Touhouventure 16

[22:19]	GM-Mizi	[Time passes. Zeke is now a little bit better than useless meatbags. The very first day trying to manage the fae was ugly. Everything went to hell and back and to hell again. Remi also laughs at every step he took. But after gallons of blood, sweat, tears, and pain (plus some of Sakuya's help), Zeke manages to somewhat supervise them to do their job properly.]
[22:19]	GM-Mizi	[Morning comes, and Zeke is expect to be up five minutes ago.]
[22:21]	Zeke	is fighting an epic battle in his mind against gravity to get out of bed! Gravity is winning!
[22:22]	Zeke	keeps trying to get his legs off the side of the bed so the cold floor will wake him up, but the blanket is just so warm~...
[22:23]	Zeke	"Mnnngh, get up, Zeke, dammit, get up why can't you get up?"
[22:24]	Zeke	has sort of wiggled halfway out of bed by now; his lower half is outside the blanket flopped on the side of the bed, but his torso is still clutching to warmth.
[22:27]	Zeke	finally gets himself out of bed. Somewhat; he's still sitting on the floor, but at least he's out of bed. He rubs his face sleepily.
[22:34]	Zeke	"Unnngh, Okay, I'm up. If you're listening, which you probably are."
[22:47]	Number_Sixteen	[There is a small slate chalkboard in his room. It currently reads: 120 Seconds Left]
[22:47]	Number_Sixteen	[...and there is a little picture of a stopwatch.]
[22:47]	Number_Sixteen	[It is saying "tick tock!"]
[22:48]	Number_Sixteen	[Just in case the message wasn't clear.]
[22:48]	Zeke	jumps up and gets dressed in probably not record time, but still pretty fast!
[22:49]	Zeke	hustles out the door while still buttoning his vest and slipping on his tie.
[22:49]	Number_Sixteen	[Today's Time: T-17 Seconds]
[22:50]	Zeke	heads over to the main servant's lounge, where's he's been instructed to report each day for his work instructions.
[22:53]	Zeke	opens to door and speaks before knowing if there's even anyone in there.
[22:54]	Zeke	"No I do not have a good excuse still getting used to waking up at a required time that's not an excuse or it is but it's a bad one."
[22:56]	Number_Sixteen	splashes him in the face with a cup of water. A half-empty cup.
[22:56]	Number_Sixteen	then tosses him a towel.
[22:56]	Number_Sixteen	pulls out a Palm pilot, and ticks something off with a stylus.
[22:57]	Number_Sixteen	"Humiliate New Hire"... check.
[22:57]	Number_Sixteen	Remilia's orders, if you were late again.
[22:57]	Number_Sixteen	shrugs.
[22:58]	Zeke	dries himself off. He still finds it cool that silk isn't very absorbent and the water just kind of beads off it.
[22:58]	Zeke	"Fair."
[22:58]	Number_Sixteen	She asked me to use a water balloon. I figured that this would be less annoying.
[23:00]	Zeke	"True, true."
[23:00]	Number_Sixteen	...Oh.
[23:00]	Number_Sixteen	wait, hold still.
[23:00]	Number_Sixteen	picks up a Polaroid, and takes a picture.
[23:00]	Number_Sixteen	takes the picture as it emerges, flapping it slightly before looking at it.
[23:01]	Number_Sixteen	...Always on the cutting edge of fifth-grade humor, that one.
[23:02]	Zeke	shrugs, folding the towel back up and draping it over his arm; he'll probably need it later anyways.
[23:03]	Zeke	"Better than eighth-grade; middle-schoolers are pricks."
[23:03]	Zeke	"So what's the score for yesterday?"
[23:04]	Number_Sixteen	Eleventeen to Q.
[23:04]	Zeke	has zero idea how effective he's expected to be being with these girls, so any progress he makes is without perspective and meaningless.
[23:04]	Number_Sixteen	I'm still ahead.
[23:05]	Number_Sixteen	slides him a sheet of paper.
[23:06]	Number_Sixteen	There's today's work schedule. If you make it a whole week without getting a single fairy maid killed, I'll talk to her about cutting back on some of the abuse.
[23:08]	Zeke	refrains from pointing out the logical fallacy of "killing" a fairy.
