Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha Character Creation and Discussion (second reincarnation)

[krisslanza]

Originally Posted by Keroko

Heh, to be honest, I despise that test. Basically that test says "Any character that has acomplished anything even remotely of importance is a Mary Sue." The only way to pass that test is to make your character an unimportant chracter with no tallents or special tings. Now where is the fun in that? In that case just name him 'generic NPC #1293' and be done with it. -_-

I also ignore any question that compares me to the character, because quite frankly, whether a character is based on me has no relation whatsoever to how the character is read by other people. Seriously, even profesional writers base their characters and stories on the things and people they know or have experienced. Tolkien wrote the Lord of the Rings based on his own experiences. Are we saying that the best selling book worldwide, second only to the bible (Jesus scored a whoopin 85 by the way) is a Sue filled book? in my opinion the best rules to hold whether a character is a Mary Sue or not is to simply compare them to the heroes and ask 'is my character superior to them in every way?' if yes, then you most likely need to rewrite a thing or two. Not just because your character has a few tallents of his own.

As the test itself says:

"Again, keep in mind that the test isn't always correct. Morpheus from the Sandman Comics scored nearly 70 points, and yet we don't believe he's a Mary-Sue. He's well developed, suffers the consequences of several major personality flaws, and has very few powers or talents besides those necessary to perform the duties of his station. Of course, research, an interesting story, and good writing always help too. "

So don't take that test seriously, its far too limited.

Don't forget that the test also means if you have a female OC and she's say successful in a certain time period... Or doesn't dress right, or doesn't have the right job... It makes her somewhat Mary-Sue.

Dice, just grab a d4, assign one to each number, and roll away.

Dice fix everything. :3

But that doesn't take into account the fact Rune is good at poker and that Vivio and Keroko are both bad at hiding their emotions Since this is also Vivio from RebelS TSS has said she's very stubborn so she's one to play a hand all the way even if her hand is crappy... Keroko is also impulsive so I can picture her as being the kind to do stupid bets and stuff a lot

[Comartemis]

Originally Posted by dkellis

Personally, my tests for seeing whether a character is a Sue is a lot simpler:

• Does the plot revolve entirely around the character, to the expense and detriment of every other character?
• If so, is the plot interesting?

My own personal test is simpler still:

Within the context of your story, does the original character exist to highlight the strengths of the CCs, or do the CCs exist to highlight the awesomeness of your character? In other words, does your character replace the CCs, or does he/she supplement them? This is a constant thought I keep in my head while I'm working on Alex. In spite of his heritage (which I could've used to grant him something of a Superpowered Evil Side or awesome demonic powers) he's not that much more powerful than any of the other characters, and mostly that's just Nanoha while she's still starting out.

[Keroko]

^ That's basically the rule that keeps Kerokanon spinning. Sure, there are times when the acts of CC's can highlight the strength of your OC, but as with all things, keep them in measure.

Originally Posted by krisslanza

But that doesn't take into account the fact Rune is good at poker and that Vivio and Keroko are both bad at hiding their emotions Since this is also Vivio from RebelS TSS has said she's very stubborn so she's one to play a hand all the way even if her hand is crappy... Keroko is also impulsive so I can picture her as being the kind to do stupid bets and stuff a lot

And stubborn. Keroko is also very stubborn. Yet another trait she and Vivio share.

[krisslanza]

Originally Posted by Keroko

And stubborn. Keroko is also very stubborn. Yet another trait she and Vivio share.

Ah see? This isn't something that can be simulated by dice effectively!

Ghaz said to draw the hands out myself but I don't have an actual deck of cards in my room. Just one that somehow seems to contain mostly 5's.

[Kha]

"July. Southern wet month, with short drenched days, enshrouded in 24-hour shitstorms. I've braved gunfire and crooks, but to say that I'm unbreakable on blue days is such a lie. Sometimes, I hit a molded patch and just stare at the obsidian abyss crying foul from above. Unmoving, wallowing.

"The cross weighed heavy in my hand, as the rain poured like bullets from the sky, pressing down on my being with the weight of fate that weave my journeys..."

Originally Posted by kazenoyuuchi

I don't believe it... I actually forgot Fate! Wouldn't be surprise if Kha decides to shoot me...

*glares at Kaze, then pats his head*

You've done very well for a rookie. Why would I shoot you for?

Originally Posted by Comartemis

My own personal test is simpler still:

Within the context of your story, does the original character exist to highlight the strengths of the CCs, or do the CCs exist to highlight the awesomeness of your character? In other words, does your character replace the CCs, or does he/she supplement them? This is a constant thought I keep in my head while I'm working on Alex. In spite of his heritage (which I could've used to grant him something of a Superpowered Evil Side or awesome demonic powers) he's not that much more powerful than any of the other characters, and mostly that's just Nanoha while she's still starting out.

I try my best to make everyone better than Kha because it is so easy to turn him into a Sue. I have to watch my every step, shaft him as often as I can, try to do as much as possible without him. In Warhammer terms, I always hold him in reserve, and Deep Strike him to where he's needed only when it is absolutely necessary, or when plot dictates. I almost never start with him on the deployment zone.

I just hope that is enough.




"...but I shake my coat and sheathed my cross.

"I can't give up. I must go on."

[TheShinySword]

Originally Posted by Kha

There's nothing to change. It's either I continue or stop.

*Smacks Kha around* Stop being a baby! Nothing's black or white like that in the writing world! Ideas and characters bend and change and always end up better for it. Few people get it right the first time, or the second time, or even fifth, that doesn't mean he's unsalvageable.

Originally Posted by Kha

[I]
I try my best to make everyone better than Kha because it is so easy to turn him into a Sue. I have to watch my every step, shaft him as often as I can, try to do as much as possible without him. In Warhammer terms, I always hold him in reserve, and Deep Strike him to where he's needed only when it is absolutely necessary, or when plot dictates. I almost never start with him on the deployment zone.

I just hope that is enough.

As long as kha doesn't end up being a Deux-ex-machina who single-handily turns the tide of battle. There's no reason to ignore and shaft him, if you aren't willing to try saving Kha then he doesn't stand a chance.

[PhoenixFlare]

@Kha: If you think you've changed him enough that you can not recognize him from the original version anymore, then give yourself a pat on the back and congratulate yourself for a job well done. It's not an easy feat to chop your characters down in size just so that everyone is pleased with it. Aaron had done it before, and so had us, and we can relate how painful it is to see our characters, so grand and glorious before, but now looking just like a normal citizen in the street of the world. You may not be able to see it, but I think your characters are quite normal if given the right selections (obviously, backstories as backstories must, not all are applicable in the correct sense), so there's no need to worry about them being Mary Sues at all. And for authors borrowing your characters, there is always cooperation to reduce any excessive embellishments to fit the story, not the other way around.

