/jp/ - Otaku Culture

Everyone was working hard. Toutetsu-San, the Myouren Temple gods, Ran, Reimu, Aya-san, even being pregnant, was still doing what she could, and all the while Anon was still enduring this place...

I can't just sit still and do nothing while everyone's working so hard!

So, when the alarm went off and Takane-san went to see to it, I followed. Next to Ran-san and Yukari-sama, she was the most informed about this place. If she was being summoned for something, it must be important! Maybe something that I could tell the others to help Anon escape even! The thoughts of everyone praising me cause me to giddily skip besides the Yamawaro, maybe this all didn't have to end in one big fight after all?

My day dream ended the second we came to the entrance area. The guests, many different kinds of Youkai, all had their gazed locked and were poised like beasts to strike, the white wolves stood in front in perfect order, their large blades all drawn, and the air, the air felt....it felt absent and smelt like burned spices.

"What's going on here?" Takane asked the nearest white wolf guard, who without turning her attention, answered.

"That damned broker is at it again." She said curtly.

Our attentions turned to where the air felt more lost and the scent was stronger, and, at the center of the crowd Seija and Goro stood surrounded on all sides.

"What are you playing at?" Seija spoke, a serious expression on her face.

"Don't speak traitor, we'll be taking you into custody. The Yakumo will know what to do with you." The wolf in front spoke.

"No. Call them off!" Takane told the closet wolf, pulling at her sleeve.

I felt my hair stand on end and my eyes widen. She was right, my friends had told me about many dangerous people, like the wicked hermit and the cunning mob lady, but 'Seija' they told me 'Seija is the most volatile of them all'.

"Captain, you can put away your sword." Goro smiled, stepping forward. "We both serve the Yakumo after all."

At this Takane-san breathed a sigh of relief. Of course, Goro-san was always with Seija lately and he seemed nice. Maybe he could calm everyone down?

"There's no 'misunderstanding' Human, we all recognize those energies from when you chanted in front of this building before. You're probably a bomb just waiting to go off. Now lay down and put your hands on your back." She stated.

"That's unfortunate..." Goro said casually taking a few more steps toward the captain.

She steadied the sword toward him, I could her hands clenched and her breathing slow, her eyes sharpened, ready to strike him at any second. Then Goro placed his hand on the swords side.

"You know, the legends they tell about these things? They say that, one day an old human blacksmith owed a debt to the Tengu guard, and, when he asked if he could make you all something in exchange and what you wanted, you all joked 'bigger and sharper fangs'." He said, running his fingers on the shiny blade.

"The blacksmith, perhaps as a joke, forged the first one of these broad swords, using all the iron he had in the shop, dubbed it 'fang', and presented it the Tengu as his last act in life. Of course, you all loved it! And now here you stand bearing those blades to this day."

"An intriguing fantasy, now, you have five seconds before I slice your neck with it." The captain growled.

"Perhaps you missed the point. What I mean to say is, you're sworn to protect this place as I am so..." He began, placing his other hand on the pommel of the blade, bone-like fingers lightly brushing the captain's.

"...why are you bearing your fangs at me you rapid mongrel?" He finished with a calm expression.

If the air in the room felt weird before it was choking now, like summer had suddenly appeared in the midsts of winter! All of it was centered around Seija and Goro and I was stuck in place, sure this would all end in a horrible fight.

"Hup two hup two!" I heard shouted accompanied with clapping.

"Attention! All White Wolves in attendance, 200 Sword Kata Swings, 10,000 yard run, 500 push-ups, 100 pull-ups, and 100 squat jumps on the double!" Seija shouted.

The room turned to her, flabbergasted.

"What are you maggots looking at? I heard Tengu operate on a hierarchy? Who's wearing the Tabard's here?" She asked, pointing to the symbols on Goro's outfit and her own, the same one's Ran, Flan, Yukari, and I wore.

As if suddenly possessed, the white wolves put away their weapons and formed an orderly line, retreating from the room, as they did, the strange property that had possessed the room vanished and the HSE patrons that were on their guard slowly returned to the attractions, waiting their turn in line.

"Well, you almost made a mess of things, what exactly were you up to that put them on edge?" Takane-san asked, approaching the two.

"We walked through the front door and they encircled us before we knew it. The Scarlet Devil Mansion visit was 'fruitful', by the way" Goro explained, tossing a small notebook to Takane-san.