremes. It?s got to be annoying.?

?No kidding, Mr. Orochi, it is nigh-unbearable, and I?ve been to and fought in the Hell of Blazing Fires before,? Reimu grumbles, looking at her unwanted guest with a bit of suspicion ?If what you?re saying is the case, I?m going to have to look into it. I was hoping to relax for the summer, but with this heat it isn?t the case, whatever the cause. Is that what you can do? Control extremes??

?I?m afraid not, as interesting as that certainly sounds and probably would be,? he responds ?It?s just a guess, is all. No, I got some boring power that keeps what sort of being I am an absolute secret to all but myself. I could be a human, I could be a youkai, maybe a ghost. Perhaps a god, maybe a magician or a demon. Or maybe even an? ugh, Lunarian. No, I?m not that last one at all, ha ha. It also means I could be a weakling, then again, I might be obscenely strong.?

?If you don?t leave ze, you might have to show us which one of those you are, ain?t that right, Reimu?? Marisa chimes in, her cards picked and ability prepared. Reimu nods in response, still considering her options. He could be done, maybe he?d leave without a fight and they?d all have tea later after this was all resolved.

This doesn?t turn out to be the case, however, AnO giving a small shrug and hovering up a little, plucking a couple cards from his sash. He seems pleased to get a chance at a little spell card duel with almost as much flightiness as Marisa. Whether her speaking up had something to do with it or not, it would seem a danmaku battle was about to take place ?I?d be happy to have one little duel before I go, especially against Gensokyo?s most prolific heroes of this age. Sadly, I?m afraid I?m not actually that good at this, so you?ll have to forgive me if this is disappointing.?

?You?re leaving whether we win or not, right?? the Shrine Maiden asks, her opponent just smiling and nodding. He?d invoke his first card eventually, but first, nothing wrong with a little opening wave, right? It turned out to not be much, a simple spray of volleyball-sized green and yellow magical energy spheres in a wide spray, aimed forward from his position. He quickly veers off to one side as Reimu and Marisa retaliate with sprays of paper talismans and needles from the former; a small stream of arm-thick beams from the latter.

He avoids the beams and needles, but a couple of talismans stick to the bottom hem of his kimono, they glow for a moment before exploding with a positively-tuned spiritual light, the explosion sending him further away. The miko and magician veer around his own shots as this occurs; in the meantime, Hatate has already snapped a photo of the man?s simple pattern, which causes some of the photographed spheres to melt away and make the other two?s dodging job easier.

They re-aim, but so does he as he finally stops himself, and even though he?s stunned, sends another wave of that same exact pattern, only this time twice in quick succession in two directions. Marisa?s speed allows her to get by, but Reimu finds herself getting clipped by a few of the bursts, while the tengu girl?s camera still recharges, forcing her to dodge. This time, Marisa?s lasers meet their target, punching through Akumatsuki like he was paper, but instead of tearing holes in him like it would seem they proceed to send a jolt of heat through him, though he does grunt in pain like the beams had done what one would think.
?Looks like we?re doing pretty okay so far ze~!? the witch jovially states ?Sure you don?t want to reconsider this??

?Urgh? what, me, stop now when I haven?t even invoked one spell card in the fight yet, miss?! Don?t be silly!? he retorts, flying off in the other direction, barely being missed by one of Reimu?s Yin-yang Orbs and another talisman spread. As he moves, he fires off one more spread of his shots, only this time to be photographed by Hatate once more, but this time, the entire area that was in the photograph explodes in a hurricane-force gust of wind, tearing into Akumatsuki and sending him crashing into a wall.

?You should, like, use your spell card or something, because, dude, that wasn?t very newsworthy!? the aforementioned Tengu boasts. The man she?s addressing seems to be inclined to agree, at least after he?s peeled himself off of the wall and brushed himself off. He floats to the center rear of the room, a piece of paper clutched between his fingers.

?Yes, I?ve stalled you enough already, haven?t I, ladies? So, let us really get to business?? he says, flicking the piece of paper into the air at the word ?business,? and then invokes the spell imbued onto the card, almost singing the invocation as the paper glows ?Serpent Sign! Woven Basket Snake Charmer!?

