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>>33879 Thanks to everyone for being patient.
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[x] Head towards the sound of knowledge.
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You figure that it wouldn’t hurt to look around a bit. The school is rather small, and you have some confidence that Reimu can find you rather easily anyhow. It’s not like you’re leaving the building, right?
Walking towards the door, you can hear the sound of lecturing...
No...
That would be the sound of teaching. The speaker seems rather passionate about what she seems to be teaching, a distant cry from the typically dry, unenthusiastic droning of your previous lecturers, (besides your master, of course,) and the content seems to be very... elementary in nature.
Of course it would be elementary, you figure, taking another quick glance around you. The size of all the shelves and various shoes and bits of kit all seem to be smaller than normal. This is a children’s school. Nonetheless, you find the sound of such dedicated education to be irresistible, and you peek in through the crack in the door.
---
“So who can tell me when the Hakurei Barrier was raised?”
“Miss Keine! Miss Keine!”
The sound of little children clamouring for attention has always been understandably loud. The class is packed with the tykes, in various states of uniform and alertness. Most of them have their hands up, waving them at the unseen front of the class, frantically trying to catch her attention. The few who do not have their hands up are either desperately writing up something in their notebooks, or looking very bored. There are a couple of empty desks though.
Very interestingly, you can see a small blue-haired fairy sitting near the back of the class, doodling on her notebook, not quite paying attention to the mood in the class. It’s fairly obvious, given the presence of her crystalline wings. You’re now not quite sure about what other magical creatures are in this class.
“Let me answer! Puh-lease!”
“I know this, I know!”
You can’t help but smile, watching the sights within. You continue scanning across the room, trying to get a better glimpse of the front when a bored, brown-haired girl sitting close to the door briefly makes eye contact with you. Her hand immediately shoots up.
“Miss.”
Keine’s voice immediately responds, and the whole class goes silent.
“Yes Suzume?”
The girl points at your eye.
“Someone’s at the door.”
The entire class turns to stare at you.
Keine coughs politely, “Whoever’s there, you’re very welcome to come in and join us.”
Well.
You let yourself into the room, returning the door to its partially open state as you walk in. The whole class breathes a collective sigh of interest, and you can hear whispers being passed around the group. Keine herself seems to be quite unfazed at your appearance and merely gestures to you to sit at one of the empty desks, which you do so.
---
An interesting ten minute history of Gensokyo follows, and you learn of the formation of the Great Hakurei Barrier, the border between Earth and Gensokyo, delivered in the gentle, patient tones of Miss Kamishirasawa.
Reimu’s family have been custodians of the border, and by extension the well-being of Gensokyo for a great many years now, which does well to explain why Reimu is so heavily armed. The children around you listen in rapt attention, collectively rushing as a group to answer Keine’s questions, as well as in asking their own. Her manner is very calming, and her knowledge of the subject seems to be very thorough.
Scanning around the room whilst the children have their curiosities sated, you can see Reimu’s eye peeking in through the gap in between the door and the doorframe, before disappearing again.
As Keine is about to begin talking about the village, you can hear a bell ringing, just outside the school. The class as a whole, groans in disappointment, and begins to pack their things. The blue fairy stands, yawning as she glides away, outside. Keine merely remains seated at her desk whilst the children file out.
As Suzume finally leaves the room, she gives you one last glance, before darting off with her friends.
Keine stands, and walks over to you, her face very calm and neutral.
“Hello there, Mr...?”
“Ambrose.”
“Mr Ambrose. My name is
Keine Kamishirasawa. I must ask you to avoid interrupting my classes in the future. Most of my students aren’t as interested in history, so it’s a rare opportunity for me.”
“Right. Sorry, I was just curious.”
She adjusts her glasses, smiling.
“Curiosity is always something to be nurtured. I’ve not seen you around the village before. Are you a new arrival?”
“Yes, actually. I was just coming here with Reimu-“
“Reimu’s here, you say?”
Keine seems particularly pleased, actually clapping in excitement at the mention of Reimu.
“Y-yes, she was right outside the room just a minute ago,”
Right on cue, Reimu sticks her head into the room, slightly flustered, probably by the swarm of little children. She sidles into the room, sitting atop the desk next to you,
“Morning Keine,” she says, “I’ve brought you another one.”
“Is he a relation of Sakuya’s, a brother perhaps?”
Reimu smirks, “Second time someone’s asked,”
“Third, actually,” you interject, “I’m pretty sure Marisa made the comparison the day I arrived.”
The three of you remain silent for a moment.
Keine coughs politely again, turning to you,
“I assume you’re here to ask about the village then?”
“I’d be interested in the history,” you begin, “But right now I was hoping to learn more about any customs and rules I should know about whilst I’m in the village.”
The teacher smiles as she walks up to the chalkboard, erasing her lesson notes from earlier,
“Well... The village is a safe haven for humans in Gensokyo, and is home to several thousand humans and a couple of youkai. We are mostly a farming village, so I’m afraid you won’t be able to get many of the things you may be familiar with in the outside world...” she hesitates, “What year did you come from?”
“What year?”
She nods, “Mmm, yes, what year. Being in a sort of pocket world, people wander into Gensokyo from all sorts of time periods, and Yukari is not too picky about where and when people come from when she decides to bring them along with her. Are you familiar with electricity?”
You nod.
“Television?”
You nod.
“How about home computers?”
You distinctly remember something about personal computers, so you nod.
Keine turns to Reimu, “My my, he’s very recent, isn’t he?”
“I wouldn’t know,” Reimu says, swinging her feet freely, “I don’t particularly care about electricity.”
“In any case, I’m afraid the village has no source of electricity, so if you were hoping to use any sort of scientific device then you will have to approach Yukari for some aid in finding power for them. But I do believe the kappa will eventually get around to figuring out how to make electricity for the village, without blowing things up.
Uhm... As for customs, the village is pretty normal. Most of the villagers are Japanese though, so there is a distinct eastern-dominated culture here. I’m sure Reimu will be more than happy to explain anything related to religious festivals and the like when they come around.”
Reimu shrugs, “Alright then,”
“Mmm. The village has no real rules, mostly things like, please try not to hurt anyone, and please don’t let your children wander too far outside the village without an adult... mostly common-sense rules. Do you have any special abilities by any chance?”
“I’m a magician.”
“Ooh. Please try not to use flashy magic in the village, then. Some of the villagers don’t particularly like magicians, so it would be best not to antagonise them,” she says, waggling her finger at you, “No magical trickery, no dangerous spells, and please play danmaku outside the village; it can get a bit rough.”
You nod. No magic spells to be used in the village, if possible. Keep danmaku out of the village. Play nice. Use your common sense.
Simple enough.
Keine finishes writing up the ‘rules’ , placing the white chalk back onto her desk,
“I suppose... do you intend on staying in Gensokyo?”
You quickly think. You’ve still no idea what you were supposed to be doing back on Earth. Returning now would be frankly pointless. Besides, most of the people here are friendly and helpful.
“At the moment, it seems like I will be staying. But for now, I’m staying with Reimu.”
Keine looks at Reimu, who merely gives her a look of disbelief, shaking her head urgently,
“Hurm... well, I suppose there isn’t much else I can say about the village. Any questions so far?”
[] “Are there any interesting places around the village?”
[] “Is there anyone in the village I should know about?”
[] “May I ask about the fairy in the class, earlier?”
[] “Could you tell me about yourself?”
[] “Nope, no questions at all, so we’ll be heading off to...
---[] the market square.”
---[] the Myouren temple.”
---[] Kourindou.”
---[] nowhere in particular.” *
*
This option will cause you to just walk around the village aimlessly.
