[X] Ice Fairy

You slap your cheeks to fully wake up. That's right, you’re on a grand quest so there’s no time to be stalling! First, get away from this awful sun!

You burst into the station building. A very empty but well kept waiting room greets you. The rows of benches are spotless and brightly lit by the weird lamps with the flames that look frozen, but still burn on touch. The artificial glow mixes with sunlight from the windows on the sky-blue floor tiles. One of the windows is blocked by a small peach tree living in a square vase. It’s still a little warm, but most of the heat doesn’t seem to penetrate the sturdy brick walls.

“Oh, what an energetic one. Can I help you?” Maybe not so empty then.

The serene voice directs your attention right and up where an indigo haired woman draped with red-frilled silks mans a counter in the corner. A round black hat hangs on the wall next to a few informational panels and there’s one of those beeping machines behind her. How the heck she doesn’t melt under all those layers you can’t understand, but there’s been a lot of baffling things you’ve encountered this far away from home. Heck, home itself was pretty baffling too, these days.

“Lady, you can help me fix this weather! The sun out here’s broken or something, it shouldn’t be this hot!”

“Indeed, even in spring, the temperatures here can get ferocious,” the woman chuckles. She studies you, briefly glancing downward at the condensation that’s already dripped off your wings. “No wonder you’re bothered, it’s rare to see a fairy far from their element.”

“That’s because I’m on a really important mission right now. I just thought things would be getting cooler eventually, but the further I go, it only gets worse!”

“Hmm… if you’re lost then maybe I can help you. Is there somewhere in particular that you are trying to reach?”

You hesitate. You’ve been careful up to now to not let anyone else know your true destination, only asking about intermediate locations, but that’s going to be tricky being this close to the finish line. The woman must be the stationmaster, so she definitely knows her geography, and she seems friendly enough.

“I’m not lost, but okay. Just… please keep this a secret?”

“Of course,” she smiles before giving you an elegant bow. “Keeping information safe is a key part of my duties.”

You’ll trust her, after getting so far, it would be silly to lose your way now. You nod as you search through the pockets on your blue dress. A candy stick snatched at another town. A small bomb that Dai had learned to make from the nice “Red-o-Lute-Shun-Airy” girl with two little horns. Some pieces of string and cloth scraps, a spare button… There, you hand her a crumpled little pamphlet. You are taking no chances of being overhead.

You watch impatiently as the stationmaster reads it. Your feet itch and you’d rather be wading in cool lake water than in poorly fitted beat-up boots. But you’ve made it this far and the reward at the end would make the troublesome journey worth it. If only it weren’t necessary in the first place.

See, as far as you could remember, you, Dai, and a whole forest of fairies lived around the great blue Misty Lake, playing games with each other and pranking the occasional passerby. Life was good.

But then some bat youkai moved in, building an enormous and ugly red mansion. She couldn’t be pranked thanks to her guards, the red-green goon and the blue-white terror, both of whom were so unbelievably strong, even you couldn’t beat them! They were troublesome, but the lake was big and things settled down.

Then a bunch of humans appeared, digging the marshes and chopping the trees. A quarter, then half, then the entire shore was soon dominated by their rigid blocky houses. It became hard to sleep when the nights blazed like day, the soft swish of leaves replaced with gruff voices and clopping horses. The streets were so straight and so empty, it was impossible to sneak up on anyone without getting chased by the mean men with the batons, or crushed by a wagon. Even later, the tireless goblins arrived, who built absolutely huge houses with towering chimneys which, like the biggest cigarettes you’ve ever seen, belched foul scarlet smoke into the sky. The pretty morning mists on the lake became tinged bloody crimson, and not a frog could be found among the discarded tins and bottles littering the muddy banks.

Most of your friends had submitted to the invader and had claimed it wasn’t so bad, that they could run around the endless halls, dress up in the comfiest clothes, and eat baked sweets. But you, Dai, and a few others held out, unswayed by the devil’s temptations. Still though, things were becoming unbearable.

One winter day, while sweeping the snow clean of the dangerous salt the humans kept carelessly spilling, you found a curious pamphlet. You would’ve ignored it since reading is boring anyways, but a picture on the open page caught your attention: a lake like your own, but next to a mountain so grand, its white summit pierces above the clouds!

You took the soggy paper back with you and, overcoming the best efforts of humans and youkai to make up long words just to confuse things, you managed to decode what would become the hope for you and your friends. Apparently, some people liked to walk so much that they would end up in places no one had seen before, discovering places like that of the picture, the newly christened Whiterock Mountain! Untouched woodland, resplendent valleys, pristine lakes, and lovely, brilliant, year-round snowcaps! And most importantly, anyone willing to stay and live on the land gets to keep it!

This was it: if deprived of your old home, get a new one! The others thought it was a good idea too, but everyone was scared of going out so far, of being eaten by the fire and metal contraptions. So it was up to you, the strongest and bravest fairy of the Misty Lake, to venture out, to seize the future for your beleaguered people!

The plan was for everyone to scrap together enough money to send you first. Once you had successfully navigated the “civilized” world and staked the claim, you would then pick up some of this silver everyone seemed to be so excited about to buy passage for the rest of the group. Silver was claimed to be plentiful near the mountain. Finally, you and your friends would be free of the scarlet menace. The thought makes you sway a little in excitement.

The stationmaster is taking a while to finish with your pamphlet, but that was because she had pulled out a map, criss-crossed with more styles of lines than you thought possible. You stand on your tiptoes to see over the table, but she holds the map up instead.

“I’m deeply sorry, but your destination would be better reached on a different line. We are here at Sage Springs,” she points at a small black dot with a finger. It is indeed labeled Sage Springs. “Which is on the Union Celestial Railroad Southern Line. Instead, the Northeastern Line will take you to the trails that lead to your goal.” She traces the movement across the line with many bars crossed through. That northern route ends at a blank part of the map while the southern is surrounded by drawn desert. “You likely got on the wrong train at Gensokyo City, our regional hub.” It’s a large square near the middle.

“But I got directions to travel this way from there!” You complain.

She sighs. ”Unfortunately, there are some people who like pulling terrible jokes on the unsuspecting. People who should know better, I mean.”

That purple lady at the Gensokyo City station must’ve lied to you! You thought she had saved you from going the wrong way, but instead she… argh!

She continues, while giving you back the pamphlet and putting away her map. “Don’t you worry. The northbound train will show up tonight, at 10:00.”

“I-I don’t have money for another ticket…,” you admit.

A second sigh. “I suspected as much. Very well, I shall pay your fare for you.”

“Really?!” your face lights up. “You would do that? Thank you! Thank you! See, I need to get out there fast to claim the land, but once I’m ready, I’ll make sure to send you enough loot to fill this whole room. Twice, no, three times over!”

Strangely, the stationmaster’s smile stiffens, then she decides to let out an open wince.

“Oh dear, if that’s why you traveled so far… it might be better for you to read it yourself. Can you read?” she awkwardly asks.

“Yep!” You answer proudly. While the others had gathered dropped coins or sold mushrooms, you worked hard practicing your letters, picking newspapers from the trash, stealing kids’ homework, surviving teacher’s headbutts, listening to teacher’s lectures, acquiring as much knowledge of the world as possible.

She rolls out a newspaper printed on a silk scroll and hands it to you. The fabric is really soft and quite nice to touch.

“The Heavenly Times

Remilia Scarlet, Vampire Noble, Banking Tycoon, and Industrialist, purchases Whiterock Mountain and surrounding territories for $6.5 million dollars, largest individual land purchase in history by area and value.”

The youaki’s familiar face stares outward, a sly grin on her face, inked narrowed eyes boring into your wide ones. The date shows this had happened only yesterday, while you were still on the train. In horror, you can’t help but to keep reading. One passage sticks out.

“-they say that a record silver deposit sits under that mountain. So I thought to myself, why shouldn’t I simply pay for that silver to not be mined?’
When asked if she had sent anyone to physically stake her claim in the area as following the original policy, Lady Scarlet responded:
‘I’ve already arranged it with the government, and I will ensure the homesteads already there will be fairly compensated. I also want to add one thing: that I have heard the grumbles, those questioning why a lone lady should have the right to deny so many others opportunity? I think in our much vaunted age of republicanism and with the frontier so open to all, many believe just by being quick, by working hard alone, anyone might make something of themselves. This is a fatal misunderstanding of the nature of the modern world. Today, the real power is in wealth. Only money can change fate.
Now of course, money doesn’t enforce itself, but I was thinking that my dear little sister needed some practice running a little estate of her own. She’s a bit of a homebody, but we’ll drag her out within a few months or so-‘”

“N-No!”

You can’t keep going, not just because of the tears blurring your sight, but also because your heart is shattering like an icicle falling on a stone below.

You ignore the stationmaster’s voice and dash out of the building. Curling up against the unyielding wall, cold tears cover your face, soaking your arms and dress. Was this devil impossible to escape?

You had once seen the vampire visit a clearing by the lake for a picnic with her lilac friend. Her guardians were there too, on shift with one serving and the other sleeping. The lilac girl seemed to be engrossed with a book thicker than her torso, but the short vampire constantly badgered her, having a good time, laughter on her pale face.

You imagine yourself coming home to tell Dai you failed. That all your friends would have to give up their freedom, their dignity to the scarlet conqueror, all because Cirno the dumb weak ice fairy’s dumb plans always fail. Because she couldn’t save either their old home or their new one.

The vampire’s face laughing, laughing at you.

Dai and the rest of them, comforting you, but disappointment obvious in their eyes.

“Only money can change fate.”

Only money can change fate, huh? It’d be great if you had any money, but you couldn’t even afford a way out of here. It really is hopeless. You sobbing slows, then stops as a haze wraps you. Sitting in the yellow dirt, there’s nothing else but to stare into space.

A lone tumbleweed skips across the street.

A group of tan-cloaked youkai carry boxes into an alley, one of them dropping something and getting shouted at.

A pair of figures wearing poorly drawn red wolf masks sauntering into a saloon.

Something close enters your vision:

[ ] The stationmaster’s black dress
[ ] Green hair and gray horn
[ ] A giant butterfly
[ ] Calico patched trousers
[ ] A stringed instrument
[ ] Green swirl on red

[X] A giant butterfly

A pair of sandals tied from wild grass step into the shade with you. Then as the being kneels down, a patterned lime dress, the distinct yellow spotted wings of a butterfly, before finally, a concerned face comes into view. A yellow antenna-thing and a ring of leaves decorate her turquoise hair. She sets down a straw basket tall enough that you can’t see within.

“Um, hello! Are you okay?”

She’s odd looking with a surprisingly rich voice, but certainly a fairy. You simply aren’t in the mood for playing right now, however.

“Are you hurt? Or hungry?”

“Leave me alone.” You grumble. Even your plan to indulge in self-pity gets disrupted.

“Hey. I’ve never seen you before, but you’re a fairy too, aren’t you? Shouldn’t we be friends?”

You pretend she doesn’t exist. After a minute, she sighs. She hops back up and, observing from the corner of your eye, she reaches into the basket and pulls out a round red object which she places next to the wall. Then after picking up the basket, the fairy is gone.

You mentally count up the seconds in a minute and then, satisfied at reaching ten, allow your hand to bring the mystery object closer. It feels solid and slightly smooth and bringing close for inspection, you discover that it is a small and tough-looking apple

It’s also crunchy and quite tasty. The tart sweetness returns a degree of clarity to the world and it also doesn’t hurt having some real food in your belly. It’s almost as good as the ones back home and you wonder how the fruit can be so fresh considering the desert landscape. You carefully balance the remaining core on the ground.

Pitter patter, rapid and growing, from the left. It’s that fairy again, who closes the distance before your head can fully turn.

“HA! I caught a thief!!” Suddenly, she yanks you upward and you before you can react, feel yourself grabbed around the arms and torso.

“H-Hey! What are you doing?!” Struggling, unable to break free, you are surprised to find that this weird fairy is somehow more than a match for you.

“Ouch! You’re freezing cold!”

“Then get off!” you shout, wiggling as you sense her grip weaken.

“Not until you apologize for stealing my apple!” Her resolve stiffens and your progress is undone. The struggle takes you outside, but you can only focus on wrestling a way out.

“You clearly left that there for me!”

“How greedy! It was mine all along,“ she says before she giggles. “I… I was going to use it as a snack later.”

“There’s no way that can be true!”

“Maybe this misunderstanding could’ve been prevented if a certain stranger properly introduced herself and learned a little about the locals.”

“Why didn’t you just keep it in the basket?” You keep straining and try to get a better footing, but she squeezes harder.

“Because what’s in the basket is for someone else. You’ll see.”

You can’t keep your balance after a poorly aimed kick. You attempt to fall over backwards to maybe squish your assailant, but she pushes forward first. Dry and chalky dust sneaks into your mouth and now you’re completely pinned.

“Fine! I’m sorry for your stupid apple! Now let go!” You stop squirming.

She does get off and you are able to roll over, panting. At least the other fairy is shivering a little. The only reason she was able to handle you like that was her sneak attack on top of your weakened state. You’ve never lost to another fairy in a fair fight before.

“Whew….“ She recovers before making her demand: “Now that I’ve won, you have to help me with my delivery!”

“What! Why?”

“To pay for that apple, of course. Also I’m tired now since I usually don’t play around like that in the town.” She crosses her arms.

“I already said I’m… fine.” Maybe going along with her would let you get back to being sad and alone sooner. You slowly get up and dust yourself off. She beams at you.

“Okay, let's start over. My name is Eternity Larva, but the others just call me Larva.”

“I’m Cirno.”

“Okay, Cirno, the cargo is over there. You’ll help by carrying it.” She points to the side of the station where the basket from before is leaned next to a pile of wood. You can see now that it is full of fruits and vegetables.

“Aww, really? What’ll you do then?”

“I know where to go. Don't worry, I’ll hold the basket after we're done!” she replies.

The produce in the loaded basket makes it quite heavy, forcing you to shuffle grips until the container is stable to move with, but you make no complaint. You hope Larva understands that you’re normally very strong, it’s just today wasn’t the day. Larva leads the way forward while chatting.

“Why do you feel so cold? You’ve got weird wings too.” She pokes one of the crystals, her finger slipping on the wet ice.

“I’m an ice fairy, duh. And who are you to talk about weird wings?” you rebut.

“Rude! There’s nothing wrong with my wings!”

“Nothing wrong with mine either!”

“If you’re an ice fairy, are you really okay here?” Larva asks.

“Nah, this weather is nothing to me! I’ve survived hotter!” You leave out that the worst summer days at the Misty Lake were ideally spent under your lakeside igloo, shaded by a dense canopy of foliage. The way too hot weather around here is another reason you were weakened. In the future, it might be better to fight in the buildings, or wait if the wispy clouds in the sky here ever do their job right.

You’re starting to feel a burn in your arms, but thankfully Larva stops in front of a building and announces, “We’re here!”

Seeing over the basket is hard and you can only make out a pair of swinging doors, but looking up, you can read the sign of the façade:

[ ] The Blinding Ballad
[ ] The Sand Whale

[X] The Blinding Ballad

Drinking raw water will make your stomach hurt~♪

Slow, alluring, singing could be heard even before Larva lets you both into the building. Inside, the song so dominates the cramped interior that neither of you can say anything, bound by a voice that, pitched high but not shrill with a haunting edge, can only be concluded as utterly beautiful. It surpasses any of the musically-inclined fairies back home or even the few human performers you’ve spied on. The singer’s lyrics, despite being as uncomplicated as the average fairy ditty, are altered by her enchanting voice, the meaning slipping from the words as you hear them and leaving only melody. A pair of exotic, twangy-sounding instruments accompany the song. Swaying a little in resonance with the music, your annoyance from getting out-wrestled by Larva melts away and even the deeper unhappiness below that seems to weaken, just a bit.

Drink lake water and it's off to Sanzu no Kawa~♪

Like the inside of a boxcar, the room is narrow with its walls, floor, and low ceiling all built from wooden boards, split down the middle lengthwise by a long counter. On the right is the stage of the singer, a winged youkai in a brown apron, and behind her is a wall-length shelf of colorful bottles fastened above a jumble of basins, stoves, and kitchen utensils. The rest of the room has the same general pattern, crammed with as many tables and stools as possible. Past the end of the counter, in the orange space of a drooping lantern, a pair of girls passionately pluck away at their instruments. The distance and tightness of the room cannot diminish their masterful playing.

“That’s Mystia, she runs this saloon,” Larva whispers about the singer. “What’s in the basket is for her.”

The sparse audience doesn’t just include you two. A girl in a dirty tan cloak sits in a stool close to the door while another customer, dressed in an aqua shirt and skirt covered with pockets, occupies a chair further back, a huge backpack on the ground by her.

“Ah, Larva! Please come in!” The singer cuts the performance when she notices the pair of you, waving you closer. The room stirs as the music ends and you follow Larva towards the kitchen side of the counter.

“Bravo! Bravo!” Cheeks flushed, the cloaked girl gives a wholehearted applause. “Well, I’ll leave the lyrics for others to comment on, but really that voice of yours… another grand performance by our very own Miss Lorelei! To show my appreciation, I’ll have another ladle!”

Up close, you realize that her cloak isn’t dirty; its odd appearance is due to irregular splotches of sandy yellows and pale browns intentionally woven in. A wide brim hat of the same style as the cloak lays carelessly on the table, allowing the girl’s moss green hair to stand out against the drab fabric.

“Thank you, Takane, but um, this will be your fifth–no, sixth?” Mystia asks with concern.

“Well, what’s the issue?” Takane crosses her arms.

“Aren’t you on a lunch break?”

“Health comes before work, don’t you know? And just because I left the Great Genbu a century ago doesn’t mean I can slack on hydration, especially not in this blasted heat!” Takane makes a show of twirling her bamboo mug on a finger, almost failing to catch it when the lacquered cup wobbles out of control.

Mystia sighs. “If you say so.”

“Haha! All right!” Takane celebrates with a pair of loud excited claps as her cup is refilled from a stout earthen pot. Even if her face didn’t show it, it’s obvious the liquid from the pot is delicious sake! Finally grasping what “saloon” means and what all those bottles at the top are for, you are proud to be the first fairy from home to get into a tavern from the front!

You carefully squeeze past Mystia as you navigate the close quarters. Despite your best efforts, the basket and your limbs still end up taking a few bumps from various protrusions.

Hidden from the front by the kitchen furniture is a sizable niche in the wall where sacks upon sacks of flour and rice loom over you and pyramids of tinned goods and oils tempt collapse by a careless nudge. Apart from a few crates with bottles of sauces and alcohol, one mysterious corner is dominated by a tower of racks, each tier containing a tray loaded with individually separated bamboo segments sealed with wooden caps. The racks give off a strong nutty aroma that tickles your nose.

“You can put the basket here.” Larva points out a clear space by an empty shelf by the strange setup. After freeing yourself from the burden, you have to give your arms a good shaking. Doing hard labor on a day like this just isn’t right!

“Wonderful! So many yummy vegetables for the customers… and a large snack for me!” Mystia, appearing from behind, suddenly grabs Larva.

“Eeep!” The fairy yelps. You watch the reversal with satisfaction as the saloonkeeper playfully hugs Larva, lifting her above the ground, legs dangling. It only lasts a moment before Mystia lets her captive go.

“It’s always scary when you do that!” Larva complains.

“Sorry, I just get so peckish after practice, I can’t help it, hehe~.” Mystia adjusts her cap and slaps her apron clean of stray scales before studying you. “Wait, a new face? Who’s your helper?”

“I’m Cirno of Misty Lake!” You introduce yourself, straightening out your dress and standing up straighter. “Larva only got me to help because she tricked me!”

“Still, it’s kind of you to help Larva with her delivery. Not one of us can survive on canned stuff alone, much less cook with it,” Mystia replies.

“Cirno, you’re not done yet. The fruits have to go on the top while the vegetables go below,” Larva chips in with her instruction, before remembering something. “Oh yeah, Mystia, I’ve got the extra cucumbers you said you wanted.”

“Yes! I did request those, didn’t I? I’d better go get your payment.” Mystia goes back to the front as Larva helps you restock the shelf.

“So the fairies are your source of produce! That’s one mystery solved.” The girl with the pockets stands at the counter, wearing a dark green cap and now hefting that bulky backpack. It’s the absolute largest backpack you’ve ever seen, completely disproportionate compared to its bearer, and rivals her skirt for pocket count. What could require that much capacity?

“So, extra cucumbers, huh?” She continues.

“That’s right, Nitori. You were talking about cucumber recipes yesterday and I wanted to try a few of them out,“ Mystia explains.

“If that’s the case, I’ll have to bring the whole crew over for dinner then!” Nitori eagerly responds.

“You won’t be disappointed. Urumi also brought in a fresh catch this morning so tonight’s menu is bound to be great!”

“That sounds fantastic!” Nitori leans forward. “By the way, Mystia, have you considered my proposition?”

“P-proposition!?” Mystia blushes. “Did you ask me about something like that?”

“No, no!” Nitori defensively waves both her palms. “About me recording your singing, remember? We talked about it last night!”

Mystia takes a moment to think about it. “I only remember the cucumbers…oooh, right. I think I remember now. You said you had one of those mechanical Kyoukos!”

“Well, what do you think?”

“It does seem interesting, but I’ve heard that artificial echoes sound nothing like a real voice.”

“I admit, what you’ve said is perfectly true… of traditional phonographs,” Nitori responds, raising a finger. “But never underestimate the forward march of progress! My new soon-to-be-patent Kawashirophone offers unprecedented audio fidelity, mechanical reliability, and will be affordable to the common man, youkai, or even fairy!”

Takane interrupts with a loud groan. “It’s always some gadget or contraption with you. Just give it a break,” She says, annoyed. “I mean, what the hell is this ‘progress’ nonsense? People just want to enjoy some plain ol’ music, not a terrible sales pitch.”

No one else seems to be disturbed by the brewing argument, but you listen with interest. You’ve never been so close to so many loud and interesting youkai before.

“This has nothing to do with you,” Nitori replies.

“Maybe, but I can’t help but feel bad watching you trying to rope someone into another of your half-baked schemes.”

“I’m sorry you tree-dwellers can’t seem to understand, but today we live in the age of the technologists.” Nitori proudly proclaims. “Things are changing faster than a blink, I hope for your own good that you can keep up. My friends and I certainly will.”

“Some things will change but I can always bet on you amphibians coming up with the lousiest ideas,” Takane shoots back.

“Have you ever made anything?”

“Money.”

“I-,” Nitori sputters. “I’ll have that and more!”

“Maybe when something of yours blows up in the right way. But until then, you’ll take jobs from the damn tengu.” Takane drains the rest of her sake. “Which you’re slacking on.”

“That was literally only once! And the problem was a bolt on the boiler’s… whatever. The reason I’m up here is to check out some new equipment that arrived on today’s train,” Nitori replies, starting exasperated before becoming cool. ”Sure, working like this, not my preference, but the boss is hands-off and the job itself is pretty nice. Safe too, but you won’t know much about any of that.”

“...” Takane tenses and shrinks into her cloak. When she speaks, her voice is like cold iron. “Aw, just shut up.”

“Hmph. Someone clearly had a little too much to drink.” Nitori takes a breath to recover and picks up where she left off. “Mystia, sorry about that distraction. Look, you lose nothing by trying, right? Heck, you can treat the recording like your usual practice session and leave the rest to me!”

“I suppose it wouldn’t hurt. Sure, I’ll try it.” Mystia agrees.

“Great! I’ll bring the device by sometime later. We don’t have to set up anything, it's so easy to use!” Nitori regains her energy. “Another thing, do you know how to read sheet music?”

“Read? I’m not the best at it…”

“That’s not a problem, I’ll figure something out... oh, hello.” Nitori notices the two musicians approaching and turns to face them, “Um… we’ve never met, but you’re the Tsukumo sisters, right? How can I help...”

Having found what she was looking for, Mystia returns to you two. Your work is already finished and Larva hangs on to the empty basket.

“Larva, here you go.” Mystia places a small cloth bag in the basket. Her eyes perk up at the fully stocked pantry. “Oh, nice! Since you’ve brought a few lemons, let me make you an extra treat. Don’t worry, I’ll be quick!”

“Really!?” Larva turns to you. “Cirno, we can’t leave yet!”

You suppose you shall wait, given her infectious enthusiasm and your own growing curiosity at this promised treat. Mystia is already at work, putting out a few bowls and a juicer and is cutting the lemons. Larva goes to chat with her.

At the same time, you can’t help but notice that while Nitori stands talking excitedly with the two string players, her backpack is left open to attack.

Takane, still in the same spot, has set aside her emptied cup and with both wrists propping up her head, looks to be intense in thought. Her cloak had shifted during the spat, revealing what you vaguely recognize as a holster holding a gun!

[ ] Stay with Mystia and Larva
[ ] Check out Nitori’s backpack
[ ] Talk to Takane

You observe Takane for a little bit, but there’s no chance for you to talk. She suddenly pushes off the counter, stool grinding against the floor, and stands up. She briefly glances at you while picking up a brown hat from the table, looking away to dust off its broad brim.

“Well, better get back to work before any more ‘irregularities’ happen.” Takane sighs. “And I’ll be out of your feathers.”

“Take care, Takane!” Mystia calls back.

Takane nods. Then she puts on her hat, sets a few coins down, and walks off with a slight totter, leaving the doors swinging as the glare swallows her.

The saloonkeeper reaches over and deftly grabs the money. You walk closer to where Mystia and Larva are, by the kitchen’s workbench.

When waiting at previous stations and in the train, you’d overheard plenty of worried snatches about “beastly outlaws” and disparaging comments on “useless rangers” and “greedy bounty hunters.” Not only is there seemingly way more action than back at the lake, the way they’re purported to fight seems to be different, shooting enhancing or even entirely favored over hands, fangs, and magic. Before Takane, you had only ever seen guns up close in pictures or distantly in the hands of hunters, but despite current problems and Dai’s warnings to be careful, a swirl of dramatic duels and flashy brawls seizes your imagination.

“Is Takane an outlaw?” You ask hushed, just to be safe. “She had a gun!”

“Huh? No, she’s just a trader. Being armed, that’s just how a lot of people are in these parts.” Mystia answers.

“Then do you have a gun too?”

“You don’t look like a troublemaker, but these are some odd questions.” She looks puzzled and even a little suspicious. With a loud thunk, Mystia chops through the final lemon.

“Woah, I didn’t mean anything!” You shrug. “Everything’s just… so different from home.”

“Cirno is very new around here.” Larva backs you up. “I actually found her outside the station before we came in!”

Mystia accepts the answer and relaxes. “Ah, I do get your feelings; I was surprised by the rowdiness at first too.” She lazily tosses a hand up. ” Well, everyone out here with more than a penny in their pocket has to protect themselves in some way. I’m no different, and I’ve got some tricks of my own.”

“And you’ve got Kyouko to back you up,” Larva looks around. “Though, I haven’t seen her recently.”

“Actually, she’s not here. She went to go find religion. For real!” Mystia giggles. “Apparently there’s this new temple that arrived up north that Kyouko got interested in, so she went to check it out.”

“But will you be fine handling the saloon by yourself?”

“Don’t worry about me, I still have what it takes to run a one-woman shop!” Mystia’s voice is cheery, but there’s a halfhearted tinge. “It’s only temporary. When business picks up again, she’ll return.”

With a firm grip and her strength, Mystia swiftly squeezes out the lemon halves with the juicer. The juice goes into a glass pitcher, where it is mixed with water and clear syrup from a couple of larger jugs.

“All done! Told you it would be quick.” She pours into two of the bamboo cups and hands them to you and Larva.

“Oh, wow! This is good!” You take a big gulp. It’s just lemonade in the end, but it’s well balanced between sour and sweet, with just enough pulp to carry the fresh citrus taste. It’s just missing something, however. “Too bad it’s not cold!”

“I have an icebox, but it’s a little expensive to keep filled. Guess it makes sense, you’d lose at least half of whatever ice shipped, if not more.” Mystia says.

“Well, that’s not a problem for me!” You dramatically raise your hand and point a finger downward at the cup. “Ha!”

At the push of your will, the drink’s temperature instantly drops and you can feel the coolness through the cup soon after. You also slightly overdid it, and the top layer actually freezes over in a thin crust of ice, but it also makes the effect more noticeable. It was more difficult than expected thanks to how warm and dry it is and you use the raised hand to discreetly wipe away a drop of sweat off your forehead while lowering it.

“Isn’t that convenient!” Mystia exclaims.

“Oooh! Can I have some too?” Larva eagerly begs.

“But of course!” You graciously chill her drink too, then continue slurping down your own.

Mystia looks into the pitcher, still over half-full. “There’s a lot left. You might as well take the rest of this back for the rest of your friends.”

“Really? I’ll make sure to bring the pitcher back next time.” Larva promises. “I’ve never had such a cold drink on a day this hot before! It’s the best!” She’s enjoying her drink at a measured pace. You raise the cup to your lips and keep tipping it up, but there’s nothing. It felt like just a couple of sips!

As Mystia accepts the empty cup, the other conversation in the place goes quiet: Nitori and the musicians must’ve finished their discussion.

“Whew, all this talk’s given me some great ideas and the day’s wasting away! Cya Mystia, don’t forget about that recording!” Skipping quite fast for having such a huge weight on her back, Nitori’s goodbye and the doors trail behind her.

You can’t figure out any resemblance, but the supposed sisters lag behind on the way out, holding their instrument cases and still chatting. The taller, lavender haired one speaks to the other. “To think that the beauty of traditional instruments like us might be able live on and be heard in every home… in a disc no larger than my forearm! Technology truly is wonderful.”

“But Benben, I’m still not sure about this stuff. There’s so many things that haven’t been thought over! Are we still the instruments in a recording or is it the device? Who owns the playing and gets the money?” The shorter brown haired one gestures wildly. “Are all inventors so damn shady?”

“Oh, Yatsuhashi, you always have good concerns, but you can’t take everything so seriously. We’re just exploring some possibilities. It was just exciting to hear Nitori talk.”

“The excitement of greed…” The other mutters.

“You two must be heading out as well.” Mystia calls out. “Thanks for helping with today’s practice!”

“Thanks for lunch!” Yatsuhashi responds.

“This practice is good for us as well.” Benben stops at the threshold. “Say, Mystia, have you spoken to any other musicians recently?”

“Can’t say I have.”

“Hmm, so they haven’t been expanding…” Benben goes on to explain. “A new group of players showed up at the Whale for the first time last night and they are unearthly good. We won’t be able to match their volume, but music is more than just loudness. There must be artistry above all else.”

“That’s right! We can’t lose to them!” Yatsuhashi smacks her fist in her palm. “They can bang bang and doot doot their way to hell!”

“That would explain what happened across the street last night. I’m pretty sure the building was shaking from the cacophony.” Mystia says, “but, that also might’ve been drunk kappa dancing into the walls here.”

“Still, it’s weird that such a strong bunch would come here.” Benben wonders aloud.

“It pisses me off. If they’re so good, why don’t they find a bigger town to play in and stop stealing from the little guys?”

“Hey now, you two play perfectly fine!” Mystia tries to calm down Yatsuhashi. “You guys will always be my first pick, at least. I’m pretty sure if they played in here, the roof would fall in. ”

“Thank you, Mystia. That means a lot to us.” Benben pushes open the door. “See you later.”

“Bye, Misty, fairies.”

Before you can shout that you have a name too, the sisters are already gone, leaving only you three in the room.

“The Tsukumos are the town’s usual musicians. I invite them as evening entertainment or to help me practice my singing.” Mystia explains as she pulls out a bucket and a rag. “But this many new faces in such a short while… I hope you can understand why I was worried about you earlier, Cirno. We’ve had a pretty bad turn of luck these past couple years. I’m sure some of the other townsfolk are on edge too.”

“What happened?” You have to ask. Mystia gathers the cups off the counter and places them in the basin. Then, after plopping down the soaked rag on the counter and sweeping, she answers.

“Well, it's kind of a string of unfortunate events, one leading to the other. We used to have some of the biggest gold mines in the country here, but those dried up. A lot of people left of course, and a few outlaws moved in. It was hard, but manageable.” She sighs. “Then the Beast Gangs showed up.”

“Beast Gangs?”

Mystia pauses her work and raises an eyebrow. “Really? You don’t know about the Beast Gangs?”

“They’re a bunch of wild animals?”