There?s a flash of green as three green rings of magic orbit him, getting larger as they go outward, Akumatsuki swinging the chain with the blade on its end around for him to catch into his hand and twirl, his expression going into one of intense concentration as the outer ring disconnects itself in several places, the disconnecting pieces turning into wavy beams that loop around themselves once, and then fan outwards into a single burst pattern, the ?snakes? that have been formed seem to have a slight tracking ability. As soon as they?re flying out, the second ring explodes into more of those spheres, which fly out twice as fast as the snake lasers do, innermost ring doing nothing for now.

?G-great snakes!? Marisa wails, Reimu rolling her eyes at her friend as the two of them veer around the sphere burst, as does Hatate, who is charging her camera again. The snakes, due to their slowness catch both Reimu and Marisa off-guard a little, even though they were keeping an eye on them, both of them get one shooting through their bodies, Marisa taking one in her shoulder, Reimu her gut. They do the same as Marisa?s lasers, not actually tearing holes in them but hurting regardless.

It is then Akumatsuki unleashes the second part of his attack, the ring exploding like the center one, only these burst are more baseball-sized and numerous, but he?s not done just yet, the bladed chain glowing neon green for a moment before he hurls it outward, it stops because it?s still attached to his arm, of course, but that?s not why he did it; it?s the sudden large snake bolt flying out like a javelin. It seems to have no aim other than forward in the girls? direction, but frags of magical energy fly outwards off of it as it passes. Hatate just manages to take a picture in time, catching the snake and a part of the oncoming ring of bullets. It takes care of the shots and the fragmentations, but not the snake, but it lets the three escape unscathed.

?Looks like you can do something after all, sir, but I?ve dealt with far worse things, and so has Marisa, and we have dished them out, too!? Reimu exclaims, not wasting any time, flying towards their opponent and batting her Yin-yang orb for his gut, which he dives under just in time to have his hair brush over its bottom surface; but she was prepared for that, a whole bunch of talismans sticking to his body. For a moment, they don?t explode, but that?s when the star-shaped bursts come at him, talismans exploding and leaving him just stunned enough to be unable to dodge, stars likewise exploding on contact. He creates another trio of rings, but a quick, low-powered photograph is enough to drain the card completely.

?Ow, wow that? you?re pretty good, just as I?ve heard,? the man groans, kneeling and coughing a few times. He manages to push himself back to his feet after a minute, however? and swing his arm that the bladed chain is attached to in a few half-circles in quick succession, causing sharp, crescent shaped waves to rush forward at all three women, every other one exploding into a burst of those volleyball-sized green danmaku. It?s the slashes that have the trio in a frenzy, ducking or soaring above them and then moving around the shots and repeating. They?re not without retaliation, though, and Akumatsuki eventually stops after being struck by more lasers, talismans, and a photograph. Another card is pulled out and invoked by him afterward as well ?One last card, ladies! Ahem! Serpent Sign! Stupor of Drunk Orochi!"

More of those snake lasers, this time they?re faster and there?s one wave of them right after the other, in groups of nine. When they pass behind his opponents, after a little bit of distancing, they explode into bursts of baseball-sized frags that fly outwards until they make contact with something, whether barrier, obstacle, or flesh. Hatate doesn?t have time to take a photo, so all three have to dodge the first wave, and then retaliate on the second.

On the third, a photograph gives them some breathing room, and then, Reimu, tired yet pumped from all this, finishes it with a single invocation: ?Spiritual Sign! Fantasy Seal!? Her yin-yang orb glows bright, talismans beginning to coalesce and orbit around it. It then flies forward, tracking Akumatsuki, and then, with a bright burst, the talismans fly in several directions, along with a glowing afterimage of the orb with each cluster, original orb going back to Reimu. There?s nowhere for Akumatsuki to veer, rise or dodge, the first cluster colliding, exploding, stunning, and letting the others do the same in rapid succession. He?s sent soaring to the ground, tumbling back a few times, and finally lands on his back, twitching, smoke rising from his form. ?So, Mr. Orochi, have you had enough, or are you going to try some more??

?Ugh, no, no I?m? good. I?ll depart as soon as I can? ouch? get up,? he moans. The girls nod to each other, go over to him, and help him up. He groans, and mumbles his thanks. After a minute or two, he begins to limp off, Reimu pointing the way out. The three follow, eventually coming to a stairwell that goes up to the shrine?s basement. He winds up not staying for tea, leaving the three to themselves.

