Expose the Esoteric!

First President of The Secret Sealing Club       Sumireko Usami

Just a typical Japanese high school girl with good grades…

… who just so happens to have psychic powers, too!

Loves all things occult and geeks out over it. Aliens? Cool! Youkai? Amazing! Different worlds? Tell her all about it!

Founder and president of the Secret Sealing Club— a circle dedicated to exposing the mysteries of our world… and it’s only member.

Excitable and easily intrigued by those with special powers!

Less so with normal people.

Tends to ramble and complain about modern society in general, fed up with how simple-minded and dull it all is, in all it’s aspects.

Surfs the net a lot, and is likely to recognize (some) characters from popular Japanese media and games of the 2000′s, 2010′s, and 2019. 

Semi-antisocial and awkward. Sees staying at home and playing games or being on social media as more productive than going out to parties.

@absurdjustice​​ asked:  7 23 32

36 Touhou Spell Card Character Questions

Boundary of Wave and Particle — What boundaries has your mused crossed, or would never cross?

She’s a bit nosy, but polite overall when it comes to asking people questions— so Sumireko wouldn’t usually overstep another’s personal boundaries.

In terms of physical boundaries however, she would absolutely cross into restricted areas in the pursuit of occult research and the like, no holds barred. The ability to fly and teleport makes it all too easy for her to do so, even.

Lastly, she’s crossed over the boundary between her world and Gensokyo multiple times. She even had a similar experience once when she was very young.

Fairy Overdrive — How does your muse get along with others when in a group?

Before arriving in Gensokyo, Sumireko would typically act alone and avoid groups. Meeting people who also had powers however made her appreciate being around others more... but, she still doesn’t enjoy huge social gatherings per say.

Some of them, like the fireworks festival she actively participated in as a host, are fun enough for her to participate in— along with the Hakurei Shrine’s flower viewing festivals... though what partially draws her interest in these events are the unique people who are a part of them. For normal societal events however, no thanks.

Trinitarian Rhapsody — What is your muse’s views towards other worlds?

Discovering the existence of other worlds is one of Sumireko’s main interests. She’s uninterested in the world and the normal people around her.

@divinedragontamer​ asked: Tengu Psychography — What does your muse do when they can’t leave home?

36 Touhou Spell Card Character Questions

She sleeps whenever she gets the chance in order to visit Gensokyo in her dreams— but otherwise? Sumireko is typically on the computer, indulging in her interests.

“Learning of different worlds is a great place to start. I’ll tell you whatever you wish to know.  And, if you’re curious about multiple worlds you’ll be excited to hear that I’m from two separate ones. Before they were joined they were called Sylvarant and Tethe’alla respectively.” Maybe she wouldn’t tell her everything, considering what revelations were brought from the Journey of Regeneration, but it would take a long time to get past basics enough to get into nitty gritty details.

For her warnings of safety, Raine would leave it at that. She could only do as she had always done and try to instill caution. Doing so repeatedly would only make a headstrong teen that much more resistant. It’s clear that the girl felt she had something to prove to others from her world. It meant a lot to her. She had to respect that.

There was a small correction she wanted to make. “Ah…right, beyond the boundary but…your world and Gensokyo are connected, even if they are on different planes, or travel is prevented. You and Rinnosuke are the proof of that, having experienced life on both sides before. There are always things that we cannot see–things that are hidden. If those two places are connected, who is to say that no magic at all exists on your side?” Though, he did say that he didn’t remember much from that time. 

Maybe she was just hypothesizing or playing devil’s advocate. Being a scholar was often equal parts exciting and frustrating. You had to be open to all possibilities. “From what you’ve said prior, it seems that you have your own skepticism that that might be the case. Half the challenge of research is weeding through dead ends and faulty data to find the truth, so as one scholar to another I wish you luck.”

Psychic abilities though…? Fascinating. Most often magic in her own world was elementally aligned and explained by the manipulation of mana. For a world devoid of mana to be able to  Raine nodded when she asked for praise for her abilities. “You have quite the arsenal at your disposal. A jack of all trades, as the saying goes. I’m afraid that my own powers are much more easily categorized.”

     It was exciting to have a teacher already! Though admittedly, the idea of not having to worry about school was nice as well... but this was too good to pass up. Sumireko was so glad that Rinnosuke actually socialized here. Having connections helps in life after all!

Well, unless those connections are just the usual sort.

Those normal kinds of relationships held no real meaning to a girl like Sumireko Usami... or at least, when they involved normal people they didn’t, anyways.

“Well, it probably did exist. But if it does, no one believes in it anymore— and definitely no one practices it either. I’m one of the few well-versed enough in the occult to actually have found some true magic artifacts, though... or well, occult artifacts I should say,” the girl exclaims, adjusting her spectacles. 

“Still, thanks! Not that I have to worry about that stuff while here.”

     There was just so much else to research, after all!

