Digital Moonlight(Short Story)

[Richter]

Digital Moonlight

By: Richter

Season 138, End of Spring

Garden Status: Sup-optimal, rains have been disappointing, and will have to compensate with magical influence(See “Nature of Hydroponic Gardening”, Shelf 15 Row 3 Book 4).  Gatekeeper is too focused on playing with child-like youkai to take of the more decorative flowers properly

 

Current Research Subject: Digital Technology and its effects on the conscious mind.

A recent visit to Eientei for some superfluous social gathering Remi insisted on dragging me to yielded surprising findings: The princess of the estate, one Kaguya Houraisan showed off a strange piece of outside-world technology capable of displaying and sorting information rapidly.  While it made troubling noises and required one of the rabbit servants to power it by pedaling on a stationary bike, she showed off its abilities.  Of particular note are the media she kept on it, stories told like electronic puppet shows featuring a bright and cheery art style that emphasized large eyes and small noses.  I managed to persuade the princess and her observing doctor(Eirin Yagokoro) to allow me to observe her using it for a period of time yet to be defined.  The intention of this study is not to steal or replicate the technology as of yet, but to understand its effects fully.  

Note: The name “digital” is mentioned in many outside-world texts in reference to two sacred numbers which act as polar opposites, likely as runes to allow this thinking machine to sort information.

—----------------------------------------------------------------

The unmoving library sleeps over her report, her unnatural body still needing some rest as she is shaken awake.  Today is the first day of observation of the effects of digital technology in constant use.  The magician has her hair washed and tied up in preparation for the journey through the bamboo forest as she picks out a recognizable, noble, but comfortable robe cinched at the waist with a corset to give it the appearance of a dress.  Her usual slippers are taken by her faithful servant in a bag along with notebooks, writing utensils, and equipment for measuring the health and concentration of a subject.  

“Lady Patchouli, may we walk today?  We have plenty of time before we're expected, It would be quite rude to arrive too early” the small devil says with a smile as they step out into the early morning sun.  

The magician sighs: “..Fine, but we're not stopping in the village for anything” she says as the gatekeeper peers an eye open at the couple, tilting her head in surprise, but knowing better than to say anything.

The dull early morning sunlight offers a gentle light to the journey as Patchouli goes over her method for the study in her head: To conduct some basic vision and concentration tests, observe the princess in her daily routine, then perform the same test at noon.  Observation will be kept up until dinner.  Koakuma seems to rejoice in a chance to leave the mansion with her reclusive master as they see the fairies wake up and flit about, hear the songs of the local fauna, and crisp morning dew on their shoes.

The two are guided through the labyrinthine forest by the white-haired hermit who Remi still brags about besting in Danmaku despite the dubious circumstance of the match.  It's a quiet walk, the only extrovertive member of the party knowing her master's tolerance for small talk was fairly low.  

The house of eternity was an exquisite example of traditional Japanese architecture, with its rabbit servants being directed in morning preparations.  The white-haired hermit leaves the group before they enter without a word, promising the group she will be available to escort them back.  The lunar rabbit and her master, doctor Eirin Yagokoro stand at the entrance dressed finely for the occasion.  Koakuma exchanges pleasantries with the lunar rabbit as Patchouli walks toward the princess's chambers with the doctor.

“She is not awake yet.  Last night's festivities have taken a toll on her” the doctor says, adopting a colder, calculating voice than she uses with the rabbits.

“I see.. Has her constitution always been particularly fragile?”

“Yes, despite her abilities she tends to strain herself easily”

Patchouli notes this as she notes how tall and straight-backed the doctor is, a posture that is uncommon among even the healthier women of the human village who are of advanced age as her grey hair would point.

Eirin slides open the door to Kaguya’s large chambers.  The girl sleeps in a bedraggled manner on her futon.  The device from last night was upside down on the floor next to her the air of fried food can be smelled in the room, even if it is otherwise clean.  The doctor gently shakes the girl awake, helping her up so she can be made presentable in the other room.  Patchouli takes a moment to set out her equipment and inspect the folding screens and artifacts in the girl's room.  She keeps an assortment of odd-looking devices, seeming like smaller versions of her own device with some even having a folding screen for greater storage capabilities.  Patchouli makes sketches of these.

After an hour, the princess re-enters her own room, her long black hair groomed and the princess dressed in a crimson and gold kimono, the obi tied loose for comfort.  Eirin excuses herself to manage the household, as Patchouli watches the girl's elegance leave with her, sitting down on her futon an sighing in frustration at her device.  It does not light up as it did last night.

“Uhhhhhhh…” she groans as she rings a bell, a rabbit servant coming to charge it by bike

“Miss Houraisan, while the device is being filled with power, I ask you focus on this simple set of tests” Patchouli says as she prepares a deck of cards with shapes on them

“Is this part of your study?  I just wanted to show you some of the games I’ve found on this thing” The princess says

“....You thought this was a social call”

“Yeah, I’m not good at memory games so let's skip it”

“But-”

“Oh!  There we go!  This one is really fun..”

Kaguya ignores the scientific aspect like a child wishing to show a friend a new toy.  Her game includes the digital puppet shows from before but is interspersed between sections of gameplay involving maneuvering cute, demon-like creatures and penguin-suited people.  The princess brags about her large numbers and comments on the “grindy” nature of the game.  Her enthusiasm for her game overwhelms the shut-in mage as lunch flies by.

As the sun shows signs of starting to set, Kaguya yawns: “That was fun!  Do you want to try playing?  I’ll let you take it back if you promise to bring it back” She says to the socially burnt-out Patchouli

“O-Okay..” she says as Kaguya mutter something over her device…

“Its battery should hold for a long time now” she says with a wink, before yawning again.

“I’m getting sleepy..” she says as she slips under the covers of her futon.

“..Excuse me?  Its barely evening…” Patchouli says, still socially off balance

The girl rolls herself over to look toward Patchy: “Give me a break, I’ll be up early tomorrow..” she says as her eyelids grow heavy and she stretches out.

The mage sits stunned at the utter inelegance of the princess as the lunar rabbit opens the door quietly: “Oh dear. Just let her sleep Miss Patchouli, Master Yagokoro will handle her”

Patchouli nods as she puts the device in her bag

“Oh, and that devil girl is really helpful! We organized all the patient records while you were with the princess!” The lunar rabbit says excitedly as Patchi gives a slight smile, glad Koakuma made use of herself for once.

 

Patchouli would find that the device was a dangerous time-waster upon further research, causing her to miss research goals and improperly file books due to spending too much time optimizing her party of demons and penguins.

[Canaranjo]

amazing 10/10