I got some new games!

The gaming collection page has been updated accordingly. I have obtained Goldeneye, Wave Race 64, and Jet Force Gemini. All for the Nintendo 64.

Poll Results

0...both sides, just zero. It was an interesting poll too. Dalek vs Terminator? Was that not entirely interesting? Jeez, I'm not going to be doing these polls if people don't vote on them. That's it really.

How much will RPG Maker MV cost me?

(If Himework's prediction is true)

RPG Maker MV: $120

+

Apple Developer's License (for Mac porting): $100/per year

+

Graphical Assets: $25-$50

=

At least: $245

At Most: $270

Holy shit is my future project gonna cost a pretty penny. Damn. Plus I'm wasting $100 a year to release free games onto Apple, I'm not really making any profit out of that. I can buy a Yuyuko Saigyouji costume with all the fixings for less!  

What will be my first RPG Maker MV project be?

So here's what I'm thinking for my first RPG Maker MV title (when it comes out of course). 

Synopsis

The game would be about some dude who is sick to shit about GamerGate and does something about it, by going straight to the source. After defeating Anita Sarkeesian and her army of SJW gangsters, you unveil a much bigger problem other than making the internet shut up. What is this problem exactly? The corporation, Viacom (the same one that owns MTV and Nickelodeon and the same company that always seems to have a problem with Youtube Poopers) is about to end all existence as we know it by giving god and the universe a copyright strike with a cease & desist order to life itself. So you team up with Youtube Pooper, a Shinto lawyer god sent by Amaterasu herself, and the Mysterious Mr. Enter (among others) to stop Viacom and its evil CEO. Who is the CEO of Viacom? How will you accomplish this feat of saving the world? You have to play the game to find out!

What is this RPG like?

This will return to the comedy-RPG style seen in my earlier Brony Quest games as a way of introduction to this new engine and to a new era in AeroSoft's history.

What will this accomplish?

This will be a satire on Gamergate, SJW's in general, corporate treatment of the internet, Viacom itself, Youtube Poop culture, and Americans as a whole. This game's plot and what it makes fun of is for humor's sake. So don't get your undies in a bunch about it.

When will this game be made?

Whenever the hell RPG Maker MV will come out and if I'll able to afford it. Himeworks is guessing it at $120, so I might be considering alternatives if I get impatient.

Why the hell are you planning on making another RPG? Why not Boxman?

Because RPG Maker is very accessible to use. The RPG genre is what I'm the most competent I'm at. Plus, let me tell you a secret: RPG Maker has pre made assets so I can quickly crank out a new game while the idea is still fresh in my mind (which is important so I don't get bored with the game). Unlike gamemaker where I have to make everything myself and using assets already made is a total clusterfuck, have you seen Boxman 3? It's a total mess to wade through! Especially since I copy and pasted Boxman 2 and I'm just removing a ton of stuff and making new things since everything else is there.

Conclusion

In conclusion, this game will be a back to roots sort of thing while I get used to a new RPG Maker engine and experiment with its features (if I'm able to use it). If I'm not able to make it for RPG Maker MV, then I'll make it for RPG Maker VX Ace. But wherever or whenever I'll make this game. I'll be sure about its production. Guaranteed.

Touhou Tuesday: Yakumo Confirmed!

Meanwhile at Hay Market...

Yakumo's in Boston Confirmed!

After the Escape is released!

After the Escape is the latest RPG from AeroSoft, now available for free download on Gamejolt.com!

PLOT

After the bad ending in "Aerohou Project 5: Nationalistic Seizure of Eastern Fantasy" where Dr. Cohen killed off most of the protagonists. The last of the Topham brothers escapes to space with the youkai of Eientei (Fujiwara no Mokou and Mystia Lorelei included), when one day they crash land on Palma in the Algo system. Where they meet Alis Landale after the defeat of Darkfalz. However, a killer robot is sent to destroy Victor and the others buts its data got corrupted and wanders off. Now you have to stop it before it causes mass destruction upon the masses of Algo.

I have alluded to this game's production several times here on this blog a multitude of times before so if your a careful reader and/or a total game theorist, here you go.

Otherwise, enjoy this brand spanking new game. Did I mention it's free?

http://gamejolt.com/games/after-the-escape/91509

This game also has support for Xbox 360 controllers!

The results are in!

The votes for favorite AeroSoft game is in...only one vote for Nationalistic Seizure of Eastern Fantasy.

The voter turnout is just pitiful, just pitiful. Then again I did do games that one has really played and thoroughly enjoyed them. So the next vote will be

WHO WILL WIN IN A FIGHT!

Dalek

vs.

The Terminator!

Voting should start soon after this post!

Voting will last until the 18th!

Have fun!

A disease that cars get...

Gangear

Notice anything different?

Yeah I just changed some things like:

• A new blog description
• Subscribe text is changed
• Top Bar is blue

Yeah that's it. Thought I might do some slight modifications.

HAPPY CIRNO DAY!!!!!

I almost forgot about Cirno day! (September 9th!)

HAPPY CIRNO DAY!

Have a happy ice fairy baka day!...I hope

Note about tomorrow.

