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'...
Reiuji Youmu’s first day after awakening to her past proved harrowing, but also enlightening. Through surfacing her memories, much about the Pyres, the flames of despair that ended the world before, was revealed. Even more disasters - and the sudden, still-not-understood emergence of a Pyre years before it should have - revealed an even greater truth. Though they did not remember it, they were not the first to have their fates changed - two others, named Sanae and Tenshi, had tried and failed to stop the disaster once already. The plan to keep the quintet safe had been their last-ditch hope, to recruit more allies.
Youmu, along with her fellow reawoken allies Kicchou Reimu and Hieda no Akyuu, seek to find their remaining friends - Kosuzu the bookkeeper, and Marisa the magician - and then put their heads together to discover who Tenshi and Sanae are. But the most powerful tool of bringing back the two bibliophiles - a manuscript of the past world’s history - was lost in the confusion. And while one of the mysterious robed figures pulling the strings behind the scenes got caught in their own web, the other yet remains at large…
“Wahhh!” Kosuzu jumped in shock at the green-haired girl’s sudden appearance. “Wh-where did she come from?”
Akyuu chuckled. “Ahh, Kosuzu, this is Komeiji ______. She’s no harm if you mean no harm, I promise.” The bookkeeper glanced over at Akyuu, but slowly nodded. “She’s just here because I wanted to ask some questions about Former Hell.”
“Former Hell…” Kosuzu blinked. “Wait, Komeiji? Doesn’t that make her a ______?”
“Silly…” Was ______’s response. “That’s my sister’s name!” She did, however, have the requisite third eye, and Kosuzu goggled at it.
Akyuu waved off Kosuzu’s look of concern. “Relax, okay? She’s not a threat, I promise. She can’t read your mind, so the secrets of the _______ household are quite safe around her.”
“O-Oh, I see.” Kosuzu blinked, before realizing the green-haired girl was offering a hand. Slowly, she reached out, and received an eager shake in return. “Why… why can’t she read minds?”
The girl gave a small, strangely… hesitant smile. “Everybody hated it when I was near them, before. Because I could read their minds, and nobody likes that. So… I ______ __ _____ ___. Forever.” Kosuzu blinked, before the girl threw her arms wide. “Now nobody even notices I’m there! Nobody, ever, never!”
Kosuzu looked her up and down. “That… that’s great, Miss Komeiji.” She turned to look at Akyuu, still seemingly paying the youkai little mind. “...I’m surprised you of ___ ______ are having a youkai in your house, though. What if people find out?”
Akyuu gave a small smirk. “Oh, are you threatening to ___________, Kosuzu? Do you ____ people will _______________ books?” Despite the words, there was a playful tone to it, and Kosuzu just stuck her tongue out. “And here I thought ______________.”
“I’m plenty ‘cool’, Akyuu. I’m just surprised you are, too.” Kosuzu looked over at the - where’d she go? “What do you need her advice for? More of the chronicle?”
“Aheheh, no, actually. I wanted to write another mystery story, and in this one, ___________________________. ______’s more agreeable when it comes to contract negotiation for her sister’s likeness.”
“...Doesn’t that count as cheating?”
“What, negotiating with ______ instead of her sister?”
“No, the ___________. Sounds like it’d be hard to write.” Kosuzu rubbed her forehead, trying to remember what exactly she’d deemed as cheating. Unfortunately, it didn’t come to her.
She sighed, looking up ahead of her. Books and texts of all kinds flowed around her, unwriting themselves, the ink whirling back off the pages. She tried to look at the nearest books and read what was being lost, but it seemed to escape her even as she watched it disappear. Was this how Miss Keine’s power looked for everyone, or… was this just something unique to her? Questions, questions. She’d have to ask the others when they finally met up.
She decided to start with what she remembered most clearly, the end. …Well, she remembered most of it clearly, at least. Her, and four others - Hieda no Akyuu, the chronicler, Youmu, the half ghost gardener, Marisa the magician, and of course the one-and-only Shrine Maiden of Gensokyo, Reimu - had been shanghaied into an abrupt forced cohabitation at a gapped-away Hakurei Shrine. This had been to protect them from… Kosuzu shuddered, as a horrible image surfaced, and she retreated away from that particular recollection. The image of Akyuu’s face, lit in black, firey agony.
It had been their job to recall - if the worst happened, and the human village didn’t survive, it was on them to remember back into existence the specific youkai who could rebuild their broken world, and start the salvage process of Gensokyo itself. Kosuzu, the youngest of the group, had been there in essentially a backup role - to aid Akyuu in the process of providing the exact descriptions and publicizing the required information. Suffice it to say, their strategy hadn’t worked, and instead, every last one of them had… been separated from their bodies.
What was left after that was… less than even a soul. Teeny, tiny fragments of themselves, and soon even what was left had begun to whisper and whittle away. Of the group, Kosuzu felt she’d had it pretty rough on the damage done front - the only one who’d had it worse was Marisa, who’d… lost her body before Kosuzu even knew it. Most of them couldn’t even remember their whole names. Nor could Kosuzu remember the name of her family bookstore, where all the Youma books she loved were stored.
But… just when hope had seemed lost, four people had appeared. Miss Keine Kamishirasawa, and three others who Kosuzu wasn’t sure she’d recognise even if she had all her memories. (Well, the doctor seemed fairly familiar). They’d somehow survived the disaster (well, survived was debatable in Miss Keine’s case), and were looking for something, anything they could do to undo what had happened.
And the five little fragments of girls who once had been were what they decided to gamble their fates on. They’d asked the five of them if they could accept their histories being consumed, and being reborn as youkai. If they remembered their past lives soon enough, they could perhaps solve the incident before it even occurred. It was an absolutely desperate, last-ditch gamble, but… it wasn’t like they’d been flush with options.
And, besides. Kosuzu had been itching, for a long time, to step up. She’d been inducted into the inner circle of Gensokyo a few years before disaster struck, and had been trying to train herself up, to properly join them not just as a confidant of convenience, but a full-fledged member of the inner circle. Even in the gap, she’d been considered the backup of the rememberers, not a protector and combatant in her own right. If there was ever a time to change that, and become a real force, now was it.
She realized she was coming to a bit of halt. There were… three sets of texts in front of her. And where the other tomes around her were unwriting themselves, these seemed to be somewhat progressing, or at least trying to. One would slightly develop its ink, and the others would shrink back - only for a different one to double forward, and try to claim itself.
It seemed like Kosuzu would get a choice. Frankly, all three were rather unusual pieces of text - not exactly the conventional books Kosuzu usually loved - and yet, she could feel they each had stories to tell. It was down to her, however, which story would be hers.
Slowly, she thought it through… and made her choice.
[ ] Grab a blue-and-white scroll, bedecked with detailed depictions of machinery. There was water splashing around them, but the scrolls themselves seemed fine for it.
[ ] Snatch for one of the furtive missives, carefully and yet quickly writing out small messages. Each missive, if it managed to complete itself, rushed into a small, glass test tube, and was sealed with a cork.
[ ] Follow the buddhist sutras, that seemed to be unrolling themselves as they wrote. The sutra’s tails seemed to extend far, far into the distance… Kosuzu couldn’t see where they ended, but it seemed to be much further away than the others.
[X] Snatch for one of the furtive missives, carefully and yet quickly writing out small messages. Each missive, if it managed to complete itself, rushed into a small, glass test tube, and was sealed with a cork.
So...Kappa is our first choice. For a youkai fangirl like Kosuzu, any of the options are probably great, but given her personality, I'm not sure if becoming a kappa would give her a particularly great opportunity for moving around. She'd probably have other kappa wondering what she's doing the whole time. Also I just don't really like Nitori. Second seems to be...A pipe fox? I'm not certain, but the mention of test tubes and corks seems quite like it. That'd be an interesting one for sure. Depends if she's made into Tsukasa's sister or something and works for the tengu, or if she's a free pipe fox like the one that pretends to be Marisa and goes to the Hakurei Shrine for parties. I'm leaning toward this one because if it's the latter, it leaves her the most free to do whatever she wants, though she'll have the downside of the constant urge to be a little shit and stir up trouble much like Tsukasa.
Final option seems to be just being part of Myouren Temple? The bit about the sutra's tails extending further than the other are giving me pause though, and I'm not all that certain as to what it means. Someone smarter than me could probably figure that out. The only real problem with being a buddhist is that following the sutras means not doing all that much, so it'd cause friction when Kosuzu has to actually start, you know, doing the plot. Might be interesting to see, and I'm a sucker for Shou who might be in this, but I think it's also a slightly more familiar option.
Sorry, but I'm too drawn to the option that I think has the most interesting potential and is the group we see the least (unless it turns out that I'm entirely wrong and the middle option ISN'T a pipe fox.)
[X] Snatch for one of the furtive missives, carefully and yet quickly writing out small messages. Each missive, if it managed to complete itself, rushed into a small, glass test tube, and was sealed with a cork.
[X] Grab a blue-and-white scroll, bedecked with detailed depictions of machinery. There was water splashing around them, but the scrolls themselves seemed fine for it.
I like the idea of a Kappa the most, but that's mostly on a whim. No clue what the second option is. The third option is painfully obvious and sounds cute, but I have been itching for the Kappa engineer option for the practicality and cool factor.
A practial and coola argument can be made for being the daughter of a magician who specializes in powering herself up physically and eventually rides a fuckin motorcycle.
So I guess I fill in for some light analysis this time.
[ ] Grab a blue-and-white scroll, bedecked with detailed depictions of machinery. There was water splashing around them, but the scrolls themselves seemed fine for it.
This is the Kappa option. Not anything TOO special, but does have the advantage of diversifying Kosuzu's skillset the most. Our relationships are going to be with the other Kappa (when they are willing to get along), and their suppliers.
[ ] Snatch for one of the furtive missives, carefully and yet quickly writing out small messages. Each missive, if it managed to complete itself, rushed into a small, glass test tube, and was sealed with a cork.
The Kuda-Gitsune option, we primarily build relationships with Tsukasa and Chimata. If your goal is Tengu drama, this option is going to be best, since Megumu also forced both to work with her in the past, though that may not have happened yet.
[ ] Follow the buddhist sutras, that seemed to be unrolling themselves as they wrote. The sutra’s tails seemed to extend far, far into the distance… Kosuzu couldn’t see where they ended, but it seemed to be much further away than the others.
Our mystery box option. Compared to the other two, we don't know what Youkai that Kosuzu is going to end up as, and she ends up much farther away than Youkai Mountain. But she get to join up with the Buddhists, which is probably the largest definitive group of the bunch.
[X] Snatch for one of the furtive missives, carefully and yet quickly writing out small messages. Each missive, if it managed to complete itself, rushed into a small, glass test tube, and was sealed with a cork.
Kappa are a bit reclusive, but nobody really despises them. I can't see too much controversy if one needed to get into the human village. A safe, simple choice, far as I can tell.
Pipe Fox seems to be the Tengu option of proxy this time if it's the correct ID since we're related to Tsukasa, so we're involved with Tengu Politics but not part of Tengu Hierarchy. I've been against the previous Tengu votes but I don't think this one would be the worst, honestly.
Buddhists... I'm too loyal to the crown prince to ever vote for them! But in all seriousness the main reason I'm opposed to them is that they're currently anchored underground, so if we are with the main group (plausible) we'd have to go through a few of the same problems that we just did. I'm sure Gooboi could make it fresh and new, but the possibility of a rehash turns me away.
Currently debating between the first two, tentatively voting Kappa but might switch later.
[X] Grab a blue-and-white scroll, bedecked with detailed depictions of machinery. There was water splashing around them, but the scrolls themselves seemed fine for it.
Now as for my actual vote, I'm going to go with the pipe fox option.
[X] Snatch for one of the furtive missives, carefully and yet quickly writing out small messages. Each missive, if it managed to complete itself, rushed into a small, glass test tube, and was sealed with a cork.
Narratively, this could pay off the "hints" from Yester/Youmu that the Tengu have an extreme interest in figuring out what the deal is with Immaterial Children. If they have a Youkai (or several) that could meet the description of them, they are going to be interested in trying to take control of them first. I'm also willing to go all in that this is the much coveted 'Mother' option, which I am obliged to go for after missing out on Momiji.
>>209224 [X] Snatch for one of the furtive missives, carefully and yet quickly writing out small messages. Each missive, if it managed to complete itself, rushed into a small, glass test tube, and was sealed with a cork.
Kappa seema like the least interesting one to me, it'll absolutely be made cool if it's voted, but I feel I'll like the others more.
I really do like the Myouren group, they're my third favorite group behind the SDM and Chireiden, but we just had an arc in Former Hell, so unless Kosuzu's takes place during UFO, we'll be a bit closer to Youmu than I'd like.
Funny option it is.
[X] Snatch for one of the furtive missives, carefully and yet quickly writing out small messages. Each missive, if it managed to complete itself, rushed into a small, glass test tube, and was sealed with a cork.
Imma give just two notes:
1: All three options have a mom or mom-figure this time
2: Third option won't be in former hell. We got from there to the surface between breakfast and lunch last arc, that's not THAT far away.
[ ] Follow the buddhist sutras, that seemed to be unrolling themselves as they wrote. The sutra’s tails seemed to extend far, far into the distance… Kosuzu couldn’t see where they ended, but it seemed to be much further away than the others.
I'm not sure, but I feel like this one is 'far away' because it's in the Outside World with Mamizou (or should I say, Mommy-zou?). If so then definitely that! Would give Kosuzu an interesting viewpoint and a Tanuki's transformation and bond with tsukumogami could be a very flexible power set. She'd just need some (potentially significant) time to get to Gensokyo... Though Mamizou is also cautious (sometimes), if she knew of Gensokyo before Nue called for her she might want to send a "scout" to investigate...
>>209225 >The bit about the sutra's tails extending further than the other are giving me pause though, and I'm not all that certain as to what it means.
