Kisume
Kisume's Fantasy Rebirth Story
Right, time to head to the Underworld!
???
You there. Gimme one of your bones, would you?
Kisume
...
Hi, Kisume! Perfect timing!
Kisume
Nom.
...Nom?
Kisume
Om nom nom nom nom nom!
Ahhh! Stoooooop!
Kisume
Zzz... Zzz...
Kisume
Huh?! Was I sleepwalking just now?!
More like sleep-eating!
I thought I was done for!
Kisume
So that wasn't a dream! Don't worry, I'm awake now.
Kisume
But I feel kinda strange. Like a bunch of old memories were just swirling around in my head...
You've been a tsurube-otoshi for a long time, right?
Kisume
Yep!
Kisume
A suuuper long time! Hahaha!
(She can be shy, but also suuuper cheerful.)
Kisume
Hehehe! Hohoho! Hah!
Kisume
Phew, I needed a good laugh!
(The way she laughs is so cute!)
Kisume
So you're interested in how long I've been a tsurube-otoshi? Hmm, that's surprisingly difficult to answer.
(Just when I thought she was all cheerful...)
Kisume
But since we're friends, allow me to explain...
Kisume
The secrets of the Night Parade!
(She's gonna tell me just like that?!)
Kisume
Kitsunebi, sougenbi, furaribi, ubagabi, kasha, shiranui, kosenjoubi, aosagibi, chouchinbi, hakanohi...
Kisume
...Oh, and kazenbou! That's a whole bunch of fire youkai, and that's not even all of them!
How come there are so many?
(She's never normally this chatty!)
Kisume
It's gotta be 'cause fire's so scary.
Kisume
Humans are afraid of the dark but also of the fire they use to illuminate it.
Kisume
Fire burns through life and wealth alike. And a fire in the dark hints at some unknown presence lurking in its shadow.
Kisume
Who knows what will spring out? Thieves? Bandits? Invaders?
Kisume
The terrifying youkai of the Night Parade light their way with torches as they attack! Mwahaha!
Kisume
Oops. I didn't mean to laugh like that.
Kisume
My bad. *drool* *drool*
Umm, you're drooling all over the place.
Kisume
Meh, springing out from the dark to steal people's lives and fortunes is pretty evil. That's what makes us youkai!
Kisume
But get this. Long ago, people in different places had totally different living standards.
Kisume
I guess you could chalk it up to cultural differences, but it was pretty extreme! Hehe!
Like how people in East Japan used to live in pit houses.
Umm, Kisume... you're still laughing.
Kisume
I know, I know. I just can't stop myself.
Kisume
After all, the humans stole our way of life and all our riches!
What?
We stole... from you?
Kisume
I guess that's not quite right... It's more like, we were stolen from, and that's what turned us into youkai.
Kisume
It's like how sometimes the aggressors end up hating their victims.
Kisume
Or how it always feels like the people you hate hate you back.
Kisume
Or if you do something to annoy someone and they don't even notice, you end up hating them more.
I think I know what you're getting at...
Kisume
When I said riches, I meant, like, our valuable items, our food supplies, our land...
Kisume
It was all ours. Or, at the very least, it belonged to everyone.
Kisume
We journeyed in the night. Sometimes, we prayed to the Moon and hunted our prey.
Kisume
I'm pretty sure that was our way of life.
Whose way of life?
Are you describing memories of your species' past?
Kisume
Hehe... Hehehe!
Kisume
Yeah, I think so! There's no way all these memories belong to me!
Kisume
But my bucket's always been empty, so I guess I'm free to talk about whatever.
Kisume
But let's get on topic!
Kisume
We never drew lines dividing our land and all we had to eat was whatever we could find that day!
Kisume
But humans planted crops and stockpiled food! You burned the wilderness, cut down forests, and tamed the mountains!
Kisume
And you did it all without asking in the name of your material civilization!
Kisume
Everything you have―your lives, your knowledge, your children...
Kisume
Was all ours!
Kisume
...
Kisume
...
...
Kisume
Heh...
Kisume
...Heheh!
Maybe we can give you some of it back...
Kisume
...
Kisume
...
Kisume
There's no need for that, PLAYER.
Kisume
We're youkai, but we're also the embodiments of human fears.
Kisume
It makes sense that you hate that which you fear. So long as we frighten you, we know that you understand us.
Kisume
All I need for now is to know that you're scared of me.
...
Humans have destroyed so much, taken so much.
We've forgotten why we were afraid...
And one day, we'll lose our fear altogether.
Kisume
...
You don't think the next thing we destroy will be...?
Kisume
...I don't know.
Kisume
We're almost at Yamame's territory. This is as far as I can take you.
Kisume
Good luck, PLAYER.
Kisume
If you don't make it, I'll gather as many of your bones as I can. I want to keep them for myself.
Wait a sec!
Kisume
Huh?!
This is for you. I hope we get to talk again soon.
Kisume
What is it...?
Kisume
...
Kisume
*sob* *sob*
Wh-What's wrong?!
Kisume
It's beautiful! Is it really for me?!
O-Of course! I'm sure it'll look great on you!
Kisume
Yay! Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Kisume
...
Kisume
A well leading down to the id of the Earth.
Kisume
If you're heading to the depths of the Underworld, the least I can do is keep the enemies out.
Kisume
After all, I'm a tsurubebi...
Kisume
And the eighteenth youkai of the Night Parade.
Costume Presentation
Kisume
What?! If you go through a narrow space... you might not be able to go back...?! I-If that's so, I'm not going to help! *sob* We just met... I don't want to be apart... but, *sob* Yamane and I will be waiting for your return.
