Having heard enough of their banter, you no I ERGO ME decide to sneak my way back to the entrance, it shouldn’t be too hard since again they’re pretty carefree and busy with conversation.

Okay first float away slowly until you almost cannot see them and skedaddle! “Meow” shall be the prelude to their doom, for I am the one soaring in the darkness, the one that will make these ruins their prison of moderately low quality with high quality fervor and determination. The one and only:

“Did I hear something?” Oh shit, enough self-monoblobbing for realsies! Ahem back the gate, knock on the door and make cat noises to indicate the door needs to be opened N O W.

Knock Knock “Who’s there?” come on please don’t forget comrade “Again who’s there?” “Meow” “Meow who?” “Yoshika…are you for real?” before I can let out a sigh of frustration the door opens once more and the way outside alongside Yoshika is revealed once more “Nah, hurry and get out. I can see people floating to-“ Quickly I hurry out of the cave and with a ERRNNNNN noise the door closes again.

“Barricade time?” nodding a firm yes to that, Yoshika tugs her head towards the large amount of big trees and rocks she must have collected while waiting. Technically she did not move her neck at all but I understood the gesture regardless and it is with that plan agreed on, that our construction begins!


Well when I say our it was mostly Yoshika, when I managed to put down 1 rock she was already doing her fifth but muscle comparing aside what was once a magnificent stone door is now a magnificent stone door covered by a bunch of rocks and trees all over it, Now noone can escape!

“Hey Yoshika” Calling to my comrade, I want to ask her an question.

“Yeah?” She doesn’t look at me since she’s busy but responds anyway

“I think I have an problem”

“Are you wounded? Hurt? Dead inside?”

“Wait I’m dead?”

“Maybe? Do you feel alive?” that question really doesn’t make me feel better.

“Back to the main subject, I think I’m hearing a weird voice in my head”

“So you’re possessed?”

“Let me finish first, this voice keeps describing whatever I see and do with my own voice despite the fact I’m not saying anything out loud! Is that normal? I’m hearing noise where there shouldn’t be any and it’s really distracting me”
“…..” Dropping her last rock, she walks over and puts an hand on my forehead for some reason “Are you stupid?” And now she’s insulting me… “Hey no! don’t be sad. Didn’t mean it like that. What I meant to say is that's it's like breathing? Natural!”

She starts to make a drawing on the ground, seem like it’s a mini me and two other notes I don’t understand “Look this is you, and this is your INNER voice while this is OUTER voice uuh one second this is hard” frowning she gathers her own thought and then speaks again “Look, when you go AAAH and the noise comes out of mouth that is outer voice, you make noise because you want to talk. When you go AAH I AM GOING TO DIE and no noise comes out of mouth, that is INNER noise get it? You’re not talking to anyone but yourself. that's thinking"

Hmm “So there’s another me in my head? ”

“No, no,no” looking up the sky as if the answer is there, she hesitates “Ugh, is hard to explain and even harder if I have to. Ask master later and focus on work now. It is YOUR voice so just listen to it for now” and so she ends the conversation with a firm nod.

BANG BANG BANG!

Just on time too, something or someone seems to bash against the stone door to try and free itself, unlucky to be them cause even if they do manage to break the door down all they’ll meet is even more obstacles!

You’d love to hear them rage and go Why isn’t the door opening!? but sadly the door seems to block out most sounds so I’ll have to go with imagination.

However for some reason, water starts to leak out beneath the rocks, did they dig up and hit a river or something? It doesn’t seem tha- and it’s the dark haired girl. The puddle of water turned into a girl.

“Ahoy there! Listen up you two for I will say this only once” taking out her odd metal crowbar? She raises it up and points it at us “Move out of the way for this cave is now mine!”

Naturally, neither of us move and try to encircle her.

but she’s perceptive and goes up into the air “Now, that’s not really reasonable now is it?
First you try to bury me and my friend alive, create some weak looking goon to 2v1 me and now you also use pack tactics? Man Dead girl you are one sore loser." with a snort she twirls her weapon theatrically, all eyes on just Yoshika "Anyway I’m in a good mood so I’ll allow your rematch just this once. Not like it will change anything” she says a bunch more stuff but at this point you’re just waiting for her to reveal an opening. Nevertheless her confidence is disarming, and her ignoring you a tad insulting.

“ You talk too much PIRATE ” on the other side, Yoshika looks like she’s barely containing her rage, whatever alleged loss she suffered still clear on her mind.

Then she looks back at me “Leave this to me, this is personal”

“Ah holding a grudge are we? “Stab thee hell’s heart” says the foolish captain before the whale dra-" whatever metaphor she was going for is interrupted as Yoshi's fist meet her face with a loud crack , who then grabs the foe's neck with her other hand and goes for an devastating headbutt!....only for it to meet nothing, and to be pushed away by an wave of water.

“Really a sore loser, but not a bad punch" Flickering? Swooshing? back into existence, the girl seems completely unharmed as she does an reprimanding motion with her finger "Tsk, tsk, tsk, but that's a foul move zombie girl, you're breaking the spell-card rules here. Are you sure you want that?"

Yoshika simply returns to the ground, gives a mean glare alongside a rude “ Rude word You and the spell cards, MY graveyard means MY rules...get out or get with it”

"..Good, good, now that's really going to be fun! it's been a while since I got to let loose too" on the other hand her opponent seems outright cheery, as if they're going to play a fun game together.
"Anyway, see this hm rock here? the moment it drops to the ground, these cannons will be launched"

Yeah, they're both out for blood, fully immersed in their own little arena.

But what do I do here?

[] This looks like something they have to deal with themselves.
[] I don’t care much for personal battles, the graveyard matters most.
[] Seek help from Master! Wait I don’t know where she is…but I do know where theirs lives.
[]....That door still needs to be painted no? well some part is still reachable.
[] Maybe I should listen to the..., maybe I should think of something else (write in)

Had to rewrite this bit a few times since damn fight scenes are hard to not make boring. Will await your votes warmly. also Happy soon weekend!

[X].... That door still needs to be painted no? well some part is still reachable.

You sure about that brain? I had half an mind to stay and cheer for our comrade but on second thoughts she’s not in the mood to receive such cheers of good spirit, nor would she like to be distracted so good point to ya!..or to me! Maybe us even!

But first just a tiny peek, it's the principle of the thing
Both contestants, rivals, hate lovers? Actually let me do that again:

Two destined foes about to wallop each other…Two destined foes about to clash lie before us.

On one side we have the loyal corpse, the senior guardian clothed in red and black with the power to devour all: Yoshika Miyako!
On the other we have the uh Sailor girl with a crooked looking crowbar thing ergo the clothed in white and blue: Sailor Girl!

Their gazes meet and I swear I can see actual thunder coming from the tension be-

The air was abruptly filled with more crowbars, a wave of heat and light enveloping them as they smashed into the ground with a force greater than meteors, trailing behind them were hundreds of smaller blue bullets that exploded outwards once the former hit the ground leading to a stream of projectiles that were everywhere at such an insane speed that even a bug could not squish through.. “Good luck trying to pass through an impossible spell card, they’re lethal by the way. One hit and you’l-“ Yoshika would have to act quickly, go on the defensive or use a bomb, anything!

But she did neither, actually moving towards the barrage of bullets with a unrelenting pace there was no fear or hesitation in her eyes as the bullets hit their mark “Talk too much” the onslaught so fierce the prize for it were two eyes and one arm? Wait she threw the last one, but the foe dodged. “Bullets” were an understatement, here the proper term was spheres of magical destruction that would rip your skin off by sheer contact if not worse! “Shouldn’t you be cheering for your friend? Not to say I dislike the praise but it’s not helping anyone” That’s a good statement but someone must be the spectator, it’s the rules of conflict! “Suit yourself”

Proper spectating aside I’m getting a bit worried here. Now in arm’s reach of the sailor, Yo- no the head of our comrade shines with an purple glow, upon which a purple pentacle surrounds her that makes all of the bullets home towards he- Wait what is she doing!? That’s tactical suicide! “She’s mad all right, honestly expected more from her” even Sailor girl agrees with me!

Recovery “Heal by desire” Ah, AH! No longer restrained by the rules consuming the bullets was her go to tactic, the sheer quantity of them immediately returning one’s health back to full if not more.
However that wasn’t all, a hurricane of red kun kun thingies meet Sailor Girl’s back, the source of which is the former right arm! “Nope” ….and they simply pass through her as if hitting nothing.

A foe that can’t be hurt meets a foe that can’t be hit.
Somehow that ruins the entire appeal of the fight, what’s the point if nothing happens!?
Yeah, I’ve had enough of seeing this and with that Garr D Anne leaves the fight.

That door ain't painting itself, so I head off to my favorite spot in this place.

============================Undead girl is hopping, please wait warmly======================

The Grand hut of Grand ideas and Grand dreams, also known as the tool hut if you want to be lame, is a red hut built by red bricks with a red roof and red walls and is all in all red on the outside but the fun part is inside so let’s go in. INSIDE the GGG is a smallish? room filled with fun goodies:

A Firethingy where you put wood in to make the fire, a storage closet in which lies the Paint bucket (White color, flammable) and Paintbrush (Less flammable) , an Shovel, some Candles, Cans of food with dry meat in it (Not tasty), A Med kit, Some water and towels if you ever want to take bath at the well nearby, and a small bed but why am I detailing all this when the whitewash is all that matters.

Back on track is where we should be so I go ahead and pick them up only to see an enemy!

[] A jiangshi wearing traditional Chinese burial clothes with long braided hair (and a Qing dynasty hat with some high quality feathers)!
[] Some other cloth fashion, as long as it’s fancy (write in).

Wait, never mind that’s just me. Scared by my own reflection how silly.


Anyway making my way back to the Stone Door while ignoring the somehow still ongoing fight, I start my amaziiiiiiiiiiing handiwork~, one could even sing it.

♭ Painting the wall, painting the wall, gotta make it look nice and all!
Smearing the wall white with white wall paint, let’s hope no one sees the difference ♭

♭ Painting the wall, painting the waaall, gonna ignore the fierce battle calls~. ♭
♭Dyeing the door, tinting the palisade. Making this dull mess into a MASTERpiece♭
♭I’m the greatest painter in this yard, and the work should soon be done♭
♭This doesn’t rhyme but I don’t care for my work is done and I’m the greatest Nale? ♭

And I’m done, behold the masterpiece that is the WHITE WET stonedoor, sure there are still some scratches, dirt, bunch of trees and rocks on it but at least the paint is new.

This should count as my great deed of today, yes sir oh yes sir people will make legends of this.

As I turn around and walk back, I see both girls in surrounded by craters and debris. Both too exhausted to keep fighting and holding onto each other to stay up. Yup, noone can fight forever and this is the result

“W-why uugh, do you NOT stay down? I'm fighting for my friend here, doesn't that make me the underdog!” Sailor girl says with an I want to go home and lie in bed, but first I’ll choke the hell out of you voice, coincidentally she’s also strangling Yoshika.

“Y-aou aah fierst” is her answer by the way, though the being choked part makes it not easy to say.

“Look, we can do this all day and nothing would come off it. ju..just call it a draw” Sailor girl responds

“Noooooaaaaaaa” Yoshika responds responds.

“I haaaaaate youuuuuu” both of them say in sync as they collapse, quite the timing really.

Is it me or is this kind of an anti climax? just me?

Enough about me then and let’s see the situation here.

Two girls are knocked out, my clothes are covered in splashes of paint since I’m a clumsy cu-nope no swearing I'm well-behaved also there’s another girl locked inside the cave leading to the mausoleum with some treasure and I can’t let her rot there forever either.


Okay Garr D Anne, I can fix this situation somehow. All I need is “Surprise! Wait why are there two dead bodies?” of course she appears now but to her credit she looks actually worried about them.

With my luck the umbrella will tell everyone she knows about this, and then I'll look suspicious as hell.

THINK ANNE, THINK MY WAY OUT OF THIS!
[] This is not what it looks like!
[] This is exactly what it looks like
[] THINK (write in)

[X] THINK Garr, Think! If you leave the sailor alone, she'll just cause more problems! You must get a jar or something and lock her in it! Then you'll have all the time in the world to get Yoshika back on her feet and address the issue more permanently!

Indeed the sailor will definitely cause a ruckus once she wakes up, that gal seems like the strong willed type ergo the ones that will definitely come back for a rematch if not out of some sense of rivalry.

“But there’s one problem, how do you lock up a ghost?” I’m no shrine maiden or exorcist.

“How would I know? I’m a youkai not some priest. Ask a specialist” Eggplant-girl oh so helpfully adds while poking the other two with her umbrella…wait is the umbrella tasting them? “Wait they’re alive after all, guess you’re not a murderer then” taking a step back her tone goes back to the usual cheerfulness that’s she’s known for.

“Could you just not please?” l ask politely for once, rejection was an touchy subject for that gal and the wrong words would just add an crying girl to the mix “I’m having a big problem here and would really apprecia-“

“Appreciate some help?” great now she’s guessing “Sorry bud, I do like you really but I’m not going to become a partner in crime to whatever it is you’re doing” and I’m the one rejected now.

“So you’re going to leave then and pretend you saw nothing?” is my response as I try not to come off too hopeful.

“Nope, I said I wasn’t going to help you but that doesn’t mean I can’t help you help yourself!”

In other words “You just want to see if this will become a train wreck”

“Close but no dice! Remember the fact that I’m nourished by surprises? spooking a literal spook should fill me for at least a month if I’m lucky” so it’s for fun and food.

“Whatever, time is wasting here so how will you help me help myself?”

“Hmmmmmmmmm” putting a finger on her chin, umbrella girl stays silent for a solid minute “So the plan here is to disable that girl right?” I nod yes “But you can’t perform exorcisms, sealings, etc. and neither can I?” again yes “In that case find someone who can!”

“No, I can’t leave the graveyard unguarded. Master would be disappointed”

“Then don’t leave it unguarded? Friend this is a brainstorming session, you can’t just dismiss everything I say and call it a day. Gimme a better idea here!”

“We pick up the sailor aand…”

“And?”

“Put her in a jar”
“Okay and then what?”

“Close the jar and the sailor can’t get out”

“But what if she just breaks the jar or passes through it?”

“Uh no that’s not possible cause it’d be a MAGIC jar”

“A magic jar..”

“Magical jar yes”

“That’s even dumber than my idea” and she facepalms, how rude.

“Why not do both then? Find a magical sealing jar or have someone make one for me”

“That’s….not impossible actually, but there’s one problem to all that”

“And that is?”

“You’d have to leave the graveyard duh”

“Oh” by the way there’s really no good time to say this so I’ll just say it now but we are having this conversation in the warehouse now, since that way Yoshika can rest on the bed and uh the other one is covered in some towels, as for us two I’d offer my guest some tea but there are no herbs so hot water sipping shall be the substitute. “And where would one go then?”

“There’s plenty of places really, one second” with a pinky extended Umbrella sips her hot water “First there’s the human village but I doubt they’d let you enter cause you’re well you, secondly there’s some shop called Kourindou that sells random junk of the outside world but that’s really far away from here and I mean 2 or 3 hours back and forth far away here. Uh thirdly there are some shrines but those are a clear no either since we’ll just be exterminated at worst and horribly overpriced at best”

“So IF ” and I mean hard if “I were to leave the graveyard, I could either go to the human village or Kourindou, the former is closer but what’s the problem here?”

“Not to come off as discouraging but ever since the last incident or so, the villagers have become a tad trigger happy in how they deal with youkai. They won’t let me play with the children anymore and I’m known as harmless to them! Imagine how they’ll receive a literal walking corpse”

“And aside from the distance for Kourindou, is there anything else wrong with it?”

“The girl might wake up midway, the item you seek may not be there after all or he simply doesn’t want to give it you”

“So all of these options suck”

“Pretty much, but that doesn’t mean you can’t do something else instead. Like ditching the body into a river. Most youkai won’t really mind that, the loser has no right to complain after all”

“Ruthless yet tempting, but do ghosts even need to breathe?”

“That’s a question for another day, but speaking of those what’s yours anyway?”

“You don’t know my name?”

“Do you know mine?”

“Touché, Garr D Anne. Would say it’s nice to meet you but it’s not”

“Kogasa Tatara. I know, but really your opinion of me has no value”

Cheeky minx aside, proper introductions have finally been done.

But really now, what do I do now?

[] To the human village I guess?
[] Kourindou it is maybe?
[] Somewhere else (Specify)
[] Maybe another idea is better (write in)

I think this is the part where I'm supposed to go "Are you sure Anon?" but really I don't mind whatever decision you all make, just do note it might reflect poorly on Garr if she stays away too long from the graveyard. other than that I shall once again wait warmly

x] Maybe another idea is better: Strike a deal with the sailor's companion who is still locked. Her freedom and her companion at the small cost of leaving PEACEFULLY, never to return.
[x]Extend the branch... Extend an olive branch and let them have the treasure - but keep insurance to make certain that the graveyard WON'T BE DISTURBED again.

Some time has passed since I and Kogasa were doing this brainstorming thingy, to my own surprise (not a joke) she was very helpful in telling what she knew and thought of stuff.

Even if most of my ideas were "No" ,"Rejected", "Too much effort from my part" responded to in such a dismissive manner..

But then a thought came to me, a teeny weenie worm of self-doubt " ...Why are we doing this again? " as the purpose of this got lost somewhere in time.

"Uh, if I recall you were going to do something stupid and I was simply encouraging you?" the blue haired devil said while sitting comfortably on the side of the bed, most likely attempting to rile me up or just being brutally honest . "Yeah, you were very insistent on sealing Murasa for some reason. Makes me wonder if you hate her or something but that's not my problem"

Did I? oh OOH, I'm forgetting already! that's no good, no good at all! FOCUS ANNE. "K...K...KOOooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooh"

"...What are you doing? are you trying to suck all the air in th-" TAOIST ART NUMBER SOMETHING: TOTAL RECALL! use breathing techniques to empty the mind and make recalling things easier, also used for meditation but let's stay focused

I am Garr D Anne the jiangshi, my job is to protect the Graveyard!

I ate a mighty bee this morning because eating strong ones makes me stronger and heroically refused to lose against a devilish umbrella by not playing their game because you can't lose if you don't play! Secondly...I painted the stone door for some reason? there's some paint on me and now there's two KO girls next to me, one of them being Yoshika!

Wait that's wrong, something happened before that: There were TWO intruders in there, and by being sneaky I learned that they were stealing TREASURE. Wait no they were using the place for storage? hmmm

"Hey Kogasa, what does storage mean?" I use my most professional tone as if testing her rather than not really knowing.

"It's the action or method of storing something for future use" I wait for her to elaborate "Think of it like squirrels putting nuts in trees to prepare for the winter, you put stuff somewhere so you can use it later"

"Okay, so these two just went ahead and trespassed into the graveyard so that they could put their nuts in the mausoleum, that's not stealing but littering? unless the treasure is mine"

"If it was yours then why would they give it back? also you said two but I only see one?" Sitting upright now, the Umbrella pays proper attention.

"Ah, yeah there was a second one. A mouse girl I'd say? weird ears and had critters in her basket, unless they were rats but no we are NOT going to derail into talking about that"

"I'm certain mice don't go outside but fine, so it's Nazrin (That's the mouse girl) and Murasa (points at Sailor) that entered the graveyard, broke into the mausoleum in order to hide their *nuts* and then went out emptyhanded?"

"Hm, you know what? I'll just tell you the full story" which is something I should have done sooner really; there's not much people can do with without context.

======= Undead girl is doing a recap, please wait warmly ======

"Aaand that's the whole story" really simple in the end.

She stares at the ceiling as if some answers were written down there "I think I understand then, in that case can't you just like tell them to leave and not come back?"

"Has that ever stopped you?"

"No, but they're not me are they? really everything else is an waste of time if you haven't tried that first"

"...Potato chips, you're right!" I get up and pick up Sailor girl before walking out of the warehouse "I'm not going to bother with overcomplicated stuff now, Mouse girl will have the chance to leave PEACEFULLY in exchange for her companion but will in exchange tell us what's in those crates and ditch them somewhere else regardless of content!"

"There's no us, just a humble spectator here" regardless she still follo- and we're there already. That's the convenience of flying people!

Except the whole bunch of rocks and trees remind me of their existence and their inconvenient placement in front of the Gate to the mausoleum...give me just a moment.


====== Undead girl is doing unpaid menial labor, please wait warmly =====

Strenght increased by 5! Sore muscles aside, it took a solid LONG time to move them out of the way. I don't know how long LONG is but it sure felt LONG to me.

Anyway, I bravely managed to do it with fierce willpower while the others just did nothing.

Let's get inside already, PULLING on the door I You are not stro-YES I AM! and the door opens with a loud stirr, the echo of it echoing? across the caverns..."HELLOOOOOOO?" no reaction whatsoever? did the girl escape somehow!?

"Uuugh, someone turn the sun off! that light iS burning my eeeyeesss" Never mind, looking to my left and then looking down once I realize I'm taller, the actually-did-not-escape-girl known as Nazrin is visible! She does seem different however with her bloodshot eyes, bottle in her hand and the way she's tapping her fists against my stomach "How dAre you keep me in here! Do you know ho hic w lpng I waited?"

It doesn't hurt so I'll just wait for her to stop "Sorry? Anyway intruder I'm here to make you an offer. if you accept I'll let you leav-"

"YES, YES LET ME GO HONE! Ugh one moment" some sense seems to return as she takes a step back and tries to make herself look more digniful? not sure what it means to cross one's arms and gives someone a glare "So whAt 's tje dral hrre? do you qant money? a share of the loot? get ot over eith so U'lñ n. eber havr to come here again" her tone becomes more aggresive and demanding as she speaks with some sense of authority? it honestly sounds more like she's trying to establish dominance over me but to no avail.

"Ahem" let's get this over with quickly "You take your friend alongside the stuff you put in the mausoleum and then vow to NEVER come back. Can you do that?"

"DEAL" Giving a forceful handshake with a FIRM grip that again doesn't hurt, Nazrin is quick to agree to leave this place "Just....let mr go fetch the stuff. tommorow, I am no condotion to do it right npw see?"

"Why are you like that anyway? it's only been like...20 minutes?" I ask her.

"20 mibutes.....20 MONUTES? DO I LOOK ÑIKE SOMEPNE WHO WAS STUCK HERE FOR MERE. MINUTES!? It was 7259 secinds, I lost count around that. Not likw there was anything elsee I count d. o other than drunk yhw sake in them cratw and count the time while waiting for the mice to dig our way out"

Speaking of which is, there is indeed a crate filled with bottles that looks exactly like 1 of the two I saw earlier, guess she dragged just one with her...wait I'm feeling weird? like my chest is being squeezed..

Before more internal monoblobbing can happen, the girl starts to hoble her way out only to give up and lie on her back a few steps outside...well at least she's trying to leave now but somehow this is making the chest ache worse. it's not indigestion or a heart attack though.

"...You miss are a demon, locking up a girl in a foul dark dungeon. what a low blow" Kogasa says with a scolding tone as she tries to help the mous- Nazrin get up only to get swatted away. "Never mind, she's not a girl just a sentient mouse that looks like one".

The Sailor girl isn't doing anything of special note either (Cause she's still KO), but I had to mention she still exists or I might forget about her too. The worst part about a bad memory is not remembering the important stuff you should remember when it could be useful.

"Anyway I think you are done here? the girl agreed she would leave but it may take a while until she's ready to move again. but I guess it's mission accomplished?" tapping my shoulder she asks the obvouis but there's something in her eye...expectation? Do the right thing?

Hmmm, I guess my job is done here yes. Yoshika should recover soon and the sun is kind of in the east now which means Master is about to visit any moment either no-"Gaaaarrr" and the Umbrella is holding my shoulder "Hey Garr, I don't need to explain what you need to do now do I?
Surely there's some feelings in that not beating heart of yours huh?" there's a smile on her face but it feels stiff, fake as if she really hopes she's not wrong about something.

But what is she getting at? What is the right thing to do here? I protected the Graveyard and that's all my talisman tells me to do.