It would be in reference to Byakuren being sealed far far away in Makai (when the others seem to both be inside Gensokyo). In case you're unfamiliar with Byakuren's backstory, here's a summary as far as canon Touhou goes:
A long time ago, Byakuren was a buddhist preacher who saw her brother Myouren die. Fearing her own inevitable death, she turned to witchcraft; specifically magic focused around improving one's body; and ended up transforming herself into a youkai. She ended up discovering that youkai have their own woes like humans do and sympathised with them, and even saved a ship phantom named Minamitsu Murasa she was supposed to exterminate. She ended up being sealed away in the depths of Makai for this.
The plot of Undefined Fantastic Object involved Minamitu's magic flying ship getting knocked free due to strong geyser activity (indirectly caused by Okuu in Subterranean Animism). Byakuren's youkai followers then proceeded to search for the tools necessary to travel to Makai and free Byakuren. The player heroine kind of just follows along and fights them because they're suspicious, but doesn't actually stop them, because they're not *really* doing anything bad. Post-UFO, Byakuren and company settle down in Gensokyo and turn their flying ship into the newly christened Myouren Temple, and preach cooperation between humanity and youkaidom.
At least one of Byakuren's followers has already spoken in this quest.
---
[X] Snatch for one of the furtive missives, carefully and yet quickly writing out small messages. Each missive, if it managed to complete itself, rushed into a small, glass test tube, and was sealed with a cork.
Kon~kon.
[X] Follow the buddhist sutras, that seemed to be unrolling themselves as they wrote. The sutra’s tails seemed to extend far, far into the distance… Kosuzu couldn’t see where they ended, but it seemed to be much further away than the others.
[X] Grab a blue-and-white scroll, bedecked with detailed depictions of machinery. There was water splashing around them, but the scrolls themselves seemed fine for it.
[X] Follow the buddhist sutras, that seemed to be unrolling themselves as they wrote. The sutra’s tails seemed to extend far, far into the distance… Kosuzu couldn’t see where they ended, but it seemed to be much further away than the others.
Perhaps a demon of Makai who eagerly listens to the teachings of Byakuren? A former follower who didn't follow the rest of the temple underground, but still kept faith? As long as it's not in former hell, I'm interested.
The first option is obviously a kappa or maybe a yamawaro? well machinery and aquatic skills would be fine with her along with her dialogue at the beginning of the story that she wanted to be a mermaid haha.
but in the end I'm not totally convinced by this route.
The second is as people have said before a pipe fox... I don't know if she would have notable combat skills but maybe she could help herself with the youma books that are in the youkai mountain and be something like a mage or some other skill...
The last option are the buddhist group the most interesting characters would be tiger youkai(Shou) Tanuki(Mamizou if she already made it to gensokyo) or a Yamabiko(Kyoko) I feel like satori would have already opened the way for the old hell people to move freely. although it would be pretty funny if she is a tiger youkai and has silly interactions with Reimu you know tiger vs dragon.
I'm going for the Buddhist team
[X] Follow the buddhist sutras, that seemed to be unrolling themselves as they wrote. The sutra’s tails seemed to extend far, far into the distance… Kosuzu couldn’t see where they ended, but it seemed to be much further away than the others.
>>209235 Thank you for not assuming that I knew and going the extra mile to explain, but I do know Byak's backstory. I also know for that reason that it wouldn't really make sense for it to be making Kosuzu a buddhist in Makai, because the buddhists were all sealed underground (aside from Shou and Nazrin, though this bit of lore has gone all over the place with CDS retconning it) so unless Kosuzu was Byakuren's daughter and got special treatment by getting sealed with her, it wouldn't really make that much sense. Plus, did the UFO incident even occur in this timeline? I'll admit that I sort of fell off during the Youmu arc, but if the geysers never happened, the Palanquin would never have been freed, so the Myouren lot wouldn't have been able to start breaking into Makai.
Then again, if it isn't referring to Byakuren being in Makai, I really don't know what else it could mean.
Makai would be funny to see, but I'll stick with the prod fox.
Kappa, tubefox, or Buddhist of unclear species. With Gooboi's clarification, that's prooooooobably Byak herself... I guess a case could be made for it being Shou? I'm curious about that one, but I want Kosuzu to be as youkai-like a youkai as possible, and also ideally to have animal bits.
[X] Snatch for one of the furtive missives, carefully and yet quickly writing out small messages. Each missive, if it managed to complete itself, rushed into a small, glass test tube, and was sealed with a cork.
She will make a cute fox.
First option should be kappa, no questions there. Funny she said she didn't want to end something aquatic or fiery because of her books. We get access to machinery, and that's mostly it.
Second I can see her being a kuda-gitsune, it's the only logical choice unless I'm missing something. If it's her, we probably get an insight inside the daitengu's offices and an overview of the tengu in general while not being a tengu herself.
Third one is difficult. I really, REALLY want it to be Mamizou, but I don't see her as a buddhist enough to be sure it's her, since it's sutras and if this were the tanuki it would be something like the night parade instead. Sure, she came from far away but she's not one practicing the religion, it's more that she kinda lives with them. I'm not sure who could this be, but the list is not long.
I'm going with the option I'm more interested in:
[X] Snatch for one of the furtive missives, carefully and yet quickly writing out small messages. Each missive, if it managed to complete itself, rushed into a small, glass test tube, and was sealed with a cork.
[X] Snatch for one of the furtive missives, carefully and yet quickly writing out small messages. Each missive, if it managed to complete itself, rushed into a small, glass test tube, and was sealed with a cork.
[X] Follow the buddhist sutras, that seemed to be unrolling themselves as they wrote. The sutra’s tails seemed to extend far, far into the distance… Kosuzu couldn’t see where they ended, but it seemed to be much further away than the others.
I was gonna vote the Pipe Fox option, but Goob explained this one wasn't in Former Hell, meaning it's almost certainly in either the Outside World (with Mom-izou) or in Makai (with Mama Hijiri - likely not literally, given the circumstances, but instead as a Makaian who decides to follow her teachings), and both of these options sound phenomenal. As THE diehard Mystic Square fangirl, I can't turn down a choice that could potentially put us in Makai.
[X] Snatch for one of the furtive missives, carefully and yet quickly writing out small messages. Each missive, if it managed to complete itself, rushed into a small, glass test tube, and was sealed with a cork.
>>209243 >Mamizou
That would be peak dramatic irony, but I don’t think she’s in the cards at all. Like you said, She’s friends with Nue, not a Buddhist herself.
Tube fox seems to have all the votes at this point and I’m curious what’s in the mystery box so I’m throwing in for the Buddhists with a hope for Murasa!
[X] Follow the buddhist sutras, that seemed to be unrolling themselves as they wrote. The sutra’s tails seemed to extend far, far into the distance… Kosuzu couldn’t see where they ended, but it seemed to be much further away than the others.
>>209245 Also, as a follow-up to what I said, starting in Makai wouldn't super isolate us, given the free travel contract signed in this timeline to resolve The Makai Incursion, and it could also lead to Byakuren being unsealed earlier, also given the easier access to Makai.
[X] Follow the buddhist sutras, that seemed to be unrolling themselves as they wrote. The sutra’s tails seemed to extend far, far into the distance… Kosuzu couldn’t see where they ended, but it seemed to be much further away than the others.
>>209241 >did the UFO incident even occur in this timeline?
I don't think so, even with the changes. There's a specific sequence of events that need to be at least partially followed:
>Moriya Shrine arrive in Gensokyo
>Sanae antagonises Reimu >Kanako plots to make Moriya famous
>Kanako gives Utsuho the power of the sun, intending for it to be used for nuclear power/heating
>Utsuho goes all nuke-happy
>nukes cause geysers
>Palanquin Ship gets dislodged from it's burial place by the geysers
>Byakuren's followers begin to work to free her, using the ship
>Nue is a troll and disguises the necessary things as UFOs
In this quest, as of the most recent information I can see:
>Utsuho hasn't received her nuke powers (officially at least), and has only used her re/awakened nuke powers once, so the Palanquin Ship would still be buried
>Myouren gang are still underground; Ichirin(?) and Unzan were in the crowd spectating Youmu vs Parsee (in Yester/Youmu 3), meaning that they haven't begun to act yet.
[X] Snatch for one of the furtive missives, carefully and yet quickly writing out small messages. Each missive, if it managed to complete itself, rushed into a small, glass test tube, and was sealed with a cork.
[X] Follow the buddhist sutras, that seemed to be unrolling themselves as they wrote. The sutra’s tails seemed to extend far, far into the distance… Kosuzu couldn’t see where they ended, but it seemed to be much further away than the others.
>>209226 [UNDO] Grab a blue-and-white scroll, bedecked with detailed depictions of machinery. There was water splashing around them, but the scrolls themselves seemed fine for it.
[X] Follow the buddhist sutras, that seemed to be unrolling themselves as they wrote. The sutra’s tails seemed to extend far, far into the distance… Kosuzu couldn’t see where they ended, but it seemed to be much further away than the others.
Better to vote the option that has a chance of overturning than the one that is just a tidepiss at this point. Sad. Marisa probably won't get a Kappa option.
>>209255 I wouldn't give up hope just yet! Even if people are more reasonable with their campaigning and we don't get as many voters, it's only been a few hours. Don't feel like you have to tactically pick your second best one just yet.
Act 4 has dropped! And another 3 choices. All with guaranteed mother figures. Damn this a hard choice. But we are here, so...
[X] Follow the buddhist sutras, that seemed to be unrolling themselves as they wrote. The sutra’s tails seemed to extend far, far into the distance… Kosuzu couldn’t see where they ended, but it seemed to be much further away than the others.
We haven't seen hair not head of the Buddhists, but this is an interesting option nonetheless. Let's see which of the ensemble is our mother figure.
[X] Follow the buddhist sutras, that seemed to be unrolling themselves as they wrote. The sutra’s tails seemed to extend far, far into the distance… Kosuzu couldn’t see where they ended, but it seemed to be much further away than the others.
>>209258 At "Supersonic Spirit" (>>208092), after Youmu defeats Parsee there's someone who's probably Ichirin who said this:
>“That was so fast I could barely track it! Did you keep up with it, Unzan?”
I will say, I expect Marisa to be an absolute bloodbath. I am probably at my happiest with the narrative potential of marisa's options - they're all great, unequivocally.
on one hand the buddhists are really, really interesting and tempting. and it's not even an actual tengu, but.
[X] Snatch for one of the furtive missives, carefully and yet quickly writing out small messages. Each missive, if it managed to complete itself, rushed into a small, glass test tube, and was sealed with a cork.
buddhist option is great for makai or even outside world if mamizou counts, but i've been voting for the tengu options since reimu- not to mention the unwrapped plotline from last arc. i think the kappa also have proximity to tengu, but this way we'll have better access to the tengu village itself, three goddesses, and other stuff through tsukasa, who has an in through megumu. all from a suitable enough distance and hopefully equipped with enough skills to do our own thing (don't think megumu will let tsukasa bring her kid to work all the time.) hopefully we can build our own network to work with among the tengu.
i also want to see how tsukasa would do as a mother. she's very much not the type, i think. but who knows?
on the other hand she is the definitively furthest of the myouren group, former hell was travel time between breakfast and lunch, and Makai is constantly sending tourists... and the entrance is right behind the Hakurei Shrine. so I am betting that it is Mommy-zou that is the third option (might even get some Kasen interaction if that is the case as she might be whom finds them and brings them over. might be interesting to she if it means is her and Mamizou either have their friendship happen earlier, or just the mutual scheming at least get well underway early.)
though I would place Kappa as my 2nd favorite option...
[X] Follow the buddhist sutras, that seemed to be unrolling themselves as they wrote. The sutra’s tails seemed to extend far, far into the distance… Kosuzu couldn’t see where they ended, but it seemed to be much further away than the others.
[X] Snatch for one of the furtive missives, carefully and yet quickly writing out small messages. Each missive, if it managed to complete itself, rushed into a small, glass test tube, and was sealed with a cork.
I don't wanna gamble on a mom and tsukasa is not a bad option
[X] Grab a blue-and-white scroll, bedecked with detailed depictions of machinery. There was water splashing around them, but the scrolls themselves seemed fine for it.
Please think about this from the other direction: if you sat down to come up with an image of a piece of text intended to symbolize life as a tanuki, would you really come out with some Buddhist sutras and no other distinctive characteristics at all? The other options here have water splashing and test tubes flying around, you don't think you could come up with anything that actively implies tanuki? Not so much as a shred of a leaf anywhere? And you'd choose Buddhist sutras over anything directly associated with Mamizou, who isn't even a Buddhist (and wouldn't have even met them in this timeline), like the Night Parade scroll?
I mean it's not impossible, masters of disguise and all, but if it is her then it's misdirection and you're at least not supposed to be thinking it's her so readily. :P
I think tsukasa is going to be like a co-worker.
as gooboi said she can be a mom-figure then Aya, Hatate and Lizunamaru are possible choices.
[Undo] Follow the buddhist sutras, that seemed to be unrolling themselves as they wrote. The sutra’s tails seemed to extend far, far into the distance… Kosuzu couldn’t see where they ended, but it seemed to be much further away than the others.
[X] Snatch for one of the furtive missives, carefully and yet quickly writing out small messages. Each missive, if it managed to complete itself, rushed into a small, glass test tube, and was sealed with a cork.
>>209266 I can think of a few outside/more distant buddhists and buddhist-aligned options. Byakuren's one, and Mamizou's another - but there's also Goutokuji Mike, who comes from a buddhist temple.
Frankly, in my eyes, any of those are a win. Kosuzu gets to be a daughter/disciple of Namusan? Big win. Kosuzu gets to be a tanuki? Big win. Maneki-nekosuzu? Slightly smaller, but still a win.
I think it's meant to be the gamble option of the set. and we've done pretty well with gambles before. And even if it doesn't get us mamazou, an eventual auntie mami would be a pretty good alt. (considering the line about 'mom-like figures', it could be mami is the mom-like figure in being)
I would point out that the only reason that Mamizou has the night parade scroll in the original timeline is that she took it from Kosuzu in the first place, (because Reimu sent Mami to face her rather than going along with Yukari's plan (which looking at it for a second... is pretty much a proxy version of Tenshi's plan... the plan which I'm pretty sure Tenshi stole from the fairies of light))
also, one of Mamizou's lazy/inattentive habits when it comes to her disguises is she lets her tail appear when she is not paying attention.
