>"I believe I know the pass you're referring to, yes. Assuming the valley itself is hard to miss, that should be fine. Thank you very much."
>Before we go: "Well, I should take my leave and set out. Good day to you."
> Head out of the tavern and meet up with Tenshi outside the village.
>Walk up to Tenshi
>"It seems Nazrin wasn't the one minding the bar after all. Fortunately the woman who was there knew the way to the Prismrivers' home in detail."
> "Long white hair, lots of ribbons. Rather vulgar. Is that someone you know?"
>"Never mentioned a word about you, at any rate."
>Head off towards the place Mokou indicated
>"Seemed vaguely disappointed I wasn't heading to the Prismrivers' with an intent to cause trouble over the island's fall. Otherwise, not much out of her aside from directions."
>"Hmmm... I suppose it's possible I misinterpreted it, but that was the impression I got. No matter."
> "Is she really that much of a problem if she's after you?"
> "How odd. Well, I suppose I'm glad she is one less worry of ours at a time like this. Shall we head out and look for the Prismriver Manor, then?"
> "It is near Hakugyokurou. At the branching path one would normally take to reach the gate to the Netherworld, if one instead continues north, they'll eventually encounter a valley with the Prismriver Manor in it."
> Mental check: Is the branch that leads to the Hakugyokurou gate near Yuuka's field?
> Raise an eyebrow and smirk.
> "And what did you do to Yuuka this time?"
> Recall own experiences with Yuuka Kazami.
> "She really dislikes you that much, huh? Oh well, her loss, and more of you for me. Regardless, I don't think we will be traveling near her fields anyway."
>Continue onward
>Keep going north
>Approach
>What sort of composition does the crowd seem to have?
>Hovering about? Just listening from a distance, or coming/going?
>Any sign of any other Prismriver?
>Is the performance literally in front of the mansion, or is there room to get to the door without passing through or disturbing the gathering?
>Does Merlin seem more or less free at the moment?
>If so, approach her
>Does the crowd extend out to near where she is, or is there a little privacy?
>"Oh, I'm not here to ask about a performance. I just wanted to chat for a moment. Is this a bad time?"
> Have the Prismrivers ever performed for Bhava-Agra before?
> If not, do we know how to acquire their services?
>"How've things been around here lately, anyway? I noticed you've attracted a rather different crowd than usual."
> "Out of curiosity, is Lunasa around?"
>"Do you think she'd mind if I dropped in on her for a moment? There was something I wanted to ask her about."
> "And no, it's not about a solo performance. Judging from the reactions of my people, I think they'd prefer all three of you."
>"Yes, I imagine it can be something of a double-edged sword at times. Hard to find time for a break without people waiting with baited breath for you to start again?"
> "But yes, song is a very important part of celestial culture. I think perhaps we should arrange for a performance some time later, when our lives have returned to normal."
> ...You're not making the trumpet player an idiot as a favor to some of our trumpet-hating players, are you, parser?
>"In any case, I believe I'll go see if I can find Lunasa, now. I hope you have a pleasant day, Merlin, and that the fans don't clamor too hard."
>Head to the mansion
>Can we see Lunasa anywhere about?
> Well, that's not very nice of you.
> If we did not return the greetings given us, do so now, and pray Tenshi does the same.
> Enter the mansion and check for any celestial activity.
>Walk over to a nearby celestial and ask if they know where Lunasa might be
> "You didn't get enslaved as well, did you?"
> Do we know this woman's name?
> "Yes. Some of our people were enslaved to work as maids in the vampire manor."
> Frown.
> "It is very high up on my list of self-serving opportunistic problems to squash. Not all of Gensokyo's residents have received us as well as these musicians have."
> Nod, and give a small smile.
> "And I am glad that we have maintained our teachings and attitudes, even in the face of these misfortunes. I guess it is true that, while you can take the celestial out of Bhava-Agra, you cannot take Bhava-Agra out of the celestial. Thank you for your help, Miss...?"
> "Iku. Here with me is Tenshi, the Eldest Daughter of the Hinanai family."
> Return the gesture as is appropriate for our rank.
> "It's quite all right. I do not believe we have met before, and one can only expect so much of an individual."
> "Regardless, I must meet with Lunasa now. It is my hope she will have knowledge helpful to the task of restoring our home."
> Smile.
> "And perhaps a concert can be arranged for a time after that."
>"Still, the occasional break from the usual is not altogether a bad thing. In any case, I should take my leave. Good day to you, Ishi."
>Head to where she indicated Lunasa was
>Approach her
>"Good morning, Lunasa."
> "Thank you. I hope you have enjoyed the audience our people have provided. I also hope they haven't demanded too much of you. We are a bit, ah, enthused for music."
>"Also, as to why I'm here, I wonder if I might have a moment to speak with you, in private? It concerns what I asked you about yesterday."
>"Very well. Thank you."
>If she moves to leave, follow her out
> Is Lyrica still playing?
> Small sigh.
> "I found her, not long after you and we talked. I am still here, and she is somewhere else, doing who-knows what on her own. We are both doing okay. Does this surprise you at all?"
> "I'm honestly not sure. You see, she and I...we have fought, and we have talked. We've talked about a good number of things. Given what we have talked about, and how she operated when we fought, I have to admit, in retrospect, that I am a bit surprised we encountered you yesterday."
> "Her technique...well. But I am more surprised she did not pursue you very much, or use any alternate tactics."
> "Mmm. Yeah, that would explain things. I do have one other curiosity, though, and then hopefully we can move on to something that will feel far less like an interrogation. When we talked, you mentioned that you didn't really want anyone to bother her, and that it appeared to you that it might be better if she was just left alone. Was there any reason for such empathy?"
> Nod.
> "Okay, that's understandable. Enough about that, then, there's another tangentially-related subject I wish to ask you about. If this gets too personal, let me know, and I'll cut myself off as best I can.
> "Now then...how do you remember of how you and your sisters came to be?"
> "...Oh. Okay then. Well, um, what are your first memories, then?"
> "I see. I understand the three of you were once four sisters. How much of her do you remember?"
> "Really? Hmm. Pardon me for asking a potentially sensitive question, but...how many years have you been alive?"
>"I'm curious. How much do you know how you and your sisters came to be in the first place?"
>"Not for you, perhaps. But I ask because of the other poltergeist. The circumstances of her birth are causing... problems, and I wanted to understand how it was for you in the hope that I could learn something which could help her."
>"Well, you had the benefit of a caring family from the start. She inherited a rather... darker legacy. You said that the Yama told Lyrica that Layla created you. Had you ever wondered about yourselves before that?
I guess Layla herself never implied anything?"
>"What was Layla like, anyway? If you don't mind me asking."
>"Everyone else?"
>"Did others used to live here then, too?"
>"Was this before your time?"
>"So, was it just the four of you, then, from as far back as you can remember? Do you know why everyone else left?"
>"Did Layla ever talk about the others much?"
>"My apologies. I suppose I haven't given much context to my questions. It's just, I'd like to be able to understand a little more of what it's like to be a young poltergeist, new to the world. You said you didn't remember a lot about that time. I'm just trying to think of what the environment would have been like."
>"You see, this poltergeist is very young. She may be a couple months old, at most. She was obviously born instinctively knowing a nice few things, but some of what she knows is... let us say that most people would consider it to be literally wrong. Yet she believes it utterly, because this is the knowledge she came into the world knowing. Thus, I wondered what it may have been like for others who had experienced at least part of this, themselves."
>"I imagine it must have been something of a shock to hear that Layla had created you and your sisters?"
>"I'm curious; Did the Yama say anything else on the subject?"
>"Disappear? That sounds a little ominous. Did she say why?"
>"Do you recall what that was? And did you ever feel like something may have been missing, in the way that she said? I apologize for asking personal questions, but this may be directly relevant to the situation with the poltergeist in the forest."
> How easily would we be able to see the Yama?
> "So you've never really felt like something was missing at all, then?"
> Nod.
> "All right. Thank you very much for your information. Before we leave, um, a bit of a non-sequitur. How would one go about acquiring your services for a concert at a future date?"
> "Mmm, I see. I...will see what can be done, I guess."
> Nod.
> "Of course. Well, we must be off now. Again, thank you for your help, as it has actually been useful, as frustrated as I may have sounded at any point."
> Assuming Lunasa makes no effort to stop us, take to the skies and head off toward Youkai Mountain.
> "Yes, that was substantially less helpful than I would have hoped. It did tell me one important thing, though, that I believe I can share with you. Of course, even if it becomes public knowledge later, you must promise to keep it a secret that I specifically told you this, but I trust you are capable of such a thing."
> "Lunasa said the Yama told them that they would disappear because they were missing something. I strongly suspect the Yama would know about that sort of thing, so I'm willing to take that at face value. This seems to match up with some of the things our shadowy friend told me. Given the nature of how poltergeists come to be, if that is combined with these corroborating stories, I think is it reasonable to conclude that it holds true for any poltergeist. The thing is that what our shadowy friend told me were her own life experiences, not what she knew of how poltergeist biology works. I do not think she knows that poltergeists in general run the risk of disappearing if they are missing that 'something'."
> "Exactly. Now, the kicker is figuring out what that 'something' is. The PrismRivers obviously don't need to know what it is, because whatever it is, they've unknowingly found it. But they're substantially different from our shadowy friend. They're quite outgoing and social and have obvious hobbies and wandering tendencies and are all pretty much normal people, if a little bit air-headed. But what of our shadowy friend? You have seen and heard for yourself how much she values her privacy and seclusion, how much she hates to be anywhere but the forest, and what lengths she will go to in order to make sure her comfort zone is not interfered with. She has very likely not had someone tell her that poltergeists will disappear if they are missing this nebulous 'something'. She has no real social connections at all, beyond what I have provided, and what I have provided her is very, very loose and rather unreliable. With basically no substantial help from other people and no desire to leave her forest unless absolutely necessary, how likely do you think it is that she will find that 'something'?"
> "Pretty much. Her isolationism may very well be her downfall. And if she does disappear, who knows what will happen to those shadows she possesses? Nitori and Kogasa may be stuck as they are forever, not to mention our home, for however much you still care about it."
> "So multiple lives and many more livelihoods are at stake in all this. Not to mention anyone else she would manage to get her hands on before her time is up. I have hope that whatever this 'something' is will be enough to convince her to return the shadows she has taken, and for everyone to live their lives out peaceably in the future with no fear of having their shadow stolen or of disappearing without warning."
> "I have some speculations, and I am sure our shadowy friend will have some of her own once she learns of this nature of poltergeists, but I am hoping Kanako will know for sure, or at least know enough to enable me to connect the dots on my own. If she does not, and I cannot come up with something..."
> Sigh.
> "...I may have to seek out the Yama and ask her."