[] I have to...make sure those two go home safely? assuming it's the EVIL temple it's literally just across the entrance. Still not leaving the graveyard though or at least not out of my sight.

[] I have to...clean the graveyard? the place is kind of a mess and master won't be too pleased seeing it like that. Yoshika deserves a rest since she fought well.

[] I have to... I think I want to do both? I can have Kogasa help I guess. (Specify which option she has to do, though there's no guarantee she'll listen)

[]I have to...uuh brain power? [write in]

There, we got that out of the way.

Not my cleanest post, but all options should lead to something interesting and not be counterproductive this time, also tomorrow is Summer vacation! which means even more time to write if not a second story I can do too!

On another note I made sure that each character has a schedule of sorts, as in stuff is happening in the background while Anne does stuff.

But I'll focus on just this one for now to get the real hang on being a writer, I shall await your votes warmly Anon and enjoy your summer!

Name: Garr D Anne
Fortitude: 10
Intellect: 15

[X] I have to...clean the graveyard?
[X] I have to...make sure those two go home safely? assuming it's the EVIL temple it's literally just across the entrance. Still not leaving the graveyard though or at least not out of my sight.
[X] I have to... I think I want to do both? I can have Kogasa help I guess. She'll accompany both of them to their home. Clear mind... no, it's clear conscience!
[X] I have to... make sure! Make sure purple umbrella will do what I tell her. So... appeal! Appeal to her! Her feeling and still beating heart! Sweet words, like honey.
[X] Brain Power...! If sweet words fail, try food! Negotiate! Barter! Trade! Offer her one (1) free(!!!) scare in the time span of one (1) week in exchange for her service.
[X] Brainblast! ...write that down to REMEMBER.

A flurry of thoughts come to me as me mind idles for too long, like a flurry of seagulls fighting over the golden piece of bread in a team death kill, the bread being what is determined as the right thing.
“Stop touching me” is the first thing said as I gently push the Um-Kogatara away, that personal space is necessary for…something? It’s just annoying to be touched and judged like that “The heck you talking about hearts now off all times? Never mind and wait I need to think”.

She backs off obediently “Take your time” Okay normally I’d be satisfied with that kind of reaction but really where does that sudden wariness come from? I’m not going to do anything bad, but then again there’s no such thing as bad or good in the philosophy that is the Tao, did I mention I’m a Taoist? Master has made sure that everyone knows their proper chants and way of thinking so it’s a hon- S T O P I’m distracting myself again!

Now then, submitting to the hype that is looking up to garner one’s thoughts “Look, no one is allowed in here. They trespassed the sanctity of my domain, injured a friend of mine, used the sacred mausoleum as their storage for their filthy drinks and don’t seem sorry in the least.
The fact I’m letting them crawl back home intact should be more than virtuous so what more do you want?” is what I ask while initiating prolonged eye contact, prolonged eye contact, cause people don’t like that.

“Oh…Oh that’s a relief” letting out a sigh of look what she said earlier, Torasa wait it was Totoro, Totoro lets go of me and takes a step back “But are you really going to let them off scot free? That’s not how things are usually handled but I guess there-“ INTERUPT

“NOPE!” the sudden shout makes her flinch but I’m not done here “I said I’d let them leave intact never did I say scot free lass. They must repent for their crimes in some way now that you mentioned it~” Walking over to the downed mouse I pick her up like one would do a baby pup “Eye contact, you and me now” behold the power of the angry glare.If my eyes had lazer beams you'd be dead now.

“Whart dou ya want?” Nazrin responds with her own, too doozy to fear anything in this state darn “Are you gnoa carrie me all the way back since yo feel like shet? What a pushover” correction she’s an RAT girl

Time to get this show on the road, like master always says: “Since you’re not behaving I’ll be confiscating your toy and adding a new clause: Come back tomorrow and clean the ENTIRE Graveyard or else…” picking up the other weird stick she has, I put it next to my mouth “This custom made stick of yours will be snapped in two, like a chocolate bar” she doesn’t seem impressed so I’ll go further “And I’ll share some with Yoshika and you’ll never have a replacement again cause she’ll keep eating them”

“………Yaoe’re bluffing” Seemingly half sobered up, Nazrin continues to lever her gaze with mine but there's a limit to what an drunk mouse can give. “Yaoe’re B.L.U.F.F.I.N.G.” repeating it for emphasis she tries to squirm out of my grasp, purely for show of defiance since my grip is irontight.

“….Bonne appetit” Opening my mouth, I cho-“STOP, STOP!” All according to a made on the spot plan. intellect increases by 3, not a lot but it's decent

“I’ll..doa it” Spitting those words out with venom Nazrin agrees to the term! “ Bot, I won’t forgut this ” ANYWAY I consider this a Smart victory! Obtained 1 out of 2 dowsing rods! .

Casually tossing the mouse at the umbrella aside, (“Hey, warn me firsthand!”) and tunning out their overall presence I go and check up on the magical sailor girl whatchamacallit Mufasa. The gal is still on the ground, not moving or breathing despite having no real injuries or bruises so she must just be that tired after all, not like her condition matters that much I just don’t want her to surprise wake up. And that is why I shall demonstrate a neat trick one should know: Raising her left hand and putting it above I let it fall down and it slaps her straight in the face, normally when you’re faking being KO one would make the hand fall on the side cause they don’t want to slap themselves but since this time it hit dead center she really won’t be waking up anytime soon. Admire my genius and genuflect mortals. “Mwohohohohohohohohohohohoho” adding a final Master like laugh to end the deal.

Back on subject these gals need to be accompanied out and I don’t want to see them for even a second longer than needed. Soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

“Uh, you know staring at people tends to make them uncomfy”

“Carry those two out of the Graveyard”

“Wait the two of them? Didn’t I say I was but a spectator? What’s in it for me huh?” tsk, typical.

“What I will give you is….” Looking around the room for inspiration “Your…..” I got nothing

“My what? It better be good if you’re relying on me” Her expectations are raising by the second.

“Your heart’s true desire!” may as well use the power of sweet words “You need not hide it” sweet like honey they are.

“And what would that be?” Oh, I did not expect that “What can you give me that I can’t get on my own?”

Hmm decent, she’s slinked in but I’ll have to be careful the wrong word can ruin this.

What do I know about her anyway? Eggplant Girl: Has an umbrella, weird eyes, easily depressed and likes surprises. Appears whenever she feels like it and spooks me a lot for some reason Not much but fungi let’s do this. “I’ll help you get a REAL surprise for free, but only ONCE”

Kogasa snorts at that “…And you think that’s really what I want? Are you saying I suck at doing what I do now…I mean sure most people aren’t really scared by me and those that do just shoot me afterwards like I’m a nuisance…” yet her confidence erodes the more she speaks.

“Girl, you manage to scare me every time we meet no? that means you’ve got potential. You still have to properly harness it and I’m certain you can become the spookiest surpriser in the world! tm if you accept this offer. What do you say? Let’s prove them all wrong!” dear ball in the sky, this speech feels so artificial but come on be fooled, Fall to the dark side Eggplant!

“Hmmmm, I don’t know it feels like you’re trying to trick me but on the other hand you’re giving me a BIG favor for the equivalent of a small favor so why not. I’ll go get these two out and will contact you later. Maybe in a day or two at most” With one fell swoop both girls are put inside the umbrella and off she goes “Bye for now!”

And they are out, I am finally alone and the Graveyard is truly safe now! Except for the whole mess left behind but HELL NO I am not cleaning that if someone else will do it tomorrow. Master will understand.

Now then let’s go see how Yoshi is doing and get myself some new clothes too
====Undead Girl is changing, please wait warmly====


Straightening one’s back, warming up my limbs and doing a few stretches is what I’m doing to warm myself up after some proper cleansing. Getting too cold or being immobile for too long makes my body stiffen even more and that can lead to the inability to bend my knees, arms or even the whole body at worst. The dirty clothes and paint have been put inside the storage closet and Yoshika seems to be sleep talking while I’m inspecting her for any injuries. We’ve been taught how to be self-sustaining since “having to repair every one of you is such a pain” is what master said. The only thing I had to remove was a stick in her leg that looks just like the one the mouse had. Perhaps they’re supposed to be pairs? Oh they’re glowing!

You obtained the second half of the dowsing rods! Now that they’re together their power is at your disposal: Focus on one person or object or even location and they’ll reveal the right direction to go to!
Huh, odd but more importantly Yoshika is fine, I am fine, all is fine even if the former is saying some weird things that I will not mention as sleep talk (Something hair of young willows?).

"Not sleeping, light is hurting eyes" comrade grumbles as she turns in bed

"Sorry, will go outside then"

"Please do, will get up in 5 more minutes" and so I leave her be.

Finally as the sun seems to be falling down I come to the conclusion that it’s evening yet Master still hasn’t returned, then again the mere assumption she’ll come is faulty since she can be gone for like 1 or 2 days whenever she feels like it, a true practitioner of “DWIW” ergo Doing Whatever I Want is how she described it.

Now then let’s do a final checkup, soaring into the sky and s.c.a.n.n.i.n.g:

Mausoleum: Safe, some damage around it but that will be handled tomorrow

Graveyard: Safe, no more intruders and I doubt they’ll come at night since then the spirits come out to play and those are some really nasty buggers if you don’t belong here.

Entrance: Safe? No one is entering nor would they at this time of the day. Concentrating one’s ears at the temple nearby leads to sounds of broken platters? Seems the enemy has some inner conflict, good.

Status report: Today’s guarding has been a favorable success despite the small cost and frustration.

Speaking off checkup I should check myself too!

Physical health GREAT, Mental health "Glad the day is over" and and for the new clothes there were none for me so I took a spare of Yoshika's but I don't like their style so much with all these frilly ribbon thingies on the pant part so I just kept my own.

A proper description should help by comparing myself to her:

Yoshika: Yoshika has pale skin, dark blue hair and eyes. She wears a blue hat with a yellow star and an ofuda on the forehead, which apparently has the same talisman as mine on it. She wears a red Chinese-styled shirt with a pink trim on the wide sleeves, and a black skirt with the same trim wrapped around it like bunch off ribbons.

As for me: Pale skin as well, but my eyes are red and my hair is uuuh what was I doing again?

One second, I made it so I can add notes on my sleeves..ah describing myself of course!

But one thing first, am I getting the smart juices now or what? I’d celebrate but I only got hot water and why did the sun go out? There’s only darkness!! NOOOO, I don't want to die this young! Sure I'm already dead but there's a lot of stuff I still want to do

“Guess who?” wait... those are hands covering my eyes, and that voice can only be one person!

[] Greet Master
[] Greet Master!
[]Greet Master!!
[] GREET MASTER!!!
[] WHAT DO YOU MEAN WRITE IN? GREET MASTER ALREADY!!!!
those are joke options, I would never make choices so linear don't worry

Expect another update tomorrow, this one is just part of one half.

After the next update, this would mark the end of the first day so that kind of excites me.

Also hope you're enjoying your weekend!



Garr D Anne

Fortitude: 10
Intellect: 18

Notable Inventory:

Talisman (Contains 2 orders that cannot be disobeyed alongside another purpose): Do not allow anyone to enter the Graveyard, Do not allow anyone to steal from the Graveyard.

Dowsing Rods (Confiscated): Two pointy sticks that lead to an direction whenever you concentrate on something or someone.

Some ribbons awkwardly attached to your sleeves: One can write down stuff on them to make sure you won't forget it. (only 5 spaces though so only 5 notes can be added): Note 1: Mouse and Sailor girl have to clean up graveyard tommorow.
Note 2: You owe Umbrella a scare, Note 3: Don't lose notes, Note 4: Rub on notes to make them empty so you can use them again. Note 5: Do that right now cause you're wasting paper space.

1/2

[x] Greet Master!
[x] Eat Master!
[X] Playfully of course!

It was not out of whimsy that the Taoist Extraordinaire and Unjust Hermit returned to the graveyard today, having spent most of the day gathering some needed resources with the kind donations people left unguarded in their homes there was simply a limit to how much one person could carry while evading most of the kind folk who tried to pursue her, but to be fair she did leave behind chocolate eggs.

Now why would an grand hermit commit a reversal of a most jolly and obscure holiday? Sad truth is Lady Kaku suffered from the most grievous disease known as boredom, she could have died from it! But that aside the large bag of well-earned goods was a burden on the back one should not have to endure any longer and so she dropped it at the entrance and awaited her loyal pets to come greet her…yet no one came.

After the first minute, she grew impatient, the second annoyed and by the third sighed and reluctantly carried it herself again so that one can dispose of it in the warehouse and call it a day, did the servants get destroyed again? That would have been such a shame, at the very least she’d have to revive Yoshika since that one was her favorite and overall reviving one servant would be less tiresome than doing things that were beneath her such as cleaning, doing groceries, and overall anything that wasn’t interesting.

Back to task she went to the warehouse and to her growing disappointment there were still no signs of life correction unlife, did they really di-“Physical health GREAT, Mental health "Glad the day is over" and and for the new clothes there were none for me so I took a spare of Yoshika's but I don't like their style so much with all these frilly ribbon thingies on the pant part so I just kept my own.”..never mind, but a few steps in the air nearby was another Jiangshi talking to itself and staring at the sun with the intensity of an poodle looking at juicy piece of meat, some drool left their mouth and made Seiga wonder if this one broke but a few minutes ago, regardless she had to get an update on how this place was faring.

The fact at least one remained put her mind to ease, she won’t have to do tomorrow’s groceries after all. Flying at a soundless pace, she wrapped her hands around the zombie’s eyes and spoke with a sultry voice “Guess who?” surely if it could speak then it could identify her as it’s master.

She was wrong for it started to clack their teeth up and down in a biting motion seeking her hands yet unable to bend their neck far enough to reach the divine piece of hermit meat that Kaku was.

“I said guess who?” feeling charitable she twisted the neck of the odd one so it could properly face her with their head turned a 90% degrees, hands still covering the eyes of course “Did you forget the voice of your master?” that would not do so she gave it a second chance.

“….Master of course!” it replies with an honest carefree tone, as if it that was all she wanted.

“Master who exactly?” Seiga Kaku was however not one to let her name be forgotten by anyone.
“Master of me! …unless you meant knock knock?” again, it answered wrongly.

The hermit’s face grew stiff, this one must be part of the more recent she made “Do you want to go bowling dear servant?” she says with the tone of this is a threat I expect you understand

“Bowling? I don’t want soup master” that’s not even an appropriate response! “Well I am hungry..but vegetables are just no good, meat is the real deal!”

“Keep joking around and I’ll start to get upset” Her expectations did lower however, perhaps the pet was simply broken and who was she to get moody about this? Nevertheless, a threat felt appropriate.

“I’m not joking around? How can I help you today master?”

“Start by saying my name then”

“……………..” No response

“Hello? Are you sleeping dear?”

“Huh? No the light is out, so it’s time to sleep now”

And now she was convinced it was playing dumb, removing her hands from it she stared her red eyed servant face to face with a gentle smile “Answer the question first”

“What was the question again?”

“What is my name pet?”

“Did Master get amnes-“ Interrupt
“What is my name , guess who i-“ Interruption of interruption

“What do you mean guess who you are? There-” Interruption of interruption of Interruption

“That’s enough, I’m starting to think you really don’t know it”

“But of course I know it, I’m just tired and hungry and don’t see what you want master!”

So it need proper motivation.. “Fine, let’s take this to the next level then: IF you are able to correctly say my name I’ll let you nibble one of my hands” of course she had no intention to follow through.

“Chuckles, master you are about to regret that SO hard”

“Prove me wrong then and say it”

“Okay I’ll do it, but are you sure you want to go through with this? I’m NOT forgetting this master”

“This bit is getting tiresome, say my name N O W”

“Easy, you’re Seija Kaku” wrong letters but the name sounds the same when said out loud.

“That’s..better than nothing, very well” the sage hermit lowers to the ground and beckons the servant to follow “I’ve got new orders for you: Pick up the large sack I left outside and properly store it inside the warehouse, afterwards you will meet me at the mausoleum with some tea and properly tell me about how the day went” said servant of course obediently nodded and followed her instructions.

Now then, off to take a bath and take a break, the rest can be handled later.

=======Wicked Hermit is staying alive, do wait warmly========

The Mausoleum despite it’s currently abandoned status is and always will be one of Kaku’s most favorite places to be in: the clean yet somehow perfect temperature air, brown and tall oakwood trees, the deep cerulean blue water surrounded by lilies as pink as the artificial sky. It was no wonder it’s moniker was the Halls of Dreams, everything about it made it the perfect resting place only rivaled by that garden tended to by some odd half ghost but now was not the time to think of others, now was Seiga time.

Sipping a tea made of the Youkai Mountain brand (Sheer luck had it she brought some lest only hot water would be available) Seiga enjoyed her bath time while thinking of what she done, what she shall do and what the possible consequences of it could be, to be honest she had the shit eating grin of someone who was about to stir up some massive trouble and who thought themselves a genius for it.


“Pour me another one Yoshika, and do tell Garr to stop trying to eat the butterflies” of course her servants/pets/toys were also there, while she was carefree to an extent she wasn’t dumb enough to take a dip unguarded for a Shinigami could and most likely would appear from any water surface if given the chance. “Also do come over here, the both of you I got to add a few new orders”

“It is done Master” Yoshika replied after but a few seconds, she was an effective servant, strong, loyal and more lasting than any other she had made her deserving of a name to call by “Master seems happy, did something good happen?” with a smile it asked the right question too which made the hermit even happier.

“Of course, of course but it’d be boring if I told you everything so just tight for now” so happy that she beckoned her favorite over “Come here, I’ll go do your hair for you”

Oh and the other one was there too but why would Seiga care about that? Just let it obediently sit down and wait.

It was at that moment, the three lost track of time and the end of the first day came. Yet there was much more in store for them, many troubles in fact! Most of them inflicted by a certain someone..


End of Day 1

Normal end of the day.

[] Random midnight encounter (Like it says, I’d roll the dice anon)
[] Start of Day 2 (No shenanigans, just straight start of Day 2)
[] Obligatory nonsensical dream flashback of protag past (Like it says on the tin)

Regardless Day 2 would start afterwards, it’s just more text to read if you choose one of those two. I hope you’re having fun reading so far! And hope the pacing wasn’t too slow either.

What did you think of the bit where if you change povs the narration changes too? It won’t happen too often if it wasn’t fun (I might try it just once with Yoshika too but not soon)

With that said, I’ll await your votes warmly!

Garr D Anne

Fortitude: 10
Intellect: 18

Notable Inventory:

Talisman (Contains 2 orders that cannot be disobeyed alongside another purpose): Do not allow anyone to enter the Graveyard, Do not allow anyone to steal from the Graveyard. More to be added at Day 2

Master's right hand: After being done with the bath, Master Seiga gave this to you. whether it's food or a chewtoy is up to you but the meat of a hermit is seen as valuable. Also no she grew back a new one somehow so it's no big deal to her.

Dowsing Rods (Confiscated): Two pointy sticks that lead to a direction whenever you concentrate on something or someone.

Some ribbons awkwardly attached to your sleeves: One can write down stuff on them to make sure you won't forget it. (only 5 spaces though so only 5 notes can be added): Note 1: Mouse and Sailor girl must clean up graveyard tomorrow.
Note 2: You owe Umbrella a scare, note 3: Don't lose notes, note 4: Rub on notes to make them empty so you can use them again. Note 5: Do that right now cause you're wasting paper space.

Random Midnight Encounter (rolled a 4)

Location: Center of Graveyard ; Time: Night

The night, also known as the time when the sun doesn’t shine also known as sleeping or hunting time depending on if you’re nocturnal or dayturnal? For me it’s break time since sleep is optional to the non-living, in fact I feel more energetic than ever during those times! But there’s one minor obstacle, one last hurdle to overcome before the free time is truly be at peace time.

There is no gentle way to say this so: The dead are needy, VERY needy pricks that only come out at this time to bother any living being in the graveyard around sundown to sunup and guess who’s the only person here during said time? That’s right it’s a me, they bother me a lot hence here I am playing dead on the floor while hoping that this will prevent them from talk-

HELLO, FRIEND IT"S BEEN SO LONG SINCE WE TALKED HASN"T IT! Darni- NO NEED FOR JOYOUIS WORDS, WE ARE ALL HAPPY TO SPEND TIME WITH YOU!! HOW HAVE YOU BEEN? GOOD? OF COURSE YOU ARE GOOD BECAUSE YOU ARE ALIVE, WE AREN’T JEAULOUS OF THAT BY THE WAY! IT’S NOT LIKE WE ARE PATIENTLY WAITING FOR THE DAY YOU’LL FINALLY JOIN US, ACTUALLY WHY WAIT? JOIN US FRIEND!

…Lo and behold the bane of my evenings, the blue/red/yellow/etc. blobs of blab blab blab nicknamed Spirit 1-red, Spirit 2-blue, etc. cause these spirits come in different colors for some reason-I’m not going to waste the little time of reprieve I have in explaining that NOT ANSWERING ARE YOU? FRET NOT WE UNDERSTAND YOU LIKE YOUR SILLY FLESH AND SILLY LIFE INSTEAD OF BEING AN ENLIGHTENED EXISTENCE SUCH AS WE! The spirits say confidently, shouting hard directly into my mind cause talking mouth to mouth is overrated for them. WHY ARE YOU NARRATING WHAT YOU CAN ALREADY SEE FRIEND? ARE WE DOING A BIT BY CHANCE? AH IF SO ALLOW US TO PARTICIPATE and NOW you can see why I describe them as needy as in needy for attention, getting up from my spot and rubbing my sore head I give the spirits a Hold it sign with my hand. Not like I expect them to comply long

Ahem, back to what I tried to describe: Night time is like I said earlier a more relaxed sort of time since there are almost no visitors there is no need to scout, since I already tend to the DEFLOWERING OF OUR GARDEN har-har did not laugh but yes the maintenance of the gravestones is also part of my duties and I do it around once every three days maybe? If there are some wild plants that grow cut them off basically. But enough derailing of my thoughts and let’s get back to focus: Why spirits are a pain ...NOW THAT'S RUDE

Let me talk first you noisy blobby monkeys! spirits are a pain because there are so many of them like the ones next to me, while most of the time they are satisfied speaking with each other about how they lived their life and how they can’t wait to ascend or just play around with each other ( SUCH AS HANETSUKI WHICH I AM THE CHAMP OFF a red one helpfully barges in) the rare 10% of em have the grand idea of thinking that their life was something special and as such they should ensure the next generation learns of it to gain an Aesop or avoid making their mistakes or spread their religion or what have you. The consent of their audience is naturally merely optional. LIFE LEFFONS ARE ONE TO BE PASSED ON, NOT CHOSEN LIKE AN AFTERNOON SNACK well I’m already full of you then, go bother someone else LIKE WHO? Uh Yoshika? SHE EATS US!! Fair enough, how about a youkai then? THOSE RUN AWAY FROM US, THEIR NATURE MAKES THEM VULNERABLE TO POSSESION! Excuse me? OH YOU DIDN'T KNOW? WELL LET US EX-Don’t really care actually FINE, WE” LL TELL YOU LATER THEN hmm how about the buddhi I mean heretics? Their temple is nearby and they are all about accepting death and all no? THEN WHY WOULD THEY SPEAK TO US? WE ARE GODS IN THE MAKING, BORN FROM THEIR PRAYERS. NONE WOULD BE SO INSOL- OKAY I get it just sto- WHY ARE YOU BEING SO UNGRATEFUL ANYWAY? YOU SHOULD BE HONORED THAT WE DEIGN SPEAK TO A CREATURE BENEATH US Excuse me WHAT? YOU HEARD US, MERE PUPPET WE OFFER YOU SALVATION WITH OUR TALES EVEN IF YOU ARE WASTING YOUR LIFE SERVING SUCH A HERMIT OF SI- OKAY Shut the hell up!

“That’s it, I’m blowing you guys up” To any outsider I might possibly look insane by shouting furiously at a bunch of floating snowballs while shooting them down with RIGHTOUIS ANGER but even I have a limit to my patience “BLA BLA THIS, BLABLA THAT, WHAT MAKES YOU THINK I GIVE A CARP? AND WHY ARE YOU RUNNING?, SHOW ME HOW DIVINE YOU REALLY ARE ” Really should have done this sooner, violence really is the answer when someone weaker tries to disrespect you. Note to self: Blow up small fry if they start to speak smack.

