THE STORY SO FAR:
The world has ended, but five (well, it’s complicated) humans get a chance to do it over, and make things right. Only problem is, for their second go around, they're not going to be 'human'...

Kosuzu’s second life has been turned on its head more than once in the past twenty-four hours. When she first recovered her memories of her past life, she believed her new self to be a mere tube fox, the daughter of Kudamaki Tsukasa. But overnight, it became clear that her true mother in this timeline was none other than Yakumo Ran. The Wicked White Fox had kidnapped Kosuzu and taken her mother’s place, crushing the young kitsune’s spirit. Through that and other means, Tsukasa’s sought to reduce Kosuzu to the former’s much more meager species.

As soon as Yakumo Yukari learned of the young fox’s location, she tracked Kosuzu down and gifted her the Bluebell Grimoire - a tome made for her by her real mother. Using the grimoire, and working with the Mayumi and Reimu, she managed to rescue a young girl - Okazaki Yumemi. Like the Immaterial Children, she has traveled through time - though, unlike them, she travels using scientific means, as part of a stable time loop. A future version of Yumemi has been subtly intervening in the fates of all the Immaterial Children, for reasons yet unknown. But for Kosuzu - perhaps out of gratitude for the fox freeing her - she has been directly acting to help her grow in power and confidence. Her most recent, reckless, and costly attempt to do so was to rescue the Grimoire from Tsukasa’s clutches - succeeding only at the cost of ending up hospitalized.

Kosuzu’s false mother fled to the very same people who captured Yumemi in the first place - the Keiga family, an army of spectral wolves. Though they are powerful adversaries, the Haniwa normally have complete immunity to their attacks, and they thus should pose little threat. But with the aid of the wicked hermit Seiga they have devised a way to crack the Haniwa, breaking their bodies and morale alike. Now, they wash over

Reimu panted and held her side, feeling the burn from one of the lasers which had grazed her. Her red hakama were covered in grey ash, and her white kimono was speckled with soot, dirt, and a little blood. She half-crouched, half-knelt on Genji’s back, the giant turtle having shrugged off most of the attacks that had hit him.

Still, she took some satisfaction from being in a better state than her opponent. The one she was fighting was a gargantuan woman, one who simply radiated power. Even so, it was clear that she had suffered; white hair cascading in front of her face, red dress covered in soot and one purple wing bent unnaturally and another bearing an angry-looking tear in it. The remaining four wings

“Looks like your bark is worse than your bite!” Reimu powered through the pain and gave the goddess a savage grin.

“How could you be this strong?” The goddess panted out, shocked at her defeat

“Well, that’s just normal for me” Reimu boasted, puffing her chest out.

Shinki just gave her an unamused look, before brushing the hair out of her face “Anyway, what business did you have in Makai again”

Now it was Reimu’s turn to give an unamused look “Like I’ve been saying! There’s been too many demons coming to the human world lately! You’re the god of their world, so do something about it!”

“Guess I’ve got no choice...”
Shinki grumbled, before raising a hand to her chest. A purple light washed over the goddess, causing her to be rejuvenated. Her Wings snapped back into place, the gash disappearing in an instant. Even her clothes began to sew themselves back together.

Then she raised a hand towards Reimu, wreathed in green light. Reimu was about to get Genji to dodge when the light poured over her. She could feel the pain in her side dissipate, as the wounds across her body closed.

Shinki gave her a slight curtsy, her six wings disappearing as she did so.

“In deference to that strength of yours, I shall do something about it.” she declared.

“Yes, Please do.” Reimu put her hands on her waist, like her mom did when scolding her. She wasn’t entirely sure what def-fer-ence meant, but it sounded like she

[x] A wicked hermit appears

You decided to cut directly to the chase. “Is Miko here?”

Seiga floated around you in a circular arc, forcing you to turn to keep her in your vision. “Now, now. You’re being quite the rude guest. Insulting my darling Yoshika, leaving your companion to fight her while you ran on ahead…”

“My heart weeps for you,” you said flatly. “Is Miko here?”

“Fortunately, you’re also quite the interesting one,” she replied, completely ignoring your question. “A servant who is a master, once a master of many servants, but now ensnared by her own trap. And one who condemns a servitude more benign than that which her life has been defined by. What am I to make of you?”

“A person looking for information,” you told her. “Specifically, where is Miko?”

“Is there a reason for me to just tell you?” the wicked hermit asked. “Surely the fair thing would be a trade of information, no?”

Reisen glanced back and forth between you and Seiga. “That doesn’t seem unreasonable?”