> "I haven't liked a good deal of what I've had to do in the past day and a half. I really do not like the prospect of facing the Yama when she will almost certainly know I released Aya from jail. But what I would like and not like to do is super-ceded by what I feel is the right thing to do. If I need to get an earful or two for my sins to further the overall cause...then it will be what it will be."
> Nod and smile.
> "Yeah. We can. And that leads into the most important thing I have to say, before we get to Kanako."
> Quickly look around the skies, as well as the surrounding area. Check to see if anyone is in the vicinity.
> Turn back to Tenshi. Keep that smile up.
> "This past day and a half...it's been really hard. There's no denying it. It has been hard for both of us, and the immediate future is extremely uncertain, which is no better. I've forced myself to make some very tough decisions, and I'm sure you have as well. Especially since we've both known all along that my ultimate goal has been to restore our home to where it belongs, and we've both known that our home and everything around it disgusts you. I...cannot pretend to truly know what you've felt, from me, from our people, for however long you have felt it. All I can do is apologize, from the bottom of my heart, for whenever and however I have wronged you."
> "Because, even in these times, in these circumstances, some of which I was completely oblivious to...despite all I have done to you, despite my inability to tell you more than I have, despite my constant requests that you trust me without necessarily explaining why you should, despite what we may be facing, and despite how much you resent our home and delight in the humbling it has gone through...you have still stuck with me through everything. There is no question that I would not be here without your support. Without your companionship. Without you simply being yourself. I...I cannot thank you enough for this."
> "But it is what it is, at least from what I have seen, and what you have told me. I have asked so much of you, and you have asked nothing of me, beyond a desire to keep private things private. I really, truly appreciate what you have done for me and what you have been willing to do for me through all this. Thank you so much, Tenshi."
> How is her facial expression reading?
> "You have helped give our people a second chance at a passable peach harvest. You have enabled me to press on through hardship, secure in the knowledge that you're there beside me. You have made me a better person, and very likely saved me from a shadowy fate. If not for you, it is a very real possibility I would not be here right now at all, let alone with the newfound knowledge and feelings I possess. I would hardly say all of that is nothing special."
>"I tell you truly, you have been an invaluable support for me. Physically, mentally, emotionally...you may not think you've done anything special, but you've been beyond special to me."
>Look right into her eyes.
>"Tenshi, I appreciate you, and I thank you."
>"And who is here for me to embarass you in front of?"
"You really think I am merely spouting niceties then, hmm? You have supported me physically by countering the poltergeist's aggression against me this morning. You have supported me mentally by offering your support in the face of the great challenge the Yama presents. You have supported me emotionally by giving me someone worth fighting for when I faced the poltergeist's onslaught yesterday, and by trusting me when so many of Gensokyo's residents do not."
> "It might not be grand to you, but it is to me. Really."
> Put on a concerned look.
> "Okay, but...is it really that difficult to hear this sort of thing?"
> "...I see. Then, if I may ask...what am I, to you?"
> "In what I've been doing, or how I've been doing it?"
> "...Would you rather I not have tried to get closer to you, then?"
> "But I don't want to just 'get you in trouble'."
> Are we still flying along toward Youkai Mountain?
> Stop and hover where we are.
> "And you'll never be able to fully trust me as long as this is how things are?"
> Sit in silence for a few seconds.
> "...Yes. I think I understand. This is why you hate it in Bhava-Agra, isn't it? We all want you to be something you're not."
> "Well, I cannot speak for anyone else. And I don't know what you've seen or heard. But I don't think you're just some inferior celestial. I don't care where you came from. All that matters to me is that you're here now, standing here as a trusted companion, as an equal."
>"About speaking of you as if you were different than you see yourself? I apologize; I meant no disrespect or presumption."
>"Tenshi... I know you've had to deal with more than your share of judgement and criticism; people telling you how you should behave, or what kind of person you should be. What is it you want? If the expectations and obligations of Bhava-Agra were not upon you, do you know how you would wish to live?"
>From our experience, how much of the duties that would typically be expected from a celestial does Tenshi actually do?
>More than the bare minimum that she'd be unable to avoid in some fashion?
> Nod.
> "Mmm. Well...hmm."
> "...Tenshi, if you were given the option, right now, to leave Bhava-Agra for good...would you take it?"
> "You would choose never to see it again? And to have no one from it see you ever again?"
> "I presumed you would. But would you miss them enough to not take this opportunity, were it offered to you?"
> "And if you were not allowed back?"
> "As well as any tengu patrols you came across while ascending the mountain, presumably."
> Sad frown.
> "I wonder if your mother would approve of such copious amounts of violence."
> Have any celestials ever left Bhava-Agra for good before, either on their own or because they were kicked out?
> You mean shinigami, I assume.
> So there's a realm above Bhava-Agra?
> "She has everything to do with it. I realize your desire to leave our home. I merely want to help you think the consequences all the way through. I ask you all these questions and tell you all these things not to nag you or tell you why I think you shouldn't go, but because you deserve to know. You deserve to be able to make the best-informed decision you possibly can."
> "The thing about it is...I don't know what it would be like for a celestial to up and leave. I can't recall it happening, ever. And if you left for Gensokyo, given the spiritual standings of the two realms...I would guess that you would not be allowed to return, unless you earned your way back in by Bhavagran standards, which I am sure you have little interest in doing. It is very possible that you would be flat-out exiled from Bhava-Agra. In order for you to return, you would have to fight through whatever tengu guards appear on the mountain, and then through whatever celestial guards are placed to stop you from returning. And then, if you made it through all those people and were able to return to your family, they would know of all the fighting you had to do to return to them. If that happened, do you think they would be pleased?"
> "It is possible to leave, though the methods of which I am aware are not the methods we're discussing. But I am wondering if we could speak to The Dragon on this matter."
> It was last brought up as a request from others to kick Tenshi out, wasn't it? This time it would be brought up as a request from Tenshi to leave. Perhaps that would be enough of a difference?
> "There's very little else I can think of. And it pains me, since you so clearly want it. I wish I could do more to make you happy, Tenshi. I just don't know how."
> "But surely there must be something else I can do to make you happy, at least in the interim..."
> ...Is that really under our jurisdiction?
> What other tasks could Tenshi potentially do as part of her punishment?
> Who handed down the original order, again?
> Fault a little bit.
> "Uh, I was expecting something a little...more elaborate than that. Well, um, what would you rather do instead?"
> Have we ever eaten/heard of a corn dog before?
> Eh, it was still a fair decision. We may want Tenshi to be our friend, but what she did was still unpleasant, and no one is above the rules.
> How long is her punishment meant to last?
> Does she know this? If not, is she permitted to know?
> How soon is it until the next review?
> Was it this same tribunal that ruled she was not allowed possession of the sword?
>Would it be abusing power if we moved the tribunal sooner? Or would we have to request one to be more cordial?
> Bhava-Agra typically does not condone fighting, right?
> Does it have any dedicated self-defense training, in the event of disaster?
> How is Tenshi's danmaku technique?
> "Well...hmm. How about this? Once the shadow problem is solved, I can request the tribunal convene earlier than normal, and I will personally advocate to have your punishment lifted."
> What exactly was the initial punishment for? Wrecking parts of Gensokyo, disgracing Bhava-Agra, or a combination of the two?
> "I have thought about those. Let us keep moving while we discuss this, as I think my immediate fears have passed."
> Gesture to Tenshi to resume flight toward Youkai Mountain, while resuming that flight ourselves.
> "I can request to have the communal moved up, and it will probably happen if I do, yes. You do mention a more contentious point in the issue of behavior, but I wonder if something cannot be talked out in that regard. Tell me, Tenshi, have you ever felt like you did anything wrong on that day?"
> "So may I take that as a 'no', then?"
> "And you have no particular desire to change who you are."
> "Right, which is why I phrased it as I did. What this means is that we will need to work with what we can do, and either simply circumvent what we cannot, or perhaps turn it around so it turns into a positive."
> "Well, the way I see it, since part of the reasoning for this punishment was that you caused an incident, if you helped fix an incident, that would be a pretty good reason to end the punishment, right?"
> Smile.
> "You must have faith in me, Tenshi."
> "Now the second part, the behavior part, is a bit more of a sticking point. I cannot ask you to change who you are. I do not have that right. But what I can do, what we can do, is take who you are, and what you enjoy doing, and turn it into a positive for Bhava-Agra."
> "Yes. It is pretty clear that, if things keep on going the way they are going, no one is going to be happy. But given how difficult it is for anyone to leave Bhava-Agra without getting taken by a shinigami, as much as you are stuck with those you dislike, they are also stuck with you. So if we can find something that you enjoy doing, and that Bhava-Agra can benefit from, everyone can be happy."
> "We won't know until we try to think of something, will we?"
> "So let's go over what you like, then. You enjoy combat, right?"
> "And you enjoy seeing your fellow celestials beneath you, right?"
> "And we established yesterday that you enjoy pulling pranks. Is there anything else you enjoy doing?"
> How common are theatrical productions in Bhava-Agra?
> "Ooh, theater. Excellent choice, Tenshi. But have you never participated in a Bhavagran production?"
> "Well, is a theatrical production not a team effort? A play cannot go on properly without all of its participants. With that in mind, how can anyone look down upon anyone else, when everyone is important to the play's success?"
>Have we heard of any theatrical productions in gensokyo?
>"While I think working with the celestials would be good with for how they view you, I believe there might be a few options among the gensokyoans as well."
>"I've heard about a group in Eientei, although they aren't always open to the public, the Scarlet Devil Mansion might be planning things as well, considering it's inhabitants, how kindly disposed they might be to us help in out is anyone's guess though."
>"There's also a group underground but... I've heard that their productions are prone to going wrong."
>Have we heard if it's because of the audience or the actors that their productions go awry?
>"Have you ever heard about any theatrical groups down here? I admit I'm not the most knowledgeable about the going on's of the surface"
>"To be fair I would say the underground group is the least attractive one, based on the fact that both the audience and actors are oni and kinda prone to do... oni stuff... and that's counting the lure of going to the Felt"
>Have we seen any of the plays set up by Eientei?
>For that matter how "awry" have we heard the underground group get?
>"Out of curiosity have you seen any of the rabbit plays? I'm afraid I missed the opportunity last winter."
>Have we ever heard any details about how the rabbit plays are set up?
>"I heard they make up a lot of it on the spot, I wonder..."
>Pause
>What kind of plays do the Bhava-Agrans usually set up?
> Has Bhava-Agra ever done Monty Python's Spamalot?
> Figures. A predominantly-female crowd likely wouldn't want to see it anyway. Oh well, so much for aspirations of seeing Tenshi sing about Jews and their importance to theater.
> "I think we have a few potential outlets, then. Tenshi, how would you feel about some sort of small leadership role within Bhava-Agra, related to something you enjoy?"
> "Well, not necessarily a high power like a council member, but something smaller, something that previously would have been of little to no use to Bhava-Agra, but after the experiences of yesterday and today, our people may appreciate a bit more. Something in an area where you have more experience than the average celestial."
