In Defiance Of Transience (Tenshi Quest)

[degradingwindow]

>  Do we know of any techniques involving the weather that can amplify our voice so everyone can hear us announce our arrival?

> Is there a Temperament that can summon lightning without necessitating rain that we can use?

> Arrange some keystones in a staircase-like manner that leads to the front of the Shining Needle Castle so that we may descend in a majestic manner.

[WitheringFlowerCrown]

>  Do we know of any techniques involving the weather that can amplify our voice so everyone can hear us announce our arrival?

>Not any that can directly amplify your voice. You can cause the air around you to be stagnant so nothing could disturb your voice's travel but other than that, nothing.

> Is there a Temperament that can summon lightning without necessitating rain that we can use?

>...Yes.
>Usually fairies, being embodiments of nature, have extremely localized weather phenomenon as Temperaments. You would have to find a fairy related to lighning somehow.

> Arrange some keystones in a staircase-like manner that leads to the front of the Shining Needle Castle so that we may descend in a majestic manner.

>You summon multiple small Keystones, the clouds make a convenient cover, leading down to the "Front" of the Shining Needle Castle. This is both easy and confusing because the castle is upside-down and the entrance is at the height most buildings would have their roof.
>_?

[degradingwindow]

> I guess we will have to resort to just  announcing ourselves as loud as possible with our voice.

> Descend from the keystone staircase and brandish our sword as we do.

> Stop descending the staircase once we're at a distance that anyone could hear us wherever they're in or outside the castle.

>  Take a deep breath and announce out loud in our loudest voice:
 "The Celestial of The Aurora, The Girl of the Sphere of Neither Perception or Non-Perception, the Young Mistress of Bhavaagra, Hinanai Tenshi has arrived!"

> Strike the coolest pose that we know.

[WitheringFlowerCrown]

> I guess we will have to resort to just  announcing ourselves as loud as possible with our voice.

> Descend from the keystone staircase and brandish our sword as we do.

> Stop descending the staircase once we're at a distance that anyone could hear us wherever they're in or outside the castle.

>  Take a deep breath and announce out loud in our loudest voice:
 "The Celestial of The Aurora, The Girl of the Sphere of Neither Perception or Non-Perception, the Young Mistress of Bhavaagra, Hinanai Tenshi has arrived!"

> Strike the coolest pose that we know.

>You walk down slowly, feeling some sort of instinctual stage performance well up inside you, before letting out a truly epic (in your opinion) announcement of your arrival and epithets. While striking the most awe-inspiring pose with the Sword of Hisou you know.

>Raising your Sword of Hisou into the air, it lets out a bright scarlet glare. Visible to all who look in your direction, a show of beauty in raw strength.
>Shion and Shinmyoumaru seemed to have noticed the adverse weather, your announcement, and scarlet light that threatens to sear the skies. They look up towards you with... Wonder.
>Ah yes, the adoration, the wonder, the looks of awe on their faces! Now this is a great cure for boredom... and other negative feelings within you.
>Now all eyes of your beloved comrades are on you. What do you do?
>_?

[degradingwindow]

> With our sword high in the air, slash it downwards to part open the clouds and reveal the keystone bowls.
> Levitate them towards Shinmyoumaru and Shion.

> "These are for you, fine ladies".

[WitheringFlowerCrown]

> With our sword high in the air, slash it downwards to part open the clouds and reveal the keystone bowls.
> Levitate them towards Shinmyoumaru and Shion.

> "These are for you, fine ladies".

>With one quick downward slash, the clouds part to reveal a sunny sky. And enough peaches to make any celestial satiated (and sick).

>You direct them to your friends and they readily partake in them.
>Shinmyoumaru has some praise to give and seems elated"I have to say, this is some impressive presentation. You didn't even need to destroy my window this time! Good on you!"
>Shion is also relieved she kept this a surprise. "Well, now I see why this needed some preparation. A good show!"

