>>540103
...I had forgotten, I suppose It WILL have to wait...But at least no we have some ideas for when we DO.

Anyway, with hat related thoughts out of the way, Put you hands up non-threateningly and say you've got the money.

Ragnarode 2013/09/12(Thu)15:19 No. 540412 ID: d9bed9
File 137902435256.png - (13.57KB , 800x600 , 026.png )

You land softly in front of her, holding up the red envelope.

You: You're Reimu, right? Reimu Hakurei. My name is Rayne, and I'm here with the loan you requested.

Reimu: You... you aren't a youkai, you're human! What are you doing working with a youkai, even one like Mamizou, it's dangerous and they can't be trusted!

You: Most of the youkai I've met have been nothing but polite, with one exception. I find their company interesting.

You hand her the envelope.

Reimu: ...Huh. Thought you were one of them, yanno? Not a normal choice of clothes for people around here. Thought you might be some kind of Sun youkai or something. What did you say your name was?

You: Rayne Sutherling. I'm kind of new here.

Reimu: Well then. Would you like some tea while you're here?

I see no reason not to accept her hospitality while you're here. Hang with your fellow human.

Accept hospitality, so long as it doesn't come with asshole-fairy obligations attached, and converse with the lady. Perhaps we can both help each other, or at least provide relatively sane company to each other in a place that seems to be full of crazy people.
It would be nice to know if we're better off playing to the assumption that we're youkai or staying in the human ghetto.

Wait...Did our name change or am I nuts?

>>540431
Huh. Yeah, you're right. We told the kappa our name was Leim Nanashi, but we weren't very confident about it. ("I don't know. Maybe it's not my name.")

Mamizou presumed we were Rayne when we approached, most likely because that's what Yukari told her our name was. We didn't correct her. I don't know where we suddenly got the last name from, though.

...either we gave our name wrong the first time and Yukari helped us remember who we are, or she changed our name behind our back someone (moved the boundary between that which is our name, and that which isn't?). Or hell, both.

Or our buddy here is a chronic liar who can't resist making up a new name for everyone he meets?

I Suggest we think REALLY HARD about this...I mean, us headvoices would like to know if it's our brain being fucked with, or if we are just giving people names at random.

Ragnarode 2013/09/13(Fri)14:02 No. 540481 ID: d9bed9
File 137910614207.png - (15.33KB , 800x600 , 027.png )

>>540017
This hat is glorious, but you cannot wear it as it is too heavy for your neck to support! You put it in your HAT INVENTORY THAT TOTALLY EXISTS in case you meet someone who can actually wear the thing.

>>540432
You think about it for a moment. You had been ripped violently from your home, brainwashed, pieces of your memories and psyche removed and foreign parts added. You are then deposited in a strange land, and the first strange inhabitant of this strange land is a strange fish who was trying to sell you something. You did not trust the fish with your name, and told him the first thing that came to mind. However, after finding that Mamizou already knew your name, you decide that there was no point in continuing the ruse or starting a new deception. Things have relaxed since then though, and you find yourself more open minded.

What would you like to chat about with the shrine maiden of paradise?

>we lied to the fish
Yeah, okay, that's fine...

>brainwashed, pieces of your memories and psyche removed and foreign parts added
Wait what.

>what talk about
Uh... I dunno. This land, maybe? You're new here, and it's sort of her responsibility. Or maybe the youkai thing? They can't be trusted, but she's willing to put herself in debt to one?

...I'm still kind of confused how one is supposed to tell youkai from human, anyways. One can appear very much like the other- where do you draw the line between a powerful human and a humanoid youkai?

>>540481
Possible topic of discussion: People/Youkai of intrest, interesting locations, local events, social conventions to follow, why spellcards are used, what the shrine is dedicated to.

Oh, and what her favorite kind of tea is.

Perhaps we should invite her to a friendly bit of sparring (danmaku) She'd good at that right? maybe we could learn something

>>540486
...maybe later? Hardly appropriate during tea. (As amusing as the image of trying to sit serenely and enjoy a quiet cup of tea in the middle of bullet hell is).

I'd meant afterwards, but we could discuss the actual stuff...or we could talk about say...Hats and/or accessories.

Our odds of getting home and recovery of lost bits of our mind/memory would be two things I'd be interested in. If leaving is a one-way trip I'd be hesitant to do so however.
I'm also curious what the major political rifts are, it would be nice to know what sort of gangfight lines are already drawn that we have unknowingly sorted ourselves into. It would be useful to know who wants to kill us or would be trying to either recruit or kill us at some point in the future without discovering it point-blank in the shape of an offer/threat we're unable to make an informed decision about.
Oh yes, and if she knows of better opportunities available than this working for a loan-shark gig we've got going here.

