Spread your Wings
Index
Spread your Wings
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......
Tools imbued with magic. Aka, magic items.
Practically any tool can become a magic item.
But a tool that has no user isn't really a tool. It only becomes one once it's used.
When a tool is used, it's imbued with the user's magic.
Which means the more you use something, the easier it becomes to use.
In the end, a magic item is just a tool with a special or powerful ability.
A tool can be described as convenient when it performs well with very little magical energy.
However, this weakens its credibility as a magic item.
If anyone can use it with very little effort, then there's nothing magical about it.
An item may seem miraculous, but once it becomes common, expected, part of daily life...
Then it's no longer magic. It's mundane.
So what is and isn't a tool?
When you really think about it, there's only one answer. Anything can be a tool.
Tools are tools. Tools that make tools are tools. And random items that can be used as makeshift tools are tools.
Humans use everything as tools. They always have.
They used stone, earth, bronze, iron, and even sunlight.
Sunlight helped crops grow and livestock thrive, providing food.
With metal, they made durable farming tools and weapons to protect their land and people.
Fossil fuels and machines boosted efficiency further.
That resulted in free time. They then used that time to develop another great tool: civilization.
Politics, economic systems, and culture all arose because more and more people had more and more free time.
But where will it all lead?
This material civilization consumes resources and reshapes the world.
One day, humans will probably turn stars into power plants. They'll fill every inch of spare land with computing machines.
Those machines will store every bit of data, every calculation. They'll spawn new worlds.
All humans do, all they know how to do, is use what's around them.
Eventually, they'll use up this world. Everything will become a tool.
And when that happens, they'll start using the worlds inside the machines. There'll be simulations inside simulations.
The cycle will continue without end.
Humans even see their own bodies as tools. Except for one part.
It's...
You. The you who's reading this right now.
This?
Yes, that.
Your qualia are the tools most integral to your existence. They form a shell that protects the sealed room of your soul.
It's not just about sight.
When you taste sugar and think it's sweet, that's your senses at work. It means your nerves are doing their job.
Sugar tastes good because your body needs it. Your brain rewards you and says, "Yeah, more of that."
So, there's a reason sugar tastes sweet. But...
Why does the brain go through all the trouble?
Why doesn't it just handle nutrient intake on autopilot?
Why not function logically, like a computer? The answer's simple.
Because...
It has no other choice.
Humans can't process information fast enough.
The brain just can't keep up. It created logic to help, but it wasn't enough.
The flood of data rushing in through the senses is too much to handle.
If humans weren't so intelligent, they wouldn't care. But the harder the brain tries to grasp reality, the less real it seems.
It could set priorities. But how would it decide what data is important?
What qualifies as relevant? To decide, the brain would have to process everything anyway.
That wouldn't solve anything. So it seems, grasping reality is truly impossible.
With logic, that is.
Take all the data and lay it out on the cutting board. No, toss it in a cauldron... a witch's cauldron.
Light the fire below, and the ingredients will rise or sink based on their nature.
Precious little floats to the top. They're the qualia―aka human consciousness.
Everything that sinks? That's unconsciousness.
These chunks of data get pushed deep down. But they're always there, ready to rise at any moment.
They don't follow the rules of conscious thought. They obey their own nature.
Even if the cauldron sets no rules, what's inside still moves, like the mantle churning below the Earth's crust.
The world humans perceive through their qualia is an illusion shaped by aggregation and analysis.
Even reason and logic are part of the illusion. They rely on reverse engineering and are only useful after the fact.
So what lies beneath the illusion?
Isn't it obvious?
Emotions.
Emotions are the root of all things, Kokoro.
They are the magic that powers tools, the urges that drive humans.
Perhaps you thought that was freewill. No. Freewill is nothing more than the sparks between synapses.
You don't dodge bullets by analyzing each one's flight path. You gauge things in space and time.
Each battle is a chaotic mess of colliding emotions. But when those emotions coalesce, each following its own nature...
They trace a single, beautiful path.
You must follow that path. Fly straight through the gate of emotion.
Come now, Kokoro.
