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[X] As we escaped to the surface
Ran’s footfalls were soft on the banks of the Sanzu river.
The river of the dead had many names, but the waterways themselves remained unchanged over the centuries. The ever-present fog still clouded over the surface of the river, providing cover and nourishment for the listless phantoms. For Ran, flying over the Sanzu had been an… ordeal. The sins that she had gathered over her long life clung to her like weights, and the width of the river seemed almost infinite in length. It had drained her much to make the crossing successfully. As she flew, she had hovered close to the ghostly reeds and glided through them, concealing her tracks. Ducking out of the way whenever she saw the odd psychopomp move their quarry across the river.
Even with the Animal Realm far behind her, she still occasionally spared a wary glance towards the sky to watch for pursuers. The families were a pernicious bunch, and the Gouyoku Alliance had earned their place at the top with their ruthlessness. Injured, weakened as she was now, she would be easy pickings for any of her opportunistic rivals. The borderlands of hell were still well within their hunting grounds.
Her mind turned to Yuuma. She had no idea what absorbing her tails would do for the taotie’s future behavior. Would it give Yuuma an obsession for more, causing her to hunt Ran to the ends of the earth? Or would Ran’s “fragments” conflict too much with the taotie’s own background as a youkai?
At the thought, Ran couldn’t help but grind her teeth. Three centuries of hard-earned work, now taken and consumed by someone who couldn’t even fully appreciate it. Truly, her life was filled with ironies. Once so high, then brought low; come the meteoric rise, followed by a devasting fall. Now, here she was again – at the very, very bottom.
But there’d be a reckoning. Establishing a power base again would be a slow process, but if she pushed herself forwards as a strategist-for-hire to the Kiketsu family, she could gain protection for the time being and ingratiate herself into another power structure. From there, she could rebuild; however, she first had to recover. The Sanzu bordered many places, not all of them friendly. But if she could settle in somewhere to lick her wounds, plan out her –
Suddenly, a woman appeared before her. Ran froze in her steps.
Garbed in a dress of rich purples and delicate lace, the blond woman casually closed her parasol and sank into a delicate curtsy. It was as if she had stepped out of thin air – Ran had no warning of her coming. The lady was striking, with the young face of a woman who had just grown into adulthood. But her dark golden eyes were ageless, unreadable. With a small smile, the lady looked up at the fox from her curtsy, as if inquiring if it would be allowed for her to speak.
Ran disliked her immediately.
The woman was a schemer. And more than that, Ran could feel it – the woman thought that she was more clever than Ran. Aching to show the lady her place, eventually Ran decided on caution, and held her tongue on her true thoughts.
The kitsune bowed slightly. “It is rare to see a psychopomp so beautiful and so richly dressed. Or do you hail from other parties, and other shores?”
The woman considered her question, and giggled.
“The stories do you justice,” said she, playing with the parasol in her hands. “Your eloquence and beauty are second to none, and all flowers pale before your slightest smile. As for me? I am Yakumo Yukari. Not a shinigami or boatman, or anything in between; just a humble youkai who lives upon borders, with no feats of note.”
A small grin graced the woman’s lips as she added, “…but, even one as humble as I know of you, Lady Daji – your name has power, even to this day.”
Ran couldn’t help but preen a bit at the epithet. A reminder that there were still some out there that recognized her old feats. But that also came with its own set of concerns.
“Then why do you not bring your friend over then? Does she dislike pleasant conversation?” Ran waved towards a distant outcropping of rock, where she had noticed another female figure standing, arms crossed. It was too far to see anything clearly, but she caught a small glimpse of horns atop her head.
“She is just my protector,” said Yukari, nonchalantly inspecting her nails. “Even the riverbanks can be treacherous here, infested as they are with the departed. Please understand – it is not my intent to make an enemy of you, Lady Daji. We are not associated with the Animal Realm. In fact, I am interested in seeking your aid, as our needs currently align. There would be something that you would gain from this process as well.”
Ran frowned. “How do you know about my needs? And how did you find me in the first place? This is far, far from where I usually reside.”
Yukari smirked in response.
“The Animal Realm has been rocked by your departure, Lady Daji. The shift of power and the resulting coups have thrown everything into turmoil. I consider myself well-informed; finding out about your escape was barely a task at all. You were already someone I had considered for support, someone that I had been keeping tabs on. The events… just sped things up.”
Ran nodded. Though convenient, it wasn’t entirely unreasonable. “And locating me? How did you manage that?” she asked.
Yukari bowed again, this time more apologetic.
“I am a youkai of a very… singular talent. Said talent makes the Sanzu River easy to navigate. Please excuse me, as I am not able to reveal anything more – it is a secret that I hold very close to my chest. It is my only trump card in this unforgiving world.”
Ran looked at the woman. Truly looked, putting all her centuries of experience to use.
The kitsune knew falsehoods like a fish knew water, and Yukari had the demeanor of a well-practiced liar. But best that Ran could tell, everything that Yukari said so far had the ring of truth.
And either way, what was the harm in listening?
“Speak,” Ran said, with an idle wave of her hand.
A flash of a smile. Yukari bowed her head.
“Excellent. In the lands to the far east, there is a blackened stone…”
The deal was good. Almost too good.
A way to regain a living body. A way to regain some of her tails. A way to speed up her plans by centuries.
All she had to do was crush the spirit of another kitsune.
The kitsune had been sealed; but Yukari noted that the seal was failing rapidly, and repairing the bindings had thus far proved hopeless. Defeating the kitsune once the seal was broken had been another proposed method – but one nearly impossible, as the fox was overwhelmingly strong. Sealing her in the first place had been an act of desperation, from warriors with no other options.
Yukari had then thought of a third possibility – inviting a powerful kitsune spirit, to possess the sealed body and throttle the nascent threat while it was still bound and relatively weak. In return, Ran could take ownership of the remains, regaining much of the strength that she had lost.
Of course, there was the concern that Yukari would just seal Ran under the stone again after her work. However, the woman had promised on her power and blood, that it would not be so. That Ran could go wherever she wished, once it was all done. That no aggression would be between them, so long as Ran did not make the first strike.
Such oaths were not said lightly, and after examining any other potential threats, Ran was satisfied.
Yukari’s “protector” had joined them once Ran had agreed to see the stone. To Ran’s surprise, the newcomer was an oni, a youkai race characterized by their immense strength and rambunctious personality. An overqualified bodyguard, and the level of power she held made something quite clear:
She was Yukari’s insurance not against the spirits of the Sanzu, but instead towards the Ran herself.