She lets out a brief laugh. “Pretty much, considering those masks they all wear. They’re the three oldest and biggest gangs of outlaws in the east. There’s Keiga, who’ll rob people of everything, clothes and even fillings, and strand them in the middle of the desert. Gouyoku, who they say owns most of the smuggling routes in this half of the continent.” She shudders. “And Kiketsu, who’ll ask businesses to pay protection fees, and if they refuse, their shop ‘mysteriously’ burns down.”

“These guys sound like bad news!”

“Yep. You asked about Takane earlier, but the Beast Gangs are the real deal. And now they’re using the hills around the town for their hideouts.” She continues cleaning. “The rangers have never been able to keep up and our own sheriff ran off. We still have a mayor. She’s usually useless, but this time she met with the gang heads and brokered a deal: no major violence or killing in the town limits, and they’re allowed to visit the town in peace. They surprisingly agreed so outside of the usual drunken brawls it’s been peaceful, but it’s more like the peace of being in a noose.”

“Dang...” You dwell on Mystia’s words. All the exciting action seems a lot less so from her telling.

“The Gangs scared off all the other bandits at first, but presently, it feels like there’s a whole new wave of rough folk coming in. It’s not fun, but hopefully they move on soon, like they always have” Mystia looks up at you to ask her own question. “So, now that you know more about our beautiful Sage Springs, what brings a fairy like you here anyways?”

“Yeah! I’d like to know too!” Larva chimes in.

And so it all comes back to the root of the issue. Being in this town specifically was the outcome of a simple slip up, but thinking about it, the entire journey was probably one big mistake.

“Well… I’m just…” You attempt to start, but nothing is able to follow. There’s no real point in being secretive anymore, but everything that’s happened: the planning and preparations, the dual wonder and befuddlement of the journey, the wrong turn, and then just this morning, that vampire, your total failure leaving you stranded hundreds of miles from home, it all seems so pointless, so wasteful. How do you explain any of that?

You decide to not. “I’m just passing through.”

Mystia nods with understanding, but Larva keeps pressing you. “That’s it? Where’re you headed then?”

“Private business.” You cross your arms.

“Come on, you can trust us.”

“Sorry, can’t tell you.” Because you don’t know.

“Why?” Larva approaches a little closer. “If you’re in trouble, maybe we could help you out!”

“You wouldn’t say that if you actually knew my problems! I can’t even help myself!” You shout. It’s not as if a certain fluttery distraction was one of the reasons why you still have no clue what to do next. You have to manually unclench your fists.

Larva opens her mouth to keep going, but Mystia cuts in.

“Larva, I know you’re trying to help, but I think it’s better to respect that Cirno isn't comfortable sharing right now.”

“Okay,” Larva backs off, and you feel a little guilty that she looks genuinely concerned rather than just nosey.

Mystia says nothing else as she finishes cleaning the counter. After the final corner is swept, she throws the rag into the bucket and wipes her forehead on her sleeve.

“I’ve had a lot of people come through the Ballad, less nowadays, but seeing everyone, listening to them, it gives a picture of a world that can be pretty rough.” Mystia looks down in the bucket as she swirls it around, then focuses back on you. “I don’t know your troubles and I won’t pry, but if it’s about something important, and I’m sure it is, remind yourself of that, that you can’t afford to give up.” She puts the bucket down. “And if there’s a setback, we just have to try again, even if we need a break.”

You take in Mystia’s words. That vampire has never seemed more invincible, and you’re just not sure what you could possibly try, but she’s right that Dai and the others are still counting on you. “Thanks, Mystia. That does help. Sorry for snapping at you, Larva.” If only you had an idea for a plan, a next step to take.

Mystia coughs before clapping twice. “Also, if you’re going to be out here, you’ll need to dress to fit in.” She bends over and, from under a cubby the counter, slides out an open topped wooden box, Lost and Found messily scribbled on the side. You peek over, seeing mostly old clothes and small bits of junk, but also weirder things, like a lonely single-tooth sandal, two halves of a formerly cute otter mask, a decorated cavalry saber, and a gold ring with a large diamond on it.

“People have got to seriously stop forgetting their stuff, but I guess I’m the worst one to be saying anything on that.” She shuffles through the jumble and tugs out a straw hat. She brushes it off before handing it to you. “Sorry about the style, but it’s the smallest I have. I hope it’s small enough. ”

It looks like a pretty ordinary straw hat and you’ve seen quite a few like it, but the weave is fine and the crown is ringed by an exquisite blue ribbon.

You try it on. After retying the ribbon, it fits comfortably.

Mystia places a small mirror on the counter. Peering into it, past the slightly scratched surface, your face beams back out, shaded by the orange brim. You are reminded of a recent station stop where you saw a group of similar hats through the window, big tough guys with the shovels and hammers who were smashing down a wall. You like it!

“Woah! It fits!” You try out a few poses. A couple of straight on hard stares. A quarter turn and upwards tilt, very contemplative! Some dignified profile views, eyes straining at the corner to keep sight of the mirror.

“It looks good!” Larva gives a thumbs up.

“Yeah, it does!”

“Perfect, then it’s yours!” Mystia says. “Okay, cleaning is done… oh right, got to check up on my sake!”

“We’ll be going then.” Larva puts the pitcher with the lemonade, now safely capped, into the basket alongside the little bag. She picks the whole thing up. You’re excited to leave too, not just to test out your new equipment, but also to find a place to sit and think about the future with a cooler mind.

“Um… that’s not right?!”

You are close to the door, Larva behind you, but you both turn around at the disturbance.

“What’s wrong Mystia?” Larva asks.

“Ah… I probably jinxed myself.” Mystia slides out nearly every shelf under the counter in rapid succession. She groans, then smacks the top of her head a few times. “I’ve misplaced my notebook! It has all my recipes in it!”

She then starts going through the kitchen cabinets.

“Where could it be… I remember leaving it in the usual place, but clearly I didn’t!”

“Want some help?” You ask.

“Nah, it’s on me. It’ll be somewhere silly, I know it. You two go on.” She shakes her head and shoos you both out.

###

Outside, you both lean against the wall of the place next door. The sun is even more intense, but the combined shade of your new hat and the building’s awning works to keep the light off. The store’s sign is blank, however, and its windows are blocked out by boards.

“Mystia’s memory can be pretty bad, but she uses a notebook to keep track of everything. I don’t think she’s ever forgotten the notebook before, since she’s usually so careful about it.” Larva ponders. “I guess there’s a first time for everything.” She turns to you. “Hey, do you want to come with me to our base?”

Even if you end up deciding to go home right away, and even if the station lady’s offer still stands, the train wouldn’t be ready until nightfall. You have some time to burn. “Okay! But can we explore the town first?” It’s best to make the most of your visit here, no matter how brief, and maybe learn something new.

“It’ll keep getting hotter and hotter until the sun sets, so we’ll want to be back before afternoon, but I think we can visit one area. Where do you want to go?”

[ ] Let’s check out the other stores!
[ ] What are those giant chimneys over there for?
[ ] The town hall!
[ ] Are those holes up there the gold mines?

[X] The town hall!

“Let's go see the town hall!”

“Eh?” Larva is taken aback. “Why there?”

“It’s the biggest, fanciest place in town!” You answer incredulously, waving towards the sharp rooftop in question. “It’s gotta be a place of importance!”

“Yes, but while it might be one of the bigger buildings, it’s actually super boring.” At your continued confusion, Larva explains: “The place is practically falling apart and there's nothing else to do nearby. There isn’t even a good view from the hill. Instead, if you want to see something really exciting, why not the new mill? There’s always loud noises and black smoke coming from there.”

“Even if anything in this town can compare with stuff back home, It’s not like I’m here on an architecture tour! Look, what I meant was, mayors live in town halls right? And mayors are bigshots right? I could use the help of a mayor!” Perhaps talking to some authority could help sort out your business with Whiterock Mountain.

Larva shakes her head. “Mystia wasn’t lying about the mayor being useless. She doesn’t come out at all, basically.”

“We’ll try dragging her out. C’mon, to the mayor!” Your destination is visible on that hill just down the street, so you push off the wall and trot forward.

“But… awwww, fine.” Larva gives in and after grabbing her stuff, scampers to catch up to you.

It’s too bad the hat can’t do much about the inherent temperature of the air, but at least it’s dry unlike muggy midsummer weather back home. The straw brim does make it much easier to see though, letting you better appreciate how abandoned the town is away from the tracks. It’s as if all the people had simply evaporated, leaving behind tables still bearing dusty tea sets, buckets and brooms balanced on railings, and faded advertisements flapping on darkened storefronts. Even without glare dazzling your eyes though, the windows of the empty shells remain inscrutable voids exposed through broken glass. You wish the rest of your friends could be here, this street would be stupendous for hide and seek with plenty of interesting chases through narrow alleys and over connected rooftops.

At the very end of the street, you arrive at gradual steps of white stone embedded into the dirt. They head straight and slightly upwards to the dark mass of the town hall, the overall form reminiscent of a giant shrine. From the base of the hill, your first impression of the building is one of awe: the sun peeking over the roof, its light dripping down through the shingles and cloaking the front in shadow. One step forward, though, and the illusion is killed instantly. Within the building’s shadow, all the details of neglect stand out, from unwashed windows and missing shutters to peeling paint and cracked plaster. There's a hint that the entire structure is drooping inward, as if deflating.

“Let’s climb!” You motivate yourself forward, giving the first step a good stomp.

“Yup. Right behind you.” Larva huffs from behind her basket.

At the top, the hill flattens out and before the actual hall, there’s something of a square. Clusters of succulents and cacti inhabit stone-lined plots at the edges, but even these hardy desert plants look like they could use some love on top of a generous serving of water.

You stop at the front door. It is one ornate double set of wood, carved with curvy symbols that you don’t recognize along with a variety of icons and imagery. Standing out in the busy scene are lots of stars and lots of flames, and even several dancing figures. There’s no knob or handle on the outside, which is odd.

“Here we go!” You deliver a strong triplet of knocks on the old door. You swear each impact frees a puff of sand.

As you wait in silence, you give the building another look over. While shoddy, it all together retains a simplistic dignity, much unlike the flamboyant and grotesque decoration of a certain scarlet mansion. You take a glance back to notice Larva hanging back quite a bit. Does she know something you don’t?

“What’s wrong?” you ask as you pull your arm back for another try.

The fluttering winged fairy opens her mouth, but it’s not her voice you hear next.

“Coming! I’m coming!" says a muffled boyish voice. A series of growing stomps can be heard from behind the door before one half of it jerks inward.

“Wel…come?” A girl emerges from the split, dressed in a green skirt and apron with a black cap. She looks around head level before blinking twice and then finally looking down in surprise, between you and Larva.

“Are you the mayor?”

“Nah, I just work for her.” The girl widens the door and stands straight at attention. “Fairies, huh? Well, if y’all have what it takes I guess… If so, come right in!” Her right arm signals entry. A relaxing breeze of unnaturally cool air is released as well, which you relish.

You feel like you’re missing some critical context, but if your greeter is so excited to open the door you might as well enter. However, Larva must’ve gotten closer since her grip on your shoulder prevents you from moving further. You spin around to protest, but she’s focused on the stranger.

“Hold on, we have ‘what it takes’ for what exactly?” Larva asks.

“The sheriff opening of course!” She claps her hands.

A second voice rings out, “Mai, who's out there?”

“Job applicants!” Mai shouts back.

“Really? I’m coming over!”

You shake off Larva’s hand, but only take the opportunity to peek within. The inside of the place seems just as disused as the outside. There’s nothing but an unlit lounge filled with dusty furniture and a central staircase heading up. A splash of vibrant magenta lights up the gray room as the second stranger makes her appearance from the top of the stairs.

“Oh, Mai. It’s just a fairy.” She says, walking up to her apparent partner. Her outfit is the same as Mai’s, just with a magenta dress instead of green.

“Yeah, but Satono, Master didn’t specify any restrictions for the job.”

“Sure, but you still–ah.” The one called Satono stands before you, her gaze lingering on Larva before continuing to you. “You still have to make sure the job is what our visitors are even here for in the first place.” She bows forward lightly. “So, Miss fairy, what brings you to the offices of our town’s beloved Mayor this afternoon?”

You take the chance to make your case. “I don’t know about any job, but I’d like to see the mayor since I have this emergen-”

Satono cuts you off with her cloyingly polite voice. “Sure! I think I understand, but unfortunately due to urgent matters our mayor is not taking any regular visitors right now. No appointments either. Again, our sincere apologies for any inconvenience and please have a wonderful rest of your day!”

Mai steps inside and, with an apologetic smile, waves to you as Satono shuts the door. It is locked with a subdued click, once again leaving the two of you staring up at the door in silence. You remember to close your mouth and drop your unfinished gestures.

“Wow, what the heck was that?” you manage to sputter.

“See! I told you there’s nothing fun here,” Larva says, but she looks more relieved than indignant. “Goodness, isn’t it depressingly hot right now. Let's get out of here.”

You give the door a couple of kicks, but there’s no response. Damn, guess this quarter isn’t going to be much help at all. The rejection as a whole was so sudden that you simply go along with Larva, even holding onto the jug of lemonade when prompted.

“We have a secret base, but it’s not in the town. Just follow me!” she says.

Circling around the building gives a view of the other half of the town. There is no more big street, just a loose grid of smaller houses and fenced yards all the way until the rougher mountain slopes. Larva’s route zigzags through the scattered neighborhood, heading towards the town’s stream.

This section looks abandoned as well, nothing moving between uninhabited shacks and piles of crates. You note with curiosity the partially finished fields and occasional stacks of clay pipes. Some real dummies thought they could farm anything out here in the desert. You kick through a bunch of leafy weeds in your way.

After reaching the stream and splashing around in refreshingly clear water. Larva fills you in about the other areas of town and its surroundings. She talks about how the trail you’re currently following branches out to the various mines that dot the surrounding hills, about the section of town facing the tracks that remains lively at night, and the fancy new buildings that have been raised recently. She doesn’t share very much about herself, however.

Chat with Eternity about:

[ ] “Why are you here?”
[ ] “Why do you give stuff to Mystia?”
[ ] “Let’s compare our powers!”
[ ] Nothing specific

[X] “Why are you here?”
([X] “Let’s compare our powers!”)

“Hm?” Larva had just finished talking about abandoned ruins that could be found around these mountains. Having continued following her onward, you find yourself also marching upwards and downwards as the trail snakes between brown hillsides, rising mountaintops peeking over. While many routes seem to branch off, Larva ignores them and you two continue along the stream. A lush belt of green foliage and the occasional thin gray trunk crowd the precious water, a liquid staircase gurgling over rounded boulders.

It’s all very impressive and quite new, and it might even be enjoyable had the weather been cooler and if the gravel underfoot were as forgiving as soil or pavers. However, seeing how cheerful and unbothered Larva is, you march on, trying to ignore your chafing shoes or the stiffness in your arms, still wrapped around the sloshing jug.

“Why I'm here? That's a good question, but it would be my private business, wouldn’t it?” She responds with a cheeky smile.

“Oh c’mon, that’s not fair!”

“Well, if you really want to know, then how about we make a deal? A secret for a secret. Your reason for coming here in exchange for mine.”

“Lemme think about it first.”

Further from town, curious cairns had started to mark the edge of the trail, each regularly spaced such that at least one is visible anywhere from the path. impressively stable for their height. You kick over one of the stacks, scattering rocks through the grass. There’s no security reason in keeping anything about the ruined plan secret anymore, but you’d hate to openly admit that the vampire’s gotten the better of you once again.

“I just don’t really understand your objections. As fellow fairies, shouldn’t we trust each other more?” She pouts.

You must admit she has a point. That station lady pretty much knows already and if you had gotten access to the mayor, you would’ve had to explain yourself there too. And if she mocks you, well, there’s a hefty pitcher in your hands already. And just maybe she really could help, or know someone else who can.

“Fine then! But you gotta go first.” You bet your backstory is more dramatic.

“You’re the one asking so I think you should share first.”

This goes on for some time.

While thinking of a rebuttal, an idea strikes you. You stop and place down the jug while Eternity walks further ahead. She finally notices and turns around, leaving a healthy distance between you two, puzzled as you shake out your arms.

Pointing at her, you make your announcement. “Then let’s decide this way! I challenge you to a duel! Surrender and you quack first!”

“Oh?” Larva sets down her basket. “So that’s how we’re going to settle this?”

“That’s right! I’ve got to get you back for earlier too!” You take a wide stance. Humidity: low, but workable. Temperature: way too high, but it won’t be a problem if you end this quick enough.

“No apologies when you lose!” Larva positions herself as well.

You stand staring at each other. Simultaneously you both yell out “Start!”.

Putting your hands together, palms out, you immediately launch your first strike, a single pale blue snowball. Spinning in the air, it takes on a flattened shape. Yet Larva effectively mirrors, somehow projecting a ruddy flickering ball of energy right at you.

You flinch back as the projectiles collide and explode, throwing water droplets into the air. That was unexpected; fairies usually can’t use magic consciously like magicians, and yet that looked disturbingly like the bolts that the vampire’s book friend could cast, albeit much weaker.

“Is this it?” Larva taunts. That gets you back in it.

Magic or not, if she wants to play with you at range, then you can answer. Drawing water from the already parched air is sluggish, but with force, an array of icicles crystallizes out of the frosty mist in front of you, four dozen in all. You grin seeing your opponent’s expression.

“This is it!” With a snap of the fingers, they flick outward in a burst

“Yeep! Ow, ow!” Larva actually manages to dance out of most of it, landing on her belly, but a few hit directly and she is forced to deflect one icicle with her hand, which she presses against the ground. Hah, she must not be used to true cold. She shivers while you both recover.

Your next volleys of ice are much smaller, but it’s still enough to overwhelm her slow pace of return fire. But when you get distracted by a stray bullet, she sprints forward and, with help from her giant wings, pushes off the ground to tackle you. Evidently, she must've had enough of getting pelted.

[ ] Last time was a fluke! Meet her with pure strength!
[ ] Welcome her with some frost armor!
[ ] Just back up and keep shooting.

[X] Welcome her with some frost armor!

She’s coming at you fast, but you’re going to stand your ground. Again you chill the air, but rather than focusing it into a dense projectile, you instead wrap it around yourself. A layer of frost forms on your clothes and limbs, which you then build up, letting the crystals grow and attach in cross-linked patterns.

Then Larva slams into you. Your unfinished chest piece is too thin and gives way with a snap, but it’s enough to halt the attack.

Larva yelps in shock. “What the heck? T-this is way too cold!”
“Should’ve kept your distance, then!” She tries to push off of you, and as your armor reinforces, the temperature around you drops further. Ice gathers on your opponent’s clothes. She’s gotta give up soon!

Eternity’s struggles seem to intensify, and you prepare yourself for whatever last ditch move she can make. But you don’t expect her wings to glow before she rockets herself forward, knocking you over. Refusing to let her escape, you grab on, only to be dragged over the ground, crash through plants, and have water sprayed over your face. You finally feel her slip away before you splash into the stream, your armored back crunching on the stones beneath the water.

Dazed, you rest there for a moment. The coldness of the water around you feels nice, but you still need to finish this scrap!

“Neat trick! But don’t expect it to work–huh?” You try to get up, but can’t move at all! Your former protection has done its job too well, turning into an icy tomb rapidly claiming the surrounding water. You cut the cold, but it’s already too late; everything except your head and extremities are pinned down and frozen to the bottom of the stream.

Panting, Eternity appears above you, brushing off dust and snow from her dress. You wiggle your hands uselessly when she crouches down. “Well, well, look who's stuck now.”

“Damn-ack!” You cough out water that splashes in your mouth. “Did you plan this?”

“I just needed to get away. It’s your fault you didn’t let go.” She points a finger down at you, a spark of light at the tip. “So, surrender?”

“Alright, fine. I yield,” you growl. “Now help me out of here.”

Between the hot sun and Larva smashing away with a rock, you are eventually freed. Left behind are the remains of the tiny iceberg and a fairy-shaped indent, slowly melting into the sparkling stream. After getting your things, you two are again on the move.

“Sooo~, I won!” Eternity says after a little bit. She starts poking you on the shoulder. “C’mon, let’s hear it.”

You sigh. “Alright, fine.”

Talking while walking, the trail forks, one branch swerving away from the brook, leading to where Larva says is the town’s remaining active mine. She instead follows the route that continues along the water, a spindly path almost entirely consumed by nature. But even when your ankles are tickled by overgrown grasses, those cairns remain, nestled in little clearings.

You start with your friends and your home, the Misty Lake, and its transformation from paradise to choking factory town. You share with her the architect of your woes, an invincible vampire and your failed attempts to drive her off. How left with no choice but exodus, you set off to stake your claim at Whiterock Mountain. And how just today, coincided with your blunder, you had been slapped with the worst news about its conquest by that same vampire.

“And that’s when you showed up,” you conclude.

“Wow…” Larva lowers her head. “When I first saw you then, I’ve never seen another fairy look so serious before. You have a good reason to be upset.”

“I’m not upset! I just can’t stand thinking about that vampire’s smug face!” You take a deep breath at Larva’s worried expression. “Okay, I might be a little upset, but it’s not fair how she can do whatever she wants and get away with it!”

“Powerful people are so scary.” She said, “But! I’m sure if we work together, we can figure something out.”

“Really? How?”

“First off, you’re trying to escape to a new place right? But does it have to be Whiterock Mountain?”

“Not really…”

“There has to be other land that’s available, then.”

“I guess, but Whiterock Mountain was special since they said it was supposed to be free if you worked on it.” You unfold and show Larva the illustrated pamphlet.

“Oh, I see… wait, land normally costs money?”

“Apparently!” It had been a surprise to you as well. Give it to the humans to complicate something as simple as finding a place to live.

“Hmm… that’s tricky. So the vampire just bought it all, anyways. How much is a million anyways?”

“One million has six zeros after the 1.”

“What does that mean?” She looks confused.

“Uh, well… it’s like a thousand, but twice? No, wait, it’s a thousand thousands… yeah!” At Larva’s continued incomprehension, you try a visual approach. “You know a thousand at least, right? Think of a thousand apples, all piled up.” You stretch your arms out wide. “Then think of a thousand of such piles.”

“And if it’s dollar coins instead of apples…” Eternity’s eyes widen as she understands. “That’s a lot of money…”

“Yeah, too bad I have none! So even if I wanted to buy land somewhere else, it wouldn’t work.”

“But Cirno, then we just need to get some money!”

“Fairy jobs don’t pay in money though, just food, wine, and uniforms. ‘Course, that’s just what the maids have told me.”

“I’m pretty sure the jobs here pay in money…” She thinks for a while. “Why don’t you stay and find a job in the town? You could earn enough to buy some different land, and since we’re immortal, if you just keep working, you can get any number of millions eventually!”

“That’s right…” It’s not a bad idea, really.

Trudging alongside the main creek, you’ve already encountered several feeder streams pouring out from ravines and crossing the trail, but at one marked by a black boulder with faint chromatic steaks, Larva makes a turn. The stony slopes seem to constrict around the trickle of water, which you have to follow closely given the lack of any formal pathway.

“Anyways!” you change the subject. You can’t forget that Larva owes you some of her history. “You’re a decently strong fairy too, so tell me, what are you doing out here?”

“Ah…” Larva looks away and drums her fingers on the basket. “It’s kind of complicated. How do I explain this?”

“Hey, better not be wiggling out of this.”

“Don’t you worry,” she says. “Did you know I actually was a serious troublemaker back then?”

“What? No way!” You would’ve even called Larva way too friendly with non-fairies, feeding people instead of messing with them.

“Oh yes!” Her voice gains strength as she describes to you how she had joined up with a gang of bandit magicians. Throughout their misadventures, they would use magic to both steal from various places without alerting the authorities. She would learn some magic trickery, the source of her weird powers, though she was brief about any cool loot or the identity of her compatriots.

“We got caught in the end, but I’m a fairy so I guess I got off easy. I had enough action so I settled here since the people are super nice and there are even a few fairies already living here. In fact, you’ll meet some of them soon!”

###

The path terminates at a steep face of striped stone. It covers you with shadow and pouring down the middle from its great height is a thin waterfall that splashes into the stream.

“Our base is just over that cliff,” Eternity says. With only a few spiny plants gripping the rock and ledges too far apart, the wall would be nearly impossible to scale… unless you were a fairy. By channeling some power through your wings you could either “lighten” yourself to float and glide, or boost yourself to reach a rooftop in a single bound, or like Larva did to rush forward earlier. Only an envied few had true flight though.

Larva pins the basket under one arm, freeing the other. Taking off at a run, she leaps up and, defying gravity, manages to land on her two feet onto a lower outcrop of the cliffside. Turning around, she calls down to you, “I kinda wanted to race you, but we have all this stuff to carry. Here, I’ll help.”

“No need!” You jump and propel yourself up to the same ledge, landing smoothly. You’ve got plenty of practice scaling up trees and buildings. Still, there’s quite some more cliff to climb and your head is pounding a little from the exertion by the time you crest the top, back into the light.

You are rewarded, though, with the sight of real forest-worthy trees: tough, gnarled oaks forming a proper grove. The source of the waterfall must be hidden behind the woods for its upstream flow emerges from between the trunks, stepping over worn rocks before reaching the descent. The entire oasis with its dense green canopy contrasts against the banded rock faces that cradle it. Larva waves you under the leaves, bringing you to a shady clearing beneath the trees.

“Welcome to our meeting area!” She drops her basket by the broad, flat sandstone boulder in the center. “You can leave the jug on the table.”

“Finally!” You leave it next to a cluster of mismatched cups. ”So, this is the base?”

“Technically the whole plateau is ours. The others are off on their own business, but they’ll usually come back closer to dinner time. Feel free to check out whatever until then.”

A ton of old stuff is scattered at the edge of the clearing, barrels and crates, a wardrobe on its side, a wagon, with even smaller items stacked up on top. You notice in particular a collection of farming tools set aside from the rest. Shovels, spades, and plows, either old beaten iron, or shifty constructions of sticks and stones, all lean on a crude rack.

“Whew!” Larva splashes water on her face from a bucket balanced on an upraised root. “Hot days should be invigorating, but too much can tire even me out. I guess you don’t have to worry about that.”

“It’s worse for me! It’s due to some difference in temperature or something.” You gesture at the tools. “So, what’s up with these?”

Larva looks around. “We should have some time, so why don’t I show you what they’re for?”

She navigates deeper in where you pass by the heart of the oasis, a spring of clean fresh water. This natural well is partially sunk in the mountainside from where water, bubbling up from below, ripples up and out through the stream. Closer, the pool’s crystal surface exposes its true depth, a blue tunnel descending into inscrutable darkness.

Around the pool and past a few more trees, you enter another clearing, large enough such that the ground is open to the sky. Within, jumbled sprouts and young vegetables fill a lush garden, all growing under the flowering branches of fruit trees.

“Here we are!” Larva says, stretching her arms out. “This is the little farm where all our crops come from.”

The garden is a rich green sight, but there are some odd things that stick out. On one tomato plant, fruit from each stem are at different stages of readiness, and close by, lettuce sprouts grow side by side with fully mature heads. Above, bees forage from blossoms on branches shared by plump apples. Every crop you can see has some imbalanced development.

“What’s with all the weird growth?” you ask.

“That’s just the power of us fairies at work!” she answers. “We need to speed up growth since it’s the only way we can harvest anything outside the normal seasons. It’s not good for the plants and takes a lot of energy, so we limit it to just certain parts of each plant and rotate over time.”

“But why give the food to the people in town?”

“By trading, we can get nice things like candy, cool items, and liquor.”

“Ohhh! I get it!” It’s the first time you’ve heard of any other organized efforts by fairies that aren’t prank related, and so far outside the Misty Lake to boot. It makes you wonder how many other interesting things are happening in the world.

Larva continues to show you around. The deepening afternoon gives the garden a hint of gold, but under the protection of the shade, the air is calm while the light rustle of the leaves is almost enough to fall asleep to. Yet you continue to talk and listen about her great project, her enthusiasm and leadership evident throughout. She shares the normal farming skills they still learned, pranks pulled by mischievous desert fairies, and while showing off the recently established patch of cucumbers, even surveys you about what future crop to try planting. You thoroughly recommend watermelons, a tasty feast whenever one could be stolen from the market back home.

###

Done with the tour and back at the meeting area, you find the table much more crowded. Old wood, smaller stones, and the dirt itself serve as chairs for a whole bunch of strange fairies sitting around the stone table. The table looks like it had a salad dumped on it, mixing items from the garden, completely unfamiliar spiky fruits, and various wild plants.

“There you are! We’ve been waiting for you to start dinner!” A fairy with pink hair speaks up. She’s wearing a maroon dress and has curvy wings trimmed with gold, strikingly similar to Dai’s wings. She notices you when you step up next to Larva. “Wait, who are you?”

“Sorry, Aka. I’ve been showing Cirno around. She’s a newcomer!”

“Hello everyone! I’m Cirno, the strongest fairy of Misty Lake!” You introduce yourself.

And with that, dinner starts as you both answer and send out eager questions. Larva opens up the bag from Mystia to reveal lumps of raw sugar, received with as much acclaim as the chilled
lemonade you again demonstrate.

Of the new faces, there are:

Aka, excitable and active, who spoke first.

Ao, her milder friend, with blue hair and dress, again with similar wings to Dai. They must be greater fairies too then, physically taller and stronger than usual.

Helia, fiery haired, holds a double headed sunflower as tall as herself. From it she can shoot pale yellow magical bolts strong enough to send an empty tin can spinning off a box.

Puff, blending into the desert with her ghostly grays and brown, is an avid bowler. She follows up on Helia’s show by targeting an empty bottle that had been sitting next to the can. Puff rolls a tumbleweed that bounces off the ground to cleanly take out the bottle before its skillful trajectory returns it to her hand.

Saguara, green haired, has a thorny club topped with a round white flower. She shows you how to open up the strange fruit gathered from the cacti that live in the valley basin, getting at the brilliant and sweet crimson flesh within.

Lily, apparently a traveler as well, tells you of her quest to experience and study spring in all the different parts of the world. She’ll be staying until winter, when she’ll move on again.

“To celebrate this occasion, I’ve come up with a new poem!” She announces to a couple of groans, putting on her cap back on.

“Ants bring crumbs below
Friends gather joy above
Spring is here!”

There is scattered clapping, which you join in. Aka boos before receiving an apple core to the head.

While the dinner turned party continues, Larva takes you aside. “It’s impossible to get everyone gathered, but this is still a pretty decent turn out! What do you think?”

“This is great! You guys really know how to make someone feel welcomed,” you say before hesitating. “But, um, about earlier… I’m sorry for being such a downer.”

“No, no!” She chuckles. “You’ve heard our Miss Lily: we’re officially friends now, so forget the past! There’s a whole future to worry about, right?”

“Thanks, you’re right,” you say with gratitude. After such a bizarre time in the world of humans and youkai, there’s nothing more reassuring than the company of fellow fairies.

But while you’re having a good time, your friends back home remain in trouble. It’s time to get back to business.

“Hey, going back to that job idea, what kind of work can a fairy do?” you ask Larva.

“Is there anything you particularly want to do?” she answers.

The vampire comes to mind again. She has everything: cash, power, and powerful friends. But out here, free from her direct interference, this job thing would be a good opportunity to train, to meet and exceed her at least one of those traits.

[ ] The strongest job!
[ ] The richest job!
[ ] The charismatic-est job!
[ ] Nah, anything!

[X] The charismatic-est job!

“I want a job that will make me charismatic!“ you decide. It’s the best way forward since having more friends will help you with everything else! And it would be fantastic to see Scarlet cower on the day you return with an army of superior allies.

“Is that really something you can do in a job?” Larva thinks on it. “I guess it would have something to do with working well with lots of people. If so, I’d say see if one of the saloons could use some help!”

“Hmmm. Do you know about anything else?” It’s interesting for sure, but is it enough?

“Honestly, I thought of that first since they’re the ones I interact with the most in town. But the others might have more ideas.”

And so you return to the table to pose the question to the group. By now, dinner is winding down and you are able to capture everyone’s attention.

“Charisma? What is that?” someone asks.

“Ah, charisma! A gift to capture the hearts of others, to tie their fate to yours! A wonderful, yet ambiguous goal.” Lily states. “One person that comes to my mind is the new boss of the mining company, a tengu lady. She’s very well liked by the miners, an unusual state of affairs from what I’ve seen elsewhere.”

