[COMPLETE] Daiyousei Quest - Rise of the Fairies

[Raikaria]

>"I came to learn more about 'white' magic from Byakuren, but then... whatever that was happened, and Byakuren wants a hour to herself."

> "Hmm? Something has bothered Hijiri?" the tiger youkai says. "Still, if she wishes an hour to herself, I shall leave her be."

> "Wait, what happened? I felt a little funny a little while ago. I thought it was Nue sneaking up on me." Kogasa says.

> "Wait, you felt something too?" the tiger youkai says.

> "I... did too!" says a voice, as another figure stumbles into the area. She has a cool hat, some tag over her face, and looks like she's... well... dead from her skin complexion. She also has her arms reached out in front of her.

[Hanzo K.]

>A tag over her face..? Didn't the books we read mention something about a dead-looking person with that kinda thing?
>"Yeah..Being a Sprite, I probably had a better grasp of that feeling than most...It felt like something faded away."

[Raikaria]

>A tag over her face..? Didn't the books we read mention something about a dead-looking person with that kinda thing?
>"Yeah..Being a Sprite, I probably had a better grasp of that feeling than most...It felt like something faded away."

> You don't know. However, you recall from what Rumia told you about Seiga that is is probably her Jiang-Shi, Yoshika.

> "Hmm. I felt something like that too, but I'm an avatar of the gods..." the tiger youkai says.

> "I just felt a little chill." Kogasa says.

> "Me too..." Yoshika comments.

[Darkoda]

>"I have a very bad feeling about all of this...."
>If other fairies felt it so strongly, what would they do?

[Raikaria]

>"I have a very bad feeling about all of this...."
>If other fairies felt it so strongly, what would they do?

> You don't know. What you do know about the way fairy society is structured, is that it'll be based on what the head fairy in the area reacts like. Based on their claims, Sunny and her gang have... somehow, got in charge of most of the fairy groups now. You figure a change in nature of this magnitude could cause their plans to accelerate.

> "I agree." the tiger youkai says.

[Hanzo K.]

>"If I know Sunny, her and the others will probably make a move of some kind..."

[Raikaria]

>"If I know Sunny, her and the others will probably make a move of some kind..."

> "Fairy politics are something I am not well versed in." the tiger youkai says.

> Her ears twitch. "Ah, Hijiri just sent out a message requesting all temple affiliates to meet in about half an hour...I better find my Pagoda before then."

> "Wait, yu lost your pagoda thingy again Shou?" Kogasa says.

> "Yes... again. And Nazrin's at the border looking for valuable items so she can't help." Shou says sadly.

[Hanzo K.]

>Do we know any magic that might be able to help?

[Raikaria]

>Do we know any magic that might be able to help?

> No. You don't even know what a Pagoda is, because you've never seen nor heard of one.

[Hanzo K.]

>"...What does it look like?"

[Raikaria]

>"...What does it look like?"

> "It looks like a lantern, I guess that's the best way to put it. It's very shiny, and is jeweled. If you do find it, don't touch it, because if you're judged unworthy it could incinerate you, it's a divine artifact."

[Hanzo K.]

>"So....it's magic then? I might be able to use that to find it I guess..?"
>So it's magic pretty much? That's something we can do! After all, we're attuned to magic quite strongly, so theoretically an artifact like that would emit more magic than the surroundings. Kinda like how we read that snakes find their prey by figuring out what's a hotter point than the rest.

[Raikaria]

>"So....it's magic then? I might be able to use that to find it I guess..?"
>So it's magic pretty much? That's something we can do! After all, we're attuned to magic quite strongly, so theoretically an artifact like that would emit more magic than the surroundings. Kinda like how we read that snakes find their prey by figuring out what's a hotter point than the rest.

> "No, it's not magic. It's divine power. It's an artifact from the god Bishamonten himself." Shou says. "It's on a completely different level to magic."

> You decide to try and sense nearby magic. There isn't a 'hotspot' like you'd expect [Well, Shou, Kogasa and Yoshika are hotspots], but a 'dark spot'. That said, if what Shou said is true, then the artifact doesn't use magic anyway.

[Hanzo K.]

>"Well, it's not exactly a hotspot of magic per se, but...There is a 'darkspot', so to speak. Maybe it's there?"
>Let's head there and see if it's what we're looking for.

[Raikaria]

>"Well, it's not exactly a hotspot of magic per se, but...There is a 'darkspot', so to speak. Maybe it's there?"
>Let's head there and see if it's what we're looking for.

> You fly over, past some tombstones, and, nestled between two tombstones, and in some plants, is a shiny, jeweled, lamp-like item.

[Hanzo K.]

>"Heeeeey! I found it!"

[Raikaria]

>"Heeeeey! I found it!"

> Shou flies over and picks up the Pagoda. Kogasa also flies over.
 
> "You're just gonna lose it in about an hour knowing you~" she says.

> "Quiet." Shou snaps, before turning to you and thanking you. "I'll wager it was Nue who put it out here..."

[Hanzo K.]

>Let's stare at it a bit more. "It's....Shiny."
>Then visibly shake it off. "Dai, you're better than this! You're smarter than the average Sprite!"
>Then look somewhat embarrassed about our little self-chastising outburst. "...Sorry about that..."

[Raikaria]

>Let's stare at it a bit more. "It's....Shiny."
>Then visibly shake it off. "Dai, you're better than this! You're smarter than the average Sprite!"
>Then look somewhat embarrassed about our little self-chastising outburst. "...Sorry about that..."

> "Don't worry, it is a divine artifact, it's supposed to be captivating. It would be worrying if you were not attracted by it." Shou says, before asking, "Sprite? I thought you were a fairy. Have you started calling yourselves something different?"

[Hanzo K.]

