"How many people have you invited, Yukari?" the resident shrine maiden asked, poking her head from out of where she was making lunch and sending an irritated glare at the gap youkai, "First Morichika-san, then Fujiwara-san, now Marisa... did you just ask everyone that you met?"
"Mokou-chan here was volunteered~"
"Oh, shut up..."
Making her way through the winter sky at speeds only dreamed of by others, the pure and honest Aya Shameimaru made her way towards the Hakurei shrine. Normally the tengu would be in bed right about now, attempting to ride out the cold weather in a miserable slump of blankets and heat pads. But she was given an invitation from Yukari to meet at the shrine for an undisclosed reason around noon. Normally she would be warry of anything the gap hag planned for, but if Yukari was up to something then at the very least she could get a good story out of it, since the winter had been slow on news. Beside, she wouldn't miss the chance to talk with Reimu again.
As par the coming of the cold Aya had changed her clothing like everyone else. But Aya's thicker clothing was boardline excessive. A thick and long sleaved sweater covered her torso and a skirt reaching down to her knees had replaced her usual short one. Long wool socks covered the rest of the legs and her scarf was wrapped around her neck and mouth. The only thing not changed was her shoes and tokin hat, and that was only because of her sense of tradition. Trailing along was a bag holding her journalism tools: notebook, pen, and her trademark camera. She never left home without it.
As she reached closer to the shrine, she slowed for approach and saw that Marisa was already there. She touched down right next to the black white witch and looked inside to see there were already quite a few people there "Hello!" Aya greeted, walking inside to escape the cold.
Sometimes I even amaze myself. Currently: Nice and sneaky likeThe celestial had caught wind of this gathering from the familiar gap Youkai Yukari Yakumo. This prompted the adventurous girl to visit the Hakurei shrine. She didn't have to visit the shrine, she could have just stayed home, got drunk, had parties... but no, that wasn't her style. She wanted to have fun, not waste her immortal existence on such pity endeavors. The right way was to have fun, enjoy her life to the fullest! That was her primary quest, after all.
A keystone flew through the with the blue haired girl onboard. It flew over the forest, the village, closing in on the Shrine that she once rebuilt after the Scarlet Weather incident. She really didn't like Reimu and Reimu didn't really like her. The two weren't really going to reconsile their differences. Hell, they probably couldn't even if they tried.
"Hello all!" she yelled out to everyone present as the keystone vanished. Her white dress flew up into the air, only to fall back down as Tenshi landed on the ground.
It was a normal day like any other... I was minding my own business, and generally doing an honest day's work. That all changed when a girl showed up out of nowhere and began blathering on about a meeting at a shrine. Skeptical once she had gone, I returned to sweeping the foyer, though I couldn't help but be curious as to her words. If I left, I would probably lose my employment at this particular facility... I didn't care though. Getting work was easy for one such as I, and I work to simply pass the time anyways. It's not particularly a disappointment for me should I be fired.
Glancing around, I set the broom down and disappeared out the window. Which happened to be on the third floor. Naturally, at this point of the story you can tell I'm not a human, though I do look like one. Still, my appearance frustrates me to this day on account of attracting the trash of society... But that's a story for another day.
I walked through the air, my feet pushing off minute particles of dust and using them as easily as solid ground. Clutching my lone briefcase, which is more trouble than it's worth, I headed to the shrine that the female dictated and settled down. Idly wondering if this was really the best idea, I waited by sitting on my clunky ornamental container. This effectively made me look even smaller than usual, what with my maximum height being 4'10. Sometimes I wish that this infernal body grew faster... I wouldn't mind being human if I had more inches added.
Always be ready to do the unusual and unexpected."So, is it a party?" Marisa asked, scanning the shrine to look everyone over as she entered. "Or are you getting us all together to stop some new incident, Yakumo-san?"
She grinned as she spoke. Either way, this would be pretty fun, and things had been pretty quiet recently. A party or an incident to resolve would spice things up pretty nicely.
Then she heard Tenshi...
The Celestial?! Of all people?!
Marisa turned, and... there she was. At the Hakurei shrine. Tenshi at the Hakurei shrine. Oh, this wouldn't go well.
Rinnosuke groaned, and rested her head on the table. This was just going to make things take longer, wasn't it?
There was a small noise from the shrine in the outside world.
It was the faintest of rustlings, as if clothing was brushing something... Jinjako picked up her small donation box. There was someone outside! This, this was definitely important. The young girl adjusted her kimono, straightened, and started to walk out of the shrine. And... there was the visitor! It was a boy... at least, she though they were male, sitting on a big container of some sort. That was the first visitor she had since she was born!
