Lossy's Journal

Reimu

Good morning, PLAYER. Did you sleep well?

Good morning, Reimu!

I slept like a log!

Reimu

Well, we have quite a nice morning on our hands, so I want you to help me with something.

Reimu

We need to clean the shrine and its premises.

How big is this shrine?

Reimu

Hakurei Shrine stands at a boundary between worlds. It's called the Great Hakurei Barrier and surrounds Gensokyo.

Reimu

So even I don't know where the shrine's premises end exactly...

Reimu

Anyhow, we'll be cleaning the area in front of the shrine and the forest at the back, all the way up to the big oak tree.

Marisa

Whoa! You're gonna clean? You?! I can't believe my eyes!

Good morning, Marisa!

Marisa

Morning!

Reimu

Oh, you're up rather early, Marisa. Now that's unheard of.

Reimu

You came to help us with the cleaning then? That's so nice of you!

Marisa

No way! I just came for fun.

Reimu

Oh, I see. Right then.

Reimu

But I really appreciate that you brought a broom for PLAYER on the way!

Marisa

Whaaat?! A witch's broom isn't a cleaning tool!

Oh, right. You need it for flying!

Marisa

Riiiight?! I knew you were smart, PLAYER!

Reimu

*hmph* Well, a shrine maiden's broom is a cleaning tool through and through.

Reimu

If you're not going to lend us that, you can bring us two normal brooms, for starters.

Marisa

So this is the price I have to pay for having some fun...

Reimu

Let's start with the forest in the back. PLAYER, don't get lost!

This place feels so different from the shrine itself.

Reimu

Well, Hakurei Shrine has many faces.

Reimu

Oh, I almost forgot to warn you! Dangerous creatures live here, so you can't be too careful!

*gulp* You mean... youkai?

Marisa

Don't worry. There are three fairies in that big tree over there, but that's all.

Marisa

Well, the way they prank people makes them more annoying than youkai!

Reimu

And that's exactly why I'm saying you need to be careful not to fall into their traps.

Marisa

Haha, there's nothing to worry about!

Reimu

Ugh... Look at all the leaves and branches on the ground. How should we split this up?

Marisa

Just leave it to me!

What do you have in mind?

Marisa

It's OK as long as the place is clean, right?

Reimu

Yeah... But what are you planning?

Marisa

Hehehe! It's simple. I'm gonna blow them all away with my mini hakkero!

Reimu

No, stop, you can't―

Marisa

Love Sign: Master Spa... Hm?

Marisa

What is that?

Reimu

What's wrong, Marisa?

Marisa

Hey, look at this...

Reimu

Looks like a Seal Crystal, but it's red. Why is it red?

Marisa

Judging by how it looks, I bet it's three times as effective!

Marisa

It's about the same size and weight as the blue ones.

Could I take a closer look?

Marisa

Sure. Except for the color, this pretty much looks the same as the other Seal Crystals.

Reimu

...So? Anything catch your eye?

I can't quite put my finger on it...

But I think there was something in my journal...

Marisa

That notebook you carry around?

Marisa

It automatically records everything you've seen since you came to Gensokyo, right?

Marisa

It's the first time you've seen this red Seal Crystal though. There isn't any point in looking at your journal now, is there?

...I found it! Look!

There's a note about red Seal Crystals!

Reimu

Really?!

"The red crystal is the entrance. The blue is the exit."

"Touch the entrance and be sent to the exit."

Reimu

Huh? What is that supposed to mean?

Marisa

Did you say an entrance?!

Reimu

This sounds really bad...!

Marisa

...But nothing's happening. I think we're OK.

Reimu

PLAYER, stay close. When something does happen... it'll be too late.

O-OK!

Reimu & Marisa

WHOAAAA!

Reimu

O-Ow! ...Landed on my butt. And it's freezing! I'm soaked right through!

Marisa

*shiver* Same here...

Reimu

PLAYER, are you all right?

I'm fine! But I'm drenched.

Marisa

What was that? What just happened?

Reimu

I don't know. Seems like something sent us here... But where are we?

Huh? The water is salty!

Marisa

Whoa! Reimu, we're at the sea!

Reimu

No kidding!

Marisa

Ah, this sure brings me back...

You know where we are?

Reimu

We have some clues. This sea, for starters. There's no sea in Gensokyo.

Marisa

There's a sea on the other side of the moon.

Marisa

We went there once due to an unexpected turn of events.

No sea in... Wait, you went to the MOON?!

Reimu

Hahaha! Sorry, this must be confusing.

Marisa

I'll put aside the details for now, but a vampire and her maid were with us too.

Marisa

They got completely beaten, and that's not something you see every day!

Reimu

You got completely beaten too, Marisa.

Marisa

And you're one to talk, Reimu? I remember you―

Reimu

We can reminisce later... I'll tell you the story some other time, PLAYER.

Marisa

Hmph! Anyway, I guess this sea here means we're on the moon.

Reimu

But there aren't any peach trees, and it doesn't look like the moon... Wait, does that mean we're in the outside world?!

???

I'm afraid both those guesses are incorrect. This is Gensokyo.

Reimu & Marisa

What?!

???

Heehee... Looking for answers? Then it's time for me to step in.

Reimu

Yukari, is that you? What in the world are you wearing?!

Marisa

Yeah, you look even weirder than usual.

Yukari

Oh my, is this how you greet me?

Yukari

This is a school uniform. What do you think?

It's really cool!

It looks good on you!

Yukari

I know! I'm stunning in this. You're quite smart for a human.

Yukari

This uniform was designed especially for me.

Yukari

Let me give you a nice little reward for being so clever.

Reimu

Watch out, PLAYER! This youkai uses her sweet talk to trick people!

Marisa

Yeah, let your guard down and you're done for.

Reimu & Marisa

You can't trust her until we know whether she's the real Yukari Yakumo or not!

Yukari

Oh my... Are you saying you would trust me more if I were a youkai pretending to be Yukari Yakumo?

Reimu & Marisa

Definitely!

Yukari

You two are unbelievable sometimes! But unfortunately for you, I'm the genuine article.

Yukari

The real Yukari Yakumo of this Gensokyo.

Marisa

Then, I'll doubt everything you say, like I always do when faced with the real Yukari Yakumo.

Reimu

Wise decision. So, you're saying this is Gensokyo? I've never heard about a sea in Gensokyo before.

Yukari

Well, it's true. There's no sea in Gensokyo.

Yukari

But it is also true that this is Gensokyo.

What do you mean?

Are you saying this sea isn't really a sea...?

Marisa

I have no idea what you're saying!

Yukari

I'll explain, but first things first. You need to get out of those wet clothes.

Yukari

Come this way.

Reimu

OK, let's go with her for now. But don't let your guard down.

Marisa

Whoa! OK, I believe you. This really IS Gensokyo.

Reimu

B-But how is it possible? Why's everything covered in water?!

Reimu

Did the Human Village and the Forest of Magic sink? What caused this disaster?!

Yukari

Calm down. Your Gensokyo is safe and sound.

Reimu

Our Gensokyo? What are you going on about? Stop talking in riddles!

Marisa

I don't get it either. Come on―just tell us what's going on!

Yukari

Don't worry. I'll explain everything.

Yukari

But before that...

Yukari

You'll catch a cold if you don't get changed. I have dry clothes prepared for you, so come along now. It's not much farther.

Reimu

O-Oh... Right.

Marisa

Well, that was anticlimactic... Well, whatever. Might as well follow her.

OK... But we still have to be careful!

???

Excuse me! Could someone help me? I suddenly found myself in the sea after touching a red crystal...

???

I'm soaked through and sooo uncomfortable... Huh? What a coincidence! What are you all doing here?

Reimu

S-Sanae?! That's my line!

Marisa

Ha, you got dragged here too?

Marisa

You entered the shrine premises, didn't you...?

Sanae

I did! Lady Kanako and Lady Suwako told me to investigate the mysterious crystals that have been appearing lately...

Sanae

I heard that Miss Reimu was collecting them, so I went to take a look...

Marisa

So you've probably heard all about PLAYER already then.

Hello, I'm PLAYER.

Sanae

Nice to meet you, Miss PLAYER! Rumors about you have reached even Moriya Shrine!

Sanae

My name is Sanae Kochiya. I'm a wind priestess at Moriya Shrine, which is in the mountains!

Sanae

You could say I'm a kind of shrine maiden.

Like Reimu?

Reimu

Strictly speaking, no, but it's too complicated to talk about now. Things will only get more complicated with Sanae here.

Yukari

You really WILL catch a cold, you know?

Yukari

You too, Sanae! I have dry clothes for all of you.

Marisa

For all of us, huh? It sure sounds like she knew from the beginning that we'd all end up here... Even Sanae.

Reimu

Yeah... We have to keep on our toes.

Sanae

I don't really get what's happening, so I'm just excited for the ride!

Reimu

Yukari from a parallel world?!

Yukari

Yes. I am Yukari Yakumo... but I'm not the Yukari Yakumo you know.

What's a parallel world?

Yukari

A parallel world is a world in another dimension, born as a result of selective fluctuations.

Yukari

Say you're choosing a tea to drink. Would you settle for regular green tea, or would you go for something fancier?

Yukari

Your choice determines the future. Usually it's just a slight change, but sometimes the path will divert significantly."

Sanae

Quantum fluctuations! Chaos theory! The butterfly effect! That's what you're talking about, right?

Reimu

Sanae, I don't really get what you're going on about. Just calm down, OK?

Yukari

To put it more simply...

Yukari

Take me for an example. Can you imagine a world without Yukari Yakumo?

Marisa

Yeah, for sure! It would be super peaceful!

Reimu

I'm getting goosebumps! It'd save me so much trouble that it's almost scary to think about!

Yukari

Perhaps I should've used a different example... But you should all understand now, at least.

Yukari

In any case, let's say there's a world without Yukari Yakumo. That world would be completely different from this one.

Yukari

Such a "what-if world" is what we call a parallel world.

Yukari

The Gensokyo you are in now is a different world from the Gensokyo you live in―a what-if world.

Yukari

In other words, it's a parallel world.