[23:09]	Zeke	"Sounds like a good goal... Oh, library dusting? Am I supposed to talk to the librarian about that?"
[23:10]	Number_Sixteen	Absolutely.
[23:10]	Number_Sixteen	Voile is her domain entirely.
[23:11]	Zeke	nods. He's never met her yet, but it's only been a few days after all.
[23:12]	Number_Sixteen	Watch out for the demon.
[23:13]	Number_Sixteen	makes a pair of flapping motions up by her head.
[23:14]	Zeke	scrunches up his eyes, a little taken aback.
[23:15]	Zeke	"You've said that.  But it's not hostile, right?"
[23:23]	Number_Sixteen	Eh...
[23:23]	Number_Sixteen	waggles a hand back and forth.
[23:24]	Number_Sixteen	Just don't surprise her.
[23:27]	Zeke	"Fine, fine, I'll stay away from her."
[23:30]	Zeke	"Are the girls in the library already, or do I have to find them again?"
[23:32]	Number_Sixteen	They should be outside the library.
[23:32]	Number_Sixteen	Emphasis on should.
[23:32]	Number_Sixteen	...By the way.
[23:33]	Number_Sixteen	Please stay away from any locked doors.
[23:34]	Zeke	"You've said that too; I will, I will. Don't have the kind of tenure yet where I'd be comfortable trying to pry yet, you know? Heh."
[23:34]	Number_Sixteen	Mm.
[23:34]	Zeke	"I'll get started. Thanks."
[23:35]	Number_Sixteen	See you at lunch.
[23:35]	Number_Sixteen	Perhaps.
[23:40]	GM-Mizi	[Voile, Magic archive. It is an area so vast yet so packed. Every nook and cranny is stuffed with books, tomes, and all writing articles you can imagine. The rarely used area is rather tidy, but the place where the inhabitant frequents are all messed up.]
[23:41]	GM-Mizi	[Koakuma, the librarian, greets you with her usual smile. She directs you to the place needs to be dusted (AKA almost the whole archive) and left to do her thing.]
[23:42]	Fae_Maids	mill about in about the most disorganized manner possible. It's not even certain that they're all here.
[23:44]	PurpleMage	sits at the middle of the archive where walls of books surrounds her. It's the only place where the light shines just enough to read in the morning, and she's lazing on the armchair while burying her face in a thick tome.
[23:44]	PurpleMage	"..."
[23:45]	Zeke	tries to instill order as usual. He doesn't yet notice the librarian.
[23:46]	Zeke	"Girls, girls, can you come down here so I can at least count you?"
[23:46]	PurpleMage	[One of the fae runs her way while squealing happily. I guess she just like morning sun.]
[23:46]	PurpleMage	"...!"
[23:47]	PurpleMage	snaps her finger, and in that instant thick vines entangles the poor fae and root her in place, plus gagging her.
[23:47]	PurpleMage	removes her face from the tome.
[23:47]	PurpleMage	"...please don't make a ruckus in the library."
[23:48]	Zeke	goes over to the fairy and puts a hand on her shoulder. Oh, is this the librarian?
[23:49]	PurpleMage	eyes him intently.
[23:49]	Zeke	"Sorry, sorry, she's one of mine. I'm new."
[23:49]	PurpleMage	"New, huh."
[23:49]	Fae_Maids	suddenly become quiet after one of their number is immobilized.
[23:50]	PurpleMage	"...You are the human from the other day."
[23:50]	Zeke	"Zeke Pike. Just hired four days ago. I've been meaning to get around to the library, but, busy busy."
[23:50]	Zeke	"I, uh, suppose you'd know more about that than me. I don't mean to intrude, but, we're dusting today. Or, trying to."
[23:51]	Zeke	tries to peel the fairy out of the vines.
[23:52]	PurpleMage	is, as the name implies, wearing purple garb. She sports a long, purple hair tied up on two sides of her head for tidyness, with crescent hairpin stuck on top of something that looks like a bathing cap. Her eyes are also purple, and an expression that matches the color. Cool, calm, and analyzing.
[23:52]	PurpleMage	"I asked Sakuya to."
[23:52]	PurpleMage	"Never mind. Just don't break anything."
[23:52]	PurpleMage	snaps her finger, and the fae is released.