Aside from the above I'm curious about her. What is it like for her living here? What does she do for fun? What are her responsibilities? Would she like to have regular get-togethers?
Srsly, if we're going to be here a while it be nice to make some friends, or possibly some more-than-friends.

Ragnarode 2013/09/15(Sun)13:34 No. 540680 ID: d9bed9
File 137927727874.png - (16.46KB , 800x600 , 028.png )

You sit down at the table across from her, and you notice it's surprisingly comfortable. The chill breeze of autumn swept lazily through the windows.

The two of you chat pleasantly for a while, about various things like food and the weather.

You: So, do you know anything about the different groups here in Gensokyo? I figure it's best I know early.

Reimu: Well, first off you've got the human village. Nothing much to see there, they don't really hold any power over any other faction here. You've got the folks who live in the Scarlet Devil Mansion, who antagonize everyone else. I'd stay away from them unless you need to use the library. You've got the Lunarians in the Bamboo Forest. They generally keep to themselves, and good luck finding them if you need them. There's the Moriya Shrine up on top of Youkai Mountain. There are two gods who live up there, and Kanako, the wind god, is the one you've gotta worry about, always trying to expand her influence. The Tengu will usually follow her from what I've seen, and the Kappa will follow them. You probably don't need to worry about Satori or the Oni underground, they rarely leave Former Hell. If you DO see an Oni, remember that they like drinks and they like fighting. Don't lie to them! They like honesty. Sounds like you're running with Mamizou's crowd!

You: I didn't have much of a choice in the matter, but I don't regret it. She's fun to be with.

Reimu: Yeah, she doesn't make much trouble here. She's a foreigner like you, maybe that's why you get along. She and the Nue usually go together, so you'll probably meet her sometime. And lastly, there's Yukari. Don't mess with her, don't trust her, and don't accept her help if you can help it. She's always up to something, scheming with her shikigami, Ran.

You: ...We've met. She's the one who brought me here. Or, at least that's what Mamizou says.

Reimu: She's probably right. Anyway, she's a sneaky one. If she brought you here, she's got something in store for you. Just be careful, okay? This is a dangerous place for most humans, even ones with powerful Youkai looking after them.

Sooo Watch out for the Wind god and sneaky Boundary Chick. Don't lie to Oni, be ready to look a long time if you want a Lunarian, Scarlet Mansion people are jerks, we're one of Mamizou's folks.
Good to have a general overview of politics done. Now...I'm fairly certain we're settled, sooo I guess now's the time to maybe ask for some training from Reimu here about homing shots. Very very very useful things to have I'll bet.

Need to use the Library? what, is it a magic library or something?

...wait, did you just say HELL?

does she mean HELL hell, with the lakes of fire and shit?

also explain you can shoot things out of your hands, you got some blank spell cards.

Well, thank you for the tea, company, and advice. I'll do my best to be careful.

>>540722
>>540725
Yes, hell, complete with atomic fire.

Whoa, voices, we're on Mamizou's clock as a valued employee at the moment, and we've already accepted Reimu's hospitality and time giving us the local-politics orientation lecture. We're probably due to go, although I am very interested in this 'homing' capability that was mentioned.

"Thank you for tea, wisdom and company. I'd love to chat with you further in future and would also be interested in your teaching as a prospective pupil. Sadly, I should probably be going though, before I either wear out my welcome or Mamizou starts worrying.
"Is there anything I can help you with, either before or after I go?"

>>540749
This sounds pretty good, Forget my earlier suggestion, I'd forgotten we were on the clock. Let's just head back

Ragnarode 2013/09/21(Sat)13:06 No. 541424 ID: d9bed9
File 137979400942.png - (21.61KB , 800x600 , 029.png )

You thank the Miko for her hospitality, and bid her farewell. She seemed like a nice enough person.

>>540725
The way she explained it, the District of Former Hell was like a township or something, while the Hell of Blazing Fires was a massive lake of lava with a Star at it's core. Two different places.

You fly back to Mamizou''s place. Several tanuki are waddling their way back into the forest. Mamizou came out of her house, looking flustered.

You: Everything okay?

Mamizou: Yes, everything is fine. Just fine. Important client having issues, had a long day. Anywho dearie, how did that errand go? Did she take the money?

You: Yes she did. Is she going to be able to pay it off? Her donation box was a bit dusty.

