Neo Gensokyo Quest - Part 6

[Neovereign]

Aya:

> To Kosuzu, gently: "Whoa, take it easy there."
> If our hands are not already in The Regular Positions for carrying someone, shift them there now.

Aya:

> They have been.
> "T-There was so much magic in that... So much to tell." Kosuzu winces, looking over at Alice. "You're right to keep that out of others' hands... Sorry. But still, I want to see more of it! I have to!" Kosuzu seems to be getting her energy and enthusiasm back.
> "I wouldn't gain anything by letting you see any of my grimoire anyways, so no." Alice shakes her head.
>_

[Kilgamayan]

Aya:

> "Let's calm down, okay? You want to be friends with the people with neat books, not enemies, right?"
> Begin gently rubbing her backside with one hand.

[Neovereign]

Aya:

> "Let's calm down, okay? You want to be friends with the people with neat books, not enemies, right?"
> Begin gently rubbing her backside with one hand.

Aya:

> "I'll-" Kosuzu starts, before being surprised by your actions.
> There's a sudden gust of wind from the desk. Being your specialty, you can notice it's one of the books, before it knocks everyone back.
> "Can we stop with the fighting already?" Patchouli questions, annoyed as she puts her cap back on.
> "That wasn't me. I satisfied my curiosity already. Even if I want more of that book." Kosuzu claims, sitting back up from the back wall.
> "Have you already taken magic from my grimoire?" Alice questions, picking up the book responsible for such. Though her gaze trails over to another bookshelf behind the desk, then to Kosuzu's side.
> "I didn't take anything." Kosuzu retrieves a book from the shelf beside her. "I just... Uh... Used inspiration to invent something, yeah."
>_

[Kilgamayan]

Aya:

> Frown a bit.
> Get back up if we need to.
> Scoop Kosuzu back up like previously, while taking on a sterner voice.
> "Kosuzu. These people are here to help with magic book problem you're having. Remember that? Can we focus on that?"
> Resume gently rubbing her backside with one hand. Gently squeeze once with the other.
> Wind whisper to Alice: "Get that book out of her sight as soon as you can. Stuff it into me when she's not looking if you have to."

[Neovereign]

Aya:

> Frown a bit.
> Get back up if we need to.
> Scoop Kosuzu back up like previously, while taking on a sterner voice.
> "Kosuzu. These people are here to help with magic book problem you're having. Remember that? Can we focus on that?"
> Resume gently rubbing her backside with one hand. Gently squeeze once with the other.
> Wind whisper to Alice: "Get that book out of her sight as soon as you can. Stuff it into me when she's not looking if you have to."

Aya:

> You get back up and return to Kosuzu.
> Though, after you lift her up, she starts lifting you up instead...? Not in a very kind way, either, as she stands.
> She's just... staring up at you though.
>_

[Kilgamayan]

Aya:

> Is she carrying us like we were carrying her? Or are we simply hovering in the air?
> Give her a quizzical look.
> "Kosuzu?"
> Be prepared to get launched into something...

[Neovereign]

Aya:

> Is she carrying us like we were carrying her? Or are we simply hovering in the air?
> Give her a quizzical look.
> "Kosuzu?"
> Be prepared to get launched into something...

Aya:

> She's holding you by your top.
> "You, leave. The magicians can stay." She speaks a tad unnaturally. Like she's going to stumble over her words.
> "Don't you think it's a bit mean that she can't at least watch?" Alice asks.
> Kosuzu sets you down, clearing her throat.
> "Uh... Ah, I just don't exactly trust you. I heard you mention wanting Reimu to be here, and this isn't something you need to be involved with anyways..." She explains.
>_

[Kilgamayan]

Aya:

> Is Suzy taller than us at this point?
> "I brought her name up because I wanted her to care of you while you were knocked out. If you're awake again, there's no need for that."
> Frown sadly a bit.
> "I understand you don't really want me to be involved, but right now, independent of all this magic book stuff, my friend is acting really strangely, and it's worrying me that something is wrong. Like there's some part of her right now that isn't herself, but something, or someone, else. And I have a bone to pick with whatever, or whoever, that might be, for making my friend attack people and destroy her own beloved store."

