>Decide randomly whether to anchor or simply pour water on Shou for yet again losing the pagoda, or maybe plan it for later. So she'll learn to stop losing it.You decide that throwing an anchor would better establish that Shou should keep track of her things than simply pouring water on her. However, she seems to be dealing with temple visitors right now, so it might not look good if you did it right now. You make a mental note to not forget to throw the anchor at Shou when you get back.
>Ask Shou about places she's been recently, for clues.Pulling her aside from the people she's talking to, you ask Shou about any recent stops she's made outside the Myouren Temple.
>Contemplate drawing Byakuren's face over Miko's in protest. As long as the numbers are still there, the money's fine, right? It'll just be more accurate on who's better.Byakuren is certainly better than Miko, and you decide drawing your leader's face on the 10000-yen bill would help prove it. But you've got nothing to draw with right now, and Nazrin seems a little too eager to see you off. You make a mental note to do that once you find something you could use. Maybe you could steal a brush from the Taoists for extra irony.
>Retrieve spellcards.Rushing back into the temple and explaining to Nazrin that you almost forgot them, you go to where you know your spellcards are. Out of the five you had set aside for this task, it looks like somebody stole one and replaced it with a blank card. Now also seems like a good time to draw Byakuren's face over Miko's on your bill. You take a moment to grab the nearest brush and do that. Much better.
>Relationship with human village.Your relationship with the human village is sort of split down the middle. The 40% or so following Byakuren's teachings look up to you, thanks in part to your tall tales about how your crew rescued her. The Taoists (excluding the ones in the Dream Palace Mausoleum), numbering out at the same amount, are generally indifferent to your existence. The last 20% is a mixed basket. This includes Hata no Kokoro and Kogasa Tatara, both of whom you're kinda friends with, but Kokoro probably wouldn't notice if you went missing.
>Relationship with kappa.Considering how Youkai Mountain isn't so friendly to outsiders, pretty good. May have to do with the fact that you share a common interest in watery places.
>Grasp the ladle with our mouth like it's a pipe.You get your ladle out and grasp it with your mouth as though it's a pipe. It's much more sailor-esque, and you decide you rather like the way it looks.
>What's our opinion of spinach?Spinach isn't your favorite, but you'll (hesitantly) eat it if it's part of your meal, even though you know it keeps ya strong to the finich. You suddenly wonder why so many people have inquired about this.
> Reply along the lines of "I'm off on a treasure hunt...Again!" in our best pirate voice.That seems to have caught Kyouko's attention. If only because she thinks your pirate voice is one of the coolest things in the Myouren Temple, she looks very excited about this "treasure hunt" of yours. So thrilled, in fact, that she even asks "Wow, can I come too!?"
> Can we only manipulate water, or can we manipulate ice and fog, too?If you can manipulate water, that would be news even to Byakuren. Your power is solely to sink ships, though if you got creative enough with it then some water manipulation could be possible.
>How much pirating can we remember that we've done?Not much in life, none in death. You remember that in life your ship was armed with an absurdly large cannon that fired the ship's anchor to sink military vessels, but the Myouren Temple/Palanquin Ship has no such weapon.
>What's our opinion of this yamabiko?She's a good kid altogether, though between her and that awful buzzing alarm clock from Kourindou, you'd rather wake up to the alarm clock.
>Try to think of anything else we might need.Money, spellcards, weapons, the clothes you're wearing...that seems to be about it. Maybe you should check Kourindou for something if you end up leaving the Human Village, but you feel that you're set otherwise.
>Do we know how to fold paper boats?Despite your best efforts, you've never been able to properly fold a paper boat. They always sink shortly after touching the water, even without you using your powers.
>Can we sink paper boats?See above. You can sink them so well you literally don't have to try at all.
>Well, she is cute. And if nothing else, we can always weaponize that amazing voice of hers.Indeed.
>"Sure, kid. More the merrier."Kyouko looks overjoyed and raring to go. Raising the hand in which she held her broom, the yamabiko excitedly shouted "Let's go!" with enough force to rock a nearby chair. She sure seems excited to tag along.
>Readjust hat in the event Kyouko's bellow dislodged it.Good thinking. Seems her shout did dislodge it; a few steps without fixing it and the hat would have fallen right off. Can't be a Gensokyo resident without a hat now, can you?
While I sincerely appreciate the sentiment, UE, I fear that, my birthday was actually back in march. The staff here simply hasn't got around to removing that title from my profile. I figure they think I look good with redtext, or they forgot about me....oh. I see. Well then, since now happens to be the right weekend, enjoy your Memorial Day, I guess? That goes for the rest of ya, too! As for me, it's 1AM here and, much unlike our ghostly sailor, I need a solid X hours of sleep a day. g'nite, all :)
>So, the black-white's, eh.Yup, that's why Shou said.
>We know where that is, yes?You know it's in the Forest of Magic, at least. As a ship captain, you're pretty confident you can find it on your own.
>If not, ask.You're still pretty confident you can find it yourself, even if you don't know the exact location. Seems like all that's really left is to make sure Kyouko's ready to go, maybe check in on some other Myouren Temple or Human Village residents before you go if you want, then get moving, cap'n!
>"Alright. Ya got everything on you so we can get a move on?"Kyouko takes a brief moment to check her pockets and under her ears. Taking mental note of what she does and doesn't have, the janitor concludes "I'm ready to go!"
>Wonder why Our Lady Hijiri paid a visit to that black-white magician, anyway.You take a moment to wonder about that. In the end, you can't draw up any solid reasons. The only thing you can come up with is that they both use magic...maybe that's got something to do with it?
>Ask Byakuren why she went to the black-white's house, if it's not too much of a bother for her.As you and Kyouko exit the temple's building, you find Byakuren outside. May as well as why she was visiting the black-white in the first place.
>Think if anyone else at the temple might want to join on our little quest.Nazrin won't go for certain, that's why you're on this quest to begin with. Ichirin & Unzan would certainly be a great help, but you can't imagine them leaving the temple for a search like this. Shou is the avatar of Bishamonten and the temple's idol, so she'll have visitors to deal with. Byakuren may want to tag along, but you wouldn't want to trouble her with this task. Besides, somebody has to be around if the Taoists ever develop the gall to attack the temple, so it may as well be the strongest Buddhist, right? That just leaves the person with the most spare time around here...if you can even find Nue.
>Grin. "Well, she picked a fine magician to swap notes with.""I still have much to learn," Byakuren modestly said.
>"Well, suppose we may as well get down to the task at hand. Never find the thing standing around here.""Good luck, you two," the Youchrist cheered. "And be careful out there!"
>Depart and head towards the Forest of Magic.It's about time to get out of the Human Village. With Kyouko in tow, the two of you make your way in the direction of the Forest of Magic. Here's to the start of a great adventure!
>Buildings are like stationary land-boats, right? Maybe we should sink Kourindou...You ponder sinking Kourindou, using the principle that buildings are like stationary land-boats...
>...Nahhhh. Better to just keep focused and head for the magician's house....but Byakuren seems to have taught you better than to sink buildings. Better just get to the black-white's house. Ignoring the shop, you and Kyouko head off toward a rough path leading into the Forest of Magic; probably leading to your destination.
>What time of day is it?Early afternoon. It's apparently supposed to rain later.
>What do we know about Kourin-dou and its owner?Not much. All you know for certain is what you've heard around town over time. The owner is a half-youkai (not to mention male; a true rarity in Gensokyo) and the shop sells things from the outside world that he happens to find here in Gensokyo. Supposedly, his prices are actually pretty good.
>"Oh, it's a shop called Kourindou. It sells things that came from the outside world""From the outside world? Cooooooool!" Kyouko looks like she wants to see what's in there, no doubt interested in what kinds of things come from the Outside World.
>"Hey Kyouko, mind checking around here a bit? Shou might've dropped it around here.""Okay~!" She seems excited to be helping. She wasn't quite sure if you meant outside or inside, so she ends up entering the store with you. Kyouko immediately takes to the shelves of Kourindou, seemingly as entranced by these gizmos and gadgets as she is eager to help.
> We should check around the shop and also ask its owner if he saw the pagoda.You decide looking around Kourindou may be a good idea. You're welcomed in with the owner saying "Welcome to Kourindou." He's got plenty of stuff from the outside world, but there's no sign of the pagoda. While browsing his wares, you inquire about the Jeweled Pagoda and if he'd seen it lately.
>Examine items carefully. Ask shopkeep if he knows how to use them.The items are certainly diverse. You ask the shopkeep if he knows how this stuff works, but he replies with a hearty "Nope. All I know is what it is and what it does."
>Try to keep Kyouko from destroying the world by screaming into the megaphoneYou keep an eye on the megaphone. You're not quite sure what it does, but something tells you Kyouko getting her hands on that thing can only lead to disaster. Better make sure she doesn't get it.
>Does it violate our precepts or any of Hijiri's standing rules to have possession of a dirty magazine, even if only for the purposes of bribing someone with it later if the need arises?Hijiri's rules only say you can't use the dirty magazine. Owning it is sort of neutral territory since, after all, who would have one and not take a peek? Simply having one to bribe with later should be fine. Even if it weren't, what Byakuren doesn't know can't possibly hurt her.
>Can we see in the dark? I mean, we are a ghost, after all. Mostly.It's weird and kinda depends, though for the most part, no. Unless there's literally zero light, your sight is just as good as a human's in the dark. Not to mention Kyouko can't see in the dark anyway, and she's probably scared of the dark knowing her.
>Weapon proficiencies beyond our trusty anchor.Well, you were a pirate. You know your way around a sword, and your accuracy is pretty nice with ranged weapons too. For some reason, though, you never really could get a grip on how guns worked.
Reccomendation:
Leaving us five grand for later.
Any reason why we need the digital camera?If I may interject from a perspective where I'm pretending like I don't actually know where things can and very likely will end up going, a camera could be pretty helpful. Say you pass a set of runes you've gotta memorize, for one. Just take a picture, and then you can just look at it later. Of course, this is a non-Touhou (or at least, non-Murasa Quest) example, so...
If for nothing else, we might have cause to trade it with Hatate or Aya later. Or take some 'select' pictures of Aya if the opportunity arises. Assuming this universe's Aya is anything like the one I've portrayed in my own works.That too.
Especially leftover moneys. Always good to have leftover moneys.
> Dirty magazineYou pick up four items from the shelves around Kourindou. A magazine with a...well, questionable image of two women on the cover. An item the shop has labelled as a "megaphone," a camera like that tengu reporter's but a little different, and an item labelled as being called a boomerang. Bringing the selected items to the counter, Rinnosuke rings up your choices, and says "Your total is 7,000 yen." You hand him the 10,000 yen bill with Byakuren's face on it, and he gives you your 3,000 yen in change. Then he speaks up about the Jeweled Pagoda and what he knows about its whereabouts, and even gives you a large paper bag to keep your purchases in for free.
> Megaphone
> Boomerang
> Digital camera
Although I think the threat of Kyouko shouting into the megaphone would win us the entire gameAssuming she doesn't kill you or Byakuren with it. Plus, there's a fair few people who would be able to get it from Kyouko and break it, so overuse may not be the best idea...assuming you even decide to keep it. I'm sure there are some people in Gensokyo who would love something like this besides our cute little yamabiko.
>Note to self. This guy just fleeced us outta seven grand.No way he's getting good karma for that.
>Which.... Maybe we can get back? Hmmm..... We are forming a plan.Girls are now formulating. Please wait warmly until they are ready...
>"So, sounds like Marisa's 'borrowed' things from you before, hm?""Yes, she has. What of it?" He already looks irritated by this subject. The shopkeep also looks like he could go on all day about customers just taking what they want, but his exact expression says he'll save that rant for somebody who - unlike yourself - doesn't pay for their things.
Assuming she doesn't kill you or Byakuren with it.