> Frown.
> "...Since when have you been stealing food?"
> Sigh.
> "No one should be stealing any food. But I'll just pretend I never heard any of that, and we'll move on. There are two things I can see coming out of recent events - a use for better fighting skills, and a desire to learn more about Gensokyo in general."
> "It might, and that interest may very well be reciprocated by some of Gensokyo's residents as well. You saw how captivated our people were by the Prismrivers. You also saw that shawl at Kourindou. It would have been easy for our people to simply stay in their homes and do nothing, but a litany of them have gone wandering to various parts of Gensokyo. And I imagine Gensokyo must have some curiosity about Bhava-Agra in return, simply given that it's a new place with a lot of new people."
> "But perhaps you could work against that sentiment, by presenting Gensokyo to them in a light you feel appropriate. You could function as a sort of ambassador between Bhava-Agra and Gensokyo."
> "Why not? It keeps you out of their hair by keeping you occupied and away from them entirely for notable stretches of time."
> "It also provides a useful function for curious celestials who wish to know more about this place."
> "We will see. I think it can work, but none of us will know until it is tried. Now, that brings me to the first thing I pointed out, which I noticed you made no negative note of."
> "Let's say, hypothetically, that Bhava-Agra decides it would be useful to have a better understanding of how to fight properly. How would you feel about being in charge of training sessions?"
> "It may be a good deal of work, yes. But you get to showcase your fighting ability while your fellow celestials watch and learn from you."
> "Well, there's a couple of ideas, at least. I'm glad you've kept an open mind about them, Tenshi. I suggest you think about them for a while, to see how you really feel. And I would be happy to pitch them on your behalf at the next council gathering, if you so desire. If you decide you don't like them, that's okay. We can try to think of something else."
> "Of course, neither of those ideas gets you into a theater audition, but we do already have some ideas for that here in Gensokyo. I wonder if a group of celestials interested in Gensokyo life wouldn't be interested in seeing you perform in a Gensokyo play."
> "Huh. I would have figured you'd want to be a star in front of your fellow celestials. But they certainly don't have to be a part of the audience."
> "All right, then. If you insist. It seems like it's time to go back to the immediate issues, anyway. We can talk more later."
> Keep on headin' on to the Moriya Shrine.
> Does the puddle seem special in any way?
> Look to Suwako, look to Tenshi, and shrug.
> In our experience, is a god typically more upset if they are briefly ignored or interrupted?
> Turn back to Suwako.
> "Lady Moriya, may I have a moment?"
> "Of yourself and Lady Yasaka, who has more knowledge of the nature of shadows?"
> "Oh my. May I ask why, or is it private business?"
> Nod.
> "Understood. May I also assume you are busy, given you seem to be preoccupied?"
> Nod.
> "Yes. I wish to know exactly how a shadow works."
> "Sorry, I mean in the spiritual sense."
> "But it appears to be more than just a name or a voice. From what I experienced yesterday, a shadow appears to be an essence of being. Almost like a soul, except that unliving, inanimate objects can also cast them."
> "Hmm. What could cause a shadow to not connect to its owner properly?"
> "Which borders would qualify as the wrong kind? Spiritual ones?"
> "I want to understand the nature of shadows as best I can, so I can restore the missing shadows of my home, as well as certain people. Such as Nitori, whom we discussed yesterday."
> Nod.
> "Thank you. I don't think there's too much more I have to ask anyway, but who knows when inspiration may strike."
> "Do you know what might cause a shadow to misbehave?"
> "Mmm. I could see that being the case, yes."
> "Well. There's not much more I can think of to ask about shadows off the top of my head...how much experience do you have in the area of poltergeists?"
> "Do you know what it is that sustains them? I understand the Yama once told that the Prismrivers would disappear because they were missing something, but there they are, as noisy and energetic as ever."
> "...Being noisy and energetic is what sustains them?"
> "And this holds true for any poltergeist?"
> Sad face.
> "I don't know. This is why I ask. I am not well-versed on this subject."
> "So does this mean that, were a poltergeist to become quiet and reclusive, they would eventually cease to be?"
> "Hmm. What if that poltergeist did things, but they did them while alone, and only a select few knew they did it? Let's take the Prismrivers, for example. Perhaps they try to stay alone all their lives, occasionally holding jam sessions, but only when they think they're alone, and no one ever actually sees them playing, they only hear the music. Would this be enough for them to sustain themselves, or would they have to go out and actively seek an audience?"
>"Clever how? Would the music be enough, even if no one had any idea where it had come from? If no one even knew that they, as people, existed?"
I>"But presumably it wouldn't be as effective as if people knew who was doing it, and could see it with their own eyes?"
>"Would they need to play music, so long as they were out and about in the world, and people could confirm their existence?"
>"Well, not all poltergeists are noisy, surely? Music may be how they sustain their existence, but I cannot imagine that alone is universal among their kind."
>"Well, I simply thought that was what you meant, given the question of mine you responded to with that."
>"Do you mean noise in the sense of stirring things up, then? And not simply in the sense of sound?"
>"Forgive me, but I'm not sure I see how. Them simply speaking with someone creates sound, but a quiet conversation hardly need stir anything up at all."
>"Well, no more than such a conversation might between humans, or anyone else for that matter. Any person's mere existence has some effect on the world around them. It would be nearly impossible to be otherwise. Poltergeists would seem to be no different in that regard."
>"Am I... missing your point entirely?"
>"As if someone spread a rumor? they wouldn't have to be loud but it might stir people up... in a way"
>"Best for the Prismrivers? Or best for any poltergeist?"
>"Would it be a fair statement to say that a poltergeist's existence is strengthened by any way they can make the world take notice of them? Be that by music, or word, or deed. The more notice the better?"
>"What if, for speculation's sake, a poltergeist started making mysterious piles of rocks in noticable places. Would that sustain it?"
>"But, essentially, if a poltergeist sought to avoid any and all notice from anyone else in the world... they would effectively be working to end their own existence, would they not?"
> "Does the specific manner in which a poltergeist makes noise matter, as long as a noticeable amount of noise is made? Or perhaps saying a poltergeist 'causes ripples' would be more appropriate, given your current preoccupation."
> "Does it matter from poltergeist to poltergeist, then?"
> "I suppose not. So while the specific ripple cause may not matter, the poltergeist is going to have their own preferences."
>"And should each poltergeist instinctively know what kind of noise would sustain them? I mean, would it just be something that comes natural to them, anyway?"
>"Do you think it would be possible for a poltergeist to sustain themselves in any other way? Even temporarily. By, say, tying their existence to someone else's? Or siphoning part of another's existence?"
>"Do you think a shadow would be tied enough to a being's existence to be used in such a fashion?"
>"Do you think such a thing would be, at most, a temporary measure? Or could it theoretically anchor someone for as long as whatever they were tied to continued to exist?"
> Why were we appointed the Dragon Palace Messenger, anyway?
> "I thank you for your assistance, Lady Moriya. If I may, I would like to ask a question somewhat unrelated. Do you happen to know why The Dragon approved of my selection as the Dragon Palace Messenger?"
> "A shame. I was hoping you would know, because I don't know either. And this last day and a half..."
> Heave a sigh.
> "...they have made me feel very inadequate for being granted such an honor."
> "Is this the kind of pressure you live under, then?"
> Sigh again.
> "Of course. My apologies."
> Inventory.
> "I believe I must take my leave, Lady Moriya. I thank you for telling me what I needed to hear, rather than telling me what I wanted to hear."
> Pull out the peach.
> "Um, I still don't have much in the way of value to offer you...will this do?"
> Nod.
> "Understood."
> Walk over to Suwako's pond and drop the peach in. (Unless she makes to stop us, of course.)
> Check the position of the sun. What time is it?
> Return to Suwako.
> "I hope the next time we meet, Lady Moriya, Bhava-Agra will have been restored to its proper place, and I will be in much better spirits than I am now."
> "Such a shame. I would not wish this anyone. Be well, my Lady."
> Leave the Shrine and head down into the Tengu Village.
> "I will handle it."
> Give Tenshi a somewhat pained look.
> "I must handle it."
> Take off.
> "Now? Now we talk to Momizi, and then we leave the mountain. I have a message to deliver."
> "If you had asked me that question two days ago, I think I would have told you I am about to go out of my gourd multiple times."
> Look at Tenshi and smile.
>"But, then again, if you had asked me two days ago, I think I would have said there was no chance I would let you hang on to that sword for more than a minute."
> Laugh.
> "I would be hard-pressed to disagree. I never thought I would say this, but I'm about to organize a plan to take a picture of someone's underwear, and it won't even be the craziest thing I do all day."
> "I am. I'm calling her bluff. If the rest of us are good enough to be humiliated, she is too."
> "But to be serious for a moment, I'm of two minds about what I'm going to do after we leave the mountain. The first is that...I honestly don't know for sure how I'm going do it, Tenshi. The information we've heard today is not what I wanted to hear, and I don't know how much I will be able to use it convince our friend to return things to normal. I really fear she may hear it and decide that things are best for her if they keep going the way they have been. And if that happens, then I'm done for."
> ...Does she? Recall any known experience with Patchouli and shadows.
> What events was that conversation right after and right before?
> "You're right, she does. I had almost completely forgotten about that! I guess we will be paying the Scarlet Devil Mansion a visit after we talk to Momizi, then."
> "You know, for someone that enjoys Gensokyo as much as you do, you seem to want no part of many of its citizens."
> "Well, there's Patchouli, and Yukari, and Yuuka, and that woman at the bar, and probably a few more I'm forgetting..."
> Small chuckle.
> "I'm sorry, I couldn't help myself. But it does make me curious, Tenshi. I haven't heard you speak too many kind words in regards to Gensokyo's citizens. Is there anyone here whose company you specifically enjoy?"
> "Hmm. Good, I am glad."
> Do we see Momizi in any of them?
> If so, make for hers.
> If not, make for the closest one.
> Keep moving in and hail them once one seems to be paying half-attention to us.
> "Kind of, but it's a bit of a personal thing. Can we speak to you in private?"
> "I need full honesty from you. I will tell you neither of us is here to judge..."
> Give Tenshi a 'this is serious time' look, then turn back to Momizi.
> "...And anything you say to us will be kept private. Given that...what is Aya, to you?"
> Scan around for any patrols seemingly within earshot.
> If there are none, look back at Momizi with a skeptical look.
> "Really? Is that all? So..."
> Take out Aya's camera, grip it tightly in one hand and extend that same arm out horizontally.
> "...if I were to drop this, right here and now, you would not bat an eyelash at it?"
> Lighten tone a bit.
> "Come now, Miss Inubashiri. Is Aya really nothing more than a pain?"
> Smile.
> "Then what was she to you before all this?"
> "You keep dodging the question...I wonder if the assumptions one could make from such evasion would be true."
> "It's simple. I want to make sure I can trust you."