And so as they travelled beyond sight of the riverbank and into the realm of the mortals, Ran considered the “protector”. Ran found herself grinning. Personally, she hadn’t had much experience with oni. They were a common sight in the Old Hells, but rarely made inroads to the depths of the Animal Realms. This one was different from the stories, though; while Ran could see the signs of a life marked with battle, the oni was more subdued, pensive. Sticking out above her rose-shaded hair, her horns were chipped and worn; she wore the trappings of a Taoist sage, and her right hand was bandaged into a makeshift seal. Underneath the wrappings, Ran could sense no flesh and blood.
With all the hints given, Ran could make… assumptions. And with a spark of amusement, she started to speak.
“Lady Ibaraki, was it?” she asked, putting a curious tone in her voice. “We’ve not moved in the same circles, but I have heard of your stories.”
The oni only made a faint grunt in response.
“It’s an honorable thing, the pursuit of The Way. For ogres and oni, especially. Races that are characterized by their earthshaking actions, dedicating themselves to the inaction of the Tao instead. I would imagine that it was a hard choice to make.”
Another grunt. Ran hummed to herself thoughtfully, before changing tack.
“I wonder what your friends thought,” Ran said conversationally. “I know your type, as I ran in similar crowds. Oaths by the firelight, said alongside split blood mixed with heady wine. Vows and bonds that would outlast empires. Friendships like that come once in an era – your sisters in arms must be heartbroken by your choice to pursue this lonesome path.”
Ibaraki continued to say nothing. But Ran noticed the look on the oni’s face, and covered her mouth, surprised.
“Oh my. You can’t be saying… you never told them? Never ran it by them, got their opinion?”
“Your thoughts on this are irrelevant,” snapped Ibaraki, finally deigning to talk. Her voice was rough, more accustomed to yelling than speaking. “So are theirs. This is a personal choice, and I decided upon it alone.”
“But I don’t follow,” mused Ran. “Are you afraid that they won’t understand?”
“We understand each other fine. There is no issue. We are not beholden to one another, no matter our bond.”
A final push…
“Then do you fear being tested by their pleas to return? Or… in your heart of hearts, do you already know that this path of cultivation you are pursuing is but a flight of fancy?”
Ibaraki growled, the subdued nature of her mien finally giving way back towards the fierceness of the oni. The kitsune could see Ibaraki’s eyes flare with contempt, but the oni’s self-control held her back from any further threats.
“Easy!” said Ran with a laugh. “I should have known not to mock one of the greatest oni alive. Pardon my manners. As an apology, consider a gift from me to you: after I emerge victorious from my own duel, I will go alongside you - first, we can all share a drink with your friends, and make merry together. I shall help break the news of your new vocation, and we can see how your friends respond. If you trust them so, they will undoubtedly support you. After that? Maybe I will… help you punish whatever impudent warrior took your arm. Then, who knows? We might consider the cull of his family. What say you?”
The oni was strong. But Ran could see it, just within reach. That wisp of longing, and the temptation it carried.
As they currently were, the oni’s friends would never approve. It didn’t take a mind like Ran’s to know that, as obvious as it was. But Ibaraki’s thoughts were wavering. Maybe… they would? And maybe then, just maybe, that could be a justification to just … speak to them. The oni could talk openly with her old friends again. Maybe she could put off her new Path just a bit longer. Just postpone it, and not turn away fully. That was surely acceptable. It had been so lonely already; she had taken to talking constantly with the birds and beasts. And the embers of her hatred for the Taira clan had never truly faded—
Yakumo held out her fan in front of Ibaraki’s mouth, stopping any words the oni was about to say. Inwardly, Ran cursed.
“We can discuss this after your victory, Lady Daji,” said Yukari, voice cool. “You can pull your tricks then, if at all. Hopefully your skills in combat match those of your silken tongue.”
Ran stuck out her tongue in response: long, glistening and inviting. Then she laughed, and spoke no more on the topic.
The Sessho-seki “Killing Stone” was in the midst of mountain crags, upon a barren hillside where grass did not grow for leagues around. The stone itself was black with sin and covered in malevolence. The dark power whispered promises, luring any close by to their ensuing demise.
Spite seeped from the cracks of the earth. Bones, bleached white from the elements, littered the desolate slope.
But Ran remained unconcerned. She knew worse. Faced worse. Was worse. She had laid low war gods in their stations, had slew some of the best heroes that humanity had to offer. She had recovered enough strength, and on the off chance she failed, then so be it – she hadn’t made it this far without taking risks. She had forged herself first in the mortal realms, then in the constant battles of the Animal realm. An upstart fox from this backwater would not be on her level.
She tied up her dark hair behind her, ready to get to her bloody work.
“You know the terms,” whispered Yukari. “Need I remind you once more?”
“A battle to the death,” repeated Ran. “Where we fight until only one remains, or when we can fight no longer. No alliances. No quarter given. Only battle.”
“Correct. I will oversee your efforts.”
A crack of dark purple emptiness pulsed in the air, a blank picture frame on the wall of reality. Looking into it, Ran’s head spun. Had it always been there? No, Yukari had clearly opened it. But her memories… she shook her head. She cast a sideways look at Yukari, who had thus far been mostly meek and unassuming. That was why Ran had pounced after Ibaraki, as she was clearly capable; but this fissure in the air…
It boded ill. To do this so casually… Yukari was definitely more powerful than she seemed. She was someone that Ran would have to think of combatting in the future, oaths or no.
But that would come later. Taking a deep breath despite herself, Ran walked into the space between worlds.
Within the space of a blink, she was elsewhere.
Refocusing her eyes, she found herself in the blurry remnants of her old palace. Once inconceivably large by the age’s standards, now merely dusty and quaint. Shang dynasty bronzes, wooden walls painted white, with each window carved by hand… looking up, that familiar thatched roof met her eyes. Yukari had opened a door to the other kitsune’s mind – and Ran had seemingly brought along some of her old memories with her. Sweeping her eyes over the room, she noticed an old friend standing in the center of the court. A large, hollow bronze pillar, placed above a stone hearth. In it, the fire still burned.
Ran smiled fondly. She had used to personally bind dissidents on the pillar during mealtimes, enjoying the screams and smell of searing flesh as the rest of the court trembled through their meal. She traced the old wooden furniture with her hands, brushing her fingers over the hand-grinded jades, before finally making towards the gates.
As she walked, the hallways turned ever so slightly modern. The Animal Realm, as messy as it was, had advanced along haltingly with the times. Larger buildings, larger complexes. Some formed from magic rather than the labor of the mortal realm. But despite the chaos of her memories, she knew the way out. She knew the way…
Opening one final door, she looked out into an endless night. Countless stars glimmered in the sky, and the moon cast enough light to cover everything in a silver sheen.
Before her was a larger palace, in the Japanese fashion of build. And in front of it, on a simple cushion knelt another kitsune with golden hair.
Ran remembered her counterpart’s own epithet – Gold fur, white-face. Fitting.
Gold-hair stood smoothly from her position, unfolding her legs with practiced grace. Ran readied herself in response. The two opponents stood opposite one another, in front of their respective memories.