Mamizou: Heeee! Nope, unless she pulls a miracle out of her sleeve there is no way she's paying THAT loan off anytime soon. She'll be fine for now, my interest rates aren't that bad. Alrighty, since you've been such a good helper, I'll start giving you a bit of an allowance! It's not much, but it'll give you some spending money.

---Missions available---

A certain Reisen Udongein Inaba is very late on a payment! She had borrowed money from me and has yet to pay!

Lady Eirin Yagokoro has need of skilled help around Eientei! Her current staff has been less than useful, being rabbits and all.

Remilia Scarlet has lost her pet Chupacabra. She's put out a reward for its return, and Mamizou has tracked it down to the Human Village. Capture it and claim the reward money!

Hmm. Check out the human village next, maybe? See what we could spend that allowance on, and if we come across a terrifying Mexican goat eating monster harassing anyone we can beat it up.

Chupacabra is a goat sucker I thought, not even a goat eater. Stealthy thing though, legendarily good at jumping, may stink of sulphur. Are we observant enough to catch one? I'd hate to spend time chasing things with nothing to show for it and our inability to anticipate the fairy tripwire leaves me less than confident in our situational awareness skills. I'm even less confident in our ability to capture something alive with fireballs and knives at our disposal, but perhaps we could get a net or something in the human village.

I'm not fond of the other jobs either though; collecting from a client that knows they're late means we'd possibly be walking into a planned ambush and they may not even have any money to collect. And... what's this other thing, sweeping up rabbit pellets?

>>541482
Eirin is a doctor. and the rabbits are just really bad at being nurses.

remilia losing a chupacobra? that sounds....vaguely familiar. Let's try that!

Ragnarode 2013/09/24(Tue)16:38 No. 541939 ID: d9bed9
File 138006592308.png - (23.85KB , 800x600 , 030.png )

You: What was that last one?

Mamizou: Oh, that vampire up north, Remilia Scarlet, lost her chupacabra. Again. I swear, every other month with that thing. Someone really should kill it, if you want my opinion. But we're being payed for capture, not a body.

You: So, this chupathingy. What exactly-

Mamizou: You'll know it when you see it. Lizard looking thing, smells like sulfur, feeds on livestock. Anywhoooo~, we'll need to get you a disguise! No, no stop it, just let me- there! Now you look just like one of the villagers and not like a youkai at all. Now go! Catch the lizard! Get the money!

She pushes you out the door and goes back inside. She seemed like she wasn't really thinking about the mission. You'll have to ask about it when you get back.

A quick flight and you're at the village. You inquire lightly about the creature, and they point you toward the livestock pen towards the edge of town. You probably should have just went there first, now that you think of it. It's definitely been here recently, there's a dead goat near the fence. The other animals are staying away from the corpse. You do not detect the chupacabra.

Go over and check the corpse. Maybe the chupacabra is INSIDE IT.

Go check the corpse I guess. Maybe there will be tracks or a trail you can follow? Well, assuming the chupacabra can't fly like everything else in Gensokyo.

Do we have a way to capture it yet? Get a freaking rope at least, a net would also be nice. How did people capture the thing the last times this happened? A corpse is no payday, sadly.

Does it smell enough to leave a noticeable scent?

Ragnarode 2013/09/28(Sat)12:19 No. 542436 ID: d9bed9
File 138039598629.png - (25.49KB , 800x600 , 031.png )

You don't detect any other trace of the creature, and you start to climb over the fence when you hear a commotion near the center of town.

Fly up and over to see what the commotion's about.

We want to see who's fighting who (or what), and if we should intervene. Try not to make yourself a target in the assessing phase.

>>542440
Yes.
I futilely reiterate that we should acquire some way of bringing in the chupacabra if we find it at some point as well, since trying to haul something with teeth and claws that hasn't been bound up IS A REALLY DUMB IDEA.

Either that's danmaku or we might have eaten some bad mushrooms, I say be on guard if we investigate.

>>542440
I'd have to advise against flying up, it could draw undue attention to you. Better to run up to where the disturbance is. Either way we're checking it out.

Ragnarode 2013/10/03(Thu)13:12 No. 542914 ID: d9bed9
File 138083113124.png - (21.08KB , 800x600 , 032.png )

You remember that you are in disguise and people don't normally fly, so you jog over to the town square. You find two women, one standing over the other.

Sakuya: You did not need to attack me, the end result is the same: I leave with the lady's pet.

Keine: It isn't the same and you know it! The village could really use that reward money!

Sakuya: Then why did you tell us you had it, instead of just catching it and bringing it to the mansion? You did not meet the requirements for obtaining the reward.