Yukari

From your point of view, the me you see now is the Yukari Yakumo of a what-if world. Do you follow?

Reimu

Nice explanation for something so shady. Why do you think we'd believe any of this?

Sanae

What are you talking about, Miss Reimu? It couldn't have been explained better!

Sanae

I mean, it's a PARALLEL WORLD! This is just fascinating!

Sanae

The gate has finally opened for me too!

Marisa

So... You're saying that this Gensokyo is not our Gensokyo.

Marisa

Which makes it a different world that branched off for some reason...?

Yukari

Exactly.

Yukari

I know these worlds exist since I can manipulate gaps.

W-Wow! That's amazing!

Reimu

I still don't get it. You mean worlds just keep branching off?

Reimu

There'd be no end to them then!

Sanae

That's right. In theory, there are an infinite number of worlds.

Sanae

But word has it that worlds that branch off and eventually end up with the same result will converge with each other.

Marisa

What?! Who said that?!

Marisa

Is this like when people say you can't change your fate? Because I can kinda understand that.

Marisa

There's no point worrying about stuff I don't get so... OK! I'll just accept that this is a Gensokyo I don't know!

Reimu

Must be nice to be able to adapt so quickly... So tell me. Why is this Gensokyo an island?

Reimu

And most importantly, how do we get back?

Marisa

What? If we're talking about order of priority, we should talk about these clothes first!

Marisa

She took advantage of our confusion to dress us up in these things.

Marisa

It looks like something Sumireko would wear. The design is a little different, but it's close enough.

Yukari

This is an academy―a modern temple school. It's attached to the shrine, so you could call it a shrine academy.

Yukari

The clothes you're wearing now are the academy uniforms the students wear.

Yukari

As a saying from the outside world goes, "When in Rome, do as the Romans do." The outfit goes well with the sea too!

Reimu

...I bet you just wanted to make us wear these for your own weird interests.

Yukari

Heehee. The uniforms just suit you SO well...

Sanae

Still, something's weird.

Sanae

Gensokyo does have a temple school, but there isn't anything this modern.

Yukari

It wasn't always here in this Gensokyo either, but one day, it suddenly appeared.

Sanae

You're not saying it was built in one night, are you?

Yukari

No.

Yukari

Suddenly, part of the shrine turned into this academy. This shrine―or rather, this area―changed on its own.

Sanae

How strange. Is that even possible?

Yukari

In this Gensokyo, many changes have suddenly occurred for a reason that is still unknown.

What kind of changes do you mean?

Yukari

This crisis that you're witnessing is the largest of them.

Yukari

Various parts of this world―most parts, actually―have been "concealed."

Reimu

"Concealed"? Huh? Can't you explain a bit better?

Yukari

Everywhere besides this area has disappeared. It's like the world has been folded in on itself.

Yukari

Mountains and valleys, and everything in them... Some kind of force has sucked them all in and erased them.

Yukari

It's like someone rolled up a scroll or closed a book. This is just a metaphor, but I think it's fairly accurate.

Yukari

Be it a letter, a scroll, or a book, you can't read anything when the words are hidden away.

Yukari

The information they contain is still in there, but as long as the words are hidden, they might as well not be there.

Yukari

That's why I think that the words "folded" and "concealed" describe this situation well.

Reimu

Can we rescue everyone? Is there any way to return them to normal?

Yukari

Well, I can only speak with my intuition as the gap youkai.

Yukari

If the root of the evil is removed, the concealed world will unfold again. Everything would go back to normal.

Sanae

Unfold what has been folded... I see. Like unzipping a compressed file?

Reimu

Why does this make sense to you?! I mostly get what's taking place here now, but everything else is a mystery.

Marisa

Same here, but I can guess why we're here and how.

Is the "how" a Seal Crystal from this world?

As for "why"... Are we needed to fix this Gensokyo?

Yukari

Exactly. You were brought here with a Seal Crystal... And I was the one who did it.

Marisa

(We had trouble opening Seal Crystals without PLAYER... Maybe it's the same here.)"

Reimu

All right! Enough of this arcane language.

Reimu

Gensokyo has been concealed for some unknown reason. We just have to return it to normal!

Reimu

Now, Yukari. You mentioned an unknown reason and some root of evil, but you're Yukari. You must have some ideas.

Yukari

Indeed. I am Yukari Yakumo, after all. I do have an inkling as to what might be behind this.

Yukari

This Gensokyo is missing an important word.

Yukari

That is the reason for the root of the evil that is invading this world.

Yukari

I want you to find this word.

Marisa

Huh?

Marisa

Are you trying to tell me all of this is happening because of a single word?!

Yukari

It wouldn't be a problem if someone somewhere had just forgotten the word.

Yukari

The problem is that all of Gensokyo―this entire world―has forgotten it. And it has left us with the situation we're in now.

Reimu

Wait a minute! I feel like I've heard something like this before...

Reimu

I know! It's similar to how the "Jun" in Junko's name means "pure," which is why she has purification abilities.

Yukari

Indeed. When you name a thing, it is given form, and that allows you to control or use it.

Yukari

Something that loses its name becomes merely an idea. Its power runs wild. Every word is a name to some idea.

Yukari

And now, a word that controlled a powerful idea has been lost, causing this unprecedented crisis for this Gensokyo.

A word that has been lost...

Wait... A Lost Word?

Reimu

A Lost Word...

Yukari

Hm... Let's call this the Lost Word Incident then. Things become clearer once you name them properly.

Yukari

I just barely managed to notice this incident with my ability and the hints left by those who have been concealed.

Yukari

However, as a resident of this Gensokyo, I am affected by the incident too.

Yukari

It is impossible for me to find the word that has been lost.

Yukari

It is also impossible for me to obtain an answer from a Yukari Yakumo in a parallel world, perhaps because of the incident.

Yukari

I struggled, but I was able to find one last possibility.

Marisa

And that is...?

Yukari

The possibility that the Lost Word can only be found by those who come from a parallel world."

Reimu

Ah, I'm finally getting the picture.

Reimu

In short, you want us to find the Lost Word.

Yukari

Yes. I need you to make that missing word into one that is no longer missing.

Yukari

...This is why I called you all here, Reimu.

Yukari

You being here has a meaning. A very special meaning.

Marisa

And what's that supposed to be?

Yukari

If a Gensokyo with a word that has been lost clashes with your Gensokyo... something terrible will happen.

Reimu

That's... disturbing. You're saying that if our worlds clash, our Gensokyo will also...

Yukari

It won't end there. The Lost Word will undoubtedly infest other worlds too.

Yukari

It will spread throughout all other parallel Gensokyos and eventually lead them to the same ruin.

Yukari

Or should I say annihilation?

Reimu

OK... I get it. Ugh, you're bad news in every world, aren't you, Yukari?

Marisa

This incident is so big that it doesn't even feel real. Though I guess we're used to large-scale events.

Sanae

No, this is on a whole other level... And it means that we won't be able to go back to our Gensokyo for a while.

Yukari

I am sorry to say it after bringing you here, but it'll be very difficult to send you back while this Gensokyo is unstable.

Yukari

It will stabilize when you resolve the incident. You should be able to return easily then.

Reimu

Wh-Why you... Playing around with us in this world too! Still, this whole Lost Word thing has piqued my interest.

Reimu

But if it's another one of your pranks, I won't let you get away with it! You should try a taste of your own medicine!

We know what we've got to do!

Marisa

Yeah! Let's go find the Lost Word!

Sanae

Well, it doesn't look like we have much of a choice anyway!

Reimu

To sum it all up, if we find the Lost Word, everything's solved.

Reimu

The concealed people and youkai show up again, the folded places unfold, and everyone lives happily ever after.

Reimu

Then, we return home and find the culprit.

Reimu

Huh. This might be easier than I thought.

Marisa

I wish it were.

Marisa

But how are we going to find the word? Even Yukari doesn't know what went missing.

Reimu

We need to start collecting clues.

Reimu

It's a very serious incident. I'm sure someone powerful is behind it all.

Are incidents usually caused by youkai?

Have past incidents been like this too?

Marisa

It depends. We've had incidents caused by someone overusing their destructive power...

Marisa

And incidents caused by folks whose powers can be pretty nasty depending on how you look at them.

Marisa

And sometimes someone just takes an opportunity to cause trouble. In all cases, the culprits were formidable opponents.

Marisa

...And I defeated them all!

Reimu

You seem to be forgetting who actually RESOLVED all these incidents...

Sanae

I led you to the solution a few times too!

Reimu

Moriya Shrine caused an incident before too! But this topic is only going to derail us, so let's get off it.

Sanae

Oh, come on!

You must've resolved lots of incidents!

Reimu

Quite a few, yeah.

Reimu

On this island we might find humans, youkai... and maybe even gods.

Reimu

We have to talk to them so that we can figure out the difference between this world and ours.

Marisa

If we take the example of a Gensokyo without Yukari...

Marisa

You would no longer hear Yukari’s name being spoken by youkai and people close to her.

Marisa

I guess it'd be like she hadn't ever existed at all, huh?

Sanae

Oh, I get it! That would make the Lost Word in this situation "Yukari Yakumo"!

Reimu

And a being that should have been known as Yukari Yakumo would have lost their name and be running rampant.

Reimu

In this example, the nameless rampaging Yukari would be the cause of the incident.

Marisa

Then, all we would have to do is show her the missing word, Yukari Yakumo.

Sanae

We'd have to give her the name again to make the word that was lost into one that wasn't lost.

Sanae

That should solve the problem, if what Miss Yukari said was correct.

Something nameless, and something rampaging...

Will finding one of those bring us to the answer?

Reimu

I think I know how to figure out what the Lost Word is.

Marisa

First, we have to get some clues and gather information. Then, we can check in with Yukari.

Yukari

Oh my, you're still loitering around here?

Reimu

Just working on our plans. Did you forget to tell us something?

Yukari

I just came to give you some advice―to present a problem, perhaps. At the end of the day, you're all still humans.

Yukari

And that means you get hungry.

Yukari

Most of the humans here have been concealed, so there's not much food left. You might have trouble finding provisions.

Yukari

But I can recommend you some spices that keep food fresh for a long time or some things that youkai and gods like―

Not much means there's still some left, right?

