R8 Youmu
R8 Youmu's Fantasy Rebirth Story
It's blooming!
???
Don't worry, it'll never reach full bloom. Pretty sure I've told you that before.
Youmu
Maybe the Saigyou Ayakashi has gotten used to this. A cherry tree stuck in half bloom in the land of eternal spring.
Youmu
The closer it gets to full bloom, the more of its petals fall. That's what the Saigyou Ayakashi is to us.
Youmu
Rather, that's what this world's Youmu chose it to be. I want to honor that.
It sounds like...
Youmu
Like what?
You're doing your best to say complicated things!
Youmu
Oh.
Youmu
Busted already, huh? If only I was as good a talker as I am a swordswoman...
Youmu
To be honest, I don't really understand what the Saigyou Ayakashi does. It's way beyond me.
Youmu
All I know is this world's Youmu risked her fate for Lady Yuyuko.
Youmu
And she ended up as the Saigyou Ayakashi you see before you, helping Lady Yuyuko and this world.
Youmu
That's it.
I think that's the most important part.
Youmu
Yes, I agree.
Youmu
When I talk to the Saigyou Ayakashi, Miss Youmu whispers to me. Maybe it's because she's finally done with her task.
Youmu
But something about her feels different now. It's hard to explain. Hrmm...
Youmu
Yeah, it really is tricky. I doubt Miss Youmu would be able to explain, either.
Is this the fate of the Youmu Clan?!
Youmu
The Youmu Clan? What are you...?
Forget it. I want to talk to the Saigyou Ayakashi Youmu.
Youmu
Oh, OK. I guess I can try.
Youmu
Complicated stuff confuses me. I tend to understand things based on vibes...!
Youmu
Just talking to me alone isn't too useful, huh? You're investigating the Lost Word Incident, right?
Yep. I'm looking for allies and intel.
Youmu
Thought so. I should be able to relay what Saigyou Youmu is saying.
Youmu
Let's go!
Youmu
...Huh. You're right, that IS funny!
(She's way more relaxed than I expected!)
Youmu
Uh-huh, uh-huh... *spacing out*
Youmu
Yeah, yeah, I hear you. OK, gotta go!
Youmu
Beep.
Beep?
Youmu
Phew, the call's over.
H-How'd it go?
Youmu
Well...
Youmu
Sounds like she's doing really well. Especially since she crossed the boundary of fate.
Youmu
She says her branches are like antennas, picking up info. It's like watching movies and TV all day. She never gets bored.
Youmu
And with her roots sucking up water and nutrients, she might as well be on the couch with a bag of chips!
Whoa... Never thought I'd be jealous of a tree!
Youmu
Umm, also...
Youmu
She's gotten into brain training. All the games she has access to offer a ton of variety.
Youmu
But that's not really the intel you were after, huh?
No... but it's nice to hear you two get along so well!
Youmu
Y-Yeah! We totally click!
Youmu
I've said sorry to her a million times, but it's never enough.
Youmu
The guilt was weighing me down.
Youmu
But then, all of a sudden, she reached out to me! I think her exact words were...
Youmu
"Hey, wanna chat?!"
That would definitely catch me off guard!
Youmu
It probably seems like we're just acting silly. But she saved me.
Youmu
It makes sense we'd get along. We're both Youmus, after all.
Youmu
We go off on so many tangents...
Youmu
That we forget what we were talking about.
Youmu
Normally, I wouldn't mind. But not this time!
Youmu
This is about the Lost Word Incident. The world is at stake.
Youmu
Tch...
Youmu
I'm useless.
Youmu...
???
You're anything but useless!
Youmu
*jump*
Youmu
Wh-Who said that?!
Hey, Marisa.
Marisa
'Sup, PLAYER. How come you didn't explain things properly?
Marisa
The reason we're gathering allies and intel is to hunt down whoever's behind the Lost Word Incident.
Marisa
Got that, little samurai?
I was already getting good info from her.
Youmu
Wh-Who are you calling little?! Have we even met before?
Marisa
Not in this Singular World. I'm Marisa Kirisame, the Witch of Scarlet Dreams.
Youmu
And I'm Youmu Konpaku, the Mysterious Sword Master. Why are you here?!
