Doll Quest - Foundation

[Neovereign]

> "She'd better not think I'm a troublemaker."

[Philosopher]

>Float up then lay on Reisen's shoulder.

[raikaria]

>Float up then lay on Reisen's shoulder.

> You're already there, you never left from going there before.

> "She'd better not think I'm a troublemaker."

> "I don't see why Reimu would think that. You've not done anything."

> It is still night-time as you are flying. Reisen seems to be heading over a fielded and hilly area, towards another forested area in the distance.

> You spot something approaching very quickly from behind. You hear a strange sound as it goes past you. Reisen looks surprised for a moment, before looking mildly annoyed.

> The figure comes to a stop in front of Reisen and you. "It's a little bit unusual to see you out at this hour. Not the first unusual movement we've noticed tonight. It seems like something is going on, my reporter sense tells me; and that's rarely wrong."



> Aya Shameiaru
> News on the Winds

> A second fast figure goes past and joins the first. "Shameimaru, you're going too fast. Iizunamaru-sama ordered you to help me more about fieldwork, how can you do that if you're leaving me in the dust?"


> Hatate Himekaidou
> Modernist Tengu of Traditional Society

> The first stranger pouts. "Rule number one of good journalism, Hatate. You gotta move faster than the news, or you'll never catch the story!"

> "But I could just use my Thoughography and do this from home..." the purple-clothed stranger complained.

> "Then you're only getting pictures. Not the context. How can you do interviews via Thoughtography?"

> Reisen sighs as the two bicker. "What do you want Aya? I'm busy."

> The first stranger, apparently named Aya, responds; "You didn't gather from what I just said to Hatate? I want to ask you a few questions about the goings-on tonight so I can write 'em up for the morning edition of the Bunbunmaru; of course."

> "Kakashi Spirit News." the other stranger says.

> "Eh?"

> "You were ordered to help me. That means the story goes into my publication. Not yours. You're not helping yourself; Shameimaru."

> Aya looks annoyed. "Well; you have got to learn how to actually, interview. So you take the lead. It's your story after all~"

[Philosopher]

>Pretend to be a regular doll

[Neovereign]

>Phil

[raikaria]

>Pretend to be a regular doll

> You remain motionless.

> The purple-skirted one with twintails seems to be a bit lost for words.

> "So... uh... what brings you outside the palace of Eternity on such a night?" she eventually says; clearly not at all confident.

> Aya stifles a chuckle.

> "I'm looking to aid a patient." Reisen responds curtly.

> Patient? I suppose you're not going to tell us who; due to confidentiality?" Hatate says.

> "You're literally giving her a way to dodge your questions; Hatate..." Aya groans.

> "I wouldn't disclose information about a patient either way." Reisen responds.

> "You were coming from the Forest of Magic, and seem to have some sort of doll on your shoulder. What's that about?"

> This time, Reisen doesn't immediately reply.

[Philosopher]

>Continue the act

[raikaria]

>Continue the act

> You continue to act like a lifeless doll.

> Reisen replies noticing this. "It's just one of Margetroid's dolls. It was set up as a trap in the event someone... probably Marisa... broke in. It didn't explode like it was probably meant to, but has gotten stuck on my shoulder."

> Hatate looks at you with suspicion as she nears.

> She pokes you. You produce a "tink" sound as she does this.

> "Careful; just because it didn't explode dosen't mean it won't!" Reisen remarks. "She fills these things with gunpowder!"

> Hatate backs off hearing this. Aya has a look that suggests she is on the verge of bursting out in laughter when she sees Hatate back off in such a startled fashion.

> "But you're not heading for Eientei." Aya speaks up after Hatate is quiet for a few moments and she collects herself. "Granted, I don't know it's exact location. Never been there myself. But I know it's in the Bamboo Forest; which is that way. You're heading for the Hakurei Shrine. And you'd only be heading there if something was going wrong."

> "Huh; is she?" Hatate asks Aya.

> "This is another reason why you can't just do your job from your hut Hatate. Geographical context. Anyway; there's a scoop here, but I'm not doing your job for you."

> Reisen mutters something about "annoying Tengu" under her breath.

[Neovereign]

> Just one of the dolls... And only for a trap? No way. We're not that plain!
> Stand up on her shoulder.
> "Okay, I've got this, I'll explain myself. Sorry for having you take all the heat." Pat Reisen a bit in emphasis. "Ahem, I'm a very special doll of Alice's. Miss Reisen is supporting my little curiosity. We're headed to the Hakurei Shrine because I'm wondering how one of Alice's friends are and I want to meet Reimu in person."
> Sit back down.
> "I guess she's a really useful person if people only go there for her to solve their problems. But is that really all they see her as? A problem solver? I want to know how it really is."

[Philosopher]

>Neo

[raikaria]

> Just one of the dolls... And only for a trap? No way. We're not that plain!
> Stand up on her shoulder.
> "Okay, I've got this, I'll explain myself. Sorry for having you take all the heat." Pat Reisen a bit in emphasis. "Ahem, I'm a very special doll of Alice's. Miss Reisen is supporting my little curiosity. We're headed to the Hakurei Shrine because I'm wondering how one of Alice's friends are and I want to meet Reimu in person."
> Sit back down.
> "I guess she's a really useful person if people only go there for her to solve their problems. But is that really all they see her as? A problem solver? I want to know how it really is."

> Hatate looks surprised when you get up and talk. Aya looks intrigued.

> ""So... that dosen't explain the unlikly pairing of Miss Margetroid doll and you..." Hatate starts.

> "If they're going to see Reimu, we'll find out what's going on anyway." Aya remarks. "Besides, I think we've got enough for you to have a story to publish now."

> Hatate looks confused, with Aya having been quite pushy a moment ago but suddenly relenting.