>Go to Marisa's house.
>Ask Marisa about the Pagoda.
>Follow her instructions, if she's there. Otherwise, go to places where Marisa often goes to.
>"Perhaps we could get Kyouko to force the information from [INSERT OCCUPANT NAME HERE]...?"
>"No, that won't be good for our reputation."
>Go to Marisa's house.I'll have to agree with Namusour on this one. If you went directly to Marisa's house from Kourindou, there's no telling what you might miss out on. As a bit of an RPG fan, I'm the kind of person who likes to have plenty of things to do along the way to your ultimate goal, and zipping from A to B sort of makes you skip those things. Like, say we went straight to Kourindou immediately after grabbing our spell cards. Kyouko wouldn't be joining us then, would she? As with real life, you gotta take things one step at a time here. And yes, as Namusour also said, welcome to RPG (wow, I just realized those were the initials for Rumia's Party Games...)
>Ask Marisa about the Pagoda.
>Follow her instructions, if she's there. Otherwise, go to places where Marisa often goes to.
>"Perhaps we could get Kyouko to force the information from [INSERT OCCUPANT NAME HERE]...?"
>"No, that won't be good for our reputation."
>Before we leave, reconsider our plan. Sure he might have fleeced us a little, but money is only money. And optimistically, we thought the pagoda might be at Marisa's anyway, and having one's suspicions confirmed never hurts. Byakuren would probably rather us let the matter alone, so, we probably should.After a moment of reconsideration, you decide it would certainly be best to just leave things be. It's not like he fleeced you out of all your money, and as Byakuren has taught you over the years, two wrongs don't make a right. And he at least confirmed your suspicions that the pagoda is with Marisa, and you got some pretty neat stuff out of it too.
>And besides, we can always mention this little encounter to Nue, see if SHE'D like to settle up with our grey-haired shopkeep here.You make a mental note to let Nue know about what happened here. She's...well, less into Byakuren's teachings than the rest of the temple residents, so she'll probably have less qualms with getting even for your 7,000 yen.
>"Okay, sorry I asked.""She at least says she won't pay. It's Reimu that's the real problem; always saying she'll pay up when she never actually does. Your temple could do well to teach her a bit about punctuality."
>Have a look around for something out of the ordinary that Byakuren or our fellow temple residents might be interested in.You take a quick second look around Kourindou. Your budget may be smaller, but your interests are in things your fellow Buddhists may like. The only thing really out of the ordinary is how ordinary the rest of the store's wares are. Nothing worth note here.
>Then we can depart. After collecting Kyouko, of course.Turning to inform Kyouko that the two of you are now leaving, you and her walk out of the store. You learned that Marisa did indeed take the pagoda, and you got some pretty nifty things from your forced shopping trip. Even if you didn't like his method of business, you can't say it was a bad trip altogether. Time to head into the forest proper! There's a rough path leading into the forest; made by one person walking the same route a lot of times given the look of it.
>Aha! That path's just begging for our attention!That path has to lead somewhere. You simply have to find out just where it's going; quite possibly right to Marisa's, even.
>"C'mon, Kyouko. This way."Telling Kyouko to follow you, the two of you start down the path. The Forest of Magic naturally blocks out a lot of sunlight, but there's still enough light to see where you're going. It would probably be best to get out of here before nightfall, though.
>Follow that trail!Step by step, you and Kyouko keep heading deeper into the Forest of Magic. Lots of trees, plenty of odd mushrooms you've never seen before, and the rough path you've been following are pretty much all that's worth noting.
>While walking the path, see if there are any random youkai around to ask.You check around for any other youkai. Doesn't seem like there's anybody nearby, youkai or otherwise.
>Recheck inventory.Murasa's inventory: Anchor | Ladle | 1,000-yen bill x3 | Capsize "Dragging Anchor" | Drowning Sign "Deep Vortex" | Ghost "Sinker Ghost" | Flood "Venus of the Bilge" | Blank card | Large paper bag (contains Digital camera | Boomerang | Megaphone | Dirty magazine)
>Consider whether giving Kyouko the megaphone is a good idea or not.You take a moment to ponder on whether or not Kyouko should have the megaphone. On one hand, it could greatly amplify her impressive vocal capacity. On the other hand, it could become her new favorite toy, and that can only lead to disaster for everybody. Your final conclusion is that it'd be best if you held onto it for now.
>Wonder how can Marisa navigate her way out of the forest.How does Marisa even get out of this forest to begin with? You take a brief moment to figure that out. You decide in the end that since she sort of lives in the forest and all, it's only natural she'd know how to get out.
>How much time do we have left before it gets dark?Anywhere else, you'd have time to spare. Since the Forest of Magic is darker by nature though, you've got...perhaps an hour. Unless Marisa's house is deep in the woods, you should be fine though.
> Our relationship with Marisa.You're still a little bitter about the time she stormed the Palanquin Ship and defeated all of you in danmaku when you were legitimately doing a good thing. But Byakuren seems to like her, so you try to put up with her crap.
>Check if Kyouko is following us. It would be bad if she suddenly got lost.She's still right behind you. Her attention seems to keep bouncing from one tree to another, though.
>Perhaps a map of the Forest of Magic would help with navigation.It would, but there are distressingly few cartographers in the Forest of Magic. Your best bet for a map would be to ask Marisa if she can draw one up once you find her.
>Wonder whether or not spellcards have multiple uses.Surely they must. You recall seeing Marisa use the same Love Sign: Master Spark at least five times when she fought Byakuren in Makai.
>Use Kyouko's Mountain Sign "Long Range Echo" for echolocation as it gets darker.You decide that when it gets darker later on, Kyouko's spellcards might be useful for echolocation. Or her ability could do the same thing. Or you could also...y'know...fly.
>Any signs of progress or change In the environment that we are getting closer to our destination?The path seems to be getting a little thicker. There's also less mushrooms here than there were; that may be something if Marisa's reputation for loving mushrooms is anything more than a rumor. Perhaps the biggest change in the environment though, is a fork in the path. One option is to keep going approximately straight. The other is to make a sharp right.
>Consider the probability of Marisa willingly give back the pagoda.Not very likely. She seemed pretty interested in it before, so it's no stretch of the imagination to say you'll need to come ready with an offer for the pagoda.
>"Looks like we have a fork in the road.""Oh?" Immediately taking her attention off the trees, Kyouko observes the fork in the road.
>"Any ideas what path we should take, Kyouko?"Kyouko eyes the two paths carefully. She seems pretty stumped by all this, especially given this is an unfamiliar environment to her. With a shrug, she replies with "Nope."
>Is there a notable difference in the environment on the two paths?There is not.
>"Let's take a right here. If we still have time left, we can go back here and take the other path.""Okay~!" Following you down the path to the right, Kyouko and yourself continue deeper into the Forest of Magic. Kyouko's attention seems to be back to the trees you two pass.
>Go right.
>Do we know where Alice lives?You don't even know who Alice is, let alone where she lives.
>Do we know the path to the Hakurei shrine?The Hakurei Shrine may not be in the Forest of Magic, but you recall seeing it once before. If you were asked to locate it from the Human Village, you'd have no problem pointing people in the right general direction.
>Continue on the path.You and Kyouko continue down the path you've chosen. Why does the entire forest have to look roughly the same?
>Look for other youkai.You keep an eye open for any other youkai that may happen to be along this path. Despite your search, though, you can't find any other youkai.
>How much time until sundown?Don't confuse the amount of time until sundown with how much time until it gets dark. The Forest of Magic is naturally dark, even at high noon. While you'd have about three hours until sundown, the time until it gets too dark to see well in the forest is more like fifty-five minutes.
>"Hey Kyouko, you alright?""I'm fine, I'm fine," Kyouko beamed. "She just surprised me is all."
>"Here, let me help you get back up." I gestured my right hand indicating her to grab onto it.Kyouko takes the hand, and you help her back up to her feet. Now then, on to the person who did the surprising...
>"Hey, you there, the karakasa, you're Kogasa right?""That's me," Kogasa grinned. "Did I surprise ya?"
>"What are you doing here in this place?""Oh, that!" Shoving the end of her umbrella into the ground, Kogasa angrily started "That shrine maiden came after me again! I escaped into the forest, and now I'm trying to figure out some way to get back at her!"
>"We could help. We're probably going to pass by her shrine anyway. We're searching for a certain tiger youkai's pagoda. We think that the black-white witch might have it.""I've got this," Kogasa adamantly stated, turning down your offer.
>Kogasa joins the party, if she chooses to.Seems she's okay on her own.
>"Oh, and by the way. What's the reason why the red-white came after you?""Huh? The red one? No, no, no, it's that rotten Sanae! Grrrr, I bet she steals candy from babies and kicks puppies!" Apparently fed up with you for no real reason or otherwise no longer wanting to hang out, Kogasa storms off into the trees, angrily ranting to herself about how she'll get back at Sanae for all the things she's done.
>Any rumors about Sanae?Mixed rumors, yes. Some claim she's the benevolent good-girl type who will unconditionally love and assist the people around her, human or otherwise. Others claim she's a twisted youkai hunter out only to see others squirm in pain and anguish. Others still declare that she's just a nerdy little girl from the Outside World, and doesn't really have anything special going for her.
>looks at Kyouko "Did you understand what just happened?""Not at all."
>"Well... I guess we should get going then""Let's go!" Kyouko, as always, seems ready and excited to go!
>I wish her luck on her revenge, but it'll probably won't work too well.While it's true that two wrongs don't make a right, Kogasa seems pretty troubled by Sanae's treatment. You figure that as with any rule, there are some exceptions. Who knows? Maybe you'll meet Kogasa again and get to help her with this revenge of hers.
>Continue on the path.Leading onward, you and Kyouko continue down the path.
>How long is this path???Unknown. With any luck, you should find a house soon enough, though.
>Examine the ground. There might be leftover mushrooms you missed.None. Whoever was picking mushrooms sure did a good job of not leaving any behind.
>Total time elapsed since Nazrin's send offOne hour and thirteen minutes.
>Time until the inability to see54 minutes
>Continue to look for youkai. And humans. And a shiny mini-pagoda that shoots curvy lasers. That's our main goal.You look around for...well, anything really. No such luck. However, a few minutes down the path, you do finally find a house. A quaint white one, two stories tall, skillfully crafted. Whoever lives here must be pretty tidy.
>"I guess we went the wrong way.""Did we?" Kyouko asked.
>"Since we're already here, we might as well ask for directions."Good plan.
>Approach the house and knock on the door.Stepping up to the house's door, you knock and await an answer. You're answered by a blonde-haired magician with blue eyes and a matching dress. Accompanying her is a small doll resting on her shoulder.
>"Yes. We're looking for a Jeweled Pagoda that one of the members of the Buddhist temple dropped somewhere. We received a tip off that it is in the Forest of Magic with Marisa.""It would be with Marisa, wouldn't it?" Opening the door, the magician gestures indoors with a "Come in. My name is Alice Margatroid."
>"So, do you have any information on this?""I can't say I do," Alice answered. "Marisa was just here a minute ago, though. She seemed irritated about something, but wouldn't say what. It might have to do with your pagoda."
>Check time to darkness45 minutes
>Recheck inventoryMurasa's inventory: Anchor | Ladle | 1,000-yen bill x3 | Capsize "Dragging Anchor" | Drowning Sign "Deep Vortex" | Ghost "Sinker Ghost" | Flood "Venus of the Bilge" | Blank card | Large paper bag (contains Digital camera | Boomerang | Megaphone | Dirty magazine)
>"We gotta use these items, I don't think Kourindou has any return policy..."Digital camera | Boomerang | Megaphone | Dirty magazine
Digital camera | Boomerang | Megaphone | Dirty magazine
Which of these would Alice probably be interested in?
