006 - Connecting Lines, Connecting Lives

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Connecting Lines, Connecting Lives New Imprints ▲ Comments The Ground Shakes
It begins unremarkably enough, with the light tremors of the ground so small they might easily go unnoticed, or else dismissed as the movement of some creature nearby. As time goes on, however, those little tremors begin to grow in both strength and duration, the length of time shortening between each one. To begin with only small, light, unsecured objects are rattled loose by the rumbling of the ground, but as the tremors grow in strength there is a growing danger of much larger things being moved.

The realm’s clear lack of understanding of how things work cannot be relied upon in such a situation. If the tremors have grown strong enough to throw all the books of Hammerhead to the ground and throw over all the clothes rails and capsule machines and furniture in the Academy, then what if they grow strong enough to move the heavy blanket of snow atop Mount Silver? What if they grow strong enough to damage the caverns within?

Then there is the question of how, or why, the realm has made the land shake. It must surely have picked up the idea of an earthquake from someone, right? An answer to the question is not immediately forthcoming, but should one stay low to the ground and listen, they might well hear the muffled, distorted sound of screaming.

Creature Chaos
As the rumbling and shaking continues, it is clear to see that the local wildlife has been disturbed, and they seem remarkably active. Critters can be seen running and flying to and fro, and any who go out to investigate may find themselves the center of attention. Brushboys may paint arrows on the ground in an effort to lead them somewhere, or bluurgobos might actively offer rides, or the flying cat-like creatures will excitedly circle someone before attempting to lead them somewhere. Going along with them will lead to one of two places:

1. The meaty, pulsating, cavernous tunnels of Mementos shudder and convulse in a way quite unlike before, and closer inspection will quickly reveal why. The flesh has been cut and torn, hacked apart, leaving gaping and bleeding wounds to spill over the subway tracks. Whichever critter has brought someone here excitedly gestures towards the wounds, and as it does a giant and painful shudder goes through the tunnels and shakes the earth. All those earthquakes… could this be the source?


2. The road to the Hammerlocke Citadel Ruins are as long as winding as ever, and precarious with the risk of an earthquake dislodging snow and rock from the mountainside. The animal that has taken the lead is on a mission, however, as unclear as that mission might be. On arriving, it turns its attention to a group of the spiky, bear-headed beasts that are lazing about as though the land is not currently shaking and quaking around them, and tries to draw their attention. Clearly, these bear heads are expected to do something, and they aren’t doing it.

First Words
Though the tremors have finally stopped, they have left a significant change to the World in their wake. Where the ground above was once flat and untouched, there now lay cracks and fissures that glow with a strange, but enchantingly warm light. There doesn’t seem to be a single area that has been left untouched by them - though the number of cracks are denser in some places than others, it’s difficult to find a place completely devoid of them. Could this be the world’s attempt at trying to heal itself?

If all of that wasn’t enough to warrant investigation, the sound of whispers that appear to be coming from they might do the trick. Upon closer inspection, however, it becomes apparent that the whispers aren’t coming from the lights, but from inside your own head. Focus a little more, and some of the voices may sound familiar…

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Comments

[bridge_princess]

Hmmmm... that's been... happening lately. I haven't been dreaming quite as much lately, and I don't eat as much either.

[She frowned a little, putting her chin on her hand, considering for a moment. Hmmm. It was definitely sounding familiar.]

This happened only when they come here on business? Has anyone come back to say something after your visits?

[kimihiros]

Business as of late entails just listening to people through their problems. It's mostly what I do when people visit, but nobody has told me anything about it.

(mizuhashi too? is there a connection?)

[bridge_princess]

... Ok. So. I think I know what I'm going to ask. I have an idea and I want to test it. You know how to perform blessings, right? Do you think you could offer me a blessing? In return for helping you out?

[She wasn't sure if she could tell, but she had been doing this a few times lately, so she suspected that she would know it if someone else did it. But he couldn't do that, right? He was human.]

[kimihiros]

... I could, but you know my powers are locked out, Mizuhashi.

(he's just looking at her like she's grown a second head.)

[bridge_princess]

Humor me, Kimihiro. I know your powers are locked up, just like mine. I'll explain in a minute, promise.

[Yep, she expected that look right there. Definitely expected that.]