Yukari

I'm pretty sure some of the crop fields that have lost their farmers are still around. You should look for them.

Yukari

That's all I had to tell you. I'm counting on you four. Farewell.

Reimu

Farewell? I've got a bad feeling about this.

Reimu

I wish I had salt to ward off evil spirits.

Marisa

But those crop fields... If humans aren’t cultivating them, can they still be called "fields"?

Sanae

We don't have any other information to go on, so we might as well look into it.

Let's go look for the fields!

Reimu

Still, something smells real fishy here...

Marisa

What in the world?!

Reimu

What's wrong, Marisa―

Reimu

Whoa!

Sanae

What happened?! I want to see... Wow!

Reimu, Marisa & Sanae

(Why is there a flock of fairies in the field?!)

But most importantly, we've found a field!

And I can see crops, or something like them!

Marisa

Oh right, the crops!

Marisa

Wait a sec. Yukari said humans didn't live here anymore.

Reimu

Who's looking after this field?

Sanae

Whoever it is, it's only common courtesy to ask them before taking any crops.

Reimu, Marisa & Sanae

(Why are the fairies in the field though?)

Is it normal for fairies to be in fields in Gensokyo?

There are just so many of them!

???

Are you looking for something? Did you want some of my crops?

Reimu

Huh?! Why are you here, Okina?

Marisa

What are you doing here?

Okina

Reimu, Marisa, Sanae, and... Who is this?

Hello, my name is PLAYER.

Okina

Oh? I'm Okina Matara, one of the Sages of Gensokyo.

Reimu

You're wearing the same clothes as Yukari...

Okina

Yukari told me to try them on and I ended up liking them more than I thought I would.

Okina

They are comfortable and functional. Hence, I do not see a reason not to wear them.

Marisa

R-Right... Good for you.

Okina

If you humans are here, then you must have traveled from a parallel world.

Okina

So Yukari succeeded. That is good news.

Sanae

Were you also involved in bringing us here?

Okina

Let us talk about this later.

Okina

Coming back to our original topic, you were looking at my crops. I esteem your excellent aesthetic sense.

Okina

I am a god closely associated with farming. It is a simple feat for me to nurture the fields.

Okina

...As for you!

Okina

If you want the crops, you will have to fight for them. You can take as many as you want if you win.

Reimu

Why, that little...! Yukari must have known this would happen when she sent us here!

Reimu

Okina, this Gensokyo is in danger! We're not here to sightsee!

Okina

I am aware of that. Still, I am a god, and therefore I need an offering. A satisfying battle of bullets, in this case.

Okina

I need to exercise my power from time to time, as well.

Okina

Rest assured―I will not participate in the battle directly. You will face these fairies with doors opened in their backs.

Marisa

Hey now, that's nasty!

What does that mean?

Reimu

It's one of Okina's abilities.

Reimu

I don't know the details, but she can create doors on the backs of anything.

Reimu

When the door opens, it releases the target's hidden power.

Okina

You are sharp! A fairy whose back door has been opened is on a completely different level than a regular fairy!

Okina

Prepare yourselves!

Okina

They may be fairies, but the power unleashed when their back doors are open is incredible. Do not lower your guard.

Reimu

Ugh, you and Yukari are terrible. Why are all the Sages of Gensokyo like this?

Marisa

Phew... It was just like Okina said! Those fairies were on another level.

Okina

Oh? You were faster than I thought you would be. I guess I will give you a pass.

Reimu

I should thank you for sharing your food with us.

Reimu

...Though I guess you had to, since we won.

Reimu

Now, please tell us what you know. We need to deal with this incident.

Okina

You want to know more about the Lost Word? First, you should know that both Yukari and I want this incident resolved.

Okina

What do you want to know, exactly? How do you plan on resolving this incident?

Reimu

To put it simply, we're going to find the differences between this world and ours.

Reimu

This should give us a hint about what the Lost Word might be.

Okina

Only those from another world can notice a difference.

Sanae

I've been meaning to ask... Did you have something to do with us being summoned here?

Okina

Yes, quite. Yukari and I worked together to summon you here.

Marisa

Two monsters like you working together... *shiver*

Okina

We were driven into a corner. Seeing our world being folded right before our eyes gave us no choice but to join forces.

Reimu

Actually, isn't this folding thing already a big difference between our two worlds?

Reimu

Nothing like this incident has happened in our world.

Reimu

Can you tell us more about the folding phenomenon?

Okina

Very well. The first thing I noticed...

Okina

...was the moon falling down.

Reimu, Marisa & Sanae

What?!

Okina

Yes, but at the same time, it was also a different world.

A different... What?

Reimu

The far side of the moon and the Lunar Capital are separated from the outside by a barrier, just like Gensokyo.

Marisa

And it fell? Can it just do that?

Okina

I was astounded as well.

Okina

Moreover, it was not only the moon. The space around it fell to the ground too

Okina

As if the skies themselves had been folded.

Okina

It was like Heaven and the Netherworld had been crushed between the moon and the ground.

Okina

The imprint this collision left became the sea surrounding this island. In a sense, you could call this a lunar sea.

Marisa

So this sea really did come from the moon!

Sanae

Do I understand this correctly? The moon didn't fall down, but the space between it and Gensokyo was compressed.

Okina

I can't say for sure. Many ideas came to my mind, but none of them solidified.

Okina

Therefore, I had to start by finding out the cause, so that I might be able to find the means to deal with it.

Okina

I sent my two servants to the place where the moon had fallen―the place that had been folded.

Okina

Mai Teireida and Satono Nishida. They are mostly useless, but they do have their good points.

Okina

However... they didn't come back.

Okina

And the folding still continued even after the moon turned into the sea.

Okina

The Land of the Back Door has been folded as well. Gensokyo now extends only as far as the coastline of this island.

Okina

I had no clue what was happening. Joining forces with Yukari was virtually inevitable.

Reimu

And that brings us to the present?

Marisa

No wonder Mai and Satono aren't with you now.

Okina

I truly wish for this Gensokyo to regain its original form. That is why we brought you here.

Sanae

So that's why...!

Reimu

Don't you worry! I'll get to the bottom of this. But first, I need to confirm something.

Okina

Oh? What might that be?

Reimu

That's... a secret!

Reimu

Let's have a battle of bullets first!

Huh?!

Marisa

Reimu, what are you saying?!

Sanae

What can you possibly find out from fighting?

Reimu

You'll see. I've thought this through. Just trust me.

Marisa

I don't get it, but I'll always go along with you when you get like this, Reimu!

Okina

Oh? Do you intend to determine something through a battle of bullets?

Okina

Very well. Let us fight!

Okina

However, I plan to open the back doors on these fairies and have them fight for me.

Okina

My strength lies in drawing out hidden power, after all. I will show you what I am capable of.

Reimu

Do as you wish... But if you go easy on me to save your strength, I'll make you regret it.

Okina

Of course I won't. I'm looking forward to this dance too. Why would I want to hold back?

Okina

The preparations have been made. Dance for me!

Okina

With that, our dance has ended. Did you find the answer you were seeking

Reimu

Yes, I learned all I needed to know.

Reimu

Okina. Let me apologize.

Okina

Why?

Reimu

I suspected that your ability might have caused the incident.

Marisa

Oh, I see!

Sanae

What are you saying, Miss Reimu?! Miss Okina lost her servants to this incident.

Reimu

Okina has the ability to create doors on the back of anything.

Reimu

I thought she could have used her ability to fold everything.

Okina

Hehe, you thought I was the mastermind behind this?

Okina

Well... Let's just say that it might not be impossible.

Sanae

HUUUUUUUH?! So is it possible or not?!

Sanae

Are you saying you really did cause the incident?!

Reimu

Just that it might be possible. She's a god with many secrets, after all.

Reimu

Opening back doors to draw out hidden powers could cause all kinds of incidents.

Reimu

And she could have concealed everything in the Land of the Back Door.

Marisa

Not to mention, she has a record for causing incidents with her power.

Sanae

You too, Miss Marisa?!

Okina

What can I say? I don't have any words to defend myself.

Reimu

You don't need to say anything.

Reimu

If you really were the mastermind, then in the battle of bullets earlier...

She would've killed us?

Reimu

Exactly.

Reimu

Even if she'd had to go against the rules of the battle, she'd have done it to prevent the information from spreading.

Reimu

But now I know she's our ally. Without a doubt!

Marisa

Ugh, you really like going the long way around to do things, don't you? Well, I guess it's better that we know for sure!

Sanae

I see now! Well, that's a relief.

Okina

Coming to such a conclusion through a battle of bullets... You're quite cunning, Reimu, to test a secret god like this

Reimu

Yeah, sorry for the trouble. Anyway, that's settled now!

Sanae

*GROWL*

Sanae

Oh! Um... Please ignore that! I was just so relieved that I suddenly felt hungry.

Marisa

Ha! Guess our next mission is to settle Sanae's stomach!

Sanae

Oh, I'm so full! The veggies from Miss Okina's fields were just so gooood!

Reimu

I was a bit worried since they're practically wild-grown, but they were delicious!

The mini hakkero is great for cooking too!

I didn't think it could be so useful!

Marisa

Riiiight?

Marisa

Light and heat magic are my specialty, after all. The mini hakkero is only this useful because I'm the one using it!

Marisa

I'm the best at making star bullets too. Even Patchouli has a hard time against them.

Reimu

Star debris really is irritating... It's just so tricky to avoid.

Marisa

...But you still manage to avoid it.

Sanae

Excuse me, Miss Okina! Could I have a glass of water?

Okina

No, I do not have any water.

Reimu

How come? You must have some!

Okina

The swamps and lakes have been folded too. There are no sources of fresh water.

Sanae

How do you water the crops?!

Okina

I leave it to the rain. I prefer natural solutions.

Reimu

Maybe we can extract water from the vegetables!

Marisa

We might just be able to secure the amount of water we need to drink...

Sanae

But we need water for other things too. We'll probably be here for a while, and I bet we'll all want to wash...

Reimu, Marisa & Sanae

We need to find some water!

Okina

Oh dear... Humans and their need for water.