Tomorrow is when voting ends for our poll. So vote for which is your favorite AeroSoft game and do it quick! Voting ends the 10th so get cracking! The voting box should be on the right of the blog archive box.

Here's a new meme for ya!

Regarding the new RPG Maker engine

So about more than a week ago, I caught word about RPG Maker MV. RPG Maker MV will be able to export to Mac, iOS, Android, and HTML5, allowing for developers to release for a broader audience. Alternative mouse/touch controls so if you don't like keyboards, you're not limited. Javascript instead of Ruby so scripts are easy and just as powerful. Higher screen resolution and three separate map layers. Larger database capacity (2000 from 999, who the hell maxes out on that?). Both front-view and side-view battles are supported natively as well.

Sadly, no release date or price (which is very important to me) has been announced. As amazing this engine is (hopefully allowing for video files to be done other than OGV), I have a project in works using RPG Maker VX Ace.

This project will be the last game made in RPG Maker VX Ace as AeroSoft moves on into RPG Maker MV. We will also cut support on games that have been previously made in this engine. Starting with Rosen, which is now cancelled. The rest will soon follow, so check their respective Gamejolt pages (just search "AeroSoft"). This also means Brony Quest 3 is indefinitely cancelled, but like I said. Check Gamejolt.

Check later for anymore announcements on this new project in the upcoming future.

Aerohou Project Update!

Since all four written stories are completed. They have been place in the Aerohou page on one of the sidebars. This should also give reason why one of my games is Aerohou 5.

Enjoy!

Aerohou 4: The Final Battle

Me and Reimu looked onto the chared remains of her shrine. Picking through the debris to salvage what we could find. Her old AeroSoft Super Mega Drive 2 that Marisa gave her as a gift was battered but still intact. The donation box was the only thing untouched, other than the dust kicked up by the explosion.
"We must do something permanent about him." said Reimu.
"But how in the hell are we going to do that! Dr. Cohen just blew up your shrine." I replied.
"With danmaku." Reimu said, pulling out her gohei. She flew up.
"I'll go to Marisa's. You meet me there."
"Okay then." I said.
I went back to the AeroSoft branch and went into the artifical gap machine to call Trevor.
"Trevor! Get me a hoverboard and meet me in Gensokyo. Dr. Cohen is going to have his final victory!" I said, hanging up.
"Oh shit!" yelled Trevor upon hearing my message.
He went into his closet and packed whatever clothes made him look like a terrorist the most. He dashed off into his car, and drove for the AeroSoft HQ.


"This is the final push."
"Cohen-sama?" asked Rumia.
"What is it?" replied an anxious Dr. Cohen.
"Since you have spell cards. Do you know what the spell card rules are?" said Rumia meekly.
"Neverheard of them. Keep firing while I'm gone!" Dr. Cohen left.
Mima had a contact, who built him a jetpack. The jetpack had a bronze finish with seven rockets. Dr. Cohen was still a human, Incapable of flight unlike the numerous youkai.
"He doesn't know them, doesn't he?" Hina asked.
"Cohen-sama truely doesn't know what he's getting into." Rumia replied, unsure of Dr. Cohen's fate.


Trevor rushed into the teleporter with the contents with him. He arrived at the branch and left, running towards the Forest of Magic. An artillery shell missed the building and Trevor narrowly escaped the path of the explosion that followed. He continued to run. He changed into his makeshift terrorist outfit and came into Marisa's house.
"There you are!" I said, gratefully.
"So that's your brother, da ze?" Marisa questioned.
"Yes. Anyway, Marisa. You go destroy the artillery cannons while I and Reimu go after Cohen." I explained.
"What about me?" Trevor asked.
"Warn the rest of Gensokyo. Ask for help where you can!"
"Okay. Just where the hell I'm I going?"
"Just run around you'll find someone somewhere. Gensokyo isn't that big." I explained to Trevor.
Trevor walked out immediately after. I grabbed the hoverboard and left with Reimu. Going into the skies above.
"Reimu? What exactly are spell card rules?"
"The spell card rules just say that you can't kill anyone and everyone has the right to a fair fight with me or otherwise."
"I was thinking, Dr. Cohen might not know those rules exist."
Reimu went silent. Either out of the fact that we might get killed or she was concentrating on finding Dr. Cohen. Soon we where stopped by a certain gap hag.
"Hello there." greeted Yukari.
"Hi Yukari." said an impatient Reimu.
"Hello Yukari, just an on the fly question. But do you want to help us find Cohen?" I asked.
"Hmmm...sure." said Yukari, omniously.
The three of us flew into the early evening. Ready for a danmaku fight. But the uncertainty of death hung in the air, at least for me anyway.


Trevor bursted through the door of the Scarlet Devil Mansion.
"Stop!" yelled Sakuya.
But Trevor continued to run towards where Remilia was, unbeknownst to him. He stopped to catch his breath, scrathed by stumbling through foliage.
"Yes?" said Remilia.
"Reimu...Frank...Dr. Cohen...Big fight, need help." Trevor pleaded, out of breath.
"A big fight against Dr. Cohen?"
"Yes..." said Trevor, before being cut off by a loud bang.
Trevor ducked to the floor as the distant sound of crumpling wood and tile that followed the explosion. Remillia stayed in her seat unflinching. Sakuya came into the room. But stayed quiet unsure to kick Trevor out or check on the damage.
"Sakuya. Go fix whichever part of the mansion just caved in." commaned Remillia.
Remillia flew off without a word. The sky was turning dark. Trevor had no choice but to stay. But staying mean't being a sitting duck for the shells that seem to rain down on Gensokyo.