Marisa
Whoa, calm down. I didn't come here to fight.
Marisa
I already know a lot about you, thanks to my magic eye. And thanks to your chats with Saigyou Youmu...
Marisa
I bet you know a little about me.
Youmu
A witch in red... That starry scent in the air... You're the Witch Sealed in the Scarlet Tower for a Millennium!
Marisa
So you WERE listening.
Youmu
Of course. Saigyou Youmu's a really good narrator. It's like I was really there, experiencing your story myself.
Marisa
Then this should be a short conversation. You're coming with us.
Marisa
The Lost Word Incident is set to end everything. This world narrowly avoided destruction once. It won't get lucky again.
Marisa
And neither will mine. We need your help.
Marisa
What do you say?
Youmu
I... I don't know.
Marisa
What's the problem?
Youmu
I'm not good with words.
Youmu
All I've got going for me is swordsmanship. I couldn't even explain things properly to Miss PLAYER earlier.
Youmu
I guess I'm a little low on self-confidence. *nervous laugh*
Youmu
I wish I wasn't so pathetic...
Youmu...
Marisa
Seriously? THAT'S what you're worried about?
Youmu
Huh?
Marisa
Don't worry about it. No one's expecting you to talk a lot or explain a bunch of stuff.
Marisa
And no one ever will.
Youmu
I don't understand.
Marisa
Your strength is your swordsmanship, right?
Marisa
Even if it's technically another you, you communicated with the Saigyou Ayakashi―aka, a greater youkai.
Marisa
That was only possible because you're a skilled gardener AND a skilled swordswoman.
Marisa
There was no logic or language. Your technique and your experiences were all there was.
Marisa
That's why I need your help.
Marisa
Saigyou Youmu just told you, didn't she?
Marisa
That the mastermind is hiding at the end of this L1 Singular World. And...
Marisa
That you're one of the fragments scattered from Lady Mortal Phantasm.
Youmu
How do you know that?!
Marisa
I eavesdropped on you with magic. It only started working after you started communicating with Saigyou Youmu.
Marisa
Right now, I'm basically one giant magic item. If I were a gun, not even the most legendary gunslinger could handle me.
Youmu
Th-That's an oddly specific example!
Youmu
Still, now I can rest assured!
Marisa
I wasn't trying to reassure you... But whatever. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.
I want you to help us, too, Youmu.
Youmu
Wh-What's this?!
Marisa
The word you're looking for is "thank you." It wasn't easy tracking down this world's Kourin.
(Can't believe she found him where she did!)
Youmu
Huh...
Youmu
Wow!
Youmu
It's beautiful!
Marisa
That outfit will be your anti-barrier bomb that will blast our way through the mastermind's defenses. Take good care of it.
Youmu
A bomb?! What about the clothes I wear during the battle?!
Marisa
Th-They'll be fine! It was just a metaphor!
Marisa
Forget about that. Surely you have something to say right now.
Youmu
Th-Thank you! To you, PLAYER, and the person who made this!
Youmu
I've been alive longer than most Youmus, so I'm a little bigger.
Youmu
But I've come to see that as part of who I am. Especially now that Lady Yuyuko stopped shrinking.
Youmu
This outfit is the perfect size for me. Like, literally perfect.
Youmu
Wait. Why DOES it fit so well?
Marisa
B-Beats me.
Youmu
This is getting a little creepy.
Marisa
We're on our way to see Yuyuko. After that, we set off on our journey.
Marisa
We might be traveling for a while. Maybe you should say goodbye to Saigyou Youmu.
Youmu
G-Good idea!
Youmu
Ow!
Marisa
That's...!
Youmu
It's a piece of the Saigyou Ayakashi! This means...!
Marisa
That you can communicate with Saigyou Youmu no matter where you are!
(It's like a mobile phone!)
Youmu
Wow!
Youmu
I don't know what to say...
Youmu
Thank you, other me!
Costume Presentation
Youmu
Are you truly going to cut that? It's irreplaceable. I don't think I'd... No, I must still lack training. It is not right for me to try and stop you. With the sword of your mind and my two swords together, we should be able to cut it. Let's do this!