=========Some time later===========

Tossing the last one of them into the puddle of blobs-I-beat-the-heck-out-off, I dust off my clothes and spit on the ground with disgust.
“Look, I’m going to take a rest elsewhere now, but if you DARE insult Master ever again when I come back I’ll tell Yoshika you’re a free for all CAPICHE?” …Ah they’re nodding and fading back to their graves. Good I was about to just blow them up with danmaku until they went boom had they stayed a second longer . Ugh there was nothing fun in this discussion so let’s take a small flight outside. Divine my arse!

Into the night sky and outside the graveyard! Hmm, I have to say there’s not really anywhere I could go: The temple is mostly quiet with most of the tenants sleeping and I have no business there, the Mausoleum has even more spirits in it so that’s a hell no! and really the rest of my surroundings are just batches of forests and mountains in the distance…well there is the path from the temple leading to the human settlement but I have no busine-actually I think I’m overthinking it no? let’s just roam around the forests in the general area for a bit like a proper youkai, hunt for a small snack too!

Entering the forest was relatively easy, it’s just going down was a bit rough since each tree is so close to each other that even in the day it would probably blot out the sun but gerrymandering aside here I am hopping around on the ground while using my ears and nose to seek a prey, I’m hoping for something yummy like a beaver with their pork like meat, or the bullfinch I managed to catch one time by pretending to be an signpost! But if I were in a gourmet mood, I’d go for the one and only BROWN BEAR.
Have you like ever eaten one? The sheer effort it takes to wrestle one into submission and then rip their neck open with your teeth is one of the coolest sensations ever. You feel like a bonafide baddass after that cause who else can do that? Bear Eater Anne, it’s the thrill of the hunt and a hunter I am!

Sniff. Wait I can smell blood! Sniff sniff it’s an uuh I don’t know this one so it must be a rare animal! It’s blood smells salty and spicy like a nice tomato soup, mouthwatering and I must have it and will it so I fly off into its direction.

====Undead Girl is hunting, please wait warmly===

Start of Day 2! Time: Morning, Location: Graveyard

Praise comes to the sun, for it announces the arrival of the day and the leaving of the blobs.
Sadly it is also means that another work of day has started now, the Graveyard is clean aside from the mess of yesterday, and uh no one should come this early in the morning either!

By the way I found something pretty cool in the forest earlier, it’s a metallic box the size of an person which moves occasionally on it’s own with the pace of a snail, other than some red drops (with the nice smell) around the silver chains surrounding it looks pretty clean on it’s own. I think it’s color is Silver? at least it is now after I licked most of the red off like a lolipop (10/10 soup)
And am lying on it right now so that it can’t go away! I mean it still moves a bit but it’s more like an improvised creaking table now rather than an odd sealed box that’s trying to go places.

Anyway I should probably present this to master once she wakes up or not, after all the finder is the keeper and so whatever lies in it is mine now. Okay that’s some lousy logic but I did not find the thing, dig it out and drag it all the way here for nothing! But that’s enough theory musing, I can just carry this thing like a backpack for now and any big ideas can come with breakfast later.

Hmm, this thing aside I’m not certain what to do today. Scout the Graveyard, Make breakfast, Scout the Graveyard, Make Lunch, Scout the Graveyard, Make Dinner, Repeat and so forth is the usual rhythm unless something else happens like yesterday which hopefully it will not.

After all what could possibly go wrong? *Ding* Oh that’s the bell! *Ding* that means someone from the entrance wants to enter the graveyard! I must go see who it could be since they actually bothered using the proper procedures.

“Gaaar, where aaare youuuuuuu?” Then again Yoshika is calling for me too in the distance, guess she needs something? I have to go see her too then! Then again it’s pretty obvious where I am so she’ll find me in no time, unless it’s something important?

Then again then again this box is so comfy, so nice and warm and the flat smooth surface beats the dirt ground anytime too, yawn surely I can afford another 5 minutes on this baby.

[] Go see the entrance first, acting professionally is important

[] Go see Yoshika first, your co-worker might have something important to say

[] Just lie down and relax, why shouldn’t they come to you instead?

[] Hmmm, actually here's a beter idea [write in]

There, forgot to post it yesterday my bad! but anyway this day will be a tad more active and longer than the prevouis one (last one started at late afternoon and this one is early morning) and I will await warmly what you all will do in the future.



Garr D Anne

Fortitude: 10
Intellect: 18

Notable Inventory:

Talisman (Contains 2 orders that cannot be disobeyed alongside another purpose): Do not allow anyone to enter the Graveyard, Do not allow anyone to steal from the Graveyard. More to be added at Day 2

Master's right hand: After being done with the bath, Master Seiga gave this to you. whether it's food or a chewtoy is up to you but the meat of a hermit is seen as valuable. Also no she grew back a new one somehow so it's no big deal to her.

Dowsing Rods (Confiscated): Two pointy sticks that lead to a direction whenever you concentrate on something or someone.

Some ribbons awkwardly attached to your sleeves: One can write down stuff on them to make sure you won't forget it. (only 5 spaces though so only 5 notes can be added): Note 1: Mouse and Sailor girl must clean up graveyard tomorrow.
Note 2: You owe Umbrella a scare, note 3: Don't lose notes, note 4: Rub on notes to make them empty so you can use them again. Note 5: Blow up Small fry when they start to speak smack

[X] Go see the entrance first, acting professionally is important
[X] And let Yoshika know too!

Ugh, I really do have to get up now…but I don’t think I want to, this is the best nap I’ve ever had in my not-lifetime! In fact I shall describe why that is the case just to give a better image and NOT because I’m stalling for time *Ding* and seeking a excuse to prolong my inevitable work of today.

So first off let’s start with a question: What does everyone desire deep and I mean deep deep inside their hearts of hearts? Is it Love? Perhaps a goal to strive for? Maybe an Unicorn Pony to ride even? Wrong, what we all desire is food and sleep at *Ding* an reasonable quantity so we can have the energy to survive the rest of the day and if not actually strive to obtain any of the former examples, good food and good sleep bring good health which brings good mood which brings good luck therefore Food and Sleep are the key to happiness! THEREFORE This silver coffin, this silver coffin, this silver coffin is my key to happiness.

Take a closer look at it: It’s smooth silver absorbing the heat of the sun gives it a warm surface, the odd symbol resembling a inverted *Ding* cross leaks a most delicious red liquid that never seems to run out. With those powers combined this thing is the essential food and sleep for me, never needing to hunt or even get up one could stay here never moving an inch and still enjoy their own existence, nothing but me and the coffin sleeping and eating forever that is true happiness! TRUE JOY, HAPPY END-NO THAT'S WRONG!

Bravely rolling off the thing and kissing the ground as a result (A rough mistress gravity is) I get up , boy was that dangerous. Had I stayed a moment longer I’d have become an new kind of person! who knew temptation was this strong? I’ll have to train my mental fortitude

*Ding* Ah, that person is still waiting aren’t they!? tidying myself up as quickly as I can I start to head towards the entrance with a sloppy floatyness, my legs are half asleep and touching the ground but my body cannot stop the fire inside my heart! I'm going to be the best customer service in the ENTIRE WORLD!!

“Ah, there you are” however someone grabs my shoulder and oh it’s Yoshika “Did you not hear me call for you?” She says with a surprised tone rather than a or did you ignore me on purpose you ducking banana gorging razzle dazzler ergo that tone other people would have gone with, bless her non beating heart.

“Sorry, I was uh busy” Wait no, that’s a basic excuse that anyone can see through! Luckily I am a quick thinker “Just kidding!” and that only made it worse..

“Oh okay” Yoshika nods as if that makes sense and lets go “Anyway Master is here to summon the both of us, she has a task in mind and wants both of us there when she reveals it” and starts to walk towards the Mausoleum expecting me to follow “So are you coming or not? Master isn’t the patient type”

“One moment, we have a quest at the entrance and I gotta find out what they want” *Ding* That's another ding the number of which I already lost count off, but really I should stop making them wait lest they’ll complain about customer service and want to address my master or something “So I’ll be there right after this" I continue my manly pace after saying that

Yoshika follows "Consider my...I'm tagging along" she sighs having failed to say the saying she wanted to say sagely but regains her good mood quickly "Maybe it'll be a friend of master?" Wait master has friends? "Yes she does, I think?" Huh now that's some new info.

Now then, the both of us head to the entrance…Well it's not really an entrance with a gate and fence or anything actually secure like that, it's just a bunch of stairs leading back to the garden behind the enemy temple. Aside from the stair there is a bell attached to a stick that you can ring to announce you want to enter. *Ding* and it's being used right now too.

Actually, I have an idea now "Hey, Yoshika" I nudge her side to get her attention

"What is it?" She asks

"Describe the guest for me like if you were narrating"

"Why?" she tilts her head "Are your eyes hurting?"

"Nah, just do it. For me please?" Behold the power of puppy eyes.

"Sigh, fine" Yoshika goes ahead and approaches the guest " As the bell ringed another dull omen, I could see a shade of a woman. A midnight blue shade if I had to specify.

I tried my best to describe her again, reading her body like one would a novel. And what a read it was..she was blue as hell, blue hair, blue cloak the only not blue part of her was the lower part of her dress which had a mix of yellow and black. Everything about her screamed monk and she had yet to notice us or perhaps she did notice and was merely being polite by letting me finish my description of her..I had nothing to fear but even I knew that appearances aren't one you can casually judge by like how a blackish banana can be sweet on the inside and a pure yellow banana could be rotten, such a dangerous lack of pottasuim could come for me if I dared be as shallow as one of many fools before me- I did not really have this in mind but damn she's monologuing allright, even her voice is deep and gruff as if to speak with a disattachement to the world " At the time I had to guess her intentions, and there was only one way to find out. I had to talk to her

With a steady pace Yoshika heads towards the blue cloaked stranger, the latter turned around and noticed her once she got within 10 steps of her "Ah, you're finally here. For a moment I feared noone would appear"

Yoshika looked her up and down before responding " So here I was again, staring down the barrel of a woman's eyes. Those eyes are cold, like a .44 kept in a refriga-"

The cloaked gal interupts her "Excuse me, I don't know what you're doing but if you don't mind I'd like to actually speak first" her words were like bullets shattering the glass of non-Ahem, yeah we should stop this so I signal the narrator to stop and she does, taking a step back too.

"Thank you" the girl allows a smile once she sees this "So to get straight to the point: Which one of you would be Garr?" I take a step forward "Okay then, but oh I forgot to introduce myself so let me do that first" Taking a sort of pose with a ring held in both of her hands she speaks once more "I am Ichirin Kumoi, follower of the Myouren Temple and Guardian of the Palanquin ship!" a short bow follows "As for my presence, I am here on official business to vanquish the one who has injured my friends on their behalf. that would be you no?"

Though she says that I sense no hostility and reply "Yes I am Garr, but what did they tell you anyway?" if those bastards lied to her then there's no point in fighting.

"Hmm, from what I recall Nazrin simply told me that one or the two of you beated up her friend, locked her inside a cave and later blackmailed her into cleaning the graveyard if she ever wishes to see her treasured possesions again" That's quite accurate actually.

"W-well, we had a good reason for doing so! they intruded the graveyard and grievously hurted Yoshika alongside using the Mausoleum to hide booze" I do my best to reply

"*Grievously* hurt is a bit much" Yoshika grumbles "But yes they started this first!"

"Be that as it may, those two still are friends of mine and to see them in this state is not something I'm willing to overlook that easily even if they used Byakuren's absence as an excuse to misbehave a bit" The girl isn't swayed at all and takes out a piece of paper "Please take this"

Taking it I look at the letters for a bit "Hmmm, sorry but I can't read"

"Oh, in that case I'll say it out loud: I'm not sure if you two are aware of it but today is finally the day the Myouren Temple has managed to get their own bonafide Buddha statue.
To celebrate this occasion there will be a party this evening and I'd like to invite you for a Danmaku battle during it, IF I win you are to return the rods and clean the graveyard yourself but IF you win then we'll clean the place ourselves AND I'll get you something nice too" she pauses for a breather "I know that's a bit much to swallow and I don't need to hear your answer this very moment, just know that if you do attend that I'll take it as accepting"

...I'm not too sure on a answer either so that's fine for now "But what if there's a tie?"

"I'll consider it your win then, think of it as a handicap" then she turns around "But with all that I have to go now, I hope I'll see you by then and for now goodbye" and she flies off.

"Bwurgh, Youkrists are so annoying" Yoshika claps my shoulder "I'm sure you can win if you try hard enough and if not we can always train a few hours beforehand IF you accept"

"I guess? But enough about them and back to the real deal. What did Master want again?"

"Master wants us in the Masuoleum!" and she helpfully drags me over there only to stop "Why do I hear chains rattling?"
"That's cause of the coffin on my back" I helpfully add
"Why and when did you get it?" she asks

"Uh around yesterday and today" I answer

"Okay, we'll talk about this later but now to master!"

======Undead gals are heading to a meeting, please wait warmly===========

To my dismay Master confiscated the coffin from me at the Mausoleum once she saw that due to it having "Odd properties and besides everything you own really belongs to me by extension" I'm kind of peeved about it and so had trouble paying attention to the meeting.

Now I have to say the meeting itself was quite a bore to be in, Master Seiga wore a hat that looked like a bento box and did some drawings on a chalkboard (A dragon being hit by a camera was one of the drawings) while saying words that sounded smart and weren't easy to understand at all for either of us.

"And that's the gist of my masterplan! Any questions dears?"

Yoshika doesn't ask any questions, seems she understood everything or simply didn't feel like she needed to understand.

Now I could mimic her but honestly I don't get it all, what am I supposed to do in this anyway? Should I ask for a full recap and look like an idiot or just be bold and say *So in short what are we supposed to do?* while pretending to get most of it.

"None whatsoever? Good in that case Yoshika does Plan A and You do Plan B, do finish within 8 hours or so I don't have all day"

Oh boy, I can't stay silent after all.

[] *Raises hand* "I understood none of that"
[] *Shrugs* "And plan B was in short what?"
[] *Whisper* "Psh Yoshika, did you get any of that?"
[] Write in.

This update is a bit of a lower quality (Grammatically) I have to admit, but I'll have summer vacation starting this Saturday so expect a better one next time (Since by that time I should get a new word thingy ma bit and lots of free time)

Will await your votes warmly

Exposition about how Gensokyo works, how each faith faction works and our standings with them, and what the overal goal is (Make Taoism more famous by discrediting the others) and increase our own standings (The Mausoleum is our homebase, and can have more followers later depending on your actions).

[X] *Raises hand* "I understood none of that"
Looking around the room we were put in (Which oddly enough looked like a classroom with all those chairs and tables put in em) I sighed and finally admit "I understood none of that"
"Really now?" Master's face showed surprise "But I explained it in such grand detail, what of you Yoshika?" and turns towards the other girl seated next to me

"Huh?" Flinching for a bit, she answers in a daze "Sorry, Master's lullaby made me fall asleep" So she wasn't paying attention either.

"Oh my, you two are breaking my heart here..." Putting one hand on her face in dismay she continues "but very well if the long story was too much then I'll make it even shorter"

Master stands up and wipes the chalkboard clean and starts drawing anew:

Seiga Kaku's Amazingly Alliterative Aspiration

"Now to start off, we all live in this land of Fantasy known as Gensokyo. It's boundaries keep us away from the ignorant masses that rule over the Outside World and free us from being limited by what they call 'Common Sense' such as 'People die when they are killed' or 'Gravity stops everything from flying' or even 'No matter how much you train, the human fist cannot break rocks' which naturally means that the opposite is true here instead"

"Okay but what does that have to do with the-" Yoshika tries to ask

"Don't interrupt me, I hate that" but is stopped when Seiga throws a chalk at her forehead.
"This means many monsters, myths and superhumans see this place as their safe haven if not the only place where they can live their lives to the fullest. Gensokyo is all they have.

Now to the next subject and that is Culture: Since there are so many diverse creatures here that means there are different beliefs here as well, such as Buddhism, Shintoism, varouis other gods and goddesses and naturally our beloved and only right Taoi. These different beliefs and values lead to conflict, conflict that was once resolved through bloodshed is now solved via the non lethal means of Spell Card Battles which I have to admit are quite the unique and creative way to give everyone an equal fighting chance without fear of death."

She takes out a blue card and puts in the air "This would be a spellcard, to use it all-

"We know this already" Both me and Yoshika say, bored out of our minds.

"Fine,fine have it your way" Master shrugs but her mood remains unmoved "I'll skip to the important bit then: Religion again! Like I said earlier there are many beliefs in Gensokyo, some of these even have their own faction and I shall show the 4 most important ones"
She draws a circle and cuts it into 4 pieces "These factions would be

Shintoism: The Hakurei and Moriya Shrine
The Japanese devotion to invisible spiritual beings and powers called kami, to shrines, and to various rituals. Shinto is not a way of explaining the world but is a very local religion rooted deeply with the identity of Japan as a whole. The main way of expression is through faith and miracles which are done via their shrine maidens with the aid of their respective goddeses (Though rumors have it the Hakurei God abandoned her shrine for years now hah)

The Hakurei Shrine itself is the oldest faction having existed alongside Gensokyo and still maintaining it's existence via the Great Hakurei Barrier, this in a way makes it's Shrine maiden the most important human in here since without her our world would collapse

Yes, I can see you raising your hands but let me continue ahem not only that but she also acts as a sort of law enforcer of the place as well, if anyone were to do something to disrupt the status qou or in others words "create an incident" she would head over to them and give them the most brutal (Still non lethal) beatdown as a welcome gift. For some reasons that are better not mentioned she's not really popular among fellow humans and is often called the "Youkai Shrine Maiden" or "Lazy Shrine Maiden" and so forth. Ergo no followers.

Now the Moriya Shrine was a recentish addition and their Shrine maiden also helps with a few incidents or two but they are most known for bringing outside technology to Gensokyo. This is quite an interesting tale but I'd hate to go offrails here so let's continue with their followers of which the vast majority are the Youkais of the mountain they reside at (that being the tengus, kappas and whatever else lives there) but in the end they don't really matter to us either since I'd never want a Youkai as a Taoist follower, the sheer sight of it would make me balk, no Taoism is firmly on the side of humanity!

Speaking of Taoism, let's do that one right now: Taoism is naturally the one true way we all know and love, it is currently represented through an old friend/disciple of mine known as the Crown Prince or Toyosatomimi no Miko if you ever have the misfortune of trying to write that name down.. funny enough it reminds me of a carbrand of the outside world due to it's name and really we should one day have a vacation outside the border but not now.
now about Miko: She was originally sealed in this very Mausoleum and thanks to my brave efforts I managed to transport this whole place into Gensokyo and revive the prince!" Not to disrupt her whole exposition thingy but Seiga says the last part filled with pride also what's a car anyway?

"Currently she has abandoned this place and resides in the Hermit World known as Senkai created by herself. Some humans were naturally interested in becoming a hermit for the power and immortality it offers but sadly Miko treats her disciples as nothing more than servants to clean the place or do false exercises despite the fact she only became a Taoist for the same reason but then again noone said she has to, It's why I made sure my way of attaining immortality can't be taught either since otherwise I would not be able to enjoy my own eternal life if it kept being disturbed by a noisy bunch who want a piece of the pie.
Regardless in a way she's not a true believer of the Taoi but more of a notable Practicioner.
As I said earlier she owes me a big debt and cannot despite recent differingen views rid herself fully of me, but she does tend to avoid me lately.

Finally the remainders of the bunch: The varouis living gods and goddesses are blatantly what they are, a bunch of deities that give their services to the land in exchange for some worship here and there. They simply do what is in their nature for if they received no faith they would simply cease to exist. The most notable example would be the Aki Sisters who are currently struggling to receive faith because the Moriyas can offer more than they can in a bigger and better quantity but let's not speak about sob stories now.

Wait I almost forgot about the Dragon God: Said deity is the most powerful god of em all and is revered by most human and youkai due to it, even the Sages that have aided with the building of the barrier fear it's power and vowed eternal peace to it after which it was never seen again. Quite the frightening creature isn't it? To make everyone fear and respect it simply by existing. It shows there's always a bigger fish even in the Land of Fantasy"

I raise my hand again "But what about Buddhism?"

"We don't talk about Buddhism" Seiga says firmly

"But-"
" We don't talk about Buddhism " She repeats with venom and continues like nothing happened "Now if I had to go with percentages, influences or whatever math terms the most drolls of scientists go with it'd be hmmm this!" Behold the drawing below

Hakurei Shrine: 1 Follower ( 1% of Gensokyo)
Notable Members: Hakurei Reimu

Moriya Shrine: Around 300ish or more followers (25% and growing)
Notable Members: Sanae, Kanako and Suwako Moriya
Note: Having a whole mountain as a source of faith is quite handy, props to em.

The Dragon God: Almost every Human and most Youkais that don't fit in the others (35%)
Notable Members: Iku Nagae, go to the Dragon Palace for more info
Note: You could say even the Sages worship it in a way but let's just say that anyone that fears the Dragon God is in a way worshipping it if they don't have another deity.

Taoism: Between 50 and 100 ish (10% maybe? Haven't seen many humans there)
Notable Members: Miko, Futo, Me, Some ghost who's name I forgot, and you two.
Note: It used to be higher but once most disciples realized Miko had no real intent to make them into hermits most of em left and now only the single minded fools remain.

The others: Put in the rest here and do the math.

Buddhism:......Some Youkai have been seduced by that Witch so it's around maybe 150 or so? the number really fluctates but Byakuren followers do outnumber those of the Crown Prince in number and some even quality, if it wasn't for the Hieda Clan she would have probably seduced the human village too with her hypocrisy and unnatural views. (20%)

Now that you've seen the numbers I assume you know why we are meeting today"

Taking a short break, Master takes a water bottle and refreshes herself with it, after which she dumps a large sack (Which lied at the corner of the room) of it's content: which are uuh..a varouis amount of stuff? I can see a Camera, some weird box, some orbs, a spear and more things I'm having a hard time describing cause I don't know what they are.

Anyway I think it's time for the big question "So what are we supposed to do about this?"

That only makes her sigh and rest her head against the desk "Give me a moment, I kind of forget myself now" So even master can't remember everything "Wait I got it!" she recalls.

Getting on top of the desk, she points her finger at the ceiling boldly "It's kind of obvouis if you think about it" and gets down calmly "We have to increase the number of potential followers either via advertising or discrediting our rivals, the Crown Prince is slacking and someone needs to give her the wake up call

The plan will be to post the benefits of becoming a hermit on a poster and send them around the human village Become Immortal and powerful with this neat trick, join the Taoi to find out or so "
Then she takes out a sack of yen and tosses it at me "That's why I need someone to go buy paper and for another to make the slogan: Plan B and A
So servant, you are going to buy some paper alongside some other groceries since you're already on the way while I and Yoshika will handle the slogan and design of it alongside some other more privy stuff you're not qualified for" that sounds like a lie but okay master.

"So plan B is doing the groceries?" Oh lord, I've never been outside the Graveyard that long so I don't know if I can actually do it...but Master is trusting me or wants me to be somewhere else temporarily and therefore I have to do it! "You can count on me, consider that paper already bought!" I say with a bold tone.

"Good, now stay still I need to add some modifications to make sure you won't mess up" Master says while approaching me, hand reaching for the talisman on my head.

....For some reason I don't like the tone of that but then again Master won't hurt me right?


[] Swat her hand away "What are you doing Master?"
[] Let her remove the Talisman "Understood Master"

Also do I have any questions?
[] No I understood everything
- and it sounds like a good plan
- and it sounds like a bad plan.

[] Yes and those are (write the question)

[x] Let her remove the Talisman "Understood Master"
[X] Swat her hand away "What are you doing Master?"
Also do I have any questions?
[x] Yes and those are: What's a car? The human village has been on edge and attacking youkai who approach it. Where should I go to buy everything?
[x] No I understood everything
- and it sounds like a bad plan.

