Mononobe no Futo
Mononobe no Futo's Fantasy Rebirth Story
...Miss Futo.
Futo
Miss PLAYER, thou art unharmed! I never doubted thee for a second.
Futo
I have received instruction from Lady Taishi. Let us begin, post haste.
Begin what, exactly?
Futo
Hrmm! Hast thou forgotten? What am I to do with thee? Very well, I shall explain.
Futo
Under Lady Taishi's command, we shall enact a plan to combat the Lost Word Incident. But first, we need to think of one.
Futo
Taking charge is none other than I...
Futo
Mononobe no Futo!
Whoa... That makes you sound really cool!
Futo
I do not sound cool. I AM cool.
Futo
After all, 'tis I who is closest to Lady Taishi! Hehe!
Futo
Owing to rumors spread by Tojiko, there are those who think me foolish... but they are mistaken.
Futo
I am skilled in the Mononobe secret arts. One of which is known as feng shui and gives me control of the elements.
Futo
Incredible, no? I can tap into the mystical flow of energy created by the gods. And I am also versed in Taoism.
Oh, that's right. You're an amazing Taoist, too.
Futo
Thou bettest I am! My attire is decorated with ribbons of the Five Phases' colors. 'Tis cute, no?
Futo
Mayhaps my secret arts share origins with Miss Reimu's divine powers. But mine are older, so 'tis they that are stronger.
Futo
The Mononobe secret arts helped build a nation, and they are well complimented by Divine Spirit Mausoleum Taoism.
Are they really that amazing?!
Futo
Indeed, they are. And they are mine to use. Whole cities can be designed using feng shui.
Futo
I don't mean to brag, though.
Futo
Allow me to teach them to thee. They will help thee defend thyself, so 'tis better thee learneth them.
You're gonna teach me the Mononobe secret arts?!
Futo
Whoa, whoa. Do not get ahead of thyself. They are not so simple as to be mastered in a day.
Futo
But mayhaps there is something suitable to teach thee. Something that will buy thee time should thou beest in danger.
Futo
Thereby reducing the chance our plan shall fail. Pretty great, right?
Futo
All I do is for Lady Taishi. I must pave a clear path forward for her.
But... what technique is suitable to teach me?
Futo
That's the big question. I shall now attempt to judge thy potential...
Futo
...by reading thy temperament.
My temperament... After all this time?!
Futo
That's right. For feng shui can also be used as a means of divination.
Futo
C'mon, showeth me what thou hast got.
Futo
I DON'T GET IT!
Futo
How strange... I can't get a good read on thy temperament. This has never happened with any of the disciples.
Futo
Art thou eating three balanced meals a day? Lots of veggies, meat, and fish?
Futo
Is Miss Reimu feeding thee appropriately? This has nothing to do with mine plates, mind you.
I-I eat fish, spinach, and all kinds of other yummy stuff!
Futo
Hmm... So that's not it.
Futo
Feng shui shares its roots with medicine. The balance of the body and the Five Phases both depend on temperament.
Futo
Which is why "temperament" can also be used to mean personality.
Futo
The body's structure, health, emotions, and the nature of diseases can all be explained using the Five Phases.
But why can't you read my temperament? Am I sick?!
Futo
...I don't know why! Nor can I say if thou art sick or not!
Futo
But thou hast survived thus far, so if thou art sick, it's likely not fatal...!
Futo
In fact, I'm certain it's not... I think.
(I wish she could tell me for sure...!)
Futo
Unreadable temperament, huh? Hmm...
Futo
Now, there's one more bit of proof supporting Lady Taishi's theory linking the Lost Word Incident to the Spiritual Realm.
Futo
Souls pass through the Spiritual Realm via spirit paths, known as ryuumyaku in feng shui.
Futo
Spirits... particularly phantoms, are oft thought of as deceased humans, but in reality, they are clusters of temperament.
