Story Card Travelogue 3
Story Card Travelogue 3
???
...
???
...
???
Where am I?
???
...?
Rinnosuke
Welcome...
Rinnosuke
What can I do for you?
???
You're the... Kourindou shopkeeper.
Rinnosuke
That's me. Rinnosuke Morichika. And this is Kourindou.
Rinnosuke
You've... been here before, haven't you? Back when Gensokyo was normal.
???
Uhh, I'm not sure. But it feels familiar, so I guess I must have.
Rinnosuke
Hmm, I'd say that's a fair guess... as long as those feelings are your own.
???
Umm, I don't really know what's going on. It's like my memory is full of holes.
???
What happened to the Gensokyo where we used to live? And where... did everyone go?
???
This is all so messed up. Should I be scared?
Rinnosuke
...
Rinnosuke
No. Being scared won't change anything.
Rinnosuke
Even I don't know what happened to Gensokyo. However, it's not like we're the only ones still here.
Rinnosuke
Two crow tengu visited me earlier. They went to take a look around, but they should be back soon.
Rinnosuke
And now that you've shown up, it's probably safe to assume that the others are out there, too.
Rinnosuke
I can't tell you what happened.
Rinnosuke
And I have no idea how to restore things to normal...
Rinnosuke
But you showing up here has given me a clue.
Rinnosuke
It seems it's not that easy to erase something completely. It always leaves a trace, from which things can be restored.
Rinnosuke
I feel like I read a similar theory posited by an outside world scholar... but that doesn't really help us now.
???
*struggling to keep up*
???
Oof. I didn't realize how tired I was...
Rinnosuke
Understandable. There's a lot to process.
Rinnosuke
Are you OK? Can you stand?
???
I-I'm fine!
Rinnosuke
Take a seat. We have a lot to talk about.
Rinnosuke
And I doubt you'd want to stand through it all.
???
...
Rinnosuke
Now, you can take it slow, but can you please...
Rinnosuke
Tell me everything you remember.
Story Card: All the Colors of Gensokyo
Alice
Thank you, thank you. That concludes my new puppet show: All the Colors of Gensokyo.
Alice
Please fill out the survey with any feedback before you leave. And if you wanna add to my tea fund, I'd greatly appreciate it.
Reimu
That wasn't as bad as I was expecting. You've gotten pretty good at this, Alice.
Marisa
Come off it, Reimu. I saw you tearing up.
Sanae
What a spectacle! Who knew puppet shows could be that good?!
Sakuya
It WAS good, wasn't it? I think I'll bring my mistress and the others next time.
Kaguya
I only came here because I was bored, but that was definitely worth a watch! You should make your next show about me.
Koishi
I wanna try putting on a puppet show, too! It looked really fun!
Yukari
Again, that was just the kind of story I wanted to see. It seems you took my instructions to heart.
Yukari
Without any incidents of note, other forms of entertainment have begun to take on more meaning.
Yukari
Please, keep at it. I'm counting on you.
Alice
...
Alice
Phew...
Alice
It's fine. You can come out now.
???
Thanks!
???
I can't believe no one noticed I was a doll! I guess your dolls are just that good! Just what I'd expect from my future self!
???
Or maybe it's 'cause I'm super cute!
???
Yeah, that's gotta be it!
Alice
You appeared so suddenly that I felt like I had to hide you... but are you really me from the past?
Past Alice?
You should know that better than me. Don't you remember what you were like when you were little?
Past Alice?
Besides, we look exactly the same, so I don't see why you'd doubt it.
Alice
Do we really look that similar...? Also, I wasn't a magician when I was little.
Alice
But you can use magic, can't you?
Past Alice?
Of course I can. I learned magic ages ago...
Alice
*confused*
Alice
So why do you look younger than me? It must be because you haven't learned the spell to stop aging yet.
Past Alice?
Not necessarily. I could look all grown up if I conserved my magical power.
Alice
Hold on. I'm starting to doubt my own past.
Past Alice?
S-Same here...! I don't even remember why I traveled to the future...
Past Alice?
Wait, is this really the future?! How can I tell?!
???
Maybe I can help!
Spring Snow Alice?
I'm Alice from the world where the Spring Snow Incident never ends! I've come here to end it!
Alice
No way! There's another me! But... you don't sound like me at all!
Spring Snow Alice?
Of course I don't. In your world, the Spring Snow Incident ended almost as soon as it began, right?
Spring Snow Alice?
But it's all messed up in my world. Different worlds, different possibilities.