Dirty Magazine: ??? Maybe we could sell it at the Human village?Never forget the second rule of Gensokyo: everybody's gay in Gensokyo
>Give the boomerang to Alice. She might need some more house protection.You hand Alice the boomerang. But like any boomerang, it came right back. Handing you the boomerang, Alice boasted "I don't need protection from something weird like this. I have dolls to defend me."
>Note that we have no food.You have no food. Kyouko's got two apples and a chocolate bar. But still, that's not gonna amount to much, so...
>Do ghosts and yamabikos need food? Do youkai even need food?Even if you yourself don't need food, you can still get hunger pains, so it's best to just eat as though you're still alive. Kyouko, however, does require food to live.
>"Any idea where she could've went?""This is Marisa we're talking about. That idiot could be anywhere by now. If you hang around the Hakurei Shrine or Scarlet Devil Mansion long enough, she'll show up eventually."
>"Can you also point out where Marisa's house is?""I could, but believe me when I say you don't want to be there. Her house is too messy even for rats."
"I don't usually do this, but how about I bake you two some bread for...whatever it is you're doing?"
"I could, but believe me when I say you don't want to be there. Her house is too messy even for rats."
>"We appreciate it.""Don't mention it," Alice said. A quartet of dolls begin converging at a kitchen area. "It may be a little bit; using magic to bake has only ended in disaster for me. And seriously, don't mention it. For the time being, have a seat." To emphasize her point, Alice seats herself at a table.
>"We still need to go there though. She could be back there, and besides, it couldn't be THAT messy.""You underestimate Marisa. Trust me. But, if you insist." A duo of dolls gather at the table Alice is sitting at, carrying a thick sheet of parchment and a brush. Alice unrolled the parchment and began drawing on it. "I'll give you a map for good measure. Marisa walks around here a lot, enough so that she's managed to make a road with just her footprints. If you follow the path away from my house, you'll eventually reach a junction. Turn right there, then make the second left after that to reach Marisa's house."
>"Oh, right. I haven't even introduced myself yet, have I?""No, you haven't."
>Stick out hand.Keeping one hand on the task of drawing you a map, Alice accepts the hand with her spare one.
>"Murasa Minamatsu.""A pleasure."
Wasn't it said a while back that we didn't know Alice? In which case, she probably wouldn't know us either, would she? Well, if she does, being polite never hurts.Whoops, I guess we let that information slip by. :V
"A pleasure.">"Likewise"
Whoops, I guess we let that information slip by. :V
>"Likewise"It's hard to tell if the expression on Alice's face is happy, amused, or snarky. Maybe all three?
>"And this here, is Kyouko" points at Kyouko."Nice to meetcha," Kyouko chimed in.
>"And you are?"Check back a few posts. Alice introduced herself once she let you in.
>"Does Marisa come here often?""More often than I'd prefer," Alice confessed. "It's annoying to have to take inventory of all my things daily just to make sure she didn't steal anything."
Check back a few posts. Alice introduced herself once she let you in.Ehh?? *scrolls back up* :blush: I guess that one slipped by me.
"That's the only one you're getting, so don't lose it.">"Thanks"
>"What do you think about Marisa?"
Would you mind if we phrase that a little bit differently?
>"Thanks"Alice simply nods in response.
>Examine map.(http://i1178.photobucket.com/albums/x364/UnendingEmpire/MapofForestofMagic_zps8731452d.png)
>Examine surroundings.The inside of Alice's house is very neat and tidy. There are plenty of dolls, four of which are still working on that bread Alice promised. How do they do that?
>"Anyone else, besides the witch, that visits you?""Unfortunately, yes. Every once in a blue moon, my mother comes by to visit."
>Chuckle. "Starting to sound like Marisa's got a bit of trouble making friends around here.""On the contrary. The problem is that she makes them too well even after stealing their things."
>Quickly, "Unless she IS a friend of yours, of course. Didn't mean to jump ta conclusions like that.""She's not my friend," Alice immediately answered. "I'm going to get over there and lend a hand with that bread." With that, Alice quickly got up to her feet and made her way to the quartet of baking dolls.
Sure, go ahead :). I'm still kind of inexperienced with these games.
>Interesting reaction.Quite.
>Gauge her level of tsundere-ness. Assuming we're familiar with that type of character.You're familiar with the character type. Judging from the display Alice just put on, you'd rate her tsundere-ness as at least a 6/10.
Sure, go ahead :). I'm still kind of inexperienced with these games.
As was I once. But you've done fine so far, if I may say. And do feel free to offer alternatives to any of my posts, as well, if you see the need. I guarantee you, and everyone else watching for that matter, that I'm gonna be wrong more than once.I'll be honest, I'm also not very experienced with these sorts of games. This right here is actually my first one ever ^_^;
>"Let's take a right here. If we still have time left, we can go back here and take the other path."
>After receiving the bread, head back to the fork, and take the left path. (Alice's house was on the right:)Via perspective, turning left at the fork would just send you back to Kourindou. But don't worry, I got what you mean ^_~
>Look for youkai/humans/lazor pagodas on the path.Nope, nothing.
>Eat if hungry.You're not hungry, but Kyouko's a bit peckish. However, she just takes an apple she'd been storing in her pockets. It should hold her for a while.
And you, UE, have been doing quite well yourself, from one parser to another.That's a relief ^_^; first time parsing, so wasn't sure...thanks for that :)
Oh, and simply Sour will do if you like. The 'Namu' part changes from time to time.
>Make a mental note to return to this place later. We were curious about that blonde woman with all her dolls and left rather abruptly.Mental note made.
As was I once. But you've done fine so far, if I may say. And do feel free to offer alternatives to any of my posts, as well, if you see the need. I guarantee you, and everyone else watching for that matter, that I'm gonna be wrong more than once.
But yeah, as Namusour said, you're doing pretty well thus far, and even the best of us make mistakes from time to time :)
>Check if Kyouko is behind us.She is. Probably because it's getting hard to see, she's literally a step behind you.
>"We're almost there. I think I see Marisa's house up ahead.""Let's go, let's go!" Kyouko seems eager to arrive, at least.
>Continue down the path.You continue down the path, arriving at Marisa's house before very much time at all. There's no lights coming from inside.
>More walking and searching.See above. Feel free to search around Marisa's house if you want.
>Time until unable to see3 minutes here; 2 hours anywhere else.
>If above is 0, then use Kyouko's Mountain Sign "Long-Range Echo" to "see."Not above 0.
>Compare map with surroundings.Not an easy task given how general the map is. You're at least at Marisa's house, so...
>"Why is there no map scale?"Because I suck at distance measurements.
>Can we detect any sounds of life from within or without? Other than Kyouko, of course.None.
>Let's check through the windows.You try to see through the windows. Alice wasn't kidding when she said Marisa's house was a mess; you can barely tell what is and isn't just tossed wherever the black-white felt like tossing it. However, there's no signs that she's around.
>try to look and see if there are any signs of the pagoda lying around inside.Looking through the window, you don't really see much sign of anything you recognize, much less the Jeweled Pagoda.
>Let's knock on the door.Heading over to the door, you knock. No answer.
>As a ghost-youkai, can be become intangible enough to pass through walls, or is that only for spellcards?You can become intangible by entering your ghost form, in all its green-tinted glory, with or without danmaku. You are a ghost, after all.
>Before we enter, say to Kyouko, "Well, I for one didn't come all this way to be thwarted by a door. Be right back, kiddo.""Huh?" Kyouko doesn't seem to get what you're up to.
>Become intangible and pass through the door.You go green and through the wall. You see a look of utter surprise and amazement on Kyouko's face before stepping in; she must not have known you could do that.
>Once on the other side, Become tangible again and unlock the door.Once inside, you feel around for the lock on the door. Wow, there's a whole lot. You start undoing the various locking mechanisms - easily adding up to at least ten - and when you've finally unlocked the door, you swing it open for Kyouko to open. Even with the miniscule natural light coming in, it's pretty dark in here. Might do to find a candle or something.
I hesitate about simply entering someone's home. Even if it IS in the name of retrieving stolen property, it's still on the amoral side of the scale we're supposed to be on.I'll be honest, I thought you guys were gonna try to find Marisa elsewhere.
On the other hand, one could simply chaulk it up to karma. I could live with that.
Whatever floats y'all's boats, I'll be here, ready to parse :)We might SINK it though. Get it? because we're playing as Murasa and.... and... I'll stop now.
We might SINK it though. Get it? because we're playing as Murasa and.... and... I'll stop now.(http://www.reactiongifs.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/old-lol.gif)
>Smirk. "That's a secret""Got it, I won't tell!" Her tail stood straight up and she saluted as though in the military as Kyouko confirmed she wouldn't tell anybody about this mysterious power of yours. At least she's doing her best to help, right?
>Wait for reaction.See above.
>if she hasn't figured it out yet, tell the truth "you do know I am a Ghost youkai, right?""...ah! I get it now!" With a huge grin on her face, Kyouko exclaimed the conclusion of "You're a ghost, and you died from being slip in half! So now you can go through things!" ...well, gotta give her credit for at least being mostly right.
>Try to find a candle, or anything that can help lighten up the place.You begin the search of Marisa's house with the search for a candle. Kyouko stays close behind. You find one before long, and matches to light it with. You light up the candle, and the true extent of Marisa's "lax" cleaning habits is shown. Aside from thin pathways, it seems as though the entirety of the place is just piles of random junk.
>Presumably objects we are holding turn intangible as well with us?Fortunately, they do. Otherwise, you'd be stark naked right now. This doesn't work on other people, however, nor does it work on items larger than yourself excluding your trusty anchor.
>Quietly, to Kyouko, "Wait here, kid. I'm just gonna have a quick look around. Keep an eye out down here, will ya?""Wait, wait," Kyouko loudly whispers. "Can I at least have the candle?"
>Once she agrees, outphase once more and drift through Marisa's house, checking the flotsam for our target object.Seems she hasn't quite agreed yet.
>And while we're at it, see if we can find Marisa's room in all this mess. If she's asleep, then we can wake her and sort this out easily enough. Hopefully.See above. Furthermore, just because it's dark in the Forest of Magic doesn't necessarily mean it's nighttime. It's just that the thick canopy of leaves and branches blocks out a ton of sunlight, making the forest dim at best. It's still only 4PM or so.
>find another candle for Kyouko then do the above that were skipped.After a bit of searching around, you and Kyouko find a second candle. You light it up and hand it to her.
>Once she agrees, outphase once more and drift through Marisa's house, checking the flotsam for our target object.You go green and intangible once more, drifting through Marisa's walls in the search for the Jeweled Pagoda. You find plenty of objects you've never seen before, but no sign of your target.
>And while we're at it, see if we can find Marisa's room in all this mess. If she's asleep, then we can wake her and sort this out easily enough. Hopefully.During your search, you find a room with a bed. This must be Marisa's room. No sign of the Pagoda or the witch. In fact, the two most interesting things here are what looks to be a diary next to the bed and a surprisingly ornate mirror that isn't showing your reflection.
>No reflection? Is that because we've gone ghost?No; you've seen your ghost form reflected in mirrors before.
>Oh, and leave the diary where it is.Aye-aye, Captain.
>Turn tangible and check if we can see our reflection.You revert to your physical form and look at the mirror. Still no reflection of yourself.
>Look around for something very soft, and very light. Then toss it very lightly at the mirror.You check around for something that won't break the mirror. The lightest thing you find is a crumpled up sheet of paper. You toss it lightly against the mirror, but nothing special happens.
>Do we have any ability to sense supernatural phenomenon?Nope. You know Hijiri can, and you're pretty sure you heard somebody mention Ichirin can to a lesser extent, but you? No. Weird, right?
>Grab the crumpled paper again and see if it has a reflection in the mirror.You pick up the paper again and check for a reflection. Yup. Everything in this room has a reflection except you.