It wasn't very hard for Marisa to find the artillery cannons. The large metal tube with a tire on each side, leaning up into the sky. She whipped out her mini-hakkero and shot a master spark right through the pieces of war equipment. Hina and Rumia scattered to the sky and tried to escape. Not from Marisa, but from Dr. Cohen's ruthlessness.
"Come back here!" Marisa called out. But Rumia and Hina had split into two different directions making it difficult to find them.
"I lost them. Stupid bakas." Marisa said, to no one in particular.
At least she destroyed the artillery. So no more shells will batter Gensokyo. But she had been unaware of the damage. Marisa saw the leftovers of the shrine. Whatever had been salvagable had been made into a pile parralel to the wood and burnt paper wreck.
She went back to her place but to find Alice Margatroid there.


Remilla had joined up with Reimu and the others. They flew until they came across a figure. With a bronze back and flames coming out of seven shutes.
"Ahhhhh..." said the figure turning around.
"Dr. Cohen." I said angrily.
"So you came here to be punished for your work."
"You destroyed my shrine and you've bombed out Gensokyo!" called out Reimu.
"You shouldn't oppress youkai like that." Dr. Cohen became condesending.
Reimu's yin-yang orbs appeared beside her. "Let's end it here." I said.
"Bring it on, Topham." Dr. Cohen said.
Reimu started her barrage of ofuda. While Remillia and Yukari began launching bits of danmaku. I was dodging whatever came at me. Dr. Cohen also did the same. But it didn't take too long for him to use his first spell card.
"Second Night "Jeruslem Barrier"" shouted Dr. Cohen as crude bullets of danmaku formed three spining circles, each moving in a different direction.
Reimu shot at the barrier, but her ofuda bounced off. Then the barrier exploded! Shooting bits of shattered danmaku  across the sky. I nearly fell off my hoverboard. But the shrine maiden, vampire, and gap hag remained unscathed. The fight was begining to get serious. Dr. Cohen flew up and used another spelll card "First Night  "Mose's Stance"" Spiritally charged projectiles came rushing out and narrowly Yukari's shoulder. Remiu kept shooting ofuda until it hit Dr. Cohen's jetpack. One of the booster rockets stopped working and he stumbled, upon regaining control. He went for yet another spell card.
"Third Night "Shinto Eraser"" Reimu was hit right in the chest. She was bruised but stood her ground. Remillia was hit as well, but was less damaged than Reimu.
"Death to Shinto and its idiosyncrasies!" yelled Dr. Cohen.
"You bastard!" replied Reimu, and she pulled out one of her spell cards.
"First Card "Fantasy Orb String"" and string of orbs appeared! Dr. Cohen was hit, his left shoulder was bruised. Yet his hatred of Gensokyo, Shinto, and ultimately AeroSoft kept him in a fighting spirit.
"Fourth Night "Scarlet Blight"" Remillia was badly hit and she fell to the ground. She landed back first onto the hard ground, creating a loud crunching noise. She tried to get up, but her broken back wouldn't allow it. Yukari hit Dr. Cohen in the back inside one of her gaps, disabling yet another booster.
"Stop it Edward!" I said.
"This is not how you should be!"
"Your biased court comeback! Your resilience to my revenge and my avengence of Reed Academy!" Dr. Cohen said, having none of it.
"You truely are an evil man. Using your religion to destroy Gensokyo."
"Reimu murders youkai with her Shinto powers! But Judaism is stronger, faster, better." Dr. Cohen poorly reasoned.
"Its not true!" I said
"Have it your way Topham! You retarded autisic punk! The same goes with your parents."
Dr. Cohen grabbed for another spell card. "Fiveth Night "Topham's Punishment"" The deadly danmaku passed by me. The hoverboard groaned from the sheer intensity of movement. Attempting to break free. The danmaku knocked me off my board. Yukari caught me and gapped me back onto the board. Danmaku bullets and missle were spraying everywhere at this point. (They weren't actual bullets and missiles that outside world millitaries used, it's just to describe their behavior).
"Sixth Night "Hakurei's End"" The spell card knocked out Reimu and she too fell to the ground but her fall was broken by a tree. But the branches proded and stabbed Reimu as she tumbled to ground on her stomach. Sustained several broken bones and major bruising, maybe some internal bleeding of some kind. She was unconscious
"Seventh Night "Yakumo's Death"" The danmaku aimed straight for Yukari and she too was knocked unconscious. She landed on the ground flat on her ass. Before faceplanting the ground hunched over.
"You friends are out!" said Dr. Cohen.
"After I'm done with you. I'll finish off your insurgencies and I'll takeover Gensokyo for the benefit of me and mankind!" He continued.
"You're dead to me, like you always have been to me." I said, pissed off at his aggresive manner.
Dr. Cohen reached for one of the his spell cards when Flandre Scarlet appeared! "Taboo "Cranberry Trap"" Almost undodgable danmaku came raining down. Knocking out one of Dr. Cohen's jetpack boosters.
"Taboo "Four of  a Kind"" Flandre split into three other Flandre's. The four Flandres shot danmaku. I came up with a plan.
"Hey Flandre!" I screamed.
"Can I borrow the Lævateinn?"
"Why?" she replied.
"I'm going to go in for the kill!"
I flew by her and grabbed the Lævateinn. It was a tad hard to handle but the situation was dire.
"Taboo "Kagome, Kagome"" Danmaku ensnarled Dr. Cohen and took out another booster. The jetpack was straining to hold the increasingly injured Dr. Cohen.
Dr. Cohen retailiated with "Fourth Night "Scarlet Blight"" but to no avail. Flandre was too strong and powerful for Edward to handle. But her three other selves dissapated. Dr. Cohen struggled to stay fighting. Knowing that Gensokyo's end will come. He thought to himself "Cohen wills it!".
Another jetpack booster stopped working and actually broke off, almost hitting Remillia's head. "Taboo "Maze of Love"" Dr. Cohen's last auxillary booster broke down. His legs bore smallish medium gashes. Scars and cuts dot his body. His clothes were ripping away.
Flandre launched more danmaku and I flew up high as high as the hoverboard allowed me. I held the Lævateinn and jumped off the hoverboard, directly above Dr. Cohen. I held it downward hoping to end Dr. Cohen, it didn't hae to end this way. But his own stubborness lead to his insanity of destroying Gensokyo and me. The court case, the bombings, the Hakurei Shrine's destruction. This was the only way to stop a potentialy deadly war with the man.
I said the most awesome, yet strangest thing. " Gensō gō no namae ni wa, shobatsu sa remasu yo! (In the name of Gensokyo, you'll be punished!)". The danmaku directly hit me and Dr. Cohen as the Lævateinn touched him. I blacked out.