Note: Leona scores 48 points in the litmus test, and is considered a Mary Sue according to the scale. She has a little of the element, but mostly penalized for having a nice, beautiful name the author(s) of the test is/are just jealous of.

[Tempy]

Originally Posted by Kha

"...but I shake my coat and sheathed my cross.

"I can't give up. I must go on."

Max Payne, much?

Seriously, Kha, there's nothing I can say that everyone else hasn't. Pick up the pieces and get back to work. It's up to us, the readers, to decide of Kha is a Mary Sue or not. Every OC has the potential to be MS, even those with low scores. It's not about how much you nerf the character, but the role he plays and how you present it as such. Do not think of it as a burden or sin, but a challenge to your writing skill. Can you present a story that is enjoyable, believable, entertaining, and original, without becoming over-the-top and annoyingly typical?

I expect you can.

Just know when to hold back. They say too many chefs spoil the soup. Too many ideas can spoil the character. I haven't been here all that long, but as Keroko said, I'll help too.

[Kyral]

Originally Posted by ghazghkull

I think this might be quite the prudent litmus test for Mary-Sue tests :3

Linkage

Elric is 44.
Thanks to stuff like his "dangerous" nickname (Mage of Carnage) and 'tragic' past.

Rinya is 13.
It may be higher if there was a option like: "got into a fight with her dad and joined the military" but that is not very mary-sue like isn't it?

Originally Posted by Tempest Dynasty

Hmm. Noland scored a 16. Yay.

I would also point this one out:

Linkage

Got an 8 with that one :3

On this one:
Elric 12
Rinya 10

ah well...

[ghazghkull]

Well these tests aren't supposed to be taken seriously to that extent

But it is amusing to see how they are considered Mary-Sue/Gary-Stu by these 'standards'

XD

[Evangelion Xgouki]

Originally Posted by ghazghkull

I think this might be quite the prudent litmus test for Mary-Sue tests :3

Linkage

Hmmm...Shamsel scored a 21. Not too bad I guess

Originally Posted by Kha

AMV parody of Vampire Fate from FF thread much?

It was a last-minute decision for that addition

Originally Posted by TheShinySword

Short profile but he's a device so how long can I make it
Those who hang out in the FFT will recognize him :3. Falling Soul is Vivio's (RebelS version) device. RebelS is the OC fic I have stirring in the FFT (I might start duel posting it over here but the idea still scares me )

Oh come on. We're not that scary

Originally Posted by Keroko

I meant that you picked Fate to like. Fate is the number 1 favourite character in Nanoha. Aaron and I went for the slighlty less liked characters.

>_>

<_<

Vivio ftw

Originally Posted by Kha

There's nothing to change. It's either I continue or stop.

Oh come on. It's just some unofficial test. Unless you're having fun (and no one's out to kill you...more than we already are ) leave em be and we'll watch Kha get beaten up my Sophia time and time again

Originally Posted by Keroko

Wait wait wait, you mean that you put the Warp, the immaterium, the barrier between them, the Belkans being responsible for that barrier, Daemons and all thatin your profile and you have no idea what Warhammer 40K is?

*shrug*

I've only heard of 40K from that awesome Eva cross-over fic

Originally Posted by krisslanza

Don't forget that the test also means if you have a female OC and she's say successful in a certain time period... Or doesn't dress right, or doesn't have the right job... It makes her somewhat Mary-Sue.

Evangeline uses a full-body armoed BJ which in itself is out of place

Originally Posted by Keroko

And stubborn. Keroko is also very stubborn. Yet another trait she and Vivio share.

And we still love them

[FlameSparkZ]

Originally Posted by dkellis

Personally, my tests for seeing whether a character is a Sue is a lot simpler:

• Does the plot revolve entirely around the character, to the expense and detriment of every other character?
• If so, is the plot interesting?

The reason why Original Characters are stereotypically seen to be Sues by default is that people tend not to want to read about our creations, they want to read about the canon characters as they are (or as they can plausibly be extrapolated). Hijacking the whole "rubber sheet" theory of gravitation, the more the original character's plot mass, the more they distort the story around them. If the mass is enough to form a black hole (or close enough), that's a Sue.

And it doesn't matter if the character is interesting nonetheless. If a character's background allows him to be who he is, in a way that makes readers nod and say "that makes sense", then it's all fine. But if the background reads like a litany of angst and complaints, then readers are likely to be less forgiving.

Part of the challenge here is in trying to make the backgrounds of our OCs in summary sound interesting enough that it doesn't overwhelm everyone else. The history of Spider-man may have earned him his rightful legion of fans over the years, but trying to summarize everything to a new reader is likely to result in complete confusion, followed by complete disinterest.

Quite true.

Originally Posted by Keroko

Heh, to be honest, I despise those tests. Basically that test says "Any character that has acomplished anything even remotely of importance is a Mary Sue." The only way to pass that test is to make your character an unimportant character with no tallents or special things. Now where is the fun in that? In that case just name him 'generic NPC #1293' and be done with it. -_-

The questions re incomplete too, I can think of various Mary Sue related subjects that are not on the test, but are certainly the very things Mary Sues are made off.

I also ignore any question that compares me to the character, because quite frankly, whether a character is based on me has no relation whatsoever to how the character is read by other people. Seriously, even profesional writers base their characters and stories on the things and people they know or have experienced. Tolkien wrote the Lord of the Rings based on his own experiences. Are we saying that the best selling book worldwide, second only to the bible (Jesus scored a whoopin 85 by the way) is a Sue filled book? in my opinion the best rules to hold whether a character is a Mary Sue or not is to simply compare them to the heroes and ask 'is my character superior to them in every way?' if yes, then you most likely need to rewrite a thing or two. Not just because your character has a few tallents of his own.

As the test itself says:

"Again, keep in mind that the test isn't always correct. Morpheus from the Sandman Comics scored nearly 70 points, and yet we don't believe he's a Mary-Sue. He's well developed, suffers the consequences of several major personality flaws, and has very few powers or talents besides those necessary to perform the duties of his station. Of course, research, an interesting story, and good writing always help too. "

So don't take that test seriously, its far too limited.

For the curious:

Keroko: 48, not surprising, angsty past, last surviving member of a calamity, reformed a criminal (Tesla), one of the Aces. Nope, no surprise there. Though I had to mark 'nursed back by a kind and loving person' because my mind fails to compute Shamal as anything else.