[X] Follow the buddhist sutras, that seemed to be unrolling themselves as they wrote. The sutra’s tails seemed to extend far, far into the distance… Kosuzu couldn’t see where they ended, but it seemed to be much further away than the others.
[X] Snatch for one of the furtive missives, carefully and yet quickly writing out small messages. Each missive, if it managed to complete itself, rushed into a small, glass test tube, and was sealed with a cork.
[X] Snatch for one of the furtive missives, carefully and yet quickly writing out small messages. Each missive, if it managed to complete itself, rushed into a small, glass test tube, and was sealed with a cork.
I loved the animal realm chapter - lets give some love to the later 2hus again! Tsukasa Kudamamma FTW!
Good point, but again, she wouldn't have met the Buddhists yet either.
Also, while there's been some variance, in general these hints shouldn't just be about which other Touhou character is involved, but about the new life our character will be living. The best example of this was with Youmu, where one of the options had her related to Saki, but the hint didn't have anything pointing to Saki herself -- it was describing Youmu's life in the Great Mausoleum, because she wasn't actually going to be anywhere near Saki and species didn't even enter into it.
It certainly sounds like that should hold true here, where Kosuzu is watching her new life story be written. There's wiggle room for exactly what that entails, but clearly it can't be entirely just based around someone else, Kosuzu's story has gotta be about Kosuzu. If her new life is represented first and foremost by Buddhist sutras then that's surely reflecting a central presence in her life, not just some indirect connection somewhere.
But then, strictly speaking, there are quite a lot of circumstances where a person can be raised with a strong Buddhist influence! As with the Saki thing, curveballs are always possible since we can't know all the factors that go into the situation.
[x] Grab a blue-and-white scroll, bedecked with detailed depictions of machinery. There was water splashing around them, but the scrolls themselves seemed fine for it.
I don't mind if option #2 wins, but I just like kappa.
Also, option #3 is probably Nue, because of the multiple tails detail...? If so, that's... hard interesting?
>>209251 We're also very early if you think about it.
To be honest, while it is technically the third iteration of the Tengu option, I am fascinated by the narrative possibilities that can be explored.
In OTL, Chimata was mostly forced to work with the Tengu, but who is to say that its the same in Timeline C, especially since the Tengu are ascendant as a power due to Haru not keeping their expansionism in check? Does Chimata work to carve out a solid power base within the Tengu's structure, or is she still being forced into a relationship due to Megumu's Ambition? Is her holding access to an Immaterial Child the reason why the Tengu are so interested in grabbing one, or will it end up being her ace in the hole for negotiations by offering access to the new weapon (Immaterial Children) capable of defeating even the Shikigami? Just narratively the most interesting of the three options imo.
Kappa give us Nitori and interacting with the rest of the remaining neutral parties on Youkai Mountain, but ultimately boils down to the same conundrum as an outsider: The Tengu want access to an immaterial child, and preventing them from grouping up in the Human Village is their best bet to try and uncover their origin (and weaponize them so they don't reverse all of the gains from the past 12-odd years).
Buddhists is a mystery box, and mostly appeals to me in that we get to see the Myouren group interact, but I think I am content letting other argue for their narrative appeal.
Honestly, I wonder what would happen if we tried to take multiple routes.
Doylist is obviously a Gooboi veto because it would make no sense and this is not the time for write ins, but what about the Watsonian implications? If we tried to drag the other paths with us, or leapfrog between them? Blend lives together in a horrifying amalgamation? Have our soul lost to infinity? Shatter reality under the strain of two mutually exclusive choices?
speaking of curve-balls, that might be for the "fox" option as well... a couple of the TH19 characters has something involving vials as a part of their design, and while the length of the monkey's vials is a bit long to apply to the hint... it might be Chiyari too.
[X] Grab a blue-and-white scroll, bedecked with detailed depictions of machinery. There was water splashing around them, but the scrolls themselves seemed fine for it.
Also could be a curveball in that it is a kuda-gitsune, but not a youkai mountain arc. There is a certain yakuza family that does employ kuda-gitsune, and already has one immaterial child in it, after all…
there's also that one Kitsune that would disguise herself as Marisa in the original timeline (whatever happened to her after Reimu tied her up and Mamizou spoke up for her I wonder?) that would use tube foxes that I'm not sure was involved with the animal realm?
[X] Follow the buddhist sutras, that seemed to be unrolling themselves as they wrote. The sutra’s tails seemed to extend far, far into the distance… Kosuzu couldn’t see where they ended, but it seemed to be much further away than the others.
[X] Follow the buddhist sutras, that seemed to be unrolling themselves as they wrote. The sutra’s tails seemed to extend far, far into the distance… Kosuzu couldn’t see where they ended, but it seemed to be much further away than the others.
I feel like falling into a monk type role could really fit Kosuzu. I'm not 100% sure about the other two, the Kappa one because she said something about not wanting to get water on her books at the start after the thought of being a mermaid, the second because if being a tube-fox involves being under Megumu, it could be somewhat risky as an Immaterial Child. The Buddhist option seems pretty safe, plus, I'd like to see how that would play out, with Kosuzu as a magician monk like Byakuren.
[x] Grab a blue-and-white scroll, bedecked with detailed depictions of machinery. There was water splashing around them, but the scrolls themselves seemed fine for it.
I recall Gooboi mentioned that he was planning for at least one of the immaterial children to have an origin from the outside world... a few of us assumed Mamizou would be the source of that which is why I'm pretty sure the Buddhist one if Mamizou (former hell has been stated by Gooboi to be close, Makai has visitors all the time and the entrance is right behind Hakurei shrine. so the outside world makes the most sense for the distance involved.
Granted, we went from having 2 more votes for location after that was said to an additional 2 more since then so the outside world option might fall to Tenshi or Sanae... (might not be Sanae if she was found really late since the last major Youkai outside arrival that we know of is Mamizou? can anyone correct me on that?
>>209247 >> a hope for Murasa!
She's a ghost of some kind, and we established that there would be no undead immaterial children.
>>209266 >> And you'd choose Buddhist sutras over anything directly associated with Mamizou, who isn't even a Buddhist (and wouldn't have even met them in this timeline), like the Night Parade scroll?
That's what I said, if it were anything other than sutras, with empasis on leaves or something I would have voted that instead.
>>209269 >> but there's also Goutokuji Mike, who comes from a buddhist temple.
Hey that's actually right, fits with the "from far away" thing. That's by far the most likely option I've heard from this set.
Completely forgot about Michael.
>>209276 >> Also, option #3 is probably Nue, because of the multiple tails detail...? If so, that's... hard interesting?
I think Nue's not an option since she's not a buddhist either. She's with them, but just like Mamizou she's not a devout herself.
>>209277 This tengu option also can give us more insight on what happened during the Suwako fight, or more likely: before it, when they were tipped off by Chiyuri?
Overall, my vote hasn't changed:
- Kappa I just don't like enough and them being outsiders to tengu don't advance the story as much.
- Tsukasa on the other hand, gives us the most answers about what happened thus far in the tengu's ranks (Even if she herself is not there with Megumu, I assume they at least live with the tengus, just so we can overhear things. They are huge gossips after all...). In fact even BETTER that they're not tengus (and I'm saying this even though I voted tengu for Reimu and Youmu) because that gives us free range in leaving the mountain, we're not subject to their caste system, as a collaborator.
- For the buddhists, I'm rooting for Mike if that option does end up chosen. Mike's temple was in the outside world so we might not see the buddhist gang just yet.
[X] Snatch for one of the furtive missives, carefully and yet quickly writing out small messages. Each missive, if it managed to complete itself, rushed into a small, glass test tube, and was sealed with a cork.
Changing my vote from Buddhist to Fox since it *does* seem to not be Mommy-zou from what people are saying. Hopefully Marisa gets that option though!
[X] Follow the buddhist sutras, that seemed to be unrolling themselves as they wrote. The sutra’s tails seemed to extend far, far into the distance… Kosuzu couldn’t see where they ended, but it seemed to be much further away than the others.
[X] Follow the buddhist sutras, that seemed to be unrolling themselves as they wrote. The sutra’s tails seemed to extend far, far into the distance… Kosuzu couldn’t see where they ended, but it seemed to be much further away than the others.
I'm holding out hope for Momizou.
[X] Follow the buddhist sutras, that seemed to be unrolling themselves as they wrote. The sutra’s tails seemed to extend far, far into the distance… Kosuzu couldn’t see where they ended, but it seemed to be much further away than the others.
Here we go, so Kosuzu wants to have access to her books, while also becoming a more active fighter. Seems simple enough.
I’m sorry to say, but I don’t think the second option is best here. If it is Tsukusa, then we aren’t going to get books or strength.
Tsukasa is literally called a weakling by Megumu and she mostly survives by spying and manipulating others. Also, even if she does have a home, it probably won’t be large enough to store any books.
No books, therefore no fox.
This leaves two options.
The ENEMIES OF THE CROWN PRINCE Buddhists might be a good option. The only problem is that we don’t know who or where this Buddhist is. There are a few possibilities. Nue: unlikely, she’s not technically a buddhist; Mike: Possibly? But I know nothing about them; Nazrin: Who I think should still be searching for the pagoda (though I don’t know if this is correct). This left three options, and since the palanquin gang are confirmed not it, we have two options.
Firstly, Mamizou. A pretty powerful character who could guide Kosuzu. But more importantly, the outside world has thousands of exotic books and stories. Although, I don’t think we know much about what Mamizou was doing outside of the barrier. If the tanuki are nomadic then we once again won’t have anywhere to store our books. Although, Kosuzu might have a kindle, which would get rid of the book problem.
Then there’s Byakuren. We will be trapped in Makai, but it wouldn’t be that bad. Hours learning magic from Byakuren and an infinite scroll to read. And who knows, maybe the makai prison has a nice library that we can use. The only downside is that most of our power would come from the scroll, which we would need to very politely borrow.
Lastly are the kappa. We get access to their tech, a very small amount of tengu lore and also loads of books… about engineering. I don’t know if Kosuzu would be miserable, but I don’t see where the narrative could go. I do however, quite like the Kappa, so I might swing to it if it begins to gain traction.
As such,
[X] Follow the buddhist sutras, that seemed to be unrolling themselves as they wrote. The sutra’s tails seemed to extend far, far into the distance… Kosuzu couldn’t see where they ended, but it seemed to be much further away than the others.
[X] Grab a blue-and-white scroll, bedecked with detailed depictions of machinery. There was water splashing around them, but the scrolls themselves seemed fine for it.
Momtori best Nitori
[UNDO (unless this *is* Mamizou)] Follow the buddhist sutras, that seemed to be unrolling themselves as they wrote. The sutra’s tails seemed to extend far, far into the distance… Kosuzu couldn’t see where they ended, but it seemed to be much further away than the others.
As requested, I think? Tbh I don't really get how all this works. Doesn't help that my phone doesn't like typing after three screen-replacements.
[X] Snatch for one of the furtive missives, carefully and yet quickly writing out small messages. Each missive, if it managed to complete itself, rushed into a small, glass test tube, and was sealed with a cork.
[X] Snatch for one of the furtive missives, carefully and yet quickly writing out small messages. Each missive, if it managed to complete itself, rushed into a small, glass test tube, and was sealed with a cork.
[X] Snatch for one of the furtive missives, carefully and yet quickly writing out small messages. Each missive, if it managed to complete itself, rushed into a small, glass test tube, and was sealed with a cork.
We need tengu story and I think tube fox is the best bet.
Counting to >>209301:
Main Choice: [7] Grab a blue-and-white scroll, bedecked with detailed depictions of machinery. There was water splashing around them, but the scrolls themselves seemed fine for it.
[21] Snatch for one of the furtive missives, carefully and yet quickly writing out small messages. Each missive, if it managed to complete itself, rushed into a small, glass test tube, and was sealed with a cork. [17] Follow the buddhist sutras, that seemed to be unrolling themselves as they wrote. The sutra’s tails seemed to extend far, far into the distance… Kosuzu couldn’t see where they ended, but it seemed to be much further away than the others.
[X] Follow the buddhist sutras, that seemed to be unrolling themselves as they wrote. The sutra’s tails seemed to extend far, far into the distance… Kosuzu couldn’t see where they ended, but it seemed to be much further away than the others.
I haven't cast my vote yet but I'm leaning towards the pipe fox.
Kosuzu is a librarian at heart, no doubt about it. And seeing how the immaterial children seemed to retain a part of their human lives, like Reimu with her humanity(?) and Youmu with her swordsmanship (Achoo doesn’t count, she’s cheating with her ability), I feel like this trait of hers would stick along as she grows up. But I think it depends on how avid of a demon book collector she was as a human.
As a Kappa, she might have grown up as a record keeper of sorts. Somebody has to keep track of all the thingamabobs and whatchamacallits they make after all. OR as a Yamawaro (They are land Kappa), that would make her a business woman, which might lend her to be an avid book collector as a personal side venture. Either way, she has money and can splurge it on what she wants now.
But I can’t tell which the option is referring to. I remember the Yamawaro doing business with the Kappa and vice versa but I can’t find where I remember this from.
As a pipe fox (if Tsukasa IS her mother, and in the employ of a certain Great Tengu), she can scour Gensokyo while acting as a messenger for the Tengu. That would give her an alibi for any Youma or “normal” books she might have gotten her hands on. Like a Marisa, but less destructive.
.
I don’t have anything on the Buddhist. Other than another book youkai that the hypocritical nun converted before or after she got her stay in Makai.
Also Ichirin and Unzan. They exist too, alright? Kosuzu DID have a caring family growing up, unlike the rest of the Immaterial Children (Maybe Youmu too, but we haven’t seen her dad and mom yet). Maybe these twos can fill the void?
[X] Snatch for one of the furtive missives, carefully and yet quickly writing out small messages. Each missive, if it managed to complete itself, rushed into a small, glass test tube, and was sealed with a cork.