Keine: Owwwwww....

Sakuya: Next time, read the fine print. It'll save you another beating.

The girl in the maid outfit flies away, with the snarling lizard-thing in a gilded cage.

Jeeze, dick move Sakuya. (Did she even cover the beastie's damage, I wonder?) Apparently we should be very careful with the details of any agreement we may make with the scarlet mansion in the future.

Other useful information: the village is hard up for cash, and Keine is willing to stand up for them.

>You did not meet the requirements for obtaining the reward.
Maybe WE should carefully read the requirements for obtaining the reward. Because if Sakuya is in violation too...

"perhaps a compromise could settle this, 25%, for information leading to it's capture." if they wonder who you are just hold up the leaf.

>>542914
If I weren't intimidated by that glare, I'd say kick her ass (in danmaku) on principle...but I'm scared so pretend like another one of us said it.

>>542933
Are you proposing to fly after her to try and yell this at her? That would end (with finality) any attempt to pretend to be a normal human in this village without a disguise.
Since this 'maid' is already flying away, at an unspecified speed which we may not be able to match catch up to, she probably would not be eager for such a discussion as well. Further, apparently she is a representative of this 'Scarlet Devil Mansion' apparently known for belligerence--we were advised to avoid dealing with them by the Miko. They likely have non-trivial power to enforce their safety and will if they have gotten away with being jerks in this place where lots of people (apparently) can make substantial counterattacks.
I would not suggest chasing after this woman carrying a murderous beast by self-powered flight to harass her over money. If nothing else she could probably throw the chupacabra at us and I can't think of a *good* outcome from such an encounter.

Perhaps we should *instead* talk to this other person, or report what happened to our employer?

Walk up and comment "Well, that was rather rude." When she notices us, introduce ourselves. Getting on keine's good side is important if we want to have buisiness in the human village. When she gets into her were-form her power level takes a sharp rise, and thats something you don't want to be on the receiving end of.

Also, she happens to run the village school, if i remember correctly.

Ragnarode 2013/10/08(Tue)15:03 No. 543414 ID: d9bed9
File 138126982870.png - (29.01KB , 800x600 , 033.png )

You go over and help Keine up.

You: Well, THAT was incredibly rude. Are you alright, miss...?

Keine: Oof... Keine Kamishirasawa. I teach at the children's school down the road... Who are you?

You: Rayne Sutherling. I guess you could say I work with money and the distribution thereof.

Keine: Eh? Eh.... I guess trying to fight the person I was supposed to give the lizard to was a bad idea. Yeah, I'm okay.

You leave the were-hakutaku and head back to the office. You feel you should let Mamizou know what happened.

When you get there, Mamizou is talking to an unfamiliar woman. The scent of baked sweet potatoes lingers in the air. They look at you, and your boss appears relieved to see you.

Mamizou: THERE you are! Your timing is impeccable, dearie.

You: I failed to retrieve the Chupathingy, Ma'am. The maid from the mansion got there first, beating the tar out of the schoolteacher.

Mamizou: Ah well, you win some, you lose some. The reward wasn't that significant to begin with, at least for me. Anywhoooo~, let me introduce you to that client I was talking about earlier. Rayne, this is Minoriko Aki, the God of Harvest. I'd like you to help her out.

Minoriko: Argh! This is so frustrating! I wait each year for the harvest so I can work my magic and gain some faith, but this year someone is RUINING IT! I want you to go to the fields! Find out who is destroying this years crops! And BEAT THE CRAP OUT OF THEM! MAKE IT STOP!

Mamizou: Yes, yes, there there. Everything is going to be alright, please just calm down. Rayne will take care of it. Won't you?

---Missions available---

DANGER
A Poor Harvest
DANGER

looks like... wriggle nightbug, the adorable tomboy, or a swarm of insects that have combined their power to appear normal, one of those.

anyway, she would probably only come out at night. so stake out time.

The important thing here is to be braced and prepared to dodge a wriggle kick.

But of course we'll help. Can't let the harvest be ruined, right? Nevermind the goddess' faith- people need to eat.

I think I can help you out. But first, I'll need you to answer me some questions. That okay with you?

First off, who or what exactly do you think is responsible? Second, when exactly is the ruining taking place? And thirdly, what can you tell me about the area in question? Given that you are Goddess of Harvest and this is taking place in a field, it should be child's play to set up a bit of a home advantage. In short, prepare an ambush for who or whatever is doing this.

Important safety tip: If you happen see sunflowers growing among the crops, just run. Run far, far away. The job's a bad'un.