Tesla: 19, well if the quiz branched more on the intelectual part or the 'immortal, god fae etc.' part (there were no questions that related to the Wolkenritter, even though its easy to think of a few) I have little doubt she would have come out as a Sue. As it stand though, not having had a familly to lose seems to be an advantage she holds over Keroko.

Uomo: 15, again no real questions that branch into him. Had they branched into evil characters, his rating would have skyrocketed. Not having any parents to lose also helped (they really should add 'product of experiments' to that list)

Syn: 15, no surprise here either, except this time in a positive way. Syn is by far the most normal character I have written. No emo past, no complicated things about her body, and she hasn't risen to fame yet to bother with all the 'well known' things. I did skip the high-school part though.

Again, I ignored any question comparing me to my characters.

Oh...I see...

In my case...Koji scored a 62 >_>
The test is very limited indeed, there isn't even a choice about the character solving a problem WITH the other characters, as in together. as in teamwork...

Originally Posted by dkellis

So I tried running Ivey through the Mary Sue test.

She scored 80. And she's not even the main character of the story.

Spoiler for The long and involved breakdown:

*snip*

I just find this amusing because I've submitted Ivey twice for approval, and both times received "well-balanced character" in response.

80?!

The test would have to be more specific to accurately point out Mary-Sueness...

Originally Posted by ghazghkull

Well these tests aren't supposed to be taken seriously to that extent

But it is amusing to see how they are considered Mary-Sue/Gary-Stu by these 'standards'

XD

True, the test is simply a way to measure the Mare-Sue levels on the character...not very accurate though...
And I'm either reading those questions wrong, or most of the situations to choose from don't apply to the character I'm using as test subject...

But yeah...let's not give too much importance to the test...

[Kha]

Originally Posted by TheShinySword

*Smacks Kha around* Stop being a baby! Nothing's black or white like that in the writing world! Ideas and characters bend and change and always end up better for it. Few people get it right the first time, or the second time, or even fifth, that doesn't mean he's unsalvageable.



As long as kha doesn't end up being a Deux-ex-machina who single-handily turns the tide of battle. There's no reason to ignore and shaft him, if you aren't willing to try saving Kha then he doesn't stand a chance.

...there was this one time in the Rebuilt timeline where I made him Gandalf the White...

Even though he can hold his own against a horde (Weapon Skill 5, Strength 7, 5 attacks, high Initiative, lots of wounds, 4+ Invulnerable save), due to his short range (Ballistic Skill 3) his biggest impact was buffing the grunts up, flash-healing injuries and inspiring them (army-wide +1 to Wound and Initiative, letting any unit within LOS use his Leadership value, and in a shooting phase allow 1 model in LOS to avoid being removed immediately after wound on a 3+ roll) such that they fight better, and thus influencing the turn of the tide.

And is why Kha is so expensive in points. Oh and non-40K fans you can ignore the values.

Originally Posted by PhoenixFlare

@Kha: If you think you've changed him enough that you can not recognize him from the original version anymore, then give yourself a pat on the back and congratulate yourself for a job well done. It's not an easy feat to chop your characters down in size just so that everyone is pleased with it. Aaron had done it before, and so had us, and we can relate how painful it is to see our characters, so grand and glorious before, but now looking just like a normal citizen in the street of the world. You may not be able to see it, but I think your characters are quite normal if given the right selections (obviously, backstories as backstories must, not all are applicable in the correct sense), so there's no need to worry about them being Mary Sues at all. And for authors borrowing your characters, there is always cooperation to reduce any excessive embellishments to fit the story, not the other way around.

Note: Leona scores 48 points in the litmus test, and is considered a Mary Sue according to the scale. She has a little of the element, but mostly penalized for having a nice, beautiful name the author(s) of the test is/are just jealous of.

I guess I was just too sensitive to test scores, something ingrained to me as a child growing up in Singapore.

Originally Posted by Tempest Dynasty

Max Payne, much?

Seriously, Kha, there's nothing I can say that everyone else hasn't. Pick up the pieces and get back to work. It's up to us, the readers, to decide of Kha is a Mary Sue or not. Every OC has the potential to be MS, even those with low scores. It's not about how much you nerf the character, but the role he plays and how you present it as such. Do not think of it as a burden or sin, but a challenge to your writing skill. Can you present a story that is enjoyable, believable, entertaining, and original, without becoming over-the-top and annoyingly typical?

I expect you can.

Just know when to hold back. They say too many chefs spoil the soup. Too many ideas can spoil the character. I haven't been here all that long, but as Keroko said, I'll help too.

Yeah I'm thinning the broth now, though it's easier once I convince myself that I don't have 1000 Ramses screaming at every ingredient and method I used.

Originally Posted by Evangelion Xgouki

Oh come on. It's just some unofficial test. Unless you're having fun (and no one's out to kill you...more than we already are ) leave em be and we'll watch Kha get beaten up my Sophia time and time again

Erm, yeah...

Originally Posted by Evangelion Xgouki

Evangeline uses a full-body armoed BJ which in itself is out of place

I've long convinced myself that coffin-armor is a character distinction rather than an anomaly.

[Tk3997]

Hiyo thread I went away from the week end and though I read through the backlog I don't have much motivation to post a breaker so none of that. The Mary Sue test looks like it might be good for a few minutes amusement though so let's give it a whirl. Since he's basically my flagship char I used Felix:

Spoiler for Detailed Result:

Name:
Didn’t get a single one here though frankly that’s probably because I don’t even try for meaningful names to start with most of the time and I pick real names whenever that’s logical. Felix was basically chosen at random and is pretty average so no surprise here. (Though in a funny twist when I later looked up the meaning of the name one interpretation of the Latin original is "happy" so there is some unintended irony going on...)

Appearance:
Are one or more other characters attracted to her/him?
The plan is for him and Vita to eventually end up together though that’s far off at the moment and she dose find him vaugely attractive or at least not ugly.

And that was it not that surprising given Felix was always meant to be look pretty plain and average.

Character:
Was the character ever estranged from her/his family/tribe/country/etc.?
More or less he left and hasn’t really spoken much to his family since.

More Character Crap:

Is the character unusually accomplished for her/his age/species/etc.?
He is a fairly strong mage and has a fair amount of experience and indeed is toward the top tier.

Has the character traveled extensively?
Yeeup.

Has the character ever fairly lost in any kind of duel, fight, or competition against someone of equal or lesser ability, where the winner was not the character's rival?
Numerous times and several nearly killed and more such events are planned.