I really like Tsukasa as a character so this sounds really interesting to me.
[X] Grab a blue-and-white scroll, bedecked with detailed depictions of machinery. There was water splashing around them, but the scrolls themselves seemed fine for it.
that is a good point, Kosuzu has been looking towards being a:
>a protector and combatant in her own right.
out of the choices in order of what I consider worst to best for fulfilling her wish:
- Tsukasa would be rather unsuited to that wish: sneaking, deals , backstabbings.
-The alternate possibility for the vials vote is Chiyari, not sure how strong she is, but she prefers being reclusive and being around the blood pools and fell in with Yuuma... (which would make all three animal realm bosses that had a chance to have an immaterial child connect to them, even if this one is the weakest of the three.)
for the second set: Kappa are pretty reclusive (though how much so depends on Fanon.) though nowhere near as Chiyari. Nitori has stepped out to help with an incident and been involved in the incident of the fighting games and strong support besides... so better than the first choice by a definite amount.
-the alternate as people have noted is Takane... about equal to Nitori? stage 2 boss, the Yamawaro constant have those wargames so prepared to fight... though she is the only boss to attempt to surrender when confronted. so hm.
and that leads us to the last option:
- Byakuren, the magician buddist nun: incredibly powerful, very protective of humanity, being taught by er and inheriting any of her power would put Kosuzu in a very good place to fulfill her wish.
- Mamizou is actually not far behind Byakuren in both aspects, there is a fair bit of trickery and manipulation besides, But Mamizou has stepped up to protect gensokyo, the human village, Godentei, and even Kosuzu herself. Mamizou may threaten or act melevolent at times, and be sneaky but she does have strength, and the desire to protect that would be pretty spot on what Kosuzu is looking for, especially from Kosuzu's own experience.
- a last alternate for the scrolls someone mentioned would be Mike. A bit lacking in power, especially being a stage 1 boss,and a salesperson than a combatant, soo not that high in regards for fulfilling Kosuzu's wish.
[X] Snatch for one of the furtive missives, carefully and yet quickly writing out small messages. Each missive, if it managed to complete itself, rushed into a small, glass test tube, and was sealed with a cork.
I doubt the Sutra option is Byakuren or Mamizou. My guess is that it's Kyouko, who is likely in the outside world dying of disbelief due to people not believing in creatures that create echos any more. The sutras going off into the distance could be representative of the yamabiko youkai being a living echo whos voice carries a long way, on top of Kyouko's habit of reciting sutras. We'd get Byakuren (or maybe Mamizou) as mother figures.
huh, I was under the impression that Kyouko was living on Tengu mountain... and that the dying belief in Yamabiko had been in gensokyo... quite possibly (in the origional timeline ) because of a certain recent at the time arrival explaining what echoes were to the humans of the village, thus she fled to the myouren temple.
>1: All three options have a mom or mom-figure this time
>2: Third option won't be in former hell. We got from there to the surface between breakfast and lunch last arc, that's not THAT far away.
so it is distance that is factored here, or it is a mother/mother-like figure which I don't see Kyouko. though now rereading I see what you were saying is that the buddist one would be the mother-like figure rather than the mother figure and we'd be a different youkai than them.... hmm, not sure I see that myself?
Hmm, I'm leaning towards the mystery box aka Sutra scroll. I'm thinking maybe not Mamizou? She's a friend of a friend to the Myouren crew. Moreover, she wouldn't have been called by Nue when Kosuzu had been born. Though a bit of digging found that there's a story where a tanuki transforms into a teapot. Mamizou has a move about one of her buddies doing just that in ULiL. Still seems a bit of a stretch to me though. The multiple tails thing gives me pause too. When I think of multiple tails, I think Ran, Rin and Chen. All of whom have nothing to do with buddhism. My best guess is, if that's relevant, maybe she's a bakeneko/kasha/kitsune that got adopted by Byakuren.
The other two do look nice as well though. Miss Gaslight Gatekeep Girlboss gives us a potential view of internal tengu politics. And the Tengu could give us Mobile Suit Suzunaan.As well as a close, but no quite inside look into the tengu thing, too. I'll need to think a bit longer.
>>209310 My understanding is that Kyouko is the most recent addition to the temple, i.e. that she joined after they came to the surface, which is why she's in TD but not in UFO. So she wouldn't be a buddhist just yet.
[X] Grab a blue-and-white scroll, bedecked with detailed depictions of machinery. There was water splashing around them, but the scrolls themselves seemed fine for it.
i'm >>209286 [UNDO] Grab a blue-and-white scroll, bedecked with detailed depictions of machinery. There was water splashing around them, but the scrolls themselves seemed fine for it.
>>209308 mmmm.... going with this one for the off-chance its Chiyari like you say since its probs not Takane with the water splashing, sounds more kappa then yamawaro
[X] Snatch for one of the furtive missives, carefully and yet quickly writing out small messages. Each missive, if it managed to complete itself, rushed into a small, glass test tube, and was sealed with a cork.
[X] Snatch for one of the furtive missives, carefully and yet quickly writing out small messages. Each missive, if it managed to complete itself, rushed into a small, glass test tube, and was sealed with a cork.
[X] Snatch for one of the furtive missives, carefully and yet quickly writing out small messages. Each missive, if it managed to complete itself, rushed into a small, glass test tube, and was sealed with a cork.
The third option sounds like it would have Kosuzu reincarnate as Byakuren's daughter. That would be boring. Think about it. The whole point of this story is to see the human characters reincarnate into different youkai species and deal with all the problems being a new species entails. What kind of youkai is Byakuren? She's a human that turned into a youkai, so her species would be what? Human, except better? Human plus? Human 2.0?
This would be like a goldfish character getting to reincarnate, and instead of turning into something cool and different like an elephant or a snake or an eagle, the goldfish reincarnates into a koi fish. Literally the exact same thing they started out as, except slightly bigger and slightly fancier this time.
Can you imagine this. Reimu reincarnates into a dragon turtle and has to get used to having a shell and a tail and being able to breath under water. Akyuu reincarnates as an alien rabbit and has to get used to having long floppy ears and psychic powers. Youmu reincarnates as a hell raven and has to get used to having only one body and using wings to fly instead of ghostly floating. Meanwhile Kosuzu reincarnates into a Human (but better this time) and doesn't have to get used to anything because her body is literally exactly the same, except slightly stronger.
I say we give Kosuzu a species that is actually noticeably different than her old one.
>>209316 What kind of youkai is Byakuren? She's a human that turned into a youkai, so her species would be what? Human, except better? Human plus? Human 2.0?
Magician; the same youkai species as Alice, and what Marisa might end up transforming herself into as well. Patchouli is another Magician youkai, but she was naturally born as a youkai rather than being a human who transformed.
I’ll just point out for all the people not voting 3 because it’s not a guaranteed Mamizou; if we go option 3, there’s a chance of her, but if we go Tsukasa route, pretty much only option is gonna be disliked at best.
[X] Follow the buddhist sutras, that seemed to be unrolling themselves as they wrote. The sutra’s tails seemed to extend far, far into the distance… Kosuzu couldn’t see where they ended, but it seemed to be much further away than the others.
Byakuren/Shou/maybe Mamizou is more likely to help Kosuzu achieve her ambition of being a protector than Nitori, and especially more than Tsukasa.
I think if it is Byakuren, Kosuzu would be more likely adopted, rather than being a blood child. She is a nun, after all. And Gooboi noted that there could be a mother figure, rather than just a mother. Still, assuming a blood relation, Kosuzu would most likely be half demon, considering Makai is a realm of demons. And a Youkai hybrid could be an interesting perspective to work from.
>>209317 Considering that pc98 is definitively canon in this story... I wonder if that means that Alice was not a human turned magician, but instead a demon turned magician.
Also considering that Byakuren's magic lean towards physical enhancement iirc, it would mean that if its her, that Kosuzu would practically be Clark Kent. XD
There was a mention by Gooboi that Kosuzu would get a lot of youkai centric spirit/instinct checks. Might be interesting to see how that works for a magician.
>>209229 here.
[UNDO] Grab a blue-and-white scroll, bedecked with detailed depictions of machinery. There was water splashing around them, but the scrolls themselves seemed fine for it.
Ah well. I'll change my vote to my second favorite pick, it doesn't seem to be big for Kappa.
[X] Follow the buddhist sutras, that seemed to be unrolling themselves as they wrote. The sutra’s tails seemed to extend far, far into the distance… Kosuzu couldn’t see where they ended, but it seemed to be much further away than the others.
>>209321 Please leave the spontaneous bestiality fanfics for a different thread - /shorts/ would be an excellent place to put it - or at least spoiler it.
>>209322 Honestly, I always assumed Alice was initially human even in PC-98 canon, given her clear Alice in Wonderland inspiration (among other things). Something likely lead to her ending up in Makai, where she was likely taken in by Shinki, as she'd be the only resident not created by Shinki herself.
[X] Follow the buddhist sutras, that seemed to be unrolling themselves as they wrote. The sutra’s tails seemed to extend far, far into the distance… Kosuzu couldn’t see where they ended, but it seemed to be much further away than the others.
At this point we're practically committed to avoiding Tengu politics at all cost. Let's avoid even the faintest trace of it.
Though speaking of her and Alice, considering that she looked a little younger than Reimu and Marisa when they tore through Makai in th5, Alice would be about Kosuzu's age. So it could be possible for Shiki and Byakuren to feel that their respective young ones needed a friend and try to foster a friendship between them, meaning that Kosuzu could have both a Mom via Byakuren and a (honorary) sister via Alice. ( it would ve more like how reisen is with Akyuu than how Okuu is with Myon.)
Furthermore with Byakuren's magic, we have the funny situation of the second shortest of the immaterial children being the most punchy out of all of them with all the 'I CAST FIST' shinanigans that entails.
Byakuren would fulfill most of what Kosuzu is looking for here. Strong, protective of others, able to stand with her friends in a fight (especially considering that her mom would be a touhou final boss!) There would be youkai books involved eventually (more likely with Alice involved too!)
Granted i am still holding out for the possibility of it being Mamizou, as it would have most of the above in different degrees, Plus an interesting Youkai on top of it!
And actually. I recall from either the first or second thread of the redo/reimu arc that write-in were allowed to get clarifying info before cut off, if that is still the case then:
>>209263 here, not undoing a vote or anything, but just in case:
[X] Follow the buddhist sutras, that seemed to be unrolling themselves as they wrote. The sutra’s tails seemed to extend far, far into the distance… Kosuzu couldn’t see where they ended, but it seemed to be much further away than the others.
>>209331 How many Doremy pictures do you even have...? Hundreds? Thousands? :3
Anyways...
Counting to >>209330:
Main Choice: [7] Grab a blue-and-white scroll, bedecked with detailed depictions of machinery. There was water splashing around them, but the scrolls themselves seemed fine for it.
[26] Snatch for one of the furtive missives, carefully and yet quickly writing out small messages. Each missive, if it managed to complete itself, rushed into a small, glass test tube, and was sealed with a cork. [22] Follow the buddhist sutras, that seemed to be unrolling themselves as they wrote. The sutra’s tails seemed to extend far, far into the distance… Kosuzu couldn’t see where they ended, but it seemed to be much further away than the others.
Potential Additions: For [x] Follow the Buddhist Sutras...: -{1} Wait, tails?
>>209329 Tell you what.
If the vote ends up split, or enough people ask for it, I’ll give a bit more information on the two front running options and sacrifice the third, then kick progressing the main thread back a day. I’ve been thinking about this as a better way to resolve tiebreakers after yester/Youmu’s key vote ended roughly.
>>209332 According to Danbooru, 3.4k doremies are at my fingertips.
You know, this whole near-tie kind of reminds me of one of the big problems people have with First Past The Post voting, the Spoiler Effect.
I think it's definitely a fine, simple, fair system (everyone gets one vote for each set of options plus writeins) and it's how THP's always done it, but you can see the spoiler effect. A slim majority of total voters aren't interested in pipe fox, and yet the split between the votes means neither of the other two categories beat it out.
To be clear I don't think it's an issue in the slightest (I tactically changed my vote to Buddhist, but nobody else from Kappa is obligated to), but it is a fascinating example of voting systems in the wild.
...I wonder what kind of nightmare it would be like to try and implement a system with ranked choice or borda. Maybe plain approval? Shelving that thought for a gimmick story, maybe.
If we do end up being fox, I'm not too upset at least. Certainly less opposed than I was to the Satori one, and that one turned out ok.
>>209335 Well, there's no particular indication that the demographic of Kappa voters would all prefer Buddhist as their second choice. If we assume for the sake of argument that the Kappa voters are equally likely to prefer Buddhist or Tubefox, thus a 50-50 split, then Tubefox still comes out ahead. Of course we also have half voters at that point, but that's statistics for you.
Its really hard to break the CYOA voting conundrum, especially when options are mutually exclusive from one another. Personally in an approval system I would have chosen either Kappa or Tube Fox to preserve the potential for exploring the Youkai Mountain Plot that has been set up, but you just got to take what you can get sometimes and I thought Chimata's group would provide more interesting storytelling than Nitori's (or the Kappa/Yamawaro alliance, assuming that's how they maintained independence from the Ascendant Tengu).
My main issue right now, to be honest, is that alot of Buddhist voting seems to be going for the vague promise of a Mamizou relationship or Makai start that is in no way guaranteed. Granted, as the mystery box option I shouldn't be too surprised that some gambling is going to take place, but some of the speculation on what role Kosuzu will get from it is somewhat out there. Similarly, the Tube Fox = Chiyari votes are also somewhat concerning, as Chiyari has nothing to do with test tubes (since she carries syringes around to draw blood, not test tubes).
Just no way for everyone to win in that regard, especially since I prefer obscurred background choices (as Gooboi has been doing) rather than outright telling us what each background is outright.
>>209334 Considering that Kappatime is beyond a tidepiss at this point, sorry to the nitoribros but I would happily sacc that option for more info on the other two.