Reimu

Well, did you find any water?

Marisa

Nope! There's not even a single puddle here, much less a swamp.

Reimu

I can't even find any mud.

And if we boil sea water to distill fresh water...

...it won't even cover the costs of our labor.

Reimu

Yeah...

Marisa

...Hey, don't y'all get a feeling the sun hasn't really been going down? Even though we've been here for a while.

Reimu

Oh, that? Okina told me about it.

Reimu

Night hasn't fallen ever since the moon came down.

Reimu

The sun is up all the time. That's why you felt something was off.

Marisa

*groan* Does that mean we have to keep searching for water in this crazy sunlight?!

Sanae

We might not be vampires, but this is still pretty tough!

???

Reimu...? Is that you?!

???

Reimu! I knew it was you! You feel just like Reimu when I hold you!

Reimu

Wait, is that you, Kasen?! Let go of me!

Kasen

Wha?!

Kasen

Ahem.

Kasen

Yukari was saying she would get help from a parallel world. She must have meant you!

Sanae

The m-mountain hermit!

Kasen

Sanae! And Marisa! And you are...? I believe this is the first time we've met.

Sanae

Oh, right. Miss PLAYER, this is the mountain hermit!

Kasen

That said, I currently have no mountains to dwell in.

Kasen

I'm Kasen Ibaraki. My hermit name is Ibarakasen.

Kasen

Huh? Oh, you must mean these clothes. This is an academy uniform from Yukari. It's comfortable and functional...

Reimu

Yeah, we heard the same spiel from Okina.

Marisa

Who cares about that?! We have to find water, and quick! Or we'll be in trouble.

Kasen

That could be a challenge... But I may be able to help you.

Kasen

Follow me.

Sanae

As expected of a hermit! You knew just where to find water.

Kasen

Well... Understanding the five elements is basic knowledge for a hermit.

Kasen

Sensing water isn't really a big deal.

Marisa

Whoa! Look at all those puddles here!

Marisa

I don't think it's drinkable, but there might be a nice pond if we go a bit farther.

Sanae

You're so reliable, Miss Hermit. Let's go!

Kasen

Ugh... Your expectations are really weighing on me.

Reimu

But isn't helping others what a hermit lives for?

Kasen

That's where you're wrong, Reimu.

Kasen

For a hermit, everything is a part of ascetic training! That is what we devote ourselves to.

Kasen

I just do what I have to and walk the path I'm supposed to. I don't seek recognition.

Reimu

It sounds kind of scary coming from you.

Reimu

Still, you're happy when you make someone happy, aren't you?

Kasen

Of course I am! There's no bigger joy.

(For the first time since coming to Gensokyo...)

(...I feel like I've met a decent person!)

Marisa

Ibarakasen, have you been here since this Gensokyo started being folded?

Reimu

We're looking for a difference between this world and ours to resolve this incident.

Sanae

We have to find the Lost Word. If you happen to know anything, please tell us.

Kasen

I heard from Yukari about the Lost Word. What I saw was...

Kasen

You could say it was like watching Hell collapse...

Marisa

First the moon, and now Hell too?!

You mean the Hell where sinners end up?

Where oni guards punish and torture souls?

Reimu

That's the one.

Reimu

The underground world of sinners that have passed on. I've heard that there are some conflicts between the factions.

Marisa

There's also a place called Former Hell which, as the name suggests, used to be Hell.

Marisa

Former Hell is a place with a lot of oni and youkai that fell into ruin after Hell was moved. Did it get folded too?

Kasen

Yes, it's as you surmise.

Kasen

The realms of Hell, Former Hell, and the neighboring Underworld areas... All of it has been compressed together.

Sanae

(The Underground Geyser Center must have been folded too. The hope of nuclear fusion energy lost forever...)

Kasen

I didn't even have any time to think about it.

Kasen

How should I describe it? It was like everything was collapsing upward.

Sanae

Up?! Not down from gravity? Is this still the same folding phenomenon?

Kasen

Judging by what I saw, I think it is.

Sanae

You know so much about Hell, Miss Hermit!

Sanae

What's more, you actually went there and saw it with your own eyes!

Reimu

It's because Kasen knows a lot of people! It's convenient knowing a hermit with so many contacts.

Kasen

W-Well, a hermit has to be capable of at least this much!

Wow, hermits are so cool!

Kasen

Ahem... Back to the topic at hand.

Kasen

With all this happening, I couldn't just sit back and watch.

Kasen

I sent some animals out to gather information.

Reimu

Oh, that's right. You keep a lot of animals, don't you? From raijuu to the children of dragons.

Reimu

What kind of information did they bring back?

Kasen

None. They didn't come back.

Marisa

Okina said her two servants didn't return either...

Kasen

The same thing has happened to all of us...

Kasen

Yukari also sent her shikigami out, but they vanished too.

Who?

Reimu

Ran Yakumo and Chen. Yukari didn't mention that.

Kasen

I see... Yukari hasn't shared her own experience with you yet then.

Reimu

If you know something, do tell us.

Kasen

No, you should hear it from Yukari. I don't know the details.

Kasen

All I can say is that Yukari probably experienced the most painful goodbye among all of us.

Kasen

The incident did not stop there. It reached Higan and the Sanzu River... And now it has made its way to Gensokyo.

Kasen

The moon fell at roughly the same time.

Sanae

It must be hard to do anything in a situation like this... Especially when those who go investigate don't come back.

Kasen

Indeed. When Yukari was finally able to put some countermeasures together...

Kasen

Gensokyo was already in a state not too different from the island you see now.

Kasen

Yukari took the boundary that became the front line, and we joined forces with her.

Kasen

As a hermit, I can create sealed hermit worlds called Senkai. I spread them to fight the front line of the folding.

Kasen

Okina created the Land of the Back Door with her ability and used it in the same way.

Kasen

We pooled together our powers to stand against the folding.

Reimu

And what was the result...?

Kasen

We merely managed to slow it down a tiny bit...

Kasen

It was only an interim measure, but we gained some time, which allowed us to accomplish one more thing.

Kasen

Yukari and Okina managed to bring you here.

And that brings us to the present then.

It's nice to hear a different point of view!

Reimu

From what you said, I guess you and Okina have been constantly using your powers to slow the folding down?

Kasen

Yes, we have.

Kasen

It's a kind of barrier, so it's effective even when we're not there.

Kasen

But we have to watch over it.

Kasen

Yukari was the only one watching over the barrier before, but now we share that duty to watch over it constantly.

Marisa

Hmm. No wonder you and Okina were wandering around outside.

Kasen

We had to put our personal issues aside and cooperate with each other.

Kasen

We can deal with those issues once this incident is resolved!

We can fix Gensokyo once we find the Lost Word!

Sanae

Look, everyone! I've found water! And lots of it!

Marisa

Whoaaa! An underground lake! It's huuuuuge!

It's beautiful and mysterious too!

Sanae

Yay! This should be more than enough!

Sanae

Miss Reimu, Miss Hermit! Please hurry!

Reimu

Splendid! It's just like Kasen said!

Kasen

I sensed the presence of water, but I hadn't expected such a large underground lake.

Kasen

Maybe the folding affected the lay of the land.

Marisa

All right! Let's draw as much water as we can carry and come back for more later!

Marisa

With this much water available, we have nothing to worry about!

???

Hey you! Stop right there!

???

How dare you invade my state-of-the-art territory?!

Reimu

I know this voice...!

Cirno

Oh, I'm sure you do! Nobody could forget the voice of the strongest ice fairy in Gensokyo, Her Majesty Cirno!

Wow, a fairy!

I'm PLAYER. It's nice to meet you!

Cirno

Huh? Who are YOU?

Cirno

You look super weak. Wanna be my minion or something?

Kasen

Cirno?! You haven't been folded?

Kasen

I had no idea! I was so worried! I mean, the Misty Lake vanished too...

Sanae

Maybe you couldn't detect her because of all the water here.

Cirno

Oh! It's the hermit!

Cirno

Long time no see! How've you been?

Kasen

Huh? Um... Don't you know what's happening outside?

Cirno

Well, I could hear a lot of noise going on outside, so I...

Cirno

I-It's not like I was scared, OK?! I just went somewhere else for a while! Just in case!

Cirno

But then the Misty Lake vanished, and I couldn't find Dai either...

Cirno

I didn't know what to do, so I thought I'd just stay put in the only place that was still cold.

Kasen

I see...

Cirno

And it's been so BORING! So you'll do! Let's bring out the bullets!

Kasen

Why does it always end up like this?!

Cirno

You mighta forgot because I'm SO strong―

Cirno

But I'm a fairy! I gotta play tricks from time to time!

Reimu

*sigh* Guess we have no choice.

Reimu

We stepped into your territory, after all. I'll play your game.

Cirno

Look down on me and you'll get frostbite! You better not hold back. This ain't just a game... It's a full-on BATTLE!

Cirno

Take it seriously or you'll regret it!

Cirno

Show me what you're made of! I'll freeze you to the core!

Reimu

Looks like you've got energy to spare. Time to let some of it out!

Marisa

I know she's a fairy, but still... Cirno's something else. I could really feel the fire there! ...I mean, the ice.

Cirno

Hehe! I went easy on you! But I'll give you a break, since I'm so nice.

Yukari

So... To sum up what you told me.

Yukari

There is a cave in the forest behind the shrine, and it leads to an underground lake.

Yukari

You wanted to draw water from it, but the water turned out to be undrinkable.

Yukari

Correct so far?

Kasen

Yes. Unfortunately, it was full of poison.

Yukari

It's good you noticed before something bad happened. We should make sure to keep away from the lake.

Reimu

I can't help but wonder why there's a toxic lake underground.

Yukari

It's probably because it lies on the border with Hell.

Yukari

Eight hot hells and eight cold hells were folded together, which gave birth to this toxic lake.

Sanae

If that's the case, the poison must come from the grudges of vengeful spirits...

Kasen

How could you live in a place like that?

Cirno

Nobody said it was nice! But it wasn't bad enough to keep me from living there either.

Yukari

Even in a place with poison, life finds a way.

Yukari

Putting that aside... You might think you've failed, but you couldn't be more wrong.

