Momoyo Himemushi
Momoyo Himemushi's Fantasy Rebirth Story
This place always feels so... mysterious.
I wonder if all these are Izanagi Objects.
???
Who's there? I'm working here, so you better not get in my way.
Momoyo
Hm?
Momoyo!
Momoyo
It's you, PLAYER!
What kinda work are you doing?
Momoyo
What do you think? I'm digging! It's about the only thing I'm good for.
Momoyo
And I have permission this time. So no one's got any right to stop me.
Momoyo
You're here to see that god deeper in the cave, right? She's every bit as weird as Chimata. What was her name again...?
Momoyo
Anyway, these are desperate times. That's why I'm stocking up on dragon gem snacks and packaging them up to go!
Momoyo
As for what happens next... guess I'll ask Megumu. Haven't heard from Tsukasa in a while, either.
Momoyo
So, what about you? Wanna evacuate with me and my creepy-crawly youkai mining crew?
...Maybe some other time!
I'm here to talk to Miss Misumaru... but also to you!
Momoyo
You don't say? Let's hear it!
Is it true... that you eat dragons?
Momoyo
Huh?
Momoyo
You're asking me that NOW?!
Momoyo
...So there you have it.
Momoyo
I don't eat dragons in the way you might expect. In fact, the whole subject is kinda taboo.
Momoyo
I've talked a lot already, so I'll keep this short.
Thanks!
Momoyo
Insects, especially long ones that crawl around like me, oppose dragons.
Momoyo
Long ago, a centipede god fought a great serpent god at Senjougahara. It came close to winning, but ultimately lost.
Momoyo
Still, the fact the battle was so hard-fought shows you how tough us oomukade are.
Momoyo
There's another famous oomukade who tried to eat the Dragon Palace princess, but got slain by a heroic human.
Momoyo
To be honest, centipedes and oomukade do nothing but lose in the ancient tales.
Momoyo
That just goes to show how hated we are. Humans fear us even more than snakes.
Momoyo
They specifically tell stories about us losing. We're that repulsive to them.
Momoyo
But the truth is... we're stronger than the tales suggest.
You are?!
Momoyo
You've heard of mushi-ken, right? It's like rock-paper-scissors but with frogs, snakes, and slugs. In that, slugs beat snakes.
Yeah, but we're talking about centipedes and dragons.
Momoyo
So?! There's a slug youkai in my mining crew!
Momoyo
At least, I think there is. Maybe it was some other kind of mollusk.
So... are frogs your weakness?
Momoyo
Eww, leave those croaky weirdos out of this!
Momoyo
And definitely don't bring up that toad sealed in a hole in the Underworld. Talk about invasive species!
(Wow, she really hates frogs...)
Momoyo
Anyway, even if I wanted to, I couldn't eat a dragon.
Momoyo
If I took a bite out of some big-shot dragon, the rest of 'em would come down on me super hard.
Momoyo
I could try eating a wild one... but they're endangered.
Momoyo
Any time I go after a small dragon on the mountain, some hermit comes flying in to stop me. It must belong to her.
Momoyo
Dragons raised on the surface fly up to the heavens when they get big enough. They're as slippery as eels.
Momoyo
Speaking of eels, you ever tried grilled Yamata-no-Orochi?
I'm so confused!
Momoyo
You get it, right?! The pain of wanting to eat your favorite food but not being able to! Just think about grilled eel!
Hm, eel numbers are dropping in the outside world.
It'd be great if they ended up here in Gensokyo.
Momoyo
Dragons, too! Then every day would be one big dragon buffet!
That'd be a crazy buffet!
Momoyo
Tch. Why are you asking me all this stuff, anyway?
Momoyo
Are you writing a dragon cookbook or something?
Momoyo
If you must know, I heard their legs taste like chicken.
You mean you haven't eaten dragon leg yourself?
Momoyo
Hey!
Momoyo
Watch your mouth! I have my pride, you know?!
Momoyo
I may not eat a lot of dragon, but I'm still a dragon-eating youkai!
OK... Do you WANT to eat dragon?
Momoyo
...!
Momoyo
In this hypothetical, would there be any... violent consequences?
Not one!
Momoyo
And no one would try and stop me?
Nope!
Momoyo
Would it be a proper meal... or just a few scraps?
A proper meal!
Momoyo
Then my answer... is YES!
Momoyo
C'mon, let's go. Show me the dragon meat!
Whoa, whoa, whoa!
Momoyo
What's this?
It's for the dragon buffet. Be sure to wear it.
Momoyo
...Say what?
Momoyo
Say whaaat?!
Momoyo
Th-There's no way this princess costume's gonna suit me!
Momoyo
What's with all the frills?! What do I look like, a butterfly?!
Momoyo
It doesn't suit me!
Pretty sure it will. It was designed just for you.
Momoyo
D-D-D-D-Don't be ridiculous! You can't force me to wear it!
I know. But what does your heart say?
Momoyo
...!
Momoyo
It...
Momoyo
It says...
Momoyo
I wanna wear it!
Then go right ahead! No one will stop you!
Momoyo
What's the deal with you? Sometimes you can be really persuasive.
Momoyo
...Whatever. This outfit's mine now.
Momoyo
When the dragon buffet's ready, I'll be first in line.
Momoyo
I promise. I would never stand you up.
Momoyo
Till then, I'll be here working up an appetite.
Costume Presentation
Momoyo
Dig a hole in spacetime? Well, picks are made from the mountain. So if ya wanna mine a tough mountain, ya just gotta make a pick from that mountain's ore. Maybe a special ore like dragon gems could dig a path to resolve the big incident. Let's try it!