[kimihiros]

(oh, this was going to be rather pathetic. it's with more intent that he picks up the pipe, taking a large inhale of it and using the smoke to draw his symbol, a crane, into the air. he focuses as if he was creating a seal around parsee -- protection of some sort. of course, it won't work as such.)

It's useless, isn't it?

[bridge_princess]

[That was the thing. That was so close to just what she was doing when she 'blessed' someone who prayed to her about problems they were having or worries for people they cared about that it really was kind of perfect. A protection seal just sent the energy flowing into her and she sighed softly.

Did she feel it directly? No. It wasn't that obvious but she'd had an idea. Finishing her tea, she set it down and looked down into the dregs that were left, frowning a bit. Holding it for him, she coughed once into her hand.]

Tell me. You know divination right? Is this a really good fortune?

[Because she knew just enough about tea leaf reading that it definitely was a good fortune, better than she should have]

[kimihiros]

(with both hands, kimihiro gently nodded his head towards the tea leaves, respectfully. it was divination, but not exactly the type that he did most often. trained eyes are sure to look at the shape of the leaves, distinctively a bird coming into his attention. of course it had to be his symbol.)

... It's a bird. In tasseography, it signifies good luck.

[bridge_princess]

And this is me we're talking about. I don't have good luck, Kimihiro. I'm kind of the opposite of a good luck charm usually. So... I think...

[She frowned. She was not going to be jealous of him... much. Ok, she was definitely jealous. He was almost certainly doing better at this than her, though it was a little reassuring, because it also meant that this really was kind of a generic thing.]

I can do what you just did when people pray at my shrine.

[kimihiros]

... What are you saying, Mizuhashi?

(nope, it still hasn't really hit. he doesn't really feel like he has done anything, there's no magic circle beneath them, spinning... nothing.)

[bridge_princess]

I'm not entirely sure, but it's something that seems to be tied up with me and Viridi being spirits. Pretty sure Melinoe could do it too while she was here. It's like a generic blessing. Someone puts their faith in us, and we start picking up energy and we share...

It had me scared as hell at first because I did it to Rinoa and Tifa, and I didn't want my powers turned on again, especially not with Rinoa.

[kimihiros]

... But Mizuhashi. I'm not a spirit.

[bridge_princess]

Yeah, that's confusing me too. You're not. You might have some spiritual qualities, from how much you interact with us, but you're human. But the thing is?

Viridi's an actual goddess. I'm just a youkai. I don't know that this place knows the difference. Sure, people worshiped me, but that was a "Please get that cheating bastard" sort of thing. You know how it is with us. I'm not like Amaterasu or anything but that idiot brat and Melinoe were.

So... is there anything about you that might get mistaken for spiritual?

[kimihiros]

(for a while, he listens, just overall confused and on the edge of a heart attack with how hard it's beating in his chest.)

I barely age and I'm a mage. I'm a space-time anomaly, but I don't-- I don't know. At first, I thought it was because I was out of the shop. I'm not only myself, there's another me. I'm a consequence of his decisions.

He can never stay in one place, and I can never leave. We decided upon this as a price, as well as an attempt to stabilize things.

(nevermind the fact that he doesn't know that he's powerful enough to do that by himself. he never got that far in that dream.)

And now you tell me that it may not be so. I don't know what to think.

[bridge_princess]

Wait, wait. Hold up a minute. You said you're a mage, right?

[She frowned and tapped her lips, squinting. Yeah, that worked. That tracked. That tracked perfectly in fact. She wondered if it applied to his world too.]

So, magic's ... a strange thing. I know four magic users in mine, each different. Reimu and Sanae are kind of similar. They're shrine maidens, and their power is purification and related to the divine. Sanae sort of cheats because she's got god blood in her veins, and Reimu's entirely a priestess. But both of them are completely human.

Marisa's a witch. She's a mage, but she always held back from too much power, and she stayed entirely human. But then there's Patchouli.

[She gestured at him.] Patchouli Knowledge runs the library at a magical mansion near hell. Insanely smart, hella old, terrible health. Head constantly in the clouds. She sorta, in the pursuit of magic, became more Mage and more Magic than she was human, and so she stuck around.

