Leaderboard

You're not the only one. Though I have voted last week, I've been meaning to write a post yet never took the time. My apologies for disappearing. So, let's start over... Greetings. Not much to add over what kymoh already said: We couldn't pass the chance to see the Indian Rope Trick a 2nd time. As for the vote this time, an interesting one, much like the one where we got to choose where Oscar would start his search. Now, I voted Wriggle not because I think she'd make a great team with Oscar over Cirno or Aggapa, but because Cirno & Aggapa together could be very funny. EDIT: I'd argue that Aggapa would be an interesting in this case, cause she's already with Oscar 24/7, so she'll get her moments to shine (for instance, the poem she spoke when seeing Marisa).

Sorry for being so terribly late! I've barely had time to go on this site in the past week or two, in fact it's only just now that I read and voted on the latest chapter >.< Ah well, looks like everyone else here slowed down a bit too... HUUGE MISUNDERSTANDING ON MY PART!! It seems like I not only mixed up Rinnosuke and the Fortune Teller, but even further mixed him up with Ryunosuke (who even is that?!). Anyways, before I realized my grave mistake Oscar and the gang had already plunged into a haunted house adventure so I guess it's fine :) As a side note, I was curious about the "Indian Rope Trick" ever since the option was mentioned for the village entrance. So it was cool to finally see it in action, though it was simpler than I expected :D Now for the "new" chapter from last week! I'm not sure if Yummy Toes is taking a break this week or simply running late, but I'll take the chance to vote and discuss it nevertheless. It looks like the actual exploration isn't starting until next chapter, and we get to choose Oscar's buddy for now. ..Despite me listening to an awesome cirno remix right now, I think I'll go with Agappa this time :) Wriggle also seems like a logical option but something tells me Oscar needs a close and reliable friend for a time like this. After all, Agappa's been at his side practically since the beginning of this whole story! And who knows, her scavenging instincts might come in handy here What does everyone else think? Is it just me, or is Agappa basically Oscar's bestie now, and overall a really interesting character?

some of you cuties should download ayaria dawn so we play some matches and have fun destroying any prospect of friendship and fair play

Since all of them are locally on my PC and the site has a file limit I added them to Google Drive so you can grab them Here is the link to the drive, you should not need a password if I set it all right https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/15DYa2QIsEqm5_1QyayeWWntIzI76Ihzq?usp=sharing I also found another Miracle in Gensokyo video without the sub files which I also added

Nice chapter as always, I can already feel the homely aura oozing from that cozy house... Alright so I know I'm a bit late today but it can't be helped this time, feeling a bit unwell since yesterday, it's not like I didn't have the time but I was so dizzy that I couldn't read anything at all but on the brighter side I get to slack off today, meaning a free Monday review yay! Let's get to business now, shall we? Everyone went first and chose the "rope trick" option and to be honest I'm glad they did, it made me remember some old cartoons like Woody Woodpecker when he fought that Indian guy back in the good old days. Still, it's not like we would lose the opportunity to show off, right? Gensokyo is all about showing off after all. Good to see you around, my ally! So, I had to read this 2 times before understanding that you are not proposing to raid Kourindou lol. However, I must ask who was Ryunosuke again? I'm pretty sure his name was Rinnosuke and I just wanted to say that maybe he has a Yu Gi Oh deck lying around somewhere, or perhaps you are talking about Fortune Teller? If that is the case then I agree, he is dead and sealed at this point so it's improbable to find him around, unless we use the logic in forbidden scrollery that when you read a book, the author is always watching over you, even if he is dead. This is a good question, people often don't think about this but I believe that the common agreement we use nowadays is that the barrier affects language in some way to make communications easier between parties, for example, it was stated in forbidden scrollery once that Tengus have an "ancient language" that most Tengus wouldn't be able to read today, which implies that the Tengus have their own separate language, Kappas are probably similar in a way, not to mention that some youkais might not originate from Japan. Considering that, it's not far-fetched to assume that Yukarin and the sages messed with the boundaries of languages or something related, the only hole in this theory is that it doesn't affect written works at all, maybe it's purposeful to not destroy anyone's culture. Regardless, Yume has the final say about this, I'm just theorizing things It's a good read, especially if you want to know more about how myth works in Gensokyo, and what some characters think about it, the fortune teller is completely unremarkable though, he briefly appeared and was promptly shot down as soon as he did. His work, however, is commendable even if his abilities were not suited for a fight face to face, his capacity to gather information went above and beyond, a shame he was not able to see the bigger picture due to his resentment and ended up painting a target on his back.