Spring Snow Alice?
It's hardly surprising that I sound or act differently to you.
Alice
The Spring Snow Incident... Oh, you're talking about back then. Maybe you can help, after all.
Past Alice?
I've got no idea what you two are talking about, but I bet she can!
Alices
How do our pasts fit together?
Spring Snow Alice?
W-Well...
Alices
Well?!
Spring Snow Alice?
Y-You see...
Alices
Yes?!
Spring Snow Alice?
How should I know?!
Spring Snow Alice?
Why are you asking me to find the missing link between you two?! It's got nothing to do with me!
Past Alice?
Seriously?!
Alice
It's got everything to do with you.
???
Hehe, maybe I can help!
Alice
Not again!
Scarlet Mist Alice?
I'm Alice, and I'm really struggling with the troublesome Scarlet Mist Incident! I'm here looking for a way to resolve it!
Alice
You're not gonna find that here!
Scarlet Mist Alice?
How do you know?! You haven't even looked!
Past Alice?
Wait a sec!
Past Alice?
Isn't she, like, the perfect blend between the two of us?!
Alice
Y-You're right! Maybe she can solve this!
Scarlet Mist Alice?
I've got nothing...
Alices
Aww!
Magical Girl Alice?
Maybe I can help!
Convention Alice?
Maybe I can help!
Cyber Alice?
Maybe I can help!
Alice
Where do I keep coming from?!
Past Alice?
Is there like a clearance sale on Alices somewhere?!
Alice
I don't know what your deal is, but if you're looking to resolve an incident, you've come to the wrong Gensokyo!
Alice
In fact, we're trying to figure out how to make incidents occur again like they used to!
Alice
Well, too late for that now, I guess.
Alice
Things have been strange ever since I found that shiny blue cube...
???
Ummm, excuse me!
Past Alice?
Aww, there's another one. It's ruined now. We had exactly seven seven-colored puppeteers!
Alice
...
Alice
*sigh*
Alice
Fine, I'll admit it.
Alice
This is all my fault, isn't it?
Alice
For some reason, no matter what I do, I always end up alone. Sure, things are easier that way, but still.
Alice
This all started with that shiny cube, so I just gotta―
???
Wait! Please listen to me!
Alice
Wh-What is it?!
???
Has everyone heard of the ecumenical niche?!
Past Alice?
An ecu-what now?
???
An ecumenical niche! To put a long story short...
???
This world only needs one Alice!
???
Since there are so many of us here, we're all fated to disappear! All except one!
???
Some worlds have other measures in place to alleviate this, but not this world.
Alice
Th-That doesn't include me, does it?! This is my world!
???
That doesn't matter!
Past Alice?
No way! H-How long have we got until we start disappearing?!
???
It depends on the world. It could happen right now, or it could take a few days.
Alices
*speechless*
Alice
D-Does anyone know how to get home?
Past Alice?
*sob* So you're telling me we've each got an 87.5% chance of disappearing?
???
I'm afraid to say it, but yes.
Alice
I won't let that happen.
Past Alice?
What do you mean?
Alice
I love this Gensokyo. You're me, so you must all love your Gensokyos, too, right?
Alice
I won't give up.
Past Alice?
B-But what can we do?
Alice
Don't worry, it shouldn't be that difficult, but I'll need all your help!
Alice
We're putting on a new puppet show!
And so... the eight Alices put their heads together to come up with a new puppet show.
They practiced as hard as they could, then they unveiled it to the world.
They drew bigger and bigger crowds with each performance, and it didn't take long before it became the talk of Gensokyo.
It was so mysterious and bizarre that no one had ever experienced anything like it before.
It was a cumulative effort. Each of the eight Alices made their own dolls, which they used to perform different parts.
When the last performance ended... everything returned to normal and only one Alice remained.
Nobody understood how the puppet show resolved everything...
But perhaps it had something to do with the strange cube that one of the audience members had on them.
Another strange thing happened while they were working on the script for the show.
Seven of the eight Alices remembered how they investigated the Hourai Elixir in the past, wanting to know if it was real.
They based the script on the many legends and stories they collected back then.
But why did one of the Alices not share this memory? Was she not meant to visit this world?
Or maybe...
She was the odd one out because none of the other Alices were meant to be there.
Incidentally, their puppet show was called...
Hourai Dolls: Dolls in Pseudo Paradise.
Story Card: Draw, Marisa, Draw!
Marisa
*humming*
Marisa
Painting. Painting. So much fun!