“I’ve seen her before!” Aka jumps in. “Ao and I were searching for pretty rocks by the mines and she was talking with a crowd. She’s really tall and super noble. But I don’t know about working for her.”

“She sounds important as heck,” you say. “It’d be hard to get close, I think.”

“If you want some smaller jobs, you could try that blue haired kappa who lives under the water tower by the tracks. She’s really smart! I could listen to her talk about gadgets all day!”

“If the kappa has blue-hair, it must be Nitori,” says Larva, “but is she really charismatic?”

“Have you heard her pitches? If I could afford it, I’d have instantly bought that steam-powered rocketpack we were testing! A personal transportation revolution is coming, I tell you.”

“Please don’t remind me of that thing.” Ao shudders. “Just a warning, Cirno, Nitori’s jobs… aren’t the safest.”

“Wait, what? Of course experimental technology comes with risks!”

“Did our parachutes have to be experimental as well?”

“That was fun!”

The two continued to bicker as Saguara leans forward.

“Umm! I think of someone,” she says. “I sometimes bring the town doctor ingredients for medicine and he’s so kind and gentle. About a month ago, I found a little bird with a broken wing. I was afraid it would die without help, yet the town doctor took her in. Just last week, we let the bird go, and she could fly as good as before! I know his patients really like him too.”

“Indeed, true kindness is respectable and admired anywhere,” Lily says.

You thank everyone for their ideas. Slowly people drip away, off to rest or to some late-day mischief.

You’ve gotten a lot of possible answers, but you also recall those weirdos from town hall. They had mentioned an opening for sheriff. While you aren’t fully clear on the details, you know both that the sheriff is some sort of police entity and how humans back home always listened to the police. Perhaps that could be a lead worth pursuing?

Your decision:

[ ] To the saloons
[ ] The tengu mining lady
[ ] Nitori
[ ] The doctor
[ ] Back to the mayor’s

[X] Back to the mayor’s

There were some attractive options, but one seems better the more you think about it.

“I’ve made up my mind,” you exclaim to the line of awaiting faces. “I’m going to become the sheriff!”

Only confused expressions greet your announcement, and you have to explain to everyone your earlier encounter with the mayor’s helpers.

“Why’d you have to ask us, if you had something like that all along?” Aka complains. “Were our ideas not good enough?”

“I just didn’t remember until now,” you respond defensively. “Honest!”

“One cannot conclude one flower as the prettiest without fairly judging the others first.” Lily says sagely. “Such is the same with the important decisions of life.”

“Y-yeah, that’s exactly it. You guys still helped me out!”

“I don’t know about this, Cirno,” Larva protests. “It’s a lot of responsibility and very dangerous working for that shady mayor. It’s bad enough that the last sheriff even ran away!”

“Oh yeah, Mystia mentioned something about that. But why?” you ask.

“I don’t know the details, but I remember he was a pretty regular human and was serious about keeping things neat even when everything was just tents. Everyone respected him.” she ponders. “It was around when the Beast Gangs first showed up and the mayor stopped seeing people that he took his family and left town one night without a word.”

“I didn’t know that… Alright! If some human can do it, I definitely can too!”

“That’s not–”

But by now, you aren’t listening. “C’mon! What if someone gets there before me!” you yell back, making for the cliff.

“Okay, okay, I’m going!” Larva gives up and chases after you.

###

Instead of continuing to nag you as expected, Eternity simply guides you back to town through the twisty canyon. As you follow behind her for the second time today, while you now are confident you can mostly navigate between town and the hideout by yourself, it would be helpful to eventually get Larva to teach you the area, especially if you’ll be staying for the time being.

Coming down from the hills, the tall roof of your destination stands out above the rest of the town. Under the dimming sun, the buildings around you glow with an orange cast, blending into the shimmering earth. You hope this doesn’t take too long, you’d hate to bumble about in the dark.

“So, what’s up with you and the mayor?” you have to ask. “Sounds like you really don’t like her.”

“I have had some bad experiences, that’s all,” Larva says, not meeting your eyes. “You’ll find it’s a shared feeling these days.”

“What, is she some sort of evil demon or something?”

“I can’t say she’s evil, but she can be either grouchy or annoying, especially if you deal with her often. Buuuut since she’s still mayor I guess she’s doing something right.” she replies. “Welp, looks like we’re here. They’ll probably question you a bunch, so to be out of your way, I’ll be waiting for you in the Ballad. I’ve got to talk to Mystia anyhow. Good luck!”

She skips off before you can respond, so you end up standing alone before the imposing doors of the mayor’s place. When you knock, this time it’s the magenta one, Satono, who promptly answers. Holding the door at a mere crack, she peers down on you with a single purple eye.

“Oh? You’re the fairy from before. May I help you?”

“Call me Cirno! I’m here because the green lady said there’s an opening for a sheriff. Well, I’ve given it a thought and I want the job!”

“Miss Cirno, is it? And you wish to become sheriff?” Satono looks you up and down and, apparently satisfied, nods and waves you in, pushing the door wide open. “Welcome in then! Before we can actually give you anything, we must interview you, take down some information, and there’ll be a few other steps later, but your enthusiasm is a wonderful start!”

Satono clears open the way and beckons you within. When you march inside, it’s noticeably cooler. It'd be even nicer if the air didn’t also taste faintly stale.

It’s the same shadowy lounge as before, stairs leading to a balconied second floor. Anything past the railing edge is beyond the sight of your still-adjusting eyes, however. Curtains drape thickly where the ground level windows would be, explaining the darkness, a little overkill considering how they had been shuttered on the outside. You aren’t ready when Satono shuts the door with a muted thump, almost tripping over on an unexpected carpet. “Why the heck is it so dark?”

“Ha ha, I suppose it is a little dim isn’t it? My apologies.” Satono flips the switch on a brass lamp by the door, letting there be light. The lobby immediately looks a little more welcoming when colored in. Some couches and a couple desks staged on a great oval rug of gold and green are in the middle. A few decorative artworks and displays line the mahogany paneled walls, but most noticeable are the oddly plentiful number of unlabeled doors ringing both tiers of the room. Each one is closed, several located even where you’d swear they’d open straight outside.

“Please sit.” Satono gestures towards one of the chairs by a desk. The embroidered cushion is soft and rather bouncy. Planting both arms on the rests, you sit straight at the ready, and also to give your fidgeting wings space from the backrest. You also remember to take off your hat, fiddling with it in your lap.

She takes her own seat across from you, and draws from under the desk paper and a pen. The faded paper releases a puff of dust as it’s placed down.

“Satono! How the heck did it get so bright in here?” Satono is interrupted by a voice from above as she fiddles around with the fountain pen’s ink. You twist your head upward to see the green dress girl, Mai, leaning dangerously far over the railing to look straight down at you. “Wait, you’re the fairy we shooed away yesterday! How’d you get inside?”

“Ah, Mai, finally up I see. First, the day has not changed since your break. Second, Miss Cirno here was allowed in by none other than myself. I was just about to start interviewing her as the prospective new sheriff.”

“Oh boy!” Mai says. “So you’re our very first candidate, congratulations! And a tough-looking one too!”

“Really?” you reply with glee.

“Well, for a fairy, of course!” Mai laughs under your icy glare.

“Instead of bothering the candidate, you could get down here to help me take some notes.”

Mai ignores her. “Anyways, Satono, what would Master say about your sense of hospitality? Hey, Cirno, right? Want some tea?”

“Uh, okay.”

“Alright! One pippin’ hot tea coming right down!” She spins away in a flash of green.

“Mai, Mai. Always shirking the actual work.” Satono sighs. “Regardless, she might be right about being too hasty. You should know a little bit about what you’ll actually be doing.

To begin, Sage Springs, our beautiful town, requires a sheriff to enforce laws, keep the peace, and run the jail, just like any other town. We’re unique in that the sheriff is personally vetted and selected by the mayor, not elected separately. But while you’ll need to report and meet with the mayor, you’ll have your own office with plenty of freedom.

Our residents are mostly miners and travelers, but there are friendly faces all around, as I’m sure you’ve personally seen. We of the mayor’s office will support you, of course. It should be easy for anyone to fit in and do well.”

“Uh-huh,” you nod along with Satono’s exposition.

“Do you have any questions?” she finally asks.

“Um…” you think for a bit. “Who’s this ‘Master’ that Mai was talking about?”

“That’s just her habit. We work for the mayor, but unlike the sheriff, we’re closer to her personal servants or assistants than public workers. We’ve been with her for a long time, so I can assure you she’s a great leader who treats her subordinates like family.”

“I see… um, so why’d the guy I’m gonna replace leave?”

“Hm? You must mean the previous sheriff.” Satono idly taps her pen against the desk. “Unfortunately, his vision for the town’s future disagreed with our mayor’s, so he retired under good terms and left the town. He was a very good sheriff, though, so I’m sure he’s doing fine elsewhere. Alright, if there’s nothing pressing, I’ll start asking you some questions now. This is the actual interview, so respond the best you can, understood?”

“Yup!”

“First, your full name is ‘Cirno’? Spelled ‘C-h-i-r-n-o’?”

“‘C-i-r-n-o’!”

“Okay,” she jots down your name. “No last name?”

“Nope.”

“Species is fairy, and I suppose ‘not applicable’ for both date and place of birth,” she mutters to herself. “Moving on, how long have you been living in Sage Springs?”

The questions seem pretty basic and you’re getting bored at rapid pace.

“Heads up!” You obey just in time to catch Mai, one hand balancing a silver tray bearing three cups and a copper pot, the other launching herself entirely off the railing. She twirls around in the air before landing gracefully. Only a rattle disturbs her delicate cargo. “Ta da! Refreshments as requested!”

“Mai, work on those landings. Still heavy on the right foot.” Satono says, unperturbed. “But now you’re back, we may as well enjoy a brief break.”

Mai quickly pours for everyone. A line of steam swirls upward from the orange liquid in the cup she hands to you. The bitterness makes you cringe and you can feel a burning sensation in your hands and your body as it struggles to neutralize the hot drink. You bear with it and swallow another gulp. Tea is what all mature humans and youkai have to drink after all.

“Say, Satono…” Mai nudges Satono’s shoulder, half whispering, “Why’re you suddenly okay with a fairy sheriff now?”

“Well, I’ve thought about it and I think your initial judgment was more sound than I thought…” Satono glances at you before grabbing Mai closer to speak into her ear. A rapid fire whisper discussion commences.

“I see, I see!” Mai bobs her head rapidly. She pulls away and starts to clean up the tea set.

“What were you guys talking about?”

“Just some other business, municipal bureaucracy and all that. Don’t worry, you only have a few questions left, you’re almost done!” Satono says, “So, in your own words, why do you think you are a good fit…”

Satono’s questions got longer and more challenging. The biggest thing you struggled with was whether to answer straight or based on what they’d want to hear, but since you just don’t know much about the mayor and her servants, you settled to be as honest as possible, while maybe having stretched the truth about your abilities and battle history a teensy bit. Mai’s encouragement helped too.

After the previous question, Satono finishes jotting down her notes. You strain to see, but can only make out dense squiggles on the page. “That’s all our questions for today. Congratulations, you seem to be exactly who we need.”

“Aw, finally! When can I start telling people what to do?”

Mai laughs. “Hold your horses, gal! There’s one final step.”

“Correct. We've gotten some insight into your person so far, but we will need to examine your physical and mental limits. This should be a pretty simple test tomorrow morning, at six, and the mayor herself will be there to supervise,” Satono continues. “After that, if all goes well, we’ll officially appoint you as town sheriff and help you set up. Just remember, early tomorrow morning, at six o’clock sharp, right here.”

“Tomorrow, six, here! Gotcha!”

There’s nothing else to do but depart and you find yourself outside again. The sun is long gone and stars flood the heavens while refreshingly chill nighttime air blows through the crooked streets. Most of the buildings are completely dark, only visible from their silhouettes against the spangled sky. But, closer to the railway, there is warm light and faint music from the saloons and shops there, which also helps you locate the Ballad’s general direction. It’s been a long day, how should you wrap it up?

[ ] Find Larva at the Ballad.
[ ] Poke around and see what fun can be had by yourself!
[ ] Get back home by yourself, you wanna sleep.

[X] Find Larva at the Ballad.

It would be best to meet up with Larva, you decide. You head down the street towards the center of activity, passing gloomy structures along the way. Entire patches of darkness swallow you whole where the streetlamps are unlit or entirely missing.

A little further, however, you start encountering actual people. Quite a few, in fact. You return a few stares, but most are grouped up, engrossed in their own world. The vast majority must be the miners, dressed in dull fabrics strained with dried mud and hefting sacks or tools, but yet they laugh and chat as they walk past you. Humans and the different species of youkai keep to each other as individuals, but their little groups mingle freely, paying no mind to each other. It’s an observation of the unusual relationship between species that you’ve seen in earlier stops in this frontier land, now seen up close. Many smell of alcohol and some smoke, puffing out faint plumes like bobbing candles in the dark, their acrid scents mixing with the odors of cheap cooking wafting over the street.

All the activity is exciting, almost like a festival, and you fight the impulse to hop right into random places to see all that can be seen, staying on course.

That doesn’t mean you can’t admire things from a distance as you walk. One place catches your eye first. While the town hall is the largest building in the town, you step towards what must be the most spectacular: a gilded facade glittering orange under the light of red lamps. You read “Komakusa Hall of Fortune” written in grand calligraphy on a sign mounted above the door. What wonders await behind its elaborate doors, guarded by a carving of a dragon coiling through clouds?

You’re about to take a peek through some shuttered windows when smashing glass turns your head around. It must’ve come from the saloon that’s marked with a blue whale sign. Music a level louder than anywhere else booms from within, a violent cacophony joined by the sounds of real violence, crashes and another broken glass followed by hooting and indecipherable yells. The volume of chaos rises in its intensity, reaching a crescendo in a flurry of drums you can feel in your heart and the ground even across the street. A collective roar concludes the drama as a man is ejected from the building flying, breezing out the curtain door. He lands in a heap on the ground and starts to crawl away towards an alley, moaning.

Disruption over, you turn back to meet two narrow eyes staring down at you. They belong to a large solemn face, itself belonging to a lean muscled body leaning out the window with one arm, framed by long silver hair. You’re about to sheepishly say hello when you notice the damn huge cleaver the lady grasps in her massive hand. It calls for a decisive act of rapid goodbye.

You recover your wits as you almost bump into a throng of people. It’s a circle of onlookers that surround a woman standing on a pile of crates, talking. Out of the corner of your eye, you see the familiar front of the Ballad, but watching what’s going on here would allow you to catch your breath, so you stay.

The speaker is holding a shiny object in her hand. Up closer, it’s a red bottle housing some mysterious dark liquid. One of the crates by her feet is open, revealing rows of similar bottles. The speaker is clad in a gaudy velvet gown and exorbitant amount of jewelry, sparkling like a firework as she gestures wildly.

“That’s right folks, just one sip and you’ll be hopping like a fairy and keener than a hakutaku! For my human friends and day-loving youkai, reclaim those hours stolen by the tyranny of sleep! For any night-crawlers in the crowd, never fear the sun again! As a plus, it’s healthy! Squeezed in each and every bottle is a whole basket of herbs, chief of all, the extraordinarily rare Udumbara flower! It’ll help you focus, it’s good for your heart, for your mind…” she crows on and on, but the sharp and quick cadence of her voice keeps you utterly hooked. “But as I said earlier, don’t just take it from me. You are all going to get a chance to see my Miracle Tonic in action for yourselves. And one lucky fellow will get to actually try it for free! Now, do I have a brave soul willing to volunteer?”

A handful of hands go up, yours waving among them, but most people stay back, a few murmurs rippling through the crowd. A few people at the edges shake their heads and leave the circle. Yet the speaker seems unbothered, casually looking around before selecting one hand in the middle of the crowd.

“Yes you!”

A tall but thin and sickly girl steps forward, hunched over and dressed in rags. It’s difficult to tell at night, but her hair is dark blue hair, streaming down in long oily locks.

“Say, miss, you look like you could use a shot of health and love!”

“I sure can,” she weakly says. “I haven’t even eaten anything at all today.”

“No problem, try this.” The speaker kneels down to give the bottle in her hand to the girl, who greedily pops off the cork and chugs down the entire thing.

“Puhaaaa!” The volunteer finishes her drink and stands still. Several silent seconds later, she feels her stomach. “Wow! I can feel the buzzing of power inside of me. It’s like I just finished a full course dinner without the weight!” More than just standing straighter, she seemingly glows and while she remains in rags, was her skin, eyes, and hair really that healthy before?

“That’s right! Drink it on an empty stomach or with a meal, and you’re set. Just one sip can keep a grown man swinging a pickaxe for a whole day!”

There’s a few snickers, but this time the bulk of the people seem to be in awe, muttering rapidly to each other.

“Just 20 cents a bottle.” She says crisply. “One dollar nets you six, though. I don't know folks, the math does itself. So come up and get your tonic before it’s gone!”

People begin to line up and you see wallets and coins being pulled out. In your own pockets, you can feel the absence of money. Perhaps after you get paid then. Or, you think, judging the distance to the opened box and the saleswoman’s distracted state, maybe your hands will need to get a little sticky…

A peculiar smell wafts by and you identify it as fish cooking. Fish in the desert? It brings you back to your priorities. You allow it to guide you away from the crowd, right to the entrance of the Blinding Ballad.

Simply getting in is its own challenge, and you narrowly dodge when the door unexpectedly swings towards your face. A couple of swaying youkai dressed in white uniforms exits as he waves his cap at you, slurring an apology before laughing at what you think is his friend’s joke. Despite their inebriation, they somehow trot comfortably on those wacky raised sandals.

You finally enter and start squeezing past people’s backs. No different from the other saloons, its narrow confines are packed, far busier than when you first saw it. Tables have been pushed aside in the back to form an open section where red-faced dancers sway with a folksy jig performed by the two music sisters. In the center of it all is Mystia in a blur, pouring drinks, handing out skewers, sliding precariously full and steaming plates across the counter to awaiting mouths.

But no matter how crowded it is, Larva’s distinct wings stick out between a cluster of giggling kappa and a wall of an oni working at a massive bowl of noodles. You squeeze in, ignoring an annoyed look from the kappa whose backpack you nudge aside. You poke the butterfly fairy on the back of the neck while she’s unaware.

“Ack! What the heck, Cirno!” Larva swats your hand away before turning around. “Well?”

“It’s good! I mean, yes, the interview went well!”

“That’s great! But I’m guessing that's not all.”

“Nope, I’ve got this test tomorrow morning.”

“Miss Cirno!” Mystia dumps a stack of used dishes in the basin before joining you both, “I heard from Larva. She said you’re trying to take over as sheriff? Is this true?”

“Yup! Sure is!”

“Really now! You’ve been here less than a full day!” Mystia looks baffled. She looks at you with fresh eyes that you cannot describe as necessarily generous.

Your attempt to explain yourself is interrupted when the door swings open to allow in a pair of men, dressed in long maroon overcoats, polished black boots clopping on the floorboards. They seem tough, alert, and their faces are hidden by the crimson wolf-shaped masks they wear beneath their hats.

No one else gives their entrance more than a glance, and yet a hint of strain enters the strings of the music, and the conversations around you seem to become a little too enthusiastic. The patrons by the front shuffle to clear a path as the masked men approach the counter.

“Howdy, barkeep, you know what we’re here for.”

“O-of course.” Mystia replies. She immediately wrangles with something from under the counter, bringing out a seemingly ordinary medium-sized barrel.

“Very good, very good! Boss will be real happy tonight!” The man in front sighs as he receives it. He gives the barrel a cursory inspection and shakes it. Satisfied, he passes the barrel to his buddy, who grunts as he lifts the weight on his shoulder. “With how much Miss Saki seems to love this stuff, we’ll probably be grabbing two barrels next time! Ha!”

“Yeah? That’s absolutely great to hear.” Mystia laughs nervously. “I’m glad she’s enjoying the sake. If there’s anything else you gentlemen need…?”

“Ah, no no. We’ve gotta hurry actually. Some more fun later.”

“Oh yeah, real fun.” The man carrying the barrel mutters as he shifts it about, trying to find a comfortable spot while keeping it steady. “Didn’t we just have a feast yesterday?”

“You know that new mercenary kid?”

“Crazy torch bitch?”

“No, no, the rich brat. You know.”

“Uhhh, um, I think I know.”

“She came back from her initiation. Single handedly raided a bank car when the train was stopped at Appleton, and came back with a whole wagon of gold, if you can believe it. So we’re celebrating.” He coughs, “Ah, we really gotta be going. Well, see ya later barkeep!”

“Have a nice night.” Mystia cleans her hands with a cloth before she starts to work on the piled dishes. The pair leave, and life returns to fullness inside the room.

“Curse my karma!” Sweeping the leftovers off a plate into a bin, Mystia then uses the rag to wipe her forehead. “I’m going to need to figure something out and soon…”

“Those were Keiga weren’t they?” Larva asks.

“No, just some friends enjoying their evening at the masquerade ball.” Mystia groans. “No, you’re right, yes.”

“Why're you doing business with them if they're so scary?” You ask.

“Sometime’s people have to do things they don’t want to.” Mystia rapidly chews through the plates, arms in tension and metalware clanking.

Shortly after the doors stop swinging, by chance you notice a figure in a black coat and black hat with broad drooping brim toss a couple of coins on the counter before standing up and sliding quietly towards the entrance. A single braid of golden hair flashes as she passes the light above the door and exits in the same direction as the grunts.

“Strange. I’ve seen her at the Whale a few times before,” Larva observes, following your gaze. “I thought she was a regular there, but I guess not.”

“More weirdos, just what this town needs,” Mystia says, shaking her head as she leans over to recover the empty glass and money. You have a feeling it’s not just the mysterious lady in black she’s talking about.

“It’s probably time for us to go too,” Larva informs Mystia. “When’s your test Cirno?”

“Tomorrow at six, at the Mayor’s place,” you recite.

“Gee, that’s early! Yup, we should start getting back.”

“Good luck, for the test and everything that comes after,” Mystia tells you, looking up from her work.

You both start climbing the hills on the way out, leaving the firefly-like lights of the town behind you. Through the dark, the distant and distinct blare of train whistles reaches you. Craning your neck, you cannot see the train itself, but you recall that it would be about this time that one would show, heading north, on the way back home. You turn away, yawning. Where would you even sleep tonight?

###

“Get up! Sleepyhead!” Someone shakes you away from hazy dreams. Opening your eyes, the first thing you see is another head, giant from its closeness. You swear there’s a cleaver on a downward swing, ready to make you into two.

“Gah!” You sit up, slamming into Larva’s upside down face. Losing all sense of balance, you slip and fall off your branch. For a split second, you are floating, then your rear lands painfully on the hard earth. Here this sun-cursed land, if it isn’t sand, it’s rock.

“Ouch! That hurts!” Larva clutches her nose, glaring down at you. She must’ve been crouching over you when trying to wake you up, now rubbing at her face. By her, nestled where branch meets trunk, the makeshift ice berth where you spent the night is already starting to melt, icicles glistening in the early morning light. Taking a fresh look at your surroundings, you realize the “cleaver” was actually a trick of the light on the mountaintops.

“You suck at waking people up!” you call back up.

“I had no choice. I hollered but it was like you died in your sleep!”

“You didn’t have to surprise me like that.”

“So you would’ve preferred the rocks, then?” Aka says from behind you. She juggles a blue veined pebble in one hand.

“Oh, hello.”

“We’re going to the mines to find more fun rocks so we’re just making lunch right now,” Ao says “I wanted to invite you two to come with us.”

“Sorry, Cirno’s going to be taking a test to become the sheriff today!”

“Oh, I see! Best of luck with that!”

You stand up and walk under the branch to allow the drops of cold water to splash on your face. Now that you're on the ground, you may as well start dressing, reaching for the boots and hat you left at the base of the tree last night. You shake some droplets of water before putting them on.

Pink dawn sky shines through the gaps in the leaves. The sun has barely begun her reclamation of the sky. Breakfast is a couple of clementines courtesy of the two greater fairies, who shortly leave with the rest of their haul.

“Ugh- How early is it anyways?” you ask Larva, licking your sticky fingers.

“Late for what we’re going to be doing. Remember, it’s going to take an hour or so to even get to town.”

“In that case let’s go!”

“But I actually woke you up extra early to prepare. If you’re going through with this sheriff's business, you need to study for this test!”

Test prep options:

[ ] “You have to tell me more about the mayor!”
[ ] “You have some idea about this test?”
[ ] “I’m going to need a snack in case the test takes too long.”
[ ] “I’m going to take a nap.”

[X] “You have some idea about this test?”
-[X] “I’m going to need a snack in case the test takes too long.”

“You have some idea about this test? My multiplication tables? The first five presidents?” You fail to stifle a yawn before asking.

“I don’t know exactly what you’ll be told to do,” Larva confesses, “but it won’t be that kind of test. It’ll be something entertaining that she can sit back and enjoy, like a spar or contest.”

“A fight? You saw what I could do yesterday, that mayor’s gonna get herself one heck of a show!” You pound your fist into your palm.

“Umm… I beat you, I’m pretty sure.”

“Th-that wasn’t fighting for real!” The environment simply isn’t what you’re used to, that’s all. “Anyways, who’s my poor opponent?”

Larva rolls her eyes. “It’ll have to be those two servants of hers. From what I’ve seen they’re ones who do any of the hard work. You have to watch out for their abilities. One of them can affect minds while the other has power over physical strength.”

“So, which is which?”

“Well that’s a good question… I think the green girl… err…” Looking lost, she closes her eyes in deep concentration. An awkward second passes, she then slaps her face in embarrassment. “Whoops! I can’t remember right now, but anyways, just expect strange magic and trickery! And remember, there’s no guarantee it’s a fight.”

“Great, thanks. If there’s nothing unfair like teleporting knives, then I'll be fine.” The information is too vague to base much of a plan off of, but you’ll improvise. Plus, how strong can they be if all those two do is hang out inside a dusty old building? Something more important bubbles to the top of your thoughts. “This sounds like it could take a while. I’m going to need a snack in case the test takes too long.”

Larva squints eastward, judging the progress from the sun’s slow upward crawl. “There’s no way we can grow anything in time. But I do have an idea, just wait right here.”

Larva scampers off behind the tree and with the tips of her wings still showing, fluttering, works on… something. You tap your foot impatiently. When she returns, she cups an object carefully in both hands.

“Here, take this!” She reveals to you a round bundle wrapped with a green leaf. “I made it with the ingredients I had left.”

You unwrap the mystery gift to find a brown clump cocooned within. It’s primarily composed of raw seeds and wild grain, but there’s flower petals, odd bits of orange leaf and other unusual pieces of plant matter mixed in. As a whole, it wouldn’t look out of place among the rocks scattered underfoot, nor do you think it would taste much better.

“What’s this?”

“It’s a cookie, duh!”

“Cookie?” You stare closer at the thing. “It looks like a ball of dirt.”

“Hey now,” Larva says, “I made this to help you. We’re fairies anyways, what level of cuisine were you expecting?”

“These are clearly bits of dried leaf. And a tiny mushroom growing on this one!” You point at the areas of concern. “Ouch! There’s cactus in here too?!” You flick the offending needle off and wave the biscuit in her face.

She sighs and moves your hand away. “I’d make more and better, but we’re in a hurry and I can’t get the ingredients ready in time. But it’s healthy and will taste better than it looks, I promise! I used some leftover molasses to stick it together so it should be sweet and with all the nuts and other things, it’ll give you a huge boost of energy.”

“Huh. Alright, I guess…” You bundle it back up and put it in your pocket. As deep into it as it can go.

“Oh! And one last thing: there are some minor-ish side-effects that occasionally happen, so you should only eat it when you absolutely need a power up,” Larva says, “Anyhow, let’s get moving!”

###

The sun had barely cleared the horizon by the time you reached the town hall. Larva, citing care for her garden, wished you the best of luck and had immediately returned to the hideout. The same old facade greets you, outlined in shadows crisp from the clear dawn light, and you bounce up the hill towards your future.

The door opens before your knock makes contact and, unbalanced, your fist swings straight into Satono’s apron. Satono is annoyed, but for a different reason. “Welcome. You are late.”

You immediately right yourself. “What?! Really?”

“By nine whole minutes.”

You take off your hat and scratch your head, checking out the swirly carpet. “Well, I don’t have a clock or anything so…”

“No matter. The mayor has been waiting for you, so please come in quickly.”

At least this time the lights are on. It’s a brisk walk following Satono around the central staircase, entering a short hallway containing nothing but a worn beige rug and, like the rest of the building, unmarked wooden doors. She stops at the door at the very end, enters and holds it open for you.

If you hadn’t just walked through the door, you’d swear you stepped in an entirely different building. Inside is pristine and bright. White light from the windows diffused by sheer curtains gleam off polished panels. The bookcases, cabinets, and a couple decorative wall scrolls are all neat and straight. One short cabinet has a beautiful hand drum displayed on top. You become acutely aware of the dusty boot prints that you had just left on the floor of this office.

Three people are already present. Sitting behind a grand-looking desk, focused on a document in front of her. At her left stands Mai who grins at you. Sitting on one of the two chairs in front of the desk is an unfamiliar girl with mint hair, a single horn on top, and gray pointed ears, dressed in white trousers and a red shirt. A silver badge in the shape of a five pointed star is pinned above her chest. She appraises you back with wide eyes.

You had assumed the desk lady was the mayor, but she honestly looks like an unremarkable human woman wearing a plain white blouse with her unadorned dull blonde hair. She’s probably a secretary or something. Then she looks up and you see your nervous reflection in her narrowed golden eyes. You can only fidget under the spotlight of her intense attention and you swear there’s some odd aura gripping you.

Hands folded before her face, for a couple seconds she has you pinned like that, when she finally speaks, voice deep with a slight rasp. “You must be Miss Cirno.”

“Yup, that’s me!”

“Please, sit.” She gestures towards the untaken chair, which you immediately plop down on. Satono had apparently shut the door and now silently glides over to the right of the woman. “I am Okina Matara, the mayor of Sage Springs, this very town. You can address me as Mayor Matara, or just Miss Mayor.”

“Pleased to meet you, Miss Mayor!”

“You really are a fairy, are you?” She tilts her head.

“Y-yeah. What about it?!”

“Nothing, really.” She continues. “You want to be sheriff. That’s alright. I welcome to Sage Springs any and all pioneers seeking fortune. And we could use another pair of hands to help keep the peace, no matter how tiny.”

“That’s what I’m here for, I do want to help!”

“Sure, but I can’t help but be a little concerned. Can I trust you?” Okina places her hands on the desk.

“I’m very trustworthy!”

“Can you shoot a gun?”

“No…”

“Have you ever killed anyone before?”

“Uh… I accidentally pushed one of my friends off a branch and they were too drunk to land right.”

She snorts. “Anyone not a fairy?”

“Well… no.” You say weakly. This isn’t going well at all!

“You might have to, you know.” Okina sighs. “Have you even seriously fought before?”

You seize this chance to show off. “There’s this lady who guard this door, and there’s also this maid who-”

“At least that’s a yes,” Okina cuts you off. “Fairies are whimsical creatures, satisfied with sneaking snow into boots or ripping laundry off their hangers. Help me understand why one would thrust herself into the most violent, brute place in the whole territory, as a lawwoman none the less!”

“Wha?” You sputter. She’s been asking all her questions yet hasn’t even given you a fair chance to respond. Rage bubbles up from deep within. Why did all the important people have to be such bullies? You want to hop onto the desk and slap her head silly, but you control yourself, frost forming on the wooden armrest under your tensed hands. Your interviewer's stern face still expects an answer and you get the feeling “tricked with bad directions” or “tell people what to do” would be poor choices. But maybe what you’ve seen so far in this town is enough to try going on the offensive with.

“Lady, the hell’s your problem? You have this opening for sheriff, you invite me in for all these questions, but now you’re just messing with me,” you rant. “Everyone thinks you’re a disaster for this town and I’m starting to see why! There’s people hurting out there so just let me take this test, make me sheriff or whatever and I’ll kick out all the other jerks in this place.”

“Hahaha!” Okina laughs heartily, not a hint of offense in her eyes. The room is silent as she recovers herself. “Calm down, calm down, I get it! That’s great! I will hold you to that promise, however.”

You slouch back in the chair. Yet she still has more. “Now, what is your relationship to one local fairy by the name of Eternity Larva?”