> "I don't think you're a liar, no. But I do think you're very duty-bound, possibly too much so. That may end up being problematic. Consider this covering all my bases."
> Raise an eyebrow while stile smiling.
> "And you still haven't answered the question..."
> "It does matter, yes. I would not have asked if it did not matter. I can tell you that I do not know where she is, though."
> "Look, I understand you're under a lot of pressure right now. Believe me, if there's anyone in the area that can sympathize with lots of stress right now, it's me. But I need you to tell me what Aya is to you. Or was, given the circumstances."
> Nod.
> "All right. I was hoping you'd tell me you consider her a friend, but I guess that's good enough."
> "I do not know where Aya is, but I know where she will be. BUT! If I am to tell you this, I must request that you come after her alone, and be willing to talk things out with her, instead of immediately trying to chase her down."
> "Just keep her occupied with conversation for a while. I imagine that, if anyone can do it, you can. Not only because you're closer to her than most, but because I'm sure you have a lot of steam you'd like to blow off, and she's the reason for it."
> "I'm going to be doing something that I think will make everyone happy. And don't worry, it will not be stabbing you in the back, or assisting her in getting away from you, or attacking you or attacking her or anything like that. That does remind me, though. If you could get her into the air while you argue with her, that would make my job a lot easier."
> Fault a bit.
> "Well, okay, yes. I didn't want to tell you because I didn't want you to be thinking about it while you were yelling at her. But as long as you're a convincing actor and can ignore me at all costs, it may not matter."
> "Then you better sell your duty and your anger well. I wonder how many tricks she has invented that involve your closest companion getting furious at you for breaking out of jail and running away."
> Nod.
> "You let me worry about that."
> "Hmm. What was she in for, anyway?"
> "I assume the count of prison breaking was not a part of her original sentence. Was it really something as minor as peace disturbance, then?"
> "I see. Has she done anything actually malicious, or did she merely embarrass a lot of people?"
> "I would define embarrass as what she calls 'art'. Maliciousness would be something more along the lines of physically assaulting someone."
> "She attacked the Yama? What on Earth for?"
> Raise an eyebrow.
> "Whose clothes were damaged, and what were the negatives pictures of?"
> "I see. Has she assaulted anyone else like this?"
> "So, as far as I can see, she was jailed for assaulting the Yama, and for ignoring Lord Tenma's orders, which, for all I know, he may have been pressured into making by the Yama. If everything else was mere embarrassment, people can get over it. How long was her sentence, before and after the escapes?"
> "Very well. Obviously I am more concerned with physical assault than mere embarrassment, and I feel unwarranted or poorly excused assault in particular deserves that sort of jail time. Given that, I wish to offer you a deal."
> "Given the many innocents that have been wrongly attacked by her, innocents that include both my people and Gensokyo's...if I am to help you recapture Aya, I request that the magician Marisa Kirisame be arrested for countless assault charges and jailed for at least as long as Aya's post-escape sentence."
> Frown.
> "Then we have a problem. I have a very hard time reigning in one who has assaulted a single person while another who has assaulted countless people not only goes unpunished, but is likely hailed a hero for it."
> "This makes her actions no less acceptable. I will not get in your way, Miss Inubashiri, but I do not think can pursue a lesser offender when a greater offender is allowed to roam unhindered, especially when the lesser offender has done no damage to my people while the greater offender has done much."
> "I am sorry, Miss Inubashiri. And who knows what the situation may bring? I have found that having faith and being willing to put in your best effort can produce surprising results."
> "She will be at Mystia's stand 'this afternoon'. I do not know exactly when this afternoon, unfortunately, but this was the best information I could acquire. We will not be leaving right away, as I actually have some other business to attend to. Business I have discussed with Lord Tenma, before you ask about it."
> Nod.
> "Understood. And speaking of which, would you be able to deliver a message to Lord Tenma for me? He requested I keep him informed on the matter we discussed."
> "Excellent. Please tell him that I am sorry for not meeting with him face-to-face, but I am operating under an important schedule. I have made significant strides into pursuing the one we talked about, and after I make one more stop to gather more information, I will be attempting to put an end to the immediate threat that person represents. I also request that he be lenient with her if he can should they ever meet, for she is rather ignorant of the world, but I understand his position if he cannot. Sadly, I cannot provide many details yet, because part of learning what I have was to make a promise of privacy, but I believe that, eventually, everything will come to light, and all the people left in the dark will eventually learn what they have wished to know."
> Nod.
> "Thank you."
> Sympathetic smile.
> "I'm sorry to put you through all this, Momizi. I very much sympathize with your position right now. I know all too well the aggravation of being put in a very stressful place. I am sure there is a way your friend can be saved, and I have faith that it can be found."
> "Yes, we will. Don't lose hope; strange things have been known to happen."
> "I will detain you from your duties no further. I wish you luck, Miss Inubashiri. Here's to meeting again safely."
> Wait until Momizi seems reasonably out of earshot, then turn to Tenshi.
> "I think this may necessitate a Plan B."
> Take flight and start toward the Scarlet Devil Mansion.
> "Something that takes into account what we've just learned. What Momizi says worries me. Aya may very well be prepared for this situation. And I don't like depending on the acting of others to pull such a plan off. Not to mention that I expect Aya to sell me out the instant she seems to be in trouble, which will attract all sorts of negative attention."
> Do we remember the circumstances under which we evolved from a fish into a humanoid?
> How good are we at swimming?
> "No, I suspect she wouldn't count that. The goal is to beat her at her own game. I have another idea that should work, now that things have been set up the way they are, but it is going to involve me asking the biggest favor of anyone I have asked in the past two days."
> Deep breath.
> "Tenshi...would you be willing to take the picture?"
> "Oh, excellent! I know you don't like that whole business, so I felt bad asking you to do this sort of thing. But you doing it will throw them both off, because it specifically won't be me when they both think it will be."
> "Actually, I think it's going to be a little more involved than that. I'll need to show you beforehand. But first, do you have anywhere on you where you could safely hide the camera?"
> Nod.
> "And it won't be noticeable while it's in there?"
> Lower voice.
> "Great. Let me give you a rough outline of what I expect to happen, then. Momizi's been instructed to get Aya into the air, if possible, and I suspect Aya will oblige if only to prepare to get away from her pursuer. Now, I expect Aya will want to know where her camera is, and I can act like it's still in my purse, while it's actually in your pocket. I also expect Aya to sell me out, because I don't think it will take her too long to figure out why Momizi will be at the stand. Once that happens, I'll get angry and join them in the air to start arguing my position. I know why I've done what I've done, and while I regret releasing someone from jail that was put there for assaulting the Yama, I still believe I did it for the right reasons. Since it is likely that tempers are going to flare, my presence in the air will throw Momizi off from the plan, because she expects me to try to get the picture, and it will lull Aya into a sense of security, because she'll think I still have her camera. If tempers flare to the point that things might start to get ugly, I can threaten my purse with physical abuse to make sure they both behave, because I imagine neither of them will risk the safety of Aya's good camera. Now, while all this is going on, you will need to act bored or something and start wandering, but you will need to wander in a direction that puts you behind Aya, out of her line of sight. Avoiding Momizi's as well would be preferable, but if it can't be done, it can't be done. Aya's the important one, so focus on getting out of her vision. Once you've done that, be as quiet as possible, and get a good angle on her undergarments and snap some photos. If she doesn't notice the first, you might as well snap a few more, just for some extra content that we can use to our advantage as we please. If you can get some without her noticing, shout for me and tell me you got 'them', and I'll reveal what's going on to our tengu companions."
> Nod and smile.
> "I know you will. It's why I'm trusting you with the camera and the job. But yes, I've been doing internal planning for a while now. Would you believe that I have most of the rest of my day thought out in my head, and that it ties together all of helping the poltergeist, getting a picture of Aya's underwear, satisfying Lord Tenma while minimizing tengu law damage, freeing our people from Remilia and resolving things with Marisa?"
> "Don't put any undue pressure on yourself, Tenshi. I apologize if that was how I came across. I'm asking you to help me because I know you can do it."
> "Oh. Sorry, I misunderstood."
> How far are we from the SDMansion?
> After it is turned on, how much preparation does the camera need before it actually takes a picture?
> How noisy is the whole process?
>Can the flash be turned off?
> "Here, let me show you what Aya showed me."
> Pull the camera out and show Tenshi how to turn it on.
>Show her how you actually take a picture with it
>The camera still appears to have power, right?
>Do we know where to check if it's out of film? If so, do so.
>Did Aya give us any troubleshooting tips, or any info at all besides how to point and shoot?
> "Huh. This must have been why she told me not to take too many pictures, if I could avoid it."
> "I'm not sure. Now that I think back on it, Aya told me not to take too many pictures because they weren't cheap. I wasn't planning on taking as many as I did, but things got pretty hairy yesterday. If these are a purchasable commodity, though, I imagine there's a finite number of them. Maybe I simply ran out."
> "I'm pretty confident at this point that the universe hates me. Regardless, all is not lost. Momizi wanted us to go pick her up before we left for Mystia's. There is a way to change this camera so it does not produce a picture immediately. We can ask her to change it back to that way once we come back for her, and then I'll pass the camera off to you when she's not looking. We won't get immediate confirmation that the picture was successful, but it will have to do."
> "In fact, this is actually fairly opportune. While Momizi changes the camera for us, we may also get her to show us how these 'negatives' work. I want these pictures available as bargaining chips; if we hold these 'negatives' hostage, we're more likely to get our way."
> "I know. That did occur to me. But this is different in that Aya will actually want them for herself, and the bargaining chip I want over her is that we might destroy them. I've no intent to show the pictures we take to anyone else, like I had considered yesterday. That was done of embarrassment mixed with anger; this is done out of a desire to resolve a lot of outstanding issues in a way that as many people can be happy with as possible."
> "Mmm. Tenshi, what do you think about what Suwako said, that many get too comfortable in positions like mine?"
> Inwardly facepalm. Good Lord, woman.
> "It was quick enough that I can repeat it. I told her my feeling of inadequacy for the task I have been appointed, and she said that I should feel this way, as too many get too comfortable in positions like mine."
> "Not something that really interests you very much, huh?"
> "Do you think you would you like to, some day? Honest curiosity."
> "Well, there's a bit more to it than that, but I would be lying if I said that delegation wasn't a lifesaver. Still, though, you've seen me run around all yesterday and today. This is part of the job too. Would you be willing to take that on as well?"
> "That's true. There are many other responsibilities that come with positions like this, though, ones that happen a bit more often than once every handful of centuries."
> Grin.
> "You mean like watch over a delinquent to make sure they don't act up?"
> Nod.
> "There are responsibilities that simply can't be delegated. Not that good things cannot come of responsibilities that initially seem unpleasant, of course, but it still is what it is."
> Nod.
> Continue on to the SDM. Watch out for Marisas, though.
> Approach the gate.
> "Good morning, Miss Meiling. Who is your new friend?"