Finally, gold hair spoke. Her voice was demure, soft, sweet like honey – yet laced with a dark, sardonic amusement.
“So… you are the one that Yukari promised me?”
Before the alarm could take hold in Ran’s mind, the duel to the death began.
[To be continued]
Can't wait to see what happens next.
Ran is now 0 for 2 in spotting plots from obviously untrustworthy youkai. Dying and going to hell must have really thrown her off her game…
so the choices for this seem to have followed largely what someone else guessed, one being Daji, one being Tomamo, and the last which we have followed here being 'Ran' though up until this point it sounds like it has pretty much been a sequel to the 'Daji' options.
hmm... It almost sounds like to me (though this might be disproved in the next update.) that what might be parts of the problem (both for Ran, and thankfully for our mages.) is that this fight might've resulted in both Daji and Tomamo ripping each other apart and the leftover pieces were brought together to form the Ran that we know, thus why Daji and Tomamo bindings failing to find purchase... In fact I wonder if this contest here is in part the beginnings of the Shikigami ritual? (probably not...?)
though 'Ran' in this case might be at a bit of a disadvantage, a just brought down to 6-tails versus a 9-tails... though Tomamo's sealing and also death might even the scales a bit?
on another front, at least we see why Kasen really didn't want to hear Ran's voice in this. now hopefully we didn't skip past the reason Ran wanted a new start here (which if it doesn't happen after this, might've been via the Tomamo path?) though then again we are trying to find what is going wrong with the Shikigami ritual (or whatever is causing Ran's issue, with the Shikigami ritual being the most likely culprit.) and not trying to see as much of Ran's backstory and we would like. sooooo this seems to have worked out at the front with us taking the direct continuous route to the start of that.
>>32562
Tamamo, not Tomamo.
Yukari is involved so maybe you're right and two birds were killed with one stone in the shikigami ritual. But I guess we will see what happens in the next update.
There was a blur, in the slim in-between time from one blink to the next. When I reopened my eyes, I saw through the eyes of Ran once more.
But this time, the viewpoint was from a different angle, from a different Ran. Daji stood before her, one hip cocked, her expression confident and utterly unfazed by the strike. It had been merely a probing blow—illusions meant to test her, to provoke a reaction, to create an opening. Yet the older fox remained undaunted, the only change being the infuriating smirk now playing on her lips.
Ran could only sigh to herself. This was why fighting against other foxes was the absolute worst. Scheming a perfect approach was nearly useless, and the duels always turned… messy. There was no room for games, only a ruthless race to the other’s death.
Daji however, smirked. For all intents and purposes, it looked like the spirit was fully enjoying the confrontation. With confident steps, the fox started prowling back and forth in front of her, like a lioness before her hunt.
“Honestly, I expected something like this,” she said with a wide grin. “Waiting for me just as I was escaping the Realms, right as I was at my lowest? Way too convenient. Too perfect a reason. Maybe it’s my paranoia talking, but I wouldn’t be surprised if Yukari was the one that got my… colleagues, to stab me in the back. No worries – she’ll get her rightful due, once I’m done with you. Maybe I’ll skin that pretty hide off of you and wear it as a cloak. Gold would make for an excellent look on me, I think.”
Boisterous and uncouth—Ran felt uneasy knowing that Daji was a fox, just like her. If the foxes of old were all so lacking in subtlety, so full of bluster, she could only take solace in the thought that the march of time had refined their kind in the modern era. A small comfort.
Daji leered at her. “Ah well. Springing traps and turning the tables has ever been my specialty, so I’m not too worried. But I have to admit that I’m curious – what did she promise you, young one? Just freedom from the seal?”
Indeed, one of many promised offerings. A chance to right wrongs, and the opportunity to take her carefully curated powerbase back into her hands. Ran pondered whether she should answer before finally bowing, and opening her mouth to speak.
“It is irrelevant, Lady Daji,” she said, voice a modest whisper. “Weakened as you are, you will not live long enough for that to –”
A strike. A snarl, and a countering strike. Then, battle was joined.
Hours passed before Ran realized something was dearly, dearly wrong.
Daji was many years her senior; this was known, and accounted for. But the old fox had been wounded from her adversaries, and despite her age many of her tails had been mutilated as well. Ran had entered this fight with the utmost confidence. Her years playing the courts had made her one of the most feared youkai in the East, so much so that some even believed that she was Daji reborn.
Humorous, considering the circumstances.
Wherever she had walked, both sides of the curtain bowed to her whims. First was her hand in removing the oni from their powerbase in Mt. Ooe – a few whispered words to Abe no Seimei, and preparing Yorimitsu with the correct tools of the trade – then taking hold of the power vacuum once her adversaries had been removed, coming into the court properly as Tamano-no-mae.
Without the oni as a counterbalance, the youkai under her command had owned the countryside, and the court was stacked with her kin. Those that challenged her, she removed – sometimes personally, if she felt the need. The emperor ate out of the palm of her hand, and youkai from the farthest reaches of the empire would come to her, to grovel and pay homage. Until it all came to pass on the fateful day, where her enemies managed to pursue her onto the plains of Nasu.
And so, it was strange. Her experiences and upbringing were so different to the old fox they were like night and day. Her expertise lay in spellwork, meddling with the minds of her followers, politicking. In contrast, Daji’s skills in direct combat had been forged and strengthened over the years she had lasted in the Animal Realm. But despite all of this…
They were evenly matched. Unnervingly so.
Despite her relative inexperience, Ran felt herself become physically stronger, more capable in the clash of fang and claw – but to her growing dread, the dumb brute in front of her wove the most delicate spellwork, the type of illusions that even Ran knew was at the height of her own skill. For each blow that she landed, the old fox countered. For each illusion Daji cast, she tore through in kind.
It was as if someone was… balancing the scales. Constantly. Her mind spun. The stars in the endless night seemed to glitter, mocking her realization. Her gaze met with her opponent, and recognized that she too, had finally connected the dots. But the terms of the battle in this realm were clear:
“A battle to the death. Where we fight until only one remains, or when we can fight no longer. No alliances. No quarter given. Only battle.”
And thus, they battled. They fought through the memories of her palace in Kyoto, tearing apart the wooden pillars as they went. The endless hallways of the Animal Realm too, were rent asunder with their claws and spells. Even that ancient palace of Daji now burned, a raging inferno in the starry, cloudless night.
Another hour passed in fervent battle. And then, several more.
Still, they were matched perfectly. The scales were balanced by a hair. There was no edge. Any advantage was grinded away. The dimensional trap that Yukari Yakumo had locked them in was rigged to both their benefit, and within this realm of thoughts and memories the only fuel they had left was their will.
They fought on. Maybe for another day? Weeks? Months, even?
Ran’s mind burned, and she screamed.