> "Do you see the puppeteer anywhere, Hatate? Either the Inaba learnt how to use Margetroid's dolls, or the doll can act independantly. Both of those are interesting enough developments to not need to waste any more of their time. Besides, you do need to get back in time to actually write and publish your article... and I still need my own. Leaving it as it is now gives us potential for more stories in the coming days."

> Hatate looks a little unsure, but nods after a few moments.

> The two turn and leave; heading towards the large mountain in the distance.

> Reisen looks a little annoyed. "Tengu are such pains. Prideful Youkai who think they can just do as they please. Worst part is Aya's not even all talk, she's far too fast to get away from. I'm sure one might be able to drive them off in danmaku... but Aya's a pro at danmaku as well. She usually won't even fight back, she'll just take *pictures* as she dodges."

> Reisen continues flying on.

[Neovereign]

> "Alice probably won't like everyone knowing about me like this. But it's worth getting them out of the way..."

[Philosopher]

>"That Aya is scary perceptive."

[raikaria]

> "Alice probably won't like everyone knowing about me like this. But it's worth getting them out of the way..."

> "Perhaps, perhaps not. Depends if Alice is the type who likes to show off her creations. I don't really know her well enough to answer that."

>"That Aya is scary perceptive."

> "Gensokyo is full of a lot of people to be wary around, but Aya... she's dangerous in entirely different ways. She's not the type who's dangerous because crossing them will lead to tremendous pain. She's an entirely different kind of dangerous, and it might be worse than simply getting beaten up." Reisen complains.

[Neovereign]

> "I hope we can deal with my problem before that danger arrives fully."

[Philosopher]

>Nod

[raikaria]

> "I hope we can deal with my problem before that danger arrives fully."

> "Oh I don't think we managed to offend Aya. So she shouldn't be an annoyance." Reisen explains.

> Reisen flies on for a bit.

> You start flying over a wooded area, and you can eventually see, on top of a small hill, a clearing with a building. It's not large, but it does still stand out.

> "Well; there it is; the Hakurei Shrine." Reisen says; indicating the building.

[Philosopher]

>"Is a shrine a kinda house?"

[Neovereign]

>Observe the area.

[raikaria]

>"Is a shrine a kinda house?"

> "It's a site of worship for a God or Goddess. I guess in a way it's the God's house." Reisen explains, before she pauses. "Although, it's also Reimu's house."

> The rabbit pauses again. "And no-one's ever seen the Hakurei God. Despite other Gods being around Gensokyo."

>Observe the area.

> As you approach closer, you can see some figures around the shrine.

> The first is on the courtyard, on the stone path leading to the shrine. It's a green-haired girl with a single horn on her head, dressed in a red-and-white shirt and white-and-red shorts.



> The second is a short-looking figure drinking from a gourd on the shrine veranda. She has two large horns, strange objects hanging from... chains around her, and is wearing a sleeveless white shirt and a big purple skirt.



> The green-haired figure looks up towards you and Reisen as you descend, while the drinking figure dosen't even seem to notice you.

[Neovereign]

> "Other people trying to see her?" Question Reisen.

[Philosopher]

>What do we know about Reimu

[Evil_Nazgul0616]

//This seems interesting. Would've jumped in earlier but there didn't seem to be a good opportunity until now.
//Also, nice to see you back, Rai. Glad you're okay as well.

>"Other gods? How many in Gensokyo are there?"

[raikaria]

> "Other people trying to see her?" Question Reisen.

> "I'm not sure about the green-haired one, but the one with two horns is Suika. She's an Oni who often hangs around the shrine, and has this habit of being in places that Oni really shouldn't be; like shrines and Heaven. Oni are dangerous, but as long as you don't actively offend them they're fine. If you try to trick them or be dishonest around them however... you'll make an enemy of them. And trust me, you do not want to make an Oni mad. Especially since Suika is one of the mightiest Oni."

>What do we know about Reimu

> You associate the name with the red-and-white figure that Marisa was fighting in the bamboo forest.

//This seems interesting. Would've jumped in earlier but there didn't seem to be a good opportunity until now.
//Also, nice to see you back, Rai. Glad you're okay as well.

>"Other gods? How many in Gensokyo are there?"

> Reisen visibly sweats at that question.

> "I... uh... don't know. Most of them are at the Youkai Mountain, and I rarely ever go there. I know there are two at the summit shrine, but I also know there's a lot more. If I remember right from the Bunbunmaru, there was another god involved in the most recent incident."

[Neovereign]

> "Hm... if I was created to have my own will and consciousness, no one telling me what to do, does that make Alice a god?"

> Ponder such along the way...

[Evil_Nazgul0616]

>"Incident?"

[raikaria]

> "Hm... if I was created to have my own will and consciousness, no one telling me what to do, does that make Alice a god?"

> Ponder such along the way...

> "I'm not sure what makes people Gods." Reisen remarks. "I'm pretty sure none of the Gods of Gensokyo create life however."

>"Incident?"

> "Oh; Incidents are when someone causes a lot of trouble which effects many people. Reimu usually sorts those things out. The last one had some sort of scheme by the Tengu and a God where they used gems to mimic the abilities of others and turned them into tradeing cards to make profit. It wasn't harmful; but it was annoying. Especially since they never had permission to use the likeness of other people." Reisen explains.

> Reisen lands near the shrine, and the green-haired stranger quickly comes over, sniffing the air.

> "I've not seen or smelt you two before. You don't smell of faith." she says, sounding a little curious, and not hostile.

[Philosopher]

>"Eh?! Do I stink?"

[Neovereign]

> Let's let her sniff around. Maybe she's smelling the rabbit?

[Evil_Nazgul0616]

>"You can smell faith...? What does that even smell like?"
>...Actually do we even have a sense of smell for that matter, being a doll?