Reimu Quest (Part 10)

[日巫子]

>"We're gathering up at Scarlet Devil Mansion to fix up the barrier, and we need all the help we can get in plotting out the spell and casting it."

> "So you want us in on it, huh?" Mamizou asks, looking back at the other tanuki.  "That shouldn't be a problem."

> _

[Hello Purvis]

>Nod. "That'd be nice, if you have anything to contribute."
>What do we know of relations between foxes and tanuki?

[日巫子]

>Nod. "That'd be nice, if you have anything to contribute."
>What do we know of relations between foxes and tanuki?

> "Then I'll get Nue in on it too, if ya don't mind."
> Relations seem to vary from cooperative to antagonistic and rival-like.  Among these tanuki, there are sure to be mixed opinions about kitsune.

> _

[Hello Purvis]

>"Right, if you think she has anything to add, I'm all for it. Just as long as she plays nice."

[日巫子]

>"Right, if you think she has anything to add, I'm all for it. Just as long as she plays nice."

> "Don't you worry, I won't let her cause trouble," says Mamizou.  "In fact, she's probably listening in on us right now."
> She gestures to the crowd of tanuki as she says this.

> _

[Hello Purvis]

>"That's all I need, then."
>Glance over.

[日巫子]

>"That's all I need, then."
>Glance over.

> You look over at the dancing tanuki, but you don't see Nue among them.
> "I'll be heading back, then," says Mamizou.  "I suppose I'll be seeing you again soon."

> _

[Hello Purvis]

>"I hope so."
>Which is the next closest place where we would expect to find people, Hakugyokuro, Higan, or someplace else?

[日巫子]

>"I hope so."
>Which is the next closest place where we would expect to find people, Hakugyokuro, Higan, or someplace else?

> From here, the next closest place you could go to would be Hakugyokurou.  The Sanzu River would take longer to get to, and the water hasn't completely drained yet.

> _

[Hello Purvis]

>Let's head toward Hakugyokuro then.

[日巫子]

>Let's head toward Hakugyokuro then.

> You take off and start flying high into the sky.
> It takes a real effort.  In addition to flying above the clouds, you also have to dodge streams of water this time.  Fortunately, they don't move too slowly: you just have to be extra careful. 
> Multiple visits over the course of the week have left it easy to find the actual entrance to the Netherworld.  The stairway is just in sight.

> _

[Hello Purvis]

>Fly right up the stairs.

[日巫子]

>Fly right up the stairs.

> You fly up the stairs, higher and higher until you reach the doors leading to the Netherworld.  They swing open, and you go flying into Hakugyokurou's gardens.

> _

[Hello Purvis]

>Look around for familiar faces.

[日巫子]

>Look around for familiar faces.

> You look around.  It's just trees and ghosts everywhere, but off in the distance you think you see someone standing beneath one of the trees.

> _

[Hello Purvis]

>Head toward that someone.

[日巫子]

>Head toward that someone.

> You fly along the path until you reach the person under the tree.  Unsurprisingly, it's Youmu.  She's standing underneath the cherry blossom tree while her ghost half goes to retrieve spirits caught in the branches.

> _

[Hello Purvis]

>"Heeey!"

[日巫子]

>"Heeey!"

> Youmu looks over her shoulder at you.  "Oh?  Good afternoon."

> _

[Hello Purvis]

>"Is Yuyuko available? I need to talk with her. Well, with the both of you, probably."

[日巫子]

>"Is Yuyuko available? I need to talk with her. Well, with the both of you, probably."

> "Yes, I believe she's in the garden behind the mansion right now," says Youmu.  "What's wrong?"

> _

[Hello Purvis]

>"Not so much wrong as I need you both. We're going to fix the hole in the barrier."
>"Though...I do need to talk to Yuyuko about something else private, while I'm here."

[日巫子]

>"Not so much wrong as I need you both. We're going to fix the hole in the barrier."
>"Though...I do need to talk to Yuyuko about something else private, while I'm here."

> "Oh.  Understood."  Youmu's ghost half returns to her, followed by many other spirits.  "If you would please follow me, then..."
> She turns and starts flying down the path at a leisurely pace.

> _

[Hello Purvis]

>Follow that ghost!

[日巫子]

>Follow that ghost!

> You follow Youmu down the path, until you reach the large house where she and Yuyuko live.  She leads you around the side of the place and to the back garden, fragrant and full of flowers.  You see Yuyuko seated among the bushes, sketchbook and pencil in hand.  She looks like she's concentrating very hard, and Youmu seems hesitant to interrupt her.

> _

[Hello Purvis]

>Float behind Yuyuko, let's see what she's sketching, and if she notices us.

[日巫子]

>Float behind Yuyuko, let's see what she's sketching, and if she notices us.

> You fly around and look over Yuyuko's shoulder.  She's sketching the flowers in the bushes in front of her, and doing a good job of it.  She doesn't appear to notice you.

> _

[Hello Purvis]

>"Hate to bother you, but I need to talk for a little bit."

[日巫子]

>"Hate to bother you, but I need to talk for a little bit."

> "Yeees?" Yuyuko says, not turning away from her drawing.  "I'm listening."

> _

[Hello Purvis]

>"First, would you happen to have or know of any literature on the creation of the Great Hakurei Barrier?"