Ragnarode 2013/10/10(Thu)13:11 No. 543659 ID: d9bed9
File 138143591827.png - (215.66KB , 800x600 , 034.png )

>>543435
Minoriko: My guess is Letty Whiterock or Wriggle Nightbug. Letty always ends Autumn too early for me, and I'm sure she does it on purpose! But Wriggle is a bug, and she brings swarms with her. She could be bringing locusts or SOMETHING to eat my harvest! The fields are being ruined just before sundown. I haven't actually seen it happen. And it's in a large, open field with a few trees. Please help me!

Mamizou hands you a water bottle and a bag of trail mix; you don't know how long you'll be out there.

You arrive at the spot Minoriko thinks will be hit next. It's exactly as she described it, rolling plains with a lone oak tree, which you climb. There's nobody here but you. A soft breeze flutters through the grain as the sun moves towards the horizon.

Twilight. There is a stark contrast between the indigo sky and the fiery horizon, casting an orange glow upon the landscape. All is silent, save for the call of crows. It is unsettling.

eyes open, be ready to shoot.. whatevers at whoevers.

Well, nothing to do but keep watch till the trouble starts. Stay awake, and keep all your senses alert. Stakeouts are tough.

Let's try hanging out in the tree branches, somewhere they won't see us until it's too late~

Ragnarode 2013/10/11(Fri)16:08 No. 543811 ID: d9bed9
File 138153289094.png - (16.83KB , 800x600 , 035.png )

Stage 1: Illusionary Night ~ Ghostly Eyes
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=78mxBMKGIQo

-----

Twilight comes and goes. A post-Autumn chill floats on the wind, and the sound of insects fills the night.

...A lot of insects. Someone's coming.

Prepare for a confrontation, and dodge the Wriggle kick.

Alright, this is a combat mission. Advance to meet the enemy, and protect the crops! Start off with Serrated Tempest since that's gonna cover a large area in front of you.

you wan to shoot large bullets. weaker then noral is fine, since they are still bugs. just want to kill as many as you can per shot.

Ragnarode 2013/10/12(Sat)11:42 No. 543977 ID: d9bed9
File 138160337979.gif - (91.22KB , 800x600 , 036.gif )

Stage 1 Boss: Stirring an Autumn Moon ~ Mooned Insect
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3kAOz5huQg0
-----

You launch yourself off the tree, knives in hand. You fire off several bolts of danmaku, and the swarm thins, revealing your target.

Choose a spellcard, or create a new one to take advantage of your strengths and her weaknesses.

Serrated Tempest SHOULD do pretty well all told, it's omni-directional which should clear out the bugs pretty quick.

Focus on dodging any attacks, but what the last guy said should be fine, serrated tempest and all that jazz, lets shoot the fuck out of her...and honestly...she looks like she's gone fucking nuts, so be ready for anything.

...Is it significant that her eyes are glowing? I dunno, might just be a thing that happens, but that look...I can't help but wonder if there's more at stake here then just a few crops.

I think Fireballs would do much better to clear out these bug swarms than our knives will. We should stick to those then.

>>544092
If we can reliably keep fireball use from getting anywhere near the ground and setting things on fire that's tactically plausible since I know most insects have severe overheating issues... but only you can prevent cropland fires!

Goddamn 2D versus 3D issues, can we even use serrated tempest without setting things on fire? If we can then it is a pretty good idea to clear the helper swarm, especially since if we don't they might be able to do the crop-spoilage while we're distracted with bug-lady. They might be doing it *right now* and the best we can do is burn them all to limit the damage to further sites.

What I wouldn't give for a good time-stop right about now....

Ragnarode 2013/10/16(Wed)12:20 No. 544415 ID: d9bed9
File 138195121288.png - (17.18KB , 800x600 , 037.png )

You launch yourself off the tree to meet her, the Serrated Tempest card in hand. Balls of fire and red-hot knives fill the air in front of you, and insects start falling in droves, burnt to cinders. The firefly youkai makes an odd chirping noise and the bugs form a shield around her. Blue orbs fire out in an expanding vortex, detonating into a fuchsia firestorm. The card in her hand reads Firefly Sign 「Comet on Earth」.

Hrrrm...Well either you can move to stay within the lines of that pattern, or you can dodge through the gaps of the lines, depending on how fast the individual bullets that make the lines are moving.

Twisted Skeins is a more focused attack. Switch to that to penetrate her shield.

>>529780
if she is staying still then this one would blast the hell out of her. just line her up with the middle of the attack. and all the cross bullets would wreak shit.

