So, Eugene, d'ye know how exactly this time-space... what's his face thingy actually comes about?
I dunno. Something science-y, I suppose? I'm no expert in the matter. And the name's Yugen.
Yugen.... ohhh. Sorry 'bout that.
Reaching the end of the grassy ledge, which terminated in a steep drop into sharp rocks lashed by roiling waves, I crouched down and trained that camera that I'd been given on the travellers waiting at the port. Of all of them, the only one whom I could see was standing was Toritori, second in line and stiffly staring straight ahead toward the end of the jetty, every muscle tensed in expectation of making that valiant leap into the unknown. But we all knew that this was one journey on which she had no desire of embarking.
As if on cue, the sky flashed with the brightness of distant lightning, and a peal of thunder sounded. And slowly, that sickening miasma, seemed to thicken into a fog around the port area. The artificially-induced anomaly would claim its next victims, including a person we had only recently met, and our instructions were to observe it.
Slowly, surely, the silhouette of a small boat became visible in the fog, and it coursed forward to pull up alongside the port. The first traveller in front of Toritori, heedless of her fate, helplessly flung herself onto its deck, and it pulled away to vanish into the mist. And then...
And then, like the lifting of a curtain, the fog mysteriously vanished once again and the port was bathed in sunlight, revealing Toritori, fallen to her knees, as the first traveller in line to depart at the port.
Welcome to Gensokyo Island. Our exports are biological weapons and violent extremists.
Returning to the Bunbunmaru News office, I noticed Kiba, with his back turned to us, staring at some pictures on his laptop. Doing some research? Or were those... cartoons? Before I could get a closer look, he slammed the cover of the laptop down with surprising force and whirled around to face us.
The girl, I mean, Toritori's still there. But she's first in line now!
Rebecca provided the status update as I handed over the camera. The information we gathered wasn't especially invaluable, but Kiba's tense expression seemed to soften anyway. Turning back to the desk for a moment, he retrieved a folder and handed it to us. It was labelled "Daily Updates" and signed off by our temporary boss Aya Shameimaru.
What? Let you be? Well, alrighty then. Let's get going, Eugene!
It's Yugen, I corrected, but I don't think Rebecca skipping ahead of me heard anything. Opening the folder and flipping through the reports and photographs within, I pondered Kiba and Toritori's words from a couple of days ago, and the papers seemed to grow heavy. It was then that I understood, to the ruler of this Gensokyo Island, all these reports which had been attained were worth as much as the life of that one traveller who had been sent off into the unknown.
It was then too that I noticed the reason for the mysterious lack of any other witnesses to the reactivation of the time anomaly, as well as the continued absence of Okuu's Look-alike, Aya Shameimaru, or indeed any other islander of significance.
Nozomu Itoshiki, the terminally depressed schoolteacher, was reported to have been utterly in despair over becoming one year older, and thus one year closer to death. Being so depressed, and no doubt exacerbated by the tortuous existence of living on Gensokyo Island, he attempted to kill himself publicly as he was wont to do but Okuu's Look-alike reportedly put a stop to it, abhorred that it would put quite the damper on her milestone celebrations.
As such, they took him aside, gave him a meaningless song without lyrics to occupy himself, and surrounded him with a wall of flesh to prevent him from attempting to dash his brains out against the wall. According to this report, claims that he attempted to set himself on fire using the candles and thus setting off the sprinkler system have been vastly exaggerated.
And yet, it is no exaggeration to say that Nozomu's worries for the his state of life, nay, the state of all life on Gensokyo Island may be truly justified after all. Simply take into account the explosive increase in the common-born, easily noticeable within minutes of one's visit to the island, and it's immediately understandable that conditions can only grow ever more squalid not only for those who possess the status of being permanent residents, but for life on the island as a whole.
It was then too that I noticed the reason for the mysterious lack of any other witnesses to the reactivation of the time anomaly, as well as the continued absence of Okuu's Look-alike, Aya Shameimaru, or indeed any other islander of significance.
Welcome to Gensokyo Island, we solve your problems and take your cash. Except sometimes we don't because we like watching you suffer.
They were at a party. A party celebrating the solving of "problems" on Gensokyo Island, no less. And most certainly the overpopulation of young travellers like ourselves on the island was one such problem.
At that moment, I felt very small, so completely insignificant in the grand scheme of things. I've always thought of myself as decently worthy of respect, that those pictures of clinking glasses and feasting on delicacies were akin my birthright, my privilege. But I realised that only held true insofar that the ones in charge, nay, society itself respected that status. In a world where lives are but pawns to be used and discarded in some great game, what else do I have but the extent of my freedom, and my body and flesh?
I've always been one to ponder. But not one to taste despair Today, the first tinge of it crept across my tongue like the taste of some repugnant fruit, a fruit called despair. This pear, I tell you!
Speaking of which, that was not the only celebration the natives of Gensokyo Island were holding today.
I'm in despair! The fact that my real age isn't known and has just been callously set to 18, well, now 19, has left me in despair!
As such, they took him aside, gave him a meaningless song without lyrics to occupy himself, and surrounded him with a wall of flesh to prevent him from attempting to dash his brains out against the wall. According to this report, claims that he attempted to set himself on fire using the candles and thus setting off the sprinkler system have been vastly exaggerated.
And yet, it is no exaggeration to say that Nozomu's worries for the his state of life, nay, the state of all life on Gensokyo Island may be truly justified after all. Simply take into account the explosive increase in the common-born, easily noticeable within minutes of one's visit to the island, and it's immediately understandable that conditions can only grow ever more squalid not only for those who possess the status of being permanent residents, but for life on the island as a whole.
Boys on the top, Bertrand and Niitaka, girls on the bottom, Tabitha and Salvatore. That sounds wrong. Also, Bertrand is Salvatore's uncle...
It is all too easy to chide the common folk for their explosive breeding habits, completely heedless of the ability of natural resources and the environment to sustain more souls. But it is an even greater crime still, should those in power actively encourage this self-destructive behaviour. What Okuu's Look-alike be thinking, none can really say for sure, but it will be no doubt in the thoughts of any impartial, momentary observer that it must be some deed nefarious beyond contemplation by any sane mortal mind.
Yes, a terrible, monstrous deed, one which, in running its course, will claim without hesitation the lives of every single one of these hapless travellers. Including Toritori. Including ... myself.
BUNBUNMARU UPDATES, 26th April 2015
Traveller Updates
A boat from Coco Island arrived. Yuuko departed.
BUNBUNMARU UPDATES, 27th April 2015
Happy 19th(?) Birthday, Nozomu Itoshiki!
Traveller Updates
Yuuko, daughter of Yuyuko Saigyouji and Maximillian Magma, wrote back from Streetpass Relay Point Island. She has visited 0 islands so far.
Children
Bertrand, son of Recette Lemongrass and Armin Arlert, grew up. He was made to leave Gensokyo Island and become a traveller!
Niitaka, son of Aya Shameimaru and Shou Toramaru, grew up. He was made to leave Gensokyo Island and become a traveller!
Tabitha, daughter of Shanghai Margatroid and Kanako Yasaka, grew up. She was made to leave Gensokyo Island and become a traveller!
Salvatore, daughter of Tia Arlert and Tadakichi Mihama, grew up. She was made to leave Gensokyo Island and become a traveller!
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