[Neovereign]

Aya:

> Is Suzy taller than us at this point?
> "I brought her name up because I wanted her to care of you while you were knocked out. If you're awake again, there's no need for that."
> Frown sadly a bit.
> "I understand you don't really want me to be involved, but right now, independent of all this magic book stuff, my friend is acting really strangely, and it's worrying me that something is wrong. Like there's some part of her right now that isn't herself, but something, or someone, else. And I have a bone to pick with whatever, or whoever, that might be, for making my friend attack people and destroy her own beloved store."

Aya:

> Not quite.
> "It's something that's been travelling through the books to be in contact with her." Alice comments. "Like the one she has, now."
> "I'm not being made to do anything. These were all my choices. Aside from waking back up earlier. I'm doing something important here, and if it's screwed up, so is my friends lease on life." Kosuzu claims.
> "It's not very convincing when we have no proof that you're... you, and not just your "friend"." Patchouli argues.
>_

[Kilgamayan]

Aya:

> "I can tell that not everything you've said and done has been 100% you, Kosuzu. I'm been doing journalism for centuries, I know how to read people and their behavior."
> Sigh.
> "But we can set that aside for the time being and focus on saving your friend. In a peaceful manner. I'm perfectly willing to leave again to give you as much privacy as you need, but I need a promise, a commitment, from you and your friend that you're not going to attack or abduct the two people that came here specifically to help you."

[Neovereign]

Aya:

> "I can tell that not everything you've said and done has been 100% you, Kosuzu. I'm been doing journalism for centuries, I know how to read people and their behavior."
> Sigh.
> "But we can set that aside for the time being and focus on saving your friend. In a peaceful manner. I'm perfectly willing to leave again to give you as much privacy as you need, but I need a promise, a commitment, from you and your friend that you're not going to attack or abduct the two people that came here specifically to help you."

Aya:

> "I didn't attack them yet, nor was I going to." Kosuzu claims. "I wasn't trying to steal the book."
> "You did say things about wanting to fight." Patchouli points out.
> "Fighting doesn't mean people have to-..." She pauses. "Huh, it usually does? Hang on, I didn't know then! I was just going to like... coerce her into using that book."
> "Non-physically?" Alice questions.
> "Yeah!"
> "So, you mean threatening."
> "Uhh..."
> "I believe I have an idea. Why not let your friend speak with us? Either through you or another medium." Patchy suggests.

Seki:

> "I told you it's nothing Patchy wouldn't be able to handle." Remilia claims.
> "Are you sure she's the one that handled it, and not the one being handled?" Kagerou asks.
> "She does have a point. For as capable as Lady Patchouli is, incidents invite all sorts of surprises." You hear Sakuya.
>_

[Kilgamayan]

Aya:

> Sigh with a slight smile.
> "Oh, Suzy."
> Gently hug her from behind.
> "If your friend wants a medium to speak through, I'm willing to volunteer. I trust you'll keep me safe."
> Grin a little.
> "And who knows? Maybe you'll find out a little more about your friend than you expected~"
> Give her backside a little squeeze with one hand before returning to the hug.

---

Seki:

> "...Does that tengu really know what's she's doing? This seems potentially really dangerous."

---

Ami:

> Are we still just standing here?
> How's our jaw?

[Neovereign]

Aya:

> Sigh with a slight smile.
> "Oh, Suzy."
> Gently hug her from behind.
> "If your friend wants a medium to speak through, I'm willing to volunteer. I trust you'll keep me safe."
> Grin a little.
> "And who knows? Maybe you'll find out a little more about your friend than you expected~"
> Give her backside a little squeeze with one hand before returning to the hug.

---

Seki:

> "...Does that tengu really know what's she's doing? This seems potentially really dangerous."

---

Ami:

> Are we still just standing here?
> How's our jaw?