Ran wept. In front of her, Ran wept also. They fought still.
How many years decades centuries millennia had passed since the agreement
in this border between minds, where time had no meaning
where the only company was dust
And this being with her own face?
The constant company/conflict had made its mark. Her memories/being were blended/merged with hers. In the brief lulls of the fighting, she could remember her youth, running free in the forests of Japan. She could recall the shining spectacle of a budding Bronze Age empire. The pain of betrayal in the Animal Realm. The lavish glamor of the imperial courts in Kyoto. The agony of the arrow that sealed her. The deals with the devil.
Like two river stones, they had been polished smooth against each other. Identical. Broken, and ground down.
No end in sight
No end to the desperation
No end to the duel that constituted her life
Was this Yakumo’s plan
Was this her punishment?
Forever?
Their palaces were naught but dust and ashes now. She couldn’t help but choke back a ragged sob. In front of her, her doppelganger mirrored her every move. The hopeless tears glistened down her cheeks and matched her own. She would have laughed then, if she had any joy in her left.
How pathetic were they? How had they underestimated Yakumo so badly? What powers did that witch have, to create such a timeless realm of suffering?
They fought on, still.
Until after uncountable years
Per the terms, there was nothing left to fight
First, was the sound of steps. Beat by beat in the featureless dust.
███ did not stir. Nor did the body next to her.
The female figure knelt down beside them. She checked the other body first, and seemed satisfied by what she saw. Then she walked next to ███.
A wave in front of her eyes. ███ did not respond. A parasol knocked roughly against the side of her head. She let it, as she looked vacantly above.
The figure laughed, and said a few more words with a mocking lilt. ███ could comprehend the words but had no drive to decipher their meaning. She stared dully, seeing and hearing, but not understanding.
But then, a snap of fingers. And as the border between thoughts finally started to close, ███ finally stirred. Even then, relief did not come, for the empty vessels could no longer understand it’s comforting embrace.
In their faded consciousness, they heard words. Questions. The moving of their shared body. The passage of epochs may have been but an instant to them; compared to the eternity of their suffering inside the starlit realm, all time felt meaningless. Eventually they came to, in a house of many doors and uncountable hallways. As they lay in bed, their shared eyes stared blankly at the ceiling. They heard an amused hum.
“No hard feelings,” said a voice sweetly. “But you would have been an absolute nightmare if I had let you be. Two youkai who had their myths wrapped up in the destruction of kingdoms? It wouldn’t be a matter of if, but when. I would have been stuck combating you two for centuries over my budding paradise, when you finally made your move. It was much easier to strike first - have you both taken out now, in one fell swoop. Really, did you know how hard it was to exhume the body of Ashiya Douman, that spiteful onmyouji, without anyone learning of it? And how hard it was to convince that taotie to take a bite?”
Amulets covered their body from head to toe. If they concentrated, they could try to grasp what was being said, but only barely. Otherwise, it was just meaningless chatter. But the woman continued to talk, both to herself and to them.
“But truly, you both were the most awful people I could ever conceive of. Peering into your minds was not something I’d like to repeat.” The voice sighed, then giggled. “Your past is still in there, as memories and the ensuing myths form the core of a youkai’s being. You’re just having trouble conceiving them as yours, with your wills ground down as they are. Nevertheless, it means that I cannot wipe all that away. But! I can re-context some things so they… make more sense, for your future.”
A finger touched their forehead, and a heavy, artificial feeling of guilt blanketed their past memories. The two clung hungrily to the emotion, embracing it, taking solace in the ugly, unfamiliar emotion. Even the unpleasant was bliss compared to their unfeeling stupor.
“Hmm. Maybe a bit too much? I don’t want you to be traumatized by it, just… unwilling to confront it, maybe. I need you to be functional, not a guilt-stricken wreck. We could weave in the idea that you wanted to make amends. Like… so.”
The guilt lessened. And they almost whimpered in panic – they didn’t want to feel nothing again. But a new sense of resolve pressed into them instead, and they drank it up greedily like a women dying of thirst. Breath came back to their lungs, as they fumbled with – and then grasped tightly – the will to continue.
“Oh ho, liked that didn’t you? Let’s make sure not to go overboard. Don’t want a holy woman to spring from the ashes; that’d be too ironic even for me. How about dedication? And loyalty. I’ll need someone at my back, if only to shield it with their own.”
More resolve, determination. Strong devotion, directed towards the one that would call herself their master, the one who had saved [destroyed] them, the sinners that they were. She had brought them into better things, a better life. That was certain.
“And of course, to keep the story straight… you were just a youkai. Singular.”
And without a single spasm or a struggle, the two accepted in chorus. The two had already thought as one, been as one for millennia, and so she did not fight back against the command. She nodded, the movement so small that it was barely noticeable.
“Excellent. Enough of the common folk believe it to be so anyway, so the existing stories should help my bindings. I’ll need to blur out the memories that state otherwise, and insert some new ones in their stead. And lock some down with adamantine bars, for that matter. But now for some… how about an interest in mathematics? You’ll need that to keep your passion for border maintenance. If I can crank it up, and make it close to a hyperfixation… there we go. Should make completing your menial tasks way easier in the future.”
And like a gardener pruning a bonsai tree, Yukari continued her work. Picking and prodding away at her being, molding her into a puppet of her liking. Yukari despised having to take care of herself – and so, the fox gained an appreciation for kitchen work, housekeeping. Yukari liked a game of Go from time to time; and so she gained the knowledge to play. Additional shikigami programming was fit onto her, so that she would be prevented from doing anything in contrary to Yukari’s general directives. And finally, a nurturing nature, so that she may watch over those close to her like a mother. Yukari reasoned that it would give her even more reason to protect Gensokyo and its border like a vigilant hawk.
Weeks went by as Yukari pinched and adjusted the fox’s personality to her liking. Ideas were applied, then discarded. Drafts were made, then thrown away. Until eventually, Yukari finalized the programming, and with a quiet whisper, breathed it to life.
The fox kitsune woke.
She got up from her futon and stretched; noticing the clock hanging on the wall, she gasped to herself, shocked at how it was already evening. With a quiet sigh and a quick reprimand to herself, the newly activated Yakumo Ran hurried into the kitchen, and started preparing dinner.
Her movements were practiced. Eggs were stirred together with professional flair, and she quickly got a stock simmering, for the other dishes to use. She knew where every ingredient was, and went through a few recipes that, in her mind, she had cooked a hundred times over. She portioned the rice into bowls that were familiar to her – but in reality, she had held for the very first time. And as Ran finished her cooking, she called down the hallway for her master to eat.
Ran still remembered that day. It had always come across as odd to her; firstly, why had that day stood out in particular, amongst her many memories?
And secondly, why Lady Yukari had looked so triumphant during the meal?