I woke up. There was whiteness, I got up and wandered off until I came across two chairs one was occupied by an exact copy of me, except dressed in leather, lots of it. 
"Who are you?" I asked.
"I'm Neo. The embodiment of your own mind in a personable manner." The look a like responded.
"I'm dead?"
"You are neither dead or alive. You have knocked yourself out pretty hard. As such your life is hanging for dear life and I have some options for you." Neo replied.
"I have are two pills. The red pill ends your life and your sipirt shall travel across the Sanzu River to be judged. The blue pill returns you to reality." He explained.
I immediately took the blue pill. "Everyone awaits you in the real world." Neo said, before everything faded to white, then flashed to black.


I opened my eyes. I look around, I'm in Eientei. There was an IV in my right arm. My legs felt stiff to move. Reisen checked upon me.
"Eirin! Frank's awake!" Reisen called out.
Eirin rushed in and saw me my conscious body.
"Frank. You been here for about eighteen hours. You've survived quite the fall." Eirin said.
"Where's Reimu and the others?" I asked.
"They're in the other room." Eirin replied.
I got up and walked to the room next door. Reimu had a large cast around her waist. Remillia was somewhat woozy from the pain killers that Eirin gave her. Yukari was asleep, but an ice pack was bandaged across the side of her face.
"If we where all knocked out. Who brought us here?"
Eirin responded, "Flandre and your brother carried you four in. You were all severly injured. Quite unusual for a danmaku fight."
"Dr. Cohen was ruthless. It was his lack of understanding for the spell card rules that lead to us almost becoming dead." I explained.
I had clearly remembered the night's battle but the ending was fuzzy. I asked where Dr. Cohen's body was. Eirin said that it was just me, Yukari, Reimu, and Remillia. Dr. Cohen has to be dead. It was just impossible for him to just get up and move away.


"Is it finished?" Mima asked.
"Yes." said the figure.
"This time I'll get the Hakurei Shrine. Maybe untouched this time. Thanks Rika."
"Your welcome Mima." said Rika as she pulled down the lever causing volts of electricity to enter the human cyborg combination.
"That should do it." Rika finished.
The half human, half robot woke up.
"Where I'm I?" said the body with a metallic reverb.
"Cohen-sama. Your upgrade is complete, welcome back."
"Ahhhh..." Said Dr. Cohen as moved his new robotic arm.
"That asshole Topham will pay and his Shinto bitch too!" Dr. Cohen proclaimed.
Dr. Cohen was now Mecha Cohen. A being hellbent on destroying Gensokyo for his own gain. To avenge himself by destroy Frank Topham!


Things went back to normal at AeroSoft. The games were selling, the hardware was selling, and AeroSoft fronted the money needed to rebuild the damage. The shrine was rebuilt, the Human Village was repaired, and the Scarlet Devil Mansion's broken section of roof was well...reroofed. 
This was the first human incident in Gensokyo's history. Dr. Cohen had proven that youkai aren't the only ones that can cause trouble. This ends Dr. Cohen's reign of terror upon Gensokyo. AeroSoft continued onward and forward. Bye for now.
-Anatasios Frank Topham Senior, CEO

AeroSoft: The Next Step Forward (Aerohou Project 3)

                As you may already know, AeroSoft is the leading brand of video gaming. Besting Nintendo (the leading company before the SMD 2 was released). So seeing how some interesting new things are happening in both AeroSoft and Gensokyo. I might as well tell.

