Yukari Quest, continued... Again?! Version 2.04

[Darkoda]

>Let's hold off on being so harsh for now; we did that already and we do have an idea of what might have happened this time around.

>I mean the first sentence, the second's fine.

>"How did you manage to get every fairy in Gensokyo in here and working anyway? I can't imagine them having the attention-span, especially that ice fairy."
>Do we sense anything offkey border wise with Reimu now that we're much closer?

>"There's something about you I'd like to talk with you about too. Besides the more aggressive donation hunting."

[Dormio Ergo Sum]

>"The people of Gensokyo seem to regard that quite differently, given that most of them are now living in fear of you. And I've also been hearing people say you've attacked anyone who couldn't pay. It happens, however, that there's really no need for you to continue such actions. You should know quite well that I am more than capable of getting you as much money as you could ever want."

>Let's hold off on being so harsh for now; we did that already and we do have an idea of what might have happened this time around.
>I mean the first sentence, the second's fine.

>You decide against provoking Reimu for the time being.

>"How did you manage to get every fairy in Gensokyo in here and working anyway? I can't imagine them having the attention-span, especially that ice fairy."
>Do we sense anything offkey border wise with Reimu now that we're much closer?
>"There's something about you I'd like to talk with you about too. Besides the more aggressive donation hunting."

>"Oh, that? It's easy. I just give them a couple of shiny things every now and again."
>Considering her affinity with the Great Hakurei Border and occupation, Reimu has always had a strange set of barriers around herself. However, the entire area along with Reimu still seems slightly off.
>"Oh? What would that be?"

>"And what exactly is it about me that you want to talk about?"

>"Well, you know what happened to Gensoukyo, right?"
>"The border broke. I've done my best to try to fix it, but I just don't know how."
>"You disappeared, after all, and you're the expert with these kinds of things."
>"So, instead, I've been doing what I can to make sure that nothing else happens to the border. To make sure that it doesn't break down any further."
>"People have appreciated that, and offered donations. But this is unrelated."
>"Anyway, you've come back, and you've even started to fix the border."
>"So, I wanted to ask if you would work with me. You seemed rather on edge the last time I tried to talk to you, though, so I thought I'd wait to ask until you'd calmed down."
>"Disappearing for two years has to take it's toll, after all, doesn't it?"
>"So, won't you help me?"
>Reimu reaches out a hand to you.

>_

[GuyYouMetOnline]

>Don't take it.
>"To be honest, Reimu, the tales I've heard are... worrying. Byakuren and her followers, for example, say you were attacking people who couldn't pay. Incidentally, there's no need for you to seek donations by any means; I am quite capable of providing you with as much money as you could ever possibly want."
>"Anyways, you claim you haven't attacked people, and ordinarily I would believe you, but I've heard numerous tales to the contrary. The most notable, I think, is Byakuren's. Byakuren told me that she and her followers took on themselves the payments of people unable to meet your demands, and that when this became too much, you attacked them and sealed them away. Now, I doubt Byakuren would lie, but she could possibly be mistaken about your actions. Or perhaps she was tricked. Either I could believe, but there's one fact that doesn't fit with that explanation: the seals placed on them were of a variety such that only two people I know of could have placed them: you and me. I know I didn't do it, so if you would claim you didn't do it either, then I would have to wonder who did. Because they were sealed; that much is indisputable."

[Shadoweh]

> "What happened to you when the border broke? What changed about you? I was trapped but I heard you disappeared too."
> Can we tell if this is actually Reimu or not?

[Dormio Ergo Sum]

>Don't take it.
>"To be honest, Reimu, the tales I've heard are... worrying. Byakuren and her followers, for example, say you were attacking people who couldn't pay. Incidentally, there's no need for you to seek donations by any means; I am quite capable of providing you with as much money as you could ever possibly want."
>"Anyways, you claim you haven't attacked people, and ordinarily I would believe you, but I've heard numerous tales to the contrary. The most notable, I think, is Byakuren's. Byakuren told me that she and her followers took on themselves the payments of people unable to meet your demands, and that when this became too much, you attacked them and sealed them away. Now, I doubt Byakuren would lie, but she could possibly be mistaken about your actions. Or perhaps she was tricked. Either I could believe, but there's one fact that doesn't fit with that explanation: the seals placed on them were of a variety such that only two people I know of could have placed them: you and me. I know I didn't do it, so if you would claim you didn't do it either, then I would have to wonder who did. Because they were sealed; that much is indisputable."