...wait, what kind of spell card rules are in effect, here? Is this just shoot till someone yields or faints, or are we concerned with who can break or time out the most enemy spell cards?

Because if we end one spell card to use another, aren't we basically giving her a free spell card break for our first card?

Ragnarode 2013/10/21(Mon)06:24 No. 544846 ID: d9bed9
File 138236184523.png - (20.91KB , 800x600 , 038.png )

>>544440
The rules are simple. The first to fall loses, every bullet is a KO.
>>544419
The focused shots blast through her shield, rendering it useless. She has found a safe spot in the card, however.

Ragnarode 2013/10/21(Mon)06:25 No. 544847 ID: d9bed9
File 138236191686.jpg - (19.21KB , 192x223 , lamp sign firefly phenomenon.jpg )

The card she's holding says:
Lamp Sign ~ 「Firefly Phenomenon」.

Bomb?

Or yanno, just dogde and change to a different spellcard if she's found a safe spot in the one you're using.

OOooooh crap. Oooook. Sooo if I'm understanding the appearance of that card right, there's four circling straight streams headed at you, and a 5-7 way spinning spread coming off of Wriggle herself, sooo...
Ok, good news is moving, even moving slowly SHOULD be enough to keep the blue shots off of us.
Bad news is the green and teal shots-I'm not sure exactly what the teal pattern is, but the green should only come around once in a while. Given that it's Wriggle, I'd think the teal shots could be handled like the spinning pattern from Comet on Earth, the last pattern Wriggle used.

Ragnarode 2013/10/24(Thu)12:51 No. 545187 ID: d9bed9
File 138264427954.png - (59.98KB , 800x600 , 039.png )

>>544864
You skirt the hyperdense stream of blue danmaku, barely grazing the shots as you shoot towards her. The teal shots are more difficult to dodge, and it takes longer to plot a course through the field of bullets.

Suddenly you're through.

Right under her guard.

Finish her. Point blank attack!

...I guess 「Twisted Skeins」 is the closest we have to a stacked forward shot? Unless we can use this one >>529780 and blast an orb right in her face, or close range trap her in the firing diamond.

Geeze. Scrolling up to look at all our options is annoying. Gonna have to put a list of spell cards on the wiki.

you can also make a new card on the spot, we still have blanks

Finish her off!
BLAST HER TO OBLIVION

The diamond could be useful, but is her hitbox small enough to fit between the flak?

Ragnarode 2013/10/28(Mon)07:02 No. 545630 ID: d9bed9
File 138296893719.gif - (54.56KB , 800x600 , 040.gif )

>>545620
>>545204
>>545213
She has nowhere to run now, nowhere to hide.
She detonates in a vortex of colors and symbols.
You feel good. Better than good, great even. The rush of the moment, watching bright lights flash by you, only your skills and reflexes between you and a painful defeat, adrenaline flowing through your veins.

You breathe in.

And out.

The rush of the moment is gone. You feel empty without it. In the back of your mind, you wish she had put up more of a fight, had fought back harder. But the job is done, the fields are safe again, and the goddess Minoriko can sleep easy.

Time stops.

The breeze is gone, ripples in the wheat frozen. The twilight hour has come and gone, and you are no longer alone.

Ragnarode 2013/10/28(Mon)07:07 No. 545633 ID: d9bed9
File 138296922193.png - (113.77KB , 800x600 , 041.png )

A strange woman approaches you.

Ran: Well hello again! You seem to be doing well for yourself. Fitting in fine just like we thought!

You: Who are you?

Ran: My name is Ran Yakumo, and my master facilitated your journey here. I'd like to talk about you, and who YOU are. I'm sure you have many questions.

pichun~

Sorry, Wriggle.

>I'm sure you have many questions.
We'll start with the obvious one, then. Why?

yes why is a good question.

also if you always had the ability to shoot bullets.

Why did we get brought here would be a good one to ask, yes.

Another one to ask is how we would leave, if we wanted to.

A third one to ask is who else was involved in bringing us here, and who would oppose our presence/life.

A fourth is what hazards and potential opportunities are there here we should be aware of.

A fifth might be if there are any women around that aren't terrifying and what the local dating scene/customs are like. Just throwing that one out there 'cuz I'm puzzled by the fact that everyone we've dealt with besides that fishdude (maybe?) seems to have been a woman.

Seeing as most of the better questions were asked, but not the most important one...

Can we hug one of those fluffy tails?

>>545773
fluffyfluffyfluffy tails.

Ragnarode 2013/10/29(Tue)19:09 No. 545854 ID: d9bed9
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You: Why? Why did you bring me here?