>"I simply wished to speak with Patchouli about a matter we discussed yesterday. Also, I have an item I've been asked to deliver."
> Volatilis Scarlet Regnum? What, did Cirno take over and rename this place too?
>"It's for Petite, actually. It's from her mother."
>"As I said yesterday, there is no invasion. Or, rather, none that we were the aggressors in. Bhava-Agra's descent was caused by a 3rd party, and I am still seeking a way to undo the process."
>"Keeping vigilance is your prerogative, of course. Although I have to wonder if, after your dealings with the celestials you have indentured, you can still honestly regard them as a hostile insurgency?"
>"Be that as it may, do they even seem like people who would seek conquest of their own accord?"
>"Perhaps so. Still, I believe if you were to survey the rest of Gensokyo, you would find that the only battles that have been fought have been brought to Bhava-Agra from the surface. Elsewhere, things have settled into a peaceful co-existence. The island above the human village has seen many visitors from the surface, and vice versa. A great gathering of celestials landed near the Prismriver's mansion simply to hear them play. And then voluntarily cleaned and tidied the house as a way of saying thank you."
>"Actually, I believe you could have quite a few more people's word on that than ours, were you to look elsewhere. Nevertheless, I did not come here to dispute this point. If you wish to continue to believe this was an invasion, that is your choice."
>"No, of course not. I meant in a more general sense."
>"...promoted?"
>It's an interesting kind of promotion that only requires renaming the building you're standing in front of...
>Smile
>"I can think of no one better suited to the job."
>Nod
>"Thank you."
>Follow the maids in
>"You needn't worry yourself. I have no intention of doing anything untoward."
>Continue forward
> Good to see the celestials still recognize who their real family is.
> Walk toward the librarians and hail them when one of them notices us.
> "I do. I cannot say for sure if it will make up for the distress I caused yesterday, but it is the least I can do."
> Pull out the better of the pictures of Petite's mother and hand it to Petite.
> "Something to remember her by, even while you are here."
> "In Makai, yesterday. There's a very long story attached to my being there, the details of which either would bore you or are things I can no longer share due to making a promise of privacy. I had hoped to take a picture of you for you to eventually give to her as well, but sadly, the camera I used appears to no longer produce pictures immediately, and I do not know how to fix it."
>"I did, yes. Quite by accident. Or rather, I needed to cross her bridge and was struck by the resemblance. And yes, she seemed well when I met her. She inquired about you, and sends her love. I wished I'd had time to ferry a letter, but I was in a great hurry at the time."
> "She, uh, seems to expect that you will marry Remilia at some point."
> "This functioned as my toll, yes, as I had practically no money on me at the time. I didn't even have enough Gensokyo currency for something at Mystia's stand, never mind these 'spades' the Makai residents kept going on about."
>"Oh, I see. Well, I certainly had none of those, and very little of anything else, either. I was much relieved that your mother let me pass without them."
> "Thankfully so. Anyway, hopefully I can eventually find a way to take a picture of you to give to her somehow."
> "Oh. No, Makai is actually rather behind the times themselves. I acquired a camera yesterday, and have put it to diligent use. Though it is useless in my hands now, as I do not possess the knowledge to change it so it does not need to produce a picture immediately to take one."
> Recall known info on a Hatate.
> "I may speak with her later, then. But right now I must get on task, as I am operating on something of a strict schedule. Patchouli, I come seeking your wisdom on the nature of shadows."
> "I've learned a good deal more since our last encounter. I'll spare the story. What could cause a shadow to not fit properly?"
> "Well, I ask because strange things are happening to shadows, and they appear to be responsible for what's happened to Bhava-Agra."
> Take out the picture of the shadowless tree and show it to Patchouli.
> Confused look.
> "Huh?"
> "I don't understand. The picture or the tree itself?"
> "Oh. OH! I apologize, I have not been at my best recently. Actually, I have been told why it was taken, and assuming I was not being lied to, the taker thought they had very good reasons for doing so. But I'm not entirely convinced the taker knows everything they need to know about shadows, so whatever wisdom you have to impart on the subject would be most appreciated."
> Bite lower lip a bit.
> "...I have made a promise to privacy that I cannot break. I am sorry. Suffice it to say that, given what I have learned from others, such as Lady Moriya, the reasons ended up being unnecessary, and potentially even misguided."
> "Because there are people that have lost their shadows as well as things like this tree, so I want to resolve the issue as soon as possible. And because I was under the impression that the taker's reasons were not necessary, given Lady Moriya never asked me about them."
>"My apologies. I am not meaning to be difficult, although the vow I have sworn prevents me from saying as much as either of us might like on the topic. Let us simply say then, for the sake of argument, that the person who took it did so because they thought that holding it would somehow help sustain their existence."
>"Do you think such a method would work better when applied to Bhava-Agra itself? I admit my knowledge of the subject is limited, but I would have to imagine something as immense as that would have more 'existence' in it, for want of a better term."
>"Yes, that may be a pertinent issue, actually. Do you have any idea what the consequences of taking so much existence into yourself might be?"
>"I don't know that it is its power that has been taken, as such. Simply that some part of its existence is attached to another."
>"As for the rice analogy, do you mean one ought to choke on it? If that is to happen, at the very least that has not happened yet."
> Brocken Spectre is bloated from overeating!
> Brocken Spectre feels herself moving slower.
>"Would it matter in what manner the shadow was taken or kept? Surely not all methods of siphoning this sort of essence are created equal?"
>"And what do you think is likely to happen, should more time pass? Would she simply lose her grip on the shadow, or might it actually kill her?"
>"...and if it did, what would become of the shadows she taken?"
>"That sounds rather grim..."
>"Out of curiosity, if the issue is with Bhava-Agra's essence being too large for any single person to contain, why wouldn't it have caused a more immediate problem when it was taken?"
>"I assume something on the scale of this tree, or even several trees, would be well without the realm of the possible, without harm, though?"
>"So, could one think of it sort of like opening a conduit between oneself and the true owner of a shadow, then? Bhava-Agra was tapped into, and existence from it will simply keep flowing into her until she cannot contain it anymore?"
>"And even a single other being would likely eventually be too much?"
>"In this case, I suspect it is simply because that is all she knows how to do. Her knowledge of the world is... limited. What she has done is more out of instinct than anything else, I believe."
>"Would that she were more like her, I think this situation might have been resolved already..."
>"Out of curiosity, do you know of any way it might be possible to sever the connection, and set the shadows back to their proper places? Ideally without harming either party."
>"Although if it is as you say, we might not have an extended amount of time, I gather."
>"Unfortunately, I'm not so certain she'll take my word for the danger she may have put herself in. I don't suppose you have some book here that might succinctly say as much, itself? And which I could borrow briefly? It would be nice to have some evidence outside my own words, given my obviously vested interest in having her release Bhava-Agra, regardless of a threat to her health."
>"Thank you."
>"I don't suppose you could even hazard a guess as to how long it would take before her hold on Bhava-Agra's shadow causes serious harm to her? Do you believe any lasting damage would be done even before it reaches the critical point?"
>"My apologies. I truly wish I could say more."
>"I gather that the answer to those questions would depend on what sort of being she is, and by what means she drew the shadows into herself in the first place?"
>"Perhaps you could run down a few factors that would play for or against her? In terms of roughly how quickly this could be expected to harm different kinds of beings? Just a brief overview, but I think it might be helpful to be able to convey to her just how urgent this matter is. As I said, I suspect I will have my work cut out for me."
>"I- I didn't mean for you to be that comprehensive. I just didn't know if there any broad generalizations that could be made. I don't know enough about the subject to say. I'm sorry."
>"I... believe I can say that she is not a magician at all. What she did, she did using some sort of innate ability. Would that make a difference?"
>"Would that make matters worse for her?"
>"I will endeavor my very best to convince her. At least now I understand the issue at hand better. I simply hope that she listens, for all our sakes."
>"Other than the book I mentioned, I do not believe so. I think you've addressed the heart of the matter. If destruction of self will not motive her to reconsider her actions, I'm not certain anything could."
>"I will be as persistent as I need to be. Too much is at stake to be otherwise."
>Wait for Petite to return with the book
>Smile
>"Thank you."
>Take the book and examine it
>Glancing at the table of contents, can we find the relevant section?
>If not: "I don't suppose you could point out the relevant section?"
>"Wow, that's impressively specific recall."
>Skim through said pages. Can we find any dire warnings on the subject that are actually comprehensible to the layperson?
>Do we think that at least some part of that text would be able to clearly communicate the point that Bhava-Agra's shadow could be doing immense damage to hold on to? Without requiring a liberal interpretation?
>Make a mental note of the location of the most relevant passages
>"Thank you very much, both of you. I think this is more than blunt enough about the danger of what she's doing."
>"I will, it at all possible. Here's hoping that the next time we see each other, the sky will be back as it should be. Good day to you both."
>Exit the mansion
>Is Maribel and Renko's house or Kourindou closer to where we are now?
>Are they both along the same road?
> "So long, Miss Meiling, Miss Amaya, and thank you for your assistance."
> Fly along the road to Kourindou.
> Along the way, turn to Tenshi.
> "So what was on the desk there that was so funny?"
> "Oh my. And here I thought the library would be the one place that would have stayed out of that business. Now I feel bad that I may have to break her heart a second time."
> "It is what it is. At least Patchouli did not seem very attached to their new island or their new servants."
> "Anyway, we're heading to Kourindou right now. I think I have more than enough information to satisfy our friend's curiosities, so when we get there, we will have to split up. It is time for me to end this."
> "I'm really hoping it won't come to that. I'd actually be inclined to say that she should be left to her own devices if that happens, but clearly, after what Patchouli told us, and what I read in that book, that's not an option anymore. Let us say...two hours, I guess."
> "Right, and thank you. I should also say thank you for remembering Patchouli. For some reason, she had slipped my mind. You made everything a lot easier by bringing her up again."
> "A lot has happened over the past day and a half. There's not much else I can say beyond that."
> Continue on to Kourindou
> "...I believe this is where we will part ways."
> Smile.
> "It has been a pleasure, Tenshi. I intend to continue it."
> Offer hand for a handshake.
> "I am glad you enjoyed it. Be well, Tenshi, and if you see Utsuho, try not to tell her about the comparison Patchy drew to her."
> Wait, north? Is Renko and Maribel's house really to the north of here?
> Give Tenshi a few moments, then proceed north ourselves, keeping an eye out for any large rocks.
> Facepalm.
> Descend to the ground and check around for any large rocks.
> Land.
> "I'm so sorry this took this long. I'm here now."
> "I did. The delay was due to an unexpected third stop, which proved very valuable, as much as I suspect you are not going to like what I have to say."
> Pull out Patchouli's book.
> "First things first, however. Are you feeling any worse?"
> "I do not know what to tell you in that regard. As far as I could tell, it was simply in the middle of space, not too far from the island the Dragon Palace resides upon."