Does the character have a significant personality flaw (e.g. she/he is a spoiled brat, is horribly judgmental or biased, is irrationally violent, is naive and easily manipulated, etc.)?
We’ll he’s more then a bit of an insufferable ass with a near pathological inability to express emotion to others and something of a bleak outlook on humanity in general.

If the character does not die, does this flaw persist beyond the end of the story?
Oh god yes mellowed slightly, but Felix is and always will be kind of a dick.

Does the character have a child or children for the greater part of your story?
Yeeup, pretty much adult and on his own though.

Does this flaw get the character in serious trouble (e.g. she/he gets fired, gets killed, gets someone else hurt, etc.)?
More so when he was younger and not able to fake civility as much, but his behavior even now rubs others the wrong way and he has his share of enemies.

Is the character selfishly manipulative or sadistic (e.g. threatens self-harm, lies, blackmails, etc. in order to get her/his way)?
This is a tad harsh perhaps, but he’s certainly not above using Lies and blackmail to get the job done by any means.

Work and Play
Does the character have any particular skill at which she/he the best or among the best?
He is as noted toward the upper tiers of Mid Style mages not the best by any stretch, but above ALLOT of others.

Is the character, or was she/he ever...
He's been a Mercenary for many years.

Does the character possesses the following skills, with or without the aid of charms, spells, etc.)
He has a number of skills on this list, but they’re very normal for the universe in question.

Immortals, Gods, Fay, etc.
Buttkiss.

High School:
Shit he never even graduated…

The Plot
Is the character repeatedly rivalled by the same person?
Vita.

Does the character fall in (reciprocated) love with, or have sex with, a character you would like to fall in love with or have sex with?
As above WITH the caveat it would have to be in an adult mode.

Your Character and You
Nothing here.

So total it up and he got a 9… Apparently being kind of old, average looking, not that well known, human, and a bit of an asshole is a good way to avoid being a Sue according to this test. Course I didn't need a test to tell me this.

As for Kha being all emo I'm not even going to touch that besides I've seen it before he'll get over it in a day and maybe be slightly better off for the tough thinking it made him do... maybe.

[USB500]

Hmm... it's time to curb the madness and post epic story.

-------------------

Spoiler for prologue:

“You know, there’s something very wrong when Chrono assigned us to this mission,” a concerned Hayate said. “I mean… who on Earth wants us to work with some outside visitors?”

“I don’t have any idea, either,” Fate answered. “But from the look of it, it’s going to be an important mission.”

“Guys, I don’t really mind with our mission, but why sending only us?” Nanoha asked.

“Quit it, Nanoha-chan. At least we don’t have to take an entire team with us,” Hayate told her.

“Oh? Then how about them?” Keroko teased and pointed to Hikki, Takeru and Yuuno. “They aren’t a part of our team for nothing, you know.”

“Quit it. We know we’re the only males in this group,” Hikki snorted. “And whose idea was it to vote me as expedition leader?”

“At least we can trust you,” Hayate said with a chuckle. “Besides, considering the nature of words you have spoken I doubt you really want to take this mission. Alone.”

“Excuse me? Widuri has to look after Mai and the children, so she’s not coming,” Hikki reminded. “And what was that supposed to be, Hayate?”

“Nothing,” Hayate chuckled.

“Well, too bad Mr. Armstrong couldn’t come along,” Takeru said. “We could use his wisdom throughout this mission.”

The group received a signal from HQ. It was time to commence operation, so they wasted no time and approached the portal ring. “Everything is set for dimensional jump,” the chief technician said. “All personnel prepare for wormhole activation sequence. Countdown to portal execution in T-minus 90.”

“I can’t believe I’d actually sign in this mission,” Yuuno sighed.

“The process is going to temporarily interfere with your peripheral sense and Core Linker, but it’s a normal procedure,” the chief technician assured. “We have run this operation for hundreds of time, so there’s nothing to be worried of.”

“I don’t like the sound of this,” Fate said. “That reminds me, Takeru-kun. Why didn’t Frieda-san come along?”

“I have no idea, but she said she’s going to take Sayoko and the Gemini Sisters to the boot camp next week,” Takeru said. “Yeah… boot camp…”

// Takeru’s not-so dirty thought //

“Ah, Frieda…” Sayoko gasped. “Not here… please…”

“Don’t worry, Sayoko,” Frieda whispered into her ear. “There are only two of us here. We can do whatever we desire for.”

“Do you think so?” Sayoko murmured.

“Yes,” Frieda answered. “Just you and I. All. Alone.”

// Takeru’s not-so dirty thought //

Takeru’s face turned bright red. “I should’ve stopped reading those doujins…” he grumbled.

“Don’t worry, boy,” Zafira said and patted the gunslinger boy’s head. “Real men don’t need boot camp training. Real men train in pure environment.”

“Alright, people, here’s the instruction,” Hikki spoke. “Should we get separated at the end of the dimensional jump activate the signal transponder and set it to the pre-designated coordinate. Remember that our destination is one heck of a place, so be careful.”

“We get that,” Nanoha said.

“One more thing before I forget,” Hikki added and donned his gloves. “Don’t panic.”

“Belkanite energy output is at 100%,” one technician reported. “Chief, we’re good to go.”

The chief technician nodded. “All clear! Beginning dimension jump in thirty seconds!”

“This is it, folks,” Yuuno said.

“See you on the other side,” Zafira added.

The portal ring’s revolution reached its highest speed. All held their breath as the chief technician gave his crews the signal. “Dimension jump in ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one, execute!”

The portal ring flashed. In less than seconds the group became engulfed in golden yellow light and slowly disappeared from thin air as minute particles. The portal ring kept roaring for a few more seconds before it slowly came to a halt, leaving none of the people’s trace behind.

“Dimension jump is 99.99% successful,” the engineer reported. “No abnormalities from objects are detected.”

The chief technician took a deep breath. Good luck out there, you people,” he murmured.

==========

Spoiler for Part 1: The Place The Gods and People Loved:

The portal opened. In an instant everyone fell out of the wormhole and crashed onto one another. Their sudden arrival caused many of the inhabitants to scatter in panic, and soon their presence piqued intrigues and attracted curious eyes to investigate.

“Ow! How come we crash-land?” Nanoha moaned and rubbed her head.

“The portal designers must’ve forgotten the ending route,” Fate grumbled. “Nanoha-chan! You’re pinning me down! Get off me!”

“Sorry!” Nanoha apologized. “Keroko-chan! You too!”

“I didn’t even do anything?!” Keroko moaned.

“Whatever it is, we’ve reached our destination,” Yuuno said. “Is everybody alright?”

