/jp/ - Otaku Culture

"I am perfectly capable of keeping myself well enough to work."

"How about well enough to live?" Remi muttered under her breath, but Patchouli heard it regardless. Patchouli looked up at her friend. She'd kept a secret. A meeting with Yukari Yakumo that she'd refused to share. Knowing Remi, Patchouli knew for certain that she would never truly join her. Even if she did, it was for a temporary, hidden goal. Especially now that she knew about Patchouli's own problems regarding the building. No, Remi would not truly join Yukari Yakumo unless she had a reason. And...There was a possible reason. Flandre Scarlet...

"Lady Patchouli?" Patchouli blinked and looked up. Her familiar stood in the middle of the experiment, looking at her. "Where would you like me to stand?" Patchouli raised a hand and summoned the book that Koakuma had been marking down her results in. Surveying it, Patchouli thought for a moment.

"Two to the left, Koakuma." Her familiar moved, looking back up at her for confirmation. "Yes, stay there. Take hold of the wire by your left foot and feed in a small amount of power. If it is overpowered, it may explode, so ensure that you do not feed in any more power than I tell you to." Her familiar nodded and crouched down. For a moment, Patchouli thought of the man trapped in the HSE. They really would have gotten along. There was a feeling deep in her gut that she was staunchly ignoring. It wasn't a good way of dealing with her problems, but something about it gave her a very different feeling. Something was coming, and it had her on edge. Some sort of foreboding that she very much didn't like. Three times today, she had found herself on the verge of calling for Meiling. She had even less idea why, but she felt like she needed to keep the gatekeeper nearby. Growling slightly, she shook her head. "Mei-" She grit her teeth and slapped the side of her head. "Apologies. Koakuma, crouch down and take the wire." Her familiar did as she said, but even she was watching Patchouli with some concern in her eyes now.

"Patchy." Remi wasn't asking her a question. Patchouli Knowledge ignored her.

"Koakuma, begin feeding power into-" Again, she was interrupted.

"Patchouli Knowledge!" Remi's voice was much sharper now. "Look at me!" Patchouli's gaze was forced to shift up to her friend. "You are not well."

"I haven't been well for a long time. Consequence of the craft." Patchouli forced out through gritted teeth. She could feel a profound sense of foreboding. Something was coming.

"I don't care. Stop it. Now." Remi vaulted over the observation balcony and floated across the room before stopping in front of her. "Shut it down, Patchouli, or I'll do it for you." Patchouli stared at her friend with a murderous look on her face. Before she knew it, she'd swept her arm out as if to attack. Of course, Remilia Scarlet was no pushover, and before Patchouli had even finished getting her hand out, Remi had caught it with her free hand. She showed no anger at Patchouli's actions. "That rage - Is it yours? View yourself objectively. Shut it down, now. Do as you are told."

Patchouli felt a sudden desire to attack. It wasn't directed at Remi, but...She felt like she needed to attack something right now. What was it? Her…Her magic. The magic that she knew was disappearing to somewhere. A theory that she hadn’t wanted to consider seemed to be coming to the forefront. "...Compromised." She forced out. "I knew it." If she was feeling things that were not her own, then it was already too late. She wrenched her arm free of Remi's iron grip. That feeling...She shouldn't have ignored it. She tried to look into Remi's eyes, but she was struggling. "Something - Something's wrong." She gasped. "Shouldn't have - Ignored it. I need - Need..."

Her legs suddenly gave out, but there was Remi, immediately lifting her up by her arms alone. "Patchouli. Listen to me!" Only Patchouli's mental defences seemed to have saved her from the full brunt of whatever was bearing down on her. "Tell me what it is you need right now." There she was. The Scarlet Devil. Not the child that she led so many to believe was all she was. "Do not dare pass out, Patchouli Knowledge. I've no intention of losing you yet." She looked over her shoulder. "Koakuma! Cease whatever it is you're..." And she trailed off. Patchouli tried to bring her thoughts back around. The magic...She'd already started. It needed to be expelled properly or it would snap and invert. For once, Patchouli Knowledge heard something she never heard from Remi. "Shit." The vampire swore, then looked back at Patchouli. "Koakuma, take Patchouli. Now! Do not spend a second longer in the centre of that mess."

>>45301742
I don't trust anyone that says cope, stinks of crossboarder

>>45301041
Probably the one that knows too much

>>43201327