>"Are you saying I shouldn't have been able to fly through the void between islands?"
>"Wait, that space is supposed to wrap around infinitely, right? Are you saying that, rather than wrap around to the other side, I just fell past the edge entirely?"
>"I'm afraid I don't understand the mechanics of what happened any better than I did the last time we spoke. However, in the time we've been apart, I believe I have discovered what is causing the shadows within you to fit improperly, and you are in a great deal more danger from it than we realized."
>"I spoke with one of Gensokyo's foremost experts on arcane lore on the ramifications of binding a shadow such as Bhava-Agra's to oneself. As you know, these shadows remain connected to their owners, even while you hold them. What you have effectively done is open a conduit between yourself and Bhava-Agra, through which more and more of its essence will flow. The effects are slight at first, but eventually and inevitably will reach levels that no living being can contain. If you continue to hold it within you, the harm done to yourself will be immense. ...and likely fatal. That much she is utterly certain of."
>"I swear that I shared no personal information about you whatsoever, but she assured me that this result would apply no matter who or how such a linkage was established. It is a very clearly documented fact."
>"If you doubt my word, I brought one of the tomes from her library which discusses this in grim detail. You can read it for yourself."
>Hand her the book
>Indicate where she can find the most easy to understand explanation that we found while we searched the book earlier
> "And I will warn you that some of what is described in that book is...graphic."
> "It details the consequences of drawing too much power from a thing such as Bhava-Agra's shadow. The other things you have drawn from, people, rocks, trees, those are small enough that they would not do much harm if any, but to draw from the entirety of a spiritual realm...the person from whom I acquired that book assesses it very likely that those undesirable consequences you read about will happen to you soon should you not let it go. Apparently only conceptual beings such as deities could hope to stand a chance of maintaining such a draw."
> Take the book back.
> "My informant seems sure that bad things will happen regardless. She would have known the shadow thief was not human from our conversation, even given that I never said what you were, and she sarcastically offered to list the factors for and consequences of any being she could think of doing this. We could go find out if you like, though I assume you do not."
> "You are surprisingly willing to take such a self-destructive chance, given you yourself have seen the odd results Bhava-Agra's shadow has produced on you."
> "Ah, yes, the other major part of what I have to report. I had a conversation with a goddess about the nature of poltergeists. Sadly, I lack documentation for this, so you will either believe me or not. I rather suspect the latter, given I am sure you will really not like to hear about this aspect of poltergeist biology, but it is what it is. Tto put it simply, I have discovered that it is not Bhava-Agra's power that sustains you."
> Raise an eyebrow.
> "Really? So you know exactly why you had that prior feeling of slipping away, then?"
> "So you were lying to me earlier."
> "You seemed perfectly happy to not bother correcting me at any point."
> "And what has changed since then, aside from me telling you a handful of things you have not wanted to hear?"
> Did you mean that she can fix it or that she can't fix it?
> "Perhaps this is an issue of miscommunication issue, then. And a bit of a temper creeping in on my part, I think. I apologize for my rudeness."
> "When I tell you that it is not Bhava-Agra's power that sustains you, may I assume you tell me I am wrong because you felt the difference before and after for yourself? Because I am sure you did indeed feel such a difference, and I can tell you it was indeed a direct result of your taking Bhava-Agra's shadow."
> ...Is that empathy?
> "Then I should tell you about how poltergeists live, and what purpose they serve. I assume you do not know, because the musician poltergeist I spoke to, the one you met briefly yesterday, similarly has no idea."
> "According to the goddess on the mountain, poltergeists exist to remind people that even unliving objects have spirits. In the case of the musicians, I do not know if they exist to remind people that music has spirit, or merely the instruments. In your case, however, I think it is safe to assume that you exist to remind people that shadows have spirits. I will admit that I did not know this until I met you and learned more about the nature of shadows."
> "All the previous times you had taken a shadow, I believe you said that it felt like it was enough, but that the feeling eventually subsided. This is because, while your actions did serve to remind people that shadows have spirits, the actions were done on a small scale, and nobody knew you did them, save for Nitori and presumably Kogasa. What you did to Bhava-Agra, however, was a grand scale event. Everyone in Gensokyo AND Bhava-Agra took notice, and even if they didn't necessarily know it was you that was responsible, it was still a significant event, and people would still have been able to notice Bhava-Agra casting improper shadows. Your action served as a reminder to a great many that shadows have spirits, and it is this renewed knowledge that sustains you."
> "May I surmise that your experience lends itself to a different conclusion? Or is your concerned look that of one who realizes the other implication of what I have said, the one far worse to you specifically?"
> "What experience is this? I admit some of what I said is conclusions based on what I have been told. Perhaps I reached an incorrect conclusion somewhere along the way."
> Sympathetic tone.
> "Look. I know this must be really hard for you. But I want to help you now more than ever, after learning everything I have today. And surely you want to help yourself, as grim as all the options may seem. It may disgust you, talking about personal things. But I know what I've heard, and even if you don't fully believe me, you know there's something wrong. All you have to do is let me help you."
> What form is her shadow right now? Probably should have checked that earlier.
> "...a spirit?"
> "...Oh. ...Oh dear."
> Silence.
> "...But...wait...what about yesterday? When we fought, I could have sworn you had one."
> Did the Prismrivers cast shadows, that we recall?
> Give the poltergeist a sympathetic look.
> "...I'm so sorry. That's...just terrible, to have that done to you."
> "I mean that more in a sense of whatever powers that be in charge of forming the body. That sort of thing. Well, if you don't have one of your own, we just have to get you one, don't we?"
> "That would be a question for those more knowledgeable about the subject than I. But one of the mountain goddesses did say that a shadow was important in that it was a sign that light could touch the thing casting the shadow. If we can figure out why the light isn't touching you, perhaps that problem can be fixed."
> "Spiritually or physically? The latter would not be true, as even ghosts cast shadows. Dim ones, but they're there."
> "I kind of don't want to say this, but...I wonder if the spiritual deficiency you perceive comes from your firm belief in the depravity of exposure."
>"Lady Moriya told me in no uncertain terms that if a poltergeist ever fully succeeded in concealing themselves from the world, they would cease to be. It is only by making noise in the world that their existence can be sustained."
> "The foundation of a poltergeist's existence is to be noticed. With you rejecting being noticed, you essentially reject your own existence. I imagine that such a thing could cause some sort of spiritual damage. I admit this is only speculation, though."
>Was that a 'sternly considering' look, or more of a 'how dare you suggest such a thing' look?
> Shrug.
> "All right then. Regardless, my suggestion would still be to ask someone with experience in spirituality. Lady Moriya comes to mind immediately, given her wisdom in all seemingly relevant areas."
> Frown.
> "So you have chosen death over seeking the help of others, then."
> "Only because your refusal to let people help you properly has not given them the information necessary to diagnose the exact problems and provide a solution. You should have seen how frustrated the librarian became with me because of how much I refused to tell her, all at your request. I bet she could offer a solution you would actually live through, if you would let her."
> "What's written in the book may not apply to you, but I'm sure she'd be glad to tell you what effects what you're doing would have on a poltergeist. I did tell you she sarcastically offered to go through every type of creature. The only explicit exception she made was for deities; everything else is apparently doomed to death."
> "How?"
> "I've already offered you a much better one. You just don't want to take it."
> "You draw a parallel between depravity and murder that I'm not sure I agree is valid."
> "I agree with what you're getting at, with the close personal value. The difference is that your violations would hurt yourself, whereas my violations would hurt others. If you could produce a personal violation where I would only be harming myself, then I could answer your question better."
> "Because the situations are different. For example, if I could only survive by running around in the nude every waking second of my life, I would be unhappy about it, and probably very cold, but it would certainly beat the alternative."
> "You meant a great personal affront, yes. I would be willing to take on any great personal affront to myself in the name of survival."
> "Because you think you can solve a problem in less than a week that has confounded great magicians with access to research for centuries. And because you think you can circumvent the entire foundation of what it means for a poltergeist to exist at all."
> "You're also not a deity. The problem isn't limited to magicians. They've done their research on the effects of such an act on a multitude of creatures. I'd be happy to go ask Patchouli how long an isolationist poltergeist would last before the end comes."
> "Because I don't want you to die, and everything I've heard from sources more knowledgeable than both of us combined says that you will, either from the overload of power or from the complete isolation."
> "Will you help me understand why it is so bad, then? I really do want to help you, but I fear this is the fundamental disagreement that will prevent it from ever happening in a meaningful way."
> "But it must be a conclusion you reached somehow. What evidence do you have to support your assertion?"
> "If it is simply because it is the way of things, how do you account for the way of poltergeist survival being that of being noticed?"
> "I would hardly call it a better way, given all the suffering it has caused."
> "It would free the celestials enslaved and the islands conquered by the vampire in the manor near the lake."
> "There are, but all would involve violence, which I would rather not do unless I am forced. But I suspect that you are not concerned with such things."
> Shrug.
> "I suppose you would feel that way. But, to be honest with you, my home's situation really doesn't depend that much on what you think you can or cannot do."
> "I'm pretty seriously considering just letting you do what you want to do, since you seem so hell-bent on it. See, when you die - and you will die, probably within the week - you won't be holding on to those shadows you possess right now. They might be scattered to the winds, or the Yama may end up just returning them to their rightful places. It is not a sure thing that she has the resources to return all of the shadows on her own, but since you took Bhava-Agra's shadow, The Dragon will have a vested interest in making sure they are returned to their rightful places, and I imagine it's a very good bet The Dragon will be able to shore up whatever resources The Yama lacks. So, as far as I see it, you can realize how unnecessarily stubborn you're being and return things to the way they were, or you can go ahead and kill yourself, like you're doing now. My home gets its shadow back either way."
> "A silly hypothetical, because it will, no matter how much you want to believe it won't."
> "Because I have no reason to believe it is valid. I've done my research. I know the situation. Can you say the same?"
> "You know shadows better than me, but the librarian knows them better than you, and she has told me what I need to know."
> "You can doubt it all you want, but your refusal to put your money where your mouth is gives me zero inclination to believe you. Especially when she diagnosed your discomfort problem in mere minutes when you had over a day to think about it and produced nothing."
>"It's simple. You claim you know more about shadows than her? Prove it."
> "Those are questions for her, not for me."
> "I never asked her. It's entirely possible she's taken and used hundreds of shadows in her lifetime, and that it just never came up. She knew they could be taken, she knew they could be used by the taker, and she knew that taking Bhava-Agra's shadow is stupid but possible, and if not for the self-destruction involved, she would have done so herself ages ago, to use her words. But I pressed no further into the matters you ask about, because they were not pertinent before."
> "There's one way to find out for certain."
> Where is our shadow relative to her?
> Shrug.
> "Then your claim is nothing but empty words. You have demonstrated power that she may or may not have, but she has demonstrated knowledge that you have demonstrated you don't have. The choice is not hard to make."
