[ Yuuka appears on the mirror and she looks tired. Like... "hasn't had a scrap of food or sleep in a week" tired, not "hasn't fought something in a week" and bored. The distinction is in the bags under her eyes and the way she tracks the movement of leaves in the wind lazily. Even her tone lacks any of her normal vigor. ] ...this isn't where...

[ She can't even complete her thoughts. It's pretty bad for herm but if one is wondering the cause of all this, it's quite obvious. The green-haired youkai is literally sleeping in a pile of marigolds. Some have survived this attention, but some haven't.

Yuuka is also clutching something small and white in her left hand, but details are hard to see unless someone finds her in person; at risk to their own health, of course. ]

Greetings, I am speaking today to ask what may seem like an odd question.

[Despite it being an odd question, Alice looks rather serious when she proceeds to ask it. The use of video was to hopefully get the attention of more people.]

For this question, let us assume the following scenario. You find yourself in possession of a life sized replica, or puppet, of someone that you know. As it is a puppet of sorts, it is not a perfect recreation, but it appears to be the same until further investigation. You are able to control it's every single motion, but it is only able to do anything that you yourself are capable of doing,

If you were to be in this situation, what would you do?

[Ky knows her last question didn't exactly go well, or get her the answers that she wanted, but this time it's not about religion, so it should go better, right?

She thinks about filtering it from Dizzy, but she doesn't need to hide from Dizzy that she's working on this, not when she'd promised Dizzy she would.]

What do you do when you know what you're feeling is wrong, in order to stop feeling it?

Just trying to focus on other things isn't working.

-The skeletons are on parade. And someone's caught up in the festivities. Shinki never turns away from a good party, and isn't at all put off by skeletons. So what does that mean? That means dancing!-

Oh, they want to dance, do they? Hmm... Well, so long as you have the right song for it, right~?

-The skeletons all seem to agree. And they play the perfect song for the moment. And Shinki dances along with them, apparently pretty damn good for a woman of her position.-

This is much better than last week, I'll say!

[[ Yeah, I have no shame ]]

[Today, while roaming the Gardens, you might come across an unusual sight. Sure, there has been blonde maid in the Gardens for the past month and a half or so, but not one that is so...short. Or young. Upon closer examination, though, it seems that the clothes she is wearing are too big for her, and there's a bag of popcorn from the café cradled in her arms. Ah. Maybe that explains it.]

[The rabbits seem to be out in full force today, too, which isn't exactly helping matters. They harry Yumeko as they follow along at her heels, nipping at her socks and constantly getting underfoot in a way that offers just enough room to act like they aren't trying to trip her. Yumeko's scowl deepens more and more the longer this goes on, until finally she outright growls and throws the bag right at them in frustration. It's tossed with all the force she can muster, candy spilling everywhere as it hits the ground.]

[Whether or not that makes them scatter, Yumeko stomps past them without a backward glance at the mess she's made.]

Hmph...


[ ooc: JSYK, Yumeko has retained all her memories. The deaging isn't just physical, though — her mentality has also regressed, so despite her best efforts to do otherwise, she'll be behaving like a child. ]

[It was the end of a long night for Reimu as she slowly flew back towards her shrine. She spent all night making sure no one tried to cause trouble. However, it wasn't the all nighters and little sleep she has had for the last few days that has her tired.

Ever since she encountered Nue, she was doubting herself. Why didn't she just seal the rampaging Nue? She could undo the seal after the event was over. Why did she hesitate?]

Sigh... why was I so worried about upsetting Sanae... She's not even herself during this incident... Damn it, I wouldn't hesitate to blast her with spell cards.

[Frustrated, she rubbed her hands in her hair. If any of the more Youkai-ish Youkai saw this right now she would be in trouble, she thought to herself.]

-Maybe you were just out for a walk. Maybe you had somewhere to be. Errands to run. Someone to visit. Food to obtain. Either way, odds were on that you were just minding your own business.

But all that changed when the Moriya Shrine Maiden attacked!-

Miracle "Mid-Day Supernova"!!!

Stop right there, youkai! It's my job to purify this land and that means exterminating you!!

-Wuh oh. Seems like someone's listened to the well woman's song. Any non-human character is in danger of being attacked. She'll be perfectly friendly with humans, though.-

[ It's a familiar voice that greets the Gardens today. Familiar here to some of its older residents; recently known to the nosier visitors from Gensokyo; a voice long-since unheard from to captives from Makai. ] —n't you a clever little thing~? [ The low voice comes from out of nowhere. It isn't the typical accidental broadcast, though it might seem that way. The vine had unfurled upon an unspoken request for an audience, complying in the only manner it knows how.

The woman on the other end of the line, stroking the petals of the plant and cooing as if admiring a purring kitten's soft fur, continued on as if she had not noticed that she could be heard. ] What a delightful trick. Can you tell me how you've come to be able to do something such as this?

[ The vine is silent. ]

.... hmm. How disappointing. [ That voice took on a mote of annoyance. ] I'll just have to seek out your source and see for myself. It sounds like it could be... fun. [ There is quiet chuckle that accompanies that word, but it is one laced with sinister intent. She'll decipher the secret magic of this place if she has to tear it apart brick-and-branch to do it. The invitation said "to use the vine"; it didn't place any limits on how. ]