Amity put her hands on her hips, the fire extinguished from them without a second thought. This girl was a little odd, but Amity liked her enthusiasm for magic. It reminded her of Luz. She was starting to realize how special magic was, even though it was so normal to her back home. 

“Yes, and to be honest, I’m at the top of my class.” Amity smiled, unable to hold back the slightly smug tone in her voice. “I don’t even need a wand anymore for most things, honestly, I wish you could see my full potential—”

Was her likeness being captured on that phone screen? Amity forgot the word for it, but she really wished she actually had all her makeup if that was the case.  

“How would someone like you create a fire spell with no magic?” Amity was picturing primitive humans rubbing two sticks together.

“For real?! Wow... a whole school for magic sounds so cool. I wish I could visit one of those. Too bad all the schools here are pretty normal.” Not that they didn’t have interesting subjects at least, but a magical school? Why were other worlds just so dang cool?

“I wish I could! I’ve seen my witch friend cast magic and stuff, but I’m always interested in seeing more...” Looking at the photo she’d captured (which was admittedly more of the fire itself than Amity, who was probably just halfway in the frame), the Sumireko looks back at the other as she asks. “How? Well with my mind, obviously.”

“Paranormal…? That’s quite a broad field as I understand it.” Raine hadn’t ever really heard the term used until she took out a dictionary here on this plane. What was ‘normal’ or scienticially understood in one world and their various sources of magic may not be typical in another, but Sumireko seemed to understand that. “You might have to be a little more specific for me to be of help. Sometimes research can also be lost to time, as it is in my own world.” Perhaps she would have an interest in magitechnology? Spirits? Monsters? It was difficult to choose where to start.

“Sealing Club…? I do know someone who uses those. So it seems that the art is not exclusive to Mizuho then…” But neither was magic exclusive to Aselia, so it wasn’t particularly shocking. Not much was, really, after the last few years that she had experienced. She noted that Sumireko certainly seemed to like to put on a show when she was excited about the subject at hand.

“Certainly… I have to say that I was much the same when I was your age but resourceful or not it is always smart to be cautious. Even the most cunning and agile can be bested by brute strength when backed into a corner, so additional eyes on the field can only be useful.” Plus, when one was walking around unexplored ruins the structures that lied within were often fragile. Raine felt much more comfortable if Sumireko had a healer on hand while exploring. “–as for what your abilities are, I can’t say that we’ve talked about it much, but Rinnosuke did say that humans in your world have the ability to use magic unlike in my own. So are you a mage like Marisa as well?”

“That’s what’s so great. Because it’s so broad, my interests encapsulate most everything! ... But if I were to name one topic in particular— it would be that of other worlds. The existence of other worlds fascinates me, so I’d be happy to learn about yours!”

    She cants her head as Raine continues.

“? Um, I don’t actually do any sealing, it’s just the name Miss Raine. But anyways, yeah, I know, two heads are better than one and all that...” She was only half-listening to the other’s advice admittedly. She knew all that, after all— it’s what Gensokyo trained her for! There were even people there who couldn’t die from getting shot by a gun. Worst comes to pass, she could always just run away. “Hah! Magic? I wish. He wasn’t wrong, but I’m not from Gensokyo. In the world I’m from, things such as magic are only seen as make-believe— like a special effect you would see in a movie, and not reality. There’s no magic, no monsters, and no gods. That’s just a fact of life.”

    Rambling now, the girl continues on her tirade with a bit a disappointed tone, steadily building to a grand reveal.

“I looked up magic when I was younger while searching stuff up on the net of course, but all I would ever find are bogus rituals, urban legends, junk regurgitated from anime by nerds, or stage magic. Nothing I could ever use to actually cast a real spell or two. ... But like I said, I still have abilities. That is to say...”

    Folding her arms together, Sumireko’s feet lift up off the ground— and as she hovers, confidently exclaims, “I’m a natural born psychic! An esper!”

The sudden disinterest that filtered through the girl’s voice was painstakingly obvious to Watanuki, although his smile remained unmoving despite so. He could remember from their first meeting that Sumireko seemed particularly wary of him for some reason, and though he wasn’t exactly sure why that was, it wasn’t as though the shopkeeper would hold it against her. They were still practically strangers, after all; perhaps she needed a bit more time to feel as though she could trust him.

Though.. when she corrected Watanuki on her name, he couldn’t help the way he suddenly blinked, as if surprised. Despite the latent power he could feel from Sumireko, abilities he could not be quite sure of but sensed that they were there.. she was just a human girl, wasn’t she? So it wasn’t as though she was in the same boat as himself or Rinnosuke, in regards to their ages not matching their appearances. And if that was the case, then..

… ah. Suddenly, Watanuki realized what it was about him that perhaps irritated Sumireko so; and for possibly the first time in months, he felt the need to stifle an oncoming chuckle with another smile.