>After gathering some of the bowls and... Sitting in one of them (this girl, you swear...), she you looks up towards you. "Hey, Tenshi, you want to get your gift and talk out here or in the Castle?!"
>_?

[degradingwindow]

> Puff out our chest in pride, "I'm glad my entrance was well received, let us go inside"
> Head inside the castle with all our peach bowls.

[Branneg Xy]

>Iku pauses for a moment before replying "...Awfully formal today."
>"I'm still going to take this rare piece of politeness from you even if you are acting. I just want you to know that I am worried about you and that you should be cautious while down there. My atmosphere reading isn't always accurate but the air feels heavy, like conflict is just waiting to happen."
>She seems genuinely worried about you. That makes it slightly harder to act duplicitous towards her.
>Slightly.
>"I understand if you have matters to attend to. You are probably going to meet your friends or try more Earth Cuisine. I will not keep you here any longer, just try to stay safe. If not for your or my sake, then for the sake of your Earth-Dwelling friends."
>With that, she walks away from you and towards your family's house. You briefly wonder what reason she was here over than to warn or chastise you. But then you remember that your entire family are black sheep to Celestials, you just happen to be the darkest.

>You did hide the Keystones from her sight, but it seemed unnecessary. She appears to be far too on edge to be suspicious of you specifically.
>As for Strange Rain... You'll keep an out for it.
>_?

> Puff out our chest in pride, "I'm glad my entrance was well received, let us go inside"
> Head inside the castle with all our peach bowls.

> When the gift is received complement not only with thanks but with another  gift of our own,which is...

> relaying to them Iku's warning not only because she allowed us to go without interference but also because she was worried and on edge .

[WitheringFlowerCrown]

> Puff out our chest in pride, "I'm glad my entrance was well received, let us go inside"
> Head inside the castle with all our peach bowls.

>You head inside with all of your peaches
>The Shining Needle Castle looks beautiful, but also very confusing. The place looks to be made with traditional Japanese decor but all of it is upside-down. Even the doors, thank goodness most of them are screen doors.
>You briefly wonder where you're going to put all of these peaches but multiple Inchlings appear along with Shinmyoumaru and take most of them off your hands. Is it just you or do they look bigger than normal?

>Shinmyoumaru comes back with two objects: a pink rose and... A Sculpture? No way.

> When the gift is received complement not only with thanks but with another  gift of our own,which is...

> relaying to them Iku's warning not only because she allowed us to go without interference but also because she was worried and on edge .

>You tell them what your nanny warned you about.
>Shinmyoumaru perks her head up in deliberation. "I'm not sure what that could be, not many people would bother coming after people like us."
>Shion chuckles nervously before speaking. "You do remember that we are all past Incident Causers, or at least key parts of an incident, right?"
>"Yeah, but that was in the past. I doubt grudges in Gensokyo can last so long, especially since multiple Incidents have happened after ours."
>Shinmyoumaru's tone changes to a cheery one. "But enough doom and gloom take a look at these gifts, I made them with my own hands! I didn't even need help from the other Inchlings."
>She made the sculpture by herself?!
>_?
#Sorry for being later than usual. For some reason, proper sleep has eluded me and I've been exhausted for a week. Also my laptop is malfunctioning so I have to type this on my phone.

[degradingwindow]

> Take a closer look at the sculpture and assess its quality.
> Look at the Inchlings again and compare their current size with our mental image of how they normally look like just so we're sure this isn't just our mind playing tricks on us.

//No worries, take your time, getting back into a healthy sleeping schedule can be a real mess sometimes.

[WitheringFlowerCrown]

> Take a closer look at the sculpture and assess its quality.

>It is a stone sculpture in the shape of your Sword of Hisou. The fact that the tsurugi is made of stone makes it seem purely ceremonial but looking more closely shows that the edge has been sharpened finely. The Shimenawa rope that usually covers your keystones is used as the material for the grip. An interesting gift, of very good make. You are not extremely sure on this because you admittedly are not a competent swordswoman but you know from experience how hard it is to get a good edge out of stone. Let alone the Black Granite of your Keystones.