>You refuse to be swayed.
>"It's not my fault."
>"They tried to do something they couldn't handle. I was obligated to relieve them of their worries."

> "What happened to you when the border broke? What changed about you? I was trapped but I heard you disappeared too."
> Can we tell if this is actually Reimu or not?

>"Hmm, that? I simply happened to... see... a few things when I tried to fix the border myself."
>"But I haven't changed. I'm still me."
>"So won't you change your mind? Don't you want to help me?"
>Reimu continues to hold her hand out.

>_

[Darkoda]

>"Reimu, I do want to help you, not only because I've been incident resolving already as it is, but because you are my friend."
>"When the border started to break, I went within it to stop it from completely shattering. That kept me stuck there for the past two years but when the border broke, it swallowed up quite a few people and areas."
>"Every area caught in the border before I managed to stabilize it, every last one, had some major change come over them due to its influence, some of whom I'd have thought immune until I saw for myself."
>"Reimu, when you tried to fix the border and got dragged in, what did you see?"
>Man, given how badly everyone else got messed up by the border, Reimu going from sassy shrine maiden to dictator makes sense now.

Every area required us to fix the thing that was wrong more or less. In this case it seems to be getting Reimu to see what she's become since she's in super denial but provoking her into a fight will likely just make her shut us out.

[Dormio Ergo Sum]

>"Reimu, I do want to help you, not only because I've been incident resolving already as it is, but because you are my friend."
>"When the border started to break, I went within it to stop it from completely shattering. That kept me stuck there for the past two years but when the border broke, it swallowed up quite a few people and areas."
>"Every area caught in the border before I managed to stabilize it, every last one, had some major change come over them due to its influence, some of whom I'd have thought immune until I saw for myself."
>"Reimu, when you tried to fix the border and got dragged in, what did you see?"
>Man, given how badly everyone else got messed up by the border, Reimu going from sassy shrine maiden to dictator makes sense now.

>"Then join me. I'm sure that, with your help, there isn't anything that we can't do."
>"Is that where you've been?"
>"So is that what was happening with those cracks...?"
>"Me? Nothing much. Why does it matter?"
>You wonder if this can't be resolved peacefully.

>_

[Shadoweh]

> The offness we're sensing right now, is it like those cracks?

[Dormio Ergo Sum]

> The offness we're sensing right now, is it like those cracks?

>You do get the feeling that it is similar but, at the same time, not quite alike.

>_

[Darkoda]

>"What exactly are you going to do with my help by the way?"
>"By the way, just what happened to the Scarlet devil's mansion? It seems to have shrunk quite a deal."
>"Oh, and have you seen Alice and Rinnosuke? I've been meaning to talk with them but I lost track of them after they came here and well I couldn't just stop by here without anything."
>Oh, give her her stuff back.


Hmm, maybe if we ask Reimu to prove that she hasn't done anything by going with her to the human village or something. If she's as bad as we've heard from everyone they aren't going to be exactly happy joy joy.

[Dormio Ergo Sum]

>"What exactly are you going to do with my help by the way?"
>"By the way, just what happened to the Scarlet devil's mansion? It seems to have shrunk quite a deal."
>"Oh, and have you seen Alice and Rinnosuke? I've been meaning to talk with them but I lost track of them after they came here and well I couldn't just stop by here without anything."
>Oh, give her her stuff back.

>"What else? Fix everything I couldn't."
>"Remilia? It was unfortunate, but I had to make an example out of her. I can't waste the energy it takes to deal with rebellions like that,"
>"Most of my efforts go towards maintaining the border, and it's easiest to do that when nothing else changes."
>"Rinnosuke and Alice? Not lately. It's possible they're here, though. Rinnosuke knows more about this place than I do. He was the one that designed it after all."
>"Oh? Is that for me? What is it?"
>You tell Reimu that you're simply returning the things that Marisa had taken from her.
>"How did you manage that?"
>Reimu snaps her fingers and, before long, two small fairies appear.
>"Sort through these and put them where they belong."
>You watch as the fairies take away the gift you had prepared for Reimu.