            Patchouli accepted my proposal and we got married the following week. Our honeymoon was spent roaming around Europe, starting in Britain. I even ordered a private train on Tallyllyn Railway. But things got weird considering our living conditions.

I lived primarily in Massachusetts, Natick to be exact. Patchouli lived in Gensokyo, both of which are fine. But Patchy worked as a resident librarian at the Scarlet Devil Mansion. Meaning she is kinda required to be there. I spent most of our time in Germany discussing with Remillia over places of living. The ultimatum became that we had to live similarly to a divorced couple, going between the two places. It was weird at first.

But when I got back to work after four weeks of European travel, I returned to the AeroSoft scene. AeroSoft now has a 67% market share in the industry and we just released the Pocket Drive with flying colors, at least in terms of response. About 15 games where available at release (eight of which were made by Eientei Studios).

But when I got back, there was some controversy going on. With AeroSoft being an international corporate giant, it comes as no surprise as that also comes with having to deal with people who beset you on the pretense of being morally unacceptable.  In this case it was the Midwestern United States. I have spent most of my time with people who believe in eastern religions (Taoism, Shinto, and Buddhism being the three biggest), as such I have more experience in dealing with them. Then again, most of the population is made up of youkai which in turn makes my point in a sort of moot state.

Christianity on the other hand is a bit touchy. So I came to Grand Island, Nebraska to calm down the fears of my company teaching “Demonic” or “sinful” values to people, such as impressible children in the area. I took to the podium on looking the angry populace with picket signs and banners demeaning my company. Yukari came, good thing too.

“Gay devil lover!” said one woman.

“Corporate scum!” said a man in the far back.

I began to talk, “I jolly well know why I’m here, to tell you that our games aren’t pedaling immoral junk!”

“Besides almost 45% of our current game library for the SMD 2, are from foreign lands, mainly Japan.”

That last sentence was meant to tell people about cultural differences, instead it made the crowd even angrier.

“Jap worshipper!” said another guy.

The acrid xenophobia rang out amongst the angry mob.

“I didn’t mean it like that!” I explained myself.

I noticed Yukari becoming irritated by the comments. Then suddenly, a loud bang came out of nowhere.  Followed by more, I had forgotten all about the NRA. I ran off the platform and into a nearby building.

“C’mon! C’mon! Yukari! Please make a gap!” I said, anxiety filling up with fear of death.

“I’m trying!” said Yukari.

We escaped before the mob could find us. The events that followed soon resulted in the destruction of any shops containing video games (software and hardware) and the creation of massive plastic scented fires. This event became known as the “AeroSoft-Nebraska Incident”.

Business went as usual after that. The board of directors met at the end of the first quarter.

“How’s Gensokyo?” I asked.

“The Pocket Drive seems successful.” Remillia replied.

“Great! Is there anything else?”

“Aya’s become wary of the sales of “AeroSoft Weekly”.”

AeroSoft Weekly is a magazine published through a then newly made subsidiary of Bunbunmaru Newspaper that was co-founded by well, Frank Topham.

The magazine was created after the indelible release of the Super Mega Drive. But because of the Super Mega Drive 2’s internet capabilities, we created a weekly video series called “AeroSoft Direct” which pretty much summed up the content of the magazines each week. Aya got pissed off because people where choosing to watch the free video over paying a monthly subscription.

“Why are you doing this!” Aya said angrily.

“It’s not like I have plans to stop the magazine.” I rationalized.

“You better not!” Aya responded.

The headaches didn’t last for long, as Aya was appeased by having the magazine having exclusive content that wouldn’t be featured in the weekly newscast.

The SMD 2 was now deep into its life cycle. Seeing how its predecessor lasted for a long time, it was no surprise that the hardware labs won’t be making console prototypes for a very long time. As such I took in some inspiration from an old movie I remembered and the Oculus Rift (A virtual reality headset). I tasked Nitori with producing a device that would somehow; download one’s conscience into a virtual environment. Nitori looked at me with confusion.

“What do you mean?” Nitori said.

“I mean putting your mind into a game.” I replied.

“I know that. But I mean how I’m gonna do it?”

“Well, you did manage to help build a giant mech once. Surely you can construct the matrix!”

“I’ll try.” Nitori said, unsure of herself.

            I went around asking people to name the machine. Trevor suggested the “Steam Machine”, but I finally came up with Online Gaming Matrix Server (OGMS).

           

           

“AeroSoft is staffed by terrorists?” suggested Bill Bluoni, a former AeroSoft employee.

            “What about, AeroSoft’s consoles have flammable parts?” said Ben Redoni, another former AeroSoft employee, also fired for selling drugs.

            Ben had been injured when the celling of an old basement caved onto him. He still wore some casts from the debacle.

            A third man was in the room. His tacit disposition has been part of him since his defeat. He often ruminated on how to trenchantly quell AeroSoft.

            Suddenly he spoke out loud, “I need to go back in Gensokyo!”