Kasen

Oh? What do you mean?

Yukari

We've got her now!

Cirno

Hahaha! Stop! It tickles!

Marisa

Don't tell me...

Marisa

You're telling us to get Cirno to make ice so that we can melt it?

Will that work?

Reimu

In theory. Still, we can't be sure if Cirno's ice is poison-free.

Cirno

WH-WH-WHAT?! My ice might be poisoned?

Yukari

It depends on you, Cirno.

Yukari

If your skill for manipulating ice and cold air is working normally, the ice you make should be completely pure.

Yukari

Then we can obtain water free from any impurities, and you can eliminate all the toxins from your body.

Sanae

Like getting fresh water by melting snow, huh? This may work.

Yukari

The only thing I am uncertain of is... whether Cirno's power is working normally or not.

Cirno

Huuuh?! What are you saying?! My power's fine! Just watch!

Cirno

I just gotta create a large block of ice, right? There's no such thing as "can't" in my dictionary!

(She tricked her into doing it...)

Cirno

GROOAAAAAH!!!

Cirno

Urgh...

Marisa

I guess ice fairies can't use a lot of power if the air isn't cool enough.

Yukari

It seems so.

Yukari

This world is small, so there are few natural resources for fairies to use as sources of power.

Sanae

But if Miss Cirno doesn't use her full power, we won't get any water!

Yukari

That's true. What do you think we should do, Miss Hermit?

Kasen

Hehe. Is it time for me to step in?

Kasen

If you lack power, you have to train! I will make you all stronger!

Reimu

Hey! Why do we have to do this too?!

Marisa

Yeah, just train Cirno.

Sanae

Y-Yeah...

But this is a chance to have a hermit train us!

Kasen

That's right, PLAYER.

Kasen

You still have the search for the Lost Word ahead of you. You should train while you can!

Reimu

Urk... I hate training...

Kasen

I'm going to put you through the paces!

Reimu

Ugh, you're really going all out, aren't you? You've even changed into your usual clothes...

Kasen

I just thought they'd be more suitable for training!

Reimu

Come on. Just admit that you love doing this already...

Kasen

I did what I could, but we'll get nowhere at this rate...

Kasen

I've got an idea. Let's ask Okina for help. She should be an expert at drawing out a fairy's full power.

Reimu

*pant* *pant* And... I'll take our victory as the results of the training.

Okina

...I see. So that is the reason you called me here.

Okina

Very well! I will unleash Cirno's true power.

Okina

However, I will need your help to do so.

Reimu

What do you need us to do?

Okina

Nothing difficult. I just need you to dance for me.

Marisa

Give me a break! What's wrong with you all? First you make us train, and now we're supposed to dance?!

Okina

*smirk* I am a god of many things. One of them is the arts.

Okina

Give me a dance as an offering, and I will bring out this fairy's full power.

Okina

I usually have my two servants dance for me at times like this, but...

Okina

Your dance will have to do.

How have you been doing this until now?

Okina

Oh, the fairies danced for me.

Okina

I think your dance will be more effective though, since you and my servants are more alike

Cirno

D-Do I have to dance too?!

Okina

No, everyone else will dance behind you. You just have to stand still.

Cirno

Stand STILL?! That's even worse!

Okina

Your power and perseverance will help save Gensokyo. You should be able to endure this much.

Cirno

Me, save Gensokyo?! ...Well, if you need me THAT much, sure!

Kasen

We still have one problem.

Kasen

What are our dancers supposed to dance?

Kasen

Nobody here looks like much of a dancer.

You have me there...

Marisa

Hey, Reimu! Sanae!

Marisa

You're shrine maidens, aren't you? You should know one or two kagura dances!

Reimu

You think I remember all of that stuff?!

Sanae

I don't really know any either...

Okina

What's this? You can't even perform one dance? How pathetic.

Reimu

Nobody knows those dances nowadays, OK?

Okina

*sigh* Fine, I suppose we can fight instead.

Okina

Martial arts are called "arts" for a reason. Let me feast my eyes on a beautiful battle of bullets.

Marisa

You'll be happy with a battle of bullets? In that case, I volunteer!

Sanae

Phew! Just the thought of having to dance gave me goosebumps!

Reimu

A battle of bullets, huh?

Reimu

If it's a battle you want, then it's a battle you'll get!

Kasen

Well, I'm just glad we found a solution.

Okina

And what are you smiling about?

Okina

"The more the better" applies to dance as well. You will be performing along with the rest of them.

Kasen

What?!

Okina

Dance for me, maidens! Show me the beauty of the fight!

Okina

Weave between the bullets! Take flight!

Kasen

I suppose a battle of bullets does resemble a dance. Are you ready, Reimu? I'll be your opponent!

Okina

That was both a splendid battle and a beautiful dance!

Kasen

With this, we should be able to draw out Cirno's power. I'm glad I was able to live up to my reputation.

Okina

Do you feel any different, Cirno?

Okina

I doubt you are as strong as you were back then, but your power should have returned to its normal levels.

Cirno

Yeah, I can feel my power coming back to me!

Reimu

Back then? You mean that time you caused an incident that powered Cirno up, Okina?

Marisa

Yeah, she got a sunburn too!

Marisa

I guess if she's just at her normal levels, it won't be that bad.

Cirno

What?! I'm ALWAYS strong, even at my normal levels!

Cirno

I'll show you! Time to give my powers a test!

Marisa

Stop that, you idiot!

Cirno

Ice Sign: Icicle Fall!

Cirno

Heck yeah! My power's BACK!

Cirno

I'm gonna prove I'm the real deal!

Marisa

What kind of idiot just uses Spell Cards when they're right next to someone?! You almost turned me into an ice sculpture!

I've never seen such a huge icicle before!

Cirno

Super cool, right? Dai sometimes gets too close and ends up frozen!

Cirno

Ah...

Cirno

I miss Dai... She's gone too...

Let's work together to find your friend!

We need your help to save everyone in Gensokyo.

Cirno

PLAYER... You're right! I'll help you out. You're lucky to have me on your side!

Sanae

Thanks to you, Miss Cirno, we won't have to worry about water for a while. We can get back to looking for clues.

Marisa

All righty! Lemme get my mini hakkero―I'll melt this block for you!

Marisa

We need a bucket or something to collect the water.

Kasen

I'll go get you something.

Reimu

Oh!

Reimu

Kasen will be alone. PLAYER, could you come with me?

Do you want to ask her something?

Reimu

You could say that. Let's get going before we lose sight of her.

Kasen

This bucket should be enough for now. Some water jugs would be nice too...

Reimu

Kasen, do you have a moment?

Kasen

Reimu, PLAYER. Has something happened?

Reimu

I wanted to ask you a few more questions about the current incident. You know, in order to resolve it.

Kasen

Well, I don't mind, but I told you everything I knew in the cave.

Reimu

That's...

Kasen

*sigh* If you suspect me, at least carry through with it.

Kasen

After our battle and dance, you should fully know what kind of person the Kasen Ibaraki of this Gensokyo is.

Kasen

But you aren't sure you should trust someone who might be involved in the incident, correct?

Reimu

I guess that's what makes you a hermit. You saw through everything.

Kasen

Hehe, of course. You're still Reimu, even if you're from another world.

Reimu

Oh, come on! If you say stuff like that, I won't be able to stop you even if you are the culprit!

Reimu

It's not just that power you have. It's different from when I faced you... before. I can't handle this.

Reimu, I don't think Miss Hermit did this!

Reimu

Neither do I, PLAYER. Not anymore. Sorry, Kasen. Let me help you.

Kasen

It's not a bad thing to be suspicious. In this Gensokyo, nobody knows who the culprit is.

Kasen

I don't know either. Only the culprit does.

Kasen

OK, let's bring this bucket back. Everyone's waiting for us.

Kasen

Oh, and PLAYER.

Kasen

Please just call me Kasen. Being called Miss Hermit makes me feel a bit uncomfortable.

OK, Kasen!

Reimu

So, after we filled all the buckets and water jugs we could find with water yesterday...

Reimu

I took a bath and went to bed. I was so tired that I fell asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow.

Reimu

I've completely lost track of time since night never falls here.

Reimu

I wonder how many days it's been since we came to this Gensokyo. Plus...

Good morning, Reimu.

What's wrong? Did something happen?

Yukari

Good morning, Reimu, PLAYER.

Reimu

I was just wondering how many days have passed since we arrived here.

Reimu

And how much more time this Gensokyo has left...

Yukari

Good morning, Reimu, PLAYER.

Yukari

Did I hear you talking about how much time remains for Gensokyo?

Good morning, Miss Yukari.

Reimu

Were you eavesdropping on us, Yukari?

Yukari

No, I just happened to overhear you.

Yukari

I was just thinking that I needed to talk to you all about that...

Marisa

*yawn* Hello, everyone. Wait, why's Yukari here so early?

Sanae

Good morning...

Sanae

Huh? What's going on?

Yukari

All right, everyone. Please hear me out. The situation with the incident has suddenly changed.

Yukari

I've determined when this world will be completely folded...

Yukari

And it's this afternoon. Three in the afternoon, to be exact.

Marisa

WHAT?!

Reimu

Why are we only hearing about this now?! You didn't mention this yesterday!

Yukari

Well... You know that we're doing our best to slow the incident down, right?

Yukari

We've reached our limit.

Marisa

All the more reason to inform us beforehand!

Reimu

Marisa, wait a minute.

Reimu

Yukari, I couldn't help but notice...

Reimu

Is this somehow connected to us having been summoned here?

Yukari

It was not my intention to hide it from you, but you're right, Reimu.

Yukari

Bringing you here required incredible power. Normally, we would have used the prayers of shrine maidens, but well...

Yukari

Since there were no shrine maidens left, we had to use our own power.

Reimu

So, you could either bring us here and try to fight, but shorten the time remaining, or just wait for the inevitable...

Reimu

And you correctly chose the former.

Yukari

Exactly, Reimu. However, that left us with much less time than expected, and for that, I sincerely apologize.

Marisa

So, that's what was going on... I agree with Reimu. I think you made the right choice, Yukari.