“Huh? Larva? What kind of question is that?!” You’re struggling to keep up with Okina’s weird jumps, general attitude, and the highly suspicious question itself.

“Has she told you her past?”

“Something about being a part of a gang of magicians? But that was a long time ago!”

“So it’s relevant.” You grudgingly kinda see her point.

“She…” One thing you’ve noticed is that the bigger peoples, even within their own species, simply don’t seem to get along with each other like the fay can. But even for fairies there’s trust and territoriality, an ever fluid “war” over occupancy of the nicest trees or the most fruitful pranking grounds. Larva’s an odd one, being so close to Mystia and the other humans and youkai of the town, but her obnoxious strength and nosiness aside, she really has helped you a lot so far. “She’s a good person and my friend.” And is maybe right about this job.

“Mmmhmm.” Okina’s face is inscrutable. She shrugs. “Alright, the test will see if you’re physically capable enough anyways. We shall move on. You’ve already met my lovely assistants, so… Deputy Komano!”

“Yes, ma’am!” The horned girl who had been nervous watching next to you, jumps to her feet, hair curls bobbing. She’s quite short by human standards, being only a head taller than you. It had been hidden from you at first, but she has a pistol in a holster hanging on her left.

“Introduce yourself.”

“Ah, hello! My name is Aunn Komano! Miss Mayor made me the deputy sheriff. It’s nice to meet you!” She bows to you.

“Great, straight to the point.” Okina claps once. “You can sit. But yes, Deputy Komano here has been holding down the office for about a week or so. Once there’s an actual sheriff, she’ll be their helper.”

“Woah, so she’s like my underling?” This new information rekindles a little bit of your earlier excitement.

“If I appoint you. And that’s only if I deem you able to handle the demands of the people. Which again brings us to the test. Both of you, follow us.” Okina snaps her finger and leans back, relaxed. Aunn stands so you do so too, discreetly rubbing your watery palms against your dress.

Mai steps right behind the seated mayor and pushes her chair. Only when the pair pass the desk does it become clear that the mayor is in a wheelchair, a rare contraption that you’ve seen elderly or afflicted humans use. Satono opens the door and Mai moves it smoothly into the hallway.

They stop at the door closest to the lobby. Mai turns Okina to face you. She points at the door with her thumb.

“Behind here is a series of four rooms. The first three will each have a unique dilemma or puzzle along with a timer. Solve them the best you can then move to the next room. We’ll see how well you did in the last room.” She drops her arm. “That’s pretty much it. The rooms themselves are either self-explanatory or you’ll fail. But of course, Aunn will help you and you can use whatever you find or have on you. If you want to quit, just come back through this door. Understood?”

“Yes!” You and Aunn shout together.

Okina only nods, Satono opens the door.

“Wow!”

It’s… an entire world inside! From the threshold, you see striped market stalls, colorful produce, exotic tiled rooftops and stained windows, all accompanied by people dressed in pretty robes. Whatever lamp is inside is powerful enough to spill light out into the hallway. It’s when nothing moves that you realize it’s all a still-life of a market street framed by the doorway.

“Go on. Your time for the first room has already started.” Okina says, reminding you how to move your legs.

The door closes behind you and Aunn. The ground is a real dirt path, and it’s stuffy like a midsummer afternoon. There’s another door at the far end of the street, both disguised as gates in two walls that bottle the street. The one opposite you is padlocked and has a mount where an hourglass is trickling away. You assume that’s the one that leads on to the next section.

Despite the formidable detail, the limitations of the mockup become readily apparent inside. The perspective of the painted walls and ceilings prove shallow, and fresh fruits are nothing more than wooden props up close. The statues of people are more like straw mannequins, posed stiffly like scarecrows, wrapped in what’s closer to sheets of fabric than properly tailored clothes.

The opposite effect happens with the masks each effigy uses as a face. Those only became more impressive. Lifelike lips, veined eyes, wispy hair on stretched faces of tans and browns and blues and reds distinguish each mask from each other and the environment around them. You find yourself avoiding the frozen gazes from their exaggerated expressions. Fortunately, there’s smiles all around, even if some are a little too happy.

“So, Cirno… what do we do now?” Aunn asks.

“This is a puzzle, right? What are we even trying to solve?”

“Let’s split up and look around,” she proposes.

A few minutes pass as you both split up, carefully looking at the displays and figures for any clues. You can’t see anything strange. The closest thing that is odd is a bread seller whose stand has a conspicuous gap in a row of fat loaves. Yet the toque sporting mannequin manning the stand is laughing with a customer. Then you find it.

Near the exit door and by a shop under an overhang, two mannequins appear to be in conflict. The mannequin running the shop has its arms crossed and a serious face. The other has one seriously distressed look, one spindly hand on its forehead, the other palms up, empty.

“I found this polka dot purse on the ground.” Aunn says from behind you. She hands it to you. It’s filled with wooden discs.

“Great timing, take a look at this guy.” You point at the upset figure, coincidentally wearing robes of the same polka dot pattern. “Doesn’t his clothes match?”

“You’re right, look at the other people!” Aunn exclaims. You note how the other figures carry pouches made of the same fabric as their fake clothes.

Answer confirmed, you place the purse into the figure’s hand.

Plonk. Something hard falls on your head, bouncing off and landing on the ground with a thump.

“Argh! What was that?” You rub your head.

“Oh! It’s a key!” Aunn holds it up. “It looks like it fits the lock.”

“Then we did it! I knew it was going to be easy!” It clicks: identify where and what the problem is and then find the missing piece. Simple! Ol’ teach back home ought to take notes on some practical hands-on learning exercises. You shake off the ghost cramps from your hands, inflicted by seemingly imperishable essays and problem sets from long ago.

You pretend to not see how both the masks somehow changed their shapes to match the happy smiles around them.

“We should be able to move on now.” Aunn says.

“Look how much time we have left!” While you admire the three-quarters full sand in the hourglass, you can’t help but notice from the corner of your eye another figure sitting on the rooftops. Unlike the others down on the street, this one is draped in rags exposing the thin and wiry bundles of straw that form its body. It however cradles a loaf of bread, the same prop used in that bakery you passed. The baker mannequin, you recall, was unusually fat with stuffing and even the mask reflected smooth bulbous cheeks. You also pretend to not notice that it’s changed to be looking down at the empty spot in sheer rage.

[ ] Get that bread back.
[ ] There’s nothing of concern, move on to the next room.
[ ] Chat with Aunn using the extra time.

===

I’m sorry about the extremely late update.

[X] There’s nothing of concern, move on to the next room.

“Miss Cirno, Is something wrong?” Aunn asks.

A scenario like this isn’t unfamiliar to you, master prankster and street sleuth. But despite your temptation to investigate closer, in the end, you already have the key. And the faster you can get through this, the sooner you can become sheriff.

“It’s nothing,” you say before cheering, “Let’s go! Forward march!”

The padlock opens with a pop and Aunn gently swings the door wide for you. A stiff breeze pushes outward, rushing away from what seems like… an empty void. You tentatively test the floor with your toe, but to your relief it’s simply a dark floor in a dark room. With confidence backed by the noticeable fall in temperature, you walk in to face your next challenge.

“Oh wow!”

“That’s one huge ship!” Aunn shares in your amazement.

Freed from a bottle and made giant, an old fashioned wooden ship dominates the room, frozen in its cruise, sails billowing in an imaginary wind. Dizzying arrays of ropes fly from two decks of red and gold and swoop between soaring masts fading far above. The humble canoe and plodding steamer you’ve known before look like clumsy rafts before this queen of the waves.

Then the door closes, cutting off the warm glow from the previous scene, only a cold azure ambience remains, giving the ship a ghastly look. The rest of the room, wrapping around the ship like a giant oblong bubble or pill, is too gloomy and empty for unaccustomed pupils to make sense of, at first. The splotchy walls must be intentional, striped with layers and layers of growling clouds, the higher up, the angrier. The floor is painted deep blue, almost black, webbed with white strands of foam. Then it clicks. Only in one place could a scene like this be possible. You’re standing on an imitation of the greatest, most tremendous lake: the legendary “Ocean”, resting place of all water!

Ruddy blobs on one wall depict distant land, cliffsides draped in autumnal woodland colors.

“So, this is pretty different…” Aunn says, looking around.

“Pretty awesome!” You eye an inviting rope ladder dangling off the side of the ship's hull. “We gotta head to the top!“

As you shimmy up the tough rungs, a facet of your mind wonders about something. To contain the ship, this chamber must be even more massive, at least twice the volume of the lobby. How it possibly fits inside the building is a mystery because physically, it simply shouldn’t.

When the deck comes into view and pull yourself aboard. You huff a little after reaching the top, wiping your stinging hands on your clothes and making room for Aunn to climb up behind you.

On the deck, a dozen figures of the same style as the market scene kneel in a rough crescent, facing away from your entry. They are dressed as sailors and surround an even more unique figure, one completely made of rolls of sheer cloth loosely covered by a shredded sailor suit. It seemingly floats, suspended above the deck by several inches. Its mask is inhumanly pale and twisted in psychotic glee as it looks down on the supplicators below.

From the top, you are also able to see a door, marked by an orange lamp at the opposite wall. Another hourglass hangs there, its precious contents already pouring away.

“I don’t get it. What’s even going on here?” You wonder aloud. “Some demonic ritual?”

Aunn looks around thoughtfully. “I don’t think it’s a ritual, but it’s certainly a weird setup. Let’s explore first.”

Unlike the previous mockup of the busy street, rich in detail and color and easily recognizable, the deck is plain depressing. There’s a rowboat with oars snapped and a huge hole at the bottom next to a few unidentifiable piles of what you assume is seafaring equipment, but not much else. A walk around the sides reveals nothing in the water.

“I’m going to look around this front area.” Aunn says.

“Okay,” you agree. It doesn’t look like anything is on the raised section of deck at the rear except for an opening. “I’ll be down below, then.”

You descend a treacherously creaky set of steps into the ship’s innards, only lit by weak oil lamps.

It looks like a cargo hold. There’s a few barrels and sacks, all tied down. It’s a little boring since everything is too large to be moved, but some things of interest include huge spools of rope and several bundles of jagged iron spears, probably harpoons. And tucked away far from the stair looms the silhouette of a large blocky object.

It’s actually an object under a tarp which you immediately pull off, revealing a rather large cage filled with… people? There’s six trapped inside, half the headcount as the sailors and in just as poor shape. The caged figures are wrapped in colorful but dirty and torn robes. Expressions of fear are carved on their masks. Odd fish-like fins emerge from where their ears would be, and from beneath the robes are straw bundles tapered off into fish tails! Mermaids, all of them!

You try testing the bars, with your hands, then your foot. The rusty metal is deceptively tough, however.

A muffled bump from behind surprises you. “Aww, it’s way too dark in here.” Aunn complains. “But I know I heard someone yell. Cirno! Are you there?”

“Y-yep, back here!” You try to ignore a throbbing in your toes.

She carefully picks her way to you, looking quite eager and bearing a wooden ladle. “I do know this one, I know it! This puzzle is based on the funayūrei!”

“Funayūrei? Huh?”

“They are the spirits of humans drowned at sea, basically ship phantoms. They haunt the seas and sink ships and drown other people, but they’ve been pretty rare nowadays. If they catch a ship, they’ll ask to borrow a ladle, and if they get one, they’ll actually use it to scoop water into the ship to sink it. If you don’t cough up a ladle, they’ll get mad and summon a whirlpool to sink the ship anyways.”

“How do you even know all this?”

“Hehe, keeping spooky things away is my specialty.” Aunn smiles. She shows off the ladle, clearly holed and rendered as useless as the rowboat up top. “Here’s the trick, the ladle you give it has to have a hole at the bottom, like this one. If the sailors give it to the spirit, it won’t be able to flood the ship since it can’t even scoop up any water in the first place!”

“That’s lame. Wouldn’t the ghost just get mad when they find out they’ve been tricked?” You scratch your head.

“Vengeful spirits aren’t exactly rational actors.” Aunn seems to ponder something. “Of course, I’ve never met one for real…”

“Okay, but what are we going to do about this,” You wave your arms at the more pressing issue.

“O-oh, I didn’t notice that. They’re mermaids, right? They don’t look too good, so why’re they all locked up down here?”

“They’re keeping them alive for something.” One corner of the cage is a small barrel filled with water. In it is a second ladle, but brand new and has no hole. There’s also an open-topped box of silly looking wooden shrimp, which loosens a worrying memory. “They’re gonna gobble them up! Mermaid meat lets humans stay young! I know I read that somewhere.”

“Yeah, I read the papers too! That’s the ad for Captain Topper’s Tasty Tinned Fish which ran a month ago, right? Did you read last week’s article by that doctor warning buyers about products with exaggerated claims and false ingredients, such as fancy plants, made-up chemicals, or parts from mythical creatures?”

“What doctor?” you question.

“You don’t know Dr. Yagokoro? She’s famous for inventing a ritual to protect people from smallpox, and for many other medicines as well.”

“No, I was not aware of that information at the time,” you carefully admit. The edition with the relevant ad was the last newspaper you were able to snatch before heading off on your journey. News moves quickly these days you suppose. “But! These sailors are obviously smuggling the mermaids and are up to no good.”

You easily reach through the bars and grab that other ladle. Concerned, Aunn says, “Look, I don’t think what’s happening down here changes much. The right thing to do is to stop the known bad guy, the funayūrei.”

“I’m having second thoughts about who's the real bad guy here. What if that ghost thing wants to save her fish buddies?”

“Then they’ll be stuck at the bottom of the ocean in a metal cage,“ she argues, “If we use the ladle with a hole, then the sailors are saved and the mermaids aren’t guaranteed to die. If the spirit gets the regular ladle, the mermaids might not die, but the sailors are guaranteed to!”

“I don’t buy that. The mayor even gave us this other ladle as an option!” You cross your arms.

“Which we don’t have to use. Remember, this is a test. We should expect wrong answers, or maybe even no truly right answers.” Aunn says, “I think if we want to figure this out, we can’t just make stuff up. We should judge the situation fairly by only weighing the evidence we can see.”

“What if it’s testing our morals? What then? Would we be okay leaving the helpless behind?”

“Er, as it stands, I think everyone on this ship is pretty helpless. Except for the ghost.”

You both continue to go back and forth, but can find no common ground. You both search the ship some more, but that seems to be all the clues you’ll get. And when you both move back to the top deck, tired, you can see only about a sliver of sand remaining inside the glass.

“So, what should we do then?” Aunn asks nervously.

In the formation, the center sailor with the fanciest hat has its arms raised the highest, supporting something but currently empty. The evil spirit looks to be reaching for that space.

[ ] Give the ladle with the hole.
[ ] Give the ladle without the hole.

[X] Give the ladle without the hole.

You take back your earlier liking for this test. With this many unknowns, it’s simply impossible to figure out the right choice. Did the lives of humans matter more than those of youkai? What standards or rules does the mayor want you two to play by? Did you want to satisfy the mayor, or your own beliefs? And is Aunn even correct about the story behind this scene? No amount of debate could save you from simply not knowing enough.

Inside your pocket, you feel the smooth wax paper casing of Dai’s bomb. If the dilemma was between saving the mermaids and the sailors, perhaps busting open that cage could let you do both! Okina did say anything could be used. But you’re forced to shelve the idea just as quickly as it emerged: if Dai’s warnings were to be taken seriously, nothing but burning bits would be left of those straw figures. That probably won’t be a good rescue, not to mention that your time would run out before you could get back to the cage.

Taking both ladles in your hands, your eyes zip from one to the other. “So, Aunn, you said the ladle with the hole is right, right?”

“Huh? I thought you swore by the regular ladle?” Your nerves seem to have infected Aunn too. “C-c’mon, just pick one!”

You can’t help but check once more time at the hourglass. Alarmingly, what couldn’t be more than a thimble-full of sand remains at the bottom of the glass lobe, a dot from this distance.

Down to the seconds, it’s the ladle without the hole that impulse picks.

A tense moment passes. Were you too slow? Will Mai and Satono be waiting in the next room, ready to toss you out the door like one of Puff’s tumbleweeds?

A distant clink, then twang echoes from above; something is bouncing off the rigging on its way down. You crane your head upward just in time to painfully catch the second key with your forehead. Smacking your face to stop the key from rolling off, you give a good rubbing to the spot where a throbbing red bump is surely emerging.

“Ow! Why am I the only one getting targeted?” You shake a fist at the empty darkness above.

“If someone’s up there tossing keys down, the only thing they’d see is your wings. They’re so bright!” Aunn chuckles. The tension had broken, at least. “We got the key at least. That’s a good sign, I think.”

“It’s a sign for us to get out of here!” You don’t need the rope, choosing to float down the side of the ship. “That was way too much hassle. This next room better be easier.”

At the door waiting for Aunn to catch up, you give one last glance back at the mysterious ship. You feel a little silly getting so worked up over some oversized diorama. Sure, the expressions on the masks of the sailors look a little upset, but the mermaids are free so there’s nothing else to be done about that.

As you both shuffle inside the next room, the first impressions are brightness and a stiff burst of absolutely frigid air. Covering the whole floor are mounds and fields of what looks to be snow, crunching underfoot and glittering under a blinding lamp above. Now this is a place you can get behind! You dive forwards, landing on your belly. Using outreached arms, you pull a pile of snow close to your face and sift through it. There’s no trick, it’s cold, fluffy, honest snow, and judging from the intricate crystals adorably hanging onto your fingers, freshly fallen too. How so much natural snow could be transported and stored in the blazing desert is yet another mystery. You’re starting to think the mayor wouldn’t be so unpopular if she spent a little less time obsessively decorating and more on doing her job.

You soak up the soft chill, filling yourself with a sense of deep longing. Back home, only a few select days each winter could get this cold, enough that one could stomp safely to the very middle of the lake and watch on all sides the pretty tendrils of white mist steaming upward. These days, the winters were never as pure as you could remember.

“So this is what snow looks like.” Aunn’s breath puffs, slowly dissipating in the dry air. She shivers a little. “And what real cold feels like. It is cold.”

“It’s great, isn’t it?” Pulling your head out, you roll over and reluctantly stand back up.

“It’s pretty, but not exactly comfortable when it gets in your shoes.” She shrugs. ”Though a fire would feel pretty nice.”

“Aww, that’s warm-blood talk,” you tease. “Cold like this is what separates the real men from the boys!”

“It makes me feel awfully stiff.” She shakes out her arms, exposed by short sleeves.

Privately, you admit Aunn does seem to be handling it well. Better at least than the red nosed humans scurrying the frozen streets, who would seem especially upset with their surprise complementary hailstorms. Just have to remember to avoid the ones carrying heavy stuff, like firewood or tools, but food tins could be worth it sometimes.

“If you’re bothered, just take a coat.” The straw mannequins for this room, silently as ever, are themed like giant toy soldiers with great big coats of either green or blue, decorated with flashy metal bits. You tug at the closest sleeve. The green fabric is heavy and stiff, but separable from the body underneath.

“You think we can?”

“Why not? We can give it back before we go.”

Aunn looks around and selects a figure with a thick soft blue coat, uncovering its straw torso. She apologizes to its serious mustached mask and fixes the tall felt hat on its head. Patting bits of straw off, she wraps it around herself. With the fabric drooping past her knees, it looks like she’s wearing a blanket or an oversized tunic.

“Much better,” she says, rolling up her coat sleeves.

You take a closer inspection of the scene around you. The blue and green dressed figures number at least four score in roughly equal proportions, more of them than the previous two rooms combined. The blue soldiers wear black tubes for hats that widen towards the top, the green ones have hats that taper gradually like bulging cones. They are grouped apart, facing inward towards a farmhouse in the center of the room. With musket shaped sticks in their knobby hands and scorched holes in the squat building, it looks obviously like a mock battle.

Enclosing octagonal walls depict a vast white plain that blends perfectly with the snow cover on the floor. In the distance, impressions of skeletal woods and white hills show a land slumbering in deep winter. The incongruous exit door stands out, accompanied with its customary hourglass.

Looping within the walls is a fragmented fence, from one section of which you observe a pair of short figures. Wearing only faded pink robes and carrying empty baskets on their backs, their masks are of gaunt, frightened faces, gazing at the farmhouse from a good distance.

“Those guys don’t look too happy,” you point out. The soldiers must’ve raided the house, looting food and whatever else of value.

This isn’t a totally unfamiliar concept to you, these kinds of things have happened. When it was time for history, teacher would get extra excited and you had to be extra careful of pretending to pay attention. You’ve forgotten most of it, after all, what use is ephemeral human history to a primordial being. But one afternoon, on the actually interesting topic of the ancient Earth-Lunar wars, she covered the less glorified sides of the war, particularly the various treatments of innocents caught in the middle. Your love of battle had been tempered for the first half of that week, but you relaxed, realizing that as long as you kept your fights small-scale, that level of damage wouldn’t happen.

“Do you think they own the house?” Aunn says. “If so, they’re in big trouble.”

No items of interest blemish the pristine snowy blanket. Unless something is hidden underneath the snow, but that’s an ugly thought. “Let’s check inside, then.”

The building has taken a harsh beating. From the angle of the front, there isn’t much of an inside-the door had been battered down, the door frame standing freely. Wooden debris from broken walls are embedded in the sod floor, furniture had been knocked over, and pottery carelessly shattered. The only thing noted from the initial sweep is the color of the ratty fabric of the beds: the same salmon pink as the pair of not-soldiers.

A root cellar door by the side of the house opens to a real root cellar, empty unfortunately. You both start opening up the fallen cabinets, checking under the beds, and looking upward into the remains of the attic.

It’s beneath the cold sooty logs of the central hearth that you find a small sack. Opening it, you find fist sized wood lumps resembling potatoes, like the food props in the previous market scene. You both agree confidently that the sack is the object of significance for this room.

“They must be looking for these potatoes!” you exclaim. “Humans get really sensitive about food when it’s cold.”

“That sounds about right to me, but there’s only one bag.” Aunn says, “Hmm since there are multiple potatoes, could we try sharing them?”

It’s a small sack, and you count a dozen prop potatoes in it. From the window, you can already see more than that number of soldiers standing outside.

“There’s not enough to go around. Plus, I’m pretty sure the color of the beds means this is the cloaked folks’ home. We should give it back to them, not the guys fighting through their house,” you say.

“That’s true. I guess in this case, it seems pretty clear cut.”

Decision seemingly made, you take the sack outside and start heading to the pair by the fence. Along the way, you notice each team of soldiers has a man with a basket too, where you assume you can drop the sack into.

“It seems too easy, I think.” Aunn must’ve noticed too. “That purse in the first room was to teach us the rules, but here, why would giving food to the soldiers ever make sense?”

“If they were real, they‘d probably try to take it,” you guess. From the middle of the room, with all the furrowed faces on the broad masks towering over you both, the pressure from the armed and uniformed figures is palpable. It’d be quite scary, if they weren’t just mannequins.

“Right, should we consider that? And how do we know which side we should pick?”

“I dunno, favorite color?” you respond, stopping your walk. “Are you going to try to argue that we should give the goods to the soldiers?”

“No, I just think we should cover all the possibilities. There has to be a reason why things are set up the way they are.”

“Ehhh… but I want to move on. Let’s just go with…”

[ ] The blues
[ ] The greens
[ ] The farmers
[ ] Splitting the bag as evenly as possible

[X] The farmers

“...the farmers,” you say. “Yeah, they’re the victims in all this so we should give back what’s rightfully theirs.”

You drop the bag of potatoes into one of the farmers’ baskets, rattling it. The figures’ faces seem to relax in response, stress lines shallowing. However, enemies had been made, if the annoyed looks on the soldiers of both colors meant anything. So be it.

Aunn moves to return the borrowed coat, but a more immediate concern takes your attention upward. With a quick hop backward and a clap, you snap up the third key from where your head had just been.

“Ha! Can’t get me this time!” You shout in victory at the white ceiling. “We’re finally done!”

###

The final room! It’s warm again, sadly, but not unbearably so. After so long in sterile interiors, the earthy smell of living plants and soil is ticklishly sharp on your nose. You’re surprised when a pink flower petal lands on your forehead and you blow to get it off. It swirls upward, rejoining its uncountable brethren in their descent, falling from what you recognize as cherry blossom trees in majestic bloom.

You close the door, trapping in some snow–already returning to dew–inside. Or outside, it feels like. The door you arrived from apparently belongs to a disproportionately small side storehouse. In front, there’s a venerable shrine building in the old style and a courtyard paved with inlaid stone, all ringed by an overflowing canopy of blossoms. In the middle of the courtyard is a low stage made of bleached planks bordered with red-white stripes and beyond that, at the far opposite end, stands a bright red torii gate.

Past the torii and the tops of cherry blossoms, extending all the way up, there’s… a twilight blue nothing. No sun, stars, or moon mark this false sky, yet it’s bright enough that flames from the standing torches scattered around the yard can barely leave flickering shadows. The air is too still to be outdoors, but any greenhouse this vast would probably engulf a mountain. The only thing it could be is some form of tricky magic worked by the mayor, something like the endless hallways of the vampire’s mansion. You didn’t expect the boring-looking woman to have powers like this, but it would explain the impossible connection between the rooms, and the keys aimed through solid ceilings. You resolve to have some words with her about that.

That is, if she shows herself. It’s a lovely but lonely reception. The only signs someone was here are the picnic blankets unfurled around the stage and spread with an untouched feast along with accompanying refreshments. It’s no cheap illusion, everything feels quite real, like this beautiful lacquer bowl in your hand and the sake sloshing around within.

“Should we be touching all this stuff?” Aunn asks. “It looks like it’s all set up for a big party.”

“It’s gotta be about lunch now so I’m digging in. S’ prolly our cel’brashun, anyhow.” Already, sitting cross legged, you pull apart a stick of dango with your teeth, washing down the sweet dough with some of the cleanest-tasting sake you’ve ever tasted. “Ah! This is great!”

“You never hold back, huh?” Aunn remarks. She watches you eat for a moment, looks around, and then kneels down next to a tray of fried battered vegetables, where a plate and chopsticks are already laid out. “Everything is freshly made. I suppose it would be a waste if no one else is here.”

“You’re getting it now!” You knock back another bowl.

As you stuff yourself, you feel a sense of great belonging. The lush environment, delicious food and wine, there’s something right about this. If only you could invite Larva and her friends, even summon Dai and the lake crew across the whole country to join you. Lily in particular would be delighted by the scenery here. But it can’t be helped, so you partake in peace and silence.

You start to feel a little tingly and fuzzy, but with great self-control, you limit any further drinking. There are appearances to keep up, at least for now. When you’re full, you put down a half-eaten boxed meal and warmly wait.

And wait.

“Is this it? Isn’t something supposed to happen?”

“Miss Matara never told me much, only that I had to be at town hall super early. She can be mysterious in that way.” Aunn replies. She’s finished too and is sitting contently on a stone pedestal by the shrine building, gently kicking her legs.

And so you wait. But a few twitches too many and you admit patience isn’t your virtue.

“I’m going to look around.” While there is something authentic about this scene compared to the sets you were in before, you have to make sure it’s not another puzzle. You first check inside the shrine building. A diffused azure sheen cast by the shoji screens gives a sleepy feeling to the sparsely furnished rooms. The kitchen is untouched, the cabinets are empty, and nothing is in the donation box either.

The only things under the trees are thickets and wild growth. The storehouse looks boring and the door on its front only bridges to the snow room. Past the torii, there’s a staircase, but it disappears into a blue mist. You toss a pebble down, but the click-clack of the rebounding stone suddenly stops after only a few feet. It’s as if it dropped out of the world altogether and you’re not eager to follow. Temporarily defeated, you walk back and hop onto the stage, slowly surveying the “room” and wondering if you’ve missed something important.

“Did they forget about us?”

“Maybe we finished the first and third rooms too soon? We could try going back through the door we came…” Aunn trails off when you both feel a new presence. Was it your imagination, or did everything become dimmer? Your head swivels to movement in the trees.

It’s the masks! Floating in the air without anything to suspend them, they bob forward, tightening a loose dome centered on the stage. Aunn, nervously backing up from the direction of the shrine, steps onto stage with you.

The carved and painted faces seem awfully familiar. Torch lights glisten on a pair of rotund cheeks and the rest of them are either pale as a ghost or bear bushy mustaches. Then you remember, these are masks of the figures who lost out. There’s the baker from the market street room, the rather worn faces of the sailors from the ship room, and the whole army of mustaches from the snow room. Uncoupled from their crude bodies and accessories, a collection of near a hundred round white and tan and orange faces silently stare upon you both.

“Umm, we’re sorry we couldn’t help you…?” you attempt to placate them.

Their answer is to all charge you at once.

Serenity to chaos, the once calm courtyard warps into a frenzied arena as flying masks angrily swoop about like birds descending on spilled corn! The first attacker, a sailor rushes at you. You stepside and then deflect the oncoming baker with a connecting slap. You notice just in time a large cluster of soldiers accelerating at you in a battering ram formation, forcing you to roll to avoid what would’ve been a pulverizing swing. Hairs billow when the ram passes.

You get up too soon and a straggler, who had snuck behind the group, clips your shoulder and you suffer a hard return to the floor.

“Aunn, shoot them!” you yell, hopping back up again, narrowly missing a pair of masks slamming into where you just were. These spooky things are tough as heck, leaving indents on the wooden stage without taking any visible damage in return. You fend off more attacks from all angles, backdropped by torch flames dancing in the gusts left by the sweeping shells.

Aunn frees her revolver from its holster. “That’d be a good idea, but I’ve–get off! I’ve never had the thing loaded before. Truth is, I don’t actually know how to shoot.” Holding the gun barrel like a truncheon, she delivers a meaty twack to the former baker, before giving you a sheepish look. “Sorry.”

Another mask delivers to you a staggering headbutt from behind, but barely staying on your feet, you swiftly turn around and grab it. You use both hands to smash your captive downward with a mighty blow. Good thing they’re still as lightweight as the wooden masks they are. The cursed mask wobbles on the ground and finally stills. You kick the “corpse” away. All around you, dozens still swirl, but are giving you some distance.

And they seem to have more tricks up their figurative sleeves. The sailor types ignite themselves in an eerie blue flame, tinging the stage in cold light. You yelp and dodge as fireballs start slapping the floor around you, and you can feel the heated boards through your soles. Thankfully, the lacquered material seems to be largely fireproof, but any cherry petals that flutter too close catch fire and drop. The floor is soon littered with puffs of ash that smear beneath your feet.

Aunn seems to be protecting herself fine, likely since the majority of the masks are focused on you.

[ ] Punch these dumb masks in the face!
[ ] Keep your distance and strike from afar.

[X] Punch these dumb masks in the face!

If these guys want to play rough, then you have no problem with that!

You immediately sprint towards the closest sailor ghost thing mask. It tries to escape upward, but it doesn’t expect you to leap up, freed from gravity for the half-second necessary to tackle it from the air. A second sailor attempts rescue by blowing smoke at your face so you return its comrade by smashing them into each other.

The surviving fire-spitters spread even further out and you have to move for a trio of bright fireballs to pass overhead. They land among the cherry blossoms, a spout of gray smoke rising deep within the foliage, almost distracting you from a mask speeding straight on at you. But you’re done dodging. Crunch!

“Ow!” You shake out your hand. The mask went down, but a throbbing fist reminds you that while lightweight, they’re still solid pieces of wood zipping around at high velocity.

Time to really get serious then. You rapidly chill the moisture readily supplied by the surrounding vernal air. Layer after layer of rime form hard, interlocking, plates around your clothes and arms, and most importantly, two thick gauntlets. You need to keep your legs unburdened to chase after these slippery masks.

Their effectiveness is proven when a second ram formation of the soldier types gets battered instead. The armor breaks their charge and the individual masks are easy prey for your icy punches.

You scoff as a fireball sizzles uselessly on your chest. Locating the offending mask, you stomp towards it. A trio of soldiers attempt to face-tackle you. Two are thrown off on impact, clattering onto the floor. One even sticks to the ice. The sailor mask is too cautious, however, and you’d never reach the guy at this rate. Instead, you unstick the wiggling mask off your armor, and freeze it in a circular plate of ice. A mostly skilled and slightly lucky spinning throw eliminates the ranged threat. You move on to the next group of enemies, looping around the stage, refreshing your armor when damaged and dishing out the mask-equivalent of pain to any that get too close.

