Parsee Mizuhashi
Mizuhashi Parsee's Fantasy Rebirth Story
Hmm, where's Parsee?
???
PLAYER? ...Oh, Yamame must have brought you here.
Parsee
It's not safe to walk around alone, though. I hate to think what would happen if they found you.
Parsee
You're a human, so it's not like you could put up a fight.
Actually, I could... with my secret items. Hehe.
Parsee
No kidding. You're a little genius, aren't you? I'm pretty jealous.
Parsee
But still... who would've thought the Lost Word Incident would lead to all those strange enemies attacking us.
Parsee
The incident's more of a threat than I thought. And the fact it's taking a brute-force approach makes it extra dangerous.
Parsee
Plus, it's targeting humans...
Parsee
In truth, it feels like it's exploiting our biggest weakness.
Without humans, you youkai will be in trouble, right?
Parsee
We will. But that's not what I meant.
Parsee
The Lost Word Incident is targeting ordinary humans...
Parsee
That puts you in grave danger, PLAYER.
Oh.
Parsee
You're running out of energy faster than you think. And that's exactly what the mastermind wants.
Parsee
...
Parsee
Do you mind if we talk for a while?
Parsee
I know you're heading to the Palace of the Earth Spirits again. And from there, you'll go even deeper, down into Former Hell.
Parsee
But for now, let's talk.
...
Parsee
Take a break. If anyone asks why you were late, tell them it was my fault.
Parsee
...So basically, it's inevitable for so many youkai to love books.
Parsee
We live far longer than humans. Not to mention we're spiritual beings.
Parsee
We have to find ways to spend our time.
Parsee
And books are packed with knowledge and thrills.
Parsee
If books were food, they'd be sweets or a really thick soup. If they were a type of fuel, they'd be like oil.
Parsee
It's fair to say that as spiritual beings, we take far more pleasure from books than humans do.
I'm kinda jealous.
Parsee
You're jealous of me, the embodiment of jealousy? Is it me, or have you gotten wittier in your time here?
Parsee
I didn't always read books, though.
When did you start?
Parsee
It was some time before you arrived. Reimu and the like came to the Underworld. It was chaos.
Parsee
But everything worked out in the end. Since then, I started making friends up in Gensokyo.
Parsee
I kept the details to myself, though. And I still do.
Parsee
If everyone could make friends as they please, Former Hell would lose its identity.
Parsee
But it exists for a reason. And that's not about to change.
Parsee
But... not everything stays the same.
Parsee
Reimu has the power to change things. Saying that, I took an interest in Gensokyo and the outside world of my own accord.
Parsee
I heard they were totally different from the world I knew.
Parsee
But still, I couldn't just hop past the barrier and visit the outside world. So I satisfied my curiosity with books.
Because books go beyond time and space, right?
Parsee
Exactly.
Parsee
Lately, I realized something about you, PLAYER.
Really? ...Did you figure out where I come from?!
Parsee
No, but it might be connected.
Parsee
As I was reading all kinds of books, I noticed lots of them have very convenient protagonists.
What do you mean?
Parsee
Hmm... Why don't I give you some examples?
Parsee
A detective around whom crimes constantly occur as if they were cursed. A hero who prevails no matter the odds.
Parsee
A new arrival in a foreign land, befriended by the locals.
That last one sounds like me...
Parsee
One of the books I read was based on another that was published before it.
Parsee
The protagonist was a new character who didn't appear in the original.
Parsee
But they were loved by all the old characters and showed great courage in the face of adversity.
...
Parsee
Something felt a little odd about it, so I looked at the reviews. To tell you the truth, there were some reasonable critiques...
Parsee
But when I spent some time thinking about the main character and how jealous I was of her...
Parsee
I realized something.
Parsee
The story itself is battling for its own existence.
A story battling for existence...?
Parsee
That's right.
Parsee
Just like living creatures, some stories survive while others perish.
Parsee
Maybe it's the simple stories that live on. Or maybe it's the strange and amusing ones.
Parsee
It could also be that all the stories where the protagonist dies part-way through...
Parsee
Or where their friends abandon them before their journey begins all faded into obscurity.
Parsee
That might be why only stories with "convenient protagonists" are still around.
Parsee
The whole thing fills me with jealousy.
Parsee
Even if I don't quite know why.
Parsee
All I know is that as a protagonist, Reimu Hakurei is as convenient as they come.
Parsee
Nobody is as attuned to their own sense of jealousy as I am. I know I'm right about Reimu.
Parsee
The same goes for Marisa Kirisame...
Parsee
And to an extent, even for you, PLAYER.
...Reimu, Marisa, and me are convenient protagonists?
Parsee
I've known the others far longer than I've known you.
Parsee
And yet, I feel the same kind of jealousy toward you.
Parsee
I know you can't remember your past, but maybe it contains the answer.
Parsee
Maybe there's a story embedded in it―one that lives on.
Parsee
That's all I have to say. If I go on, I'll just end up rambling.
Parsee
That was a pretty good break, no?
Thanks, Parsee.
I feel a lot better now. And ready to get back out there.
Oh, before I forget...!
Parsee
Wow, I don't know what to say.
Parsee
I heard the Gensokyo sages were up to something, but I didn't expect this...
Parsee
How did they know to make it like this? No one knows that much about my past.
Parsee
No, I have to stop... When I try to remember things from before... I start to lose track of myself.
Parsee
Sorry... I'm not normally like this.
(She can't remember her past either...!)
Parsee
...
P-Parsee?!
Parsee
*gasp*
Parsee
What are you doing?! You have to... You have to hurry!
B-But!
Parsee
I'll be fine. This sorta stuff has been happening to us lately.
Parsee
Eventually, our minds will fade along with our memories. We all figure it's because of the Lost Word Incident.
Parsee
But don't worry. That quack doctor at Eientei is already on the case.
Parsee
You just have to focus on moving forward!
...
Parsee
And...
Parsee
It won't be long until the enemies get here. It's too late to block the passage from Gensokyo now.
Parsee
With you here, we won't be able to go all out. So please, if you want to help me, just go.
...OK!
Parsee
Don't worry.
Parsee
I'm a hashihime.
Parsee
Even if the world's about to end...
Parsee
Whoever shows up...
Parsee
I won't let them across this bridge!
Costume Presentation
Parsee
Yes, by controlling jealousy, I can manipulate vengeful spirits. Jealousy is one of their fundamental emotions. That's why my cursed power is so useful in the Underworld. Will this help you resolve the big incident? ...OK. That makes me jealous.
