Mentioned Characters: Momiji, Nemuno, Komakusa

As a cheerleader, Nemuno Sakata always starts the day off early. But, apparently, that's just how she likes it. She proudly told me about the importance of cheering on a full belly and how, every morning, she makes sure to eat some sun-dried fish for breakfast. However, she lamented that drying fish has been a struggle lately because of all the bad weather. Nemuno lives in the Yamanba Sanctuary, and, normally, she keeps to herself. So, it struck me as odd that she would decide to become a cheerleader. When I questioned her about it, her unhelpful reply was, "You tell me." Then she hurriedly left for cheerleading practice, refusing to answer any further questions. But there's no mystery that the Bunbunmaru Newspaper can't uncover. I'm going to keep a close eye on her and her cheerleading team.

"Fancy seeing you here." I ran into an unexpected face as I was investigating the cheerleaders' training facilities. It was Sannyo Komakusa, the yamajorou from the Youkai Mountain, instantly recognizable by the fancy smoking pipe she carries around everywhere. I would never have expected her to be a cheerleader, too. "Why so surprised? If there's two things that make a living on the Youkai Mountain fun, it's battles and cheering people on. If you wanna know more about our team, I know just the girl you should speak to." With a mischievous smile, she led me into the back room.

"N-No way! What are YOU doing here?!" Those were the words shouted at me by Momiji Inubashiri, one of the white wolf tengu tasked with patrolling the Youkai Mountain. Usually, she's dressed in her intimidating patrol uniform, so it took me a moment to recognize her in the bright and colorful cheerleading outfit. "I shudder to think what the other tengu would say if a photo of me wearing this got published in your paper..." Momiji was terribly embarrassed when I asked her for an interview, but Sannyo managed to calm her down with a few words of encouragement. "I'm flattered, but, umm, wouldn't you rather talk to one of the more experienced cheerleaders...?" Momiji was acting humble, but knowing what our readers like, I forged ahead with the interview.

Cheering Saga: Race to the Truth "You can do it! You can do it!" The cheerleaders' chants echoed throughout the stadium. If you listened closely, you could probably hear them from up high on the mountain. Nemuno swung a big flag about as Sannyo shouted into a megaphone beside her. Behind them, Momiji danced with her pompoms. While you should always expect the unexpected in Gensokyo, I was still taken aback by their distinct cheering style. "U-Unleash the beast within you!" "You've got the whole mountain riding on your shoulders!" "If ya lose, I'll hang ya out ta dry!" Their cheers (and threats) must have worked because the Youkai Mountain competitors were giving it their all and had gained a significant lead. The crowd went wild during the seventh-inning break, with some even firing beautiful bullets up into the air. This frenzy continued until well after the final whistle had blown.

I interviewed the cheerleaders after the game, and while their responses to my questions couldn't have been more different, as you can see in the photo, they all thoroughly enjoyed themselves. - That was some wonderful flag-waving. What's your secret? "I've had a lota practice from swingin' me cleaver about." - There's been some talk that your "cheers" are more like threats. What do you say to that? "Threats? Don't be silly. I'm just giving a little bit of extra motivation. That's how we cheer here in Gensokyo." - So, when are you going to become a professional cheerleader? "What? A p-pro? Well, I really like the cute outfit, but, umm, I think I'll need a bit more practice first..." Also, if you were wondering about how the Youkai Mountain team did, they won three more games in a row and then lost horrendously to the Lunar Capital in the finals. Remember to read the sports column in my Bunbunmaru Newspaper to keep up to date with all the latest cheerleading news.