But eventually you have to take a breather. Slush drips from your ice gauntlets and your limbs are sore. About half the masks are vanquished but the remainder continue to hit just as hard as ever, perhaps even harder. Fireballs are now blinding blasts of blue, and the outer layer of your armor is marbled with patched-up cracks from catapulting soldiers. It’s a shame the fight had destroyed the feast, you’d love something to drink. Around you, multiple fires had left black holes in the pink canopy and the slate roofed shrine is pocketed with the marks of misses. The storehouse was lucky it hadn’t been hit, its dry wood surfaces would make perfect kindling.

You use your protected arm to shield your face from another fireball. The issue is that you’re running out of juice, both inside and out. You are best at maintaining cold against constant heat, but sharp spikes of heat will always pierce through which takes effort to recover from. And under a constant barrage of fire, you're losing your precious material, bit by bit of existing ice steaming away, the moisture from the air sucked out by dry gusts.

Not to mention that you have to run around chasing individual masks to beat them down.

“Cirno, something’s not right!” Aunn calls over to you. “Every time we get rid of a mask, the ones remaining each get stronger!”

“Yeah, I know!” It hadn’t escaped you that with half the swarm gone, the ones left had grown twice as strong. Like they were sharing the same source of energy. You’d swear they were more clever too, using increasingly tricky tactics in bullying you to submission.

Surprisingly, Aunn looks to be alright, just breathing as heavily as you are, more affected by exertion than damage. Not a scratch or bruise could be seen on her skin, in contrast to what you can certainly feel is happening under your worn out armor. Her clothes are pitted and still smoldering in places, but she isn’t bothered, nor does she try to defend herself from any direct impacts, only using them as opportunities to hit at masks. With no weapon other than her gun-club, it must be even more of a chore to kill these things.

“What are we supposed to do about it? They’re not stopping so we’ve gotta take them all out!”

“There has to be a trick to this! Some way of getting rid of all of them at once. Or to fight them with an advantage!” she says.

You brace your arms in front of your head. The soldiers are starting to focus their hits on your unprotected face and legs.

“Let me know when you can come up with somethi–woah!” You fight off the assault, and lose a pauldron from your right arm, but while your vision had been blocked, three sailors had lined up together an intense gout of fire, aimed at turning your exhausted feet into a happy memory. A last second dive saves you, but if you had just been any slower, that could’ve been real bad.

[ ] We have to combine strengths and work together!
[ ] Force close-quarters inside the shrine building.
[ ] Use an item:
----[ ] Bomb
----[ ] Cookie
[ ] Didn’t Larva say something about Okina’s weird servants?

[X] Force close-quarters inside the shrine building.
[X] Use an item
----[X] Cookie

“Let’s get inside the shrine! That way we can get cover from the fire and force them to come to us!” you yell.

Aunn doesn’t look convinced. “Are you sure that’s a good idea?”

“C’mon, follow me!” It’s an easy sprint. The masks don’t seem to have caught on, and only a few shoot at you. The armor on your back takes the hits, and you get into the building. When Aunn is safely inside, you slam the sliding screen shut.

It’s when you see the silhouettes of the masks flying about through the thin windows that you have to squelch a pang of regret. Did you just trap yourselves in a paper tinderbox? Fortunately, the masks seem to be plain confused about where you both went, like a baby at peek-a-boo. That buys you time for your next move

“I need to catch my breath.” Aunn huffs and sits on a nearby table. “I’m not sure about these walls, but the roof looks solid enough. Do we just stay in here, or what now?”

“Hold on, let me eat this thing my friend gave me that should help.” You dig out the cookie, putting it in your mouth whole.

You chew the fibrous lump as quickly as you can, swallowing piecemeal for fear of choking. It tastes as well as it looks, tongue working overtime to free bits of dried plant matter and raw seeds from between your teeth. Ah, but as Larva had promised, there really is a hint of molasses. Nice.

Aunn watches on, unbelieving. After eating the whole thing, the only thing you can feel is a future bezoar forming in your stomach. You’re hoping the effect is just delayed, because a shadow just bounced off the door, rattling the frame. The oval outline lightens as it retreats, then smashes right though, revealing a single soldier mask. Aunn grabs and hammers it on the ground, but the jig is up. You reinforce your armor and gauntlets as much as you can in the few seconds left.

The screened windows on the doors literally vaporize as a wall of fire engulfs the front of the building. A dozen soldier masks storm in, and the battle is joined once more.

Your calculations were right, close quarters gives you and Aunn the advantage against the soldiers. They don’t take the now cramped interior well, clipping furniture and careening off interior pillars, becoming easy victims to your icy hands. Unfortunately, the sailors don’t seem as eager to enter the building, launching a round of aimed fireballs. Aunn flips the table, forming a makeshift barrier that absorbs the shots.

While focused elsewhere, a sneaky mask slams into your side. It must’ve built up speed outside; the blow almost spins you like a top and completely shatters your shoulder protection. Taking cover behind a knocked over cabinet, you start to make a new pauldron, when you start to feel…different.

It’s probably exhaustion kicking in. You try to shake it off and focus. Layer by layer. Layer by layer. Like a hailstone, or an onion wrapped around your shoulder. What you don’t expect is that onion to grow, and grow until it’s a watermelon bulging off your side. You tip over and the unintentional glob of ice breaks apart, freeing you from its weight.

“What the heck just happened?” You think aloud. Climbing back up, slowly, you stare at your gauntleted hands. Instead of being slick with meltwater as they were throughout the battle, a matte cover of millions of expanding ice crystals have transformed them into fuzzy mittens. “Woah! This… this is awesome.”

The power building up within you is hard to describe. There’s nothing inherently cold about it, it doesn’t seem to have any element at all, but rather a sense of change in motion, of potential being fulfilled. Drawing on it boosts your abilities all the same.

Sheer cold emanates off of you. With this growing strength, new possibilities open up. Freezing the ground under your boots right before contact allows you to slide with agility, and incoming fireballs aren’t even worth the attention, you're pretty sure they fizzle out just by getting close to you. With the balance overwhelmingly tilted in your favor, you go to town on anything inside the shrine.

In minutes, every last one of the soldier masks are taken down.

In a desperate last gambit, the surviving masks, entirely sailor types, form a line and unleash a combined wave of fire. The sheer heat pouring in ignites the tatami floor and soon the whole place is a furnace. At your feet, water crystallizes and bubbles at the same time, tracing a ring where fire meets your aura, opposing elements locked in a vicious struggle.

The masks must be using everything they have, and the inferno begins to constrict your region of cold. Closing your eyes to concentrate, you try to push back out. Even with the tremendous energy you're able to output, it’s a slow tedious process, dumping cold energy into the flames. You’re no longer just fighting the masks, for the fire itself had already reached the point of no return and achieved its own form of life, a wild, greedy existence sucking up air and gobbling through anything flammable it can reach. You try to cut it off from its fuel, focusing cold through the material of the charred floor and walls, pulses of chill slowly pushing through. Freeze! Freeze! Freeze!

Then something changes in your perspective. Instead of hot and cold, there’s only… vibrations and flows and bumps, shapes that elude your conscious mind. You see swirls and chaos, you desire uniformity, flatness. You act as easily as smoothing out a blanket.

You open your eyes to a very white sight. Frost covers the entire building like a fresh coat of paint, spreading out into the yard. Not even an ember or smoldering ash remains of silenced inferno. The masks float as if dumbstruck and are casually finished off with a spread of icicles.

You blink and shake your head. Whatever that was had long passed. You get the feeling that for the briefest of moments, you could glimpse something wonderful.

“So…” Aunn had been watching from the safety of her table-barricade. Her eyes are wide and her breath comes out in visible puffs. “Were you just holding back earlier?”

Your response is interrupted by creaking wood. Tormented with alternating torrents of flame and frost, the structural pillars at the front of the building have had enough abuse, resigning one after another with splinting collapse. Unsupported, the roof starts an inexorable downward slide, planks tearing and snapping against each other.

With a flick of the wrists, trunks of ice rise up to catch the teetering ceiling with frosty tendrils. The fall is halted and roof tiles tumble over and shatter against the courtyard. As a finishing touch, just because you can, numerous delicate blossoms sprout from the branches. It's the world’s premier of the first ever Cirno edition of flower viewing! You’re not even sure where the water you used could be coming from, and you don’t particularly care!

An ice petal softly lands on a scorched black donation box. Beyond that, the scene is utterly trashed. Fires still burn in the woods and on the stage and smoke dulls the sky. Defeated masks lay face down wherever you look. What you had accomplished finally registers.

“Ha! I won!” you laugh and shout in exuberance of your newfound power. “HAHA! I really am the strongest!”

Then you pass out.

###

“She’s waking up!” A muddy voice disturbs the peaceful nothingness that had been enveloping you.

Remembering bits and prices of a shrine burning, a frozen forest, masks, lots and lots of masks, you startle to full awareness. You’re laid out on a couch in a brightly lit lounge.

“Miss Cirno! You’re back!” Aunn looks overjoyed. She sits by you on a stool.

“What happened?”

“We beat the test! Miss Matara is preparing some paperwork, but you're now the sheriff!”

“That’s… good.” You don’t have the heart to tell them your true plans. As it all comes back, you realize that all calculations have changed. With the power you now wield, you could seriously consider taking on the vampire head-on! Time to find Larva, thank her for her help, nab a basketful of cookies, and go home to settle things. Eating nine at once should allow you to turn the entire mansion blue with one sweep of the hand! Eighty-one would herald a new ice age!

“Yup, we’ve all worked pretty hard, so let’s enjoy this nice break while it lasts!” Mai’s bold voice sounds to the left. She’s leaning over the back of the couch, smiling cheerfully down at you. There’s curious burns and wet spots over her clothes.

You shift to a sitting posture, leaning back and sinking into the plush cushions. You’re in the atrium lobby of the town hall, which the servants must’ve cleaned up. Not a speck of dust to be seen and the brass fittings are polished to a glow. The windows are now open, showing a view of the dusty streets of the town. The sun looks to be decently past the midpoint.

“How long did I sleep?”

“Just a couple of hours or so,” Mai responds. “We brought you from the last room. Hoo, you guys made one hell of a mess in there! I was afraid the Mayor would be pissed, honestly, but she’s super duper happy for whatever reason.”

“How do you feel?” Aunn asks. “I know fairies work differently than youkai or humans, but losing an entire part of your body can’t be a normal thing, right?”

“What.”

“You don’t feel anything? Your wings. They’re gone.” Aunn gestures out, quite seriously.

Your wings, gone? You stand up in shock and reach behind to feel nothing but air.

Relax. Unlike normal fairy wings, yours really are just ice and you’ve lost part or all from time to time. It’s weird that you didn’t notice until now, but you can rebuild them easily.

When you try to form the crystals, nothing happens, no feedback or response at all from your abilities. You’re beginning to comprehend that things aren’t so simple. You move your arms wildly, attempting to summon an icicle, frosty mist, anything. But nothing. You hop around uselessly. You’re as impotent as any ordinary human girl.

“What’s even going on? How long is this going to last?” You demand answers. What’s going to become of you? Are you going to wrinkle up like a raisin, start smelling mothballs, and… die? How the heck are you going to be able to beat the vampire if you can’t even toss a singular snowflake?!

“LARVAAAAA!” you wail. Aunn looks on, concerned, Mai amused.

“Mhm, I thought so.” Okina’s grouchy voice echoes in the open space. She carries a bundle of papers in her lap, wheeled from the hallway by Satono. “So Sleeping Beauty is revived.”

“What do you want!?”

“That’s rather rude.” Okina doesn’t even bat an eye. “I’m here to offer my congratulations on becoming our newest sheriff. May you have a healthy and fulfilling career ahead of you.”

“Oh…” You’re not sure whether to let everyone know that you’ve kinda lost everything. But Okina seems eager to move on. She places the papers and some other materials on the coffee table by the couch. You sit back down.

“This is the paperwork to complete the process. Sign here, here, and here,” she says and you do so. “Keep the pamphlet, it’s the town’s code and some other policies. This is yours as well.” She pushes a small leather-bound box towards you.

“Wow!” Inside the box is a golden star, officially designating you as a sheriff. It comes with a pin contraption which, a couple of pricks later, looks great on your chest, gold metal on blue fabric.

“You’ll be working out of the Sheriff’s Office. Aunn knows where it is, of course, and it is where people will go to express their safety concerns. Speaking of which, Mai! Put out the notices!” she mutters. “This’ll get them off my back. Ahem.”

“What am I allowed to do now?”

“You can jail people, make ordinances, but really, whatever you deem necessary. It’s not too formal here. If you’re corrupt or excessive, the people’ll let you know directly. Just keep the peace. Oh, and if you need to see me, enter the town hall from the back doors. I may have special assignments for you, just some reasonable requests.” She switches topics, drumming her fingers on the rests of her chair. “By the way, I saw the aftermath in the shrine chamber. How’d you do it?”

You see no harm in answering. You explain the situation with Larva’s cookie and the massive surge in power, but leave out your current state. The early homecoming shall have to be shelved, you suppose.

“A successful test, then. For all of us.” Okina nods as if you only confirmed a theory. She continues, “Well, I am excited to find a figuratively young lady finally willing to put in some honest work around here. Sheriff Cirno, Deputy Komano, you both are… inexperienced. Greenhorns. The only advice I can offer to you both right now is: help each other, don’t get hurt too much, and remember to serve the public trust. Now I have some work to get back to. Good luck to you both.”

When you’re about to leave, Mai reminds you of something else: “Don’t forget your hat!”

###

Outside, you should be more elated, but you can’t help but feel extremely exposed losing your ice abilities. And just walking around feels wrong without your wings. Fortunately, your fingers are already healed, proving you’re still 100% fairy, just temporarily without an aspect, you’d guess. At least the afternoon desert heat isn’t quite so bad. Weather must be cooler today.

“So, are you okay? You had a freakout back there.” Aunn asks again.

“I’ll be fine. Just some side-effects of that blasted cookie,” you respond. “So, where’s your office?”

“Miss Sheriff, it’s your office now!” Aunn excitedly chatters, pointing at one of the many jumbled rooftops “It’s over there, not on Main Street, but close. We’ve got jail cells, and, oh, you’d probably be interested in the armory. There’s also a lot of work to do, I’ve been meaning to get the sign repainted and fix up some windows!”

“I see…”

[ ] Go with Aunn to the sheriff’s office.
[ ] Find Larva at the hideout for an explanation.
[ ] Explore town, maybe there’s a doctor or someone who can help.

===

The last few updates have been fast and I apologize for any mistakes that come out of it. It was painful realizing that this story is over a year and a quarter old while 24 hours hadn’t passed in-world yet.

[X] Find Larva at the hideout for an explanation.

Oh no. Aunn is one of those overachiever types. You force yourself to break away from her sincere puppy-dog eyes. That mention of an armory is also powerfully tempting, but no, a more pressing matter needs to be figured out first. Right now, your priority must be your missing powers. Besides, the sheriff’s office should still be there when you're finished. It’s yours now, after all.

“Sorry Aunn, I want to go with you, I really do, but I’ve really gotta find a pal of mine first.”

“Really? Can’t you find a better time to play around?” she questions, sounding disappointed.

“No! That’s not it! She’s actually the one who made that cookie, which messed up my abilities and my wings. I need her to fix what happened!” you explain.

“In that case, I guess it’s all right. If I found my horn missing, I- well, I wouldn’t even know where to start.” She thoughtfully rubs the gray cone atop her head, producing a stony scratching. Then she puts both hands on her hips. “But you better stay focused! Remember what the Mayor said, you’re the sheriff now. That means you’re a public servant with obligations! Duty!”

“Yeah, yeah. The sooner I get my power back, the sooner I can stop the bad guys in their tracks.” you declare.

“It’s more than just that. The mayor is making the whole town know about your appointment, so what if someone actually stops by to see you?” Aunn says.

“Like tonight? Are things really that urgent?”

Aunn hesitates before answering, “Honestly, I think so. There’s been a few issues this past week and I already know of a few names that might visit when the news breaks.”

“Err… that is a problem, you’re right.” You make a hasty promise, “In that case, how about I come back before sunset?”

Aunn accepts it. As you jog off, you start to realize that perhaps a job isn’t all that it’s cracked up to be, with this “duty” concept to contend with. You start to have a flicker of understanding for those sour-faced humans lined up outside their shops and factories, wind or rain at the crack of dawn. Then, a few steps later, you also remember that you’re supposed to be the boss figure in this arrangement. You’ll have to work on that–it’s a big reason you took this job–but the thought restores to you a small amount of cheer.

###

The sun’s perceptibly lower and your feet are tired from a healthy amount of backtracking on the trails earlier, but at least you’ve reached the cliffside, the final obstacle to the secret fairy hideout. Thankfully, you were still able to boost yourself, just weaker, making the climb a merely fingernail bending and leg dangling struggle, rather than laying in a pile of your own broken bones impossible. At the top, you slap the clingy orange dirt off your clothes before using the inside edge of a sleeve to delicately polish off your badge. Presentable, you immediately head beneath the shaded trees.

Sheltering within, a couple of fairies you don’t recognize are napping peacefully, wings stirring gently in the light breeze. But someone you do know is awake, sitting in a puddle of light and leaning against a tree, busy scratching a stick of charcoal in a scrappy notebook. It’s Lily White, probably working on more verses praising her favorite season.

“If you’re looking for Eternity, she’ll be in the garden,” she helpfully directs you. She settles back down to her writing, but then has a double take, eyes wide. “Hey… what happened to your wings?”

Stomping past some more trees, you catch flashes of cheery yellow between the patches of foliage, the speckled flaps catching the light falling in the clearing. At the middle of the garden plot, Larva is kneeling, her hands in the dark soil, but quite aware, turning around the instant you pass into the clearing. She lowers a bulbous yam into her basket and then stands up .

“You’re finally back! I thought things were taking a while so I was going to check in on you on my next trip to town.” She looks away, awkwardly pretending to not notice your obvious lack of wings. “So… how’d everything go?”

“It was fine, until the end. But to beat that dumb test, I had to eat the cookie you gave me.” You wave your arms, swiping out a snow-angel in the air. “And now I don’t have my powers! I don’t even have my wings anymore! I can’t even walk around without feeling front-heavy.”

“That’s odd. How can your body feel different if your wings weren’t attached in the first place?” She does a loop around you, looking thoughtful.

“Huh? I dunno, that’s just how it is. Just tell me why the heck they’re gone in the first place!” you demand, turning to keep up.

“Well, those must be part of the side effects. I did warn you, but don’t worry, they should be temporary!“ She reaches over with both arms and presses downward on your shoulders, steadying a bobbing on your toes that you hadn’t noticed.

“How long is ‘temporary’?”

“Let’s give it, say… three days?” she semi-confidently proposes. “Yes, that sounds about right. Three days should be plenty of time for it to wear off. ”

“Three days!? But that’s like forever!” you protest, kicking at a twig on the ground.

“Well… ‘good things come to those who wait,’ right?”

“You promise?”

“Sure! I’ve never seen it last longer than that before! And if it does… we’ll just figure it out, but it shouldn’t!”

“Fine,” you grumble. No more confidence can be gotten from Larva, at least for this topic. But three days should be alright, you guess. You both walk over to the shade and sit on the ground, savoring the first rest since leaving town. Stretching your legs and leaning backward, relief flows through your limbs as you reminisce about the incredible power you had possessed just earlier this morning. “Awww… The cookie effect felt so awesome at first… I didn’t know a fairy could affect another fairy’s power directly. How’d you even make something like that?”

“Sure! It’s just a little bit to explain.” Larva stands back up, back straight and raises a finger in a classic lecturing pose: “Okay, see…”

“Uh huh. Yup.” You nod along.

“...normally we fairies are tied to a specific element or ‘part’ in nature, right? But some of these elements are closely related to one or more of the four seasons, like butterflies in summer.” Larva points to herself and then at you. “Or ice in winter. We’re much stronger in the right season, and weaker out of season, but there’s a lot of power between the seasons too. When seasons transition a lot of things can happen, like caterpillars growing up into butterflies as spring ends and summer starts. When winter comes, even huge lakes and mighty rivers will freeze. So basically that cookie I made can trigger the changing between the seasons within us and let us use that energy while it lasts.”

“Gee, you sure know a lot about this. You could’ve said something beforehand!” you grumble. “But why did the cookie run out so fast? Like, in the test I felt like I could freeze anything and everything! I mean, I even froze a fire! But that was only for a few minutes, and now I can’t even make a snowflake for three days straight.”

“The power between the seasons is naturally temporary. But, as for why it was so short for you, my guess is that warm seasons are stronger than cold seasons around here. Our winters are pretty weak and sometimes there’s not even snow.” Larva sheepishly says.

“So it’s this damn weather again!” It’s oppressed you since arrival, and is apparently ruining your power boosts now. You mull it over in silence. Larva’s explanations do make sense and on top of them, maybe you just used a little too much power for too long in that stressful moment and caused your ability muscle to take a strain. It’d be a lot like the exhaustion you once felt after an aborted attempt to freeze the Lake on a summer day.

It’s funny, worrying about the topic of health and spirit had previously seemed to be a uniquely human obsession. Larva’s knowledge and your current affliction seem to be making the topic much more relevant.

“Hey now, look on the bright side, the cookie did help you complete the test. And it looks like you got a nice badge out of it!” Larva bends forward to poke at the gleaming star on your chest.

“Woah! Don’t just smudge it!” You squirm away from the offending hand.

“Whoops, sorry!” Larva unapologetically says, pulling back. “But you’ve got to share, what else happened after the test?”

After vigorously cleaning off the dirt-lined fingerprints and delicately re-aligning the now unblemished six pointed star, you show off your badge to Larva with pride.

“Oh yeah! So after I beat the test, the mayor officially made me sheriff! She gave me this badge too. I guess she’s pretty cool after all.”

“Ehh… Did the mayor say anything to you?” She coughs into her fist. “She didn’t ask any weird favors of you, did she?”

“Nah, she just told me I got the job, that I’ve got to help people out, and gave me some laws or something to read.” You try to recall further. “I guess she did say she might give me some tasks to do… but, it sounds normal to me. She did hire me after all.”

“Hmmm… that’s true.” Larva puts on a look of resolution. “I know, that you know, that I don’t trust her, but that’s between me and her, not you. I won’t bug you about the mayor anymore, I promise. Just be careful and don’t get into anything shady, okay? Mayor or not.”

“Don’t worry, no one’s getting one over me.” You reassure her, “And it’s not like Aunn would ever let me get away with doing anything weird.”

“...Aunn?”

“Right, you wouldn't know. There’s a lot more…”

You do most of the talking now, excitedly telling her of the rest of the developments so far. How you have your own office, a jail to put bad people in, and the armory with your own weapons. And of course, you tell her about your very own deputy, Aunn, who will basically work for you.

By now, Larva had shed her earlier reluctance, and is as invigorated as yourself. “That’s incredible! We should celebrate! We’ll have a party after dinner.”

“A party! Didn’t we have one yesterday?”

“Then we’ll just have to have two parties in a row!” Larva says, eyes sparkling.

“Now you’re talking!” As you leave the garden, you remember that Aunn is still expecting you. Lifting your arm up, you fit your full hand between the sun and the nearest rocky outcrop. It takes a few adjustments, but the result is satisfactory. You have a few hours more, definitely.

“Cirno, is something wrong?” Larva looks back with concern.

“Nope! Just making sure that I’m not going to be late,” you reply, “I have to go back to town for sheriff business with Aunn.”

“If you’re the sheriff now, then of course you must be busy… if it’s a bad time, we can celebrate later.”

“What are you saying? I’ve got plenty of time!” You’re the sheriff anyways, so it’s time to enjoy the fruits of your labor. “Also! I’ve got to make sure everyone knows I’m sheriff so they can come to me if they have any problems! I’ll probably head out after that.”

Your new friends live in the town too, technically, but you know the mayor would overlook the fairies so you’d say this counts as putting in work. Plus, how can you not be confident now that your ice abilities will be returning in a few days?

Larva is taken aback, but recovers and grins. “Okey-dokey, Miss Sheriff! Then we better invite as many people as we can!”

###

A clack rings out into the clearing, followed by the sound of a light object hitting the ground. The quivering of over a dozen pairs of wings makes the space vibrate like a busy beehive.

“Great shot!”

“And that’s checkmate! Yippee!” The victor raises her arms up, drinking in the scattered giggles, cheers, and clapping. Despite a valiant effort by her opponent, an orange-haired lichen fairy, Helia the sunflower fairy triumphs with a single green disc still standing on the board.

“Nooooo… so close!”

“What a narrow match, back and forth until the end!”

“I wanna play next!”

You munch on some grapes, watching the players set up for another round. More active spectators flutter about, handing over pieces recovered off the ground.

After you, Larva, and the others had gathered and finished eating, someone brought forth the greatest game you’ve ever played. Spilling forth from a wrinkled leather case, a cascade of green and red chips bounced on the tree stump table’s surface, most bouncing off into the undergrowth. Initially mistaking them for a candy of some sort, you had leaped into the scramble to help recover the precious discs. With moderate disappointment soon replaced with curiosity, you watched as all the painted wooden discs were returned to the middle and assembled in a criss-cross pattern on a scratched board of alternating brown and white squares. Now understanding everything was for a game, one everyone else was eagerly circling in to join, you simply had to watch at least one round. It’d be smart to know how to play now so you could be prepared in the future.

The rules were actually pretty simple. After a quick bout of frog-slug-snake to determine who goes first, the players would alternately flick one disc of their color at their opponent’s discs. Any pieces knocked off the board entirely, or more often the table, were out of play, regardless of color and turn. Whoever had the last pieces on the board at the end of this process of attrition would be the winner and would receive glory, adoration, and the privilege to play as green for their next game. This was important because the green set of discs had an extra piece compared to red, and this advantage was considered to be by far the most precious reward. Great heartbreak was felt whenever a winning streak was ended by bad luck or overconfidence.

After remaining with the audience for a few rounds, one of the winners invited you–having made a few snarky comments at her shooting earlier in the match–as her opponent. You had a good sense of what was going on and why constrain yourself to watching the game when a practice round could be had right now? So you took your seat at red’s position expecting nothing and winning thoroughly. And if you’re already sitting down, playing, why not keep going? You emerged victorious four whole times before a series of unfortunate miscalculations forced you back to spectating.

Each player seemed to have their own way of playing. Helia’s signature technique was using her sunflower’s stem to shoot the discs with both accuracy and power. Lily could break clusters of discs in a way to shake up the whole board with mostly advantageous results. Larva would leave a thin layer of shimmery powder on the board ahead of her pieces to affect their trajectories, allowing her shots to curve and dance. Trying too hard to do something unique with your own style may have contributed to your eventual defeat.

The sun had dropped significantly further in the sky by this point, but it should be fine, you think, there’s enough time for a quick break before you head back to town. The effects of waking up at sunrise and all of today’s action are finally catching up to you.

The game is underway again, but you stay where you are, sitting against a tree with a folded sack as padding. Since leaving the mayor’s place, you can feel the heat, but it doesn’t bother you in the same way yesterday, possibly the one advantageous side-effect from losing your ice ability.

Your grand announcement went over quite well, you think. Earlier, when everyone had first gathered, but before eating, you broke the news to cheer and praise:

“Great work, Cirno!”

“Giant leap for all fairykind!”

“The next step now is to run for president!”

“I really like your badge!”

For the first time in a long time, you felt unstoppable. If only there was some way of sharing the good news with Dai and to be able to hear her reaction! You really do miss Dai and the others.

You had also offered as the sheriff to help out with any big problems someone might have. But really, what kind of problems would the fairies of Sage Springs even encounter? The nature of the desert moves at a slower pace, but is vibrant in its own right. Also a lot healthier than your own home, you grudgingly admit.

Happy voices and the clatter of wooden pieces drift over a cool breeze. The shade speckled with the orange light of the afternoon makes everything look so soft. Falling asleep right about now would be the easiest–

“Hey! Hey!” A new arrival cries out. Her voice, after a drowsy moment, you connect to Aka’s and indeed, the pink-ish fairy and her blue friend, Ao, have arrived. “Oh great, everyone’s already here! Cut playing around, we’ve got a big problem!”

The stressed pitches of her voice batter through your sleepiness. You manage to wobble over, linking up with the rest of the curious group now surrounding the arrivals. These two were some of the more glaring absences that Larva mentioned earlier, now that you think of it. It wasn’t for fun: you observe a big bruise on Aka’s forehead and a light burn on her arms.

“Are you guys okay?” Larva asks.

“No! There’s been an invasion! Our favorite cave is being ransacked!” Aka says. “And worse, the person doing it made Ao cry.”

“I’m fine now.” Ao says, her voice soft. Her face is dry, but her eyes and cheeks are red. “But our rock collection isn’t! It’s all stored inside that cave, but when we were coming back from one of the mines, we found a stranger inside going through our stuff.”

“I told you two so! That old pit of yours was far too close to the mines. It’s dangerous there.” Someone from the crowd voices their own opinion.

“Sienna, you duck every time the train whistles so I’d take that tengu news-lady’s safety advice over yours,” Aka snaps back.

“R-rude! That’s really rude!” Sienna backs away in offense, a hand over her heart.

This brief exchange of hostilities is enough to start a fire in the crowd. Formerly joyous voices descend into bickering uproar. In this sudden free-for-all shouting match, people take the opportunity to settle week-old grudges, or to start new ones. A few escalate the noise in futile attempts to restore order, and some just want to be loud.

“Okay, what I said was kinda mean! I’m sorry!”

“What do you meeean, ‘kinda mean’!?”

“Please! Everyone, let’s calm down!” Larva shouts, struggling to be heard. She moves to seize the high ground, dodges a couple of stray limbs, and hops onto the table, stepping around the abandoned game pieces.

You’ve got to take part in this cacophony too. “Yeah, what the heck is this fuss about… we were just enjoying some nice peace and quiet!” you yell. You’ve missed these kinds of moments too.

Eventually, the calm-downers overpower the rest and everyone quiets down. All eyes are back on Aka, who takes over on the table and quickly launches into an explanation before the still-bubbling crowd can explode again.

“So, yeah, some stranger took over our cave and was stealing our best rocks. When we tried to stop her, she beat us both in a second. She’s hella strong!”

“Uhh, if she’s like a youkai... you can’t ask us to go get crushed on your behalf.” Puff says, nervously bouncing a tumbleweed between her hands.

“No, she’s a freaky fairy of some type. She’s dressed like a juggler or something. If we all work together, I think we can take her!” Aka reassures her.

“She has a scary torch too.” Ao adds in. “Purple flames and all.”

“But isn’t this your guys’ cave?” another voice asks.

“She told us to scram and never come back, so it’s for sure a territory grab! And when she’s done eating our rocks or whatever she wants, no one else’s place is safe! Look, what if she discovers and tries to take over our garden?!”

Heads nod slowly with this new, grave understanding.

“Aka and Ao, did you know Cirno’s the town sheriff now!” someone finally volunteers.”She’ll help you!”

“Huh? Really!” Aka turns to directly address you. “Oh wait, that’s what you and Larva were doing this morning! We’d really appreciate your help against this, this lunatic. She’s a thief and a bully, a super criminal!”

You would gladly lend your aid, no prompting necessary, except… that stupid promise you had made to Aunn about returning to town has come back to bite. Night is falling soon, and there’s no telling how long this new crisis might take to resolve.

Larva senses your hesitation, and she whispers to you, “Cirno, you said that you had to go back into town before sunset. If you need to go, go! We’ll be fine, honestly.”

“What about this cave invader business?” you mutter back.

“It’s probably just a misunderstanding.” Larva shrugs. “It won’t be the first time I’ve had to sort something like this out. But the sheriff has to put the town’s wellbeing first, don’t they?”

As you decide, under Aka’s urging, the group shuffles into a mob ‘formation’, and there begins a murmuring side debate about what weapons to bring. Some fairies peel off, picking up branches or stones, but others are ultimately uninterested, hanging around gossiping or making ready to leave the clearing. Long shadows and longer faces make the scene much more dramatic than it has to be. In the darkening sky, a lone wispy cloud passing overhead is tinged with bleeding red.

[ ] “Sorry everyone, I do need to go back. I’ll come back as soon as I can.”
[ ] “The town’s wellbeing is right here!”
[ ] “Lead the way, Aka!”
[ ] “Follow me, everyone!”

[X] “Sorry everyone, I do need to go back. I’ll come back as soon as I can.”