It's time.
Spread your wings and fly.
Kokoro
What just happened?
Kokoro
Did I finally...?
Okina
You did. Well done, Hata no Kokoro, masks of so many expressions.
Okina
You answered my call.
Kokoro
You weren't the one who called me, though.
Okina
No? Who was it, then?!
Miko
Stay focused, Lady Okina. We have one last thing to take care of.
Miko
Listen closely, Kokoro. We're proud of you.
Miko
My ears heard whispers that you would one day choose to make yourself the Mask of Hope.
Miko
Now that day's here, I'm overjoyed.
Kokoro
Uhh, I don't remember choosing that.
Miko
Huh?!
Miko
...This isn't what I expected.
Okina
Oh my.
Koishi
I say don't worry about it!
Koishi
The Kokoro standing here now is a fully realized version of herself.
Koishi
She's not the Kokoro Miss Miko imagined. Or the Kokoro Miss Okina imagined.
Koishi
And of course, she's not the Kokoro I imagined, either! Isn't that amazing?
Koishi
But there's no mistaking it―she's Kokoro! Hata no Kokoro!
Kokoro
I sure am!
Kokoro
No one can exist without emotions. That goes for you too, Koishi, ruler of the unconscious.
Kokoro
Stones by the roadside, the earth, the universe itself... they're all just phenomena within the flow of emotions.
Kokoro
So I can shape them as I see fit.
Kokoro
Miss Miko. Miss Okina.
Okina & Miko
Yes?!
Kokoro
It doesn't matter if you're Prince Shoutoku and Hata no Kawakatsu or not.
Kokoro
And it doesn't matter if you're my parents or not.
Kokoro
It doesn't matter to me, to you, or to anyone!
Okina
That's the spirit. We don't wish to be bound by an uncertain past.
Okina
My backdoors don't symbolize retreat. And neither do the wings you've earned!
Miko
A hopeful future begins by facing forward. When you do that, you won't always see what's beneath your feet.
Miko
But if you hesitate with every step, you'll never move far. The road to the future can only be paved atop unrelenting hope!
Koishi
Now, show us what you can do, Kokoro!
Kokoro
You are all captives to emotion. But I can see its flow.
Kokoro
Humans created song and dance, but Noh of Darkness was born within their hearts!
Kokoro
So sing and dance with reckless abandon. This is the Noh of Darkness' grand stage!
Kokoro
Were bullet battles always like this? I feel more like I'm hyping up a crowd before pro wrestling.
Okina
Haha, perhaps. But showboating after victory isn't such a bad thing.
Miko
So, Lady Okina, did she pass the test?
Okina
Of course. She's truly come into her own.
Okina
No, that's not high enough praise. She's without a doubt one of us now. She's earned our respect.
Koishi
Yay! You did it, Kokoro!
Kokoro
*double peace sign*
Kokoro
Hmph.
Nitori
We've been waiting for you, Kokoro. We hoped you'd come.
Marisa
I know you've had a long trip, but mind if we put you to work right away?
Marisa
I promise we'll make it up to you later. We need your help.
Kokoro
...
Kokoro
......
Kokoro
Sure. I'm actually not tired at all.
Kokoro
Besides, I can see what's going on here. After all I've been through, it wasn't hard to figure out.
Nitori
Whoa! That means my theory was right!
Marisa
You mean the one about tsukumogami retaining memories across reincarnations?!
Nitori
Yeah! Like how writing carved in stone lasts longer than in sand, they should have better memories than normal beings.
Kokoro
...
Kokoro
......
Kokoro
I think you're mostly right. I remember the vast majority of my past.
Kokoro
But there's a big hole in your theory.
Nitori
Whaaat?! You gotta be kidding me!
Kokoro
With all these memories, recalling something specific isn't as easy as it sounds.
Kokoro
I'm talking about more memories than you could comprehend.
Kokoro
I remember every moment from my childhood to today's breakfast. I can't pinpoint things on command.
Nitori
Hrmm. When you put it that way...
Nitori
I was so proud of that theory.