            “But Dr. Cohen, security’s been raised there. We can’t go back!” rebutted Bill.

            “But I have two programmers who defected from there. So you two have inside information.” said Dr. Cohen looking outside into rain from the window.

            “Maybe I can hack into their system.” Suggested Ben.

            “What about the blonde haired woman. Yukari Yakumo, what does she do exactly?” Dr. Cohen questioned.

            “All I know is that she moves into and out of Gensokyo through these gaps she creates.” Bill answered.

            “Theoretically, we can go through her gaps…”

            The two defectors giggled.

            “Shut Up!” he yelled.

            “We can go through her gaps and go into Gensokyo!”

            The three men were elated at the new plan. But Dr. Cohen’s real reason was to learn its secrets. Maybe get the youkai to revolt or learn about these things called Spell Cards.

            It was rather uneventful day in Gensokyo. I was staying at the Scarlet Devil Mansion for the weekend with Patchouli. Usually something droll would happen, involving some youkai making some minor trouble or something amusing would happen. But it was the aftereffects of AeroSoft’s Super Mega Drive that kept everything quiet.

            “Reimu’s right…” I said to myself.

            “I guess AeroSoft really has changed Gensokyo. I’m not sure if it’s for worse or better.”

            “Maybe’s neither.” said a voice.

            It was Remillia’s sister, Flandre. Flandre was once upon a time, locked in the basement. She was kept there for reasons that Remillia never really elucidated on to me. Flandre was notoriously destructive, she could see the “eye” of one object and obliterate it, destroying the object in question. But she had a particularly hard time destroying the SMD 2. Apparently, due to how it’s constructed, the “eye” is masked during the manufacturing process making destruction through Flan’s means difficult. Even when the eye is found, no two consoles were alike, unless there was a flaw, such as a faulty disc drive or a broken fuse.

            “It’s nothing Flan-chan.” I said to her.

            “Really? You look like something’s wrong.” She replied.

            Maybe she was right, then again. There’s Dr. Cohen, I haven’t heard from him in a while.

            Patchy came in and saw me. Flandre wandered off into the expansive halls of the mansion. I told her maybe there is something wrong with Gensokyo, but she gave me the two sides of the argument. I felt better knowing that there was at least one thing that was for the better.

           

           

            The Natick HQ was busy, all four R&D department were working on new titles with much alacrity. New Brony Quest and Boxman sequel were down the line. Plus, SEGA’s cooperation with us to make the new Space Harrier and Phantasy Star remakes (AeroSoft exclusives by the way). The only thing bad was a very slight drop in Gensokyo sales (Only Hardware declined by 1.19%). The Super Pocket Drive was formidable against Nintendo’s 4DS, and we have already obliterated the PS Vita 2. We even opened a new office on the west coast. AeroSoft’s Californian building mostly dealt with translating games and having to do in part with our “Universal Release” policy. But they do make games since they also have four R&D departments.

            Early one morning, I got a call around 2:34 AM (Or at least, what my phone said) from one of the security guys saying that the cameras got jammed, and some loud sounds had been made. Patchouli was staying at my place, and she was half asleep when I jumped out of bed to deal with a nondescript matter. She just kinda mumbled something and went back to sleep.

            One of the security guys had been waiting for me. He show me the broken window and then the monitors which showed nothing but snow. But one thing caught my eye. The artificial gap machine had been recently used. The guy standing there didn’t check or really notice.

            “Who used this?” I said.

            “No one was here but me and the two others.” said the security guard.

            “Really?” I said with sarcasm.

            I checked the history: 2:28 AM, UNKOWN SUBJECT, TRANSFER COMPLETED.

            “See! I told you!” I explained.

            “Who do you think it might be, sir?”

            “I can only think of one man.”

            “I’m in.” radioed Dr. Cohen.

            “Alright, just go wander around and pass out the flyers to anyone you see.” Replied Bill Bluoni.

            Dr. Cohen had finally came to Gensokyo. Not to burn or bomb anyone (the last he got help with) but rather to stir up some emotions about the status quo. There was also the fact he wanted to get his hands on a spell card or two.

            He walked towards a forest that was at the bottom of Youkai Mountain. Dr. Cohen was then approached by Hina Kagiyama, goddess of misfortune.

            “You seem lost?” approached Hina.

            What Hina usually do was chase away lost humans and or give them misfortune. Dr. Cohen knew nothing of this.

            “I’m not lost, but maybe you are.” Said Dr. Cohen, putting a spin on things.

            “What do you mean I’m the one who’s lost.” Hina replied.

            “Have you been with or defeated by a woman named, Reimu Hakurei?” asked Dr. Cohen

            “Yes.” Answered Hina.

            “Have you heard about AeroSoft?” Dr. Cohen asked again.

            AeroSoft owned 100% of the Gensokyo gaming market. With a monopoly that big, of course everyone would have at least heard about AeroSoft once.

            “I think I have.” Hina answered once more.

            “Have you felt any feelings of oppression?”  Dr. Cohen had posed one more question.

            Hina never had felt anything like that, but thinking about Remiu and AeroSoft’s economic existence. There was some feeling of trapped dread.