If the option is something like Mommyzou sends her illegitimate kid off to hang with auntie nue and learn Buddhism with her friends vs boring tube fox bean counting, I’m obviously gonna stick and campaign like crazy for Buddhists.
But if it’s instead Megumu’s got a secret immaterial kid and is trying to squirrel her away with her tube fox underling to avoid disaster vs Byakuren managed to get another disciple and they sit around reciting sutras all day, I’ll probably jump ship on them and join tube gang. Devils in the details on this and we’re all betting on something vague hoping for specific outcomes.
>>209337 >as Chiyari has nothing to do with test tubes (since she carries syringes around to draw blood, not test tubes).
I just checked her sprite, and she has syringes on one leg and test tubes on the other (presumably to hold blood?). Granted, I haven't played UDoaLG so I don't know if it was brought up ingame.
Regardless, the mention of "furtive missives" makes me think it's Tsukasa, because furtive means sneaky, a missive is a message, and Tsukasa is a sneaky messenger fox.
well at least for myself its either Mamizou, OR Byakuren, both of which I am happy with, then followed by Kappatalism, and then followed a bit distantly by the tube fox. and considering we have had a hint clearly stating that it is distance geographically that the Buddhist option is referring to... there's only really two of the Buddhist aligned group that counts, Byakuren, being hidden in a corner of Makai (and note Makai's enterance is right behind the Hakurei shrine.) and then Mamizou who is in the outside world currently. Everyone else of the Buddhist are either underground (this includes Nue actually who is sealed there.) or above ground in gensokyo itself (Nazarin and Shou are both above ground, and Kyouko is living on Tengu mountain as far as I recall.)
with the Tube fox option, well, it does have some notable downsides...
- one our main source of skills and background and going to be tied heavily (if not worse) in Tengu politics, and only Tengu politics or anything they are involved in...
and then we get to the tube fox's ability have is actually worse...
according to WaHH ch.8 they can control minds and increase success for those they support... but at a notable drain on the vitality, will and wealth of the one they are doing it for.
[X] Follow the buddhist sutras, that seemed to be unrolling themselves as they wrote. The sutra’s tails seemed to extend far, far into the distance… Kosuzu couldn’t see where they ended, but it seemed to be much further away than the others.
[X] Follow the buddhist sutras, that seemed to be unrolling themselves as they wrote. The sutra’s tails seemed to extend far, far into the distance… Kosuzu couldn’t see where they ended, but it seemed to be much further away than the others.
buddhists and the mystery box option honestly interests me more in terms of actual origins and stuff, and while they might have already been unsealed from former hell it's likely we're gonna be smack dab in the middle of them trying to get to makai to free byakuren. and makai is always fun.w
tube fox is funny, but it'd also be funny trying to see how far we can avoid the tengu.
[UNDO] Snatch for one of the furtive missives, carefully and yet quickly writing out small messages. Each missive, if it managed to complete itself, rushed into a small, glass test tube, and was sealed with a cork.
[X] Follow the buddhist sutras, that seemed to be unrolling themselves as they wrote. The sutra’s tails seemed to extend far, far into the distance… Kosuzu couldn’t see where they ended, but it seemed to be much further away than the others.
As a fox voter, I chose it because I hope it'll be a breath of fresh air. Reimu and Youmu are straightforward powerhouses, Akyuu has to maintain her reputation as the chronicle - I see this as our only opportunity to get a sly, conniving, string-pulling smooth-talker IC. I don't see that with being a tanuki (Which is very likely what the option is) buddhist - maybe some religious war shenanigans against the taoists? having to reawaken Byakuren? Too morally upright for my tastes...
This option explores Youkai mountain as well! And in terms of dealing with tengu politics, this is the best character and reincarnation i think we'll get to not only tough it out, but turn them in our favour.
I brought her up several hours, correction, over 12 hours ago as a possible alternative since she also has test tubes (and so does... what's the monkey's name, one second here... Son Biten! but Son's test tube is really long, so that wasn't referring to her... and as the post said... well, this is Kaizou Kosuzu that might be the reference to pay attention to...
or it was said half jokingly or just to stir the pot. one of those or the other.
[X] Snatch for one of the furtive missives, carefully and yet quickly writing out small messages. Each missive, if it managed to complete itself, rushed into a small, glass test tube, and was sealed with a cork.
Have you read about Mamizou at all? "Sly conniving string-pulling smooth-talker" is some things that describe her. heck what has most people convinced that its Byakuren instead is that Mamizou is only aligned with the Buddhists rather than actually being one.
Just in comparison to Tsukasa, she is far more trustworthy... or rather can be trusted not to completely blow your plan to bits while she goes for hers, something that can't be said for Tsukasa.
(heck in one of the latest Lotus Eaters Chapters, she pulls one on Reimu by sneaking out food for the winter from various places that have surplus while letting Reimu make herself look silly by selling charms that doesn't actually do anything.
yeah, Mamizou in Lotus eaters, Forbidden Schrollery, and quite a bit of Urban Legend in Limbo (heck just check what is going on in the story (Urban Student in Limbo) just below the last thread of this story
[X] Follow the buddhist sutras, that seemed to be unrolling themselves as they wrote. The sutra’s tails seemed to extend far, far into the distance… Kosuzu couldn’t see where they ended, but it seemed to be much further away than the others.
[X] Snatch for one of the furtive missives, carefully and yet quickly writing out small messages. Each missive, if it managed to complete itself, rushed into a small, glass test tube, and was sealed with a cork.
The team don't need a new powerhouse since they got utsuho as replacement and two more paradox children to find!
They need someone to get the info on the others!
Someone sly! cunning! fluffy!
Also since last time akyuu found youmu, maybe this time reimu finds kosuzu and who better to understand each other than both people with a schemer for a mom?!
Maybe both moms can plot together! or brag about their daughters like asian moms!
*Sigh*
>>209276 here:
[UNDO] Grab a blue-and-white scroll, bedecked with detailed depictions of machinery. There was water splashing around them, but the scrolls themselves seemed fine for it.
[x] Snatch for one of the furtive missives, carefully and yet quickly writing out small messages. Each missive, if it managed to complete itself, rushed into a small, glass test tube, and was sealed with a cork.
Wouldn't mind taking a bit longer... But be careful Gooboi, the waters are quite murky after all...
:3
Alright, partially because the vote’s neck and neck, and partially because there’s a lot of shaky assumptions around the contents, Imma give a short update in a few hours that will clarify a bit more about the top 2 choices.
A Closer LookGooboi!WkvVHQzh762024/06/12 (Wed) 09:27No. 209355▼
Torn between two choices in particular - the mysteries of the distant scrolls, and the intrigue of the flitting missives - Kosuzu got an idea. She reached out for a blue scroll - but rather than grabbing it, gently pushed it away. The scroll promptly vanished almost completely, leaving the remaining two stories to surge forward into more clarity.
First, Kosuzu looked at the missives again. The little test tubes looked… small, and yet roomy. Somehow, Kosuzu could imagine squeezing into one. She shook her head, wondering where such a strange idea had come from. Each missive, when wrapped up, also seemed to do so with a tiny piece of green string.
… the corks were a little less uniform, though. They appeared to be made of some kind of rubber, and had small reliefs of different animals upon them. Deep blue crows, purple frogs, a centipede? And others… but a lot of the ones on top appeared to have green otters on them.
Then, the scrolls. Kosuzu got a little closer to inspect them, and being a lot slower and more billowy, it was easier to see their details. They appeared to have patterning along the edges of tiny paws in white, black, and orange. Interspersed among the paws, but only occasionally, were little koban coins. The tails of the scrolls’ destination also seemed a little clearer - some sort of temple, maybe, but on the other side of… something.
…But the writing wasn’t the only thing that was on the verge of appearing and disappearing. Smoke with a strangely familiar scent billowed around the scrolls, and within the smoke, Kosuzu could see little outlines of light. Some kind of danmaku? …Little people, and birds, and frogs, and maybe a dog. Or something like that.
Hmmm. It wasn’t like she could push another choice away. She’d narrowed her options down, now it was time to make a decision.
[28] Snatch for one of the furtive missives.
[26] Follow the buddhist sutras.
And youkai mountain takes another L... I prefer these two plots, anyways :p
>Kosuzu could see little outlines of light. Some kind of danmaku? …Little people, and birds, and frogs, and maybe a dog. Or something like that.
wait, so it IS Mamizou?
But koban coins are a Mike thing...
And the 'white, black, and orange' could be Shou? Or Mike again, because Mike was a calico while maneki-neko are usually one color?
And 'some sort of temple on the other side of something' could be the temple that Mike trained at in the past...
Shit, I'm not smart enough for this. It seems to be pointing toward Mike, but the danmaku line suggests Mamizou? And Sado is almost exactly the opposite side of Japan to Goutouku-ji, so...
You know what, I'll just stick with the fox unless someone smarter than me ties it together.
Considering the 'mom-like figures' bit, it might be that Kosuzu is a maneki-neko of the temple, but has Mamizou involved with her as a surrogate somehow?
So a kuda-gitsune that has information from the kiketsu family (reimu) and has a connection with lizunamaru maybe Momoyo or a maneki-neko that is far away and has a connection with mamizou.
I will just say that knowledge (information) is power and that can help Kosuzu.
I'm remaining in support of Buddhists for a fairly simple reason: Mamizou actually gets her plans done. She's the leader of a successful Tanuki gang who are constantly tricking, lying, and investigating. Tsukasa wanders from target to target, manipulating people for manipulation's sake.
RIP Youkai Mountain, I really assumed that kuda-gitsune would be fully working for Chimata... now we get the more fun plot of Animal Hell and maybe the early manipulations of Zanmu, who is equally as fun. I imagine this story will put us on a crash course with Reimu's arrival on the surface, so we may be able to watch that situation blow up.
Likely the Pipe-Foxes are working as a for-hire information service for all involved factions, matching tsukasa's actions in UDoALG. The vials observed are of Black Crows (the Tengu, likely directives to Megumu), Purple Frogs (Suwako in all likelyhood), Green Otters (Otter Spirits reporting the surface to Yachie), and the Centipede (Momoyo, likely Misumaru's attempt to negotiate for Ore given wanting to make custom gear for Reimu).
It looks like Buddhist is primarily going to start at Mike's temple, and Mike/Kosuzu are going to do their Journey to the West Journey to Gensokyo at the same time as Mamizou moves the Tanuki there.
I personally will probably stick with Pipe-Fox, but will feel better about Buddhists.
[UNDO] Snatch for one of the furtive missives, carefully and yet quickly writing out small messages. Each missive, if it managed to complete itself, rushed into a small, glass test tube, and was sealed with a cork.
[X] Follow the buddhist sutras, that seemed to be unrolling themselves as they wrote. The sutra’s tails seemed to extend far, far into the distance… Kosuzu couldn’t see where they ended, but it seemed to be much further away than the others.
I thought it was tube fox but it’s tenkajin. Our precious kosuzu should never be exposed to the horrors of the animal realm. She too pure
If Kosuzu is looking to squeeze into one of the tubes and not blood, that is pipe fox and not Tenkajin. As I noted above, it appears Tsukasa is recieving her flavor from UDoALG as an information broker for the surface, which is what Kosuzu is going to be placed within.
[UNDO] Grab a blue-and-white scroll, bedecked with detailed depictions of machinery. There was water splashing around them, but the scrolls themselves seemed fine for it.
[X] Follow the buddhist sutras, that seemed to be unrolling themselves as they wrote. The sutra’s tails seemed to extend far, far into the distance… Kosuzu couldn’t see where they ended, but it seemed to be much further away than the others.
[X] Snatch for one of the furtive missives, carefully and yet quickly writing out small messages. Each missive, if it managed to complete itself, rushed into a small, glass test tube, and was sealed with a cork.
Sex fox Kosuzu
la criatura 1Kosu2024/06/12 (Wed) 11:42No. 209367▼
I have no further arguments to be made for or against either, but yesterday I was making a sketch of whatever was winning at the moment, before I went to sleep (also she was almost confirmed).
I'll post the other option (who by this point is basically confirmed as Mike) later when I have the time.
Hm, so it's probably not Byakuren in Makai? I think I'll stick with buddhist option because we've already had a character in the animal realm and I'd like to spread the ICs out, but both options seem okay.
I should note that we aren't actually spending any time in the Animal Realm. Tsukasa's information network is on the surface. Her relationship with the Animal Realm was a business relationship rather than actually living there (and in UDoALG, she works for the Kiketsu to assist their plan to take over the Hakurei Shrine before being cut off by Yachie and Son Biten for being untrustworthy).
The otter seals I suspect are more of a sign that the Kiketsu are mobilizing to get Reimu to the surface, and they want as much intelligence that they can get about the surface. That is a better explanation than Tsukasa spending an extended amount of time in the Animal Realm which is faaaar outside of her usual work region.
Its less of a Animal Realm story and more a continuation of Reimu finally making her way to the surface.
[X] Follow the buddhist sutras, that seemed to be unrolling themselves as they wrote. The sutra’s tails seemed to extend far, far into the distance… Kosuzu couldn’t see where they ended, but it seemed to be much further away than the others.
Follow the agenda
[X] Follow the buddhist sutras, that seemed to be unrolling themselves as they wrote. The sutra’s tails seemed to extend far, far into the distance… Kosuzu couldn’t see where they ended, but it seemed to be much further away than the others.
I'm fine with either option winning, but the buddhists win out by a bit for me
Yeah, considering Tsukasa, she would be selling the Tengu out to the Kiketsu, the Kiketsu out to Momoyo, Momoyo out to Suwako and Suwako out to the Tengu. She seems the type to ply her services to all sides, and then cozy up to the winner in the end. That being said, she does show an affinity to the Kiketsu family in UDoALG. So, maybe some contract work in the animal realm might be possible.
Honestly, both these options look even better than I thought before. Tubefox being in contact with the otters, and Buddhist not being about Mamizou directly but getting contact with her, are both great boons, plus it looks like Kosuzu gets to be a cute animal either way!