Nitori
If I could just recover the memories from this item of mine, we'd have our breakthrough.
Marisa
Hey, don't get too down. We're closer than ever before.
Marisa
Kokoro's here now, and she has the answer. We just need a way for her to remember it.
Kokoro
Remembering isn't the only way to remember.
Nitori
C-Come again?
Kokoro
When you lose something, looking for it makes it harder to find. Then one day, when you've forgotten about it, it appears.
Kokoro
It's the same with memories. The best way to recall one might be something unexpected.
Kokoro
Especially if that memory's tied to emotions.
Marisa
Which means putting you to work is our best bet, after all. We weren't as wrong as we thought.
Marisa
Hear that, Nitori? You can relax now.
Nitori
That's... great news!
Marisa
Let's get started.
Kokoro
(So after all that, I'm doing interviews?)
Kokoro
(Still, this lets me contrast my perspective with other people's. It might not be such a bad approach.)
Kokoro
Umm... tell me about your magic item. If you don't have one, just tell me your favorite emotion.
Junko
These are my purification crystals. They hold my memories.
Kokoro
(I knew it.)
Junko
I can't recall how I came to possess them. But I'm sure I'm not the only one.
Junko
It doesn't feel strange, though. I've always lived this way.
Kokoro
What way? Wait, I think I remember now...
Junko
My burning rage for Chang'e drives me. Like fire refines metal, that rage has intensified over time.
Junko
It burns away my memories, blazing ever brighter.
Junko
I couldn't tell you what memories I've lost. I feel like I've always acted the way I do now.
Junko
Every time one of my purification crystals burns out and shatters, I lose another memory.
Junko
The ones that aren't important don't get that hot. Only cherished memories are worth burning.
Junko
Oh, and to answer your other question... my favorite emotion is hatred.
Kaguya
Interviewing me right after Junko? I suppose you wanted a palate cleanser.
Kaguya
But don't worry, I'm always happy to chat.
Kaguya
Now, what was your question again?
Kaguya
Ah, my magic item. This Arcus Mass Driver is super handy. It can do basically anything!
Kaguya
I used to have all sorts of items, but it's so nice to only have to carry this one around!
Kaguya
You'd think a princess wouldn't need to carry her own stuff, right? But having servants isn't just about being served.
Kaguya
In other words, the ability to carry everyone forward is what makes a true princess.
Kaguya
Self-sufficient girls are way cooler, no? And a team of self-sufficient girls is practically unstoppable.
Kaguya
Whether I'm alone or with others, I'm always the top princess.
Kaguya
This Arcus Mass Driver embodies that. No idea what it's made of, though.
Kaguya
That's more Eirin's area of expertise.
Kaguya
My ability is mine alone. But to Eirin, it represents potential new medicines or secret techniques.
Kaguya
It doesn't feel special to me, though. No more than any other part of me.
Kaguya
Sorry, I know I'm not making a lot of sense.
Kaguya
I'll never be as smart as Eirin. Maybe THAT'S what Arcus Mass Driver is all about.
Kaguya
But hey, if I actually studied, I could at least outdo the Watatsuki sisters!
Kaguya
It's just... sitting down to study is so painful. Well, it's not actually painful. I was speaking metaphorically.
Kaguya
So, umm, what was the other thing? My favorite sushi? No, that wasn't it.
Kaguya
Emotions! ...I like all kinds of emotions, honestly. Especially watching other people experience them.
Kaguya
People rejoicing, celebrating, arguing, fighting... It's all so precious, meaningful, and hilariously fascinating.
Kaguya
If there's one emotion I don't like, it's definitely boredom!
Mokou
You're really going around asking this stuff? Well, if you say it's important...
Mokou
This is my Legendary Mantle. It definitely has a strange aura.
Mokou
Sorry, I don't mean to be vague. I've actually thought about it a fair bit.
Mokou
I had a lot of time on my hands, you see? But even then, I'm just not smart enough to figure out what it really is.
Mokou
People who love to think always have an easy way to kill time. Maybe I should've taken a leaf out of their book.
Mokou
Anyway, this mantle is no joke.