> Look at the Inchlings again and compare their current size with our mental image of how they normally look like just so we're sure this isn't just our mind playing tricks on us.

>You look at the Inchlings again, and yep, they're bigger than usual. as far as you know, the Inchlings are regularly the size of.. an inch. But these ones look more like midgets, or humans with Dwarfism.

>While you were looking at the height-challenged people, Shinmyoumaru and Shion exchange their gifts.
>It turns out they were very similar. Foliage.

>"Huh, so why give me a pink rose?" Interesting question from Shion, the goddess who gave her best friend a bouquet of flowers.
> Shinmyoumaru puffs out her chest in pride. Are you rubbing off on her? "This is no ordinary rose, look closer!"
>Both you and Shion examine the rose and you finally piece it together: It's a Heavenly Peach carved into the form of a Rose.
>"This rose is a representation of our friendship: Grown with heavenly influence, made with mortal wills, and it will never wilt or go rotten!" That last statement is true--at least for the Peach Rose-- they really do never go rotten or wilt, the only thing that cause that is-
>Shion interrupts your thoughts. "Is it not wilting and spoiling right now?"
>What?

>You look closer at the Peach Rose and see a grey and black colouration going throughout it. It looks like mold.
>The only thing that could cause this are... Shinigami.
>They chose the worst time to come for you. Could they have waited after the meeting at least?
>This is not a good situation, you need to fend off those Shinigami soon, but what to do with your friends?
>_?

[degradingwindow]

> "I'm sorry Shinmyoumaru but it looks like we'll have to postpone our meeting just a little bit. It seems that the Shinigami are out for my lifespan again."

> Take a peak through a window, how many Shinigami are there outside?

> What strategies have we used in the past to fend them off? Do they have any particular weakness that we know of?

[WitheringFlowerCrown]

> "I'm sorry Shinmyoumaru but it looks like we'll have to postpone our meeting just a little bit. It seems that the Shinigami are out for my lifespan again."

>The room is filled with an uncomfortable silence when you mention your impending date with death.
>Shion is the first to start speaking, and what she asks surprises you for the courage it shows, although her voice slightly wavers. "C-could we help you protect your lifespan this time?"
>Shinmyoumaru also chimes in, climbing on the table and waving her Needle-sword in the air in a show of bravery. "We can at least try!"
>Well, they can try but you doubt they would be willing to potentially paint a target on their back.
>But first, to scope the area...

> Take a peak through a window, how many Shinigami are there outside?

> What strategies have we used in the past to fend them off? Do they have any particular weakness that we know of?

>You look out of the window and immediately see three Shinigami right outside, not even trying to hide.
>Unlike Komachi, these ones wear a pure monochrome kimono and their scythes are shorter, less wavy.
>Usually Shinigami have some ability of manipulating distance, though that may just be Komachi. One thing you can absolutely guarantee is that they manipulate local and wayward spirits in their assaults.
>Getting close to them and forcing a one-on-one fight with no gimmicks is the best situation you can get into. It's also the most enjoyable for you but that's neither here nor there.
>After that, it's mainly a game of destroying all possible means they could have of subduing you, their weapons, blocking their Qi/Spirit and therefore their abilities and other similar debilitating effects are good. They usually retreat when they realise they have no chance of victory anymore.
>_?

[degradingwindow]

> "Shion, Shinmyoumaru, listen to me. The Shinigami only want me so what I will do is draw them out to distract them and then you two will strike from behind. It may not seem customary for a celestial such as myself having to resort to such cowardly tactics but they were to ones who brought 3 people to take out only 1 in the first place so all I'm doing is evening out the numbers."

> "Their scythes are deadly up close and they could also possibly manipulate distance so preferably hit them with your danmaku. Shinmyoumaru, if there are any combat-capable Inchlings, bring them with you for support."

> "Be aware that by helping me out... you're risking becoming targets of the Shinigami as well. So if you're not willing to take the risk, you can stay here, no hard feelings."