Marisa
Nice! It's looking pretty good!
Marisa
Oh, is that the time already? I still haven't done any magical research.
Marisa
But... I guess I can keep painting a bit longer. I'm in the zone right now!
Marisa
*happy humming*
Marisa
...
Marisa
Hm?
Marisa
Who are you?
2nd Marisa
Can't you tell? I'm Marisa.
2nd Marisa
Also, aren't you worried that there's someone in your house? I could be a thief.
Marisa
I'm not worried about thieves. I'm not even surprised. If you're me, you should know that.
2nd Marisa
Still, shouldn't you be worried even if I'm not a thief?
Marisa
If you're not a thief, what's there to worry about?
2nd Marisa
That's illogical. And that's saying something, coming from me.
2nd Marisa
Are you used to seeing parallel beings or something?
2nd Marisa
Actually, I prefer to call 'em―
Marisa
Give it a rest, would you? You don't sound like me at all.
2nd Marisa
What do you mean?
Marisa
It feels demeaning to have to explain this to myself. But whatever, I'll tell you.
Marisa
Seeing yourself is like an everyday occurrence in Gensokyo.
Marisa
OK, fine, maybe I'm exaggerating a little, but it happens a lot.
Marisa
I can't remember all the times I fought myself in a battle of bullets. Be they illusions, dreams, or tanukis disguised as me.
Marisa
So I'm not gonna act surprised each and every time... even if people like Alice always seem to.
Marisa
...
Marisa
Hm?
Marisa
"Me" again, huh?
3rd Marisa
Aren't you worried? I could be a thief―
Marisa
Stop. I've heard it all before.
Marisa
...I think I get it now.
Marisa
You guys are me, and you're meant to be on some kinda quest, right?
Marisa
I'm no expert, but oddly, I understand the basics of parallel worlds and possibility spaces pretty well.
2nd Marisa
Seriously? I still struggle to wrap my head around it all sometimes.
3rd Marisa
Yeah, it's kinda annoying. She doesn't look like she studies all that much.
Marisa
Hey, that's rude, even for me.
Marisa
Before I answer your questions, there's something I gotta ask.
Marisa
If you guys are so busy... why are you here?
Marisas
...
3rd Marisa
I'll answer first. I've been on a long, arduous journey with a blue Reimu.
3rd Marisa
But I can't work all the time, so this is kinda like my vacation.
3rd Marisa
It's no fun working to a rigid schedule, and the best way to find new ideas is to wander off the beaten path.
3rd Marisa
Hence, a vacation.
Marisa
Some vacation. Sounds like you're still thinking about work.
Marisa
What about you?
2nd Marisa
Me? Uhhh...
2nd Marisa
It's kinda hard to explain. But to put it in a way you might understand...
2nd Marisa
You were just painting a picture, right?
2nd Marisa
You don't move the brush the whole time while you paint. Sometimes, you stop between one brush stroke and the next.
2nd Marisa
You use these moments to think or unconsciously make decisions.
2nd Marisa
Or perhaps you just rest your hand while you search with your eyes for the next color or brush.
2nd Marisa
These pauses can vary in length from a moment to quite a while. You might even use them to drink a cup of tea.
2nd Marisa
That's basically what I'm doing now.
2nd Marisa
Others might think I'm resting, wasting time, or being inefficient. But these breaks, these pauses, are necessary.
Marisa
You made that awfully complicated, but basically, you just came here to take a break, right?
Marisa
Why didn't you just say that?
2nd Marisa
That's not quite right. I told you it was hard to explain...
2nd Marisa
To finish a picture, it might take you anywhere from a few hours to a month, but generally no longer than that, right?
Marisa
I suppose. It depends on what I'm painting and how I'm painting it, though.
2nd Marisa
I work on a completely different timescale.
Marisa
How so?
2nd Marisa
I used to keep track of time, but I stopped after the first five quadrillion years.
Marisa
Q-Quadrillion?!
2nd Marisa
Yeah, but when I checked the records, at least a Graham's number multiplied by Plank time had passed.
2nd Marisa
This makes sense as you'd have to solve Graham's problem to calculate the number of parallel worlds I've fought over.
Marisa
*speechless*
Marisa
Right...
Marisa
So, basically, you're on a break that's infinitely short compared to the really, really, really, long time you've lived.
Marisa
But how short is it exactly?
2nd Marisa
I had seven days and five nights off, and this is the final day.
Marisa
That's surprisingly normal...