[23:53]	Zeke	"Well, we can't ask Sakuya to do EVERYTHING. Imagine how she must feel."
[23:54]	PurpleMage	"..."
[23:54]	PurpleMage	frowns a bit.
[23:54]	PurpleMage	"Are you here to clean, or to disrupt my reading?"
[23:55]	Zeke	seriouses up.
[23:55]	Zeke	"...I'll leave. Sorry to bother you."
[23:55]	PurpleMage	[you notices that, however under the gentle morning sunlight, she looks incredibly pale.]
[23:55]	PurpleMage	"You shou-"
[23:56]	PurpleMage	*cough!*
[23:56]	PurpleMage	breaks into a coughing fit that looks painful. She clutches her chest and winces a bit, but soon returns to her normal cool-face self.
[23:56]	PurpleMage	"...*ahem."
[23:56]	Zeke	"Cold?"
[23:57]	PurpleMage	"Anemia."
[23:58]	PurpleMage	"Just... watch for boobytraps. We set some to ward off intruder."
[23:58]	PurpleMage	pick up the thick tome she was reading earlier, cutting Zeke off from her world.
[00:00]	Zeke	leaves her to her business; he's got enough of his own. He tries to catch at least two or three of the twelve and show them that they should be trying to dust the shelves.
[00:02]	Fae_Maids	[The fae respond well, for who they are. Four of the twelve respond with what almost resembles diligence while the others' "dusting" mainly consists of their usual play kicking up dust.]
[00:03]	Fae_Maids	[Both groups do their best to contain their energy, however, knowing Patchouli's wrath.]
[00:04]	PurpleMage	's coughing fit can be heard sometimes, probably because the maids are kicking up dusts.
[00:06]	Zeke	keeps his eyes on the girls, but he works on dusting the bottom rows he can reach all the same; supervising doesn't mean you lean on a shovel, after all.
[00:07]	PurpleMage	[there's a rumbling sound coming over from the horizon.]
[00:07]	PurpleMage	closes her book and sighs.
[00:07]	PurpleMage	"...There she comes."
[00:07]	CorporationA	twitches.
[00:08]	Zeke	turns his head. This library is really echo-y...
[00:08]	CorporationA	gets a crazed look on her face as she looks around.
[00:09]	Zeke	looks up at the like fifty rows of books. He really needs to learn how to fly, if that's even a thing he can learn to do.
[00:09]	CorporationA	They're coming!
[00:09]	CorporationA	Squad, take cover!
[00:09]	CorporationA	disappears into a row of distant shelves.
[00:11]	Zeke	"...Mmm? Sorry, didn't catch that?"
[00:12]	Zeke	is trying to keep his voice down and be chill; that purple lady wasn't taking no guff.
[00:12]	Fae_Maids	scatter.
[00:13]	KIRISAME	"Patchooouliiiiiii!"
[00:13]	KIRISAME	"I've come to plaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyyyyy!!"
[00:13]	Zeke	DID heard that clearly, however. He walks to the end of the row and looks around. What the heck...?
[00:14]	KIRISAME	crashes down from the dome-like windows, scattering the glasses everywhere. Time seems to slow down a bit to let everyone gaze on her majestic entrance.
[00:14]	PurpleMage	"Marisa!"
[00:15]	PurpleMage	should be angry, but somehow the voice contains happiness inside.
[00:17]	PurpleMage	, however, tosses a fireball at the intruder.
[00:38]	Zeke	winces. Whatever's going on he's probably going to get blamed for it and also have to clean it up. But that's all part of hazing the new guy; it's cool.
[00:39]	Marisa	"Too soft!"
[00:40]	Zeke	's view is blocked by the gigantic bookcases. He speed-walks down the aisles, trying to see what's going on.
[00:40]	Marisa	fires a small energy blast off of her mini-Hakkero, shoving her to the side and graze the fireball by a margin.
[00:40]	Zeke	"Hello?"
[00:40]	Patchouli	"You destroyed part of my library again!"
[00:40]	Zeke	"Is anyone dead?"
[00:40]	Marisa	"No biggie! It's not like I've never done that before!"
[00:41]	Marisa	lands near the clearing in the middle, where Patchouli is.
[00:41]	Marisa	"Where's the little devil?"
[00:41]	Patchouli	"I would think that you already scarred her for life."