Sanae

Same here! That was the only option.

I agree!

Yukari

I'm going to inform the others about the situation. Please continue looking for the Lost Word.

Yukari

I've arranged for a chime to be rung at three. You should be able to hear it from anywhere on the island.

Reimu

And once we hear it, we're out of time. Got it.

Yukari

One more thing. My room is in the innermost part of the shrine academy.

Yukari

If you want to talk to me, or if you've found the Lost Word...

Yukari

Come to my room.

Reimu

Three in the afternoon, huh? We'll just have to do what we can.

Marisa

But what is that, exactly?

Marisa

We've heard what everyone has had to tell us, but we still have no clue about what the Lost Word could be.

Sanae

This world has already lost so many things. How are we supposed to figure out which is the one we're looking for?

Maybe there's someone we haven't met yet.

Reimu

I was about to say the same thing. It's just a gut feeling though.

Marisa

I trust your gut! It's helped us with tons of youkai and incidents before, right? I think we should go with it!

Sanae

Shall we go, then?

Marisa

Whoa, what IS this?!

Marisa

Haze?! Mist?! Cirno, are you playing a trick on us?

Cirno

It ain't me this time!

Marisa

Whoa, Cirno! You scared me. I didn't see you there!

Oh! There's someone by the bucket!

Wait... Are those horns?!

???

Water! Finally, some fresh water!

???

Could I have just a little?

Drink as much as you want!

It's everyone's water!

???

Thank you! Can you pour me some into this Ibuki Gourd?

Sure! Just a moment!

Reimu

S-Suika?!

Reimu

That mist must have been Suika in her dispersed form...

Sanae

Miss Suika, you're here too!

Suika

Hey, if it isn't Reimu, Marisa, and Sanae.

Cirno

I'm here too!

Suika

Hey, Cirno. Haven't seen you before though, human.

I'm PLAYER. Here's your water!

Suika

Thanks, PLAYER! I'm Suika Ibuki! I'm an oni!

Suika

And these clothes are from Yukari. They're comfy and functional, you know...

An oni...!

Those horns are just soooo cool!

Suika

Hey, are you listening? Ah, whatever.

Suika

This Ibuki Gourd turns water into sake, but I ran out of water...

Suika

And you know how much oni love sake.

Suika

When I ran out of sake, I started to panic.

Suika

I felt my power leaving my body, so it was easier for me to stay in mist form.

Suika

When I saw the water here, I used all my power to give myself form again.

Reimu

But where have you been until now?

Suika

I've been watching you in my mist form ever since you got here.

Suika

So I know what's going on. More or less.

Suika

I'm the last one here on this island, minus irregular cases like Cirno.

Suika

And I wager you have some questions for me?

Reimu

Oh, good. We can get straight to the point.

Suika

You gave me water after all. I'll help you resolve this incident however I can.

Thank you very much!

Suika

But―

Suika

It'd be more fun if I told you through a battle of bullets!

Marisa

Simple plan. I like it!

Sanae

This part never changes, does it? This might be a parallel world, but it's still Gensokyo!

Suika

You'll see the night parade of one hundred demons in broad daylight!

Reimu

You're using onibi? So you're so weak that you can't even create little clones of yourself?

Suika

Ha! No. It just means that I can beat you without them.

Suika

All right! That was just what I needed. I lost, but I feel so much better!

Reimu

Maybe you were just playing around, but that was a real fight for us...

Reimu

Oni really are something else.

Suika

It was a strange sight.

Suika

All the places in Gensokyo―the villages, the mountains―were being folded one after another.

Suika

The youkai who managed to flee from the Underworld in time took shelter. Yuugi was among them.

Marisa

Yuugi is your friend, right? What happened after that?

Suika

The incident progressed really quickly from the west.

Suika

The Youkai Mountain was folded too.

Suika

Yuugi tried to stop it. I created some little clones of myself to help her.

Suika

...But it wasn't enough.

Suika

Losing Yuugi was pretty tough on me...

Sanae

I can't believe it... Youkai Mountain, too?!

Sanae

D-Does that mean that Lady Kanako and Lady Suwako are also...?

Suika

The same thing happened to the Misty Lake, the Forest of Magic, the Human Village...

Suika

Everything except for this area was folded and turned into this sea.

Suika

I want to go drinking again with Yuugi and make fun of the tengu and kappa...

I guess everyone wants to save Gensokyo...

Reimu

So what you're saying is that you tried to suppress the folding with your own power, just like Okina and Kasen?

Suika

Yeah. I thought I could do something with my density manipulation ability.

Suika

Since everything would get denser as more stuff was folded up, I thought it would be the most effective.

How is that connected?

Marisa

Oh, I see! ...Huh? Y'all really don't get it?

Reimu

Marisa, could you just explain already instead of boasting?

Reimu

'Cause I don't get it at all!

Marisa

OK, OK. In short, this Gensokyo is like a sheet of paper that has been folded a lot.

Marisa

Even the thinnest sheet of paper gets thick when folded many times, right? That means it gets denser.

Marisa

But when the paper is folded, you can't see what's written on its surface.

Marisa

That's what's happening to the land and the people living here.

Reimu

So... Suika's density manipulation skill is basically like folding and unfolding a piece of paper?

Marisa

Pretty much.

Sanae

And didn't Miss Yukari and Miss Hermit say that everything will return to normal when the incident is resolved?

Marisa

Right. The text written on the paper is still there. If we can just stop the folding, we can figure out how to unfold it later.

And then everything will come back!

Suika

I'm sure that my ability will come in handy once the incident is dealt with.

Reimu

Hm... That makes sense.

Suika

But we need to deal with it first.

Suika

I'm pretty weak at the moment. I lost a bunch of my clones, and on top of that, night no longer falls.

Reimu

You've done a great job, all things considered.

Suika

Well, we have done everything we can...

Suika

...but there's no way to completely stop it. Yukari said we only have until three in the afternoon.

Suika

That's all the time we've got.

We came here to deal with it!

Reimu

That's right. We just have to find the source of the folding―

Reimu

The Lost Word!

Marisa & Sanae

Yeah!

Suika

You really mean that, don't you?

Suika

...OK! There's no time to cry. I promise I'll try to stop the incident from progressing for as long as I can!

Marisa

And oni never lie, so those are some reassuring words!

Reimu

People say youkai are pretty spiritual, but an oni is even more so. Their frame of mind is even linked to their will to live!

Reimu

In any case, I'm glad you're feeling better.

Suika

I'm entrusting everything to you, so let me tell you something that might help.

Suika

I know you've searched almost every corner of this island, but there's one place I'm sure you haven't been to yet.

Reimu

Oh? I thought we'd investigated all of this little island by the time we met Kasen.

Marisa

Don't tell me there's another hidden place like the underground lake!

Suika

Nothing like that. I'm talking about books. The academy is a place of learning. There are tons of books there.

Marisa

Oh! I can't believe I missed that! Books are a treasure trove of information!

Sanae

That's right! We might find some clues in the books.

Suika

I took a glance at the academy's library when I was in mist form. There were too many to read.

Marisa

Now that you mention it, Gensokyo does have a lot of bookworms, including me! Maybe those books can help us.

Reimu

All right! Let's go read them all then!

Let's do this!

Marisa & Sanae

Yeah!

Reimu?

How is the research going?

Reimu

Hi, PLAYER.

Reimu

There are only a few hours left until the chime rings.

Reimu

We've split up to search through the books and texts in the academy, but I've figured out some things.

Reimu

So, the dorms and the uniforms Yukari makes everyone wear...

Reimu

They all exist as a part of school life in the outside world.

So this place doesn't just resemble an academy―

It actually IS an academy?

Reimu

There are some differences, but yes.

Reimu

I think this place becoming an academy is significant.

Marisa

Hey, PLAYER! Reimu!

Marisa

PLAYER, you've been hard at work this whole time, right? You're just a human, so you should take a break.

Sanae

She's right. Leave this kind of thing to the incident pros!

OK, then I'll just take a quick break!

Reimu

Looks like you have some good news for me. How did it go?

Sanae

U-Um, about that!

Marisa

Well... It's not like we've found anything special.

Marisa

It's just... Sanae remembered something.

Marisa

It's typical for schools in the outside world to have facilities where students cook in groups or stay overnight and learn.

Reimu

Go on. I’m listening.

Reimu

What? That's it?!

Marisa

Yup, that's it.

Marisa

But think about it. It's like the outside world flooded in here and...

Marisa

Wait. Do you feel some strange energy?

What energy?

Marisa

I can't explain it... Maybe fairies or phantoms? It's all so mixed up that I can't really make it out!

Reimu

I sense it too. And it feels kind of familiar.

Reimu

It kind of reminds me of those Occult Balls!

Sanae

Urban legends... School... Oh!

Sanae

I-If I remember right, schools often have a lot of scary stories!

Marisa

Huh? What's got you all jittery?

Marisa

You live on the Youkai Mountain. What could possibly frighten you?

Sanae

That's different though...

Reimu

Well, this Lost Word Incident isn't like the Urban Legend Incident. Urban legends don't come true like this.

Reimu

Could an urban legend have merged with the fairies and phantoms of Gensokyo?

What do you mean by merge?

Reimu

Usually, we say that gods "merge" when they combine to become one. Normally, fairies and phantoms can't do this.

Reimu

We can’t rule that out right now though, since an incident is going on.

Reimu

From what Okina and the others said, it seems like all of the worlds have been drawn to this point in Gensokyo.

Reimu

This folding thing may be a result of an irregular merging caused by the worlds being drawn to a single point.

Marisa

So you're saying that things started merging because they were all pushed together?

Sanae

Lady Kanako and Lady Suwako told me something similar about new gods merging with old ones to be accepted.

Reimu

I guess this is a specialty of shrine gods.

So Gensokyo and other worlds are being merged?

Reimu

It's complicated, I know. But this academy could be both the Scarlet Devil Mansion and Hakugyokurou... Maybe.

Reimu

On top of that, it's also an academy from the outside world.

Marisa

Hm. And the school ghost stories coinciding with the academy is proving this theory.

Marisa

So, even the outside world is exposed to the folding. Everything is being drawn here and confined...