The people rose. Looking around the environment they realized they had landed in a forest and the presence of cherry blossom petals suggested it was well in the summer season. “I guess we arrive in the right time,” Yuuno said.

“Guys, did any of you see Shamal and Hikki?” Hayate asked.

“I didn’t see the gunslinger boy’s presence, either,” Signum said.

“Hey, where’s Zafira?” Vita asked.

“They might have been separated from us in the wormhole!” Fate exclaimed.

“Fate, calm down!” Yuuno pleaded. “Remember what he told us before coming here? Don’t panic.”

“Hayate-chan, I’m detecting strong energy reading!” Reinforce Zwei reported.

“Is it from enemy?” Hayate asked.

“I can’t tell,” Reinforce Zwei answered.

Nanoha and Fate withdrew their respective Devices. So did Keroko, Vita and Signum, closely followed by Hayate and Reinforce Zwei. It did not take long before a portal slowly materialized several feet away from them, bringing along a suppressing energy unlike anything before.

“What in the world?” Yuuno uttered.

The portal widened, and from it came out an elegant, if not mysterious, lady carrying a parasol. Almost in surreal manners she floated in midair, lingering for a while before her feet touched the snow-covered land. “Well, you seem to have arrived later than my expectations,” the parasol lady said as she corrected her posture.

“Who told you about this?” Nanoha demanded.

“A close friend of mine,” the parasol lady answered. “Of course, I assume none of you would know the name if I say it now.”

“We can settle that later, but first please tell us your name and this place,” Keroko said.

“Oh, I’m sorry for my lack of manners,” the parasol lady giggled; a few seconds later another person appeared from the portal, this time bearing the unmistakable resemblance of a kitsune albeit with a fox-ear hat on her head one tail less to make it nine. “I am Yakumo Yukari, and this is my assistant Ran. (The kitsune woman bowed to them.) As the head of the Yakumo Mansion I welcome you to Gensokyo.”

The gentle wind of summer started blowing.

-x-x-x-x-x-

Takeru Akatsuki groaned.

Being separated from his group was bad enough, but falling on his butt on staircases carved from solid rock? That had to be the most unpleasant experience he had ever faced. To make things even more confusing, he pondered, why did I land on a quiet bridge that awfully looks like it’s been dug from a certain Chinese kung-fu movie?

In fact, it did look like it came right from the certain kung-fu movie.

“[Achtung!]”

Out of nowhere came ten -- hundreds, if he counted it right -- of fully armed, battle-ready “combat maiden bunny girls?” as he shouted his thoughts out. “What is this? Some kind of forbidden, female-only paradise?”

“Intruder of Eientei! Speak your reasons of presence!” one of the combat maidens demanded.

“Eientei? So that’s the name of this forbidden paradise,” Takeru pondered. “But from the look of it, these girls don’t welcome strangers.” Trying to look calm and cool he raised his hands and said “I came here by accident. My only reason of presence is to exit this place, and I intend to do no harm to anyone of you.”

The horde, instead, aimed their arsenals at him. “You have failed to speak your true reasons. We, the loyal guards of Lady Eirin and Princess Kaguya, shall exterminate you,” the combat maiden spoke.

“Aw, come on! Can’t we just talk?” The question was answered by magical projectiles fired from the archers. Having dodged the arrows, Takeru knew the “bunny girls” meant serious business, and he knew there could only be one solution.

“Wild Falken, Golden Swallow Mode.”

“[Ja!]”

In an instant the Armed Device transformed, neither to its AK101 Sturnform nor AS-50 Scharfschütze-Form, but to the unmistakable twin USP handguns. Having dedicatedly trained under the gunmanship of Frieda and fiercely sparred with Sayoko for the last three years had thought Takeru that in today’s close quarter combat Wild Falken’s normal forms would not work effectively, hence he had customized its Armed Device to include the Gun Kata fighting style. An often clichéd, but proven, battle technique and for gunslinger knight like Takeru its effectiveness had been worthy.

“My trainings with Miss Frieda and Sayoko have brought me to this level,” he said and opened battle stance. “Looks like I can finally use my knowledge to the fullest today.”

“The intruder’s armed! He’s intending to threaten Lady Eirin and Princess Kaguya!” the combat maiden shouted. “Guards! Take him down!”

At the cue of battle cry the horde charged at Takeru from all directions possible. Takeru knew by the time he reached the end of the bridge only he would be left standing. “Though I kind of feel sorry for hurting your girls,” he sighed. “But a battle is a battle! Belkan Knight Takeru at your service!”

-x-x-x-x-x-

“Alright. Where am I?”

Zafira looked around. There was no sign of the Wolkenritter or the rest of the group, and the mountain region was definitely not the place he had expected to arrive. The only people he spotted as he wandered around were not people at all; “more like were-creatures to me,” he commented when he spotted a Kappa girl standing next to a river. “Whatever this place is, I don’t want to stay here any longer. Better find my way out now.”

“Hey! You!”

Zafira turned to the source of the voice. What greeted him was as pleasant as it was surprising, as he found himself staring eye-to-eye with a sword- and shield-carrying wolf girl. “I’m not a wolf girl!” the girl said to protest Zafira’s comment. “I’m a tengu!”

“Well, you look obviously like a wolf girl to me,” Zafira pointed out.

“And what are you, then?” the girl replied. “Dog boy?”

Zafira snapped. “I’m not a lowly dog,” he hissed. “I am Zafira, a Wolkenritter loyal to Mistress Hayate’s cause. And who are you?”

“Momizi Inubashiri,” the girl introduced. “Are you a youkai, by any chance?”

Zafira had to laugh. After all these years living as a knight, finally someone had misunderstood him as a demon, and he was not impressed by the idea. “Call me whatever you feel like,” he said and started cracking his knuckles. “I find the idea of being labelled as a youkai really unacceptable… considering the fact that it was a wolf girl who did the labelling.”

“Hey! I’m a tengu, I’ve told you!” Momizi cried out.

“But enough saying!” Zafira exclaimed. “I accept your challenge! Have at you!”

What will happen when Outer Cadia meets Touhou? Will Takeru survive the moon rabbit hordes and get out of the bridge in one piece? What is really Zafira thinking about Momizi? And most important of all, where in the name of Suwako have Shamal and Hikki gone to?

As usual, don't expect it to be updated ASAP (though I've wanted the premise to be short) and also don't expect it to be clean of any and all services (as the two chapters have shown ).

*goes to prepare for tomorrow's job interview*

[Tempy]

Originally Posted by USB500

Hmm... it's time to curb the madness and post epic story.