Wait so am I supposed to let Master take the talisman off and then swat her hand away or do you swat the hand away and then let her take off the talisman? Brain you’re confusing me!

“Don’t be shy now, I’m not going to hurt you~☆’ Master says as her fingers now touch it “I can see you’re nervous but really it only hurts the first few times, sure you’ll be unable to move, feel, breath or even think without this paper baby for now buut trauma builds character!” OH NO time to act! Just got to follow my heart and do what I know best! The universal problem solver number UNO!!

CHOMP! “…..” Hm this may not have been the best thing but Master has a good taste, sadly or happily my teeth cannot pierce her skin. It’s like a half cooked steak I guess? And smells like strawberries “Remind me to train you later” Master sounds annoyed maybe I should not ha-
Talisman has been removed 閃亮的白色獠牙，樹那麼大的粗長鼻子，黑色的鱗片覆蓋著腐爛的身體，隱藏著野獸唯一的弱點：紅色跳動的心臟。活著又死了，沒有胃，牠吃啊吃啊吃啊吃，就像一個永無止境的虛空，那些看到它的人 What the nine chickens in a aflame basket was that! All orders no longer bind you the thoughts in my head scrambled like a bucket of dropped marbles and it feels like hamsters are playing whack a mole, the mole being my head in this but it doesn’t hurt it’s just really weird really weird really weird really NO! “Hoh is it me or do you look confused too now? Isn’t it palpable that I got more than one hand? Don’t bother answering that by the way..well not like you could really. Anyway Yoshika help me out with the Make over ”
………………………………………………………………..There’s nothing here after all, wherever you look it’s only darkness and silence as far I cannot see, is this what death is like? And if not then where am I right now?
Huh, nothing but my own thoughts to accompany me for now………………………………………………………………..
……………………………………………………..Echoooooo, Echooooooo………………………………I’m bored now…………..
“There we go” Master’s voIce souNdS pleASEed And noRmaLlysOwouLDIif “Doesn’t she look cuter now?”

“Bleh, she’s unrecognizable. Is this really what the villagers dress like now?” LET ME OUT ALREADY

“Of course not, it’s more of an outsider trend. I managed to get them from a kind traveler who gave them in exchange for a way out of the forest they found themselves in. Classic outsider encounters ya know but back to our dress doll: What do you think of these colors? Should I add an ribbon or two or oh! OH! I know the perfect disguise! Yoshika remove the silly hat and get me the yukata!” what?

“….Master with all due respect this is too stripperific” Wait what are you two doing!?

“But think of the fanservice! All the young men in that primitive place will be head over heels for her. Not only that but she looks like an outsider who got gapped out of an festival, add maybe some mud and there’s no way the guards won’t let an damsel in distress pass the gates” so they’re playing dress up with me…I don’t think that’s something you need to disable others for. I want to join in on the fun!

“What of the pale skin and eyes? Those show she’s one of us”
“Ugh, I’ll just use magic for that! Now stop ruining my fun, this is a bonding moment that we’re supposed to have despite undressing and dressing an defenseless young girl without her consent and okay now that I said it out loud I can see why that’s an problem” YOU DON”T SAY MASTER.

“How is it an problem?” Wait Yoshika what are you saying? Don’t give me one of those unexpected betrayals out of nowhere! Please I always thought you were an cooler senior don’t ruin that image “No, really master of course there’s nothing morally wrong with this or you’d be stupid for not knowing” oof.

“Spare me the sarcasm girl, just let me add the final touch and some new orders aaaand we are done” The Talisman has been returned as a new model (and also placed on the back of your neck): New orders have been added and older ones removed

@ Don’t eat people without permission
@ If anything asks who you are when you’re in trouble say you’re a follower of Byakuren Hijirin
@ Buy the following stuff: 50 Papers, Ink, 5 Oranges or more I guess.
@ Don’t let anyone get in the way of accomplishing the third order.

“Open your eyes servant and behold your new splendid form” Wait I can move again?

The first I thing I sean enemy! How did they get so close to me, do we have to wor-Mirror..it’s a mirror.
Ahem brown eyes meet my gaze as they are attached to a normal white colored face but then again all eyes are attached to faces since that’s where eyes are supposed to be, have you ever seen an eye between someone’s but cheeks? Sure there may be a youkai who does but that means humans strongly fear having eyes down there and that says more on them than the youkai who is born from iFocus.

Let me repeat myself: Brown eyes, white face, hair that somehow looks like red and white cubes stacked next to each other for a weird color diversity, a skull ribbon next to my left ear and black large trousers that go from my waist to the toes. I’d look almost like a normal villager if it wasn’t for the STUPID TACO HAT and the SAMBA SHAKERS RUINING IT ALL. “Thanks, I hate it” this is so dumb it turns me into a straight man out of shock, how can someone wear this and not commit a bungee jump without rope.

“Aw, but I thought you’d love it! Look the taco has a mini car on it too” *Squeak* Master pokes the hat and it makes the previous noise which makes her giggle “That’s what you get for not behaving”

“Master, please don’t bully her now” Yoshika helpfully bar-and what oh god no, no I cannot describe what crime against humanity Seiga made her wear “Or me for that matter, we might hate you..”

Our collective suffering seems to only make Master enjoy the moment even more and now she’s choking in humor “HOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOO”, please don’t get up by the way “AAH, I love this so much!”

This will never end if we let her keep up at it so it’s time for a quick subject change “Master what is an car?” it caught my curiosity when she mentioned it and literally wearing one made it bigger.

“Huh?” Properly seating herself once she’s done rolling in the air laughing she speaks “A car is like a carriage I’d say? But it doesn’t need horses to move and can be used by only the rider”

“But how does it move then?” adds in Yoshika, seating herself with her-NO I will not describe it

“Maybe it’s like a windmill? It moves with an energy that’s not horsepower?” is my halfhearted guess.

“Hmmm, I believe they use Gasoline to make their cars propel with engines yes, the source of said fuel would be the burning of dinosaur if I recall which was why um. We used a big comet to make them all drop dead and easier to harvest?”

“Wait humans can use meteors!?” and “That’s terrifying!” is what Yoshika and I say to it.

“Uh yes!” Looking up the ceiling, master gathers her thought “Yes indeed they do which is why the youkai are all hiding in Gensokyo now since humans can now use the power of meteors on anything they deem a threat or nuke worthy but nowadays they call it Nukes or Alpha Striking. I think a raven in hell is based on some part of that power yes. But anyway the important part is that humanity killed all of the dinosaurs”

“How did they do it?”

“What do you mean?”

“How did they use the meteors?”

“oh” Master becomes quiet at that “That’s because of the…” she looks around the room “Space, Cannon. Because of the Space Cannon that they have in…the sea”

“So it’s an Space Cannon inside the ocean? What’s it called?” Yoshika seems unconvinced but why would she doubt master? Sure she’s a bit mean and mischievous and cold but she would never lie to us.

“I don’t think I like that tone of yours dear” Offended, she gets up with a theatric huff and says “It’s called Project Poseidon just so you know and with that this conversation is over unless you have something of actual value to say”

I raise my hand “These clothes are dumb”

Yoshika raises her hand too “The plan is dumb too”

High-five “We can do better than this” hell yeah sister, that’s the attitude.

“Really now? In that case both of you have to accomplish the mission. I don’t care how just get me those groceries” and with a final pout Master leaves the room.

Which gives me an opportunity to properly describe it now: The room is a vast uh room with some chairs and tables dumped in the middle alongside a chalkboard, a sack of master’s new toys and various other stuff that aren’t really important. There is no ceiling because the Mausoleum has this kind of “You can fly anywhere” theme going on but it also has no stairs as a result which would make it unhabitable for the well non flightless. And there’s a mirror and a …then I realize I suck at describing rooms cause Yoshika with THAT is just too distracting

Now on the positive note we both look humanish in a way now, and I do have the money and grocery list but I’m kind off on a loss on what to do now. “So what would we do?”

“Don’t know, you got the list so you lead the way” Yoshika passes the decision making to me.


Still I have no idea what to do.

[] Write in.


Name: Garr D Anne
Curent Status: Embarassed by life choices that lead to current dressing style

Notable items:
Talisman (on neck) has orders that cannot be disobeyed:@ Don’t eat people without permission
@ If anything asks who you are when you’re in trouble say you’re a follower of Byakuren Hijirin
@ Buy the following stuff: 50 Papers, 5 Oranges or more I guess, Ink (Don't care where it comes from).
@ Don’t let anyone get in the way of accomplishing the third order.

Skull ribbon: Nothing of note yet
Nazzrin Stickies: They're weird and look yummy
Master's Righthand: No idea why she gave it, but I guess it makes you the righthandman
Some note ribbons: Master removed them.
Yen Pouch: It's a money pouch therefore it has money in it.

[X] Get rid of whatever Dead Yoshi is wearing and the hat, get some proper peasant wear instead.

[X] Think or ask if there's another place where one could buy paper and oranges yada yada, and if not just go the human village.

[X] Get rid of the hand (the pun of which I'd shoot you for) since no one wants Garr to be checked by some guards only to find her holding a female hand in her pockets

Breathe in, Breathe out, if there was ever a thing I regretted learning about it would be a single creature known by all: The fairy. Now off course you can say that with their cute appearances and childlike minds they would be nothing but cute fuzzy children out to spread fun and cheers to all right? Wrong and kind of correct but mostly wrong since what they see as fun is to be an complete nuisance to others and I know that cause they keep getting in the way and shooting at me over and over making what should be an easy and straight road of nothing but dirt and grass and trees and everything that an valley has into an eye melting-bullets filled hellhole accompanied by the giggles of childlike demons, demons yes! They feel no pain, they feel no fear and they cann- “They’re all gone, you can open your eyes and stop shooting while uh flying in circles?” Oh cool, I’ve run out of bombs anyway so I open them.

“Are you all right?” and right before me sta-floats the comrade of the day Yoshika! In her red-black grandeur she’s shaking me at the moment since narrating and doing stuff at the same time is hard “Hey, I’m talking to you. If you’re not dead answer” multi-tasking is something I should try to improve.

“I was okay but I’m not” which sadly is the truth “How did you even dodge all that? They were attacking from everywhere: left, right, up, down, front, back and even diagonally! There’s no way someone can keep track of all those balls and lasers and Gwargh there’s too much of everything”

“Just get good” Is all she says about it and flies towards the path again “Can’t get better if you don’t try again and again and again etc and uh only focus on the shinies closest to you” I follow in all senses.

“You make it sound so easy, but enough of that how do I look?” Changing the subject “Don’t fix what don’t need it yes?” To be honest I don’t think I’ll ever go on a trip like this again if I get to decide on it.

“Basic but okayis, should get more unique style later” seemingly bored by the question she dismisses it like that and stops hopping after some distance “Village in sight” so we finally arrived.

By which she means the so called Human Village which for some reason has large walls surrounding it, probably to detect any person who will try to just fly into the place. “Let’s hop the rest on the ground ” I suggest and specifiy.
“Why?” Yoshika rejects the notion “Everyone can fly, it’s nothing special” but that’s not the reason.

“I think they’ve got like not in the mood for Youkai stuff? So acting normal human like would be best”

“How do you kno-“ she shakes her head “Never mind, if you say so we’ll do it” for some reason comrade seems in a foul mood, maybe it was the costume or the sudden fetch quest or the fact that Sailor Girl won’t be doing physical labor unless-actually that’s plenty of reasons to not be jolly so never mind.

By the way we did try some other places first since they were closer like the EVIL temple but Yoshika didn’t want to enter that place, even had some rat trouble that didn’t lead anywhere. Secondly was the Youkai Mountain? (Some loud girl of the temple suggested we go there) Don’t know why that’s the name but after an hour of flight and no real sense of progress we decided the village would be closer even if it doesn’t have some *Harvest Goddess* or whatever, comrade keeps calling it stages for some reason which would make this place stage 3? We spent an extra hour or two so it's around late morning now? definitly not afternoon.

Anyway after two minutes or so of hopping towards the Entrance like two hoppity hoppers that hop hurriedly somewhere that is this phrase went nowhere let me do that again, after two minutes or so of just hopping towards the entrance I can finally see more details like actual guards and stuff.

The gate was way taller than I imagined now that I’m closer, it’s made of stone and some nicer looking stones to give it a grand look alongside it’s height of like 4 trees on top of each other. The walls are also made of stone and go really far left and right possibly covering the whole outside of the village for protection which is a honest strategy, there are two guards wearing dress shoes, some caps with stars on it alongside a nice blue cloak and swords are keeping guard at opposite ends of an not made out of stone door. All in all the presence is almost comparable to that of the mausoleum so I give it an 6 out of 10.

“Ahem” Comrade fake coughs “Go make them let us enter, I’ll move if they act aggressive” dutifully noted, knowing that she got my back even if I mess this up is a bit reassuring somehow.

Okieday, doing my best to act normal even if I’m not sure what exactly is considered normal by people who live in a world where winged children on sugar frenzies are the raccoon-pigeons of the sky.

“Hello there” and then I wave at them, they’re just looking at me so I say it again “Hello there”
The two guards give each other a look and the one from the right approaches me with their hand on their sword sheath “Greetings, how can I help you traveler?” Guard (R) says with a stiff tone, stiff out of boredom rather than caution. “We’re currently in some sort of…it’s best not to linger here too long” and that is definitely not vague or menacing in a way, sarcasm aside so far the interaction is going swell.

Taking a deep breath, it’s time to continue this. This is my first not youkai interaction so I have to not think of them as food or anything that could scare them “Me and my friend would like to enter”

“Mhm, I figured out that much” the man puts his steadied hand away and takes a notebook instead “I’m afraid that due to certain events only a select special few are allowed to enter so you’ll have to answer a few questions of mine: What’s your name? Occupation? And reason for entering?”
“I am uuh” Should I just say I’m here to buy some items or make up some other reason? To be honest this kind of effort is starting to get annoying, we just want some stuff and go home so why does it have to take this long? Even left behind Master’s hand cause if they searched me it’d be super weird to have and it’s just weird to have in general “Garr D Anne, Grave keeper, I want to buy some stuff and then go home. Preferably in less than an hour or so”

“Glad you’re being honest Miss Anne” and he actually sounds grateful too “I’ve noted this all down but I’m afraid I cannot let you enter, it is simply not possible at the moment” DAMMIT “unless…nah”

“What do you mean unless?” I’m not that tempted but hell nah do I come all the way here for nothing.

“Well, I could let you enter regardless since really you seem harmless but my superior would really go harp on me all day if he found out" Progessively more relaxed, Guard R shakes his own head. "Tell you what: if you’re capable of being discreet and give me some insurance for my good will then I’d gladly close an eye” and he does a gimme gimme motion with his righthand. "No offense but if you really want to enter then you gotta make it worth my while"


What would that even mean?

[X] Shake his hand?
[X] Give him an item? (specify)
[X] Just go home, I did more than enough
[X] Inform him that you don’t deal in insurances and are a Grave keeper
[X] Bite the hand? This action is in defiance of an order and thus not possible Do it anyway
[X] Just try the other guard
[X] What if I…were to try to enter another way?
[X] Hmmm, (write in)

[x]Give dowsing rods
([Thinking] They had the audacity to demand I fight them so they finally clean the graveyard. Nu-uh. Not keeping your end of the deal, not keeping my end.)

[Speaking] Not really in the mood for some sales pitch or fancy stories now, just telling you how it is. The rods let you find treasure and precious, old, lost things like your car...riage keys. When they are together.

I could prove it to you, oh if only, if you let me in and get the things I need. But then I'd need to keep them with me still. Hmm, how about you just let me in then, pleaaaaase?

([Thinking] I am a grave keeper and only I keep insurance. Hohhot, delightfully devilish, Anne.

…You know what? I’ve just realized the perfect way to get back at these Buddhi Bozos, not only are they looking for trouble with me but they can’t even hold their promises! Makes me wonder how much worse their master is for allowing this kind of behavior, it’s one thing to be a Buddhist of all things but it’s another level of Disgusting if you can’t keep true to your wrong values.

Now I’m not the strongest or smartest Youkai around but even so anger me and you got yourself trouble to solve too. An eye for an eye and an incident for an incident! But for now, let’s start with something simple:

Pocketing out the Dowsing rods and tending them towards Unfaced and Unnamed Guard R (Titles are kind of cool sue me brain) the start of my master impression begins! “Now dear, I’m not in the mood for some sale pitch or a fancy story so I’ll tell you just how it is. Can you see these?”

Guard R looks at them with a hint of curiosity “Those aren’t backscratchers or odd coat hangers now are they?” his jest goes unanswered “..I can see it”

Good, got keep this ruse going “These rods are quite special, not only are they made of an most rare ore but they also have the unique ability that allows one to find treasure or lost items such as your ca..(My brain frantically scrambles for an item that starts with ca) flying castle (the one in the sky nearby the Graveyard comes to mind) or simply lost keys and gold under the ground and many more…but only when they are together”

“T-That’s quite the amazing ability. If it’s true that is” Some minor resistance “But if you can prove your claim then-“ time to end this!

Closing the distance between us, I put an hand on his cheek “Wh-“ and take one of his own putting it right next to the money pouch which itself is..oh wrong spot “Let me finish dear” that shuts him up but now I too have trouble speaking, if it wasn’t for the mask in the way I’d be unable to keep eye contact. What do I do now? I can't pull away now and go *Just kidding!* So I press myself closer to him, doing my best to make my voice sound charming.

“I could prove it to you, oh if only, if you let me in and get the things I need. But then I'd need to keep them with me still. Hmm, how about you just let me in then, pleaaaaase~ ♡” [i] Master give me strength “To get to spend time with two lovely girls alongside the money one can get from those rods must be a treat or...are we not your type?“ Looking at the closest thing that I can identify as a face, I give the most SEDUCTIVE LOOK EVE-and he pushed me away.

“Ahem” Guard R belligerently coughs while hiding a beet red flush “I-um undderstand miss… but please mind yourself since the birds are listening ” he nods at his comrade who’s just frowning at us at this point, so is Yoshika “Tell you what, go ahead and head in. I’ll see you ladies during lunchbreak with some luck, just be at the dragon statue at noon. It’s at the center of town and you literally can’t miss it” IT WORKED, IT WORKED!! I’m the most devilish of devils not to offend master Mhohohoho!

“MHM” nodding back while trying to contain my embarrassment, Guard R speaks a bit with Guard L and opens a smaller door inside the bigger door to let us through “Take care, and see you later”

Wait time to add a final blow, I whisper a final thing to him “If you don’t meet us later due to whatever bad luck, then don’t worry cause some girl named Nazrin will show you a good time in my stead kay? Visit the evening festival at the Myourn Temple you’ll find her there, that’s an extra insurance there (wink)” hehehehehe, take that mouse girl. “invite some friends” now off we go and naturally we won't be waiting for him if we are let in.

And with that we finally managed to enter the Human Village. MISSION SUCCESS! Note to self: men don't like it when you show them your sharp teeth and red eyes

“Hey” Yoshika tugs me while we are walking straightforward “Why did you make that face?” We are heading towards the Dragon Statue since that’s a good starting point “It led us inside but still I didn’t know you were li-” I put my hand on her mouth to make her shut up for a moment “HMhmmhmhm” …..

Not that I’m trying to stall for time but you know the name Human Village really doesn’t do this place justice: A bustling little town, with what seemed to be a collective love for life yet surrounded by mighty walls to protect from the predators outside: A human safe haven made by them and for them
It's morning. People walk from here to there, carrying groceries or goodies. Children play in the streets, before making their way to the schoolhouse near the center of the village. A man is pulling a cart full of rice to the direction of the marketplace. A couple sits outside some teahouse, having a chat.
Pretty nice and peaceful right? Wrong well the décor is right but there’s no beep to be heard, all windows are closed and the few people on the street hurry their pace whenever they got close to each other as if frightened, there are some clients at the teahouse but no one cares about that.


Like I said earlier the place is surrounded by an bunch of walls and security seems pretty swell, so why would these people lock themselves inside their houses? The Umbrella mentioned trigger happy but this looks more like trigger sad, anyway no one is paying attention to us and those few we meet on the street avoid eye contact or give a quick nod. What a gloomy vibe.

Finally we arrive at the town square, well we were already here by the time I-ahem behold the dragon statue: Some dark statue the shape of a dragon, it doesn’t seem to have anything special other than some altar next to it (that got some fruits (oranges too) given as offering to it) and weird eyes off an Ocean blue color or Aquamarine if you want to be fancy.

All in all-Yoshika is picking the oranges off the Altar with no shame whatsoever and tends them to me “Found the first items” she says with pride.

…Should I scold her for blasphemy? Whatever we’re too deep to give a potato mash about offending the gods so 1 Item of 3 found!

Anyway we should probably head somewhere else now, can’t have people see this and there’s only 2 things left to get.

So where shall the wind blow?
[] South! Someone mentioned a secondhand store
[] West! I can hear various amounts of chatter there; it must be a market
[] East!

“Okay it’s time for a talk” Yoshika turns me towards her “You’ve been acting weird since yesterday. Completely different if I had to say? It’s weird and I want to know why” I’m surprised she’s bothered by that

“What are you talking about? I’m just being me no? Just adapting and overcoming my surroundings like a proper servant”

“That’s not bad no, it’s just uuh you are. Developing too quickly? It’s like a baby crawling that learns how to walk and ride a bike in just 3 hours, weird”

This is just uncomfortable so I squirm my way out and try to come off as soothing “Don’t worryyyyy, such a baby would be a cool ba-“ wait

“Hey I’m a grownup too! You’re being patronizing”

“No! Ugh, never mind I said nothing” again with the attitude, look being moody is something everyone can understand but she doesn’t need to be a pain! We can have a proper talk once I'm dead by which I mean never cause dead people don't tell no tales..except they do but nevertheless you know what I meant.

Now let’s go back to the mission now, the sooner we’re done the sooner we can go home and relax on our owns and stuff, Graveyard wait for me.

[] West! Someone mentioned a secondhand store and those have secondhand stuff, whatever that is.
[] South! I can hear various amounts of chatter there, It must be a market and those should have actual fresh fruit and other meaty stuff yum.
[] East! The noise of *clang clang* indicates blacksmiths, let’s sell those rods for real mules.
[] North! The streets are cleaner and the houses nicer, whatever wares we can find here must be of higher quality
[] Write in

Hmm, let’s hurry the pace and go to two places at once! If they’re not directly opposite of each other it shouldn’t take too long.


Obtained 5 who-knows-how-old-these-are Oranges

Name: Garr D Anne
Curent Status: Happy at the success, even if comrade is being a joy-killer.

Notable items:
Talisman (on neck) has orders that cannot be disobeyed:@ Don’t eat people without permission
@ If anything asks who you are when you’re in trouble say you’re a follower of Byakuren Hijirin
@ Buy the following stuff: 50 Papers, 5 Oranges (Technically acquired) or more I guess, Ink (Don't care where it comes from).
@ Don’t let anyone get in the way of accomplishing the third order.

Skull ribbon: Nothing of note yet
Nazzrin Stickies: They're weird and look yummy
Yen Pouch: It's a money pouch therefore it has money in it.
5 Oranges of questionable quality: They’re fruits originally meant for an dragon statue

-[x] East! The noise of *clang clang* indicates blacksmiths, let’s sell those rods for real mules.
--[x]Keep a lookout for the most 'crafty' looking smith and give him the honest play-by-play: how you got the rods and why, being sure to emphasize that you are not the instigator. Sell 'em for good dosh and tell him he's guaranteed to get great interest rates for holding on to them once the mouse and the sailor come to get them back. "Just tell 'em a poor innocent girl must've stumbled across them and sold them to you. What are the Buddhists gonna do? Beat up and steal from an innocent man?"
---[x]"Oh, and one last favor just for me; tell 'em "It must've been Karma!""

Looking back at the rods once more another idea that is definitely mine and mine alone comes over to me, why be satisfied with just this? Why not take it a step further and aim for total victory?

“Yo Yoshi” after a whiff or two it’s obvious those oranges are BAD “Drop those moldy ones, I’ve got the maddest idea here” which can’t be explained right now since the moment you say an plan out loud it’s destined to either fail at the final phase or it becomes an anticlimactic spoiler, got to rub me hands sinisterly too for the right flavor. “Just follow me and we’ll become the new bling kings!”

