#Hebiin Fuishi

[pansexualkiba]

@panda-monium64 well get ready because the only familiar territory from here is stages five through six of part 3.

THIS IS PART 3 OF A SERIES

TOUHOU HEBIZAGAN ~ WISH-BEARING ZODIAC

Stages 5 and 6 were essentially my last middle school characters, which also was marked by the simple fact of: I was now no longer consistently posting on DeviantArt. Yes, that is my canonical reason for never returning to DA, I was in high school now. Of course, sometime in high school I rediscovered my old ocs (I had spellcards made up for them, of course I'd find them) and went "huh, I never actually made a plot for these girls" so I cobbled one together.

Plot: Out of nowhere, a giant unknown constellation has appeared in the sky. With its appearance comes a shower of shooting stars, which the Moriya Shrine has immediately capitalized upon to make an off-season "wishing festival", in the same vein as Tanabata. It's all going well until it's noted that serpentine youkai are starting to get INCREASINGLY restless. Not only that, there's a sheer monsoon that's threatening the Human Village and their festival. The heroes have to trek up Youkai Mountain and somehow get this fucking rainstorm under control...

I think? It's been a while since I've reviewed the plots of these games. A lot of them are "a weird thing has happened, let's go and find out what it is", which isn't bad, but I think it's egregious here cause I never even gave them motive to go and see what's happening. Anyways.

HEBIIN FUISHI The Basilisk that Seeks Immortality Species: Cockatrice Ability: Capable of turning things to stone A basilisk living deep in the Bamboo Forest of the Lost. Normally not seen as often as others think. Her species is technically a cockatrice, but conflagration of her myths with basilisk folklore made her sort of a composite species. Her stone gaze only works if she's looking directly into the eyes of her prey, so she wears glasses. She doesn't need them to see, but it keeps everything in her gaze from turning to stone. She was minding her own business and watching the meteor shower when she felt a great surge of power. Confronting the protagonist, she tried to test out her power. Naturally, she was defeated.

Finally, a Stage One boss that's just some weird girl with no relation to the plot... Technically. I mean, her narrative purpose is to show that snake girls are getting powers. I like what I did here, fusing together cockatrice and basilisk lore, because that's a thing Touhou itself does sometimes. As for the glasses thing... My sister, at that time, had gotten into Fairy Tail. I hadn't, but she'd put it on the TV and MARATHON that shit. I thought the glasses and stone gaze combo was revolutionary. Right now, though... Also, what sort of fucking name is Hebiin. Bad.

PYTHON MIGAMI A Woman that Wishes for Revenge Against the Gods Species: Gorgon Ability: Capable of turning her hair into snakes A woman living in a cave in Youkai Mountain. Thought originally to be a yamanba, Python is actually a gorgon, a sort of western youkai. Python can switch her hair between snake and hair form, making it easy for her to slip into the Human Village unnoticed. This way, she can capture humans easily. Feeling a surge of energy and confidence during the star shower, she headed out into the night without any fear. Upon seeing humans wishing for things under the shooting stars and those wishes manifesting, Python realized that she could get revenge against a certain god for the death of her sister. Of course, this was when the protagonist happened upon her.

Fun fact: that first paragraph was a later addition after HSiFS's demo came out. Until then, Python was just a gorgon who just kinda. Lived in the village???? Anyways, two things here stick out to me. One, yes she's the older sister of Medusa. I don't know which one (possibly Stheno). Two, because the whole game revolved around snakes, I didn't want to just keep using "Hebi" in their names. So I thought I was being fucking clever by instead using "Mi", which has essentially the same kanji. Migami is literally "Snake God". She's not a god. She's a weird cavewoman.

TAKANASHI NO AMEKO The Vengeful Spirit who Wants Justice Species: Uwabami Ability: Capable of causing floods Technically the child of a legendary uwabami and therefore serpentine, Ameko is also the child of a particularly vengeful spirit. Seeing an opportunity in the wishing stars, she decided to wish for the ruination of her ancestor's name, Lord Masamori. With no regard to how it would affect her, she wished for the justice for her father's romance, but her wish was too grand. Upon hearing that the closer you were to the heavens, the more likely a larger wish would be granted, Ameko set off up Youkai Mountain, a trek she would normally not attempt were it not for a strong force strengthening her. Of course, her pilgrimage happened to be in the way of the protagonists...