> How fast do the Shinigami usually fly compared to us?

[WitheringFlowerCrown]

> "Shion, Shinmyoumaru, listen to me. The Shinigami only want me so what I will do is draw them out to distract them and then you two will strike from behind. It may not seem customary for a celestial such as myself having to resort to such cowardly tactics but they were to ones who brought 3 people to take out only 1 in the first place so all I'm doing is evening out the numbers."

> "Their scythes are deadly up close and they could also possibly manipulate distance so preferably hit them with your danmaku. Shinmyoumaru, if there are any combat-capable Inchlings, bring them with you for support."

>"Alright, sneak attack." Shinmyoumaru follows.
>Shion notes how unfair this would be, for you, that is. "Did they really need to bring three Shinigami to take in one soul? It seems unfair and inefficient."
>Shinmyoumaru walks out of the meeting room and through a door... that's upside-down (you will never get used to this).
>"I'll be asking for volunteers. Some of the Inchlings do have thoughts of heroism and maybe this will appease them.

> "Be aware that by helping me out... you're risking becoming targets of the Shinigami as well. So if you're not willing to take the risk, you can stay here, no hard feelings."

>Shion gets closer to and hugs you. "First, I'm a goddess, not a good one but one that can take care of myself. Second, we are friends and your friendship is worth a lot to me, if you were killed then I wouldn't know what to do with myself."
>Shion then lets go of you and gives you a smirk. "Besides, this is an unfortunate situation, it's either as an unfortunate person you are under my domain and I need to protect you, or I'm going to be in my element." You know for a fact that its impossible for you to be very unlucky, that's what a part of your relationship with Shion hinges on, but it's good that she's attempting to make humour of the grim situation despite her usually gloomy personality.

> How fast do the Shinigami usually fly compared to us?

>They fly at roughly the same speed as you, Distance Manipulation notwithstanding. If you ever need to make distance and make it hard for them to close then you put Keystone Pillars and other wide, blocking danmaku between them and you. Despite Spellcard Rules not being applicable you have to admit that your duelling strategies still come in handy.
>_?

[degradingwindow]

> "You have nothing to worry about. Never assume that a celestial such as myself would ever lose to some mere Shinigami. If I were to go out, I would be fighting the Yama herself!"

> "I'll be going now, once the Shinigami have their backs turned towards you, strike with all your force."

> Head out from the back of the castle without letting the Shinigami see us.
> Once we're a fair distance away, perform our flashiest danmaku to get their attention.

[WitheringFlowerCrown]

> "You have nothing to worry about. Never assume that a celestial such as myself would ever lose to some mere Shinigami. If I were to go out, I would be fighting the Yama herself!"

> "I'll be going now, once the Shinigami have their backs turned towards you, strike with all your force."

>Shion gives you a thumbs up while you leave.

> Head out from the back of the castle without letting the Shinigami see us.
> Once we're a fair distance away, perform our flashiest danmaku to get their attention.

>You head out from the back? Front? Uh, least commonly walked route out of the Shining Needle Castle.
>Hiding yourself in low-altitude, you see your personal reapers waiting to get the jump on you. If only they knew.
>You summon multiple keystone to act as containers for Scarlet Energy, focus on gathering power to your Sword of Hisou, and let out a barrage of energy so dense that some would mistake it for a laser.
>It definitely gets their attention.

>"Hey, Ichiko, when do you think this Celestial is going to be done with her date?" The Redhaired one asks.
>"It's not a date." Ichiko replies.
>"Are you sure? The looks and the talk they had with each other sounded... Intimate."
>Ichiko shakes her head full of white hair in exasperation. "It doesn't matter if it is or is not, the celestial dies today along with any hope of love."
>The third one, silent until now, speaks excitedly. "Amaryllis, Ichiko! I think I see a ruby shining down there!"
>"Rubies don't naturally glow, it requires light to hit them."
>"Well I still see it. Hmm, it's getting brighter. And closer... Guysit'saredlaserbeamwatchout!"
>"Huh-" You honestly were not aiming for a direct hit.
>"Ichiko, call the Kishin Chief!"
>"I'm already on it." She sends a lone spirit into the air at high speeds

>Well, now they're definitely on high alert, and coming to your position because that dense barrage was very bright and eye-catching.
>_?