Aya:

> "I'm pretty sure they trust you less."
> You give Kosuzu another squeeze and continue to hug her. Though she doesn't respond.
> After a moment of hang up, she speaks again.
> "Kosuzu's friend, here." She speaks, noticeably different. Much moreso than stumbling over her words. "Still nameless, as she explained, there's more important things to do first."
> "So it would seem." Alice observes. "There isn't a lot of energy, but it feels like she's possessed."
> "Kosuzu seems quite the capable young lady, but having her do this alone is tiring her out. So if either of you could help out a youkai in getting stronger, that'd be swell."

Seki:

> "Do you want to go in and help?" Remilia questions.

Ami:

> Yes.
> Better. But you wish you could just snap it and make it feel better, like a massage or cracking one's back.
>_

[Kilgamayan]

Aya:

> Make a quiet whimper of sad dissatisfaction and let go of the hug out of respect for whomever this now is.
> Do we know anything about helping a youkai grow stronger? Is human acknowledgement and belief sufficient, or is there more to it than that?

---

Seki:

> Shake our head rapidly.
> "If that boss tengu lady could get knocked out that quickly, I wouldn't last a second."

---

Ami:

> It's been a while...
> Head back to the storefront and have a peek inside.

[Neovereign]

Aya:

> Make a quiet whimper of sad dissatisfaction and let go of the hug out of respect for whomever this now is.
> Do we know anything about helping a youkai grow stronger? Is human acknowledgement and belief sufficient, or is there more to it than that?

---

Seki:

> Shake our head rapidly.
> "If that boss tengu lady could get knocked out that quickly, I wouldn't last a second."

---

Ami:

> It's been a while...
> Head back to the storefront and have a peek inside.

Aya:

> You let go.
> Not too much. There's the general information about youkai getting stronger through things like tales and notoriety. Some grow more through the years, like Kitsune. You suppose it depends on what kind of Youkai Kosuzu's friend is.
> "Research is a magician's best friend." Alice comments. "Experimenting, too."
> "Subjecting Kosuzu here to more Youkai business than what she already deals with isn't my highest priority, so i dont want to drag her into any expeirments."
> "For a youkai, you really don't like sacrifices, do you?" Patchouli questions.

Seki:

> "No employee of mine is going to sell themselves short. Not when I believe in them." Remilia boasts. "Your destiny isn't that insignificant."
> "Lady Patchouli would probably have made fun of you saying something like that."
> You can see someone flying towards here. Though they don't have wings.
> Ah, it's Reimu. With Marisa... being carried by her. Though there's also more following behind. A few winged.

Ami:

> There's a couple shelves in the way, but one is knocked down.
> It looks like a fight broke out, but Aya must've stopped it. You don't see Megumu around, however.
>_

[Kilgamayan]

Aya:

> "Hey, wait. Is it specifically your possession of Kosuzu that's exhausting her? Because if you need at least a temporary body, you can probably borrow this."
> Pull out the Banki head we have stored and show it off.

Seki:

> "Your confidence is appreciated, Milady, bu-"
> Go wide-eyed.
> "HEY!!"
> Rush into the store!

Ami:

> Oop, we probably shouldn't interfere with whatever this is about to be...
> Saunter on over to the cart where those others are, out of lack of better options.

[Neovereign]

Aya:

> "Hey, wait. Is it specifically your possession of Kosuzu that's exhausting her? Because if you need at least a temporary body, you can probably borrow this."
> Pull out the Banki head we have stored and show it off.

Seki:

> "Your confidence is appreciated, Milady, bu-"
> Go wide-eyed.
> "HEY!!"
> Rush into the store!

Ami:

> Oop, we probably shouldn't interfere with whatever this is about to be...
> Saunter on over to the cart where those others are, out of lack of better options.

Aya:

> You show off the bodyless head.
> "Unless they can draw out the powers of a book well, then it might end up much worse than Kosuzu's situation. Even if it were someone like you, or that other Tengu, or that ace of spades shrine maiden."
> Kosuzu seems to snap back to reality, her posture and voice noticeably changing again.
> "D-Don't use my mouth to say something like that about Reimu."

Seki:

> You dart off for the store, vaulting over the fallen bookshelf.