What a stinking decision to have been forced into. By yourself, nonetheless. Too late to realize that, if you had left earlier as you should have, you could’ve escaped this dilemma entirely.

The deciding factor was a fear that had wormed into your mind: What if the mayor heard about you slacking and you lost the job? You’ve heard all sorts of ugly fates awaiting those who drew the bosses’ wrath: “axed”, “canned”, and the worst, “fired”. You have no interest in being hacked into pieces, turned into food, or melted in a kiln. It couldn’t kill you, obviously, but would be exceptionally traumatizing.

“Don’t worry, they'll understand, I’ll make sure of it. But we’re going to have to work on your sense of time.”

“I… I guess so.” Maybe you really should pick up a watch somewhere. “Thanks, Larva.”

Larva nods at you once before she joins the group. A few glance at you curiously, but their attention is now fully consumed by the mysterious invader. Fantastic speculation and ghostly stories abound. Though Aka’s injuries looked pretty serious, you trust Larva’s word that it’ll work out fine, especially if their opponent is another fairy. You figure if you’re the strongest and Larva is just a little weaker than you, then the group should have little trouble if it comes to real blows.

Feeling a little better, you run out of the woods ahead of the others, carefully slide-hopping down the cliffside, and then re-tracing the trail back into town. Cloaked in blue shadows, the empty trail gives you ample time by yourself. You come to the resolution to be more careful in the future about what you promise. Promises apparently suck when people actually hold you to them.

###

Luckily, despite forgetting to get directions, the sheriff’s office was easy to find, nestled right on main street and a block away from the town hall. Unlike the abandoned buildings around it, the deck is clean, the windows mostly intact. Two identical statues of a polished greenish stone, carved to look like funny lion-like creatures, flank the steps before the office’s front deck. Finally, it helps that Deputy Aunn herself stands outside on a stool, precariously reaching upward with a match to light one of the cast iron lanterns hooked under the facade’s eaves.

She manages to get the oil to catch and begins to lower herself down when you reach the steps, panting.

“Oh, Miss Cirno! I–Whoop!” She almost topples over, but her arms grab onto the head of the nearest statue. “Whew, I saved myself there.”

“Aunn, I’m back! As I promised, before sunset!” As you finish speaking, the last sliver of sun dips behind black sides of the mountains, leaving behind a splash of red and purple in the sky. The very brightest stars have already come out to dance, twinkling down from their celestial ball.

“Well, I can see that! But it’s good you came, there were a bunch of people earlier and they had a lot to say. I’ve taken it all down, but a bigger problem is that one of them stayed behind. She’s the persistent type and she really wants to meet you.” Aunn frowns as she pushes aside the heavy door. It creaks on its hinges. “And she says she has an important message to give directly to you.”

The room is slightly smaller than it seemed from the outside. It’s all oranges and browns, cut with blacks from the shadows. Opposite the front door is a sturdy brick wall, containing an even more solid-looking door with crooked signboard, the word “JAIL” engraved on it. That must be where the rest of the building’s footprint is hiding.

To your right, a staircase ascends to a shadowy upper floor. The rest of the space is well furnished. A metal stove huddles in one corner, nurturing a weak flame nibbling away at the charcoal within. The uneven lighting flickers over a couple desks, some cabinets, and a bunch of waiting chairs. A swaying pendulum clock adorns the side of the staircase while numerous old papers plaster the other walls, crumbly yellow husks that have long lost their identities to time.

In a chair in front of the bigger desk–what must be your desk–is a woman sitting with one leg crossed over the other, thoughtfully reading from a well-annotated notepad. She wears a pressed white shirt and a black skirt, tapping the long tooth of her red shoe in sync with a pencil in her hand. But at the sound of your approach, she immediately perks up. Her voice is precise, ringing with a bell-like quality.

“Welcome back, Miss Deputy. It looks like you’ve finally brought me the star of the show.”

“I told you she’d be in later,” Aunn grumbles.

She rests the pencil on her curled lips, dark crimson eyes boring into the badge on your chest, then moving to match your own curious stare. There’s a discomforting sensation, something between being a small creature circled by a bird-of-prey and a freshly minted coin under the greedy eyes of a raven.

To get away from those overly fascinated eyes, you shift your vision over to her hat. A red hexagonal hat with fluffy pom-poms hanging off it sits atop a cap of neat jet-black hair. You’ve seen the shoes and hat around town before, but can’t make out any sense of them. The hat offers no protection from the sun and the shoes would just make you topple or snap your ankles. Perhaps it’s some fashion fad?

“I‘m Cirno,” you remember to introduce yourself. “I’m the sheriff and I heard you wanted to meet me?”

You fumble with your hands. Humans do handshakes with each other, don’t they? And fairies when they play being businessmen. But what about youkai, who you’d bet the half-melted candy stick still in your pocket that this woman is?

Moving faster than you can catch, she stands up to answer that question, covering your hand firmly within hers. Tilting your head back to look up at her eager face makes you realize what the stilted shoes are good for. She gives your arm a mighty but controlled shake, giving you the feeling she could've flung you straight through the ceiling and the floor above if she so desired. When she finally lets go, you take an unconscious step back.

“It’s an absolute pleasure to meet you, Cirno! My name is Aya Shameimaru, but just ‘Aya’ is fine. Your deputy never provided your description, so I’m honestly surprised. You look a little young...”

“I-I’m a fairy! You’re the one who’s young to me!”

“Hoh! In that case, even I, one of the tengu, must accept my juniority, haha!” Her laugh is sharp. “Yes, you’re hiding your wings, but I can see now you aren’t some ordinary human girl.” She lowers her voice, eyes curious. “Still, sheriff? That’s a rather serious role for a fairy to play as, isn’t it?”

How annoying! Is being sheriff not enough for people to start taking you seriously? And this is one of the famed tengu youkai, in the flesh? You hope they’re not all so weird.

“Miss Cirno’s here now, so just give us the message from your boss.” Aunn demands before you can fire something back. You can fully understand Aunn’s irritation at this person, especially if Aunn had to keep her company before your arrival.

“Two obligations have brought me here tonight. One for duty and one for truth,” Aya announces, holding both her hands up. “As the fine deputy wishes, I can start with business. But please, both of you, take a seat. A cool and pleasant evening like this is perfect for friends to begin a long discussion into the night.”

“Uh, we’re friends now?”

Aya just laughs again. She stoops over to retrieve something from one of the satchels by her chair.

You take your place at your desk, plopping onto the threadbare cushions of a chair that might’ve been fancy at some moment in the last century. It’s too big; your legs dangle off the edge and putting your elbows on the padded rests only makes your arms more tired. You’re just barely able to see over the desk and its lone occupant, a tea set on a tray.

Aunn pulls up a chair on the other side of the desk, facing Aya, who had retaken her seat and now holds a slip of paper between two outstretched fingers.

“Here is the message addressed to you from my chief, Lady Iizunamaru, and our company, the ‘Great Mountain Mining Company’. First, we have a short letter, a memo really. If you would like me to read it…”

“No, gimme the letter. I’ll read it myself!” You yank it from her hand. Unfolding the page, you squint at a wall of elaborately dense cursive. It takes a significant muster of your mental resources to parse the loopy lines, but after a minute or so, you start to read it out:

To the Sheriff of Sage Springs,

We of the Great Mountain Mining Company (hereafter referred to as the “Company”) offer our sincere congratulations on your new appointment. We hope you will enjoy a long and fulfilling career.
As a leading stakeholder in the Sage Springs territory, we express our desire for cooperation in the betterment and safekeeping of the town and her people. It is to this harmonious goal that we warmly communicate to you a few reminders of note:

We wish to remind you that all Company mines, workshops and offices are on private land and are not legally within town jurisdiction. You may be relieved to know that you need not trouble yourself over law enforcement on Company property.
Rest assured that a detachment of our most elite White Wolves will hold a vigilant watch around the clock to keep our personnel and property safe.
If you desire access to company facilities for whatever purpose, you must ask for permission ahead of time. We will give your request the utmost consideration it deserves.

Our most capable Shameimaru shall humbly serve as your primary liaison with the Company. She will accept any requests or questions you may have and will be more than happy to advise you on the interests of the Company.
If emergencies arise, particularly any dangers to the Company, you are encouraged to find Sergeant Inubashiri through any of the White Wolves.

We appreciate your understanding and hope this friendly reminder will help us avoid future misunderstandings.

To a prosperous and mutually beneficial relationship,
Chief Iizunamaru, Great Tengu

PS: The Great Mountain Mining Company also provides financial services! Our most popular offerings include bank accounts, money orders, and loans! Also available are exciting investment opportunities, hassle-free and with generous returns! If you are interested, please ask Miss Tenkyuu at the company store for more details!
<a drawn symbol of a rainbow> <a drawn symbol of a smiling face>

Some of the longer words are a little long, the tengu chief’s name almost massacres you at the end, and there’s a trip up at the end when the handwriting inexplicably changes. Aya claps for you. “You really are no ordinary fairy!”

“So this means…” you start to mentally unwind the knot of words in your head. There’s so much fluff, but cut through it and focus on the important parts…

“I can have my own bank account!?” Banks were some of the most forbidden places for fairies, belonging to the same weight class as government buildings, hospitals, and candy stores. You get a little giddy when you remember that you’ll have money to put in it, too! But wait, did the mayor ever tell you how much you make?

Aunn had taken the letter from you and read through it quietly. She says flatly, “This is a warning, isn’t it.”

“Oh yeah, that too!” you say, indignant. “Sounds a lot like you’re cutting into my authority!”

“Oh dear, oh dear…” Aya looks hurt. “Whatever gave you such negative impressions? The letter is only a formality. But we really do share the same goal for the town to prosper and its citizens to lead full and healthy lives, just with different means. It’d be much better for us to work together, or at least not step on each others’ toes.”

Aunn speaks warily. “More than two-thirds of the people in the town are miners and each one works for you. You run the town’s sole remaining bank and newspaper, all protected by your own soldiers. That’s a lot of toes.”

Aya waves Aunn down. “You say it like that and it all sounds so sinister All I can say is this: we merely offer the services, other people accept them. But that leads me to our second point: if you’re so concerned with the health of the town, and we know you’re not the only one, why hasn’t anyone done anything about the mayor?”

“What are you getting at?” Aunn asks, uncertain.

“A good mayor provides leadership and should use their power wisely and for the good of the people. Yet, as families flee and the town falls to ruins, what is the mayor’s response?”

“Miss Matara has had to deal with those Beast Gangs and she can’t just put gold back into the mines.”

“True, there’s some things one can’t control. But what about the things one can?” Aya turns her head slightly, thoughtful. “When our Company first began operations in Sage Springs, we had to buy land and construct our initial facilities. Ordinarily, these things require some simple paperwork in any locality, but here and only here, getting approval was like flying into a headwind, or perhaps a window pane. And then we started hearing about the others who had tried before us… Prospectors for silver, copper, and lead. Some archeologists planning to try a dig. Even a scheme to tap into the underground springs as irrigation for crops. All denied. It’s as if after the gold had run out, the mayor just gave up… or is hiding something. We can only guess, she’s not particularly communicative these days.”

“The mayor clearly didn’t block your company.”

“Well, we are persistent and are good at advertising ourselves. And we have other ways to overcome these kinds of obstacles. Lady Iizunamaru may be my boss, but she has a boss too. And even mayors have to answer to someone else. There’s always a higher peck, after all.”

“Very kind of you to let us know all this.” Aunn says dryly.

“Keeping people well informed is my specialty!” Aya beams. “So, if you’ve followed along, we have some cause to distrust the intentions of the mayor. Among the fellow townsfolk I’ve spoken to, that feeling is widespread. Surely you’ve both felt this.”

You nod. Aunn does the same after some hesitation.

She lightly shakes her head. “Look, we admit that so far, there is no evidence, only conjecture. Yet this specter of doubt choking the town can only be a bad thing, especially at a time when we must all close ranks against bandits and evil-doers.” Aya leans forward. “As the sheriff, you have a unique privilege to work with and observe the mayor directly. Why not do a little investigating for us? Discreetly, of course. If the mayor is innocent, the town can heal. And if the mayor isn’t, truth and justice can prevail!”

Aunn looked shocked. “You’re asking us to spy on the Mayor!”

“We already know how you stand, komainu. The person being asked is Cirno, specifically,” Aya replies. “You’ve been pretty quiet so far. Any thoughts?”

“Uh… it’s my first day,” you manage, mind swirling. “I’m definitely listening though!”

”That’s fine.” Aya says, scribbling in her notepad. “We can make it worth your while. We understand that you and your deputy have been working diligently to investigate recent events, but we have a much bigger network. The wind has ears, they say. We have vast material resources, as well. All things that could help you in this case, and in future cases.”

Now you feel like you’ve missed something, but her intent is unmistakable. “What happens if we don’t want to help you?” you ask.

“It would be disappointing, but nothing much really.” Aya shrugs. “But consider, if the mayor’s reputation sinks further and with you and Aunn so close to the mayor, naturally there might be… repercussions, misunderstandings. Public opinion can be fickle and cruel and that would be a shame, wouldn’t it?”

“Huh?”

“And we’ve invested so much into this town… if it comes down to it, replacing a couple public officials is comparatively cheap.”

“Wait, what? You mean us? You can’t just do that!” you cry out.

“We can’t?” Aya’s eyes narrow and smile stiffens. “If you insist on a demonstration.”

Faster than flipping a page, Aya is towering over you both, and a sudden buffeting gust causes you to cringe. The desk is enveloped by shadows, as if two broad wings had extended from the tengu’s back to cover you both, yet there’s no physical wings, nothing at all should be blocking the light. The flames in the stove flicker wildly, silhouetting Aya’s angular frame and reflecting in her red eyes.

Also, you’re in the air, dazed, the tengu’s strong fingers around your throat. “We can always see if the next sheriff will be more cooperative.” Aya whispers. She gives your neck a brief un-assuring squeeze.

“Let me go!” You pound her arm to no effect. Fortunately, you can breathe fine. Her hand braces your head in a way that doesn’t hurt, physically at least.

“Hey–” Aunn goes for her gun, but her hand only smacks against empty leather.

“Tsk tsk. In the world of gun duels, speed determines the winner.” Aunn’s pistol is being twirled around a finger on Aya’s other hand. Aunn recoils in surprise.

Except the vampire’s maid, you’ve never seen anyone move that fast before. You could still try to reach Dai’s bomb in your pocket, but even if Aya doesn’t notice and close her hand like a vice, the distances are just too close. If only you could freeze her arm off and free yourself! You can only glare as hard as you can.

“This isn’t even loaded.” Aya raises an eyebrow as she turns Aunn’s gun over in an inspection. She notices the handle, scratched and dented from its recent service as a club, and shakes her head. “Please treat your guns well. Life can be hard enough without immature firearm tsukumogami running about.”

An awkward silence reigns. Looking between the two of you, Aya sighs. “Since you both look like you’ve understood the demonstration, I’m going to put you back down now, okay?”

You both slowly nod. It’s a little difficult without full neck motion. Aya gently places you back on your chair, then hands Aunn the gun back, handle first, which she gingerly takes.

“What was that about!?” You blink away a few tears.

Suddenly, Aya bows. Idly, you wonder what keeps her hat from slipping off her head. “Forgive me if I appeared too harsh. I personally am a big believer in the pen over the sword, but sometimes you’re not given a choice in these things.” She rights herself and returns to her chair. “Think about the proposal some more. And look at this how I see it, the mayor, for reasons unknown to anyone else, has entrusted the safety of an entire town to a week-old komainu and an outsider fairy, backed by nothing but a half-baked truce between the gangs. It’s all a delightful scoop of course, but not exactly an enviable position to be in. You need friends, not enemies.”

You mull over her words. In your leap to the top, you had forgotten to consider that this town is swarming with powerful youkai. Aya may not have intended to actually hurt anyone and you still aren’t at full strength, but it worries you how easily that could’ve gone super badly.

“Friends sure do like giving each other good frights.” Aunn mutters.

Aya brushes off her shirt and crosses her legs, perfectly at ease. After sipping from her cup of tea, she starts speaking again. “Okay, okay, that’s all for the official boring stuff. Let’s move on! In case you're not already aware, I write and edit the Bunbunmaru Newspaper, a weekly paper headquartered right here in Sage Springs. It’s the premier publication on the eastern frontier, the shining beacon of truth in our chaotic age! And to quash a misconception, Miss Deputy, my Bunbunmaru is not affiliated or entangled with any other organizations in the town or elsewhere. I would never allow the spirit of independent journalism to be tainted in such a base way.”

“Uh–huh. But didn’t you just deliver a message for the Great Mount–”

“I’ll have you know I take the separation between my two jobs very seriously!” Goodness, Aya has two jobs! She continues, “Moving on! Right now, a series of recent events have prompted me to prepare an extra edition for tomorrow. Struggling shops hit by a plague of burglary! Readers demand answers! But with new challenges comes a new sheriff!” She pauses to catch her breath, acting even livelier than before. “Cirno, would you mind answering a few questions?”

So many interviews. But at least this time it’s from a newspaper! “Sure! Are my words really going to be printed for everyone else to read!?”

“Yes! That’s how the newspaper works,” Aya says. “Let’s begin with just yourself…”

The questions start pretty normal, Aya scritching away with her pencil. She touches only briefly on personal topics, and a bit more your new status as sheriff. “Easterners care more about what you can do, not where you’re from or who you once were. Remember, you got appointed sheriff by the mayor, but it’s the people who’ll keep you there,” Aya explains. “Alright. Let’s get to the main course. What are you going to do about the Great Burglary Incident?”

You stare at her blankly, “The what?”

Aya furiously jots something down rapidly and opens her mouth, but Aunn quickly cuts in. “Cirno, the cases of theft are what I meant to tell you about earlier. I’ll show you my notes when a certain disturbance is gone, but the short version is this…”

Theft. A lot of theft. In fact, almost every shopkeeper in the town had had something stolen from them, some of them reporting multiple incidents. Aunn had been keeping track of it over the past week since becoming deputy, but it had started as mostly small items, originally chalked up to the recent influx of strangers. But in the past few days, incidents had shot up dramatically and had even started seriously affecting some businesses. Your appointment had brought out the rest of the complaints in one big rush earlier this afternoon.

The mystery perpetrator, the Ghost Thief, most called it, haunted around only at night, could avoid any number of posted guards, and reach through locked containers like they weren’t even there. All that was known was that they were good. No one had managed to catch a glimpse of the Ghost or even heard them in the act, even when stealing impossibly heavy objects.

There was no pattern to what exactly had been stolen. Aya had looked curious at the mention of the town jeweler, who reported the loss of only a few spare jewelry boxes, but no actual jewelry. Slightly more severe was a disaster at the town’s biggest general store, Mountwoods Trading Company. Entire batches of goods had been vanishing nightly at a growing rate, adding up to total losses in the thousands of dollars. Nitori, the kappa inventor, had paused tearing her hair at some missing prototypes to joke that at that rate the entire company, warehouses and all, would be gone in another week and a half.

Businesses of all shapes and sizes had reported anything between those three marks. A saloon, the Sand Whale, was reporting catastrophic hits to their alcohol stockpiles. The Komakusa Hall of Fortune, a fun-sounding place known as a ‘gaming hall’, said some of their dice and other game pieces had been spirited away. A blacksmith was put out of commission when their last hammer finally joined the missing others, taken from under her pillow. The town doctor had thankfully only lost some cosmetic medicines he had in reserve. The town peddler, a calico cat, claimed crippling losses: two boxes of fancy cigars and a basket of cotton socks. And so on. And apparently Mystia had visited, complaining about her missing notebook, convinced it was stolen and that it was destructive to her own saloon.

Nothing was known about the Great Mountain Mining Company. Aya claimed to know nothing about the operations or store divisions of the company.

“Oh! So that's what happened to Mystia! That’s awful.” you remark at the end of the exposition.

“Now that you’re up to speed, is there anything you’d like to say?” Aya asks.

[ ] Explain that you will be gathering more information yourself and that the perpetrators will be caught.
[ ] Politely ask for the thieves to return the stolen items and to stop.
[ ] Issue an open challenge!
[ ] No comment.

[X] Issue an open challenge!

You’re feeling pumped up again. As the strongest of the Misty Lake, fairies had often gone to you to help with their issues. Now it’s starting to dawn that a much bigger circle is depending on you.

Plus, while you can’t say stealing isn’t a funny prank, what kind of boring person does nothing but steal? Someone afraid to fight openly, that’s who. You’ll have no problem keeping your promise. You need the strongest language humans use.

“Whoever this thief is needs to be stopped, so I’m gonna do it,” you announce. “I declare WAR on the Ghost Thief!”

“A very forward response. Short and direct.” Aya’s pencil spins tornadoes on her page. “Is it fine if I quote you on that?”

“Sure!”

“Great, I would like to ask for more detail… but it might not be necessary. Perhaps I’ll save it for next week’s regular. Yes, that’ll be better.” Aya says to herself, before putting her notes and pencil away. “Okay! All I need now is to take a photograph!”

“A photo-what?”

“A photograph. It’s a way of creating a perfect image without needing to draw or use magic!”

“Uh, okay.” You’re still a little confused, but she seems quite eager to get started.

“Right. Give me five minutes to set this up.” Aya fetches her bags, but also reaches for a couple of contraptions leaned against a cabinet. “Good thing I already planned how this’ll look.”

You had noticed the contraptions before, but their tall, spindly shapes made no sense at first. Somehow, these must be the ‘photograph’ makers. The bigger object has most of its length made up by a frame of three crutches, atop of which perches an accordion-like box, a capped tube jutting out from one flat end and a dark woolen blanket dangling off the other. The thinner one is a simpler mixed form, a polished scoop head on a wrought iron pole supported by its own lamp base.

“See, this is my camera.” She pats the side of the boxy head with obvious affection. “It’s what I use to produce the photographs.”

Aya nimbly lifts the ‘camera’ with one hand and carefully uses the other to open the three-legged frame like the petals of a flower. She plants it on the ground at a predetermined spot and, once satisfied with its stability, sets up the lamp stand a few paces away.

From her bag, Aya draws out a pack of mysterious bottles and some tools. Using the smaller desk as a workspace, she uses a mortar and pestle to diligently mix various colored powders and grains poured from the bottles. For a few minutes, the only sounds that can be heard are the grinding and scratching of her spontaneous alchemy.

“Flash, check. Without this, there wouldn’t be enough illumination for a good picture.” She pours the mix into the scoop of the lamp. The wait allows the day’s exhaustions to surface with a yawn, but Aya seems to briefly stiffen up. She sighs as she wipes down her temporary station. “It’s a tiresome process, but it’s worth it, I promise you! You just can’t rush these things. There’s another crow, a hatchling really, who has this cheat talent called psychic photography. It allows her to basically make photographs with her mind from a distance. But because it’s so easy, she lives a slothful existence indoors and never talks to people or does anything else!” Aya drops the bottles back in her bags with a thunk. “And they still gave her her own paper! Meanwhile, the rest of us have to actually work for the good things in life.”

Aya returns to the camera and faces the front of it directly at you. A paper tag with a red leaf symbol dangles from a string tied around the protruding cylinder. “Alright! Cirno, you should have your hat on for this, it’ll make you look taller. Here’s how you two should pose…”

With the help of Aya’s directions and some prodding, you and Aunn arrange yourself until she nods to herself and vanishes under the blanket. Her hands occasionally reemerge to twist several knobs and levers, adjusting the angles between the camera and its supporting frame.

“We’re all set!” She says, muffled from behind the cloth. She pops back out. “Hold that pose! Ignore the light and keep your eyes fixed to the leaf! Just don’t move! Don’t move at all! Pretend you’re a statue, or a kitten is sleeping on your head!”

Aunn twitches a few times, but settles down and remains perfectly still. Your eyes fixate on the tag as you breathe shallowly, waiting for what’ll come next.

There’s a delay, sounds of tinkering from under the cover. Then Aya’s arm emerges from the cover, strikes a match, and drops it in the pile of dust. The mixture crackles before igniting in a bright, bright white flash.

It’s hard to see anything past the sparkling glare, so you hold your head towards where you’re pretty sure the leaf had been. An acrid bitter smoke clogs your nose and you contain the urge to sneeze.

5… 10… 15… seconds pass painfully slowly. You’re starting to wonder if the light had already stopped and you were just permanently blind now.

But in a few more seconds, the light thankfully wears off, dulling down and then sputtering out entirely, leaving behind a chalky smoldering pile. The tube at the front of the camera had been uncovered during your blindness. For a brief moment, your distorted self stares back from the almost liquid eye of glass tucked inside, blocked when Aya replaces the cap over it. She remains under the blanket, working on what you guess is more alchemy judging from the clinking of more bottles and pouring water. It seems like there’s nothing to do but to wait for Aya to finish. Photography sure takes a while. Only the scent of smoke remains… and doesn’t seem to go away.

It spurs you to full alertness. “Something’s burning!”

“There!” Aunn points out a spot near the lamp. Some residue from the flashing powder must’ve landed on the floor and was currently burning into the wood like termites from hell. Thin wisps of smoke twirl upward.

You start stomping furiously on the spot, an image of being trapped in a burning shrine building flashing through your mind. Aunn’s right with you, feet working away. The embers are stubborn, but you seem to be making progress. Yet the smokiness appears to be getting worse…

“It's in the ceiling!” you screech. Aunn moves to reach for a broom by the door.

Aya pokes her head out from whatever she was doing. “Ah. Guess I put too much magnesium in the flash mix. Oops.”

With a gesture of her hand, a powerful gust sweeps through the room. Furniture squeals against the floor and the windows rattle. Dust falls from the ceiling and rises from the floorboards. The movements of unnatural wind trapped inside the room feels like being inside a giant lung, breathing in and out.

“Woah, hey stop that!” Your hands are forced to keep your skirt under control. Undefended, your hat flies off in rings around the room.

Whatever trickery with the wind it was, it’s at least effective. The burning patches fizzle out, leaving behind charred scars and the smoke is completely flushed out.
The wind doesn’t discriminate; the fire in the stove gets smothered too, dropping the room in darkness. Aya gestures once more and the gale softens to a much weaker breeze that swirls about one last time. The stove re-ignites, returning its warm glow to the room. Your hat spins gracefully to land on the hooks by the door.

Your office almost burnt down the same day you got it! And the culprit is humming away under her woolen cover!

“Hey! You–” Youkai or not, you can’t help it. You step forward to drag the annoying tengu out from her cover, but she emerges by herself without warning, almost knocking you over.

It’s done~! It turned out perfectly!” She holds out a flat object. Dark stains cover her fingers. “Take a look at this!”

“Wha…” You peer closer at the thin glass plate. It’s small, about the size of a human hand, but the dimness of the room and a sheen of water on the surface cannot hide the remarkably crisp image on the glass.

“That’s us!” Aunn, peering over your shoulder, is amazed too.

The photograph depicts both of you standing in front of the desk. You’re standing up straight, arms on your hips and by your side is Aunn with her arms crossed. The shadows and the concentration on staying still had given your face a rather tough, stern look. The picture is more detailed than any drawing or painting you’ve seen, the folds of fabric and woven strands of straw in your hat undisrupted by sketched lines or brushstrokes. There’s no clue at all how Aya created it. It’s just like a miniature version of you, frozen on the glass plate.

“My apologies about what happened earlier, but those are the risks of new technology. I’ve tasked one of the kappa with making me a more consistent source of light, but she’s one of those project juggling types so there’s no promises…”

You’re barely listening. No wonder why the photograph excited you so. This is it! The frozen reflection! Something you had tried seeking so long ago. When water is completely frozen, it keeps its shape and everything floating inside of the water stops moving too… except for reflections. No method you had tried in the past could get the freeze perfect, no matter how cold or quick you made it. You had thought an hours-long slow freeze worked, the ice as smooth and clear as a sheet of diamond, until you pre-maturely celebrated and the reflection celebrated back. Freezing a handheld mirror didn’t work either. The lake is too big to freeze, the sun is too high up, and air is too thin, but you’ve always been stumped on why reflections were so resistant, eventually giving up the experiments. But today, Aya had shown you that the unfreezable could be freezable!

“This is… amazing!”

Aya seems overjoyed. “It’s about time someone around here, fairy or not, appreciates photography! Half of the people I take pictures of accuse me of stealing their souls, or privacy, or other baseless accusations. As a matter of fact, you can keep it!”

“Really?! But I thought you needed this for your newspaper?”

“I always expose extras!” Aya reveals two identical photograph plates in her other hand.

“The pictures in the Bunbunmaru don’t really look as good as this,” Aunn points out.

“Unfortunately, that’s because the Yamabushi are the ones who do all the printing work. They take descriptions and drawings, and in my case, photographs, and make engravings of them so they can set those with the letters for printing. Even so, photography allows for more realistic engravings. But by Tenma’s tokin was it an ordeal for them to even accept my photographs in the first place!” Aya stops work and raises a fist in the air. Her voice takes on an exaggerated pitch. “‘There’s not enough contrast!’ You damn hermits need to let a little sunlight into the room then! ‘How am I supposed to carve these details out?’ Figure it out, that’s literally your job! ‘These images are without heart,’ No ‘heart’, my feathery ass!” She breathes heavily, but mostly regains her composure.

“Sounds tough. Why do you bother?” you ask.

“With photography, reporters like myself can finally capture the truth and nothing but the truth. The tyranny of the artist can finally be abolished! And my Bunbunmaru will be leading the charge!”

You look back down at the photograph in your hands for a second look. Since this office was yours, this picture would make an excellent decoration. It’s just missing something. Your wings, yes, but Aya’s enthusiasm gives you the feeling there’ll be no shortage of photographs in the future. Then, looking downward, the blue of your clothes against the imaged glass makes you realize what it is. “Where’s the color?”

“Sadly, cameras cannot see color.”

“Why?”

“Well, that’s just how it–no, you’ve given me a good question… Why can’t my photos be in color? I’ve so meekly accepted the status quo, but now I shall demand an answer from Nitori! In fact, I’ll do so tonight! She’s solved the indoor lighting issue already. My Bunbunmaru with color pictures!? The mind cannot conceive of a force in news publication more formidable! Then the question becomes how I would get them printed… considerations, considerations.” Aya coughs. “Excuse me.”

You move out of her way as she rapidly tears down her camera setup. Soon she’s hefting her bags with the camera and lamp securely tucked under one arm.

“I thank you both for hosting me tonight. As a gift for such cooperativeness, here’s last week’s Bunbunmaru, to help the sheriff get up to speed!” Aya gives two copies of the newspaper to Aunn. “I’ll be coming by for updates on the mystery thief! Expect me often! And don’t forget our other offer!”

Aya uses her leg to open the door, and, giving one last wave, jumps straight up… and continues up. Incredibly, she’s soaring off, flying freely through the night sky. Two dark wing shapes blot out the stars. You gawk for a bit before Aunn closes the door. When you both return to the desk, she puts the newspapers by the tengu letter. You set the photograph down as well.

“I can see how Aya gets the pictures for the newspaper now. But honestly, I think her articles are what need more work, not her photographs.” Aunn says as she checks the tea pot. “Sorry, I should’ve offered tea to you earlier, if Aya hadn’t… aww… whatever wind thing she did made the tea cold.”

“I’ll have some!”

“No problem, I’ll heat back up, right away!”

“Wait, no!” You pull on her sleeve.

Aunn does end up heating the tea again for her own cup, but you enjoy a refreshing cup of cooled tea, with a double helping of sugar. No one could stop you from putting more in, but you have to maintain appearances for your subordinate.

“Oh yeah, my powers should come back in a few days,” you say after finishing up.

“So you were able to get that figured out, I’m glad!”

“And I think I have an idea on the thief!” You relay to Aunn the confrontation probably happening right now between the fairies.

“A fairy thief?” Aunn ponders. “No one’s been able to get a description of Ghost Thief, so I suppose it’s possible. But what kind of power could they have to steal all those things?”

“Yeah, that’s why I’m going to find out and help out my friends.” You stand up.

“You’re going after them tonight? Are you sure you know how to find where your friends are?”

You sit back down glumly. You’ve made it to the hideout at night yesterday, but only with Larva’s expertise and a dim magic light she created. And that was for a known location, not the mines. There’s no choice but to find out what’s happening tomorrow. The frustration causes you to yawn again. Aunn does too.

“We should start investigating tomorrow, when we’re rested. There are bedrooms upstairs. I haven’t finished cleaning all of them up, but they should be usable.”