“No” is the short reply, there were more words but at least she’s still tagging along “It’s okay to have fun but don’t end up too distracted, focus is i-“ words words schmords let’s just go already.

“Oh we’ll accomplish the mission smooth and buttery” Twirling the two rods in my hands, I try to finally use them Bring me to the most CRAFTY smith in town and now to w-ahat they’re already pulling me towards a destination as if forced by a magical pull, any attempt at resistance proves futile as they simply stir even stronger then so let’s just go with it.

A few minutes later at the East District: The sounds of hammers smashing and gears turning alongside the odor of oil and fire pouring from every corner gives this place an different feeling compared the more public spaces in town, actually people of larger and muscular statures are more abundant too which clearly indicates this as the realm of MUSCLE and STEEL, an house of artist even. The art of Iron?

Eastern Wonderland: Swordcraft Story : [i] the "Alley of Swords" where many people work as blacksmiths is renowned as the best one in town (cause it’s the only one) , this once wonderful place is now ruled by uh the Lords of Steel with annn well Steely fist?. The hero of our story is…Max Speed, the apprentice of- *Bang* OW! WHO DARES HI-Oh it’s just Yoshika.

“Concentrate” Ok maybe I got a bit distracted and didn’t notice we already arrived “Enter already” and so we get led into an actual building with a wooden sign on the entrance, which I can’t read because we already established that many times and maybe one day I’ll learn how to: To our surprise the interior floor and walls are actually made of stone/steel? Which kind of makes sense since otherwise fire hazards would be an constant problem in a village of wooden houses, there are several people with numerous tools to smash, smelt or sharpen the weapons they’re working on s which some of are boldly displayed on some walls with their uuh fanciness? Likely to show they’re the real deal and all that.

“Oi, what might the two of you be doing here?” an unnamed young lad appears, he’s got dirt all over him and the standard bla-he’s not important so let’s not waste time on description “This ain’t the place for two ladies..unless you fetching an order from your husbands?” That a compliment? That an insult?

“Sure” I simply nod at his question “I’d like to see the best smith here for something special he cooked up” not sure what to do now so I add another lie “Could it be quick please? Afraid we don’t have all day with our …. womanly affairs” and waving my hand like a fan to appear *hurried* I shall too.
“And wha-“ he’s about to question it yet stops “ The customer is king almost forgot that, wait a sec” and off he goes to seek whoever that may be.

“So, you’re selling the rods for more money, right?” Comrade suddenly adds in “How much do you think it’s even worth? And if you don’t know how are you going to avoid looking like a scammer?” and sighs which she’s been doing a lot now, is she going to aim for the sighing Olympics too?

“Well, we’ll cross that bridge when the time comes” She’s about to sigh again but a flick on the forehead stops that “Also cheer up a bit, no one would be grumpy that long so let’s just have a bit of fun together” and then another when she tries to frown “Do it for me please?”

“I’ll bite your hand off you do that again but okay ” She finally gives up on being moody “Not like it’s really doing anything” looking around the room it seems she’s about to say more but stops “They’re back”

“They sure are qui-“ Before the sentence can end, the kid comes back with someone familiar right behind him “Miss Koga is the best blacksmith we have!” he says and then leaves us be with the new presence.

“Are you okay? You’re looking a bit out of it” the girl says and I could swear it’s someone I know if it wasn’t for the gloves, steel toes, cotton trouser and shirt with an felt cap on her head that’s she wearing hiding the most notable features I know of the umbrella, like having two weird eyes or carrying an umbrella at all times or the blue hair and all that so if it is her then it’s a really good disguise or I’m just very easy to fool “Ahem, is there something I can help the two of you with?” She doesn't seem to recognize me or is playing a very good game but nevertheless we are here for something else.

“I-I’d like to sell these babies, not that they’re babies I meant these rods” and I show em.

“You’ll have to speak to my Boss miss, I’m just a blacksmith after all not a businessman” then with some grace the other her would never have she beckons us to follow “Allow me to take you to him at once”

“Thank you” and follow we do as she guides to the second floor of the building.

=====================Transition, Sike! It's but a short seconds skipped!=========================

Now here we are, sitting in some chairs while waiting for the boss to appear. The umbrella led us into the boss office and said that they should be coming here any moment soon, though even if I say office it’s more like an private smith room, the only difference being that the tools here are cleaner and of a higher quality, there seems to be needles, knives and even tall swords just lying around in boxes ready to be sent off to whoever ordered it bet. Oh, I forgot the furniture! Well it’s like 3 chairs, one office, smith stuff (like a furnace) and a bookcase that has books with various covers of stuff? They are ghosts, zombies and other things so I guess they’re horror books but why would anyone have these here. The real reason for describing all this is to just pass some time since Yoshika is reading some newspaper and so I need something to do to make the 5 minutes do not feel like an eternity.


UGH HURRY UP ALREADY! The boredom is slowly killing me to the point even my thoughts are long and overly descriptive while not being descriptive enough in the end NO NOT DOING THAT AGAIN!

*Knock Knock* “Sorry for the wait! The boss has finally arrived” Ko-something opens the door and enters cause why else would you open a door, right behind him however there seems to be someone else. “Sorry to keep you waiting” says the supposed boss but it comes out muffled since a certain someone is blocking the door with their whole body “Koga could you move aside? There’s not enough space”

“Oh sorry” the somehow not Umbrella? blacksmith politely replies and gets out of the way “Should I go prepare some drinks?” she asks out of common etiquette.

“It’s too early to get wasted but maybe later” and it finally reveals itself as a man the size of an mountain coupled with muscles to possibly move one themselves, their clothes consist of an simple pants and bandages for the upper part of the body with some chains on the wrist as an fashion statement? If it wasn’t for the cap on their head I’d swear this person isn’t human, they’re currently struggling to fit inside the door and after some time simply break through it by walking “Don’t mind the mess” and walks towards the only chair in the room and hops on it *BOOM* making the room shake as a result “Let’s make the introductions then: I’m Master Bron, owner of the best smithery in town “The Bronze Forge” and retired blacksmith. I love my people the same way I like my steel: Straight and Strong and Unwavering!” He tends one arm towards me, for a handshake probably which again reaffirms his oddity since people don’t do handshakes here but clearly he does not care for formal behavior.

Not-Kogasa on the other hand tries to warn me with hand gestures not to take it, so naturally I do it cause duck it this man is a fellow soul! “Nice to meeeeeaa” Not sure if he did it on purpose but he’s squishing my hand into bits and only lets go after a few painful seconds “I’m Garr D Anne and that’s Yoshika and we are here to sell his” I show the goods “These are the uh legendary rods of something, they’re custom made and have the special ability to find anything or anyone when you possess the two of them. How much will you give us for these?”



“Legendary huh? Gimme a look” sounding intrigued he takes them and examines the two “Hmm, these are made of pure copper and other than the fact they’re custom made don’t seem that special. At a first glance I’d say they are worth around 25918,52 yen due to their size and bulk alone. Maybe double that if they really work like you say”

“Is that a lot of money?” I ask hopefully

Kogasa’s good twin scratches the back of her head and adds in “Not really no? It’s like 2 to 4 nights at a decent hotel worth of money or like 2 weeks of groceries if I had to compare”

That’s just enough to buy groceries indeed but somehow I hoped for more “Did you keep the ability in mind? You know the one where it can find anyone or anything? With that you could potentially find even greater treasures so that makes it just much more valuable”

“Eh we could sell it to some treasure hunter” The not oni thinks again for a moment “But how is that useful? I me-“ a metaphorical lightbulb lights up “Huunghhh, if it can find missing people then it could be useful for resolving the village’s current dilemma”

“But IF that’s true wouldn’t we get less customers due to guards no longer wanting high quality weapons?” Kogasa but not adds in “ Smiths profit the most in times of unrest is what you said yourself boss”

“Huh, you’re right but that doesn’t take in mind the fact that if the incident is resolved then people can go outside again and then so will the hunters: Which gives us another revenue still” Not Oni muses.

“But which one is bigger? The scared guards or the hunters? Can’t we just do nothing and wai-“ at this point she’s being a nuisance so Yoshika growls at her, making her shut up “N-never mind” and the not-umbrella puts herself behind her boss like the muscle wall he is.

The oni I mean not Oni Bron shrugs and puts his feet against the office to lean backwards “That’s enough theory musing, if it’s worth 25918,52 yen then for that is what I’ll buy it for”

“Wait a minute” Yoshika barges in “How do you know that’s really the really real price? shouldn’t we get a second opinion or something? If you’re going to sell something then sell it good”

Frankly that’s also an good argument, but Bron doesn’t like that “Are ya calling me a liar miss?” and he starts to get up with a twinkle in his eye “That’s a mighty accusation to put on a man’s honor”

“WAIT!” Koga immediately moves between the two “She’s just joking boss! Always a silly one she was with her cynicism…which happened cause her momma died recently, please forgive her!”

He stares at Yoshika for a moment, before sitting down and sighing “My condolences, truth is a big deal to us o-men so don’t be caught tarnishing it in my presence” yet he so easily believed a outrageous lie.

“…hm” now do I have to tell him these rods didn’t originally belong to me? “Okay allow me to tell you how I got these but first a favor: Do not interrupt me until the end! Cause it’s a long story”

“Narrate your heart out” he simply says “Never hated a good story or two”

And so I do “[insert recap of literally everything until now here] and that’s the tea, since they broke their promise these rods now belong to me and I am selling them now to you. You could hold on to them and get a bigger price? Out of selling them back to em if you want”

“I won’t, they got what’s coming to em” so he understands “Anything else?”

“Yeah, tell them it must’ve been karma! That aside are you going to give me a bigger price now?”

“Hm, tell you what I like ya miss so sure let’s haggle then: How much do you want out of these?”

“Uuh, good question!”

“First time huh? Normally this is where you shout a price and I’ll go “That much? You’re trying to ruin me” and then I make a lower offer only for you to go “That little? I’ll die of starvation if so” and then we go back and forth until we manage to get an price both are content with” Bron explains

“That sounds tedouis…” if not easy to mess up and not really my style.

“Hahaha it really is!” he slaps the table in amusement and it explodes into pieces “Oh oops, anyway if that’s the case tell you what: Let’s arm-wrestle, the longer you hold on the more money I’ll give ”

“I highly doubt that she or anyone could survive that” Yoshika oh so encouragingly says, and to be honest just cause I can live without an arm doesn’t mean I want to just lose one, have you ever written with your not good hand? Imagine being stuck with it for the whole day if not weeks if the other hand is completely destroyed.

“Don’t worry, I’ll be gentle and you can use as many hands as you want. So, are you game or not?”

[x] I am Game, let’s go for it!
[x] I am not Game, just take the first offer
[x] Write in

Additionally do I have any questions to ask afterwards? (as in before leaving) choose them.
- [x] Tell me more about you/ the smith
-[x] What exactly is happening in the village?
-[x] How come you're so..weird yet allowed in here?
-[x] How does someone become as strong as you?
[x] Write in.


The other stuff is also accounted for but I figured you'd like to keep some controll and involvement over stuff instead of a large wall of text that's just *Anne does this or that*.

So the next updates will also be a bit faster as a result until we get back to the next big decision for events.

I had an better Totally not the umbrella pic but sadly it was detected as an duplicate hence the image you have now

Final note: 25918,52 yen is equivalent to 200 euros or 235 american dollars.

Music: Shenmue 2: Arm Wrestling: https://youtu.be/OkJugJpkZeg

[Strength] I am game, let's go for it!

> “Game on!” is what I said to him without a beat
>”OK!” he said back, excitement leaking out of his voice

That was the simple exchange that led to this situation: We went downstairs, moved some stuff out of the way and set up some chairs so his pupils could watch and possibly bet on how long I would survive in an arm-wrestling match against him.

Seeing my right hand holding his over a table showed that the odds were against me for everyone can see that his grip strength, muscle strength, arm length and every possible advantage one could here have were superior to mine. “So when are we starting?” it did little to my morale.

“We’re still waiting for the announcer” my opponent and owner of the place says with a shrug “They’re also getting the icepacks in case of injury” which is fair since again I was possibly going to need a doctor soon.

May as well describe the scenery: Currently we’re surrounded by an bunch of other smiths of various sizes, all of them humans with muscle of course, the mood was rather festive and they were mumbling amongst themselves, we are uh downstairs or did I say that already? Koga and Yoshika are watching nearby and somehow procured themselves some drinks while chatting.

“Attention to everyone!” out of nowhere the unimportant lad of earlier appears “I Watanabe am here to declare a thum-wait no that’s not it” he coughs and tries again “I Watanabe shall be the announcer for our 85th Arm Wrestling Match! Today another challenger has come to seek the dethrone the strongest man in town, will they succeed or will they leave in shame? Place your bets!”


“20 on Master Bron!” ; “Betting Master Bron too!” ; “Tough luck kid but I ain’t wasting my money, everything on Master Bron” I’m aware this is just a game but to see that everyone in the crowd thought I was going to be wrecked was kind of sad on its own….hey where did Yoshika go? She actually left!?

“Okay we can start now” Bron “Wait for the count to 3…and….here-“

“Wait a minute, where did Yoshika go? I can’t do this if she ain’t here!” mostly cause I was expecting her to cheer for me, dammit now I have no allies.


Bronze tries to be soothing “Hey relax. I get you can get stage fright but this is going to be really simple: Just don’t let me push your hand down to the table surface for as long as ya can. If you somehow manage to push my hand down then heh that’d be something. Now stop lollygagging and here we go!” but the game must go on!

“START!”
It took precisely three seconds for both of us to realize that something had changed. From the mix of hesitation and bravado I had nearly costing me the match as it made my concentration waver, I could clearly feel that there was an INTENSE difference between the two of us as my muscles tightened and any blood flow in them stopped due to the man’s sheer grip. Not that’d need the blood to keep going but the sensation was definitely painful.
Bronze himself was all right; he wasn't trying as hard as he could, maybe it was out of consideration for me or plain desire for a comeback of any sorts, like some underdog stories are known for.
Sadly I was no underdog or upper dog or any dog for that matter, the reality is that I am going to lose, the only control I had over it is when .

Bronze’s palm was snug against mine, his fingers wrapped around my hand in case you didn’t know what a palm is. We were staring into each other's eyes, our determination and breathing in ragged unison and Max Speed was lost in an arousal as sudden and jolting as the pain sent to my brain to give me such an disgusting visual.
"Dammit..." my head was getting light due to the sheer concentration to not give up and cry, hopefully it won’t be too distracting. I needed to keep it up, last as long as possible and if that wasn’t possible…

"Oh, you're mine, all mine," Bronze crooned, forcing my hand closer to the table inch by inch.
I shift my thumbs lightly, and rub along the back of a knuckle to send a tremor through his forearm.
Biting my lips, I fought back, muscles tensing, sweat prickling my forehead and pull his arm back to try and put it in a awkward position, one in which he’d need to break my arm to continue further.

"Okay, now that's it? That's all you've got?" Bronze demanded, sounding aggrieved. "Because I can tell when you're not trying, you know."

"It's all I've got," I said hoarsely, glaring at him. "Will you stop talking?" I did not know I could sweat or even feel pain for that matter, but here I was doing both and someone please give me some freaking water.

"Why? Is it distracting you? It's not against the rules is it?"

"I don't know," I ground out. "Can we say that it is?" I could hear the crunch indicating that my bones were under strain too now "Bronze --"

"What?"

*CRACK* my hand was dipping down again while bending the wrong way, dangerously close to the point where it'd all be over. My shoulder was shouting fierce insults that none should have to hear and my hand was possibly about to explode, each finger filled to the brim with blood, squeezed up by the man’s no Monster’s clutching, tight grip.

The end was coming...I did my best.

[Charisma (?)] Please don't squish my hands, I only got one spare at home!

But it’s not over yet...I had one dirty trick left…it’d be pathetic but damn it I’m going for winning or nothing here!

"Oooow!" I compressed my lips and gave an teary expression. "Please don’t squish my hands, I only got one spare at home! So what are you doing!?"

Bronze's gaze didn't waver. "Winning. Do you have a problem with that?" but a tone of confusion did escape him “How do you have spa-never mind”

"No!" that’s not the point.

"Then stop whining." A reasonable response

"You’ve broken my arm!" but sane woman don’t win.

To his credit he did spare our linked hands a glance at that. "They're moving. They can't be broken." …Wait does it work that way?

I whimpered again as if it was before I could stop him myself. 'They're writhing in agony, you idiot."

"Fine. Concede." Dammit his logic is infallible!

"No." But to my credit this discussion made him lower his guard and so my hand managed to rise up a little again, seeing that the man started to pout in a non-attractive way and I’m not playing hot &cold here have you seen a grown man puff their lips and give a moody expression? I’ll envy you if you say no.

"You hate this don't you?" Bronze says as if he’s about to monoblob "The chance that I might beat you at something physical." then smiles “That’s good, keep that fire up! Nurture it and you’ll be on the way of becoming stronger someday” the bastard has assumed that he’s already won which one can understand since again the status quo has been restored to me struggling not to lose with the hand closer to the table than ever.

"I don't mind that," I panted, my vision starting to blur and my sense of touch was slowly disappearing . "Besides there’s nothing more I can do"

"Glad you understand" he smiled, distracted again. "So do you give up?"

“Nope, you’re going to have to destroy my hand” I’m bluffing, the game is completely lost and all that’s left is…

“Ah I see, so I have to completely defeat you…right?”

“Uh yes? More of an exaggeration but you get the gist”

“So it’s over then? ...Because it feels like you’ve got one last desperate move." What? "You know the kind where you do an complete 180 and somehow win” what is he talking about?

“Nah man, there’s nothing bad in losing anyway. I have no solution”

His grip looses a bit and he clears his throat with the other “Okay then, ahem you’ve lasted a pretty long tim-“

[Intelligence] As many hands as I want...?

“Huh, I have no solution: Except the one you just gave me!” I take out my other hand and point it dramatically at him cause people have two hands .

“Are you serouis? You just sai-I mean Impossible!”

I put my other hand over my wrestling hand and PUSH “Remember earlier? You gave me the handicap of using as many hands as I want!” and his hand starts to go down and touches the table! "I WIN!"

“No, I did not! and NO you did not!” he bellows in frustration

“Yes, you did! and YES I did!” I shout in joy

“It was a mispronunciation! I meant any not as many !” and then he justifies what he meant.

[Music Stops]

“Oh…guess I’ll die then”

And lose I did, though I managed to last several minutes.

[TO BE CONTINUED]

Rewards will show next update!

Author notes: Still writing down the rest but may as well share this part now.

Some time later:

“Chug! Chug! CHUG!” the crowd was going wild again but this time for an different reason, while the arm-wrestling contest was already over it seemed most of the men used it as an opportunity to slack off and take a quick sip, a sip that itself devolved into their own little fun, they sure take it easy.

At first the observers seemed like they were about to have a commotion but our sportsmanship and swift movements of some prentices managed to distract most of the men into enjoying the “Drink! DRINK!” they’re hav-*Crash*…whatever, didn’t know that’s how humans have their fun.

“Uuuugh, they’re too noisy” My face meets the table’s sweet embrace “Do I get the money now? I feel like I did good” and I forgot to mention that the icepack is indeed in use by me now alongside a fresh cup of water since drinking on the job is unacceptable regardless of peer pressure, besides can I even get drunk? Maybe I’ll know later.

Bron and the others didn’t seem to care about that, he took his cup and finishes in a single go before answering “Only alcohol can douse a man’s spirit once it’s set aflame” that doesn’t answer my question “And relax, Nabe is about to get it for you” he better be “…Come on don’t be a sourpuss!”

I don’t bother using the neck forte to look at him “I’m not upset, but anyway how the burning blazes of hell are you this strong? You were going easy on me..”

He ruffles my hair and chuckles “That’s a secret little fighter,” he continues anyway after I show him much I love the nickname “Okay, okay it’s an simple case of working hard! beat up a lot of people and eats lots of meat and by the end you’ll become a living behemoth…maybe you’ll even win a rematch that day hahaha”


“That doesn’t sound easy at all” I grumble back, in my oh so jolly mood.

“No, I said simple not once did I say easy, the road to strength demands willpower and dedication. Not once must you become complacent or any power you may have will quickly deteriorate with time: 200 pushups, sit-ups and rock smashing. Try and see if you can do that every day and increase the pace by 50 every week from then on. It’ll be HARD but worth it” he pauses and thinks for a bit “Alternatively try some danmaku too, it’s how conflict is handled outside anyway”

“Duly noted sir, could you stop touching my head now?” Not that I dislike it, but no way am I letting someone casually disrespect me like that.

“Fine” Bron sounds disappointed but obeys “So why don’t we chat a bit?”

“Aren’t we already talking?”

“No I meant chatting chatting , get to know each other a bit. Tell me more about yourself”

“What more is there to say about me? I’m Garr D Anne, work in a graveyard and you know why I’m here at this very moment” hence the recap of earlier.

“Hmm, you’re not getting it. Let’s start with me then, is there anything you want to know?”

Oh I see now “….Why did you become a smith?”

“Love!” Bron says with zero hesitation “Because I love doing it! That’d also be the reason the forge is here instead of elsewhere: Kappa and Tengu ain’t got need for good weaponry, Onis got everything they want with their hands so by process of elimination the only ones that can truly appreciate my wares are humans” he moves his righthand as if to show the whole room “And guess what? I was right! The fact I can express my passion and work alongside those with similar hearts truly makes this place my pride and joy!”

He’s positively beaming at those words, he knows his lot in life and is perfectly content with it, there’s no need for more words to explain that. Lucky man.

“Why did you become a guardian of graveyards?”

“Huh? Why are you asking?” he caught me offquard

“Cause I want to know, is there a passion in your heart that says “This is what I live for!” when you do it? You asked me so I’m asking you now” Ah

“Ah, that’s a good question” then I realize I did not answer “Uh no?”

“Then why do you do it?”

“Cause Master told me to” and I want to make her proud!

“Oh, so who are you serving then?”

“ Master Seiga Byakuren Hijirin” Wait why did the command activate? I’m not in any trouble at the moment! I think?

“Oh that one..the uuuh” He scratches his chin “ Youkai and Humans should all be coexist lady right? That really the truth?”

“Why would you think I’m lying?” I can’t say no outright sorry.

“Cause you don’t look like one of those disciples of hers”

“D-does that mean you know her?

“Nah, I did send one of my own to deliver a commission there once (In the morning) ”

“Okay but what does tha-“

“ She never came back ” Bron’s face becomes a bit more morose as he elaborates “Twas last week if I recall, a young human lass went to the temple for a simply deposit. The last time she was seen was when she left the village...probably been eaten by one of the many youkai lurking there”

“I-I what?” my voice came out weak, I never liked the Buddhists after Master told me of their many misdeeds, but this was a new low! “What?”

“I went and checked on her after she took too long (4 hours or so). Maybe she got forced into a silly drinking party or something ya know? She always was an person easy to push around I said to myself…the only thing found there was her favorite ribbon right at the gate” He sighs and takes a bigger chug “Didn’t want to come to conclusions of course so I checked with the residents there, and eventually the head monk herself since none of them gave any solid answers”

“So what makes you think they’re the culprit then?”

“Cause of what she said to me”

“What did she say?”

“ My disciples are a rowdy bunch, I’m sure most of them wouldn’t have done that so please forgive them ” he adds mocking air quotes “The important part here is the delivery by the way, what I understood from it was I can’t deny that possibility I’m sure she’s fine, take it easy can you believe it!?
One of my prentices is possibly dead because she has no controll over her cattle, and now she wants me to sit down and act like it never happened! THE SHEER AUDACITY!!” Anger and outrage soar out of his throat, as if someone killed a kid of his.

“My cond-“ No, I shouldn’t say that “….Is this the incident you were speaking off?” I put my hand on his shoulder as a soothing motion “the one the village is all stressed about?”