>_

[Darkoda]

>"Karma just decided to visit Marisa for a bit~"
>"Gensokyo itself is far too serious and depressing right now and like I said, fixing things is my main goal for now."
>"But, when I asked you earlier what you saw in the border, it's because the same distortions I sensed everywhere else, I'm feeling something very similar from you."
>Can we get an idea on what about Reimu feels different from the other cases? Is it just her Hakurei blood mixing with the gap mindscrew?
>Or is it that she feels like a source of it. Whatever she says, heaven didn't get covered in her brand of sealing talismans by itself.
>We are sure that was Reimu's magic we sensed on those right?

[Dormio Ergo Sum]

>"Karma just decided to visit Marisa for a bit~"
>"Gensokyo itself is far too serious and depressing right now and like I said, fixing things is my main goal for now."
>"But, when I asked you earlier what you saw in the border, it's because the same distortions I sensed everywhere else, I'm feeling something very similar from you."
>Can we get an idea on what about Reimu feels different from the other cases? Is it just her Hakurei blood mixing with the gap mindscrew?
>Or is it that she feels like a source of it. Whatever she says, heaven didn't get covered in her brand of sealing talismans by itself.
>We are sure that was Reimu's magic we sensed on those right?

>"That doesn't sound very pleasant."
>"It's the easiest to maintain.
>"From me? I assure you that I am still me, if that's what you're getting at."
>Not precisely. This may certainly be a factor.
>The feeling does seem to be coming from her.
>Unless someone else is able to mimic Reimu's techniques, you are quite sure.

>_

[Darkoda]

>"I'm quite sure that the Reimu from before the border incident wouldn't have sealed off an entire plane. No one really likes the celestials but the Dragon?"
>Say that quite deadpan-like.
>"Why did you do that by the way? Fixing that one was a bigger chore than I would have liked."

[Dormio Ergo Sum]

>"I'm quite sure that the Reimu from before the border incident wouldn't have sealed off an entire plane. No one really likes the celestials but the Dragon?"
>Say that quite deadpan-like.
>"Why did you do that by the way? Fixing that one was a bigger chore than I would have liked."

>"It's not my fault, so I can't be blamed for it."
>Reimu seems unfazed.
>"I had to. It was too difficult to maintain."

>_

[Darkoda]

>"Maintain? When does heaven need maintaining beyond the Dragon keeping things in check up there and the brat?"
>What's she talking about?

[Dormio Ergo Sum]

>"Maintain? When does heaven need maintaining beyond the Dragon keeping things in check up there and the brat?"
>What's she talking about?

>"Didn't I say? I've been making sure that nothing more happens to the border. It's far too much work to keep Bhava Agra as a part of Gensoukyo."
>You suppose that keeping the border from breaking further might take some effort. It's rather hard to know, considering that something like this has not happened before.

>_

[Darkoda]

>Wait, if heaven was cut off by the cracks in the border, how did Reimu get into heaven?
>Is it possible that Reimu's the one who cut off everywhere from gensokyo?

[Dormio Ergo Sum]

>Wait, if heaven was cut off by the cracks in the border, how did Reimu get into heaven?
>Is it possible that Reimu's the one who cut off everywhere from gensokyo?

>Unless she managed to enter the same way you did, which seems rather unlikely, you aren't sure.
>... It could be. Though the cracks seem unlike anything Reimu would make. Perhaps a side effect of what happened to the border?

>_

[Darkoda]

>Would that level of overkill fit Reimu's behaviour?
>"How did you even get into heaven to begin with with all the cracks in the border?"
>"...Reimu, how many people did you end up sealing to keep things stable?"

[Dormio Ergo Sum]

>Would that level of overkill fit Reimu's behaviour?
>"How did you even get into heaven to begin with with all the cracks in the border?"
>"...Reimu, how many people did you end up sealing to keep things stable?"

>Previously, you would have found the very notion to be laughable. With what you've seen recently, however...
>"I just found a place that wasn't broken."
>"The way you say that almost makes it sound as though you're accusing me of something. But that doesn't matter any more. After all, you're here to fix everything now, aren't you?"