Marisa

Who could possibly be behind all of this?

One who can draw all things in to confine them...

Reimu

I feel like we're really close to the truth...

Sanae

Heads up! Some creatures from the urban legends are here!

Sanae

They don't look like they want to hurt us. Should we just hide and wait until they leave?

Reimu

...No, there's no time for that.

Reimu

We have to gather as much info as we can and analyze it before Yukari's chime rings.

Reimu

We'll scare them off with bullets!

Marisa

Hehe, now you're talking! OK, I'll lure them outside!

Sanae

Let me help too!

Marisa

They came in a swarm again. Even though they're not that strong, this could be a pain

Sanae

It looks like they're all based on famous scary stories!

Reimu

That was nothing. Let’s keep this up and get rid of them all!

Marisa

I'm glad you're in high spirits, but don't forget our goal. When the chime rings, it's game over.

Reimu

I-I know that...!

Reimu

Oh, PLAYER. I was just about to go get you.

Reimu

We have to go to Yukari's room before the chime rings.

Wait, does that mean―

You found the Lost Word?!

Reimu

I think I did. I just need to confirm it.

Reimu

I thought it'd be easy at first, but it was a lot more complicated than I'd expected.

It was like looking for a needle in a haystack.

Reimu

Yeah. We didn't have any clues as to where to start. Even I had a hard time understanding the situation.

Reimu

And we had the wrong idea from the start, which made it take more time than expected.

What do you mean by that?

Reimu

We took Yukari's words for granted. That people from another world wouldn't be influenced by the incident here.

Reimu

Yukari said that the Lost Word would infest other worlds if it wasn't stopped...

Reimu

But we've actually been affected from the very moment we came here.

We have?! I didn't even notice!

Reimu

It wouldn't be that bad if we were in some other parallel world, but we're here at the very center of the incident.

Reimu

The Lost Word is infesting the world as we speak. That means everyone in this world, including us, is affected.

Reimu

That's why we can't remember the Lost Word either.

When a word disappears, so does its concept...

Then how can we find the Lost Word?!

Reimu

Calm down, PLAYER. There's a reason why you were summoned here too.

But how can I help?

Reimu

I don't know the cause, but my guess is that the reason you can't go back to your world...

Reimu

...and the reason the Seal Crystals appeared when you did are the same. You're needed for something.

What might that be?

Reimu

I'm not quite sure yet. Now, could you open that for me?

Oh, do you mean this?

Reimu

Yup, that's it.

Reimu

Phew. My hypothesis was right. It might have disappeared everywhere else, but it still remains in your journal.

Reimu

Thinking back, everything you've experienced has been written down in this journal of yours.

Reimu

I was afraid the word might've vanished from your journal too. It hasn't, but I still don't know why.

So this is the missing word?!

Reimu

Yeah. Let's go see how Yukari reacts to it.

I was actually just thinking about Yukari myself...

Reimu

I'd be surprised if you weren't. She's a mysterious and powerful youkai, after all. What's bothering you though?

She said she couldn't contact her parallel world self.

She's so powerful that I feel like she'd be able to...

Reimu

Ah!

Reimu

Lesser youkai wouldn’t be able to, but it's very possible that Yukari would...

Reimu

She's a Sage of Gensokyo with the ability to manipulate boundaries. There should be boundaries between worlds too.

Reimu

While the others were stopping the spread of the incident, Yukari summoned us here. What has she been doing...?

Could she be preparing to contact another world?

Reimu

The same thing just came to my mind. Even if it takes time, there must be a way to make contact from the island.

Reimu

She is probably preparing to use her remaining power to send one last message to other worlds before this one vanishes.

Reimu

If Yukari could protect the other Gensokyos by sacrificing her own life, she'd do it without any hesitation.

Reimu

...She might have already started.

Reimu, we have to hurry!

Reimu

Yeah. Let's go see how Yukari reacts to it.

Reimu

We'll protect Gensokyo ourselves!

Yukari

Oh, Reimu, PLAYER. Judging by your faces, you must have found the Lost Word.

Reimu

Yeah, that's what I've come to talk about. But before that...!

Reimu

Were you going to warn the other parallel worlds about this incident with the Lost Word...

Reimu

...at the cost of your own life?

Yukari

First, let me assure you. I didn't plan this because I assumed you'd fail.

Yukari

I have to protect Gensokyo no matter what. If I can't protect this one, at the very least, I can try to save the others.

Yukari

This room lies on a boundary with a parallel world, as was my intention. All the information I have on the Lost Word is here.

Yukari

If worst comes to worst, this room would drift to another parallel world like a message in a bottle.

Reimu

Because you were worried just opening a gap could make another world infested too, right?

Yukari

As a guardian of Gensokyo, it was only natural.

Yukari

I was going to protect this room until the last moment and send it to a gap between worlds if the worst happened.

Yukari

I would vanish, but at least I'd have been able to warn the other Gensokyos.

Reimu

So you'd "win" either way... This is just like you, ugh.

Yukari

But you're here to prove that my plan was unnecessary, aren't you?

Sanae

You found the Lost Word, Miss Reimu?!

Marisa

What was it?

Reimu

Good timing. I was just about to spill the beans.

Reimu

First, let me say this... Yukari YAKUMO. Marisa KIRISAME. Sanae KOCHIYA.

Sanae

Y-Yes?

Marisa

Why are you being so formal all of a sudden?

Reimu

Can anyone say my last name? Reimu... What comes next?

Marisa

Huh? Your last name?

Sanae

What are you up to, Miss Reimu?

Sanae

There's not a single person or youkai in Gensokyo who doesn't know you!

It's very important. Please answer.

Marisa

If you say so, PLAYER. Reimu's last name is... Huh?

Sanae

Hm? It's on the tip of my tongue, but...

Reimu

Bingo. Just as I thought.

Reimu

It seems they can't remember my last name. What about you, Yukari?

Yukari

Oh!

Yukari

As far as I'm aware, you don't have one.

Yukari

The Reimu I know never had a last name to begin with.

Yukari

Reimu is Reimu. That's how it's always been.

Reimu

That's the Lost Word―the difference in this world created by the missing word.

Reimu

My name is Reimu Hakurei.

Reimu

The Lost Word is "Hakurei"!

What was that?!

Marisa

Whoa! PLAYER's journal just made a sound!

Sanae

It's like it was telling us we had the right answer!

My journal can do that...?

Reimu

...Ahem. If I could continue?

Marisa

Right, your last name is Hakurei! I remember now... So that's the Lost Word?

Sanae

I remember it too! Reimu Hakurei. I can say it now!

Reimu

Good. What about you, Yukari?

Reimu

Huh?!

Yukari

Oh my...

Yukari

Forgive me. It seems I'm a little overwhelmed by my memories.

Reimu

Um...

Yukari

I can't believe I forgot that word... Hakurei. It has such a nostalgic ring to it.

Yukari

It seems like all of my memories connected to the word Hakurei have returned.

Reimu

So finding the Lost Word also means regaining memories...

Reimu

I can't see any physical changes, but what about the incident? The folding?

Yukari

I can feel it... The world and its space are stable. The influence of the Lost Word Incident is no more.

Reimu

That's a relief... All of Gensokyo is probably getting their memories back right now, just like you did, Yukari.

We can finally relax then!

Reimu

That’s right.

Marisa

But Reimu, how did you know that the Lost Word was Hakurei?

Marisa

You had forgotten your last name when we came here, right?

Reimu

Correct. If I had remembered it, we wouldn't have had to do all this.

Sanae

Then how did you remember it?

Reimu

Well... In the end, it was all thanks to PLAYER.

Reimu

But I couldn't have figured it out without all the challenges we faced.

Yukari

Please, do tell me the whole story.

Reimu

OK, since the word Hakurei had gone missing, the nature of the Great Hakurei Barrier had completely changed.

Reimu

It's a boundary that divides common sense from absurdity. When something is forgotten in the outside world...

Reimu

Whatever is forgotten flows into Gensokyo through the Great Hakurei Barrier. This is how Gensokyo is made.

Reimu

That's the nature of the Great Hakurei Barrier when it's working normally.

Yukari

I can remember it now. It prevents things and forces rejected by the outside world from flowing freely into Gensokyo.

Yukari

I, as a Sage of Gensokyo, made the Great Hakurei Barrier for that very purpose.

Marisa

So... In this world, an incident made the word Hakurei go missing.

Marisa

As a result, the Great Hakurei Barrier lost its name and went rampant.

Marisa

Let's name it to make things easier.

Marisa

I'll call it the Great Lost Barrier for now.

Sanae

So, the Great Lost Barrier went rampant after losing its name, and it became something different from the original.

Reimu

This was the direct cause of the Lost Word Incident in this world. The barrier itself was behind it all.

Reimu

Because of the Great Lost Barrier, everything began to flow into Gensokyo regardless of common sense and absurdity.

Reimu

The Great Hakurei Barrier was powerful to begin with, but it no longer made any distinctions in what it let flow in.

Reimu

The barrier went wild and sucked in everything. Until nothing was left.

Sanae

Like a black hole...

Yukari

It's possible considering how powerful the barrier is. After all, it inspired a plan to relocate the Lunar Capital.

Yukari

So if it lost its name and went rampant... the effect was bound to be enormous.

Reimu

As a result, too many things were stuffed into Gensokyo and they all started to uncontrollably merge with each other.

Reimu

And since Gensokyo has a limited amount of space, the merging was forced in an uneven way.

Reimu

Most of the land merged with the moon and turned into the sea.

Reimu

The Underworld turned into the lake. Other geography was either swallowed up by the sea or mixed in elsewhere.

Reimu

So it sucked in the inhabitants, integrating and simplifying them until only this island was left.

Reimu

And that's the whole folding phenomenon. It makes sense now that we know the Great Lost Barrier was behind it.

Marisa

I see. When you were looking for the real name of the barrier, you found out that the Lost Word was Hakurei.

Marisa

Wait, no! How'd you even know that the incident was caused by the Great Lost Barrier?!

Marisa

You couldn't have found the word Hakurei written anywhere even if you knew!