-------------------

Spoiler for prologue:

-Fun things happened.-

==========

Spoiler for Part 1: The Place The Gods and People Loved:

-More fun things happened-

What will happen when Outer Cadia meets Touhou? Will Takeru survive the moon rabbit hordes and get out of the bridge in one piece? What is really Zafira thinking about Momizi? And most important of all, where in the name of Suwako have Shamal and Hikki gone to?

As usual, don't expect it to be updated ASAP (though I've wanted the premise to be short) and also don't expect it to be clean of any and all services (as the two chapters have shown ).

*goes to prepare for tomorrow's job interview*

Hmm.

Hmm. Hmm.

This is relevant to my interests. Thusly, I present this in response!

Spoiler for Elsewhere...:

A lone man yawned as he sat upon a rooftop, muscles aching and bones creaking after a long day’s work. There was still much to do, however, and he could only afford a short break. There was ice cream to be made and beer to be brewed, and none of it would make it themselves… not while Cirno, Wriggle, Mystia, and Rumia worked anyways.

Oh God no. Rumia.

He hoped he’d still have a stock of ice cream left by the time he got back down, or even his pantry or larder. This was a fear that plagued him ever since the youkai of darkness took up residence in his closet of all places.

Oh well. He had five minutes of alone time, so he might as well take advantage of it. There was no sense in wasting it, even if every minute gave the munchkins downstairs more time to wreak havoc to his shop. Maybe he could even have a smoke—AAGH!

A small piece of paper suddenly landed upon his face, causing him to flail out of his comfortable position and grab the offensive thing off his face. Scanning the document, he recognized the elegant calligraphy. Only one person in Gensokyo wrote English in this annoyingly beautiful penmanship.

“Goddamit Yukari. What the hel—” his grumbles were cut short when he read the letter.

“Huh… Well. Things will get interesting very soon…” the man chuckled, crumpling the paper into a ball and sitting up. Maybe his break will have to be cut short – he had to prepare, after all. Guests would be visiting soon enough.

Adjusting the wide-brimmed hat he wore when working outdoors, the man stretched before gathering his belongings together and left the roof.

Back to work.

Edit: This is not to be taken canonical with USB's story... unless he wants it to be :3

[PhoenixG]

Originally Posted by USB500

Hmm... it's time to curb the madness and post epic story.

-------------------

Spoiler for prologue:

“You know, there’s something very wrong when Chrono assigned us to this mission,” a concerned Hayate said. “I mean… who on Earth wants us to work with some outside visitors?”

“I don’t have any idea, either,” Fate answered. “But from the look of it, it’s going to be an important mission.”

“Guys, I don’t really mind with our mission, but why sending only us?” Nanoha asked.

“Quit it, Nanoha-chan. At least we don’t have to take an entire team with us,” Hayate told her.

“Oh? Then how about them?” Keroko teased and pointed to Hikki, Takeru and Yuuno. “They aren’t a part of our team for nothing, you know.”

“Quit it. We know we’re the only males in this group,” Hikki snorted. “And whose idea was it to vote me as expedition leader?”

“At least we can trust you,” Hayate said with a chuckle. “Besides, considering the nature of words you have spoken I doubt you really want to take this mission. Alone.”

“Excuse me? Widuri has to look after Mai and the children, so she’s not coming,” Hikki reminded. “And what was that supposed to be, Hayate?”

“Nothing,” Hayate chuckled.

“Well, too bad Mr. Armstrong couldn’t come along,” Takeru said. “We could use his wisdom throughout this mission.”

The group received a signal from HQ. It was time to commence operation, so they wasted no time and approached the portal ring. “Everything is set for dimensional jump,” the chief technician said. “All personnel prepare for wormhole activation sequence. Countdown to portal execution in T-minus 90.”

“I can’t believe I’d actually sign in this mission,” Yuuno sighed.

“The process is going to temporarily interfere with your peripheral sense and Core Linker, but it’s a normal procedure,” the chief technician assured. “We have run this operation for hundreds of time, so there’s nothing to be worried of.”

“I don’t like the sound of this,” Fate said. “That reminds me, Takeru-kun. Why didn’t Frieda-san come along?”

“I have no idea, but she said she’s going to take Sayoko and the Gemini Sisters to the boot camp next week,” Takeru said. “Yeah… boot camp…”

// Takeru’s not-so dirty thought //

“Ah, Frieda…” Sayoko gasped. “Not here… please…”

“Don’t worry, Sayoko,” Frieda whispered into her ear. “There are only two of us here. We can do whatever we desire for.”

“Do you think so?” Sayoko murmured.

“Yes,” Frieda answered. “Just you and I. All. Alone.”

// Takeru’s not-so dirty thought //

Takeru’s face turned bright red. “I should’ve stopped reading those doujins…” he grumbled.

“Don’t worry, boy,” Zafira said and patted the gunslinger boy’s head. “Real men don’t need boot camp training. Real men train in pure environment.”

“Alright, people, here’s the instruction,” Hikki spoke. “Should we get separated at the end of the dimensional jump activate the signal transponder and set it to the pre-designated coordinate. Remember that our destination is one heck of a place, so be careful.”

“We get that,” Nanoha said.

“One more thing before I forget,” Hikki added and donned his gloves. “Don’t panic.”

“Belkanite energy output is at 100%,” one technician reported. “Chief, we’re good to go.”

The chief technician nodded. “All clear! Beginning dimension jump in thirty seconds!”

“This is it, folks,” Yuuno said.

“See you on the other side,” Zafira added.

The portal ring’s revolution reached its highest speed. All held their breath as the chief technician gave his crews the signal. “Dimension jump in ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one, execute!”

The portal ring flashed. In less than seconds the group became engulfed in golden yellow light and slowly disappeared from thin air as minute particles. The portal ring kept roaring for a few more seconds before it slowly came to a halt, leaving none of the people’s trace behind.

“Dimension jump is 99.99% successful,” the engineer reported. “No abnormalities from objects are detected.”

The chief technician took a deep breath. Good luck out there, you people,” he murmured.

==========

Spoiler for Part 1: The Place The Gods and People Loved:

The portal opened. In an instant everyone fell out of the wormhole and crashed onto one another. Their sudden arrival caused many of the inhabitants to scatter in panic, and soon their presence piqued intrigues and attracted curious eyes to investigate.

“Ow! How come we crash-land?” Nanoha moaned and rubbed her head.

“The portal designers must’ve forgotten the ending route,” Fate grumbled. “Nanoha-chan! You’re pinning me down! Get off me!”

