Go back to the Hakurei Shrine and see if you missed anything about Aoi or Hana.
Ah, Hatate will be fine for a bit longer, and you might as well get this done sooner than later. You fly toward the Hakurei Shrine, once again landing on the steps and walking up through the entrance; even if it's not Gensokyo, it's still polite. By now there aren't any other visitors, and the shrine grounds are empty of human life, although a crow does fly over to investigate you. Smiling, you tap its beak, and it hops onto your shoulder. You walk toward the main building; it's a bit larger than the one in Gensokyo, but since more than just Reimu lives there, it makes sense, and it doesn't look wrong to you, so it's not a problem. Wings tucked against your back, you walk up to the wooden porch, but a timid-looking man, perhaps a few years younger than Reimu, stomps out of the building, slamming the screen shut behind him. He starts stomping toward you, then stops abruptly as he registers your presence. "Ah … um, I'm sorry, we – the shrine is closed to visitors right now." You smile – his voice is strained, so he must have been having an argument, but he's doing his best to keep it under control for a 'guest.'
"Oh, that's alright," you say. "I'm not a … visitor, particularly. I don't suppose Aoi and Hana are here?" He frowns, and someone else pads up to the door and slides it open.
"Takeru! Just – oh. Ah, a visitor, please come …." Her expression flashes from worry to politeness to a sort of confused fairy expression, and you chuckle as the boy turns to the newcomer.
"Mother, just leave – what's wrong?" He turns back to look at you, and you wave your wings. The woman's expression clears up a bit as Takeru's turns to shock.
"M-Miss Tengu, please, enter and enjoy our hospitality. I shall prepare tea. Takeru, introduce her to your father." She backs carefully into the shrine, then scurries across the tatami mats. You smile and shake your head before slipping off your geta, leaving you noticeably shorter than the young man, whose eyes seem to bug out almost to the lenses of his glasses.
"A-ah, um, ah …." He stammers uncontrollably for a few seconds, then swallows and closes his eyes. "Please, follow me." He spins unceremoniously and walks stiffly into the shrine, arms and legs swinging jerkily, almost ritualistically. You set your bag next to your geta and follow him, eyes darting about as you take into account the differences between this shrine and Reimu's: the electric lights, the strange-looking stove, the little clutter that is impossible to eradicate when multiple people use a room. Curiously, the shrine is dedicated to the Suwa deity, so it might not be the best idea to bring them back to Gensokyo. "F-Father, our g-guest is the tengu – ah …." Takeru's pale face looks back at you as he stumbles over the fact that he didn't ask your name. You step past him and bow politely.
"Aya Shameimaru, sir," you say smoothly, and the old man actually rises to return your bow, despite the obvious pain standing up causes him. Hana's mouth opens wide – the prelude to some exclamation, certainly – but shuts it when your eyes focus on her. You smoothly fold yourself into a sitting position across from him at the low table. "Please, sir, sit down." He bows his head and slowly returns to his knees before swiping the wisps of his grey hair away from his face.
"You honor us, Great Tengu. I am Hiro Hakurei. My younger daughter, Hana; my son, Takeru. My elder daughter is … sleeping," he smiles ruefully. "She told us a … a grand story earlier, so we gave her some medicine and sent her to bed. My wife, Michiru, must be preparing refreshments, but can I offer you some drinks?" You bow again.
"Thank you for your generosity, but I do not wish to intrude overmuch." Takeru clumsily stumbles to your right, sitting on the long end of the table next to Hana, who glares at him. "Ah, and I'm a Crow Tengu, not a Great Tengu." Hiro inhales slowly, frowning. Takeru holds his breath for several seconds before half-turning so he's facing you.
"So, what kind of tengu are you? I mean, are you like the old stories, where you're here to torment everyone, or are you like the monstergirl kind, who're looking for husbands and – and things like that? I mean, 'cause you're really pretty, and you have – I mean, really pretty, and -mm!" You look past the now-red-faced young man to Hana, who most certainly doesn't look like she just finished driving a knuckle into the sensitive part of his foot, but who is doing a terrible job of keeping her expressions off her face. Takeru slowly rolls onto his stomach and glares at his sister.