If you want to get technical? She's not really a youkai, not really. But she's also not a normal human like Marisa. She's a magician. A human that's also a magical being. I'm not saying that's what you are, but you might be both human and a bit more than human. I'm almost certain you're still human though.

[kimihiros]

(kimihiro listens, because that's what he does best, and also because while different, their world is similar enough that some of this makes sense, while the rest really doesn't. he has been to the yokai realm, and while it can be quite terrifying, he would hardly call it 'hell'.

either way, he takes a drag before retiring the pipe for the time being.)

I... Do you know Jorougumo? She said that as my power becomes stronger, I might cross the line and become one of you. When I was home, it rang true. I would heal quicker, I didn't need these.

(kimihiro just fixes the glasses on his face, as to punctuate his words.)

It was fine, back home. It was a decision that I made. Here, it's... Terrifying.

[bridge_princess]

[Well, it was 'hell' in the sense that, at one time the Yama used it as the place for spirits to go, until they ran out of room and the youkai inherited "Old Hell." But that was a weirdness singular to Gensokyo.]

Yea, I know of them. Not exactly pleasant to spend time around. [Mutter mutter] And yeah, that's sort of similar. A human with enough raw power sort of 'ascends' beyond what is normal for a human. It's a choice you make gaining more power I guess.

Why's it terrifying here? I mean, other than not knowing how it works here, which I would understand. I've been worried about disappearing since people've been trying to help me be something different.

[kimihiros]

(pretty hot, though.)

Both those things, Mizuhashi.

[bridge_princess]

On the disappearing act, I understand why you're worried but... I wouldn't. I don't think the Void even understands the concept and I am pretty sure it wants us around. Besides, we don't even know for sure that it actually is like that in our worlds. It's an old story. No more jealousy, no more me... but is it true? We never proved it.

And then there's Chikon. Youkai can be purified... and that isn't always death. [Shrug] I really don't think we can trust the superstitions to work right here.

But for not knowing for sure? No... I have no clue either. I think it only just figured out we're spiritual [Instead of spirits] and that means something?

[kimihiros]

... Mizuhashi. It's not a spiritual situation.

(like, it's different. his reality is different. his existence is different.)

... Maybe.

[bridge_princess]

Fair. Why don't I let you phrase the concern and the question yourself? What is it you want to be sure about? If you tell me, I might be able to speak to it. Hopefully.

[kimihiros]

I told you, my existence is fickle. I'm not just me, I'm another as well. When I was at home, things made sense. I'd like to hang on to my humanity, I've seen too many things not to, but if that was the means to my end, that was fine. Here, I don't know what's happening, I don't know what this place is doing to me, and I don't know if it is doing something or if it's payment for what I've done, or if I have distorted something.

And I have no way of finding that out.

[bridge_princess]

I guess all such things are fickle, to an extent. Subject to the whims of a universe that doesn't like to pull back the curtain and reveal its secrets easily.

So, I don't think I have absolutely certain answers, for you or for me. What is happening to me is weird. I'm still jealous. I get jealous easily. But I feel differently, and every time Tifa comes to my shrine, I feel a little more different. I'm not even sure I'd use the word "Good" to describe it. I'm sure humans would in most cases. But I'm youkai. I am what I am. And if I'm purified and beneficient instead of vengeful? I still am what I am.

You aren't quite that rigid. Because I believe you still human. Even if you're a spirit, you are a Human one. I stopped being that a long time ago. I'm a spirit who gave up her humanity, intentionally, on purpose. You have done nothing of the sort.

Even Patchouli didn't truly do that. So I am pretty sure she's still human to an extent. It's why she gets weak, sleepy and tired as much as she does. We just have to figure out what you are. What I am. And what we're becoming.

[kimihiros]

(he inhales from his pipe, taking in all she has said. all the spirits that he knows came together to help him, and as the store-owner, he would be the first to recognize that he needs to pay them back. parsee and the others surely gave him a lot to think about.)

... Mizuhashi, what is it that you wanted to ask of me?

[bridge_princess]

...

[She fidgeted. She looked uncomfortable. And finally she blurted it out almost a little too loud.]

I want you to perform a Chinkon Ritual on me. An actual one. I think you're the only one who knows how to perform a ritual of purification or a requiem. I don't think it would change me. I'm still a youkai, but if it works for Mitama, it may do something for me.