I'll be happy with either but I'm sticking with tubefox myself. Doing the information broker thing with fingers in all pies is an absolutely ideal position to be in with the Immaterial Children to be sought! And I like the idea of being more on the shadier side of things.
[X] Snatch for one of the furtive missives, carefully and yet quickly writing out small messages. Each missive, if it managed to complete itself, rushed into a small, glass test tube, and was sealed with a cork.
[X] Follow the buddhist sutras, that seemed to be unrolling themselves as they wrote. The sutra’s tails seemed to extend far, far into the distance… Kosuzu couldn’t see where they ended, but it seemed to be much further away than the others.
[UNDO] Follow the buddhist sutras, that seemed to be unrolling themselves as they wrote. The sutra’s tails seemed to extend far, far into the distance… Kosuzu couldn’t see where they ended, but it seemed to be much further away than the others.
[X] Snatch for one of the furtive missives, carefully and yet quickly writing out small messages. Each missive, if it managed to complete itself, rushed into a small, glass test tube, and was sealed with a cork.
I kinda want to see how's the kiketsu holding out now
>>209380 >>209362 >>209346 hey, to these anons, if it wouldn't be too much trouble could you share which votes you're undoing? I dont think theres any foul play or something I just like trying to keep my own personal track seperate of tallyanon
>>209342 >>209343 Sure, sorry! I'm not sure which one exactly was my vote, but's it's one of those two of that I'm sure. Next time I'll make sure to add something so I can pinpoint it, never had to undo a vote before so didn't think about that.
>>209245 here (among other recent posts, but that was my vote)
[UNDO] Follow the buddhist sutras, that seemed to be unrolling themselves as they wrote. The sutra’s tails seemed to extend far, far into the distance… Kosuzu couldn’t see where they ended, but it seemed to be much further away than the others.
[X] Snatch for one of the furtive missives, carefully and yet quickly writing out small messages. Each missive, if it managed to complete itself, rushed into a small, glass test tube, and was sealed with a cork.
My main reason for voting for the sutras was what felt like a likely possibility of training with Byakuren while she was still sealed and, thus, living in Makai. It's not that I didn't like the other possibilities, but we've seen A Lot of Kosuzu interacting with Mamizou in canon. While the dynamic would clearly be different here, I want something newer and fresher. It's what got me interested enough to read all this in the first place. Not to say I'd stop reading if we get Mom-izou - in fact, I'm still really interested to see where that would go - but I just think the tube fox option might be More interesting here, ESPECIALLY if we're in contact with Yachie and Reimu already. We got to explore the Youmu/Akyuu dynamic last arc, so let's expand on the Kosuzu/Reimu dynamic this time, especially now that the playing field has evened out between them.
Note that Mamizou is no slouch in the information department herself, and while currently her information network is centered in the outside world, there's already a Tanuki presence in Gensokyo, one that Mamizou very quickly gains control of. Meaning that soon after she arrives her information network is larger than Tsukasa's! And Kosuzu might not be the only one in the outside world we need to worry about (especially since we have 3 more re/incarnators rather than just the one more we thought we had at the start of the last arc.) so having ties for out there would be useful.
Not to mention to add to >>209360 is that Mamizou is also more trustworthy than tubefox. We ran the opposite way from being an amanojaku as Akyuu because of a lack of trust that would come with it, i'd prefer if we are being the sneaky one that our training, parent, and information network (and as i pointed out in an earlier post, powers.) Are not one that were very readily set to backstab the rest of the group.
And look like the Kappa had probably been the best bet to being a combatant standing with the others via Tony Starking it. Though Buddhists aren't without those options on top of the information and luck powers.
And another thing to consider. It will be interesting to see how the mother(-like?) relationship is like when the two characters already had a connection (is a little bumpy at times.) With each other like Kosuzu and Mamizou did.
So Catgirl trained by Tanuki > backstabbing backbiting Tubefox.
if you need a fill of hot fox moms, perhaps check out the Urban Students in Limbo, strong hints currently... Practically confirmed really that that is the case...
[X] Follow the buddhist sutras, that seemed to be unrolling themselves as they wrote. The sutra’s tails seemed to extend far, far into the distance… Kosuzu couldn’t see where they ended, but it seemed to be much further away than the others.
Michael is my favorite character from UM, Tsukasa is my least favorite. I'm also really curious to see what it's like to be a Youkai in the outside world, especially since Kosuzu is a native Gensokyoite.
la criatura 2Kosu2024/06/12 (Wed) 14:20No. 209387▼
[UNDO] Grab a blue-and-white scroll, bedecked with detailed depictions of machinery. There was water splashing around them, but the scrolls themselves seemed fine for it
[X] Follow the buddhist sutras, that seemed to be unrolling themselves as they wrote. The sutra’s tails seemed to extend far, far into the distance… Kosuzu couldn’t see where they ended, but it seemed to be much further away than the others.
Oh, you talk about being untrustworthy like it's a bad thing~ I wasn't around during the Akyuu voting, but I think the Sagume route would have been truly fascinating!
>>209389 I mean, it kind of is? Being the heir to a character with chronic backstabbing disorder makes it a little harder to convince people that you're who they should turn to when the end of the world is coming.
Unrelated note, I've been compiling a list of characters we might meet on the outside if we take the Buddhist route. Anyone have anything to add?
Mike, Mamizou, Nue, Kasen (out looking for Reimu according to Haru), Chiyuri/Yumemi in their civilian guises, & Sumireko
Well, this is a story, after all. The characters ought to be challenged and will be; it would be boring if they weren't. Untrustworthiness is one challenge.
Sticking with the Buddhists, my vote is unchanged. 3 choices from UM eh? I’m guessing that the Kappa option would actually have been a Yamawaro option giving us a Tsukasa/Takane/Mike connection across all 3. While I like Tsukasa most of those options, Mamizou interactions are all but confirmed with the Buddhists and she’s always had a great relationship with Kosuzu in her past life. I’m interested to see what she does in this one and if it helps her to Re/Awaken.
[X] Follow the buddhist sutras, that seemed to be unrolling themselves as they wrote. The sutra’s tails seemed to extend far, far into the distance… Kosuzu couldn’t see where they ended, but it seemed to be much further away than the others.
I’m not going to sugar coat it, my decision here was entirely based on >>209387 this artwork.
Quick update on the vote: it is currently 32 : 33 with Buddhists on the right. So incase anyone feels anarchic they can vote the other one lol
I'm not gonna vote, gonna leave this up to the other anons i'm not that well versed with anything after SA
Why do you think we have, like, triple the normal amount of voters for these origin votes? (for the last two, anyways)
Is it just that lurkers take their chance to participate thanks to the fresh start? Does the seperate work made on ao3 attract a new audience? Are people just really invested in these votes?
I think its a combination of a fresh start and the early votes being the most impactful for how the story will go. For Tube Fox/Buddhist vote there are two compelling but completely separate stories that can take place, so people are voting on that as well.
I suspect we would see similar results for the Youkai/Neutral/Human votes as well, though at the moment their effects on the story have been relatively minor so *shrug*.
To be honest I almost expect needing two threads for Marisa's vote when we get there, especially if there are 2 highly compelling options given. I'm happy Kosuzu is getting alot of love and discussion though, and hope we can keep some of the momentum going forward.
>>209299 [UNDO] Snatch for one of the furtive missives, carefully and yet quickly writing out small messages. Each missive, if it managed to complete itself, rushed into a small, glass test tube, and was sealed with a cork.
[X] Follow the buddhist sutras, that seemed to be unrolling themselves as they wrote. The sutra’s tails seemed to extend far, far into the distance… Kosuzu couldn’t see where they ended, but it seemed to be much further away than the others.
I still think pipe fox Kosuzu would be interesting, but the possibility of having a link to the outside world would be a unique boon. Plus Money Cat.
[X] Follow the buddhist sutras, that seemed to be unrolling themselves as they wrote. The sutra’s tails seemed to extend far, far into the distance… Kosuzu couldn’t see where they ended, but it seemed to be much further away than the others.
The buddhists are a lot more likely to be an understanding and supportive of us being a human soul since Byakuren preaches about cooperation n all.
I have no idea how Tsukasa would react, and frankly that alone is telling. Would she be less treacherous towards family?
Note that at this point with the Kappa's eliminated we've got schemers regardless of which one we pick. The main difference being which flavour we pick between:
- Malicious backstabbing fox mother with luck/success powers with a parasite drawback whom it looks that Kosuzu will inherit.
Vs.
- Mischievous chessmaster surrogate mother and inheriting powers that have similar luck buff for those that it is used on, but without the parasite downside.
I believe at least a couple of the grassroots youkai network are currently in the outside world at the current time. Though that might be fanon, most stories i see them in have them being recent arrivals (aside from sekibanki at least, i am not sure about her on that.)
[X] Follow the buddhist sutras, that seemed to be unrolling themselves as they wrote. The sutra’s tails seemed to extend far, far into the distance… Kosuzu couldn’t see where they ended, but it seemed to be much further away than the others.
[X] Snatch for one of the furtive missives, carefully and yet quickly writing out small messages. Each missive, if it managed to complete itself, rushed into a small, glass test tube, and was sealed with a cork.
ok, so reading all you had to say Mamizou is the best option, but Tsukasa has the biggest flaw, with biggest chance of makig things way more fun to read. More problems = better payoff.
I would say that Mamizou is way too good a choice to have a considerable conflict by herself.
>>209398 I read in Ao3 and only bother comign here when a new arc starts, I cant be the only one
>>209406 By that logic, if we're in the outside world we're existing in a hostile environment that doesn't believe in our existence and facing obliteration. And we'd have to go through the process of getting allowed into Gensokyo (unless we get fast tracked by a sage, I guess) which sounds like a lot of problematic stuff.
Something to think about for all the people voting for Buddhists because its safer, consider that we'll be automatically worst enemies with the Taoists. You know, the group that includes SEIGA KAKU. Reincarnating into a world that has no spell card rules. Weigh the downsides of being involved with Tsukasa against Seiga and the Taoist's unfettered wrath.
I'm happy with both of these outcomes however... for the exact reason Argued against it above. Scary blue woman. I wonder how the Buddhists/Taoists would react to the immaterial children incident? Or to the black flame, for that matter. RIP Kappa bros doe.
[UNDO] Grab a blue-and-white scroll, bedecked with detailed depictions of machinery. There was water splashing around them, but the scrolls themselves seemed fine for it
[X] Snatch for one of the furtive missives, carefully and yet quickly writing out small messages. Each missive, if it managed to complete itself, rushed into a small, glass test tube, and was sealed with a cork.
Seems like it's about 34:36 atm, by my own count. I hope we go the Buddhist route, I feel like that could be interesting with Kosuzu. Plus, considering her talents and skills as a human, if she were to go yokai or similar, I feel like a magician would be the most fitting path.
Spellcard rules are bring rolled out, and even considering the changes they are coming out right on cue actually. With it seems Aunn largely to thank for that... Somehow
Yeah, I'm sure They'll be civil. I'll bet they'll even be willing to have a discussion with us. Better read up on Buddhism and Taosim, because the boss this arc is going to be a debate between the two groups in the Youkai Human village square.
We've seen them used by Gensokyo peacekeepers like Aunn, and in low-tension conflicts (Like with Parsee) but they're definitely not as well-established and enforced as they were before. The Taoists were willing to play by spellcard rules in TD against the incident resolvers there, and even as soon as Hopeless Masquerade were conforming to them with the established Buddhists, with the already resurrected Hijiri.
But we're in a much rockier timeline altogether now, so I wouldn't count on the Taoists playing nice with us, trying to resurrect their biggest competitor. I'll put all my chips on them being the dogs the Hyperspace Vessel crew will set upon us this chapter.
I like this way of thinking, as I can imagine Kosuzu using her powers for good but with a drawback later on might even be a trump card of sorts in a pinch. Admittedly, I want Kosuzu playing support because even if she wanted to be a defender, we either get "good luck until it isn't" or "make money easier" as a power, neither screams "protector" to me, might as well go with the best supporting option of the two
>>209407 A maneki neko could actually be revered contrary to feeding on fear like regular youkai do (are maneki neko even traditional youkai? I can see them as benign entites like zasshiki warashi) so I don't think they're endangered, at all (Mike's backstory mentions Goutokuji temple in Tokyo along various other "trainees", so I see it more like a humble living than outright danger). The only negative is that Kosuzu is probably calico like Mike (mom?) so she might be shunned/bullied by her peers too?
And I still don't see where Mamizou fits in all this.
>>209408 >>209412 Even though it's probably correct that a future conflict might be between Taoists and Buddhists, both factions are still deep underground, Byakuren is still sealed, Miko is probably still hasn't been reawakened. Right now? I don't know where would the buddhist path go. I prefer to further see what happened with the tengu and the Kiketsu so we can get more pieces to the puzzle (furthering what we currently know) rather than chasing a completely new set of characters (making the story's spectrum and our possible leads ampler but unfocused)
>>209413 Y'know I really don't get the Tengu plotline thing. Maybe I'm just tired, but from what I remember they just seem to be doing what one would expect them to.
Like, they sent out a scouting party, but wasn't that moreso because of Koishi than anything? It was either "Competiting to be the first to get the big scoop that a member of this group of mystery children is back" or "They're investigating a tipoff of an illegal underground Youkai on the surface to presumably deliver their own justice", neither of which seems too out of character for them.
The tengu seem to have taken over as the main peacekeepers around the village. And they're seemingly the main group scrambling to find the Immaterial Children. If they find out the kids are youkai now, there's a good chance they'll leak it and cause another serious scandal, like when they revealed Keine caused the IC incident, whereupon the poor woman almost got lynched. Alternatively, they might use it as leverage; for political gain. Megumu is an ambitious woman, after all.
I think a journey to the east with Mike and Mamizou would still be really interesting, as well as the potential of having one of the ICs reunited with a friend that's another IC or family member. But I will admit that I do want to see what the potential youkai mountain politics looks like, and what Yachie and Suwako are cooking up
[X] Snatch for one of the furtive missives, carefully and yet quickly writing out small messages. Each missive, if it managed to complete itself, rushed into a small, glass test tube, and was sealed with a cork.