Ami:

> You head over to the cart, almost getting knocked over by the driver suddenly rushing off.
>_

[Kilgamayan]

Aya:

> Look to Banki.
> "Hey, how are you with books?"

Seki:

> "Wh-! Don't just give my head away for other people to possess!"
> Look to whoever just mentioned the shrine maiden.
> "By the way, it looks like Reimu's coming. Just so you know."

Aya:

> "Ah..."
> Look to whoever's in charge of Kosuzu's body at the moment.
> "I'll keep her calm. We can continue working on this in the meantime. Alice, do you have a doll you can lend to this person? Or maybe Patchouli, you wouldn't happen to have another familiar in your back pocket, would you?"

---

Ami:

> Take a moment to steady ourselves after getting nearly run over.
> Then look up at whomever's in the cart.
> "Um, hello again...what's, uh...what's going on in that shop?"

[Neovereign]

Aya:

> Look to Banki.
> "Hey, how are you with books?"

Seki:

> "Wh-! Don't just give my head away for other people to possess!"
> Look to whoever just mentioned the shrine maiden.
> "By the way, it looks like Reimu's coming. Just so you know."

Aya:

> "Ah..."
> Look to whoever's in charge of Kosuzu's body at the moment.
> "I'll keep her calm. We can continue working on this in the meantime. Alice, do you have a doll you can lend to this person? Or maybe Patchouli, you wouldn't happen to have another familiar in your back pocket, would you?"

---

Ami:

> Take a moment to steady ourselves after getting nearly run over.
> Then look up at whomever's in the cart.
> "Um, hello again...what's, uh...what's going on in that shop?"

Aya:

> Kosuzu seems to be back in the hot seat, you believe.
> "What for?" Alice questions, creating a small doll on the spot...
> "If she asks for me, tell her I'm still asleep!" Kosuzu starts for a side of the library.

Ami:

> You peek in.
> "Something Patchouli has taken care of, I'm sure." Remilia speaks.
>_

[Kilgamayan]

Aya:

> To Alice: "To give that person a body to possess."
> Trot off behind Kosuzu.
> "That may not work with how your front room looks like a war zone right now."

---

Ami:

> "I see...do you know where Lady Iizunamaru went? Tall karasu daitengu with lots of blue and black, carries a tripod with her? I thought she was still in there, but I don't see her."

[Neovereign]

Aya:

> To Alice: "To give that person a body to possess."
> Trot off behind Kosuzu.
> "That may not work with how your front room looks like a war zone right now."

---

Ami:

> "I see...do you know where Lady Iizunamaru went? Tall karasu daitengu with lots of blue and black, carries a tripod with her? I thought she was still in there, but I don't see her."

Aya:

> Alice looks down at the doll, then back up at you.
> "Trust me, it will." Kosuzu says, heading to a shelf and sitting down.
> Her appearance changes to the smaller one from before, as she sets the book in her hands up, like she's reading it. Loosely held.

Ami:

> "I didn't see anyone like that pass by out here." The mermaid speaks.
>_

[Kilgamayan]

Aya:

> "Aww, why not keep the new look? It suits you really well."
> Make for a fallen-over bookshelf and trying lifting it back upright.

---

Ami:

> Nod.
> "That must mean she's inside somewhere...thank you for telling me this."
> ...
> ...Based on what we did with Aya earlier...do we think we could get that mermaid down? Or is her tail too wide? (Don't stare.)

[Neovereign]

Aya:

> "Aww, why not keep the new look? It suits you really well."
> Make for a fallen-over bookshelf and trying lifting it back upright.

---

Ami:

> Nod.
> "That must mean she's inside somewhere...thank you for telling me this."
> ...
> ...Based on what we did with Aya earlier...do we think we could get that mermaid down? Or is her tail too wide? (Don't stare.)

Aya:

> "That'd get her suspicious."
> You start to lift one of the bookshelves back up. A few more books spill out, naturally...

Ami:

> "No problem."
> Maybe the end, but the rest of the tail looks like too much. Too large.
>_

[Kilgamayan]

Aya:

> Store the Banki head we have once again.
> "If you're supposed to be sleeping, she's not going to see you anyway, right?"
> Once we get the bookshelf upright, place the books that fell out on top of the shelf.

