Winding halls and creaking wood. At some point you just couldn't but question how and when this place was made.
Surely the dominant hedonistic tendencies of this shrine's residents wouldn't have had the willpower to get off their heavy buttocks to pick up shovels and pickaxes to even begin laying out the foundation of such a large building. Because if they do, then judging by the current condition of this place then they are most likely dead or 'inconvenienced' in some manner.
As the nights go by, it became easier and easier to lose my tails as I become more familiar with the layout. Of course, this is only up to a certain point as I still haven't explored this place in it's entirety.
Judging by how, at times, when I go through the same door by memory and it leads to someplace different from last time then it would be safe to assume there are other powers at play.
Either the cloaked figure l battled from before had more than one nest, this is either the work of a other Kami for some reason or this is also the work of the same being that made the patchwork sky.
There are other possibilities that are viable but I believe that I've accurately narrowed it down to just these three.
Despite the occasional changes in layout, I did find certain themes that are consistent.
For one, rooms stylised to fit in a school were the most predominant and are mainly split into two types: first, An old school that seemed abandoned much like how most of the shrine is. Second, a school that seemed like it belonged to a slasher film, complete with scattered chairs and broken windows but is missing the mutilated bodies.
Both are centered around an educational facility but have key differences between them which makes me curious about why that is.
Coincidentally, I found a cat wandering around one of the former style's room. I figured that it was possibly someone's else's pet and took it with me as it seemed lost and I'd rather not have the poor creature's paws get stuck with shards of glass or splintered wood.
Anyway, the second consistent theme is, somehow, an imitation of Shinjuku. Though 'imitation' is loosely used to describe the appearance, the actual 'room' itself is more of an large open space with fake buildings fronts beside a crudely painted street. The only thing that could be considered an effort are the fleeting shadows that crowd the way, reminiscent of the busy streets of actual Shinjuku.
The last consistent theme is a high-rise office space with neatly organized cubicles, it was clean and sterile and was scented of fresh paper. Peering out from the floor-to-ceiling glass window greeted me with a meticulously painted cityscape plastered on a wall.
A suspiciously appropriate theme for the Kami, Ishimaru.
Going by that logic, it would be safe to assume the other consistent theme to be attributed to the other Kami but it puzzles me as to why these were done to begin with.
A vanity project perhaps?
There isn't enough consistent themes for each Kami so I reckon that either I haven't encountered it yet or one of them are also new recruit like me. This assumption would mean that these sort of places are artificially created and would cement the hypothetical creator of the patchwork sky.
If not, then it would mean that these themes manifesting is a feature of the shrine as it recreates areas more familiar to the Kami it hosts.
But regardless, further questions to both would be 'why?'.
I sighed again as I left a room that used mimicked an abandoned school's swimming pool, now reduced to rubble. A trap I've quickly grown used to during my exploration as that setting seemed to be the cloaked figure's theme, meaning that they too, are probably a Kami.
It seems that, because of our initial interaction, our relationship has soured to the point that it became an attack-on-sight kind of animosity. Infuriating. I'm the aggrieved party in this situation as she attacked me first at the time but now they're acting like the victim?!
And it seemed that the Kami are truly sedentary as any other group would have had at least one member of similar standing act as a mediator.
Fine.
If there's no honor among thieves then so be it.
"Well, at least I have you to keep me company. Isn't that right Nyanko-chan?" I patted the little critter in my arms. Though the child seemed unsettled by the atmosphere of this place as they were quiet and stiff. "Don't worry. Once I'm done exploring a bit more, I make sure you find your owner. Although..." The cat flinched when I raised it to level with my gaze. "It is very irresponsible for someone to bring you here to begin with, let alone letting you wander freely."
Such an expressive yet odd cat.
Even if it doesn't have a collar, it's too well behaved to be a stray. The fur is too clean as well to be around this place long, you can tell by how the oppressive ambiance of this place hasn't clung unto this child yet.
I wonder what sort of pedigree it has.
I lowered the cat back into my arms as I continued on my little adventure.
"Alright, door number... I never counted." I shrugged. "Eh, Whatever." I said as I slid open the door.
I was greeted with a gust of wind that brushed my hair aside. Seeing what was inside brought a spike of irritation bubbling from within me.