[degradingwindow]

> "HAHAHAHAHA, Come at me with all your force!"
> Move back as they get closer and throw whatever wide danmaku and keystones we have to ward them and their bullets off.


> Be on the lookout for when Shion and Shinmyoumaru arrive.
> Do we personally recognize any of the Shinigami that are attacking us from previous encounters?

[Tom]

> Strike the rising spirit with a quick laser!  Can't let them chicken out of this fight by calling reinforcements!  Use a homing laser if needed, it cannot get away.
> Today they shall learn not bite off more than they can chew!

[WitheringFlowerCrown]

> "HAHAHAHAHA, Come at me with all your force!"
> Move back as they get closer and throw whatever wide danmaku and keystones we have to ward them and their bullets off.

>The Shinigami who spotted your first assault approaches. Long, flowing, blonde hair flaring due to the speeds.
>You hinder her movement by summoning large Pillars of Divine Punishment to cover the landscape, then follow up with Beams of Non-Perception. She navigates the impromptu maze of Keystones put before her, with reaction speeds and quick thinking befitting a denizen of the Spellcard-Using Gensokyo, but the beams almost snipe her through the maze when suddenly the distance between you, her, the pillars, and the beams E x p a n d s . This gives the Shinigami enough space to speed through all obstacles but you summon a keystone from under yourself and use the momentum to perform a backflip, creating even more space between you and her. Before she attempts to close it you trap her in a cage of Kaname Funnels. She should be too busy dodging now to focus on a chase.

> Be on the lookout for when Shion and Shinmyoumaru arrive.
> Do we personally recognize any of the Shinigami that are attacking us from previous encounters?

>They haven't arrived just yet. A bit more stalling should do it.
>No, you don't. You recognise some of the tactics however, out of all of them the Blonde one is the most similar to Komachi.
>In fact... Komachi once told you that a coworker changed positions from a Ferryman to a Reaper. Could this be her?
>But before pondering that, you have something else to do...

> Strike the rising spirit with a quick laser!  Can't let them chicken out of this fight by calling reinforcements!  Use a homing laser if needed, it cannot get away.

>You brandish your Sword of Hisou and utilise its shape-shifting ability to project it outwards, towards the sky, piercing the spirit and exposing its Qi. A perfect snipe.
>"What?! Is everyone in Gensokyo who does Spellcard duels this good at aiming?! Maybe I should listen to Lavana and start practicing."
>Ichiko shouts towards her friend, most likely named Lavana. "The plan's changed! The Celestial brat destroyed the spirit completely, damn Sword of Hisou-"
As she condemns your weapon of choice, the sky becomes dark and rain falls in a Sprinkle. It seems that Spirit was a bit special.

"Tenshi's Note about the weather's effect on the world.":

>You realised a long time ago that the weather that your Sword of Hisou causes does not just have normal effects. It seems to affect people's abilities, in combat, movement, or defence. This affects everyone, even your potential enemies. However, you can disrupt any advantages they get by directly striking them with your Sword of Hisou, sealing their Qi.
This also seals any abilities they have tied to their Spirit, which for most Gensokyo residents is all of them.

> Today they shall learn not bite off more than they can chew!

>Indeed they shall.
>Now you just need to hold out. For Shion and Shinmyoumaru.

[ Attachment: You are not allowed to view attachments ] Weather: Sprinkle
Effect: All inherent abilities that come from the user's Spirit are enhanced to their maximum potential.

>_?

[degradingwindow]

> This Sprinkle should come in handy. If they're too focused on trying to dodge our bullets, they will never even GET the opportunity to use their enhanced attacks.

> What are the current positions of the Shinigamis that call themselves Ichiko and Amaryllis?
> Snipe them from afar, we shall not let them run(fly) away.