Futo
The movement of spirits forms a flow of qi that pervades all. And the cycles of qi that rule nature are actually spirit paths.
Cycles... So the start and end points are the same?
Futo
Can that not also be said of the flow of blood through the human body? It starts and ends in the heart. Qi is the same.
Futo
And so its flow can go on forever. This is a universal truth, so thou ought to make a note of it.
Futo
The universe of late is expanding and contracting just like a heart, no? There is no difference between them.
Futo
The Buddhists of Myouren Temple would surely call this samsara―the karmic cycle.
I better write that down...!
Futo
Mayhaps I cannot read thy temperament because the spirit paths are being affected by the Lost Word Incident.
Futo
Where thou comest from and the lineage of thy ancestors likely lie beyond the spirit paths.
Futo
And so thy connection to them is weak. Well, that's my guess, anyway.
So my home is in some far-off world...?
Futo
I'd like to tell thee so, but 'tis difficult to be certain.
Futo
And thou wouldst like to be certain, no? "I reckon thou art from that world," would surely not suffice.
Futo
Certainty is hard to come by. It seems thy home lies in a world yet unseen.
Futo
But that may not be the case. Mayhaps thou hast many homes.
Futo
In the past, it was rare, but that may no longer be the case.
(Is she talking about families that move a lot?)
Futo
Then again, mayhaps thou hast no home at all. It's not hard to imagine that possibility either.
Futo
Alas, we no longer live in the days of oyagami and ubusunagami. Our connections to them have been lost.
Futo
But they were so-called spiritual connections. Geographical and historical connections exist also.
Futo
In modern terms, mayhaps thou wouldst call them spatial and temporal connections. Though, that sounds rather dull.
Whatever the case, this Gensokyo's not my home...
Is that why you can't read my temperament?
Futo
Mayhaps it's easier to understand by imagining a diagram of a family tree that's been torn.
Futo
Thou art not the type to succumb to sadness, so I shall articulate this clearly.
Futo
I pity thee and thy situation!
Futo
Having a home is not all that matters... but particularly as a member of a noble clan, I do believe it important.
Even I think my situation is pretty messed up.
Futo
And yet, thou remainest stout-hearted and courageous.
Futo
Long ago, before I fell into a long sleep, I knew people like thee. The nation's children and those who served me...
Futo
There stirs in me a desire to protect thee! Cometh closer!
Futo
Mayhaps I am a fool, after all, for I have no clue what to say to thee.
Futo
But I'm sure this is what Lady Taishi would do. Tojiko, too...
Futo
No... that's not the point.
Futo
I shall protect thee.
Futo
This is my task. Thou needst not worry.
Thank you, Miss Futo. I'll keep doing my best.
It seems strange to give you this now, but...!
Futo
It can't be...! I've heard rumors about these!
Futo
Whoa!
Futo
This must be from Kawakatsu. No... that's no longer her name.
Futo
I see. No matter what chaos the Lost Word Incident brings, she wishes for me to continue serving Lady Taishi...
Futo
Isn't that right?
Yep. That's exactly what Miss Okina told me.
But how did you know that?!
Futo
I told thee feng shui works on the human body, no?
Futo
It's known that eating only easily digestible foods results in the human intestine shrinking.
Futo
The brain is the same. There are many non-humans for whom a brain is not required, but mine point still stands...
Futo
The more one uses their brain―uses it to solve complex problems―the more it develops.
Whoa, you're one smart Taoist!
Futo
Hehehe!
Futo
I still have much to learn. Let us study together.
Futo
When Lady Taishi, Tojiko, Miss Seiga and I have formulated a plan, I shall let thee know. Until then, stay away from harm.
I promise I will!
Futo
I'll hold thee to that!
Costume Presentation
Futo
Travel between worlds relies on an ability possessed by dragons? Thus, the masterminds must have a dragon connection? 'Tis an idea none who have dwelled long in Gensokyo could conjure. Conversing with thee is so interesting!