>_

[Darkoda]

>"At least to get things back to Gensokyo's normal state, where a danmaku fight is enough for most incidents."
>"The border is fine now and the incident that damaged it to begin with won't happen again."
>"It really sounds like despite appearances, you've been having a hard time of it yourself."
>In an extreme and ruthless way, Reimu's decisions do kinda make sense given her duty to protect the border at all costs.
>Really, really extreme and ruthless. Was the border in that much danger even with us in it?

[Dormio Ergo Sum]

>"At least to get things back to Gensokyo's normal state, where a danmaku fight is enough for most incidents."
>"The border is fine now and the incident that damaged it to begin with won't happen again."
>"It really sounds like despite appearances, you've been having a hard time of it yourself."
>In an extreme and ruthless way, Reimu's decisions do kinda make sense given her duty to protect the border at all costs.
>Really, really extreme and ruthless. Was the border in that much danger even with us in it?

>"And that's great. You should keep at it."
>"Really? Already? You work pretty fast when you want to, don't you?"
>"Oh, you don't know the half of it. Trying to keep something from changing is pretty tiring."
>You suppose that what Reimu is saying could make sense... You wonder what use she had for the money though.
>The Great Hakurei Border was your masterpiece, one that took the combined efforts of both yourself and the Dragon to create. Whilst it does need constant maintenance, it should be sturdy enough to last for at least a decade without you, no matter what happens to it.

>_

[Darkoda]

>"Still, you might have overdone it just a bit. Something I made won't break that easily."

[Dormio Ergo Sum]

>"Still, you might have overdone it just a bit. Something I made won't break that easily."

>"Well it's not my fault, is it?"

>_

[Darkoda]

>Uh huh.....
>"Just take it easy for a bit okay? Well I'll be here to keep you occupied on that front at least~"
>"But first, like I said, there's a certain shopkeeper running around here that I need to have words with and I doubt that you want him sneaking about here either."

[Dormio Ergo Sum]

>Uh huh.....
>"Just take it easy for a bit okay? Well I'll be here to keep you occupied on that front at least~"
>"But first, like I said, there's a certain shopkeeper running around here that I need to have words with and I doubt that you want him sneaking about here either."

>You wonder if she's not hiding anything behind that behaviour.
>"Take it easy? I wish. Least I know why you spend so much time sleeping."
>"I don't really care about what that man does in his free time. If you want to go looking for him, be my guest. Just stay out of my rooms, the fairies will tell you which ones they are."

>_

[Darkoda]

>Eh, tackle Reimu again later, for now we can at least resolve the Alice situation.
>"Then I'll be back in a jiffy~"
>Start our epic search for Rinnosuke.
>Realise very quickly that this is too much work and gap Ran to us to deal with this. Scent works so much better after all.

[Dormio Ergo Sum]

>Eh, tackle Reimu again later, for now we can at least resolve the Alice situation.
>"Then I'll be back in a jiffy~"
>Start our epic search for Rinnosuke.
>Realise very quickly that this is too much work and gap Ran to us to deal with this. Scent works so much better after all.

>You feel like leaving dealing with Reimu for a later time. After all, who knows what might have happened to Alice.
>"You're going to go already? We haven't even had our meal yet."
>Reimu looks rather disappointed.
>"I'll tell the fairies to keep your share warm."
>You leave Reimu and begin to wander through Reimu's mansion in search of Rinnosuke.
>You see fairies throughout the halls, cleaning and dusting various parts of the building.
>You also quickly come to the realization that the building is far too large for you to want to go through the effort it would take to search the entire place for Rinnosuke.
>You decide to open up a gap and call for Ran, who looks rather annoyed as she steps through.
>"Honestly, master, is there nothing you fear?"
>You order Ran to search for Rinnosuke.
>"As you wish, master."
>You watch Ran sniff the air a few times before she looks back at you.
>"It seems that the shopkeeper is below us, though there are several other odours that I do not like coming from the same location."

>_

[Darkoda]

>"Do any of them seem familiar?"
>Now that we have a general idea where to look, can we just open a gap all the way down?