Right now, I feel like that meme:
>You want to choose Pipe Fox over Buddhism because you want to see tengu politics.
>I want to choose Pipe Fox over Buddhism because I want to see Kosuzu interacting with and manipulating the other protagonists because it's in her (new) nature.
>We are not the same.
I don't know how to sage on this site, or if it even works here, but I don't want to waste bumps if I can help it.
I wanna see how Buddhist Kosuzu plays out, mainly because I've always seen Kosuzu as magician material. I know she probably won't necessarily be a magician if we got Buddhist, but I like Myouren-ji, so I wanna see it :>
A fox protagonist that interacts with and manipulates others because it's in their nature? Hmmmm.... *furiously takes notes*
[X] Snatch for one of the furtive missives, carefully and yet quickly writing out small messages. Each missive, if it managed to complete itself, rushed into a small, glass test tube, and was sealed with a cork.
Unless seiga manages to catch kosuzu before she gets in contact with any of the other ICs... (Despite Seiga still being sealed herself in gensokyo.) Then attacking the Buddhist at this point is just going to be a slightly elaborate form of suicide due to the already very large list of group that would come to Kosuzu's aid... Especially if Seiga does so without spellcards.
I don't think anyone will really agree with me here, but I think that for a vote like this at the start of a new arc, you should be voting for what you want to see more than what you think will be the most beneficial. If the author has put the choices out, it means that he has at least some plans for them all and you shouldn't be trying to think about which will give you more advantages in the long term over what will be the more entertaining story.
Like...Buddhist Kosuzu would certainly be interesting, but I don't think it'd be all that different in essence from Akyuu or Youmu where their main traits and personality more or less survive intact, and they still wind up tied to a faction. Meanwhile, pipe fox Kosuzu has a whole host of character flaws and chronic shit stirring to deal with and potential for more entertaining interactions since the pipe foxes aren't specifically tied to the tengu. Tsukasa is already entertaining enough in canon and I think it will be very entertaining to watch Gooboi balance all the traits that make Tsukasa so fun to hate with Kosuzu's traits.
(It's pretty much a THP tradition to make life harder for the author, anyway.)
[X] Snatch for one of the furtive missives, carefully and yet quickly writing out small messages. Each missive, if it managed to complete itself, rushed into a small, glass test tube, and was sealed with a cork.
I'd personally like to see kosuzu's wishes fulfilled and not dashes because instead of helping her friends she is a parasite. And i'd also like to see what the consequences are for hitting instinct/spirit Youkai 5 good or bad... But if they are bad & Worse... Well then i guess it'll be unfortunate that we'll be squandering this opportunity for the highest youkai level because we're trying to get the good and happy ending and thus needed to fight against any instinct/spirit gains as they are boosting the nature of a parasite.
So i guess that's why i am now as opposed to team fox as i was team Seiga now.
We wouldn't be worried about just an attack from the Taoists, should they reawaken. We'd have to deal with their meddling, perhaps even supported by Ichi in an attempt to cause a Re/Awakening in Kosuzu. Sperging is spoilered below.
The human/youkai balance in Gensokyo is strained to breaking. The events of the story before now could very easily be twisted, whispered in the right ears to incite unrest in the human village. Some brutal display of power travels between the lips of youkai, to reestablish themselves, the sheep hear the cold ring of slaughtering knives against worn leather scabbards and turn whale-eyed - and at just that moment, the taoists emerge like Arthur from the tomb and then we have to deal with that, simply put.
I've been watching this voting for the past two days now and I think it is hilarious that we cannot agree. Let the tie resume!
[X] Follow the buddhist sutras.
la criatura 1.5Kosu2024/06/12 (Wed) 23:34No. 209429▼
You know, originally I wanted to embrace yakuza princess Reimu to see how far from the original we could get, but I ended shying away from it and voted neutral because I convinced myself "No... she wouldn't be like that..."
I eventually started choosing what was fun or interesting for me, and now that I have a new opportunity to see something like this, I kinda want to see how this Kosuzu behaves now.
Reimu's arc changed my headcanon of Yachie completely. I want to see how is my impression of this version of Tsukasa too.
Also I already had designed these clothes specially for her and I feel it's a crime to not use it ^_^U
(It might need some finer details changed but overall, I like how this turned out. The "Mike" option I just drew her in Mike's regular clothing, so nothing special there.)
Yeah how well the Taoists do depends heavily on whether or not Reimu blows a gasket upon reaching the surface or not. While she may enjoy being able to freely travel within the Human Village as a Youkai, if she has any attachment to the social order she set up in the previous timeline she will start opening fire on Tengu to force them out of the village. If she does and can't be reigned in than that will likely end up the main "incident" that Kosuzu awakens into for the Tube Fox narrative.
Buddhists are probably going to instead get into open conflict with the Taoists, especially since all the incident resolvers that forced them into an uneasy truce are currently youkai.
But yeah, I guess the inherent complications of either are part of the appeal of both narratively. Tube Fox is very much an opportunity to tell a story of contrasts, where instead of struggling to fully embrace their youkai side, they instead struggle to connect with their humanity. Buddhists brings in the complication that Gensokyo can't afford to break out into fighting at the moment, especially given that Pyres are already present to some degree.
Of course either choice has the requisite followup for the alignment choice. A Youkai Kosuzu could arguable always struggle maintaining her humanity due to her desire for power and agency to deal with problems.
Current counts:
Votes that begin with [X] Follow: 42, plus >>209234 Votes that begin with [X] Snatch: 42
[UNDO] Follow: 3, plus >>209296.
[UNDO] Snatch: 3
Assuming I've done this correctly, then... as of >>209433, the score's tied at 39/39.
Since i think a chunk of this arc is going to be in the outside world i don't think this arc is going to have Byakuren out at least till nearly the end, much less the Toaoists. The incident we might be dealing with them might be Keine.
And regarding Ichi. I doubt that Ichi is going to be anywhere near a bad as Go was in stirring up crap to encourage the Re/Awakening .(in fact she is probably going to be pissed when she learns about what Go did as it, as she was at the end of TH3)
Insane work everybody. Good... job??? Frankly I think if we're still tied by the time the timer runs out we either just flip a coin or Gooboi gets to pick whichever plotline sounds more interesting and we go with that one. Which might end up happening unless somebody switches (go team sutra! I can't offer any pictures but I can quietly cheer!)
So many anons... hello, everyone! Feel free to stick around. Check out some other stories, even if you just browse the first few threads. Congratulations to Gooboi for attracting so many fans, and thank you for writing such a compelling story at such a pace.
>>209437 72, I believe. What I'm curious about is how long the longest story on thp currently is. I know we're definitely not anywhere near highest threadcount (off the top of my head, patchy quest was somewhere in the 20's) but if we kept up these numbers...
it would honestly probably be more of a pain than anything but it's fun to think about.
>>209441 By pure word count I’m sure this is nowhere near the longest on the site, has it even hit 100k yet? but by thread count we’re on track to blow the record out of the water. Ridiculous amounts of engagement is happening with this one and Gooboi is putting out updates at an insane pace.
Longest as in number of threads, or longest as in most words? I'm honestly not sure regarding the latter, one thing that confuses the issue is that a lot of the stories with a large number of threads (like this one!) are also extremely popular stories, sometimes with only a couple updates per thread due to how much engagement they're getting.
There's also the point that if you want a wordcount of a story, you pretty much need to copy/paste it to a word document and check it yourself. This is not a fast process, so unless you really want to know (or a story got mirrored to a site that counts the words for you), it's likely to remain a mystery.
I do know that USiL is a little over 220k words right now, so that's a minimum bid for maximum THP story length. There's probably at least a couple stories past it though.
>>209441 I skimmed 50 pages of stories, so I might've missed some if they're not categorised properly, and I'm not going to bother getting word-counts, so these are only thread-counts:
>[14] Redo/Reimu
>[20] Tengu of (Mis)Fortune
>[24] Patchy Quest
>[25] Involuntary Pedagogic Fantasy
>[27] A Wizard Is You
>[27] Flight of the Lost Soul
>[27] Gensokyo High
>[31] Fragmentation of Memories
>[34] Distilled Encounters from Festive Times / Glass Half Empty / Theatre of Youth (same continuity so they count together?)
>[37] Misadventures in Gensokyo
>[38] Do the Right Thing
>[47] Expectation of Sanguine Disorder (AKA: SDM: Limited Adventure Style)
>[54] Deluge of a Lunar Fantasy (+sequel)
>[62] Waking up in Gensokyo
>>209441 >Frankly I think if we're still tied by the time the timer runs out we either just flip a coin or Gooboi gets to pick whichever plotline sounds more interesting and we go with that one.
My suggestion for a tiebreaker would be to call it in favor of the tube fox bros as a reward for them having the most votes when >>209355 was posted.
>>209398 >Why do you think we have, like, triple the normal amount of voters for these origin votes?
This is a route lock vote. These sorts of votes that lock a story into one specific route always cause anons to come crawling out of the woodwork. Normally this sort of route lock happens when its time for anon to decide which touhou the main character of a story will romance, but anon is willing to mobilize for other interesting route lock options as well, as this story proves.
Counting to >>209428:
Main Choice: [3] Grab a blue-and-white scroll, bedecked with detailed depictions of machinery. There was water splashing around them, but the scrolls themselves seemed fine for it. (>>209226, >>209229, >>209237, >>209265, >>209276, >>209280, >>209286, >>209295, >>209307, >>209313) [>>209388 is unaccounted for, but no foul play as far as I can tell]
No Kappa :( [38] Snatch for one of the furtive missives, carefully and yet quickly writing out small messages. Each missive, if it managed to complete itself, rushed into a small, glass test tube, and was sealed with a cork. [37] Follow the buddhist sutras, that seemed to be unrolling themselves as they wrote. The sutra’s tails seemed to extend far, far into the distance… Kosuzu couldn’t see where they ended, but it seemed to be much further away than the others.
Potential Additions: For [x] Follow the Buddhist Sutras...:
-{1} Wait, tails? (>>209329)
Thanks to >>209420 for maintaining an accurate count. *Claps very hard*
Note that I did triple check to make sure, but I'm pretty sure that it's correct. Also note that I did count from >>209355, so if there are any errors, it's before that post or I'm very blind. Gooboi, I'm afraid it's not a tie. :/
I didn't vote at the moment I wrote that, but I’m also torn between these two. But at last, I made up my mind. I cast:
[X] Snatch for one of the furtive missives, carefully and yet quickly writing out small messages. Each missive, if it managed to complete itself, rushed into a small, glass test tube, and was sealed with a cork.
The Pipe fox option seems like fun, stupid fun. Like shenanigans galore. Manipulatin’ and Backstabbin’ your way out-of-trouble-while-getting-what-you-want kind of fun. I want to see Kosuzu the (maybe) Incident Resolver; not Kosuzu the Buddhist. Plus, if she wanted to be more step up her game, this is her option.
She isn’t going to stand around until her memories get beamed into her head. She will go around and make sense of her situation. She will sugarcoat as many words, whisper as many lies, stab as many backs, forge as many documents, steal my heart, steal as many wallets she deems necessary and have no regrets doing so. Even if said actions may land on her former compatriots.
[X] Snatch for one of the furtive missives, carefully and yet quickly writing out small messages. Each missive, if it managed to complete itself, rushed into a small, glass test tube, and was sealed with a cork.
[X] Snatch for one of the furtive missives, carefully and yet quickly writing out small messages. Each missive, if it managed to complete itself, rushed into a small, glass test tube, and was sealed with a cork.
I would point out, again, that Mamizou (whom is pretty sure to be the surrogate from the discription,) isn't buddhist, she just hangs around the temple, and since she will be the constantly around for Kosuzu, likely Kosuzu won't either. and Mamizou isn't a passive person either.
She practically an animal boss in her own right, just of living Tanuki's rather than one form of animal spirit or the other. So a lot like Tewi seems to be for the rabbits here.
We're not choosing between passively chanting or "doing something", we're choosing between two different flavours of active skullduggery. one is just more trustworthy than the other.
I like to envision the option as chosing what flavor of Information Network that Kosuzu is being embedded in.
Tube Fox means we are being incorporated directly within her limited information network, but Kosuzu is very much close to the top of the beneficiaries of the network as a whole (presuming that Tsukasa at least is going to be somewhat of a tolerable parent to Kosuzu). While the overall impact of the network is low, it will have the benefit of being established and already recieving the patronage on the Surface and in the Underworld.
Meanwhile Buddhist makes us work for Mamizou to earn our keep while moving from the outside world to Gensokyo. Its a bigger organization that Mamizou needed more competent middle managers (presuming that is the cost given to Mike/Kosuzu for being allowed to come along). While the network is massive in comparison to Kosuzu, it has relatively shallow roots in its initial state, though its potential is fairly large. Unlike the Tube Fox route, one of the conflicts likely would be whether to remain embedded in Mamizou's organization or join up with the rest of the Buddhists, especially since Kosuzu won't get much out of being there unless she can provide Mamizou equal value in kind.
I would put Mamizou's potential being slightly worst than Tewi, though that is mostly a consequence of not really having any powerhouses backing them up (even if Tanuki individually are probably going to perform better than Earth Rabbits, Tewi is such a powerful Youkai that she more than makes up for it). Depending on if Megumu has rocked the boat with Chimata shenanigans (which is perfectly possible given that Tsukasa appears to be a free agent), then if Land Ownership opens up suddenly it could be the opportunity they need to expand massively.
Either way, Kosuzu is going to be some flavor of sneak, though she is likely going to be less suited towards it with the Buddhists (not much you can do as a Maneki Neko when competing against a Tube Fox), with the instead benefit of getting more automatic allies with the Buddhists.
[X] Snatch for one of the furtive missives, carefully and yet quickly writing out small messages. Each missive, if it managed to complete itself, rushed into a small, glass test tube, and was sealed with a cork.
Mamizou is one of the most active incident resolvers in Touhou. In almost every spin-off, and most literature since Ten Desires, she's there, trying to take control of the situation. To the point that some people are getting tired of her lol.