[00:41]	Zeke	makes it to the--oh hey, it's that girl, whatsername, Mary the Witch!
[00:44]	Zeke	actually thinks maybe he shouldn't get involved...? Well, he can dust the shelves over here, instead, so he can still hear what's going on.
[00:44]	Marisa	"Oh hey! It's Kai's friend!"
[00:44]	Marisa	"Whatshisname, Zack?"
[00:44]	Marisa	"Hey, Zack!"
[00:45]	Marisa	waves.
[00:45]	Patchouli	"So he has a name."
[00:45]	Patchouli	nods.
[00:45]	Zeke	waves back, still trying to dust.
[00:46]	Zeke	"Small world, mmm?"
[00:46]	Patchouli	"...you know each other?"
[00:46]	Marisa	"A bit, yeah."
[00:47]	Marisa	put her sack down.
[00:47]	Marisa	"There, Patchouli. your books."
[00:47]	Patchouli	"!"
[00:47]	Patchouli	made a concerned face and touches Marisa's forehead.
[00:47]	Patchouli	"Are... Are you sick?"
[00:47]	Patchouli	"You should get Eirin to check you up."
[00:48]	Marisa	"Whaaaaaaaaat. I'm fine! I'm as fit as a horse!"
[00:48]	Patchouli	"But... you returned... the...."
[00:48]	Patchouli	eyes the books.
[00:48]	Zeke	"Healthy. Healthy, as a horse."
[00:48]	Zeke	comments, folding his rag the other way to get a clean side.
[00:49]	Marisa	"Yeah. That. Thank you, grammar nazi man."
[00:49]	Marisa	salutes.
[00:49]	Zeke	"You're welcome."
[00:49]	Marisa	"Sakuya never shut up about it, so I have to return it."
[00:49]	Marisa	"Else she'll never leave me and Kai alone."
[00:50]	Zeke	perks up.
[00:51]	Zeke	"He's still crashing at your place?"
[00:51]	Marisa	"Yeah. He's a big help actually."
[00:52]	Zeke	"Oh, yeah, forgot he was planning on training with ya and stuff."
[00:55]	Kai	enters the hole in the windows hovers over the wreckage.
[00:55]	Kai	... Isn't this excessive, Marisa?
[00:55]	Kai	nonetheless looks at the library in awe, not quite yet noticing its inhabitants.
[00:56]	Marisa	"Oh. There he is!"
[00:56]	Patchouli	"...is that the one you always talking about? Kai, your apprentice."
[00:57]	Marisa	"Ayup!"
[00:57]	Marisa	is proud!
[00:57]	Kai	Oh, hello.
[00:58]	Kai	lands carefully.
[01:02]	CorporationA	puts away the whaling harpoon she'd procured. The CLASSIFIED MATERIAL has been SAFELY RETURNED. Fire team is standing down.
[01:03]	Patchouli	gives Koakuma a hug.
[01:04]	Zeke	notices--oh, hey, it's that other guy!
[01:05]	Zeke	acts like an employee.
[01:05]	Zeke	"You're supposed to check in at the gate, sir."
[01:06]	Kai	Hey, Zeke!
[01:06]	Kai	So you were here.
[01:06]	Kai	scratches his neck.
[01:06]	Kai	Uh, sorry about this.
[01:06]	Zeke	"...Were?"
[01:07]	Zeke	looks up at the broken window.
[01:08]	Zeke	"And it's not like you were the one who broke it. You should probably do something about it, though, or you'll catch hell."
[01:08]	Kai	Probably...
[01:09]	Kai	turns to Marisa.
[01:09]	Zeke	"Sup, by the way. How's life?"
[01:09]	Kai	Wonderful!
[01:09]	Kai	conjures up several bullets of danmaku, aiming them nowhere.
[01:10]	Kai	You?
[01:11]	Zeke	traces the danmaku with his eyes.
[01:11]	Zeke	"Oh, that. They don't let me shoot inside the house. No one else really follows that rule, but I don't have tenure yet."
[01:12]	Zeke	"But hey. Job."
[01:12]	Zeke	fist-pumps
[01:12]	Marisa	is now chatting with Patchouli over tea, talking about generic topic. Kai's name pops up from time to time.
[01:13]	Kai	nods.