Ran: ...Walk with me for a moment.

The two of you make your way through the field, the sensation of time frozen sending shivers down your arms. You absentmindedly notice that the khitsune is a good foot and a half taller than you are.

Ran: Well, there are a number of different reasons you were brought here. First and foremost, of course, is that my master has a task that she wants you to complete. Telling you what it is now would be premature. Also, my master was curious about something. Something nobody in our little world seemed to be able to do. So she went into the outside, grabbed you, and fiddled around in your brain. There were a few things she changed, but the change I'm going to tell you about now, is the one thing that makes you truly unique here in Gensokyo. You have the power to tweak and change your spell cards at a moments notice. Now, that might seem a tad underwhelming at first, but you have to understand that our entire society and social structure is built around the spellcard rules, and you are in a unique position to take complete advantage of that. All you need is a little creativity, and some knowledge of the basics of danmaku.

You: So... do I have any enemies here? Anyone who would oppose a human from the outside?

Ran: Well, that's the thing. Nobody here knows you're a human. There's a rumor spreading around Gensokyo that you're the new yatagarasu. The old one was an ancient solar youkai, but was devoured by a three-legged hellraven. Quite a fascinating tale, but for another time. Point is, the youkai think you're one of them. And with your skills using danmaku, and the ability to warp your spellcards, they aren't really wrong. You belong with us more than you belong in the human village, truly.

You: Just out of curiosity, could I leave Gensokyo if I wanted to?

Ran: No, that is impossible. The Great Barrier exists for a reason, and only my master is capable of passing it in any fashion.

You: I've noticed that almost everyone I've met here is a woman of some description, with the exception of the shopkeeper and the trout youkai at the misty lake.

Ran: Ah, an excellent observation! You won't find male youkai out of their dens much. The culture here leans heavily towards the female gender, though we do see men venture out, however rarely. This makes you an anomaly, a curiosity, something new and welcome in a predictable land.

You hug the fluffy tail. It is wonderfully warm and soft and fuzzy and wonderful. You pity the unfortunate fools who have not experienced this luxury. Ran merely smiles.

Waaaait a second. So you're saying I can basically 'cheat' in a game that your entire society is based on!?
I don't like the sounds of that, or what your master could possibly have planned for a power that could do that much.

Does your boss think I owe them for the privilege of being kidnapped to here or that they owe me for the talent I was given and the effort to set up my stay here?

Was that woman I saw just before speaking with Mamizou for the first time your mistress?

Are there penalties or sanctions for cheating the spellcard-game--should we hide this ability?

What keeps the peace generally and prevents people from using their powers to harass, steal from, manipulate, assault or oppress others?

What is there you would suggest as worth doing here in 'Gensokyo'? Can you suggest some plausible, rewarding occupations or hobbies to pursue besides being the hired muscle of a moneylender?

When am I likely to see you, or your master, again if I don't seek you out? Would you like me to visit, or would it be better to avoid being seen interacting with you?

...wait, we've been given the power to bend or break spellcard rules?

Isn't the spellcard system wholly voluntary, anyways? Something Reimu set up so the inhabitants of Gensokyo had a way to interact and settle disputes without destroying the whole place? (Because the power to destroy the entire place is kind of a low bar, here).

And, uh, don't we run the risk of facing the wrath of a full power, not spell-cards rules constrained Reimu if we break them? (Or anyone else we piss off, potentially).

Also, it occurs to me our cover story is probably going to draw Okuu's attention at some point.

>everyone's going to assume we're a youkai
I suggest our new default is to just not challenge that. Not to lie directly, or ever make the claim, just don't bother to correct assumptions.

Leaves the door open to be honest if we want to or need to. And keeps us from getting into trouble with the few people we have been honest with. (And we can always blame Yukari for the situation. Almost no one will have a problem believing that).

>>545879
I think there's a limit though. When you think about it, we still are following the basic rules, but we are using our unique ability to bend them in a way that won't break them. We still lose if we get hit and we still need to hit to win, but as is we basically have a very high level of flexibility to make up for the fact we are facing off against crazy things.

Ragnarode 2013/10/30(Wed)16:10 No. 546005 ID: d9bed9
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You: Am I in debt with your master? For bringing me here?

Ran: Absolutely. But! It's not as bad as you'd think. All she demands is you be yourself. Go out and live! Everything will become clear with time, I promise.

You: You know, the ability to alter my spell cards sounds a lot like cheating. Will I face penalties for using it?