Ran woke with a ragged gasp, flinging herself upwards from the futon. I flinched, and was torn from the memory alongside her. Kasen hissed and jerked back as well, the back of her head nearly hitting the shrine walls.
The hermit's eyes were wide, unsettled by what she had just witnessed. The two of us could only turn to Ran, dreading what we might see.
The kitsune panted heavily, staring down at her trembling hands. A dreadful, warbling cry tore from her throat, and the sound sent a sharp twist of pain through my heart.
“Ah. Ah-ah ha. Ahh- ah—.”
I wrapped my arms around her without hesitation, holding her tight. She struggled against me, her tears streaming down her face.
“I’m not…,” she whispered, “I’m not… I’m not…”
I took a deep breath, and said...
[ ] Whoever you are, you’re still you. Ran.
[ ] You can be whatever you want to be – I’ll support you.
[ ] Yukari will pay for this. I’ll stand with you.
[ ] Write-ins welcome.
[X] Whoever you are, you’re still you. Ran.
I wonder if 2nd option will bite us in the ass?
Voting for [X] Whoever you are, you’re still you. Ran. but I can be convinced to switch to option 2
Yukari took the two biggest threats to her paradise, turned them against each other and then turned them into each other and then merged them so only one remained. Beautiful. Scary, but beautiful.
[X] Whoever you are, you’re still you. Ran.
[X] Whoever you are, you’re still you. Ran.
It literally can't be helped anymore. And I don't really want to encourage her to go nuts. She CAN be whoever she wants to be and get support, but that isn't the right thing to say right now when she could act out badly.
>“This recent malady aside, not living in my memories is a personal choice. Too many youkai stew in their past glories. Or tragedies, in some cases. What’s in the past is in the past. I’d much rather… go for something new.”
Now was this Ran's will or was it result of her personality modification? Going with the former while I cook up a write in.
Both option 1& 2 seem insufficient in some ways both for the same reason: at this point, because of Yukari's work, who is Ran and what does she want?
And option 3 is straight up a bad idea as Ran won't be able to say yes regardless and might be forced by the shikigami contract to react immediately.
That said, barring a good write-in, I'm going with:
[X] You can be whatever you want to be – I’ll support you.
This is a slightly reworded renewed pledge to what Ren used to calm down Ran when on the moon when I'm guessing Tamamo ( which thank you >>32563 for correcting me on, I do not know how long i have been say that wrong much less typing it, whoops.) Was coming to the fore over the bunny. So i am more partial to this than the other.
>>32569
Yeah i noticed that the desire to go for something new didn't seem to be a part of Yukari's modification... But it could be a summary of the changes... I too am hoping for the former.
[X] You've said before that you don't want to dwell in the past. That your current life gives you purpose and the power to break away from your nature. Those thoughts can't come from a personality imposed on you, they're the the result of accumulated experiences that you had. They're proof of your existence as a person and Gensokyo is your opportunity to continue and make more of them. I know damn well it's mine.
-{?} Plus, you still owe me a piece of your tail.
Hopefully this is the right thing to say and isn't too long winded for what was intended.
If it's not clear the second part is half intended to be part of the write-in. I can see actually saying that go either way in terms of emotional support.
[X] Whoever you are, you’re still you. Ran.
yo, changing my vote in >>32570 to
[X] You've said before that you don't want to dwell in the past. That your current life gives you purpose and the power to break away from your nature. Those thoughts can't come from a personality imposed on you, they're the the result of accumulated experiences that you had. They're proof of your existence as a person and Gensokyo is your opportunity to continue and make more of them. I know damn well it's mine.
not going to add the second part, I feel that isn't going to work in this situation
the other two options both seem to operate on Ran knowing who she wants to be or what she wants, but she has just found out that everything she thought she knew was just imprinted and programmed into her. of the two I lean more on my original vote as it does leave the opening of what she decides to be once she has calmed down he will support her. with the other... well she just learned that she has no idea who she is and her concept of herself is rather shot at the moment.
the write-in gives her something to ground on right now and pull her back, then she can figure it out from there.
[X] You've said before that you don't want to dwell in the past. That your current life gives you purpose and the power to break away from your nature. Those thoughts can't come from a personality imposed on you, they're the the result of accumulated experiences that you had. They're proof of your existence as a person and Gensokyo is your opportunity to continue and make more of them. I know damn well it's mine.
I'm just glad that there are people who are good at write-ins because I'm certainly not.
>>32566 here, swapping to the write in (minus the second part cuz it feels a bit soon considering the Yuuma memory we just unlocked.
[X] You've said before that you don't want to dwell in the past. That your current life gives you purpose and the power to break away from your nature. Those thoughts can't come from a personality imposed on you, they're the the result of accumulated experiences that you had. They're proof of your existence as a person and Gensokyo is your opportunity to continue and make more of them. I know damn well it's mine.
[X] You've said before that you don't want to dwell in the past. That your current life gives you purpose and the power to break away from your nature. Those thoughts can't come from a personality imposed on you, they're the the result of accumulated experiences that you had. They're proof of your existence as a person and Gensokyo is your opportunity to continue and make more of them. I know damn well it's mine.
That's a good write in
[X] You've said before that you don't want to dwell in the past. That your current life gives you purpose and the power to break away from your nature. Those thoughts can't come from a personality imposed on you, they're the the result of accumulated experiences that you had. They're proof of your existence as a person and Gensokyo is your opportunity to continue and make more of them. I know damn well it's mine.
Ya know what, I like it. 1 + 1 = 1 afterall.
[X] You've said before that you don't want to dwell in the past. That your current life gives you purpose and the power to break away from your nature. Those thoughts can't come from a personality imposed on you, they're the result of accumulated experiences that you had. They're proof of your existence as a person and Gensokyo is your opportunity to continue and make more of them. I know damn well it's mine.
What do you say to a woman whose life had been a lie? I rubbed her back gently as I held her close, feeling the dampness of her tears on my shoulder. The words came to me slowly; but they were heartfelt, and true.
“You've said before that you don't want to dwell in the past” I said. “That your current life gives you purpose and the power to break away from your nature.”
Ran’s trembling didn’t stop – but I could see her ears flick, listening to me, grasping for any lifeline that would prove her wrong. I took a deep breath, and continued.
“Those thoughts can't come from a personality imposed on you, they're the result of accumulated experiences that you had. They're proof of your existence as a person and Gensokyo is your opportunity to continue and make more of them. I know damn well it's mine.”
Ran shifted, and I got a broken laugh from her in response.
“Don’t you see?” she said quietly, grasping on to me tightly enough for it to hurt. “I don’t dwell on my past because Lady Yukari made it so. These feelings of wanting to escape from the past? They aren’t real. My determination to make myself a better person? Also a programmed, manufactured facsimile of wanting to atone. As I was, originally, I – we – had no such willingness to us. Left as we were, we would have burned down Gensokyo just for the satisfaction of feeling its warmth.”