Knowing exactly where this was going, you glared at the hermit. “What is unreasonable is the knowledge she wants. This wicked hermit is after the shikigami ritual.”

“Didn’t you just- ack!” Reisen started before one of your tails flicked across her legs, making her yelp.

Seiga laughed, floating right up to your face. “Tamamo-no-mae’s reign of terror was followed by dozens of copycats utilizing her work. There’s little point for you to safeguard that knowledge now.”

“Knowledge that my past self went to considerable lengths to eradicate,” you spat. “What makes you think I would hand it over to you?”

“Perhaps because your lips have been loosened already? Alice has been talking quite a bit about her living doll while fighting my pet zombie.”

So that was why Seiga showed herself. “Alice will not abuse the knowledge, whereas you are a self-professed wicked hermit. The answer is still no.”

She was unfazed, smirking back at you. “Everyone has their price, and I’ll find yours eventually. Or perhaps hers?”

You grimaced. That was an unpleasant reminder you’d need to stre

It was late summer, the cicadas worked hard, producing their buzzing songs, although one would find it irritating, the sound was nothing to worry about for the Shrine Maiden, who was currently asleep.

Of course, someone had to interrupt her affairs.

"Yo Reimu what are you doing ze?!" comes the witch sliding the door of the shrine open without care.

"Ugh~~" Rubbing her eyes with a troubled groan, Reimu slowly lifted herself off her futon. "How many times do I need to tell you not to enter like that Marisa?!"

Still rubbing her eyes, the shrine maiden adjusted her skirt and walked over to the kitchen "You know what, whatever, I'm gonna have a snack, want some?" The witch giggled in approval, entering the shrine proper.

Meanwhile, somewhere else

A hidden path extended deep into the woods, although I called it "path" It was sparse and hard to follow for nobody had used it for maybe decades but at the end of it one would be directed to an old worn-out shrine abandoned in the woods.

The once white and pristine walls were covered in vines and the woodwork was infested with mushrooms and soaked to the brin by the rain. Once someone slid open the now rotten front door, however, they would find its interior walls filled with inscriptions and runes that connect with a magic circle right in the middle of the room.

Looking at the forest again a bit of hesitation spreads thoughts but is not like I have another choice as I don't have a home left for me anymore.

Checking if anything is in order I set my backpack down and check my belongs:

a week's worth of military rations, a Swiss knife, my purple charcoal (to complete the magic circle), my old man`s photos, and an old book with a blank cover with the instructions for the activation of the magic circle alongside 20 or so firecrackers with two types, one with intention of making a lot of noise but the explosion was small and the other type made a big explosion, nothing to kill but to stagger to get me wherever I was fighting enough for me or to run or to me go on the offensive myself.

Finally, after completing my wo

THE STORY SO FAR:
The world has ended, but five (well, it’s complicated) humans get a chance to do it over, and make things right. Only problem is, for their second go around, they're not going to be 'human'...

Kosuzu is making her mark in the Animal Realm. Having been gifted a grimoire by Yakumo Yukari, she, along with Mayumi and Kicchou Reimu, were sent to rescue a young girl in the clutches of the Keiga. Despite their rescue attempt being compromised, she and the others were still able to liberate the young girl, and deliver her safely to the Haniwa Corps’ territory.

The young girl’s true identity was revealed to be Okazaki Yumemi. Like the Immaterial Children, she has traveled through time - though, unlike them, she travels using scientific means, as part of a stable time loop. A future version of Yumemi has been subtly intervening in the fates of all the Immaterial Children, for reasons yet unknown. But for Kosuzu - perhaps out of gratitude for the fox saving her life - she has been directly acting to help her grow in power and confidence. Her most recent, reckless, and costly attempt to do so was to rescue the grimoire Kosuzu had been using - a tome penned by Yakumo Ran, for her wayward daughter.

Though she doesn’t yet know it, that wayward daughter is Kosuzu herself. She was stolen in her infancy by Kudamaki Tsukasa, for reasons not yet fully understood. But having been harshly reprimanded by her false mother, Kosuzu has fallen into a world of dreams, where truth lurks in several forms. And Kosuzu’s dreams are not the only reason this night will prove to be tumultuous…

Previous Threads:
Redo/Reimu >>205449 >>205720
Again/Akyuu

[-] Fallout.

After a few seconds wrestling with the mini-hakkero, Mamizou abandoned it, swearing. Even if she could stop it now, there wasn't a point; half of Gensokyo had to have seen that blast. And that meant damage control was the name of the game.

"Nue! We need to leave!"

"Yeah, yeah." her friend rolled her eyes. "I told you disguising as Akyuu was a stupid decision."