There's a lot happening here, but let's start with: she is based on a real myth Disney's Descendants-style. Fun fact: despite her literal ability being to flood things, she's really just describing a thing her dad, the original Uwabami, was able to do by calling upon all his servants and stuff. Kuro-hime became a vengeful spirit, I guess??? Her narrative role is to show that the real culprit is, in fact, on Youkai Mountain... But the rumor is totally incorrect. Who told this rumor? Well...

MIYA UMIO The Great Serpent who Worships the Serpent Bearer Species: Sea Serpent Ability: Capable of manipulating shipwrecks A sea serpent youkai from an age long past. When the Outside World was still seafaring, they feared the depths of the ocean, and they told stories of gigantic serpents that would sink ships and ruin voyages. Miya is the result of this. During the era of ships, she enjoyed grand amounts of vast power, growing to tremendous lengths. However, when the world switched to airplanes, and slowly began to disbelieve in sea serpents, she began to lose her power. Fearing the worst, she fled into Gensokyo and took up residence in a large lake on Youkai Mountain. She's remained there, displeased, for quite a while, but when the new constellation appeared, giving her more of her strength, as well as bringing a whole tableau of stars with potent wishing potential, she couldn't help but wish for a new era of seafaring. The protagonists simply had to stop her.

Fun fact: the fact that her wish happened directly before the rainstorms is a coincidence. Miya's actually a very cool character, I just wish I did more with her. I think she'd have a very fun time fucking with Murasa. They'd either be best friends or immortal enemies. A funayuurei and a sea serpent... Name a more iconic duo. Anyways, her theme is named "Jormungand Coil". She isn't the world-serpent, I just thought that was neat.

UNAGIHIME Electrifying Heavenly Eel Species: Electric eel youkai Ability: Capable of manipulating static electricity A servant of the Dragon God. With the great constellation appearing out of nowhere, the entire Heavens was sent into an uproar. Unagihime was sent to calm down certain high-ranking members of the celestial sphere when the protagonist appeared. Acting out of self defense, she was still defeated.

Welcome to the Dragon Hall. How did the protagonist know to go this way? ...I guess there's two midbosses. Iku's the other one. Unagihime is meant to essentially be a second Iku anyways. Her design has her have a long braid to represent an eel's body, btw. The first of the three middle school girls in this batch (lol). I like how I went "what's serpentine... an eel, of course" and now she's here... As a consummate midboss.

ODORIGUMO NO JALELA The Dancer who Weaves Folklore from the Mists Species: Apsarasa Ability: Capable of manipulating water vapor A dancer in the Great Dragon God's court. Normally a laid-back individual, the implications of an appearance of an entire constellation that represents the subjugation of serpents did not escape her. When the Dragon God noticed this, it took it as a challenge of authority, as the Dragon God is serpentine in nature. At the same time, an ancient spirit awakened due to the sheer amount of shooting stars being released from this constellation. At a loss of what to do, Jalela began to wander around Heaven when her subordinate Unagihime was defeated. Jalela had an idea. "Perhaps if I get them to target both the wish-granter and the spirit of the constellation, I can end this whole thing in one fell swoop." With that in mind, she went to greet her new hero.

Made this girl first because... Oh god, I had gotten into fucking. Persona at the time, and Apsaras was my favorite demon (it isn't anymore btw. I think it's Angra Mainyu?). Anyways, originally her name was Maiko, but I gave that to the real Maiko (also water-themed, her original name is lost to the depths), and I gave her a name a real person would have. Odorigumo because she's employed by Japanese Heaven though (joke). Anyways, if it wasn't obvious what the new constellation is, you'll soon find out. But first...

NOZOMU HOSHIGAMI Djinn of the Falling Stars Species: Shooting star spirit Ability: Capable of granting three wishes An ancient spirit. As a star spirit, her nature is similar to that of a god. Long ago, humans would wish upon shooting stars, and the star spirits would do their best to ensure such things would come to pass. As humans got greedier, however, the star spirits became overworked. One of them had an idea. "Let us create a festival to organize these wishes. Then we shall each prioritize a certain kind." It worked, but what happened eventually was that humans began to put no faith in their actual wishes, and so the star spirits lost power, eventually going into hibernation. Nozomu was the last to do so, being the strongest of the star spirits. Nozomu woke up when the great serpent-holder appeared in the night sky, bringing with it unseasonable meteor showers and shooting stars. With the shooting stars came wishes. Nozomu, overjoyed at the surge of faith, began to grant every wish she could manage, unknowingly helping with sending Heaven itself into a blind panic. Something had to be done...