You’re too tired to disagree. Upstairs, even by candlelight, it’s clear this floor has not been inhabited in a long while. One room is locked, but the others are normal human bedrooms. There’s a dusty cradle on wheels and a bunk bed in one room, which looks fun, but Aunn guides you instead to a reasonably clean room with a wardrobe and a wide bare mattress.

It’s a truly novel feeling laying completely flat on your back to sleep. When you turn your head, the oversized bed seems to stretch forever into the distance.

###

The light pouring through the room’s window is intense. Still a little drowsy, you roll over onto your side, trying to shield your face. The unexpected sound of something crunching, however, wakes you right up.

Right there on top of the bed, are six frosty impressions of your wings surrounding where you had been sleeping. Half of them are crushed, and as you watch, all of the fine ice crystals give way to dew drops on the tough mattress surface. But you know what it means.

“Yahoo!” A few snowflakes fly out of your palm in excitement. Nature is finally healing. “Yes!”

But after calming down, you can sort of remember the events of last night, learning about your new opponents, some Ghost Thief and some evil fairy messing with your friends, who may or may not be the same person. Your ice is returning bit by bit, but you’ll need more power, something that won’t be hampered by weather or changing seasons or anything else. You head downstairs to start the day.

Aunn is sitting at the small desk, writing some notes. “Good morning!”

Two copies of Aya’s extra are already on your desk, adding to a growing pile of papers. You skim-read through the front and then the back page while slowly chewing your way through a flavorless breakfast of hard bread. You make a mental note to get Larva to visit the office on her shipments. The newspaper is much more pleasing, your own words gloriously rendered in the bold headline: “SHERIFF DECLARES WAR ON BURGLARY INCIDENT, PROMISES DECISIVE ACTION”, the printed version of your photograph right below it. There’s some more interviews with storekeepers affected by the burglaries, too, fear and anger apparent in their words.

Washing the last of the doughy mass with some tea, you’re ready to finally review all the resources available to you. “Aunn, show me the arsenal!”

“Huh? Oh, right away!”

It’s apparently upstairs, right next to the room you had slept in. It’s a little disappointing, not much bigger than a closet and a thin layer of dust covers every exposed surface. There aren’t many actual guns left and they all give a strong impression of age and unwantedness. Many dull metal bits and tools on a standing bench, and some small crates are stacked up in the corner. Prying one open, you discover a grid of brass cylinders, rounded at the tip. Allowing you space, Aunn returns downstairs.

From what you can figure from past fairy hearsay and your own exploration, the gun is basically a metal tube that launches small pellets called bullets at a very high speed. Somehow, pulling the lever inside the hoop at the bottom of the thing causes this. However, the levers on some of the guns here don’t budge or are missing entirely, and even the ones that seem functional, you just can’t get to work. There’s usually an upper lever on top that retracts with a click and swings back when the lower lever is used, but you can’t find any parts like a slingshot or bow that need to be stretched.

Aunn doesn’t know how to shoot either, but there should be others who do! Larva perhaps, and Aya definitely seemed to know, though you feel a little leary turning to her for help so soon. There’s also the mayor, and really, anyone else you’ve seen carrying a weapon. When you’re investigating, maybe you’ll have a chance to ask.

But which gun to take with you?

The biggest gun is what you think is called a ‘rifle’. You bring the gun out of its cabinet and hold it vertically, resting its wooden wing on the floor. Standing on your toes, you can just make out the hollowed tip of the barrel. Unfortunately, it’s awfully heavy and unwieldy. Even with a solid grip on its worn body, you aren’t quite able to keep the far end level from shaking without feeling a burn in your arms or tipping over entirely. Waddling around with it, you accidentally slam it into the door knob, launching a plume of dust off the door. The jolt rings through the barrel, your ears, and your bones for a solid minute.

“What was that?” Aunn calls from below.

“Nothing!” You decide to try something else, putting the long gun back.

Nothing really seems to be made for fairy-sized hands here, but are three that seem workable. It’s just too bad all of them would require both hands to be held properly!

One has the same general form as the big rifle, but is much shorter and lighter. It’s the newest-looking gun of the collection, the metal shining after you rub the dirt layer off. After fiddling around, you’re able to pull the entire loop around the shooting lever away from the body, bringing a block of metal downwards and exposing the rear opening of the barrel. There’s a flippable metal tab that looks like a ruler on the top part of the weapon.

One is even shorter, but is the heaviest. It has two short but wide barrels. The entire thing breaks open at a hinge, letting you easily stick your entire thumb inside one of the two large openings. Putting it back together is very simple.

Finally, there’s a proper revolver, the lightest and smallest gun. It’s still a solid amount of weight and a little rusty, though. The rotating section has five chambers, exposed one at a time from a slot in the side. You have some fun with the cylinder, hearing it click as it turns.

[ ] Smaller Rifle
[ ] Two Barrels
[ ] Revolver

[X] Revolver!

Really, you would’ve taken all the guns if only they weren’t so obnoxiously heavy. After some thinking, you finally decide on the revolver. It’s the most convenient to carry around and also the most common weapon you’ve seen so you can’t go wrong with that.

You very quickly encounter a problem: the revolver might be the smallest, but it’s still too big for fairy-sized pockets. Thankfully, some more searching around produces extra equipment in a different cabinet. You pick out the narrowest belt and the most suitable holster for the pistol, strapping everything together around your waist. The weight is unfamiliar, but something that must be gotten used to. A few poking adjustments help to prevent the thing from thumping against your side when walking.

With this, it should be time to go back downstairs, but the glint of metal returns your attention to all those brass cylinders inside their crates. There has to be a purpose for all these round pieces to be here and, having messed around with all these guns close up, you’re starting to get some ideas. All the guns have round openings, which can’t be a coincidence. You take out your revolver again and inspect the empty chambers inside the rotating element. Circular pegs… round holes… hm.

You pick up a long cylinder with a rounded tip and shake it. It’s heavy and dense, definitely not hollow. When you try to insert it in the revolver’s rear slot, only the tip can fit, the rest sticking out. You toss it back. The fatter, flat-topped cylinders obviously wouldn’t fit so you pick up one of the smallest ones. You find the slim metal slides into the rear slot of the revolver like a ferret slipping into a warren.

Yet nothing happens when the bottom switch is pulled. After some more experiments, you find that forcing the upper lever back makes it stick and even turns the drum for you, moving the filled hole one space over. Pressing below again makes the lever return with a loud snap, but nothing else really happens. But you eagerly set the gun such that the brass filled hole is in the spot next to the barrel and repeat the steps. Click. And finally, with another squeeze of both fingers and…

BANG

…you’re on your back, ears ringing and eyes trying to focus at the wobbling ceiling.

A distant cascade can be heard from outside, of objects falling and wood breaking, punctured by the yowl of a cat. Much closer, it must be Aunn rushing up the stairs.

You vigorously rub your aching nose and sit up. The revolver lies smoking on the floor by your splayed legs. It must’ve jumped backward out of your grip and smacked you in the face. Thank goodness you had been pointing at nothing but the closet’s outer wall. The planks there now sport a neat round hole, light shining through it and catching on the dust swirling above you.

Your deputy enters the room, breathing hard. “Cirno, are you okay?!”

“Yup.” You shakily pick yourself off the ground. Exaltation begins to replace the shock vibrating through your nerves.

She takes in the scene with caution, sniffing at the air. “What happened?”

“I think I just figured out how to shoot! I’m a genius!”

“In here!? That’s very dangerous! Guns can kill people! You can’t… ahem, I strongly advise you to wait to find someone to teach us.”

“Aww! I’m pretty sure I got it down!” Instantly deflated, you brush yourself off and put the pistol into its new home at your hip. “Do you even know anyone else who can show us the right way to shoot?”

“Not right now, but that’s what the mayor said to me,” Aunn says. “She warned me to not worry about learning how to use firearms until a sheriff can be found. But in this case it probably holds for us both.”

Taking care to avoid a few stray splinters around the edge, you peer through the small hole in the wall. There’s a narrow view of the splotchy brown rooftops down Main Street. You suppose Aunn is right; this hole could’ve been in your body as easily as it is in the wall and your nose still throbs a little, but just in case, you secretly pocket a few of the working small pieces.

On the stairs, Aunn glances at the door to the jail and stops. You almost bump into her. The deputy slaps her forehead and turns to face you. “Oh, right! Almost forgot to tell you, but yesterday there was one complaint that wasn’t for the burglary. This one gentleman brought an old doll that he claims is cursed and was following him around. It just smelled kinda funny but I took it anyway because the guy was a little pushy and I wanted to get to the rest of the people. I just left the doll in one of our cells.”

“Oh yeah, we can lock people up now!”

“Responsibly.” Aunn adds. “We only have two cells and the doll is taking one of them up now. I don’t think it’s related to the burglaries either so we could deal with it later. If you don’t mind, I’d like to show you the information I’ve collected about the thief and discuss strategy.”

You shrug. Work calls already. You follow Aunn to her desk, where a bunch of papers are neatly organized.

“Apparently, there were more thefts last night,” she continues speaking. “As usual the Mountwoods Trading Company got stolen from again. Then, a shipment of liquor for some of the affected saloons went missing after unloading from last night’s train. The lady who works the good-fortune booth says she lost some spare tools. That’s pretty much it. It’s just hearsay right now so further investigation could be helpful.”

Aunn moves aside some notes to clear off a complete map of the town.

“I’ve been marking out all the burglaries that’ve happened to date. There’s more patterns I think this data could…”

The underlying map is some kind of printed survey, detailed blocks representing buildings sitting on a field of squiggly lines and further intermeshed with handmade markings and notes. Eye-catching red dots with a tiny date and time by them mark out incidences of theft on different buildings. You think about it. Do you really want to stare at paper all day?

[ ] Yes, this strategy meeting is important.
[ ] No, check out the incarcerated doll.
[ ] No, Start field work right away: (Two can work faster than one! Mark 2 destinations with [A] for Aunn and [C] for Cirno, or [AC] for both to visit 1 location)
----[ ] Mountwoods Trading Company
----[ ] The Sand Whale
----[ ] Blinding Ballad
----[ ] The train station
----[ ] Fortune booth lady
----[ ] Catch up with the fairies (Cirno only)

[X] Yes, this strategy meeting is important.

“...particularly since only a few places seemed to get stolen from repeatedly. Especially the Mountwoods Company. ” As Aunn explains, she taps a pencil on a large square, filled with a swarm of red dots within.

“Right, right!” You nod rapidly. “Shouldn’t we investigate?”

“We definitely will, but we have to make sure we have as much figured out as possible.”

“Okay…” You’re still not exactly sure how just talking and drawing dots would help with catching thieves, but you’re still a little drowsy this morning so a break is fine too. Taking a seat, you slouch over the desk, elbows grazing the edges of the map.

The lines and dots pile up in your head, abstract patterns bubbling up in your mind, accompanied by Aunn’s voice. “Some of the relationships are pretty obvious. The victims are all shopkeepers of some sort, and the only things taken are needed for their business. There’s not been a single report of anything personal lost nor has anyone’s home been broken into. The biggest unknown is why certain businesses are being hit harder than others, and I think the key lies in this!”

Aunn picks up and shows off a stack of grayish paper that crinkles in her hands. It is a collection of various newspapers, all older editions.

“M-more papers!?”

“I’ve been trying my best to catch up on things since the Mayor made me into the deputy. While doing so, I couldn’t help but notice that what’s been happening now matches the methods of certain known criminals hanging around town. Groups of them, in fact. I say it’s the Beast Gangs who are the ones behind the Ghost Thief! Their motive is most likely trying to extort the shopkeepers for protection money.”

She tabs through the stack, showing off several of the headlines. Each involves people or towns attacked by one of the three Beast Gangs. The first paper’s front page has an illustration of cloaked figures with animal masks surrounding a burning farmhouse.

You poke at the image. “Huh. But everyone says those guys are tough and scary. Why would they be sneaking around?”

“Remember, the Mayor’s truce means they agreed to not do anything violent while in town. Something underhanded like this is the only way for them to exercise muscle.”

“But some places are being stolen from less?”

“Obviously, the shops willing to cooperate aren’t being hit anymore. Maybe it’s a poorly disguised attempt to throw people off their trail.”

You give the information a brief moment to be digested before bouncing up from your seat with fist squished into palm. “So! When do we fight the Beast Gangs?”

“Uhh… fight the Beast Gangs?” Aunn asks, looking concerned.

“Yeah? Don’t we need to go after the bad guys?” you answer, a little confused.

“Well, yes… but like, head on?”

“Yeah!”

A pause. “I don’t mean to cause offense… But they might be a bit too much, even for you.”

Not a bad point. “True. We just have to wait until my ice comes back.” You settle back down.

“That’s not… Instead, how about this: maybe we can build up a case and get some help before a direct confrontation.” Aunn moves her head forward. “I actually spoke to the mayor about this before, but she says there’s no proof and so she can’t do anything. Now that you’re here, we can get some evidence to help get back the stolen goods and get rid of the gangs.”

This plan kinda makes sense to you, but it seems all this new evidence is bugging you.

“Cirno?”

“Huh? I’m just thinking that I remembered something important…” Your mind races. Stolen goods, huh?

Your eye catches on the list of the missing items and you slide the memo over to help refresh yesterday night’s memories. It’s well sorted and written in Aunn’s structured and crisp handwriting, items grouped up by type and origin. There’s alcohol to chug, game dice to toss, hammers to swing, and even fancy cigars to try. All this stuff is pretty sweet loot. To be honest, this Ghost Thief has excellent taste and you feel a twinge of jealousy at the skill of the prankster. What a mighty trick, played out like this on a whole town and never caught, and still going and going.

Wait…

A deeper search through yesterday’s crowded events brings you back to that weirdo fairy, the one who had been stealing precious rocks from Aka and Ao’s cave. Fairy pranks in town and now a known fairy thief lurking about. It’s the final piece; a coincidence like this can’t actually be a coincidence! Scratch skilled prankster, you’ve caught them right in the act!

You lean forward on the table. “Ha! Forget the Beast Gangs. Remember what I told you last night: the Ghost Thief is actually a fairy! I even know who they are!”

“Oh, yes… you did mention something along those lines yesterday. You really think all this is the work of a single fairy?” At your vigorous nods, Aunn asks, “But why would a fairy want to steal all this stuff?”

“Hah! Don’t you know? When things get lost, it’s because of the fairies! It’s a classic kind of prank that every fairy strives for.” You pump your fist.

“I-I see…” She hesitates. “It’s all just a prank? I’m not sure if that’s good or bad…”

“Normally, I’d like to get in on the action, but I suppose we have to play the cops this time.”

“Cirno, we are the cops,” Aunn complains. “And about this mystery fairy… I’m concerned about some things. For one, they don't sound very stealthy. It doesn’t match what the thief’s done so far.”

“I dunno. Maybe they got overconfident.” You shrug.

“Okay… but how would a lone fairy move all the stolen goods. We’re talking about furniture and large barrels of alcohol.”

“Err.” You think on it, quickly. “Magic?”

Aunn looks unimpressed. “Isn’t this all far too convenient?”

“Hey! All these questions… it’s like you don’t believe me. Hmph”

“No,” Aunn waves her palms at you. “I’m just a tiny bit skep–very curious about your theory and would like to understand it better.”

“What’s there to understand? There’s thefts and there’s a thief so of course they are related. Besides, Larva and the others have probably beaten them up already. They went after the thief last night so we can just go over and pick them up right now! Then we can force them to show us where the stuff is hidden. Easy peasy.” You finish with arms crossed.

“There’s no way it can be that simple! Even I know that and I was born a week ago!”

“What? Really?” That's incredible news. You thought only weeds and bugs could grow up that quickly.

“Uh, yes.” Aunn blinks several times. “I guess the Mayor didn’t–”

“O-hoho. Then how can you be so sure about the Gangs doing this?” Fingers stroke an invisible mustache. “You’re just a wee youngster, after all. Easy to stray and culpable to flights of fancy.”

“That’s not fair!” Aunn jumps out of the chair, the wooden legs screeching. “I’ve done research! I’ve thought through this a bunch! The Beast Gangs are the only people with the skills and motives to be doing this, and stores being stolen from the most are the ones most likely to know something! That’s why we have to follow up with them, let them know it’s safe so they can be witnesses to the extortion plot! Besides, we should focus on helping the townspeople getting hurt!”

“What? Fairies are being hurt too! And at least we’ve seen the thief.” Now you’re standing up, using your own chair in order to match Aunn’s eyes at level.

“There’s still no proof whoever they saw is the thief. It makes sense only in the most accidental, strung together way. And even if your friends did so, that was last night, so where’d we even find them now?” She challenges back.

“Well… b-but,” you stammer.

This back-and-forth seems to be endless. You’re the one who’s right, you know it, but Aunn’s fierce insistence sows doubt despite your best resistance. However, at the end of the day, you’re the sheriff here and you’re the one calling the shots.

[ ] “I’m the sheriff, so my way goes!”
[ ] “Fine, whatever! You win.”
[ ] “Okay, then let’s split! First person to catch the Ghost Thief wins!”
[ ] “...What if we’re both right?”

[X] “...What if we’re both right?”

“What do you mean by that?” Aunn cautiously asks.

You put your newest idea out: “I mean, what if that weirdo fairy was the Ghost Thief and was working for the gangs at the same time? Right?”

“I guess that is a possibility…” Aunn ponders for a quiet second. “No, you’re definitely not wrong. I only thought about the motives and behaviors without thinking about who exactly might be carrying out the gangs’ plans. There’s no reason we can’t both look at patterns and also track suspicious individuals to fix this situation.”

“Yeah! So the best way now is for us to find the Ghost Thief and have her confess the goods!”

“Not so fast,” Aunn blocks you again, but her tone is friendly. “We don’t even know where that fairy is. If they are hiding somewhere after last night, then it’ll be impossible to find them.”

She waves towards the hazy window and the maze of brownish mountains in the distance. There’s really no way around that, is there? Only Larva and the others would know, but you were hoping for an opportunity to catch up with them later today anyways.

She pushes forward, “Instead, if they really were fairies working for the gangs, I believe evidence might be found closer in the town.”

“There’s so many people affected, though,” you complain, looking at the spread of dots on the map. “It’ll take so many forevers to get through all of these!”

“That’s true, but we can split up the work to focus on specific patterns,” Aunn proposes. “Say we put the business hit the hardest in one group, which would be Mountwoods and the saloons. Then we can say the stores that only lost a few things can be in a second group, and so on. This way we can focus on seeing if any details match up between the different victims.”

“Ah, I see it now!” By combining the related items together, instead of visiting a dozen locations, you only need to go to a group or two. It really does feel like there’s less work! You eagerly jump into sorting out the jumble of names and numbers into something manageable. It takes quite a bit more discussion, but you both eventually arrive at five separate groups that would be convenient to work on as a batch of cases.

The first and most obvious group was as Aunn had already laid out: the Mountwoods Trading Company, The Sand Whale, and The Blinding Ballad, all places that had lost a lot of product and were greatly damaged because of it. She was convinced there had to be a good reason why. Calmer now, you realize it would also be nice to make sure Mystia was doing okay.

Just as easy to figure out was the second group. These were a bunch of places not affected too badly, including the fortune booth lady, the jeweler, and the town doctor, as well as–most distinctly–the fun-sounding Komakusa Hall of Fortune. It was an open question whether they had good security or a secret deal with the Gangs, or something else going on.

The third group was slightly more nebulous, determined to be the two individuals who didn’t seem like true businesses. They were Nitori Kawashiro, the kappa inventor who you’ve already seen and heard so much of, and a peddler cat. You and Aunn agreed that they were both awfully upset despite not losing anything particularly valuable or having much of a business to lose at all. But there were victims, and so deserved some investigation, at least to rule out any accidental losses. It might be tricky tracking them down, however.

An even more nebulous fourth group and technically the biggest of them all were the combined Great Mountain Mining Company and the town’s mine workers. You were the one to bring it up as, thief or not, no prim and proper fairy could’ve left something as tempting as the literal biggest organization in town alone. You’re sure they’ll have plenty of interesting things to look at. Maybe they’ll even let you put in a complaint for Aya’s behavior last night! Aunn agreed that the lack of reports from the mine workers and their families was something to look into. Even if the Tengu were too scary to mess with or weren’t sharing any information, would that really be the same case for all their hundreds of workers settled all around town?

Adding to this fourth group, Aunn brought up an additional place, the town’s train station. That was where you first landed in town, merely two incredibly busy days ago. It’s owned by yet another organization with too many letters in their name: the Union Celestial Railroad Company, apparently also very big and rich and powerful. They not only ran the trains, but also controlled the town’s mail and a “telly-graffy” machine, which was explained to you as something like mail, but much faster and cheaper. Sounds redundant to you, but what humans like wasting money on isn’t your problem.

Finally, at your insistence and tempered by the fact the round trip alone would consume significant time, the fairies living on the outskirts got a fifth group all to themselves.

Whew, it feels like you’ve already moved a mountain! The heat from the morning sun is just starting to bleed through the windows and gaps in the walls, a little taste of your first full day on the job to come. But now, armed with an idea for the Ghost Thief’s identity, a plan to root them out, and even a new weapon to beat them with, you’re feeling highly confident. Now all that’s needed is to do the work and find the evidence that proves yourself right!

You choose to first investigate…

[ ] Group 1, the biggest losers
[ ] Group 2, sweating the small stuff
[ ] Group 3, the odd ones out
[ ] Group 4, the stones left unturned
[ ] Group 5, catching up with friends!

[X] Group 4, the stones left unturned

“Let’s start by meeting with the miners and the train people!”

Aunn agrees readily, and files away her papers. She hangs onto a notepad and a pencil, while you need nothing more than your hat, gun, and brand new badge.

And so you both set out, joining with the other people out and about on their morning tasks. Unlike the night crowd, everyone’s subdued, keeping to themselves and you can’t help but get a strong impression of walking in streets just a little too large and surrounded by buildings slightly too big, like putting on oversized clothes.

You give out waves and greetings to those you pass at first, as isn’t that what a good officer of the law is supposed to do? A young-looking human couple only stares at you with confusion. Some youkai in overalls and carrying a stack of metal buckets, gives a hesitant nod. A short-haired girl in a dapple-patterned brown cloak and cap pulling a cart, shoots you a suspicious, hostile look.

You complain to Aunn. “Hey, what’s going on with all the mean people?”

“Don’t worry, Cirno, it’s not you. People are just worried about making do.” Your deputy tries to reassure you.

After that, you decide to purely focus on your destination. It’s easy to find: three maroon brick chimneys high in the sky.

The hike takes you across town, away from the main thoroughfare and zig-zagging through much emptier side streets, reaching the bubbling stream and crossing over a footbridge. And after passing another row of decaying facades and a fence collecting a pile of tumbleweeds, the Great Mountain Company’s headquarters comes into view.

No signs are needed to let anyone know that the tengu are staying here, in a mighty compound on a hill. What you can see of the buildings are freshly painted with clean gray-tiled roofs, but most of the structures are hidden away by an enclosing wooden palisade. Blocky towers break up the massive wall and occasional glimpses of white figures can be spotted patrolling atop the fortifications.

“This is like a whole castle!” You struggle to reckon how much it would’ve cost to build.

“Yes, and defended like one too,” Aunn mutters.

You both trudge up an inclined path to where a barred gate blocks your way further in. Two guards flank the entrance, each heavily armed. They have curved swords, sheathed and hanging from their hips, along with round shields on their left arms. Both also have what looks like a long rifle strapped over their opposite shoulders.

You and Aunn share a worried look. But you need to get through so it can’t be helped. The two guards have obviously seen you, glaring over the distance.

They stand perfectly at attention, wearing matching white uniforms decorated with pom-poms over black dress pants with red highlights. These guards must be a type of tengu too, since they have those red caps and a single raised leg under each boot. They stand so still it’s like they’re part of the gate itself.

Do they blink? By looking at their noses, you can avoid their uncomfortable eyes. Unfortunately, with your attention taken up, you step on a misshapen rock and almost trip. Aunn supports your arm, but no obvious reaction comes from the watchdogs, though you’d swear their pale eyebrows shifted.

A little closer, you can see that their crisp white and black uniforms don’t hold up well against the encroaching tan dust. Even more interestingly, are those bags under their reddish eyes? Is it possible they’ve been standing out here over the entire night? Nah, there’s no way a job could suck that bad.

It’s up until when you can see the laces on their formerly polished boots that they actually say anything.

“Halt!” The tengu on the right barks first. “Who are you, and state your business.”

“You guys don’t know? I’m the sheriff! We need information!”

He shakes his head. “This is company property. We can’t allow any unauthorized individuals onto the premises. Please leave.”

“Aw come on. There’s no way your boss doesn’t know me. She wrote a letter yesterday!”

“Sorry, little misses. Orders are straight from the Sergeant. We can’t let you in and that’s that.” The guard on the left sneers, showing off her sharp teeth.

Aunn tries her own appeal. “Please, we’re working on an important problem. We just want some information on catching the Ghost Thief who’s been stealing from the townspeople.”

The male tengu snorts. “Ghost thief? Isn’t that…”

“Yup, sounds like that bird’s shitty paper actually suckered some people. They definitely look silly enough.” The two share a laugh. The female turns towards you, her hand on her hilt. “We have nothing to do with the affairs of the town. You can always play around elsewhere. Now scram!”

You ball your fists up “What’s that supposed to mean? You wanna fight!?”

“Pfft. As if. I could swat you half-way across the territory with just my sheath, fairy who whatever you are. Still want to be a problem?”

Aunn places her hands on your shoulder and drags you back several paces. She whispers into your ear, “Cirno, these guys aren’t budging. Maybe we can come back another time…”

A shadow falls over you. Stupid gates and their stupider keepers. This was all a big waste of your time. Unless maybe you can sneak your way in…

“Ha, wow, I’ve never seen a line outside this gate before!” A new, powerful voice, directly from behind!

Startled out of your devious thoughts, you spin around, only to see a gray torso. You look up, and gape in wonder at the stranger looming over you. This breathing colossus is tall, at least two heads above either the tengu, and they’re wearing stilted boots while she has nothing but dirt underfoot. If she stretched her long, lean arms overhead, she could probably touch the tip of the wall posts and lift herself over. She’s not nearly as wide a bulky circus strongman, but what her dark work clothes doesn’t cover is firmly muscled, and she grasps a heavy pickaxe, nearly comically small in her grip.

The two guards flinch when they recognize the newcomer.

“Miss Foreman, greetings.” The female tengu bows stiffly, followed by her partner. “I apologize for you having to see this. Please excuse us and give us just a moment to remove these interlopers.”

“Oh I see.” The corner of the newcomer’s mouth curls upward. She looks thoughtful for a moment, finger on her chin. Her dark pupils gleam like polished basalt. “My bad, I just remembered: actually, them two gals are with me.”

“W-what? B-but…” the male tengu stutters.

She shrugs. “I said what I meant.”

“Excuse me, but I was not informed that the Chief would be expecting additional visitors. If you want, we can call over Sergeant Inuba–” The tengu can’t finish her sentence before the giant shakes her head.

“If Izzie has a problem, she can tell me in this important meeting I should be having with her right ‘bout now!” The miner frowns. Small pebbles learn to hop as she taps her foot impatiently. “Look, one of us is opening that gate and it'll be a lot easier if you do it, I’m sure.” She flexes the fingers in her free hand.

“Uh, yes! We understand completely!” A key is quickly produced and soon enough, the gate glides open on well-oiled hinges. His partner fumes, but stays silent.

Aunn and yourself remain standing, still stunned at this rapid turnabout.

“C’mon!” A mighty pat on the back nearly sends you sprawling. “I heard you needed information so I’ll show you where the Chief’s office is, ‘cause that’s where I’m headed.”

“Heck yeah! Bweh!” You stick your tongue out at the guards, who both give you the stink eye in return. Aunn blinks and follows you. This is an amazing window!

And just like that, you’ve gotten into the sanctum of the tengu! The gate opens into a wide courtyard. It’s kinda empty; apart from red and blue banners with tengu script flying from the towers, the only movement is from a couple of Aya-like tengu who turn to stare at the party and a synchronized line of the white tengu repeatedly pushing themselves off the ground for some reason. To your right, behind the pushers, is a stout and narrow log building. Some straw dummies are set up in a row outside, which makes you shiver a little. On the left, the chimneys are based from a hulking brick structure which is connected to something like a barn or storehouse. And in the middle is a stately mansion with graceful curved roofs, three stories tall.

The stranger steers towards the main building and you trail closely behind. She’s definitely not one to keep up with fashion. Her working clothes have seen better days: heavily washed out, patched over, and held together with looping stitches of green and orange and yellow. Loose ends from the colored yarn fall like a rain of tassels from her body. Her blueish-iron hair is tied back in a messy ponytail that drops to waist level. Most curiously, orderly columns of shiny coppery ribbons are banded around onto each pant leg and shirtsleeve.

She turns to look at you. “Ah yeah, just call me ‘Momoyo’. The only people squealing this ‘Foreman’ crap are the ones who’ve done something wrong. And you better hope you ain’t doing something wrong. So just ‘Momoyo’, thank you.”

“A-are you alright doing this?” Aunn questions, catching up. “We appreciate the help, of course, but won’t there be trouble?”

“Eh… nah. The tengu can be stuck up, but they know strength.” Momoyo rests her pickaxe on her shoulder as she walks. “Anyhow, it’s healthy to be messed with from time to time.”

“What’s with all the ribbons on your arms?” you ask.

“Safety, ‘course. Even when it’s dark, people need to watch out when I’m busy swingin’.” Momoyo notices the badge on your dress. “Oho, so you’re the new sheriff in town!”

“Yes I am!” you proudly announce. “If you have a problem, I’ll fix it!”

“You never back down, do you? I like that spirit,” she responds heartily. “And if I ever need something in the crawl-spaces, I know who to call on.”

“Yeah! Wait... no!” You become glum. “You’re also not taking me seriously.”

Momoyo laughs. “That’s harsh! And it’s a bit true, I admit. But that’s how it works for a new face.”

“What do you mean? I thought the Mayor told everyone I was the sheriff already.”

“Well, the Mayor might like you–not a good thing in my humble opinion–but titles don’t mean much. They call me foreman, but my miners listen to me ‘cause we work well and I always try to do right by ‘em. And ‘course, if they want to make trouble, I can always hit back twice as hard, and they know it. But between strangers, there’s not any trust, y’see? That stuff takes time and work.”

“But getting other people to like me seems hard!”

“But who said anything about being liked? I said trust, but that comes from lotsa things. Take Iizunamaru–that’s Izzie’s full name–she’s what they call a ‘Great Tengu’ and she’s also the Company’s chief. Very fancy, right? But she can back it all up and then some. She’s an absolute brawler. She’s fast and she’s a master of the bludgeon. But she's always fair and cool-headed. Her looks ain’t bad either, to be frank.” Momoyo runs her hand through her hair. “All in all, her underlings both love and fear her, which was something she’s said to me before. How it’s better to be feared than loved, and best to have both! See, I kinda already knew that, but apparently she read it in a book. But that’s the chief for ya, she knows a lot, too, and likes to read books. Pretty amazing, huh?”

You nod. The only other person who reads books for fun is your teacher from way back then, who you now realize also taught that lesson on love and fear well. Your frustration remains that building trust sounds like a long long process to get anywhere.

Shortly, you reach the cool shade of the front awning. Momoyo pushes past double stained-glass doors, letting everyone into a lavish interior. Passing a wall lined with fancy paintings and miniature trees, avoiding a purple-capped tengu with twintails lugging a bulging briefcase, the miner expertly navigates through the hallways before reaching a set of stairs. A brisk climb to the top floor and another flurry of passages leads to a large lounge room.

The only person here is a fox youkai sitting behind a desk of rich mahogany, who closes her book and neatly sets her glasses on top when you arrive.

“A fine morning to you, Miss Foreman.” The fox-woman stands and bows towards Momoyo. Momoyo nods politely back, but says nothing.

She then turns to you and Anun without missing a beat. “Miss Sheriff, Deputy. Warmest welcomes to the headquarters of the Company. I’m Tsukasa, I serve as Lady Iizunamaru’s secretary. I hope everyone had a pleasant time getting here today.”

You’re about to say something about your getting here, but the secretary’s already moved on in her song-like voice.