Honestly, having to come in as a (literal and figurative!) outsider and trying to supplant the current information networks was part of the appeal for me. But it's definitely true that she'd be more predisposed to sneaking around with Tsukasa as a mother. The whole shrinking thing as a pipe fox might be neat too. Though in both cases, I don't think she'd be a complete agent of chaos. She'd still be Kosuzu in the same way Reimu was Reimu even as a Yakuza princess.
[X] Follow the buddhist sutras, that seemed to be unrolling themselves as they wrote. The sutra’s tails seemed to extend far, far into the distance… Kosuzu couldn’t see where they ended, but it seemed to be much further away than the others
Well, whether you use my count or tallyanons, it's the Fox fans that have the win here!
My slight preference was for the maneki-neko option, but to be fair, that was for reasons I told essentially no-one. :p And doing this allows me to duck in on some of the fun concepts from way back in Reimu's arc, so I'll make it work.
With that said, I have come up with some ideas for salvaging the bits of that option I really liked, and i'll be investigating that for fine-tuning. If I post an update tonight, it'll be an epilogue for Yester/Youmu, starring a certain white robed figure and a certain frog-loving goddess.
Not what I was hoping to wake up to, but I'm sure Gooboi'll make it interesting. Congrats to everyone who showed up for both sides, especially the last minute swing voters. Close race to the very end.
I'm now 0 for 4 on origin votes, so I'll definitely have to campaign (no bribes) even harder for the Marisa Madness. Kosuzu for now, though.
>>209457 Y'know what, I say we lean into it. The people have chosen to be a pipe fox, let's be ten times the pipe fox Tsukasa ever was. Get the dictionary to put our face next to the word parasite. If we're going to go this way, we might as well embrace it. "more strife = more power" or whatever.
>>209458 >>209460 "Waking up to a fresh new day, I take special care to keep myself in great shape. Get dressed, grab my twelve knives for literal backstabs, affix my six spare wallets for recieving bribes to my belt, groom my tail, dump poison into mom's tea, finish some forgeries that'll convince my two best friends to go at each other's throats... and then breakfast!"
i'm curious on what the twist of fate is for kosuzu to be born. reimu's was keiki offering yachie a miracle as a bargaining chip (sudden stroke of inspiration), the lunarians had the sudden idea to try reisen's gene-warren again, and youmu became the twin that was not absorbed by okuu in the egg this time around (if i'm remembering right).
can't wait for marisa's origin vote to be so heated the update proper is gonna be delayed by an entire week.
... i hope i'm not jinxing anything by saying that.
To be honest, I like the narrative contrast that, when all is said and done, at least one of the immaterial children is a problem child, if only because there should actually be some very real risks posed by the Immaterial Children plan. Unfortunately by the very nature of how the set up is, it would have had to been Akyuu, Kosuzu, or Marisa, if only because Reimu and Youmu have enough loyalty to duty that going off track completely would have been problematic.
Akyuu and Kosuzu both wanted to take a more active role in protecting their homes and friends, but that leads to the temptations that come from over-embracing being a youkai. For Akyuu, we somewhat paid this off with being very clearly more comfortable being a Moon Rabbit than being a Human, and as a result Eiki is worried about her future reincarnations if it can't be fixed.
Comparatively, I suspect the issue we may face for Kosuzu is that Human!Kosuzu wanted the power very much to help others... but Tube Fox!Kosuzu may instictually act for #1 and only help out to survive the pyres. Likely the determining factors, other than the Human/Neutral/Youkai scale, is that the more Instinct she has, the more likely she is going to give into this trecherous nature.
Meanwhile Marisa has the simple premise: For a character who is constantly working to get stronger relative to her highly talented rival, how does she react when she is handed a bunch of talent for free? Of course this is dependant on species (Fairy!Marisa would have to work just as hard for everything, while Dragon!Marisa would be a talented genius). If Marisa is now strong and can combine the knowledge she has from the previous timeline? She may be power drunk (and to be honest, I would be surprised if she didn't still try to fight Reimu in Mark 2/Marisa at some point).
For completeness, Reimu's temptation was luxury over duty, which is a path that duty managed to balance properly, so I won't go into too much detail. The other half that affects things is how she reacts to the human village, which should be happening soonish.
Youmu, in part because half of her was put into Okuu and otherwise her skillset/life was mostly similar, had the fewest temptations sofar, which is likely why she was always going to be an island of calm.
If Kosuzu was this much of a bloodbath, I can't wait to see what happens when we get to Marisa. 😆 Anyways, I'm sorry to everyone who wanted to see Mom-izou, but I do think this is the more interesting option (outside of my personal preference of wanting to see the girls interact with characters they never/rarely interacted with before). This is gonna be a fuckin' ride, especially if we end up leaning more towards instinct and youkai spirit. This whole plan is a dream come true for her, after all. 🤭
>>209456 If we got "tanuki Kosuzu" instead of cat I would have voted that without even thinking.
I'll be honest, I was mentally preparing myself to lose this one, it's been a rollercoaster.
>>209458 Ouch, I feel your pain, I was 0/3 until this one and was prepared for the 0/4
>>209464 Can't wait to see the bloodbath that will be Marisa's vote.
As an apology for me campaigning so hard this time, please have a complimentary Mamizou.
Next time I'll just vote and go with the flow with what people want, I just wanted to win once.
>>209465 Hey, no worries! Don't feel like you have to go with the flow. Vote for who you want to vote for, make the arguments you want to make. I'll do the same, and as long as everyone plays fair the best argument wins, regardless of whether we're on the same side or not.
Besides, there's a silver lining to everything, even going on 0/4. Mike doesn't have that many cards and Mamizou-inspired cards would bristle against Akyuu's illusion cards. With Tsukasa and any other influential figures for Kosuzu, at least I'll have a completely free design space for card ideas.
>>209466 Yeah, even losing wasn't that bad:
- I wanted (dai?)tengu Reimu, got Yakuza princess instead and now I like Yachie's character plus the story being so far from what I expected kept me really engaged.
- I wanted amanojaku? Akyuu but ended up voting moon rabbit because I went with the option that would make it easier for Akyuu to exist, still got a double dose of incident (and Mystia).
Technically I'm 1 for 4 because I didn't bother voting for the other option - I wanted Myonmiji and not only got an interesting storyline with Suwako, but we got an extra Immaterial Child to our ranks AND possibly two more.
By this point I'm SURE that whatever ends up winning will be interesting to read, even if it's not what I originally wanted.
Looks like tube fox Kosuzu has won. I'm not super disappointed, I think Tube Fox and Buddhist Manekineko were both pretty good options, as much as I wanted the Buddhist route. I wonder how Tube Fox will play out then, considering how Tsukasa acts. Maybe the story will be about trying to overcome some tricky nature so Kosuzu can actually help people, but I'm not super knowledgeable on Tsukasa and tube foxes, so maybe me thinking of her as an ass is me subconciously thinking of someone like Seija lol
don't regret jumping ship though, i was really hoping for smth related to mamizou for kosuzu's origin ever since gooboi mentioned an outsider option.
my view of tsukasa has been shaped mostly by tumblr and the oil fire ship, so i already know this is going to be wildly different from whatever i'm trying to think of. and like kosu said, it's probably gonna be interesting no matter what. personally, i'm hoping i can finally start thinking of tsukasa as something other than #girlfailure all the time.
Pipe foxes are all about multiplying in numbers. In touhou at least, they 'increase in numbers' as long as a male-female pair are kept in a bamboo tube. So it could just be a matter of her deciding to stay in a bamboo tube long enough to have a kid. Or maybe to have another kid, for all we know Tsukasa is already a mum of 3 in Touhou canon. Maybe that one random kuda-gitsune in Wild and Horned Hermit is her kid.
>> “Lady Suwako, your salvation is at hand!” Youmu grinned, turning back to her sister and giving her space. Okuu’s crystalised control rod seemed to be doing just fine as a replacement for her real one, charging up a massive ball of blinding light.
>> Utsuho lowered the ball of light, having it shrink down to a pinprick. She aimed it at the goddess. “This power is the will of the hell-raven sisters! Youmu of ghostly white, and Utsuho of deepest BLACK!” The power of the shot sent her flipping backwards, struggling to right herself.
>> The goddess was still bewildered, and didn’t recover in enough time to dodge. The ball struck Suwako in the chest, wrapping her arms around it from the force of the shot driving her upwards.
>> Youmu grinned, aiming her slash. “And the things our feathers cannot cut… are next to none!”
>> Binary Star “Blinding Faith”
I totally forgot to post this. I wanted to post it earlier, but not in the middle of voting.
>>209475 Stellar (literally!) art, Kosu! The little beams of light form the radiation warning symbol, and I love the symmetry, down to the eye-phantom-things that we really need to find better terminology for wrapping around the neck in different directions.
You know, given how the other two options were Mike and Tsukasa, I kind of want the blue scroll to have represented Takane. That way our choices would be entirely UM characters.
Looking forward to what kosuzu is going to go through being a pipe fox clashing her helpful and kind human side along with the slippery and troublesome new youkai nature, plus what kind of new ability she has.
I'm still holding out hope that lizunamaru or Aya will be her adoptive mother.
What if? ReimuKosu2024/06/14 (Fri) 03:15No. 209479▼
>> She turned her eyes towards her past- her future- whatever it was. The tunnel of images she was in seemed to split four ways - one straight back, and three offshoots. She steadied herself, summoning up her courage, and began to move to…
>> The one that seemed above her, with crisp, cold air coming from it.
>> The one that was just a bit below her, with the boisterous noises of raucous streets.
>> The one even further below, with lights glittering deep within.
Drawing both possible Kosuzus gave me the idea of drawing the other protagonists.
Here's Reimu Iizunamaru and Reimu Kurodani.
>>209479 is.... is reimu holding a selfie stick as her gohei like how megumu beats people up with her tripod? holy shit that's genius. im sad we didn't get it now.
are you planning to draw the other what-if protagonists too? that'd be awesome if you did.
>>209480 I thought it would be some time until someone noticed that, but yes! It's a selfie stick!
I figured I could combine Megumu's "weapon" of choice with Reimu's gohei while keeping the photography theme.
Yes, I'm planning to draw Akyuu, Youmu and Kosuzu's kappa version over this weekend unless something happens.
Luckily, these drawings don't take long to do. The harder part is figuring what I want to do with the design to keep the recognizable as themselves.
I don’t think I have the chops for it, but I do have an idea for an omake/spin-off.
In a ‘verse where Reimu & Youmu are both tengu, because yokai children aren’t too common they get paired together. As Youmu’s the only tengu child relatively close to the daitengu’s daughter in age. But, because of their respective positions in the tengu hierarchy, they can’t just be friends. So Youmu gets tapped to act as a bodyguard/assistant/retainer to Reimu. Reimu’s being raised with the expectation that she’ll be one of their leaders. And Youmu with the expectation that she’ll support and aid her in that capacity.
Would focus on/explore their relationship dynamics as they’re simultaneously friends from both this childhood & the futurepast, but also master/servant.
>>209476 By the way, sorry I didn't reply to this earlier! Thank you! I really put in a lot of effort in this one, especially in the crystalline Re/Awakening effect.
I love putting in little details for people to find, for example the Myon-eyes curve the same way their ahoge do (ahoge are the small twirl of hair at the top of their heads).
>>209482 Even though I really like thinking stuff like this, I'm guessing that if Reimu had been Megumu's daughter, we probably wouldn't have had tengu-centric choices for the other Immaterial Children. But it's just a guess.
Following this alternate reality, (and ignoring what I wrote avobe) after this voting Reimu could have gained her very own kuda-gitsune in Kosuzu lol
To be honest, I just like the idea of an Omake having all of these alternate selves meet. In a hypothetical universe where we chose Tengu!Reimu, I suspect we would assume far worst of Jidiao!Reimu than we actually got (Youmu's worst fears come to life), and seeing how you can play with those biases is half the fun.
Really I just like the exchange between Reimu's in >>208204 and wish to see it expanded with more Reimu's chiming in (I guess Reimu Hakurei could be there as well if it went this way)
Honestly, if I went back, I probably wouldn't have offered a Tengu Reimu option at all. I'd have probably set Reimu's third option up as an outside-worlder - I'd want to keep her away from the hakurei shrine for her arc at least, and there's a particular thing I want to do that I can only do if Reimu comes to Gensokyo later. Not to mention it let me pace out some revelations, like the state Gensokyo was left in with Reimu missing.
...Lots of talk about Omake recently. I've been thinking about some too, actually.
And do you know what else I've been thinking about? A prize for acing Suwako's arc. I'll have to come up with something for that, hmmm...
Youmu would probably have an easier time navigating that dynamic than Reimu's would, since the friend/master dynamic is similar to what she has with Yuyuko. Reimu doesn't really have servants, the closest she gets is Aunn, but Aunn is essentially a volunteer, and I don't think Reimu ever really gives her orders.
Man though, I can only imagine the Reimu's face when she gets to see all of the Tengu tomfoolery from the inside. That said though, I think an Iizunamaru Reimu would have a harder time sneaking under the radar. The Tengu would be more likely to notice the resemblance between Haru and Reimu, and they're super nosy, so I can't see Megumu managing to hide her from them. Add to that the fact that Rikako is working closely with them, and the lid of that secret is busted open from the start.
>>209486 Yeah, sorry I was just thinking aloud I didn't mean anything by saying that!
I love the possible combinations of characters and situations that derive from that, and can't wait to see what Marisa, Sanae and Chiko Tenshi end up being to further add to those alternate realities.
>>209484 The other Reimus distrusting Yachie!Reimu,
The other Reimus finding Yamame!Reimu creepy or scary
The other Reimus not wanting to tell things to a possibly gossipy Megumu!Reimu?
and so on... It's fun to think these scenarios lol
[X] She wouldn’t screw up this mission. Noble or no, her mother was counting on her. She had the perfect abilities for infiltration, she had the will to seek things out, now there was just proving herself a real tube fox.