“Sorry!” Nanoha apologized. “Keroko-chan! You too!”

“I didn’t even do anything?!” Keroko moaned.

“Whatever it is, we’ve reached our destination,” Yuuno said. “Is everybody alright?”

The people rose. Looking around the environment they realized they had landed in a forest and the presence of cherry blossom petals suggested it was well in the summer season. “I guess we arrive in the right time,” Yuuno said.

“Guys, did any of you see Shamal and Hikki?” Hayate asked.

“I didn’t see the gunslinger boy’s presence, either,” Signum said.

“Hey, where’s Zafira?” Vita asked.

“They might have been separated from us in the wormhole!” Fate exclaimed.

“Fate, calm down!” Yuuno pleaded. “Remember what he told us before coming here? Don’t panic.”

“Hayate-chan, I’m detecting strong energy reading!” Reinforce Zwei reported.

“Is it from enemy?” Hayate asked.

“I can’t tell,” Reinforce Zwei answered.

Nanoha and Fate withdrew their respective Devices. So did Keroko, Vita and Signum, closely followed by Hayate and Reinforce Zwei. It did not take long before a portal slowly materialized several feet away from them, bringing along a suppressing energy unlike anything before.

“What in the world?” Yuuno uttered.

The portal widened, and from it came out an elegant, if not mysterious, lady carrying a parasol. Almost in surreal manners she floated in midair, lingering for a while before her feet touched the snow-covered land. “Well, you seem to have arrived later than my expectations,” the parasol lady said as she corrected her posture.

“Who told you about this?” Nanoha demanded.

“A close friend of mine,” the parasol lady answered. “Of course, I assume none of you would know the name if I say it now.”

“We can settle that later, but first please tell us your name and this place,” Keroko said.

“Oh, I’m sorry for my lack of manners,” the parasol lady giggled; a few seconds later another person appeared from the portal, this time bearing the unmistakable resemblance of a kitsune albeit with a fox-ear hat on her head one tail less to make it nine. “I am Yakumo Yukari, and this is my assistant Ran. (The kitsune woman bowed to them.) As the head of the Yakumo Mansion I welcome you to Gensokyo.”

The gentle wind of summer started blowing.

-x-x-x-x-x-

Takeru Akatsuki groaned.

Being separated from his group was bad enough, but falling on his butt on staircases carved from solid rock? That had to be the most unpleasant experience he had ever faced. To make things even more confusing, he pondered, why did I land on a quiet bridge that awfully looks like it’s been dug from a certain Chinese kung-fu movie?

In fact, it did look like it came right from the certain kung-fu movie.

“[Achtung!]”

Out of nowhere came ten -- hundreds, if he counted it right -- of fully armed, battle-ready “combat maiden bunny girls?” as he shouted his thoughts out. “What is this? Some kind of forbidden, female-only paradise?”

“Intruder of Eientei! Speak your reasons of presence!” one of the combat maidens demanded.

“Eientei? So that’s the name of this forbidden paradise,” Takeru pondered. “But from the look of it, these girls don’t welcome strangers.” Trying to look calm and cool he raised his hands and said “I came here by accident. My only reason of presence is to exit this place, and I intend to do no harm to anyone of you.”

The horde, instead, aimed their arsenals at him. “You have failed to speak your true reasons. We, the loyal guards of Lady Eirin and Princess Kaguya, shall exterminate you,” the combat maiden spoke.

“Aw, come on! Can’t we just talk?” The question was answered by magical projectiles fired from the archers. Having dodged the arrows, Takeru knew the “bunny girls” meant serious business, and he knew there could only be one solution.

“Wild Falken, Golden Swallow Mode.”

“[Ja!]”

In an instant the Armed Device transformed, neither to its AK101 Sturnform nor AS-50 Scharfschütze-Form, but to the unmistakable twin USP handguns. Having dedicatedly trained under the gunmanship of Frieda and fiercely sparred with Sayoko for the last three years had thought Takeru that in today’s close quarter combat Wild Falken’s normal forms would not work effectively, hence he had customized its Armed Device to include the Gun Kata fighting style. An often clichéd, but proven, battle technique and for gunslinger knight like Takeru its effectiveness had been worthy.

“My trainings with Miss Frieda and Sayoko have brought me to this level,” he said and opened battle stance. “Looks like I can finally use my knowledge to the fullest today.”

“The intruder’s armed! He’s intending to threaten Lady Eirin and Princess Kaguya!” the combat maiden shouted. “Guards! Take him down!”

At the cue of battle cry the horde charged at Takeru from all directions possible. Takeru knew by the time he reached the end of the bridge only he would be left standing. “Though I kind of feel sorry for hurting your girls,” he sighed. “But a battle is a battle! Belkan Knight Takeru at your service!”

-x-x-x-x-x-

“Alright. Where am I?”

Zafira looked around. There was no sign of the Wolkenritter or the rest of the group, and the mountain region was definitely not the place he had expected to arrive. The only people he spotted as he wandered around were not people at all; “more like were-creatures to me,” he commented when he spotted a Kappa girl standing next to a river. “Whatever this place is, I don’t want to stay here any longer. Better find my way out now.”

“Hey! You!”

Zafira turned to the source of the voice. What greeted him was as pleasant as it was surprising, as he found himself staring eye-to-eye with a sword- and shield-carrying wolf girl. “I’m not a wolf girl!” the girl said to protest Zafira’s comment. “I’m a tengu!”

“Well, you look obviously like a wolf girl to me,” Zafira pointed out.

“And what are you, then?” the girl replied. “Dog boy?”

Zafira snapped. “I’m not a lowly dog,” he hissed. “I am Zafira, a Wolkenritter loyal to Mistress Hayate’s cause. And who are you?”

“Momizi Inubashiri,” the girl introduced. “Are you a youkai, by any chance?”

Zafira had to laugh. After all these years living as a knight, finally someone had misunderstood him as a demon, and he was not impressed by the idea. “Call me whatever you feel like,” he said and started cracking his knuckles. “I find the idea of being labelled as a youkai really unacceptable… considering the fact that it was a wolf girl who did the labelling.”

“Hey! I’m a tengu, I’ve told you!” Momizi cried out.

“But enough saying!” Zafira exclaimed. “I accept your challenge! Have at you!”

What will happen when Outer Cadia meets Touhou? Will Takeru survive the moon rabbit hordes and get out of the bridge in one piece? What is really Zafira thinking about Momizi? And most important of all, where in the name of Suwako have Shamal and Hikki gone to?

As usual, don't expect it to be updated ASAP (though I've wanted the premise to be short) and also don't expect it to be clean of any and all services (as the two chapters have shown ).