“I must apologize to everyone. Lady Iizunamaru’s last meeting is running a tad bit late. I hope you understand and she should be ready shortly.” With a dainty bounce in her movement, she gestures towards a set of sky-blue cushioned chairs. “In the meanwhile, please, have a seat! While we wait, could I interest you in some coffee or perhaps tea?”

Momoyo sips away at a steaming mug of coffee while Aunn gratefully accepts the tea. Tea is just too bitter so you decide to try out the coffee. You get the briefest impression of spark of something in Tsukasa’s eyes, but it must be your imagination.

The porcelain mug depicts a pretty little scene of a frozen mountain with speckled stars against a blue night sky. You stare at the black liquid inside with uncertainty. It certainly smells nice and earthy.

“Black coffee? Impressive,” Momoyo comments.

“Cirno, be careful-” Aunn’s warning comes a tad too late.

The taste almost strangles you. It’s hotter and bitterer than tea could ever be!

“Oh my, are you alright, Miss Sheriff?” Tsukasa asks, looking as concerned as the other two. “We have sugar and milk if you’d prefer.”

You nod, and she takes the cup. When she comes back, whatever she did made it a bunch lighter, but it’s not enough. You cringe as you barely avoid spitting out the second mouthful of liquid death. Your sore tongue will probably be feeling this for another week.

“Wy didthn'th you wern me?”

“Oh! My deepest apologies. I merely didn’t want to be rude with someone whose tastes I don’t know. I shall correct my mistake right away!”

Tsukasa brings over a tray with a small jug of milk and a sugar bowl and gives you a spoon. Eventually you get the coffee to be somewhat drinkable, but the drink has almost inverted in color entirely. Oh well. At least it’s cold and sweet.

Suddenly, the office door opens. And of all people to emerge, it’s Aya! But unlike the composed, arrogant face from last night, the photographer and messenger’s cheeks are puffy and red, still crying softly. She says nothing, not even noticing you. Like a wind-up toy, she mechanically cuts to the nearest free chair and plops herself on it. Dark spots start to appear on the blue fabric. She only moves once after that, to accept a handkerchief from Tsukasa which she squeezes in her hands on her lap.

Tsukasa doesn’t give the sobbing tengu a second look. “Lady Iizunamaru, are you looking to install a new fountain in the office? Excellent taste as always.”

The ‘Lady’ Iizunamaru had followed Aya out, but remained at the doorway. She’s slender and dressed in a well-fitting blue uniform and skirt. Even without her boots, raised on deep purple stilts, she’d still be incredibly tall. Her hair’s very similar to Aya’s but not nearly as disheveled and she even has a silky black cape that billows behind her.

“Be nice,” she groans, rubbing her temple. “Problems bounce between my dear crows and our prism of a goddess like Newton’s rocker!”

Tsukasa moves to massage Iizunamaru’s back.

“Thank you.” She sighs and surveys the room. “What a crowd! Oh, Momo!”

“Heya, Izzie!” There’s an audible screech and bang as Momoyo exits her chair. The two gravitate towards each other and start chattering excitedly.

You remember now that this tengu was the one who wrote that condescending letter. But here, she looks relaxed and excited. A couple of golden chains hang from gold decoration thingies on her shoulders, crossing each other and glimmering against the blue clothes as she chuckles. She’s nicer than you thought at first, but you have to be cautious around tengu.

“You wanted some information from me ‘bout what the lads found?” Momoyo says.

“Aye, I did.” The tengu gives you a quick, appraising glance before ushering the forewoman into her office. The door shuts with a gentle click.

Tsukasa moves back to her desk. “Unfortunately, you and your deputy might have to wait a little while longer. These two can be rather chatty about their mine business.”

[ ] Prepare with Aunn
[ ] Chat with Tsukasa
[ ] Cheer up Aya
[ ] Twiddle thumbs

[X] Cheer up Aya

You finish your coffee and put the cup and tray on a nearby side table. There’s not much else to do. Aunn seems to be busy writing in her notes all while giving nervous peeks at the crying tengu, and the secretary is engrossed in her own papers.

Only one other person isn’t preoccupied with scraping rocks on dead trees. But she’s not exactly in a mood for idle chatter. You do notice a shelf with books against the wall, but it’s lined with such obscure volumes as Philosophiæ Naturalis Principia Mathematica, An Essay on the Principle of Population, Chronicles of the Tengu Nation. Absolutely nothing thinner than your arm.

You approach the crying tengu.

“Uh, Photo Lady?”

Aya doesn’t seem to have heard. She’s calmed down somewhat, but still not completely present. You reach out and give a timid poke on her knee.

“...Are you okay?”

She twitches, actually responding now. “S-sheriff, is that you?”

“Yeah!”

“H-how are you even here? Maybe all this is just a nightmare?” Aya’s shoulders relax.

“Momoyo let us in! She’s the really cool person and has a pickaxe.”

“Ah, I see…” She sounds disappointed. “Sorry about this, you’ve caught me at a bad time. I’ll get better. Just let me swallow the fact that I’m going to be signing scouting reports and approving requisition forms until the mountains dissolve and the stars extinguish! Aaaa–”

She again breaks out into tears. Ouch. Maybe you could back off now?

But no, you can’t just stand by while someone’s crying like this, even if they're an untrustworthy acquaintance. As you think of how to handle this, in the mostly quiet room, both Aunn and Tsukasa start writing again. You’re not sure what moving the pencil in circles over the same spot is supposed to produce, but they both look too busy to lend any assistance.

You need more information, first of all. “Uh… could you start from the beginning?”

“I was born–”

“Today! Of today!”

“Right. Sorry.” Aya takes a moment to re-compose herself. “Even before photography, I knew my calling is that of a journalist, to expose the truth for all the world! But all the tengu publications back west are established, ancient organizations. It can take centuries to even be accepted as an assistant. And if your boss thinks your feathers are prettier than theirs and sticks you in delivery, forget it!”

You take a seat, criss-cross on the fine carpeted floor.

“My chance came when Chief Iizunamaru announced a new company she was setting up in the frontier. Of course, it was trivial for someone of my experience and skill to get a place in administration, and I would run the town paper and nurse the flames of the photography revolution in my off-hours.” Aya dabs away some tears. “People were suspicious of us moving in such force, so the golden moment finally came: the Chief decided a new tengu news organization was to be set up entirely from the ground up in Gensokyo City, the territory capital! I volunteered immediately. I like Sage Springs, honestly, but this town isn’t exactly headed to a great place.

Chief Iizunamaru called me to a meeting today, so I thought this was it. But she went on and on about planning for an event in town to be sponsored by the company. So I asked her about it directly and… and she told me it was going to be filled by someone else.” Aya sniffles, her eyes watery, but still focused on the door. “It’s still a little blurry, but I definitely protested. I even tried to bring up my photography, since the Chief is pretty open minded for a great tengu, but she told me that while new innovations are important, it’s ‘impossible to explore every path in a forest at once.’ Finally she claimed I was too useful and she needed me here, but I understood her meaning completely! All this sunburn, sweat, and sand in my geta for nothing! I'll never get my lucky break.”

“What happened to the Gensokyo City thing?” Your curiosity overrides caution.

The reaction is immediate: she collapses into a chair for a second before springing back up, limbs tense. “I hate this the most! The new position’s been given to that hatchling, the damned Himekaidou girl! Oh! I still can’t believe it! The rag she has was picked over my Bunbunmaru! How can Chief Iizunamaru actually believe that runt’s stale articles are superior to my pure and honest words? And the age-ism! Why are only ‘promising young individuals’ being ‘provided with opportunities’? Augh!” Her face falls into her hands as the energy leaves her body. “This is the worst case scenario.”

She seems to be pretty tapped out, but at least she’s stopped crying. Now Aya just looks depressed.

[ ] “Oh, okay.”
[ ] “There’ll be more chances in the future, I think.”
[ ] “Why not just do the news thing on your own?”
[ ] “It’s not that bad…”
[ ] This is awkward… tickle attack!

[X] “There’ll be more chances in the future, I think.”
-[X] Bluster and brag you'll be it.

“And you’re so sure of that?” Aya challenges, voice sullen. “What do you know about journalism or newspaper business?”

“Uh, you write down important things that are going on?”

“Er, that—fine.” Aya grumbles onward, “Would you know of any important things that happen around this place?”

“Well, me!” You hop back up on your feet, stabbing your thumb to your chest.

She looks unimpressed and waves you away. “Barely half a page on a single extra.”

“That’s pretty good, right?”

She just shakes her head.

A moment of quiet follows. Why the heck is Aya so upset anyways, when she can do stuff like make photographs and fly and spin up mini-tornadoes? Oh damn, if this town reporter gives up, then who else would be able to take pictures of you and write about you in the newspaper?

A mighty leap takes you on top of the coffee table, ratting the tray of porcelain as you balance yourself. “Oh yeah?! Well, that’s just the start! You’d need a full textbook for what my plans involve!”

Aya follows you with her head, raising one eyebrow in a disbelieving stare.

You stare back.

She blinks first, breaking into a fit of giggling. “And what does our brave heroine hope to accomplish?”

“Well first, you already know I’ll nab the Ghost Thief, but I’ll be taking on the Beast Gangs next! Then once I get enough money, I’ll finally crush that red vampire! Maybe even hire her as a maid. And then, I’ll turn Whiterock Mountain into a paradise for all fairykind!.” You pause only to catch your breath. “So that’s why I need you to photography all that, and write big stories about me.”

Aya’s expression softens from outright ridicule to amusement, then rests on something unreadable. She slaps her cheeks before rising with a slight stagger. Her face seems to regain color. “How unsightly it is for a tengu such as I to be cheered up by tales spun by an impulsive fairy.”

“Are you going to keep making the newspaper?”

“It’s not like my situation’s changed any. By the way, photograph would be the proper term for ‘using photography’.”

“Wha–, really?”

“Thank you, for reminding me to stop putting off my actual work. I’ll be following up with your investigation later. Farewell.” Aya takes her leave from the lounge, muttering to herself, black dress swishing down the hallway. “Fairy sheriff, huh? Perhaps there is a reporting opportunity here…”

With the tengu gone, you ease yourself off the table. Some yellow footprints remain on the polished surface, which Tsukasa eyes unhappily, but that can’t be helped. Shoes are dirty after all. Aunn whispers over to you when you pass, “That was very kind of you, Cirno.”

“Huh? I really do need Aya to record my adventures.”

“Oh…” Aunn blinks. “I… suppose.”

She droops back into her notes. The excitement over, you again wrestle with the strange custom of waiting for things to happen. Giving into the temptation, you start to poke at the heavy volumes on the shelf, trying to guess which ones have the best pictures. But, you’re saved from having to actually pry out the heavy books when the office door finally opens, emitting a cheery-looking Momoyo.

“Can the next customers please step up?” The forewoman holds the door open, precariously pointing inside with her pickaxe.

“Finally, that’s us!”

Momoyo pats Aunn on the back when she passes. “No need for the long look: she'll treat you alright.”

Aunn nods, but still looks apprehensive as you lead the way into the tengu chief’s office. Momoyo softly closes the door before she whistles off.

You’re not exactly sure what to expect, but it all appears so plain at first. Polished but undecorated wood boards furnish the entire square room. It’s awfully tall, too, making it closer to a cubical chamber. But it’s the ceiling that captures your eyes, straining at first to make sense of what exactly is above your heads, then widening in marvel.

The ceiling… looks open. An infinite black depth presses down from above, against which gem-like projections flash and twinkle. And in the very center of the illusionary night sky is set the moon, a crescent glowing with ferocious softness, keeping the rest of the room at twilight while directing most of the brightness onto the surface of Iizunamaru’s desk. Despite the morning outside, this office is shrouded in night.

“I enjoy seeing people’s reactions. Everyone’s slightly different. A tad bit dark for an introduction, however.” The chief speaks from behind her desk, and you self-consciously close your mouth.

With the sound of shuffling papers, she finishes putting away a handful of cream-color folders into a small complex of cabinets at the edge of the desk. The desk itself is a simple construction of two thick boards supporting a broad platform covered in even more papers, each crammed with the tiniest letters and abstract diagrams. The open bottom reveals the basic tripod stool that she sits on with one leg crossed over the other. The only ornament on the desk is a clay platter with a handful of mis-shapen pearls, softly spilling out a mysterious, rippling iridescence.

“I can adjust the phase of my moon with this knob here, to make the room brighter.” She demonstrates how with a slow twist of her fingers, the dark blotch inside the lamp shrinks, flattens out, then bends away as it retreats, the lamp becoming a perfectly round and pale dollop.

With the room completely lit, a single unbroken plane of glass is exposed, stretching the entire ceiling. It’s artfully stained with blue swirls and soft rifts, and embedded with imitation stars. The walls are revealed to be dense with more books, stacked like vertical bricks, alongside countless files and several boxes, also filled with files. The window behind the chief is hidden behind velvety curtains.

Aunn squints at the lamp as the tengu chief restores the light to fullness. “It’s a skylight!”

“Oh, very good! You have observant eyes.” Iizunamaru compliments.

“What happens if there’s clouds?” you wonder aloud.

“We do have electricity installed—quite handy at night—and there’s a backup after that.” She gestures in the rough direction of the sooty lamp tucked away in a bottom shelf.

“It’s awesome!” you comment.

“It is impressive.” Aunn agrees.

“Thank you, you’re both very kind. Others have called it… extravagant, luxurious, even wasteful?”

“That’s mean of them!” you respond.

“Thank you, but fair to them, it'd be true, if it weren’t necessary for me. For the longest time, I slept at day, waking only at sunset—” Megumu’s eyes flicker as she contains a yawn. “Excuse me! Nowadays, my life seems to have moved beyond natural schedules entirely, so I sleep whenever I can. Only this office keeps me anchored.

But forgive me! As dear as my office is to me, I doubt that you’ve come all this way just to be entertained by mechanical trinkets. I am Megumu Iizunamaru, and I have the substantial pleasure to represent the Great Mountain Mining Company.” She rises, and steps forward around the desk. Bending slightly, Megumu firmly shakes your hand, then Aunn’s.

“Please, sit!” She pulls over two plush chairs before the desk as she returns to her own seat. “And of course, I also apologize for what happened earlier. I really do hope my subordinate didn’t disturb you. Youngsters these days can be, well: emotional. So! What brings our town’s new sheriff here on such short notice?”

Aunn takes the lead in explaining your purpose to Megumu. Her eyes glance between the two of you.

“Yes, I have heard of this Ghost Thief. I want you to know that the Company, along with myself, wholeheartedly support your mission to capture such a notorious criminal. Someone that plagues the town during difficult times like these is truly a menace.”

“Then, have they stolen anything from the Company? Surely you have some information on them,” Aunn asks hopefully.

Megumu sighs as she confirms your initial suspicions. “Unfortunately I do not. They must be cowards, for not one piece of Company property has been reported missing lately. Neither have I heard any complaints from the miners.”

You both instantly deflate.

“If my people hear of anything, I will be certain to let you know.” Megumu adds.

“Really? Thanks!” you respond. Sucks that it took so long to wait just for such a simple answer.

“Please, a moment before you leave! I understand that your current priority is catching the Thief and that you have other places to investigate, but if you could spare a few extra minutes, I would like to bring up our working relationship in the future.” The tengu chief loosely clasps her hands.

“What do you mean?”

“I’m personally confident you are more than capable of finding this Ghost Thief, but what about beyond that? The fact is, the Company is a powerful economic player in Sage Springs. We have resources and influence, even outside the town. We could greatly assist you in local security and community revitalization!” Megumu leans forward, intense ruby eyes focused on yours. “But none of this is possible without the Mayor’s approval. What we would like is a bridge between us and town hall, so we can better understand each other.”

Sounds kind of reasonable, and this Iizunamaru lady seems much cooler than Aya or her letter. You open your mouth, but Aunn moves first.

“Miss Iizunamaru, you can’t buy us out that easily!” Aunn counters. “We already refused Aya yesterday about this. If the Mayor’s suspicious, it’s for a good reason!”

The tengu tilts her head slightly, seemingly unbothered. “Very well. I’m saddened, but it is true that trust must be built up over time.”

“Is there anything else?” Aunn growls.

“Hear me out just one last time. To show my openness and willingness for cooperation, I will let you know of an issue that we ourselves are perplexed by.” Megumu pauses for a moment before continuing. “Among our employed miners, there are rumors giving people a false impression of our Company. These rumors claim a secret treasure is buried under the town.”

“T-treasure!?” Your legs start to kick. Now this is captivating news to you!

“Yes. Despite our best efforts, these rumors persist. It leads us to believe that someone is intentionally spreading this false information around.” At Aunn’s suspicious look, Megumu probes her directly. “I’m certain you’ve heard of this. It’s been going on longer than the Ghost Thief.”

“I-I have heard of people talking about treasure a few times.” Aunn admits. “But is it that much of a problem?”

“It is. The treasure rumors have disrupted work and sowed distrust between our people,” Megumu answers firmly. She then puts down her second offer. “Sheriff, simply put, help us with our problem, and we’ll help with yours. In fact, I’d be willing to offer the direct assistance of some of my best in apprehending the Ghost Thief, and even beyond that.”

“Hmmmm…” That’s pretty neat, honestly. And there’s treasure!

“Cirno, careful!” Aunn whispers to you, almost hissing. “There has to be a bad reason the Tengu are trying to get close!”

Megumu just gives you a friendly smile.

[ ] Accept.
[ ] Refuse.

[X] Accept

Aunn sighs.

“Oh, don’t look like that, Miss Deputy. You act as though this were some deadly oath, or a marriage. We’ve merely agreed on a friendly partnership for now.” Megumu says.

“Fine. But we are only helping you for this rumor matter. Right, Cirno?” Aunn nudges you in the arm.

“W-wha?” You snap out of a gold-plated daydream, sitting back up. “Yeah, we’re only looking into this treasure, and nothing else! Easy-peasy!”

“That’s the spirit! To be honest, I know the rumors are rather nebulous. Could be nothing more than a string of spontaneous gossip gone too far.” Megumu explains, setting some terms. “Regardless, I honestly appreciate another pair of eyes on this! I’d like to hear from you, say… one week from now. Just to see if you can come up with anything we could not. And for my part, there are a couple of my best I’ll assign to support your investigations. You’ve met Aya already, so you can let her know if you need them.”

From across the desk, Megumu shakes your hand a second time, and much more thoroughly. Her hand completely eclipses yours, fingers brushing your wrist. “If only we had some sake to celebrate with! But I’m sure you have many other places to be.”

“We want to talk to some of the mine workers about the Thief!” you chirp.

“I can certainly help with that, too.” Megumu stands, and beckons you both to follow her. She then leads you both out, back into the lounge. The chief calls on her secretary, “Oh~ Tsukasa! Are you busy?”

“Like a worker bee, Lady Iizunamaru! Right now, I’m finishing up on those requisition orders for the printing department, and there’s the postage—”

“Well, set that aside for now. Can you please show our two officers to the miner’s village?” Megumu holds up a hand when Tsukasa opens her mouth. “Ah, that’s right! On top of that, take them to the company store there. I’m sure our manager has an opinion or two about these recent thefts!”

Both of them chuckle to themselves. Megumu then turns back to you for her farewell. “Tsukasa is my trusted secretary and advisor. She’ll guide you to some people who, hopefully, you can find helpful. Good luck, Sheriff, Deputy, and don’t forget to look into those rumors!”

###

Out from the tengu company’s base, and after a second round of passive-aggressiveness with the gate guards, the two of you follow the secretary back into the field. Despite having been pulled off what sounded like a lot of paperwork, she seems to be in a fine mood, swaying with a lightheartedness in her walk and swishing her brass-colored tail, flashing when it catches the sunlight. It’s almost hypnotic to observe. She wears a pure white uniform and short dress with a few green ribbons peeking between layers of lacy frills.

The youkai workers were apparently housed in a section separated by a hill from the rest of the town, like a little offshoot village. Tsukasa initiates some small talk during the walk, humming as she trades rather basic questions. The group quickly reaches the outskirts of town and passes by an aging fence, where a fresher trail seems to have been carved straight through.

“So, how long have you two been working together?”

“Since yesterday!” you boast.

“Really? You mean you became sheriff just yesterday?”

“Mhm.”

Tsukasa claps her hands together. “I didn’t know! You must be a natural! The demands of a whole town… so many people and tasks to manage! It can’t be an easy job to handle. Yet you look so confident and energized.”

“You really think so?” Praise, and so soon! Yippee!

“Of course! I feel that Miss Sheriff is cut from the same cloth as Miss Iizunamaru. You just give me that style, that feeling. Decisive leadership, but also takes her companions seriously! Keep it up. Unless Miss Deputy here has a complaint!” Tsukasa jokes cheerfully.

Aunn blinks rapidly and gives her a side-eye glance. “No, it’s… all working very well. Sorry, Miss Tsukasa, we’ve just met, but you seem… really excited about us.”

“I’m invested! I’ve been working with Lady Iizunamaru here for several seasons already. We’re all doing our part to make things better around town and I’d love to see the results of it. Nurturing good people is part of that.”

You finish the soft climb up the hill before your destination. Curiously, at the top, there’s a square foundation and tracks and construction refuse everywhere, filling out the contours of a ghost of a building. A basic wooden gate with two overhanging horizontals is the only thing standing tall, which you had seen from below the hill, but didn’t really understand until now. Visible between the gate, two empty stone pedestals too heavy to be recovered only display cracks and dust.

You keep following Tsukasa down the slope, towards a neat and orderly block of homes. The dirt path transitions to a street paved with smooth cobbles and the buildings are capped by tin roofing painted a brilliant red.

“Wow, it is nice here!” you remark. It’s nothing like the dusty old office you currently have.

“I’m glad you think so!” Tsukasa proudly shows you both around, gesturing at things of note. She claimed each and every building was a pre-constructed template that could be shipped in pieces across the country by rail. It’s apparently a cheaper and easier method of building which seems unbelievable to you. You visualize houses with wheels zipping across the land, driven like some herd of metal cows.

Neither had expenses been spared with the decorations. Pretty planter boxes house purple and green succulents while the regularly spaced public benches are shaded from the sun by a frame construction of taut canvas. A communal water pump had been installed in the central square, producing gushes of sparkling clean water.

“What you see here was all first built by the Company: a new, experimental model of a harmonious working community,” she continues, lecturing. “Unfortunately, we couldn’t get any of the humans to live here, so you’ll have to find them in the rest of town with your own resources!”

“That’s no problem for us,” Aunn replies. She mentions to you, “I know where most of the original mining families live in the main part of town, and we can head there afterward.”

“The problem is that most of the miners are working now, and I doubt you two care much for a trip down those shafts. Always so muddy! Still, there ought to be a few individuals on an off-day or part of the auxiliary staff.”

The group makes its way through the small neighborhood and approaches the last row of houses on the edge. Here, a second, slimmer stream runs right by and the houses closest to it are rather… different.

Uniformity has been broken, shattered by heavy modification. Creaking waterwheels and spinny flywheels, shuddering boxes and air-wobbling radiators, entire new extensions made of bricks demonstrate the disorganized engineering of the kappa units. You get close to a bolt riddled pipe, ducking when a valve above starts hissing steam.

“The kappa on our crew are technically individual contractors,” Tsukasa comments, seemingly unbothered at the violation of code.

Tsukasa brings you both over to a nearby pair messing with something on a collapsible table. They’re the first people you’ve seen here so far. Behind the two is a giant warehouse or workshop of some kind, erected right between two of the houses and towering over them both. Built from corrugated iron and warped boards and white-washed in splotches, it stands out like a blue apple even among the other architectural abominations.

Facing away from you sits an unfamiliar youkai in a brown work outfit with a black ribbon holding together a bun of dirty blonde hair. Tools and pouches hang from an apron and multiple yellow belts that stripe her bulky pants.

Her opposite is dressed like Nitori was, back in the Blinding Ballad, but sports glasses, a lighter blue hair, and a thick plaster shell over one arm. The uncovered hand taps on the table, before moving a familiar disc on an even more familiar checker-pattern board.

You closer at what draws their focus. It’s that game they’re playing, the same thing as what you tried with Larva and the fairies yesterday! Or, at least some weirdo thing that looks alike. As you watch a little bit longer, they’re just hopping the pieces between the squares on the board, and using nothing but their fingers to take the opposing pieces. Zero style, quite low-brow stuff, really.

“Why, hello! Greetings!” Tsukasa introduces herself, then you and Aunn.

“Miss Kudamaki! And a buncha strange folk! Whacha doin’ here?” The brown apron grins at the additional company.

You make your case to them. “We’re looking for anything you know about the Ghost Thief! Do you, uh, know anything?”

“Ghost Thief? I heard ‘bout of that trouble. Nothin’ we can do though, we’re not lackin’ anything and none of the gals have said anything either!”

The kappa with glasses finally speaks. “That’s the culprit who Nitori was ranting about! Something about having a bunch of prototypes and blueprints stolen, right?”

“Do you know more?” Aunn eagerly pounces in. “She’s reported to me before, but we’re still missing a lot of details.”

The kappa leans away, shaking her palms. “H-hey… Really now, it’s not a big deal I think. Nitori loses as much stuff as she makes. You know you could ask her yourself if you're curious?”

“Woah! That’s kinda harsh,” her partner says. “If this Nitori… red beads ‘n aqua hair, right? She did look pretty darned upset.”

“Yup. I’m pretty sure I know which blueprint she’s actually cares about though: it’s her ‘magnus opus’, the ‘game-changer’, the ‘every-machine’. Super cool but won’t show anyone anything about it. Oh well. That burglar probably wanted a nice cucumber-scented wallpaper.” The kappa scratches her plaster stump, flicking away a white sliver. She gives a hollow knock against the wall of the big workshop. “Good thing, too. With it missing, she’s had no choice but to work on her assigned part for the big surprise.”

“Speakin’ of that, uhh…” The blonde youkai leans in. “Can’t I just have a quick ‘lil peek? Pleeeease?”

“Nope! Still top secret ‘til next week! Or if you can actually beat me…”

There’s nothing else new that the two are able to tell you. No choice but to let them return to their game.

“Don’t look so down!” Tsukasa comforts you. “There’s still one more person here you must see.”

Back at the middle of the neighborhood, one of the houses had been rebuilt with a larger veranda and a giant sign blazoned with: Company Market.

A Closed sign hangs behind the window on the door. Set on the wall by the door is a rather long list of rules spread across multiple bulletins.

Reminder: Customers must wear shoes, shirts, pants, ‘+ under-garments’ to be served! Take off all hats. No smoking, loitering, pranks, or consumption of liquor on premises. Your cooperation is requested and required.

Company Dollars are preferred for all purchases. A 10% fee will be added onto all direct money purchases.

Barter handled case-by-case. We do not accept small pieces of string, or leaves, or spent casings.

A rainbow loop, or halo, with words under it: Respect the marketplace and be respected in return.

Operating hours change weekly, please refer to the table below. Information is updated every Monday at 11pm.

You point at the entry for today’s date. “Uh, what the heck are these rules? Store was only open from one to five in this morning?”

“Oh, yes!” Tsukasa nods as she unlocks the door. “Miss Chimata Tenkyuu is a lover of rules. It’s how she keeps our company’s commerce department so tidy!”

“I wouldn’t call a schedule this scrambled ‘tidy’,” Aunn says.

“You are free to argue with her on that point.” Tsukasa holds the door open. “A–hem! Miss Tenkyuu? Are you there?”

“Tsukasa? What do you want now?” A new figure reveals herself from the shadowy interior.

“Not me, today. Rather, I have with me two officers of the law. They just wish to speak to you.”

“...What do they want?”

“They’re investigating, but they’ll let you know.” There’s a clock on the wall, which Tsukasa squints at. “Ah, I must get back. It has been an absolute pleasure to meet with you both! Now, in you go~”

She strolls off and the doors shuts, leaving only the two of you in the dark store with Chimata.

“Let me get some light. Hold on.” She loosens a curtain on her side of a long counter, letting in a rectangle of white light. The store is indeed quite tidy, with little booths and stands shaped like miniature outdoor stalls displaying all sorts of goods, from the life-sustaining to the plain entertaining. Extra stock is tucked away wherever it fits, canned food pyramids braced against the wall, and a dazzling variety of more fun stuff, like wines and tobacco, stored safely behind the counter.

Chimata is revealed in her glory of colors, wearing a woolen shawl with a kaleidoscopic swirl of abstract patterns that stretches down the length of her body. Her hair is shiny deep blue and she has a headband made of some opal-like substance.

“I do not like that fox. She’s the kind of weasel that sneaks around rules like they’re just dead words, not things of great meaning.” She returns to the cash register at the counter and signals for you to come closer. “Alright. The market is not open, but I’ll hear you two out. First, though, can the shorter one please take off her hat? We’re indoors.”

“Oops, okay.” You quickly do so. You’ll just hold on to it, as attempting to hang the straw hat off your holster isn’t as stable as it would seem.

“Thank you.”

“Have you heard anything about the Ghost Thief? Any lost stuff?”

“Hah! So that’s what this is about. Robbers! No robber crosses a market god and lives. Since I have no smote corpse to hand you, I can safely say there’s been no Ghost Thief around here.” Chimata smugly crosses her arms. A moment of silence passes. Her headband catches the light and emits a faint glow around her head.

“Very… good.” Aunn says. “But would you happen to know anything about them? Maybe information from other shopkeepers?”

“I do not converse regularly with the town’s merchants, though I’ve done direct business with a few.” Chimata suddenly looks suspiciously at you. “Hold it. It’s a good disguise, but you’re a fairy aren’t you? Fairies are robbery prone individuals!”

“No! I’m here to catch robbers! I’m the sheriff! Look.” You urgently show her your golden badge.

“I… see. I apologize. That was hasty of me, but this talk of robbers puts me on edge. I have an excellent sense for them, you see.” Chimata thinks for a moment. “The company sources as many supplies locally as possible. And I do remember some complaints about theft, but attributed that to the influx of recent ne'er do wells.”

Aunn and Chimata begin to compare notes, but it slows quickly. Ultimately, the supposed market goddess could only corroborate what was already known, and many of the businesses are simply outside her experience.

“Okay, biggest for last: how about Mountwoods Trading Company?” Aunn flips through.

“Mountwoods! The yamawaro’s shop, isn’t it? I do not like that business. They give me the same ick a robber does… I admit their wholesale deals are excellent, however. Still, this is an unkind thought, but I must confess it: they brought their woe on themselves.” Her voice drops to a deep timbre.

“What?” you ask. “How?”

“Look at this filth: it’s Mountwoods’s new mail order catalog.” Chimata spat, pulling out a paper pamphlet. She flips through the two-tone pages. “An infernal device to allow them to sell things at a distance. ‘Anytime, anywhere’, as printed right here in fancy, fancy letters. How trite.

How can the buyer have faith in these caricatures of products? How can the seller establish a relationship of trust and goodwill with such a distant customer? It’s a soulless form of business, an attack on the sacredness of mutual transaction. And it’s just one of the many offenses that have been happening.”

The yamawaro store seems to have put Chimata on a roll now, like an angry avalanche crushing down an alpine ridge. You surreptitiously lean on a nearby crate to rest your legs.

“Nowadays, bankers flaunt gold they don’t have, farmers promise wheat still green in the fields, and builders sit on fertile lands only to be left fallow. And look at the results! Speculation! Panics! Recession! Is there any wonder why the world is in such chaos?

Of course, greed and foolishness begets only further idiocy. So called ‘reformers’ demand to do away with the concept of markets and ownership entirely. What barbarians! Do they want to return to the dark nothingness of knapping rocks and blood rituals? Without divine guidance, mankind is so easily led astray!

I mean, you saw the uncompleted shrine on the hill getting over here, didn’t you? No more gold so no more gods, but no one realizes it’s the other way around!” Chimata takes a deep breath and seems to shrink into herself. “I… well… had to get that off. I apologize again.”

That’s a lot of words and you understood a percentage of it, so you leave it at that. But Aunn looks sympathetic, especially after hearing the last part. “So… why’d you still work for the tengu?”

“Same reason as everyone else: Sustenance. Survival.” Chimata shrugs. “Now, I’m sure you’ve had your fun listening to a fading god rage against the unfeeling world. I’ve got my own work to attend to. Unless there’s something else?”

[ ] Push for more information on the Mountwoods Traders.
[ ] …Heard anything about treasure?
[ ] Tell us more about working with the tengu!
[ ] Nah.