“.. of course, Usami-san. My apologies,” he’d leave it at that for now, not wanting to overwhelm her by correcting her assumptions. Of course, he certainly couldn’t blame her; though he had aged since coming to Spirale, he did still look young to those who didn’t know of his circumstance.

“That I did. It’s been quite some time since I’ve been able to visit, so I thought I would bring some lunch for us to share. Though perhaps I should have tried calling him first..” it was surprising to hear that Rinnosuke had left his shop, but not entirely unusual since he had met Raine. He wondered if the pair decided to spend the day out together. “I don’t suppose you would be interested in joining me instead? I certainly don’t want this food to go to waste, and there’s a bit too much for me to eat on my own.. ah, but if you are in the middle of any work, I don’t wish to disturb you.”

     The look on his face almost seemed like he was making fun of her somehow, but... she didn’t quite know what about. “That’s more like it!”

     If he was a foreigner— or otherworlder like most of the folks here— she’d get it, but this guy was a bit too friendly. Seriously, what was with that? Wipe that smile off your face! Still... if he was friends with Rinnosuke, then he probably wasn’t too bad. Laika, whose head was raised and wagging her tail, also seemed to recognize Watanuki... honestly.

No matter the world, the strange and mysterious sure liked to gather at Kourindou, huh? She wondered what it was about the store that gathered so many weirdos.

Well, not that she could talk. Hah.

“It’s a surprise to me too, if I’m being honest. Back home, I can count the amount of times I’d seen Morichika-san outside on just one hand,” she exclaims in a lackadaisical tone, barbs slowly unfurling from her words. “Eh? Me? Umm...”

     She certainly was hungry... Rinnosuke didn’t have much around besides snacks and drinks, given that he mostly cooked for himself. So with that in mind...

“Don’t you know anything? A poser is one of the worst things a true goth can be called!” Amity was even angrier when she realized this girl didn’t even realize the power of her words. Was she really just throwing around insults like it was nothing?

It reminded Amity of the person she used to be.

Amity glared at her, ready to attack again—and this time not miss, when she processed the request. 

“Oh, this?” Amity drew another violet circle in the air with her finger, summoning the flames around her hand. “I’m not going to lie, it took me a while to master the spell without a training wand. It’s pretty hard.” 

“Woop!” Dropping back down and onto her two feet in a hurry at the chance to learn a thing or two about magic, Sumireko jogs over with a grin. She’d already completely blown off the other’s previous words, no longer caring about who was posing as what. 

“Yeah, that! Ooh, so you even used a wand too, huh...” Without warning, she takes out her phone— snapping a photo of the flame in particular. “So cool... so chuuni! I can make fire like that too y’know, though it’s not magic or anything like yours is...”

“Some institutions find it a sign of prestige or use it as a way of minimizing distraction. Though I do have to say that your uniform is much more colorful than the ones at Academies in my own world. Well, no matter. Feel free to accessorize to your heart’s content.” It wasn’t a few bangles that made Lloyd not pay attention in class.

“Oh, I’ll get searching at once! I’d be willing to part with a few shark’s teeth I found while combing the beach as well. I can see that they’re going to a worthy home.”

     Prestige? Maybe. But prestige more for the school itself than for the individuals going there, is what Sumireko quietly thought to herself. “Of course I will!”

“My, your visits were always so brief. Proper, seasonal, and still comfortable clothing is something not to be taken for granted.” But don’t worry about that–she’s just thinking out loud!

“Sure, you could settle for a glass skull, or perhaps a real one! Surely there are some vendors in the Cotes ward that have come across and preserved a few animal skulls.” She wouldn’t dare part with ones she’s got in her own attic, but she can surely find some more!

“Hm? Uh, yeah, I guess that’s true?” She kinda sounded like Rinnosuke when she said that. “Still, the whole point of a school uniform is to reign in and stifle any sense of uniqueness among the students, so I dunno. But they are comfy, at least.”

▲ “A uniform? It’s uncanny, I’ve never seen one quite like this before.” Cue Zelda circling the similarly aged girl to look at her outfit. “Though I suppose it was only knights and soldiers that I only ever saw dressed in them.”

“I feel like it suits you, although I suppose I don’t know you to say that for sure. I’ve only been here over a month or so, and I’ve found it rather hard to find employment at seventeen even though that would be the best method of finding income.”

“Oh! Uh, th-thanks?” Sumireko pauses, caught off guard by the sudden attention. Sheepishly adjusting her glasses, she clears her throat. “Well, purple is my color. It’s even in my name— but, this is just what the girls at my school wear normally.”

“Allow me to take you shopping then, and you can pick out a few additional outfits! A uniform won’t do for traversing all around the island, and you can use your earnings for things you’d really like.”

“Oooh really?! You’re the best Miss Raine! I never had to worry about this when I visited Gensokyo, since I’d always go home when I woke up anyways...”