“But—”
“My loyalty? Fake,” she murmured, in a daze. “My interests, the passions that constitute my life? Fake. Even my love for Chen, the happiness that I feel when I see her grow… would that not just be part of my fixed drive to nurture? What is left of Yakumo Ran then, if not just a… a punch card carrying out pre-programmed acts, just to cover over the filthiness beneath?”
Her breath caught. “And what… what even am I to Lady Yukari? Am I just a prized trophy, a living example of what she can do to her enemies? All the times we talked, joked, every day I woke her up for dinner… was she just laughing to herself as I did so? Did she just view me as just a ‘seal’ for her two greatest enemies to languish inside? What was all my duty even worth?”
I grimaced. What she said was right. It recontextualized all her memories as Yakumo Ran, especially those regarding to the closest people to her.
“We’ll… talk to Yukari soon,” I assured her. “We can figure out things with her, see where we stand. But we need to help you first.”
In the dim candlelight I saw Kasen stand up, and soon after I heard the sliding door click quietly as she closed the door behind her. The hermit was giving us some privacy, and for that I thanked her silently in my head.
I hugged Ran tighter. “You aren’t just a set of programming. How could you be? Even after the centuries you spent, maintaining the border and making sure it was safe? You spent multiple centuries as Yakumo Ran. Centuries living your life, carrying out your duties, interacting with everyone in Gensokyo. You’re far beyond what Yukari originally set you as.”
“You don’t know that,” whispered Ran. “For all you know, my… my feelings towards— all my emotions are predetermined. Only as real as a coded result, spat out after an input.”
I shook my head.
“I’m not you,” I replied. “But I can make a good guess. For me? Making it into Gensokyo, getting my pants scared off by the chase through your house, everything that followed after that –”
I stopped myself and sighed, running a hand through my hair before continuing on. “Whatever I was before joining up with you? I was something different. I didn’t realize it then, but I was bitter, so bitter that it was becoming poison. I lied and stole because it gave me a sense of superiority over those that I considered my betters, not because of any other purpose. A part of me very much enjoyed lying to Keine and Reimu when I was first here, finding my footing. I wouldn’t say that I’m a changed man now – life isn’t that simple – but I think I’m becoming something I’d be… happier being. And it’s only been months, Ran. I’ve changed, and you even more so. There are nations that are younger than you, even discounting your previous selves. I guess that now we know for certain that you were made with a nurturing, and mathematical mind – so what? I was born with a loose moral compass, something also out of my control. We can both choose where it goes from there.”
She chuckled, the sound rattling and unpleasant. But it was an improvement. I don’t think she’d been fully convinced, but at the very least she was no longer fully committed to the idea that she was some programmed shadow.
“You are… more philosophical than I thought you to be,” she said wryly. I tried to grin.
“I can surprise you further, but I’m betting that you’ll probably know all my tricks. The Ship of Theseus? Refutations against the Chinese Room? Despite my other inadequacies, I was classically taught in the theories of magic. And if humans want to perform the mental gymnastics necessary to bend the world to our will, philosophical sophistry is always part of the curriculum. If you’re up for it, we can debate if I have any free will at all.”
She laughed again, and I chalked it up as another win. I patted her back gently.
“Get some rest— you’ve been through a lot tonight. We have the room till morning. I’ll talk to Kasen to see if she has any advice for us, and I’ll come straight back to you. I promise.”
She nodded slightly. Weakly. I laid her back on the futon and tucked her under the covers. I gently helped her remove her tabard and hat, and soon her eyes fluttered shut, drained from everything that had transpired. As I brushed her hair from her face, a sharp pang twisted in my chest. Part of me hated the idea of leaving her alone, but there were things I needed to settle before tomorrow arrived.
Stepping out, I found Kasen standing outside the room, head bowed in thought. She gave me a quick nod down the hallway, motioning for me to follow. The hermit held another candle in her hands, and I padded after her carefully in the flickering light.
“Did you… know any of this?” I whispered, unable to stop myself.
“I suspected some of it. But even I was surprised at how deeply unpleasant it was,” she replied. The hermit’s voice was tight, controlled. “Don’t worry about keeping your voice down, by the way. Reimu had requested the entire house, down to the individual rooms, soundproofed after one too many parties at her shrine. I heard nothing of what you said to Ran.”
She led me over to an area that looked like Reimu’s dining room, and she placed her candle on the low table as I sat down beside her. Kasen looked over at me, and sniffed.
“From your lack of shock at what I am, who I am – I must assume that you learned that somewhere beforehand?”
I caught the look on her face. A bit of tired amusement had crept into her expression, and I could only laugh quietly in response.
“Uh. Yeah. Ibaraki Douji, right? I never told anyone, so please don’t worry on that front.”
Kasen snorted and said, “I thought as much. Ran, crafty as she is, must have told you in case you needed additional leverage over me. But rest assured, I do not have any… hostile reasons for my lack of transparency. I am working on something that would greatly diminish in effect if I was completely open with my identity.”
“Does it have to do with Reimu?”
Kasen’s eyebrow twitched. “…Did Ran tell you that too?” she asked suspiciously.
“No,” I said hurriedly. “A lucky guess? Logically, it would just make a lot of sense – your frequent visits to the shrine and all.”
Kasen steepled her fingers, letting out an exasperated sigh. “Figures. Well, don’t be overly alarmed. Consider what I’m planning… a test, of sorts. The shrine maiden will walk away from it with no permanent harm. I would request that you keep this secret between us, before it all pans out. Could you agree to that much?”
I thought about it, and nodded. “As long as it’s as you say – Reimu is unharmed, happy at the end of all this.”
“Oh, I have no doubt that she will be,” Kasen replied wryly. But then, she cleared her throat. “But apologies for my off-topic tangent; of course we have other, more pressing issues to discuss.”
I nodded, straightening up. Kasen continued.
“Yakumo Ran; firstly… no, I did not know that Yukari’s machinations ran that deep. Neither did I know that Ran’s change of character was non-consensual, for the lack of a better term. I avoided the kitsune because of my own unpleasant encounter, as you saw – but after Ran found her place at Yukari’s side, all the rumors of her painted an excellent picture of rehabilitation. I would even say that I was – how should I say it? Encouraged, by proof that a youkai was able to make such a clean break from her past. While I was always a bit nervous around Ran, the fact that she had made such a drastic change and come out the other side… well, it aided my resolve in committing to my path.”
“Ironic,” I couldn’t help but mutter. Kasen nodded in agreement.
“Indeed. The worst part is that despite Yukari’s abhorrent methods, I can’t even place full blame on the sage. It may not have come across fully in her memories, but Ran – or rather, one of her – has an absolutely horrifying way of drawing out the worst parts of a person. She caught onto what was arguably my only weakness at the time, and immediately started to work on it. I will… still have words with the youkai sage, but if Yukari turned it on me and asked what I would have done in her stead, I’m afraid I would have no good answers.”