Marisa
All right, I think I understand now.
Marisa
I still find it hard to believe, but I understand it.
3rd Marisa
You really are strange.
2nd Marisa
Agreed. How are you so calm about this?
Marisa
I see where you're coming from. You think I should be more surprised, huh?
Marisa
All right, I'll tell you why this doesn't surprise me in the slightest. It's pretty simple, really.
Marisa
And once you know, you won't have to ask again, even if you lose your memories when leaving this world.
Marisa
It will reshape how you see the multiverse.
Marisa
I'm oddly well-informed because of all the knowledge that has been lost from the outside world.
Marisa
Things that are lost gather in Gensokyo, and I collect them.
Marisa
The theory of relativity, quantum mechanics, superstring theory, and the M-theory... they have all come to Gensokyo.
Marisa
And that's just the tip of the iceberg.
Marisa
All of this knowledge has been lost from the outside world. Can you guess why?
3rd Marisa
Something must've happened there.
2nd Marisa
Was it destroyed? Is that what you're hinting at?
Marisa
Yikes. It's nothing so apocalyptic.
Marisa
As a denizen of Gensokyo, I can say with absolute certainty that it's because these ideas are old in the outside world.
Marisa
No one believes in them anymore. At best, they're a passing curiosity.
3rd Marisa
A curiosity? ...All those ground-breaking physical theories?
Marisa
Yep.
2nd Marisa
All that scientific knowledge they worked so hard to attain?
Marisa
Uh-huh.
Marisas
...
Marisas
I don't believe it.
Marisa
Yeah, you wouldn't.
Marisa
Honestly, I can't really believe it, either.
Marisa
But it took me a while to get to that point.
Marisa
At first, I was really excited when I discovered all the new knowledge flowing into Gensokyo.
Marisa
It was only later that I began to question why they no longer wanted it.
Marisa
In the past, I would've disregarded it as complex nonsense, but the more I learned, the more I appreciated its value.
Marisa
I'm sure that in the outside world, this knowledge they call science was the most precious magic they possessed.
Marisa
But they didn't just lose science.
Marisa
A bunch of scientific storybooks and games ended up in Gensokyo, too.
Marisa
They felt new and exciting at first, but after playing and reading a few, they all started to feel the same.
Marisa
One of the major tropes they shared was visitors from parallel worlds.
Marisa
There were also space battles, giant robots, genetic modification, time travel, and virtual realities.
Marisa
The humans of the outside world used to dream of all those things.
Marisa
Now that I think about it, I should've been more surprised that something from a dream appeared before me.
Marisa
Maybe I would've been if the visitors from a parallel world didn't look like me.
2nd Marisa
Have you seen the outside world?
Marisa
Hm?
3rd Marisa
Did you go check to see what actually happened?
Marisa
Oh, right.
Marisa
Yeah, I went. I've actually seen the outside world before, so I managed to convince someone to send me there again.
Marisa
What do you think I saw?
Marisa
It was―
Marisa
Oops. I can't tell you.
Marisas
Seriously?!
2nd Marisa
That's the most important part!
3rd Marisa
I can't believe you baited us like that...
Marisa
Shut up! Don't blame me! They won't let me tell anyone!
2nd Marisa
They? Who's they?
Marisa
Those time police guys!
3rd Marisa
Never heard of them.
Marisa
Anyway!
Marisa
You're here on vacation or something, right?!
Marisa
So why are we talking about all this serious stuff?
Marisa
Then again, I'd feel bad leaving you with nothing.
Marisa
The barrier between Gensokyo and the outside world isn't there just to stop people from traveling between them.
Marisa
The hint is gravity. Did you know that gravity is more than just a force of attraction between objects?
2nd Marisa
Argh! She knows too much about the outside world. Talking to her is exhausting!
3rd Marisa
I hate to admit it, but her knowledge in that area surpasses our own...
Marisa
Yeah, about that. I was thinking of giving you a reward.
2nd Marisa
A reward?
3rd Marisa
What kinda reward?
Marisa
To your eyes, I seem like a perfectly orthodox Marisa. This Gensokyo and Kirisame Magic Shop must seem normal, too.
Marisa
And I know why.
Marisa
It's 'cause you came here not knowing about the Ruins of Memory.
2nd Marisa
The what?
3rd Marisa
If they're so important, why do you know about them and I don't?
Marisa
Just so we're clear, I'm still Marisa Kirisame.
Marisa
At the very least, I look like her, and I speak with her voice.