On Exploration Urban exploration may be a popular pass time in the Outside World. But exploring structures in Gensokyo is an entirely different matter. There are all manner of buildings in Gensokyo. From Japanese manors, to forgotten temples, to unknown ruins from Earth or Makai. For the enterprising explorer, this may seem like a wonderful opportunity for riches and adventure. However I must impress on you one piece of advice: Don't. In addition to natural hazards of exploration in the Outside World like mold, wild animals or instability, very few buildings in Gensokyo are truly abandoned. Spirits may dwell in structures they lived in when alive. Fairies may be drawn to it as a source of natural rejuvenation. And Youkai are often born from unlikely sources. Anything from an old shoe to the building itself may manifest as a Youkai. Such danger is not worth a handful of forgotten Mon or a tome of magic which will likely curse you anyway. Adventures like this are best left to the Otherworldly Ventures Acquisitions Department. This group of well equipped humans, youkai and fairies act as a way to explore and gather lost knowledge. Alerting Otherworldly Ventures to the existence of a prosperous ruin or source of magic however may be enough to make you rich. As a finder's fee, OV offers 10% 5% 1% of all profits from a successful expedition to a ruin, as well as part of the profit if the structure can be renovated and sold. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Their entrance into the home was simple enough. Even with the doors and windows closed and locked, there was a way in. If people who could fly were as rare as he hoped in the village, it was doubtful the townsfolk thought to block off the rickety veranda that surrounded the small house and overlooked the town. The only question was, how to get up there…A smile crossed his face as he turned back to the others. Wriggle looked warily up at the structure as if it would come alive at any moment. Cirno silently scanned the windows. Agappa just stared up at him. “I’ve got a plan to get inside.” Cirno glanced over at him, her brow furrowing as if he said something stupid. The implication was one he strangely found himself resenting. “Whaddu mean Osu? We’re just gonna fly right up there. Like thi--” No sooner had her feet started to leave the ground than Oscar felt his blood go cold. Wriggle seemed to have the exact same thought as he. Her arm rose, grabbing Cirno by the back of her kimono and pulling her back down to earth with a start. The ice fairy letting out a startled cry as she did. Wriggle gave her a look much like Cirno just gave him. Letting Oscar recover some of his pride. “Cirno! We’re supposed to be disguised! What’re the humans going to think if we just fly up there?” Cirno didn’t respond. Too preoccupied was she with rubbing her head, despite landing on her rear. Oscar shook his head. Reaching into his coat. “Here girls. Let me show you what an ‘Indian Rope Trick’ is.” The trick was a staple of early 20th century showmanship, though the technique could often vary wildly. The original trick was said to come from India and involved a magician making a rope go rigid. An assistant would then climb up, disappearing from view. Before the magician cut the rope, only to have it fall to the ground. In reality, how the trick worked varied from showman to showman. He had seen everything from a fishing wire on a stage to a special robotic rope used to achieve the effect in stage performances. But personally, he preferred the older method. The rope he pulled from his side looked fairly unassuming. Perhaps a little stiff, but otherwise mundane. Carefully though, his fingers worked at the base. Pulling a hidden ribbon at its end. Instantly, the sets of cords inside went taunt. Pulling on the network of bamboo pieces inside. In a moment, the rope went rigid. Allowing him to lean it against the veranda. Before gesturing to it with a smile. Agappa stared with wide eyes. Wriggle’s brow raised. Cirno clapped her hands. “Great! And this will let us get up to there together?” “That’s right, I--” “How does it work?” “Well a magician never reveals his--” “I think she means how does it help us get up there, Osu.” “We’ll take turns climbing the rope and use that to get into the Fortune Teller’s place.” Cirno stared for a moment. Before glancing back at Wriggle. “Climbing’s what frogs and squirrels do, right?” “Yep.” “...That’s not much of a magic trick Osu.” At that, Oscar could only roll his eyes before grasping at the rope. Propped up like this, his climbing position was precarious, and he had never been the most confident in its strength. But the old bamboo held. His way was sped up as he kicked against the wall as well. Until he reached the old balcony. An unstable thing, rotted from years of neglect. Easing himself carefully over the edge, he placed his foot down. Trying not to think too much about the very loud creak beneath his shoe. Beneath him, Agappa hurried to the rope, and began to pull herself up. Wriggle turned to Cirno and shrugged, before following after. Her lean figure pulling herself up dexterously despite her kimono. Cirno looked up at the rope, peeved. Glanced around. Then, grasping it with one hand, hovered her way up. By the time she reached the veranda, Oscar had already found the window unlocked and opened it. The group of four friends seemed to be in what was formerly a bedroom. Tatami mats rotted on the floor. Furniture sat thick with dust. Mildew clung to the unmade bed and the moth-eaten clothes. The floor was rotten, and creaked unnaturally underfoot. As Cirno slipped inside, she could see Agappa rummaging through a set of drawers nearby. Stuffing abandoned knick-knacks and faded rags into the handbag around her neck. Wriggle was crouched over, and seemed to be having an intense argument with a roach. And over it all, Oscar looked around. He was nervous, but the arrival of the fearless Cirno steadied him a little. Outside past torn and yellowed paper doors, he could see two floors, an indoor veranda circling a depression in the floor, the ground there charred. Rooms long forgotten stretched out to either side of them as he neared the door from the bedroom. “What now?” Wriggle asked, giving up on her altercation. “Its probably best if we split up. We’ll cover more ground that way.” “Great idea!” Cirno said with a smile. “We’ll all go different ways and--” “No.” Agappa said flatly. Wriggle nodded, crossing her arms. “For once, I agree with the...ah, bad luck friend. I’m not going through the house of a Jinyou by myself.” “...But you’ve got your bug friends to protect you!” The exasperated look Wriggle gave seemed to leave no impression on Cirno. Even if it was nice not to have it directed at him in that moment. His hand patted her wig, temporarily forgetting it wasn't her real hair. The girl just pouted in reply. “Its alright Wriggle. We’ll split into two groups. If one of us runs into trouble, we can find each other. Its a small house.” The concession seemed to be enough. With a resigned sigh Wriggle closed her eyes and dropped the argument. Agappa nodded in agreement. All that was left was to decide who to go with… =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= = Wriggle's ability to communicate with insects may come in handy here. She's also strong for her size and energetic which helps. = Cirno may not be able to freeze curses like she hopes, but her courage counts for a lot. She'd never leave her friends behind. = Agappa can inflict misfortune on others. That probably means she can deal with any misfortune we find...probably... = If you want to build your legacy as a great wizard, you have to learn to do a few things on your own. Its just a spooky old house.