*goes to prepare for tomorrow's job interview*

:O :O
A touhou crossover.
two nitpicks:
Reinforce zwei doesn't call Hayate "Hayate-sama", but Hayate-chan

And I thought there were only earth rabbits (excluding Reisen, she is a moon rabbit) in Eientei. :/

Originally Posted by Tempest Dynasty

Hmm.

Hmm. Hmm.

This is relevant to my interests. Thusly, I present this in response!

Spoiler for Elsewhere...:

A lone man yawned as he sat upon a rooftop, muscles aching and bones creaking after a long day’s work. There was still much to do, however, and he could only afford a short break. There was ice cream to be made and beer to be brewed, and none of it would make it themselves… not while Cirno, Wriggle, Mystia, and Rumia worked anyways.

Oh God no. Rumia.

He hoped he’d still have a stock of ice cream left by the time he got back down, or even his pantry or larder. This was a fear that plagued him ever since the youkai of darkness took up residence in his closet of all places.

Oh well. He had five minutes of alone time, so he might as well take advantage of it. There was no sense in wasting it, even if every minute gave the munchkins downstairs more time to wreak havoc to his shop. Maybe he could even have a smoke—AAGH!

A small piece of paper suddenly landed upon his face, causing him to flail out of his comfortable position and grab the offensive thing off his face. Scanning the document, he recognized the elegant calligraphy. Only one person in Gensokyo wrote English in this annoyingly beautiful penmanship.

“Goddamit Yukari. What the hel—” his grumbles were cut short when he read the letter.

“Huh… Well. Things will get interesting very soon…” the man chuckled, crumpling the paper into a ball and sitting up. Maybe his break will have to be cut short – he had to prepare, after all. Guests would be visiting soon enough.

Adjusting the wide-brimmed hat he wore when working outdoors, the man stretched before gathering his belongings together and left the roof.

Back to work.

Edit: This is not to be taken canonical with USB's story... unless he wants it to be :3

and I guess this should be Tempest's icecream/bar shop ^.^;;;

[USB500]

Originally Posted by PhoenixG

:O :O
A touhou crossover.
two nitpicks:
Reinforce zwei doesn't call Hayate "Hayate-sama", but Hayate-chan

And I thought there were only earth rabbits (excluding Reisen, she is a moon rabbit) in Eientei. :/

Post corrected.

And the bunny girls scene were taken from an IN doujin I have (forgot its title, though).

Originally Posted by PhoenixG

and I guess this should be Tempest's icecream/bar shop ^.^;;;

[PhoenixG]

Silent sinner in blue? but that happend on the moon ^.^;;

[Tempy]

Originally Posted by USB500

Post corrected.

And the bunny girls scene were taken from an IN doujin I have (forgot its title, though).

Udonge is the only moon rabbit. All other rabbits are youkai earth rabbits.

And now, something once again non-canonical to USB's fic but amuses me greatly.

>_>

<_<

...

:3

*drops this and RUNS*

Spoiler for Ordinary Stranger:

An Ordinary Outsider

Name: Tempest

Occupation: Shop owner

Ability: Knowledge of Gensokyo

Residence: Ice cream shop and brewery

An ordinary human with unremarkable features. He was originally from the outside world, banished to Gensokyo by mysterious means (1). Left with only a few belongings and his wits, his adjustment to Gensokyo was surprisingly quick. Unlike many outsiders, he has opted to stay in Gensokyo rather than go home. As a way of life, he established a shop across the lake from the Scarlet Devil Mansion that sells ice cream and beer.

Despite being a human, he is in good standing with a number of non-humans.

Personality

In contrast with his name, he possesses an unnatural calmness and strange outlook on matters, often commenting dryly on events and situations. Otherwise, he is silly and foolish, often goofing off when not working. Yet, he can be intense and uncompromising when the situation calls for it. He seems protective of his customers, using a weapon from the outside world to defend himself and his customers. (2)

Weapons

Being human, he has no outstanding powers. Perhaps due to his weakness, he cannot danmaku at all. He can, however, graze. He stands out, however, with his extensive knowledge of Gensokyo and its history and inhabitants (3). Perhaps to compensate for his inability to danmaku, he is armed with weapons from the outside world.

According to him, these weapons are:

Springfield Mil-Spec M1911A1
Smith & Wesson 500
Remington 700 rifle
Enchanted zweihander

I do not know what these are, nor have I seen them myself. They are very loud and very dangerous, so it’s best to let him deal with it.

Everyday Life

As his shop is also his home, he works every day to earn money. When not working, he can be seen fishing at the lake or tending to his garden. He does hate it when his work is stolen and eaten (4).

He seems to be in good standing with humans and non-humans alike, possibly due to his job. There have been occasions when even youkai protect him. He has performed deliveries to the Hakurei Shrine to even as far as the Netherworld, making his unremarkable nature surprisingly well known. This must be good for business.

Job

As the owner of his establishment, he is in charge of making ice cream and brewing beer, in addition to selling it to customers. Interestingly, he has employees in the form of local youkai and fairies, paying them through meals and other ways. Visitors have identified Cirno, Rumia, Mystia, and Wriggle Nightbug as assistants. Rumors state that they live with him in the shop.

The immediate area surrounding the shop and the shop itself is considered a neutral zone, and instigators are dealt with severely (5).

He has a secondary job in caring for outsiders, providing room and board until the outsider is taken home or finds his or her own way of life in Gensokyo. He gives surprisingly good advice, and his knowledge of Gensokyo helps keep them out of trouble (6).

Personal Accounts

"He's boring, but donates regularly. I can't complain" (Reimu Hakurei)

He is rather ordinary, isn't he?

“He remembered my name! I’m so happy!” (Hong Meiling)

This is quite a feat. Even I, Hieda no Akyu, cannot remember this youkai’s name.

“Beer and ice cream. What kind of business is that? (Rinnosuke Morichika)

Strange, but popular. It reaches all ages and both genders.

"It's really strange to drink beer next to a youkai. My daughter came in and ate ice cream with a fairy! I feel nervous sometimes when I come here." (Anonymous)

Do not worry. The rules are strictly enforced in the shop, and perpetrators are dealt with harshly.

“Yay! Ice cream! Ice cream!” (Flandre Scarlet)

I have no comment.

---------------

(1): Some person named Sheba

(2): He becomes rather frightening, almost like a demon.

(3): Kiene is a close friend of his

(4): Mischievous youkai, fairies, and kappa

(5): Certain individuals do not appreciate their peaceful snack interrupted.

(6): This is not always successful