That was the crux of it. If Daji had cause for it, she would have no doubt done worse to Yuuma, and betrayed her thrice over. And successful or no, she would have tried her best to turn Kasen from her self-chosen path of virtue; if not out of a practical cause, then perhaps amusement. Tamamo-no-mae was much the same way, if much less direct in her methods. They were both wicked, moral vacuums in the guise of kitsune.
“And so,” said Kasen, observing me closely. “What would you do, if she decided to… rediscover herself, embrace all her memories? If after considering all the pent-up anger that she held against her master, decided to unleash her previous selves onto Gensokyo?”
“She wouldn’t,” I said immediately. The Ran I knew, and her selves in the visions were far too different. I could scarcely believe they shared the same past. However, the hermit shook her head slowly.
“The being of Yakumo Ran is true, as much as any youkai would consider one of their facets to be ‘true’. But the circumstances of Yakumo Ran’s creation has also made her a ‘mask’. Therefore, now that the entirety of Ran understands it is as being a creation of another, the mask will start to chafe. Her sense of identity will likely start to fray. I suspect the process has started even before we conducted tonight’s ritual. Even before the mage’s attacks, maybe.”
I ran my fingers along the wooden grain of the table, frowning.
“There’s no way to reverse it?” I asked. Kasen bit her lip.
“I am… unsure. But I suppose that if it had been done once by Yukari Yakumo, then reason follows that her methods can be carried out again. Ran’s memories of her previous selves would likely need to be blurred, however. Like they had been before. It is simply too unstable for all of them to stand together in a same mind – a dominant will will eventually arise, and there is no guarantee it will be Ran’s. Still though, it’s an avenue worth considering.”
“If we go with that avenue, it seems like we’ll be back to square one. And we just managed to finally get to the truth as well.”
Kasen shrugged. “In the roughest sense I suppose. Not to play devil’s advocate, but don’t toss that idea to the wayside too easily. Youkai live long lives. In a similar scenario, there are cases where storytellers gradually forget parts of a youkai, and ultimately ‘reinvent’ their beings into something drastically different from what they previously were. But all that aside, let me give you some facts.”
She held up three fingers.
“One: if you are looking for an active solution for Ran’s unique situation, then I personally cannot help you much. This is far, far beyond my area of expertise. Secondly: please, I beg you, do consider the ramifications of letting her alter egos step back to the wheel. And thirdly…”
She looked at me straight in the eyes.
“I am of the firm belief that a youkai can change. The reason behind all my current efforts, all this planning, all this fucking rigamarole is dedicated to that sole belief. That if enough effort is put into it, even a youkai tiger can change its stripes, and more importantly? Keep them changed. I don’t care what conventional wisdom says. I’ll do it, or die trying. Take from that what you will – but keep that in mind when you and Ran figure things out, alright?”
I nodded quickly; a bit shocked from the sudden passion in her words. The hermit had started standing up mid-speech, emphasizing each of her sentences with a shake of her finger. She blushed, catching herself, but decided to remain standing.
“Well. Hmm. In any case, all I’d ask for is to consider my words. It’s time for me to return to my home – my pets are likely getting restless. Please do keep me in the loop if able, and please feel free to seek any further help. But as I said, there’s not much I can directly do.”
“You’ve helped us out so much, and we definitely owe you a favor already. Thank you for your advice, Kasen,” I said earnestly. I stood up as well, following behind her as we walked towards the shrine doors.
“It’s fine,” she replied, waving away my thanks. “I feel that despite my –”
The moment that Kasen opened the sliding door leading to the outside, we were greeted with a blast of noise. Villagers tussled and pushed at each other in an all-out, drunken brawl, and the skies were filled with haphazard danmaku that were going off like fireworks. Youkai and human alike flew through the air, bottles in hand, joining in a frenzied free-for-all that would make even the roughest football hooligan shed tears of joy. I had to duck to avoid a green bullet that flew uncomfortably close by my head. It left a singe mark on the wooden wall behind me.
As we watched, a familiar red streak flew through the air, peppering several crowds of youkai with paper amulets. The youkai scattered, but a couple were caught by seals and swiftly downed. The rest continued hooting and hollering, blowing raspberries at the shrine maiden that was still hot in pursuit.
“Uh, hey! Mr. Ren?”
I looked to the side. A few feet away, I saw Mystia lying on the floor, trying in vain to peel off an amulet that had her stuck to the ground.
Unlike when the night sparrow had been manning her stand in the forest, she was no longer in her domestic get up, apron and all. Instead she wore a dark rocker’s outfit, with heavy eyeshadow and vicious looking nails. She had sunglasses on, even when it was close to midnight, and heavy lace-up boots completed the ensemble. I hadn’t seen her during the festival, but she had clearly come to party.
“A little help here?” she said timidly.
Well, it was the same person at least – clothes or no. A bit overwhelmed by the whole situation, I walked over and helped unstick her from the shrine grounds. The amulet had been keyed to youkai, and as a human I managed to work it off with not much hassle. Soon, she was standing up right next to us; and trying her best not to poke anywhere important with her nails, Mystia took my hand gingerly and shook it.
“Thank you, thank you! Gods only know how long I’d be there if you didn’t come along. Miss Reimu’s on a rampage, and uh, I probably really need to get going. It’s getting a bit ridi—”
“Wait, wait,” Kasen interrupted. “What happened out here? We just went into the shrine to talk a bit, and now –”
Mystia puffed up her cheeks. Then she said, “Well, what did Miss Reimu expect? You’d think she’d know to cut the booze supply before it got too out of hand, as any good restaurateur would, but what would a dumb bird know? Right? Anyway, some people lost the bet on the first duel, then because of that there were several other duels that came after, and then before you know it—”
Fights, more fights, and sore losers. Drunk sore losers. Well… judging from the current crowd of humans, it was a mercy that the only people who stayed this late were ones that were accustomed to this rough and tumble sort of fun. The families had long since vacated the premises after the fireworks, and Ran’s duel with Reimu.
Not too far away, a dog-eared youkai yelped and was slammed hard into the remains of a takoyaki stand by a ying-yang orb. The rest of the wood swiftly crumbled on top of him, burying him inside its ruins. Mystia squawked, rapidly made more stammered excuses and left. She fluttered through the air as fast as she could, drawing a wide berth away from the raging shrine maiden.
I guess Reimu had found her Aesop of the day. As the red streak in the air continued to scramble and try to contain the mess, Kasen could only groan with her face in her palms.
“Nope. Nope. I’m not helping her out of this one,” the hermit muttered. She then looked to me with a plaintive look in her eyes.