>Actually, do we think Kyouko can find her way here through the mess?Not really.
>If not, go back and guide her back to this room.You go intangible once again, phasing through the floor beneath you and a few walls, eventually stumbling upon Kyouko. The area you found her in is much tidier than the rest of the place; she must have been cleaning up. Kyouko herself seems fixated with a cracked hand mirror she's holding. The look on her face suggests she's the one who broke it.
>or maybe it only reflects non-youkai?Believe me when I say even I'm not sure about the details.
>"Hey Kyouko, come here for a sec, I want to show you something.""Huh?" Not letting go of the mirror, Kyouko follows you through Marisa's house, back upstairs to Marisa's bedroom and the mysterious mirror.
>Once she arrives, place both of us in front of the mirror.Both you and Kyouko place yourselves in front of the mirror. Still no reflection.
>Find another mirror.Your eye shifts to the broken mirror Kyouko's holding. "Can I see that for a moment?"
>Put the second mirror in front of the first.This passed me as kind of ambiguous as to how exactly it could be done. I went with the route of "Turn around and hold out the small mirror so it goes small mirror - you - big mirror starting in front of you."
>Does the big mirror reflect our anchor or ladle?No, nor does it reflect your clothes, or Kyouko's broom or clothes. To put it in the best terms I can think of, as far as the mirror can tell, there's no sign you two even exist.
>Do we have any idea how to operate our digital camera?Not really.
>Even if we don't, try all the buttons on the camera one at a time until something happens. Buttons exist to be pressed!You begin pressing buttons all over the camera. The first one you take causes the screen on the back to stop for a moment, followed by small letters reading "Photo saved." It's just a picture of Marisa's bed though. Nothing special.
>Don't touch the mirror yet, tangible or otherwise.Aye-aye, cap'n.
>Speak into the mirror. Maybe it's a hole.You speak into the mirror, possibly hoping for a response. Nothing.
>Touch the mirror. See above.No good sir, you see above :3
>If all else fails, turn intangible and walk through the mirror.You go intangible and float your way through the mirror. All that really happened was you went through the wall behind it and wound up outside again. You can see the light of a torch down the path from Marisa's house approaching from out here, though.
For all we know, it acts as a portal for humanoids.If you plan to find out, you may want to do it quickly. Seems like someone's headed your way.
> How long before the person reaches the house?From the looks of things, not long at all. You may want to consider jumping out the window with Kyouko to avoid being caught.
>"We're going to test a theory out about the mirror..."Is that so?
>Hold Kyouko's hand and touch the mirror.Going back inside via the wall, you go tangible once more and hold Kyouko's hand. You then touch the mirror...to absolutely no effect whatsoever. So much for that theory of yours.
>Hold the small mirror in front of us, as if trying to disguise as Kanako, and point self at large mirror while slightly moving the small mirror to different angles. What kinds of things can we see in the large mirror's image of the small mirror?At first, nothing. Then, in the image of the small mirror, a woman appears. She's certainly not you; you've never seen her before. As though the two mirror images were somehow connected, she climbs out of the small mirror's image in the large mirror and increases in size to occupy the majority of it. She even speaks.
>Everything elseIn light of the recent breakthrough and the currently-anonymous mirror lady's advice, I'll let you reconsider if you want.
>"Who are you?""Until I get out of this damn mirror, I'm nobody. Names aren't important right now; what is important is I know what you want, and more importantly, you just might be able to help me get what I want."
>"Do you know who's outside right now?" Who knows who the person outside is. It might be Marisa, and she might Master Spark us in the face."I only know what goes on in this house. The moment you step outside, I don't know a thing."
>I cancel everything I said above.Good call, more likely than not.
>"Why are you inside the mirror"?"Let's just say I was allegedly something of a troublemaker, and that rotten-to-her-prissy-little-core Reimu sealed me up at her shrine once upon a time. I got into this mirror by expending all my mana, but as long as I'm in here I'm not getting any back, so I'm ashamedly stuck here."
> "How do we know we can trust you and not just stab us in the back?""You don't. It's a matter of mutual trust and benefit."
>...did we lock the front door after letting Kyouko in?Doesn't seem that way.
>Ask mirror lady if we can't remember 100%: "The front door's locked, right?""You forgot to lock it."
>Is there a loud sound when we turn intangible? And do we emit ambient light while we are intangible? We DO turn green...You do emit an ambient light, but the transition is pretty soundless.
>"Was it Marisa who entered the house? If so, did you understand what she said?""It was. She's wondering why her door was unlocked, and could've sworn that she locked it this morning."
>Escape somehow.Setting the mirror down from your hand and the candle from Kyouko's (and barely noting the mirror lady vanishing from the mirror images) you grab Kyouko, open the nearest window, and jump out, landing on your back to cushion the fall for her. Then you go intangible, rush back up to Marisa's room and shut the window, immediately heading back down to Kyouko and making yourself physical again. You can't recall a time you ever moved so quickly. Adrenaline is one hell of a drug.
>Knock on Marisa's door. Wait until she opens it.With your escape executed, you guide Kyouko around the house back to the front door, and knock. A few moments later, Marisa answers with a candle in hand, only opening the door part-way; just enough for her to see you.
>"Hi, we're from the Myoren Temple, looking for a Jeweled Pagoda. We received a tip-off that you had the pagoda....""Oh, that thing. Come on in, ze," Marisa said, swinging open the door. She sure doesn't seem guilty about having taken something so priceless, or about stealing it from Kourindou.
>follow Marisa through the door.Kyouko faithfully in tow, you follow Marisa through the door back into her messy house. She immediately goes off to the left into a room where she kicks back on a chair that would probably look much more comfortable if it weren't surrounded by piles of junk. Marisa is surprisingly forthright about the Jeweled Pagoda.
>"Oh. Do you know the tengu's name?""Yeah, I know her. She's that Aya Shameimaru girl, ze."
>Do we know the tengu?Not really. A couple came by to interview Hijiri a few times since the Myouren Temple arrived in Gensokyo, but you wouldn't recognize any of them if you saw them.
>Relations between the Temple and the tengu.Neutral. The Temple wouldn't be any different without the tengu, and vice versa.
>"What was Aya doing throwing gusts of wind at you?""None of your business."
>Pause, then grin a little. "Or do I wanna know.""You don't wanna know," Marisa defensively said. "Long story short, I don't have it da ze."
>That's what you get for taking other people's stuff. But Byakuren can say that better than we can, so we'll leave that to her.May as well leave it to Byakuren to address how karma works to this girl.
>Nod. "Fair enough. Just, do us all a favor, will ya? If and when you ever stumble on the Pagoda again, just bring it back to us. Save us all some headaches.""If I find it, I'm keepin' it, ze." With a cocky grin, the black-white said "I'll give ya a head start, how bout that?"
>Don't leave just yet.Sure thing.
What are we going to do about the mirror lady?At this rate, it doesn't seem like there's much we can do. Sure you could probably sneak back in another time when Marisa's not in, but believe me when I say that she'd probably be more harm than help.
What are we going to do about the mirror lady?
>How confidant are we in our skills at finding both our way to the mountain, and finding the pagoda at night?
>"How very generous of you.""You'll need it, ze."
>How confidant are we in our skills at finding both our way to the mountain, and finding the pagoda at night?Confident enough that if you're even close to right, at least finding the mountain should be no problem. You can fly, after all.
>How long before nightfall?Something like three hours. As I've said, the Forest of Magic goes dark before any other locale in Gensokyo. It's thanks to all those thick tree branches.
>Ask for a house tour; you've never been here before today.You ask Marisa if she'd be willing to show you around. She replies with a hasty "Every lady's gotta have her secrets, ze."
>How long before nightfall?See above.
>Do we have a time limit?Not really. I'm sure your fellow Buddhists would appreciate if you found it quickly, but there have been times where the pagoda went missing upwards of a month. A few days would even be considered a little faster than average, really.
>What are the limits to spellcards? For example, if we were to have a duel with Marisa here and use, say, Harbor Sign, would we then be able to use that same card later on in the day, or does it need to recharge?You recall from firsthand experience that spellcards don't have a recharge time, but can only be used once per battle.
>Did Kyouko fight with Marisa during that incident where the taoists came back to bother us?Marisa, Reimu, Sanae, and Youmu all did, but you only really know the first three.
>Is it possible to fly up through the branches, carefully, for a quick and easy way out of the Forest?Absolutely.
>Inventory plsMurasa's inventory: Anchor | Ladle | 1,000-yen bill x3 | Capsize "Dragging Anchor" | Drowning Sign "Deep Vortex" | Ghost "Sinker Ghost" | Flood "Venus of the Bilge" | Blank card | Large paper bag (contains Digital camera | Boomerang | Megaphone | Dirty magazine) | Map of Forest of Magic (http://i1178.photobucket.com/albums/x364/UnendingEmpire/MapofForestofMagic_zps8731452d.png) | Loaf of Bread x4
>Is Marisa willing to trade for anything that we have? She might have some things that might be good for us.You seem to have a fair few interesting items handy, so maybe. May as well put the items on display, right?
>"Hey, Marisa, would you be interested in what I have?""Maybe."
>Show Kourin's itemsYou unload the contents of the bag you got at Kourindou, and show them to Marisa. She eyes each item you show her, but ultimately looks back to you. "Nah. I don't think you'd like whatever I'd wanna trade anyway, ze."
>Where the heck are we keeping these items? Are we holding them?If you want a serious answer, your anchor will probably be over your back as though it were a sword. You could have your ladle in one hand and the paper bag & its contents in the other. The remaining items are small enough to fit in your pockets. Kyouko somehow stores her inventory (which doesn't include the "Green apple x2", I'll fix that) under her ears.
under her ears.
>Time pleaseAbout 4:30PM
>Would it be feasible to leave now and fly to the Youkai Mountain?Sure. Make sure you've wrapped up all your business around here then take off whenever you're ready.
>"Well, since you're giving me that head start, we'll leave first."Marisa nods in what you've said.
>Goodbye to Marisa"See ya around da ze."
>Check if Kyouko is following you.She's right behind you.
>Fly, carefully, out of the forestBeing mindful of the branches overhead, you and Kyouko slowly ascend through the trees, eventually coming out above the Forest of Magic. It may be dark as night down there, but it's still bright out here.
>Go to Youkai MountainYoukai Mountain is relatively nearby. You can see the mountain from here (though rumor has it you can see the mountain from anywhere in Gensokyo) and begin flying your way there.
>Check for humans, youkai, and pagodas shooting lasersNope, nope, and nope.
>Do we know how versatile Kyouko's abilities are? For instance, can she use her sound wave mojo to generate a sonar-like effect?Ironically enough, because of how exactly her power works, echolocation and sonar don't work. This is because her ability is to reflect sound, meaning that using it renders such things moot.
>Check pockets to ensue the black-white didn't 'Thief' us while we weren't looking.
> Is there anything interesting happening on the ground?Not really. The most interesting thing you see is a girl dressed in blue with some tool you can't make out from up here. She seems to be working on some large metallic object, whatever the freakin' thing is.
>Check out the girl and what she's building.You head on down toward where the girl is on the mountain. She seems to be working at it diligently enough to not even notice your descent to her immediate surroundings. As for this...thing, she's working on...just what is this? You've never seen anything quite like it in your life. It looks like a small platform of sorts with a large tube leading over to what seems to be some kind of control panel.
>Hope she doesn't kill you while descending.You still seem to be alive, so...
>Make sure Kyouko is still following you.Kyouko needs frequent checking-up on, last you heard. It's probably a good idea to check often to make sure she's still with you. Checking once more, you confirm that Kyouko is indeed following you. She seems fascinated by this...whatever it is.
>Come in in front of the girl. You don't want to get hit by something in surprise.You step to a place in front of the girl rather than behind her. It wouldn't be nice if you surprised her and she hit you with something.
