Joon Yorigami
Joon Yorigami's Fantasy Rebirth Story
Joon
...
Hey, Joon.
Joon
H-Hey, PLAYER. You good doing? I-I mean, you doing good?
(I think I surprised her.)
Joon
Anyway, uhh...
Joon
How's Myouren Temple doing these days? Things seem likely to heat up soon, so I came to check it out.
Joon
I heard the Lost Word Incident is almost here...
Joon
I dunno where it's coming from or how it's gonna get here, mind you.
Myouren Temple's strategy meeting just ended.
Joon
For real?! I didn't know they were having strategy meetings...
Actually, your name came up.
Joon
My name...?
Joon
For real?!
Joon
Maybe I've been stamping down too hard on the crooked business folk in the village...
Joon
They gather a bunch of people and hold seminars despite not having business licenses.
Joon
I don't feel bad for most of the people who attend, since they're just as bad, but some of them got full-on scammed.
Joon
I anonymously donated all the money I reclaimed to a fraud support group. After confirming it was trustworthy, that is.
Joon
I thought I was doing a pretty good job... but maybe I was going a little overboard, huh?
Joon
Doing things covertly would be pretty tough too, though...
I don't think that's what they were talking about...
Joon
Well why didn't you say so?!
Joon
I just confessed to a whole bunch of stuff!
They said we'd need your help to combat the incident.
Joon
Oh, right...
Joon
For real?!
(I love talking to Joon!)
Joon
You've come with me to all sorts of places, so I'm sure you know, but...
Joon
Where do you think a pestilence god like me gets their power?
I have no idea.
Joon
You don't?!
Joon
A god's powers are just like money―they don't just come out of nowhere.
Joon
Then again, my powers are complicated and rather sensitive, so I can't speak for all gods.
Joon
In my case, money gives me unseen power.
Unseen power? Is that like the invisible hand?
Joon
I'm surprised you know about that. But this is a bit different.
Joon
People think money is all visible as coins and bills, but there's also money you can't see like savings and debt, right?
Joon
There's nothing inherently valuable about money. It operates on a type of faith.
Joon
In a way, the financial system is the most robust and perverse religion. But that's a conversation for another time.
Joon
I used to think the idea of money wasn't widespread in Gensokyo, but I was wrong.
Joon
Humans always think of things in terms of profit and loss. Perhaps no one can stop the village's economy from growing.
Joon
...Oops, I got sidetracked again.
Joon
Let's get back to the nature of money and the value it has.
Joon
You're pretty smart, so I'm sure you'll understand, but let's use exchange rates and stocks as an example.
Joon
When stock prices surge upward or plummet, humans lose their minds.
Joon
Sometimes they dance with joy, other times they lose the will to live.
Joon
What I'm trying to say is that it's human emotions and beliefs that give money its value... It's spiritual.
Joon
You could also say it's human life that gives money value. With money, you can buy chunks of a person's life.
Joon
Like, say want to buy an an apple―what you're really paying for is the time the farmer spent to grow it.
So people's time is what creates money!
Joon
Thus the phrase, "Time is money."
Joon
But money isn't time. Money can't buy time or be used to stave off death.
Joon
It was kind of a long explanation, but do you understand what I'm getting at?
The village's economy... The value the villagers create...
That's what you want to protect!
Joon
That's right. The Lost Word Incident is the enemy of the business world.
Joon
It'll likely crash the village's economy... and send all the humans into despair.
Joon
I take a proactive approach to stealing. If I didn't splurge all the money I get, I'd run out of people to steal from.
Joon
You need food every day, so you have to nurture animals, not hunt them to extinction. As a god, that much is obvious.
Joon
But the Lost Word Incident isn't coming to nurture. It's coming to slaughter our livestock and spoil our crops.
That sounds awful.
Joon
You bet it does.
Joon
That's why I'll do everything I can to help beat it. Will you let Byakuren know?
At the meeting, she said you'd say that!
Joon
Right...
Joon
For real?!
Joon
I guess she's a Buddhist priest, after all... I wouldn't even be surprised if she enjoyed a drink in private.
Joon
Why didn't you tell me she said that earlier?!
(I really do love talking to Joon!)
Joon
Anyway, if that's what she said, then I'll join forces with Myouren Temple.
Joon
What's this all of a sudden? It's kinda weird getting a present from you at a time like this.
Open it!
I'll think it'll surprise you!
Joon
W-Wow...!
Joon
There's a message card. It says, "Let's go to another concert together." Then there's a heart symbol.
Joon
Even as a pestilence god, I don't like the sound of that! Not one bit!
Joon
...But I like this dress. It's stylish and goes all out to capture and express who I am.
Joon
The Youkai Sage probably thought she was being ironic in sending this to me, but whatever.
Joon
I feel more motivated than ever. Thank her for me, would you?
I will.
I think you'll look great in that dress.
Joon
*happy humming*
Joon
Since I'm in a good mood, I'll let you in on a secret.
What is it?
Joon
Right now, my big sister's cowering somewhere in Hakurei Shrine!
For real?!
Costume Presentation
Joon
I'm the pestilence god who'll swindle even crying children! Whoever's behind the big incident will be powerless once I steal their luck with my ability. Especially if Shion helps... Why am I trying so hard? 'Cause I love Gensokyo. Why else?