Ran: No, see, it's only cheating if you alter a spellcard you are already using. You can see how an opponent reacts to your danmaku, and plan the next spell accordingly. This should, in theory, give you an edge over similarly skilled opponents.

You: So I'm not actually breaking any rules?

Ran: If you actually broke a rule in the spellcard system, you'd have the red-white come and beat you senseless. I think you'd notice! But no, so long as you don't TELL anyone you're altering your cards, there should be no way for them to figure it out. And if they do, my master will intervene on your behalf. So no worries!

You: Just out of curiosity, if these people think I'm a sun youkai, won't that hellraven come after me?

Ran: Well, no. She's not that smart, despite being proficient in nuclear physics and such! Plus, her den is deep, deep beneath Youkai Mountain. She doesn't get out much, so far as I know. Is there anything else you would like to know?

Oh. So our cheat is more like being able to go back and change what spells we have prepared. We can decide on the fly, instead of having to have made everything in advance. What is strategic planning for everyone else becomes adaptive tactical planning for us.

And yeah, there's no way for anyone to know we don't just have a large number of spell cards prepared. No way to know we're making them up on the spot, like we did with whatever we used to finish Wriggle. (Maybe we should name that?).

>Is there anything else you would like to know?
What was the result of my battle tonight? Is the insect-youkai I fought dead? Destroyed? I'm not sure how that works with youkai, or danmaku.

Afterwards, thank her for her answers, and bid Ran good night.

>>546014
i am certain no one dies in a legit danmaku battle with spellcards. and youkai usually have power from their type. so even if she did die wriggle will come back as long as insects are around. and the common fairy is pure magic, so they come back from that. in the winter when everything is covered in ice cirno may actually pose a threat, luckily she is... not that smart.

Wait, didn't the former sun god die of natural causes before the hellraven ate her corpse? We shouldn't have issues with her at all.

>>546021
I just thought it might attract her interest. But yeah, there's no reason she'd want to fight. Aside from the fact everyone fights everyone with no reason in this setting.

>>546019
Fanon is kind of... muddled on death. I doubt she's dead, but better to just find out what the rules are anyways, and it's not as if our protagonist would know them yet anyways.

>>546028
You can't start a fight without reason. It in the rules for spellcard battles.

You know I can think of a few tricks that we can use to seriously abuse our ability to change our spell cards. Like say a spellcard that constantly changes from one spell card to another, or even just alternating between two and changing the contents of the spell cards each time.

Personally with that revelation, I'd kind of rather look into getting people to think we're some kind of card-playing/fortune-telling youkai despite the cover story. If only because of how fun and fitting it would be to come up with danmaku patterns based on card games or tarot cards. And we can 'shuffle' the deck by changing our cards. It's slightly meta, I guess, but I'd find it amusing.

"There is lots I would like to know, but I don't have any succinct questions to ask besides what happens at the end of a danmaku battle like that, what should I do to sell the sun youkai story, and how should I keep in touch later?
"I'm betting for that last one you'll find me instead of the other way around, which is hard to plan a schedule around. Thank you for your help, wisdom and company though."

Ragnarode 2013/11/02(Sat)12:29 No. 546371 ID: d9bed9
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You: So what happens when someone loses a spellcard battle? I fought Wriggle, and she, well, exploded.

Ran: Well, you die, the Judge of Heaven sends you back later. She's quite nice, really. I understand that there's a whole set of exceptions to death that involve the spellcard system. Don't worry, Ms Nightbug will be on her feet soon enough.

You: So, where do I stand here? Am I employed by Mamizou? Do I owe loyalty to the humans? Or the Miko? It's rather confusing.

Ran: Well, none of those. You're part of the Yakumo family now, and your skills are rented to the highest bidder. Ms Futatsuiwa had need of a debt collector, and you needed a good start on the workings of this place. Speaking of which, your contract with Mamizou has come to an end, as she and my master have business in the outside world. Your employment will be transferred to Ms Eirin Yagokoro of Eientei. ...Oh don't give me that look, it's not bad! She's been informed of your stance on body alteration and mind altering substances. She requires an agent, someone a little more tactful than her aide, Reisen.

Ran hands you an envelope.

Ran: This is for your assistance with the matter of Ms Minoriko, and the errands before. I must go now, but I will see you again in due time!

She disappears into the night. You hadn't realized how long and far you had walked, and as time starts it's flow once again, the sounds of crickets and other life echo throughout the forest. You find yourself in front of an old building, nestled in a glade of a massive forest of bamboo.

Stage 1 Complete!

Well, might as well meet your new hosts. Watch out for tricksy rabbits.