[01:13]	Kai	That's good.
[01:13]	Kai	I don't suppose you've learned any danmaku yourself?
[01:14]	Zeke	"Like I said. They don't let me shoot inside the house. They still think I might break something somehow."
[01:15]	Zeke	holds up his hands. Lolidunno.
[01:18]	Kai	I see.
[01:18]	Kai	Enjoying yourself, at least?
[01:19]	Kai	strolls closer to Zeke, off the pile.
[01:19]	Zeke	waggles his hand. So-so.
[01:20]	Zeke	"Eehhh, it's... You wouldn't understand. If I told you you'd just say I'm trying to get myself killed."
[01:20]	Zeke	"Probably having more fun than you, though."
[01:20]	Zeke	smirks.
[01:21]	Kai	smirks.
[01:21]	Kai	I doubt it.
[01:21]	Kai	produces his one spellcard.
[01:25]	Zeke	acts surprised.
[01:26]	Zeke	"Oho! Look at you! All the cool kids are playing with those these days!"
[01:27]	Kai	Pffft.
[01:27]	Kai	Well, hey.
[01:27]	Kai	If nothing else, this should buy me passage through most of Gensokyo... kinda.
[01:27]	Kai	It'll make things a little safer, at least.
[01:30]	Zeke	"Ehhh, don't get ahead of yourself, bro; I heard it through the grapevine that standard operating procedure is three cards."
[01:30]	Kai	sighs.
[01:30]	Kai	Well, it's a start at least.
[01:32]	Zeke	"Aahh, I'm just giving you a hard time; smart people shouldn't have to use 'em, I bet."
[01:33]	Kai	Probably.
[01:34]	Zeke	is still kind of trying to keep dusting, but it's more so if Sakuya time-stops to look at him he'll LOOK like he's still working. Heck yeah, gaming the system.
[01:34]	Patchouli	"So... your friend has magic potential."
[01:35]	Patchouli	is behind Zeke.
[01:35]	Patchouli	"What about you?"
[01:35]	Zeke	jumps.
[01:35]	Zeke	"Woah!"
[01:35]	Zeke	spins around.
[01:35]	Zeke	"Oh, sorry, sorry, uh, what?"
[01:36]	Marisa	"hahaha, gonna start a disciple race with me or somethin'?"
[01:36]	Marisa	pats Kai's shoulder.
[01:36]	Marisa	"Mine's pretty strong, y'know?"
[01:37]	Marisa	"Haven't started collecting badges from different gym yet, but we are gonna go to champion road together!"
[01:37]	Patchouli	"..."
[01:37]	Patchouli	disapproves of fourth-walling gag.
[01:37]	Kai	can't help but smile. It's a good feeling, having your teacher proud of you.
[01:38]	Kai	Oh, sorry, I haven't properly introduced myself.
[01:38]	Kai	Kai, at your service.
[01:38]	Kai	does a slight bow to Patchouli.
[01:38]	Zeke	"Victory Road."
[01:38]	Zeke	embraces the fourth-wall gag.
[01:38]	Patchouli	"Patchouli Knowledge. Same."
[01:38]	Zeke	"Get it right."
[01:38]	Patchouli	nods.
[01:39]	Marisa	"It's the same. Champion, Victory. It's all Rocky Balboa-ey."
[01:40]	Zeke	rolls his eyes.
[01:41]	Zeke	"Don't you DARE get me started, ma'am. You wouldn't like me when I'm started. And then I wouldn't get any work done and would get fired."
[01:41]	Patchouli	"If I want to train someone or something, as a superior elemental mage I am sure that my student can surpass yours."
[01:41]	Patchouli	hmphs.
[01:42]	Marisa	notices Zeke's stubbornness!
[01:42]	Marisa	"Oh ho, what now? Gonna start somethin', ze? Why don't you go ahead and do it?!"
[01:42]	Marisa	get into boxing stance!
[01:43]	Zeke	is :|
[01:43]	Kai	stands back just in case.
[01:43]	Kai	Somehow, I don't think a fistfight would be fair to settle this kind of thing...
[01:44]	Zeke	eyes Kai.
[01:44]	Zeke	"...Fair for WHO?"
[01:44]	Kai	treads carefully around the subject.
[01:44]	Kai	It just wouldn't.