Granted, she'd been born yesterday... but still. It was very, very important. Jinjako approached him, holding her little donation box up.
"Hello," she greeted him. Her voice, like everything else about her, was small.
"Oh, dear. The toad, the monkey, and the dog have all screwed up."Reimu had, for the moment, headed back to finish up lunch, which fortunately meant that there was time for other people to get Tenshi to leave and come back later. The last thing that anyone needed was Reimu attacking and holding the proceedings up by half an hour whilst people scraped bits of Celestial off the wall. This task, naturally, fell to Yukari, since Mokou appeared to be contemplating how easily a Celestial burned. The immortal wasn't in a good mood.
"I advise you to leave, Peach-tan, and come back later. No need to spoil lunch," the gap youkai said, punctuating this by doing what was normally cheating and dropping a gap over Tenshi. She'd be able to get back soon enough. After she'd finished explaining the first time, sure, but that just meant that everything would be peaceful long enough to send people outside. This is for the best, honestly. ^^;
Meanwhile, an unfortunate cephalopod youkai was lost in the woods around the Hakurei Shrine. Everything was weirdly bright and she was sure that she'd seen the plants moving! It didn't help that Yamame had managed to escape her...
"Kurodani-san, where are you?" Shokushuko whined, floating between the trees.
"Kurodani-san? Kurodani-san?" Shokushuko asked, sounding increasingly plaintive. The first time she'd been out of the underground since she was really, really young and she'd got lost! There wasn't even Kisume around to ask for help... where was Yamame? She was reliable and tough! She knew where they were going!
Ecthel donned a white sweater with a hood as he walked towards the Hakurei Shrine. The long walk is making him tired, and the cold doesn't really help at all. He looked at the incoming group of people that were already in the Shrine, and he smiled to himself.
"It's the start of a new day, and the snow is making me want to rest!"
As he nears the Shrine, Ecthel started to lie down and looks at the sky. He is comfortable while resting, and he started to think about his life...
Turns out my family started to accept Panko-san, thanks to me. However, my mom doesn't go outside that much, so maybe I should let her tell about my experiences when this is all over. Speaking of Panko-san, I wonder where she is right now...
Shutdown sequence initiated.As I sat upon my impromptu perch and stared at the surroundings in idle contemplation, a small voice broke through my reverie and introduced itself. Glancing around, I was rather surprised (and a little bit pleased) to be addressed by someone smaller than me.
Really, small would be the most apt way to describe her in terms of appearance, volume, and figure. She then asked for a monetary offering for the shrine. Shrugging, I reached within the confines of my rather daunting briefcase, the thing only opening up the barest of cracks for fingers to reach into and bull out a few thousand yen bills. Depositing my meager offerings within the box, I waited for the next event to happen.
Always be ready to do the unusual and unexpected.Not wanting to show any weakness by making a beeline to the heater, Aya looked around the room to see who else had arrived. Reimu and Yukari were obviously there, and Marisa had entered after the tengu had. Mokou was also invited to whatever this was, alongside... appeared to be a female Rinnosuke. The tengu couldn't help but laugh at the poor shopkeeper's prediciment, though she tried her best to hide it. If she had to guess his change had been caused by Yukari's messing with him and she was hear in the hopes of getting her favor and change him back, otherwise he would have stayed home to avoid the embaressment.
But there was one person there that didn't make the reporter happy: Tenshi, a celestial, toublemaker, and all around pain in the butt. Her previous actions to the shrine and her attitude to Aya everytime they've met has soured her opinion of the celestial. Fortunately the gap hag was quick on the draw and gapped the annoying girl away. That was one crisis avoided.
That only left getting answers. And since getting inbetween a shrine maiden and her food was suicide, her only option was Yukari. Aya walked over to the boundry youkai and got a little too close into the personal bubble "Alright, Yukari, what's your game?" she asked, more humored and not a serious interview "Do you have some plan or did Ran kick you out of the house and you're just lonely?" Oh yes, definatly not serious.
Sometimes I even amaze myself. Currently: Nice and sneaky like"Haha... good thinking, Yakumo-san," Marisa said, turning back to face the gap yokai. "Anyway, what'd you invite us all here for?"
Rinnosuke decided it was time to speak up.
"Are you going to change me back?" she asked, frowning as she spoke.
Jinjako's eyes lit up, as the money was deposited in her donation box. That was her first donation in years! Even before she was born, it had been forever since she got donations, and now she got one.
"Thank you, um... I dunno who you are, but thank you!" she said, cheerfully, "I haven't gotten any donations in a really long time!"
"Oh, dear. The toad, the monkey, and the dog have all screwed up."A entity flew the same path that Ecthel had just recently taken, pricking up the back of Ecthel's hairs.
