/jp/ - Otaku Culture

>>46399035
That street was as bustling as it ever was, it provided good cover for me as I made my way towards my destination. Thongs of people moved around me. Some seemed to just want to cross the street as quickly as possible, and others were enjoying what this street had to offer. The stalls were still open and selling their wares to customers, expect for one seemingly abandoned stall. It was still in good enough shape, so I suppose it hadn’t been vacant for too long. Well, lemonade was a strange choice to sell here anyway, maybe they gave up. Looking over to a familiar spot. I saw that artist I had met had customers browsing her wares. I wonder if she had new books available-best not to think about that.

There was no delaying my march forward, and soon I was in front of that building again. The HSE almost the same, but it seemed someone had removed the front doors and nailed blankets over the entrance. A few workers milled about, making measurements of the frame. Even with the change, knowing what I did know about its true nature made it seem to radiate menace, imagined or not. So much had changed since then. The truth behind this place was revealed to me, a full blown revolution was brewing in the village, and Yukari had found out I was working against her. Stepping foot in the place now wouldn’t be the blind bumbling of a woman naively trying to play detective. It would be stepping on enemy territory, a declaration of war if they found me out. I had no way of defending myself other then hoping they wouldn’t attack me. Even the weakest youkai here could overpower me easily. I barely knew anything about the inner workings of this place, and I’d be going in almost blind on where to look.

Or- I could just turn and leave. I wasn’t arrogant enough to assume Yukari thought of me as a threat. She was just throwing her weight around, trying to drive off anyone opposing her. Nobody would blame me for wanting to get involved any further. Hell, they probably wrote me off already. Just heading home and letting the professionals deal with this would be the logical thing to do.

But my feet refused to move. Keine had went through a night of hell to save her children and faced down a barrel of a gun to forge a better future for them-for all the others of their generation. Marisa, Yuuka, and all the others-while powerful-knew they were risking their lives facing down a powerful foe in a battle were there would be no rules. Anon, who had spent so much of his life being hurt by the woman who was supposed to cherish him and had escaped only to be throw back into a new hell. Then there was Hana, who had never even had the decency of a normal childhood and had been preyed upon by the old bitch. All of them, making so many sacrifices , suffering so much pain and then there would be me, scurrying away like a rat when danger reared itself only to come crawling back when the dust was settled. Removing myself from all the danger would be the smart thing to do. But sometimes the smart thing to do isn’t the right thing to do.

Whether we were to succeed and head into a new but uncertain age, or fail and fall under the heel of Yukari, I knew I there would be nothing but a life of shame ahead of me if I did nothing. I wouldn’t be able to face my friends knowing I had let them down and simply rode on their coattails. The thought of growing old and seeing the world change-either to heaven, hell or somewhere in between-knowing I had let the opportunity to help make things right slip through my fingers already made my gut twist. My children and their children, the new generation would deal with the consequences of what’s to come. Akyuu too. I would be long gone when she is reborn, but I could at least ensure she has a chance at a good life. Who knows, maybe one of my descendants would be friends with her.

Funnily, I think back to Momotaro. He might have been strong and willingly accepted his quest, but I wondered if he had any doubts in his mind when he went to the isle of oni. What I wouldn’t give for some animal companions right now. Doing my best to push the thoughts telling me to run out of my mind, I step into the gates of hell.

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