[01:46]	Marisa	"heheheh! Gonna fight, huh?! marisa backs off to no one!"
[01:46]	Patchouli	"If you really start a fistfight here I will fry you all with Royal Flare."
[01:46]	Patchouli	is totally not amused.
[01:47]	Zeke	looks at Kai and motions to Marisa.
[01:47]	Zeke	"And this is why I'm not allowed to shoot inside the house."
[01:49]	Marisa	"He started it!"
[01:50]	Patchouli	"I don't care. This is my library. My place, my rules."
[01:50]	Marisa	"Augh. Okay. Fine."
[01:51]	Zeke	rubs his temple. At least dealing with the fairies is amusing. This woman has NO sense of what references are funny!
[01:52]	Patchouli	"So... what next?"
[01:53]	Patchouli	lets it slide. It's a unique quirk of Gensokyo people. No matter how big the problem is, it will be forgotten in like 2 pages.
[01:53]	Zeke	checks the wristwatch he still doesn't have.
[01:53]	Zeke	"I'm supposed to get back to work."
[01:54]	Marisa	"Guess I'll grab some books."
[01:54]	Kai	If I may...
[01:54]	Patchouli	"?"
[01:54]	Kai	addresses Patchouli.
[01:54]	Kai	Would it be possible to speak with the Mistress of the house?
[01:55]	Kai	I would like the chance to stay for a time and peruse your library.
[01:55]	Kai	And study under you as well, if that too is possible.
[01:57]	Zeke	keeps his mouth shut. Kai is SO not smooth enough to speak with the Mistress, but it sure would be fun to watch that chess game.
[01:57]	Patchouli	"...study under me?"
[01:58]	Kai	I've heard from Marisa that you're rather adept at magic.
[01:58]	Patchouli	"That I am."
[01:59]	Kai	Since I have studied under her and she states that I have learned all I can from her, I would like to learn from you.
[01:59]	Marisa	"Hey, if you put it like that it sounds like I'm stupid!"
[02:00]	Kai	How?
[02:01]	Kai	You made me, someone who never thought magic was really possible, able to use it!
[02:01]	Kai	Easily, even, with small feats.
[02:01]	Kai	No fool could do that.
[02:02]	Marisa	"I... uh. Well...
[02:02]	Marisa	"Yeah. That's right."
[02:02]	Marisa	ahems.
[02:02]	Patchouli	"I don't think Remi would be so generous as to take TWO humans in at once."
[02:03]	Patchouli	"But as for me, I appreciate those who like books, and I have free time. Teaching someone is not a big deal."
[02:03]	Kai	That would be great!
[02:03]	Marisa	"What about you, Zack? Guess you'd say yes since you will have your friend around."
[02:05]	Zeke	"Hey, don't look at me, I just work here."
[02:05]	Zeke	points to the rag.
[02:10]	Patchouli	"Well, I'll ask Remi for you."
[02:10]	Patchouli	"I won't promise anything, however."
[02:11]	Remi	"No need for that!"
[02:11]	Kai	That would be wonderfu-eh?
[02:11]	Remi	descends down from the rooftop, along with her stalwart protector Sakuya.
[02:11]	Remi	"I won't take any useless humans into my house!"
[02:12]	Remi	"So, if you don't want to be marked as useless, there only one way."
[02:12]	Patchouli	"...I knew it."
[02:12]	Remi	points!
[02:12]	Remi	"You two maggots gotta fight each other!"
[02:12]	Kai	... What?
[02:13]	Kai	is confused as to which two, though there are only two pairs...
[02:13]	Remi	"You new guy with the broken nose guy here of course!"
[02:13]	Zeke	looks from Kai to Remi's finger and back again.
[02:14]	Zeke	"...I don't get overtime for this, do I?"
[02:15]	Kai	Us?
[02:15]	Kai	gestures to Zeke.
[02:17]	Zeke	bites the corner of his lip. This has BETTER not mean he loses his job if he loses...
[02:17]	Remi	"Why yes of course!"
[02:19]	GM-Mizi	[and now the fate of the two once again interfered by sadistic whim of Remilia Scarlet. A fight between two friends... what will happen now?]
[02:20]	GM-Mizi	[The showdown begins, next session of Touhouventure!]