Reimu

Actually, it was this academy―this shrine, to be specific―that led me to the truth.

Sanae

Ah! You mean Hakurei Shrine!

Reimu

Yes. I had a feeling from the beginning that this academy was a special place.

Reimu

It's the only place that's stood still in this world, and it merged with other places... even a school from the outside.

Reimu

I started wondering why such an important place didn't have any name. Like Scarlet Devil Mansion or Hakugyokurou do.

Reimu

It wasn't written in any of the books here, and of course, I couldn't remember it either.

Marisa

So that's when you noticed! It'd be one thing if this were just a school, but it's weird for this big place to have no name.

Marisa

No, wait a minute! How could you find the word Hakurei if it wasn't written down anywhere?

Reimu

Well, PLAYER had the key all along. Her journal, to be precise.

Reimu

I don't know how it works, but everything PLAYER experiences gets written in the journal.

Reimu

And luckily, it wasn't affected by the Lost Word Incident.

Yukari

Ah, that mysterious journal! So you read through it and discovered a passage with the name of Hakurei Shrine.

Sanae

But only PLAYER can use the journal, right?

It seems that way.

Marisa

This means there really was a reason for you to come to this world with us!

Sanae

Case solved! This calls for a celebration!

Reimu

Celebration... I wanted to mention that too. Yukari, Hakurei Shrine is a place for celebrations, right?

Reimu

I bet that's one of the reasons you stuck to this academy life. Because this is Hakurei Shrine.

Yukari

I don't think I follow...

Reimu

You often came to Hakurei Shrine, which held festivals from time to time.

Reimu

But the word Hakurei went missing and the shrine lost its name.

Reimu

After the academy was established in this unnamed shrine, it became the unnamed shrine academy.

Reimu

But you knew, didn't you?

Reimu

An academy is a place which girls visit and where events are periodically held.

Reimu

You wanted to have celebrations here again, didn't you?

Yukari

Honestly, I wasn't even aware of it myself, but when you put it that way... Heehee. It does sound plausible.

Yukari

It seems like I was doing my utmost to remember the past.

Reimu

That's all from me. All solved, case closed!

Yukari

Heehee. Excellent work, Reimu. Now, it's time for your graduation exam.

Sanae

I see! It's a school, so―

Reimu, Marisa & Sanae

Wait, WHAT?!

Marisa

Wh-What do you mean?! No one said anything about an exam!

Reimu

Come on! We found the Lost Word, so let’s end it at that!

Sanae

I had no idea there'd be an exam waiting for us!

Yukari

However, this is a very important test.

Reimu

Huh...? What do you mean?

Yukari

Remember, you've only found the Lost Word of THIS Gensokyo.

Are you saying it has spread to other worlds?

Even though we resolved the incident?!

Yukari

Well, it's not this world's Lost Word that’s spreading.

Yukari

Rather that the Lost Word Incident has been occurring in multiple parallel worlds simultaneously.

Y-You never mentioned anything about this!

Yukari

There would have been no point telling you if you couldn't resolve this incident, so I was waiting all this time.

Reimu

So this is happening in other places too?! What in the world...?

Yukari

I haven't been to the other parallel worlds, so I honestly can't say more.

Yukari

It may be even worse than here... Just know that it's not my intention to put you in danger.

Yukari

Still, I want you to find all the Lost Words... To protect the other Gensokyos.

Reimu

...If even one incident remains unresolved, it'll spread, right? I guess we just have to find them all.

Sanae

And we still don't know why the Lost Word Incidents occur. Not to mention who's behind it all.

Sanae

We have to capture the culprit before something terrible happens to our Gensokyo!

Marisa

You're right. And we'll be the heroes who saved all the parallel worlds! Not a bad ring to it.

Reimu

*sigh* How can you all be so optimistic?

Yukari

You're going to have to resolve all the incidents. So show me just how strong you are.

Reimu

Fine! I'll take you on... I don't want to leave any unfinished business in this world, or in this academy!

Reimu, let's do this!

Reimu

We'll do this together, PLAYER!

Yukari

Let us begin. Show me how much you've grown.

Reimu

Phew... As usual, Yukari sure was a tough opponent.

Yukari

Ah...

Reimu

Huh? What?

Yukari

Nothing. I just got a little bit emotional. It was quite a nice battle of bullets.

Yukari

Congratulations on your graduation!

Yukari

Are you ready? I'm going to connect a space to your Gensokyo.

Yukari

I suppose you could describe it as forcing two gaps together.

Yukari

Well, you don't need to know the details, right?

Sanae & Marisa

(Ugh, I can feel the nausea coming already...)

Yukari

Oh, and before you go...

Yukari

I haven't properly expressed my gratitude for what you've done.

Yukari

Thank you, from the bottom of my heart.

Reimu

I didn't want to get involved at first, but now that we know that our Gensokyo is also in danger...

Reimu

In a sense, you saved us too.

Okina

You have my thanks as well. I admit I'm a bit sad to see this party disband.

Okina

That said, the versions of you that exist in this Gensokyo will return soon, so I'm sure this place will be bustling soon.

Reimu

Thank you for sharing the vegetables from your fields.

Okina

Those are just a whim of mine. Next time we meet, I hope I can greet you properly as a secret god.

Kasen

All this stuff about our Gensokyo and your Gensokyo is still confusing me, but...

Kasen

Just know that I'll miss you even though you're not the Reimu I know.

Reimu

Yeah? Well, I can come visit you some other time.

Reimu

You'll welcome me, won't you?

Kasen

Of course! I'll train you along with the Reimu of this Gensokyo!

Reimu

(I wonder what would happen if I met another version of me from a parallel world...)

Reimu

(It'd probably be really complicated, so I'll keep that thought to myself.)

Kasen

And let me thank you too. You saved my beloved Gensokyo.

Suika

This is it, then... Oh, I'll miss you soooo much!

Reimu

(She's completely drunk!)

Suika

Really, I'm so grateful to you! Night will come back soon, and the seasons too, I'm sure!

Suika

Tengu and kappa will return, and we'll be able to view cherry blossoms and the autumn moon again!

Suika

It's all thanks to you!

Reimu

We only figured things out after you talked to us, so thank you.

Suika

Next time you come, I'll host a huge party for you!

Marisa

This whole incident was pretty exciting. It's been a good experience!

Sanae

Oh, I can't hold back the tears! I don't want to leave yet!

Marisa

We can come back again. Right, Yukari?

Yukari

Of course. You'll always be welcome.

Reimu

Still, this is their world―not ours. We shouldn't overstay our welcome.

Yukari

OK, I'm ready. Are you done with your farewells?

Wait, I want to thank you too!

It was really fun!

Yukari

I'm going to open the gap now.

Yukari

But before I do... Reimu, I need to ask you something.

Reimu

What now?

Yukari

I was surprised you didn't accuse me even once.

Yukari

Why didn't you suspect me? Everything I said could have been a lie.

Reimu

Huh? That's quite a stupid question for a sage.

Reimu

Come on. You're THE Yukari Yakumo.

Yukari

...!

Reimu

Looking back now, the way we met Okina, Kasen, and Suika...

Reimu

You were dictating exactly when we'd all meet, right?

Reimu

Except for Cirno, of course...

Reimu

You made sure that your allies wouldn't cooperate too much from the start.

Reimu

That way, we would resolve the incident ourselves.

Reimu

You laid the foundation, paved the way, and led us to our goal, right?

Reimu

All because the youkai Yukari Yakumo loves taking annoyingly unnecessary steps.

Reimu

If Yukari Yakumo says she wants to save the world, I know that she means it.

Yukari

Heeheehee...

Reimu

It's a bother to explain, so go listen to the rest of the story from the me of this world!

Yukari

PLAYER...

Y-Yes?

Yukari

I'm sure that many obstacles remain ahead of you, but don't ever give up.

Yukari

They might not be able to resolve the incidents without you. That is my theory, in any case.

Yukari

And... take care of the lazy Hakurei shrine maiden.

I'm not too confident, but...

Please leave it to me!

Reimu

O-Ow! ...I landed on my butt.

Marisa

Yuck! I'm all covered in mud!

Sanae

You're better off than me... I fell right on my face.

Reimu

Wait, what happened? I only remember that the red Seal Crystal started shining all of a sudden.

Marisa

Ugh, I got dizzy and almost passed out. My head still feels heavy...

Sanae

It looks like the red Seal Crystal has disappeared.

Sanae

Yikes! I have to report to Lady Kanako and Lady Suwako before the end of the day!

Huh? Don't any of you remember?

There was a shrine academy, and...

Reimu

Huh? Academy? What are you talking about?

Reimu

Ah! We have to clean! Hey, Marisa! Don't you dare slack off! Scrub the shrine premises until they're squeaky clean!

Reimu

Sanae, you too! I don't know when you got here, but you might as well help out. Get a move on!

Marisa

Fiiiine! With the four of us, it'll be done in a jiffy!

Marisa

Then, we can have a nice relaxing tea break!

Sanae

Next time we find a red Seal Crystal, we should take a closer look!

(The parallel world...)

(Has everyone forgotten it but me?)

Yukari

Welcome back.

Ah, thanks! It's good to be back!

Wait! Who said that?!

Yukari

I heard everything from my parallel world self. It must've been tough, but I'm glad you safely resolved the incident.

Yukari

The Lost Word has already infested other parallel worlds.

Yukari

This massive incident involving all Gensokyos and parallel worlds...

Yukari

It has been forgotten by everyone―everyone except you and me.

Yukari

...And maybe Okina. I will have to ask her later.

So the incident isn't even close to over...

What should I do now?

Yukari

Just do what you want. Gensokyo doesn't hold anyone or anything captive.

Yukari

But you should know that I've lost contact with some of my parallel world selves.

Yukari

I'm certain that this is because of the Lost Word.

Yukari

Beware the red Seal Crystals. They must be scattered all over this Gensokyo.

Yukari

Make sure those silly girls don't go touching them without thinking, OK?

Yukari

Stay with Reimu and the others, and keep your eyes open.

O-OK! Leave it to me!

Yukari

Thank you, and be careful.

Yukari

I'm counting on you...

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Ch. 1: Gensokyo Isle