Marisa
However, most Marisas don't paint as a hobby, though that isn't to say they can't exist.
Marisa
I pulled out one such Marisa for you.
Marisa
Working while you're meant to be on vacation is a very Marisa thing to do, so I think that deserves a reward.
Marisa
Let me teach you how to paint.
The two Marisas started to understand the strange complexities of painting.
The act of putting color on a canvas is similar to arranging temperaments. Perhaps worlds were made in the same way.
It's possible that this Marisa painting pictures in a far-off universe wasn't a Marisa at all, but some other being.
The pictures she drew featured familiar faces―people the other Marisas had met or would meet in the future.
But why did she paint? So these people would be remembered? Or to send them out into the wider multiverse?
Regardless, she kept painting in her workshop, as if waiting for the day when music would play and bullets would start flying.
The two Marisas learned how to map star systems from her.
There are countless stars and countless parallel worlds. The only way to accurately depict either one is with a star map.
Stars are often associated with fate.
F1 universes share similar fates. The universes belonging to blue Reimu and green Marisa are different stars in one system.
It's like how there are many star systems within a galaxy.
However, these stars are not mapped as single points, but as clouds to represent their probability distributions.
Similar fates tend to overlap.
For example, there must be quite a few instances of blue Reimu and green Marisa growing up in the same universe.
The fates of these stars, these universes, mix together, creating shades and hues that should be recorded in pictures.
The enigmatic Marisa started painting some pictures for the two Marisas before her.
And for any other Marisa who might need them.
She traced back their fates to times gone by and waded through their memories to spaces once inhabited.
Then, she painted the abilities she found into star charts.
"These are for you..."
"Take them."
Story Card Column 3
Rinnosuke
...
Rinnosuke
...
Reimu is not the first Hakurei shrine maiden in Gensokyo.
However, unlike her predecessors, Reimu is generally called by her name instead of her title.
Her predecessors were practically always called the Hakurei shrine maiden. So much so that people forgot their names.
This is because, unlike the lazy Reimu, everyone knew how seriously they took their shrine maiden duties.
Their skills and technique, which everyone respected, hid their true self and safeguarded against change.
Technique and self-denial go hand-in-hand.
That's why people are often referred to by their profession. I bet the same also applies to other kinds of titles.
Rinnosuke
If I keep extracting Story Cards like this, I might end up losing my true name, too.
Rinnosuke
I'm definitely getting better at it.
This reminds me of a certain memory. Like transcribing a book, I have to think back on it regularly, or it will decay.
The Vampire Incident was a monumental event that led to the drafting and implementation of the Spell Card Rules.
Youkai from the outside world reignited grievances that had been simmering since the Great Hakurei Barrier was created.
This threatened a youkai war, but the incumbent Hakurei shrine maiden lazed about, saying it wasn't a big deal.
That sounds like something Reimu would do, not one of her predecessors.
But how can we be sure?
I'm a half youkai, so it wasn't that long ago for me, but I can't even remember her most recent predecessor's name.
Does Mizuchi Miyadeguchi remember it?
Rinnosuke
...
Rinnosuke
This isn't good. I've lost confidence in my own memory.
Rinnosuke
My knowledge of her and the incident might have become conflated with stories I heard or read...
Rinnosuke
Are you feeling better now, Kosuzu?
Kosuzu
Yep! I think talking to you helped. I still don't really understand what's going on, but I feel fine!
Kosuzu
Miss Aya will be back soon, right? Akyuu and the others might be around here somewhere, too.
Rinnosuke
Yes. There's no need to worry. I'm sure they'll all gather here before long.
Rinnosuke
This is the only place that is in any way normal, and be they humans or youkai, they can't survive on their own.
Rinnosuke
Humans need to eat, and youkai need humans to sustain themselves. The people of Hourai are the only exception.
Rinnosuke
Everything they need is here. So they'll have to come here eventually.
Kosuzu
Hahaha... Guess I'll be staying here for a while, too.
Rinnosuke
You're most welcome. In fact, you being here is a big help.
Kosuzu
What do you mean? I can mind the store if you want, but I can't do much else...
Rinnosuke
I'm talking about your ability.
Rinnosuke
I can read a tool's name and its purpose.
Rinnosuke
But sometimes it's like I'm reading a foreign language. I know their name and purpose, but I can't understand them.
Rinnosuke
So, if I share them with you, you can translate them for me with your deciphering eye.
Rinnosuke
Your ability to read any language is the ultimate ability for decrypting and analyzing information.
