/jp/ - Otaku Culture

>>45735120
"Oh, but if you learned her dense vulpine encoding language, you'd communicate exponentially faster!" He laughed.

"Say, are you really as weak as you claim? Not everyone can produce curses and be so perceptive as to detect my ability." I asked.

"Making some paper scraps float and pointing out some minutiae makes for a good parlor trick, but it's very little compared to being able to destroy anything, stopping time, manipulating fate, or anything a Sage can do for that matter." He says, looking out to the playing girls as they tried to snipe the nimble cloud with danmaku trick shots.

"True, but as you said, the upcoming battle won't just be about power, and not everyone so readily compares themselves with powerful Youkai and Sages. Tell me, if you're so weak, how is it that you coned Yukari into taking Seija and yourself in and why would you want for such a thing in the first place? " I say, placing my hand on my chin.

He shrugs "It's fun." He said with a smile, concealing a larger truth no doubt. "And you? Why are you getting involved in this mess?"

"I serve the Mistress and this is what she wants." I say curtly.

"What a beautifully simple existence." Goro chuckled, not with malice, but a sort of admiration.

"So, why did Yukari take in a trouble-making Amanojaku and a fun-loving, self-deprecating broker?" I asked again, so he couldn't dodge the question.

He exhaled and looked out upon the group again, probably thinking in his head about how he could wiggle out of an answer, then deciding that I wouldn't let him off the hook.

"We can close gaps. Likely back doors as well." He said.

So, the pieces fall into place. Yukari wouldn't just bring on two, independently-minded people if there wasn't a sizable benefit. The Wicked Hermit and Samurai Oni were troublesome, but their power made that risk worth taking, while Miss Flandre would be the ideal candidate, powerful and easier to manipulate. These two though, with the cunning to work together as a Human and Youkai, could be poison to a manipulator like the Gap Sage, but a counter to powerful abilities like Gaps and Back Doors? That was an invaluable tactical and strategic asset.

"I was thinking you knew a little too much about the Gap for a layperson." I said, idly bouncing my leg.

"My deal with Yukari-Sama was that she taught me about the HSE and in turn, we would defend it. It's only because of their teaching, Her's and Ran-San's, that Seija and I will stand a chance in the upcoming fight. Even then, it won't be enough, we'll lose." Goro flatly stated.

"You say that like it's certain, but a fight this chaotic can go any number of ways." I remarked.

"Ignore the complexity and take a step back. Yukari-Sama is completly out of her element acting outside the shadows, resorting to hiring miscreants like us and a number of insane projects like that Accursed Sword which won't go as planned. Regardless, the HSE is a bomb and it'll go off taking both sides with it."

"The Begotten Egg..." I said, tapping a finger to my cheek.

"Wow, Miss Sakuya, I didn't take you for a busy body! I pray you're more dignified then a certain Satori." Goro chuckled, breaking the tension.

"Of course, I am a proper maid after all. The mistress is well aware of my photo albums and scrap books and has many of them cataloged in the library for anyone's viewing pleasure." I stated proudly.

"Perhaps I'll take a look later out of grim curiosity." He began waving his hand. "There is a slight chance we could win. A gamble Seija and I are going to be forced to take that will let her use her ability to it's absolute maximum, the ability to turn anything on it's head. Abilities, alliances, perhaps even the flow of time."

"That seems quite impossible, I've never been able to reverse events completly after all." I stated.

"Yes, I imagine such an effect would only be temporary, like putting a dam in a river, eventually it'll burst with all the water rushing into it, or perhaps flipping some properties around density would cause a sheet to properly crumple... Hmm, the complexity of it is fun to fiddle about, but the point is, for a short time and risk, we might be able to do things previously unheard of. Perhaps it self-centered of us, but an ascendant Amanojaku isn't something to scoff at."

"If it turns out how you plan and you two don't poke holes in space-time, I see why you still think our defeat is still inevitable with such a power." I sighed. "But there's something else you want to ask me isn't there?"

"When things look bleak, the SDM forces will be evacuated, most likely by yourself right? There's two additional people I'd like you to evacuate as well, who'll make themselves known after Seija and I make our gamble. In exchange, We'll protect Flandre as well as we protect the HSE." He said, putting out a hand.