[WitheringFlowerCrown]

> This Sprinkle should come in handy. If they're too focused on trying to dodge our bullets, they will never even GET the opportunity to use their enhanced attacks.

> What are the current positions of the Shinigamis that call themselves Ichiko and Amaryllis?

>Amaryllis, the redhaired one, is probably lying face first in the dirt nearby. She got directly hit by what was just supposed to be a flashy attention-grabber, quite unfortunate.
>Ichiko, the white-haired one, is in the sky and approaching you after you thwarted her attempt at calling reinforcements. She looks mad.

> Snipe them from afar, we shall not let them run(fly) away.

>You summon an array of Keystones, gather some of the nearby Qi you can sense, and fire a swarm of lasers directly at Ichiko.
>She dodges the first few, clumsily compared to her comrade, but the rest are a direct hit, she slows and descends to the ground. Most likely to hide.

>You feel a spatial distention and look to where your instinct leads.
>The Blonde one, Lavana most likely, gains enough time to E x p a n d space.
>"Alright, emergency exit time. Hell 'Expiation through Naraka'!" With that, the cage of Kaname Funnels becomes more of a corridor that she can stride through as the distance between attacks widen to the point of uselessness.

>Did she just declare the name of her technique like this is a Spellcard Duel?
>Regardless, you now only have one threat to deal with in the meaningful future.
>_?

[degradingwindow]

> Everything is going smoother than expected, if something goes wrong, we still have Shion and Shinmyoumaru to help us out.
> "Fufufu, you have done well to stop my cage of Kaname Funnels.... But you'll need more than that to stop me"

> Assume a defensive stance
> "Come at me with your scythe, let us fight one on one like real women."

[Tom]

> Leave a somewhat obvious opening in our defensive stance, as if inviting Ichiko to strike there  ...only we'll be expecting it, and ready to parry with the sword of Hisou!
> If our little bait & parry gambit is successful go for a direct blow with the sword of Hisou!

[WitheringFlowerCrown]

> Everything is going smoother than expected, if something goes wrong, we still have Shion and Shinmyoumaru to help us out.
> "Fufufu, you have done well to stop my cage of Kaname Funnels.... But you'll need more than that to stop me"

> Assume a defensive stance
> "Come at me with your scythe, let us fight one on one like real women."

> Leave a somewhat obvious opening in our defensive stance, as if inviting Ichiko to strike there  ...only we'll be expecting it, and ready to parry with the sword of Hisou!
> If our little bait & parry gambit is successful go for a direct blow with the sword of Hisou!

>You taunt the Shinigami, Lavana, to a more physical kind combat. A brief look of surprise lights up her face, but then it quickly shifts into a sinister grin.
>"So, you're the kind of girl that likes a good fight. A challenge, huh?" Well, she read you like a book.
>"Good, let's go!"

>You shift into a faux defensive stance, The Gardener of Hagukoroku would've recognised it as "Gendo no Kamae" but you have no formal training, and you expected Lavana to approach you. But instead she just raises her hand to you-
>And you're right next to her. She attempts to trip you with a sweep of her scythe but you react fast and stomp the blade of her scythe into the ground before going for a direct blow. Your swing completely whiffs as if the distance between the Sword of Hisou and her body were impossible to close.
>Lavana then retreats from close-range while using Distance Manipulation to make her scythe follow her.
>Lavana's grin is less sinister and more a look of elation and joy. It strangely reminds you of yourself when you enjoy something. "I wasn't expecting my first fight against a Celestial to be this tricky! Maybe the transfer wasn't such a bad idea!"
>Lavana's monologue is cut off by her comrade Ichiko, scuffed and damaged, walking out from the nearby foliage.
>"Lavana! We need to retreat! Amaryllis is down and-" The White-haired Shinigami is then hit by a large purple ball of what you can assume is Misfortune from Shion. Looks like one half of your back-up is here.
>Lavana makes a smirk before facing to you again. "Huh, was that your girlfriend?" You know she's saying that as a joke but you wonder what is wrong with these Shinigami. Making light of a relationship that you would be eternally separated from if they succeeded.
>_?