            “I guess, I’m not sure.” Answered Hina Kagiyama.

            Later that day, Dr. Cohen had interviewed multiple residents about the miko and the gaming company and the feeling of oppression. Among those were Rumia and another youkai, never seen in years…okay she was more of a vengeful spirit.

            “Have you heard of Reimu Hakurei?” asked Dr. Cohen.

            “Yes, definitely yes. I have been defeated by here on multiple occasions.”

            “Have you heard of AeroSoft?” asked Dr. Cohen.

            “No, but I’m jealous of Reimu’s association with it.”

            She was referring to how Reimu is protecting something that wasn’t truly native to Gensokyo.

            “Do you have feelings of oppression?” He asked once more.

            “Yes.”

            “What the hell does Dr. Cohen want with Gensokyo” cried Trevor.

            A special meeting had been called regarding the safety of Gensokyo’s future. Reimu and Yukari were there, besides Trevor of course.

            “Another bombing run, I presume.” Reimu suggested, cynically of course.

            “Do you think it might be that he wants spell cards?” I suggested.

            “What are spell cards?” asked Trevor.

            “Here I’ll demonstrate.” said Yukari.

            We all ran outside and Yukari jumped up and stood in the air and used a spell card aimed for a nearby tree. Border Sign “Quadruple Barrier”  danmaku came into being and the tree’s lack of having an ability to dodge anything lead to it being splintered and destroyed. The conflagration dissipated soon after.

            “You’re supposed to dodge it…” Said Reimu.

            “That comes with experience.”

            We expected for Dr. Cohen to leave Gensokyo. Two more men broke in and escaped into Gensokyo, those were his assistants. Months turned into about a year, wanted signs were placed among the land. Keine Kamishirsawa, the guardian of the Human Village was swiftly notified of the suspicious characters. Nothing had happened until Remillia told me something that gave me an unsure feeling.

            Patchouli had been somewhat moody for a while at the Scarlet Devil Mansion. It all started when Marisa broke in and ended being not stealing any books, but instead had to deal with Patchouli’s suddenly erratic emotions. I asked for her to get some medical help. Then I got a message from Eirin. She was pregnant.

            I was surprised for such a thing. I felt a surprised unsure happiness. Patchouli has too. Both of us were not sure of what exactly we’ll do. Remillia got super pissed at me.

            “Anatasios!” she said marching towards me.

            “What the…”

            A loud bang had cut her off, probably someone’s computer.

            “…did you to my Patchouli!” Remillia yelled as we headed into my office.

            “This tends to happed to two lovers, beside we’re married so this isn’t a problem.” I sadly attempted to console.

            “It is to me. She works for me. I have to deal with her. I’m the one who pays her. Hell, I’m the one who paid you for all of this” Remilla complained and then pointed to a picture of the Natick building.

            “I know it’s hard for you. It is going to be hard for me too...” I replied.

            “Besides, AeroSoft makes and pays you more than you invested into me, once upon a time.”

            We both sat down and sighed. Remillia starred at the wall, but I got up and looked out the window. (Keeping blinders down enough to not hurt Remillia, you know, being a vampire and everything.) Patchouli’s pregnancy and Dr. Cohen’s disappearance have made me worried for things to come. But the latter’s quietness (especially being in Gensokyo), made me think that he probably got killed or been eaten by a dangerous youkai or something.

            “What about if she’s unable to work?” I asked.

            “She can stay there, but if she wants, she can stay with you.” Remillia responed

            “One issue if she stays…”

            “If she stays long enough, people are going to wonder if she is an American citizen.” I finished.

            We both sat silently with chagrin; maybe the problem would make itself clear.

            Four months had passed when Dr. Cohen first arrived to Gensokyo for the aforementioned revolution.  He had to acclimate himself to the new landscape. The defamation of the miko and AeroSoft had been increasingly receptive of the public.  Keine’s warnings about Dr. Cohen’s presents in the land only made matters tense.

            Dr. Cohen had been training how to use spell cards, hoping on Hina’s back and going into the air and trying out his accomplices’ spell cards. He was amazed by the danmaku’s complex patterns and destructiveness. He wanted to make his own. But had no idea what they should be.

            But one December evening, the green haired woman asked Dr. Cohen what the strange bronze candlestick.

            “What is that you’re lighting?” she said.

            Dr. Cohen was surprised, for people who are spiritually active (he now knew that that’re youkai, but people sounded more relatable), they didn’t knew what he celebrated.

            “It’s a menorah, Mima…For Hanukah” he responed.

            “That’s nothing I’ve heard of.” Mima scoffed.

            “Say, what religion is Reimu.” Asked Cohen.

            “She’s a miko, a Shinto shrine maiden, I thought you already knew that Remiu’s Shinto?” answered Mima.

            “Does she use her religion as a weapon?” said an increasingly curious Dr. Cohen.

            “I guess, I believe she does.” Mima responded with a slight worry.

            “Hmmm…maybe I could turn the tides.” Dr. Cohen said under his breath, staring at the menorah and thinking of Reimu.

            The next day, Dr. Cohen began work on a series of extremely vehement spell cards.