Bron takes a deep breath “Yes and no, the real incident they’re all concerned about is that I’m not the only person who’s reported an disappearance: Humans are rapidly disappearing from the village and no one knows why, some say the youkai are stepping over the line and spiriting away anyone they can, others say it must be a serial killer while again another says it must be an conspiracy or what have you. Regardless of those facts people are being kidnapped and the youkai might be responsible: Whether it’s those vampires living by that lake, the youkai up the mountain or what have you is unknown.

The fact remains this must be the work of an supernatural force, so until it’s resolved no Youkai or any of that not human nature are allowed in the village ”

“How long has this whole incident been going on for?” Not certain how to respond to such news, I simply ask for more info “And who’s solving this now?”

“I don’t know, all I know is that it’s either them or someone else. But the odds that a disciple killed her is bigger than some conspiracy or Jack the ripper running around, it wouldn’t be the first time a youkai from there tried to kill someone from what the rumors say…” He’s still talking about them “As for the second hmm I don’t know either, but that School teacher said she could figure it all out once the full moon comes at the end of this week…if it’s not too late by then that is. Hmm guess the guards are trying their best too now but I haven’t heard any big declarations about it anything of the sort do you'll have to ask someone else sorry”

Sounds like a mystery then, lucky for me that it’s not my problem…wait that sounds like a terrible thing to think! But what could one do anyway? “I uuh that’s a lot of bad news to swallow, is there any way to help?”

“Other than playing detective no” Bron dismisses the thought immediately “Not a single lost soul has returned so they might as well be dead, don’t risk yo-“

I interrupt by giving him a smack on the head “Don’t think that!” and regret it immediately “Who are you to just decide she’s dead? For all you know she’s locked up somewhere awaiting rescue that isn’t coming. Y-You gotta have hope in these kind of things, the belief that you can and have to do something about it or else the culprit will be unscathed! Find the truth yourself!”
The words came out by themselves like an oil set on fire, it was arrogant if not outright insolent to just say that to someone if you’re not going to do anything yourself…but still seeing him give up like that just pissed me off.


“Sigh, this isn’t a fairy tale kid” He looks annoyed by me “But enough of this, we are getting out of track here. Continue the chat lass”

“S-sorry that was rude of me huh?” I gather my thoughts a bit, how the hell does one ask a question in this mood even. “If I ever needed help for anything could I count on you to help me?” this one is harmless.

“Of course you can, we’re friends now after all” Bron shows a gentle smile at that “Whether it’s a weapon ya want fixed or someone who needs a beating. Just give us a holler and you’ll see ain’t that right boys?” he addresses the others which respond with a variety of yeah sure, whatever, etc.

“That’s nice of you” it really is compared to the more mischievous people I know off, but the conversation was stuck to a more formal tone now because that’s one bombshell of news to tell someone you just met “Is there anything you have that could help me be better at protecting the Graveyard? Something that’ll prevent people from just walking and hiding their booze for example? Seriously how rude is that?!”

“Shank a bitch” He continues after seeing my pause “Get a weapon to intimidate intruders, and if they’re one of those ya know off just shank a bitch. Sure it won’t kill them or do any permanent damage but it’ll hurt a lot ”

Bron gets up after saying that and beckons me to follow “Come on then, I’ll show you a weapon or two since you’re already here”

“Oh sure” but then I remember “Wait! Yoshika left just a second ago! Where did she go to?”

“Ah, your friend will come back eventually. Saw er go outside with Koga so they’ll be fiiine” some other unnamed person says, now that I think of it people can just overhear each other due to how close spaced we all are.

======Undead gal is getting money and a weapon, wait warmly or else=====

Despite the oddity of the people here, I had to admit that most people in the “Bronze Forge” were a decent folk, it was fun to talk to them and see how they do their jobs but in the end I still had some business to accomplish and a comrade to find out. Hence I had one last talk with Bron at the entrance before it’s time to leave again:

“Here you go” Obtained 65996,40 yen and a Cutlass?

“Er, I’m not sure I could properly wield this Bron. You sure this is for me?” The sharp piece of brass with the shape of a sword didn’t really appeal to me, why would I need a weapon to defend with when I’m already strong on my own?

“Course it is!”

“Again, not much of a sword swinger here. And aren’t melee weapons useless in a place where everyone can shoot energy bullets?”

“Shush, that blade you got there is multipurpose: Not only can it shank and slash but it can cut through thick rope, durable enough to chop wood, in the end it’s a handy tool to have when bare hands won’t cut it”

“That’s reasonable I guess”

“So you’re taking it then?”

“Sure, as long as it isn’t too expensive”

“It’s for free actually”

“And why’s that?”

“Cause the outsider who ordered it never came back, it’ll just hang back here forever if no one takes it and we don’t want a sword tsukukogami aye” His expression wasn’t fooling me, he wanted me to have it for another reason but refusing it just because of that sounded too paranoid for me.

“Thanks for having me then, oh and if you see Yoshika tell her to meet me at the Dragon Statue if we don’t meet each other midway”

“Can do, can do and again feel free to visit anytime”

I start to leave but turn around again “By the way one more question”

“What is it?”

“Hypothetically: if I had said I was a disciple of the wicked hermit. What would you have done?”

“I’d have kicked you out instantly, anyone who’s associated with her can’t be up to any good” so that’s why..

“Yeah, bye for now” and now I leave for real.

After a few steps, the fact I don’t know where I’m going reveals itself to me. Should I continue seeking the items I was seeking, wait it out at the statue or do something else in the meantime? This village is a big place after all.

I look up at the sun and see it hasn’t moved by an lot, sure it still burns the eyes to look at but it doesn’t burn as badly as an afternoon sun. You know the one where it’s just at that annoying angle where it can snipe you from any spot regardless of whether you’re indoors or outside.

The streets are a bit more crowded too, Fathers heading off to do their job and mothers off to buy groceries or tend the fields that are for some reason in the middle of the city. Guess the crops are safer here than taking the risk of some wild youkai stealing or destroying one’s cabbages.

The sight of a busy street has nowhere hit the quota of normal numbers though, they all have that sense of hurry and insecurity within them as if loitering around too long will make them the next victim. But we aren’t here to concern ourselves with the affairs of this place so let’s keep moving.

After a while of just walking and asking the occasional question to some passerby’s I manage to get my bearings a bit better now.

Speaking of bearings, I wonder where the other two are at the moment? Maybe she decided to go ahead and continue the groceries without me or is having fun with the other one, guess it’s fair in a way.

Anyway that’s enough musing for now: It’s time for action! Fast paced unstoppable shopping adventures by yours truly:

[x] West! Turns out the real name of the store is “Kirisame General Goods” it says it has everything one can buy!

[x] South! There’s no more sound or any sign of human life here…odd but that’s free picking of the stalls I guess.

[x] East! I’ve already been here actually so you know what’s here.

[x] Center! It’s the dragon statue, there’s a lot of people listening to someone on a podium, we call this an announcement right?

[x] North! It’s the rich boy zone, so here one can buy stuff for rich people.

[x] Do something else: Like where in the world is Yoshi as an example (Write in)

There are actual other locations like a school, some libraries but none of those are of any interest to me at the moment so let’s pick 2 again.
Finally one more thing to think about: This *incident* what should I think off this info?

[x] It’s irrelevant, it’s a human problem and I’m an youkai (Indifferent)
[x] It’s interesting? Something to keep an eye on sometimes. (Neutral)
[x] It’s relevant! I’ll have to tell Master about this once I’m back (Interested)

Current results obtained:

Strength and Intelligence each increase by 5 and 2 respectively
Obtained look up yen and an Cutlass!
Obtained some info about an incident! 1 out of ? hints got
Your social life has expanded! Master Bron is a now an ally




Name: Garr D Anne
Curent Status: Good, mildly worried cause of recent news but optimistic overall.
Fortitude: 15
Intellect: 20
Notable items:
Talisman (on neck) has orders that cannot be disobeyed:@ Don’t eat people without permission
@ If anything asks who you are when you’re in trouble say you’re a follower of Byakuren Hijirin
@ Buy the following stuff: 50 Papers, 5 Oranges or more I guess, Ink (Don't care where it comes from).
@ Don’t let anyone get in the way of accomplishing the third order.

Skull ribbon: Nothing of note yet
Nazzrin Stickies: They're weird and look yummy Sold to the Bronze Forge
Yen Pouch: It's a money pouch therefore it has money in it. (More money has been added here too)
5 Oranges of questionable quality: They’re fruits originally meant for an dragon statue Thrown away
Cutlass: A multi tool sharp object, can be used for varouis stuff.

[x] North, get papers, ink, oranges and something nice
[x] Center, listen in to the announcement, look for and meet up with Yoshi
[x] The incident is interesting. Something to keep an eye on sometimes. Especially after what I said to Bron

Northern District, whatever AM.
Objective: Not even close to being achieved.
Time spent in village: Maybe half an hour?

….To be honest I wasn’t sure what to expect but this place defies any expectation one could have, okay the fact there was a gate dividing this district from the others was one warning and the fact that I would have been turned away if it wasn’t for the clothes and money I have is another but still:

This place really was something else, first off the whole place had an different atmosphere with it’s huge walls surrounding each hou- no Mansions and the fact one can see a guard in almost every spot. The people walking around seemed more graceful and dignified even when they wore very weird clothes compared to the other locals, like uh they’re…I don’t know it’s like they’re wearing short shoes and shirts with letters and images on them! It’s incomprehensible. Not only that but most of them had servants following them if not carry them as if walking was beneath them, the street itself was weird too since it was no longer composed of stone or dirt but a weird grey dark material? Never mind there are even weird lamps and doors that turn on when you walk closer to them and many more odd things…SO in conclusion this place seems a lot more RICH in security and advancements? Think that’s the word.

But that’s not what I’m here for! I’ve got to accomplish the mission at all cost, with or without allies one must still prevail! Hence, I’m currently staring very hard at some employee in what they called an *Grocery Store* “You done yet?” so far everything was going well but there was one tiny problem.

“For the last time miss, I’m on break” a dark-haired girl wearing a cap with the shop’s initials begrudgingly says, but she can’t fool me that easily. After all I have eyes!

“You don’t look broken to me, so when will I get my order?” I reply as I put my hands on the counter

“…The fruit is in the fruit alley and the ink in the tool alley same for the paper, how HARD is that for you to understand miss?” She sounds tired, but why would she be this early in the morning?

“No, you don’t get it, I’m not leaving this shop until you give me the truth: Alleys are outside, we are inside therefore there can’t be an alleged fruit alley. Just give me the products I want to pay for already” the lady lied as naturally as she breathed, I had to be cautious in front of such deception.

“(The nerve of this bitch)” She whispers not knowing I can hear her just fine “Ahem, miss if you would please take a careful look in that corner over there then you should be able to see the products you want” I take a look and indeed I can see a pile of fruits and vegetables just laying there “Secondly if you wish to purchase anything then you are supposed to bring the product to the counter, this is not a resto”

I walk over and pick up the oranges with my hands cause that’s what hands are destined to do, grab things of any color and size…but the 5 oranges don’t fit in my hands “Hey, I can’t pick these up!”

“Put them in the plastic bag nearby!” and so I seek this rumored bag and comply

“DONE!” You got 5 out of 5 Oranges

“Now head straight forward and take a left then a right and the tools should be visible!” She instructs me from her own comfy seat even though it’d be quicker and easier if she simply showed me where she stuff was rather than shout from across the room “There you found it!” and I did.

There was a bunch of other stuff other than paper like some sort of machines? It seemed useless if not bothersome to have any of those though. Why would anyone buy these? And why is the room so bright despite there being little to no windows to let the sun in? Mysteries all for another time “Uuuh excuse me!?”

“What is it now!?” her voice indicated impatience again.

“I’m looking at these blank white papers and I can’t help but notice they only come in packets of 12 but I need 50 of em!” I explained the foul conundrum as best I could while shouting.

“Then buy multiple!” She did not understand

“You don’t get it! If I buy 4 of these then I got 48 of em and if I buy 5 then it’s 60. Both of those are either not enough or too many of em. I only need EXACTLY 50 so do you sell them in packs of 10,5 or 25!?”

“NO! it’s only in packets of-Just buy 60 of them! Better too many than too little!”

“NO! I need EXACTLY 50!” Literally the orders demand 50, not 51 or 52 just 50. “Just let me take 4 packets and 2 individual papers, no one will ever know!”

“Can’t let you do that miss! You open one of the products then you got to pay for it!”

“Nonsense, what’s the point of buying 50 if you got to pay for 60? Don’t try to scam me!”

“EITHER TAKE IT OR LEAVE ALREADY!!” her voice bellowed in rage as she stood up “You ass! Stop wasting my time with your buffoonery!” Oh now that’s it, those are fighting words missy!

Taking in a deep breath, I waltzed back to the counter and said the 7 deadly words “ I want to speak with your manager ”

“Pfuh” The girl leans back and snorts “Tough luck, she’s gone” and continues “Just didn’t come over today, my bet is she’s been spirited away (She uses literal air quotes) or something…which makes me the only employee and thus new owner of this joint”

“What why? When? How?” also I doubt employment works that way but mostly the bad news has my interest.

“And why would I tell you?” she smiles when she sees me frown and continues anyway “Saw her yesterday so it must have been while when she closed shop and went home (The evening)” So is the time random then? “Either way the key was just on the floor when I came here (In the morning cause when else do you go to work? That’s my assumption) and it’s not like she’s married or has kids sooo yknow? Why do you even care anyway? You a private detective?”

I’m really not, but I cannot deny a small interest in the case. Regardless I won’t let it affect my own working conditions or tell Master about it, she’d likely just think of it as a chance to profit from with her genius sage wisdom…at the end of the day I just have to Protect the Graveyard. “Consider me interested”

“Huh, then you’re fucked miss. Can’t even do your groceries hah” her tone became a lot more unprofessional and rougher after the revelation, she clearly thinks she’s free to do whatever she wants now since who’s going to fire her? “Besides you’ll probably just disappear like the others if you scoop your nose in affairs unrelated to you…oh then please do go for it! Good rid- Good luck!” oh so the limit is not saying please die to someone’s face? Whatever I wasted enough time here. “Though…”

“Though what?” I swear if this is the setup to another insult.

“Just want to say that you’re not the only working on this even though most who do just give up and wait for the BIG incident. Since that’s how things usually go here: Something is about to happen, no one does anything to nip the bud, incident happens and bam the resolvers fix it. Think the only one still trying is some [redacted]”

“Uhuh, and why do you tell me this? All that info is strangely helpful from someone who just shouted at me a few seconds ago” I squint at her

“Eh, I’m not doing it for you but for the boss, the fat cow gave me a job when no one else would so naturally I have a debt towards her…even if that involves giving info to those who can’t use it, it just MIGHT increase her odds of being found and saved. Spread the info and all that gizmo” then she looks at the ceiling and yawns “So buy your stuff already and get out”

“I will” and after a few more painful minutes, the task is completed.

====================The Dead are shopping, please wait warmly============================
All of the groceries have been obtained! Mission Accomplished!

“Hurray!” sending out my feelings of joy to the sky with the goods in hand, I make my way back to the sta-wait a minute! Clearly there’s something else that still needs to be achieved but what?

Let’s see here, we go to town, buy the good, go home, present the goods, and master takes both the goods and money back, that’s how the narrative should go in a predictable world. However, the last part still rings true! Would it not be a crime to not use some of the money I worked so hard for to buy something nice? Would the world not weep at such injustice? Such a crime to the economy!? Naturally I should do my part as a not citizen and good friend to buy something for Yoshika and Me that we both could enjoy, something that isn’t a one use and poof like food or vain like clothes or jewelry but what could it be? What could qualify as something nice? and by that one means something nice as in something nice for both her and me and not the definition of the verbs itself oh no we shan’t lose ourselves in trivial yet ultimately redundant self-monologues today!

Hmm, taking a seat at a seat cause that’s where you put your butt on. I think some more…what kind of thing would she like? I’m not too certain but I’ll be sure to ask her later about it, wait wouldn’t that beat the point of getting something nice? Unless it’s not a surprise so okay it’s not a surprise then. What do I like then? I like uuh, I like….why can’t I find an answer to that question?

Everyone likes something, family, friends, one’s favorite toy or color. Some people like hunting while others like to dress up and drink tea, to drink a cold one with the boys or to bake a pie. Everyone has something that they like, something they are a part off, something that defines who they are.

So, there must be something I want, something else than serving master. No one likes a single dish or toy and those who do we call them obsessed if not sad to behold. Is a person without wants really a person? No someone who lives simply for the sake of serving another is not a living being, they’re a tool.

Actually that’s a bit extreme for a thought no? Maybe I never thought too much about it so let’s turn it around instead: What do I dislike? I don’t like it when people try to fool me, I don’t like the sun when it’s too hot cause it makes me dry up or too much rain since it messes up the ink on my tal- No, no no! that’s not the right direction! Those are mild grievances not real dislikes! Do I prefer sweet or spicy food? Do I like gory stuff or was I squeamish? This isn’t working…let’s think about those I know then.

Master, I like her! She’s uh master and I must serve her so I like her since she’s smart and nice though she’s been quite distant recently, maybe she lost interest in me? Oh well the extra money should show her that I’m more amazing than she took me for! Hopefully!

Comrade, I like her too! She’s very cooperative and has been looking out for me, sure she’s sometimes a bit grumpy but one can’t be happy 24/7. Overall, I’d call her a friend.

Eggplant, I uh dislike her? Not sure if she’s trustworthy at all and kind of annoys me too with her *art* or so she calls it? She’s more tolerable when she’s not doing that though and has yet to do anything that puts her firmly on the *is an enemy* position. A meh or Ugh would be the expression to describe it.

Rat girl, Sailor dude, and monk woman? The last one seems a bit forgettable but I dislike them! They’re rude and act like they own the place, who are they to assume I’d just let them push us around! Enemies!


Hmm, I feel this isn’t what I’m looking for either. I just wasted my own time but I know there must be an answer deep inside that brain of mine oh that rhymed! I just must find it, find the answer…. but there’s nothing, it’s empty like a dusty closet.

I get up and start walking again

Another question! How old am I? I don’t know! How do I spell my name? I don’t know! What did I eat yesterday? A bee! And the day before that? I don’t know! When did I get recruited by Master? I don’t know! Was I made by her then? I don’t know! Who was I before all this? I don’t know! I don’t know! I don’t know! …. Hahaha somehow this feels funny now: The frog in the well knows nothing of the sea.

The northern gate greets me as I pass through it

What is the sea though? Don’t know! What is a frog then? Something that goes ribbit! And if know that trivial info then why don’t I know something more important? Don’t know! The answers are lost to me, the puzzle pieces disposed off but one more question: Do I even care? OF COURSE, I DO! Yeah, that’s a silly question, don’t know why I asked that myself but either way I got to find the answer.

People are looking weirdly at me as I head to the center, don’t know why but I must find a way out, find the answer, must find the answers.

But can I even find it? Where would one even start? So many questions would break a weaker girl’s heart oh I rhymed again! No now I’m trying to distract me again but I mustn’t flee, I forgot something important. The metaphorical key! That same feeling in my chest from yesterday rings! There’s a more important question that demands to be resolved: If I am dead then who killed me?
I sit to a spot nearby the statue, a crowd surrounding it blocks the view of what’s happening inside yet a loud voice addressing all of them can be heard. Guess there’s some meeting happening.
Oh my breath is hurried, my eyes hurt and I need to calm down yet can’t but who gives a carp

“Ah there you are”

Could have been anyone really, maybe it was Master herself who wanted another servant? or Yoshika bit me for some reason since our bite can let us make sisters?, maybe Kogasa did a prank gone wrong?
Or perhaps I’m one of many who disappeared and my corpse just happened to be found by master?
“Hey your eyes are more red… than usual red?, you about to cry comrade?” wait who said that?

Ah it’s her of all people, guess the hunter became the huntered or in this case the seeker the seekered but no she wouldn’t have done this, it simply doesn’t make sense but doubt has set its root inside me. create some weak looking goon There’s no way that’s true but until I get proof the possibi-what is she doing?

“Don’t cry, don’t cry” before I noticed she already sat next to me and was patting my back as if I was choking on food, the gesture was odd, was she trying to be soothing? “Did an enemy attack you? I’ll protect you now so don’t worry” …that’s nowhere close to the truth “Is it something else? Do you want to go home? I don’t know why you are sad but comrades help each other so let me help”

“Did you kill me?” I knew she meant well but I had to know “Look me in the eye and say you aren’t responsible for turning me into this” which only made me feel guilty for saying it

“Okay” Her eyes look into mine with true concern in them “HELL NO!! to both questions, I would never do that! Why do you even ask?” she sounded a bit offended.

“I-I don’t know” I looked away ashamed, what was the point of that? If anything, she’s going to think I’m weird “Where did your friend go anyway?”

“Oh her? We went and bought a cold drink or two while chatting, she invited me and you didn’t look like you were going to leave anytime soon so why not accept right?” then a snort comes out “..Could it be that you felt lonely without me?”

“….that’s not funny”

“But you told me to stop acting gloomy no? now you’re an hypocrite friend”

“This is a different case” Annoyance started to rise from me

“Oh shush, so what’s the deal here? Did someone mess with your head? You sniff the wrong mushroom? Did a squirrel jump of a tree and hang itself?”

“You wouldn’t understand, j-just stop already and let’s go! I feel perfectly fine now” I move to stand up

“No you don’t” only to be pushed back into the seat “You’re sad, confused too. Don’t know why but if you won’t tell me then I can only give support then: Do your breathing practices”

“What?”

“Taoist Meditation duh, just follow my lead step by step”

I say nothing and prepare myself

“First, posture. Straighten your back, as if you are being pulled up by a string attached to the top of your head”

I do so

“Next, breathing. Take a deep breath in, expanding the lower part of your..y-your abdosomething, it’s under the navel. Hold it for a few seconds and breathe out while pushing in your abdomen.”

Again, I do so

“Feel your abdosomething expand and contract as you breathe in and out. If your focus shifts, let it return to your lower abdosomething”

“So there’s two-

Her shout interrupts me “SHUSH!” ow “Now, close your eyes, and focus solely on your breathing”

Hmm, the hard part of meditation makes me feel sleepy when I do it. Besides that, how is not moving supposed to help with anything? If anything, it’s faux sleeping if not relaxing. It’d be nice if I could just be relaxed all day. Simply enjoying day by day doing whatever I want whenever I want…though how is that different from what I’m doing now? Sure, I was kind of confined to one area but if I really wanted, I could just go somewhere else. There is nothing forcing me to Protect the Graveyard…wait there actually was.
Never mind the previous statement then, but it’s true in a way that I really doubt any of them would have harmed me ever even if my perspective is biased just jumping to conclusions is no good either!
I don’t want to come off as arrogant but I think I can understand the way the people feel here a bit now, they’re scared cause they know there’s a problem but don’t know how to fix it. There’s a feeling of powerlessness to it if not outright failure since there must have been something you could have done to prevent it from happening. I still don’t feel that better to be honest but…at least I can do something about it maybe? I’ll ask Master for answers later, she must know something after all.


“That’s enough” I open my eyes and shrug “This doesn’t make sense, simply breathing should not be this efficient”

“Nothing makes sense in Gensokyo…or uh pretend I ate your sadness away?” Yoshika stands up and beckons her hand to me “I want to see what the big fuss is about so let’s go and afterwards we’ll go home together, you ready to go?”

“Hmm” There’s really no other answer I can give to her “Born ready” whatever obstacle I was going to face in the future or try to figure out would be tough if not frustrating to deal with.

But knowing I won’t be alone made those odds look brighter.

==============================Undead girls are hopping, please wait warmly========

“Excuse me, sorry, excuse me, sorry again, moving along” walking through a whole crowd was a tough job but hey if you want to make it to the front rows then sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do.

The area itself didn’t really change other than the amount of people in it, and that’s really all one can say about if it wasn’t for the people right next to the statue: A bunch of robed individuals alongside [redacted] were talking about amongst themselves about something and seemed to be waiting for-*Dong* some clock from nearby beats eleven times as if to say it’s 11 am now, which I think it is.

Either way that seems to be their cue as all the robed dudes walk in front of the crowd and form a sort of defensive line, making them a literal meat wall to separate the big shot from the crowd.