[degradingwindow]

> "Your taunts won't work on me foolish Shinigami. Although I have to admit, I admire your resilience in combat"
> 'But sadly, you had already lost ever since you showed up at the Shining Needle Castle."
>  Close the distance between us and Lavana and continue our offense. Prioritize trying to seal her spirit with our sword and see if that stops her distance manipulation ability.
> If she tries to separate her distance with us, use the sword's shape shifting ability that we used before to hone in on her.

> Once we see Shion, tell her to apprehend the Shinigami she just shot down and the other one that should be nearby.

[WitheringFlowerCrown]

> "Your taunts won't work on me foolish Shinigami. Although I have to admit, I admire your resilience in combat"
> 'But sadly, you had already lost ever since you showed up at the Shining Needle Castle."
>  Close the distance between us and Lavana and continue our offense. Prioritize trying to seal her spirit with our sword and see if that stops her distance manipulation ability.
> If she tries to separate her distance with us, use the sword's shape shifting ability that we used before to hone in on her.

>"Well, I see being overconfident in victory is still a staple of Celestials.

>You lunge towards her and move your sword in a wild swing, you aim past her body and skin, through her flesh and bones, right to the core of her Spirit and Qi. The raindrops soak through your clothes and skin, feeding the sapling that is your Spirit and the Sword of Hisou feels like an extension of your body.
>Lavana lurches back and you can feel the spatial distention separating your blade arm and her Spirit, but you push more of your will forward, until you feel like it could cross any gap that she could put between you and her! Until-
>You gash her Spirit, and then imprint a seal upon it. May her Spirit remain dormant.
>Lavana face contorts in pain as she drops her scythe and clutches at her chest, as if something is constricting her heart.
>"...That Sword really is dangerous. It's not good for it to be in your hands." She speaks as if the act is labourious. "Regardless, I can't take you in like this" Her arm raises, trying to drag you in by damnable distance erasing power. But she can't.
>"Well, I yield. You get to keep your lifespan this time, Celestial." She just gives up? It's good, because now you can go back with Shion and Shinmyoumaru safely, but you feel disappointed by how easy this fight was and how easy she gave up. You don't even have a scratch on you!

> Once we see Shion, tell her to apprehend the Shinigami she just shot down and the other one that should be nearby.

>You wait for a moment, the only companions being the rain and this cowardly Shinigami, until you see an incredibly disastrious aura approaching you.
>"Tenshi!" Shion runs towards you- and trips (how unfortunate). But you catch her.
>"Oh, uh, sorry about the whole 'Aura' thing. It's my Misfortune spilling out, ever since it started raining it's been like this. Very convenient for dealing with certain guests however." She gives a hateful glare towards Lavana.
>"The Shinigami? The Red-haired one is already tied up, the Inchlings and Shinmyoumaru dealt with her." Lavana snickers at that, the image of a Shinigami being defeated by a group of Inchlings is rich in entertainment value. "And that other one is tripping over her own shoes trying to get up. I might have overdone it with the Poverty Bomb..."
>_?

[degradingwindow]

> "You did well Shion, sorry about your enhanced aura, that's just an effect of my sword's power. So for now..."
> Lean closer to her
> "Just stick by me and you'll be safe from any unfortunate incidents.

> How long does the spirit sealing last for? Does it have a cooldown time?
> Confiscate the Shinigami's weapons and items, and if we can, seal their spirit as well.
> Head back to the Shining Needle Castle with the Shinigami in tow.

> What do the other celestials think of Shinigami, do they deal with them the same way we do? How much do we know of their hierarchy/system?
> Do there exist any conventions in Gensokyo on keeping war prisoners?

[WitheringFlowerCrown]

> "You did well Shion, sorry about your enhanced aura, that's just an effect of my sword's power. So for now..."
> Lean closer to her
> "Just stick by me and you'll be safe from any unfortunate incidents."