>"Hi, have you seen a Jeweled Pagoda anywhere? I was tipped off by a black-white magician living in the Forest of Magic that it was around here.""Huh?" Stepping back from the machine to stand up straight, the girl (who isn't too much taller than Kyouko, you notice) looks at you and says "Never heard of it. If something was around here, you'd probably want to ask the tengu about it."
>Introduce yourself.You introduce yourself to the girl. She responds by introducing herself in turn. "Nitori Kawashiro, kappa genius, dai-shogi champion, and master inventor." Extending a hand, the kappa girl says "A pleasure."
>Time to sundownThe sun will start setting in about two hours. It won't be officially dark for another three hours, though.
>Shake hand. "Nice to meet you.""Likewise."
>"What's that you're making?""Oh, this!" Enthusiastically gesturing to the thing in question, Nitori grandly proclaimed "This is going to be Gensokyo's first teleportation panel! Whatever you need to deliver, just input the coordinates, put the things on the panel, and watch it go! The secret is to use unique properties of near-absolute zero temperatures maintained inside the panel itself. So seriously, don't open anything here without asking me unless you want to risk turning into a sailor-shaped ice sculpture."
>InventoryMurasa's inventory: Anchor | Ladle | 1,000-yen bill x3 | Capsize "Dragging Anchor" | Drowning Sign "Deep Vortex" | Ghost "Sinker Ghost" | Flood "Venus of the Bilge" | Blank card | Large paper bag (contains Digital camera | Boomerang | Megaphone | Dirty magazine) | Map of Forest of Magic (http://i1178.photobucket.com/albums/x364/UnendingEmpire/MapofForestofMagic_zps8731452d.png) | Loaf of Bread x4
>See if Nitori is interested in anything we haveNitori watchfully eyes each item you have on display. Her eye stops at the boomerang. Pointing at the thing you were probably least expecting her to show interest in, Nitori asks "Do you know what that's made of? I might need it to finish this up, but only if I can make use of it."
>Show Kourin's items
>"I dunno, but it looks like it's a kind of wood; I bought this from Kourindou a few hours ago, and the shopkeeper didn't really tell us the purpose of these things, but you can have it.""If it's just wood, I can't use it," Nitori said. "Trying to use it to finish the circuit in the panel wouldn't do anything but turn it to a brick of ice."
>"Although you could turn it into a weapon. It has two point bits, and it might hurt if stabbed.""Thanks, but I've already designed a weapon similar in design to that thing. It even has three points instead of just two."
>Throw the boomerang multiple times at different angles. It might do something.The first time you throw the boomerang, it curves mid-air and begins flying right back toward you. Reflexively, you barely catch it before it continues on its course to get chummy with the back of Kyouko's head.
Out of curiousity, bigy, I've noticed that you've tried more than once to give our stuff away. Why is that?
Seriously though, I'm curious too now that Namu's brought it up.
>Wince. "Not sure that's a good idea, to be poking that, kid."Just in time for your words to reach Kyouko and her to look inquisitively at you, Kyouko manages to poke a hole in the thing. The next two seconds are kind of a blur. What looked like just a cloud of ice shot out of the hole, the air around the panel got distinctly chillier, Nitori all but flew over to the yamabiko and tackled her out of said ice-cloud's way, then only Nitori came up with an expression that looked like I'm pretty worried, but it should all work out.
Out of curiousity, bigy, I've noticed that you've tried more than once to give our stuff away. Why is that?Trading and information.
>"So, do you know anyone who can help her?">Yes, ask if there's anyone around to help.
>"she'll be fine right?""She'll live, if that's what you mean. She'll probably be exhausted once you thaw her out though, since all her heat - thus, energy - was just sucked out of her. If you want to stay positive about it, I'd look at it kind of like a long nap."
>"So, do you know anyone who can help her?""I seem to recall somebody from that menreiki incident who might be capable...can't remember the name. I don't follow religion or read the papers, you know?"
>Are spell cards' use limited to its creator, or can it be used by anyone? (See: Satori, Marisa's Spark + Nondirectional Laser)Ordinarily, no. Satori's a bit of an odd case, though.
>Do spell cards produce any effect on the ground, air, etc.? (i.e. Flood "Venus of the Bilge" causes a flood. Drowning Sign "Deep Vortex creates a strong whirlpool in the water,etc.)Absolutely.
>How big is the ice sculpture?Well, it's Kyouko, so...the same size as Kyouko. Which is to say, about 3/4 your height. She might be a bit heavier than you recall though, since she's frozen solid and all.
>Yes, ask if there's anyone around to help.See above.
"I seem to recall somebody from that menreiki incident who might be capable...can't remember the name. I don't follow religion or read the papers, you know?
>What color was she wearing?"I wanna say purple. Or maybe it was orange...blue? No, purple, definitely purple."
>What was her job occupation?"Beats me; she was one of the big religious figures. She sure knew how to stir up the crowd, though."
>Did she use any spell cards?"A few, but I wasn't paying attention to those. I was just trying to get out of the way."
>"That might be Toyosatomimi no Miko. Do you know where her "headquarters" is?"I'm pretty sure she runs that mausoleum in the Human Village."
>Mark answer on map, if there is any.You already know where the Dream Palace Mausoleum is.
>Current time4:35PM
Also, current goals: (In order of importance)This is just me, but I'd prioritize defrosting Kyouko before finding the Pagoda. The Pagoda's gone missing tons of times, and can be gone for quite a while, but no doubt at least Byakuren would say something to the effect of "We can always make a fake Pagoda if it comes down to it, but we'll never be able to make a fake Kyouko." Unless you're planning to set a speed record for returning it, that is.
1. Locate and return the Jeweled Pagoda.
a. Go to Youkai Mountain
2. Defrost Kyouko
a. Find Toyosatomimi no Miko
b. Follow her directions
This is just me, but I'd prioritize defrosting Kyouko before finding the Pagoda. The Pagoda's gone missing tons of times, and can be gone for quite a while, but no doubt at least Byakuren would say something to the effect of "We can always make a fake Pagoda if it comes down to it, but we'll never be able to make a fake Kyouko." Unless you're planning to set a speed record for returning it, that is.You're right. Modified:
Objectives:
------------
1. Unfreeze Kyouko
a. Find Miko's Mausoleum
2. Find Pagoda
a. Go to Youkai Mountain>Fly to the Human Village
>Approximate time flying to Human Village
>Before we leave, are we strong enough to lug the Kyouko-sicle around with us?Yes, but carrying her will slow you down. Sure beats leaving her here with a total stranger, though.
>Are we familiar with Mokou?You're not familiar with anyone in the Bamboo Forest of the Lost. In fact, barring shrine maidens, Marisa, your fellow Buddhists and your rival Taoists, you're not familiar with many people at all. The most obvious example is Kokoro, who frequently changes residencies between the Myouren Temple and Dream Palace Mausoleum.
>How skilled is Byakuren with fire?For all her greatness, you'd sooner trust Shou with fire than Byakuren. Unless cooking is involved. How she makes such simple dishes so divine you'll never know.
>"Are you going to be here when I come back?""Probably. Now I have to fix this hole, get the internal temperature dropped back down to fractions of a Kelvin...not a quick process. Why would I need to be here though?"
>Fly to the Human VillagePicking up your iced companion, you take off in the direction of the Human Village.
>Approximate time flying to Human VillageOrdinarily, something like ten minutes. But between Kyouko's frozen weight weighing you down, and making sure you don't drop and shatter her, it takes three times that to actually arrive.
>Map(http://i1178.photobucket.com/albums/x364/UnendingEmpire/MapofForestofMagic_zps8731452d.png)
Objectives:
------------
1. Unfreeze Kyouko
a. Find Miko's Mausoleum
b. Find something to defrost Kyouko
2. Find Pagoda
a. Go to Youkai Mountain
b. Find a map shop
i. Buy a Youkai Mountain map.
Location: Human Village
>Find a cart. Having to carry a frozen yamabiko for who knows how long is going to be tiring.You look around for a cart, but to no avail. The closest thing you find to a cart is a menreiki. Seems she noticed you and/or Kyouko, since she steps right up to you disturbingly fast and close.
>Look around for a map shop.You check your immediate surroundings for a map shop, since it'd be rude to just ditch Kokoro like that. No such shop you can find, at least not around here.
>See if there's any place that offers large amounts of heat (a shop selling fire starters, a sauna [to think things through and melt Kyouko in the process, etc.])Well, you know for a fact that there's a hot spring near Youkai Mountain that opened up after that Former Hell incident. You mentally curse yourself for forgetting about that until just now. Last you checked though, there's not such an establishment in town, and it would be both a hassle and waste of the flight here to just go back to the mountain.
>Try and find the Great Dream Mausoleum. We need to find Miko, if she's any help.You know roughly where it is, but you can never remember the exact location. But as luck has it, seems somebody who does is standing right in front of you. You make a mental note that the next thing Kokoro has to work on is her sense of personal space.
Also, looking at the map, there's a cave. Is it an entrance to Makai or Former Hell? Former Hell could be used in this situation....Nah, that's just a generic cave. It's either canon or pretty close to it (or at the very least, it applies in my Gensokyo, and as such, here) that the entrance to Makai is behind a seal near the Hakurei Shrine, and Former Hell/the Underworld in general are accessed via a passage under Youkai Mountain. Not sure why I put that cave there, beyond the fact that there was a huge blank spot otherwise. Murasa would probably know about Former Hell's location, given the geysers going off in SA were what allowed UFO to even happen.
>Hey, Kokoro, could you take me to the Mausoleum? A kappa accidentally froze Kyouko here it one of her inventions, and she said that Miko might help us.""Will she help you, though?" Crossing her arms and apparently finally noticing Kyouko's frozen state, Kokoro goes on "Hijiri-sama and Shoutoku-sama don't really get along. I'm pretty sure the only person they both really like is me, actually." With a shrug and a turn, the menreiki says "We'll try, though. Follow me." Her explanation done with, Kokoro starts down the road, checking every few steps to make sure you're following.
>Does extra weight when flying weigh you down? As in, slow you down?Your choice. On one hand, you can fly faster. On the other hand, you'd run the risk of dropping Kyouko and shattering her into a million pieces when she hits the ground from way above. So while you could fly and not let Kyouko weigh you down, it'd be far better to just slow down.
>Ask Kokoro to help us carry the frozen Kyouko.You ask Kokoro if she can help you carry Kyouko. She simply nods in response, lifting the frozen Kyouko by her legs. "Just carry her head, and don't drop her," Kokoro says
>Follow KokoroYou and Kokoro head down the roads of the Human Village, carrying Kyouko as you do so. Some people stop and stare at the frozen girl in your hands, wondering how she got like that to begin with. Eventually, Kokoro and you step up the stairs of the Dream Palace Mausoleum, and Kokoro softly sets Kyouko down and turns to face you. "Wait outside. Shoutoku-sama might not like Buddhists coming inside, so give me a minute to talk to her."
>Drag Kyouko alongSee above.
>Is Kyouko defrosting at all? As in, minimal defrosting?If she is, you certainly can't tell.
>The weather, temperature, etc.Spring's just starting, so warm enough for short sleeves but still cool enough for long ones. As for weather, pretty cloudy. Looks like it'll probably rain later. Gensokyo does that an awful lot in the spring.
>Time5:15 PM
>InventoryMurasa's inventory: Anchor | Ladle | 1,000-yen bill x3 | Capsize "Dragging Anchor" | Drowning Sign "Deep Vortex" | Ghost "Sinker Ghost" | Flood "Venus of the Bilge" | Blank card | Large paper bag (contains Digital camera | Boomerang | Megaphone | Dirty magazine) | Map of Forest of Magic (http://i1178.photobucket.com/albums/x364/UnendingEmpire/MapofForestofMagic_zps8731452d.png) | Loaf of Bread x4 | Kyouko (frozen, so I guess she kinda counts)
>Are spell cards impervious to damage?Fortunately, they are.