Squinting my eyes I can see that they are

[x] A boy? covered in white robes, vertically challenged and talks weirdly too
[x] A girl covered in a purple dress, horned hair or ears? And talks surprisingly casual
[x] A girl covered in a green dress, her legs are hidden? And talks coarsely

1 only

This is the part where I say goodnight, will await your vote warmly and I'll write some more tommorow too.

[x] A boy? covered in white robes, vertically challenged and talks weirdly too.

Uh, yes indeed that is the case! It’s a boy wearing clothes that seem completely different from the other ones, while the servants wore humble black robes alongside simple hats for comfort? and to show their uu-Yeah let’s not delve too deep into analyzing stuff! It’s not easy and no one enjoys it.

Ahem let me try again: The one standing in front of the crowd was a boy wearing white robes and a big poufy blue, white hat, they were reading some sort of paper with a concentration that could only be called intense. So intense in fact he did not seem to notice now was the time for audio? Or whatever they were here for to declare something. As if I know.

One of the servant’s steps back and whispers something in their ear, I’m trying not to hear it since that’s rude but people don’t decide on these kinds of things: your ears can either hear stuff or they don’t. there’s no compromise. And I realize I just failed at proper description since I did not see the dude’s reaction other than the fact they’re about to speak now. Curse the self monoblob and it’s inherent flawed yet ult-

“WELCOMETH PEOPLE OF THE HUMAN VILLAGE!” the boy’s voice somehow increased by tenfold, which to me is like having my ears shanked at.
“WE ART DID PLEASE TO GIVETH THEE IMPORTANT NEWS! MOST FORTUNATE NEWS FORSOOTH! F’R ELSE WE WOULDST NOT BEEST DID PLEASE BECAUSE WHEREFORE WOULDST WE BEEST DID PLEASE TO GIVETH STRANGE ERUPTION? NAY SIR AND SIRETTES WE HAS’T DID SOLVE A MOST TROUBLESOME CONUNDRUM”

The servant takes the odd sound rod from the boy and mingles with it? Before giving it back “Ah thanketh thee! this thing didst feeleth a did bite too loud” the boy says with an thumbs up before sending them away and continuing “So as i has't hath said earli'r i Futo Mononobe of the Mononobe clan, s'rvant of the most prestigious! did admire! respectable! above board! well-bred! virtuosi! (and many m're stuffeth so let’s skipeth t) Coronet Prince sir Toyosatomimi nay Miko eke known as the almighty taoist who is't controleth-“

“Get to it already!” someone in the crowd bellows to which the others agree “We don’t have all day to spend so get to the important bits!” I agree.

Surprised, Futo takes a dramatic step back with his arms in the air and a shocked expression on his face “W-what is this reaction?” before quickly regaining their composure “Ahem, fine fine! let’s receiveth to the imp'rtant did bite” he takes out the paper again and scrolls it’s content before speaking again.

“So i Futo Mononobe has't taken t upon myself to grace thee humble villag'rs with the holp thee all des'rve. Yond is by investigating the current incident which we all knoweth wilt dealeth with people rapidly disappearing, f'r the sake of making t m're convenient i dub this incident: the Vanishing” pause for dramatic effect…seems he’s planning to keep the audience intrigued.

“Hath said incident hast 'riginat'd (f'r as far i can bid) 'round but a month ago, the v'ry first victim being the issue of Miare. At first people hath believed the lady wast simply having a catch but a wink ov'r with a closeth *friend* of h'rs but those gents did get w'rri'd since the lady didst not return…which the lady eventually didst but a week lat'r. The reasoneth she’s one of the few if 't be true not only returnees is unknown but the lady h'rself refuses to speak of the matt'r so sadly i couldst not v'rify these details” Futo says with an morose tone, as if an important lead was lost to him.

“As f'r the second, third, fourth, fifth and so f'rth i didst make shift to gain some info about those folk, anon one couldst calleth t min'r but t is what hast did allow me to cometh to an most logical conclusion! yond being the one which shalt alloweth all of us to avoideth being the next one in line if 't be true not catcheth the culprit so prepareth thy ears!” But that doesn’t last long as he does a flamboyant pose his colorful sleeves fluttering in the wind. “Salvation is nigh!”

“What did he find?”, “Catch the culprit!?”, “Eh she’s bluffing” and many more mumbles is heard around me, I look at Yoshika and she doesn’t seem to be interested at all by this, if anything she’s yawning shamelessly to show it.
“Hey you know what? Let’s go back after all” and then talks to me.

“Wait go back already? The dude isn’t done talking though?” I reply

“That may be true but this doesn’t concern us now does it? What’s the point of listening to some mystery if it’s doesn’t affect us and it’s already about to be solved? Sounds like a waste of time to worry about really” Yoshika responds as she rubs her eyes lazily. “Sun is making me sleepy too”

“But I want to hear about it, it’s like uh it could be useful to just know about!”

“Did someone you know get kidnapped? Does it look like anyone could kidnap you or me?” No but that isn’t the point “From all I know we can just ignore it all entirely”

“…Even so I want to hear it, I’ll explain why later but let’s stay just a bit longer okay?”

“Yes, yes, no pressure. Wake me up when you’re done then” Yoshika moves her hat to cover her eyes and stops moving…. wait she fell asleep that easily?


“Thirdly: all those who is't disappeareth leaveth something imp'rtant to those folk at the crime scene which means yond the culprit wanteth us all to knoweth yond hath said p'rson hast been did vanish, wherefore that’s the case we don’t knoweth but the most ingraft the'ry is yond the culprit is feeding on the feareth coming from the surviv'rs to empow'r itself, since with enow feareth 'r faith coming one’s way anyone can gain a most profitable pow'r boost! or they’re doing t f'r attention! eith'r is likely but this is most forsooth the w'rk of one if 't be true not sev'ral people hence th're art cases wh're two diff'rent at two diff'rent places disappeareth at the same timeth! this isn’t an 'rdinary youkai 'r bunch of criminals seeking a quick meal 'r ransom. Nay! someone is gath'ring these people f'r a reasoneth” Huh looks like I missed some of the stuff he said, hope it’s not too important, it’s hard to understand his speech anyway.

“Fourthly: all of t hast been happening in the human village and the surroundings closeth to t. Not only yond but the ratio seemeth to be…. hm how doth i pray pardon me this? imagineth 10 people, out of those 8 art human. So, most victims art forsooth our owneth fellows, the next one to wend couldst beest thy neighb'r, thy issue 'r coequal thee yourself. A most atrocious sooth t is but one we cannot deny but feareth not only those between the age of 14 and uh v'ry 50ish has't been taken and so…and so! … egh giveth me a moment i needeth some wat'r” Futon pauses his speech and snaps a finger, upon which a servant comes out and gives him a bottle of water…only for him to look at the brand “What kind of water is this?”

“It’s Youkai Mountain Kappa Valley Water master” the servant replies.

“Mountain water? I wanted normal water though?” Futo tilts his head in an odd angle as if to show confusion “Why bring me water from such a high place if you can just take some from a well? Such effort…”

“But it is just water master?” The servant tries to be modest.

“But even so! To climb up all the way off a Mountain just to give me a beverage to soothe one’s thirst is to be commended, I did not know you felt so strongly for me but truly thank you! Thank you from the bottom of my heart!”
Shouting heartfelt words, Futon takes the servant hands and smiles at them
as if given a most wondrous gift “Thou did well, very well” and drinks it.

“…You’re welcome?” and that’s the end of their conversation, the one they had in front of everyone.


“Yawn” speaking of water, the soon to be afternoon sun is indeed starting to burn a little much. For it’s during the afternoon that it is at its fullest power which is bad for me since as I mentioned before extreme heat or cold aren’t something my body should be exposed to lest I dry or freeze up. Really the sun could be considered an undeath’s nemesis in a way: None can look at it lest it melts your eyes off, overexposure to it can lead to death or insanity and finally once it has grown bored of life it will explode and kill everyone (or at least master says so) …. wait a minute. That makes the sun a mad god!

The thought of something so powerful being essential for human life makes me shudder, if the sun had a will of its own could anyone defy it? Could anyone replace the big shiny ball in the sky if it’s slain? And if they did what would stop them from taking over the world? Thing’s men are not meant to kno-oh yeah, I’m thirsty.

“Hey Yoshi- “Oh right she’s napping now. “Hey Yoshika!” I wake her up anyway “Get up! Want to go fetch a drink? The sun is killing me!”

“zzzzz-huh!? Whozawatnow?” She awakens “Sure, sure. A drink and poetry would be nice…zzzz…let’s play rango too” …nope she’s sleep talking.

Huh, at least she knows what she wants but an-

“Hey you!” Oh, someone got called out. Wonder what they did wr-“Hey I’m talking to you!” Oh, wait me? “Yes, you there!” I look at the voice.

It’s Futo again, he’s standing there with one arm pointed at me as his feet tap the ground impatiently “Firstly didst thee just sayeth Yoshika? and secondly stand ho talking through mine own speech prithee it’s malapert!” He’s keeping it cool as he stops midway to drink some more. Guess I was being louder than I thought.

“Sorry” I scratch my head sheepishly “We’ll be quiet now promise!”

“It’s well enow just don’t doth t again, i rehears'd a lot f'r this nonce seeth. And this is imp'rtant info, one yond wilt beest hath heard in full!” he calms down wait no he was always calm, it’s the thingy that makes it feel like he’s shouting.

“Speaking of hearing everything…could you repeat what you said before?”

“Nay, i’ve did get much m're to sayeth first but first cometh ov'r h're prithee” Futo does several *Come here, come here* motions with his arms “I needeth an participant from the audience concluded, be it so thee shall doth”

Hmm, I’m not too sure whether I should do what he says, but it sounds harmless “Uhm, I dunno about that” still one could get stage fright.

Futo sighs, and fiddles with his own pockets before taking something out "I’ll giveth thee this marchpane if 't be true thee doth t!” it’s candy.

….Wow, does he seriously think that I am the type of person to be easily bribed? As in the kind that behaves if you give them a reward afterwards?

Because I am “Coming right over” and so I walk past the servant meat wall and get closer to the dude named Futo, though he’s a bit feminine too but what do you call those? Pretty Boy? But if someone’s a pretty boy does that mean they’re an Ugly Girl? Somehow that doesn’t sound too cool

“Ahem” regardless Futo coughs his throat and continues Fifthly: I has't did develop some most effective counteth'rmeasures 'gainst future nap attempts, l dub those techniques: street smarts!!” then he turns to me “Now then dear audience member I beseech thee to play the role of villain” he takes a few steps back from and spreads his arms wide open “Try to kidnap me!”

“Excuse me?” I did not understand what he wanted “You want to be kidnapped? People don’t choose to be kidnapped right? So why would I do that? N-not that I would even if you asked!” The sun was starting to get to me, the thirst mixing with a tad of confusion made me less per uh per per something. Less smoothie brained.

The Sun is shining fiercely, STR and INT temp lowered by 5 (Find shade or a way to lower your temperature)

“It’s quaint simple: just playeth the kidnapp'r! approach me liketh a villain wouldst and tryeth to maketh me ent'r thy imaginary van to lead us to zon primary location”

“What’s a van? Also, I don’t have one?”

“Just do it! Be ze villainous cur who would steal a baby from zon mother”

Why would I eat a baby? “I don’t think babies taste good. Their heads must be too soft to the uuh mouth? And besides they drool and poop a lot so that’s bleh” they’re very noise and not fun to be with…though I haven’t seen any.

Futon just gives me a look and so does most of the crowd “L-look just imagineth zonself as the culprit of zis incident, if 't be true thee w're someone to kidnap people then how wouldst thee doth t? demonstrateth t to me. It’s zond simple”

“Ooooh! You want me to roleplay?”

“Aye, sure. Just doth t already” Futon takes another loud slurp from that wet, throat appeasing, temperature lowering water .

Okay, okay I can do this! I just need to do what a villain would do! But what’s my character motive? What’s my dramatic backstory? Oh, I need to make it up myself yeah. So, it can be anything just got to make it click right.


What’s my villain’s name?


[x] Angry Anne: Born with a special power, I was stronger than all of the other hunters in the village but one day an um a dude walked in and he he looked at me but I did not like that! And so…and so when people look at me that makes me angry and I make them disappear!

[x] Grand Garr: I was born in the darkest of darky darkness? Born in the darkest dungeon of darkness! I went to jail as a baby and lost my teddy bear to a shark so I vowed vengeance to the world by taking the things people cherish most: Their loved ones!

[x] Bea T Rayer: uuuuh I have grown tired of this world and have decided that it’s time to go somewhere else, but I won’t go on my own! I’ll take all the humans with me too cause why the duck not!

[x] Write in

Also how does one Kidnap Futon?

[x] Just tackle him! He’ll never expect it.

[x] Give him candy! It worked on me so it must work on him.
[x] Use sweet words or disrupt him by asking stuff

[x] Just shoot him (with danmaku).

[x] I…I can’t move (Stage fright).

[x] Write in.

Okay…we’ve all gone overboard once or twice in our time and perhaps had a sugar cube or two too many. Or perhaps eaten one of those pickles that weren’t veggies after all. I mean life is short! Rejoice! And who among us could judge for it?

…To be honest I’m not that proud of what happened next, but history demands a full account.

I remember beginning to giggle as our battle was about to begin “A villain?” says I. “If I’m the villain does that make you the courageous hero or the innocent maiden?”

Futon was agog “Both! i shalt beest the one to squal'r these dark depths of doubteth with the lighteth of sooth!”
He paused “Wait is that a verb? To...uh… squalor?” and does the head tilt again.

At this point the heat was kicking in. I ventured “I’m squalling. These villagers sont squalling. Nous nous squallons.” And bended my knees ready to lunge at the slightest moment of weakness. It’d be so easy since he was close by and unguarded. Only the slightest pose of his feet betrayed any defense. I was going to lunge at him, break into an grapple and push him into the ground to make that wahta mine!

But then I saw the most beautiful thing in my life. The object of my unholy desire was gleaming with an odd light, first a beautiful blue but it slowly became more rainbow colors the longer I stared at it. Then it started making a faint chiming sound. Take me Garr, I know you want me and it spoke the truth.

“Magnificent” My heart was set aflame and beating faster than it ever had in my life. Even if I didn’t’ have one and it was just my breathing quickening. “I want you! I’ll make you mine!” I declared.

“Indeed I am magnificent” Futon misunderstood and snorted “But if you want anything in life…” he did a backflip, spinning in the air as the distance increased and landed with a combative pose “Then come and take it!”

“…Forgive me master, but I am Garr no longer” No side character can ever defeat the protagonist, it’d make the story lame if not anticlimactic if villager number 3 could beat our hero to death with an stick. Nay! I had to surpass my role and become something greater. Something more menacing. In order to obtain my beloved I shall sell my soul to the inferno’s embrace and become “Devious D shall strike you down!” and I lunged at him, swiftly getting to the other side with RIGHTOUIS ANGER!

“Street Arts No 1!” Futon shouted as he took something out “FLASH Master 3000!!” I never got to see it for out of nowhere a bright light blinded my eyes, making me fail my landing and kiss the dirt. “The item to fend off any attacketh from above 'r below, right 'r hath left 'r anywh're else f'r only 3. 225,50 yen” he continued his speech addressing the crowd without looking at me, seems he was trying to raise two things at once: The morale of the people and his own pockets.

I coughed salty dust and got up “That’s a dirty trick” is what I wanted to say but didn’t. Instead I grabbed his unguarded back and tried putting him into an chokehold “But I can be dirty too!” and so I got him.

Futon flinched “Hark! Thou art circuitous indeed…BUT” he tries to squirm his way out yet my grip was stronger than steel “I-impossible! such strength is unexpected…. but not unwant'd”

“All we are is dust in the wind” I wasn’t paying attention to him, thanks to our closeness I could better appreciate the plastic. Its magnificence blossomed ever outward, fractally, and I felt connected to all life-Not just my own ”Street Arts No2” but also the lives of every human beings on the planet, and possibly the universe. “Lightning Stick!” SuDDdddddddEeenly I-ii-i-i-i—ii—ffefefefefef.

Futon jabbed something inside me, it did hurt a lot at first but the longer I was exposed to it the more pleasant the feeling became. It was if a river of energy flew through my body making my limbs and muscles more relaxed in the progress. “I-I-I-I F-F-F-E-E-L-L-L-G-O-O-O-D~” yet my grip was untarnished as the energy hit him as well and made both of us fall down and shake like uh salt shakers on a drug trip.

“L-L-E-E-T-T-G-G-O-o-o!” Of course I wouldn’t…and actually could not. We were in a way stun locked until whatever toy he was using would run out of charges. “ENOW!” he pulls out an card.

“Blaze Signeth "Sakuraiji In Flames " and the surroundings are on fire now, flaming orbs fell out of the sky in random patterns alongside waves of fire that surrounded the small area both of us were in. “Let go at once fiend!” we rolled around together gaping for the occasional air, I was laughing like the devil for some reason though I don’t remember what was so funny about it. Mothers covered the sight of their children, Fathers were cheering for the performance and small children tried to stare at us only for the former to stop them, rightly fearing our magnificent grasp of the true reality of the universe. They think it’s all part of an staged performance

Later I learned the term was Heatstroke, also we were both on fire.

I should probably let g An intense heat covers the battlefield, Str and Int temp lowered by 5 again …. One thought went through my head: Firedude must die!

Firedude effortlessly unclamped my arms and hurled me off him, and that made me fall cause being thrown makes an object fall…”Ow” there wasn’t much to say about it.

“That’s enow excit'ment and games hadst lief participant, thou w're stout, steadfast coequal and may those beest qualities to beest did admire one shouldn’t court anoth'r so audaciously” Firedude was sitting on a plate now, knees crossed and the holy grail in hand “Giveth up anon and alloweth us starteth as cater-cousins bef're any of such nature couldst occureth. Cease thy eff'rts and alloweth peace beest 'mongst us aye?”
Despite all expectations said bottle still had some liquid in it and the last of it was about to be slurped by him, his treacherous lips would take what was mine and mine alone! I cared little for his words or face, either were like an open autopsy to me.

But he asked me an question, and I had to think for a while. He knew I had an answer, I knew it was an good answer and I was going to tell it to him. Cause when you ask an question you expect an answer cause that’s the way it works: Question, Answer, Question, Answer, Question, Answer, Answer, Question. If he gave my answer then I’d have to come up with his question and that’d be Jeopardy! That’s wrong!

Regardless the answer I sought was deep inside my heart…or brain? Or liver? Either way it was somewhere and what he didn't know or knows was or was know was that I was....that I was on fire.

Why am I on fire?


[x] Kick reason to the curb! Spit logic in the eye! I will fight for what’s rightfully mine!
(Insert simple battleplan optional).

[x] Give up, there are many other fishes in the sea. This water was simply not for me.
(You can discuss terms of surrender or something)

[x] Return to reality, what in the nine ducks are you doing?

[x] Something else, something entirely unexpected (Write in)

Note: Thankfully, I had the insight before all this to give Yoshika the stuff I had ordered. For some reason the talisman isn’t burning either.

Author again! Fight scenes are hard to make indeed. But we can continue now.
Also mild procrastination since I found a great book to read.
Again hope you enjoy and have a nice day!

[x] Give up, there are many other fishes in the sea. This water was simply not for me.


Ah yes I’m on fire because I’m on fire! The primordial element of heat and life cares not for meager things such as a character motive nor does it have any source of malice towards me, it’s simply burning me because that is in it’s nature so who would anyone be to begrudge it for that?

Speaking of not holding grudges, I extend out a hand in proof of agreement towards the tiny man’s offer “Aye, peace…” while hoping that the foul stench around me due to the charring and blackening of my body did not in any way lower the sentiment of my peaceful intentions. “Let us hug”

Futon put an hand over his chin and looked at me appraisingly, whether it was because he wasn’t certain if I really meant it or because he wondered how come human bodies burn so quickly is lost to me. “Come hither then” he lowered himself to the ground, stood up and awaited my warm embrace.

Hither I did, but with some minor difficulty since the flames have finally reached the inner tissues of my muscles which are the ones I needed to properly walk so hopping it is.

“Hither I shall, forgive my slow pace” I groaned with an throat dryer than an abandoned coat racket.

Now in all purposes and intentions a normal person would probably be dead by now no? luckily for me or not so luckily depending on how you see it I am still a Youkai. An undead one to boot so whatever sense of pain I had was actually pretty mild NOT, FIRE HURTS EVERYONE it felt like I was taking an air bath that was was cooking me from the inside but other than that I had really no other complaint other than the smell and I mean really it made my eyes water alongside putting an sensation of sickness in my stomach which is not something many things are capable off.

“Taketh thy timeth, imprint this rare moment to heart” Futon responded with an wise look, his form covered in flames was sublime “can thee feeleth the warmth? liketh an blanket smoth'r'd ov'r thy f'rm so eag'r to protecteth, the flames doth not alloweth wend n'r shall those gents ev'r unless thee wisheth f'r t. Quite reliable is't not?”

All in all I simply accepted the fact I was on fire rather than fruitlessly panic over it or maybe that part in the head where one feels fear was already….you know what I mean and to be frank it’s quite hard to describe an sensation that’s so distracting and disorienting while still suffering from it so forgive m-
“I can feel it from head to toe, and it hurts…a lot but not in a bad way?”

“A w'rk in progresseth then”
Finally I reached over to Futon and had to bend over to make our embrace as comfortable as it could be, in a way it kind of was too! Sure his clothes were a bit ticklish and the smell of ash was over him but the sound of his heartbeat felt therapeutic and the warm feeling inside of me felt as if a new bond has been made between us, a true moment of defenseless comradery.

Which I promptly tried to use to obtain th-“W-what is the meaning of this?”

The white robed pyromancer held my desired object and put it in my hands of their own volition, a look of respect in his eyes “A gift f'r a new friendship, i did see the way thee did look at t” a friendly wink is what he ends it with.

Suddenly, feelings of love and brotherhood welled up in me for my new friend. “Futon! Comrade!” I tightened the hug “Joyous be the day we’ve met and glorious be the future of our comradery, let the flame of truth burn all!” so intense were they my voca-uh-voca blabla devolved into blabber.

He flinched at first, but returned the grip just as intense if not more “A shame i knoweth not thou nameth, but those w'rds ringeth true f'r this cannot beest the w'rkings of humble coincidence. Nay t wilt beest fate! a fat'd encount'r in fact!” now isn’t really the moment but I just noticed that he isn’t really harmed by the flames and perchance even assumes the same for me? That’d be wrong and what i-

“….” I let go of her and look at my glorious prize and consume it! “Glorp” the substance was but water that I was aware off but at the moment it felt like I was partaking in the nectar of the gods, such a sweet honeyed flavor flowed inside of me via the medium of an cold parched throat appeasing liquid. “I would cry if the fire hadn’t evaporated all my eye juice” and at that moment a single tear fell down my cheek, no real symbolism behind it other than the fact my eyes seem to work properly despite the intensively damaging experience I just went through, truly one’s undead fortitude was to be commended.

My obsession satisfied I remember the fact that everyone was watching this and look at the crowd, they seem intrigued and Yoshika who is awake now looked mildly confused if not ashamed of me as she avoided eye contact.
as any sane person associated with me at that moment would

Futo snaps her fingers again “Rain!” and with that command her servants threw bottles of water in the air only to shoot at them with magical bullets to make them blow up and spill the droplets like rain

Status back to normal (You know what I mean)

“The playeth is ov'r, the stage shalt beest evacuat'd and the act'rs shalt taketh their leaveth (f'r purchases headeth to the stalls on thy hath left), and thanketh thee f'r watching” Futo does an bow which I copy immediately.

…No one in the crowd is clapping, but they’re not booing us either as if they’re not certain what they saw was real or not… which counts like a success to me! Flaming Victory! Nay Double Flaming Victory!