> How long does the spirit sealing last for? Does it have a cooldown time?
> Confiscate the Shinigami's weapons and items, and if we can, seal their spirit as well.
> Head back to the Shining Needle Castle with the Shinigami in tow.

>"Alright!"

>The longest you've seen the Spirit Seal last is 20 Minutes. It doesn't seem to have a cooldown time as far as you know.
>You look at Lavana and she looks at the floor, despondent in defeat. She seems to understand the situation.

>The first Shinigami after her is Ichiko, you are led to where she should be by Shion and she's somehow managed to get stuck in a tree.
>The Shinigami following behind you guffaws loudly. "Ichiko, how did this happen?!"
>"I was trying to fly away after getting hit. It was already hard enough getting off the floor and then this happened!"
>Ichiko's life isn't going to get any easier.
>Shion drags her down to the floor and you pierce her (gently, you promise) with the Sword of Hisou. You consider tying her up but she can't even walk straight without tripping and needs Shion's help.

>The next Shinigami is Amaryllis, according to the others. It's actually a bit difficult to find her until you all hear... Cheering?
>You walk to the origin of the sounds and see a redhaired Shinigami tied up with Inchlings surrounding her. But Shinmyoumaru and the Inchlings look massive compared to before. Like they're all the size of adult humans.
>"Behold! I, as the Inchling Princess, have bestowed the most glorious victory upon us! We have triumphed over Death itself! This will be the start of a legend containing all of our names!"
>All the Inchlings around her cheer in affirmation, raising their needles up in victory, though the needles are more like spears now with how large they are. They really are hungry for glory.
>The "Inchling Princess" (she never describes herself as such to you) notices you. "Ah, Tenshi. This Shinigami fell out of the sky while we were preparing our ambush and we decided to take care of her. She seemed intimadating but it was really easy to just shrink her scythe, then I bopped her on the head with this." She holds up the Sword-Shaped Keystone.
>You then Seal Amaryllis' Spirit and tell Shinmyoumaru to bring them into the Shining Needle Castle.

>And now you are back where you started, with you, Shion, and Shinmyoumaru sitting around a table with food. Except with some extra-large Inchlings watching over some very rude guests.
>Amaryllis speaks up in frustration. "So what's the deal now, Tenshi?"

> What do the other celestials think of Shinigami, do they deal with them the same way we do? How much do we know of their hierarchy/system?
> Do there exist any conventions in Gensokyo on keeping war prisoners?

>Celestials at best think of Shinigami as nuisances they have to fend away every so often, not unlike mosquitoes or bees or wasps. And at worst think of them as (Im)mortal enemies that are bad news wherever they are. You have a friend, or at least an acquaintance, that is a Shinigami so you err more to the former than the latter, but you hesitate to count yourself since you're almost always an outlier in terms of Celestial behaviour.
As far as you know about the Hiearchy of The Ministry of Right and Wrong, The Ten Kings are the Head of the organisation, but there are separate sectors for different parts of management of the Afterlife and Soul Processing such as determining lifespans or lesser Judges who preside over individual areas. Somebody would have ordered these Shinigami but it likely would not be directly from The Ten Kings or even Eiki Shiki, due to her delegating work from her already busy plate. The information you have regarding their Organisational structure is mostly from Komachi
>The Geneva Conventions don't exist in Gensokyo, but the Spellcard Rules do. Mock your opponent all you want after victory and if you're confused, just follow Reimu's example!
>_?

[Tom]

> Stare daggers at the Shinigami "Your team's been annihilated!  As per Gensokyo's conventions we get to tell you to never bother us again!"

> Let's try and turn them against their bosses, or at least sow the seeds of distrust!
> Smirk "I can only think of two reasons two out of shape Shinigami would dare challenge me of all Celestials:  Either you're slacking off and your boss made you find out the hard way, or you're new and your boss likes hazing new recruits!"
> Fold our arms in thought "Whatever the case, I'd question if they really have your best interests at heart..."