>"Thanks for the help, by the way."Kokoro responds with a friendly nod, and steps deeper into the Mausoleum. You can't see her too well at this point; may as well kick back for a minute or two.
>Examine surroundings.You take a look around. Even if you don't like her, you have to admit Miko has a good sense of architectural aesthetics. The building's not ridiculously overdone, but really nice-looking. The outside looks even nicer than the Myouren Temple's if you dare think the thought. But that doesn't heighten your opinion of the Taoist head honcho any.
>We're probably looking at trouble before the end of the day, aren't we. We really didn't think this through.You're kind of regretting coming here of all places to thaw out Kyouko. But you at least think that if you take the time to explain it all thoroughly, even Byakuren should understand your reasoning.
>But, we're here now. In for a penny, and all that.That's true.
>Keep our hands handy to our spellcards if one of the taoists comes out with danmaku blazing.Examining your spell cards (and the mysterious blank one), you keep them close at hand. No telling what these Taoists may be like. At the very least, Miko doesn't seem savage enough to start shooting without warning, but it's more her underlings you've got in mind.
>Check on Kyouko.Kyouko's still frozen solid. If she can still think, you wonder what she may be thinking in there. No way to tell, given it's Kyouko.
>"Yeah, um, a kappa accidentally froze Kyouko here with one of her machines.... The kappa said that you might help.""I can't imagine Byakuren freezing her own follower just to let you slip in. Even she isn't that foolish..." Miko quiets up to consider whether or not to help you for a moment, visually scanning Kyouko up and down. One could almost cut her gaze with a knife. A small smile cracks in the corner of Miko's mouth, and the Taoist boss speaks up. "No friend of Kokoro's is an enemy of mine. Bring her in; I'll see what I can do." Kokoro at her side, Miko steps inside the Mausoleum. Unlike Kokoro, she's not checking to see if you've fallen behind.
>Ask if Kokoro can help.You ask if Kokoro minds helping you carry Kyouko again. She smiles, nods, and picks up Kyouko by the legs again. "Don't drop her," she repeats.
>Drag Kyouko along again.Following Miko, and you Kokoro head through the halls of the Dream Palace Mausoleum. This place looked a lot smaller from the outside.
>What mask is Kokoro currently wearing?None. Seems she's been taking Mamizou's lessons to heart.
>Keep walking.Following Miko, you and Kokoro head deeper into the Dream Palace Mausoleum. Finally, Miko stops by entering an otherwise-dull room. All that's inside is a single table that stands as tall as Miko's chest. Pointing at the table, Miko says "You girls can set her there. The thawing may take a bit; it has to be done slowly unless I want to run the risk of killing her. If you have other business in town, this may be a good time to go about it."
>Trust Miko and place Kyouko there.Trusting Miko, you and Kokoro set Kyouko on the table. You're not sure why you're trusting the head Taoist - Byakuren's sworn enemy - but you don't really have much choice now. Now, what else needs to be done around town...?
>Go outside.Deciding to get some other business done while you're in the Human Village again, you step back outside. You can tell it's going to rain. The thick clouds overhead kind of gave it away. You should be okay for now though.
>Walk around and see if there are any map shops in the village.You head over to where you know the shops are in town. Eventually, you find a store that doesn't specify what it's selling; the sign only says "Get what you need here." Worth checking out, maybe.
>Ask random villagers about the lazor pagoda.As you check around for something closer to a map shop, you ask various villagers about a small pagoda, not specifying exactly what it is for Shou's sake. Maybe it's because your description was a bit vague, but nobody seems to have seen it. Then again, wasn't Kokoro also checking around for it before you found her?
>Ask Kokoro if she's seen the pagodaSee previous page. She's checked, but no sign of it.
>Continue looking around. If there are no map shops, go in the "Get what you need here" shop to escape the rain.It's not raining yet. It's just going to. However, finding no map shops, you enter the "Get what you need here" shop anyway. Seems you aren't the only Buddhist who shops here, either.
>"So we left and went to Kourindou. The shop keeper there told us that Marisa Kirisame had it, we followed the wrong path, found Alice Matrigoid, and met Marisa. She told us that it could be at the Youkai Mountain. A kappa there accidentally froze Kyouko when she poked a hole into the kappa's machine. The kappa said that Miko would help us, so I'm here, waiting for Miko to defrost Kyouko.""Miko, as in...Toyosatomimi no Miko? As in, our sworn enemy?" The expression on Nazrin's face is about equal to the one she makes when Shou explains that she lost the Jeweled Pagoda. It's not a happy one. "Mind me asking WHAT THE HELL YOU WERE THINKING!?"
>Ask if Nazrin has seen it"If I did, we probably wouldn't be having this conversation right now, would we?" Seems the Miko thing really got her mad. "Finding it this time is your problem, got it?"
>Ask the shop keeper for what they have.
>We're probably looking at trouble before the end of the day, aren't we. We really didn't think this through.And here we are.
>To Nazrin: "The Kappa told us to come here, where we met Kokoro, you know, that mereniki that is both a Taoist and a Buddhist. Miko said that Kyouko's defrosting would take a while. Also, at the time, I panicked and forgot about the hot spring near the entrance of Former Hell.""Is your head full of seaweed or something?" Taking a look in your ear as though it may actually be full of seaweed, Nazrin's line of questioning continues with "Your story sounds pretty half-assed. Kokoro isn't a Taoist or Buddhist; she just goes from one place to the other since she reveres both leaders equally. Did you forget or something?"
>To shopkeeper: "Do you have any maps of the Youkai Mountain?""Maps of Youkai Mountain? I'll have to go check the back room. You two sort out your affairs in the meantime." With that, the old man running the place leaves you with Nazrin to check for what you need.
>We're probably looking at trouble before the end of the day, aren't we. We really didn't think this through.Good call. Though if bigyih had decided to lie a little, we might not have been in as much trouble, lol
Kokoro isn't a Taoist or Buddhist; she just goes from one place to the other since she reveres both leaders equally. Did you forget or something?"[/glow]>"I said that wrong. My mind's still panicking from Kyouko's freezing. I hope she's okay."
>"I said that wrong. My mind's still panicking from Kyouko's freezing. I hope she's okay.""I seriously don't have the time for this," Nazrin said irritably, placing her fingers on her temples as thought hat would somehow resolve everything. "I've already got what I need. For both of our sakes, I'm just going to walk out of here and pretend that we never saw each other." And with that, Nazrin stepped outside, carrying a bag of merchandise.
>Wait for mapHow do you plan to do both at the same time?
>Check on Kyouko
> Let's wait for the shop owner to retrieve the map first.You decide to stick around. Best to let the shopkeep bring out the map if he has one before doing anything else.
> While we're waiting, let's check if there's something worth buying that we might be able to use later.While you wait, you look around for any other useful items. No success there. Luckily, the old man running the shop comes back out with a smile on his bearded wrinkly face. "I found the map you were looking for. This has been in storage for a while now; nobody seems interested in maps these days. Since I need to get rid of it eventually, I think I'll sell it to you cheap for 500 yen."
>Buy the map.Setting a 1,000-yen bill on the table, the man takes the bill then hands you your change and map. "Like I said, whatever you need," he says.
>InventoryMurasa's inventory: Anchor | Ladle | 2,500 yen | Capsize "Dragging Anchor" | Drowning Sign "Deep Vortex" | Ghost "Sinker Ghost" | Flood "Venus of the Bilge" | Blank card | Large paper bag (contains Digital camera | Boomerang | Megaphone | Dirty magazine) | Map of Forest of Magic (http://i1178.photobucket.com/albums/x364/UnendingEmpire/MapofForestofMagic_zps8731452d.png) | Map of Youkai Mountain (see below) | Loaf of Bread x4
>Youkai Mountain Map(http://i1178.photobucket.com/albums/x364/UnendingEmpire/MapofYoukaiMountain_zps9e063c90.png) (http://s1178.photobucket.com/user/UnendingEmpire/media/MapofYoukaiMountain_zps9e063c90.png.html)
>Ask Nazrin to come with youSee below again.
>Go check on KyoukoWith the map of Youkai Mountain now in your possession, you head back outside. Best to check in on the progress with defrosting Kyouko.
> I think we shouldn't ask Nazrin to come with us, she did give us the quest in the first place so... (that and we kinda pissed her off).The cosmic forces that cause action in the universe agree with you wholeheartedly.
> Go back to the Mausoleum and check on the thawing progress of the frozen Kyouko.You determine it best to head back to the Mausoleum. It'd be good to see how Kyouko's doing, after all. The trip to the Mausoleum is altogether uneventful. Things seem to get interesting again as you're about to enter though. One of the Taoists leaps into your view as though she'd been hiding in waiting for you. With one finger pointed directly at your and another pointed at the sky for some reason you can't quite understand, the Taoist speaks. At the very least, you have to give her credit for her enthusiasm.
>While on our way to our destination, keep an eye out for any other interesting buildings in the village.You didn't see anything interesting on the way here.
>"Could you get Miko for me? One of our monks is in there, and Miko's helping her here."Seems like you lost her at "One of our monks is in there." As you're finishing up your sentence, the Taoist before starts flailing her arms about in a manner that was probably meant to be intimidating but instead comes off as hilarious. It may be a little twisted of you, but you think her screeching verbal reaction only adds to the hilarity.
>Which one is this one now?You're pretty sure that was Mononobe no Futo. The dialect really helped tip it off.
>I guess we should go inside?Without any other real option if you still want to check up on Kyouko, you step inside the Mausoleum. The place is pretty straightforward for a short while. Then it gets confusing. The hallway you're in splits off three ways; left, right, and straight.
>Oh, darn. Guess we should've tried to be more aware of our surroundings while moving Kyouko in here.That would have been a good idea, yes.
>Left. Always left.Determining that the answer is always left, even if it's not right, you turn left. All over the Mausoleum's walls are scrolls and tapestries with very eloquent yet sharp calligraphy. You don't bother reading them; quite possibly just Taoist propaganda.
>Tread with caution, we are alone in hostile territory.You take extra care as you wait for the next (if any) crossing of halls. After all, this is your sworn enemy's lair, and you're all alone. However, seems you don't find another crossing. Just a door at the end of the hall.
>Get your spell cards ready, just in case of a fight.Reaching into your pocket, you grab your four spellcards. It would be great if you found out just who took the fifth, since it was your strongest one.
>Knock.You knock on the door, ready for a fight if it's a Taoist raring to go. But no. You don't see the person immediately, but the things on the wall behind her are indication enough. Judging by the plethora of Noh masks on the wall, and the long pink hair of the person before you, facial recognition wouldn't even be necessary to know it's Kokoro.
>Is Noh type masks all she has present?Seems that way. There's also a book near a futon laid out on the floor, but that's about it.
>"Howdy. Just came back to check in on my icy little partner.""You got the wrong room," Kokoro stated matter-of-factly. "Are you lost?"
For that matter, why'd we leave in the first place?Went to get a map of Youkai Mountain.
>"Yep. We're trying to find Kokoro to check up on her.""Oh, I see. In that case, do you want me to show you the way?"
Went to get a map of Youkai Mountain.
"Oh, I see. In that case, do you want me to show you the way?"
>Nod. "That'd be swell, thanks.""Follow me." And then Kokoro began back down the way you came, checking now and then to make sure you were still following her. At the time you reach the four-way split that got you to her room to begin with, Kokoro asks "So why did you leave to begin with?"