> "If you knew what you were doing, you would never have told me anything."
> The Scarlet Devil Mansion was to the south, correct?
> "I told you I don't know because I don't know. Because I didn't ask. How would I have known without asking?"
> "I assume she is right for two reasons. One, because she has been alive for many years, and resides in a massive library. It is unlikely that anyone in Gensokyo has spent a greater percentage of their lifetime doing magical research than her. Two, because she took mere minutes to produce the solution to a problem that has been bothering you for over a day despite the informational advantage you have, a problem that so boggled your mind that you were willing to tell me all about yourself and then let me go to get outside help."
> "I'm getting the feeling you would have rejected any answer I provided you if it wasn't an answer you liked, regardless of who I asked."
> "Then what was the point of sending me away at all, if you were ready to reject anything I said by claiming that the person I asked didn't know you and thus wasn't qualified?"
> "No there wasn't. According to you, there's no one out there that would know something about your situation that you don't already know."
> "If I wanted the stolen shadows back to the point where I didn't care what happened to you in the process, I would have had them repossessed yesterday, while you were unconscious."
> "You're right, I couldn't. But I know beings that can. One even said they would have offered to do it if they didn't know I wouldn't want it done 'the messy way'."
> "No, it's because I didn't want you to get hurt. And I still don't, despite how much you really seem to want to walk the path of destruction, for reasons that make absolutely no sense to me, reasons that only you seem to hold, out of absolutely everyone in Gensokyo, and possibly absolutely everyone in history."
> "Didn't I tell you before? All life is precious to me. I would be unfit as a person, let alone as a Dragon Palace Messenger, if I were to see suffering and simply turn away. I see no malice in you, only instincts, confusion, worry, and even a tiny bit of fear. This is not something for me to ignore, this is something for me to help, as best as I can."
> "And like I said, I don't understand why you think you have no choice. What is it you see about social interaction that is so bad, and yet you are the only person in Gensokyo or Bhava-Agra that sees it? How can you know this, when no one else does?"
> "Let me ask you this, then. Are you happy with life?"
> "And have you ever looked around Gensokyo, and seen all the people in it that are happy with their lives?"
> Smile.
> "Understandable. Few people do. But there's a whole world of Gensokyo and its neighbors you haven't seen. The Hakurei Shrine and the surrounding area. The human village, with the Myouren Temple. The Bamboo Forest, with the mansion home to a plethora of rabbit youkai, as well as a pair of Lunarians. Not to mention the other people living in that forest by themselves. There's the mountain, with the kappa village, the tengu village, the Moriya Shrine. There's the underground, with the oni village, and the Earth Spirit Palace. There's the gate between Gensokyo and the Netherworld, where a ghost princess resides with an uncountable number of spirits, as well as her half-ghost gardener, servant and dearest companion. There is Makai, the place spiritually below Gensokyo, where people seem to be reasonably content with their life. There is Bhava-Agra, where a multitude of celestials bustle around every day, bursting with song, glad to help their neighbor, working for the betterment of the community. There is even the house at the edge of the forest that is home to two girls from the outside world, one beyond all the magical barriers that contain our lands. Countless people all living out their lives, working together, filled with happiness and contentment. And this happiness does not come in spite of their social interaction. It comes because of their social interaction."
> "As I don't know what it is that makes it bad, I can only hazard a guess. But...I guess I would say that people don't feel cheapened by it because it's reciprocated. People that share with one another are placing their trust in one another that the other will not abuse the knowledge they have gained for their own personal benefit. And when this trust is validated, and the recipient shares something of themselves in return, it is a good feeling. A bond has formed between the two. It can be as simple as a small altruistic action, perhaps by one person buying another some food at the lamprey stand in the forest because they know it will make that person happy. It can be as practical as a business exchange, where the carpenter builds a kitchen table for the farmer, who grows the crops that supply food for the carpenter. Or it can be as deep as true love, two people sharing their bodies and hearts, completely unshielded, both physically and emotionally, the ultimate act of trust, with the ultimate feeling of happiness that follows when that trust is validated and the other reciprocates. There is happiness and relief when one is secure in the knowledge that the weight of the world does not rest on their shoulders. That they can be imperfect, that they can stumble along the path of life, because they know they have someone beside them to help them back up."
> "The farmer can be happy, knowing their work has fed others. The carpenter can be happy, knowing their work has provided shelter for others. The blacksmith can be happy, knowing their work has given others the ability to go about their tasks better. The teacher can be happy, knowing their work has educated others. The writer, the editor and the bookbinder can be happy, knowing their work has given others access to further knowledge. The journalist can be happy, knowing their work has informed others of important events. The actor, the singer, the dancer, the comedian, they can all be happy, because their work has entertained others, and helped them forget life's hardships, allowing them to wake up tomorrow with a smile on their face. All of these people can live their lives content in the knowledge that their work was not in vain, and that their fellow workers are working just as hard as they are to provide these people with the resources they need to live a happy life, resources they cannot produce themselves, because they lack the knowledge, or the ability, or the tools."
> "Well, that all depends. I can think of something somewhat abstract that you could do, but what is more important is something you want to do. Something you enjoy doing. Take the couple from the outside world. Dropped into Gensokyo as ordinary humans. Presumably with no active magic abilities to speak of, and seemingly no major practical skill. So went and became explorers. Seeking out what Gensokyo has to offer, because they were curious. In their exploration, they met new people, made new friends, and gathered groups to go exploring with them, giving people an activity where they had the chance to relax and have fun while not thinking very hard, because, as necessary as responsibility is, it can get very heavy on the body and the soul. They gave these people a chance to relieve stress. And then, even with something as innocent as exploring curiosity and making friends, they did something even greater."
> Point at the poltergeist.
> "They, and their friends, created life. They gave birth to you. A real person, born of little more than mass curiosity. You can see that even the seemingly trivial activities can have profound effects. So there lies the question. What is it that you enjoy doing?"
> Tilt our head a bit to the side, but keep smiling.
> "I meant aside from that. But given the circumstances, I would understand if you didn't want to tell me what other things there are."
> "Then I hope you will find something eventually. There are a plethora of things, both practical and entertainment-based, that you could try, to see if any interest you. But I mentioned something more abstract. You believe you know more about shadows than anyone else, yes? I am sure there are scholars that would love to learn from you about them, and perhaps a variety of other creatures as well, creatures that could range from aspiring magic-users all the way to deities."
> "Perhaps not the act alone, but teaching other scholars what you know that they don't is very likely to result in them teaching you what they know and that you don't. I assume you must have some curiosities about the world, given you came into possession of that book."
> "Well, the learning process is how things get accomplished. People can combine ideas and concepts from separate sources and may be able to produce something completely new as a result. The scholar does not learn simply to know, they learn because they seek to advance, to evolve. They study and learn for the opportunity to become something greater than they already are, or perhaps even to help make themselves and their peers something greater than they already are. For example, I do not know for sure that this could be done quickly, but if you found the right scholars, and you all pooled information, you sharing about shadows, others sharing about other areas, perhaps you could make a shadow for yourself."
> "Then perhaps you could manifest one for yourself directly from part of you. Perhaps by finding someone with expertise in spirituality, since you seemed to think that was a root cause. Obviously I don't know for sure, but I can think of a couple of people that would be worth asking."
> "I know it would take some getting used to on your part. But all you have to do is look at our world. Look at all the people across Gensokyo, up in Bhava-Agra, or even off in Makai. Look at how happy they are. They embrace social exposure, and they're all the more content with life for it. You have avoided it, because you see it as you see it, and look at how unhappy you are, for all the aggravation it causes. Wouldn't you rather have what they have? You could find a solution to your discomfort. You could be happy. You could be loved. You could be whole. You could do all these things and more. Is maintaining your avoidance of this sense of depravity, a sense that only you can understand, that no one else understands and thus no one else will ever judge you on, really worth giving up the opportunity for all that?"
> "You know, there's no shame in admitting when you're wrong."
> "Why? I'm not the wrong one."
> "Maybe. It seems to be working for you."
> Throw up hands.
> "Very well. If you're not going to expose yourself to the librarian, then we'll have to get the necessary information some other way."
> Bring hands back down.
> "Out of curiosity, can you hide in shadows?"
> "No, I mean enter a shadow, and then be moved along with it as it moves. I understand you sent me into that void by sucking me into your shadow. Something like that."
> "Because I am a living thing? What about that makes the difference, anyway?"
> Look around the immediate area. Are there any reasonably-sized rocks that we can see, ones that would could pick up?
> "Well, if you won't go to the librarian to see how much knowledge she really has, the only other option is for me to go back to her, right? I was hoping you could enter a shadow and hide within it so I could take you with me, and you could be around for the conversation without being noticed by anyone."
> "So you could get to the library undetected, and listen in on our conversation undetected?"
> "It would be, yes, but she won't move for something like this. She very much enjoys staying in her library as much as she possibly can. As for the gate guard...that is an issue, yes, and one of the major reasons I was hoping you could sneak by inside me."
>"I may have an idea in that regard, but it depends on something else. Would you need the same distraction to get back out?"
>"Mmm...okay. I think that should be doable. But as for the distraction I have in mind...would you object to my celestial friend from earlier coming with us, as long as she is told nothing about you?"
"She's been looking to pick a fight ever since yesterday morning, and she and the gate guard almost went at it yesterday. She doesn't have to come, but the guard has enlisted an apprentice from our enslaved people, and the fight will keep them both distracted. The other option is that I go in alone and you wait at the edge of the forest for me to return. This keeps you hidden, but it slso keeps you out of the library."
> Sigh.
> "That won't work, then, because she'll invariably see you as you enter, if she's fighting to get Meiling to face away from you. Hmm. The shadow entry we talked about earlier - this is stuff you've known since birth, or stuff you've tested?"
> "Huh."
> Gesture toward the large rock.
> "So, for example, if you tried to enter the shadow of this rock, what would happen? Would you just get stopped, because you can't physically be inside the rock, or would you be stuck inside it and unable to move, or would you appear on top of it, or something else? I realize a success is unlikely, but if we can avoid getting Tenshi involved, so much the better for you, and I managed to discover something new of my own yesterday after so many years, so I figure it's at least worth looking into."
> "Why not give it a shot, then? The worst thing that should happen is nothing, and we have to think of something else. It's not like failure would be you embarrassing yourself in front of me, even being able to touch the shadow is already more than anything I could do."
> "Probably not, no, but that was intended to be an experiment anyway, to see what would happen, if the rock's shadow was more like a locked door or like no door at all, but a solid wall instead."
> Why doesn't anyone just sneak over the wall out of sight from the game at the Scarlet Devil Mansion?
> "Yeah, that may end up being the way we have to go. But...I think I might still want to at least try it, one more time. And not with a solid inanimate object this time."
> Gesture at our own shadow.
> Sad frown.
> "You've tried?"