Seeing that the crowd is leaving and the servants are cleaning up, Yoshika approaches me with an determined stride surely about to prai-OUCH

The wind knocked out of me, I drop to my knees “Why’d you do that!?” I look at her with teary eyes, not understanding why she punched me in the stomach. Did I upset her somehow? And if s-
“You’ve gone cuckoo” is all comrade says as she lifts me up her shoulder like a bag of potatoes and starts to walk away “Comrade has become a threat to themselves for reasons unknown, objectives already accomplished so there’s no reason to remain here either. Now hush and back home Master will fix you”

What is she-[x] Return to reality, what in the nine ducks are you doing?

…Oh damn she’s absolutely right! I look like a burned human roast and have ended up in this situation of my own will, anyone would think you’re insane if they see you going creepazoid over a piece of plastic.

“Oh just a moment!” Futo’s voice rings behind us and she blocks comrade’s path shortly afterwards “I’m not done with either of thee!”

Yoshika gives both him and me a tired yet a I-can-and-will-fuck-you-UP-if-you-don’t-get-out-of-my-way kind of look “Hurry up”

“Of course” not seeming intimidated by the least, he takes out an card? Paper? A thingy with words on it and tends it to us“i wast going to inviteth both of thee f'r some drinks and food as grant you mercy but if 't be true thee has't to wend anon then beest sure to useth yond addresseth to keepeth contact with me. We can at each moment learneth m're about each oth'r then!” swirling both hands in opposite directions she looks me at me one more time “What’s thy nameth by the way?”

“Garr D Anne, nice to meet you” I introduce myself to hi-her.

“Futo mononobe, you’ve hath heard mine own nameth bef're and again mine own off'r still stands. We can has't a meal anon 'r any timeth we meeteth again”

“Don’t you have work to do?” Yoshika replies instead of me with a grim tone.

“Nay, i’ve already done mine own parteth of the present day and all that’s hath left is myst'ry solving. But yond can beest done whenev'r i wanteth and even but now i wanteth to chill” I’m not sure if that’s part of an ice pun but if so consider me unamused.

“So, what will it be?” Yoshika looks at me “Do you want one last meal before we go or shall we head home straight awa-

“Why do you even let me choose?” I interrupt.

“…Free food IS free food” Guess that’s fair.

So what will it be?

[x] Accept Futo’s offer, she knows more stuff about the incident and is pretty friendly.

[x] Just go straight home, you’re exhausted and Master has been waiting for a while now.

[x] One more thing Yoshika won’t let you go anywhere else.


Author: Done! Barely made the deadline in my timezone!
(It's 11:24 here and that's just before midnight).

With that done and said I shall slumber again. have a good night!

“Hmm” I considered the offer, on one hand Futo was really someone I wanted to know better and he I mean she had info concerning the current incident itself as well. Having her on my side would be a grand boon!

On the other hand, she almost murdered me today and does not even seem aware of that fact but Yoshika certainly did and was very disappointed? Angry? Not happy with both of our shenanigans essentially which is fair! since I did accuse her of potential murder the moment we reunited and then gleefully walked into a blaze of flames…though I did NOT know Futo could do that but still an excuse is an excuse, I guess. No point in being defensive.

Speaking of which I should probably no I definitely should apologize to comrade! I’ve been taking most of her day and patience after all “I’m sorry!” I shout the words at her while positioned in my awkward angle “I’m super sorry! Triple Sorry! Very sorry!” but my delivery on it was rather tame if not uncreative. Sue me this was my first time on things like these. "I don't know what came over me but it just felt RIGHT...sorry"

“….” She doesn’t respond, but I can hear her take a deep breath as if she’s preparing herself for another zany thing I’m about to say or do “Why?” her voice was filled with irritation and impatience if not a salt of Here we go again reluctance as if she had this conversation before “There’s nothing to be sorry about? Comrade is new to all this, has yet to learn Fire is BAD and other stuff that Master hasn’t told since Experiencing things firsthand is ideal for development, it also nicely cuts down the retarded ones…even if they’re cute I want quality servants or so she said” That’s an bad master impersonation but she continues “In mean but quick words: You’re dumb, not dumb dumb but the dumb that is uuuh….Not wise! Comrade lacks Wisdom! Common sense! Survival instinct and other stuff like a Doodoo” I have no idea what that is.

Stopping her march, Yoshika then glares at Futo “Shikaisen is very responsible though! Should know better than to put people on fire! Performance or not fire burns people! Are you an idiot?” youch! her tone is filled with hostility towards her mixed with disgust “You bad person”

Futo always the dramatic one, puts his hands above his head in a diagonal way and puts one foot in the air to show surprise (Talk about body language) before loudly saying “WHAT DOST TH-ah W-what dost thou mean?” she was about to act offended but then she stays completely still as if paralyzed from shock or as if time has stopped for her. Her pose firmly in place.

“Futo?” I ask to see if she’s still on Earth but no our comrade simply stays frozen in place as if she’s thinking very HARD about something. “Either way I’m still sorry!” I apologize again while waiting for her to turn on.

“Shut u-Apology accepted!” Yoshika doesn’t want to hear it and turns to Futo again. “Look at Garr, she HURT because YOU BURNED her” picking me up like an item, she shoves my burned body before his eyes. “See that? YOU did that to her, why did you do that huh? HUH!?” the glare returns.

“I-I forgot” Futo admits “Forgot to properly declare a spell card battle so the fireballs did not turn into danmaku variants” and looks down in shame “But I would have if she hadn’t just jumped at me out o- “interruption.

“Don’t care for excuses” Yoshi dismisses Futo’s claim like that “Either fix her and apologize or go away and never talk to us again. People that make excuses for their actions in hopes of forgiveness are the worst. Besides using Danmaku is supposed to be the default way of fighting in this time no? The fact you failed to follow that shows your error” Which incidentally is also the longest line I’ve ever heard her say, I think? Guess she likes to use short and to the point phrases if she can help it norma-oh no it’s my turn “And as for you Garr: NEVER pull that shit again either, were it anyone else death would have been instant. Use Danmaku capiche? ” I simply nod to that. She can be scary when she wants to be.

Futo looks at me as if seeking help? nah he’s just looking at me and winces disturbed by the sight of my condition. It’s a guilty shudder but a shudder is still rude by itself “T-true I shall take responsibility for this occasion. But for that one would need the proper tools which I do not have now” a small hmm escapes her as she rubs her chin thought “Where dost thee reside? I shall accompany thee to thou’s abode and set up an shortcut to my own! Afterwards I’ll come back with the medicine prepared forthright! What dost thou say to that?” is her proposal to us.

Yoshika looks like she’s about to say no but I intervene “That’s fine by me! That way Master won’t have to waste time on me now does she Yoshi?”
Frankly the sight of returning home and have her see me like that is kind of embarrassing, would she be disappointed or outright laugh at me? The only way to know would be to go there and find out. “Let us walk a new path!”

“To an new path indeed!” Futo raises her arm into the sky as if it’s an grand declaration but then so do I so who cares if it looks silly.

“Hmph, You're not off the hook but sure” and mutters to herself something quietly but I can hear it fine because I’m literally being carried by her “Hopefully this won’t end up like the others”.

And so off we go! To Adventure! To Destiny! To the Graveyard!

=======Undead girls and one plate are walking, please wait warmly============

“Ah there the two of you are!” a familiar voice rings.

…. Or not, guess who’s waiting at the Village Entrance? That’s right it’s the same guards as earlier doing their job. Guarding the entrance is Guard R and L, one is happy to see us while the other shrugs and goes back to reading a magazine (Which looks the same as the one Kogasa read yesterday). “My shift is going to end in half an hour, so I hope m’ladies are ready for a good time with yours truly~” R does a false salute in joy.

“I highly doubt that” L says as uninterested as they can be “Besides look they’ve got a boy following them, if anything you got cucked lad”

“What!?” R shouts in surprise “What do you mean cucked bro? Look at that twerp! He possibly can’t be older than 10 or 12!” He just insulted Futo.

“…. Some girls are into that” and L me and Yoshika “Besides look at your luck with woman, they only seduce you when they want something and you’re the fool who keeps falling for it” I think the two are friends?

“That can’t possibly be it Lee. I am a real romantic man after all, I’ve simply yet to find the right woman for me after all” R says with the utmost confidence.

“You do you Rai, I’m just saying (50 dollars in yen) that these gals are going to walk out of the gate and never come to see you agai-wait what the fuck happened to that one?” Guard L looks shocked once he took an actual glance at me “Girl looks like she should be dead! Call the doctor! and send the alarm that there's a youkai in town!” Wait did they find me out!?

“What do you-Oh god! uh yes, I shall go as quickly as I can!” and Guard R rushes off to find me medical care I did not ask fo-OH they think I'm the victim of an youkai attack. False Alarm.

Guard L looks at us in worry and approaches “It’s a miracle you’re still alive miss, don’t worry about help is on the way. Whatever Youkai did this to you shall be brought to justice! We swear on the honor of the village guards!”

…What? This is kind of a mixed bag if I say so myself. They literally insulted us with no care in the world and suddenly they’re all worried about me?

That doesn’t make any sense to me. People are either good or bad so you can’t possible be both. That’s like mixing water and oil ergo impossible!

“Hey I’m not short! I’m just vertically challenged!” Futo on the other hand is still focused on the previous matter. “Let’s just go” While Yoshika could not care less about their concerns and seems like she’s just going to walk us out.

What should I do?

[x] Keep going, their sentiment is appreciated? But unneeded.

[x] Wait for the Doctor? I’m not sure if it’s free but hey being fixed is good.

[x] Just say it’s a very clever disguise? I don’t know people.

[x] Write in.


Your social life has expanded! Futo Mononobe is now an ally!

Futo Mononobe temporarily joins the party!


Author notes:

>>43264
Glad to hear it, and yeah it was just normal water.

I won't just bad end someone out of nowhere since I'm also an fan of tomfoolery so don't worry too much about it.

As for the spellcards I'd love to hear about those when the time comes as well. For the rest the journey will tell us.

And technically she could have been in one before, she never WON one as far as the Umbrella's words can be trusted.

>>43263

Yeah Futo is fun indeed, so I just combined both votes since why not.

With that all said, I'm going to update Eastern Spook Story 2 next and hope you all have a nice weekend.

[x] Just say it’s a very clever disguise? I don’t know people.
-[x] For an impromptu stage play! Sadly, my acting skills weren't up to the occasion, so it had to be canceled. A shame!

That’s a great excuse! Which I will use immediately “Well you see…I’m not really hurt at all guard” I try to come off as comfy and embarrassed

The worried look on L’s face turns to mild confusion “What do you mean not hurt? No offense but you look like a pig that was roasted for too long…also that metallic pig smell can’t possibly be fake” he puts a hand on his nose to emphasize on the stench which I did not know about.

“Rude, anyway that’s on you since this is just a very clever disguise!” hints of raw smugness come out of me as if it was a magic trick “It was for an impromptu stage play! Sadly, my acting skills weren’t up to the occasion, so it had to be canceled. A shame!”

“Oh, that’s a shame indeed, what kind of play was it? I’m quite a fan of those” Lee responds out of interest but at the same it feels like a curveball was just thrown at me.

“Futo help!” I nudge the shiki-something with my elbow “You tell him about our play” *Wink* *Wink* come on you can do this.

“Ah that!” Futo seemingly plays along “That one thing, where we like showed various cases and ways to avoid being kidnapped in order to raise awareness to the local populace: Street Smarts by Mononobe!”

“I can see why that’s a flop then” Yoshika helpfully adds.

“I see, I see, but since when were the two of you working together? I certainly don’t remember you being there on the previous times it was done, nor has the little boy mentioned you like ever” Futo looks annoyed by the L’s continued nickname yet the man continues “Not only that but weren’t you a grave keeper or something? I’m certain we noted that down”

My back stiffens at that remark, this man was sharper than I thought. Luckily, I had just the right answer! “I-I uuh, well I…you see that. Well, yknow? - “at least I thought so but truth was I was out of words. It was one thing to lie about stuff but it was another to be called out on it.

“A person can have more than one job” Yoshi adds, “Besides I recruited her just today yes, so it can’t be helped if her acting wasn’t too good” Futo adds his testimony as well. They’re playing along with me and making the wall of bs into a tower of deceit no Super Deceit even!

“….” The guard looks at the three of us appraisingly, direct eye contact is made as if he’s looking for the slightest twitch or weakness “Guess that’s fair. It also explains why it took you so long to be done with your groceries when earlier you said it would hopefully take less than an hour” and he convinces himself even further by adding logic to it!

“Cool, so now that that has been established. Can we leave now? We’re busy people and got things to do” I ask politely, relieved it’s over.

“Like what?”

“None of your business” all three of us reply at the same time.

“Fair enough, in that case…” He moves aside to let us pass.
“Good luck on the road and have a nice day” he says bye.

“Sayonara”, “Bye”, “Until we meet again” or any other form of saying bye to someone else can be said here by either of us three. Well, we all said goodbye since that’s the polite thing to do but it’s not important enough to make multiple paragraphs about or something…wait what’s a paragraph? I think it’s it own thing here?

Regardless, we finally got to leave the vi-A hand grabs my shoulder.

“Just one moment” It’s guard L again, a note book in his other hand now and he’s looking at the 3 of us with the same lax look he has by default “There’s one thing that doesn’t really match here, a few even but I don’t want to take too much of either of your times” he states.

“Okay?” I’m not sure if that was a question or an affirmation though.

“The thing is, I’ve got evidence that supports a falsehood in your earlier claims and logic” he moves and blocks the path again “A contradiction if you will say. It’s a bit obvious in hindsight but with that revealed I cannot let you pass after all” suddenly changing attitudes, as if getting serious was a maneuver I was unaccustomed to. So far no one had any reason to doubt me or thought I was lying so where did that sudden change come from? Did I make a big mistake or something!?

“W-well then present it already, I don’t have all day” I say with my bravest tone, trying very hard not to come off as nervous or off-guard.

“While you were off doing your shopping and stuff, I was browsing the names of those who enter and leave the village on a regular basis. From what the records say this was the very first time you’ve entered our home which means you possibly can’t have been part of a play” he browses the papers again “Article 14-7: All participants of recreational activities for the dramatics (Actors, dancers, etc.) must be registered in the Artist Guild before they’re allowed to partake in such events.
Isn’t that right Mononobe?” L looks at Futo with a serious expression.

“That’s correct actually! it’s to avoid scams or the risk of youkai corrupting the views of the youth…incidentally it’s why there are almost no Tsukukogami here either. It’s too much of a hassle to handle all of that instead of just performing elsewhere which helps lower the youkai presence in town since it also applies to other stuff” Futo smiles at that notion “It’s a nice way to keep the place clean isn’t it? I fully support it as long as it keeps them out even if it’s a pain in the bottom” Huh, that’s quite the anti-youkai view. Should I be concerned?

“Exactly” L continues “Hence if Futo here wanted to recruit you, he’d have to register you as one of his members otherwise allowing you to participate would be a very illegal move. One that could earn him the ire of every entertainer in town. You are aware of this right?”

“O-oh, why y-yes of course I did!” Futo isn’t that energetic anymore.

“So, is that all then?” Cause if it’s just that then eh we can fix that.

“Nope” chips “Finally there are two more contradictions: Where is the money you’ve obtained from the rods, and what of your date with Rai?
Those were the conditions for which he did let you enter after all wasn’t it? Or were you just going to leave like that and act like it never happened? If so, I’d like to add the fact that bribery and seduction of a man of law is a very serious crime by itse- “

“Just say what you want” Yoshika interrupts “Spare us the big words just get to the point. You want something from us before you let us leave, No?”

L looks at her with disdain before coughing to clear his throat “Long story short: Give me the money or I’ll snitch on your asses on what you did and then you can kiss any future visit to the village goodbye”

…. Excuse me the duck? Isn’t this extortion? Is that why he said nothing when we entered, just so he can do this when we leave!? That’s corruption! These guards are corrupt! “You’re a bad cop!”

“So the village has been reduced to this state…” putting his sleeves on his face, Futo grumbles in disgust “I’ve severely underestimated the situation”

“…. If they were good, they wouldn’t have let us enter in the first place” and another hot take comes from Yoshika.

“Also don’t try to seduce me, I know what kind of girl you are”

………….


[x] Just knock the bastard out and leave.

[x] He got us, just give the money.

[x] Surely there’s something else we can do (Write in)


Author notes: I love those spellcards and the idea itself too, don't mind if I go along with it cause hell yeah why not.

Now I'm going to sleep again and get my nap scheddy right before posting again.

Relatively shet this one was but expect a better one sooner.

He knows what kind of girl I am. Is that a compliment or an insult? A confession or revelation? I don’t see the point behind it and stare at him with my most unimpressed yet confused at the same time look. “What?”

L doesn’t elaborate and simply shows his left hand with a gimme motion, he wants da shinnies and he want them now, not one or two but all of them!

Which is omniloathful! Because I worked really hard to get that money, SUPER HARD EVEN: I went through awkward silences during a dreadfully slow flight. Had to survive a wave of demonic little fairies that tried to make us say hello to their shiny balls of pain. Make up an on-the-spot seduction at the risk of massive cringe. Broke my arm arm-wrestling some big guy while being surrounded by muscular sweaty men. Questioned my own purpose in life while thinking about what fun toys one could buy. Got burned alive by some dude in white clothes while looking for water. Somehow the latter two are now pals of mine and uh on retrospective this really wasn’t a normal shopping day.

Is something wrong with me? Of course, there isn’t. but that’s a question better left off for later, either way the sheer effort to survive the Market is something no one can deny to me. And here that bastard tries to take it away from me! That smug, smart, probably is paid for just standing around like a fool for several hours bitch boy wants my hard-earned cash!! FUCK THAT NOISE!

“I’ve got a present for you all right” I raise my hand, curl it into a fist and slam it into his face like a cannon, brain matter and blood will gush out of the left behind crater and that’s what you’d get for fucking with a youkai! Except there’s a force on my arm preventing it from shooting straight out.
Said force is Futo “Thou must not, to strike with malice in the heart is to condemn one’s humanity, and I doubt thee would desire such conflict. I shan’t allow needless violence to happen” the hypocrite says with sage like wisdom for which I would call him out on but for some reason as in I don’t know how he’s doing it my arm starts to feel very heavy, as if a large weight has been added to it or more like the energy behind it is being sucked away like water flushed down a drain. The gu-gal knows her own tricks huh. “Let us leave at once, I refuse to believe zis words and so he has no power over us”. Had I been calmer, I'd have realized Futo was trying to help and would have left it at that.

But I wasn't: Why you little- [x] Give the man what he's asking for.
Hand him a hundred yen. What? That's what a couple of sticks are worth.

…So you’re against me too now? I don’t want to give him anything! It’s the principle of the thing that matters, logic be damned! I would rather wrestle Bronze again while on fire than to give this hairless monkey the slightest ego-boost, screw his laws facts and perception! screw his extortion! AND SCRE-

“Breathe comrade” Yoshika puts her hand on my shoulder but I push it away, don’t you dare tell me what to do! It’s too late for breathing and forgiveness, it is ON. IT.IS.SO.ON! That man is going to taste the Knuckle Sandwich!! Instantly delivered, no refunds. No sauce and all PUNCH.

…Wait why am I cooking him a sandwich? No, if anything he owes me one. Okay sure sandwiches wouldn’t taste good at all but even No no NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NONO! NO.
I am Not forgetting the fact that I’m filled with FURY, no more distractions, no more hesitations, All hot sauce. A sauce of pain that is. Metaphors suck.

[x]Cry at the thought of having all you worked so hard for taken away at the whims of man serving the lo-shut up, this is MY decision to make!

[x] Just- What did I just say? Enough of do this, do that. I know what I want to do right now and I’m going to do it. Stop me if you’re even capable of doing that.

“So, you want the money, don’t you?” I give my most wholesome smile, all rainbows and sunshine while putting my hand in my pocket.

“Indeed, I do, also I don’t have all day so hur- “

“That was rhetorical” I hiss back “Of course you want it, your dreg of society. What kind of guard lets intruders in, only to rob them of their belonging and let them leave afterwards!? That’s right it’s you! You’re the bad guy!”

L doesn’t seem to care about my remark, and yawns “Morality doesn’t fill my pockets with extra cash miss, and besides you’re the one who committed the first move. If you don’t want consequences then why create problems?” then he squints at me “You also talk remarkably well for someone who’s supposed to be on the verge between life and death. Don’t tell me you’re a youkai in disguise? Cause if you are, I can just shout it to everyone~” THAT MOTHA-

My hands are shaking, my ears feel hot and my eyes see red. “Y-youuuu, why you! I-I” throat feels so dry...COME ON “YOUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!
You faceless piece of trash! I’ll burry you! Crack your head like a nut! I- “

“No, you won’t” he interrupts with a snort.

And he’s correct, I won’t do anything of the sort to him. I can’t do it without facing any large consequences but the feeling of a complete loss makes something burst like a damn within me: PURE UNADULATERED ANGER
“AAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHAAAAA
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGHHHHHHHH
HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHGHHHHHHHHHHHAGHAA-”
On my KNEES, I SHOUT the SHOUTIEST SHOUT I’ve ever SHOUTED in my LIFE. The GROUND TREMBLES for some reason, the BIRDS ALL LEAVE their trees and my companions all HOLD THEIR HANDS over their EARS as if it would PROTECT them from the optimal EAR RAPE EXPERIENCE. This really isn’t a boast but I’m certain people could hear this from MILES AWAY. “-AAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHA
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGHHHH
HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHGHHHHHHHHHHHAGHAA-”
Which MIGHT be actually TRUE since for SOME REASON the sound of my VOICE SPAWNS out of ANOTHER DIRECTION entirely while I’m still SHOUTING MYSELF. DOUBLE SHOUT? Who CARES!? all THAT MATTERED was that it made me go EVEN LOUDER. ANGER PLUS ANGER MAKES MORE ANGER BITCH! “AAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHAA
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGHHHHH
HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHGHHHHHHHHHHHAGHA!! “
BOTH OF MY VOICES come in SYNC, their melody of DESTRUCTION SOOTHES YOU, The WEAKLING is rolling on the ground in PAIN. This makes you HAPPY but doesn’t lower the FEELING in your body any less.

BUT that’s not ALL, you pick up some of THE MONEY and throw some over the WEAKLING as if he’s a HARLOT, YES THAT FEELS GOOD.

YEEESSS, the SOUND fuels your SPIRIT. This is what it MEANS TO BE ANGRY. FUCK MATURITY, FUCK LOGIC, THE ONLY THING THAT MATTERS I-OOF, someone BOPS you on the HEAD stopping you from being able to continue your AWESOME DECLARATION OF WA-OOF!

Okay, now it’s really starting to hurt so you stop and put your hands in front of you protectively while on the ground “Stop hitting me, I yield!” and you lo-oh no.

That blue hair, that teal dress and translucent white cloth can only be one person…it’s Master poking you with her hair stick, a gentle smile on her face.

“So, what’s happening here?” she asks to no one in particular “Here I come to check out what’s taking so long only to see three people squirming on the ground and you screaming your lungs out while in such a sorry state” her hand comes my shoulder in a soothing manner and she continues “Did you at least accomplish what I’ve sent you two for? I’m still going to have to punish whoever’s responsible for wasting all this time~”

“M-master I” when did she arrive? “I can explain!”

“Oh?” she croons in curiosity “Then please do but make it short. 20 words or less”

“….” That was an unnecessary statement, all feeling leaves my body as some sort of heavy weight comes over my shoulders. Heh if I say the wrong thing Master might become disappointed in me if not outright lose all faith, she had in me so I can’t say the full truth in how this is my own doing. But if I make it too obvious of a lie then she’d know it’s one and then I’m fucked anyway.

What does one say in these kinds of situations? I know I said I didn’t need help but I was overcome by emotion so please forgive me and help me once more!

Come on brain! Think of something! Something that’ll save us all!

[x] It was Yoshika No, I won’t throw her in the dirt.

[x] It was Futo! He uh burned me alive and occupied us with a bunch of side quests yes.

[x] It was Society! There were too many obstacles cause of the incident and all that stuff.

[x] It was me, I’m fully responsible for this. Please don’t hate me!

[x] Write in.

Author Note: Done, I also just noticed I forgot to update ESS2 so I will do so in a moment, have a nice weekend!