            Patchouli was now five months into her pregnancy. She started staying at my place more and more. I told her if she going to stay permanently, she had to apply for citizenship. After much convincing, she applied. After about four weeks, she now has dual citizenship (Gensokyo doesn’t have a centralized government, so there was no citizen documentation, but technically Japanese, and American). That took care of the legal side of things concerning with my wife. Now all we had to worry was about our kid.

            It was in the middle of March when Patchouli gave birth. We couldn’t really get to Gensokyo for the kid to be born and MGH would probably be too much for her, I think. So we opted for a homebirth and that’s where my mom came in. It was a super long day. Luckily, the office was fine without me for the time being and from what I knew; Gensokyo was fine despite Dr. Cohen’s pandering. It was a boy, the baby was born 3/25/2027 (January, 25^th 145 for the Gensokyo Lunar Calendar). My mom was kind of roped in a little late (I got her on call for this since February and as so, we had to forego some of the appointments that would be done earlier in pregnancy. We’re coming up with his name.

            “What about naming it after me?” I suggested.

            “What about your name? It’s just Frank, right, why have something more to it?” Patchouli told me.

            “Anatasios. That’s my real first name.” I said.

            “Anatasios…” Patchouli repeated.

            “What name is that?”

            “Greek.” I replied.

            “Greek eh?”

            “So should we name him after me, or is that something you don’t like?” I said.

            “I like the Anatasios part.” Patchy commented.

            “You don’t have to call him Frank.” I suggested.

            “Okay, Anatasios Frank, I guess.”

            So that day forth, Anatasios Frank Topham Junior was born. The next day, Remillia and the Yakumo’s came by.

            “So that’s your kid huh.” Said Yukari.

            “Yup.” I replied.

            “Same name as you?” asked Remillia.

            “Yes indeed, the Greek part won her over.”

            “Oh.” Remillia finished.

            Chen came by the little one. One of Chens tails got in range of his grasp. The newborn grabbed tight as Chen tried to hold in a yelp. There was a knock at the door. I walked by and opened it.

            “Hello, Reimu”

            “There’s an emergency, I need to come with me!”

            I told the party of people, that Reimu needed my assistance on something.

            “Is about those loud noises last night?” said Ran.

            “What loud noises?” I asked.

            Those loud noises were in fact, artillery fire. During the night when my son was born, something or someone had been bombarding random parts of Gensokyo. Eientei almost got completely burned down, when an artillery shell set fire to a shed and the Human Village got hit pretty badly with several buildings being completely demolished. I noticed that a majority of shells have been seemingly trying to hit Reimu’s shrine, but missed.

            We were going up the stairs leading to her shrine attempting to explicate the scenario when I heard a distant bang. Then we got to the gate when something whizzed through the air and a large fiery explosion and a loud Kra-pow pierced the air. The shrine was reduced to burning rubble.

            “I’m so sorry to see this happen” I said, when my hearing went back to normal.

            “It’s not the first time my shrine got destroyed.” Reimu said reassuringly.

            We just stood there, until the gate fell and slid down the stairs back down before splintering into a pile of red painted wood.

            “Goddamn it!” yelled Dr. Cohen to Rumia.

            “What! What did I do?!” Rumia panicked.

            “You’re supposed to fire the artillery during the night!” said Dr. Cohen angrily, pointing to the cannons that resembled those used during the First World War.

            “Uhhh…Look at this Cohen-sama.” Said Mima.

            Dr. Cohen grabbed the binoculars from her and looked through them. The Hakurei shrine was obliterated. “I guess I should apologize.” Said Dr. Cohen, his mood was swinging to the other spectrum.

            “Alright! Without a shrine, she’s weak! Now we can begin stage 2, Invading the land in the name of a new Hakurei free future!” Dr. Cohen proclaimed.

            “I have a question.” Said Hina.

            “Why do we have to do all these things just to get even with someone who was with the person who beat you in court, just by a drunken judge, you didn’t lose anything during that debacle?” Continued Hina.

            “He ruined my school, He ruined my professional life, AND ruined my life as a whole, doesn’t help that that miko is using her religion to beat me. So if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em. That’s the theme of my spell cards.” Answered Dr. Cohen.

            “What do you mean “that’s the theme of your spell cards?”

            “Remiu uses the Shinto religion to advance her goals in a somewhat violent fashion. So I’ll be using my own.”

            “And what would that be?” Hina contested.

            “Judaism.” Cohen replied.

            “Oh, what is that?”

            “I’ll tell you when we defeat Remiu.” Dr. Cohen finished.

            Personally, I think he got the wrong idea from Reimu. Reimu is a youkai exterminator. It’s her job to keep the peace (usually with the help of Marisa) around Gensokyo. Dr. Cohen didn’t know this, but I think he was overcome by madness at this point. Maybe it has to do with me getting away with leaving his school unannounced with no bureaucratic stuff involved and he was trying to give me an appropriate repercussion. That’s what made him go nuts; I have no repercussions for truancy so he’s trying to do his job. I can’t help but to feel bad. The only thing keeping me from feeling bad was him destroying Gensokyo.

            This was beginning of the end…an end to almost a decade’s battle. Next up was no youkai incident, it was a human incident.

To Be Continued…