> "Mmm. And my being a sentient creature doesn't make a difference, then?"
> "How frustrating. It does make me a bit curious as to how I was able to enter yours if you can't enter mine, but I'm guessing that's not information you're willing to divulge."
> "Oho, so that was what was going on. Well that's a shame on the whole, then, but nothing we can do about it, I guess. Sneaking in it is."
> "Before we go, though, there are a couple of things we need to make sure we have accounted for. The first is how we can communicate while I'm talking to the librarian. This is largely why I was hoping you could get inside me, so maybe we could have some dialogue in my head where you could tell me what you wanted to know based on what she says."
> "I wasn't sure, because I didn't think you could cast the shadow of all the islands at once, despite having drained them all at once. I figured it was just another mysterious ability of yours. Indeed, I still don't know the extent of what you can do, and I suspect I never will."
> "Anyway, the second problem, even larger than the lack of communication, is actually traversing the mansion. The place is littered with both fairy maids and enslaved celestials, and then there's the head maid, who is very diligent in her work, and capable of stopping time and throwing legions of knives every which way. Not to mention the vampires in charge of the whole place. You would have to avoid all of them in our journey to the library, because who knows what any one individual in this mansion is doing at any time."
> We can trace out a proper path from the gate to the library, right?
> If so, give the poltergeist the directions from doing so.
> Nod.
> "Understood. One other small question, though. What if you were to scale the outer wall, out of view from the gate?"
> "Well, you're not planning on getting caught, are you?"
> Put on a look of bemusement.
> "...Huh? I'm afraid I don't understand. What's wrong with them?"
> "Well, uh. Okay. Would be okay to go over them without touching them, or is even that proximity to them too much?"
> Smile sarcastically.
> "You know, if you really want people to leave you alone, you should stop being such a curious and fascinating person."
> What do we know about Meiling as a person?
> "Oh, don't give me that look. You know I'm not being totally serious."
> "Fine, fine. Anyway, I think I've had a bit of inspiration about how to do this. You may not like those walls, but I'm sure Tenshi doesn't care. I'll ask her to make a distraction somewhere out of sight of the gate, and when Meiling runs off to take care of it, you can slip in, and Tenshi doesn't even have to see you."
> "Tenshi loves fighting and she loves mischief even more. Unless she has the same fear of the walls you do, the only reason I can think of her not doing this is because her head exploded after hearing me telling her to make trouble instead of stopping it."
> "All right. A few final details before we start this, then. One, Tenshi and Meiling will be perfectly happy to fight each other, but there's no guarantee for length, so we'll need to work quickly. Two, I am going to have to tell the librarian that the party responsible is a poltergeist. I won't tell her it's you, of course, but she'll need to know the creature type. Three, the librarian has something of a condescending attitude. She will likely say some unflattering and possibly even insulting things. Hold your temper if she does; even ignoring the idea that you could expose yourself in anger, you do not want to make enemies out of the residents of the mansion. Four, the library is huge, but librarian has an efficient assistant. If there is another book for her to fetch, I have no idea in which direction she will go to get it. Keep an eye on things as best you can, and be prepared for that assistant to possibly move in your direction by coincidence."
> Nod.
> "Good. Now, the final question before we arrange how we are going to set ourselves up for this. Let us say, hypothetically, that the librarian is indeed well-versed in taking shadows, or that she has reference material from someone else who does, someone who has documented the consequences of what this sort of power draw can do to a poltergeist. If it is a book, I will try to read the necessary passages out loud so you can hear them. But if it does indeed turn out that holding onto Bhava-Agra's power will kill you...what will you do?"
> "Then I will warn you in advance. If it is shown to even you that you are doomed to an untimely death if you keep walking the path you are walking, I will do whatever I need to in order to make sure you do not die."
> Fix a very serious stare at her.
> "Whether you like what I do or not."
> "I will do my best to respect your wishes to remain hidden. But if your options are ultimately limited to exposure and death, that is not a choice."
> Sigh.
> Take a softer tone.
> "I will hope for you, then. Just...don't do anything stupid, okay?"
> Smile and nod.
> "I know you will. I have faith in you."
> "Okay, but Tenshi's current location is in the opposite direction as the mansion, so we'll be going that way first."
> "And in the event that I don't see you crossing the gate area, try to let me know somehow that you made it through safely."
> "All right, then. In the event that we don't see each other again for a while..."
> Smile and offer our hand for a handshake, closing a little bit of distance as necessary.
> "It's a handshake. A simple gesture of respect and camaraderie, sometimes performed before or after a tough task. It can also serve as a greeting or a parting."
> "Oh, and it's a mutual gesture. The two parties involved take the other's hand in theirs."
> Sad frown.
> "And here I thought I was being nice by offering this instead of trying to hug you."
> Sigh and drop the hand.
> "Very well. Do you need me to stay low to the ground, or can you follow me if I take decent flight?"
> "I think waiting at the lake would be best for you, then. It is less time you have to spend anywhere near Tenshi, and she will think something is amiss if I tell her to walk to the mansion."
> Call after her.
> "Good luck."
> Fly northward, toward Renko's house.
> Wave back.
> "Good day, Maribel. Are you practicing your best impersonation of Lady Moriya?"
> What are the specific rules about non-Bhavagrans in Bhava-Agra again? Is Guest Island just kinda open 24/7?
> "Thank you. If I may ask, who else is here right now?"
> Fly in closer to Maribel, enough so that we would be standing next to her if we landed.
> "That is a shame, as I was hoping she would be here. I suppose just you will have to do."
> Lower voice a little bit.
> "Now, please do share this with Renko, but try to keep it on the down-low if possible otherwise. Once Bhava-Agra has been restored to its proper place, I plan on speaking with the tengu about allowing the two of you up the mountain to visit Guest Island as often as you like."
> "Guest Island is named as such for a reason. The tengu will allow visitors up the mountain as long as they have business there, and if they hear from me that I have given the two of you permission to visit as you please, that should get you up the mountain without much trouble. Of course, they may change their minds if you betray both their trust and mine, and I would stand behind them should such a thing happen, but I do not believe that will be an issue."
> "Excellent. Just be sure to observe the necessary respects whenever you drop by. You may also try and get in touch with me if you need me for something, but I obviously cannot guarantee I will be available, given the volume of responsibilities I have within Bhava-Agra's infrastructure."
> "Okay, I'm going to go fetch Tenshi. Be sure to tell Renko, and be sure not to tell anyone else. This is the least I can do for the two of you allowing me to impose on your home in a time of crisis, but I'd rather not get requests to make this sort of offer to other people."
> Nod and smile.
> "Thank you, and be well."
> Head down to the front door of the house, and knock if no one is present.
> "Things have not gone quite as expected. I will need your help again, and we need to return to the Scarlet Devil Mansion. Or whatever the fancy name is that they're using now."
> "To return to Patchouli, to get irrefutable evidence this time. The book we got the first time only details what can happen to humans and magicians. But this time, entry needs to be different, for the circumstances of the entering parties are different."
> Smile at Tenshi.
> "In essence, I need you to be a nuisance and pick a fight with the gatekeeper."
> "Because I thought you would enjoy the role, given how you were itching for a fight with her yesterday, and how you've been itching for a fight this entire time."
> "Normally I would not, but she seemed willing to respond in kind yesterday, and a fight between the two of you could now serve a purpose. While I can't tell you directly what exactly is going to happen, I can tell you I need you to be a distraction, and I can encourage you to think about the situation. We both know I can get back into the mansion if I need to without such a distraction, and I've told you that we need additional information, information that does not apply to just humans or magicians. Why do you think I might need Meiling distracted away from the gate, then?"
> "Excellent. Come with me, I will explain the details along the way."
> "All right. Let's go, then."
> Take off for the Scarlet Devil Mansion.
> Along the way, resume the planning conversation.
> "Okay, Tenshi, what I need from you is to generally be a nuisance and cause a distract away from the gate. Ideally, what you could do is find a part of the outer wall that's not very visible from the gate and just kind of dance around and over it. Perhaps you also could threaten to kick around any flowers you may find on the mansion grounds. I will tell Meiling that you're trying to get onto the mansion grounds by going over the wall and that you seem to want to fight her. This will hopefully get her away from the gate long enough for someone to get through it without being noticed. Does all this sound okay to you?"
> "Yes, getting her away from the gate entirely is what's important here. Now, feel free to fight to your heart's content, but make sure you don't say anything about me being involved. You can say you're there to pick that fight from yesterday, and that Meiling would probably fight better if she's actually doing her job than if you just challenge her to a sparring match. Do with her as you please, though try to avoid getting seriously hurt yourself. Also, if she sends Amaya after you first...please try not to be too hard on her."
> When approaching the Scarlet Devil Mansion gate, what compass direction as we facing, and on which side of our point of view is the lake?
> "When your fight is over, do whatever you need to do to Meiling, and then head back to Maribel's, okay? I will take care of the rest."
> Turn to Tenshi and grin.
> "You'd better beat her. I won't let you live it down if you lose to someone like her while you have that sword."
> "If you're going to win too fast, just make sure to leave her in a condition where she can't get back to her post immediately after you leave. Anyone that happens to sneak in will also need to sneak out."
> "And remember: you're causing a disturbance and picking a fight because you want to. Which I imagine is not very far from the actual truth."
> "Oh. Well. Still, you don't seem very eager to turn this opportunity down."
> "Excellent. I knew I could count on you for this. Okay, let's get ready. It won't do if we're seen coming in from the front."
> Change our flight course to something more southeast, so we end up flying toward the eastern part of the outer wall.
> "I just sort of chose a side at random. Do you think the western wall would be better?"
> Look toward the wall ourselves. What's going on?
> How high is the wall?
> Are there any people visible?
> Are there any windows visible?
> If there are no people visible, say "Huh? Why? What's wrong?
> Given Tenshi an incredulous look.
> "...What? Really?"
> "No, I don't, because you're not the first person to say this. But I don't get it at all. You're seeing something that I don't, just like that other person."
> Cautiously fly upward a bit, keeping an eye on the wall top for any irregularities.
> Fly toward the wall, but stop before passing directly over it.
> Slowly stick our hand out so that it passes over the wall.
> What do we feel the specific consequences of doing such a thing would be?
> But there's nothing there! We can see it plain as day! And we didn't have this feeling until we got right up next to the wall...what the hell is going on?
> Well, regardless, there's no way Tenshi will be able to will herself over this wall.
> Land back down on the ground and give an angry frown.
> "Something is amiss here."
> "Very bizarre. It shouldn't exist, but it does, even as much as I can see there's nothing wrong. I also don't understand why you and the other could tell just from looking at it, but how I almost put my arm over the wall before finally noticing. It must be some sort of bizarre security magic. Perhaps I will ask Patchouli at a later date."
> "To be honest, yes, but I cannot ask you to do something I am not willing to do myself. We will find another way. Let us forget about scaling the wall for the time being."
>"I fear it might shank us"