Well, that could have waited till Kyouko was better.I agree wholeheartedly, but what's done is done, lol
>"Don't ask me, I ain't got a clue for why I thought it was a good idea to leave Kyouko here without looking after her. Don't think she'd be overjoyed to find herself all alone in this Taoist central once she's done thawing, so I came back.""I doubt she's already thawed; Shoutoku-sama said it wasn't a quick process to begin with." She seems to drop your poor reason, though, and speaks up with another question.
>Follow Kokoro.You continue to follow Kokoro as she continues her way through the halls of the Dream Palace Mausoleum.
>Are there any doors in sight?There are. More than you recall the last time you were here. Did the Mausoleum change layout or something?
>Keep in eye on Kokoro; you don't want to get lost here.You make sure to keep an eye on which way Kokoro turns at each junction. Getting lost here is not on your to-do list.
>"Everybody's been doing just fine back at Myouren. Except for Shou, she's lost that pagoda thing of hers again. Nazrin didn't wanna go find it so I got sent along with Kyouko to go search for it.""I see. Should we find some way to attach the pagoda to Shou? Maybe then she won't lose it so much."
> has anyone in the Myouren temple tried attaching the pagoda to Shou before?>With superglue, tightly tying it with a cloth, tape, etc.?
>"It could work, still feels like she's going to lose it though.""In the end, she's still Shou."
> has anyone in the Myouren temple tried attaching the pagoda to Shou before?Nazrin has made several attempts, all of which have failed.
>With superglue, tightly tying it with a cloth, tape, etc.?Not even superglue can stop Shou from losing the pagoda.
"In the end, she's still Shou."
>"Maybe it's our lot in life. Reimu has her incidents, and Shou has her pagoda dropping ways. Which means we do too.""Could be." Kokoro stops at one door of many after saying that, then faces you directly. "We're here. I doubt Kyouko's thawed out yet, but I can't imagine Shoutoku-sama progressing too slowly either." Sliding open the door, Kokoro steps in before you and says "We're back, Shoutoku-sama."
Somebody get this guy some kind of award.>Shou na no ka?
>Step around Kokoro to stand by her side and see what's going on in the room.Seems that the thawing process is going relatively well. By the looks of things, Miko's started with the ice by Kyouko's feet and has made her way as far as her hips by now.
>Is she alone in there?"She" is an extremely ambiguous term in most any situation involving more than one person in a world where the population is almost entirely female. Whether it's Kyouko, Kokoro, or Miko you're speaking of, though, she's not alone. Miko is still working on the process of thawing out Kyouko. Her focus is pretty sharp, too.
>Touche.:3
>But more's the better. It wouldn't do for poor Kyouko to wake up surrounded by the enemy.This is true. She could probably bring the place down by screaming, and while that would be nice, it wouldn't be so nice if the place fell down on her while she was doing it.
>If the 'prince' is that focused, best leave her to her task. So let's find a comfortable spot of the wall to lean against and do so, until Miko's finished.You find a nice-enough spot on the wall to lean on while the "Crown Prince" finishes her work. Kokoro picks a spot next to you, and some time - hard to tell how long with no natural light in this room - passess before Miko steps back, pulling Kyouko up into a sitting position. The yamabiko looks dazed, but she's alive.
> Get Kyouko a hot meal.
> Head back to the Youkai Mountain.
>"That's all?""That's all. Were you expecting something more?"
>Glance at Kyouko: "Hey, ya all there, Kyouko?""I'm all dizzy~" Kyouko at least seems able to stand, evidenced by how she got up from where she was sitting and is now standing up on her feet. Granted, she's stumbling all over the place, but she's at least able to stand. Her speech is slurred too. If you didn't know better, you'd swear she was drunk...better not let Byakuren see her in this state.
>Hold off on those just yet.Wakarimashita. (been playing lots of Age of Empires lately as Japanese. Spam samurai > ??? > profit)
> Get Kyouko a hot meal.lolnope
> Head back to the Youkai Mountain.lolnope
>We can be formal when the need arises. So, politely, "Thank you for the help, Miko.""Of course." With that, Miko leaves you, your stumbling comrade, and the menreiki, all to your own devices.
> Get Kyouko a hot meal.
> Head back to the Youkai Mountain.
> Get Kyouko a hot meal.Taking Kyouko's hand to make sure she doesn't fall over, Kokoro leads you back out of the Mausoleum. There's a nice ramen place you know that's near the temple, so you hurry along that way. You order for her since she doesn't seem ready to order in her dazed state. Now to kick back and wait for some hot ramen...for her, at least.
> Head back to the Youkai Mountain.Wait on that a little. Trust me. Kyouko hasn't even eaten yet.
>We do drink, don't we?Well, you are a sailor.
>Assuming so, order some warm sake.You put in an order for some warm sake for yourself(?). A drink now and then never hurt anybody.
>Further assuming Kokoro came with us out this way, ask her, "Want something for yourself? My treat."She did not.
>Let Kyouko get some food into her, then ask, "Feelin' any better, kid?"You wait for the food (and warm sake for you) to arrive, and watch as Kyouko rushes through the bowl before her. About halfway into the bowl, she sets it down for a moment and takes a deep breath, setting it back down. At least she's got her color back to her.
>"Glad to hear."
>"Ya gotta be real careful around Kappa's inventions, kiddo. They got a way of capsizing on you if you poke 'em the wrong way.""Okay. Poke them carefully, got it."
capsizingI'm pretty sure I saw what you did there.
>Time of day.Can't possibly be past 7PM. It'll start getting dark soon, so you may need to call your search done for today here shortly.
>"Ya know, I think we should call it a day. We've been on this pagoda findin' mission for hours now.""Okay." At least Kyouko's willing to come along without any trouble. Wolfing down (dogging down?) the rest of her ramen, and you leaving the 1,000 yen you owe the place, the two of you step out, en route back to the temple. Anything else you need to do today should be done now.
>Just head straight back to the temple.Kyouko in tow, you simply return to the temple. Seems like things are starting to wind down here as well. Kyouko takes the liberty of going ahead in the general direction of her room to call it a night.
>Return to your room
>Afore we do, how tired are we?As with hunger, you don't need sleep, but you can still get tired. Between getting a little lost in the Forest of Magic, carrying a flash-frozen Kyouko from the Youkai Mountain to your enemy's stronghold, and every other minor inconvenience you've had today, a night's sleep wouldn't kill you.
>Return to your roomYou unceremoniously return to your own room. It has a bulkhead window, like on a boat. It was the one thing you didn't allow Hijiri to change when the Palanquin Ship became a temple.
>Slip out of our shoes.Taking the shoes off your feet, you set them aside.
>Descend face first into futon or whatever we typically sleep on in our room. Don't fall asleep, though. We may've gone through a lot more trouble today than on an average day, but we're not so tired that we could fall asleep like this with all our equipment still on us. Like hey, did we even have to fight anyone? Nope!It's indeed a futon. With a seagull-patterned blanket Hijiri bought with you in mind. Because seagulls. Seems your search - though incomplete - wasn't too harsh on you today, after all. A couple little roadblocks, but no fighting yet, so you're not quite drop-dead tired.
>De-equip. Sleeping with an anchor on your back can't be comfortable.Unloading the anchor from your back, spellcards from your pocket, and bag of other assorted items from your arm, you set them all to the side of the futon where you can easily reach them come morning. You could probably sleep now that you have all that equipment off your back.
>Go to sleep. Unless if we feel like reciting sutras and practising self-denial, heh.With no desire to recite sutras or practice self-denial to be found in your heart, you shut your eyes and call it a night. A good night's sleep does a ghost some good, they say...do they say that?
>Check whether our ears are bleeding or not.>If we are, stuff bandages or paper towels or something into them
>Check whether our ears are bleeding or not.A quick check on your ear health confirms that they are in fact not bleeding. They hurt, but no blood's been drawn.
>If we are, stuff bandages or paper towels or something into themNope, you're as fine as can be.
>Get up and re-equipGetting up to your feet (as if you could sleep again after that), you pick up your spell cards, anchor, and bag that carries the rest of your inventory, and gear up for the day. Seems Kyouko's already taken the liberty of getting herself geared for the day as well.
>Smile.Looking directly at Kyouko, you smile and say:
>"Ya just couldn't help it but wake me up like that, huh?""Wake you up like what?" Seems she's not aware of how much volume goes into her wake-up calls.
>"Ah, never mind, kiddo." She means well.Kyouko still doesn't seem to get what you meant. At least she only did it with good intentions.
>Gauge time.Judging by where the sun is in the sky from the view of your window, it's probably about 7AM.
>Gauge hunger.Not really hungry. Being a ghost has quite a few benefits.
>Prepare to return to the Youkai MountainPicking up your anchor and spellcards, you do a mental checklist to make sure you have everything. Today's another day of trying to find the Jeweled Pagoda, after all.
>"Alright, time to get back to finding that pagoda! Ready yet, Kyouko?""READY!!" Evidence suggests she's very ready. So ready, in fact, that she starts leaving, certain you're just as eager as she is...or at least, certain you won't just let her wander off on her own.
>Inventory...
>To Youkai Mountain!Kyouko in tow, you and the yamabiko girl take off and set course for Youkai Mountain! Just as you're close enough to the mountain to start landing there, you hear someone call out from behind. From this distance, you can't quite make out whose voice it was or what they said, but you definitely heard somebody.
>Tell Kyouko to stopKyouko stops at your telling her to.
>look behind youChecking behind you...
>look for the voice...you see a girl. You'd recognize those wings and that trident anywhere. You could safely bet any amount of money; that's gotta be Nue.
>Available information on Nue.Nue is a prankster through and through. She loves to throw a wrench into somebody's day if she's bored and loves seeing their reactions even more. She technically isn't a Buddhist (and if she is, she's certainly not among Byakuren's flock) but lives in the Myouren Temple with you and the other Buddhists. One of her favorite pranks is to disguise herself as somebody else and do stupid things, only for the real person to have no memory of doing them. For some reason, she doesn't target you, addresses you as "Captain" instead of "Murasa" like everybody else, and tends to follow you when you do big things like this. She is also a TERRIBLE cook, and has been forbidden from helping cook the temple's meals (much to Eientei's dismay).
>So her flagging us down on the way out on an errand such as this wouldn't normally arouse our suspicions?Not at all.
>Or anything else?"Anything else" meaning "additional information", none to be reported. "Anything else" meaning "would it rouse anything else?"...still no.
>Do we have a nickname for her?Nope.
>How does she get on with Kyouko?Nue's still a bit salty with Kyouko since the latter played a big part in last year's mishap, but the two get along fine. Kyouko is also known to be an on-and-off favored target for Nue's pranks.
>So, for Kyouko's sake if nothing else, we'll need to keep at least a wary eye on our chimeric chum.You wouldn't need to, but it would certainly be beneficial to make sure she doesn't do anything to Kyouko during this adventure.
>"Morning, Nue.""I flew all the way out here and that's all I get?" After a brief pause, Nue drops the expression on her face, puts on a smile, and says "Morning, Captain."
>"Say, ya seen Shou's pagoda anywhere lately?""If I did, you wouldn't have to keep looking."
>"Any reason for stopping us?""I'm tagging along! It's boring being cooped up in the temple all day, and I could use a good chance to stretch out my wings."
>To our knowledge, has Nue ever pranked, or had any other kind of prior encounters with the residents of Youkai Mountain?Sanae's B ending is canon to this world; you're aware of it because Nue was talking later that day about how "the blue-white on the mountain is a very strange girl", as well as Nue having a copy of the photograph they took together.
Or in other words, which one of Sanae's endings is canon to this world's, and do we know about it?