>"Ah, I guess not too many know anymore...Sprites are Evolved Fairies. Back when magic first vanished, they were the first casualties...But now that Gensokyo is around, every so often a powerful or abnormally lucid Fairy comes along and Ascends to Spritehood via dedication to something they like. Cirno, Lily White, and myself, are the current three I know about so far...Lily used to just 'love spring', and when she ascended, she became what we know now. That excitable herald of spring. Cirno....Well, even though we're friends, I can't say that she improved much mentally....And me? Well, I ended up as a Sprite of Magic and Knowledge, since I was always smarter than the other fairies..."
>Nod. "Sprites are essentially the same as a Fairy, only stronger. We're still immortal in a sense, and we still look the same as we always do every day, but the more lucid ones like me get smarter, while the power-minded ones like Cirno just get stronger. She wanted to be the strongest badly enough to ascend to Spritehood..."

[Raikaria]

>"Ah, I guess not too many know anymore...Sprites are Evolved Fairies. Back when magic first vanished, they were the first casualties...But now that Gensokyo is around, every so often a powerful or abnormally lucid Fairy comes along and Ascends to Spritehood via dedication to something they like. Cirno, Lily White, and myself, are the current three I know about so far...Lily used to just 'love spring', and when she ascended, she became what we know now. That excitable herald of spring. Cirno....Well, even though we're friends, I can't say that she improved much mentally....And me? Well, I ended up as a Sprite of Magic and Knowledge, since I was always smarter than the other fairies..."
>Nod. "Sprites are essentially the same as a Fairy, only stronger. We're still immortal in a sense, and we still look the same as we always do every day, but the more lucid ones like me get smarter, while the power-minded ones like Cirno just get stronger. She wanted to be the strongest badly enough to ascend to Spritehood..."

> "Hmm. Interesting." Shou says, rubbing her Pagoda like it is some kind of comfort to her.

> "Well, I guess I should explain in kind, that I am able to wield and control the divine power of this Pagoda because I am an avatar of the god this belongs to. I'm also a tiger youkai." Shou says. "As such, I am the second in command of this temple, after Hijiri, of course, who most of the temple's staff are indebted to."

[Hanzo K.]

>"Wow....That must mean you're pretty strong then."
>...This could be somewhat problematic if Cirno were to find out.
>Sweatdrop with a nervous smile. "...Cirno might want to pick a fight with you if she finds out...When she became a Sprite, she got even more simple-minded..."

[Raikaria]

>"Wow....That must mean you're pretty strong then."
>...This could be somewhat problematic if Cirno were to find out.
>Sweatdrop with a nervous smile. "...Cirno might want to pick a fight with you if she finds out...When she became a Sprite, she got even more simple-minded..."

> "I wouldn't advise anyone picking a fight with me. The Pagoda has the power to disintergrate my foes with it's divine light. That and it can create curved lasers in danmaku."

[Hanzo K.]

>Look at Kogasa with an expression of relative impressed-ness and surprise. "You hear that Kogasa? It has Curved Lasers. Curved. Lasers."
>Then chuckle slightly. "...I bet that's what Rumia would've said if she was here..."

[Raikaria]

>Look at Kogasa with an expression of relative impressed-ness and surprise. "You hear that Kogasa? It has Curved Lasers. Curved. Lasers."
>Then chuckle slightly. "...I bet that's what Rumia would've said if she was here..."

> "I heard of these guys with curved swords once." Kogasa says. "Not that strange."

> "Maybe. I know I'd have said it if you didn't beat me to it." the karakasa replies.

> "Well, I must get myself ready for whatever Hijiri has planned. I am the second of the temple, so she may need assistance." Shou says.

[Hanzo K.]

>Nod. "We'll come with you then? I was planning to hear what she had to say to begin with."
>Let's go?

[Raikaria]

>Nod. "We'll come with you then? I was planning to hear what she had to say to begin with."
>Let's go?

> "If Hijiri invited you. There's still a good half-hour, however." Shou says.

> You follow Shou into the temple's main hall. Only two other figures are there, one of which is, surprisingly, a Nyuudou. The other is clearly some kind of monk.



Ichirin Kumoi and Unzan
The fearless Monk and the fearsome Old Man

[Hanzo K.]

>"Whoa. I haven't seen a Nyuudou since that time Rika captured me a couple years ago..."

[Raikaria]

>"Whoa. I haven't seen a Nyuudou since that time Rika captured me a couple years ago..."

> The Nyuudou turns around, before the monk does.

> "Ah, a fairy. Shou, what is a fairy doing inside?" she asks.

> "It's not a fairy, it's a sprite, and she's a guest of Hijiri, I know fairies are normally not allowed inside due to their pranks and lack of respect for religion, but his is Hijiri's word, Ichirin." Shou says.

> "Very well then, I take it you are going to prepare for the gathering, if that's the case me and Unzan will keep an eye on the fair... I mean Sprite, and make sure she dosen't accidentally wreck anything... or meet Nue and get roped into a prank."  Ichirin says. At this point, Shou walks off.

[Hanzo K.]

>Smile faintly, in that shy sort of way we're so used to. "Um..I don't really do pranks much since I Ascended...You see, Sprites are Evolved Fairies...I already explained all this to Shou."
>Sigh, and take a deep breath. We're gonna have to talk a lot more again.
>"Sprites, as I already said earlier, are Evolved Fairies. When a fairy becomes determined enough to excel at something, they might Ascend, and become a Sprite. Each one has a specific trigger. For Cirno, it was as simple as 'Being the Strongest'. Her desire to be stronger than everyone else sparked the Ascension. For me, it was a desire to learn."
>Let's give her and the Nyuudou the whole speech about fairies and how they evolve to Sprites.

(I did it like this for brevity, because I already type a lot in a day as it is. xD)