“That room of yours, would you mind if I… stayed, and meditated there for the night? I’m not going to try to bust out of this chaos at this point in the night – I’m way too sober for that.”
I nodded. “You got that room for us in the first place, and it’s big enough for all of us. I think we all need a rest. It’s been a long day.”
Her expression brightened, and we hurried back into the shrine. It was a short distance – with Kasen by my side the trip was a smooth affair. Once inside, we shut the door firmly behind us and got back to our room.
With a quiet “goodnight,” Kasen assumed a lotus position by the door and fell silent. I extinguished the remaining candles one by one, and in the darkness, I awkwardly settled beside Ran, leaning my back against the wall.
I listened to her breath, and watched the rise and fall of her chest. And I thought about the future, before uneasy dreams took me as well.
Several decisions can be made at this point, for tomorrow and beyond.
Chen
[ ] Privately tell Chen what we learned. We could get her help in dealing with Ran’s problems.
[ ] Stay silent on the topic. Ran can tell Chen if she wishes to. It’s her right.
Kijin Seija
[ ] Decide what to do with her once tomorrow comes. We made our promise with Reimu.
[ ] Ran is probably in no state to carry out the amanojaku’s sentencing. Try to delay or push it off onto someone else. Maybe we can owe Kasen another favor? Or someone else?
We will also talk with Ran tomorrow on what our future directions could possibly be – but if you have any ideas in advance, feel free to write-in. The one for this update was great.
[ ] Write-in
[X] Privately tell Chen what we learned. We could get her help in dealing with Ran’s problems.
[X] Ran is probably in no state to carry out the amanojaku’s sentencing. Try to delay or push it off onto someone else. Maybe we can owe Kasen another favor? Or someone else?
Mystia mentioned, lets goooooo!
[X] Stay silent on the topic. Ran can tell Chen if she wishes to. It’s her right.
[X] Decide what to do with her once tomorrow comes. We made our promise with Reimu.
I'll let the write-ins to the experts.
Food for thought: Reimu recently admonished Ren and Ran for not being looped into important matters. Given what could happen if Ran regressed, this is something she would very much need and want to know.
Also, Miko could be useful for detecting Ran's more subconscious desires. The trick is not letting the latter know when owl girl is around so Ran's thought's don't auto-adjust.
[X] Privately tell Chen what we learned. We could get her help in dealing with Ran’s problems.
my reasoning for this is actually similar to >>32583 regarding Miko (though considering why we went to Kasen is still true in this case and going to Miko is going to come with consequences...) as Chen being Ran's Shikigami might be one of our better chances of getting forewarning of something happening to Ran before we end up with Tamamo attempting to seduce us into letting her become the dominant personality (or Daji attempting to eat us or something.)
and considering she already knows that something is happening to her mother figure, its probably best to bring her into the know as soon as possible... I am open to
[X] Ran is probably in no state to carry out the amanojaku’s sentencing. Try to delay or push it off onto someone else. Maybe we can owe Kasen another favor? Or someone else?
Considering that Seija already set off Ran earlier before this got bad and has a habit of loudly poking things, (not unlike Daji did to Kasen wayyyy back.) ...yeah right now is NOT a good time to have Ran end up around the Amanojaku.
while I don't think its best to get Miko involved... yet, especially with the reasoning why we went for Kasen, I do agree that we should at least discuss with Ran letting Reimu know. (though checking back to before the party Reimu asked us to come to her when it came to matters of killing humans... but still this probably should be something she gets a little forewarning about.)
[X]write-in
-[x]discuss with Ran in the morning letting Reimu know about the possibility of the other personalities emerging.
[X] Stay silent on the topic. Ran can tell Chen if she wishes to. It’s her right.
[X] Decide what to do with her once tomorrow comes. We made our promise with Reimu.
Chen
[X] Stay silent on the topic. Ran can tell Chen if she wishes to. It’s her right
Kijin Seija
[X] Ran is probably in no state to carry out the amanojaku’s sentencing. Try to delay or push it off onto someone else. Maybe we can owe Kasen another favor? Or someone else?
She was willing to cooperate with people that tried taking down two important linchpins to Yukari's power and consequently the Barrier. She absolutely needs to fuck off.
Following from the last statement,
>All I want is for you to ask for help, and stop keeping things like this from me. Especially for things like this, that have far-reaching results for all of Gensokyo –”
>Reimu clasped her hand to her forehead. “Are you expecting me to know everything that happens in Gensokyo now? Without people telling me?”
I get the feeling Reimu's not in the mood for another crises with no info.
[X] Loop Reimu in on Ran's situation. The Shikigami of one of the sages may be out of commission for the time being and possibly compromised. As the primary guardian of Gensokyo, this may end up as her responsibility.
On a meta note, if I understand the game timelines correctly, this happens after ULIL, where Reimu really shows the player how responsible she actually is. I can't imagine she wouldn't want to help Ran.
on the Chen front while I do think that Ran needs to be involved with the telling of Chen... either way I think it is really important that she does get told. the person she is a Shikigami of, and thus an incredible, if not total control over her might have two other personalities beginning to emerge that might start using her against Ran (and each other.) (and that's just on actions that she'll be able to do, I don't think we want to see what happens to a shikigami that gets it with the equivalent of one of those AI paradoxes!) and so even if Ren isn't the one to tell Chen about this I would at least suggest adding a write-in to encourage Ran to get it done asap. especially if we are getting Reimu in on this.
speaking of, I am swapping out my Write-in in >>32584 (i.e. [UNDO]write-in
-[UNDO]discuss with Ran in the morning letting Reimu know about the possibility of the other personalities emerging. )
for:
[X] Loop Reimu in on Ran's situation. The Shikigami of one of the sages may be out of commission for the time being and possibly compromised. As the primary guardian of Gensokyo, this may end up as her responsibility.
also speaking of Sages... Yukari called Ran via phone when Ren broke into Mayohiga so she's somewhat aware of things and contactable... sooo what is she up to? (prepping for the perfect possession incident? that's around the corner, but would she have been acting this early?)
[X] Stay silent on the topic. Ran can tell Chen if she wishes to. It’s her right
[X] Ran is probably in no state to carry out the amanojaku’s sentencing. Try to delay or push it off onto someone else. Maybe we can owe Kasen another favor? Or someone else?
[X] Loop Reimu in on Ran's situation. The Shikigami of one of the sages may be out of commission for the time being and possibly compromised. As the primary guardian of Gensokyo, this may end up as her responsibility.
Ran is going to be gone when we come back, isn't she?
also Chen is probably going to be very upset in the near future not being told... especially if/when Reimu was told first, and more especially since it means that her mother figure has 2 strangers that are trying to take over her... well being and with it will have a frightening amount of control over Chen... and if Ran isn't up to telling her now might result in her getting hit with an example of that without warning.
Just have to hope Ran is up to tell Chen right away.