"It would have worked if he wasn't already aware I was involved," Mamizou grumbled. "Which shouldn't have been possible."

"That's a funny way to say, 'Yes, Nue, you were right all along.'"

"Nue!"

"Fine, fine. One cloud of darkness, coming right up."

Everyone’s waiting for you to continue. The thing is, you didn’t have anything to follow up after that. But you don’t want to disappoint, so you say the first thing that comes to your head.

“And then we can beat him up,” you conclude, earning the respect of battle-happy shrine maidens across the world. You’re sure Reimu’s clapping in her head with the approving nod that she’s giving you.

“...Him?” The badger sputters. “As in, the other guy… and not me, y-yes?”

“Do you want to be beaten up too?” asks Reimu.

With a somber expression, he shakes his head slowly and silently.

“Good.” The shrine maiden jerks a finger to the mountainside. “Now take us to your boss, leader, or whatever you call him.”

Despite how talkative the badger initially was, he does not say a word through the forest’s passage and the climb up the steady hillside. With Reimu following right behind the badger, it looks like he’s being walked to his execution—and the shrine maiden, his executioner. He stops at a patch of open area. Around is conspicuously clear of brush, as if all the foliage was trimmed away. All that’s missing is quiet in the forest, a dark mist that permeates through the woods, and you’d be wondering if you’re experiencing a serious case of deja vu.

A horned figure steps out from the cover of the trees. Just like the badger described, the youkai has a ruddy, taurus-like face. Dark splotches color the sides of the man’s face like oil, finished with a black muzzle that juts out. Mino, you think for a second before discarding it.

THE STORY SO FAR:
The world has ended, but five (well, it’s complicated) humans get a chance to do it over, and make things right. Only problem is, for their second go around, they're not going to be 'human'...

Kudamaki Kosuzu is making her mark in the Animal Realm. Having been gifted a grimoire by Yakumo Yukari, she, along with Mayumi and Kicchou Reimu, were sent to rescue a young girl in the clutches of the Keiga. Despite their rescue attempt being compromised - by Kosuzu's own mother, Tsukasa, no less - between Kosuzu’s quick thinking and the danmaku techniques she learned from the grimoire, she was still able to liberate the young girl, and deliver her safely to the Haniwa Corps’ territory.

The young girl’s true identity was revealed to be Okazaki Yumemi. Like the Immaterial Children, she has traveled through time - though, unlike them, she travels using scientific means, as part of a stable time loop. In fact, it seems that the fortune-teller Ichi was in fact an older Yumemi. While some of her actions may have been to facilitate her own rescue, her ultimate goals remain unknown.

Now, after a harrowing day, Kosuzu and the other girls have returned to their home to a well-deserved rest. Kosuzu’s resolved to take the path to become a Kitsune. Helping her along is the aforementioned grimoire, penned by Yakumo Ran for a daughter she lost for reasons unknown. But before Kosuzu investigated the book more fully, her own mother, Tsukasa, has pulled her away…

Previous Threads:
Redo/Reimu >>205449 >>205720
Again/Akyuu >>206017

THE STORY SO FAR:
The world has ended, but five (well, it’s complicated) humans get a chance to do it over, and make things right. Only problem is, for their second go around, they're not going to be 'human'...

Kudamaki Kosuzu is making her mark in the Animal Realm. Having been gifted a grimoire by Yakumo Yukari, she, along with Mayumi and Kicchou Reimu, were sent to rescue a young girl in the clutches of the Keiga. Despite their rescue attempt being compromised, between Kosuzu’s quick thinking and the danmaku techniques she learned from the grimoire, she was still able to liberate the young girl, and deliver her safely to the Haniwa Corps’ territory.

The young girl’s true identity was revealed to be Okazaki Yumemi. Like the Immaterial Children, she has traveled through time - though, unlike them, she travels using scientific means, as part of a stable time loop. In fact, it seems that the fortune-teller Ichi was in fact an older Yumemi. While some of her actions may have been to facilitate her own rescue, her ultimate goals remain unknown.

In the process of rescuing the young Yumemi, Kosuzu managed to take Kaku Seiga’s hairpin for herself. In hopes of replicating it, she was directed to head to Keiki’s city library, and meet one of its librarians - none other than the spirit Motoori Mabuchi, the man who, in her last life, was her dear grandfather…

Previous Threads:
Redo/Reimu >>205449 >>205720
Again/Akyuu >>206017 >>206302 >>206595

Canto I
Of yore, there were six dragons of the Eastern Sea
Heaven hath blessed all that they did
Those of past and those of wisdom were of the same body and mind