>Nue's inventoryNue's inventory: Trident | Pack of mint-flavored gum | 500 yen (has been deposited to Murasa's inventory; new total: 3,000 yen) | Unidentified "Purple Mirror" (http://en.touhouwiki.net/wiki/Double_Spoiler/Spell_Cards/Stage_12#Spell_Card_12_-_2) | Unidentified "Red Cloak, Blue Cloak" (http://en.touhouwiki.net/wiki/Double_Spoiler/Spell_Cards/Stage_12#Spell_Card_12_-_4) | Unidentified "Hanako-san in the Toilet" (http://en.touhouwiki.net/wiki/Double_Spoiler/Spell_Cards/Stage_12#Spell_Card_12_-_6) | "Danmaku X from a Wandering Star" (http://en.touhouwiki.net/wiki/Double_Spoiler/Spell_Cards/Stage_12#Spell_Card_12_-_8)
>"Do you think that the Pagoda is in the the blue-white's shrine?""At Sanae's shrine? I can't see why she'd be interested in it...although, she's pretty weird."
>What do we know about Sanae? In particular, do we know what she has done to warrant Nue, of all people, to call her 'weird'?Aside from mixed rumors, all you know for sure is that she's the shine maiden of the Moriya Shrine, she apparently came from the outside world, and she was one of three girls who went with you to Makai when you were rescuing Byakuren. You do know why Nue deems her weird, that being Sanae's insistence that Nue is an alien from a distant planet, and had the tengu take a picture of them to commemorate the occasion of meeting such an alien. Which, of course, Nue isn't.
>Have we encountered Sanae before? What did we think of them?You see her around the Human Village from time to time, but the only time you really saw her was when she was doing danmaku against you in the Palanquin Ship back when you were rescuing Byakuren. You figure she means well, but could work on her skills with listening to others a bit.
>Has Kyouko encountered Sanae? What did she think of her?During the incident where Miko was resurrected, Sanae had a danmaku battle with Kyouko. Kyouko is neutral toward Sanae.
>"Sure, come along. Another pair of eyes wouldn't hurt!""Then let's get going already!"
>Resume course.Nue and Kyouko in tow, you continue onward toward Youkai Mountain.
~After Rinnosuke fleeced you out of 7,000 yen, you made a mental note to let Nue know about what happened. She might be willing to try and get your money back, you figure.~
I reccomend we hold off on telling Nue about that while Kyouko's around. It wouldn't feel right to plot revenge around her, especially not with the likes of Nue. Kyouko-chan's too pure.
>Try to find that kappa that accidentally froze Kyouko.As you and your duo of companions approach Youkai Mountain, you look around the general area you were at yesterday, in an attempt to find that kappa whose machine got Kyouko frozen. Seems today's your lucky day, as she's in the same spot as yesterday. Her whatever-it-is is also there, but it looks a bit different today, at least from this distance.
>"Hey Nue, we'll be making a quick detour, okay? Wee're meeting the kappa over there."Nue seems fine with taking the detour.
>Fly down and greet Nitori.You land near the odd whatever-it-is-Nitori's-building, followed by Kyouko and Nue. Seems the kappa noticed you early this time, as she gets up to her feet, faces you, points her thumb at the machine behind her, and says "It's armored now."
>"Will it freeze you if you accidentally touch it now?""That's why I armored it. I knew the metal I used yesterday was thin, but I had no idea how thin."
>"Also, while we were gone, did you see any sigh of the pagoda?""I was busy lower this thing's internal temperature. Getting it to where Kelvins are viable isn't easy, you know."
>"Huh. Hope your invention works for whatever its purpose.""I don't see any problems coming in the future," Nitori confidently responds.
>Tell Nue and Kyouko that we're leaving.You inform your duo of followers that it's time to get going, to which Nue suggests you climb on foot. Harder for the tengu to spot you that way. With them in tow, you proceed upwards...
>Take off and continue to the shrine on top of Youkai Mountain
>"I haven't seen this shack before. Do you guys have any idea about it?"Kyouko seems unconcerned with your question; much preferring to soak her feet in the pond. Nue, however, does answer, albeit with "Never seen it before."
>Time of dayAbout noon, judging by where the sun is.
>Where are we on the MountainIf you refer to the map you got yesterday, you'd be where the "unknown cabin" is.
>Check map(http://i1178.photobucket.com/albums/x364/UnendingEmpire/MapofYoukaiMountain_zps9e063c90.png)
>come closer to the shackYou move closer to the shack. It's very obviously hand-built, and the construction is rather shoddy at that. There's a paper lamp by the door though, which might serve as a sign that somebody lives here. However, if this is true, there's no evidence of who specifically lives here.
>Knock on the doorYou knock on the door...no response.
>"Be careful, Kyouko, there might be something bad inside."See above.
>Get ready for an attack just in case
>Knock politely again.You knock a second time. Still no answer.
>If no reply, hazard a glance through a window.Looking for a window, you take a peek through once you find one. Yes, this is definitely a house, albeit a small one-room place. The inside is very neat and tidy. However, it seems nobody is in here right now. You can also see from here that the door has no lock; shouldn't be all that surprising, seeing as the building itself looks rather poorly-built.
Do we really need to? We have no sign that the pagoda is in there, and we have no other cause to search a house.
>Don't open door. Yet.Aye-aye, cap'n. Not opening door just yet.
>Presumably the pagoda has a glow or something about it normally?Correct.
>If so, does this glow seem to be present within the cabin? Or any other sign of the pagoda, for that matter?Sadly, no.
>Inventory (It's been too long. I think Nue is with us)It's in the opening post; I've made a point of keeping it updated there since a certain someone always has me backtracking a page to find and update it :3
>Arm yourself; tell everyone else to do so.Gripping your anchor and spell cards, you inform everyone else (meaning Nue; Kyouko still seems fine soaking her feet in the pond nearby) to do the same. Nue's response is to pull forth her trident and hover a couple feet off the ground.
>"There might be a trap here. Maybe whoever lives in this house might not like people entering."There's only one way to find out, Captain," Nue says in response.
>Do we recognize this particular white wolf?Sadly, no.
>Do make sure to halt, though.Ghost pirates are now halting...
>Question the wolf tengu: Name, and stuff like that.You ask the wolf tengu her name, and you get your answer pretty quickly. Sadly, it's (probably) not her name. "I'm the one asking the questions here. Who are you, and what are you doing on this mountain?"
>Make sure we received a tip-off about the pagoda being somewhere on the Yuokai Mountain.Marisa said she dropped it near Youkai Mountain when you were at her house yesterday.
>Explain the predicament about Shou's pagodaGirls are now explaining...
>"Yes, [insert more details here]."See the following.
>"You got it. We'd been beached for ages 'till we got blown free." Proudly, "And I was her captain.""Perhaps you can help us with something," the wolf tengu says after giving it some thought. "At the very least, it would help me overlook you trespassing here."
>Just to make sure, the temple is actually made from our ship, right?Indeed it was, yes.
>If so, how do we feel about our ship being repurposed like that?You've never been overly fond of the idea. The Palanquin Ship was your ship, after all. However, your love for Hijiri is greater than your love for the ship, and so you let her convert it to a temple.
>"We'll help. What is it?""One of the crow tengu caught a rumor of some amazing treasure or another in Former Hell, and rushed off to write an article. That was about a week ago; we haven't seen or heard from her since. And seeing as I've found myself a group that spent some time down there, it would be best to send you off instead of more tengu."
>"Whaddya mean, trespassing? All we did was knock.""You're still trespassing on this mountain," the tengu clarified. "For the most part, outsiders are forbidden from being here; I'm actually surprised you got this high up without being spotted."
>Were we technically in the former hell when we were trapped underground?Yes.
>What do we know about the power balance on Youkai Mountain? Specifically, do we know if the tengu have full reign over the mountain? What if any power do we know the Moriya temple holds?All you know (via word of mouth, no less) is that the tengu and kappa both own parts of the mountain, but ultimately answer to the gods of the Moriya Shrine.
>Do we know if the tengu regularly harass travelers like this?No.
>"I didn't know the mountain was private property.""Well, it is," the wolf tengu answers.
>How long ago did Shou report losing the Pagoda again?She's not sure when she lost it, but she was (apparently) on Youkai Mountain the day before your search started, and was at Marisa's sometime before that.
>So if this treasure the tengu's talking about is week old news, there's no way that could be our erstwhile pagoda, ne?Shou wasn't sure when she lost the pagoda, remember. It's just as likely that she lost it months ago than it is that she lost it just the other day. And besides, this is Gensokyo; anything's possible.
>What do we know of the Oni who inhabit the Underworld?Not much, really. They seem like pretty good folks who just want to have a good time, though they hardly ever came by the Palanquin Ship while it was underground. Any who did have since left your memories, given they never really did anything worth remembering.
>Or the other residents, for that matter.Rin "Orin" Kaenbyou came to your temple an awful lot. You recall she works under somebody that most of Former Hell didn't like for some reason, though you can't quite recall the name or why nobody liked her. She had a friend everyone called Okuu, and you remember that Okuu was responsible for the geysers going off and has the god Yata-Garasu in her, which makes her immensely powerful. You were also a bit acquainted with the tsuchigumo Yamame Kurodani, but you can't really say you know her too well.
Stepping off the players box for a moment, does that last part mean you follow the 'everyone forgets Koishi' bit from Symposium?You mean I actually followed canon without even knowing it? :O
>"And I don't really like being talked to like that. Last time I checked, the tengu didn't own the whole mountain.""W-Well...you're out of kappa territory, at the least." Pointing toward the shack, she continues "This marks exactly halfway up the mountain; everything from here upward is tengu turf."
>"But look, we're not here for any kind of trouble." Snort out a chuckle, "Had enough of that tracking this item as it is. So, we thank you for your tip. And, if you'll point out the nearest entrance to the Underworld, and give us some info on this Crow you want us to keep an eye out for, we'll be on our way." Dart our eyes over to Nue briefly, then add, "All of us.""Down at the bottom of the mountain there should be a cave near the kappa city. That should lead you down to the Underworld."
>Do we know of any alternate, closer entrances to the Under?No, but going back down the mountain should be quite a bit faster than the climb up since someone suggested you climb on foot.
>"And if we find this lost crow of yours, what would you like us to do with her?""Personally, I could care less. But the tengu in charge want her back, so bring her back up with you once you find her."
>"And since I'm guessing crow tengu in the underworld aren't that common, I'm guessing she won't be that hard to pick out of a crowd?""Trust me, you'll know her when you see her."
>Based on what we know of the Underworld, do we judge it safe enough to bring Kyouko with us down there?You don't think it's dangerous enough to make her stay up here at the least. If you bring her, you remind yourself that you might have to keep a closer eye on her.
>Based on what we know of the Oni, do we judge it wise to bring someone as deceptive as Nue with us down there?On the one hand, absolutely not. On the other, her powers have come in handy before...it's definitely a risk though, with how deceptive she is and how honest oni are by contrast.
>Knowing Hijiri, she'd want us to give her the benefit of the doubt."I'll do it!" Kyouko enthusiastically answers.
>As for Kyouko, though...
>Turn to our junior search partner. "What do you think, kiddo, feel like checking out the underside of Gensokyo? Fair warning, though, it ain't quite as peaceful as it is up here."
>Really should have seen that coming.That's Kyouko for you.
>"All right then ladies, I suppose we'd best be off.""This should be fun," Nue grinned.
>Be off!Kyouko and Nue in tow, you set off! The bottom of the mountain and its passage to the sprawling Underworld await!
How this thread never leaves the first page I completely and utterly fail to comprehend. As with the last two times I've accidentally vanished and left this hanging for months on end, any staff are free to lock this if I'm overstepping any bounds and that I'm only still posting here because it's (somehow) still on the first page.
>InventoryCheck the OP (http://i.gyazo.com/168bf7f0da70e9f764dc7cc29a98c40a.png)
>Do we know anything about these Underworld passages and who, or what, might inhabit them?No. You've been in Former Hell itself before, but seeing as your ship left and got up to the surface via geyser, this is actually your first time going to or from there the long way.