The plot of this one is the most loosey-goosey, I think. This is our final boss btw: just some random blondie who happens to be able to grant wishes... To an extent. She's not, like, phenominally all-powerful like her title would suggest. You may also have been thinking "Hey, isn't this essentially the plot of Shining Shooting Star?" And you WOULD be correct, if not for 1) snakes, and 2) I don't think SSS existed when I first drafted Nozomu. Also, fun fact: she carries a bunch of bristles in one hand, for literally no other reason than I thought it was reminiscent of a shooting star's tail. She's cute, but I wish I did more with "star spirits" after this. Ah well, there's other fish to fry.

SERPENTARIUS Divine Spirit of the Serpent Bearer Species: Divine Spirit Ability: Capable of controlling serpents The spirit of the constellation Ophiucus, also known as the Serpent Bearer. Her ability to control serpents means that she can passively boost the power of any serpentine figure, from the lowly tsuchinoko to the Dragon God itself. Her constellation isn't the real constellation itself, but rather, the astrological form of it, thrown into Gensokyo after a grand debate whether or not it belongs on the modern Zodiac. Her appearance, however, was perceived as a threat to the Dragon God, as the Serpent Bearer represents a human taking control over a serpentine figure. The Dragon God took this as a threat of uprising, and therefore began to wage war upon humans by causing the rainstorm Nozomu was using to grant Miya's wish. After using Nozomu's power to calm the Dragon God, Serpentarius appeared to the protagonist on her way down, to thank her and to ensure that they knew that she wasn't interested in usurping any power structures.

I... Forgot I made her in middle school too. Do y'all remember that big whole ordeal about putting Ophiucus in the horoscope? She's based on that. She's essentially just a really tall woman with a snake draped over her shoulders at all times. Also, Ameko shows up as the extra stage midboss, because I think it'd be funny for her to be like "YES! I MADE IT! NOW MY WISH WILL COME TRUE!" and then Nozomu's just like "sorry, it only works if there's shooting stars! hehe". Anyways, I think I explained Serpentarius's deal pretty well in the profile. She's Ophiucus, she's fine being some random woman and not having any sway in Gensokyo, it's fine.

RYUUJIN NO TATSUKO Heiress to the Dragon's Power Species: Dragon Ability: Capable of borrowing the power of dragons One of the daughters of the Dragon God. In her hand she holds a celestial artifact called the Dragon's Pearl. This allows her to use the powers of other dragons. The truth is, initially, the Dragon God accepted Serpentarius' terms of surrender as a misunderstanding, and was quite willing to let the whole thing go. However, Tatsuko, being an ambitious sort, saw an opportunity. If she could convince her father that Serpentarius was lying and was willing to backstab him to get ahead, she could curry favor and gain status among her man sisters. However, to do this, she would need a showing of great power. Thus, she contacted Nozomu. "May I request a couple of wishes?" "I wish that a great rainbow serpent would appear in the sky." "Next, I want a feathered serpent to roam the heavens." "Lastly, I want a snake that grants wealth to swim above the Human Village." These three wishes made three other serpents appear in the night sky, each causing different effects. As serpents are supposedly under Serpentarius' control, this sent alarms at the Dragon God, who was on the verge of decrying betrayal. Luckily, Serpentarius managed to convince him to give her a few short hours to rein in the new arrivals. With her borrowed time, she sought out the help of our protagonists. Tatsuko couldn't have that...

YEAH I MADE A PHANTASM BOSS. THE EDGE. Tatsuko is essentially the Tom to Serpentarius's Jerry, is the best I can describe it. Those three new serpents are Yurlungur, Quetzalcoatl, and... I don't know what the third one is? Legit, I don't know what younger-me was cooking. Could it be Ladon? I looked it up, but all I could find was a throwaway acknowledgement towards prehistoric Iranian cult worship... Whatever, they're not important. They're sorta just around, I think. Because Tatsuko is Serpentarius's rival, she essentially has all the same attacks as Serpentarius, except more. I love giving characters things to hold, it looks like. What's up with that?

Looking back, I don't think I was embarrassed ENOUGH when making these girls. Still, they're important, because Tatsuko and Serpentarius WILL return... Later. As for the other girls, Miya returns in passing, but those other three snakes... Well, if they go back to their reclusive lifestyles, I'm not sure anyone would particularly care one way or another. I mean, Python eats people, but it's fine. Jalela and Unagihime don't really have reason to return, and Nozomu is purely nocturnal... Although if Nozomu were to return, I bet it'd be as a playable character. Weirdly enough, I think my fav's Unagihime this batch. Thinking about it a bit longer, Miya might relocate to the Misty Lake.

The lake Miya left behind... Something else dwells in it. And as the sky turns red...