?Well, good that?s over, Reimu,? Marisa said after she was sure Akumatsuki was out of earshot ?Got to explore some nice ruins, too bad I couldn?t take anything with--? a glare from Reimu ?Zeee, don?t look at me like that, Reimu, I?m only kiddin?! Besides, got some comfort from the heat and a spell card battle out of it, so s?all good!?

The Shrine Maiden continued glaring for a moment, before chuckling and smirking ?Suuure you were, Marisa, sure you were. But, yeah, I have to agree, while that wasn?t particularly as intense as things could be, it was nice. Guess he was on the weaker part of the spectrum after all, though.?

?I?m a little worried about what he said before the fight, though,? Hatate chimed in ?You know, how he was, like, talking about the heat wave like he knew something about it and all that. But he certainly doesn?t seem to be the one behind it, he didn?t show anything about control over extremes in the duel. But identity hiding, well? Proof?s in the pictures.?

Hatate shows Reimu and Marisa her photographs, one after the other, and any of the photos their guest was in, all can be seen is a distorted, vaguely human-shaped shadow. Not invisible, just near-impossible to make out.

?What the hell, man?? Marisa asks looking at the photos, puzzled.

?That?s what I?d like to know, only not expressed as crudely as you put it, Marisa,? Reimu responds, quirking an eyebrow at the pictures. Marisa nods in response as the raven-haired woman lets out a bemused hum ?Whatever the case, this is just a little bit of confirmation either way. This is looking more and more likely to being an Incident.?

?But, what do we, like, do? Where do we even start?!? Hatate sighs, lowering her head. Reimu is actually quite quick to respond.

?Simple, Himekaidou Hatate? we ask your fellow Tengu. If anyone?s heard something, it might be one of them. I don?t really want to deal with them, especially Aya, but it?s the most obvious step.?

?Haha, duh! Of course that?s what we should do.?

?Only one question remains, though,? Marisa adds ?When are we going to go do this??

?Sundown, when it starts cooling off, of course,? replies Reimu, getting nods from the other two in response ?Until then, I?m going to make some more iced tea. Stupid fairies??

Elsewhere, not far off from the Hakurei Shrine, along the path to it in fact, a pair of sandal, greave, and tabi-adorned feet limp a little as they move, and then stop. Their owner begins walking again, his step suddenly belonging to somebody who hadn?t gotten their ass kicked just a little while prior. Akumatsuki no Orochi brushed himself off, and smiled, then smirked, then frowned ?I did my job, but damn it, did I have to make myself look like such a loser back there?!?

Suddenly, a chuckle in response. A woman?s ?Akumatsuki, that was the whole point. Stall them while she got away, doubled back, and took the other things I needed. Aaaahahaha. Remember your ability, it?s what makes you do good at deception. Showing off your real strength right now is totally not on the cards, remember that.?

?I still did not like throwing fights, Lady M-istress. But, yes, I suppose wiping the floor with them was totally out of the question. And I would have.?

?Don?t be so sure, Akumatsuki,? the mystery woman chides her servant ?Reimu has, how should I put this? potential if she was put in the right conditions. She would not be so easily bested, nor would her friend. Not only had she been trained in powerful destructive magic by another, but also herself, and she learns fast. Marisa Kirisame is no slouch, my dear.?

?Alright, already, Mistress, I get it. In any case, now that that?s done, what to do now??

?I will research what I find on the acquired items, Akumatsuki. As for you? You?ve earned a break. Go see Misuzu. You can keep an eye on her and watch her work on keeping the conditions the way they are. Plus, you?ll be able to stay cool. Is that understood??

?Yes, M-ilady,? he sighs, continuing to walk.

?Still not used to calling me ?Mistress? or ?Milady,? it would seem,? she says to herself ?Oh well, he?ll get used to it. He better. Oh well, time to get to work, you can?t be a conquerer by doing nothing. Aaaahahaha, yes.?

She says no more, vanishing without a trace.

Now Saving . . . Please Watch Warmly
End Chapter 2

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When you come back from a year+ dry spell, everything just pours out here. Last chapter, I laid out the groundwork for something being amiss, and this chapter was about solidifying this with some conflict.  :dragonforce: I hope you enjoyed this chapter, Hopefully I won't wind up taking another year and a half for the third. :V