"So..." I couldn't help but growl out. "Guess that means this shrine has does it by itself."
Behind the door, is the unmistakable imitation of Gensokyo's human village.
Similar to the Shinjuku room, this one has imitations of building fronts not too dissimilar to cardboard cutouts. From the houses and inns, the stores and shops, looking downward, even the road is just a thin layer of dirt on the floor.
I felt tempted to level the entire room to ashes...
However, as I took more steps inward, curiosity won over my anger.
I wanted to see to what extent was mimicked by the shrine- to see whether it was made close enough to what my memories could bring up.
The dirt crunching beneath my feet was loud amidst the silence of the room. I paid no mind to the fleeting shadows as they passed by like the wind.
"Cirno, you can't freeze the books just because you're bored!"
"But Daiyousei! What else can I do here?!"
"How about actually reading a book?"
"But that's booooooring."
"Please don't make a ruckus in my store."
Among the cardboard cutouts of building fronts was something that stood out by having. More depth than it's neighbours. It was a miniature of a store, Kosuzu's bookstore specifically, that was supposed to smell of fresh ink and paper. Unfortunately however, the scent of mold was predominantly here. And even more so, the books are merely painted on the back of the shelves, the miniature building is empty.
Leaving the bookstore, I made my way through the streets and saw another familiar building.
"How terrifying. To think the outside world has such devices to control the mind!"
"That's not how that goes..."
"Oh? Then how is it supposed to be?"
"Pretty sure that's handheld console. It's a thingy you play games with."
"...Fascinating. How do people play with such a weirdly shaped block?"
"...Stay here. I'll go ask the Kappas for a solar charger."
"What for?"
"You'll see."
The Kourindou, otherwise known as the Curio store.
I remember how even though he the ability to know the name and purpose of an item at a glance, Rinnosuke's gaps in modern knowledge often led him jumping to the most hilarious conclusions. Despite his misgiving however, the money for working part-time at his place was nice but the highlight of my shifts there were seeing what nonsensical idea he comes up with.
The Kourindou's imitation is placed in the village rather than near the Forest of Magic like it was supposed to. Maybe the shrine has limits to what it could mimic? The store is barely the size of large closet within with useless trinkets and knick-knacks rather than actual items of curiosities that I've come to know of the place.
Movin on, I pass along the busiest street in the human village that's bustling with plenty of shadows going to and fro. The bustling market street with plenty of store of either side of the road.
"Three to go please."
"Don't cause another incident."
"No promises."
"...Cirno is a bad influence on you."
"Daiyousei is a good influence so I'd say it cancels out."
"Brat. Don't come home all dirty."
"That I can promise."
The sweets shop that Nee-chan worked in. I remember the times when I used to order a bunch of sweets to take out for the rest of the gang. Cirno was banned after one incident during summer and ever since then, someone else has to gofer with another person keeps an eye over her. Daiyousei, a fellow sweets-lover was thankful that she wasn't alone on playing guardian and having to choose between friends and sweets.
Heh.
Just thinking about those times made me forget my own annoyance at the shrine.
I didn't even bother to acknowledge the awful imitation.
But since this store was here, then-
My feet were moving by themselves as I let muscle memory shake off its rust and carry me on. I was walking at a brisk pace but I've restrained myself from breaking into a run.
As much as I want to see for myself as soon as possible, I'm also feeling a cocktail of emotions as the distance shortened.
Anger? Excitement? Apprehension? Fear? Annoyance?
Yes. All of them and more were swirling inside of me.
Before I could organise and compartmentalize any one of them, I was already at the place.
A small house at the lesser part of the village. The dingy home appearance of the outside was worse than the one in my memory because of the poor imitation, but from what I remember, no thieves thought of stealing anything from here because it's always guarded by heads that would hide when a friendly human were to drop by.
Granted, that hardly ever happened but it does come to pass once every blue moon.
I reach out a hand to the door but paused.
Moments passed as I remain frozen in place while I gave it a second thought. Ideas and conjectures ran through my head before I left my hand fall back to my side.
I took a few steps backwards, keeping the poor imitation in my gaze. Swiveling my head, I took in the rest of the village before coming to a decision.
Sighing, I intoned.
"[Perish Storm: Crimson Downpour]"