Seki:

> Look to Patchouli.
> "Do you think you have this situation covered, Lady Patchouli?"

Ami:

> "Oh, Miss Aya...I should probably help her with that. Hopefully she's not the one that made that mess."
> Head inside the shop.

[Neovereign]

Aya:

> Store the Banki head we have once again.
> "If you're supposed to be sleeping, she's not going to see you anyway, right?"
> Once we get the bookshelf upright, place the books that fell out on top of the shelf.

Seki:

> Look to Patchouli.
> "Do you think you have this situation covered, Lady Patchouli?"

Ami:

> "Oh, Miss Aya...I should probably help her with that. Hopefully she's not the one that made that mess."
> Head inside the shop.

Aya:

> "She might look for me. If I hide instead, that'll only make things more suspicious. Especially with that place back there hanging out here." Kosuzu explains.

Seki:

> "It seems to be wrapping up." Patchouli answers.

Ami:

> You head into the store.
>_

[Kilgamayan]

Aya:

> Sigh.
> "Very well, as you wish."
> Look to who just entered.
> "...Ami? Why are you here?"

Ami:

> "Things were taking a while, so...do you need any help?"

Aya:

> "...Sure, yeah. Let's get this place cleaned up as best we can."

Tengu:

> Continue working on getting bookshelves upright again, with loose and fallen books placed on top as needed.

---

Seki:

> "Alright. I'll return to Milady, then."
> Exit the store and go back to our cart.

[Neovereign]

Aya:

> Sigh.
> "Very well, as you wish."
> Look to who just entered.
> "...Ami? Why are you here?"

Ami:

> "Things were taking a while, so...do you need any help?"

Aya:

> "...Sure, yeah. Let's get this place cleaned up as best we can."

Tengu:

> Continue working on getting bookshelves upright again, with loose and fallen books placed on top as needed.

---

Seki:

> "Alright. I'll return to Milady, then."
> Exit the store and go back to our cart.

Aya:

> "You can leave things messed up if you want. Reimu will likely think that I just got caught up in reading a lot."
> You start to fix the place up, with Alice deploying dolls to return some of the books too.

Seki:

> You return to your carriage, sporting Reimu and most of the group from the lake walking towards you.
> "Some of you already stand out. You'd cause panic if you just flew in." Reimu speaks.
> "Even if it's just a fairy?"
> "You're anything but just a fairy. Some of them might think some god has come to make them repent."
> "..."
> "Don't get any funny ideas."
> "Sure, sure..."
> "And they won't be frightened by an actual god?"
> "...Just don't go causing trouble."
>_

[Kilgamayan]

Aya:

> Glance outside to take note of Reimu, then return to our tidying.
> Wind whisper to Kosuzu: "Consider this free labor for your folks after I caused their daughter and her friend so much distress. Reimu's here, so act accordingly."
> If we can from inside the building, try wind whispering into Reimu's ear: "Hey there, cutie~"

Seki:

> Slowly reposition ourselves to be closer to our GYN friends, for solidarity.

[Neovereign]

Aya:

> Glance outside to take note of Reimu, then return to our tidying.
> Wind whisper to Kosuzu: "Consider this free labor for your folks after I caused their daughter and her friend so much distress. Reimu's here, so act accordingly."
> If we can from inside the building, try wind whispering into Reimu's ear: "Hey there, cutie~"

Seki:

> Slowly reposition ourselves to be closer to our GYN friends, for solidarity.

Aya:

> You don't see her yet, but you can feel a group on the way, near the store.

Seki:

> You head into the carriage instead of the driver's seat

Aya:

> After a few moments, said group enters the store. Though you Tengu are quick, and the dolls have helped make sure nothing else is floored.
> "Oh, I see it." Marisa points. "That looks like it."
> "Where's Kosuzu?" Reimu asks, as if that were her only concern.
>_

[Kilgamayan]

Aya:

> Take a slightly quieter tone of voice (but still audible enough for Reimu to hear): "Still sleeping, last I checked."
> Glance at what Marisa is pointing at.