Mori Quest ~ Or That Other, Other, Other Adventure in Gensokyo?

She seems pleased by your praise.
"Yes, well a young youkai in the prime of her youth such as I should be expected to be able to accomplish such things, should they not?"
She pumps her fist and flexes her bicep, and although there's no visible sign of the muscle flexing, you can tell that she's stronger than she looks.

"Hmm? Yeah, what of it? You wouldn't see many unarmed humans walking about so freely without worry like I am. After all, youkai feed on humans, but you would know that, right?"

"Well there's always something to do. Like mess around with the fairies, I also spend some time with - I guess you could call them my friends - Cirno, Rumia and Mystia. Although Rumia can be pretty aggressive, even as far as Youkai go. Despite how weak she is- Don't tell her I said that though."

She smiles at you, completely at ease, even walking backwards to allow her to face you.

"And of course there's always those times when you wander across an amnesiac stranger and set of on an adventure with them."
She winks at you playfully.

Despite how short the conversation seemed, Wriggle's rambling-on seems to have passed quite a bit of time, and you've walked a pretty long distance already.
The two of you have just crested the top of another hill, and the trees have thinned out even more, allowing you to see just how short of a distance is left until you reach the outskirts of the village. With a few more minutes of walking, you'll have reached the destination. From this new vantage point, you're also able to see that there is also a large shrine building complex of some sort nearby the village, with an expansive graveyard that trails off into the forest nearby, so you're unsure of how large it actually is. There are quite a few farmers' fields spread out in the area around the village, and they look like they were taken straight out of the feudal era of Japan, each field a neat square plot of land, with many small rivers running in between the fields. Despite the unfamiliar look of it all, it's a very relaxing sight, as if you were looking at a painting.
The sun has just barely begun setting over the horizon behind you, and the landscape has an almost orange glow to it, intensifying the beautiful scene layed out before you.

Wriggle hasn't taken heed of it, however, and continues walking bakwards, eyes closed contently, and hands behind her head.

Wriggle opens her eyes and looks up at you; she's at a lower angle due to the slant of the hill.
"Oh, so you really aren't from anywhere around here... I had begun to suspect it."

You two are now walking along a wide dirt path that cuts through the farmlands. You would expect farmer to be out and working in the fields, but it's very possible that everyone is inside, settling down for dinner, from what you can tell of the time from the sun.
"So does that mean you aren't from Gensokyo at all, or just reeeeaaalllyyyyy far away? I've never heard anyone say how large Gensokyo actually is, and I only know that it ends in... that-a direction -"
She points to what you assume to be east.
"- because of the Great Barrier. Which I suppose you might not know about?"

>"I never heard of anything like a Great Barrier, or a 'Land of Illusion'."
You look up, and, amazingly (probably due to the sun's setting in the sky), the entire air space is lit up by an array of warm colours, reminding you of the "Northern Lights" that you had heard about back home. Perhaps this was that sparkle you had seen in the air earlier today?

"Well, the Great Barrier is a large border that seperates Gensokyo from the "outside world". I actually don't know much else, but the miko of Hakurei is supposed to protect it and make sure it stays strong, I think."

>"It seems so strange to me that all those fantastic things would exist but... I'm clearly not where I was before I... ended up here."

"Hehe, perhaps you're from the outside world, then?"

>"Perhaps, but, if I got here, then it should be possible to leave right?"

Wriggle looks uncomfortably away.
"Well... I'm no expert... but I've never heard of someone LEAVING Gensokyo to go to the outside world... Perhaps the Gap Youkai could help you with that... although most people hope to avoid any kind of interaction with her..."
She has a look of unease from merely mentioning this 'Gap Youkai'. You're not sure if you want to become one of the few she does interact with.
"Ah! But on the other hand, many things from the outside world do end up in here somehow! This one man even has an entire shop full of wierd objects he claims are from the outside world. I've only been there once, and it all cost alot, even though he didn't even know how to make most of them work, and I don't have any money to begin with... But yeah, he was a really odd man and-"
She's begun rambling on again. You are almost upon the village proper.

>"People don't leave Gensokyou?"

"Ah! But on the other hand, many things from the outside world do...(etc;)"

>"Well if it's stuff from where um 'outside' I might know how to work them."

"Hey, yeah! Maybe I should have brought you to that place, then? But really, we might have run out of ti-"

"STOP WHERE YOU ARE!"
Wriggle's sentence is cut off by a loud shout. From over your companion's shoulder, you can see the source of the interruption.


She is standing firmly in the center of the path, arms crossed, and a not-too-pleased look on her face.
"And just what does a pair of youkai plan on doing around here?"

>"I'm not a youkai miss um...?"

"Keine Kamishirasawa"

"You're not a youkai???"
The second voice sounds from beside you, coming from Wriggle.
"I was certain you were... but I maybe my senses are a bit off?"

"I don't believe you. You have the aura of a youkai. Are you saying that you're human?"
This blue-dressed woman barring your path seems totally convinced that you are a mythological creature of some variety. She closes her eyes for a moment, as if thinking of something.
"Ahh... Perhaps you are the third human, then? It seems... plausible."

Wriggle is simply looking between the two of you, obviously uncomfortable and unsure how to act in this situation.

<"Aura of a youkai? And what about that phrase 'third human'?"

"Yes. You... simply have the presence of a youkai about you..." Miss Keine seems to be searching for appropriate words. "Well, this isn't exactly a science, it's just a feeling you give off."
Wriggle nods in accordance.

By this time, Keine has dropped her intimidating act, and is more at ease. Apparently she's judged you to be harmless.
"Anyways, I'm not sure this is best place to go into detail about the whole affair, but and incident has arisen that involves all of Gensokyo's residents, and as a countermeasure, three humans from the outside world were brought into this land. The first of which I personally met yesterday evening here in the village, but due to a... turn of events, I am not sure where he is at the moment. And although I only returned to the village late in the day, it seems that the second was staying at the Hakurei Shrine nearby. Whether or not she is still there, I do not know. So, logically, it would seem that you are the third human that was brought here."

Keine sighs deeply.

"As unfortunate as it may seem, that is exactly what you are here for."
She looks to the sky, which is getting darker every passing minute.

"But enough of that for now... I suppose that you'll be needing a place to sleep tonight?"

Kamishirasawa-san nods.
"And will you be joining her, miss Wriggle?

The firefly youkai seems to genuinely think about it for a few moments, weighing the options in her head. She gives in.
"Sure, why not." She turns to you. "After all, this adventure has only begun!"

"Very well. Now if you will follow me..."
Keine turns, her dress spinning gracefully with her movement, and she begins walking through the village.

You grab Wriggle's hand, hurrying after Keine-sensei.

You spark up a light conversation with your companion, mostly regarding the weather and the economy, or probably some topic that exists in Gensokyo.

You memorize a quick mental map of the route through the town, making note of any important-looking buildings. All seem pretty plain, but you pass through what must be the marketplace, as the houses have advertising signs in front of them, and plenty of hanging decorations. You also pass by a larger one-story building with a fenced-in area behind it, containing a very small pond, and plenty of children's toys. Looking through the big windows reveals rows of desks and books in low shelves on the walls, so you assume that it's a schoolhouse.
The largest house so far stands a fair height above the other buildings in the village, and covers as much ground as the schoolhouse. You don't walk beside it, so you don't vet a good view, but by seeing the roof, it seems to be made of finer materials than any other buildings.

"We're here" Keine's voice interrupts your conversation, not that it was highly important. You've arrived at a modest, ordinary house on the edge of town.