Mokou
In some other world, at some other time, I think it was mine. I feel like I got it with Kaguya and Keine's help...
Mokou
There's a Kaguya here, too. She's not the one from my world, but they share a weirdly similar fate.
Mokou
Of course, I've already asked her if she would ever do something to help me.
Mokou
And do you know what she said?
Mokou
Ugh, this is embarrassing to say out loud. Why isn't Keine here?
Mokou
Anyway, Kaguya said...
Mokou
"I'd kill for you. I'd even die for you." She said it super casually, too. As if it was nothing.
Mokou
I know we're both people of Hourai, so there's no actual risk of dying. But still!
Mokou
...
Mokou
......
Mokou
Oh, and I think my favorite emotion has to be fun!
Mokou
I spent way too many years being bored. I'm done with all that.
Reimu
Huh. So that's what you've been up to.
Reimu
You just got here, and they've already set you to work. Some welcome.
Reimu
Everyone might look like they're hanging around, but we're all trying to figure this out in our own ways.
Reimu
So don't disturb them without a good reason, OK?
Reimu
So, you wanna know about my magic items, huh?
Reimu
These Armored Yin-Yang Orbs are seriously tough. But...
Reimu
I've never really given them much thought. That goes for lots of things, actually.
Reimu
That's how I've always been. Yin-Yang Orbs, ofuda, needles... Never made sense to think about them too much.
Reimu
Misumaru said she made the orbs, and Yukari said she installed a communicator in them. But what do I care?
Reimu
Wow. I actually remember more than I thought.
Reimu
*intense shrine maiden thinking*
Reimu
I-I'm getting something! I think... there was a time when I couldn't fly.
Reimu
Maybe I lost my ability. Yeah, that sounds right.
Reimu
Ugh, it's like I can see my memories, but they're just out of reach. This is so frustrating!
Reimu
Anyway, it's not like the Yin-Yang Orbs can make someone fly.
Reimu
But I feel like because of them, I remembered how to fly. Wait, what the heck am I saying?
Reimu
This is why I hate thinking too hard.
Reimu
Why are we even talking about this? I bet this was all Marisa's idea.
Reimu
Hm? My favorite emotion?!
Reimu
I don't have to answer that. You said to tell you about my magic item OR my favorite emotion!
Marisa
How's it going so far, Kokoro?
Kokoro
I've still got some interviews left, but...
Nitori
But what?
Kokoro
You're not going to believe this...
Kokoro
But I've been making major discoveries! It feels just like when I first started training to understand emotions!
Kokoro
Honestly, I'm kind of overwhelmed. I don't know what to do!
Marisa
I see. So, even the so-called emotion expert's still got more to learn.
Nitori
I knew emotions were complex, but to think there are depths you haven't explored...
Kokoro
I'm sorry.
Marisa
We're not blaming you. Everyone gets it wrong sometimes.
Nitori
You have to get lucky to succeed without a few failures first. Besides, failures let you fine-tune your method.
Marisa
Exactly. That's why we still want your expert opinion, Kokoro.
Nitori
How can we improve things? Is there someone who can help us take the next step?
Kokoro
*gasp*
Kokoro
This whole time, I thought this was the end. But it's just the beginning.
Kokoro
Hmm, who could help us? They don't have to be perfect...
Kokoro
...
Kokoro
......
Kokoro
We need a good listener.
Kokoro
Someone who can get people talking and draw out honest emotions.
Kokoro
I'm no good at that. People hint at their true feelings during conversations, but I never pick up on it in time.
Kokoro
But someone better than me would be able to do that, and help the other person articulate their emotions.
Kokoro
If someone like that exists, I need them.
Marisa
Makes sense. From the folks we've already got here...
Marisa
Hmm, Satori's not a bad fit. We'll call her in. But it'd be nice to have someone a little chattier.
Nitori
Miko and Byakuren both have their strengths. They might be able to help.
Nitori
Still, we need a leader. Someone who can support you directly, Kokoro.
Marisa
I know just the person.
Nitori
Then we know who to wish for with the next summon.