For most people, this would scare them and send them into a cautious mode. But for someone who's being "haunted" by the ghost of a god, it was a common, daily feeling.
Panko, the ghostly evergreen had found Ecthel.
"There you are." Ecthel herd as a invisible form swept up nearby him holding what seemed to be a lunchbox.
"Where in the world did you go?" She said, floating infront of him and turning visible.
A Cute Ghost Girl wearing a brown dress popped infront of Ecthel. She had a slightly pale complexion, idealistic green eyes and long green hair that was tied up into a long braided ponytail (curiosity of Ecthel's mother)
Apparently for ghosts, the cold was nothing. (and that's minus that science stuff saying they make things cold in the first place)
"Your mom made you some lunch so I brought it to you." Panko said before giving it to him.
Panko made a note to herself to tell him about building her a shrine again as she turned around.
"So Ecthel...where are w——e?" Panko said, as she turned around and noticed exactly where she was...
The hakurei shrine. And Reimu was there. She could just feel it.
Panko made out a audible "Eep!" as the Onryo fled inside Ecthel's body...
[[Ecthel's status has changed from "normal" to "possessed".]]
Yea, same shlick as before. Two characters for the price of one...at least right now while Everyone Meets Everyone. After all, she's trying to avoid Reimu. I normally would have them talk a little longer first before this, but I feel like I might not have the opportunity, so, Plan B
edited 19th Dec '11 11:49:53 PM by Nicktendonick
Silence in the face of evil is itself evil: God will not hold us guiltless. Not to speak is to speak. Not to act is to act.The way the girl said thanks to me... It was refreshing. It almost put a smile upon my face... almost. I work hard to maintain a passive face, and thus no smile came into existence. "...You're welcome." I stated back, my tone uniform and face expressionless.
"Anyways..." I began the task of inquiry after I closed up my metallic perch, the contents of the thing not safe for eyes not mine. "A girl came to me and invited me here... Is there an event?" I ask the girl politely, though on the inside I was rather curious as to why the invitation was extended to me in the first place.
Always be ready to do the unusual and unexpected.A mile or so away from the Hakurei Shrine of the outside world, an old lady walked along a narrow side road, keeping a steady but unhurried pace as she hummed to herself. She carried a walking stick and a large pack, as though prepared for a long journey by foot, and wore traveler's clothes that looked both old-fashioned and a bit light for the cold weather.
At a turn in the road, she paused, looking off in the direction of the shrine. "Well, now. Not far from here, was it? I wonder if it's still there."
She made up her mind, stepping off the road and continuing toward the shrine. "Might as well take a look," she muttered. After all, it wasn't like a wandering god had somewhere to be.
Shujiko wondered just why she had to come to this shrine. That Yukari had asked her to drop by at some point, but explanations were kinda... not there. Was it a challenge? She had been training a lot since that incident...when she wasn't searching the forest for Eintei. That place was damn hard to find, she'd only really found it twice by accident. And both times, Shujiko was convinced she'd made enemies of the rabbits with her constant hugging attempts. Oops.
Of course, her real reason for visiting wasn't the rabbits, but the two immortals who lived there - or rather, one of them had moved in from the looks of things - but it was probably good for them Shujiko was unable to find their home. Her mere presence would probably be a nuisance and a distraction.
The will youkai sighed as she landed near the shrine, cold air blowing with the exhale. IT felt like it had been forever since she saw either of them. At least Suwako was relatively easy to find.
Up ahead, Shujiko saw a blonde girl land before her, a strange, curved scythe in hand. Even in this weather, she wore some sort of summer dress. Huh? Wasn't she aware that this was the wrong season.
"...Hi." Shujiko greeted the young girl, who grunted a reply back. "Um... Yukari send for you too?"
"Nope," The girl replied, walking towards the shrine, "Master made me her representative."
Master? Shujiko wondered, following after the girl, who thoughtfully announced their presence before entering. Standing near the entrance, Elly allowed Shujiko to pass, who immediately lit up upon spotting a familiar face amongst the crowd. "Mokou"
"Ah, well, I get a feeling that there are a few more people around," Yukari said, looking thoughtful, "And it would be a bad idea to explain when most people are missing. I'll explain in a minute."
A few seconds later, Yamame and Shokushuko had been collected via grabbing Ran and sending her out, and the latter had, for whatever reason, chosen to give Aya a hug. The tengu was probably feeling very confused right about now. Anyway, now that everyone was here—and Reimu eating her lunch—Yukari launched into an explanation.