"Takeru! Hana!" The girl manages to clear her face a bit better, but Takeru merely glares at both of them before sitting up, legs crossed. He meets your eyes, then blushes and looks away, and his father sighs. "Takeru … did not get along with the previous head of the shrine. And I fear his time at college has … not improved him much." Takeru snorts.
"That's because Grandmother is a crazy old witch!" Hiro's face becomes a rigidly controlled mask of fury as the boy slams his hands on the table and leans forward confrontationally. "Everyone knows youkai and stuff don't exist!" In the momentary silence that follows, the crow hops off your shoulder, flap-hops onto Takeru, and pecks him on the cheek. He jerks back toward Hana, and when his eyes settle on you, you wave cheerfully.
"Takeru, I think even the bird thinks you're dumb," Hana says, and Hiro clears his throat before they can start another squabble. You focus on him.
"The previous shrine head?"
"M-my mother, Miss Tengu." Michiru slowly walks into the room, eyes stuck fast to the tray she's gripping tightly, trying to keep it from rattling too much. "She … believed in youkai. Believed they were staying hidden be-bec- …." She finally reaches the table, and slowly, carefully, lowers herself to her knees and starts pouring the tea. Takeru looks away guiltily while Hiro watches his wife sadly.
"Grandma thought youkai were staying hidden because no one believes in them. She didn't like all the foreigners coming around here, either. She called them filthy -"
"Hana." Hiro's voice is quiet, and Hana looks down.
"... The tea is wonderful, Michiru." The woman smiles gently and bows her head. "Is your mother …?" Hiro coughs gently.
"Youko is at a … sort of hospital. She attacked some children who were defacing the shrine, and it was decided to retire her." Hana looks angry, while the others look uncomfortable. You can put the pieces together well enough, though. Well, you can't help much with that, at least not any more than you already have, but you do still have something to do here.
"... I don't know how much Aoi and Hana told you about my earlier visit," you say, drawing everyone's attention back to you, "but I can tell you that I am not from this land." You focus your attention on Michiru. "I cannot tell you whether or not your mother is correct about youkai in this world." She simply closes her eyes and nods.
"But you have come here for some purpose? You were looking for a … Gensokyo?" You nod at Hiro.
"I couldn't find it, or any places where tengu live. Unless they're hiding from me. But I would like to try something, if you don't mind. It won't hurt anyone, and no one is required to participate." After a moment, he nods, as well as everyone else around the table. You nod back, and close your eyes. Thank goodness you're already kneeling. A light wind rustles through the room, then dies down as you focus on what you want. Your eyes open. "... In front of each of you, a spread-hand's distance from your nose, is a ball of air. If you would, please attempt to manipulate it." They reach their hands out, surprise blooming on their faces as they encounter the strange spaces. If you were a magician, this would be a lot easier, but you're not, and you don't think Hatate is, either, so you have to hope one of them is naturally strong enough to be noticed. Hiro places his fingers against the ball in front of him and focuses, as does Michiru. Hana makes slashing movements with one hand through hers, trying to bat or pull it. Takeru pokes his with one finger, lazily swirling it around – and is the only one doing anything. Interesting. Maybe you should visit Miss Youko …. You let the orbs disperse, and none of the humans look like they think they did anything. And then you hear someone running toward the room.
"Mom, Dad! Look, I just -!" Aoi, dressed for bed, stumbles when she sees you. She regains her composure quickly, however, and holds up what looks like a small, flat camera. "You! What are you doing here? And what is the other one doing?!" You blink and cock your head, and she stomps forward and thrusts the camera in your face, but with the reverse side toward you. A screen takes up the whole side, and it shows you a video of another place. Hatate, in what seems to be a store of some kind, with all kinds of devices on the walls, including lots of cameras. Hatate, with her wings out, in public. Hatate, who can't possibly be unaware that people have cameras and are taking pictures of her, never mind whatever is capturing the video.
What do you do?
[ ] … You'll deal with it later. Test Aoi, and then see if you can find out where Youko is staying and go see her.
[ ] … You'll deal with it later. Find a bar, see if they have enough alcohol to get you tipsy.
- [ ] Actually, go bar-hopping and see if you can get drunk.
[ ] Go deal with Hatate right now.
[ ] Other?