"For the past week or so, something has been trying to completely remove the border between Gensokyo and the outside world. Normally this would just mean finding them and beating them up but... there's a minor problem. They're outside," Yukari explained, producing a fan from nowhere and... well, fanning herself, "Which means that sending just one or two people isn't enough, since there's an entire city to sift through. A day or two later, someone started to shore the border up but it's not going to last long and I don't like their methods."
"Oh, and one of the two is the evil spirit, I'm not sure which. She wasn't at home when I went looking for her."
Shujiko listened in awed silence as Yukari explained what she wanted done. The outside world? They were really going there? To some strange place that apparently had no magic to speak of? To find someone messing with the border? Again?That was... both exciting and dreadful, really. Was there anyone worth fighting on the other side of the border? she didn't want her training to go to waste, after all...
Elly however, was definitely not excited at the prospect. She looked more nervous than anything. "Uh, Miss Yakumo, why us, specifically? Er, not me, I'm just a rep, but Master told me that attempting to make a big team like this was kinda... chaotic, last time everyone tried."
Why do I get the feeling Master expected something like this...? Elly found herself wondering, remembering Yuuka simply deciding that Elly should go see what's up. Could be a horizon-broadening experience, maybe, and could make her a little stronger as well. Basically, being as vague as possible before disappearing to see if there were any children in need.
Also, running around a city in a place Elly hadn't been to since... well, when she first met her Master wasn't exactly appealing. Culture shock would get in the way of her incredibly gate-keeping duties.
Greeting the new people who had come in paled in comparison to the explanation they'd just gotten. Marisa stared for several moments. The outside world? She'd never been there! That could... that... there was a lot of weird things that could happen out there. She had little to no idea what to expect from the outside world, but if people were out there, trying to rip the barrier down...
"... So... you're sending us to kick ass outside of Gensokyo?" she asked, "That's... that's gonna be weird."
Rinnosuke stared for several moments, before heavily bringing her palm up to her face with a surprisingly loud sigh. "So you're not going to change me back..."
Jinjako paused, looking thoughtful. She tried to think back, in her inexplicably long memory that lasted far longer then her current life did, but couldn't recall any mention of a gathering...
"Jinjako wasn't told about a party," she replied, childishly slipping into third-person(and assuming it was a party for whatever reason). "I can't remember hearing about it..."
"Oh, dear. The toad, the monkey, and the dog have all screwed up."Mystia flew into the shrine. She had been told that there was a something or other gathering for some reason or other. But it was at the shrine so it had to be a party.
She was slightly surprised when she got there since everyone looked varying degrees of serious but she realized that must because she hadn't shown up yet.
c/ "I've brought food (reasonably priced) and singing (free)!" c/ she exclaimed.
Forever liveblogging the AvengersEcthel closed his eyes upon Panko going inside him, and his eyes slowly open... Revealing the same vision, with the exception of a lunch that Panko gave to him earlier before she went into his body. He noticed the others, and he went to sit down at the wooden floor of the shrine. While doing so, he noticed Mystia, and he gives her a smile before he starts to eat his lunch.
Shutdown sequence initiated.Tenshi sat on a key stone with her elbow propped against her knees. Her palm shoved into her chin. "Guh... ... How LONG is this explanation going to take?..." A bird flew over, only to land on Tenshi's hat.
"H-hey!" she flung her hand up into the air to try and swat the bird off but it was in vain. She missed and the bird wasn't going anywhere. "Oh well, stay there." she sighed, realizing it was a waste of time.
edited 20th Dec '11 9:28:45 AM by RagnaTheSaviour

Marisa cruised in, lower and lower, as she came to the Hakurei shrine. So, Yukari had something, something totally unidentified, that she wanted them to do... well, why the hell not?
It was winter, and it was cold, so it's not like Marisa had much else to do. She wore sufficiently heavier garb over her usual outfit, including a black scarf. But her hat was, as always, still right in place.
Marisa landed in front of the shrine. This was going to be interesting. She could tell. Yukari generally wanted them to go kick ass somewhere, and that was right up her ally! This winter had been dull, extremely so. There was nothing to do! Well, aside from bugging the usual people and making fun of Rinnosuke's current 'condition'.
She opened the door.
"Hey, everybody!"
Speaking of Rinnosuke...
The shopkeeper slumped on a table. He'd thought Yukari was acting a bit oddly that day, when she came to his shop, like she'd been planning something. The last thing he expect was to completely swap genders when she left the shop.
Rinnosuke sat up when she heard Marisa come in. So, she'd been called here by Yukari as well...?
It was probably too much to hope that the gap yokai was going to return Rinnosuke to normal.
"Oh, dear. The toad, the monkey, and the dog have all screwed up."